Daddy's Home

This review may contain spoilers!

This was a really fun film to finish 2015 on. I would give Daddy's Home a 6.5/10.

The rivalry between the protagonist and antagonist is so entertaining in this film, you really can't wait to see how Ferrell or Wahlberg will escalate a situation. The comedy within this film is really solid and is a return to some of the stronger American comedies from the past. The soundtrack works in really well with the film, heightening some comedic moments for the better. I also enjoyed the special effects in this film despite there not really being much, the big one of course is the motorbike scene which I thought was done really well.

Will Ferrell, who played Brad Whitaker, is back to true form in this film; this protagonist is one of the best that Ferrell has played in a long time. Thomas Haden Church, who played Leo Holt, was really entertaining as the hyper masculine boss; his stories about his ex-wives are some of the better scenes of the film. Scarlett Estevez, who played Megan, was one of the stronger comedic talents of the film; I love child actors that can go toe to toe with comedic talents like Ferrell and Wahlberg. Bobby Cannavale, who played Dr Francisco, is a really fun appearance in this film; I love the banter between Cannavale and Wahlberg. Hannibal Buress, who played Griff, could have been a complete throw away minor role but Buress made Griff one of the funnier characters of the film; the best part about his performance was his great line delivery that could completely steal scenes. John Cena, who played the Cool Dad, was the greatest cameo of the film; ending the film on Cena was such a strong and funny move.

However the best performance came from Mark Wahlberg, who played Dusty Mayron. In this film you really enjoy the banter and conflict that exists between Ferrell and Wahlberg; it takes you right back to The Other Guys but in a completely refreshing way. Wahlberg creates and antagonist that you can like just as much as you like Ferrell and he isn't someone you're completely against for the entire film. Ultimately Wahlberg is a strong comedic presence in this film and I hope to see him in more comedy films in the future.

This film runs a little too long at the end of the day, there's just a few too many scenes where the plot keeps returning to the same problem and it affects the film negatively. The cinematography in this film is quite basic, this is quite common for comedy films as they rely on the jokes to progress the film without creating much in terms of visual style. As a result of what I have previously mentioned the editing in this film is really simple; there just doesn't seem to be any desire to make this film look visually interesting. The score for this film isn't very memorable, it falls second fiddle to the soundtrack.

Linda Cardellini, who played Sara, isn't really funny in this film nor does her dramatic performance really fit into the film; I think the worst part is that Ferrell and Cardellini have absolutely no chemistry in this film so you really question why she'd marry him. Owen Vaccaro, who played Dylan, is quite a monotone child actor; vaccaro ultimately feels like he's reading his lines and playing out a very two dimensional performance.

Joy

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Don't let the trailers or the Jennifer Lawrence hype train fool you, Joy is a boring biopic about the self-wringing mop. I would give Joy a 3/10.

The cinematography in this film had a deft way of making dialogue scenes really interesting while also setting up some amazing visual shots throughout, the director had a very clear visual style that worked for this film.

Jennifer Lawrence, who played Joy, might not have been the perfect casting choice for this film but she really makes the role her own; ultimately it isn't until Lawrence starts inventing and fighting for her invention that we really connect with her role. Bradley Cooper, who played Neil Walker, was a brilliant businessman and show man in this film; you find it quite infectious when he works the set in the infomercial scenes. Edgar Ramirez, who played Tony, is an incredibly likeable character in this film; he has a very genuine and entertaining presence. Diane Ladd, who played Mimi, is the perfect narrator for the film; she brings so much heart to the plot and really grounds the story. Aundrea Gadsby and Gia Gadsby, who played Christie, doubled up on playing one of the strongest comedic performers in the film; I like the relationship these girls created with Lawrence.

However the best performance of the film came from Robert De Niro, who played Rudy. De Niro is kinda cocky and arrogant in this film, he's very selfish and driven. This is a role I haven't really seen De Niro take on in a while and he pulls it off quite well. This is a role who will serve himself and his own interests before that of his own daughter. De Niro performs a character who is at the same time very realistic and very confrontational.

This is a slow film that has no clue how to pace itself; it takes a long time for the invention of the mop to be introduced and even after the mop becomes a success we have to watch through another twenty or so minutes of really boring and redundant content. Ultimately the subject matter of this film isn't made engaging enough for the audience, the film is riddled with boring or irrelevant subplots while assaulting us with cheap gags or strange soap opera metaphors. The editing of the film lets down the fantastic cinematography quite a bit, the cuts happen very abruptly and pull you out of the sluggish story. The score for this film is terrible but worse than that is the soundtrack; the songs used have no consistency to them and as a result the film loses it's sense of tone completely.

Virginia Madsen, who played Terry, felt like a cartoon character; she was artificially written and acted out. Isabella Rossellini, who played Trudy, gave a performance that was far too over the top; also she was meant to be in a relationship with De Niro in this film so it would have been nice if they'd had a bit of chemistry. Dascha Polanco, who played Jackie, was really underutilised in this film; at the end of the day you feel a character who meant so much to Joy should have had a lot more scenes. Elisabeth Rohm, who played Peggy, was a really frustrating bland performance; frankly they had an antagonist in Peggy that wasn't written well enough and should have been given to a better actress than Rohm. Susan Lucci and Laura Wright, who played Danica and Clarinda respectively, were perhaps my least favourite part of the film; between these two actresses came the awful soap opera sequences that really let this film down. Jimmy Jean-Louis, who played Touissant, was a role that didn't have to exist and probably was given more screen time than he desrved; I don't even want to talk about how cringeworthy the relationship between him and Madsen was. Isabella Crovetti-Cramp, who played Young Joy, wasn't a very good child actress; her line delivery felt like a robot was talking to the camera. Melissa Rivers, who played Joan Rivers, brought one of the most redundant characters of the film to screen; it was as horrifying to see Joan Rivers in this film as it was in real life. Ken Cheeseman, who played Gerhardt, was an antagonist that was very hastily crammed into the last twenty minutes of the film; the script really should have focussed much more upon this role because by the time he was introduced I had long stopped caring.

Suffragette

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I guess they're saving all the best films for the end of 2015. I would give Suffragette an 8.5/10.

This film's plot is one side of many many arguments presented perfectly from a storyteller's perspective; and while you don't have to agree with the argument I think it's very worth showing up to the debate this film presents. The plot is constructed in a way that as the main protagonist develops so do the themes about women's equality and societal issues. Because this film presents such controversial and compelling material constantly you never really stop being hooked by the film, as a result the pacing in Suffragette is great. The cinematography for this film is quite raw and feels spot on for a political historical drama, the camera work might not be the best I've ever seen but there is definitely an artistic quality to the director's vision.

