FILM: Disclosure Day (dir: Steven Spielberg, 2026)

CELEBRATING 1,000,000 VISITS TO THIS BLOG!

"Are they children?"
"No."
"Are they people?"
"No."
"Are they human?"

If you want evidence that Steven Spielberg is still a storyteller supreme, Disclosure Day kept a cinema audience still and spellbound for over two hours.  From an excellently-constructed and tight David Koepp script, in some respects this is Close Encounters filtered through the lens of an old-school conspiracy thriller, as parallel narratives steadily bring together the lives of Margaret (Emily Blunt), a local weather presenter, and Daniel (Josh O'Connor), a renegade Government cyber-security specialist, both with particular 'gifts' that stem from mysterious childhood events and who are destined to change the world by revealing long-hidden secrets.  It has great set pieces, some typically smart Spielberg visual flourishes, and a superb and surprisingly tight core cast that includes an impressively excellent performance from Emily Blunt (particularly in the final act), more winning character work from Josh O'Connor, and Colin Firth exuding barely-restrained menace as the pair's nemesis.  Typical Spielberg themes of religion, fairy tales/Disney,  all inform this (for the most part\) restrained yet powerful film.  childhood trauma, covert Government goings-on and - yes - extra-terrestrials in this (for the most part) quite restrained yet powerful film.  With heightened modern geopolitics pushed to the background, Spielberg's eternal optimism for humanity may play a little quaintly in the current climate, but this fusion of classic and modern Spielberg is both impressive in its storytelling and absorbing to watch.

 

FILM: The Mandalorian And Grogu a.k.a. Star Wars - The Mandalorian And Grogu (dir: Jon Favreau, 2026)

REVIEW No. 1,900!

"I try to avoid violence..."

Seven years on from Star Wars IX in cinemas, and with Andor wrapped up with a satisfying conclusion, the second of the more successful Star Wars-universe TV series makes the jump to the big screen with this completely stand-alone/side-mission tale that sees Din Djarin and his sidekick/ward working for the New Republic to find an Imperial warlord via Jabba The Hutt's twin siblings. with Jabba's son held prisoner by the bad guys and Mando also tasked with retrieving him.  With Favreau as director/co-writer, it cleaves closely and authentically to its TV roots and looks great, with sufficient expansion to justify its cinematic format here. It flits briskly from planet to planet as action set-pieces are delivered efficiently, (mostly) effectively and feel over quite quickly.  There are plenty of nice fan-service details and moments to please the die-hards right from the start, but sometimes over-familiar tropes (another Hutt pit, another arena battle royale, another high-speed chase through a Blade Runner-esque city) lack invention although executed well.  Ludwig Goransson's score is terrific, mixing classical-style Williams nods with signature modern/ethnic themes and stylings from the TV show.  Its two titular stars are inevitably the big draw here, with Pedro Pascal delivering more of what makes his characterisation so successful, Grogu - as always - an utter delight, notably when he gets more extended screen time in the second half of the film, and Sigourney Weaver fits well as Mando's Republic boss.  It is also interesting to see a younger and more active Hutt in action, with the great Jeremy Allen White making Rotta (in voice acting) a sympathetic Hutt.   Not quite 'classic' Star Wars, all of the ingredients are here, but oddly you spend a lot of the movie waiting for a big 'moment' that never quite happens which suggests a slight lack of storytelling ambition, and there is never any real sense of jeopardy which neuters the narrative to a degree.  Overall The Mandalrian And Grogu is a very good, solid and entertaining enough outing for the much-loved duo that sticks to its TV origins whilst making just enough development for a cinema showing.

 

FILM: Scream 7 (dir: Kevin Williamson, 2026)

"You did theatre?"

"Not since college..."

