Movies: Mary Poppins Returns (U), Spider-Man: Into The Spiderverse (PG), Bumblebee (PG), Cool Runnings (DVD – PG) & Die-Hard (DVD - 18)

Mary Poppins Returns (U) – what’s it about? The title says it all - Mary Poppins returns to look after the next generation of the Banks family.

Well I’m pretty sure most people have seen the original Mary Poppins film, I can’t remember how many times I must have watched this as a kid. And the big question is does this meet up to the expectations of all those children that have now grown up? Well imo its ok, its not amazing but it’s a good watch to pass the time – but to those who are still young or who may have not seen the original will probably love this. It’s basically more a movie for the next generation, so if you or your little ones like a happy clappy magical film with lots of singing then this will probably be right up your street. If though you are wanting to re-live your youth, you’ve become a grumpy old git or have great expectations of this one then you may come away a little disappointed.

Rating: **

Spider-Man: Into The Spiderverse (PG) – what’s it about? Evil villain sets off a collider and ends up mashing up universes which results in multiple Spider-people.

I went to see this after a couple of people I know said to go see it, its amazing! I wasn’t too fussed on it, though I love my comic book movies, I just didn’t think it looked too good from the adverts. So it’s more of a kid’s film but it has some moments which adults will get more than the kids, so it’s one of those where the parents and the weens will like it. I have to admit in parts I was in stitches, I was crying in laughter in the cinema – whilst everyone else was pretty reserved, so it definitely has some good humour in it. It’s got some good action and adds something else to the Spiderman story. It was actually a really good film, with only one character that got on my nerves, and if it wasn’t for one of the Spider-people I probably would have given it another star – but its there for the kids so is probably me just being a grumpy pants.

Rating: ***

Bumblebee (PG) – what’s it about? The story of Bumblebee arriving on earth prior to the other transformers after the downfall of Cybertron.

Now everybody loves Bumblebee right? Such a fun Transformer. Well if you’ve liked all the Transformer movies to date then you can probably guarantee that you’ll like this one, though a bit of a re-harsh of the first movie, where a Transformer ends up being taken in by a teenager and they become friends and have to save the planet and all from the evil Decepticons. It’s still a good and fun movie to watch though, it’s got some story, some humour which made me giggle – but sadly not LOL funny and as always it’s got some good action as is expected from this movie franchise. If you would like to see a little more of what happened on Cybertron and learn how Bumblebee became the radio-talking Transformer we all know and love then this is totally worth watching.

Rating: ****

Cool Runnings (DVD – PG) – what’s it about? A group of want-to-be athletes set up the first Jamaican Bobsleigh team.

I hadn’t seen this for years and found the DVD in the second-hand shop for cheap so I thought I’d re-live my youth and re-watch it. I wasn’t disappointed with it, it was still a good watch all these years later. I still laughed away at it and it made me smile, its one of those stories where you can just watch and enjoy, where you don’t really need to think about it. It’s heart-warming and fun to watch, so if you haven’t seen it before or if you haven’t seen it in a long while then maybe its time to re-visit this one.

Rating: ***

Die-Hard (DVD - 18) – what’s it about? A group of robbers set their sight on the vault of a high-flying company – can a cop save the hostages and the day.

This was another where I hadn’t seen it in years and thought I’d give it another go, it has been Christmas after all! And there we have it the age-old argument of if Die-Hard is a Christmas movie or not. Anyway yes back to the movie, even though it’s getting on a little bit now and movies have changed a little over the years, this is totally a classic and a classic action movie at that. It’s got everything you need, the good guys vs the bad, the action, the whole guns and bombs and the good guy trying to save the day etc etc. Yeah it’s definitely one of those leave you brain at the door films where you don’t ask too many questions, but it’s totally worth re-watching or watching if you’ve never seen it and like some good classic action style movie.

Rating: ***

Movies: Creed II (15), Ralph Breaks the Internet (PG), Mortal Engines (12A) & Aquaman (12A)

Creed II (15) – what’s it about? A continuation of the boxing series. Creed is set to fight Drago who wants to win the belt.

