Spiderman Homecoming
- By Anthony Sherratt
- 8 years ago
What’s it about?
Peter Parker juggles life as a teenager and wannabe Avenger. What could go wrong?
What did we think?
Anthony Sherratt says: With great reboot comes great responsibility. So it’s quite a relief that this Marvel-Sony hybrid has successfully returned Spiderman to the MCU in a romp typical of that universe. Thankfully they left out the almost obligatory origin story (no offence Uncle Ben but we’ve seen you enough) and chose to utilise the traditional theme song (taking note Snyder/Nolan?). Sprinkle with well-written characters and a truly impressive performance from Michael Keaton and this reboot truly hits all the marks. Tom Holland captures teenage life well without becoming angsty, RDJ is simply RDJ and the action is just great fun. The only minor grumble is the AI that makes the spider suit more like Iron Man but amidst more than two hours of genuinely funny action, that’s a bit of a nitpick.
The Beguiled
- By Elizabeth Best
- 8 years ago
What’s it about?
A group of sheltered young ladies at a boarding school take in an injured enemy solider. Then there’s a whole lot of sexual tension, which apparently is pretty dangerous when lots of ladies and just one gent are all cooped up.
What did we think?
Elizabeth Best says: All hail Sofia Coppola, mistress of the visceral slow burn for this tense, claustrophobic drama. The burning desires of the ladies simmer brilliantly beneath their genteel exterior, a testament to the performances of Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst and Elle Fanning. It’s like watching a masterful game of cat and mouse, with each party advancing their gameplay while trying to maintain the airs of a proper Southern lady. Politeness has never been so chilling.
Baby Driver
- By Stephen Scott
- 8 years ago
What’s it about?
Really, it’s all about the music. But ostensibly it’s about a young guy who’s a demon behind the wheel stuck driving for a big-time heist boss. For him to drive at his best, his soundtrack has to be just right.
What we thought
Angela says: You don’t have to be a music nerd to appreciate the musical quality of this surprising little action-packed gem. You also don’t have to understand dance to appreciate Ryan Heffington’s outstanding choreography, seamlessly blending hops, skips, hand taps and explosions with lyrics and melody. Ansel Elgort brings a beautiful charm to Baby, getaway driver extraordinaire, while Jamie Foxx as unhinged bad guy Bats is genuinely terrifying. Jon Hamm’s Buddy is slightly OTT and Kevin Spacey’s Doc is only a monotone psychopath, nothing more, but this is a great little romp, with action, occasional belly laughs and, of course, that wonderful music.
Cars 3
- By Stephen Scott
- 8 years ago
What’s it about?
Flash McQueen is back with his friends racing, learning and interacting with a world OBVIOUSLY made for characters who have hands despite the fact that NOBODY has any hands. I mean seriously! Doesn’t this bother anyone else?!
What we thought
Dan says: Nascar itself isn’t this boring. At least it’s supposed to go around and around without actually getting anywhere. Part of the story involves embracing the love of what you do and rejecting selling out. The irony was not lost on me.
All Eyez on Me
- By Stephen Scott
- 8 years ago
What’s it about?
The story of successful nineties gangster rapper Tupac Shakur before he became a hologram.
What did we think?
Dan Beeston says: The tale told here is so one-sided it feels like the other two sections of the Rashomon went missing. Tupac is portrayed as a cultural leader for whom butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth, and then justifying his abuse of the trappings of his success. Like that one kid who’d plead “I was hanging out with the bad kids sure, but I’ve never done anything bad myself”.
There’s a lot of information and swearing to get through. Tonally it often feels cartoonish. You could almost cast Samuel L. Jackson in every single part and it would only make it slightly more comical. But the viewers job isn’t to cast judgement. It’s to delight in the tale of this version of Tupac. To revel in his heroism. Add an extra star if you’re West Coast 4 EVR.
Rough Night
- By Elizabeth Best
- 8 years ago
What’s it about?
A bachelorette weekend turns nasty when someone accidentally kills a stripper.
Elizabeth Best says: A female take on the bromance Hangover-style films that falls mostly flat as the talented actresses are relegated to playing stereotypes whose intelligence is seriously flawed. The saving grace is Kate McKinnon playing an Aussie expat whose accent is impeccable… 90 per cent of the time; the other 10 per cent is full of bung words but honestly, our accent is bloody difficult, so props to her. I’d love to see McKinnon lead a movie one day, but for now I’m content to see her steal it.