Room
What’s it about?
Based on Emma Donoghue’s best-selling book, this is the story of a Joseph Fritzl-style kidnapping, with a 24-year-old (Brie Larson) trapped inside a pervert’s shed with the five-year-old son she conceived with her captor. We learn about the world of Room through a child’s eyes, and follow them as they make to escape.
What did we think?
Angela Young says: Donoghue’s book is an absolute corker (should have won the Booker in my not so humble opinion) and, thanks to her scripting of the film, this is a corker too. Jacob Tremblay is a dream as the adorable Jack, whose bond with the only person in his whole world, Ma, is palpable. Ambitiously covering a period beyond the book, this beautifully understated film (minus any Hollywood hyperbole and dramatic bullshit) nails it. Take some tissues and enjoy the ride as Jack and his Ma encounter the real world, with all the confusion and heartbreak that entails.
The Dark Knight Movie Review
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The Hateful Eight
A gritty and bloody western. but is three hours too long?
Goosebumps
What’s it about?
When teenage Zach (Dylan Minnette) moves to a small town, he soon discovers that his new neighbour Hannah (Odeya Rush) and her father, novelist R.L. Stine (Jack Black) are keeping a spooky secret.
What did we think?
Amy Currie says: This adaptation of the popular Goosebumps series starts promisingly enough. The opening scenes are quite self-aware and genuinely funny in a family-friendly sort of way, and Jillian Bell’s Aunt Lorraine character is a standout. Sadly, it soon starts to turn into a Buzzfeed listicle of 15 Crazy Monsters You Might Remember From Goosebumps (Number Nine Will Shock You!). Nostalgia can’t keep it from lagging, Jack Black’s usual intense-eyes-wacky-voice shtick is as grating as ever and by the inevitable final confrontation I was bored. It’s worth pointing out that I’m not ten, though, and the kids in the audience seemed pretty into it. It’s not brilliant, but there are worse family films.
Sisters
What’s it about?
Two adult sisters return to their family home to clean out their room when they find out their parents have sold up. But instead of cleaning, they decide to have the party to end all parties. As you do.
What did we think?
Elizabeth Best says: Sisters is like a massive bender: it starts out strong, full of promise of an electrifying night ahead. The kegs are full, the punch is spiked, your crazy friend Tiffany has already started dancing on the tables and someone has just found your old game of Twister under the couch; how could this night NOT be awesome? But by the end of the night, the party has run out of steam. There’s no more booze, Tiffany is passed out on said table sprawled over some random, and a guy just threw up over the Twister mat. But who cares? The party was still rad while it lasted.
The who’s-who of Saturday Night Live cast all bring some chuckles to the table, but were it not for the presence of my spirit animals aka Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, this could have been a lot less funny.
Point Break
What’s it about?
FBI rookie Johnny Utah (Luke Bracey) goes undercover to bring activist/criminal/extreme sportsman Bodhi (Édgar Ramírez) and his gang to justice in a loose remake of the original 1991 film.
What did we think?
Amy Currie says: JOHNNY UTAH is a COOL SPY. He is TROUBLED because EXTREME SPORT killed his BEST FRIEND. BODHI is a COOL GUY. He does EXTREME CRIMES but it’s KIND OF OKAY because he LOVES THE PLANET and is EXTREME. JOHNNY joins BODHI’S GANG to STOP the CRIMES. It is EXTREME and there is SNOWBOARDING and SURFING and PUNCHING and BASE JUMPING OR SOMETHING and EXPLOSIONS and PEOPLE DIE. JOHNNY is CONFLICTED but always EXTREME. Everyone is EXTREME. It is an EXTREME MOVIE and it is TERRIBLE.
What’s Popular
Justice League
What’s it about?
The heroes of the (DC) world have to unite to stop an alien invasion.
What did we think?