Following a well-publicised rocky road with production and personnel, Scream 7 arrives as a reasonably slick and entertaining product.  Following the re-energising and subsequent big city relocation of the franchise for Radio Silence's enjoyable V and VI, the return of the very first film's scripter Kevin Williamson doubles down on the nostalgia front and the franchise's female leads.  After a slightly drawn-out signature pre-title sequence, the first act establishes Sidney's quiet life in a small town (rather like Woodsboro) with her sheriff  husband and children (including her fractious relationship with older teen daughter, Tatum) that is soon upended by the appearance of her old nemesis Ghostface, seemingly the deceased Stu from the original movie, and a familiar string of kills and personal threat follows.  The first act is somewhat talky and determined to reference all the the previous movies as much as possible, but it then does not take long for the fast, furious and somewhat mean-spirited murders to decimate Sidney and her daughter's immediate circle, reducing the possible suspects dramatically (with an outcome that is not dissimilar to one of the Friday The 13th films).  As has become typical of recent long-running horror franchises, the focus is on the empowered female leads, and indeed Courtney Cox and the returning Neve Campbell are undoubtedly excellent in these roles, with Isabel May a strong addition as teen daughter Tatum, and the males largely expendable (although Joe McHale gives solid support as a good husband for Sidney, and Asa Germann is good fun as the neighbour's star-struck son).  If there is an issue - and it is for the franchise as a whole rather than singling out this particular film - it is that it again follows the exact same narrative template as its predecessors, so it becomes a case of doing it well (which Scream 7 does by and large, notably in the pacier action moments) rather than creating  something genuinely innovative - one can only imagine what Christopher Landon's take on the material might have been.   There is a lot of fan-pleasing here, from unexpected cameos to almost throwaway references (which will bemuse viewers without much knowledge of the previous films), and Williamson still knows how to deliver some wry grim humour, although there is an annoying over-reliance on isolating characters by responding to unlikely off-scream noises.  There is obviously value in seeing Sidney re-positioned as a middle-aged mother here, and Scream 7 is a solid entry in the franchise, but its over-familiarity and desperate clinging to the past is a tad concerning going forward.  Note: the mid-credits sequence is nothing more than a trio of seemingly inessential improvised outtakes.
 

FILM: 28 Years Later - The Bone Temple (dir: Nia DaCosta, 2026)

"This is interesting."

If the term 'elevated horror' is still relevant, then it is alive and bloodily kicking in this middle entry of the new 28 Years... trilogy.  It is very thoughtful and economically-written by series stalwart Alex Garland - even Samson the Alpha gets an unexpected and interesting arc.  The film follows only two major narrative threads continuing from the first film - Dr Ian Kelson's developing relationship with the infected Alpha, and young Spike's journey with the murderous Jimmy clan - both of which are told with an impressively simple clarity and calm precision, with their ultimate collision (and its consequences) paying off very satisfyingly indeed.  The film's two excellent lead actors - Ralph Fiennes and Jack O'Connell - dominate the screen and both deliver superb character performances that are utterly absorbing to watch.  The sound mix is notably effective and interesting, although musically the first half may test your patience with an 80s band's back catalogue.  Mercifully, Nia DaCosta manages to deliver and sustain a big commercial movie here, creating a surprisingly steady and contemplative tone punctuated by moments of unapologetically gory violence, giving the nightmarish scenarios and almost cruelly poetic feel.  The perhaps-inevitable fan-pleasing coda seemingly leaves little narrative scope for the threequel, which may allow for another interesting reinvention and exploration.  Arguably better than the first 28 Years..., The Bone Temple is an extremely successful and engaging sequel that will hopefully enable the production of the third fil in Danny Boyle's proposed trilogy.

 

FILM: Hamnet (dir: Chloe Zhao, 2026)

"I'll be brave."