Anne-Marie Duff, who played Violet Miller, had some amazing chemistry with Mulligan in this film; it was Duff's initial ferocity that made the suffrage movement in this film feel so compelling. Geoff Bell, who played Norman Taylor, was just one of the many great male antagonists in this film; Bell presented a character who was thoroughly despicable from the get go which was excellent for the role. Ben Whishaw, who played Sonny Watts, was probably the most complex male character of the film; I liked how much he clearly cared for Mulligan in this film despite becoming an antagonist towards her due to his internalised misogyny. Helena Bonham Carter, who played Edith Ellyn, is an incredible leading presence in this film; Carter presents a fighter who almost blindly attacks at the cost of her own health. Brendan Gleeson, who played Inspector Arthur Steed, was a really great antagonist in this film; he worked really well against Mulligan the two of them were incredible opposites of one another. Adrian Schiller, who played David Lloyd George, was a character of two sides which I really liked; he seemed like a very reassuring role at first but then quickly appeared quite despicable at a crucial point of the film. Meryl Streep, who played Emmeline Pankhurst, had one of the greatest scenes of the film; Streep is exceptionally powerful as Pankhurst particularly in line delivery.

However the best performance came from Carey Mulligan, who played Maud Watts. Mulligan is phenomenal at presenting characters who display a great degree of development. This film has a solid protagonist in her and basically evolves at the same rate she does. I love how nuanced Mulligan can be, you feel the build of rage she displays towards Bell's role or the grief she feels over Press' role. Overall I love the spirit displayed by Mulligan in this feature, she was forever battling and struggling with hardship and at the end of the day Mulligan is one of the best actresses out there at the moment.

This film's editing wasn't great, particularly the colouring; I have a real gripe with historical English films that keep toning films grey or brown. The score for this film is quite ineffective as well, more often than not it fell into the background and failed to help set the tone for the film.

Grace Stottor, who played Maggie Miller, was a character who had a lot of significance to Mulligan and Duff was completely underutilised in this film; it was frustrating to see this character have so much potential but get no screen presence. Adam Michael Dodd, who played George Watts, wasn't a very good child actor; I felt like he had some emotional scenes but only ever played a two dimensional role. Romola Garai, who played Alice Haughton, had no screen presence in amongst the rest of this amazing female ensemble cast; Garai was a performer you forgot about for large periods of the film. Finbar Lynch, who played Hugh Ellyn, was a character I both liked and didn't like; I liked he wasn't used as a pariah for the 'supportive' male role but at the same time he really needed to have more screen time and chemistry with Carter. Natalie Press, who played Emily Wilding Davison, was one of the bigger disappointments in the film; she was treated more as a political symbol than a character.

Alvin And The Chipmunks 4: The Road Chip

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This is a surprising return to form for the Chipmunks series. I would give Alvin And The Chipmunks 4: The Road Chip a 6/10.

The Chipmunks film has always presented themes of family and working together really well and in this fourth instalment those themes are back strong. This fascinating story about the Chipmunks fighting to keep the status quo of their family life style is really interesting, you find yourself caring deeply about many of the main protagonists in the film. The pacing is good, ultimately the well spaced musical numbers and return to engaging plot points makes this film move quite quickly. Furthermore the soundtrack for this film is superb, the music isn't forced and starts playing a role in the narrative again. The special effects used to create the Chipmunks, Chipettes and squirrels looks really good; they fit well against the live action cast.

Justin Long, who voiced Alvin, is a great protagonist for this film; as always the best part of these films is seeing Alvin earnestly accepting his mistakes. Matthew Gray Gubler, who voiced Simon, has the perfect voice to play the nerdier character of the group; he acts as a strong conscience to the rest of the protagonists. Jesse McCartney, who voiced Theodore, is the most charming of the Chipmunks; the scene where Theodore gets hit by a car in this film is one of the best and most emotional. Josh Green, who played Miles, is a wonderful newcomer to these films; I really liked the backstory about his father and the character development he goes through as a result of the Chipmunks in this film. Christina Applegate, Kaley Cuoco and Anna Faris, who voiced Brittany, Eleanor and Jeanette respectively, really match up to the Chipmunks voice actors despite being a bit underused in this film; the Chipettes always have a lot of presence when they're in their scenes. Jennifer Coolidge, who played Ms Price, has a really great appearance in this film; I thoroughly enjoyed her comedic line delivery. Uzo Aduba, who played TSA Officer, was another one of many great cameos in this film; her presence meant that a scene that could have been reduced to toilet humour was saved and made quite entertaining. Retta and Stefan Gordy, who played Party Planner and himself, really kicked the film off with the great cameos; their shared comedic interactions are what made me realise this film might very well be a return to form for the Chipmunk films. Flula Borg, who played Man Behind Mask, was another great cameo in this film; I really enjoyed his tattoo scene.

However the best performance came from Jason Lee, who played Dave. Lee has always been a constant within these films; he interacts well against his animated counterparts. What he does really well in his performance is deliver really strong dialogue that feels very realistic and fits his father figure dynamic well. Ultimately Lee really embodies the family values that these films present.

The humour in this film falls spectacularly flat most of the time, the film relies on dumbed down comedy or puns that make you groan inwardly. The score for this film is really bland, in fact it feels like an over the top piece that belongs with a Disney Junior show. The cinematography in this film is very basic, the shots accommodate the Chipmunks well without ever actually presenting interesting visuals. The editing follows the cinematography in that it plays to a very basic film making rule book; the cuts are simple and don't help heighten the film.

Kimberly Williams-Paisley, who played Samantha, was a really strange character in this film; ultimately the romance subplot between her and Lee was quite hashed and they didn't have much chemistry. Tony Hale, who played Agent Suggs, was another weak antagonist in the series; Hale played his role far too over the top to be entertaining. Bella Thorne, who played Ashley Grey, had very little reason to actually be in this film; it was painfully awkward watching her interact with Green. Eddie Steeples, who played Barry, is a minor character that was given far too much screen time; honestly he had about two or three scenes too many. Laura Marano, who played Hotel Baby Sitter, was playing a basic stereotype; I'm quite tired of the teenage stereotypes that are slapped carelessly into kids or comedy films.

The Tiger: An Old Hunter's Tale

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I didn't expect the first film I saw after Star Wars to be even remotely as good but I do so enjoy being proven wrong. I would give The Tiger: An Old Hunter's Tale a 9.5/10.

