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  Certificate: 12A Running time: 148 minutes  Starring: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict think Cumberbatch, Marisa Tomei, Jacob Batalon Directed by: Jon Watts The story: With his secret identity revealed, Peter Parker seeks the help of Doctor Strange to cast a spell that will make everyone forget that he is Spider-Man. The verdict: With rumours rife on casting and fans eager to see the inception of the multiverse, No Way Home has felt a long time coming. Finally, much like Spidey making his way across the New York skyline, the film has come swinging full pelt into cinemas and it does not disappoint.  The Marvel Cinematic Universe has always felt like it’s for the fans, but No Way Home undoubtedly takes top place as the ultimate Marvel fan film. This film is a real treat for Spider-Man fans and frankly there is an argument to be made that No Way Home is the greatest Spider-Man film of all time.  MCU action is always top notch and No Way Home is no different. There a...

  Certificate: 12A Running time: 156 minutes  Starring: Ansel Elgort, Rachel Zegler, Ariana DeBose, Rita Moreno, Mike Faist, David Alvarez Directed by: Steven Spielberg  The story: Whilst tension builds between rival gangs, two young people from opposite sides find themselves falling in love. The verdict: From the moment the finger snapping begins, Spielberg’s West Side Story has you. Shot in glorious widescreen, this is a truly cinematic remake that will have even the most sceptical of audiences sat upright in their seats and trying to drink in as many of the gorgeous visuals as possible. Spielberg has opted for a muted grey colour palette, which in any other circumstance could feel dull and depressing - not here though. The colours perfectly match 1950’s New York and when the musical numbers begin, the bursts of colour really pop. West Side Story is undoubtedly a beautiful film to look at. The musical numbers are engaging and the performances are great. Two performanc...

  Certificate: 12A Running time: 127 minutes  Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, Kodi Smit-McPhee Directed by: Jane Campion The story: In 1925 Montana, a rancher finds himself at odds with his brother when he brings home his new wife and her son. The verdict: Unfolding across the sprawling panoramas of a dusty 1920’s Montana, The Power of the Dog disquietingly draws audiences into a dark western that subverts expectations. Director Jane Campion, who returns to film after a twelve year hiatus, uses patient and poetic filmmaking in a slow burn film that builds momentum right up until its shocking conclusion.  The Power of the Dog is brimming with both context and sub context, and is deeply complex in its themes. Toxic masculinity, repression, power dynamics, gender roles and sexuality are just a few of the themes explored. Yet though The Power of the Dog will undoubtedly challenge audiences, it never threatens to alienate them. This is largely ...

  Certificate: PG Running time: 109 minutes  Starring: Stephanie Beatriz, María Cecilia Botero, John Leguizamo Directed by: Byron Howard and Jared Bush The story: A young woman must save her magical family home after discovering that it is under threat from forces unknown. The verdict: The sixtieth animated film from Walt Disney Studios sees Disney combining a number of its tried and tested methods, and coming up trumps with a film bursting with colour and meaning. Encanto’s heroine is Mirabel, a sassy and smart young woman who is the only person in her magical filled family without a special gift. Whilst those around her perform incredible feats from everything to super strength to making flowers appear from thin air, Mirabel works hard to establish her own role within the family and tries not to let her lack of a special gift phase her.  Encanto sees original music and songs from Lin-Manuel Miranda, who previously collaborated with Disney on Moana. As with Moana, Mira...

  Certificate: 12A Running time: 117 minutes  Starring: Kristen Stewart, Sally Hawkins, Timothy Spall, Sean Harris, Jack Farthing Directed by: Pablo Larrain  The story: As the Royal Family gathers at Sandringham Estate for Christmas festivities, Princess Diana struggles with tales of Prince Charles’ infidelity and her role as future queen. The verdict: It is Christmas morning, 2019. I have found myself, along with hundreds of other people, waiting in the grounds of Sandringham Estate for a glimpse of the Royal Family as they make their way to the Christmas morning service at the church of St Mary Magdalene.  Convinced by my royalist partner to attend, and originally indifferent to spending my Christmas morning this way, to my immense surprise I soon find myself caught up in the excitement. The crowds are jovial and enthusiastic, in spite of the chill in the air and the frost on the ground, and Union Jack flags are passed around to wave.  Christmas time, 1991 ...