Released in the second week of January 2026 in the UK, Hamnet stakes a very early claim to being the best film of the year, this biographical drama tells the story of the relationship of William Shakespeare and Agnes and the impact of the death of their son from the plague.  Some of director/co-writer Zhao's signature screen stylings - nature, landscapes, quietness and compositions that create great space around characters - are used so well here, indeed making deliberate close ups very impactful.  Even the use of particular high angle shots, at first giving the odd feel of observing a stage from the gallery, is later explained smartly within the narrative.  It is a delicate, almost fragile, film, and Max Richter's exquisite score is vital but unobtrusive, used sparingly but purposefully.  It is one of those films that held its audience still and in silence throughout, apart from two key points at which some people audibly sobbed.  Jessie Buckley's powerhouse performance shows genuine depth and veracity, a genuine expression of love and grief, but it is matched equally by a tremendously thoughtful and sympathetic turn from the increasingly excellent Paul Mescal.  Also of note is the remarkably nuanced presence of young Jacobi Jupe as the ill-fated Hamnet.  The timeline may occasionally puzzle, but then this is not a documentary.  Hamnet is profound, deeply moving, consummately performed and beautifully constructed in every respect.

 

FILM: Avatar - Fire And Ash (dir: James Cameron, 2025)

"I don't know whether to kiss you or yell at you!"

The third Avatar movie is more Avatar 2 Part 2 than something really new, picking up the story a short while after the end of The Way Of Water, with grief inevitably weighing heavily on the Sully family and acting as a running thread that gives a number of scenes added emotional weight and punch.  With renewed threats from the military/corporate invaders and the Ash People, a  Na'vi  tribe that blends mysticism with cutthroat savagery, the film doubles down on the power of family and its environmental/political messaging, the Sullys are split apart often in order to look for/rescue each other, and uneasy and unexpected alliances form in a more action-driven and episodic storyline that all leads to another ridiculously huge battle finale.  The level of technical accomplishment on display should neither be taken for granted nor underestimated, and the level of detail, the multiple elements in a single frame and the marriage of motion capture and animation is often quite extraordinary and unlike any other movie, with some incredibly beautiful images along the way.  With a running time of over three hours, it is to its credit that the film never drags and is again a truly immersive experience (on a cinema screen in 3D).  The lead cast - especially Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang, Giovanni Ribisi and Britain Dalton - deliver strong performances, with Oona Chaplin a worthy addition as the sultry, power-hungry and slightly unhinged Ash Queen, even if the new tribe feels somewhat underutilised.  Balancing frequent dynamic action sequences with dramatic moments, Fire And Ash is nevertheless a remarkable achievement that is an absorbing and entertaining experience, even of in terms of the franchise it feels like, sorry, treading water to some extent. It also serves as a reasonable trilogy-capper, but hopefully James Cameron will deliver his original intention of a five-film cycle.

 

FILM: Silent Night, Deadly Night (2025) (dir: Mike P. Nelson, 2025)

"This...I did not expect."

This unexpected remake of the lurid and at-the-time controversial 1984 slasher takes its core ideas and offers something that is a bit different and surprisingly interesting.  It follows the story of Billy (Rohan Campbell, Corey from the divisive Halloween Ends), traumatised by witnessing the murder of his parents as a child and as an adult donning the Santa suit to mete out deadly vengeance on any wrong-doers, guided by an inner voice Venom-style.  Director/writer Mike P. Nelson obviously wants to give the material a more serious tone than the basic formula slasher original, as he did with his 2021 reboot of Wrong Turn, and his fusion of 80s cinematic stylings and more contemporary psychological shading makes it interesting to follow - the infamous 'antlers' moment makes an appearance, the original's shock schlock value here grounded in something more well-embedded and justified.  Rohan Campbell clearly has the tortured/haunted characterisation pinned down, but here he gives a notably well-thought-out performance that elevates Billy beyond a one-note serial killer and makes his journey and inner justifications more engaging and even sympathetic as a result.  Also of note is Ruby Modine as Pam, dealing with her own significant issues and traumas as his (rather quick) love interest in a sparky and well-balanced turn.  In adding depth and complexity to the simple slasher concept, the film can feel a little overstuffed with its fleeting hits at exploitation in the fostering system and the extreme right alongside elements of child kidnapping and spousal murder, but these are all there to service the overarching theme of everybody having hidden secrets and what lies beneath the surface (of individuals and of the town).  The film inevitably has moments of violence, and the Terrifier-squelch factor increases significantly in the final act.  Whilst far from perfect or indeed significant, this 2025 take on its minor slasher source material has a surprising amount to offer, it is rather well made and it is a lot more interesting than would be expected.

