FILM: Jason Bourne (dir: Paul Greengrass, 2016)

"Jason Bourne is in play."

...so the old band gets back together, and - almost as if Legacy never happened - the franchise clicks back on track with a bang.  Although it does not do anything particularly new, Jason Bourne does the action/thriller/conspiracy elements very, very well indeed.  No longer almost prescient in its use of surveillance technology, this chapter is terrifyingly on the money in capturing the zeitgeist, which also locks into a clever and convincing backstory narrative element for Bourne that provides not only personal motivation for the character but also was probably a clear enticement for Damon and Greengrass to return.  The cast is top-notch, and it is noteworthy that Damon creates a simultaneously powerful yet shadowy character so effectively.  All the series trademarks are present, but it is the Las Vegas finale that is the stand out set-piece, so brilliant in its editing and staging that you just want to applaud it.  Jason Bourne is an excellent piece of action entertainment, with an ending to make you smile and the promise of further adventures.

FILM: Star Trek Beyond IMAX 3D (dir: Justin Lin, 2016)

"This is where the frontier pushes back!"

Beyond is a terrific celebration in the franchise's fiftieth year, proving to be not only to be best of the latest reboot movies but almost up there with First Contact and The Wrath Of Khan.  In spite of the unnecessary bile heaped on the second of the new Trek films by disgruntled franchise obsessives, Into Darkness was still a decent blockbuster sci-fi movie, but this third entry ramps up virtually every component to great success.  It is a superb sci-fi action romp that still takes time to let the great cast's character moments shine, with scale, thrills and momentum and a couple of truly jaw-dropping moments that make it hugely enjoyable.  The story and dialogue are tight, punchy and well-constructed, even if the bad guy's's backstory is not terribly hard to work out. Idris Elba is a decent (if, as ever, a little underused) villain, and Sofia Boutella is excellent as the alien character Jaylah. The effects work is simply stunning - the Yorktown space station is an amazingly-detailed Escher-styled construct that really comes into its own in the fantastic finale - and Michael Giacchino's score works so well yet again.  It is also to the film's credit that the passing of Leonard Nimoy is made a very thoughtful part of the current timeline's Spock's story here.  There is no doubt that hardcore Trek fans who are still stuck in the 60s will hate this, but if you are looking for a slick, modern sci-fi event movie that delivers on action, character and spectacle, Beyond is going to be hard to beat this year.

FILM: The BFG IMAX 3D (dir: Steven Spielberg, 2016)

"Never get out of bed...never go to the window....and never look behind the curtain...."

This version of The BFG is one of the more faithful Dahl adaptations in both tone and content, contributing to the film's successes and minor problems.  It is typical Spielberg - controlled, heartfelt and every shot counts - with expectedly strong support from his usual team, such as another lovely score by John Williams, assured scripting from Melissa Mathison and some truly delightful design work all round.  There are wonderful performances from Mark Rylance (mo-capped as The BFG himself) and a sparkily confident Ruby Barnhill as the young girl he comes to befriend.  In spite of being charming and full of whimsy, and starting in that timeless movie-fantasy version of London that best suits Christmas films (or Harry Potter!), the relatively thin source material here translates into an rather careful pace and is at times uneventful, especially in the middle section, but the film is rarely without the warmth of the central pair's relationship to carry it along, and overall this film with rightly become a children's favourite.

FILM: Ghostbusters IMAX 3D (dir: Paul Feig, 2016)

"It just makes me feel all warm and tingly inside."
"It's probably the radiation."

Feig's 2016 Ghostbusters is a highly respectful and very entertaining reboot.  The first act is a little slow with a slightly dull focus on Wiig's scientist character, but as the team comes together and the more familiar Ghostbusters world is re-built the film soon comes to life.  The leading quartet are all fine (individually and as a group), Chris Hemsworth steals the show as the hilarious and incredibly dim himbo secretary Kevin, and the cameos by the (surviving) old cast are nicely done - keep watching through the credits for the final one.  Effects are top-notch, there is a pleasingly ramshackle quality to the team's expanded range of home-made equipment, and the huge-scale finale impresses in which the ladies truly kick some spectral butt.  This film hits the right nostalgia buttons whilst making the concept fresh enough for a contemporary audience, with an ending that sets up the team for a welcome sequel.

FILM: Now You See Me 2 (dir: Jon M Chu, 2016)

"Magic is...controlling perception."

The first film was an entertainingly daft romp with some sparky characters; this sequel is oddly unengaging.  The somewhat carefree plotting of the original is replaced here by extremely careful explanation (the film feels too long) and such explicit detailing of every trick on show that makes every step routine and even completely undoes any element of surprise in the final rug-pulling illusion by pointing out every element of how it will be done in an obvious and heavy-handed fashion.  Indeed, the issue of magic being mere illusion is compounded by film being an even bigger illusion, leaving little with which to leave the audience guessing.  Lizzy Caplan makes a strong replacement for Isla Fisher, Jesse Eisenberg again shows he is much better on-screen when not trying to create a character too far from-the-norm, the less said about Woody Harrelson's 'twin brother' the better, Daniel Radcliffe has a couple of effective moments as the nominal villain and Mark Ruffalo's acting transcends the material, but overall no-one is really given anything to seek their teeth into.  The key locations (Macau and London) look fantastic, and there are a couple of nice pieces of set design, but the overall feel is too careful and planned to really catch fire.

FILM: The Legend Of Tarzan IMAX 3D (dir: David Yates, 2016)

"Where are you going?"
"To get some friends."

