FILM: Captain Marvel IMAX 3D (dirs: Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, 2019)

"She can do a lot more than make tea with those hands..."

The long-time-coming female superhero-fronted Marvel movie turns out to be not one of the studio's very best, but once it gets going, is very entertaining to watch.  The first act does some good world-building but feels uncertain, as do the early scenes on 1990s Earth, but as the titular character starts to find her identity, her powers and her purpose, the film picks up rapidly and has great pace and story in the final hour. The cast plays well, with Larson proving to be confident and commanding of attention in the title role, and the effects work is dazzling, with a real sense of scale being created to impressive purpose.  The tie-in to the final Avengers movies comes in the mid-credits scene, with a throwaway joke scene at the very end of the credits.

FILM: Alita Battle Angel IMAX 3D (dir: Robert Rodriguez, 2019)

"I'm with her."

This huge-scale live-ish action 2019 realisation of Alita works much better than the recent adaptation of  another manga/anime classic, Ghost In The Shell.  The swift and efficient story-setting at the start is matched by excellent detailed visual world-building, and very quickly it becomes clear that the action/fight sequences are brutal, fast and very enjoyable, and also surprisingly violent for a 12A-rated film (no doubt the old 'fantasy violence' excuse comes into play).  Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, Mahershala Ali and Ed Skrein all deliver well, with Rosa Salazar engaging through the CGI as Alita and even Keean Johnson managing better than most in similar thankless floppy-haired-eyelash-heavy-boyfriend roles, but occasionally the story and motivations are a little fuzzy and underwritten, especially for the antagonists, but overall the writers have condensed the sprawling fiction into a lively and streamlined single movie.  The only other real problem the film has is the over-familiarity of its influences (Robocop, Rollerball, Blade Runner and so on) and products it has subsequently influenced, but it is all done with a lavish budget and state-of-the-art CG and 3D techniques.  It is remarkable to think of Robert Rodriguez's cinematic journey from the micro-budget El Mariachi to the FX-excesses of Alita, and even though this movie has James Cameron stamped all over it, surely this Rodriguez-directed version is a lot more fun and energetic than a full-on Cameron-fest might have been.  This is hard sci-fi that might not find a wider audience, but for fans of the genre, in spite of a couple of narrative hiccups, Alita delivers spectacularly.

FILM: Glass IMAX (dir: M. Night Shyamalan, 2019)

"If superheroes exist, why are there only three of them?"

After the surprise revelation at the end of Split, Shyamalan's dual-sequel unites Split and Unbreakable in this interesting mash-up.  Low-budget and low-key, the film makes a generally good job of meshing together the characters and ideas behind the two previous instalments, and whilst many of the plot points are too heavily signposted and talked to death, it does maintain interest.  James McAvoy is once again completely watchable as he delivers multiple personalities impeccably and with impressive turn of speed, Samuel L Jackson certainly knows how to deliver a line, and Bruce Willis shows he still has screen presence and thankfully is not required to show too wide a range here.  The narrative lurches along at times, but Shyamalan directs efficiently if a little unevenly and leads to a reasonable conclusion for the characters.

FILM: Aquaman IMAX 3D (dir: James Wan, 2018)

"It's a long story."

As the trailer suggested, Aquaman is built around huge special effects (some awe-inspiring, some oddly cartoon-like) and fulfils the reinvention of the character started in Batman v Superman and Justice League to good effect.  The fundamental DC issue remains, however: you can throw all the effects at the film that you could possibly want, but if at the end of the day the story is an identikit superhero narrative it strains patience somewhat.  There is also an over-reliance on underwater politics, oddly reminiscent of Dune, that slows down the film, but the action sequences are great, even if too many sincere dialogue scenes end abruptly with sub-aquatic soldiers blasting through a wall.  James Wan marshals everything very well as expected, the cast is generally good (Mamoa's swaggering take on the character is sufficiently engaging) but even the CGI battering cannot raise this film above being overly-familiar.

FILM: Bohemian Rhapsody IMAX (dir: Bryan Singer, 2018)

.

