Set in the near future when robot boxing is a popular sport, Hugh Jackman plays Charlie Kenton, a washed-up former fighter who lost his chance at winning titles when 900 kilo, two-metre-tall steel robots took over the ring.

Now nothing but a struggling, small-time fight promoter, Charlie hits rock bottom just as he discovers he has an eleven-year-old son, Max (Dakota Goyo), who wants to get to know his father. Earning his living piecing together low-end bots from scrap metal to get from one underground boxing venue to the next, Charlie comes upon a discarded robot and reluctantly teams up with Max to rebuild and train their new championship contender, giving it (and Charlie) one last shot at a comeback.

A unique and welcome twist on the typical sports drama, Real Steel is a gritty, white-knuckle action-packed ride that will appeal to young and old alike, thanks in large part to the ever-entertaining and likeable Jackman and dependable director Shawn Levy (Night at the Museum films, Date Night).

Charlie Brewster (Yelchin) is beginning his final year of high school and things are looking good: he's dating the most attractive girl in school and running with the popular crowd. Things appear to take a turn for the worse, however, when Jerry (Farrell) moves in next door. Though he seems like a great guy, Jerry's arrival has conveniently coincided with some strange activity in the neighbourhood, including a spate of mysterious disappearances. With some help from his best friend, 'Evil' Ed (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), Charlie comes to an unmistakable conclusion: Jerry is a vampire.

Will anyone - including Charlie's mum (Toni Collette) - believe Charlie's theory about his new neighbour? To what lengths will Jerry go in order to keep his secret? And how will Las Vegas magician Peter Vincent (Tennant) help Charlie keep Jerry at bay?

A thrilling blend of horror and comedy, Fright Night marks a welcome return to the big-budget Hollywood blockbuster for Colin Farrell, after a couple of years away filming smaller, independent films. And it is indeed a welcome return: Farrell invigorates the screen as the mysterious Jerry, coyly combining his dramatic and comedic abilities to great effect.

Directed by Craig Gillespie, the man responsible for 2007's Lars and the Real Girl, this film is a remake of the 1985 film of the same name, and one remake that is arguably necessary, given the currently dire reputation of cinematic vampires. Fright Night couldn't have come at a better time.