The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

What's It About? Christopher Nolan brings his rightly lauded Batman trilogy to a close. It is eight years since the events that concluded The Dark Knight. Bruce Wayne is a recluse at the rebuilt Wayne manor, Batman a fugitive from the law. His years of crime-fighting have wrecked his body and he hobbles around the mansion on a walking stick. Meanwhile, a mercenary by the name of Bane has arrived in Gotham City, working with an industrialist who seeks control of Wayne Enterprises, but with a murky agenda of his own. Selina Kyle, a cat burglar of surprising ability and agility is also lurking, seeking a way to wipe the slate clean and start a new life.

*****

What's it Like? In a word, astonishing. Some critics, friends of mine among them, were less impressed, but all comic-book films, all summer blockbusters, should be this intelligent, exciting, thought-provoking and affecting. It might seem a little long at 160-odd minutes, but as has often been said, a good film cannot be too long and a bad film cannot be too short. The running time doesn't drag at all but instead gives room for characters to breathe - developing believably without story strands feeling rushed. Towards the end, a couple of developments feel a little too conveniently quick, but this is to be forgiven in the overall scheme of things.
This time around, Bruce Wayne is given more time and we see that he continues to be weighed down and inconsolable over the loss of Rachel Dawes, though still beset by a literally crippling sense of duty and responsibility. As Anne Hathaway's excellently portrayed Selina Kyle says to Batman at one point, "you don't owe these people anything more, you've given them everything", "no I haven't", he replies, "not yet". It is heart-breaking, moving and compelling in a way that Nolan's film sometimes fail to be - he always crafts excellent stories, but has not always managed to get to our hearts, he has not always made us care. Here he does.
It taks a good chunk of the film before Batman returns and this enables other characters their time - although Bane wears a mask that obscures most of his face and some of his voice, Tom Hardy makes for a physically threatening and intellectually challenging foe for Batman, Gary Oldman is excellent again as Commissioner Gordon, bringing shades of dark and light to the dignified chief of police. As the new cop on the beat, John Blake, Joseph Gordon-Levitt essays goodness, compassion, decency and integrity and gets plenty of time to shine as the action closes in on Gotham in ther film's latter stages.
To say too much else plot-wise would be spoiler-ish, but there is a lot going on and it will take repeat viewings or at least a lot of thinking time to piece it all together and make sense of it, but it is thrilling, fascinating, compelling stuff. The story may not have the propulsive, linear clarity of The Dark Knight, but it touches on sacrifice, forgiveness, hope, despair, self-destruction, political and economic commentary and fate/destiny. A lot to get through in anyone's book and for Nolan to have done so amidst such thrilling action and without getting bogged down in "worthiness" is to his utter and enduring credit. See it.

*****

Should I see it? Yes. By avoiding any blood-letting during the violence, Nolan has kept himself to a 12A certificate, but there is a lot of brutality and callousness on display here and under-12's should stay away. No doubt lots of children below that age will want to see it, so exercise your parental decision-making carefully. It is of course unmanageably expensive to see it twice, once on your own and once with your kids, but somehow you will need to find a way to test the waters for younger children. There is no nudity, sexual content or coarse language, but the themes and content are grown-up across the board. Much of the boardroom shenanigans won't make much sense to the younger audience members, so you may prefer to wait for the DVD/Bluray release to enable you to pause, skip sections and explain what is going on.
For those who want to see it and can, there is so much that bears discussing and contemplating over a drink afterwards. How much of ourselves are we prepared to give for those in need? When despair threatens to overwhelm us, can we find the hope to persevere, to overcome, to triumph? What do we do with our fears? Can we wipe the slate clean and start again? Can we live with ourselves when we run away, or set someone up so that we can get away? Can we stand by when those we love and care for are bent on self-destruction? Can we overcome the seemingly insurmountable? There's a month's worth of dinner table discussion right there.

The Amazing Spider-man (2012)

What's it about? Peter Parker, orphaned as a young boy, now living with his Uncle Ben and Aunt May is trying to get by at school. One day, during a visit to a gene-splicing facility run by Dr Curt Connors, he is bitten by a spider and everything changes - super powers abound, as do tragedy, trials and adventure.

