Recently by Graham Young

CONSIDERING that it would appear to be 'squeaky bum' time down at the Villa, here's an idea how to get the team out of trouble.

After he managed to get Carling Cup winners Birmingham City relegated last year, Double Dip McLeish should forget about flogging his charges on the pitch and try some unorthodox Cloughie tactics instead.

In other words, it's time to try to do something totally different.

Me thinks the young Villa players would probably do better if they could just put their feet up and relax for a couple of hours.

What better way of going into their next match than by taking a leaf out of the great Stan Lee's book.

The Marvel genius is back with another cameo in his latest movie, Avengers Assemble, ready to show everyone all over again how you can make profit out of adversity.

If sticking the Villa players in front of a cinema screen and letting them watch Lee's collective bunch of disparate superheroes battling to save New York doesn't relax them, then nothing will.

Not even watching The Great Escape.

Why? That movie didn't have Scarlett Johansson in it as the Black Widow!

To read my review of Marvel Avengers Assemble, don't miss the Birmingham Mail on Friday, April 27, 2012. I have no connections with, or birthright affinity for, either Villa or Blues... but I do think it would be be nice for Villa to stay up and for Blues to get back up next month in order to keep Premiership football in the city.

I WENT to watch Luc Besson's Lockout (15) on its opening night tonight to try to understand why I wasn't invited to see a preview of it in order to be able to review it in time to make today's Birmingham Mail.

And, even though Guy Pearce is the star, the answer is... it's just not very good!

Read my full review in next Friday's paper.

Suffice to say that this really is an attempt to rework John Carpenter's 1981 film Escape From New York in space.

And Besson has the cheek, at the beginning, to say it's an original idea of his!

I SAW Ewan McGregor's new movie Smoked Salmon Fillet From Yardley today.

Or rather Salmon Fishing in The Yemen as it is officially called.

Would you believe it, the Scot took off his shirt again for the girls.

Trouble is, I'm not a girl.

And I don't give a JR Ewing-Hartley for fishing on the fly.

But did I still enjoy the new romantic drama?

Find out with my review in the Birmingham Mail on Friday, April 20.

Just back from hols miles away from the nearest cinema showing anything new, so here's a review I wasn't able to run in the paper last week.

Couldn't want to see it though and it was the first thing I did when I got back.

After a week without hearing a movie on a digital sound system, it was an aural treat as much as an explosion of visual effects.... though I wish they'd used Bon Scott's AC/DC on the soundtrack and not Brian Johnson's version.

The Gateshead-born former Geordie has been an excellent and surprisingly enduring replacement for Scott, but to my ears has never been quite as good.

Click below to read my full review.

PROJECT X (18) has opened in cinemas without any advance screenings.

Simply click on the link below to read my guide to the movie.

It's almost time for the 84th Academy Awards.

Film buff insomniacs / night owls can watch the whole thing live on Sky Premiere from 1.30am on Sunday night / Monday morning hosted by Billy Crystal.

Or Sky+ it at breakfast to watch the best comedy bits / most blabbing speeches / worst dresses etc.

It's bound to have all the fun of the fair.

Click here for my selection of tips. Or what not to tip....

DANIEL Radcliffe's new movie didn't have any regional previews in the West Midlands.

Not to worry, I went along to see it with the public to see how it played with punters.

To see my verdict, click on the link below.

IT would have been lovely if last Friday's Birmingham Mail could have been used to flag this film up for Valentine's Day on Tuesday - if only the distributors Sony Pictures had offered me the chance to see it before its release on February 10.

Now that I've seen it, though, is it worth seeing?

Click below to find out more...

Carnage (15) has disappeared from Birmingham's multiplexes after just a week - but it's still on at the Electric Cinema, the country's oldest working picture house (www.theelectric.co.uk).

Find out more by clicking on the link below.

The weather forecast last night was suggesting temperatures in Birmingham could dip to minus 10C.

So full marks to the two dozen or so people who braved the chill to seek out the Matt Damon film Margaret (15) at the MAC.

Click here to see what it's like.