So if you’ve seen the previous Creed movie or any of the Rocky movies you’ll know exactly what to expect with this one. There’s nothing new. There’s a fight, it doesn’t go to well, lots of suffering, the trainer giving a pep talk, a training montage, then another fight that’s a little rocky. That basically the sum up of any of these movies, there’s no spoiling it there. Yeah the story has a few interesting bits and it’s an ok watch, but oh so predictable. I sadly think it’s the time to say it and that’s I think it’s time to ring the final bell for this franchise unless they can think of something new. I probably could give it 2 1/2 *’s as it’s an ok movie, but it’s just nothing special so I'm going to be a little harsh and only give it 2.

Rating: **

Ralph Breaks the Internet (PG) – what’s it about? The sequel to Wreck it Ralph. The arcade is plugged into the internet and Ralph and Vanellope go on a quest to save her game.

If you’ve seen the first one and you found it amusing, then this one will be right up your street as it continues in the same vein. The story is good going, it’s interesting and there are enough moments that are amusing for both kids and adults. It’s one of those that’s done well for anyone who’s anywhere under the age of 40 as you’ll get all the jokes. Yeah, my mates and I were in stitches in parts, it’s lol funny rather than heh funny, so be prepared to have a giggle. It’s a good mix of humour, light story and a bit of action, with a bit of a moral thrown in for good measure. The perfect movie you can just sit and enjoy, so if you are a kid or a big kid then it’s worth seeing 😊

Rating: ****

Mortal Engines (12A) – what’s it about? Set in a post-apocalyptic future where humanity lives in moveable cities that consume each other for survival two unlikely friends try to survive.

Well this is something a little different and though unbelievable (well not the end of the world bit, that’s probably a certainty) it gives a good watch with some interesting story. It focuses around the two main characters and their friendship that develops, the main story though is about the adventure, survival and conspiracies which was pretty engrossing. It’s got a good mix that managed that kept me entertained, though I was a little bored at one point, but that wasn’t for long and I put that down to my tiredness. Yep its worth a watch, a good movie to pass the time and escape this reality for a while.

Rating: ***

Aquaman (12A) – what’s it about? Arthur’s half-brother sets out to take the fight to humanity for all the bad things they’ve done to the ocean over the years.

I’ve been waiting for this one for quite a while, I like the Aquaman story and I’ve loosely followed Jason Mamoa’s outings since he played the awesome Ronon Dex in Stargate Atlantis. So I had hopes for this film, what I kept in mind though is that this is a DC movie and not a Marvel one, though DC have nailed the small screen where Marvel seem to lack, it’s been the other way around on the large screen. Don’t get me wrong some of the DC movies are good but some have been freaking awful, so I was thinking this could either be hit or miss. With that in mind I have to say I enjoyed it, I liked the story and the whole underlining of how humanity is screwing up the planet (which is true and we as a race need to change!). I also fell in love with Mera and totally want to cosplay her…anyway yes it’s a good movie, it’s not the greatest movie out there but it’s still worth a watch just because it’s got some good action and stuff going on. It definitely has a few great moments and I didn’t find myself bored so that is always a plus. So yeah if you have a spare couple of hours and like the comic book movies then it’s worth a look.

Rating: ****

Movies: The Girl In The Spiders Web (15) & Robin Hood (12A)

The Girl In The Spiders Web (15) – What’s it about? The story of Lisbeth continues, she takes on another dodgy job and gets caught up in her past.

If you are going to watch this one and you want to be sucked into the universe then its best to look back to the previous movies but I suppose you can watch it stand alone, you shouldn’t get too lost with the plot. It’s as gritty as the previous ones, though no way as graphic as the first one, and the story continues very much in the same style. It’s got a good plot, which is very dark, a good music scene, and it also has some good action and suspense, well it’s basically as expected really. It’s not one to watch if you want a nice happy film though :P

Rating: ****

Robin Hood (12A) – What’s it about? Robin of Loxley returns home after war and becomes the legendary Robin Hood.

