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  Certificate: 12A Running time: 192 minutes  Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Kate Winslet, Jamie Flatters, Britain Dalton, Trinity Bliss, Jack Champion  Directed by: James Cameron The story: Set many years after the events of Avatar, the sequel follows Jake and Neytiri’s family as they fight to keep each other safe. The verdict: Full disclosure - I have never liked Avatar. I would even go so far as to say that I think it’s one of the most overhyped films of all time. So with that being said, I went into this film with zero expectations fully anticipating a long and frustrating watch with plenty of eye rolling. I could have not been more wrong. Granted, in the first twenty minutes or so I wasn’t convinced and wondered if James Cameron might be the most self indulgent filmmaker of all time. But I’m more than happy to admit when I’m wrong and James I’m sorry - I was wrong. I realised quite quickly that I had gone from someone who had ...

  Certificate: 18 Running time: 131 minutes  Starring: Taylor Russell, Timothée Chalamet, Mark Rylance, Anna Cobb, André Holland Directed by: Luca Guadagnino The story: Abandoned by her father, a young woman meets a drifter and together they embark on a journey together across the country to find her mother. The verdict: Luca Guadagnino’s Call Me By Your Name is one of my favourite films of all time and so I went into this film with high expectations. Happily, my expectations were more than met and possibly even exceeded. Bones and All is by no means the only film of its ilk and yet it felt incredibly unique. I came away with the feeling that I’d never seen a film quite like it before and even now it lingers. Set in the eighties, Bones and All has a distinct look and feel. Shot on film in 35mm, the film looks timeless and beautiful. The location of the backroads of America adds to the tone and enhances the feeling of the characters’ isolation as the roads stretch out before ...

  Certificate: 12A Running time: 139 minutes Starring: Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Kate Hudson, Dave Bautista, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr, Jessica Henwick Directed by: Rian Johnson The story: World class detective Benoit Blanc returns to solve another mystery, this time travelling to the Greek island of a billionaire tech mogul. The verdict: I saw Knives Out in one of the most stony faced screenings I’d ever been in. I was the only person who laughed aloud and seemed engaged in the film, and as you can imagine it did rather affect my enjoyment of it. Subsequent rewatches proved to me that the film was just as great as I’d first thought. However, as I went into my screening of Glass Onion, I couldn’t help but be apprehensive that this might again turn out to be another impassive audience. In fact the complete opposite occurred and even in our small screening, laughter filled the theatre throughout. This time the action brings Benoit Blanc to the sun-drenched clim...

  Certificate: 15 Running time: 107 minutes  Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Fiennes, Nicolas Hoult, Hong Chau, John Leguizamo Directed by: Mark Mylod  The story: A young couple travels to an isolated island to experience an exclusive menu created by a legendary chef. The verdict: As soon as The Menu began, I knew I was really going to like it. Part of that was to do with how it started and I loved how there was absolutely no preamble or prologue - The Menu is like an event that the audience is invited to and as such we start as the event begins. The Menu has a great cast and in spite of there being little time to get to know everyone, each character successfully inhabits a distinct personality. Very quickly the audience comes to know the characters and has a very good idea of who they are. This demonstrates very proficient writing and The Menu has a sharp and witty script.  The cast is great and in particular it was great to see Ralph Fiennes in another villainou...

  Certificate: 12A Running time: 162 minutes  Starring: Letitia Wright, Angela Bassett, Danai Gurira, Tenoch Huerta, Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke Directed by: Ryan Coogler The story: In the wake of King T’Challa’s death, Wakanda faces a mysterious new threat. The verdict: The Marvel Cinematic Universe is well known for providing audiences with films that are world building and character driven. Along with those elements are impressive action packed sequences that often become the focal point of the films. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is arguably one of the few MCU instalments where the character driven element overrides the action. It is important to note that certainly doesn’t mean that the action is not good or that the film lacks action, but this film is definitely more about the characters and how they deal with the aftermath of King T’Challa’s death.  With the above in mind, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has a much more introspective and sombre tone. There is...

