Gravity
What it’s about:
Veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski (Oscar winner George Clooney) and medical engineer Dr Ryan Stone (Oscar winner Sandra Bullock) on her first shuttle mission must help each other to survive after speeding debris from an exploded Russian satellite leaves them adrift in space.
What did we think:
Hilary says: If you have always wanted to visit outer space, seeing Gravity is probably as close as you are going to get to the real thing, such is the spectacular nature of its visuals and effects. The seat-grabbingly tense moments are well dispersed throughout this compact, 90-minute thriller, filling in for a fairly lightweight plot and lackluster script. Director Alfonso Cuaron has made a film that feels unlike any space movie that has come before it, and if you only catch one blockbuster at the cinema this year, Gravity should be it – preferably in all its 3D glory.
Runner Runner
What’s it about?
An ethically shady young college boy gets the offer of a lifetime when he’s employed by a big shot casino owner. Richie (Justin Timberlake) soon discovers that in order to become the world’s biggest douchebag he must first learn from the master (Ben Affleck).
What did we think?
Dan says: This film presents itself as a very clever mathematical thriller stirring memories of The Bank (2001) but every time there’s a clever bit they skip ahead to the bikini girls and the brooding ex-pop star. If you threw James Bond into this film it would be a great Bond Film but that’s because you’d be watching James Bond.
Timberlake puts in a solid performance but the pacing is slightly off and the romance unconvincing. Ben Affleck never manages to come across as villainous. He gives the impression that he’s about to wink at the camera and then run off and high five Kevin Smith.
You won’t be bored in the process of this film failing to make a lasting impact.
Grown-Ups 2
What’s it about?
Most of the characters from the first film do stuff as they ‘grow up’. None of it is anything other than puerile and immature.
What did we think?
Anthony Sherratt says: If you made ‘fingernails on a blackboard’ into a film, this would be that movie.
Blue Jasmine
What’s it about?
A New York socialite (Cate Blanchett), deeply troubled and in denial, arrives in San Francisco to impose upon her sister. She looks a million, but isn’t bringing money, peace, or love…
What did we think?
Blue Jasmine is proof that you can appreciate a movie while simultaneously disliking it. There are very strong performances (despite being mostly unlikeable characters) and the plot is good on paper but it simply doesn’t translate to the screen. There’s very little to relate to and even the ‘twist’ (note air quotes) is predictable and robs you of what little character sympathy you have left at the end of this torturous film.
Abrupt endings normally annoy me but this one simply came as a relief.
Thanks For Sharing
What’s it about?
A number of people (including Mark Ruffalo and Tim Robbins) are learning to face a challenging and often confusing world as they struggle together against a common demon: sex addiction.
What did we think?
Anthony Sherratt says: Thanks For Sharing is a truly earnest movie that neither glorifies or condemns sex addiction. Instead it explores the ‘disease’ through various shades of grey and development. It’s engaging, thought-provoking and, although flawed in some respects, its raw honesty overcomes the shortcomings.
Strong performances from Robbins and Ruffalo combined with some sex that is sad rather than erotic take it to a more cerebral – and entertaining – level.
One Direction: This Is Us
What’s it about?
Five young men from various socio-economic backgrounds are employed by a faceless corporation on the same day. They discover that the service they have been hired for, when intelligently manipulated and directed, allows them godlike powers over the weak minded.
What’s Popular
Everest
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.
Pixels
What’s it about?
When aliens misinterpret video feeds of classic arcade games as a declaration of war, they attack the Earth in the form of the video games.
What did we think?
Amy Currie says: You know what’s a really good video game movie? Wreck-It Ralph. Wreck-It Ralph is funny, moving and has a plot that makes sense. Wreck-It Ralph isn’t confused about whether it’s supposed to be for children or adults. Wreck-It Ralph entertains both without resorting to recurring jokes about slut-seeking missiles. Nobody repeatedly screams ‘bitch’ in Wreck-It Ralph, and nobody receives an adoring scantily-clad warrior woman who never speaks as a (quite literal) trophy. No beloved video game characters urinate on themselves. In Wreck-It Ralph, the King of Queens is not the President of the United States.
