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Bah humbug. December's here again and there are no new Christmas films to look forward to. Since Mickey Mouse decided to release his version of A Christmas Carol way back in mid-November, the traditional Crimbo film is already done and dusted for this year. Back to my DVD of Elf, then.

Still, there's plenty of stuff out there over the next few weeks. Women stuck down potholes might not be hugely festive but The Descent Part 2 (out Dec 4th) delivers just like its predecessor. You'll never want to explore monster-ridden caves in the Appalachians again. Freaky in a different way - beautifully so, in fact - is Where The Wild Things Are, visionary director Spike Jonze's adaptation of the classic kids' book. I love it when directors are called 'visionary' (Guillermo Del Toro gets it too). It basically means that they make stuff too weird to be summed up in a pithy sentence on the poster - all good in my book. Where The Wild Things Are might be a children's story but Spike's turned into a film about childhood... and probably more for adults. Vying with Fantastic Mr Fox for most out-there kiddy book flick, this one. It's on the 11th.

Avatar is supposedly going to change the face of cinema when it comes out on the 17th, not least since tons of cinemas will convert to 3-D so that they can show it. James Cameron hasn't made a mainstream film since something called Titanic so the buzz is big. It's also the Terminator creator's return to sci-fi. To be honest, the trailer left me colder than Leo in the freezing Atlantic but that could be a good thing. It's the first law of cinema that awesome trailers often result in forgettable movies and vice versa.

The rest of December is a blend of the classy and the dumb. Like my DVD collection. The classy stuff? Look out of the awesome Aaron Johnson as a young John Lennon in Nowhere Boy, out on Boxing Day and Daniel Day-Lewis blending brains with show tunes in the musical Nine, out a few days earlier. The silly stuff? I know you've all been waiting for a sequel to Alvin & The Chipmunks - well, on the 21st there's something even better. It's a....ahem....squeakwel. But how can they top the rodent rendition of Daniel Powter's 'Bad Day' from the first one?

Finally, St Trinian's 2: The Legend Of Fritton's Gold. Let's hope it really is 'finally'. That said, as someone who thinks that 'Call The Shots' is The Greatest Pop Song Ever Written, Sarah Harding's presence is an obvious bonus. Almost makes up for Rupert Everett. See ya!

This'll blow you away. Emile Hirsch is blimmin' awesome as Christopher McCandless, a single-minded graduate who decides to give up on the rat race and go travelling to Alaska. Giving up his worldly possessions he soon discovers the cameradie out there on the road, amongst the travellers and hippies with nothing but love to keep them going, a million miles away from the safety of his middle-class upbringing.

Christopher's journey is hardly a straight line - he heads down to Mexico at one point - but this is a roadtrip based on intuition rather than Sat Nav. It's also not easy. After reaching the wilds of America's most northerly state, nature proves Christopher's biggest challenge.

The mighty Sean Penn wrote and directed this poetic nod to the freedom of the open road. It's also star-packed - Vince Vaughn, Kristen Stewart and Zach Galifianakis all turn up along the way. But what packs the most punch is that this is true story. A tragic one, at that.

The genuine buzz of being young and being free runs through every scene, each a snapshot of a hidden America and the people who've decided that the 21st century no longer floats their boat. It's only by going without that you can really appreciate what you've got.

The problems with Glitter are obvious. As this tale of high-pitched New York warbler Billie (Mariah Carey) unfolded I just couldn't give a monkey's. From the very start, with a young Billie entering an orphanage after being dumped by her single mom, you could see that Mariah would be guilty of over-egging emotion with her one "sad face", hewn from granite and hauled out throughout the film at appropriate moments. Not to mention her excruciatingly over-explaining lyrics ('She was kinda fragile and she had a lot to grapple with...'). I got the point from your pout, Mariah. I need no more information on your grappling issues.

