What happens when teenagers go off their sex-suppression drugs? They go off.
You’d think a Sherlock comedy would be easy. You’d be wrong.
Disney princesses as far as the eye can see but will Ralph wreck his own franchise?
Deadpool 2.5? 3?
Is this the end for the magic money making for the Potterverse?
What’s it about? A chronicle of one of the most influential rock-pop bands of the 20th century, Queen and its flamboyant lead singer Freddie Mercury. Focusing more on Freddie, this biopic ranges from the group forming from the remnants of SMILE and provides glimpses of the years leading up to Queen’s legendary appearance at the Live Aid (1985) concert.
What did we think? Anthony Sherratt says: Imagine flicking through a thick, detailed book about the history of Queen and Freddie Mercury. Not reading: just flicking through and reading a page or so at random here and there. And then flicking backwards occasionally so you’re reading out of order. That’s kind of what you get with Bohemian Rhapsody. It’s still fascinating but feels somewhat superficial and you can’t help but feel it should have been more. The movie takes liberties with chronology both musically and factually which will annoy a diehard Queen fan, but it has to be said it’s still a satisfying movie emotionally. The performances are fantastic, the music is electrifying and the heart is there even if finer details aren’t. The exploration of the paradox that was Freddie – a flamboyant performer who off-stage was shy and never identified as cool – is going to be enough for most as the familiar songs paper over a lot of the cracks. The adherence to a formulaic biopic is irritating – and almost UnFreddie like – but I enjoyed it despite the failings.
My biggest criticism was that the ending isn’t right. Frustratingly, a simple info card covering the six years between where the film ended and the info card they did display, would have addressed the issues. If you’re a Queen fan you might be disappointed with points here and there but not the overall picture. 4/5
Amy Curran says: This long-awaited film didn’t quite rock me. The music is great, of course – it’s the script that’s the problem. It’s all obvious foreshadowing, simplified characters and cinematic licence. While it dutifully checks off its mandatory rock movie moments, it does so in a very timid, overly respectful way. Any hint of debauchery is politely alluded to rather than explicitly depicted, and the film suffers for it. That said, Malek is excellent, his bandmates are well cast (Gwilym Lee’s Brian May is particularly spot on) and the incredibly faithful re-creation of the 1985 Live Aid concert at Wembley stadium is truly spectacular. Despite its flaws, it’s worth seeing. 3/5
Andrew Danyals says: Queen had not one, not two but three albums of greatest hits. Trying to choose a small list of favourite songs would be like trying to fit twenty years of fascinating and often bizarre stories into a single film. It’s inevitable that this biopic glosses over so many things. In fact there are so many things they just leave out altogether (where is the legendary Bowie studio meeting? Or Michael Jackson and his llama? The dwarves were alluded to but not shown!). Despite this, BoRap is a great movie. Not because of anything technical – there it sometimes fails – but because it taps into your emotions. You lose yourself in Rami Malek’s incredible portrayal of Freddie and you lose yourself in the music. And that’s all that really matters. Love Queen? See the movie. 4.6/5
What’s it about? A documentary about the famous actor.
What did we think? Oliver Hetherington-Page says: Ian McKellen’s name will be forever linked to his roles in Lord of The Rings and/or X men. While these topics are covered in the documentary, it isn’t what the film is about at its heart. From the opening words of the piece “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players” we are made to think about the tragedy that lies at the heart of Mckellen. By exploring his life both on and off the stage we see a portrait man who is constantly playing a part. In some ways this film is just McKellen talking about his career an hour and half but this film is more than that. It is a self-written (if a bit premature) obituary to the 79-year-old Academy Award nominee.
What’s it about? What do you really know about the first man on the moon?
What did we think? Oliver Hetherington-Page says: First Man is a fascinating character piece on a man who we all believe we know. Ryan Gosling’s performance as Armstrong is captivating as a man of few words. In his silences, we see a man who doesn’t know how to express his feeling but we as the audience can feel it all the same. Claire Foy fresh off her Emmy winning role as Queen Elizabeth shines as Armstrong’s wife. But the real star of the movie is not the performances but Damien Chazelle’s superb direction.
The controversy over the “missing” flag shows that the dissenting voices missed the one thing the title screamed. It is about the first man, not the moon mission.
First Man is First Class.
Is it holiday fun? Or “sno good”?
What’s it about? A somewhat intense mommy blogger is befriended by a worldly but blunt fellow mother. When her new best friend goes missing it sets events into motion that will forveer change their lives (cue dramatic music).
What did we think? Anthony Sherratt (who has NOT read the book) says: It would be simplistic to describe this as Gone Girl Gone Wild but it’s hard to escape some comparisons with the 2014 thriller. The major difference is the tone. Director Paul Feig interjects humour at unexpected moments which prevents you from fully engaging with anger at the characters – all of whom you dislike at some point. Even the ending has a touch of slapstick that robs the film of some gravitas. Quite simply there aren’t enough laughs for it be called a comedy but enough where it detracts slightly from the thriller tag. Despite all this, it’s actually a pretty good flick that keeps you guessing and off balance. Great performances from Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively keep you focused and wanting them to be innocent and, more importantly, ensuring you leave with a smile on your face. 3.5