  Certificate: 12A Running time: 156 minutes  Starring: Angelina Jolie, Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Kit Harington, Salma Hayek, Kumail Nanjiani, Barry Keoghan Directed by: Chloé Zhao. The story: An immortal alien race, who have been in hiding for thousands of years, emerge to protect the human race against their evil counterparts known as the Deviants. The verdict: No matter how much one tries to avoid it, a film fan cannot help but hear and see whisperings of the latest films before their general release. In the case of Eternals, these whisperings immediately set alarm bells ringing - it’s not very good, it’s boring and slow, it’s the worst marvel film ever. By release day, Eternals had earned its place as the lowest rated Marvel film in the franchise. Could this really be true though? Could Academy Award winning director Chloé Zhao have given Marvel fans a terrible film? Is Zhao even capable of directing a bad film? The answer to all these questions is thankfully a r...

Certificate: 12A Running time: 156 minutes  Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Issac, Jason Momoa, Zendaya, Stellan Skarsgård Directed by: Denis Villeneuve. The story: A young man born into a great destiny travels to the most dangerous planet in the universe, where he discovers that there is a plot to destroy him and his family. The verdict: The predominant thought that kept running through my head whilst watching Dune was Denis Villeneuve is just showing off now, because Dune was incredible. It was so incredible that there were sequences where I literally watched with my mouth agape. When it comes to adaptations, should we judge them as separate entities in their own right? Or should they be judged on how closely they have followed their source material? I may have made a rod for my own back on this particular topic, because I only finished reading Frank Herbert’s novel yesterday and so it’s very fresh in my mind. I felt that Villeneuve’s Dune was very faith...

Certificate: 12A Running time: 163 minutes  Starring: Daniel Craig, Léa Seydoux, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Ralph Fiennes, Rami Malek, Lashana Lynch, Ana de Armas, Rory Kinnear. Directed by: Cary Joji Fukunaga The story: James Bond is forced out of retirement when a villain threatens to unleash an advanced biochemical weapon that could kill millions. The verdict: Much like Doctor Who, another one of our beloved British icons, we all have our James Bond. Daniel Craig was announced as Her Majesty’s finest spy back in 2005 and he has undoubtedly become my Bond. Back then, Craig with his blond hair and blue eyes was considered an unlikely choice for the role, but he has long since proved his naysayers wrong. And so with my Bond finally hanging up his golden gun, I approached No Time To Die with some trepidation - would he be given the swan song he deserved? Well after eighteen months of waiting, Bond fans can breathe a sigh of relief because No Time To Die is fantastic. Juggling ...

  Certificate: 12A Running time: 115 minutes  Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Jodie Comer, Taika Waititi, Joe Keery Directed by: Shawn Levy The story: When a bank teller decides to liven up his ordinary life, he has no idea that he is actually an NPC in popular online game Free City. The verdict: There are certain actors known for ‘doing their thing’ and if you’re looking for comedy delivered  with deadpan accuracy then Mr Ryan Reynolds is your man. This isn’t a criticism of Reynolds by any means, just a heads up that Free Guy is definitely a film in which Reynolds ‘does his thing.’ Delayed due to COVID (a sentence becoming commonplace in film reviews), Free Guy has finally made it to the big screen, and I have to say I think it was worth the wait. Bringing to mind several other films, though not by way of imitation, Free Guy is like Ready Player One meets The Truman Show meets The Lego Movie - and it’s just so much fun.  Chock full of pop culture and lots of laugh out m...

Certificate: 15 Running time: 108 minutes  Starring: Vicky Krieps, Gael Garcia Bernal, Rufus Sewell, Thomasin McKenzie, Alex Wolff Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan  The story: An idyllic day on a secluded beach turns into a nightmare for one family when they realise that the beach is somehow causing them to age rapidly. The verdict: I think it’s really interesting to know that Old is based on the graphic novel by Pierre Oscar Levy and Frederik Peeters, a fact that I was not originally aware of when I saw the first trailer. However, Shyamalan has completely changed the outcome and ending from the novel, so there is a nice mixture of originality and adaptation here.  Shyamalan gets short shrift from a lot of audiences and is seen as a reasonably divisive filmmaker. Personally, I feel that is a little unfair and whilst not all his films have hit the spot, even his misfires have had their positives. One undeniable fact though is that audiences do eagerly await his films. O...

