What’s it about?
Set in the 1970s, a drug-fueled LA detective Larry “Doc” Sportello (Joaquin Phoenix) investigates the disappearance of a former girlfriend alongside a star-filled cast.

What did we think?
Elizabeth Best says: You know when you get invited to a party at a really swanky looking house – I’m talking super stylish – with all these “it” people and you’re thinking, “This is gonna be a helluva night”, but then everyone else proceeds to get really high except you, and while everyone else is uncovering the mysteries of the world hidden in their navels, you’re looking at your watch wondering when it would be polite to leave? Yeah. That.

What’s it about?
When the scout fairies grow fearful that the mysterious NeverBeast will destroy Pixie Hollow, friendly Fawn must convince Tinker Bell and the rest of the locals that the creature is in fact a gentle giant.

What did we think?
Despite the title this movie centres around Fawn the animal fairy and it’s a welcome change of focus for a franchise that can do both light and heavy in it’s increasingly growing canon. It may lack the clever Peter Pan referencing that The Pirate Fairy had but instead provides a heartfelt tale about not judging a book by its cover. At a short 67 minutes there’s no concern over wandering attention and Executive Producer John Lasseter’s influence shines through as you’d expect. What you wouldn’t anticipate however is the bittersweet and almost too honest ending which might leave parents answering a few tough questions. But don’t deny your kids an enjoyable, emotional film that they will want to rewatch. 

What’s it about?
Celebrity comedian Andre Allen (Chris Rock) yearns to be taken more seriously.  With a new film to promote, he spends a day with reporter Chelsea Brown (Rosario Dawson) – and the interview quickly gets personal.

What did we think?
Amy Currie says:  Written and directed by Rock, Top Five feels very autobiographical.  The film is very funny, and somehow even its most wildly anecdotal scenes manage to stay just on the side of believability.  Things get quite Woody-Allenish-in-a-good-way as Rock wanders the streets of New York cracking wry jokes and having feelings – and after watching, you’ll feel like you’ve just spent a weekend there yourself.  A string of excellent cameos adds to the appeal.  See it.

What’s it about?
Actor Damon Gameau goes all Super Size Me and eats the equivalent of 40 teaspoons of sugar a day in a doco that warns of the dangers of excessive sugar consumption.

What did we think?
Despite the fact it looks like he stole Morgan Spurlock’s idea and ran with it, this still has a lot of good things to say. The major difference between the two docos is that Gameau chooses to eat his sugar through a variety of foods most of us would consider healthy. Innovative in it’s storytelling methods, this flick will make you not only rethink that chocolate bar, but that low-fat yoghurt too.

What’s it about?
Elite con-man Nicky (Will Smith) agrees to tutor Jess (Margot Robbie) on the ways of deception and money-making, beginning an affair in New York that brings them hurtling back together years later in Argentina.

What did we think?
Dominic says: Smith and Robbie are exactly the charismatic couple you want, and it’s easy to watch them pull off big steals together in grand locales such as Buenos Aires and the American Super Bowl. It’s less easy to remember the plot, not because it’s too complicated but because the constant lies and illusions fail to distract from the fact that they’re playing uninteresting characters. It’s sort of funny, sort of pretty, but in the end sort of not very good.

What’s it about?
An evil witch (Julianne Moore) seeks revenge in a war between supernatural and humankind. The only hope of her demise lies with the Seventh Son – an inexperienced boy who soon becomes a chosen apprentice.

What did we think?
Elodie says: Good, not great. There’s a decent storyline and convincing CGI dragons help with special effects. However, all this only hits the mark if you can understand the mumbling of drunkard “Spook” and trainer of the apprentice, Master Gregory (Jeff Bridges).  If you can’t, you’ll scratch your head wondering what on Earth is happening. I left wishing I’d read the book instead.

What’s it about?
A creepy sociopath manipulates a stupidly innocent girl into becoming his sex toy. But it’s OK because he’s very good looking. And because housewives everywhere say so.

What did I think?
Anthony Sherratt says: Not even flashes of nudity and titillation can disguise a hodgepodge of two-dimensional characterisation and cliche. The lead male lacks any real presence and his youth only adds to the unbelievable nature of the plot. The dialogue is poor (but to be fair it was in the book as well and a lot of people didn’t mind) and the overall themes are irritating. Even the sex scenes have been toned down, robbing the movie of any real appeal. A poor man’s Pretty Woman but without the charisma or charm. To be honest it’s not quite bad but it’s certainly not good. It’s actually 50 shades of beige.

What’s it about?
A literature professor (Mark Wahlberg) owes a lot of money to some dangerous people after his gambling problem spirals out of control.

What did we think?
Amy Currie says: This approximate remake of the 1974 film of the same name is full of gangs and high stakes, but isn’t the heisty caper you might expect. Wahlberg’s character has everything going for him, but repeatedly throws himself into harm’s way in fits of depressive whimsy. He’s frustrating and unlikeable, and yet eventually you can’t help but care for him (even as you want to slap him). The get-the-money-in-a-week plot suffers from a few loose threads that seem to be leftovers from the original, but the strong supporting cast is a definite plus, and John Goodman is particularly excellent as an underworld creditor. Definitely worth a look, but be warned – you’ll spend a few hours after you see it trying to decide whether you liked it or not.

What’s it about?
The life and times of renowned theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne) and long-time wife Jane Wilde (Felicity Jones), including his scientific breakthroughs and their struggles with his motor-neurone disease.

What did we think?
Dominic Barlow says: Redmayne’s lead performance is far and away the highlight, not only for being so transformative but also for finding deep warmth and humour beneath the mask. Jones is lovely as his faithful wife, and the film uses some nice visual touches to bring certain moments to life, like Super-8 footage and images of deep space. For the most part, though, it’s a bog-standard biopic that taps off the milestones of Hawking’s life without having a distinctive view of its own.

What’s it about?
Colin Firth is Harry Hart. A super spy from an elite, covert team of self-funded do gooders. He offers an opportunity to a street wise youth to become a better person… who also kills bad guys.

What we thought
Dan says: If the kids from Grange Hill were being trained to kill, and one of their lecturers was Roger Moore you have something that wasn’t Kingsman exactly, but was advertised in the same comic books on the page with X-ray specs and the “fart noise” device.

This is a camp action adventure that glorifies comic book action and violence. It has a great cast of people who look like they’re having a blast. Cinematography, performances and visual effects are all very playful. Best action/comedy since True Lies.