Race to Witch Mountain is a remake of the 1975 Disney film Escape to Witch Mountain, based on the book of the same name. The story goes thus: a discredited astrophysicist (Gugino) enlists the help of a cabbie (Johnson) to protect two paranormal siblings (Robb and Ludwig) from the hands of a villainous man (Hinds) and an organisation that wants to use the kids for their own nefarious plans.

Sound corny? It probably is, but it could also be a lot of fun. The original was one of Disney's most successful live action films - come along and see if they've done it again.

Starship Troopers, based on a story by Heinlein, is a space opera with reflections of real earth politics and history ((ndash)) one war being very similar to another both in its causes and in the experiences of the poor suckers who have to go and fight.Set on a fascist military world, there is the inevitable "cause worth fighting for". In this case, in space and at some future time, the threat is not from another human nation, but from giant alien bugs ((ndash)) and the cause really is worth fighting for if the human race is to survive...

The plot goes something like this: high school kids are encouraged to join the military ((ndash)) in doing so, on a crowded planet where only a few are privileged (sound familiar?), they have the chance to win citizenship and thereby, the privileges which go with this rank. A young student from Buenos Aires, Johnny Rico, is dating the lovely Carmen. Carmen decides to join the military and Johnny follows her into service. Pretty soon he starts having second thoughts about having joined up but, just as he is about to quit, an asteroid from the planet Klendathu hits Buenos Aires, killing his family. Johnny and his fellow troopers set out to destroy the planet's inhabitants.

Through a seemingly ordinary action flick, the film evidences a subtle anti-war theme and director Paul Verhoeven shows us a world every bit as extreme and frightening as earth's recent fascist nations have been.

No plot spoilers ((ndash)) I won't say how it all ends ((ndash)) you'll just have to come along to ANU Film Group and see for yourselves.