American Made
What’s it about?
A morally flexible airline pilot is recruited by the CIA to fly over Central America. He ends of taking side deals with just about every party available and becomes a highly successful drug smuggler. But how long can he burn the candle at four/five/six ends?
What did we think?
Anthony Sherratt says: It’d be easy to describe American Made as a Tom Cruise mash-up. Flying with aviator sunglasses? Check. Being shown the money? Check. Flashing a cheeky smile and relying on charisma to get through tricky situations? Check! But while this based-on-a-true-story isn’t blockbuster material it is actually a fun romp combining political satire with larger than life antics that make you laugh AND engage you emotionally. Unexpected depth with nostalgic throwbacks makes this one stand out a bit.
Gifted
What’s it about?
A man is raising his niece, who is a mathematical prodigy. Once her abilities have been discovered, her grandmother fights for custody.
What did we think?
Imogen says: Watch as one of the Marvel Chrises handsomes his way through this beige movie. It’s got everything you’ve ever seen in a heartwarming film:
- a man who’s struggling to raise a child by himself,
- (but does it in a unique and quirky way);
- an equally unique and quirky child with a special talent;
- a two-dimensional love interest character (Jenny Slate, you’re better than this);
- a two-dimensional sassy yet wise black neighbour (Octavia Spencer, you’re WAY better than this).
- an acoustic soundtrack and predictable outcome.
The Dark Tower
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.
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
What’s it about?
50 years after their first adventure launched in comic strip form, spatio-temporal agents Valérian and Laureline finally hit the big screen. In their debut cinematic story, the pair uncover a sinister plot to take genocide to a new level by wiping all knowledge of a peaceful civilisation from galactic history.
What did we think?
Stephen Scott says: Strangely this reminds me of the original Star Wars AND the prequel trilogies at the same time. Like the 1977 classic, you are thrown head-first into a dirty universe, with no back stories to guide you. It’s an assault on your imagination, and a welcome one. Valerian’s universe is spectacular.
Contrariwise, like the flawed prequels, you have to use your imagination to get over the unforgivable plot holes, bordering-on-the-offensive character inconsistencies, and the atrocious miscasting of Dane DeHaan as the (supposedly) womanising tactical genius Valerian.
It’s still good enough to get four stars. Imagine how good it would have been with the appropriate swagger.
Logan Lucky
What’s it about?
Down-on-their-luck siblings join forces with bomb-addict siblings for a heist that will become legendary: the home of NASCAR.
What did we think?
Stephen Scott says: Logan Lucky (3¾★) wins the heist battle of 2017 over Baby Driver (3½★) thanks to a stronger storyline and beguiling characters – interestingly both films use the transition of musical styles to further tension, in this case from country to bluegrass. Soderbergh cleverly mirrors the same story of a fight-against-the-odds for redemption across three encampments without you realising by using sleight of hand, country music, a couple of clever twists, and some good laughs.
BEWARE: the odds are high you’ll end up singing a John Denver classic. Yep. That one.
An Inconvenient Sequel
What’s it about?
Ten years after An Inconvenient Truth, Al Gore is still at it – and with good reason.
What did we think?
Amy Currie says: This is certainly an important film, and its (terrifying) statements about climate change are clearly explained and backed up by solid data. However, the movie itself is blatantly manipulative and spends a lot – like, a lot – of time talking about what a great guy Al Gore is. So great. Wow.
It’s pure propaganda – but when it’s propaganda for good, does it really matter? It’s not a brilliant film, but that’s not the point.
What’s Popular
Halloween
What’s it about?
Mike Myers (the bad one) returns to Haddonfield to wreak havoc on the one night of the year that it feels mostly okay to do so.
What did we think?
Nick John Bleeker says: I walked into the cinema thinking I could handle it and came out of the cinema so horribly wrong. Halloween doesn’t really present anything too fresh, but Jamie Lee Curtis is great and David Gordon Green’s handle on the source material is incredibly solid, and I did kinda shit myself thanks to some of the scares.
3.5 / 5 stars
Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween
What’s it about?
While cleaning junk out of an old, abandoned house just before Halloween, some kids come across an old book and a ventriloquist dummy named Slappy. Spooky chaos ensues. Jack Black eventually turns up.
What did we think?