This Korean film takes a heavy stance upon big game hunting, using powerful storytelling to create a compelling argument against this sport as well as painting it as a horrific act. However beyond the themes the plot itself is an incredible exploration about the conflict between man and beast, this was probably the most emotional rollercoaster I've seen this year. The special effects for the CGI wolves and tigers looked amazing, especially the Mountain Lord; frankly the story of the Mountain Lord was done so well that he actually felt like a character in the main cast. The cinematography for this film was simply beautiful, hunts looked like immense battles and nature was captured perfectly. The editing was really well done, the dialogue scenes were cut at a steady pace while the hunts were incredibly quick to as to heighten the action. The score for the film was another powerful element, I suppose the best way to describe a sound like that is haunting; this really is a composition that rocks you to your core.

Choi Min-sik, who played Chun Man-duk, is an incredible lead protagonist in this film; his relationship to nature and the tiger is performed incredibly throughout. Kim Hong-fa, who played the Herbal Shop Owner, was a really charming performance; his chemistry with Min-sik was great. Jung Suk-won, who played Military Officer Ryu, was a really erratic character which I enjoyed; I loved how cowardly and weak he played himself against Osugi. Ren Osugi, who played Government Official Maezono, was a fantastic antagonist in this film; his indifference to the honour of hunting was really well explored I felt.

However the best performance came from Jeong Man-sik, who played Goo-gyeong. Man-sik's performance within this film was antagonistic in some areas but you really felt and understood the character's motivations. I loved his determination to bring down the Mountain Lord, he appeared almost manic at times. His best scene for me had to be when he abandoned Suk-yi to continue his hunt, that was when you really his insatiable drive to complete his objective.

Make no mistake this is a long film and you have to be ready for that, there are many scenes that could have been completely cut from the film. In saying that they really needed to pay better attention to detail when it came to the flashbacks, there was nowhere near enough content or focus upon backstory.

Kim Sang-ho, who played Chil-goo, felt like a sort of comedic sidekick in this film; to be honest there was no real necessity for a role of that type in the film. Lee Eun-woo, who played Mal-nyeon, was an incredibly underused character in this film; they should have had more flashback scenes with her. Hyun Seung-min, who played Sun-yi, was a character I was just simply annoyed by; his death was done well but I certainly didn't mourn the character. Sung Yoo-bin, who played Suk-yi, was such an unnecessary character/subplot in this film; the relationship between her and Seung-min felt awkwardly forced.

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens

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Not only is this the best Star Wars film to date but it is one of the greatest things to happen to the science fiction genre in many many years. I would give Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens a 10/10.

This film is everything that made the original trilogy classics while embracing the finer elements of modern cinema, this is the best film I have seen in years perhaps my entire life. The plot follows on well from Return of Jedi despite minimal references to backstory. Ultimately this is a film with new Star Wars leads and I couldn't be happier about it, the lead, Rey, is better than Luke and Anakin were and the main antagonist, Kylo Ren, is the greatest antagonist in the Star Wars universe easily. The story is very well constructed and the pacing is perfect, most every scene plays an important part in progressing the story or developing the characters. John Williams creates yet another award worthy score in Force Awakens; it's a sound that is the life blood of the film and will probably be immortalised for many years to come. The cinematography is incredibly immersive in this film, some of the best shots are the battle sequences where we see ship battles and land battles all happening in the same shot. The editing is an incredible throwback to classic Star Wars, I've missed those great transitions between scenes. The special effects within the film are an incredible blend between the style of the old films and what can be achieved with modern effects. The lightsaber duel between Rey and Kylo Ren in this film is perfectly choreographed; while very raw there was a lot of emotion in that single fight.

Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker, is barely in this film but the few seconds he's onscreen is incredible; we are offered such an incredible emotional range in just those few seconds that has you rabid for the sequel. Adam Driver, who played Kylo Ren, is the greatest antagonist of the Star Wars universe in my opinion; Driver is wild as ren and particularly love seeing him lash out at his surroundings. Daisy Ridley, who played Rey, is the perfect lead for this film; she creates such a deep intricate character that you really connect with. John Boyega, who played Finn, is quite a fun performance; I liked it best when he was delivering comedic banter but more than that I enjoyed his chemistry with Ridley and Isaac. Oscar Isaac, who played Poe Dameron, is the cocky full-of-bravado X-Wing pilot we've been waiting for; you have to love Issac's earnest performance right down to his great interactions with BB-8. Lupita Nyong'o, who played Maz Kanata, gave a very sage performance; I think her speech to Rey about the Force is one of the best lines in the film. Andy Serkis, who played Supreme Leader Snoke, is such a great enigmatic antagonist; I really look forward to seeing more of this menacing threat in the sequels. Anthony Daniels, who played C-3PO, was a great return performance; I love seeing this pessimistic busy body droid getting under the feet of Fisher and Ford. Peter Mayhew, who played Chewbacca, had quite an emotional role to play in this film; when Ford died I think Mayhew's reaction was perfect.

However the best performance in the film came from Harrison Ford, who played Han Solo. From the minute Ford was back onscreen I knew he was right back into those old shoes of Han Solo, Ford quite simply knows how to play that role through and through. When Ford walks into the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon for the first time you feel a great sense of homecoming, this is a Star Wars film without a doubt. Ford interacts really well with every cast member in this film but I think he shows a lot of emotional range interacting with the likes of Boyega and Ridley. He just seems to be having fun in this film, look at him stealing Chewbacca's bowcaster more than once. The best scene we get from Ford is the interaction between him and Driver; the raw naked emotion here between father and son characters is incredibly sad and if you're not in tears by the time Ford has been stabbed then Star Wars is most certainly not for you.

If I had to criticise this film then I'd say that we get too many of the same shots and plot points that we've already seen in previous Star Wars films; for instance many shots of Jakku are replicating Tatooine shots from previous film, or the fact the big threat of the film is a bigger badder Death Star was quite disappointing even if it was executed well.

Carrie Fisher, who played Princess Leia, seems to have forgotten how to play her role completely; at the end of the day not all of the old cast was going to be able to reprise their respective roles perfectly but Fisher was so far from her source that you think they may have well recast. Domhnall Gleeson, who played General Hux, is a very corny over the top performance; you get very tired of seeing him in scenes very quickly. Max von Sydow, who played Lor San Tekka, is one of the most forgettable performances of the film; he doesn't even really interact well with Isaac. Gwendoline Christie, who played Captain Phasma, is quite a bland performance; frankly Christie delivers yet another disappointing overhyped character.

