Are you here
Eh… not sold…
Edge of Tomorrow
What’s it about?
A non-combat officer finds himself caught in a time loop during a war with an alien race. He combines with a special forces officer but will it be enough to save the world?
What did we think?
Anthony Sherratt says: Yes, it’s Groundhog Day mashed with Independence Day. And it works. With more laughs than I would have expected, the latest Tom Cruise sci-fi offering has a great balance of action, good characterisation and interesting plot. Emily Blunt is amazing and it has to be said Cruise plays the unlikeable Major/Private Cage really well. The story is well-told so the repetition doesn’t (quite) grate and you’re not actually not quite sure how it’s going to end which is a nice change.
Even anti-Tom Cruise fans should enjoy it as they at least get to watch him die a hundred or so times.
The Fault In Our Stars
What it’s about?
Hazel Grace is 17, smart and obsessive. She’s also taking an experimental drug that gives her the ability to resist the build up of tumors in her lungs and to breathe. She falls for dreamy cancer survivor Augustus Waters, but wrestles with the guilt of the damage she will cause when she leaves.
What did we think?
Dan says: It may lack the explosions of a ‘summer blockbuster’ but Hazel and Augustus are so beautifully portrayed it doesn’t matter. A film about cancer will always have that sword of Damocles hanging over the characters’ heads. It is impressive that knowing this going in, you still can’t help yourself falling for them both, knowing full well that every moment there’s a medical discovery to be revealed, your heart will screw itself up into a knot.
If you are, or even have been, a 17-year-old girl you should definitely see this gripping love story (remove half a star from the review if you’ve never been a 17-year-old girl, but it’s still pretty good).
Grace of Monaco
What’s it about?
Grace Kelly becomes a princess, frets about losing her Hollywood career. Meanwhile really interesting world crises are happening.
What did we think?
This poor film looks as confused as Nicole Kidman does acting in it. On the one hand, its a genuinely interesting story about a political stand-off in Monaco over taxes, the impending threat of war with France, and the kind of eye-watering Mad Men-esque style we’ve come to admire from the early 1960’s.
On the other hand, the film is a midday melodrama about why Grace Kelly wants to do another Hollywood movie, can’t do another movie, learns French and saves the day with an overreaching speech at a ball.
For the VERY curious only – I’m off to acquaint myself with Alfred Hitchcock’s To Catch A Thief, the REAL Grace Kelly and a convertible car load of proper Riviera style.
Maleficent
What’s it about?
Disney steal the concept of Wicked by telling the story of Sleeping Beauty from the perspective of the villain Maleficent.
What did we think?
Definitely not for kids and with a story not strong enough for most adults it’s unclear who the target audience for Maleficent really is. Die-hard Disney and Angelina Jolie fans will certainly flock to it but the many faults balance out the majesty of the effects and performances. The failure to commit to making Maleficent actually evil really robs the movie of any gravitas as does the bizarre decision to make the three ‘good fairies’ bumbling idiots. An adversarial relationship there alone would have strengthened a film sadly lacking real backbone.
Jolie – a performer I don’t really like or usually enjoy – is incredible but we’re so sympathetic to her throughout the movie that the original premise is almost pointless. When you shrug at someone putting a curse on an innocent baby then perhaps it’s evidence debutant director Robert Stromberg has missed the mark. The failure to commit is further seen in what is changed from the original story. Giving the ‘wicked witch’ more detail and background is okay but doing so at the expense of the characters on the other side of the spectrum – who are all two-dimensional morons here – just makes this a star-driven film rather than a good story.
It’s not actually a bad movie (I did enjoy it) but those who haven’t seen the original Sleeping Beauty would love it much more.
A Million Ways To Die In The West
What’s it about?
There are a million ways to die in the West, and a cowardly Seth MacFarlane has to navigate them all.
What did we think?
Elizabeth says: Family Guy, Back to the Future 3, Blazing Saddles and Barney Stinson walk into a bar… and stumble out two hours later, drunk and slightly less funny than they went in.
What’s Popular
War Dogs
What’s it about?
Two childhood friends exploit a loophole to win a US military contract, and eventually find themselves rich … and in way over their heads.
What did we think?
Angela Bowen says: Jonah Hill steals the show in this watered down concoction of The Big Short, Wolf of Wall Street, and Good Fellas. It’s not as boobs-in-your-face, cocaine-on-the-ceiling as you might expect, but War Dogs delivers a gritty take on true events with some decent chuckles.
Kubo and the Two Strings
What’s it about?
A retelling of the classic hero story: a boy’s magical powers grow as he embarks on a mystical quest – all while playing beautiful shamisen music and creating incredible origami creatures.
What did we think?
Dan Beeston says: Read off the page Kubo is a simple fable: a basic hero’s journey with the requisite sword, armour and helm picked up along the way. The true magic is just how visually splendid the whole piece is. The film is a triumph of stop motion animation. To see these puppets come to life is jaw dropping. Children and lovers of art should immediately rush out and see it. For everyone else? It’s just another okay story. Three stars.
Stephen Scott says: The use of clay animation is a dying art and helps set this film apart. The plot lines exposing youngsters to alternative religious views, cultural practices, and the importance of heritage are the other major selling points. If you have a kids, take them and enjoy a family bonding. Three and a half stars.