FILM: Tron Ares (dir: Joachim Roenning, 2025)

CELEBRATING 500,000 VISITS TO THIS WEBSITE!

"Maybe there is something wrong with me..."

"...or maybe there is something eight with you."

Some critics have decided to give this third cinematic entry in the Tron franchise a good kicking, but how you respond to the film will basically be determined by whether or not you are fan of the series and of sci-fi in general, as for fans there is much to enjoy.  Dispensing with the first two films with an opening breakneck-speed montage that also introduces two battling tech giants, Encom (working for humanitarian good) and Dillinger (militarising The Grid's supersoldiers, led by new Master Control security program Ares), with both seeking Flynn's Permanence Code that will enable anything brought from computer world into real world to last beyond twenty-nine minutes.  The film does have three basic issues: the script/dialogue is clunky; Jared Leto (as Ares) has little presence, with Greta Lee (as Head of Encom) faring little better; and the whole film feels emotionally flat and unengaging.  However, Evan Peters (as the determinedly ruthless Head of Dillinger) and Gillian Anderson (as his icy matriarch) are great, the Nine Inch Nails soundtrack is absolutely glorious, there is lots and lots of world-of-Tron-styled digital eye-candy (with even a cheeky recreation of a famous Akira motorbike shot), and there are many pleasing fan-service moments and big lively set pieces (notably the whole of the third act).  The film is a fairly relentless assault on the senses, which non-fans will dismiss as noisy sci-fi nonsense, but Tron fans will have a very entertaining couple of hours,  (Note the brief scene that appears shortly into the end credits; let us hope that it does not take another fifteen years for the next sequel to appear).

 

FILM: Weapons (dir: Zach Cregger, 2025)

"What the f**k...?"

Following up on the promise shown in Barbarian, writer/director Zach Cregger presents what is for the most part an old-school mystery-thriller with impactful moments of gleeful gory horror (think Sam Raimi and Eli Roth), as seventeen students from the same school class leave their homes and disappear at 2.17am, with the town's anger and frustrations pointing very firmly at the young class teacher Justine Gandy.  Telling the story of a month after the appalling event, the film takes the form of chapters, telling the events through different interconnecting characters' lives and allowing the viewer to piece together the solution to the mystery.  The film is meticulously crafted in storytelling, sound  and on-screen presentation, with Cregger in complete control of his narrative and audience, largely through use of camera and editing; the film held the cinema audience in the palm of its hand for two hours, including the moments of shock and of humour release (especially in the all-out finale).   It is stacked with a quirky cast of strong character actors, notably Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Alden Ehrenreich and Benedict Wong.  It is also fun to try to work out how some of the striking moments from the trailer will fit in along the way.  To say any more would spoil the mystery, but Weapons is a very accomplished and engaging commercial movie. 
 

FILM: The Fantastic Four - First Steps (dir: Matt Shakman, 2025)

"Ladies and gentlemen - we have a successful launch!"

If *Thunderbolts proved to be something of a return to form for Marvel, the the launch of The Fantastic Four into the MCU runs with it and brings it home in style.  Even though it covers the basic story of 2007's adequate Rise Of The Silver Surfer, First Steps is a considerable upgrade all round.  Thankfully sidestepping a full-on origin tale (dealt with deftly in an early TV tribute montage for 'Four Years of The Fantastic Four'), Marvel's big theme of family is dealt with head on, not least with Sue and Reed's baby and the inter-familial relationships of the Four themselves, playing into a threat that is both global and very personal, and also making the characters more human and less one-dimensional than previous iterations, which also surprisingly applies to Galactus and Silver Surfer here.  It is effortlessly watchable and engaging, the story is tightly written and flows wonderfully, the retro-stylings give the whole film a wonderful aesthetic, the core characters' performances and interactions are excellent, and Michael Giacchino's score is sublime (again, one of his best).  This film is also evidence of Marvel's push for better quality control, as the VFX sequences are both ambitious and very well-realised throughout, standouts being an extended hard-sci-fi space sequence and the action-packed finale.  Also to relish is the incidental detail director Shakman brings to scenes (one can only wonder what his late-abandoned fourth Kelvin Star Trek movie could have been after seeing this), as he handles both enormous-scale scenes and smaller character work with aplomb.  There are mid- and end-of scenes with the end credits that presumably nod to the upcoming Avengers movies (the mid-credits scene is particularly ominous).   This is superhero storytelling at its best, pitched just right for both the younger and older audiences, and the quality of the production as a whole sees Marvel aiming for the top once again and pretty much hitting it.
 

