Once Upon A Song is a modern re-telling of the classic Cinderella tale. It whisks the well known premise into the 21st century, exchanging Prince Charming for the school heart-throb, swapping the horse and carriage for a sports car, and portraying the ugly stepmother as a botox-addicted blonde bimbo. The light-hearted musical includes a fantastic dance routine with stunning Bollywood-inspired costumes, as well as toe-tapping modern rock songs.

We see Katie Gibbs (Lucy Hale) a modern day Cinderella who is stuck living with her vindictive stepmother Gail who treats her more like a maid than a daughter. Katie has to look after Gail’s two obnoxious children, Victor (Matthew Lintz ) and Bev (Megan Park) who are constantly making her life a misery. But that was until Luke (cue teenage heart-throb) appears at their school. His father happens to own a record company, so Gail (Missi Pyle) agrees to let Luke (Freddie Stroma) headline the school’s concert after being bribed with promises he will bring along talent scouts. As soon as Gail – a sun and salon worshipper – finds out that Katie has been harbouring an amazing singing voice, she forces Katie to sing on a record and let Bev take the credit for it. In a bid to reveal the truth, Katie sings to Luke in disguise, but rushes off before she can reveal who she is. It’s up to Luke to find the girl who fits the voice.

This Cinderella story is different from the previous versions of the story in that it is a musical and features original songs sung by the cast. However, the modern story seems to deviate too far from the original, making links that are so tenuous that a younger audience may miss them. Not every youngster is going to spot this adapted version of the famous missing glass slipper scene where Katie leaves behind her song for Luke to find her with.

Once Upon A Song couldn’t be more ‘Disney‘ if it tried. The random outbreaks of song and the constant grinning brings to mind Disney teen movies like High School Musical and Lemonade Mouth. And there’s nothing wrong with that –  it turns out to be more funny and entertaining this way. But it does seem a little unsettling and unlikely that two young teenagers are singing about love, devotion and destiny as if they are experts in these fields.

The witty script – penned by Erik Patterson and Jessica Scott – is cleverly constructed to suit all ages. Youngsters can laugh over the slap-stick humour and funny sibling banter, the adults can appreciate the references to the Rolling Stones and the fact that the plot pulls on themes from Singin’ in the Rain. Only the parents will be able to predict what will happen when Katie is standing behind the stage curtain singing for her stepsister, but youngsters will be left wondering.

The extravagant Indian-style dance number is made even more visually stunning by the slick dance routine and the dazzling costumes. The dance strongly pulls on typical Bollywood dance moves, from intricate hand twists to head bopping. However, this captivating and colourful dance routine may have been an attempt to make up for the lack of dance routines throughout the rest of the musical.

Overall this is an entertaining film which will leave you smiling, because as predicted, there’s a happy ending. It’s a refreshing-reminder of the classic Cinderella tale, even if it travels a little too far from the original. Appealing to both adults and children, it will certainly put you in a good mood.

A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song comes out on DVD on Monday 21 May, 2012.

Popular children’s author Enid Blyton published her first novel about this inquisitive gang in 1942 and the British writer went on to create a total of 21 adventures. Packed with ginger beer, secret passageways, dodgy characters and intriguing mysteries, the novels were very popular among children and a series about the adventurous group was broadcast on ITV in 1978. To celebrate the 70^th anniversary of the novels, the series is being released on DVD for the first time today, 21st May.

The Famous Five television series has a wholesome feel that is lacking in much of today’s children’s entertainment. The episodes are a refreshing reminder of Blyton’s talent, especially for those who read her novels as a child, and vividly bring to the screen her characteristically comforting universe. The series stars Marcus Harris, Gary Russell, Jennifer Thanisch, Michelle Gallagher and the wonderful dog Timmy who accompanies them on their adventures. Timmy is just as much a part of the group as any of the others, and often plays an important role in solving mysteries.

The children are naturally inquisitive, always exploring hidden places and looking for adventures. The great thing about these stories is that they are not about simple outings like walks or picnics. Instead, the Famous Five seem to have a particular knack for finding exciting adventures, that are often more serious than they first think. There is often real intrigue and danger involved, situations that will have you unexpectedly sliding to the edge of your seat.