I know what you’re thinking ugh another Robin Hood movie, have we not had enough of these already.  Well this one is a little different, it changes the story up a little and it has a bit of a modern take on it, even though it’s still set at some time in the past. That said most Robin Hood movies are a little cheesy in some way and this one even though it is more serious is still filled with quite a bit of humour too, yep it’s pretty cheesy in parts but don’t worry there are no men in tights here! Yeah, it’s an alright movie but nothing special, the story is ok and the action is alright, it’s not like the best movie but it’s something you can just leave your brain at the door and watch for a bit of light entertainment.

Rating: ***

Movies: Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald (12A) & Widows (15)

Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald (12A) – what’s it about? Grindlewald wants to get all the pure bloods on his side to rule over other magical folk and the muggles.

I have to admit I’m not the biggest fan of the Harry Potter universe, don’t get me wrong its good but I never find it amazing, though I did prefer Fantastic Beasts over Harry Potter. I really did like the first Fantastic Beasts film but this one just seemed well not so fantastic, don’t get me wrong though it was a good watch. I just found it a lot more political and serious than the first one which isn’t necessarily a bad thing but the story just didn’t draw me in. It may be a bit deep for the younger audiences but those in their later teens+ will probably enjoy it more as they’ll actually get the plot rather than just watching it for it being “Harry Potter world”. Yeah its worth looking into if you’ve enjoyed the other films, just maybe don’t expect to be wowed by it.

Rating: ***

Widows (15) – what’s it about? A group newly widowed women team up to continue on their husbands lives of crime by pulling off a robbery.

I wouldn’t necessarily say this is a chick flick – well ok it probably is, the cast is mainly women with only a few male snippets. It’s a very story driven movie with it showing more about their lives and how they are forced into the life of crime after they are left with nothing. It’s not got too much action, it’s your typically kind of robbery film really so a lot about the preparation work and with the robbery just being a small piece of it. It was a good film in general but it was really really slow, it didn’t need to be as long as it was, they could have easily cut it down by 30 mins and left the audience feeling a little more positive about it as everyone seemed a little bored. I think it’s more like a 2 ½ star movie because how much it dragged but I’m feeling in a generous mood today.

Rating: ***

Movie: Slaughterhouse Rulez (15)

Slaughterhouse Rulez (15) – what’s it about? After fracking creates a sinkhole in the grounds at a boarding school, the students and teachers come under attack from monsters.

I watched the advert for this and thought it could either be good or shit, and it turned out to be a typical Simon Pegg and Nick Frost film – you know in the same comedy-horror style as their previous films, which is all good in my book. I never know these days with these teen movies if they are going to be really annoying or not but thankfully the kids weren’t too annoying in this one which is also a plus. It’s not as funny as say Shaun of the Dead but it has a few moments that I’m sure will make you giggle if you like their sense of humour. Yeah, it’s got some humour and light horror action, it’s your average movie, nothing too amazing but worth a watch if you like Pegg/Frost movies.

Rating: ***

Movie: Bad Times At The El Royale (15), Halloween (2018) (18), Hunter Killer (15) & Smallfoot (U)

Bad Times At The El Royale (15) – what’s it about? Seven strangers check in to an old quirky motel that sits smack bang on the border of two states, and the night unfolds with unexpected events.

I really don’t know what to say about this film…well that’s kind anyway. I went to see it as a friend wanted to and I didn’t really know much about it but most things I’ll give a shot and see what happens. I don’t know if I wasn’t in the mood for this type of movie or just that it was the biggest waste of my time so far this year – and I’m leaning towards the latter. I think after about an hour I thought is this actually going to go anywhere, as the story was just slow and it was dragged on way too long, it was nearly 2 ½ hours long, they could have easily chopped off an hour of that and made it a decent film with a plot that actually went along at a good rate so that people didn’t want to die of boredom. The characters didn’t give enough feeling, they just seemed the same hashed up people with nothing original about them, nothing about them cried out to me to cheer someone on. The only thing that saved this movie was the singing, man Darlene (Cynthia Erivo) had the voice of an angel, this is the only thing that makes this movie worth seeing.