"I think it has potential."

If you want the real detail of the Queen story, this film is not the place to look - seek out the excellent BBC4 documentaries.  In spite of its degree of superficiality and glossiness (the middle years and the relative failures get short shrift here), and the difficult production of this long-gestating project, the result is an extremely entertaining and well-made chronological trot through the Greatest Hits catalogue and the key moments of the band's heyday, culminating in a remarkable recreation of the seminal Live Aid performance (in spite of some horribly obvious greenscreening).  In some ways it plays like a bigger-budget Channel 5 biopic, but it is carried by the excellent concert/music sequences (very impressive in IMAX) and a very strong cast.   Rami Malek's turn as Mercury is revelatory, not only in the music performances but also in the dramatic scenes, and indeed the rest of the band members  are also strongly played by Joseph Mazzello (Timmy from Jurassic Park!), Gwilym Lee and Ben Hardy.  Lucy Boynton is a stand-out also as Freddie's long-standing companion.  Moments of self-deprecating humour work well, and the A.I.D.S. issue is handled with some sensitivity, but there are some problems evident: a couple of mawkishly-written scenes undermine their dramatic sincerity, and there is a real tension between telling The Freddie Mercury Story and The Queen Story, but as the two are so intertwined the shift in focus in the third act is understandable.  However, this film is principally about celebrating the music, and in that respect the film is a triumph.

FILM: First Man IMAX (dir: Damien Chazelle, 2018)

"It'll be an adventure."

First Man starts with a terrifyingly immersive test flight in the early 1960s (especially in big, thunderous IMAX), followed by an equally horrifying personal tragedy, and thus these bold and uncompromising crash jumps in time and emotion set the scene for this utterly absorbing film that tells the story of the Americans' Space Race for the rest of the decade leading to the 1969 moon landing.  Like Whiplash and La La Land both showed, Chazelle is a brave director with a clear vision and moulds the filmic style to achieve his ends, and here the liberal use of close ups and POV shots gives the audience little room for distance or escape.   Ryan Gosling's main strength as an actor is in absolutely inhabiting a character and presenting every heartbeat on the screen unfalteringly, and in First Man he is outstanding as Neil Armstrong, an unassuming aerospace engineer whose profile rises with every step of the space programme.  Claire Foy also gives an equally emotionally honest portrayal of Armstrong's wife, especially with her portrayal of bringing up a family with the uncertainty of her husband staying alive, but there are so many strong performances to admire, including a career highlight from Jason Clarke.  Justin Hurwitz creates an intriguingly diverse score/soundscape that is pitched somewhere between Philip Glass and M83 and plays a significant role in the film's success.  First Man is far removed from the Hollywood gloss often applied to docudramas such as these, and the film truly delivers, from showing the powerful physical efforts of space launches to simple emotional moments, and making the point about what is important to us as the human race along the way.

FILM: The House With A Clock In Its Walls IMAX (dir: Eli Roth, 2018)

CELEBRATING 9 YEARS OF THIS BLOG!

"What's wrong with weird?"

Yes, an Eli Roth-directed children's film!  You could be mistaken for it being directed by Chris Columbus, however, as it is pitched somewhere between classic Amblin and Harry Potter.  In spite of the minor involvement of Jack-o'-lanterns, it is not a Halloween film as such but it would provide ideal spooky entertainment for children around the time, and no doubt will in years to come.  Jack Black and Cate Blanchett make a great pairing as the bickering friends/neighbours, and young Owen Vaccaro gives a pleasing performance as the bereaved boy sent to live with his uncle, who happens to be a warlock (or as the youngster puts it, a "boy-witch").  Themes of grief and resurrection might prove a little dark for younger children, but the mise-en-scene is finely and sumptuously detailed, the story is sensitive and reasonably well developed, and the effects work is done well in this pleasantly entertaining film that is squarely aimed at the children's market.

FILM: Alpha IMAX 3D (dir: Albert Hughes, 2018)

 "Be patient."

