Geek of Oz

As the curtain comes down on 2014, Disney saves one of its best for last. Big Hero 6 is a gorgeously animated, action-packed superhero origins story with multi-generational appeal. Based upon a Marvel comic series by the same name, Big Hero 6 takes place in a futuristic city known as San Fransokyo, a merging of the geography and infrastructure of San Francisco with the other-worldly visual appeal of Tokyo. Hiro (Ryan Potter) is a prodigious robot builder, who spends his time hustling for cash by entering his adorable (yet lethal) robots in illegal street fights, frequently bringing Hiro to the notice of the police. In an attempt to straighten Hiro out and unlock his true potential, his older brother Tadashi (Daniel Henney) introduces Hiro to his University colleagues. Tragedy strikes, however, and Hiro is forced to use his special skills in an entirely unforeseen manner and, with the help of a new friend named Baymax, rise up against a mysterious figure terrorising his city. ...

Well, it’s been a damn fine year for cinema, with standout films in almost every genre. Since the internet is in dire need of another top 10 list, I humbly present my best films of 2014.  As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this year’s cinema. Feel free to tell me your favourite films for the year in the comments below or come over to our Facebook page to shoot the breeze. Bring on 2015. - Stu Honourable mentions

Before you say it, yes, I'm aware Puella Magi Madoka Magica  (or PMMM for short, which sounds like a noise of satisfaction you'd make with a pinched nose) - the deconstruction of the Magical Girl anime genre that would spawn classics like Sailor Moon - started life as a 12-episode anime series followed by a successful series of manga adaptations. I'm also aware that the two discs that form this compilation movie are basically a retread of the series with some of the fatty bits trimmed off, much like what Evangelion did with Death and Rebirth  back in the day.  I am therefore aware that praises and criticisms I might level come with an asterisk floating beside them, as this is essentially like saying something about a trailer that judges the entire finished product (topical!). But I'm also firmly of the opinion that a movie - that is, a cinematic experience of visuals and sound intended to convey a story - needs to stand as its own thing, whether it's a recap, s...

In the interest of full disclosure, I should advise that I haven’t completed Dragon Age Inquisition. This isn’t because I’m not interested or not thoroughly invested in the game, quite the opposite. It’s because this game is MASSIVE. I’ve sunk just over 40 hours into the game since release and still feel as though I’ve only begun to scratch the surface. So as not to leave you waiting until 2015 for my full review, I’ve put this review together based upon my feelings and experiences thus far. As I said, this game is massive. Not just in terms of map size, but also visual scale and possibility. There is just so much to do and all the time in the world to do it, which you’ll need. In their press kit, EA advised that you should set aside between 50-65 hours for a play though of the main game but I call BS. There is no way that you could possibly jump into this game without finding yourself distracted, running off to bash up a few apostates or close a handful of rifts. Not only...