FILM: The Big Short (dir: Adam McKay, 2016)

"This is f**king crazy!"
"It's not.  It's awesome!"

Pitched somewhere between The Office and the truly horrifying reality, this knowingly dramatized account of the modern housing market and banking collapse is a real winner.  This deeply dark comedy is demanding and very densely-written, delivered with aplomb by a terrific ensemble and directed deftly by Adam McKay, using a battery of screen tricks with complete control.  The film engages by reminding the audience of both its truth and its fictionality, whilst delivering the real-world events with sickening sharpness.  The Big Short is a world away from McKay's usual style of humour, and the complexity of the dialogue will not be to everyone's taste, but the result is a riveting, entertaining and superbly-made account of a disgraceful global event.

FILM: The 5th Wave (dir: J Blakeson, 2016)

"None of this makes any sense."

The latest attempt at a YA novel-to-screen franchise starts by blowing its meagre effects budget in the first fifteen minutes on a Roland Emmerich greatest hits tribute, leaving the rest of the film with a very predictable and generic plod as Chloe Grace Moretz tries to locate and rescue her little brother whilst dealing with her two heavy-eyelashed, handsome and wishy-washy love interests and - when she remembers - alien invasion.  The 5th Wave touches on too many previous YA film tropes (and Moretz is no Lawrence to hold the audience's attention),  there are silly logic holes, the twist fails to surprise if you are awake, and the dire-logue keeps getting worse (an army barracks scene is the low point).   Ten-year-old girls might declare this to be the best film ever - but curiously the film has an unnecessary 15 rating in the UK - leaving the rest of the audience needing to find a lot of patience.

VOD: Turbo Kid (dirs: F.Simard, A.Whissell and Y-K.Whissell, 2015)

"Let the juicing begin!"

This little indie is a loving and very knowing stab at recreating post-apocalyptic 80s video fodder.  It treads a very fine line between being deliberately awful (imagine Mad Max on BMX bikes) and simply cheap and bad, wavering dangerously between the two in the first half in particular, but there are nods aplenty to genre favourites that raise a smile.  How forgiving the viewer will be depends on their affection and knowledge of the genre and time period, but nevertheless there is fun to be had from the deliciously squelchy and mostly physical gore effects (reminiscent of the early Peter Jackson movies), a superbly on-the-money synth soundtrack and Michael Ironside simply doing what he does best.

VOD: SuperBob (dir: Jon Drever, 2015)

"The name's a bit w**k....It's arrogant in a way, but... looks like it's staying."

This slight but pleasantly amiable British comedy plays on the premise of a very ordinary man being given superpowers and having to deal with his boss, his relationship, the media, the world stage and political powerplay, and finding that having special powers does not make life any easier.  Numerous familiar Brit-com faces pop up, but the movie's saving grace is a very genuine performance by Brett Goldstein as the titular hero.  There are some well-aimed potshots at the Anglo-American relationship and world position, but at times the movie is inconsistent in tone and strength.  This is not Hollywood film-making, and SuperBob does not aim high, but it tries hard and has some good moments.

FILM: Creed (dir: Ryan Coogler, 2016)

"Now that is what I'm talking about!"

This latest film in the current cycle of sly if thinly-veiled reboots/remakes works extremely well.  Writer/director Coogler's take on the earlier and more successful Rocky films is a smart side-step to the franchise that plays out its many and effective references to the past strongly yet also pushes forward and provides a more modern-feeling movie.  Wisely eschewing the series' bombast and melodrama for the most part, this is a more grounded and honest film that enables the actors to convey credible characters and relationships.  Michael B Jordan - one of the more intelligent current young screen performers - is excellent, and Stallone pleases with an enormously considered, wistful and charming performance, one of his career best.  To the film's credit, the two significant female characters are also given material with which to impress, with quality work from Tessa Thompson as Creed's love interest and Phylicia Rashad as his estranged mother.  The two main bouts work well: the first big match is conveyed with a bravura unbroken shot, and the tense and powerful finale bout actually drew a collective gasp from the cinema audience at a certain point.  Coogler is to be commended for his clever development of the material both in writing (the developing relationships between Creed/Rocky and Creed/Bianca are very well handled) and effective directing which makes Creed a surprisingly fresh and entertaining take on familiar material. 

FILM: The Revenant (dir: Alejandro G. Inarritu, 2016)

"You breathe....keep breathing...."

The Revenant reminds us why the big screen is still wondrously important.  This is an astonishing, beautiful, harrowing and thrilling film that leaves the viewer drained - and that is just within the first few minutes. As the poetic opening gives way to a ferociously brutal attack, this is Malick meets Tarantino, and there is more creative and exciting direction and cinematography in that sequence alone than most movies manage in their entirety.   The Revenant is also a classic example of a simple tale told powerfully, amounting narratively to little more than the revenge tale outlined in the trailer, with nods to previous epics like Gladiator (familial dream sequences) and Apocalypse Now, all of which involve a personal journey that takes on greater significance.  DiCaprio is utterly compelling throughout, and there are terrific supporting performances from Gleeson, Poulter and especially Tom Hardy.  This wintry, raw survival tale is wonderfully realised on the screen in every aspect, highlighting the fragility of man against the power of nature from tiny moments such as the delight in catching snowflakes on tongues to Glass being swept away helplessly in a raging torrent.  A challenge to make and at times challenging to watch, The Revenant is a superb and rewarding filmic achievement. 

FILM: Joy (dir: David O. Russell, 2016)

"I don't need a prince."

This is a simple classic Hollywood rags-to-riches fable with a surprising amount of whimsy.  This paean to 'trapped' housewives and the American Dream shows Russell's usual bravura direction and storytelling skills, but it is Lawrence in the central role who sells the whole enterprise, and it is surprising just how much the audience grows to care about her character by the end of the second act.  As ever, Russell creates a great ensemble, with notable support from Bradley Cooper in a well-judged performance and De Niro on good form.  The Russell style and key players might be familiar, but nevertheless Joy delivers well.

FILM: The Danish Girl (dir: Tom Hooper, 2016)

 "Not everything is about you."

The Danish Girl pretty much lives up to expectations: it is a beautifully shot (by Danny Cohen, a Hooper stalwart), leisurely in pace, carefully directed and is as much to do with art, the senses and a remarkable love story as it is with the transgender issue.  Eddie Redmayne is strong if a little theatrical at times, there is good support from Matthias Schoenaerts and Ben Whishaw in particular, but the film undoubtedly belongs to Alicia Vikander in a striking and luminous performance that engages throughout with its nuance and credibility.  There are emotional short-cuts that jar in the second half, but overall the film is sincere, thoughtful and addresses some of the prejudices that still exist.

DVD: Tremors 5 Bloodlines (dir: Don Michael Paul, 2015)

"I don't need fixin'!"

After the Part 4 prequel, the Tremors franchise visits South Africa, but it is very much business as usual for this low budget but enthusiastic series, with Michael Gross's returning character turning into the Halloweens' Doctor Loomis, increasingly crazed in his pursuit of the monster and here acquiring a new partner in Jamie Kennedy which ensures quips aplenty, most of which work.  There is an initial concern that the attacks/deaths will happen off-screen, but after a couple of false starts the creature action steps into gear.  The Graboids develop yet another stage in their lifecycle, but at least in this episode the creature effects are realised effectively.  For a minor fourth sequel, Bloodlines holds few surprises but it is decently made and has a narrative that hangs together with purpose.