What’s it about?
Three teenage scouts struggle with unpopularity but when a zombie outbreak occurs they realise that their carefully honed survival skills are just what’s required.

What we thought
Dan says: This “sexy” horror “comedy” starts well. Twenty minutes of character creation and tense moments suddenly unravels as soon as the zombies turn up. A bag full of zombie jokes is plucked from every five minutes throughout the film and who cares what’s been established so far.

This film doesn’t just fail the Bechdel test, it then spends a week sending assault threats to it via Twitter. If I was a 14 year old boy at a slumber party in the late eighties I probably would have loved it but make no mistake, this film is bad. Bad enough to hate watch.

What’s it About?
Katniss continues in her fight against the Capitol.

What Did We Think?
Elizabeth says: It was never a good idea to split the weakest of the book trilogy into two movies. There’s simply not enough plot to sustain the two films in a way feels in any way energetic. Significant deaths that had me sobbing in the book were so rushed that I wasn’t sure if they actually occurred or if Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) was hallucinating. Moreover, I’m not sure what happened in the direction department, but all the chemistry between the three leads (Gale, Katniss and Peeta) has melted away. Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson all turn in great individual performances but the love triangle vibe has gone limp; honestly it felt like Katniss was more affectionate towards Peeta when she hated him. On the heels of copycat concept films such as Divergent and The Maze Runner, Mockingjay Part Two feels tired and done and is at least 30 minutes too long.

What’s It About?
Bond, James Bond. (No spoilers here!)

What Did We Think?
Liz says: Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, shaken not stirred, starring James Bond and Hans Lander. Seriously, if you saw MI5, and Inglorious Basterds, then you’ve already seen this movie. Still an enjoyable romp, Spectre is on par with Skyfall, leagues ahead of Quantum of Solace (that’s not hard) but falls far short of the high-rolling brilliance of Casino Royale.

What’s it about?
Julia Roberts, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Nicole Kidman star as investigators whose lives are turned upside down when one of their children is brutally murdered.

What did we think?
I can’t remember if Kidman was a good actress back when her face could move, but she certainly isn’t now. Luckily Roberts and Ejiofor are outstanding in this gripping thriller, which keeps you guessing and makes you feel pretty damned good about yourself when/if you work out the plot twists before they happen (er, yes, that would be me). A tale of obsession, revenge and, of course, secrets, it’s well told and expertly directed by Billy Ray, though confusion between past and presence could have been avoided if they’d just removed the beard on Ejiofor’s younger self.

What’s it about?
What is it About : An anxious and lonely young college student gets caught up in the glamourous, exciting yet deluded plans of her older, soon-to-be step sister (Greta Gerwig).

What did we think?
Alice Barbery says:  A slick and polished script sweeps the audience along in a whirlwind adventure between two women. The plot gathers pace and keeps unfolding with vigour, driving home the themes of growing up, fitting in and accepting that dreams require hard work and perseverance not just rich friends. This film, set in NYC, is pure delight filled with witty dialogue, likeable characters and relatable themes. By the end you’re compelled to cheer on each character and wish them all well. Intriguing and captivating.

What’s it about?
Tom Hanks plays Cold War figure James B. Donovan, an insurance lawyer who defends a Russian spy arrested in America and is then tasked with negotiating his exchange for a pair of American prisoners in Berlin.

What did we think?
Nick says: No-one knows how to move a film camera like Spielberg, and Bridge of Spies shows that he’s still on his game. He’s got a great cast to work with, best of which is Mark Rylance, who plays the Russian spy with understated charm. The first half has some terrific suspense sequences and character moments, and while there’s less of those to enjoy in the procedural-like happenings of the second half, the ending drives the emotion home and makes the whole film well worth seeing.

What’s it about?
A dramatic retelling of Whitey Bulger and his rather rocky “alliance” with the FBI.

What did we think?
Nick says: Depp delivers a terrific performance that I’d count as Oscar nomination worthy and the ensemble shines when they’re given room to breathe, but there are a few questionable narrative choices and a lack of striking imagery that would have made this something special.

What’s it about?
A 70 year-old retiree (Robert De Niro) gains an internship at an online fashion store run by a harried young woman (Anne Hathaway). Hijinks and life lessons ensue.

What did we think?
Lisa says: On paper, The Intern sounds like simple, inoffensive fun. It’s a cute concept, helmed by an accomplished (in this genre) director and has a great cast.

Disappointingly the end result is far less than the sum of its parts. The tone is incredibly uneven, varying from sweetly sad, to zany, to hackneyed and borderline offensive.

The second half of the film is especially a drag, weighed down by preachy dialogue and plot points that seem both improbable and clichéd at the same time.

Only tolerable if you’re home alone with nothing better to watch.

What’s it about?

During a fierce storm on a mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney is impaled by debris and left behind by his crew, assumed dead. When Watney wakes up, his mission becomes one of survival, where he must think out of the box and “science the shit” out of his limited supplies to contact NASA and let them know he is alive.

What did we think?

Francesca Percy says: First things first: unlike the vast majority of movies, this is absolutely worth seeing in 3D. Every detail is stunning and utterly convincing – 99 per cent of the time I forgot I was watching a film – I was completely immersed in the story unfolding. This was also due to the pitch perfect direction from Ridley Scott, central performance from Matt Damon as Watney and the wonderfully-cast supporting actors.

The story really never lost my attention – I was on the edge of my seat for much of it, but that was balanced by the ingenuity and enthusiasm of Watney and the people trying to find a way to bring him home, the surprising moments of humour, and the genuine moments of joy that must come from being a pioneer on another planet.