*****

What's it like? It has only been ten years since the last time the Spider-man franchise was launched and a mere five years since the curtain came down on Sam Raimi's very successful trilogy with the flawed but entertaining Spider-man 3 (you know, with Sandman, Venom and all that stuff). Some would say that it is too soon to re-launch with another origin story, especially with it touching on the same bases as last time around - same school bully (Flash), same spider, same powers, same character arcs - but to its credit this manages to be its own creature. Reverting to the comic-book web-shooters instead of Raimi's organic version, giving us Gwen Stacey as Parker's love and trying to give a more over-arching story regarding the fate of Parker's parents all help put clear water between this and the Raimi/Maguire trilogy.
Director Mark Webb (whose last film was the excellent (500) Days of Summer) handles action and character beats with aplomb, even if the villain (Connors turns into Lizard as a result of trying to re-grow his lost arm) suffers from a cut in the special effects budget this time around (Spider-man 3 cost $300m, this a mere $80m). The film takes its time in moving through Parker's story arc and Andrew Garfield, despite being 28, makes for a far more convincing nerdy high school kid than Tobey Maguire ever did. The chemistry between Parker and Emma Stone's Gwen Stacey is affecting and perhaps the most successful aspect of the film, although Garfield deserves kudos for delivering Spider-man's witty quips even through the limitations of a spandex suit.
An improvement on the first and third Spider-man films but falling short of Spider-man 2 (though there is no shame in that) this is excellent entertainment and has a little to say as well. Well worth your time.

*****

Should I see it? That depends on whether this is your sort of thing, I suppose. There is no strong language as far as I can recall and although Lizard and Spidey have a few pretty meaty scraps, the violence is kept the right side of the film's 12A certificate. Lizard would be unlikely to scare or upset anyone other than the very young, though the theme of losing parents may be hard to process for the young as well. Thematically, the ideas of coping with school, standing up to bullies, using your strength and opportunities responsibly and protecting the vulnerable are all worth examining and talking through with family and friends and so the film presents a opportunity to dive into that realm. There are deeper, more meaningful films out there, but this is far from a superficial exercise. Watch it and engage with it.

The Five Year Engagement (2012)

What's It About? Tom (Jason Segel) and Violet (Emily Blunt) have been together for a year, living in sunny San Francisco, when Tom proposes on New Years Eve. They start planning their wedding, when suddenly Violet is offered a job as a University lecturer in snow-bound Michigan. They move there and put wedding plans on hold for a little while. As Violet's career takes off and Tom struggles to find meaningful work, cracks start to show and they wonder if they will ever make it down the aisle.

*****

What's It Like? Sal and I saw this film during a weekend away and it was just what the doctor ordered - funny and sweet, realistic but heart-felt. It comes from producer Judd Apatow (Knocked Up, The 40-year Old Virgin, Bridesmaids etc), which is not necessarily a guarantee of quality, or an assurance that everyone will like it, but we did. The sequences where their relationship starts to feel the strain are affectingly realistic and thanks to the casting of such a likeable duo, even when they respectively act like boneheads, we still pull for them, like them and want to see them work it out.
At a fraction over 2 hours, the running time is a little too long for a romantic comedy, but it never drags too badly, benefiting from supporting actors who keep our attention and keep the chuckles coming. Although it has some highly amusing sequences, it is refreshingly free of gross-out humour or unpleasantness, relying instead on genuine laughs from relatable and funny scenarios.
There are a few cheats along the way. The characters that serve as the respective temptations and distractions for Tom and Violet are written and played so as to never be able to be legitimate competition, which drains a little bit of dramatic tension, but then it could be argued that the outcome is obvious and something for which everyone is rooting anyway, so what's the harm? Throw in a couple of Sesame Street character impersonations and one of the wildest "man of the wilderness" beards seen in many a year and you've got a great night out (or in).

*****

Should I See It? It has a well-earned 15 certificate from a combination of frequent strong language and regular sex scenes, as well as quite a lot of sexually-themed dialogue. For teenagers, it might represent an unhelpful dose of content and subject-matter that will not help them much in their current or future relationships. Having said that, the question begs is this sort of thematic content helpful for any of us? It is easy to say, "well, I'm married, so sexual content in films isn't a problem anymore". That is of course simplistic and dangerous. In the end, let your own conscience guide you. If you suspect this sort of content will cause you to stumble, or if it just isn't your thing, if the language will annoy you and prevent you enjoying the film, just stay away. If your teenage children want to see it, try to make it a family trip. If they don't fancy that idea, at least try to make a point afterwards of talking the film through with them - see what they thought of it and whether the point of view it puts across grates with them. As always, try to engage with films and your family and friends, rather than letting these opportunities pass you by. The film has much to say about relationships, co-habiting, faithfulness, predatory men and women, marriage, a sense of purpose in life, careers. Lots to think about.