Inside Men

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This film was rather slow but finished on an incredibly high note. I would give Inside Men a 6/10.

This film has an exceptionally well done final act, the amount of plot twists and intense scenes make the first two thirds of the film worth sitting through. The cinematography in this film is exceptional, the director has to be commended for making this film so visually appealing throughout. The score for Inside Men is quite intense when it kicks in, it definitely enhances some of the best scenes of the film. I love the action sequences and the torture sequences in this film; it makes this feel more like an intense crime film than blockbusters like Black Mass and Legend.

Lee Byung-hun, who played Ahn Sang-goo, was a fantastic co-lead and had great chemistry with Seung-woo; I liked the banter he delivered with other characters it really brought a lot of wit to the film. Baek Yoon-sik, who played Lee Kang-hee, was an antagonist who really developed and grew as the film progressed; I loved his line delivery the most out of everyone in the cast. Lee Geung-young, who played Jang Pil-woo, was another fantastic memorable antagonist in this film; I loved how raw and wild his performance was - he was a true loose cannon.

However the best performance came from Jo Seung-woo, who played Woo Jang-hoon. I liked the earnest nature of Seung-woo, he played headstrong and determined very well. He shared some fantastic onscreen chemistry with Byung-hun that really made the film what it was. The peak of Seung-woo's performance came in two places, one was this terrifying moment where you see him freaking out as he starts to lose to the antagonists. However the best part is the twist of this film: you are quite convinced that Seung-woo has joined the antagonists only to learn that he's betrayed them; the reason I cite this as great is because this twist would have been predictable if it weren't for Seung-woo's convincing acting.

This film is very dragged out and you spend a lot of the first twenty minutes trying to figure out character connections and what is actually going on in the plot; as a result the pacing of the film is severely affected. There are a lot of unnecessary scenes and predictable moments in this film as well, so as a whole the film became a bit stale and boring after a short while. The editing was very simple, the cutting didn't heighten the film and let down the beautiful cinematography.

Bae Seong-woo, who played Park Jong-pal, was a weak minor character in this film; he never really matched up to the talents he performed against like Byung-hun or Geung-young.

The Good Dinosaur

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While it's a good film, The Good Dinosaur is let down by quirky or sloppy choices scattered throughout the film. I would give The Good Dinosaur a 7.5/10.

The animation for this film has some beautiful detail when it comes to aspects of nature or background imagery, two of my favourite scenes of the film contain these beautifully animated fireflies. In terms of the film's plot I think what worked best was the relationship explored and developed between Arlo and Spot, you felt a lot of empathy towards both characters as they grew to care about one another. The score for this film is another immediate Disney/Pixar classic, I often feel animated films have some of the best scores in the film industry and this film just proves that.

Jeffrey Wright, who voiced Poppa, was the perfect voice for the father figure in this film; he was one of the voices that stood out the most at the start of the film. Peter Sohn, who voiced Forrest Woodbush, was quite a funny role; I loved the name and claim gag with his character. Steve Zahn, who voiced Thunderclap, was a fantastic antagonist; I thought his manic character was quite terrifying.

However the best performance came from Sam Elliott, who voiced Butch. While the cowboy and rustler sequence seemed a bit out of place Elliot made it one of the more memorable moments of the film. He's got a very unique and intimidating voice which worked perfectly for his T-Rex character. The best example of line delivery from Elliott was the story about the crocodiles and how important fear is.

The plot didn't really have a very exciting journey, in fact Arlo's journey home was forgettable more often than not and was constantly being interrupted by questionable scenes like getting high off berries or cowboy T-Rexs. As a result of the journey being treated as unimportant the film began to drag on and was a bit slower, the pacing could certainly have been a bit tighter. The start of this film was really poorly done, I didn't like that Wright's role died in almost exactly the same way that Mufasa did in Lion King. The animation of the background may have been highly artistic but frankly the characters were awfully animated; it was jarring seeing the incredible animation of the scenery while watching the weak animation of the characters moving through it.

Frances McDormand, who voiced Momma, really paled in comparison to Wright; she has no real screen presence or purpose in the film. Maleah Nipay-Padilla, who voiced Young Libby, embodied one of the characters that was most underused in the film; out of all of Arlo's family Libby is the one you care about least. Marcus Scribner, who voiced Buck, was a character that seemed like he had a rivalry with Arlo; however it was disappointing to see that they didn't explore this dynamic of the siblings much. Raymond Ochoa, who voiced Arlo, is one of the most annoying voice actors of the film which is a shame because he's the lead protagonist; this was a performance that just had no strength throughout the film and so you cared less about Arlo because of this. Mandy Freund and Steven Clay Hunter, who voiced Downpour and Coldfront respectively, felt like very insignificant voices when compared to Zahn's work; they were very much background roles. A.J. Buckley and Anna Paquin, who voiced Nash and Ramsey respectively, just felt like they were giving very artificial performances; I was really only interested by Elliott out of the group of T-Rexs. David Boat, Carrie Paff, Calum Grant and John Ratzenberger, who voiced Bubbha, Lurleane, Pervis and Earl respectively, brought a distinctly Western vibe to The Good Dinosaur which felt incredibly out of place; their performances were absolutely caricatures of Western streotypes and made the cowboy/rustler segment tiresome.

In The Heart Of The Sea

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This could have been big and powerful if it had had the courage to take risks and be bold. I would give In The Heart Of The Sea a 6.5/10.

This film was really good at presenting an experience; you quickly became quite invested in seeing these men sail, hunt whales and try to survive 'Moby Dick'. The cinematography was really good when it came to big establishing shots that took in the incredible sets or visual effects; it felt like you were looking at well painted canvasses at times. The special effects were another stunning visual feat; I really loved how realistic the whales looked in this film. However it was the incredible score that made this film stand out; while some aspects of the film were lacking the score consistently rose to the occasion and is one of my favourites of the year.

Chris Hemsworth, who played Owen Chase, gives probably his best performance since Thor; he has such a strong physical presence as ship first mate in this film. Ben Whishaw, who played Herman Melville, played really strongly against Gleeson in this film; I liked that even he got to bear his vulnerabilities as a writer. Charlotte Riley, who played Peggy, wasn't in the film much but was as powerful as Hemsworth when she was onscreen; I thought her emotional reaction to Hemsworth's homeward return was really powerful. Benjamin Walker, who played George Pollard, was really good at playing a character you started to dislike at first; however Walker really took this role upon an incredible journey of growth and development. Michelle Fairley, who played Mrs Nickerson, had some incredible chemistry with Gleeson; I loved her reaction to his confession of committing cannibalism.

