What’s It About?
Bond, James Bond. (No spoilers here!)

What Did We Think?
Liz says: Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, shaken not stirred, starring James Bond and Hans Lander. Seriously, if you saw MI5, and Inglorious Basterds, then you’ve already seen this movie. Still an enjoyable romp, Spectre is on par with Skyfall, leagues ahead of Quantum of Solace (that’s not hard) but falls far short of the high-rolling brilliance of Casino Royale.

What’s it about?
Julia Roberts, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Nicole Kidman star as investigators whose lives are turned upside down when one of their children is brutally murdered.

What did we think?
I can’t remember if Kidman was a good actress back when her face could move, but she certainly isn’t now. Luckily Roberts and Ejiofor are outstanding in this gripping thriller, which keeps you guessing and makes you feel pretty damned good about yourself when/if you work out the plot twists before they happen (er, yes, that would be me). A tale of obsession, revenge and, of course, secrets, it’s well told and expertly directed by Billy Ray, though confusion between past and presence could have been avoided if they’d just removed the beard on Ejiofor’s younger self.

What’s it about?
What is it About : An anxious and lonely young college student gets caught up in the glamourous, exciting yet deluded plans of her older, soon-to-be step sister (Greta Gerwig).

What did we think?
Alice Barbery says:  A slick and polished script sweeps the audience along in a whirlwind adventure between two women. The plot gathers pace and keeps unfolding with vigour, driving home the themes of growing up, fitting in and accepting that dreams require hard work and perseverance not just rich friends. This film, set in NYC, is pure delight filled with witty dialogue, likeable characters and relatable themes. By the end you’re compelled to cheer on each character and wish them all well. Intriguing and captivating.

What’s it about?
Tom Hanks plays Cold War figure James B. Donovan, an insurance lawyer who defends a Russian spy arrested in America and is then tasked with negotiating his exchange for a pair of American prisoners in Berlin.

What did we think?
Nick says: No-one knows how to move a film camera like Spielberg, and Bridge of Spies shows that he’s still on his game. He’s got a great cast to work with, best of which is Mark Rylance, who plays the Russian spy with understated charm. The first half has some terrific suspense sequences and character moments, and while there’s less of those to enjoy in the procedural-like happenings of the second half, the ending drives the emotion home and makes the whole film well worth seeing.

What’s it about?
A dramatic retelling of Whitey Bulger and his rather rocky “alliance” with the FBI.

What did we think?
Nick says: Depp delivers a terrific performance that I’d count as Oscar nomination worthy and the ensemble shines when they’re given room to breathe, but there are a few questionable narrative choices and a lack of striking imagery that would have made this something special.

What’s it about?
A 70 year-old retiree (Robert De Niro) gains an internship at an online fashion store run by a harried young woman (Anne Hathaway). Hijinks and life lessons ensue.

What did we think?
Lisa says: On paper, The Intern sounds like simple, inoffensive fun. It’s a cute concept, helmed by an accomplished (in this genre) director and has a great cast.

Disappointingly the end result is far less than the sum of its parts. The tone is incredibly uneven, varying from sweetly sad, to zany, to hackneyed and borderline offensive.

The second half of the film is especially a drag, weighed down by preachy dialogue and plot points that seem both improbable and clichéd at the same time.

Only tolerable if you’re home alone with nothing better to watch.

What’s it about?

During a fierce storm on a mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney is impaled by debris and left behind by his crew, assumed dead. When Watney wakes up, his mission becomes one of survival, where he must think out of the box and “science the shit” out of his limited supplies to contact NASA and let them know he is alive.

What did we think?

Francesca Percy says: First things first: unlike the vast majority of movies, this is absolutely worth seeing in 3D. Every detail is stunning and utterly convincing – 99 per cent of the time I forgot I was watching a film – I was completely immersed in the story unfolding. This was also due to the pitch perfect direction from Ridley Scott, central performance from Matt Damon as Watney and the wonderfully-cast supporting actors.

The story really never lost my attention – I was on the edge of my seat for much of it, but that was balanced by the ingenuity and enthusiasm of Watney and the people trying to find a way to bring him home, the surprising moments of humour, and the genuine moments of joy that must come from being a pioneer on another planet.

What’s it about?
When Harry Potter met Neverland. An orphan is spirited away to the magical Neverland where he meets Han Solo James Hook and embarks on an adventure of flight, fantasy and fairies.

What did we think?
Pan is oozing with over-the-top charm and is actually a good fun film but you’re left feeling it could – and should – have been so much more.

It’s whimsically wonderful, a visual feast that boasts an amazing cast and effects, using colour and contrast delightfully. But while the individual facets are impressive, it falls a little short in the story. Normally a slow-build is balanced by depth of character – but this doesn’t quite eventuate.

Take James Hook, who IS Han Solo (down to the American accent) with a bit of Indy thrown in. One of the dangers of the dreaded prequel is the unexplained tangents and here it feels particularly discordant.

What’s it about?
Based on the true story of a freak weather event in 1996 that lead to to several climbers’ deaths, the film follows two expeditions who attempted to make the summit of Everest, but were thwarted in their descent. Starring Jason Clarke, Jake Gylenhaal, Emily Watson, Josh Brolin and Keira Nightley.

What did we think?
Angela Young says: The word epic can, for once, be rightly used here. Director Baltasar Kormakur should be very proud of producing such a powerful, accurate and dignified memorial to those who lost their lives on the mountain that day. Strong, but not over dramatised performances (how refreshing!) from a superb cast, along with stunning visual effects, brought the hideous chill, frightening winds and sheer adrenalin mixed with fear pouring through the screen. Moving and enlightening (why the HELL do people want to do climb that thing??), you should see Everest – and preferably in 3D.