The Avengers (2012)

What's It About? Uniting a veritable bounty of Marvel's cherished characters, we see Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Hulk, Black Widow, Hawkeye and Nick Fury join forces to prevent Earth becoming enslaved to Loki, Thor's vengeful brother.

*****

What's It Like? This is comic-book film-making on an epic and virtually peerless scale. Whereas some properties have "gone dark" (see Nolan's Batman films), this manages a seemingly impossible task of balancing half a dozen big characters, giving them each their moment to shine and still presenting a genuine threat in a light-hearted but never flippant or trite manner. It could easily have become bloated, weighed down by the need to cover so many characters and give them a reason to join forces, but the excellent, intelligent, funny and accessible script moves through the gears quickly, establishing each character with economy without feeling rushed.
Although Iron Man is the most obviously charismatic character and has had the most successful films out of this bunch, Robert Downey Jr never tries to steal the show, enjoying his moments in the sun without embarking on an ego trip to dominate every scene. Instead, it falls to the more measured Mark Ruffalo, or more to the point his alter-ego Hulk to run away with virtually every scene he is in. Hulk's fight with Thor and his encounter with Loki are particular highlights, though the early square (triangle?) off between Captain America, Thor and Iron Man manages to be thrilling, funny and serious all at the same time - there are stakes here, not just witty quips to make us laugh.
In Loki and his assembled minions we have a menacing villain, one who is able to convince as a match for such an abundance of super-powered heroes and although the rules of franchises dictate that we suspect we know who is going to make it to the closing credits, the film isn't afraid to show occasional ruthlessness. The first big blockbuster of the summer has set the bar exceedingly high and it is doubtful that Prometheus, Spider-man and Batman will find it easy to measure up.

Should I See It? Yes, you really should. It won't be to everyone's tastes but I've yet to speak to anyone who didn't like it. It is refreshingly free of any coarse language, even though the film's 12A certificate would enable it to get away with a certain amount. There is no sexual content and although there is plenty of violence, it is for the most part bloodless, with the indestructible Hulk, the armoured Iron Man and the Norse god Thor taking the sternest beatings. I would not have any reservations about taking my 6 year old son to see it, if that is any help.

Chronicle (2012)

What's it about? Andrew is struggling at high school. He is picked on, lonely, his mother is critically ill at home and his father no longer works as a fireman after being injured. He starts chronicling his life through the lens of a video camera, including his drunk father's abusive behaviour towards him and the bullying he suffers at school. One evening at a school party, he and his cousin Matt and the prospective high school president Steve find a hole in the ground that leads through to a mysterious underground chamber housing a seemingly other-worldly crystalline object. None of them can resist touching it and shortly thereafter they find themselves developing increasingly potent telekinetic powers.

*****

What's it like? With the whole film being shot through Andrew's video camera, obvious connections will be made to everything from The Blair Witch Project, through District 9 and Cloverfield. Thankfully, there is none of the shaky, nausea-inducing amateurish filming that made some of these sorts of films a little unpopular and instead there is good reason why Andrew should be filming everything and if nothing else, it is the first time we have seen a superhero film (which is what this boils down to) done in this format.
What sets this film apart from the superhero genre however, is the refreshing lack of obvious and cliched character arcs. Rather than everyone becoming noble and seeing the potential their powers have for making the world a better place, or becoming corrupted by boundless power and trying to take over the world, we instead get teenagers larking about, playing pranks, getting their own back on bullies, making mistakes, acting thoughtlessly and impulsively and trying to work out what might be the right thing to do in unimaginably unique circumstances.
Andrew is the most obviously "troubled" of the three and although he seems like the one most likely to use his powers problematically, our sympathies remain with him. His home life is unmanageably difficult, as his drunk father hits him, blames him, rages at him and insults him and his mother slowly slips away in pain and sadness. Matt and Steve become his friends through their shared experiences, but as their powers escalate in potency, they struggle to understand him and relate to him. Underpinning all of this is the philosophical debate that was also weaved through Jurassic Park and Spider-man - just because you have the ability to do something does not mean that you should. Spider-man reduced it to "with great power comes great responsibility" and Matt essentially offers the same counsel to Andrew, who instead reads up on evolution and bestows upon himself the title "apex predator", which is clearly not going to end well.
The scenes showing the three boys exploring and developing their powers are exciting, funny and engaging and the film moves briskly through these sequences, allowing the characters to develop believably. There is the ongoing sense that everything is at any moment going to go horribly wrong, much to the credit of the director (26-year old debutant Josh Trank) who balances lighter and more edgy, tense moments (and a few big jumps) with real ease. The relatively unknown actors who make up the central threesome are all effortlessly convincing and their respective journeys are believable and compelling. A really great opening volley in what will be a summer of superhero behemoths slugging it out.