  Certificate: 12A Running time: 134 minutes  Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, Rachel Weisz, David Harbour, Ray Winstone Directed by: Cate Shortland The story: Natasha Romanoff must revisit the dark secrets of her past when a dangerous conspiracy leads her to confront villains from her previous life. The verdict: As one of the founding members of The Avengers and a core character from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it is hard to believe that it’s taken this long for Black Widow to get a film of her own. Add in the film’s delayed release date due to the pandemic, and it feels like we’ve been waiting for this film forever. But, finally Phase four of the MCU has officially begun!  Set just after Captain America: Civil War, Black Widow takes us back in time to events that fans will be very familiar with. However, this time we get to see what Natasha was up to during her time on the run before then taking a journey into her past. This all adds to Natasha’s cha...

Certificate: 12A Running time: 104 minutes  Starring: Milla Jovovich, Ron Pearlman, Meagan Good, Tony Jaa, Jin Au-Yeung  Directed by: Paul W.S Anderson The story: Faced with relentless danger after a portal transports them to a strange world, an elite unit of soldiers discovers that their only hope of surviving is with a mysterious Hunter.  The verdict: I recently undertook a Resident Evil film marathon and came to the conclusion that, although Milla Jovovich is rather excellent, I would henceforth approach any big budget monster/horror film that she was in with extreme trepidation.  Let’s just be honest, Monster Hunter isn’t great. And it doesn’t help itself in that it doesn’t really make much sense narratively or plot wise. Yes you’ll be able to understand what’s going on, but try to dig any deeper and you’ll soon be scratching your head and thinking, “eh?” Milla Jovovich is brilliant at action and kicking butt and so she does carry the film well with an engaging ...

  Certificate: 12A Running time: 96 minutes  Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Olivia Colman, Mark Gatiss, Rufus Sewell, Imogen Poots Directed by: Florian Zeller The story: A man refuses to accept any help from his daughter as he ages, but soon he begins to doubt his own family and sanity as his health declines.  The verdict: This is a film that has been on my radar for a long time and after seeing its Oscar nominations, I wanted to see it even more. I was really disappointed when I saw that the U.K release date was late June but as the saying goes - ‘good things come to those who wait.’ And The Father was worth the wait.  The Father was adapted from the stage play Le Père (also written by Zeller) and at first I found that the film did watch like a play - it felt staged. However, this feeling very quickly evaporated and I was completely drawn into the film. The Father boasts both excellent technical aspects and excellent performances. The editing is superb and plays into ...

Certificate: 12A Running time: 134 minutes  Starring: Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Joel Fry, Paul Walter Hauser, Mark Strong Directed by: Craig Gillespie The story: Estella is determined to make a name for herself in fashion. But when she comes to the attention of Baroness von Hellman, their relationship sees the beginning of the creation of the villainous Cruella. The verdict: When it comes to the Disney films, I have always liked 101 Dalmatians but truth be told, Cruella De Vil has never been one of my favourite villains. However, having both a love of a villain origin story and of Emma Stone, I was pretty excited for this film and fortunately it did not disappoint.  Cruella starts with a bang and doesn’t let up, which is even more impressive considering its lengthy running time of 134 minutes. It is engaging and highly watchable throughout and it never felt flat or boring at any point. This is in part due to a great ensemble cast and great performances, but Cruella also boa...

  Certificate: 15 Running time: 97 minutes  Starring: Emily Blunt, John Krasinki, Cillian Murphy, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe  Directed by: John Krasinki The story: The Abbott family continues their fight for survival in silence, this time discovering that the deadly creatures are not the only dangers lurking beyond the sand path.  The verdict: I thoroughly enjoyed A Quiet Place and when a sequel was announced, I admit that I was amongst those who bemoaned it - “A sequel won’t be any good, it’ll just ruin it!” I proclaimed. Well, I’m more than happy to admit when I’m wrong and I was most definitely wrong about that.  Firstly, when looking at the film purely on its credentials as a sequel then I think A Quiet Place Part II is one of the stronger horror sequels I’ve seen. Not only does it expand the A Quiet Place universe, it also develops the characters and their relationships. I particularly enjoyed seeing the flashbacks and the laying of Easter eggs for a ...

  Certificate: 18 Running time: 93 minutes  Starring: Chris Rock, Max Minghella, Samuel L Jackson, Marisol Nichols Directed by: Darren Lynn Bousman The story: When a series of grisly murders take place, a detective and his rookie partner find themselves caught up in an investigation that is eerily reminiscent of the past. The verdict: I think it is only fair to preface this review with somewhat of a disclaimer - I am not a fan of the Saw films. In preparation for the release of Spiral: From the Book of Saw, I watched the previous eight instalments of the franchise within a week and only got more and more frustrated as each film passed. However, though that meant I approached Spiral with some trepidation, I was also more than happy to be prepared to retract my previous grumbles if the latest film merited it so. So after watching Spiral, am I now a Saw fan? Unfortunately the answer is still a definitive no. Spiral: From the Book of Saw fails on almost every level and as a reboo...

