Dunkirk
What’s it about?
An intense depiction of WW2’s Battle of Dunkirk.
What did we think?
Amy Currie says: Two hours of pure tension. Dunkirk does away with preamble – there are no names, backstories or wistful talk of sweethearts back home. We barely even see the enemy. Instead, we’re plunged straight into urgent, up-close chaos. The strong performances (yes, even from that ‘one’ guy), minimal dialogue, and spectacular soundtrack moved my stoic companion to a masculine tear. See it.
Atomic Blonde
What’s it about?
Charlize Theron goes bananas as an MI6 agent who investigates the death of a fellow agent in Berlin.
What did we think?
Nick says: Putting aside the possible John Wick comparisons, Atomic Blonde is driven by some truly kinetic action that won’t induce seizures, and a great performance from Charlize Theron who asserts herself as a total-badass action-movie star.
Spiderman Homecoming
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
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
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
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.
What’s Popular
Johnny English Strikes Again
What’s it about?
Johnny English is called back into the field after MI7 is compromised by a really intelligent hacker.
What did we think?
Nick Bleeker says: It feels a bit out of touch and the story and most of the jokes are predictable, but Johnny English Strikes Again is an incredibly harmless and, surprisingly, fun film. Star Rating: 2.5/5
Stephen Scott says: Predictability can be a blessing and a curse: for fans of Rowan Atkinson and the silly spy genre, in this case it’s a blessing of papal proportions. Johnny English Strikes Again is exactly what you expect: a talking Mr Bean bumbling through an Austen Powersesque adventure. Star Rating: 3.5/5
Ladies in Black
What’s it about?
A coming-of-age story in which Lesley (who desperately wants to be called Lisa) takes a job in a tres chic department store while waiting for her exam results. Based on a book, Ladies in Black takes a peek behind the dressing room curtain of the impossibly glamorous women who dressed the well-heeled women of Sydney.
What did we think?
Elizabeth Best says: This is such an enjoyable Aussie film but man it was hard for me to pay attention to anything else but the fashion. Because OH MY GOD THE FASHION. A visually sumptuous film about an innocent time in Australia’s history when department stores were all about providing first class service, and every immigrant was considered a “reffo” (refugee) no matter how bloody fabulous they were. I found myself taking turns sighing with love for the dresses and smiling from ear to ear for the story.
Searching
What’s it about?
A father (John Cho) has to search through his daughter’s online life to connect the dots when she goes missing one night.
What did we think?
Elizabeth Best says: Part thriller, part drama, part advertisement for what a Mac can do, Searching is a masterclass in inventive storytelling. The movie unfolds solely through a series of chat windows, tumblr posts, tweets and live streams, and navigates the line between heartache and heart attack deftly. It’s clever with its “show don’t tell” storytelling, and damn it’s nice to see Cho kicking ass in the lead role he deserves
A Simple Favor
What’s it about?
A somewhat intense mommy blogger is befriended by a worldly but blunt fellow mother. When her new best friend goes missing it sets events into motion that will forveer change their lives (cue dramatic music).
What did we think?
Anthony Sherratt (who has NOT read the book) says: It would be simplistic to describe this as Gone Girl Gone Wild but it’s hard to escape some comparisons with the 2014 thriller. The major difference is the tone. Director Paul Feig interjects humour at unexpected moments which prevents you from fully engaging with anger at the characters – all of whom you dislike at some point. Even the ending has a touch of slapstick that robs the film of some gravitas. Quite simply there aren’t enough laughs for it be called a comedy but enough where it detracts slightly from the thriller tag. Despite all this, it’s actually a pretty good flick that keeps you guessing and off balance. Great performances from Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively keep you focused and wanting them to be innocent and, more importantly, ensuring you leave with a smile on your face. 3.5
Editor's Choice
Johnny English Strikes Again
What’s it about?
Johnny English is called back into the field after MI7 is compromised by a really intelligent hacker.
What did we think?
Nick Bleeker says: It feels a bit out of touch and the story and most of the jokes are predictable, but Johnny English Strikes Again is an incredibly harmless and, surprisingly, fun film. Star Rating: 2.5/5
Stephen Scott says: Predictability can be a blessing and a curse: for fans of Rowan Atkinson and the silly spy genre, in this case it’s a blessing of papal proportions. Johnny English Strikes Again is exactly what you expect: a talking Mr Bean bumbling through an Austen Powersesque adventure. Star Rating: 3.5/5
Ladies in Black
What’s it about?
A coming-of-age story in which Lesley (who desperately wants to be called Lisa) takes a job in a tres chic department store while waiting for her exam results. Based on a book, Ladies in Black takes a peek behind the dressing room curtain of the impossibly glamorous women who dressed the well-heeled women of Sydney.
What did we think?
Elizabeth Best says: This is such an enjoyable Aussie film but man it was hard for me to pay attention to anything else but the fashion. Because OH MY GOD THE FASHION. A visually sumptuous film about an innocent time in Australia’s history when department stores were all about providing first class service, and every immigrant was considered a “reffo” (refugee) no matter how bloody fabulous they were. I found myself taking turns sighing with love for the dresses and smiling from ear to ear for the story.
Searching
What’s it about?
A father (John Cho) has to search through his daughter’s online life to connect the dots when she goes missing one night.
What did we think?
Elizabeth Best says: Part thriller, part drama, part advertisement for what a Mac can do, Searching is a masterclass in inventive storytelling. The movie unfolds solely through a series of chat windows, tumblr posts, tweets and live streams, and navigates the line between heartache and heart attack deftly. It’s clever with its “show don’t tell” storytelling, and damn it’s nice to see Cho kicking ass in the lead role he deserves
A Simple Favor
What’s it about?
A somewhat intense mommy blogger is befriended by a worldly but blunt fellow mother. When her new best friend goes missing it sets events into motion that will forveer change their lives (cue dramatic music).
What did we think?
Anthony Sherratt (who has NOT read the book) says: It would be simplistic to describe this as Gone Girl Gone Wild but it’s hard to escape some comparisons with the 2014 thriller. The major difference is the tone. Director Paul Feig interjects humour at unexpected moments which prevents you from fully engaging with anger at the characters – all of whom you dislike at some point. Even the ending has a touch of slapstick that robs the film of some gravitas. Quite simply there aren’t enough laughs for it be called a comedy but enough where it detracts slightly from the thriller tag. Despite all this, it’s actually a pretty good flick that keeps you guessing and off balance. Great performances from Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively keep you focused and wanting them to be innocent and, more importantly, ensuring you leave with a smile on your face. 3.5