At the movies: the latest films reviewed

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

Director: Gore Verbinski

Cast: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom,

Keira Knightley, Bill Nighy

Certificate: tbc

Genre: Action/Adventure

Release: 6 July 2006

The first Pirates of the Caribbean film was a swashbuckling success. It earned Johnny Depp an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow - a performance he is said to have based on rocker Keith Richards. Now Jack is back - and yet again in hot water.

Jack finds out that he owes a blood debt to Davy Jones (Bill Nighy), ruler of the ocean depths and captain of the ghost ship, the Flying Dutchman.

Needing the full weight of episode one's winning team, Jack recruits the ever-pouting Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) and the perfectly coiffured Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) - distracting the couple from their wedding plans (and giving the movie its required soppy helping of romance).

It's another supernatural, seabourne rollercoaster, complete with humour, action and, best of all, dragons. Set to be the film of the summer and well worth the cost of a cinema ticket.

Superman Returns

Director: Bryan Singer

Cast: Brandon Routh, Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth

Certificate: tbc

Genre: Action/Adventure

Release: 14 July 2006

X-Men director Bryan Singer tackles another sci-fi classic admirably, staying true to the essence of the original comic strip. Oh how thrilled Brandon Routh must have been to find that although times change, the blue tights remain.

Our homesick hero has spent years searching in vain for survivors of his planet, Krypton. When he returns to Earth, he finds that the world no longer needs a hero - and neither does his beloved Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth). In fact, she's engaged to the father of her five-year-old son and not a bit interested in Superman's alter-ego Clarke Kent.

The only person bothered about Superman's return is his arch nemesis, Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey), now fresh out of prison and ready for wrong-doing.

It's a plot not unsimilar to Superman II, and following in the cape of the late, great Christopher Reeve is no mean feat, but Routh and Singer both put on a good show.

Just My Luck

Director: Donald Petrie

Genre: Comedy/Romance

Cast: Lindsay Lohan, Chris Pine

Certificate: PG

Release: 30 June 2006

New Yorker Ashley Albright (Lindsay Lohan) is the luckiest woman in the world. She can pick a lottery ticket at random and hit the jackpot. She never has to wait for a cab. She works at a public relations firm that she looks about 15 years too young to even apply for.

Chris Pine plays Jake, a cleaner with a permanent raincloud over his head. But where she takes her luck for granted, he believes in the power of dreams - and making it as manager of a band he's discovered called McFly (heard of them?!).

The pair meet at a ball, share a magical kiss and their fortunes swap places. Ashley's luck runs out and Jake's (and McFly's!) dreams start to come true.

A shamelessly obvious vehicle to launch the British band in the States? Of course. And the plot is as weak and transparent too.

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