FILM: Solo - A Star Wars Story IMAX 3D (dir: Ron Howard, 2018)

"...a little rough around the edges, but good!"

Definitely a love letter to the fans, Solo proves to be (mostly) another winning entry in the ever-growing Star Wars collection.  Its bumpy production period is in little evidence here, but it is definitely a three-act experience.  The first act is immediately engaging, a non-stop thrill-ride that takes us to the down-and-dirty side of the Star Wars universe, effortlessly and breathlessly setting up the key plot and character elements of the film, and seamlessly taking in the chase, war and heist genres in swift succession in a thrilling opening.  The second act is more leisurely, developing characters and relationships and adding depth to the main plot, and it is only the final section that feels more uncertain in pace and tone, perhaps taking a little too long over the ending but ending on a high.  Ehrenrich is joyous in the title role, and a strong support cast adds much to the film's success.  John Powell's score is hugely successful, and the film's staging of 'first times' for meetings of characters and icons pushes all the right buttons - indeed, the use of classic iconography from the franchise in new and interesting ways (as Rogue One also achieved) is evident right from the start and very effective.  Third act wobbles aside, Solo is a hugely entertaining romp that might not be very deep but is extremely well crafted, and the possibility of further adventure(s) in this corner of the franchise timeline would indeed be welcome.

FILM: Deadpool 2 IMAX (dir: David Leitch, 2018)

"That's got some zip!"

What a relief - Deadpool 2 is a very entertaining sequel.  It feels a bit more serious than the fresh and more carefree original (but does not go DC-dark), yet this sequel has a manic energy that will bear a repeat viewing to catch everything.  It retains the small-scale focus and storytelling that worked in the first film's favour, but more cash is splashed on the more generic-looking frantic big-league extended set pieces which Leitch handles very effectively.  More jokes hit than miss, and there are plenty of chuckles to be had, including the most excruciating bad pun in recent memory (in the 'baby legs' scene).  Reynolds is simply spot-on in the lead role again, with the returning cast all great fun, especially the magnificent Dopinder, and Josh Brolin makes for a highly effective Cable.  Stay seated for the two mid-credits scenes - the second is particularly funny - but only stick it out to the very end of the credits for a brief music gag if you want to indulge your immature side.

VOD: Jeepers Creepers 3 (dir: Victor Salva, 2018)

"You can do better."

This low-rent threequel - a direct prequel to the second film - finally emerges, telling the threadbare tale of The Creature attacking two remote farms. It is alarmingly cheap in every respect, yet the limited effects do have ambition and occasionally come off well, and there is an attempt at a couple of interesting twists on the mythos.  The cast barely registers, especially the younger actors.  There is nothing to match the magnificent tension of the first half of the original film, but Jeepers Creepers 3 does its best with what little it has.

FILM: I Feel Pretty (dirs: Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein, 2018)

"That's not real."

There is a real tension throughout this movie between making a genuine and affecting statement about body image and its position in that weird realm of ridiculous stereotypical female movie fantasy, with both aspects creating problems for each other.  A little reminiscent of What Women Want, the whole scenario is of course ridiculous and leads to a lot of nonsensical events, but the core issue is handled with some thoughtfulness and awareness.  This is very much the Amy Schumer show, just about proving that Trainwreck was not a one-off, and she occasionally nails a scene or a speech with real impact and emotion, but there are many times that the delivery feels rather off-time or underpowered, suggesting that a tighter script (and less improvisation?) might be in order.  I Feel Pretty is therefore sometimes funny and sometimes thought-provoking, but it remains a strangely inconsistent viewing experience.

FILM: Sherlock Gnomes (dir: John Stevenson, 2018)

"Oh, fertiliser!"

The charming zaniness of Gnomeo & Juliet is all but lost in this oddly serious follow-up, which jettisons most of the wonderfully silly comedy and energy of the original in favour of a rather straight mystery adventure.  Whilst the makers are perhaps to be applauded for not simply repeating the first film, the surprising lack of humour in Sherlock Gnomes is noticeable.  It is animated well, and the voice cast is again solid, with James McAvoy and Emily Blunt again doing engaging work in the lead voice roles, but this is definitely a case where more Gnomes and less Sherlock would have been welcome.