Movies: Lion King (2019) (PG), Gods of Egypt (DVD – 12), Madagascar (DVD – U), Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back (DVD – 18) & Gladiator (DVD – 15)

Lion King (2019 - PG) – what’s it about? Simba is destined to be King, but his evil uncle takes the throne, can Simba regain his confidence and save the heartlands from his evil ways.

So if you aren’t aware this is the remake of the Disney cartoon, and well I was kind of sitting on the fence with this one, it could be good or really bad. What to say about this one? The up to date CGI gave this a completely different feel to it compared to the cartoon. It did stay quite true to the original with most of the scenes and the songs, so the journey throughout it was pretty much the same. I haven’t seen the original in quite a while though but from memory there were a couple of scenes missing and I think a couple added. In all though it was a good watch, all round enjoyable really, if you are hardcore true to the original you may be disappointed though. I think this is really a 3 ½ star movie, and I think I’m being a bit tight only saying 3.

Rating: ***

Gods of Egypt (DVD – 12) – what’s it about? A take on ancient Egyptian mythology where Horus tries to defeat Seth and rise to be king.

So I thought I’d give this a re-watch as I hadn’t seen it for a while and I forgot how much I liked it, its one of those flashy films which has a bit of story and action. Now I really love ancient Egyptian stuff so I may be a little bias here with my rating, I’m not sure if others would give it one star less. I’d say if you liked the Mummy films or maybe even Prince of Persia and stuff like that then you’ll probably like this one as it’s got that same type of cheesy adventure vibe to it.

Rating: ****

Madagascar (DVD – U) – what’s it about? The adventures of the animals of the New York Zoo.

This was another one that I hadn’t seen in a bit so thought I’d give it another watch, I like Dreamworks stuff, they are usually pretty good films, and if you like one of their animated movies then you’ll probably like the others. This one doesn’t disappoint with the humour and story; the characters are pretty amusing and animals are always cute. Yep its one of those that’s a fun film for all the family and a nice easy watch which will give you a giggle.

Rating: ***

Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back (DVD – 18) – what’s it about? Jay and Silent Bob take a road trip to Hollywood to try to stop the Bluntman & Chronic movie from being made.

OMG its been years since I saw this, so when I saw it in the shop for like 50p I couldn’t resist picking it up again. There’s not really much depth in this movie so don’t expect to be enthralled by an epic adventure. If you like teenage boy humour or are a stoner then you’ll probably find this amusing, its one of those comedies that is just stupid really but really funny because of it (of course some of it is cringe worthy). If you’d like to watch something silly then this is worth a watch or a re-watch in time for the Jay & Silent Bob Reboot movie which comes out later on in the year.

Rating: ***

Gladiator (DVD – 15) – what’s it about? After being betrayed by the new Emperor, Maximus gets taken as a slave and made into a gladiator.

This is quite an old one now, but I remember liking it when I saw it in the past, so I thought I’d give it another re-watch and it is still a great movie. It has got a moving story, that will keep you engrossed the whole way through, and there is enough action in it to also keep you entertained, it’s not one of these epics where they just talk for hours and hours where you want the film to end. It was done really well, as it’s got a good mix for everyone and the effects in it haven’t seemed to have aged badly either. If you like your historical type movies that have a good story that will suck you into the world then I would highly recommend watching this one or re-watching it if you haven’t seen it in a while.

Rating: ****

Movies: The Queen’s Corgi (PG), Spiderman: Far From Home (12A), Midsommar (18), London Has Fallen (DVD – 15) & Ghost in the Shell (2017) (DVD – 12)

The Queen’s Corgi (PG) – what’s it about? Rex the Queen’s top dog goes on an adventure and ends up getting put in the pound, his mission is to find his way back to the palace.

The first advert I saw of this I thought it was going to be complete rubbish, the second advert made me think maybe I’ll go see it and well I’m glad I did. I like a good cartoon especially those that make me have a giggle. This is a film the young ones will love but also has a couple of bits adults will find amusing too. Yep if you’d like to watch something that’s a little light-hearted that’s a little easy going which is filled with cuteness and humour, then maybe look this one up, but if you’re not too fussed then may be wait until its available on DVD/TV.

Rating: ***

Spiderman: Far From Home (12A) – what’s it about? Peter goes on a school trip to Europe where he ends up having to battle against some villains.

I really love a good Marvel film so had been looking forward to this one for a while now but also trying to avoid all the information and spoilers online. After End Game I was hoping for something that was a little more upbeat and this one didn’t disappoint. Its filled with your normal Marvel action, story and humour, thankfully this wasn’t all too sombre even though in points it does touch the heart strings, but thankfully I was crying with laughter rather than sadness. Yep if you love your Marvel films be sure to check this one out sooner rather than later. Hey look spoiler free thoughts right there! But warning the trailer contains spoilers!!

Rating: ****

Midsommar (18) – what’s it about? A group of uni students go on holiday to visit a remote Swedish settlement where things take a sinister turn.

I thought I’d give this a go as from the adverts it looked like it could be interesting, I had hopes it would be cool with it focusing on some of the Norse mythology. It started off and I instantly thought this is going to be bad, and sadly I was bang on right there. I spent more time laughing at how weird this film was than anything else, it wasn’t scary at all, I wouldn’t even class it as a horror! It just had some really over the top gross moments in it to try to shock the audience (people left the cinema after the first gore scene lol). It kind of reminded me a bit of Hereditary but IMO it just fell flat, I don’t even know what to say, apart from I was so disappointed with it.

Rating: *

London Has Fallen (DVD – 15) – what’s it about? The sequel to Olympus Has Fallen, where an attack happens against world leaders at a funeral in London.

I decided to re-watch this as I hadn’t seen it in a while. If you don’t know much about it, then it’s another high-octane action flick which has a little story thrown in for good measure, don’t expect to be thinking in this one as it’s a leave your brain at the door film. It’s the usual that something goes bang and the President needs to be protected at all costs, so don’t expect anything too original as you know the drill – guns, violence, explosions and the struggle to survive. If you liked Olympus Has Fallen then it’s definitely a good time to watch or re-watch this one as the new Angel Has Fallen will shortly be released!

Rating: ***

Ghost in the Shell (2017) (DVD – 12) – what’s it about? Robotics has advanced to the point where a human brain can be transplanted into a robotic body and the government use this new technology as a weapon.

This is a live action version of the anime of the same name, I haven’t seen the anime in years so its hard to recall all the differences, but from what I remember the story resembles that of the original and there were some of the memorable scenes played out. It’s a good sci-fi/futuristic film which has a good lot of story and action in it. I think most sci-fi fans will appreciate it, but some of the hardcore anime fans may be a bit disappointed as it’s a remake of a beloved film. I personally liked it and think it’s worth a watch.

Rating: ****