George’s father is always working on something top secret, whether it is converting energy, or conducting experiments with a plentiful supply of test-tubes and formulae. In the first couple of episodes of the series, it is this top secret work that invites greedy men to snoop around, hoping to get a slice of his impending success. However thankfully for this eccentric inventor, when you tell the Famous Five that somewhere is out of bounds, chances are they are going to explore it and stumble upon those who are up to no good.

The background music in this series is very simple, yet effectively sets the scene and builds tension. The stories move fast enough to keep you entertained, yet they still retain their wholesome feel. It is their childhood innocence and relentless inquisitiveness that really makes the Famous Five stories appealing, as easy-to-watch, 25 minute-long slices of entertainment.

The only thing that can get slightly annoying is the theme tune, which plays at the start and end of each episode, as well as when you first put the DVD in and head to the home page. However, if you move fast enough, you can skip past this and get right to the innocently wonderful action. As well as the five main roles, the series also features the talents of classic British actors including Patrick Troughton, Ronald Fraser, Brian Glover (of Kes fame), David Rappaport and an early appearance from the young Rupert Graves.

The whole production, from script writer Gail Renard, has a very fresh feel, despite being made over 30-years-ago. If you are looking for something to entertain your children with, or simply to see some feel-good entertainment, then the Famous Five series is one to watch.

To coincide with the 70th anniversary of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five books, all 13 episodes of the first series of the classic 1970s adaptation of the Famous Five is coming to DVD for the first time. Season One is out on May 21st, Season 2 and the Complete Collectors Edition is out on June 25th, 2012.

Emma (Mathilda Paradeiser) joins an equestrian vaulting team where she meets the slightly older Cassandra (Linda Molin) and the two hit it off. Initially the older girl takes the beginner under her wing and they work on her technique. Soon, they’re hanging out together and building a giggly, conspiratorial intimacy.

There is a third she-monkey however: Emma’s six-year-old sister, Sara. While her elder sister takes advantage of her independence to hang around with her new friend, young Sara has her own preoccupations. Primarily the fact that she is in love with her teenage cousin Sebastian.

Both daughters live with their father, and any female involved in their existence is not mentioned. Not only is the mystery of the missing mother not addressed, but the audience is left to join the dots together throughout the film. She Monkeys (Apflickorna in Swedish, which translates as monkey girls) eschews conventional plot devices like backstory and even dialogue that would introduce us to the characters and give some clue to what exactly they are thinking and feeling. It is clear that Emma and Cassandra have become friends, but when the older girl says she loves her friend, it is less certain what kind of love this is.

Lisa Aschan, She Monkey‘s director and co-writer, told The Guardian that she “wanted every scene to be a duel.” Aschan went on to explain the film in terms of genre, “I see this film as a Western. I wanted to investigate how people behave together.” Not that Westerns presumably have the cinematic monopoly of looking at how humans interact, but competition is certainly woven into their very fabric.

If Aschan suggests we should make sense of Emma’s relationships with both Cassandra and her younger sister as dominated by a jostling for power, this is fairly subtle. One game Cassandra plays is to blindfold her friend and lead her around, finishing in the sea where she plops a jellyfish in her hands to see how she reacts. When Emma calmly decides to squish the creature, this must be the She Monkey‘s equivalent of a shot to the head in a shootout.

Less oblique, and more provocative, is the character of Sara. Played by Isabella Lindquist, Sara is endearingly guileless, and when this innocence runs up against the adult world, the results can be disquieting. One example happens at a swimming class where Sara is only wearing trunks and is told off by the teacher for not wearing a bikini top. Seeing this young girl covering her chest with her arms and becoming aware of the shame of nakedness is pitiable. In a later scene that boldly confronts her nascent sexuality, need for affection and  what is appropriate behaviour, Sara asks the object of her affections, Sebastian (Kevin Caicedo Vega), to scratch her tummy as he puts her to bed at night, much to his (and the audience’s) discomfort.

The whole film is shot in the lovely milky light of the Scandinavian summer. An overall aesthetic of pared-down Nordic minimalism is added to by a subtle electronic soundtrack and Lisa Aschan’s efforts to ensure that no brands or advertisements are visible.