However the best performance came from Brendan Gleeson, who played Old Thomas Nickerson. Gleeson is the perfect person to guide the model of the film's plot; his incredible performance and emotional unfolding of his character make his scenes some of the best of the film. He has a lot of chemistry with Whishaw and Fairley, the only actor and actress he interacts with in the film. What really makes Gleeson's performance stand out is the scene in which he confesses to having commit cannibalism, it's very intense and Gleeson performs it brilliantly.

This film feels too long and there are scenes that drag out, the pacing could have been a lot better. The plot really fails it's characters because none of the figures in this film are really developed enough for you to care about them. The cinematography has some good establishing shots but the director also plays around too much with experimentation, there a few sequences where you are snapped out of the film because it's very obvious you're watching things through a lens. The editing is really slow and doesn't help the dragged out pacing; a film of this scale should have been cut together better.

Tom Holland, who played Young Thomas Nickerson, doesn't really live up to Gleeson's older portrayal of this role; in fact Holland doesn't have much screen presence and is a weak performer compared to the rest of his castmates. Cillian Murphy, who played Matthew Joy, was a character who wasn't explored enough in this film; he was supposed to have a big backstory with Hemsworth but it was never explored. Frank Dillane, who played Owen Coffin, felt out of place in this film; he was too erratic and felt artificial in his performance. Donald Sumpter, who played Paul Macy, isn't a very convincing authoritative figure; he doesn't really stack up against Hemsworth. Edward Ashley, who played Barzallai Ray, is supposed to be close with Holland's role but the two of them have no chemistry; frankly Ashley has zero screen presence in this film.  

Goosebumps

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This is a really enjoyable family film, though if you're an actual Goosebumps fan it may not be your thing. I would give Goosebumps a 6.5/10.

This movie had a plot that was fairly solid, I enjoyed the quest to recapture all of the monsters and I even enjoyed the romance storyline between Zach and Hannah. What really drives the plot is the human element of Zach who is coping with the loss of his father while adjusting to a new town, this aspect of character exploration made Goosebumps more than just a simple film. I think the film was more comedy than horror because honestly this was hilairious, I was laughing through a lot of scenes. The pacing for this film was well done, everything unfolded at a well calculated rate. The score for this film was perfect, it really played up the horror vibe well. I also liked the special effects even if some of the animation models could've had a little more work done, there were a lot of monsters in this film and I thought the way they were done was quite good.

Dylan Minnette, who played Zach, is a fantastic lead in this film; I thought he was quite charismatic and excelled at delivering some good sarcastic comedy. Odeya Rush, who played Hannah, matches Minnette perfectly in a leading role; she's a very likeable character and I enjoyed the twist around her character. Amy Ryan, who played Gale, is quite a fun character with some very realistic dialogue delivery; I enjoyed scenes between her and Minnette as they were some of the most genuine of the film. Amanda Lund and Timothy Simons, who played Officer Brooks and Officer Stevens respectively, gave two of the best scenes of the film; I loved these as a comedic duet and their running gag about a police officer in training.

However the best performance came from Jillian Bell, who played Lorraine. Bell has the strongest comedic presence out of anyone in this film, often delivering one liners that are absolute gold. She really brought a lot of her presence to any scene that she appears in, ultimately she is a scene stealer. Even when bogged down with a romance subplot between herself and Black she rises above and makes the best out of it. A really entertaining performance.

I wasn't a fan that they tried to force a romance between Black and Bell's characters as well as Ryan and Marino's, the only effect this had was the usual tired feeling of a forced attempt to romantically link all the single characters with partners. The tone of this film wasn't very scary or tense was another problem, you never really believed that any of the characters was in any real danger. The cinematography was quite simple and certainly didn't match up to the entertaining effects.

Jack Black, who played R. L. Stine, felt like he was forcing it this entire film; he gave a very artificial performance as Stine and you didn't really care much about this role. Black also voiced the film's main antagonist, Slappy, who started out as quite sinister and much more interesting than Stine but was ultimately very stereotypical and plagued by awful dialogue. Ryan Lee, who played Champ, was more annoying sidekick than comedic sidekick; he's irritating to watch in this film and just doesn't stack up to the rest of the cast. Ken Marino, who played Coach Carr, spearheaded this awkward attempt to create a romance between him and Ryan; thank God Marino has the screen presence of a cricket. Keith Arthur Bolden, who played Principal Garrison, had a role that could've been quite interesting in this film; he almost strongly lead the school against the monsters but was sadly underused.

The Night Before

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Not only is this the worst comedy of the year but it's probably in amongst some of the worst Christmas films of all time. I would give The Night Before a 2/10.

I did enjoy some of the humour that was used in this film, there were some incredibly well done jokes that landed pretty well.

Seth Rogen, who played Isaac, was one of the only leads in this film who felt comedic; despite being plagued with one of the worst plotlines of the film Rogen really presented some fantastic delivery in this film. Anthony Mackie, who played Chris Roberts, was entertaining as the 'celebrity' of the group; I liked the moral conflict behind his character's use of steroids. Lizzy Caplan, who played Diana, was a really good leading actress; she played a very natural, genuine role which was what this film desperately needed at times. Tracy Morgan, who played The Narrator/Santa, was a really funny intro and outro to the film; this was one of the few times that being absurdly wacky worked for the film rather than against it. Nathan Fielder, who played Joshua, was one of the better minor roles of the film; his chemistry with Mackie was great and the car chase sequence was probably one of the best scenes of the film. Miley Cyrus, who played herself, was an enjoyable appearance in the film; I enjoyed how candidly she took on some self-deprecating humour. Randall Park, who played the Boss, was a really good cameo in this film; he brought together one of the very few funny scenes that had Joseph Gordon-Levitt in it.

However the best performance came from James Franco, who played himself. Franco was only a cameo role in this film but the minute he was onscreen you felt like the film had just taken an adrenaline shot to the heart. Everything was a lot more entertaining the minute he and Rogen started working their brilliant chemistry. I loved this payoff of the Isaac getting dick pics subplot, it was one of the best set ups of the film.

