Most people have seen the trailer for Immortals and are wondering how this will rank alongside the unbelievably successful ‘300’. With the added extra of 3D, much is expected from Tarsem Singh’s take on a Greek mythology action epic.

So what we have here is a comedy about cancer…risky stuff. But when you hear that it stars Seth Rogen (Knocked Up) and Joseph Gordon-Hewitt (500 Days of Summer), your hopes instantly rise.

As the case seems to be with all the good films released the cinema lately, Water For Elephants is based on bestselling novel. We start with a now familiar scene of an old man telling his story before we transported back into his past and Robert Pattinson turns up on the screen looking very tanned and clean cut.

Casting the Twilight heartthrob is always a good move for getting his crazed fans to fill up the seats but Pattinson has to put in a performance to help make this film interesting to his tween crowd as well as attract respect from regular film goers. Luckily he does.

Set during the depression in 1931, R Patz plays a young veterinary student, Jacob Jankowski who is left orphaned after his parents die in a tragic car accident. Left with nothing and no family to turn, he stumbles upon a travelling circus and is lucky enough to get some work. His years studying veterinary prove useful as he becomes the circus vet but this then leds him to spend a lot of time with the boss’s wife Marlena (Reese Witherspoon). And as you would expect, feelings begin to grow and a forbidden romance starts to blossom.

So far since Twilight, R Patz has gone for roles that still have that ‘tortured vibe’ and I can understand why. He excels at them; if aint broke don’t fix it right? As Jacob he is very endearing, taking us along on the journey as he looks after some of the most talented animals you’ll ever see! The chemistry between him and Reese is believable and it grows nicely throughout the film.

Reese Witherspoon does what she needs to in this film, looks pretty and delicate while revealing a vulnerability that allows her to risk the wrath of her husband. As you watch you are willing for them to work out and scared of what the tragedy mentioned in the opening scene will be.

However, Christopher Waltz as the evil ringleader August is what really makes this film work. He switches from cheerful and charismatic to mean and threatening in seconds and he becomes a true villain who the audience can’t help but fear when he’s on screen because you don’t know who he’s going to attack next.

All in all, Water for Elephants is a sweet, touching film. The costumes and visual are perfectly done and the production is second to none. When the film was over the audience was silent for about 45 seconds because everyone in the room was just so moved by the beauty of it all.

But it has to be stated that the best part of this whole film was Rosie, the amazing elephant who everyone will fall in love with. I think a lot of people will be more appreciative of animal rights groups after watching this film.

Water for Elephants is released nationwide in the UK on 4th May 2011.

By Nola Ojomu

This rather lengthy titled film sees us follow a group of Australian high school teens on a camping trip before the start of their final school year. They make their way to the strangely titled paradise, ‘Hell’. Some planes fly overhead and nothing is thought of it, but as they return home, they learn the planes belonged to an invading nation who are intent on taking over.

What do these teens decide to do? Fight back with all their might!

I came into this film knowing nothing and left completely entertained. I didn’t even know it was based on a hugely successful book series written by John Marsden. The fan base will help get people in the seats but the story has a strong enough pull for all those like me who don’t know the background story.

Caitlin Stasey (who you’ll recognise from Neighbours and The Sleepover Club) is a great choice for the lead role of Ellie. We follow her and her friends as they find their world turned upside down.

The characters are very stereotypical. You have the leader, the bad boy, the pretty blonde, a strict Christian and so on. The script is a tad cheesy at times and the romances are very predictable but what makes this film so good is the concept.

You can sit there and not wonder what you would do in that situation. Our generation living our comfortable lives have never had to worry about invasion and war on our streets. How would we handle it, would you be able to fight back?

None of what they do is too over the top or outrageous and the film is very believable. The focus is on the characters and their reactions to the situation they have been put in. While the production is very good (never has a bridge getting destroyed looked so fun), it is the cast who determined how good the film would be.

We are clearly led to stop and think about all those going through this situation in the world, both now and in the past. Ellie sees a picture of when Australia was invaded and stolen from the Aborigines, how much worse it must have been for them!

It’s the first time directing a film for Stuart Beattie (whose screenwriting credits include the Pirates movies and Australia) and he does a great job. With the sequel on the way, he has his hands on a very successful franchise.

At one point, Ellie asks her best friend if the book she is reading is any good. Corrie replies ‘Yeah…way better than the movie’ to which Ellie responds, ‘They usually are’.

Somehow I doubt fans of the book will be disappointed with the way this film adaptation is going. But I guess I’ll have to read the book to find out.

Tomorrow, When The War Began is released nationwide tomorrow in the UK.

By Nola Ojomu