It's usually a treat when the Pixar and Disney studios get together - and this time around is no different. A family of computer animated superheroes live incognito after being dogged out of public life by lawsuits. When an opportunity arises to revive some of the super glory days the family flies into action. Fabulous superhero spoof.
Eternal Sunshine Spotless Mind D: Michel Gondry (2004) 108m
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Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet star as the couple trying to forget each other in Eternal Sunshine Of the Spotless Mind. With personalities that are polar opposites the relationship was doomed from the start. Unfortunately, even modern memory-erasing technology doesn't work for Carey's character. Mind-bending stuff that must be seen.
V for Vendetta D: James McTeigue (2005) 132m
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When the gentle Evey (Natalie Portman) is rescued from the iron fist of brutality by the masked 'V' (Hugo Weaving) she is introduced to his world of vengeance and resistance to oppression. Visually stylish and loaded with Matrix-style SFX action, the film will not disappoint fans of the Alan Moore graphic novel on which it is based. Historical inspiration via Guy Fawkes' 17th century Gunpowder Plot.
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy D: Garth Jennings (2005) 109m
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Douglas Adams' radio series that turned into a five book 'trilogy' and a BBC TV series finally hits the big screen. As one might expect, it's difficult to do such a cultural icon justice in under two hours, but this film does pretty well. When the Vogons destroy Earth, Arthur Dent becomes an intergalactic hitchhiker on a hilarious journey.
War of the Worlds D: Steven Spielberg (2005) 116m
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Blockbuster version of the H G Wells classic starring Tom Cruise. Set in contemporary America, the now-familiar story of Earthly resistance to a devastating alien invasion is a special effects eye-popper - as one might expect from its director, Steven Spielberg. A great movie if you can stand all the doom and gloom.
Serenity D: Joss Whedon (2005) 119m
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When the short-lived cult-TV series Firefly folded, fans rallied. As yet they haven't got their series back, but what they did get was this theatrically released feature film. The crew of the Serenity are finding jobs hard to get, thanks to the fact that two of them are fugitives from the Alliance. A spoken word, 'Miranda', may hold the key.
Children of Men D: Alfonso Cuarón (2006) 109m
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Searing tale of social collapse based on the novel by British mystery master P D James. In 2027 human fertility is a thing of the past. When an African 'fugee' becomes pregnant the leader of a pro-immigration insurgency (Julianne Moore) embroils her ex-husband in a plot to get the woman to the Human Project scientists. A stirring example of what serious sci-fi is all about.
A Scanner Darkly D: Richard Linklater (2006) 100m
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Based on the Philip K Dick's schizoid novel, in the near-future the war on drugs has been lost and the government trusts no-one. A narcotics cop (Keanu Reeves) addicted to Substance D is ordered to spy on his friends. As a result, he has a bit of a mindbender. Director Richard Linklater uses the 'rotoscope' process to produce a visually engaging type of live-action animation.
