Not Another Happy Ending  (2013)    70/100

Rating :   70/100                                                                     102 Min        12A

A Scottish romantic comedy completely sold by the natural charisma of its two leads – the lovely Karen Gillan and brooding Frenchman Stanley Weber. Gillan plays Jane Lockhart, a first time novelist enjoying the fruits of her labour despite the liberties taken by her publisher, Weber’s Tom Duval. When writers block strikes for the finale of her second novel, Tom decides the reason must be that she has become too happy and resorts to making her miserable as the only logical course of action.

Set in Glasgow, the film feels alive and accessible throughout and even features the good old British tradition of pub quizzing as a central plot device (the ultimate prize of a trip to Disneyland is not quite so traditional), though other plot devices such as a fictitious character coming to life in the mind of Jane feel a little bit superfluous. At times, there is a loose quality to the way scenes play out – rather like if you were to film something with your mates without rehearsing it much before hand, but this quality invites the audience in and gives the film a real and original feel to it. With Gary Lewis and rising stars Freya Mavor (‘Sunshine on Leith’), Amy Manson (‘Outcasts’) and Iain De Caestecker (‘Marvel – Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’) in support.

Now You See Me  (2013)    69/100

Rating : 69/100                                                                       115 Min        12A

This film is a lot of fun, but it is let down by the trailer to a large degree, and the suspense it successfully builds begins to decidedly peter out toward the final act. Dave Franco (younger brother of James Franco), Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher and Woody Harrelson all play magicians who come together to form an ensemble act, cumulatively, and bombastically, calling themselves the Four Horsemen. After one of their shows sees them use their powers to commit theft on a grand scale, the authorities are called in (here in the guise of Mark Ruffalo, joined by the sultry Melanie Laurent), but who is behind the group and what is their ultimate goal? Equally, how real, or how magic, is the magic? Well, I won’t ruin that element, but the film doesn’t take itself too seriously, and the twists and turns aren’t all that hidden – we’re given hints to what’s coming all the way through, but we’re also told that most magic is simply misdirection …. (also with Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman in support).

Nativity 2 : Danger in the Manger!  (2012)    50/100

Rating :   50/100                                                                     105 Min        U

This is the sequel to 2009’s children’s film ‘Nativity!’ and it once again focuses on the kids of St. Bernadette’s primary school. Any film that has the subtitle ‘Danger in the Manger’ deserves a little credit straight off the bat as far as The Red Dragon is concerned – the rest of the film though is likely to divide parental opinion. The first film was a surprise hit, proving entertaining for children and adults alike. Here, the presumably busy with ‘The Hobbit’ Martin Freeman has been replaced with primary school teacher David Tennant, who tries to provide the voice of reason as his classroom assistant takes the kids, including one baby, on an increasingly dangerous and unlikely trek to reach a Christmas singing competition in Wales, much in the style of an ‘X Factor’ for primary schools. The adventure is deliberately over the top but nonetheless features such stunts as the whole gang going white water rafting with the hapless baby strapped to someone’s chest. The Red Dragon also considers there to be a bit too much of the singing at the end. If your kids dislike ‘The X Factor’, or are wont to copy what they see on the big-screen (especially if you also have a small baby), then give this one a miss. Otherwise, not as good or as wholesome as the first one, but probably decent enough to entertain the family if there’s nothing else showing. Or if you don’t fancy sneaking your kids past the ushers to go and see ‘Skyfall’.