Rating: *

Halloween (2018) (18) – what’s it about? Set in the present day so after Michael goes on his killing spree, he escapes from the high security prison institute and goes on the rampage again.

I wasn’t sure how this one would be, some of these reboots can be meh and some can be good, thankfully this one falls into the good category. They managed to keep this in the same vein as the original and it had some good reach backs. The story was a continuation and not a re-hash of the previous film. It kept in the classic horror style so not over the top or anything, and it had a nice story to follow that kept me occupied. The only downside to it is that I didn’t really find it scary, it probably deserves 4 stars but as it didn’t make me jump once I’m going to be a little harsh and only give it 3.

Rating: ***

Hunter Killer (15) – what’s it about? A crew of a US submarine are sent to Russia to investigate the loss of another sub – and it turns out they have to stop World War 3 from happening.

This is totally one of those “pro-America” films, you know the ones bigging up the US Military and White House staff. They make it all showy and it’s a case of look at us we’re so great and they swoop in and save the day. Don’t get me wrong it’s a fantastic action movie, I like these films as they are a good bit of entertainment. It is very much in the same line as Olympus Has Fallen, so if you’ve seen that and liked it then you’ll probably enjoy this one too. It has enough suspense to keep me engrossed into the loose plot, and it has lots of action and stuff. It is definitely a leave your brain at the door movie and is worth seeing if you’re an action lover.

Rating: ****

Smallfoot (U) – what’s it about? Migo a Yeti discovers humans exist and tries to convince his fellow sceptic villagers.

Well I went to see this as there wasn’t much out this week in the cinema and I wanted to occupy myself with something – don’t get me wrong it looked ok from the adverts. I sat there in this cinema filled with families, as expected as its school holidays, but I wasn’t expecting to be so engrossed by the depth of the story of this film. To a child this would be fun entertainment, but to an adult, well to anyone like me that overthinks everything, this is an eye-opening film. The story tackles subjects such as family, friendship, banishment, questioning religion, challenging what is taught and indoctrinated to us by your elders, and that the truth can build a better society. Yeah that’s what I mean a total in-depth film which has an undertone which will go straight over kids heads but they will love it for the characters, humour, light story that’s laid down over the top, the odd song and a wonderful story about friendship. It is truly an enjoyable film for all the family, it’s silly and serious at the same time.

Rating: ****

Movie: The House with a Clock in Its Walls (12A) & Venom (15)

The House with a Clock in Its Walls (12A) – what’s it about? Lewis a young boy who has recently lost his parents moves in with his strange uncle who teaches him Wizarding ways.

What a long title for a film but the film itself is pretty fun even if you can’t remember what its called. It kind of reminded me of ‘Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children’ you know it’s pretty quirky with odd characters and story. It’s a kid’s film but it was still enjoyable to watch as an adult, it’s the typical Jack Black type of thing – so a good dose of humour. I wouldn’t say it’s the funniest or greatest movie I’ve seen but it’s something easy to watch to pass the time and to help keep the little ones entertained for a bit.

Rating: ***

Venom (15) – what’s it about? The origin story of how Eddie joins with the symbiote called Venom.

I have to admit I only loosely know the Venom story as it’s not really a comic I’ve read so this isn’t a fangirl’s thoughts. If you hadn’t guessed it this is another Marvel comic book adaptation movie, with these you know that they’ll be pretty good as they seem to have got it all down right with their movies. That said though origin stories can sometimes be a little slow or dull if they aren’t done right or if they don’t move fast enough to explain things. This one wasn’t too much like that though, the whole movie had a good pace, the story moved along quick enough to keep me entertained and it was mixed well with action scenes. It is a little darker than the normal Marvel stuff so not really for the younger audience but I think teenagers+ will enjoy this. If you like a bit of violence, a bit of a darker story with a dash of sci-fi and comicbookness then this will be right up your street. I think this is really a 3 1/2 star movie rather than a 3 but you know not feeling generous enough to give it a 4.

Rating: ***

Movie: The Nun (15) & The Predator (15)

The Nun (15) – what’s it about? After a death at a convent in Romania, the Vatican sends a Priest and a Nun to investigate what happened.