  Certificate: 15 Running time: 114 minutes  Starring: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleason, Kerry Condon, Barry Keoghan Directed by: Martin McDonagh The story: When his best friend suddenly and without reason ends their friendship, one man struggles to understand what went wrong. The verdict: The Banshees of Inisherin is a film that appears on its surface to be rather simple. Set on an isolated island in 1923, our characters have little to do other than tend to their animals and gather each afternoon in the pub. Yet there is no such thing as a simple existence and beneath appearances, the two men at the heart of this film are nursing a number of complex emotions.  The Banshees of Inisherin is a film about friendship and family. It is a film about longing and loneliness and despair and desire. It is a film about the different kinds of grief and how those kinds of grief are dealt with. It is also a film that looks in some part at masculinity and how men might quash their emo...

  Certificate: 18 Running time: 103 minutes  Starring: Georgina Campbell, Bill Skarsgård, Justin Long, Matthew Patrick Davis Directed by: Zach Cregger The story: When a woman arrives at her Airbnb only to discover that someone else is already staying there, she decides against her better judgment to stay the night. The verdict: Barbarian is a slightly tricky film to review. Not because of its quality or lack of but because this is a film best gone into with as little prior knowledge as possible. With that in mind, this review will be reasonably short but equally reasonably sweet.  Barbarian was brilliant fun. Not only is it a film with three very distinct acts, it is a film that wrongfoots the audience from the start and in the best possible way. Barbarian sets up the perfect horror scenario and then flips it in a brutal and shocking way. The way that the rug is pulled out from the audience’s feet makes it such an engaging watch but also it hits all those horror notes...

  Certificate: 12A Running time: 125 minutes  Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Aldis Hodge, Viola Davis, Sarah Shahi, Pierce Brosnan, Quintessa Swindell, Noah Centino Directed by: Jaume Collet-Serra The story: Five thousand years after being bestowed with the powers of the Egyptian gods, an almighty champion is freed from his tomb. The verdict: It wouldn’t be unfair to say that The DC Extended Universe has had its share of ups and downs. However, the universe has appeared to find its feet in recent times with films like Shazam! and The Suicide Squad, and tv show Peacemaker, proving popular with both audiences and critics alike. That being said, there was still room for some new characters to make their entrance into the DCEU and shake things up, and who better to do that than Black Adam played by the almighty Dwayne Johnson?! You would have had to have been living under a rock (naturally occurring solid mass) to not have heard of The Rock (former wrestler turned actor) and as suc...

  Certificate: 15 Running time: 123 minutes  Starring: Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Chris Pine, Olivia Wilde, Gemma Chan Directed by: Olivia Wilde The story: Alice and Jack live an idyllic life in the close knit community of Victory. Whilst the husbands go to work each day at the experimental company, the wives live the ideal housewife life enjoying all the perks of paradise. However when Alice starts to notice cracks in the seemingly perfect Victory, her dream life soon becomes a nightmare.  The verdict: There are arguably two types of audiences when it comes to watching a film. There are those who relish a film that leaves them with much to discuss and ponder, and then there are those who prefer to have everything wrapped up and explained. If you are in the latter type of audience then you may struggle with Don’t Worry Darling and if you are in the former type of audience then hello and welcome to Victory. Don’t Worry Darling is likely to leave you with a myriad of qu...

  Certificate: 15 Running time: 130 minutes  Starring: Keke Palmer, Daniel Kaluuya, Steven Yeun, Brandon Perea  Directed by: Jordan Peele The story: When an alien like phenomenon in the sky starts causing odd occurrences, a horse wrangler decides to investigate further.  The verdict: Director Jordan Peele has scored a hat trick with the release of Nope. Just as Get Out and Us did previously, Nope is yet another film which takes the audience on a visually astounding, provocative and thematically rich journey. Although Nope joins its predecessors in its quality, it does differ slightly in its accessibility. Nope is a lot more disjointed and a lot less linear. The story moves from the past to the present and back again, and is broken into different segments. With that in mind, undoubtedly there will be some audiences who find Nope a bit harder going. However, even when I felt the film was slightly too fragmented, there was not one second of Nope where I wasn’t engag...

