END SEAT

  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...