*****

Should I see it? You really should. It is certainly one of the best films to grace our screens so far in 2012 and will take some beating, even by its most obvious genre comparatives (Avengers, Batman, Spiderman). As a Christian, I found the film giving me plenty of food for thought, from Andrew's sense of being "different" (even before he acquires super-powers), through the broader thematic issues of hubris, the corrupting ability of power and finding your place in the world. Although Andrew's father is easy to dismiss as a mere brute, a harsh unsympathetic monster, he likewise gives us a lot to ponder in relation to the modern malaise of male impotent rage. He is a man desperately unhappy, weak and angry and takes it out on his son because he doesn't know what else to do. Not to excuse him, but it is an interesting performance and an intriguing character.
The film is rated 12A and contains some swearing (though thankfully none of it too strong) and violence. Younger children will likely find the brutality of Andrew's father more upsetting than anything else and the absence of a sense of fantasy to the more superheroic elements makes the film more affecting and potentially distressing than something like Thor, where you do not feel you are watching real-life events unfold. If you are trying to understand and connect with your teenage children, this might be a good film to see and then use as a way of opening up a dialogue about finding your own identity as a young adult and coming to terms with being different and how we deal with sadness, frustration and the usual challenges of life. Catch it if you can.

The Muppets (2012)

What's it all about? Walter and Gary are brothers, though Gary is a human being and Walter is a Muppet. Walter & Gary discover The Muppet Show as children and grow up to be massive fans. On a trip to California with Gary's long term girlfriend Mary, they visit the Muppet Studios and are saddened to find them run down and all-but abandoned. Walter overhears a conversation between unscrupulous oil prospector Tex Richman and his henchman, when he reveals that if the Muppets cannot raise $10m within the next week to buy back the studio, he will be able to raze it to the ground and dig for oil. Walter and Gary must set about reuniting the Muppets for one big fundraising show, before time runs out for good on the Muppets.

What's it like? Goodness me. The last genuinely decent Muppet film was their take on A Christmas Carol and that was the best part of two decades ago. Since then the quality of the product has dropped off and so has the profile of the releases. Since Muppets in Space, TV movies and Christmas specials have been all there is, until star and co-writer Jason Segel (Gary) decided to try his hand at rescusitating the beloved felt puppets. And what a rescusitation it is. Segel, along with director James Bobin really get the Muppets, really understand what makes them special. What we get then is a suitably and delightfully knock-about round-up of the Muppets, some charming and funny song and dance numbers, an utterly chaotic show featuring talentless but guileless Muppets and all of our favourites chipping in.
The reason why it works so well is precisely because of its understanding of the charm of the original series - no-one knows what they are doing, Fozzie's jokes are terrible, Gonzo's death-defying feats never work, the songs make you laugh, cry and cheer, the show is a shambles but everyone staggers through to the end, the villain is silly and fundamentally harmless, Miss Piggy is prissy and feisty and Kermit holds everything together.
Crucially, the script, songs and performances never make fun of the Muppets or become too arch or knowing. There are occasional tongue in cheek, "we know this is a movie" moments (Gary hands Mary some broken flowers, "sorry, they must have been damaged during that song and dance number we just did") but they are affectionate and in keeping with the grandest traditions of Jim Henson. Some of the traditional voice artists are missing (Frank Oz is a noticeable absentee), but their replacements slot in seamlessly and there is perfect continuity in terms of character traits and tone in relation to the Muppets.
Ultimately this is a return to form of breath-taking quality. There was no reason to expect that The Muppets would be this good, but it really is. Wonderful for the young, nostalgic and heart-warming for the old(er), a perfect film for the family.