In Sweden the critics have been going mad for the film, and it has also won a Silver Bear in Berlin, Best Narrative Feature at Tribeca as well as being nominated for the BFI’s Sutherland Trophy for “the most original and imaginative [first or second feature] film introduced at the National Film Theatre during the year”. Lisa Aschan has repeatedly said that she would rather ask questions than give answers. This is all well and good, but often it can be difficult to discern when – and what – questions are being asked. It’s certainly no The Good The Bad and the Ugly, but if it is a Western, it must be one of the most unusual ever made.

The Old Curiosity Shop follows the now infamous story of Nell Trent (Elaine Benson) and her unnamed grandfather (Ben Webster), who both reside in The Old Curiosity shop itself, until they are forced to leave by wicked, hunchbacked, money-lender, Daniel Quilp (Hay Petrie). The pair then take to the streets of the British Midlands, trying to find work where they can along the way.

The story was adapted with much attention to detail by director Thomas Bentley – so much, in fact, that one wonders quite how any of the  silent film interpretations that preceded it managed anything more than a brief outline of the story. Petrie steals the show as the villainous Quilp, with his attempts at kissing the ‘not quite fourteen’ year-old Nell and terrorising his wife Betsy enough to make even modern audiences wince. While the script’s sentimental side might have aged this production somewhat, it remains a captivating insight into the time in which Dickens lived and wrote.

Nicholas Nickleby, in the form of one adaptation or another, has become something of a Christmas TV staple over recent years – although one which often sits in the shadow of another Dickensian classic: Great Expectations. Nevertheless, Alberto Cavalcanti‘s version holds a certain prestige as an Ealing Studios production, as well as being the title’s first adaptation in sound.

The film follows the journey of Nicholas Nickleby, played by Derek Bond, as he ventures to London with his mother (Mary Merrall) and sister Kate (Sally Ann Howes – who went on to play Chitty Chitty Bang Bang‘s Truly Scrumptious, among other roles). The trio hope to gain financial help from their rich but cold-hearted Uncle Ralph, played by Sir Cedric Hardwicke. Nicholas is given job at a school, but is shocked to find that the children are mistreated, so leaves taking an ailing student named Smike (Aubrey Woods) with him. The pair join a theatre company, but leave when they hear that Kate has been suffering at the hands of the lecherous Sir Mulberry Hawk (Cecil Ramage). They make it their mission to save her,  and go on to meet a number of Dickens’ most memorable characters along their way.

The novel was originally published in monthly instalments and, at times, this film suffers a little in its dedication being thorough. The acting is hugely theatrical throughout, but even so, Cavalcanti’s Nicholas Nickleby is triumphant in capturing the Dickensian sense of social satire, and the Victorian visuals are a treat.

Whether you love Dickens or refuse to even watch A Christmas Carol unless you’ve been heavily plied with mince pies, then re-released versions of both The Old Curiosity Shop and Nicholas Nickleby are still worth a look as revered examples of pioneering cinema and classic storytelling. The DVD versions also come packed with extra features, including interviews with BFI Dickens Season Curators Adrian Wootton and Michael Eaton, as well as Dickens’ biographer Michael Slater – take a look at the short clips below!

The Old Curiostity Shop and Nicholas Nickleby are both out on DVD now.

The story, written by Berkeley Anderson and directed by Matt Codd, finds Marco Polo and his group of Italian explorers in China, after establishing trade relations with the country. The emperor is happy to give his guests a good send-off, however someone else has other plans. Shang Sei, played by Peter Kwong (Big Trouble In Little China), does not trust the ‘Westerners’, so uses an ancient stone to call up two terrifying dragons from the netherworld to wreak havoc upon their journey home.

The positives of this film are its budget and the fact that it pretty much cuts straight to the action. There is no waiting around for tedious scene-setting and unnecessary dialogue, which is a good thing as the acting and story-telling is quite disappointing. We do however, get to see two dragons in all their flying, fire-breathing glory and the special effects in this area are good enough to keep you entertained, at least for a time. The dragons look impressive enough and when they breathe fire, you can almost feel it exploding out of your television screen, which is a compliment to the special-effects creators.

While the special effects are not up to the same standard as high-profile, big screen productions, a good effort has been made to make fights, deaths and dragons look authentic. Dragon Dynasty‘s big budget, of an estimated $1,000,000, saves it from being just another cheesy production, although there is still a smattering of corny lines.