This is one of those horrors that I wouldn’t say is very scary, it had a couple of bits that are a little jumpy but nothing worth hiding behind a pillow. It has an ok story and it does get interesting as it goes on - no spoilers don’t worry but that's all I'll say on it. I quite liked it, it was quite easy watching for a horror. I’d say if you want to watch something a little spooky to pass the time then this is worth looking into.

Rating: ***

The Predator (15) – what’s it about? A Predator crash lands on earth and is captured by a government organisation.

Ok so I’m like a real big fan of the Predator franchise so this rating is coming from a fangirl. I was really excited to see this and was really pleased that it didn’t disappoint, unlike some other films that I’ve seen. Thankfully it wasn’t hyped too much as well, and I have to admit I tried to avoid anything but the main trailer that was shown as I didn’t want spoilers. This one gives a good mix of the humans and Predator – but its shot from the human’s perspective and focuses more on their survival. I have to admit this had a lot more humour than I was expecting, but I was creasing up in bits so don’t expect for it to be all dark and gloom and horror like, though as expected with Predator there’s a lot of ewww factor.  If you are a Predator fan then you need to go and see this – I mean stop what you’re doing and get to the chopper!!

Rating: ****

Movies: The Equalizer 2 (15), Alpha (12A) & The Goonies (DVD – PG)

The Equalizer 2 (15) – what’s it about? Robert returns once again to dish out justice against all kinds of baddies.

Well what to say about this one, I can’t really say too much as I don’t want to spoil the story for you, but if you liked the idea of the first one – an ex-agent going around dishing out justice to help make things right in the world then this will be right up your street as it follows the same idea. I did shed a tear in this one so it’s a good emotional ride as well as a good plot, yeah if you like a bit of violence then this one will be right up your street. Sorry can’t say much more than that.

Rating: ***

Alpha (12A) – what’s it about? A young warrior is separated from his tribe during a hunt and on his journey to return home he meets another lonely creature and a true friendship forms.

I wanted to see this as you don’t really see many films set around the prehistoric era, so it was something different to the norm and it was truly refreshing to see. This is a beautiful little story of survival but also friendship, and the images they show throughout the film of the scenery and sky etc are breath-taking. I don’t think this movie will be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you like to watch a wonderful story, don’t mind reading subtitles (none of it is in English), and you enjoy the natural world and/or tribal life then you will probably love this one. I think this is one of the best films I’ve seen so far this year.

Rating: **** 

The Goonies (DVD – PG) – what’s it about? A group of kids go on an adventure trying to find some private treasure.

HEY YOU GUYS! This is like a classic movie from my childhood and when I was spending some time with the family we introduced the next generation into the fold. This is a good movie for all the family (well except the really young ones as they might find bits a little scary), it’s just a good story about a group of quirky kids. The whole film travels across the age spectrum as in young and older people will enjoy this one. It’s filled with action and humour throughout and is worth seeing if you’ve never watched it or worth re-watching for nostalgia sake.

Rating: ****

Movie: Mission Impossible: Fallout (12A), The Meg (12A), Ant-Man & The Wasp (12A) & The Darkest Minds (12A)

Mission Impossible: Fallout (12A) – what’s it about? A group of terrorists plan to release three nuclear bombs and the IMF and CIA have to stop them!

I wasn’t too sure how good this would be, in the advert it looked pretty cool and filled with action but by now I was thinking is this going to be a little weak, is it going to be wearing thin as how many times can they do the same thing over and over. In truth though I was pretty surprised with it, the writing and plot quality has definitely been kept up over the years and as expected the quality of acting continues to help immerse the viewer into continual plot which has spanned the franchise. If you would like a good lot of high end action then this one won’t disappoint, you can leave your brain at the door and sit back and enjoy 😊

Rating: ****

The Meg (12A) – what’s it about?  A massive prehistoric shark attacks and a team of marine biologists try to stop it.