Should I see it? Yes, yes, yes. It will perhaps appeal even more to those who grew up with The Muppet Show than your children who are coming to it either later in the day, or off the back of lesser-quality TV specials. There is nothing even remotely rude or offensive here, no "adult" jokes to keep the grownups happy. Instead, the film-makers understand what Pixar understand, namely that funny is funny, however old or young you are. I spent at least half of the film in floods of tears and well up now, every time I think of Kermit's hearfelt rendition of Rainbow Connection. The rest of the film was spent wearing a beaming smile. See it as soon as possible and take as many people with you as you can. An utter joy from start to finish.

Breaking Dawn Part I (2011)

What's it all about? The Twilight Saga continues. Bella, a human teenage girl, has agreed to marry her one true love, the vampire Edward Cullen. Her friend Jacob (who is also a werewolf) is troubled and concerned for her well-being. The plan is that after their honeymoon Edward will "turn" Bella and she will be a vampire with him forever, however she unexpectedly falls pregnant on their honeymoon, creating massive concern within the vampire and werewolf worlds over what sort of creature is growing inside her, whether she can survive the pregnancy and whether everyone (except her and her child) would be better off if the pregnancy were terminated.

*****

What's it like? If you are not familiar with the Twilight films, this film will make little or no sense at all and if you are not interested in them, this will not make a convert of you. For fans, it represents the progression of the saga towards its conclusion and is likely therefore to be considered indispensable. Undoubtedly the films are an acquired taste, being for some utterly banal and for others affecting and compelling. I don't profess to being a fan, though the films do contain some themes that make for interesting discussion and consideration. Bella remains a virgin until her wedding night, a commendable decision and it is altogether welcome to see that element retained, especially in a film for and about teenagers. The protective instincts of her boyfriend Edward and friend Jacob are also interesting to consider, especially in terms of Edward's concerns about his own self-control.
The story takes us from the Pacific North-West USA to a honeymoon in Rio and then back to the US and takes a pretty long time to move along, though on Bella's return, already heavily pregnant after only a few weeks' gestation, everything begins to pick up a bit more of a head of steam. The werewolves want the baby dead, the Cullens (Edward has parents and siblings, in a manner of speaking) have sworn to protect her and Bella is deteriorating horrifically as the baby growing within her begins to drain her. The scenes of her emaciated body are upsetting to say the least, drawing involuntary gasps from most audiences, a convincing combination of make up and CG-work having the desired effect.
Aside from pacing issues and an entirely misjudged scene involving talking werewolves rendered very unconvincingly, this is not a bad entry in the Twilight saga, with the melancholy tone of the earlier films giving way to some rather more adult body-horror in the third act that pushes the boundaries of the film's 12A certificate. If it's your sort of film, you have probably seen it already, if not, you probably won't anyway.

*****

Should I see it? There isn't really enough space here to do this debate justice, but there are serious questions to be answered as to whether a film about vampires and werewolves is especially suitable for us as Christians, especially where the target audience is around the early teen years. Added to that is the issue with this instalment in particular, namely that there is an awful lot of blood and body-horror in the final scenes which the younger and more sensitive among us will not cope well with. Vampires and werewolves are of course long-standing staples of the horror genre and Twilight itself has contributed to a new sub-genre within fiction writing of gothic romance revolving around the supernatural. The representations of both types of creature have tended towards the relatively tame in earlier instalments, but if you will pardon the pun, the delivery/Cesarean scene at the end of Breaking Dawn is pretty full-blooded. I suspect that although the 12A certificate means younger viewers can go along with a parent, anyone younger than their teens would struggle to stomach the later scenes of the film and I cannot recommend that you (if you are a parent considering whether to see the film with your children) take along anyone below secondary school age.
Aside from the horror elements, the film does offer food for thought and debate for Christians. Bella saving her virginity for her wedding night, the relatively subtle consideration of the issue of abortion in the face of the havoc being wreaked on Bella's body, family ties, including honouring your parents, or standing up to your peers when it comes to the question of "doing the right thing", if you can see it with your children (who may have seen it already, or be determined to see it one way or another) it might be good to do so in a way that gives time and space to discuss it afterwards. It is certainly a film that can and should prompt lengthy conversations.