FILM: Jurassic World Rebirth (dir: Gareth Edwards. 2025)

"No-one's dumb enough to go where we're going!"

Only three years since the second-trilogy closer Dominion, the new (seventh) Jurassic movie moves the timeline along five years in a fairly stand-alone chapter that for the most part frees itself from its overburdened immediate predecessor, but still containing playful nods to the franchise's past.  After a pulpy prologue and a lengthy (and wordy) first act that assembles a group of hire-for-pay mercenaries along with a scientist, a local sailor and an Aliens/Burke-like shady company suit that does a good job of establishing the main characters, the film then sets itself - story and structure - on three missions to collect live DNA from sea/land/air creatures for world-changing medical research and then escape from Ile Saint-Hubert, another long-abandoned Ingen R&D site.  Gareth Edwards wrangles the giant-creature elements with the expected aplomb, with true blockbusterly-spectacular action set-pieces (the highlight being the surprisingly Jaws-like extended seabound section), alongside more interestingly-drawn characters than perhaps usual for this franchise, with an excellent top-line cast of Jonathan Bailey, Mahershala Ali and especially Scarlett Johannson, all of whom bring a brisk but grounded and very watchable humanity to their roles.  Just when you think the film has evaded the franchise's seeming demand for a cute child every time, up pops a random and dull shipwrecked family, whose B-plot journey offers the most uninteresting parts of the movie, bar a tense river escapade.   Although Rebirth looks and feels quite fresh, ultimately it delivers more of the same that has been shown before in the series but bigger or with a slight twist on previously-used scenarios and locations, such as the classic 'kitchen stalking' scene here taking place in a similarly-aisled gas-station shop, as the series at this point can do little but cannibalise itself.  Nevertheless, Rebirth is certainly one of the better entries in the series so far in spite of the lacklustre family strand, with main characters that do not irritate and some genuinely sweeping big-screen visuals.  

 

FILM: 28 Years Later (dir: Danny Boyle, 2025)

"You feel good?"

"I think so."

After nearly two decades, this third film in the cycle was definitely worth the wait.  Opening with a typically brutal attack highlighting (foreshadowing?) the fact that no community is safe in the Rage-virus-ravaged situation, what then unexpectedly emerges is an absorbing and intelligently-written coming-of-age/rites-of-passage tale that follows twelve-year-old Spike, as he makes his first trip from their isolated island community with his father to the unsecure Infected-filled mainland and finds himself facing the nature of mortality and some harsh realities concerning both parents.  The film cleverly places this current tale into the of 28 Days/Weeks world through conversational drop-ins (with the ending of the second film dismissed in a single sentence on the opening title screen), a couple of which very humorously highlight the boy's isolation as the rest of the world has moved on in ways familiar to us today.  It is very, very Danny Boyle, and cinematically uses many signature tricks from multiple and unusually-deployed cameras, near-experimental collisions of visuals and sound, flash-cut action and masterful moments of beautiful visual composition, which might not be to the taste of casual fans of The Walking Dead looking for a straightforward zombie munch-fest (although the film does not stint on that aspect, with brisk attack sequences that are uneasily tense and full-blooded).  The evolution of the Infected gives a new edge, with the pack mentality and the mighty Alphas offering a new threat.  The film also veers off into unexpected and interesting places, notably in the second half and particularly after a pivotal heartbreaking central family scene and a subsequent decision that fuels the rest of the movie, which maintains interest and develops both story and emotional core well.  The lead family trio is nothing short of superb, with utterly captivating performances by Jodie Comer as the ailing mother, Aaron-Taylor Johnson as the gritty practical father and a truly remarkable turn by young Alfie Williams as their son Spike who carries the film so well, and there two very strong character performances from Ralph Fiennes and Edvin Ryding. A couple of seeds are sown as potential for the second film in this proposed new trilogy (with no end-credits scene(s)), including a final scene which has a tonal shift that is somewhat jarring and may suggest a somewhat different film without Danny Boyle in the director's chair.  Nevertheless, 28 Years Later is elevated horror that offers a genuine and absorbing emotional journey and is extremely well made. 

