What’s it about?

Inspired by true events, a group of mates who’ve played a game of tag for decades get back together to see if they can make the only member of the group who’s never been tagged “it” before he retires.

What did we think?

Elizabeth says: That moment when you have to break your review down into three parts because of a badly misfiring joke…

Pre problematic joke: This movie feels like Adam Sandler should be attached to it somehow, I hate myself for enjoying it this much and that’s all you really need to know about that.

During problematic joke: Oh god they’re not going there are they? They went there. Oh god they went there again. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD WHY WON’T THEY STOP GOING THERE?!

Post problematic joke: I’m still horrified at the joke subject matter but somehow I’m back to laugh/crying. I need a shower to feel better about this.

What’s it about?
Seventeen-year-old Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson (Saoirse Ronan) yearns to break free from her turbulent relationship with her mother and her cash-strapped suburban life.

What did we think?
If 2018 is the Year of the Woman, then certainly Lady Bird is the movie of the Year of the Woman. Writer/Director Greta Gerwig takes the well-trod trope of the coming-of-age tale and somehow makes it feel both comfortingly familiar and like we’ve never been there before. The humour and wit of Gerwig’s semi-autobiographical story mixes with the pain of a suburban adolescent existence to create a bittersweet dramedy brimming with honesty.

What’s it about?
Despite having “all the money in the world”, JP Getty (Kevin Spacey Christopher Plummer) refuses to pay a ransom when his grandson is kidnapped.

What did we think?
Elizabeth Best says: When editing someone out of a film and still insisting you can stick to your release date, you better make damn sure you do a good job of it. And what a job director Ridley Scott, Plummer and the cast have done, rallying to erase Spacey post #MeToo scandal. Plummer’s performance, shot in just 10 days, is masterful (and with a much larger part than I assumed). Controversy aside, Scott has created a film that remains gripping, even if you know the history behind this “based on true events” tale. I dare you to try and stop yourself muttering “you motherf–ker” every time the penny-pinching Getty sinks lower than you think he could possibly ever go.

Replacing Spacey was the best decision Scott ever made, as having someone with compromised moral character play this asshole would have been film-killing.

What’s it about?

The now-separated Bellas reunite to perform one last show for the troops which results in a montage-y European adventure, cartoonish espionage and lots of Rebel Wilson being Rebel Wilson.

What did we think?

Elizabeth Best says: The poster says “Last Call, Pitches” but the Bellas probably should have gone home a few rounds ago judging by this over-the-top, silly sequel. Like a night out that’s lasted a bit too long, there are some funny moments but really it just feels unnecessary. Never stick around til the bar closes.

What’s it about?

The original board game that sucked Alan Parrish into the wilderness has evolved to a video cartridge to capture the imaginations of a new generation. Four kids from different social circles get trapped in the game and must play through its levels to survive and escape.

What did we think? 

Elizabeth Best says: Guys, it’s actually pretty damn good. Jumanji next gen manages to pay homage to the original film without crapping on its legacy, and advance the game’s abilities staying true to video gaming conventions in really cute ways. The first two thirds of the film were missing some of the emotional heart of its predecessor, instead relying on hyper-quippy dialogue. But I forgave it, since there was enough heart shoehorned in the last third to make up for it. A genuinely surprising, enjoyable film.

What’s it about?
Judi Dench is Queen Victoria again in a film that explores the monarch and the the Indian servant who brought light to her final years.

What did we think?
Elizabeth Best says: Queen Victoria is humanised in a delightful way in this Stephen Frears film that’s “Based on true events… mostly.” The monarch’s life is oft visited in cinematic form, but Victoria and Abdul proves her rich history can still provide some surprises. Dench turns in another captivating performance as the regal figure whose crown has become all too heavy in her twilight years. Ali Fazal lights up the screen as her optimistic devoted “Munshi”, a teacher who provided Her Majesty a late-in-life spiritual awakening, much to the disgust of her children. An uplifting, emotional jaunt that’s made no less enjoyable by the fact that it doesn’t really push any boundaries.

What it’s about?

A dark tower exists that protects the universe from a demonic apocalypse. The tower can be destroyed by the mind of a child. The Man in Black (Matthew McConaughey) is locked in an eternal struggle with the Last Gunslinger (Idris Elba), as one tries to bring the tower down and the other tries to defend it. One child is caught in the middle of it all.

What did we think?

Elizabeth Best says:  I immediately wanted to watch more of The Dark Tower when the credits rolled. Not because it was a stellar movie, but because I felt like there was SO much we didn’t see. Moviemakers saw fit to compress EIGHT Stephen King books into one movie, leaving the intriguing premise feeling rushed and under explained. This needs to be a TV show so I can binge the crap out of it rather than a movie that piqued my interest but left me dissatisfied.

What’s it about?
A group of sheltered young ladies at a boarding school take in an injured enemy solider. Then there’s a whole lot of sexual tension, which apparently is pretty dangerous when lots of ladies and just one gent are all cooped up.

What did we think? 
Elizabeth Best says: All hail Sofia Coppola, mistress of the visceral slow burn for this tense, claustrophobic drama. The burning desires of the ladies simmer brilliantly beneath their genteel exterior, a testament to the performances of Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst and Elle Fanning. It’s like watching a masterful game of cat and mouse, with each party advancing their gameplay while trying to maintain the airs of a proper Southern lady. Politeness has never been so chilling.

What’s it about?
A bachelorette weekend turns nasty when someone accidentally kills a stripper.