Rock, paper, scissors - rock ALWAYS wins!

Maybe should've stayed at home with the X-box eh?

I write this still shuddering with tremors of anxiety following last night's screening of 127 Hours. In all honesty, although I'm a huge fan of Danny Boyle, I had my reservations about the story of a climber stuck (quite literally) between a rock and a hard place. I had anticipated tedium, desperation and gore. Foolish Carlin, it's SO much more than that.

Boyle delivers the story of overly-ambitious outdoorsman Aron Ralston with the trademark style, pace and originality seen in Slumdog Millionaire and 28 Days Later. Using the same team from Slumdog clearly pays off; everything from the music to the split-screen action engages the audience from start to finish.

For those entering the cinema knowing the plot, the over-whelming sense of dread of what's to come is constant, but is frequently reduced to more of a dull pang during scenes of humour and poignant flashback. Any film that keeps the audience urging on the protagonist even on the cusp of inevitable horror is, quite frankly, ruddy impressive.

James Franco gives an outstanding performance in what is fundamentally a one-man show; conveying a spectrum of emotions convincingly, with just the right amount of humour and charm to keep the audience captivated and rooting for him.

It's impossible not to mention "the scene" - the one in which Ralston is forced to tear off his own arm with a blunt knife, in a state of dehydration and delirium following five days trapped in the canyon. I think it's safe to say not one person in the full cinema sat comfortably through this scene. There were gasps, squeals and jackets at eye-level for the entirety. Upon exiting the cinema, everyone looked suitably exhausted.

Those of a nervous temperament/ with high blood pressure should perhaps give this one a miss - anxiety junkies will be in their element!

Hornets and kids toys and bears - OH MY!

"Hauntingly thought-provoking and unsettling" The New York Times"

WITH the curtain drawn on 2010, it’s time to look forward to the cinematic offerings in store for 2011. From comic books to cartoon classics; they’re all getting the Hollywood treatment and being brought to the silver screen. But is this exciting or just plain lazy?

2010: a year that brought us A Prophet, Inception, The Social Network and Four Lions, in short – a year of original, ground-breaking cinema. So with the onslaught of adaptations and sequels 2011 has in store, the risk of audience disenchantment is high.

Billy Bob Thornton sent ripples of malaise through Hollywood last month when he told The Telegraph that, in his opinion, we are in the ‘worst era for Hollywood’ and that most motion pictures of late are solely ‘geared towards a video game generation’. Are these just the grumblings of a middle aged man bemused by the next generation or does he have a point?

Well, with the countless comic book capers and innumerable cartoon classics being brought to the silver screen this year, he’s certainly caught on to something...

No muscle suit or caption necessary

Graphic fiction novels: an infinite treasure trove of blockbuster fodder, providing generation after generation of fanatics with excitement and escapism. Superman, Spiderman and The X Men are now regarded as film stars as much as they are comic book characters, and this trend looks set to continue.

2011 offers up more than a handful of comic book adaptations. The Green Lantern (June 17) and The Green Hornet (January 14) are among the many releases of this year, with the most hotly anticipated of the all expected set to be the summer smash – Captain America: The First Avenger (July 22). This certainly is one genre that need never fear a drought.

Similarly, cartoon classics such as Yogi Bear (January 2) and Winnie the Pooh (July 16) are being reinvigorated and introduced to a new generation of young movie-goers; evoking excited gasps from tots and woeful sighs from parents the world over.

Not a ridiculous concept in the slightest

Even popular 70s toy Stretch Armstrong has been given cinematic rights, with believe it or not (rather the latter) a feature film rumoured to come out in April. Almost ridiculous enough to work?

NAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

Word on the street is that ambitions are now set to film it in 3-D with Twighlight's Taylor Lautner in the starring role (I couldn't make this stuff up) therefore pushing back the release date until 2012.

Out of sheer curiosity (and childishness) I really hope this is not just an online rumour, I smell Oscar nominations...

Fans of these light and fluffy family capers should head for the cinema, armed with optimism and enough sugary E numbered snacks to slip into a diabetic coma.

Everyone else, I recommend the following:

Black Swan (Jan 21st)

The King's Speech (Jan 7th)

127 Hours (Jan 7th)