It’s not great but it’s a lot of fun. I think it’s time Warner Bros/DC call time on the Zack Snyder experiment. His ability to take characters of hope and drag them into a darkness is one thing but it’s time to admit that while he presents nice aesthetics, his ability to tell a story is actually poor. I wanted to like Justice League. Heck, I wanted to love it. And while there was enough to keep me hopeful, it has to be said this movie just didn’t deliver.
After a slow, almost mandatory introduction of the characters it builds to an expected fight scene that remind them of the need to work together. All too predictable but ok. But it then leads to another all-to-similar fight scene that, if anything, was anti-climactic and had no real feel of danger or consequence.
And while they finally showed signs of capturing the essence of one character they’ve constantly missed in recent films, it comes at the expense of Batman who is relegated to little more than a bystander in the fights.
Don’t get me wrong – as I said before there’s some fun here. There’s even some good banter and dialogue (though also some painful stuff too). But what should have been a celebration of the finest collection of heroes comes off as a little flat. Neither comedy or drama, Justice League just doesn’t build up to anything.
Still, at least it’s better than the atrocious Man Of Steel and poor Batman v Superman.
Wonder
What’s it about?
A young boy born with facial genetic defects finally goes to a mainstream school where he and his family face a gamut of reaction.
What did we think?
Anthony Sherratt says: Thankfully this wasn’t as tear-inducing as the trailer suggested though it does tug at the heart strings. Wonderfully this isn’t just about Auggie – the boy whose face inspires heartbreaking reactions. It focuses heavily on family and new friends and their actions and motivations. What could have been a semi-light feel-good flick actually becomes something much more with some interesting explorations of human reactions and the reasons behind it. The whys of how we treat each other are possibly even more important than the actual treatment.
This is a story younger people should be made to see.
Unfortunately an unnecessarily saccharine moment at the end threatens to sugarcoat things but it nonetheless remains a movie that will inspire thought and conversation about the very real failings and strengths of human beings.
iPhone Case Review
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iPad Pro 2 Review
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Editor's Choice
Justice League
What’s it about?
The heroes of the (DC) world have to unite to stop an alien invasion.
What did we think?
It’s not great but it’s a lot of fun. I think it’s time Warner Bros/DC call time on the Zack Snyder experiment. His ability to take characters of hope and drag them into a darkness is one thing but it’s time to admit that while he presents nice aesthetics, his ability to tell a story is actually poor. I wanted to like Justice League. Heck, I wanted to love it. And while there was enough to keep me hopeful, it has to be said this movie just didn’t deliver.
After a slow, almost mandatory introduction of the characters it builds to an expected fight scene that remind them of the need to work together. All too predictable but ok. But it then leads to another all-to-similar fight scene that, if anything, was anti-climactic and had no real feel of danger or consequence.
And while they finally showed signs of capturing the essence of one character they’ve constantly missed in recent films, it comes at the expense of Batman who is relegated to little more than a bystander in the fights.
Don’t get me wrong – as I said before there’s some fun here. There’s even some good banter and dialogue (though also some painful stuff too). But what should have been a celebration of the finest collection of heroes comes off as a little flat. Neither comedy or drama, Justice League just doesn’t build up to anything.
Still, at least it’s better than the atrocious Man Of Steel and poor Batman v Superman.
Wonder
What’s it about?
A young boy born with facial genetic defects finally goes to a mainstream school where he and his family face a gamut of reaction.
What did we think?
Anthony Sherratt says: Thankfully this wasn’t as tear-inducing as the trailer suggested though it does tug at the heart strings. Wonderfully this isn’t just about Auggie – the boy whose face inspires heartbreaking reactions. It focuses heavily on family and new friends and their actions and motivations. What could have been a semi-light feel-good flick actually becomes something much more with some interesting explorations of human reactions and the reasons behind it. The whys of how we treat each other are possibly even more important than the actual treatment.
This is a story younger people should be made to see.
Unfortunately an unnecessarily saccharine moment at the end threatens to sugarcoat things but it nonetheless remains a movie that will inspire thought and conversation about the very real failings and strengths of human beings.
iPhone Case Review
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iPad Pro 2 Review
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