But this weakness becomes Glitter's gift. I was so turned off by Mimi's melodic couplets, my attentions then turned to the film's second star - Dice. Here was a character hungrily played by Max Beesley, frantic to prove himself in his Hollywood debut, proud like a cockerel from high-profile Mel B love-ins and blissfully unaware that the TV slag heap of Hotel Babylon was waiting in the wings like a stalker. Dice is supposedly the most famous DJ/producer in New York and boy does our Max go for it. Resplendent in singlets or leather trousers (or both) for most of the film, he bounces around like a panting puppy. Sometimes he's the overprotective manager, outraged when his Billie has to wear skimpy outfits for video shoots. Other times he's a grinning in puppet master with ADD, eager to push Billie's cleavage into the faces of every music mogul in town.

Glitter works best not as a music star's vanity project but as a film about a man gagging to prove his worth. Mariah may look bored, but Max is hyperactive. As an accurate portrayal of alpha male desperation, it's up there with Fight Club.

Earlier this week The Lovely Bones, the new film from Peter (Lord Of The Rings / King Kong) Jackson had a Royal Premier in London's Glittering West Endâ„¢.

The film is an adaptation of best selling book by Alice Sebold telling the story of a young girl who watches over her family from heaven....so not a giant ape or hobbit in sight then. It stars Mark (ey Mark) Wahlberg, Susan (Thelma & Louise) Sarandon, Rachel (The Mummy) Weisz and Saroise (Atonement) Ronan as Suzie.

We've got this EXCLUSIVE clip to show you of Suzie's encounter with Ray Singh, who she has a crush on, just before her family's lives get turned upside down.Once you've watched that why not read what Edith had to say about the film.

Double whammy for me this week as I not only got to watch The Lovely Bones but I also did some interviews at the Royal Premier in London. Firstly the film, a film that I have been SO excited about seeing and was slightly concerned that I had built it up way too much in my own head.

Everyone keeps asking me if it's true to the book and I really think it is. Of course it's always difficult with book adaptations but the world that Peter Jackson has created from the original Alice Sebold novel is magical. It's not out till the beginning of next year but I promise it will be worth the wait.

I spoke to Peter Jackson, Saoirse Ronan, Michael Imperioli and Reece Ritchie at the world premier on a very wet Tuesday night in London. What topped the night off perfectly was my cuddle from Stephen Fry, looking cold and slightly windswept he engulfed me in his big arms to warm me up. Love him.

E x

So a Friday night is upon us, and here at Radio 1's Team Movies we've decided to not goÌý out this weekend because there are some pretty, pretty, pretty good films on the TV to keep us company.

But what films are they I hear you cry? Well here are some top tips for what to watch if you're staying in. Oh, if you're going out you can stick them on your generic hard disc digital recording device.

Law Abiding Citizen
Gerry Butler attempts to expose the loopholes of the US justice system after his wife's murderer goes free. How does he do it?
By becoming a murderer himself, obviously. Totally ridiculous but with big explosions.
2 stars.

Bunny & The Bull
Eye-popping comedy from Mighy Boosh director Paul King (and featuring cameos from Noel and Julian). The tale of a road trip around Europe looks great - all cardboard sets and jumble sale clothes - but it's too trapped in its own claustrophobic world to really breakout into classic territory.
3 stars.

Nativity!
Always approach films using exclamation points with caution.
Nativity! is the kind of offensively inoffensive ambition-free British cack that you'd find on ITV1 on Christmas Eve. I actually can't believe Robson Greene's not in it. And are we really meant to care that two primary schools would compete ferocioulsy for the best review of their nativity play in the local paper? Poor.
1 star.

You know James Cameron right? The Oscar winning guy behind Titanic, Aliens, Terminator and stuff? Well he's got a new film out on December the 17th. It's being touted as the most expensive movie ever made, oh and it's called Avatar. You might have heard of it.

Cameron first conceived the film 15 years ago and has been making it for the last 4, he's even invented his own technology to make it happen in super cool 3D. It's all about a band of humans who are pitted in a battle against a distant planet's indigenous population.

