"Edge of Tomorrow"

 A science fiction, alien version of Groundhog Day, is what we have on offer here.
Tom Cruise plays Major William Cage, a soldier, who spends most of his time in this battle with the aliens, avoiding battling with the aliens. He is constantly able to avoid being sent to the front line but nos his lack of combat activity finds him being seconded to a Unit which is going to be deployed into action. He stands out like a sore thumb, and does not get on well with his fellow soldiers. Soon enough they are dropped via aircraft into the thick of it, and Cage promptly engages one of the alien creatures known as mimics. Both die in the fracas, and as the creature dies, this special alien type bleeds onto Cage, and the next thing he knows, he wakes up alive and well. But back on the base before they have left for battle.
It seems this particular alien has special qualities, that can allow a human to relive the past day, and if need be, the events can be altered. Should he die, he will just go back to that same day, but if he is hospitalised and his blood is changed then he will lose the ability.
The arrival on the battlefield is a massacre and the aim is to kee reliving the day, and use the information to get away, and stop the alien attack.

The film has been garnering rave reviews especially from critics, and I am seriously puzzled as to why. The film was dull and boring. The groundhog day, understandably became repetitive. The reason as to why the aliens attack is never made clear, it is also unclear as to why they are called Mimics. And don't get me started on the ending.

Disappointing......5 out of 10

"Safe House"

Denzel Washington moves to the dark side in his latest film as fugitive Tobin Frost. Whilst in South Africa he is trying to acquire some information from a rogue British Spy which he then intends to sell to the highest bidder. But things go all to cock when the Brit Spy is taken out of the equation, and a team of highly trained men are after both Frost and the information.

Seeing no way out, he makes his way to the American Embassy, and from there he is to be transported to a Safe House.
He enters Matt Weston, he has a great job, he generally juust sees to the day to day running of a South African Safe House, answering the odd phone call, nothing particularly exciting (rather like the film) until Tobin Frost is escorted to the House for safe keeping. Safe that is until that team of mercenaries arrive, keen to get Frost into their possession. A major gunfight follows, which sees Weston flee the Safe House with Frost in the car boot.

The rest of the film consists of a tug of war between Frost and Weston, one trying to escape from the other, and also stay ahead of the mercenaries. There is also a rogue element within the CIA, but like the rest of the film, one really does not give a toss.
The photography is far too in your face, the performances are all bland, with the exception of Washington who manages to acheive something with a very one dimensional character. The story is not at all engaging, it becomes tiresome, and the film is very violent. As for the rogue element, well there are no surprises there.

Washington and Gleeson deserve better........5 out of 10