Arthur Christmas (2011)

What's it all about? It is Christmas Eve and Father Christmas (with the help of his ninja-like elves) is delivering presents to every girl and boy. Due to a hideous error, the bicycle meant for a little girl in Cornwall is not delivered and everyone heads back to the North Pole. Steve, the elder son of Father Christmas, is like a marine - all organisation, slick technology and impersonal. His younger brother, the eponymous Arthur, is a dreamer and a romantic, determined that the bicycle be delivered to Cornwall, even as time is running out. Steve thinks one lost present is an acceptable margin of error, so Arthur sets off with Grand-Santa, a knackered reindeer and an old-fashioned sleigh to try to make it all right.

*****

What's it like? If nothing else, this utterly charming and at times laugh-out-loud funny film from Aardman (Wallace and Gromit, Chicken Run - but with CGI instead of plasticine) can help answer the age-old question of how Father Christmas gets to everyone in one night. His army of elves showing breath-taking dexterity and speed in an opening sequence that would be well at home in a high-concept action-thriller. After that scintillating opening, the film settles down to show us Father Christmas, Steve and Arthur and then propels the latter off on his adventure to deliver the girl's bike in time for sunrise. At times the pace is relentless and thrillingly so, at others it breathes a little to give us the important character beats that enable the rest of the action to hang together in an engaging way. Arthur is a great character, sweet, clumsy, utterly committed and the frankly bonkers Grand-Santa makes for a splendid comic foil for him. We also have an elf, Bryony, who finds herself promoted from a "mere" present wrapper to a full on side-kick, showing herself resourceful and spunky in a heart-warming way.
Christmas needs these sorts of films so that we can watch them in the run up to Christmas Eve and warm our hearts with something that not only builds excitement and anticipation, but also reminds us that over-indulged appetites and rampant consumerism do not the season make.
As a film, it is well-paced, if perhaps a fraction over-long (the wrong turns made on the way to Cornwall do become a little repetitive), the voice-work is faultless (James McAvoy, Jim Broadbent, Hugh Laurie and Bill Nighy all chip in) and the mixture of thrills, laughs and genuine warmth instantly propel this into the Christmas Classic list. A wonderful, wonderful film.

*****

Should I see it? Yes, yes, yes. There is just nothing offensive or troubling here at all, unless Christmas isn't really your thing in the first place. We saw it as a family and although some of the plot developments went over the head of my 5-year old, it kept us all gripped and chuckling for a merry 90-odd minutes.

Super 8 (2011)

What's it all about? A group of friends on the cusp of adolescence are trying to get their home-made zombie film shot, using their Super 8 camera. One night, they head off to the local train station to film some scenes when an almighty train crash is caused by a man driving his truck onto the tracks, head-on into the apparently military transport. Joe, one of the friends is also trying to come to terms with the loss of his mother and as the train crash site is quarantined and picked over it becomes clear that something extremely secretive and utterly dangerous was on board the train and is now on the loose.

*****

What's it like? In a word, Super. Set in the late 1970's, it is a film rich in nostalgia, while simultaneously giving us edge of your seat thrills. Steven Spielberg was executive producer and his fingerprints are all over it, as director JJ Abrams channels everything from Stand By Me, through ET and Cloverfield into a rich and compelling tale about friendship, loss, growing up and grief.
The manner in which it is shown that Joe has lost his mother is subtly handled, avoiding soap opera melodramatics and throughout the young cast acquit themselves fantastically well, showing maturity and ability beyond their years. In a tale that is predominantly about them as friends (with some sci-fi/creature-feature trappings) the entire success of the film hangs on them and they do not disappoint. It is one of those films where you have to wait a really long time for even a hint at exactly what it is that has escaped, but it is not frustrating, rather it compels the narrative along and draws the audience in. For the uninitiated, director JJ Abrams produced Cloverfield and directed Mission Impossible 3 and Star Trek, so he knows what he is doing in this sphere of film-making and it shows. The script is funny, moving, still and exciting in all of the right places and the story paces itself all the way through to the thrilling, nerve-wracking finale. Heartily recommended.

*****

Should I see it? Well, yes, for it is indeed a fantastic film, one of the best of last year and out on DVD and Bluray now. In terms of what we might make of it as Christians, there is relatively little in the way of thematic elements that should disturb us, although the now-obligatory "just the once" use of the f-word in 12A films remains annoying and unnecessary. The creature once revealed is going to be a bit much for the younger ones, as is the general sense of peril and fear that precedes it, but I would have thought that all but the more delicate of secondary school aged children should be fine. It looks at important issues of grief, childhood and young love as well, all of which would be an excellent opportunity for conversations with your children, if you can get the time to sit down with them to watch it.