The cast includes James Hong (Blade Runner, Balls of Fury), Federico Castelluccio (The Sopranos, A Guide To Recognising Your Saints) and Stana Katic, who has gone on to better things and is now known as detective Kate Beckett on TV series Castle. Unfortunately, despite this illustrious cast, the acting in this film is not up to scratch, especially in the banter between Marco (Castellucio) and his explorer team. You can almost see the scripted words coming out of their mouths and the procession of events doesn’t evoke much emotion in the audience.

Overall, the best thing about Dragon Dynasty is the special effects, the dragons in particular. It is let down by poor writing and many scenes that leave you wondering why on earth people think that fighting a dragon by standing on the ground with a sword and shield is ever going to work. However, if you are looking for some light,  dragon attack-themed, entertainment, then this film is worth a watch.

Dragon Dynasty is out on DVD today.

The film follows two handsome newly weds, Atul (Reece Ritchie) and Vina (Amara Karan), who struggle to consummate their new marriage. The trouble is, they are stuck in the small terraced house in Bolton belonging to Atul’s family. Not only can the squeak of every bedspring be heard through the walls, but there is also dad to contend with. Things aren’t helped when their honeymoon tour company goes bust. Dad is Eeshwar, played by the hilarious Harish Patel, who constantly undermines his sensitive son’s achievements and attempts at independence. What starts as an a disappointment, builds into a serious issue.

The young couple are at the heart of the story, but it is Patel’s Eeshwar who really steals the show. Double chinned and triple stomached, Eeshwar is the sort of stubborn, slobbish husband whose wife Lopa (a stoic Meera Syal) would probably kill if he wasn’t also so funny and ultimately helpless. Most of Patel’s career has been spent acting in Bollywood and Indian theatre, but the more observant among us might recognise him from Corrie or My Beautiful Laundrette. He also put a smile on the face as Simon Pegg’s landlord and trainer in Run, Fat Boy, Run, the hapless Mr Goshdashtidar, but this more significant role is apparently what we’ve been waiting for, as it really lets him come into his own.

Of course, a father who never has a good word for his son isn’t exactly a funny scenario and the film is surprisingly poignant. But All in Good Time is about a whole family, not just Atul and Vina. Virtually all the relationships in the film are under strain – Eeshwar and wife Lopa, Atul and his dad, as well as the newly weds. But where would a remotely truthful family drama be without the rows? Despite all this drama, the script is peppered with jokes. There is a steady flow of laughs and, of course, we’re assured a happy ending.

As mentioned earlier, the story isn’t exactly new. All In Good Time was originally a play by Irish-Northern English playwright Bill Naughton, who also wrote Sixties-classic, Alfie. It followed another young working class couple who are constantly thwarted as they try to consummate their marriage after they move into the crowded family home. Although the couple are white, the locale was also up north. The play was first adapted as a television play in 1962 called Honeymoon Postponed.

Three years later it became The Family Way, a Boulting brothers film starring John and Hayley Mills with a soundtrack by Paul McCartney. Wind forward to 2007 and the writer of East is East, Ayub Khan-Din, adapted it as Rafta Rafta (slowly, slowly in Urdu and Hindi) which became a hit at the National Theatre.

All in Good Time is directed by Nigel Cole, who knows a few things about the feel-good movie having directed Calendar Girls and Made in Dagenham). If the thing that distinguishes decent feel-good movie from a bad one is the depth of the feel-bad before things finally start to look up, then Cole scores a hit. The family strife is recognisable and genuinely moving. He is helped by Meera Syal and Harish Patel whose experience playing their current roles in the long run of the stage version shows. Reece Ritchie and Amara Karan are charming, as well as good-looking, young lovers too.

Funny, touching and sweet, All in Good Time also gives Harish Patel the sort of extended role that allows British audiences to really see his extraordinary comic talents – what more could you ask for?

All In Good Time is out in Cinemas today.

See our pictures from the gala screening here.

See Harish Patel and Meera Syal on glorious form here:

The rainy Sunday which played host to the final day of Sundance London saw film fans trudge blurry-eyed into this at 11 am, the earliest of screenings, with the compère almost apologising for the hard-hitting subject matter of the film that we were about to watch.

