Atomic Blonde
What’s it about?
Charlize Theron goes bananas as an MI6 agent who investigates the death of a fellow agent in Berlin.
What did we think?
Nick says: Putting aside the possible John Wick comparisons, Atomic Blonde is driven by some truly kinetic action that won’t induce seizures, and a great performance from Charlize Theron who asserts herself as a total-badass action-movie star.
Spiderman Homecoming
What’s it about?
Peter Parker juggles life as a teenager and wannabe Avenger. What could go wrong?
What did we think?
Anthony Sherratt says: With great reboot comes great responsibility. So it’s quite a relief that this Marvel-Sony hybrid has successfully returned Spiderman to the MCU in a romp typical of that universe. Thankfully they left out the almost obligatory origin story (no offence Uncle Ben but we’ve seen you enough) and chose to utilise the traditional theme song (taking note Snyder/Nolan?). Sprinkle with well-written characters and a truly impressive performance from Michael Keaton and this reboot truly hits all the marks. Tom Holland captures teenage life well without becoming angsty, RDJ is simply RDJ and the action is just great fun. The only minor grumble is the AI that makes the spider suit more like Iron Man but amidst more than two hours of genuinely funny action, that’s a bit of a nitpick.
The Beguiled
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.
Baby Driver
What’s it about?
Really, it’s all about the music. But ostensibly it’s about a young guy who’s a demon behind the wheel stuck driving for a big-time heist boss. For him to drive at his best, his soundtrack has to be just right.
What we thought
Angela says: You don’t have to be a music nerd to appreciate the musical quality of this surprising little action-packed gem. You also don’t have to understand dance to appreciate Ryan Heffington’s outstanding choreography, seamlessly blending hops, skips, hand taps and explosions with lyrics and melody. Ansel Elgort brings a beautiful charm to Baby, getaway driver extraordinaire, while Jamie Foxx as unhinged bad guy Bats is genuinely terrifying. Jon Hamm’s Buddy is slightly OTT and Kevin Spacey’s Doc is only a monotone psychopath, nothing more, but this is a great little romp, with action, occasional belly laughs and, of course, that wonderful music.
Cars 3
What’s it about?
Flash McQueen is back with his friends racing, learning and interacting with a world OBVIOUSLY made for characters who have hands despite the fact that NOBODY has any hands. I mean seriously! Doesn’t this bother anyone else?!
What we thought
Dan says: Nascar itself isn’t this boring. At least it’s supposed to go around and around without actually getting anywhere. Part of the story involves embracing the love of what you do and rejecting selling out. The irony was not lost on me.
All Eyez on Me
What’s it about?
The story of successful nineties gangster rapper Tupac Shakur before he became a hologram.
What did we think?
Dan Beeston says: The tale told here is so one-sided it feels like the other two sections of the Rashomon went missing. Tupac is portrayed as a cultural leader for whom butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth, and then justifying his abuse of the trappings of his success. Like that one kid who’d plead “I was hanging out with the bad kids sure, but I’ve never done anything bad myself”.
There’s a lot of information and swearing to get through. Tonally it often feels cartoonish. You could almost cast Samuel L. Jackson in every single part and it would only make it slightly more comical. But the viewers job isn’t to cast judgement. It’s to delight in the tale of this version of Tupac. To revel in his heroism. Add an extra star if you’re West Coast 4 EVR.
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.