The Legend Of Tarzan is the latest incarnation of the oft-told tale and definitely one for the 2016: epic in style, serious in tone and bombastically blockbuster at times.  The extra time afforded the screenplay while the project got shuffled around Development Hell means that there is an interesting structure, starting mid-story and using well-placed and not overdone flashbacks to fill out the story, leading to a strong final act that brings together all the story elements effectively, even if dialogue mostly borders on the bland.  Skarsgard mixes power with a thoughtful morose demeanour as a workable Tarzan, Margot Robbie again proves a real asset to any project as she gives a strong performance which essentially remains a kidnap-victim role in spite of the film's attempt to convey a more feisty Jane character,  and Samuel L Jackson works well as the audience's mediator of the new-to-the-jungle experience.  There are some very well-staged action sequences, some delightful Tarzan-animal moments and some beautiful lavish landscapes (part of the fun is spotting which were most obviously shot in Leavesden's soundstages and backlots), and whilst this is a very expensive movie there are still a couple of terrible CG moments in amongst so much terrific technical achievement.  The mix of history and BIG themes (slavery, exploitation, the environment - just watch that foregrounded trainload of elephant tusks trundle by) does feel a little forced at times, but it does give the story and motivations good focus.  Overall, The Legend Of Tarzan is a good, well-directed film which - like all takes on classic stories - is clearly a product of our times.

FILM: Absolutely Fabulous The Movie (dir: Mandie Fletcher, 2016)

"Oh, by the way, I'd avoid the Jacuzzi...."

The Ab Fab movie manages to get much more right than many recent TV-to-big-screen adaptations, and it also feels more like the original series run than some of its own revival TV specials.  To its credit, many of the significant or popular characters return and are largely used to function purposefully in a serviceable plot, it is stuffed with minor-celebrity cameos and there are a reasonable number of good lines (although the film can hardly be called a laugh-fest).  Inevitably, the intimacy and condensed energy of the half-hour sitcom format is often lost, but the central characters prove indestructible and the performers recreate them with ease - Joanna Lumley in particular remains a total comedic delight with her timing and detail.  Overall this movie is a reasonably entertaining romp that does not besmirch the reputation of the series.

VOD: Nina Forever (dirs: Ben and Chris Blaine, 2015)

"I'm NOT an ex."
"You're dead!"

Nina Forever will certainly not be to everyone's taste: it is bloody, subversive, grim and requires a complete suspension of disbelief.  Go with it, however, and there is much to admire, not least the fact that its genuine engagement with love and grief almost makes the viewer forget that this is a film involving necrophilia.  The central couple (played by Cian Barry as the bereaved partner and Abigail Hardingham as his new love) are very effective together and in particular there is strong work by Fiona O'Shaughnessy (Utopia's Jessica Hyde) as the back-from-the-dead Nina, with all three giving committed, nuanced and credible performances.  It is thoughtfully constructed, with great use of sound, some beautifully bleak shots and very dark humour, but at its heart is one of the most bizarre and intriguing love triangles seen on screen, making Nina Forever a challenging but fascinating story.

VOD: Muck (dir: Steve Wolsh, 2015)

"I like this shovel!"

Hearkening back to old-school (i.e. 1980s) horror, with Raimi's The Evil Dead a particular touchstone, Muck is a difficult film to warm to, with wildly uneven performances, plotting for which the word 'random' was invented and an uncertain tone.  It starts interestingly by wrong-footing the viewer as we join the characters at what feels like the end of a previous movie (and indeed the internet suggests this may be the middle part of a trilogy, with the next/second film being the prequel), but even at this point the cardboard characters who are not particularly likeable and unconvincing dialogue are distancing for the viewer.  There are a couple of reasonable gore gags, and the design of the attackers creates a good look, but these are not enough to sustain the movie.  Whether deliberate or not, the presentation of the female characters is consistently and routinely exploitative from beginning to end, which is just one aspect of the film that begs the question: is this a knowing send-up (in which case it only succeeds occasionally to a limited degree) or is it just a cheap throwback slasher?

FILM: Central Intelligence (dir: Rawson Marshall Thurber, 2016)

"...and I will never get to be like Molly Ringwald."

Central Intelligence has a solid idea at its core, but this is a classic example of falling short of a potentially much stronger movie than it is.  Dwayne Johnson is the absolute star of the piece and is terrific here, balancing machismo with some genuinely sympathetic character work in a performance that is both consistently charming and powerful, whilst Kevin Hart does manage a few moments when he stops being Kevin Hart and conveys something more considered and effective.  The brief action beats work well, but the comedy - especially in the first act - is disappointingly very undernourished, which is very apparent.  There are couple of extremely well-placed and well-played cameos which lift the movie, and the brief gag reel (after 'The End'  announcement screen) is inevitably enjoyable, but overall Central Intelligence is somewhat over-familiar and undercooked.

FILM: Ice Age - Collision Course (dirs: Mike Thurmeier and Galen T. Chu, 2016)

"I'm feeling butterflies!"
"I'm feeling nauseous."

Entry Number 5 hardly lives up to the thrill ride suggested by the sub-title, as this franchise has now settled into a very comfortable and unchallenging groove.  Once again, the very simple plot provides the basis for cross-generational drama/comedy/life-lessons as seen in the previous films, and disappointingly most of the Scrat sections appeared in preview material and the new characters are not especially strong. The film raised a couple of chuckles from its target audience (the very young) in the cinema, but apart from the beautiful pin-sharp and vivid animation and a couple of surprisingly near-the-knuckle gags, there really is little here to engage anyone else.