This film relies heavily on crafting a story about someone who lost their parents, but you never really feel the emotional weight of that aspect; in fact the main character is kind of dislikeable. Frankly every plotline in this film gets a botched lazy treatment; Mackie's steroid abuse is never explored and Rogen's fear of parenting expressed through a drug trip is a subplot that is both strange and weak. This film doesn't take itself seriously but not in a good way; it's like watching the successful guy in high school become a crackhead. To even talk about pacing is a joke as this film didn't seem to have a sense of direction at any point of the film. The soundtrack for this film is completely all over the place; a very clear attempt to get cheap laughs through musical humour. The cinematography is pretty basic, the director didn't seem to be trying anything special with this film. The editing made me cringe at several points, the scene transitions felt like Windows Movie Maker cuts.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who played Ethan, was an awful lead for this film; I think I could count the number of times Gordon-Levitt made me laugh on one hand. Jillian Bell, who played Betsy, was quite an artificial performance; the worst thing was that she had no chemistry with Rogen at all. Michael Shannon, who played Mr Green, just presented this character that was too bizarre to enjoy; I don't know what the film really hoped to achieve with this weak Christmas Carol tribute. Ilana Glazer, who played Rebecca Grinch, was a weak antagonist for this film; she stole stuff and beyond that had no developed character. Aaron Hill, who played Tommy Owens, wasn't a very interesting character; he had zero chemistry with Mackie who was the only realy reason he had any purpose in this film. Mindy Kaling, who played Sarah, was a really annoying performance; she fell quite short beside the likes of Caplan, Rogen and Franco. Lorraine Toussaint, who played Mrs Roberts, didn't really have much presence in this film; this is a true shame because with a few more scenes she could have potentially stood out in this film.

The Program

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What this film presents is a masterful performance from it's lead actor as well as incredible journey into a character's psychology. I would give The Program an 8.5/10.

The plot of this film is quite incredible, the study of Lance Armstrong's psychology as well as his elaborate doping program is pretty powerful in this film. I really can't think of the last time I saw a film that did a downward spiral of a lead protagonist so well. The pacing of the plot is really well done, you're absolutely hooked throughout. The cinematography is jaw dropping, there are some really powerful shots interspersed throughout the feature with one of my favourites the opening shot of Armstrong biking up a hill. The score for this film is beautiful, the heavy dark undertones go hand in hand with Foster's excellent portrayal.

Jesse Plemons, who played Floyd Landis, is really interesting as a morally conflicted character in this film; this is my all time favourite performance from Plemons. Lee Pace, who played Bill Stapleton, really works well as this sketchy corporate lawyer; his last line of the film where he gently tries to tell Foster that Nike is distancing themselves from him is one of my favourite scenes. Dustin Hoffman, who played Bob Hamman, is very laidback in this film but it works quite well for the role he plays; Hoffman is very nuanced in his delivery of this concerned businessman who has a lot to lose due to Armstrong. Chris O'Dowd, who played David Walsh, was a perfect choice for this film; he really rivaled Foster and I loved the amount of passion O'Dowd brought to his performance.

However the best performance of the film came from Ben Foster, who played Lance Armstrong. This could quite possibly be one of my favourite performances of the year, Foster's work on this character is quite simply mind blowing. There is an underdog aspect to Armstrong that makes us like him at first, he's charming and quite funny. There's a great scene where we see him share a genuine moment of empathy with a child suffering from cancer, it's quite a humbling scene in the film and reminds us of Armstrong's humanity. However that's the last we get of moments like that, from there on out we see Foster portray the dark side of Armstrong. The threats he delivered, the lies he so genuinely spun, even his sudden aggressive outbursts were displayed immaculately by Foster. My favourite scene of the film is one in which Foster practices what he is going to say in front of the media to a mirror; the scene is significant because you see the true deceptive nature of Armstrong here while also encountering a feeling of fear because Ben Foster is just that good of an actor.

While I was a big fan of the plot I must admit the first twenty minutes of the story was quite rushed, there could have been more attention to the first use of performance enhancing drugs as well as Armstrong's bout with cancer. The soundtrack for this film wasn't the best (excluding Leonard Cohen's 'Everybody Knows'), the tracks were all over the place and there didn't seem to be any consistent direction the soundtrack was taking. The editing was one of the worst qualities of the film, shots dragged on for too long or cuts would just come at really awkward times.

 Guillaume Canet, who played Medecin Michele Ferrari, felt like a cartoon character in this film; he was playing his role far too over the top to resemble anything convincing. Denis Menochet, who played Johan Bruyneel, didn't really have much screen presence in this film; his performance diminished against that of Foster and Plemons.

Creed

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For a Rocky film this isn't the best I've seen, but as a boxing film it really holds it's own. I would give Creed a 6.5/10.

What really drives the plot of this film is the Rocky subplot, throughout the film we're learning about what's happened since we last saw Rocky as well as seeing Rocky battle with cancer. The importance of Rocky to this franchise was always going to overshadow Adonis Creed's story from the minute Sylvester Stallone appeared in the first trailer. The ending is one of the strongest moments in the film, the battle between Creed and Conlan is an intense moment of action and emotion that is masterfully directed, written and acted out. In fact all of the fight scenes in this film are examples of incredible fight choreography, the blows that land look as intense as they did back in the original Rocky films. The cinematography has changed a lot from the past Rocky films but it's definitely for the better, there is some incredible flow in how the shots take in the intense battles. The soundtrack and score have always been strengths of the Rocky franchise and Creed shares these strengths, the score is particularly powerful in matching some of the best scenes of the film.

Michael B Jordan, who played Adonis Johnson, is an incredible lead, he plays a character that's really raw and you can really feel the aggression emanating from Jordan throughout.

However the best performance came from Sylvester Stallone, who played Rocky Balboa. This is a character that is immortal for Stallone, I could watch this man play Rocky a thousand times and he would still be as powerful as he was in the first Rocky. Stallone embraces Rocky as a genuine figure, a character who connects with anyone on screen and resembles a community figure. You can feel the weight of experience he has in training sequences but what really makes Rocky special is the amount of love and care he carries. Throughout these films and no less so in Creed, Rocky displays how much he cares for Adrian, Pauly, Apollo, and now Adonis; he's the heart of these films.

This is long for a Rocky film, in fact it is the longest one and you feel every second of it. A lot of that stems from the main plot around Adonis, you simply do not care about him as much because he lacks the heart that Rocky has shown. That isn't to lessen Jordan's performance but it's frankly just an example of a weak script. There is a love subplot in this film that feels a little contrived, more of a hook up than two people who actually care about each other like what we saw with Rocky and Adrian. The editing of this film is one of it's greatest flaws, the choice to pause the film upon stat profiles of the fighters is really jarring and detrimental to the film.

