DVD reviews: The Eagle - Cedar Rapids - Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules

The Eagle ****

Genre: Action
Rating: PG-13

Set in 140 AD, The Eagle takes place 20 years after the mysterious disappearance of the Roman Ninth Legion in the wilds of Scotland and revolves around a young centurion, Marcus Aquila. His quest is to solve the mystery and return honour to his father, the commander of the legion.

Along with only his slave Esca, Marcus enters the uncharted highlands where Romans are hated to retrieve the emblem of the lost legion, the Eagle.

The Eagle, with its timeless plot of redeeming family honour, does not pretend to be anything other than it is, which is an entertaining adventure.

If you liked Gladiator, you will enjoy The Eagle.

Cedar Rapids ***

Genre: Comedy
Rating: R

Ed Nelms (The Office, The Hangover) plays Tim Lippe, an insurance agent in small town USA who is sent to Cedar Rapids, Iowa for a weekend convention.

Never having left his hometown, Tim is naïve about the ways of the world but learns how to party over the course of the weekend and learns that there is world outside his own.

Well reviewed when it was released in theatres earlier this year, Cedar Rapids boasts a strong ensemble cast and is enjoyable while watching but is unfortunately quite forgettable an hour later.

There is potentially a lot laughs to be had when watching insurance agents go wild but the director and writer seem to have wanted to make a more serious movie with a deeper meaning behind it.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules ****

Genre: Comedy
Rating: PG

Based on the second book in this successful series, the movie chronicles the problems 11-year-old Greg Heffley has with his older brother and chief tormentor, Rodrick, and with fitting in at school.

Although more a series of different antics and escapades than a plot, this is a great movie that the entire family can enjoy together and is even better than the first. It makes wimpy cool.