He needn’t have worried. While The House I Live In certainly doesn’t take a ‘softly softly’ approach in exploring the truly frightening statistics surrounding the effects of the War on Drugs, it is fascinating throughout. Jarecki (Why We Fight) begins with his own personal experience of drugs laws, taking a look at how they have affected the family of his African-American childhood nanny. This quickly expands into an investigation into the way in which ethnic minorities fall disproportionately victim to drug-related prosecutions – black citizens represent just 13% of the country’s crack cocaine users, for example, but account for 90% of those arrested for it.

Visiting America’s ghettos, interviewing dealers and examining the cyclical nature of drug culture is all good stuff, but it’s nothing many viewers won’t have encountered before in documentaries from Louis Theroux and the like. Where The House I Live In really excels is in its quest to dig a little deeper. Not only do we hear from disillusioned cops and prison officers, but also activists and historians – all with very different motives fuelling their opinions, but with startlingly similar verdicts on the way in which the War on Drugs is failing.

One of the leading and most interesting voices in the film comes from the creator of The Wire, David Simon, who provides insight into the way in which the War on Drugs has undermined the policing system – with drug-related arrests escalating while murder charges have fallen due to officers’ reliance on being able to rack up impressive statistics. The footage of cops trawling through poorer communities, searching residents on the grounds of ‘probable cause’, and making arrests which will frequently lead to the incarceration of non-violent criminals is poignantly coupled with Simon’s commentary in some of the most affecting moments of this film.

Although the personal plights of various unlucky people are certainly touching, Jarecki is clearly keen to do far more than simply tug at the heartstrings. Perhaps the most disturbing comparisons are those he makes to Holocaust scenarios within the prisons system (in terms of their ability to segregate specific minority groups), as well as to the pre-Civil War slave trade. The film also addresses the finances generated by such mass-incarceration, and speculates that low-income communities are being treated as ‘unnecessary’ citizens, who are only valuable to society when inside a cell.

While the liberal leanings of Sundance might mean that The House I Live In sat a little more easily with festival audiences than it might elsewhere, there’s no reason why this documentary shouldn’t be watched, enjoyed and understood by more mainstream audiences. It is to the film’s credit that it avoids advocating legalisation, and instead opts for an argument packed full of objective thinking and straightforward analysis. The film recognises the progress which has already been made when it comes to changes in drugs legislation, but it doesn’t hesitate in reminding audiences that this isn’t nearly enough. When the end credits role we finally learn the significance of the film’s title, but the urgency with it calls for a change in existing policy becomes increasingly clear throughout. A very deserving winner of the 2012 Sundance Grand Jury Prize for U.S. Documentary, and a film which one can only hope will be seen by decision-makers around the world.

Marvel Avengers Assemble is the kind of film that fans of the comic books will rejoice at seeing. If you watch it in 2D, you will be transported into the famous comic-book world. However if you watch it in 3D, that world will come right out and slap you about in your cinema seat. With amazing effects and spectacular action sequences, it is the type of film that 3D was made for.

Director Joss Whedon has an impressive CV. His is the mind that created vampire series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and recent horror flick The Cabin in the Woods, a film that reportedly as turned the genre inside out. While some critics were worried that Avengers Assemble would be a disastrous battle of egos vying for screen-time, Whedon has completely quashed these doubts and brought to us instead, a fantastic feat of cinematic engineering.

From Iron Man’s cutting wit to Thor’s perfect sense of integrity, it is all there. Instead of being negatively cluttered by too many personalities, Avengers Assemble gives just the right amount of attention to each one and ends up well balanced.

The long-haired god of thunder is played by Chris Hemsworth, who as we saw in the 2011 film Thor, is a perfect choice to play the handsome, hammer-wielding hero. He is matched in moral soundness by Captain America, played by Chris Evans. It would have been nice to see a little more time devoted to his getting used to the modern world, after being frozen in ice for 70 years. However this film is less about the heroes’ pasts and more about how they work together in the present-day.

Mark Ruffalo is a perfect Dr. Bruce Banner, a gentle soul who wouldn’t hurt a fly but is constantly battling against unusual personal issues. Unfortunately for him, and those around him, these issues are slightly larger than everyone else’s: when he gets mad, well, Hulk comes out to play.

Scarlett Johansson squeezes into a tight little number to play Russian spy Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow. Most of her action-time occurs towards the start of the film (when she is wearing even less), however she still proves her worth throughout and even manages to nail a few words in Russian. Jeremy Renner, set to star in The Bourne Legacy this August, is the man behind archer Hawkeye and while he may not be the best-known superhero, his arrow-shooting skills are well worth remembering.