Tessa Thompson, who played Bianca, spearheads the weak romance subplot of the film; she lacks chemistry with jordan and you feel like her techno music story takes up too much time. Phylicia Rashad, who played Mary Anne Creed, isn't really in this film enough; they try to establish a strong emotional bond between her and Jordan but it doesn't really pay off. Tony Bellew, who played 'Pretty' Ricky Conlan, is a bit of a poorly written antagonist; at the end of the film his character completely one eighties and acts kindly towards Jordan which felt out of character. Ritchie Coster, who played Pete Sporino, is a character that is a slave to the plot; all he does is set the plot up to advance and then we never see him again once he's fulfilled that purpose. Graham McTavish, who played Tommy Holiday, was a woefully underutilised antagonist; he had a lot of potential but was confined to only two decent scenes. Ricardo McGill, who played Padman, is an example of the Rocky franchise's weakness; if you're a secondary trainer you don't feel like a character but rather background furniture.

Hotel Transylvania 2

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While Hotel Transylvania isn't the best animated film this year it delivers a really strong theme for children and adults. I would give Hotel Transylvania 2 a 6/10.

I think the strongest thing about this film is it's discussion about accepting and loving others even if they are different from you, it was a true focus of the film and very masterfully presented. The animation in this film has progressed a fair bit from the first Hotel Transylvania, just look at the first time we see Vlad or when the gang is flying on Blobby to see what I mean. The score and soundtrack for this film is really well put together, I love the way the soundtrack is used to enhance moments of comedy.

Adam Sandler, who voiced Dracula, is a fantastic lead in these films; he really makes many of the emotional high points that stand out within the film. Selena Gomez, who voiced Mavis, really comes into her own in this film; I love seeing her character take on the responsibilities of a parent and demonstrating that it doesn't always come naturally. David Spade, who voiced Griffin, is one of the strongest comedic presences within the film; I enjoyed the running gag of his 'invisible' girlfriend. Dana Carvey, who voiced Dana, was a fantastic parody of the modern camping experience; the sly digs at over the top safety regulations was some of my favourite comedic moments. Rob Riggle, who voiced Bela, was quite an intense antagonist even if he wasn't in it long; this is probably one of Riggle's most fearsome characters yet. Mel Brooks, who voiced Vlad, wasn't in the film long yet displayed some of the best character development of the film; I liked the angle this film takes to bridge the gaps between all generations through this character. Sadie Sandler, who voiced Winnie, is one of the better performances of the film; she has so much chemistry with Blinkoff and you care about her character.

However the best performance came from Asher Blinkoff, who voiced Dennis. This film thrived on this character and performance, the innocent nature of the kid meant that the theme was delivered that much better. Through Blinkoff you get some of the most adorable dialogue exchanges as well as comedic delivery. As I've already mentioned the chemistry between Blinkoff and Sadie Sandler was really strong and one of the best aspects of the film; however his chemistry with Adam Sandler was another fantastic part of the film.

This film didn't have much sense of direction which let down the plot, we had a bit of an opportunity to see Dennis grow up, but then the film became a sort of road trip film and it concluded with a giant monster brawl. This scattered plot was crammed with just too much and it didn't aid the pacing of the story, in fact this film was barely an hour and a half long and it dragged here and there. The film took too long to introduce a clear antagonist, Vlad and Bela only appeared in the last fifteen minutes of the film. The comedy aimed more towards adults fell flat more often than not, it was a bit cringeworthy at times.

Andy Samberg, who voiced Jonathan, gets by by delivering the bare minimum at times in this film; he certainly doesn't match Sandler or Gomez for voice talent. Kevin James, who voiced Frankenstein, doesn't actually do much in this film; he fades to the background in most scenes. Steve Buscemi, who voiced Wayne, just doesn't pique the audience's interest be they young or old; scenes that focus on Buscemi you hope flash by quickly. Keegan-Michael Key, who voiced Murray, wasn't a good choice for this recast; he goes far too over the top with his performance. Fran Drescher, who voiced Eunice, works well in live action material but has an unbearable voice for voice acting; I was quite thankful she wasn't in many scenes. Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman, who voiced Grandma Linda and Grandpa Mike, could have been used a lot better in this film; instead they just felt like minor bit roles. Jonny Solomon, who voiced Blobby, represents one of my biggest irks about animated films; I hate main characters that just make noise and are the source of cheap humour. Jon Lovitz, who voiced Phantom Of The Opera, was one of the jokes that really fell flat in this film; it was probably an addition that should have been cut from the film.

Love The Coopers

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This film is the lump of coal that signifies a terrible Christmas film. I would give Love The Coopers a 3.5/10.

Whoever edited this film really didn't get paid enough, I mean aside from the acting it was the masterful cutting that really pulled this film along. The style of the film created from the editing meant that some beats landed and the action of the film had more flow than the script really allowed for.

Diane Keaton, who played Charlotte, was the best I've seen her in recent years; Keaton was fantastic at acting flustered and really embodied the quirky mother role. Ed Helms, who played Hank, gave such a genuine performance; one of Helms' strengths is his ability to connect with others onscreen and develop a really engaging chemistry with them. Blake Baumgartner, who played Madison, was a phenomenal child performance in this film; her recurring joke was one of the better aspects of the film. Amanda Seyfried, who played Ruby, had so much chemistry with Arkin in this film; she was a very vulnerable role and Seyfried gave a great performance. Marisa Tomei, who played Emma, was erratic in this film in quite an entertaining way; I loved her scenes with Mackie as they were probably some of the best of the film. Olivia Wilde, who played Eleanor, wasn't the most immediately likeable character but Wilde really made her enjoyable; I liked seeing her play against Lacy and I certainly thought that their banter was a great aspect of the film. Jake Lacy, who played Joe, was a really likeable character in this film; Lacy brought so much charisma in this performance and he really stood out for me. Anthony Mackie, who played Officer Williams, was one of the very few actors in this film who presented an important theme really well; Mackie played a gay man and we understood the hardships of his life really well just from a couple of scenes with Mackie.

However the best performance came from Alan Arkin, who played Bucky. Arkin was the most likeable and charismatic person onscreen easily. I liked watching his scenes with Helms and Seyfried, he really connected with them and delivered some great lines alongside them. Ultimately I think I liked watching him try to extend a helping hand to someone who desperately needed it, one of the more inspired moments of the film even if the writer failed that particular storyline a bit.