This movie kind of exactly what you expect where it’s a Jason Statham movie, its filled with action and unbelievableness where you can leave you brain at the door and just watch – come on its Jason vs a giant Shark lol there’s nothing serious about that really. Though not as adult orientated as some of his other films, this one is only a 12A which kind of sucks as it has the potential to be a good violent 15 but oh well the movie makers decided to tone it down. Anyway, it’s a good monster action movie and worth seeing if you like a good old Jason Statham style movie.

Rating: ****

Ant-Man & The Wasp (12A) – what’s it about? Ant-man tries to bring back a missing scientist who has been trapped in the Quantum Realm whilst trying to stop the Ghost from her destructive ways.

It’s the sequel to Ant-Man if you hadn’t guest which takes place after Civil War where he’s under house arrest. It’s an ok movie, it has its moments and has a good bit of action, some story and humour which is what you expect from all Marvel movies.  It’s a good dose of superhero action, though sadly I did come away a little meh as it wasn’t as good as I thought it would be, though it’s still enjoyable and worth a watch if you’re into your comicbookness.

Rating: ***

The Darkest Minds (12A) – what’s it about? Most of the world’s children have been wiped out by a disease, those who survived have special abilities which manifest in different ways.

It’s kind of similar to Jumper and Push but with a bit of a Divergent vibe and the like with teens having superpowers and the whatnot. It’s all basically about kids being put into camps and them trying to escape the authorities, so you kind of get the drill. It’s got some action in it and some story and the characters aren’t annoying brats so that definitely has something going for it.  Though you can see a sequel coming a mile off, but I’m not saying that that’s a bad thing, it was definitely a good film to watch and is worth seeing if you’re into some of the other movies that follow the same train of thought.

Rating: ****

Movies: Skyscraper (12A), Incredibles 2 (PG) & Columbiana (15)

Skyscraper (12A) – what’s it about? A security consultant must try to save his family who are stuck in a burning building which is under attack from a gang.

This is one of those you leave your brain at the door and just watch it films and you definitely don’t expect the plot or the events to be anywhere believable – it’s not that type of movie. If you want to watch something with action, a bit of violence, some story and some tension (no I’m not talk about the muscles) that’s if you have a fear of heights then this will be for you. It did give me a few giggles as well as a few nail biting moments. And if you don’t want to try to use Ducktape for everything afterwards then your messed in the head lol.

Rating: ****

Incredibles 2 (PG) – what’s it about? The family of superheroes team up with a high-flying executive to try to get the ban on superheroes lifted.

Well it’s been a long time coming with this one, we’ve been waiting so long to see the second movie we’ve all well grown up and gotten old. I was quite please my local cinema decided to do a couple of evening showings for this so the screen was mainly filled with teens+ and not a bunch of screaming kids that didn’t understand what an age it had been. Yes, I am that grumpy. Anyway, to stop waffling, the film was just as what was expected, it had the look and feel of the first one, the plot was really great as it basically continued the story arch, and it was filled with fun, giggles and family action – and some cool new superheroes to boot! I’m pretty sure if you’ve been waiting for this one, like superheroes and/or Pixar films then you’ll definitely enjoy it.

Rating: ****

Columbiana (15) – what’s it about? After the death of her family a young girl grows up and then goes on a revenge killing spree.

I was lent this one by a friend who said I’d love it and yes it was a bloody good film, no pun intended hehe. There’s a lot of violence in it, and it’s about a kick ass lass rather than some dude so what more do you need right? It was a good film, with lots of action, some funny moments (which probably weren’t meant to be funny), though it was generally fab I did find myself a little distracted in parts as I wanted a bit more from the story – but it might have been that I was just tired. Anyway, yeah it’s a good action film if you want a bit of fighting and revenge to pass the time.

Rating: ***

Movie: The First Purge (15)

The First Purge (15) – what’s it about? The prequel to The Purge movie series, this is the story of the first Purge and how it all came to be a national annual event.

APOLOGIES IN ADVANCE THIS REVIEW HAS A SPOILER IN IT – BE WARNED!!!!