Alpha is considerably more interesting and engaging than the trailers would have you believe, which comes a s a pleasant surprise.  One of the selling points is the use of fantastic Koyaanisqatsi-style natural vistas which looked amazing on an IMAX screen in 3D; smaller-screen viewing at home however  will also expose the simple 'journey' story, as a teen is left for dead on his first hunting expedition and tries to make his way back home, befriending an injured wolf along the way.  The rites-of-passage/boy-and-his-dog tropes are all present and correct, and Kodi Smit-McPhee gives a very strong performance in the lead role, but his various trials, the excellent cinematography and well-executed action sequences keep the attention.

FILM: The Meg IMAX 3D (dir: Jon Turteltaub, 2018)

REVIEW No. 900!

"None of this was in the job description!"

In spite of the promotion's best efforts to convince us that The Meg would be a lightweight fun confection, the actual movie - for the most part - plays it straight and benefits as a result, even if it gives the whole proceedings a somewhat expected and familiar turn.  (A couple of hokey direct Jaws references do creep in at the start of the third act in particular and seem jarringly out of place - no prizes for guessing the name of the dog featured in the trailer).  It is a clear straightforward three-act film - a rescue mission, team vs Meg, the final showdown - and in its actual release form a disappointingly bloodless affair.  With a big-league budget, the effects are ambitious and polished for a movie of this type, giving the film a scope and level of detail usually reserved for blockbuster sci-fi, and enabling some decent set pieces.  Statham is a good fit for the lead character and he conveys some surprisingly genuine warmth for a typically one-note role.  Enjoyable but forgettable, The Meg feels like a classic compromise: make a relatively toothless PG-13 to aim for a wide market to recoup outlay, and avoid being a full-blooded thriller that would limit but satisfy the older audience and not justify the high budget.

FILM: Jurassic World - Fallen Kingdom IMAX 3D (dir: J.A.Bayona, 2018)

"Am I dead?"
"Not yet."

Twenty-five years ago we marvelled at the (reasonably) photorealistic CG dinosaurs in Spielberg's original Jurassic lark; today we have become almost spoiled by the extraordinary level of effects work on display in expensive modern Hollywood blockbusters, and Fallen Kingdom is no exception.  The main interest here is the game-changing volcanic destruction of Isla Nublar and the subsequent shift of the second half to a new location, together with a shifting use of genres within the main framework.  There is a real emphasis on scale and spectacle, emphasised by Bayona's notable use of extra long shots at times, and whilst there are many effective tense or thrilling moments, the movie does not quite drive forward in as cohesive a manner as its immediate predecessor.  Fallen Kingdom feels genuinely more mature than the almost-literal theme park ride of the 2015 reboot, and the new locations and ideas do generate interest, yet the set pieces are naggingly familiar, especially in the referencing of the first two movies in the franchise.  Nevertheless, this grand-scale entertaining blockbuster film-making does not disappoint, and it will be interesting to see how brave Universal will be with the next episode/second-trilogy closer - could we even dare to hope that the franchise could be bold enough to deliver on a War For The Planet Of the Apes-style premise?

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.

FILM: Avengers Infinity War IMAX 3D (dirs: Joe and Anthony Russo, 2018)

"Cool?"
"Cool."
"So cool."

The reward to loyal Marvel fans who have painstakingly sat through all the films over the last decade pays off superbly, and is a fitting way to celebrate ten years of the studio's hit filmmaking.  It hits the ground running - picking up from the ending of Thor Ragnarok - and immediately establishes Thanos as a genuine threat (not perfect, but certainly one of the better superhero movie villains of recent years), with the momentum kept up for most of the film.  Indeed, the pace is frantic, but the storytelling is superb, the introduction of characters regularly raises a smile, the scale is enormous, but the Russos handle it all almost effortlessly.  We see the characters and the cast at their peak, there are some truly wonderful new toys and upgrades on display, and the film is surprisingly very funny, with the combinations of characters not only providing much butting of heads to comedic effect but also genuine interest in how they work together.  Although the story is a routine 'gather the stones' through line, familiar characters are given some interesting arcs with some surprises and shocks along the way.  There are many highlights from small moments and one-liners to the huge battles, but the comedy genius of Drax and Thor is excellent, there is one particular heartbeat-skipping special effect that is truly awesome, and the swift return to Wakanda is very welcome indeed. Alan Silvestri's terrific score is also worth mentioning.  The bold and tonally unexpected final few minutes held the packed audience absolutely immobile, and yes, you have to sit through every single credit for the single but necessary final scene.  It will be very interesting to see where Avengers 4 (as yet untitled) and the conclusion of the MCU's Phase 3 goes, but for now Infinity War is utterly ambitious, hugely entertaining and a real event movie.

