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  Certificate: PG Running time: 97 minutes  Starring: Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Daveed Diggs, Questlove, Angela Bassett Directed by: Pete Doctor and Kemp Powers The story: Middle school band teacher Joe has lost his passion for music. When he is transported out of his body, he must find his way back with the help of a young soul. The verdict: Pixar has long since established itself as a studio that produces incredibly popular, successful and award winning animated films. And so with each new release there is an expectation that the film will be another beloved gem, and the small worry that this film may be the one that doesn’t quite live up to the magic that audiences have come to expect. Thankfully, audiences need not worry because Soul is another great installment from Pixar.  Soul stood out immediately to me because it’s such a unique and original story. There have been many animations that have dealt with similar issues but none that have done it in such a way as Soul...

Certificate: 15 Running time: 93 minutes Starring: Viola Davis, Chadwick Boseman, Taylour Paige, Colman Domingo, Glynn Turman Directed by: George C. Wolfe The story: Tensions rise over the course of an afternoon recording session when legendary performer Ma Rainey finds herself battling to take control of her music from her white manager and producer. The verdict: It has to be said that there is an underlying sadness in watching Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. This was the last performance from Chadwick Boseman and his performance just reinforces what a phenomenal talent he was. As I was watching the film, I did feel that it was an Academy Award Best Supporting Actor performance and I dearly hope that he is nominated. All the performances in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom are great, but I must also single out Viola Davis. She can do no wrong and this is another standout performance from her. Based on the play of the same name by August Wilson, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom does often watch like a ...

Certificate: PG Running time: 103 minutes Starring: Honor Kneafsey, Sean Bean, Eva Whittaker, Simon McBurney Directed by: Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart The story: Robyn wants to hunt wolves with her father but when she travels with him to Ireland, where he is tasked with wiping out the last pack, she befriends a girl who has a mysterious connection to the wolves. The verdict: Cartoon Saloon has a history of producing animated films which are rich in both storytelling and colour, and their latest film Wolfwalkers definitely follows this trend. Set in 1650 Ireland, Wolfwalkers immediately transports the audience into its setting with vividly realised animation which is both eye-catching and unique. I was pulled into the story straight away and stayed immersed in it throughout. Wolfwalkers has a number of characteristics to its story. It is a story which adds to werewolf mythology and has many moments that feel as though they have been lifted from a book of fairytales. But t...

Certificate: 15 Running time: 57 minutes Starring: Hayley Bishop, Jemma Moore, Caroline Ward, Emma Louise Webb, Radina Drandova, Alan Emrys Directed by: Rob Savage The story: During lockdown, six friends decide to take part in an online séance via Zoom. But events take a turn for the worst when they notice strange things starting to happen... The verdict: Host originated from a short video posted by Savage that went viral, where Savage investigated strange noises coming from his attic whilst on an online video chat. After the success of the short video, Savage decided to adapt it into a feature. Host sees a group of six friends all meet up on zoom during quarantine. After not seeing each other in person for awhile, one of the friends has arranged for the group to take part in an online séance. Everything about this format really rings true - not only the use of Zoom, which is something that most of us are now very familiar with, but also the behaviour of the friends. There are some who...

  Certificate: 15 Running time: 95 minutes  Starring: Paul Bettany, Sophia Lillis, Peter Macdissi, Steve Zahn, Judy Greer, Margo Martindale Directed by: Alan Ball The story: In 1970's South Carolina, eighteen year old Beth is looking forward to leaving for New York University where her Uncle Frank works as a professor. Both the odd ones out in the family, Beth discovers that Frank is keeping a big secret when they end up on an unexpected road trip together. The verdict: Both a coming of age film and a coming out film, Uncle Frank is a film which arrived on streaming services with little fanfare. This is a shame as it features Paul Bettany and Peter Macdissi in two standout performances. Uncle Frank is billed as a road trip movie but essentially not that much happens whilst on the road, the real drama is based around the family's home in the small town of Creekville and in New York where both Beth and Frank reside. I always think that it is a little unfair and p...

Certificate: 12A Running time: 131 minutes Starring: Gary Oldman, Lily Collins, Tom Burke, Amanda Seyfried, Tuppence Middleton Directed by: David Fincher The story: Mank follows alcoholic screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz as he struggles to finish the script for Citizen Kane. The verdict: David Fincher is often thought of as a divisive director, though probably more for his filmmaking methods rather than his actual films. But I myself am a really big fan of Fincher's work and so I was eagerly anticipating the release of this film. Mank is definitely a film that I think of on two hands. On the one hand it is brilliant. But, on the other hand - is it always brilliantly engaging? And unfortunately the answer to that is no. Mank is a very stylistic film. Not only does the choice of having the film in black and white help immediately transport the audience back to the appropriate time period, but everything about the cinematography and actors' performances screams forties Ho...

Certificate: 18 Running time: 103 minutes Starring: Andrea Riseborough, Christopher Abbott, Tuppence Middleton, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Sean Bean Directed by: Brandon Cronenberg The story: Using brain transplant technology, an elite assassin takes control of other people's bodies in order to execute high profile targets. The verdict: You may have spotted something familiar about Brandon Cronenberg's name, yes he is the son of David Cronenberg - and the apple definitely does not fall far from the tree. Possessor is a sci-fi thriller/horror hybrid with a good dose of violence, nudity and gore - this is not a film for the fainthearted. The film follows Tasya Vos, an assassin whose consciousness is transplanted into other people's bodies in order to carry out assassinations. Often in films such as these, there is some time dedicated to explaining the science behind what is happening or how it is happening, and what was really interesting about Possessor is that nothing is ever ex...