Ok so I love The Purge franchise, it’s one of my favourite modern horror movie series. What I would love to see from this franchise along with the coming TV series is a survival computer game – now that would be awesome! Anyway I’m getting distracted there, on with the movie review…so as a Purge nut I was expecting quite a bit from this movie, yes it was good, it was a little uneventful but then again the build-up is all part of it but what threw me off was what I’d call a plot issue. If I say what I want to here then it’s going to be a spoiler, but I need to say it, so you have been warned – incoming ***SPOILER*** no member of the general public should have been able to figure out the conspiracy in this prequel movie, that happens in the second and third movie, and it shouldn’t be in this which is technically the first one. So this made me get really disappointed in this movie real quick, because if people – even if just a handful of people lived and had figured it out then they’d totally be shouting it from the rooftops and then everyone would know and then the rest of the movies would be completely discounted. ***END SPOILER RANT*** Apart from that though it was a good movie, it had some good suspense and stuff, not as much killing as I was expecting which was a little meh but it was still a good watch and worth seeing. Yeah so this time for me because of the plot issue, its sadly not going to reach the four star mark – sorry Purgers ☹

Rating: ***

Movie: Ocean’s 8 (12A) & Sicario 2: Day of Soldado (15)

Ocean’s 8 (12A) – what’s it about? After getting released from prison Debbie forms a criminal group to rob an annual Gala.

Man there was a lot of plastic surgery in this movie lol. Sorry I couldn’t resist that. It’s quite refreshing that they didn’t just try to do a women’s version of the original film like Ghostbusters, as in a full remake, it was much better this way with it paying homage to the previous movie without writing it off. It generally was a pretty good movie, a nice chick flick that isn’t all romance and all that lovely dovey crap – I think a woman would appreciate this movie more than a man though. Well it has got a good story, the characters are alright, and it’s pretty clever in parts, so yeah it might not be the best movie out there but it’s still a good watch.

Rating: ***

Sicario 2: Day of Soldado (15) – what’s it about? The drug cartels have upped their game with trafficking people across the border and the US government tries to tackle the criminal menace.

I was quite looking forward to this movie as the previous one was quite intense, and this one didn’t disappoint on that front. It hit the ground running and got straight into the story and built up nicely, it wasn’t too slow to start like some movies. It was filled with gritty violence and by the end I come out a little shell shocked by it as it’s more real-life violence rather than ‘comic book’ violence. When you think about it, deep down in your gut you know shady stuff goes on all the time in the world with gang wars etc, and even though its make-believe you know somewhere it’s got a dusting of dark reality hidden under its guise so it’s quite disturbing in some ways.

Rating: ***

Movies: Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (12A) & Hereditary (15)

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (12A) – what’s it about? A follow on from Jurassic World where some people yet again want to exploit the dinosaurs whilst the animal rights activists wish to save them.

I had to laugh as I went to see this and the people in the cinema had taken their kids which I’d say were 8 years or less – I’m talking like 5 year olds here, yes, it’s a 12A but bear in mind people in Jurassic Park/World movies do GET EATEN by freaking dinosaurs! Think people! And use a brain cell but anyway that’s on them and their kids having nightmares for like weeks lol. Yep it’s not a movie you’d take the real young ones too as its pretty dark and scary in parts, but if your quite dark like me you’ll be giggling at the misfortunes as people become dino-snacks. Well as a movie it’s pretty much what you expect, lots of CGI or rubber dinos running riot and people being nobs. It’s got quite a lot of action with a bit of story thrown in. If you like the Jurassic Park universe then it’s worth a watch, maybe just don’t expect to be completely blown away.

Rating: ***

Hereditary (15) – what’s it about? After the death of her mother, Annie and her family must deal with some spooky secrets relating to their family.

I went to see this because it’s the talk of the town, so I thought hey I’ll go scare the pants off myself and not sleep for a week. Well…well what a disappointment, now I can like a good horror movie (or not depending on how freaky it is lol), I’ve seen a few over my time and maybe that’s the case because I have, I have others to compare this too. There were a couple of scenes that were mildly jumpy and a couple which were a bit ewww but that’s about it. I was expecting to be completely freaked out and not be able to sleep or be completely disturbed by it, but I just came out like yeah that was ok, passed the time I suppose. It may be freakier if you don’t really do horror regularly but if you’re a big horror buff then you may come out a little meh. I’m only going to give it two stars as it did have its moments which were ok and kept me intrigued but overall it just fell flat.

