What’s it about?
GIANT ROBOTS fight GIANT MONSTERS!! But this time they DO IT FOR A SECOND TIME!!

What we thought
Dan says: This is Pacific Rim ‘Lite’ and the one thing the original had going for it was that it was ‘heavy’: big characters, strong acting, imposing composition. They’ve replaced that with shrill teens, frenetic CGI and the goofy guy from Star Wars.

The first Pacific Rim film was far better than it had any right to be. This film takes that masterfully realised universe and splashes around the shallow end.

What’s it about?
Three parents really, really do anything to ensure their daughters don’t have sex on prom night.

What we thought
Nick says: A little subversive and very poignant when it needs to be, Blockers is an incredibly effective and funny film that blends its adult comedy nicely with a story of a group of young teens making smart and empowering decisions.

What’s it about?
Simon is a normal kid in his final year of high school. But Simon’s about to tell someone a secret that he’s been harbouring for a very long time. He’s gay.

What we thought
Dan says: You’ve seen this film before. It’s the hollywood teen romance film that you’ve already delighted in. It’s 10 Things I Hate About You. It’s She’s All That. It’s Can’t Hardly Wait. You’d think that the fact that it’s a boy who’s crushing on another boy might make it something different. The cool thing is, it doesn’t. It doesn’t matter at all that it’s a gay relationship instead of a straight one.

And that’s what makes this film matter so very much.

Also, by God it’s funny.

What’s it about?
You know all those 007 villains who seduce and manipulate James Bond? Well this is the film that shows you the training and life circumstances that lead them to that point.

What we thought
Dan says: Imagine if La Femme Nikita had a gun that shot not bullets, but sultry eyes, glistening lips and yearning genitals. This film reads like a 14 year old boy’s private fanfic. And not an emotional healthy boy either. The story telling is a mish-mash of torture-porn, normal porn, and deus ex machina.

The sad thing is there is a clever conceit and a decent storyline hidden deep within this cascade of lazy tropes and rape threats. The only thing going for it is Jennifer Lawrence in the nude, and if that’s your thing then I’m sure it’ll be on Mr Skin in a matter of weeks.

Now excuse me, I need a shower. Ugh!

What’s it about?
This true story describes the immediate aftermath of the September 11 attacks in America where an elite team of 12 American soldiers were sent into Afghanistan to bring American wrath to the anti-American Taliban. America!

What we thought
Dan says: If this were a work of fiction it would be scorned for being two dimensional and predictable. The good guys ride in like white knights, the bad guys are all in black and faceless – perfect for a good bullet to the face. The main villain looks a bit like Jaffar from Aladdin sans parrot.

True stories of war succeed when they cast light on the subtitles of both sides. This story is stripped of all its nuance and packaged up to be perfect wank fodder for the audience members who really hate terrorists (I guess that’s most people). It does leave me feeling unsettled to know that I’m being manipulated into feeling delight when a person’s head explodes.

Nice visuals, occasionally muddy sound and good performances especially from Trevante Rhodes and Michael Shannon.

What’s it about?
A guy with a suit that makes him practically invulnerable fights another guy in a suit that makes him practically invulnerable. Yes, it’s another a Marvel movie. Oh, and 99% of the cast is black. And 95% are women.

What did we think?
Stephen Scott says: Empowerment just reached new highs – which is a good thing. This movie is going to inspire millions of downtrodden kids who’ve never seen anyone like them be the hero – not just non-caucasians, but also non-steroid-pumped-white-males. The women in this flick KICK SERIOUS ASS (physically and intellectually).

Unfortunately a stellar cast and unique premise does not a movie make, and it’s hard to be drawn in by the lacklustre story that doesn’t take any great risks.

There are many great themes touched on – the importance of traditions and when to bend or unfollow them, how to follow your moral compass even if it risks changing everything you believe in, the strength in self-belief – but when the ending is just the rehashed finale of Iron Man AGAIN the whole superhero flick concept just starts getting jaded.