 

FILM: Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning (dir: Christopher McQuarrie, 2025)

"It's a long story..."

After nearly thirty years, the eighth (and apparently last) film in this iteration of the Mission: Impossible film series delivers in style.  It is a long film - getting on towards three hours - but comfortably so.  The viral parasitic AI Skynet - sorry, The Entity - has now expanded to such an extent that reality and truth in the world are in short supply, and it is now taking over the world's nuclear powers' missile systems with malicious intent, with Ethan Hunt's past actions inadvertently and retrofittingly contributing to these events which he and his team now have to prevent.  As is typical of a last hurrah, flashbacks and montages deliver on the nostalgia front from the outset and attempt to justify the story, which is not so much tight as precision-engineered in order to link everything together, with the cast valiantly explaining every single step in as much detail as possible as if to a child.  (Do not poke the story too much, however, as it grows increasingly more ridiculous as the film goes along).  Sets, locations and design work are all stunning, and aside from half-a-dozen chucklesome lines, this is a rather sombre affair with more than a whiff of Skyfall at times, perhaps inevitable given its prospect of global nuclear annihilation, and as a result it is strong on the dramatic front.  It has a clear three-act structure, the first half being slowish but interesting; however, the two enormous action set-pieces in the last hour are utterly insane and delivered superbly.  The Final Reckoning uses many of the series' motifs, from masks to countdowns within deadlines, and one particular returnee is a fan-pleasing delight.  Cruise is terrific, and he should be applauded for his extraordinary commitment to the franchise both on-screen and behind-the-scenes over the years.  If this does prove to be Cruise's last outing in the Mission: Impossible world, then this is a very effective, fitting and entertaining final mission.

 

FILM: Final Destination - Bloodlines (dirs: Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein, 2025)

"When you f**k with Death, things get messy..."

After a fourteen-years break since the fifth film of the franchise brought the story full circle neatly, this welcome soft reboot sets the story in motion with a spectacular vertigo-inducing opening of utter carnage that indicates the tone of what is to follow, which in the case of this outing ups the gloopy gore quotient and ladles on the very dark humour to entertaining effect.  In many ways Bloodlines sticks to the tried and tested formula of its predecessors, but here Death not only goes after survivors but the descendants who should not have existed as a result, with the focus on the last remaining family, led effectively by the increasingly traumatised college student daughter Stef (well played by Kaitlyn Santa Juana, in an unusually strong ensemble cast).  Portents and potential dangers abound, with nicely-placed subtle references to the wider franchise and elements from the earlier movies for existing fans, the writing is pleasingly tight and its various twists make sense.   The big set pieces - and indeed the whole film - look suitably cinematic for its budget, and the great Tony Todd's final screen appearance scene is heavily poignant.   The self-contained Bloodlines may well give the Final Destination franchise an new generation of fans with this surprisingly strong, fun and unpretentious entry that delivers extremely well.

 

FILM: Thunderbolts* (dir: Jake Schreier, 2025)

"We needed that."

