Ice Age: Collision Course

What’s it about?
Scrat’s epic pursuit of his elusive acorn catapults him outside of Earth, where he accidentally sets off a series of cosmic events that transform and threaten the planet. To save themselves from peril, Manny, Sid, Diego, and the rest of the herd leave their home and embark on a quest full of thrills and spills.

What did we think?
We’re now five Ice Age instalments in and we’re sadly reaching the point where adults are praying for the exinction of the prehistorics. What was once, at its heart, a sweet family story is now a frenetic ADD children’s film with character numbers and guest stars put ahead of what little plot there is. The sheer number of animals – new and old – makes it difficult to keep track of but at least distracts you from the idea that a woolly mammoth can save the world from an asteroid collision.

High-quality animation helps and there’s more than enough there for the kids and during school holidays that’s all you need. I’d suggest getting your partner to take them though.

Warcraft

What’s it about?
The peaceful realm of Azeroth stands on the brink of war as its civilisation faces a fearsome race of invaders: orc warriors fleeing their dying home to colonise another. If that sentence alone doesn’t excite you then stop reading here and run far away: this movie won’t be for you.

What did we think?
Anthony Sherratt says: With the vision of Lord Of The Rings but the delivery of Dungeons and Dragons the cartoon series, Warcraft doesn’t manage to hit the mainstream target. Perhaps the 5 million or so subscribers to the game will get more out of it than I,  but this fantasy film – a genre I DO enjoy – feels more wearisome than exciting.

Impressive effects can’t hide the weak script that feels like it’s written by the computer game writers themselves: lots of ambiguity and open threads that don’t really get answered. Just like the open-ended game. Only for die-hards of the game.

Finding Dory

What’s it about?
The friendly-but-forgetful blue tang fish from Finding Nemo remembers her family and sets out to find them.

What did we think?
Anthony Sherratt says: Sequels are usually a tough thing, but Finding Dory is more of a logical procession from the first film which only strengthens the story. But be warned – Finding Dory is significantly more emotional than its predecessor and don’t be surprised if a tear or two leaks out. Kids will marvel at the colours and animals while adults will feel for the absent-minded Dory. Great voice acting, heartwarming story, wonderful new characters complementing the familiar ones all wrapped together with Pixar’s usual top-notch animation. You can’t ask for more really.

Me Before You

What’s it about?

Quirky, “chatty” Lou (Emilia Clarke) is hired as a carer for a cynical, wealthy young man who feels he lost everything when he was paralysed in an accident

What did we think?

Elizabeth Best says: If you get a bit weepy in sad films (like me *sniff sniff*) then get ready for the deluge. If you don’t, then you’re probably not going even get as far as handing over your cash at the box office for this heartfelt sobfest… Unless you’re forced to on a date, in which case get ready for your date to look all red and splotchy when the credits roll.

Clarke is so infectiously chipper here, she’s almost like a (slightly overacting) British Jessica Day (New Girl), while Clafin smoulders as a wheelchair bound Mr Darcy type. Ultimately it’s a solid romantic drama that will punch those so inclined right in the feels, and leave everyone else wishing all the emotional stuff was over so they can get back to the latest superhero flick.

 

Mr Right

What’s it about?
A girl coming out of a breakup falls for the “perfect” guy, who happens to have a very fatal flaw: he’s a hitman. Well, former hitman who still kills people. And who is on the run from the mob. It’s complicated.

What did we think?
A delightfully quirky film that has most of the makings of a great cult movie, Mr Right just doesn’t quite get there. Anna Kendrick and Sam Rockwell’s chemistry is palpable and has you entranced whenever they share the screen. Unfortunately the over-the-top performances from the rest of the cast not only steal a lot of the impact of our lovers’ quirkiness they detract from the overall feel. More realistic bad guys and this is the best ever action-rom-com of all time. As it is it’s still a pleasure and worthy of re-watching. The premise behind Rockwell’s amazing abilities and Kendrick’s cuteness alone has me looking forward to a second go already.

Now You See Me 2

What’s it about?
Your favourite vigilante illusionists are back out of hiding but they’re quickly leveraged into pulling off a big heist.

What did we think?
Dan says: Disclaimer: I enjoyed Highlander 2 when I first saw it because I’d never seen the first and didn’t realise what it was destroying. This could also be the case with this sequel.

Heist films have had to become more and more fanciful since Simon Dermott activated an alarm with a boomerang in ‘How to steal a million’. Now they seem to require back-flipping samurai or driving Mini Coopers down hallways. Ed Solomon (Bill and Ted) pens absurd levels of silliness in this caper. It’s delightful and joyous, but try not to work out how they did the tricks… or in fact anything… during their escapades. Best to allow them to make your brain disappear, then reappear after the credits roll.

