Terminator Salvation (reviewed in 100 words or less)

Who better to take on the dead horse that is the Terminator franchise for a bit of a flogging than McG, the director responsible for the stylish but indisputably bad Charlie's Angels and Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle.
Deservedly earning itself a colon in some territories, Terminator Salvation is a tedious examination of what a self-aware military artificial intelligence and a human resistance force absolutely would not do if pitched into battle with one another. Skynet, Michael Ironside and McG all make tactically suicidal decisions at every turn. I bet Christian wishes he'd Baled out when he had the chance.

Star Trek (reviewed in 100 words or less)

With countless sweaty nerd hands poised to post baQa' on sci-fi forums around the world, launching the Genesis device into the ailing Star Trek universe wouldn't be an inconsiderable undertaking, even for so reputable a director as J. J. Abrams.
Wisely selecting an 'alternate timeline' as a cover for any indiscretions, Abrams presents the development of the iconic James T. Kirk from birth to his first stint in the captain's chair. Inspired casting, excellent acting and stylish camera-work make up for the average plot, inconsistent humour and a slightly awkward Nimoy cameo. Even the nerds had little to complain about.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine (reviewed in 100 words or less)

It's usually a bad sign if a movie has a colon and, regardless of how perfectly Jackman plays the adamantium-enhanced anti-hero, the colon curse is all over this one. XMO:W is a litany of missed opportunities that fails to service existing followers or attract new ones. Heroes and villains that long-time fans look forward to exposing to the uninitiated turn out to be weak reinventions and hardly worth the screen-time. The plot stays reasonably true to its comic forebear but cramming such extensive canon into this short, forgettable and generic action flick clearly doesn't do it justice.

Elegy (reviewed in 100 words or less)

'Elegy' stars Ben Kingsley as an ageing literature professor who seduces one of his beautiful students. Uncertainty and discomfort prevail as we are shown what may be recognisable, sometimes unsavoury, aspects of ourselves or our loved ones. Despite this, the questionable moral foundation of the lead and the intentional cultural distance of his muse restrict emotional attachment to the characters. Dennis Hopper provides some relief, offering crass relationship advice to his beseiged literary chum but the overall experience is a dark and melancholy one. You should see it, but tee up 'Sexy Beast' or 'Without a Clue' to watch afterward.