  Certificate: 15 Running time: 113 minutes  Starring: Carey Mulligan, Bo Burnham, Alison Brie, Jennifer Coolridge Directed by: Emerald Fennell The story: A woman seeks revenge against those she believes are responsible for a heinous crime.  The verdict: I cannot remember the last time that I cheered on an anti heroine or anti hero as much as I did during this film. Some might completely disagree with that sentiment but I find that I cannot seem to care too much. Sadly, I recognised so much of the toxic and disgraceful behaviour exhibited by most of the men in this film and even more sadly I have seen up close in real life of how devastatingly this behaviour can affect women, so yes I am #teamcassie all the way. Every film is made up of a number of components, both creative and technical and when you find something great about almost every component then that’s when you know that you have a great film on your hands. That’s exactly how I felt whilst watching Promising Yo...

  Certificate: 12 Running time: 109 minutes  Starring: Dylan O’Brien, Jessica Henwick, Michael Rooker, Ariana Greenblat, Hero the dog Directed by: Michael Matthews The story: Seven years after the monsterpocalypse, Joel Dawson decides to leave the relative safety of his underground bunker and risk a perilous journey to reunite with his high school girlfriend. The verdict: There are already plenty of films about the apocalypse and there are plenty of films about love, and yet Love and Monsters still manages to feel unique.  One of the things that I think is so great about this film is its origins. This is an original film that is not part of a recognised franchise and not a sequel but managed to get made with a reasonable budget and with attention from audiences and critics. Love and Monsters brings together a number of genres - sci-fi, romance, comedy to name just a few, and rather than feel disjointed or like a mishmash, it works together perfectly. The result is a rea...

  Certificate: 15 Running time: 120 minutes  Starring: Riz Ahmed, Olivia Cooke, Paul Raci  Directed by: Darius Marder The story: A heavy metal drummer finds his life in free fall when he loses his hearing. The verdict: The Sound of Metal is yet another film that I have been eagerly awaiting the U.K release of and so I could not wait to watch it as soon as it was available.  The Sound of Metal is a film that I wish so much that I could have seen in the cinema. It is such an immersive film and I know that would have only been intensified with the big screen experience.  As soon as the film opened, I was transported into the story and I felt almost as if I became the lead character Ruben. Throughout the film, I felt every emotion and feeling that he felt and I felt it strongly - his frustration, his isolation, his anger. This was largely due to Riz Ahmed’s performance. No wonder he has attracted so much awards’ attention, this is a stellar performance and certai...

  Certificate: 15 Running time: 90 minutes  Starring: Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, Meredith Hagner, JK Simmons Directed by: Max Barbakow  The story: Two wedding guests become trapped in the same time loop. The verdict: We have had to wait a long time for the U.K release of Palm Springs - hearing about this film and waiting for its release almost felt like an infinite time loop in itself. But finally it landed on streaming services today. There have been many time loop films and they can be quite divisive for some audiences who feel that it is hard to bring something new to the subgenre. I must admit that I love a time loop film and have enjoyed the majority of the films that address it. A time loop story can lend itself to any genre and comedy is no different. What I really enjoyed about Palm Springs is that it a not necessarily about anything ‘big.’ By that I mean that it is not focused on the science of the time loop or even the how and why. Rather the story is ver...

  Certificate: 15 Running time: 129 minutes  Starring: Jodie Foster, Tahar Rahim, Benedict Cumberbatch, Shailene Woodley, Zachary Levi Directed by: Kevin MacDonald The story:  Based on a true story, The Mauritanian sees a lawyer investigate the case of a detainee at Guantanamo Bay. As the case deepens, a far reaching conspiracy is uncovered.  The verdict: Any film based on a true story immediately impacts its audience and especially a film like this where you cannot believe that these reprehensible acts took place. The Mauritanian is not the first film to address Guantanamo Bay but because it is based on the 2015 memoir Guantanamo Diary by Mohamedou Ould Slahi, there is a more personal authenticity to it. For me Tahar Rahim, who plays Slahi, is the star of the film. He has a certain indomitable spirit that means that he never feels like someone you pity but rather someone that you are rooting for. The rest of the cast is strong too and overall I liked all the perf...