What’s it about?
When Harry Potter met Neverland. An orphan is spirited away to the magical Neverland where he meets Han Solo James Hook and embarks on an adventure of flight, fantasy and fairies.

What did we think?
Pan is oozing with over-the-top charm and is actually a good fun film but you’re left feeling it could – and should – have been so much more.

It’s whimsically wonderful, a visual feast that boasts an amazing cast and effects, using colour and contrast delightfully. But while the individual facets are impressive, it falls a little short in the story. Normally a slow-build is balanced by depth of character – but this doesn’t quite eventuate.

Take James Hook, who IS Han Solo (down to the American accent) with a bit of Indy thrown in. One of the dangers of the dreaded prequel is the unexplained tangents and here it feels particularly discordant.

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.

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.

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.

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.