Watch Wreck-It Ralph, watch the not-half-bad 2010 short film on which Pixels was based or watch the episode of Futurama with a similar alien-video-game-battle plot. Do not, under any circumstances, watch Pixels.
American Ultra
What’s it about?
A stoner – who is in fact a sleeper government agent – is marked as a liability and targeted for extermination. But he’s too well-trained and too high for them to handle.
What did we think?
Anthony Sherratt says: Whoever thought that mashing a stoner film with an action movie obviously broke the rule about sampling their own product. What appears to be a kitschy trailer has unfortunately translated into an awkward, rambling and painful feature film devoid of any real depth. There are some laughs here and there but despite the amount of drugs there are no highs as it struggles to decide whether to go over the top or not.
Enjoy the trailer but don’t bother with the whole flick.
Me, Earl and the Dying Girl
What’s it about?
A high schooler who makes deliberately terrible parody films with his friend is forced by his mother to spend time with a schoolmate who is dying of cancer.
What did we think?
Anthony Sherratt says: We have seen emotional teenage movies before but there is a freshness about the quirky Me, Earl and the Dying Girl that sets it somewhat apart. It utilises familiar tropes – high school cliques, unusual parental relationships, etc – and intertwines them with some genuinely funny and fresh perspectives. It’s incredibly engaging and, despite its strong manipulative nature, most people will leave deep in thought and with their heart on their sleeve. It asks questions of the viewer on how you would react to a life-threatening disease but subtly rather than in your face. And delivers a few unexpected gems that only add to the emotional stew. Well worth a look.
Editor's Choice
Everest
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.
Pixels
What’s it about?
When aliens misinterpret video feeds of classic arcade games as a declaration of war, they attack the Earth in the form of the video games.
What did we think?
Amy Currie says: You know what’s a really good video game movie? Wreck-It Ralph. Wreck-It Ralph is funny, moving and has a plot that makes sense. Wreck-It Ralph isn’t confused about whether it’s supposed to be for children or adults. Wreck-It Ralph entertains both without resorting to recurring jokes about slut-seeking missiles. Nobody repeatedly screams ‘bitch’ in Wreck-It Ralph, and nobody receives an adoring scantily-clad warrior woman who never speaks as a (quite literal) trophy. No beloved video game characters urinate on themselves. In Wreck-It Ralph, the King of Queens is not the President of the United States.
Watch Wreck-It Ralph, watch the not-half-bad 2010 short film on which Pixels was based or watch the episode of Futurama with a similar alien-video-game-battle plot. Do not, under any circumstances, watch Pixels.
American Ultra
What’s it about?
A stoner – who is in fact a sleeper government agent – is marked as a liability and targeted for extermination. But he’s too well-trained and too high for them to handle.
What did we think?
Anthony Sherratt says: Whoever thought that mashing a stoner film with an action movie obviously broke the rule about sampling their own product. What appears to be a kitschy trailer has unfortunately translated into an awkward, rambling and painful feature film devoid of any real depth. There are some laughs here and there but despite the amount of drugs there are no highs as it struggles to decide whether to go over the top or not.
Enjoy the trailer but don’t bother with the whole flick.
Me, Earl and the Dying Girl
What’s it about?
A high schooler who makes deliberately terrible parody films with his friend is forced by his mother to spend time with a schoolmate who is dying of cancer.
What did we think?
Anthony Sherratt says: We have seen emotional teenage movies before but there is a freshness about the quirky Me, Earl and the Dying Girl that sets it somewhat apart. It utilises familiar tropes – high school cliques, unusual parental relationships, etc – and intertwines them with some genuinely funny and fresh perspectives. It’s incredibly engaging and, despite its strong manipulative nature, most people will leave deep in thought and with their heart on their sleeve. It asks questions of the viewer on how you would react to a life-threatening disease but subtly rather than in your face. And delivers a few unexpected gems that only add to the emotional stew. Well worth a look.