FILM: Black Panther IMAX 3D (dir: Ryan Coogler, 2018)

"Just because it works, it doesn't mean that it cannot be improved."

Marvel is now in the position of being able to re-use its successful formula template but mixing it up in terms of styles and concepts, and Black Panther brings it back to basics in many ways: it is a stunningly successful fusion of straight drama, fantasy, action and - of course - superhero tropes that is supremely engaging and extremely entertaining.  Ryan Coogler creates a very dynamic film, through the excellent flow of different textures, superb action sequences (there is a moment in the Fast And Furious-style car chase that makes you want to stand up and applaud) and working with an unbelievably powerful and watchable lead cast.  The cultural significance of this movie and its importance for a young generation of Marvel fans and beyond cannot be overstated, but it also will hold this value because it is such an effective movie in its own right and will rank as one of Marvel's best.

FILM: Star Wars Episode VIII The Last Jedi IMAX 3D (dir: Rian Johnson, 2017)

"Happy beeps!"

A film of this length that has so much going on requires far more unpacking than this one-paragraph review, but suffice to say The Last Jedi starts with an absolute bang and is absolutely rollicking entertainment, and as expected the trailer played with expectations by means of clever editing and in the movie things certainly 'are not going to go the way you think'.  Rian Johnson - an edgier director with whom Lucasfilm stuck but who understands Star Wars yet is brave enough to make some very distinct choices here - gives the series some new visual ideas, some delightful throwaway humour, some unexpected character development that feels freshly ambivalent and a series of bold set pieces that absolutely deliver.  It is certainly darker (relatively) than Episode VII, but it is story-driven and puts the characters in situations where choices have consequences.  Adam Driver and Oscar Isaac deliver the strongest performances here, and Carrie Fisher is majestic in her final bitter-sweet appearance.  No doubt the diehards who complained that The Force Awakens stayed too close to A New Hope will now say this film is too modern and not light-fantasy enough, but these are precisely the two main reasons that make The Last Jedi not only interesting but also a franchise progression.  It would be nitpicking to say that one plot strand gets a bit familiarly Battlestar Galactica at points, and there is a bit of a mid-point lull, but overall The Last Jedi is genuinely entertaining, and whether or not Abrams continues in this new vein or reverts to safer ground for the trilogy-closer, the next film is left with real potential to explore this 'new' Star Wars universe.

FILM: Justice League IMAX 3D (dirs: Zack Snyder and Joss Whedon, 2017)

"Yeah, it looks expensive."

Justice League is a little lighter (visually and in respect of tone) than the dark and dismal Batman vs Superman, but as a film it does not gel, and not necessarily because of the split directorial circumstances.  With the WB determination to tighten the running time, the film feels extraordinarily empty, with an astonishingly simplistic (and sometimes oddly judged) storyline with a script that hardly sparkles, leaving a bunch of invulnerables having regular punch-ups and lots of CG/explosions that are quite unengaging.  Individually, the League members are fine - Affleck still makes for a good Batman, Gadot is again wonderful as Wonder Woman, Mamoa turns Aquaman into a musclebound bad-boy, Ray Fisher at least has some character progression to work with as Cyborg and Ezra Miller is good fun as The Flash, but together they still come across as a grumpy Avengers-lite.  The mid-credits scene  is a bit of comedic fluff, and the very end of the credits has a scene that sets up a future DCEU movie, but there clearly needs to be some creative re-tooling and change of direction to make these characters work together properly.

