Opinions on the epic conclusion to Christopher Nolan's excellent Batman trilogy could not be more polarised.
The Dark Knight rises ***
Some appreciate the deeply personal, explorative direction it takes with regard to the core characters and the slow boil towards the final battle, while others are disappointed by the lack of gadgety crime-fighting we expect from Gotham City's caped crusader.
Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) struggles to find meaning in his life after his years of vigilante moonlighting to bring law and order to Gotham have left him borderline crippled.
His closest ally, police commissioner Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman), also struggles with the lie upon which their new utopia is built. But they're about to have even bigger problems when a new super-villain called Bane (Tom Hardy) rolls into town with a twisted agenda of his own. - Matthew Vice
Madagascar 3: Europe's most wanted ***
The gawky lion with a terribly un-vogue mane cut is back. This time, Alex (pictured) and his friends Marty, Melman and Gloria, the kooky gang of a loudmouth zebra, crook-necked giraffe and nimble-footed hippo decide to return home to New York's City Zoo after being stranded in Africa by a group of Penguins flying in a custom-built, monkey-powered air machine. It gets crazier; the group decides Monte Carlo is the best transit point home.
Here they encounter a determined animal-trophy hunter and a travelling circus. As plot lines go, there's little logic but the dazzling animation and comedy make up for this mad escapade. Great viewing for the holidays. - Keith Tamkei
Hitman: Absolution ...
Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, PC
It's odd that most gamers and journalists classify the Hitman series as stealth games, because while the ideal way to perform any hit is to slip in quietly and do the deed with as little collateral damage and kerfuffle as possible, there's nothing to stop Agent 47 from going in guns blazing, mowing down security guards, public servants and innocent bystanders on the way to his target.
Hitman: Absolution even rates the player accordingly if they want to take the louder route. In this instalment, Agent 47 turns his back on the agency to save a teenage girl from being trained for a life as a super assassin like he was.
The problem is that the agency is well informed and doesn't like defectors, so 47 has to work extra hard to keep the girl safe and find a way to disappear for good. - Matthew Vice
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