Robert Downey Jr. is on form, as always, both when in his Iron Man suit and dressed as his dapper billionaire self. He brings a substantial serving of breezy aloofness and surprising heroics to the avenging table and is arguably the superhero that shines the brightest in this film.

An interesting phrase is brought into play in the form of the well-known “suit up”. However, this time it does not mean to don your dinner jacket and tie (a meaning coined by Barney in How I Met Your Mother). Here it means something even more awesome – “put your superhero costume on and let’s fight bad guys”.

Their opposition is Thor’s brother Loki, played by Tom Hiddleston, whom the god of thunder himself makes it clear is adopted in a particularly funny scene. The interesting thing about him is that he is not the conventional bad guy. Yes, he has the scenes when he threatens humans and superheroes with mortal peril, but he also has some comedic moments that add another aspect to his character. When Tony Stark offers him a drink and he declines, he later on admits that he would like one now, presumably due to the stress of fighting and being mean. After this, we no longer see him as a one-dimensional baddie who should be eliminated from the story, and instead as a timeless character from Marvel Comics (and Norse myths) who, like any of them, will never really be destroyed.

Samuel L. Jackson presides over the Avengers as Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. and as always, he gives a strong performance. Whether it’s his eye-patch or the fact that he’s not afraid to grab a gun and go after the villain himself, Nick Fury is the anchor character who is at the centre of the Avengers Initiative and who brings the whole storyline together.

Overall, Marvel Avengers Assemble is a fantastically entertaining film that will have you altering between edge-of-your-seat tension and an inability to contain laughter. One piece of advice, if you want to get the most out of the experience, is to watch all of the superhero films which have been created as a precursor to this one – Captain America: The First Avenger, Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Thor and The Incredible Hulk. A strong case could be made for Avengers Assemble being the best superhero film ever and it is definitely a must-see. Following on from this next year will be Iron Man 3 and Thor 2, and they will not be the end of the Avengers films. 

Marvel Avengers Assemble is out in the UK now.

Let’s take a trip back to 1999. It was the year of the romantic comedy. Never Been Kissed, Notting Hill and Ten Things I Hate About You were just three of the hits that year. Among them was a comedy no one had anticipated. American Pie, a film about a group of high school seniors who make a pact to lose their virginities before graduation. It was quick, it was funny, the characters were relatable (to the point of embarrassment), and for the time the movie was outrageously raunchy and original. Naturally it spawned two hit sequels that were just as filthy as the first.

Nowadays with films like The Hangover and Forgetting Sarah Marshall, this type of comedy is the norm. Is the comedy in American Reunion too stale for the current market?

The answer is no for one reason – the original audience grew up with these characters. We want to know what they are up to. It has been nine years since we last saw them and it’s like going back and visiting old friends. Jim, Oz, Stifler, Finch, Vicky, Heather, Kevin, Michelle, Stifler’s mum, Jim’s dad – they are all staples of a generation’s teen years.

The fact that they managed to get the entire original cast back together, in whatever capacity, is astounding. Or perhaps not so remarkable, considering many of these actors might be in need of a comeback. Although, no doubt, they’d tell you it was the love of the character that drew them back to their roots. Set at their thirteen year high school reunion, American Reunion sees the gang come back together for one last bender for old times sake.

And boy do they come back with a bang. Anybody who is expecting them to be mature adults now with far less embarrassing tendencies … prepare to be wrong. The characters have matured of course (except perhaps Stifler), but ultimately they’re still getting themselves into the usual trouble.

Jim (Jason Biggs) and Michelle (Alyson Hannigan) are still together, but have a libido-killing two-year-old, Kevin is a house husband, Finch is his usual free-spirited self, Oz (who was absent from American Pie: The Wedding) is a sports newscaster, living with his vapid girlfriend after breaking up with Heather (Mena Suvari), and Stifler? Well, he’s still Stifler, except surprisingly less one-dimensional than his past incarnations. Reprised by Seann William Scott, he literally hasn’t changed in a world that has grown up without him, which is a source for both comedy and pity.