We've managed to get our hands on this EXCLUSIVE clip from the film showing the main character Jake Sully in his Avatar form being chased by some nasty beast. It looks pretty incredible, and is no doubt going to blow people away in 3D or at the IMAX.

We have our very own Radio 1 Movies Blog Robot, it's true. We got the robot, he/she doesn't have a name, nor have we worked out what sex he/she is. He/she did however have a chat to robotics expert Noel Sharkey because Terminator Salvation has come out on DVD.

Our robot asks all the big questions such as 'could a Terminator style takeover happen? 'What's the best way to stop an evil robot?' And the most important one, 'who would win in a fight, Terminator or Buzz Lightyear?' Have a listen and find out.

Everything about Paranormal Activity is minimal. It's set in one house and it's simply home footage of a couple (Micah & Katie) investigating a possible poltergeist. They record everything, including sticking their camera on a tripod in their bedroom at night, then watch back looking for weird stuff.

And weird stuff is DEFINITELY found. Yet the pic keeps everything believable. The grainy footage helps, so does the down-to-earth acting (from two unknowns). Mainly though, it's the pace. At first, Katie and Micah only notice tiny things; a door closes a little bit at 3am, their car keys move from the worktop to the floor. They're freaked out... yet not massively. But the grip of whatever is in their house tightens and tensions become unbearable.

The repetition of one particular shot is crucial - the static camera in their bedroom, recording night after night. The couple sleep, their door enticingly open. Night-time noises are heard. Was it just the pipes? And are those footsteps on the staircase? A shadow on the wall? You can never be sure. We see this same shot umpteen times over umpteen nights, each time something a little more odd happens. It's a shot I began to dread.

This a masterpiece of eliciting thrills from what you don't see rather than what you do. Events seem at a distance. Sounds are heard a long way off. You feel like a helpless voyeur as the initial bubbliness of the film descends into pure, ice-cold terror.

5 stars.
Paranormal Activity is out today.

Last week we caught up with Oren Peli the director of the super scary Paranormal Activity. The film comes out tomorrow so we'll stick James King's review online for you to read then, but thought you might like a look at this.

It's an exclusive little chat with Oren about the film where he talks about some of his favourite directors, films that scare him, tips on how to be a good director and his favourite part of the movie.

You'll notice that he doesn't look particularly scary as a person, so we made his photo a bit scarier. Enjoy.

There's a new film coming out on the 27th November called Nativity and we've only gone and got our grubby internet paws on an exclusive clip from it.

It's one of those cool partly improvised films (a bit like Curb Your Enthusiasm is on the tv) and has got Martin Freeman, Ashley Jensen, Marc Wooton and Alan Carr in it. Martin's character Mr Maddens has given up his career as a frustrated, under-achieving actor and has become a frustrated, under-achieving primary school teacher. We've checked. This hasn't actually happened to Martin 'Tim Off Of The Office' Freeman, he's not gone into teaching he is definitely still an actor.... But he does come across as a very good teacher indeed. So if things dry up we think he'll be alright.

Anyway have a look at our exclusive clip. Here are three reasons why we like it.

1. Good child actors.
2. Martin Freeman's glasses.
3. We really really like blue jumpers.

What do you think?

Can you believe we're now on our 4th round of guess the ear? Nope. Us neither. Anyway... we're keeping going with this piece of internet funtimes gold.

For the first time, it's an animated ear. So answer us the question, whose ear is this?

Click on read the rest of the entry for the answer.....

Read the rest of this entry

Hype doesn't always work. Pearl Harbour was billed as the new Titanic.

Er... it wasn't. After much slating it was also billed as 'the film the critics hate but the public love' which was sort of anti-hype, but still hype. Confusing. Snakes On A Plane, meantime, showed that lots of buzz on the internet, laughing at its rubbish trailer, doesn't necessarily mean we're gonna shell out a tenner to see the whole thing.