Rating: **

Movie: Solo: A Star Wars Story (12A)

A Star Wars Story (12A) – what’s it about? The story of young Han Solo and how he becomes the Solo we know from the classic Star Wars universe.

Welp I’m not sure if everyone will be happy with this movie. Its very modern in the way it feels, though it still has that Star Wars vibe but I just don’t think it’ll be Star Warsy enough for some of the hardcore fans. That said imo I thought it was a brilliant film, I wasn’t sure how good it would be, you know spin offs can be meh sometimes, but I was very pleasantly surprised by this one. The story was great, and it gave some good information that I’ve wondered about, and it was filled with a good dousing of action and humour too – well it had me giggling in bits anyway. I don’t really want to say anything that’ll spoil it so I think I’m going to stop here and just say, if your wanting something a little fresh from the Star Wars world then definitely go and take a look, just don’t expect it to be following the big story arch.

Rating: ****

Movie: Deadpool 2 (15)

Deadpool 2 (15) – what’s it about? Deadpool forms a new team of rogue mutants to try to stop a mutant boy turning into a big bad.

If you’ve seen the first Deadpool movie then you know this isn’t going to be your nice and sparkly family friendly Marvel superhero movie. This one is more of the same crude, rude, comedic violence and action which is filled with pop-culture references and a good set of laughs. I don’t really want to say too much as I don’t want to accidently say something spoilerish but yeah I’d say it’s as good as the first one which is cool – I never knew if it would make it to that level or not. If your a pop-culture buff and see lots of films and stuff you’ll pick up a lot of references as well as the normal humour of the film and pretty much be laughing all the way through, not so much crying with laughter but you’ll definitely be amused.

Rating: ***

Movie: Avengers: Infinity War (12A)

Avengers: Infinity War (12A) – what’s it about? Thanos is on his quest to find the rest of the infinity stones so he can cull half the universes population.

I’ve deliberately left this a while to write a review because I didn’t want to accidently put spoilers in it. Well if you haven’t watched the rest of the Marvel movies then you may be left a little empty with not knowing all the characters back stories, but I’m pretty sure you can still enjoy it for what it is, a good action packed comic book movie adaptation. Anyway, that said it is a little different than previous movies, yes it’s still light hearted and comical in parts but at the same time you are left shocked thinking omg what’s next, so don’t expect to come out on a high like at the end of most of the Marvel movies as you get a nice conclusion. This is like a part 1 movie so you have to wait for the full conclusion to happen in a future film. It’s a great movie though with lots of action, some humour, with some good interactions and story, but all I’ll say is man the credits are long to sit through!

Rating: ****

Movies: Rampage (12A) & Truth or Dare (15)

Rampage (12A) – what’s it about? A gorilla ends up being super-sized and must protect Chicago from being squashed by a giant wolf and crocodile.

I was hoping this was going to be like a classic monster flick, giant creatures on the rampage and fun stuff like that, and it was but sadly there was a lot more of the not. It had a big budget so high end graphics and some well-known actors but it didn’t wow compared to films like Pacific Rims monster mayhem. Yeah its ok, you can just to leave your brain at the door and watch a bit of giant creatures smashing shit up, just may be don’t expect to come out super hyped.

Rating: ***

Truth or Dare (15) – what’s it about? A bunch of stupid uni students go on Sprint Break to Mexico and get caught in playing a game that kills its players.

So, this is one of those where you hope the entire cast gets killed because all the characters are so freaking annoying. It was ok, it wasn’t scary or anything of the sort and it wasn’t gory either, just your mediocre horror film much in the same vein as Final Destination, it was very predictable and there was nothing new or special in it. It’s something to watch to pass the time, but I wouldn’t rush to watch it on the big screen, it’s probably better sitting at home on the sofa in the dark with just your friends around you. 2 * is probably being way too harsh, it’s probably worth 2 ½ as it was ok just nothing special.

Rating: **