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Ambition has rarely looked this frantic – or this exhausting – on screen. I almost made the same mistake with Marty Supreme that I once made with Whiplash. I remember thinking: ‘Why would I go and see a film about a drummer when I have no interest in drumming?’ That film completely floored me and now comfortably sits among my top films of all-time. So yes, I could very easily have looked at Marty Supreme and thought: ‘Why would I go and see a film centred around table tennis?

You’ll have a whale of a time! From the opening moments, the latest SpongeBob movie instalment fully commits to ‘nonsense’ – dialling the randomness up to levels that somehow surpass the already ‘bonkers’ standards set by earlier films. This may well be the most ‘barmy’ entry yet, which is really saying something. The film loosely follows SpongeBob SquarePants (Tom Kenny) as he blunders into yet another absurd quest, joined by Patrick Star (Bill Fagerbakke), a perpetually irr

The third blockbuster foray into the Na’vi world of Pandora is undeniably more of the same. And whether you’re a fan of the previous two movies will literally dictate how much that is a good or bad thing. As a visual spectacle, once again, the special effects are absolutely top drawer from filmmaker James Cameron and company – arguably the best ever seen on the big screen. But, and it’s a BIG but. To the casual film-goer who maybe saw the second film because of a 13-year hiat

A festive flasher that never quite lets loose. This reimagining of the 1984 cult original still feels deliciously transgressive – and an obvious candidate for a modern remake – with Rohan Campbell (Halloween Ends) stepping into the blood-soaked boots of Billy Chapman. After witnessing his parents’ brutal murder at the hands of a man dressed as Santa, Billy grows up haunted by the trauma, eventually embracing the red suit himself as he sets out to punish those he deems naughty

You could just pretty much ‘cut and paste’ my review of the first FNAF film – minus the initial thrill of seeing this video-gaming world unravel on the big screen. The same things that reared its head just over two years ago are still prevalent in this very lazy and underwhelmingly predictable sequel. Yep, for younger fans it’s nice to see the introduction of new characters from gaming lore, but bar that fan service, this is as basic as they come. Once again it falls into tha

This sequel to 2016’s Zootropolis has just reminded us how magical a trip to the movies can be. In a year where cinema has been crying out for a true family-friendly blockbuster with heart, humour and genuine craft, the latest Disney animation has bounced onto screens – with a genuine cinematic buzz.  In what may go down as one of the toughest years for movies – both in quality and box-office takings (bar the recent Wicked: For Good of course) – this animated sequel is not on

After a meandering start, this second instalment of the musical juggernaut springs into life to provide a fitting finale to the two-parter.   It ends up being just about the equal of the first film, even if the lack of memorable toe-tapping numbers seen last time round, have to be replaced with an emotional underbelly to pull it through its weaker moments.   And it works. The last hour in particular is very enjoyable. And being 25 minutes shorter than its predecessor makes it

The Horsemen Juniors breathe new life into the magical franchise. After a nearly-decade hiatus the leading ‘Horseman’ J Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg) re-appears to enlist a trio of young illusionists – Charlie (Detective Pikachu’s Justice Smith), Bosco LeRoy (The Holdovers’ Dominic Sessa) and June (Borderlands’ Ariana Greenblatt) – after they stage a fake Four Horseman magic show, to mirror their traditions of exposing amoral activity. After Daniel receives a tarot card from

Edgar Wright’s remake is action-packed – but surprisingly light on substance. As a lifelong fan of the British filmmaker – the sort who still quotes the Cornetto Trilogy (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and The World’s End) regularly – I was genuinely excited to see him take on Stephen King’s The Running Man. If ever there were a story suited to his flair for kinetic action and sharp humour, this seemed like it. Glen Powell steps in as Ben Richards, a desperate man flung into a d

As a film reviewer myself, I usually avoid reading other reviews before I see a film – I don’t like going in with someone else’s opinion rattling around my head.   But with Christmas Karma, curiosity got the better of me. I had a little peek . . . and yikes. There have been some really scathing reviews!  Normally, that would be enough to put me off, but my mum really wanted to see this – and you don’t cancel a Christmas cinema trip with your Mum. That would put anyone on Sant

Despite potential fears that ‘dumbing down’ Predator from its more accustomed bloodier rating of ‘15’ to ‘12A’ would impact the series – it couldn’t be further from the truth. Director Dan Trachtenberg follows up his highly-acclaimed direct-to-streaming entry with the Native American-set Prey, to provide something just as spectacular – in a completely different way. This is without doubt looking to the future by giving the franchise a ‘broader’ appeal. And it works. In fact,

Pure joy for kids – and surprisingly delightful for adults too! When I asked Gav if I could review Gabby’s Dollhouse, he didn’t exactly put up much of a fight when allowing me to do so! As a middle-aged man, I’m certainly not the target demographic, but my seven-year-old son really wanted to watch it, and erm... we did. And I must be honest when I say that... I became fully immersed in the experience. The film stars Laila Lockhart Kraner, reprising her role as Gabby (as from

Props to my cousin’s son, Joey Miller, for churning out some distinctively bloody ingenuity for the horror genre. Having hit acclaimed streaming services such as Apple TV and Google Play (to rent or buy) in the past week, the Eye-based writer had his script picked up, and tackled by director DW Medoff (2023’s Pollen). But most importantly, was the stellar signing of Hollywood star Jackie Early Haley – who had already cut his teeth in the horror playground by portraying the ic

A chilling sequel that rings true... Black Phone 2 takes the eerie premise of its predecessor and ventures deeper into thrilling, supernatural territory. Directed once again by Scott Derrickson (Doctor Strange), the film sees Ethan Hawke return as the menacing Grabber, while Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw reprise their roles as youngsters Finney and Gwen Blake. Newcomers Demián Bichir (Alien: Covenant) and Jeremy Davies (Saving Private Ryan) also add fresh texture to the e

Will TRON ever have a large enough following to make the box-office money it so desperately wants from a big-budget movie? Yep – as me and my son found out at Easter with the ninety minute plus queue for the Lightcycle ride at Orlando’s Disney World – the appetite is potentially there, but the series really does seem to struggle to reach blockbuster status. And here, despite visual decadence, this – just like with the original TRON (1982) and it’s Legacy sequel (2010) – never

A small film with a big heart – and one that’ll stay with you long after the credits roll. I took my mum to see I Swear, and before the lights dimmed, I warned her there would probably be tears based on what I’d seen in the trailer. There were indeed tears. Lots of them. Not just from us, but from several people around the room. But there was laughter too – and gasps – the kind of emotional ‘ebb and flow’ that only a film truly in tune with its audience can pull off. Directed

It doesn’t deliver the knockout blow its pre-release hype threatened – but it lands just enough punches to keep you watching. The title...

Let me say it right off the bat – this is a perfect five-star movie! I don’t throw out a score like that lightly, but the latest film...

Big and bold in ambition – but not always in its execution. Some films wear their intentions proudly on their sleeve, and A Big Bold...

More of the same – and that’s exactly why it works. There’s something wonderfully soothing about returning to Downton Abbey. The Grand...