James Tinniswood says: ERMAGERD, GERSBERMS TER
I HERF TER ADMERT *clears throat* I have to admit I liked this more than I thought I would. It does have a bit of a “made-for-Nickelodeon sequel” feel, but it zips along at a good pace and I was never bored. And I liked that it (mostly) plays like a standalone Goosebumps story to the point where it (almost) didn’t need to go back to the meta “RL Stine is a character” well … until it does and reminds you it’s a sequel.
The kind of movie I would have liked the first Goosebumps to be and the third Jumanji to be. “Goosemanji”. Sony, call me, let’s talk.
Bad Times At The El Royale
Criminals, cool kids and cults. Can it come together?
In Like Flynn
What’s it about?
Root-rat movie-star Errol Flynn’s legend began long before Hollywoodland beckoned, as these adventures recollected from his biographical Beams End illustrate.
What did we think?
Stephen Scott says: In Like Flynn is a boys own adventure gone bad. It has all the elements of a successful movie: the director of Highlander, up-and-coming acting superstars (one is “the next Chris Hemsworth” I read somewhere), a David Wenham cameo (then again, his appearances make up 80% of the movies highlights), and the “true” life story of Errol Flynn … what could go wrong?
Oh, it’s awful. I honestly thought I was watching a 3rd year film students homage to Indiana Jones until Quint from Jaws turned up on the Sirocco. To be fair, aside from a handful of roaming accents, the acting isn’t too bad (with Clive Standen’s Charlie / Quint doing what he can to raise the standard alongside Wenham’s brilliant Dastardly Whiplash), but the script is as wooden and rotten as the boat they sail in, and the whole endeavour just ends up a misogynist try-hard mess.
Rent Highlander or Errol’s Captain Blood instead. This deserves to rest on the floor of the ocean alongside the boat it sunk in.
Editor's Choice
Halloween
What’s it about?
Mike Myers (the bad one) returns to Haddonfield to wreak havoc on the one night of the year that it feels mostly okay to do so.
What did we think?
Nick John Bleeker says: I walked into the cinema thinking I could handle it and came out of the cinema so horribly wrong. Halloween doesn’t really present anything too fresh, but Jamie Lee Curtis is great and David Gordon Green’s handle on the source material is incredibly solid, and I did kinda shit myself thanks to some of the scares.
3.5 / 5 stars
Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween
What’s it about?
While cleaning junk out of an old, abandoned house just before Halloween, some kids come across an old book and a ventriloquist dummy named Slappy. Spooky chaos ensues. Jack Black eventually turns up.
What did we think?
James Tinniswood says: ERMAGERD, GERSBERMS TER
I HERF TER ADMERT *clears throat* I have to admit I liked this more than I thought I would. It does have a bit of a “made-for-Nickelodeon sequel” feel, but it zips along at a good pace and I was never bored. And I liked that it (mostly) plays like a standalone Goosebumps story to the point where it (almost) didn’t need to go back to the meta “RL Stine is a character” well … until it does and reminds you it’s a sequel.
The kind of movie I would have liked the first Goosebumps to be and the third Jumanji to be. “Goosemanji”. Sony, call me, let’s talk.
Bad Times At The El Royale
Criminals, cool kids and cults. Can it come together?
In Like Flynn
What’s it about?
Root-rat movie-star Errol Flynn’s legend began long before Hollywoodland beckoned, as these adventures recollected from his biographical Beams End illustrate.
What did we think?
Stephen Scott says: In Like Flynn is a boys own adventure gone bad. It has all the elements of a successful movie: the director of Highlander, up-and-coming acting superstars (one is “the next Chris Hemsworth” I read somewhere), a David Wenham cameo (then again, his appearances make up 80% of the movies highlights), and the “true” life story of Errol Flynn … what could go wrong?
Oh, it’s awful. I honestly thought I was watching a 3rd year film students homage to Indiana Jones until Quint from Jaws turned up on the Sirocco. To be fair, aside from a handful of roaming accents, the acting isn’t too bad (with Clive Standen’s Charlie / Quint doing what he can to raise the standard alongside Wenham’s brilliant Dastardly Whiplash), but the script is as wooden and rotten as the boat they sail in, and the whole endeavour just ends up a misogynist try-hard mess.
Rent Highlander or Errol’s Captain Blood instead. This deserves to rest on the floor of the ocean alongside the boat it sunk in.