As the rather awkward and incoherent Phase Five comes to a close,  Thunderbolts* marks a cautious but notable return to form for Marvel with this enjoyable outing by managing the peculiar feat of being both quintessentially old-school Marvel and at the same time offering something a tad different.  It takes returning formerly-second-tier characters and pushes them front and centre in a very contained manner, with the villainous Valentina (an entertaining Julia Louis-Dreyfus) trying to expunge all evidence before her impending impeachment, including luring Yelena (the magnificent Florence Pugh, who owns this movie), The Falcon And The Winter Soldier's incarnation of Captain America, John Walker, Ava/Ghost from the AntMan sequel and the unstoppably comedic David Harbour as Yelena's father to a death trap where they encounter Robert Reynolds, the only surviving member of The SENTRY Project, whose emerging powers cause major problems as the story develops.  With Bucky Barnes (the ever-reliable Sebastian Stan) now a congressman who gets involved along the way, this new team forms slowly but organically to face their new and very real threats.   Pitched somewhere between the early Captain America films and TV's Agents Of SHIELD in style, and with the usual Marvel touchstones of family, responsibility and what it means to be a hero, Thunderbolts* also flips many of those ideas to tackle mental health in a largely thoughtful and sensitive manner, giving the characters a bit more grounded depth than some of Marvel's recent characters, reflected in its more muted colour palette than usual, although branding Bobby a potential bad guy because he is 'unstable' sticks out awkwardly.  The script is smart and snappy with plenty of sharp barbs and quips, the story flows and develops very effectively that keeps the viewer hooked all along, and the third act really does deliver with some decent action set pieces/fights along the way.  The mid-credits scene is a short fun throwaway, but the (quite long) post-credits scene not only positions this new team going into the next Phase but also sets up a bit of intrigue in the MCU that recent Marvel films have failed to do; this kind of cohesion makes a welcome return, which makes Phase Six something to now look forward to.
 

FILM: Bridget Jones - Mad About The Boy (dir: Michael Morris, 2025)

"You're still in pretty good nick."

Getting on for a decade after the last film, the fourth film of the Bridget Jones series is perhaps unexpectedly very good indeed, doing so by not being a typical rom-com but a rather poignant study of grief, acceptance, relationships and parenthood, following the slight shift away from its ditsy comedy roots that was emerging in the previous entry.  With the extended prologue capably revealing what has happened in Bridget's life in the intervening years, the passage of time finds the main characters mostly approaching middle age, giving the movie a more mature, reflective and thoughtful outlook, ditching the broader silly comedy elements but with some flashes and call-backs to signature funny moments that work well and some killer responses and one-liners along the way.  Zellweger naturally owns the movie, making Bridget still chaotic but with a wonderfully measured depth here, but both of her love interests - the younger Leo Woodall and her son's science teacher Chiwetel Ejiofor - have genuine character arcs of their own and give excellent performances.  Hugh Grant has become the secret weapon for any movie recently, here including an hilariously-delivered early scene with Bridget's children and a heartbreaking later one that he nails perfectly, and the many returning characters give the film a familiar warmth.  Along the way, there are genuine moments of unadulterated joy and pure melancholy that make this a slick, professional, well-made and yet surprising and very heartfelt entertaining movie.

 

FILM: Captain America Brave New World 3D (dir: Julius Onah, 2025)

"...and yet, here we are..."

If ever a movie screamed 'course correction', it is this one.  Post-Endgame - and possibly derailed by the pandemic, some underwhelming TV shows, losing its next overarching major villain plus the Hollywood strikes - the MCU's Phases Four and Five have felt lacking in connective tissue and momentum, with new characters left dangling and some of the films perhaps unfairly maligned.  Following the smash success of Deadpool & Wolverine, the Marvel machine appears to be swinging back into full throttle with its release slate, and much more so than recent movies Brave New World throws in many references to the franchise past and yet to come.  The film itself is a rather mixed bag, but with some strong positives.  A thrilling aerial America-Japan battle at Celestial Island (from The Eternals, nicely included as a key plot point here) and the Red Hulk reveal moment and subsequent smackdown both deliver very effectively, but as the story leans into the political conspiracy genre for the most part, the first two acts are often talky, choppy and a bit dull - this is certainly not Captain America The Winter Soldier - and the script is not that smartly written. In his first leading solo film in the role, Anthony Mackie's more grounded take on Captain America works with ease, the introduction of Danny Ramirez as Falcon protégé Joaquin Torres is very promising indeed, and Harrison Ford (replacing the late William Hurt) as now-President Ross is apt casting for the needs of the role in this film.  With Phase Five almost concluded, and Captain America charged with 'assembling The Avengers' and an end-credits threat, it will be interesting to see if Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four First Steps can round out what could be Marvel's revival year.