New Moon's hype is different as it's coming from the already-converted. The fans. They're going to love it, whatever. With Paranormal Activity we're back to Blair Witch - an unknown quantity that's intriguing people by its online presence.

It's obviously a great - and cheap - way of marketing but let's hope it doesn't backfire. Paranormal Activity isn't a big, loud, gruesome horror movie. It's the quietest scary thing you'll ever see. Hype is all well and good on major motion picture events but when something's charm is its minimalism, that's more difficult to get across.

Grimmy is possibly one of the luckiest men in the world. He got to hang out with R-Patz twice... and Taylor Lautner. Have a look and see for yourself.

We know how much you love working out which film star's ear we put a picture up of, so here's another fantastic round of Ear Ear for you.

So once again we ask you, in all seriousness, whose ear is this?

Click on read the rest of the entry for the answer.....

Read the rest of this entry

So New Moon is finally out. We'd love to know what you think when you've seen it so please let us know in the comments box.

Here's a question though. How much working out do you think Taylor has done between the first film and this one? He looks like he's spent his days either in the gym or eating his greens. So after Greg transformed himself into Edward here is our two step plan to turn yourself into Jacob Black...

Also we've noticed the Bella seems to spend most of the film in a perpetual state of angst. Seriously, you have two fittie mcfits fighting over you. Cheer up a bit.

While you're at it, we love you and think you're great but stop biting your lower lip please. .

The film might be out, but we're not done with New Moon just yet. James King got to have a chat with Chris Weitz who directed the film, have a little look at this.

There's more to come from New Moon as well. On this very blog you'll be able to see an extended interview that Grimmy did with R-Patz plus a chat with Taylor Lautner on Sunday night. Also be sure to tune into Switch on Sunday from 7 where they will be chatting to Robert, Taylor and Kristen. Also Charlie Bewley who plays Demetri will answer Switch's facebook questions and they'll be playing tracks from the film.

If New Moon was a facial expression, it would be a scowl. Even more than Twilight, this is a story full of pain, confusion and a lot of furrowed brows. Amanda Holden would be useless in it.

Director Chris Weitz has said that he took the movie because he wanted to make a film about depression. Well, he's sure done that. Kristen Stewart makes Bella's angst totally believable, stuck between missing the largely absent Edward (Robert Pattinson) and getting closer to old friend Jacob (Taylor Lautner). In fact, there's a solid half hour in the middle where all that rainy Washington state misery almost gets a bit too much.

When Bella heads to Italy to rescue Edward it's a welcome blast of colour and sunshine. The senior vampires - The Volturi - are also a nice touch. But there's a feeling throughout New Moon that with a bit more time (Twilight was only out a year ago) the movie could've had way more style.

It still works though. The tunes are haunting, the acting spot-on and the eye candy plentiful. Why is it werewolf boys never wanna wear a shirt? It's not as punchy a tale as Twilight and there's still loads of room for improvement looks- wise but this is a movie that knows about the intense emotions that we the audience relish. It knows about heartbreak. It knows about lovesick. It knows how to frown. 3 stars.

After days of fierce battling it's time for the final of Vampires vs Werewolves. It's all down to these two.

Blade vs Jacob Black

After a controversial victory over Ed Cullen, Blade's on a roll. But he's also old. Jake's a fresh werewolf and - as the New Moon movie proves - is ripped like nobody's business. When he's an enormo-wolf there's little to stop him. Meaning...deep breath...

JACOB WINS

That is all.

So who is going to meet Blade in the final, let's find out.

Jacob vs Eli

Check out Let The Right One In if you've never seen it. Eli is eerily scary - and not just because she's Swedish. Still, Scandinavian weirdness isn't much use up against a hungry werewolf. So...

JACOB WINS

Tomorrow it's the final, Jacob vs Blade. Bring. It. On!

Our last round of Ear Ear was so popular we thought we'd do another... honest.

So all you have to do is try and guess whose ear this is.

Seriously. That's the game.

Click on read the rest of the entry for the answer.....