  Certificate: 15 Running time: 126 minutes  Starring: Brad Pitt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Joey King, Brian Tyree Henry, Zazie Beetz, Andrew Koji Directed by: David Leitch The story: One train. Numerous assassins. Will anyone disembark alive? The verdict: If you have seen any of David Leitch’s previous offerings then you will be pretty clued in on the ride Bullet Train is going take you on. If you have enjoyed any of Leitch’s previous offerings then you will be pretty excited for the ride Bullet Train is going to take you on. Take the humour of Deadpool 2 and combine it with the action of Atomic Blonde and this is the result.  Bullet Train brings together a bunch of miscreant characters, each known by their villainous moniker, and places them all into one confined space. It is the filmic equivalent of an experimental cocktail - a multitude of ingredients are thrown together, shaken up and the result is likely to be divisive. You are either going to want to drink up or you...

  Certificate: 15 Running time: 125 minutes  Starring: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Taylor John Smith, Harris Dickinson, David Strathairn Directed by: Olivia Newman The story: The film follows  Kya, a young girl who is abandoned by her family, who is forced to raise herself in the marshes outside of a small town. When Kya’s former boyfriend is found dead, she is instantly accused by the townsfolk as a murderer  and so a trial begins. The verdict: Where the Crawdads Sing’s action predominantly takes place in the marshes of North Carolina in the 1950s and 60s. This setting, which is so full of nature both dangerous and  alluring , is incredibly evocative and  becomes a character within itself. Kya is seen as wild and untamed, yet beautiful, by the local community and she is the marsh personified – both are at the mercy of how others treat them, and both would rather be left alone in their tranquillity. Daisy Edgar-Jones  makes the perfect Kya. Kya is innocent an...

  Certificate: 12A Running time: 119 minutes  Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tessa Thompson, Christian Bale, Russell Crowe, Taika Waititi Directed by: Taika Waititi The story: Thor must enlist the help of King Valkyrie and ex girlfriend Jane Foster when Gorr the God Butcher sets out to destroy every god in existence. The verdict: When something appears to be readily available and abundant, it is often taken for granted. Thus as the Marvel franchise releases its 29th instalment, some audiences have begun to demand more and more from each new film, seemingly never quite satisfied. But what Marvel does well, and has always done well, is to provide audiences with incredibly entertaining and engaging films featuring lovable characters - which is exactly what Thor: Love and Thunder does. This film has a great mix of characters with some old favourites making an appearance as well as some absolutely brilliant cameos. In particular the camaraderie between Thor and Korg...

  Certificate: 12A Running time: 160 minutes  Starring: Austin Butler, Tom Hanks, Olivia DeJonge, Helen Thomson, Richard Roxburgh Directed by: Baz Luhrmann The story: Elvis follows the rise of rock and roll legend Elvis Presley and his complicated relationship with his manager Colonel Tom Parker. The verdict: Bursting onto the screen with whiplash force, Elvis marks a triumphant return to film for director Baz Luhrmann after a nine year hiatus.  From the opening shot to the closing credits, Elvis is a juggernaut of a film. It’s big, brash, vibrant and unrelenting - and boy is it good. As with any biopic, audiences should be aware that the events in question will very likely have been overdramatised or sensationalised. Elvis does a pretty good job of not playing too fast and loose with the facts and the story being told from the point of view of Colonel Tom Parker rather than Elvis himself is a clever way of letting the audience know that this is only one perspective of ...