 

FILM: Gladiator II (dir: Ridley Scott, 2024)

"You have something."
 

The seemingly-indefatigable Ridley Scott delivers his belated sequel that offers real blockbuster spectacle and goes bigger and bolder than its 2000 original,  from its extraordinary epic opening battle to the final showdown.  It has a fairly simple story that is told cleanly and clearly, with its beefed-up family ties and Roman politics paying off well in the final act.  The topline actors - Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal and a returning Connie Nielsen - are all excellent here, with Mescal proving to be very capable of carrying the lead role both emotionally and physically, with many strong supporting performances to enjoy also.  If anything, the only real issue is that this sequel relies a little too heavily on the first film in its visuals and story arcs, but this familiarity certainly does not detract from what is a hefty and very entertaining cinematic experience.

FILM: Terrifier 3 (dir: Damien Leone, 2023)

"You're disgusting!"

Happy Christmas!  With a mid-October cinema release slot, Damien Leone's third entry in the Terrifier series makes an obligatory nod to Halloween (when the first two movies took place) but is mostly set in the days before Christmas whilst moving forward five years, enabling the film-maker to juxtapose Art the Clown's bizarre atrocities with warm, cosy and familiar Christmas holiday settings, which the film does to good effect.  The film wears its genre inspirations well, from 80s slasher franchises and Italian nightmare horrors to 2000s torture porn, and the film looks good on the big screen/widescreen, perhaps more interesting cinematically than the second film if not as tight narratively (and a shoehorned in mystical backstory that makes the Thorn storyline from Halloween 6 look plausible).  The sound design and physical/make-up effects teams obviously had a ball, with sound effects foregrounded unpleasantly and gore effects that push the film to its limits, particularly the 'shower scene' from the trailer and the very lively finale showdown.  Particular credit should be given to David Howard Thornton as Art The Clown, who gives another excellent performance of precise mime that makes the character work better than a lot of horror villains, with most of the other characters doing a decent melodramatic job of chewing the furniture.  The Terrifier films are (definitely) not elevated horror but heightened horror, and as provocative indie slasher films, they deliver effectively enough.   

 

FILM: Alien Romulus (dir: Fede Alvarez, 2024)

"You guys are insane!"

Having taken on one major cult franchise with 2013's Evil Dead, Fede Alvarez goes a similar route here with this so-called 'interquel' (i.e. set between the original Alien and Aliens): fan-pleasing to a fault, faithful callbacks and smart modern upgrades.  Here, a group of young people escape from a Weyland-Yutani mining colony for a distant planet, but they need cryotubes from a decommissioned space research station, and their presence triggers a chain of events they could not have imagined...even if the fans know what to expect.  It is faithful to the original, but it is also clearly aware of the prequels/sequels.  There is plenty going on, with lots of jeopardy along the way, and any worries about the possible YA-Alien direction are dispelled quickly in this gritty, sweary and violent world.  In fact, the youngish cast does a good job with selling the material, notably Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson (Rye Lane), Archie Renaux and Isabela Merced.  Alvarez's pereference for physical effects pays off handsomely, and there is plenty of sci-fi eye candy through, from the lived-in aesthetic of the sets to the epic space vistas.  One surprise major callback to the original film (that plays a surprisingly significant part here) is handled well and has been kept very quiet.  The finale has everything but the kitchen sink thrown at it, and an attempt to fuse an element of the wider mythology with - of all things - Alien Resurrection is both bewildering and possibly a step too far.  Overall, Romulus is a lively, bold and back-to-basics sci-fi thriller that mostly delivers well.