Read the rest of this entry

So it's only two days till you can feast your eye-holes on Edward, Jacob and Bella. We thought Radio 1's Greg James looks a tiny bit like Edward Cullen so invited super stylist Ciona Johnson-King (whose worked with the Twilight cast & crew) to give him an Edward Cullen make-over.

See more pics

Ciona also gave us these handy hints for how you can get your own Edward look.

Hair.
Edward has a bed head look.

1. Use some setting lotion at the roots and blow dry for root lift.
2. A wax will add texture to the hair, use a hairspray to set it.
3. It's important the hair goes in different directions and not just straight up.

Complexion.
Edward has a pale icy complexion, with bruised coloured lips, dark eyes and black or golden eyes depending on whether he's hungry or fed.
A Cullen vampire is not gothic so no white make up and black clothes.

1. Pale the complexion with a light foundation.
2. use a 'mud' colour eyeshadow around the eyelash roots for that dark brooding Cullen stare.
3. A touch of red near the lashes really emphasises the vampire look.
4. Shade just underneath the cheek bones to enhance them, he's a handsome vampire.
5. Tint the lips with a bruised coloured lipstick, blend with the fingers.

Here's where it gets really special, exposed the the sunlight Edwards skin sparkles like millions of crushed diamonds. For this effect add the following two products..

1. A white shimmer powder softly brushed over the skin.
2. Fine silver glitter to be dabbed over the skin. Use a spray or one suspended in liquid for ease of use.

So we reach the first Semi Final in our Vampires vs Werewolves battle, and stepping into the movie shaped ring this time it's these two.

Blade vs Edward Cullen

Oooh, it's a toughy. Ed can brood like there's no tomorrow but will that help in a fight against Blade's muscles? Er, no. Sorry ladies, but Eddie's a goner.

Well look who we managed to have a bit of a chat with? It's only blooming R-Patz himself answering questions suggested by Scott's listeners.

You'll be able to see and hear more from R-Patz if you listen to Switch on Sunday from 7pm or pop back and have a look at this blog. I suppose I needn't write any more as you've probably already clicked play and are now covered in drool.

Ding Ding Ding, it's time for Round 4 of James King's great battle between Vampires and Werewolves. Yesterdays winner was Jacob from Twilight and there is only one semi final place left. FIGHT ON.

Eli (from Let The Right One In) vs Shakira

The she-vamp versus the she-wolf. Amazing. Eli is one of the scariest bloodsuckers in recent years though - the Colombian would be done in seconds.

ELI WINS.

So we now have the Semi Final line up which means, Blade, Edward Cullen, Jacob Black & Eli will be fighting it out from tomorrow.

Oh look! It's a blog post not about Twilight.

We think Robert Downey Jnr is blooming brilliant here at the Radio 1 Movies Blog. He is particularly great in , which is well worth a look. He's obviously going to be brilliant in Iron Man 2 next year but that's ages away. So it's a good job Guy Ritchie has teamed him up with Jude Law for Sherlock Holmes which is out on the 26th December.

We've been sent some pictures from it why not have a little look? Is it just us or does RDJ have an enviously buff body for a 44 year old?

Not only that but they've also released a . We're hoping it'll be a return to form for Guy Ritchie coupled with strong performances, a good script, things that explode and go boom, nice facial hair and lovely hats.

OMG! OMG! OMG! 3 Days to go till you can feast your eyes on the new Twilight movie and decide once and for all if you're Team Edward or Team Jacob.

Recently Switch asked you to send in some questions for the Twilight cast. They hooked up with Charlie Bewley who plays Demetri in the new film and posed some of your questions to him.

You can hear the whole thing this Sunday from 7pm on Radio 1 but for now enjoy these choice highlights.

Today Greg James was joined by Ciona Johnson-King, a makeup artist who has worked with the Twilight cast and crew. She gave Greg the Edward look.

On Wednesday we'll be giving you the lowdown on how to get that vampire look, but for now this picture of Greg might whet your appitite.

