Films of the week

Brave
Brave sees the Disney/Pixar team behind the likes of Wall.E and Up take on the Scotland of legend. Princess Merida (Kelly Macdonald) is not your regular Highland princess: she is an expert at archery and very brave into the bargain, if sometimes a little too daring. Reaching beyond what is normally expected of princesses, she manages to unleash a curse that will blight the whole nation and the only thing that can stop it is her. Can she muster the courage and pull together the skills necessary to avert disaster and beat a very beastly beast?

Ted
Mike Sheridan: It’s always extremely refreshing when a movie knows exactly what it is. The marketing doesn’t lie, the star is on the same page as the director and generally speaking the film ticks over, regardless of genre. Ted is a crude, foulmouthed comedy from the creator of a crude, foulmouthed series, that stars Mark Wahlberg and a teddy bear. It also happens to be frequently hilarious, and at times borderline sweet. This is currently doing Hangover-style business at the North American box-office and it’s very easy to see why.
Wahlberg is a directionless but well-meaning 35-year-old, John, who made a wish when he was a child that his teddy bear, Ted, would come alive and be his best pal forever. Lo and behold his wish comes true, and a few decades later both are still firm pals. Somewhere in there, John meets the gorgeous Lori (Kunis), and she moves in with him and Ted. Constantly pushing him to grow up, it soon becomes apparent that John will have trouble taking life seriously unless Ted moves out (the final straw comes when a hooker takes a crap on their apartment floor.) Will their friendship last? Will Lori get pissed off and leave John for her sleazy boss (a very funny McHale)?
Naturally, it’s important that you know what kind of film to expect when sitting down to view Ted. Fans of Family Guy and American Dad certainly won’t be disappointed, as it pushes the same irreverent humour as both of those popular animated serials – albeit on a larger, more expletive ridden scale. Seth McFarlane has never directed a movie before and his story and character credentials are hardly stellar, given the interchangeable plot of his shows. But if he knows how to do one thing, it’s “funny”. Family Guy in particular feels like it was written by comedians, and he carries that sensibility over to his first feature film. Ted is a very simple movie with the plot almost an afterthought – but you get the impression that McFarlane realises this.
Audiences have flocked to see this comedy on the promise of a cursing, womanizing, pot-smoking bear, and it delivers in spades. Ted is a fantastic character, superbly embodied by the dulcet tones of its director. He’s a battering-ram of zingers who renders the plot pretty much inconsequential, while Wahlberg provides the perfect foil to him. The Boston native has pushed the intense action roles over the past few years, but somewhat surprisingly has found his true home in comedy. He balances John’s utter density with just enough charm for you to get why Lori would go out with him, while Ted is actually given a (somewhat) believable backstory.
A consistently funny, sometimes sweet and pretty much always offensive comedy and a cracking feature debut from McFarlane. “F**k you thunder”, indeed.

The Wedding Video
From the writer and director of Calendar Girls and BAFTA Award winning producer of Senna, The Wedding Video is a comedy set in the cut throat world of English society weddings.
Raif (Rufus Hound) is a shambolic oaf with a unique sense of humour who is suddenly asked to be his brother’s best man. His present to the happy couple, he decides, will be a video of their wedding. He returns from abroad to meet brother Tim (Robert Webb) for the first time in years and his fiancé Saskia (Lucy Punch).
His film is our film – the final edited version with music, live action, interviews, the works. It’s the wedding equivalent of Spinal Tap. And thank God Raif caught it all on film, because no-one would have believed it otherwise. Amidst the chaos of planning their big day and fending off unwanted help the couple begin to wonder “who’s wedding is it anyway?”
To Raif’s surprise, he finds his once-bohemian brother has undergone a total change of character and is marrying into the most socially aspirant of families; Saskia’s grandmother, Patricia (Miriam Margoyles) would give Hyacinth Bucket a run for her money and mum Alex has successfully married and settled into life in the “Cheshire Set” – the English “Beverley Hills”.
As Alex tries to compete in this world of perfectly manicured talons and so win the approval of her snobby mother, Raif starts to uncover the sheer scale of the wedding industry in the 21st century, from personalised ring pillows to the most bizarre means of getting to the church on time.
As pressure mounts and the big day approaches bride, groom and best man have to face the fact that the sun is rising on the most outlandish, garish wedding in Cheshire history. And they’re the stars…

These films are showing at Dagenham Vue, Cook Road, Dagenham Leisure Park, Dagenham.
The stepped SuperVue seating at Vue Dagenham offers film fans a new level of comfort and perfect views every time you visit the 8-screen complex. Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound is equipped throughout and the Digital 3D Screen offers a great environment for the latest 3D releases.
For the more mature film fan, the Over 18s screenings mean you can enjoy selected films without disruption and VIP seats are also available for that extra touch of luxury.
Kids am screenings and Family Tickets also ensure there really is something for everyone at Vue Cinema in Dagenham.