  Certificate: 12A Running time: 126 minutes  Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, Rachel McAdams Directed by: Sam Raimi The story: Doctor Strange faces a shocking new adversary as he finds himself traversing the many dangerous realities of the multiverse. The verdict: I couldn’t help but feel a little bit like a naughty child whilst watching this film. Not because there is anything childish about the film (there definitely isn’t - more on that later) but because I think this may end up as one of the most divisive entries of the MCU thus far. I can’t wait to see the bemoaned cries of those who take umbridge with certain elements, fully knowing that those elements are likely to be the ones I enjoyed the most. As you can imagine if you ask an acclaimed horror director to direct a film, then don’t be surprised when the result is a film that could give you nightmares. Sam Raimi thrives in the horror genre and Doctor Strange in the Multiv...

  Certificate: 15 Running time: 137 minutes  Starring: Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ethan Hawke, Willem Dafoe, Claes Bang Directed by: Robert Eggers The story: After his father is brutally murdered, a son sets out on a violent quest to avenge him. The verdict: Robert Eggers has already shown with his previous films that he has incredible visual flair and one wondered what he might be able to achieve if given the budget of a blockbuster. Would Eggers auteurism  somehow get lost in amongst studio expectations? Thankfully the answer to that is a resounding no. The Northman is a visual spectacle. Set in the Nordic wilds, the scenery and setting is a character within itself. Stark yet stunning, every scene is elevated by the vistas. Eggers once again joins forces with cinematographer Jarin Blaschke, who he also worked with on The Lighthouse and The VVitch, and the cinematography is sublime. The Northman is so well crafted and well shot and it looks ...

  Certificate: 12A Running time: 136 minutes  Starring: Jude Law, Eddie Redmayne, Mads Mikkelsen, Alison Sudol, Dan Fogler, Callum Turner, Jessica Williams, William Nadylam Directed by: David Yates The story: As Grindelwald moves forward with his plans to rule over all non-magical beings, Dumbledore enlists Newt Scamander to help stop him. The verdict:   Accio trilogy! Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore marks the release of the third film in the Fantastic Beasts series and sees audiences once again transported back to magic of the wizarding world. Carrying straight on from the events of the second film, Crimes of Grindelwald, the third instalment sees Albus Dumbledore join forces with Newt Scamander in an effort to thwart dark wizard Grindelwald. With his plans to eradicate all non-magical beings, Grindelwald begins to build an ever increasing band of devout followers. The films of the wizarding world are at their best when beloved characters and close friends...

  Certificate: 18 Running time: 106 minutes  Starring: Mia Goth, Brittany Snow, Jenny Ortega, Kid Cudi, Martin Henderson, Owen Campbell Directed by: Ti West The story: In the seventies, a group of filmmakers decide to make an adult film at a secluded farmhouse where their hosts take a special interest in them. The verdict: Working as an homage to both horror and seventies filmmaking, X is a great throwback to the slasher movies of old whilst simultaneously maintaining the self referential quality often found in modern horror. Though that may sound a heady mix, X works really well in finding a balance between feeling familiar and being new.  The premise is a fun one and one that will certainly strike a chord with anyone who has any experience of low budget filmmaking. The cast is great with everyone working in a way that makes it easy to imagine that this is a real cast and crew - which of course it also is and therein lies the cleverness of X. X builds its way to the ou...

  Certificate: 12A Running time: 106 minutes  Starring: Mark Rylance, Sally Hawkins, Jake Davies, Christian Lees, Jonah Lees, Rhys Ifans Directed by: Craig Roberts The story: In 1976, Maurice Flitcroft decides to take part in The British Open Golf Championship despite having never played golf. The verdict: Sometimes the best films are the ones that simply bring a smile to your face and The Phantom of the Open is without a doubt a film that was watched accompanied by a big cheesy grin.  Based on a true story, these characters are so easy to root for and so easy to like. Maurice’s unrelenting optimism and determination, his wife Jean’s unconditional support and their sons’ ambitions to chase their own dreams all add up to making a family that the audience becomes a part of for the duration of the film. Being so invested in the Flitcrofts meant that the film was highly engaging throughout and the running time flew by. The Phantom of the Open also strikes a really good balan...