See you Wednesday

The winner from Sunday's battle was Edward himself, but that only means he's through to the semi-finals, he's not won yet. It's time for Round 3

Marlowe (from 30 Days Of Night) vs Jacob Black

It's a case of youth versus experience in this round. Jake's still getting used to his powers but Marlowe's got lazy. It's a vampire fail.

JACOB WINS.

Kristen Stewart may be still in her teens but she's been acting for a LONG time - and with a lot of cool movies to her credit. See her as a littl'un in the seriously thrilling Panic Room (2002) alongside fellow former child star Jodie Foster, the fun family fantasy Zathura from a couple of years later, and the awesome Into The Wild with Emile Hirsch from 2007. You'll be blubbing big time. She's even managed some quality pics since finding fame as Bella Swan - the hilarious slacker comedy Adventureland came out just a couple of months back.

Rob Pattinson's Harry Potter years are well known but search a bit deeper and dig out Little Ashes (2008) for some arty farty class. The true story of artist Salvador Dali during the Spanish Civil War is occasionally hard going but R Patz shows himself as the successor to Johnny Depp's crown with a beautifully oddball turn as the famous Surrealist painter.

Taylor Lautner, meantime, may be the breakout vampire-hating star of New Moon but his CV is mainly littered with telly shows and ...er... Cheaper By The Dozen 2. He did, however, play the 13 year old lead in Sharkboy & Lavagirl in 2005. It was a fun slice of 3D cheese made by Robert Rodriguez, a man no stranger to vampire movies as co-creator of the From Dusk Till Dawn pics.

So yesterday Blade was the first winner, today it's time for Edward to put his pretty head into the boxing ring.

Edward Cullen vs Lucian (from Underworld)

Make no mistake, Lucian takes no prisoners. But Edward has got years of pent up aggression inside of him. Lucian's a goner.

EDWARD WINS.

If you're a fan of Vampire films, then here are a few other ones you might have missed.

The Daddy of the vamps, a certain Mr Dracula, has been in more films than R Patz has had Google hits. Check out the old-skool Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992), with Gary Oldman and Keanu Reeves, for some class or a pre-fame Gerry Butler in Dracula 2000 (that came out here in 2001, confusingly) for some cack.

In the last 10 years though, the franchises have taken over. Blade, the half-vampire/half-human warrior, managed 3 films since 1998 whilst Underworld, first out in 2003, has also managed a couple of sequels. Even From Dusk Till Dawn did a couple of straight-to-DVD follow-ups.

But for my faves look to the oddball bloodsuckers. This year's Let The Right One In was a cold, icy, chilling Swedish vamp tale that'll turn your legs to jelly. A Hollywood remake beckons.

For an 80s classic look to The Lost Boys, still holding up thanks to the brooding charisma of Kiefer Sutherland even if the FX are pretty ropey.

And finally there's 2007's awesome 30 Days Of Night, with Josh Hartnett battling fanged killers in the Alaskan darkness. It's seriously stylish - all a good sign for the next Twilight movie, Eclipse, as they're both directed by David Slade.

Are you a bit bored? Yes? Well then why not have a look at this famous actors ear and tell us whose ear you think it is.

Seriously.

Who does this ear belong to?

Click on read the rest of the entry for the answer.....

Read the rest of this entry

In the lead up to the ultimate battle between Vampires and Werewolves* I've decided to see who might actually win this non-existent fight.

*not actually the ultimate battle

So Round 1, ding ding....

In the Vampire Corner it's Blade

And fighting it out for the Werewolves it's Professor Lupin from Harry Potter

FIGHT ON......

He may only be half-vamp, but Blade's brawn beats Lupin's brains anyday. It's bye bye to the Prof. BLADE WINS.

He's through to the first semi final, come back to the blog tomorrow to see who our next competitors are.

Edith Bowman got to hang out with Kristen Stewart this week, I am very jealous check out the video.