FILM: Paddington 2 IMAX (dir: Paul King, 2017)

 CELEBRATING 200,000 VISITORS TO MY BLOG!

"This is perfect."

Lightning does strike twice, and this Paddington sequel is as good as the original film.  It has the same charm, joy and child-like delight that made the first movie so enjoyable - and perhaps even more so in the first half here -  but the warmth and creativity is also evident throughout (the pop-up book sequence early on is one of the loveliest sequences seen in recent film).  The animation and compositing of the central character is exemplary, there are plenty of recognisable Brit actors doing delightful work (Hugh Grant and Brendan Gleeson in particular are absolutely wonderful), and London again looks gorgeous and is used very effectively (as the treasure-hunt story involves key landmarks).  The ambitious final set-piece perhaps ends a little abruptly, but the actual ending is a real heartstrings-tugger, and the credits include an hilariously camp song-and-dance routine that is so over-the-top that it leaves this delightful film on a big smile.

FILM: Thor - Ragnarok IMAX 3D (dir: Taika Waititi, 2017)

"Why fight it?"

Ragnarok is the complete antithesis of the gloomy and dark The Dark World - it is a riotous romp that is hugely enjoyable from start to finish.  Waititi's style hits the mark, also finding an effective comic-book tone that is neither too lightweight nor too slavish and packing in a lot of content.  The emergence of Chris Hemsworth's wonderful comedic talent is mined to perfection here, but there are so many treats in this fast-paced and fleet-footed movie, from Karl Urban channelling Jason Statham, the Thor/Loki and Thor/Hulk banter and a reasonably menacing antagonist (which could still use more screen time) by Cate Blanchett, to some terrific action sequences (the ambitious arena smackdown is one of many exciting set pieces) and more.  Also impressive are the glorious use of scale and 3D plus Mark Mothersbaugh's striking score.  With its bold choice of director and a (slight) loosening up of the formula, Ragnarok is a confident and immensely entertaining addition to the MCU.  For Marvel addicts who like to sit through the end crawl, the mid-credits scene is presumably a set-up for the Infinity War movie, but the very-end scene is a fun but inessential throwaway for Jeff Goldblum's character.

FILM: Geostorm IMAX 3D (dir: Dean Devlin, 2017)

"Some holiday!"

...and this is after the re-shoots?  This much-delayed film follows in the shoes of Twister, The Day After Tomorrow, 2012 and San Andreas, and it is a slightly guilty pleasure to see the latest CGI wreak havoc on major cities every few years.  The money is on the screen (especially on the gorgeously detailed space-set scenes), because it certainly did not go on dialogue (which here almost elevates Armageddon to a Shakespearean level) or performances, although Geostorm contains one of Gerard Butler's most considered and effective turns.  The first two acts veer between dull and silly, with hard science sitting uncomfortably with complete nonsense, yet there is a sequence of scenes at the start of the final act that suddenly kicks into gear and is exciting for a while but falls back to unevenness towards the end.  A purposeful thriller could have been made out of this material, but instead Geostorm falls back on clichés and past successes all too easily and with less success.

FILM: Kingsman The Golden Circle IMAX (dir: Matthew Vaughn, 2017)

"Like toast...but British!"

Kingsman The Golden Circle is a solid sequel to the unexpectedly loveable first film.  The story is tightly linked to the first film, but also makes some bold choices along the way.  Visually, it looks terrific (especially in IMAX), and the leads - Egerton, Strong, Firth - are all fine, and Julianne Moore makes for an acceptably mad villain.  It inevitably lacks the delightful street-boy vs. gentleman-spy arc of the first film, and it is surprising that more is not made of the fish-out-of-water scenario, or the U.S. characters, when the action moves to America.  Content feels a little thin for a running time of over two hours, but the action sequences are excellent - fast, imaginative and often pleasingly daft.  If the franchise gets its proposed trilogy closer, the series can now move forward with a fairly clean slate to really let loose, but for now, The Golden Circle, is an entertaining follow-up.