The whole film is strangely nostalgic. You almost feel like you are attending your own high school reunion. Only instead of joining in, you watch from the sidelines, figuring out everyone’s differences and what hasn’t changed. Personally I’d rather pay witness to this reunion than attend my own. I’ll freely admit I sat back with a silly smile on my face, playing ‘Spot the Shermanator’(Oh yes, he’s back!).

I am a fan of the originals though. There are many trips down memory lane in American Reunion, that might go over the heads of audience members who are brand new to the franchise. Fans by comparison will be waiting to see if Finch (Eddie Kay Thomas) will get with Stifler’s mum  again – anticipating Jim’s dads embarrassing pep talks – laughing at the Shermanator locating one final victim for Shermanation – and mourning the break-up of the MILF duo’s friendship.

Without these references already set in my mind, the film might have fallen a little bit flat, because it relies heavily on them. And while this is true of any franchise, considering the gap between American Pie 3: The Wedding and American Reunion (almost a decade) it might have paid for the writers to have written it to stand on its own two feet.

Then again fans will see this regardless. It has everything you liked about the originals; slapstick, gross-out comedy, a never-before-seen part of Jason Biggs body, and a whole lot of heart. One highlight is watching Oz (Chris Klein) on a celebrity dance show. Prepare to be amazed by his killer hip hop moves (or lack thereof).

For the kids who have just stumbled across this franchise, enjoy it for what it is. For the adults who used American Pie as rebellion against parental censorship in their youth, well, it never hurts to have one last slice … for old times sake.

American Reunion is in UK cinemas from 2 May 2012.

Not only does the film feature Carry Ons stalwarts Kenneth Williams and Joan Sims, but it is based on the same stage play, A Ring For Catty, that provided the inspiration for Carry On Nurse. It was also Norman Hudis, the man who wrote the first six Carry On films, who penned this adaptation. Let’s not forget Mr Carry On himself, Gerald Thomas, directed it. Fans of the first two Doctor films will find that Donald Sinden plays a moustachioed woman-chasing RAF officer who is very similar to moustachioed woman-chasing Doctor Tony Benskin.

The least funny thing about Twice Round the Daffodils is that it is set in a TB sanatorium. Although by the 1950s the disease had ceased to be a death sentence, it was no laughing matter and still killed thousands of people each year. Six men are confined to a ward where they are looked after by two pretty young nurses, principally Nurses Catty (played by Juliet Mills, sister of Hayley) and Dorothy (Amanda Reiss). Their task is rehabilitate the patients so they are strong enough to walk two times around the daffodil bed in the garden.

The motley selection of men includes John (Donald Houston), a blustering Welsh miner struggling to come to terms with his condition, melancholy Bob (Ronald Lewis) who’s feeling the effects of already been in the ward for some time, sensitive young poet and orphan Chris (Andrew Ray), not to mention the raffish Ian (Donald Sinden), Kenneth William’s catty, chess-obsessed Henry, and a cheery soul in the form of George (Lance Percival). Unlike in the Carry On films, these characters aren’t purely eccentric stereotypes, but suffer like real people.

Not a lot happens really. To give you an idea, one plot strand follows George who secretly learns chess so he can beat Henry – and then does. Wow. The real strength of the film comes from the personal dramas and conflicts of the men: Bob has to deal with a girlfriend (in the form of Nanette Newman) who has gone off with another man. Even Kenneth Williams’ and Donald Sinden’s characters, are lonely men whose stories that catch the attention, despite being mostly played for laughs. And death or at least a painful bronchoscopy is an ever-present reality.

Let’s not forget the jokes and the romance. The humour mostly comes from two key players, Donald Sinden’s lecherous cad who doesn’t translate quite as well to our era as Kenneth Williams’s bachelor. As ever with Williams, its the way he spits out fairly amusing lines like “some people aren’t all that interested in mail, not matter how it’s spelt” (mail/male geddit?) and “that’s no way to bash a bishop” that makes them actually funny. Three of the men develop crushes on nurses, and although you’ll have to see if there is finally a ring for Nurse Catty, these relationships are more cute rather than Carry On smut.

All in all Twice Round the Daffodils isn’t the camp carry on that you might expect. It’s a wonder that one play adapted by the same screenwriter could produce two such different films. This one is light, but unexpectedly enjoyable.

Twice Round the Daffodils is out on Monday 30 April, 2012.