  Certificate: 15 Running time: 176 minutes  Starring: Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Colin Farrell, Jeffrey Wright, Paul Dano, Andy Serkis Directed by: Matt Reeves The story: When a serial killer begins to leave cryptic clues all over Gotham City, Batman must work to uncover the culprit. Meanwhile, corruption threatens to tear the city apart from the inside. The verdict: Robert Pattinson, an actor who is often unfairly berated, yet again proves his naysayers wrong in Matt Reeves’ take on the caped crusader. In The Batman, the eponymous character is tortured and sleepless - kept awake by the weight of his family’s legacy and haunted by his parents’ untimely deaths. He wears dark makeup under his black cowl, which only highlights the torment in his eyes and he prefers to spend his time alone in rooms scant of light. Often Bruce Wayne and Batman go hand in hand, but in The Batman, Wayne takes a backseat to his alter ego in a way that he hasn’t in previous films featuring th...

  Certificate: 12A Running time: 123 minutes  Starring: Peter Dinklage, Haley Bennett, Kelvin Harrison Jr, Ben Mendelsohn  Directed by: Joe Wright The story: Though brilliant in many ways, Cyrano de Bergerac is convinced that his appearance means that the woman that he has long loved will never love him back and instead agrees to help her pursue another man. The verdict: The story of Cyrano de Bergerac is no stranger to being shown on screen and director Joe Wright’s version is the latest adaptation to throw its hat into the ring. This version, written by Erica Schmidt, is based on Schmidt’s 2018 play, which in turn was based on the original 1897 play by Edmund Rostand. Some audiences may be surprised to learn that Cyrano is actually a musical and certainly it feels very theatrical in both its staging and visuals. The musical numbers are engaging and performed well. However, when it comes to leaving a lasting impression, it is unlikely that cinema goers will leave the...

    Certificate: 12A Running time: 127 minutes  Starring: Kenneth Branagh, Gal Gadot, Armie Hammer, Tom Bateman, Annette Benning, Russell Brand, Ali Fazal, Dawn French, Rose Leslie, Emma Mackey, Sophie Okonedo, Letitia Wright, Jennifer Saunders Directed by: Kenneth Branagh  The story: Famous detective Hercule Poirot’s trip to Egypt is interrupted when a murder occurs on a newlyweds’ idyllic honeymoon. The verdict: Plagued by both the pandemic (it was originally scheduled for release in 2019) and by controversies surrounding several of its leading cast, Death on the Nile has been a long time coming. Rather than arriving with the glitzy fanfare in which its trailer suggested, instead it seems to have snuck in to the 2022 release schedule as the Kenneth Branagh directed film that isn’t Belfast.  2017’s Murder on the Orient Express was a sleeper hit and audiences had every right to eagerly anticipate another surprise hit. Unfortunately, Death on the Nile doesn’t...

  Certificate: 12A Running time: 116 minutes  Starring: Tom Holland, Mark Wahlberg, Tati Gabrielle, Sophia Ali, Antonio Banderas Directed by: Ruben Fleischer The story: Young, street smart Nathan Drake is drawn into a quest to search for fabled treasure in the hopes that it will lead him to his lost brother. The verdict: Naturally with any type of adaptation, cinema goers are going to fall into one of two categories - you are either familiar with the source material or not. In this case, Uncharted is based on the popular PlayStation game and fans of the game will undoubtedly receive this film completely differently from those unfamiliar with it. For example, there is a certain cameo in the film that was obviously supposed to be quite a significant moment but was lost on me until I looked it up later. This aside, Uncharted is very accessible for the uninitiated and isn’t hard to follow for newcomers. Uncharted is immediately engaging and this is largely thanks to Tom Holland...