Ta DA!

What’s Popular

Pacific Rim Uprising

What’s it about?
GIANT ROBOTS fight GIANT MONSTERS!! But this time they DO IT FOR A SECOND TIME!!

What we thought
Dan says: This is Pacific Rim ‘Lite’ and the one thing the original had going for it was that it was ‘heavy’: big characters, strong acting, imposing composition. They’ve replaced that with shrill teens, frenetic CGI and the goofy guy from Star Wars.

The first Pacific Rim film was far better than it had any right to be. This film takes that masterfully realised universe and splashes around the shallow end.

Blockers

What’s it about?
Three parents really, really do anything to ensure their daughters don’t have sex on prom night.

What we thought
Nick says: A little subversive and very poignant when it needs to be, Blockers is an incredibly effective and funny film that blends its adult comedy nicely with a story of a group of young teens making smart and empowering decisions.

Love, Simon

What’s it about?
Simon is a normal kid in his final year of high school. But Simon’s about to tell someone a secret that he’s been harbouring for a very long time. He’s gay.

What we thought
Dan says: You’ve seen this film before. It’s the hollywood teen romance film that you’ve already delighted in. It’s 10 Things I Hate About You. It’s She’s All That. It’s Can’t Hardly Wait. You’d think that the fact that it’s a boy who’s crushing on another boy might make it something different. The cool thing is, it doesn’t. It doesn’t matter at all that it’s a gay relationship instead of a straight one.

And that’s what makes this film matter so very much.

Also, by God it’s funny.

Red Sparrow

What’s it about?
You know all those 007 villains who seduce and manipulate James Bond? Well this is the film that shows you the training and life circumstances that lead them to that point.

What we thought
Dan says: Imagine if La Femme Nikita had a gun that shot not bullets, but sultry eyes, glistening lips and yearning genitals. This film reads like a 14 year old boy’s private fanfic. And not an emotional healthy boy either. The story telling is a mish-mash of torture-porn, normal porn, and deus ex machina.

The sad thing is there is a clever conceit and a decent storyline hidden deep within this cascade of lazy tropes and rape threats. The only thing going for it is Jennifer Lawrence in the nude, and if that’s your thing then I’m sure it’ll be on Mr Skin in a matter of weeks.

Now excuse me, I need a shower. Ugh!

Editor's Choice

Pacific Rim Uprising

What’s it about?
GIANT ROBOTS fight GIANT MONSTERS!! But this time they DO IT FOR A SECOND TIME!!

What we thought
Dan says: This is Pacific Rim ‘Lite’ and the one thing the original had going for it was that it was ‘heavy’: big characters, strong acting, imposing composition. They’ve replaced that with shrill teens, frenetic CGI and the goofy guy from Star Wars.

The first Pacific Rim film was far better than it had any right to be. This film takes that masterfully realised universe and splashes around the shallow end.

Blockers

What’s it about?
Three parents really, really do anything to ensure their daughters don’t have sex on prom night.

What we thought
Nick says: A little subversive and very poignant when it needs to be, Blockers is an incredibly effective and funny film that blends its adult comedy nicely with a story of a group of young teens making smart and empowering decisions.

Love, Simon

What’s it about?
Simon is a normal kid in his final year of high school. But Simon’s about to tell someone a secret that he’s been harbouring for a very long time. He’s gay.

What we thought
Dan says: You’ve seen this film before. It’s the hollywood teen romance film that you’ve already delighted in. It’s 10 Things I Hate About You. It’s She’s All That. It’s Can’t Hardly Wait. You’d think that the fact that it’s a boy who’s crushing on another boy might make it something different. The cool thing is, it doesn’t. It doesn’t matter at all that it’s a gay relationship instead of a straight one.

And that’s what makes this film matter so very much.

Also, by God it’s funny.

Red Sparrow

What’s it about?
You know all those 007 villains who seduce and manipulate James Bond? Well this is the film that shows you the training and life circumstances that lead them to that point.

What we thought
Dan says: Imagine if La Femme Nikita had a gun that shot not bullets, but sultry eyes, glistening lips and yearning genitals. This film reads like a 14 year old boy’s private fanfic. And not an emotional healthy boy either. The story telling is a mish-mash of torture-porn, normal porn, and deus ex machina.

The sad thing is there is a clever conceit and a decent storyline hidden deep within this cascade of lazy tropes and rape threats. The only thing going for it is Jennifer Lawrence in the nude, and if that’s your thing then I’m sure it’ll be on Mr Skin in a matter of weeks.

Now excuse me, I need a shower. Ugh!

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