Ben Kingsley

Review: The Dictator

Jokes are funny, aren't they? I don't mean in the 'Ha ha, Jimmy Carr is totes a legend LOL' kind of way; more I find them a strange way to get a laugh – painstakingly constructing sentences and cadences to maximise hilarity. It's a far more traditional, way more precise craft than surrealist, situational or observational comedy, and not one that's overly-familiar to Sacha Baron Cohen, who has thus far mostly traded on the comedy of embarrassment – the exquisite awkwardness that hidden cameras and unsuspecting participants provide. The Dictator represents his return to scripted comedy after the Borat/Bruno double-header, but any fears that Cohen's appeal would effectively be neutered while working with a safety net are swiftly allayed – this showcases his talents on the page as well as on the screen.

Review: Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time

Movie rule of thumb #1: if Jerry Bruckheimer's name is on the poster, check your brain in with your coat. Prince Of Persia is typically undemanding summer blockbuster fare - all SFX and stylish set-pieces, but very little in the way of substance. I'm not complaining. These movies have their place. But if you're making a big, dumb movie that invites you to switch off and enjoy, then don't over complicate the plot - Pirates Of The Caribbean did it and Prince Of Persia does it too. It's a Bruckheimer trait.

Review: Shutter Island

Shutter Island, the latest from director Martin Scorsese, is far from perfect, but it is an excellent showcase for a master filmmaker who is still working at the top of his game, despite being in the twilight of his career.

Review: The Wackness

The trailer for The Wackness conveys an impression of some god-awful, coming-of-age, too-cool-for-school, stoner-slacker NYC nonsense, nor is it helped by the worst title of the year. But wait.... is that.... Ben Kingsley? What the hell is Sir Ben doing in this film? Has he lost it? Was he duped into a cameo? Fortunately first i...

Review: Lucky Number Slevin

An awful title can do a lot of damage to a film. I don't care how many awards it won, one of the main reasons I declined to see The Constant Gardener was because I didn't fancy seeing a film about a man who couldn't keep his hands off of his hoes. However, despite its criminally bad monicker, Paul McGuigan's Lucky Number Slevi...