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Theory: There's nothing more exciting than listening to the former astronauts for the Apollo missions tell their tales of visiting the lunar surface. Except perhaps being one of them. Yes, David Sington's In the Shadow of the Moon is a little heavy on the America-the-Great, but it's also one of the best documentaries of the year; a fascinating portrait of men so brave that most regular Joes couldn't possible comprehend their journey.

And, to its credit, it allows them to get on with it - there's no narrator - we're just shown fascinating footage from the moon's surface, from the launch pad, from the shuttle, and in between these men tell us their story.

For the real space-junkies, there's doubtless little in here to learn, but for the rest of us the film is full of fascinating factoids and, like the best movies set in space - fictional or not - it'll leave you feeling smaller than the smallest needle in the biggest haystack. JU


While most outside America will be unfamiliar with the name Christopher McCandless, the story of his abandonment of civilisation in favour of hiking across America on his way to Alaska is one we can probably all relate to. Who hasn't thought about throwing off the shackles and experiencing nature in all its glory?

Of course most of us are either too scared or too sensible ever to attempt to do that and that's perhaps why McCandless' tale is so intoxicating; his journey is one we all wish we had the courage to take.

Sean Penn directs Emile Hirsch in this adaptation of Jon Krakauer's book, Into the Wild, about McCandless, and while it runs a little long, at 140 minutes, in takes in some of the most breathtaking scenery imaginable and keeps us gripped throughout as we join our young lead on his journey into either enlightenment or insanity.

Penn deifies McCandless a little too readily, encouraging us to make an idol out of him, and while most will happily do just that, it also makes it hard for us to engage with the film. Penn's embrace of no-frills solitariness is flawed by the trailers, catering and crew we know to be behind single shot.

No, real credit must go to Hirsch, who goes out of his way to inhabit McCandless regardless of the creature comforts available to him off-screen, for it's with him and him alone we must ultimately spend two hours of our time with. JU


Jason Reitman's debut feature, Thank You For Smoking, coming, as it did, in the same year as his father Ivan's My Super Ex Girlfriend, was a brilliantly biting satire about the tobacco industry and suggested that perhaps dad's talent had been well and truly passed on.

His second, Juno, continues his trend for witty comedy, casting Ellen Page as a high-school girl whose desire to lose her virginity leads to an unfortunate bout of pregnancy. She meets Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner through an ad in the Penny Saver and agrees to adopt the infant their way. But nine months is a long time, and pregnancy seems sure to bring with it a whole heap of inconvenience.

Page is brilliant as Juno, and a cast of recognisable supporting players back her up with aplomb. It's definitely full of quirk - it's an American indie after all - but, like Thank You For Smoking, there's something real at the film's heart and we're encouraged to believe the quirk rather than let it wash over us. JU


The most high profile of the recent glut of war themed releases - due mainly to its stellar cast - Lions For Lambs gets its title from an alleged quote from a World War One German General who said of the British troops, "never before have I seen such lions led by such lambs". Apocryphal or not the debate over right against might is real enough.

There are three layers to the film. The first is a moral, ethical, hypothetical discourse with Robert Redford as a scarily convincing looking college Professor and Andrew Garfield as the owner of a fine mind behind a surfer exterior; the second is a political and strategic debate with media and PR consequences featuring an electrifying face off between Meryl Streep and Tom Cruise. Thirdly is the actuality of the troops in a war zone.

The performances are flawless with Cruise on his best smarmy bastard form as the ambitious senator and cheerleader for the masters of war trading blows with Streep's journalist, over a new plan for the war in Afghanistan. Streep pleads mea culpa over the media's acquiescence during the first Iraq/Afghan surge, but is less compliant this time even in the face of an exclusive story. Redford and Garfield debate whether seriously smart people should 'do something' with specific reference to two soldiers, Redford's ex pupils, from neighbourhoods ignored by Uncle Sam who worked hard for their college grades then enlisted to make a real change.

And yes it is those same soldiers we see in the war zone, injured and low on ammo. Lions for Lambs is a one eyed view on the futility of the war on terror. Redford's politics are all over it despite his best efforts at balance with Cruise's hawk view. Nothing happens in the film in terms of action bar a few exchanges from the pinned down troops; it's all about the dialogue and its evident that this is what Redford wants to achieve. When you leave the cinema and go to the pub he wants you to engage and discuss the politics of a war that few in the US want anymore.

There are many Vietnam references and lots of questions needing answers and decisions to be made as a consequence. What do you want to do? Do you want to end the war on terror? Do you think you should act/protest/enlist/run for the Senate? America's liberal, artsy intelligentsia is pricking consciences but does anyone or should anyone outside the US care? PA

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