Dark Shadows, Man On A Ledge and Moonrise Kingdom

When you have the combination of director Tim Burton and lead actor Johnny Depp playing a 200 year old vampire resurrected in 1972,  you have to expect something out of the ordinary. And that is what you get. Unfortunately the story of Dark Shadows is pretty weak and Burton's regular cast ham it up to no great effect. There is great attention to detail in the sets, costumes. music, lighting etc. Shame the same cannot be said for the script.

Why do the critics get all huffy about a decent thriller, when there are so few around. OK, the concept of Man On A Ledge is pretty preposterous, and the screenplay does it no favours, but it has pace, wit and thrills and I found the whole thing enjoyable. There is never too much of the scenes on the ledge, although Sam Worthington is rarely convincing that he will take the fall. Jamie Bell and his girlfriend Genesis Rodriguez interact well in undertaking the heist, and Edd Harris and Elizabeth Banks are always watchable. First time director Asger Leth ramps up the action, although he doesn't manage to produce too much tension out on the ledge itself. Three months after it's original release, and not originally shown at the Aylesbury Odeon, I was very glad it turned up on Senior Screen. Good value at £3.50.

First and foremost, Moonrise Kingdom is a Wes Anderson movie. I have to say I found his The Royal Tenenbaums and A Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou pretty odd, but they had their moments. His latest offering is still a bit odd, but there is enough story and action to hold the thing together. And the cast are something else. It is set in 1965 on the fictional island of New Penzance, few inhabitants, no roads, the mail come is by seaplane and a ferry a day. So what are hotshot lawyers Bill Murray and Frances McDormand doing there, and when do they go to the office? We never find out because that is not the story. It is about their daughter Suzy (Kara Hayward) and orphan Sam (Jared Gilman). They are both twelve (Kara looks older but isn't) and outsiders, and run away together, although the island is hardly big enough to escape. The two young leads are terrific as is Edward Norton as Sam's scout leader who organises the first search. The grown ups are all dysfunctional. Suzy's parents, Bruce Willis as the local plod and even Harvey Keitel and Tilda Swinton put in an appearance late on. There is one fantastic scene between Bruce Willis and Bill Murray in Bruce's police car that is so good, it is a huge shame this is the only times they are alone together. The dialogue is typical Wes Anderson (written with Roman Copolla, a second unit director on previous Anderson movies), and it is delivered with that almost awkward monotone that borders on the uncomfortable. But the wit and human feelings shine through. A lovely, cute movie.