Bad Moms
What’s it about?
Frazzled mums (Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Kathryn Hahn) get pushed to breaking point and decide to start being shitty mothers instead. But when a perfect mum (Christina Applegate) pushes their buttons, they decide they need to hit her where it hurts, and challenge her for presidency of the PTA.
What did we think?
Elizabeth Best says: Aside from some slightly problematic messaging (if you ever do anything for just you, your whole life will go down the toilet), this is a fun jaunt exploring what happens when stressed out mums cut loose. Hilarious comic timing from Kunis, Hahn and Bell elevates this from shameless chick flick to worthy comedy. I can’t help but feel, though, that Jada Pinkett Smith was a heartbeat away from the token racially diverse character, only hanging around to say things like “dayum” and “that shit is whack.”.
Suicide Squad
What’s it about?
Set after the events of Batman V Superman, a task force of bad guys is assembled and blackmailed into saving the world from other bad guys, vigilante style.
What did we think?
Elizabeth Best says: It’s not that Suicide Squad is bad. It’s just not… anything. It’s a long, plot-less fight scene, with too many people to pay attention to, moving too fast to actually lock on to anything. Simply put? It’s frenetically boring. Where’s all the fun from the trailer? Characters get loads of screen time but aren’t explored in much depth (Captain Boomerang is an extended punchline, Harley Quinn is a sexy extended punchline, Diablo is the meta-human equivalent of a Bic lighter). Not very much happens except baddies fight baddies to avoid “goodies” (who are kinda baddies) from blowing their heads up. I can’t help but think think DC have done this whole thing backwards; in trying to do an Avengers-style movie, they forgot that all the Avengers had solo movies to establish their characters before they got thrown in together to defeat the big bad. The Suicide Squad aren’t given the same opportunity and as a result we’re still kind of clueless about who they are. Even Jared Leto’s much-hyped Joker doesn’t leave a lasting impression.
Meh. Just meh.
Editor's Choice
War Dogs
What’s it about?
Two childhood friends exploit a loophole to win a US military contract, and eventually find themselves rich … and in way over their heads.
What did we think?
Angela Bowen says: Jonah Hill steals the show in this watered down concoction of The Big Short, Wolf of Wall Street, and Good Fellas. It’s not as boobs-in-your-face, cocaine-on-the-ceiling as you might expect, but War Dogs delivers a gritty take on true events with some decent chuckles.
Kubo and the Two Strings
What’s it about?
A retelling of the classic hero story: a boy’s magical powers grow as he embarks on a mystical quest – all while playing beautiful shamisen music and creating incredible origami creatures.
What did we think?
Dan Beeston says: Read off the page Kubo is a simple fable: a basic hero’s journey with the requisite sword, armour and helm picked up along the way. The true magic is just how visually splendid the whole piece is. The film is a triumph of stop motion animation. To see these puppets come to life is jaw dropping. Children and lovers of art should immediately rush out and see it. For everyone else? It’s just another okay story. Three stars.
Stephen Scott says: The use of clay animation is a dying art and helps set this film apart. The plot lines exposing youngsters to alternative religious views, cultural practices, and the importance of heritage are the other major selling points. If you have a kids, take them and enjoy a family bonding. Three and a half stars.
Bad Moms
What’s it about?
Frazzled mums (Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Kathryn Hahn) get pushed to breaking point and decide to start being shitty mothers instead. But when a perfect mum (Christina Applegate) pushes their buttons, they decide they need to hit her where it hurts, and challenge her for presidency of the PTA.
What did we think?
Elizabeth Best says: Aside from some slightly problematic messaging (if you ever do anything for just you, your whole life will go down the toilet), this is a fun jaunt exploring what happens when stressed out mums cut loose. Hilarious comic timing from Kunis, Hahn and Bell elevates this from shameless chick flick to worthy comedy. I can’t help but feel, though, that Jada Pinkett Smith was a heartbeat away from the token racially diverse character, only hanging around to say things like “dayum” and “that shit is whack.”.
Suicide Squad
What’s it about?
Set after the events of Batman V Superman, a task force of bad guys is assembled and blackmailed into saving the world from other bad guys, vigilante style.
What did we think?
Elizabeth Best says: It’s not that Suicide Squad is bad. It’s just not… anything. It’s a long, plot-less fight scene, with too many people to pay attention to, moving too fast to actually lock on to anything. Simply put? It’s frenetically boring. Where’s all the fun from the trailer? Characters get loads of screen time but aren’t explored in much depth (Captain Boomerang is an extended punchline, Harley Quinn is a sexy extended punchline, Diablo is the meta-human equivalent of a Bic lighter). Not very much happens except baddies fight baddies to avoid “goodies” (who are kinda baddies) from blowing their heads up. I can’t help but think think DC have done this whole thing backwards; in trying to do an Avengers-style movie, they forgot that all the Avengers had solo movies to establish their characters before they got thrown in together to defeat the big bad. The Suicide Squad aren’t given the same opportunity and as a result we’re still kind of clueless about who they are. Even Jared Leto’s much-hyped Joker doesn’t leave a lasting impression.
Meh. Just meh.