Love The Coopers is an example of sloppy writing at it's lowest, sometimes you barely understand how characters are connected which is the very basic premise of the story. There are so many interweaving plotlines in this film but many of them are written poorly. For example Arkin and Seyfried having a sort of romance was strange, the Democratic/Republican accidental love story was obnoxious, the marital problems between Keaton and Goodman could have been developed much better. More often than not entire scenes of character development were dismissed offhand, one of the most significant examples was how Tomei elected to take a new approach after leaving Mackie then dismissed that in the very next scene. The pacing for this film was dragged out and I was barely engaged by the end of it. The choice to make the dog the narrator of the film was probably the nail on the coffin for this agonising Christmas tale. The cinematography was quite basic and it was very clear that the director didn't have much vision when it came to their own film. The soundtrack was all over the place, but most prominently it was slow and the film suffered for it.

John Goodman, who played Sam, felt like he was barely trying in this film; frankly he just seemed tired and I wasn't convinced he really cared. Alex Borstein, who played Angie, was a bit of an absurd over the top character; she was far too intense to be taken seriously. Timothee Chalamet and Molly Gordon, who played Charlie and Lauren Hesselberg respectively, presented the most disgusting plotline of the film; the two kids got to learn the joy of French kissing and nearly boning in a hospital (Hollywood you really outdo yourself every time). Maxwell Simkins, who played Bo, didn't have the ability to play a major role; he just wasn't a great child actor. June Squibb, who played Aunt Fishy, probably didn't need to be in this film; she was mostly there for the lowbrow humour.

Secret In Their Eyes

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It's a good story with a great cast but the entire film lacks that wow factor. I would give Secret In Their Eyes a 6/10.

This is a pretty well written film, it excels in developing an intriguing investigative thriller. I think what this film did really well was analysing how losing someone personally connected to the law enforcement officers affected them psychologically in addition to having lasting impacts upon their lives.

Chiwetel Ejiofor, who played Ray, is a really likeable lead; Ejiofor plays charismatic roles really well but I think the scenes that he does really well is when we see how obsessive about the case he has become. Dean Norris, who played Bumpy Willis, gives a very genuine performance in this film; he's a good source of comedy and has some great chemistry with Ejiofor. Alfred Molina, who played Martin Morales, is an actor I have really missed watching onscreen; he plays an interesting take on law enforcement post-9/11. Michael Kelly, who played Reg Siefert, is always great at playing dislikeable characters; Kelly has a really strong onscreen rivalry with Ejiofor that makes his scenes really good.

However the best performance of the film came from Julia Roberts, who played Jess. Roberts isn't an actress I've seen much of recently, I honestly didn't know what to expect from her performance. However she starts out as quite a comedic likeable character that has great chemistry with Ejiofor, Norris and Kelly. However when her onscreen daughter is killed we're shown one of the best scenes of the film with an incredible breakdown from Roberts. From there on out she delivers a really harrowing portrayal of grief, she looks completely lost and is so changed from the character we had previously seen.

Despite my praise for the writing this film was bogged down by the romance subplot between Kidman and Ejiofor, it wasn't a film that really demanded a romance when it came to the tone. Which brings me to another issue, the tone of the film nver spiked; the severe lack of action or suspense made this film a little bland in places. The pacing for the film suffered as a result and you feel like the film could have culled a few unnecessary scenes. The cinematography in this film isn't creative; in fact you're treated to some rather repetitive visuals throughout. The editing certainly didn't help this, cutting was slow and sometimes lingered a little too long. The score for this film was much like the tone, repetitive and bland.

Nicole Kidman, who played Claire, is wasted in this film; from the get go she's pushed into an awkward romance with Ejiofor which means her only good scene of the film is an interrogation between her and Cole. Joe Cole, who played Marzin/Beckwith, is entertaining to me because he plays the worst antagonist of the film twice; the real problem here is that the role is just two dimensional for the incredible plot that is built up around him. Zoe Graham, who played Carolyn Cobb, desperately needed more scenes in this film; I found that if it weren't for Roberts I wouldn't have really cared about her death in this film.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part Two

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This isn't merely a perfect ending to the Hunger Games franchise, it's one of the best films I've seen this year. I would The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part Two a 9/10.

I think the place I should start off is that this is both parties political film and an intense character study film. The study we get within this film of a dictatorship being overthrown, as well as themes of propaganda and manipulation of power makes for a really interesting and engaging film. This is the best film in the franchise yet to discuss these themes that have been present throughout. The story also looks at the characters and how they have been personally psychologically affected by the events of the films. This results in some of the best acting I've ever seen from most of the younger or newer cast. this film is over two hours but it coasts by at a really well executed pace, everything that's in the film works for the most part towards providing a satisfying conclusion for the series. The score for this movie is intense, this is the best the Hunger Games has sounded in terms of sound. The special effects are brilliant, it's mostly explosions but there are so many new additions that look really good. The cinematography in this film is beautiful, it's one of the most artistic blockbuster films of the year. One of the best looking scenes is Snow's execution, you have to admire how well the shots are composed.

Jennifer Lawrence, who played Katniss Everdeen, has led this franchise incredibly for so long well and she puts her all into this film; you get so much emotional breakdown from her culminating in this amazing scene where she loses it in front of a cat. Donald Sutherland, who played President Snow, has really shined as the antagonist of these films in the Mockingjay two parter; I'm so glad we got a scene with him and Lawrence because they really match against one another really well. Philip Seymour Hoffman, who played Plutarch Heavensbee, performs brilliantly in his final film; Hoffman made Plutarch a really enjoyable and witty character. Julianne Moore, who played President Alma Coin, has come a long way since the last Mockingjay; I think it's great that she embraced the falsehood of Coin and often went over the top with her displays of emotion to convey this. Sam Claflin, who played Finnick Odair, really works wonders alongside Lawrence; he has a fantastic physical presence in this film and one of the saddest death scenes of the film. Mahershala Ali, who played Boggs, gives quite an intense tough performance in this film; he really has some good scenes with Lawrence and his death sets the bar for this film. Jena Malone, who played Johanna Mason, is really twisted in this film; I liked this aspect of her because you could really see the effects the torture had had upon her. Elden Henson, who played Pollux, stands out a lot more in this film because he has so much presence in the tunnel sequences; his display of grief when his brother dies is really intense and a bit of a scene stealer. Patina Miller, who played Commander Paylor, is someone I'm glad had a few solid scenes in this film; Miller brought a lot of charisma and strength into a character that you don't even really see in the books. Michelle Forbes, who played Lieutenant Jackson, excels in her tough soldier role; it was great seeing her challenge Lawrence in one really stand out scene.

However the best performance of the film came from Josh Hutcherson, who played Peeta Mellark. I'll be the first to admit that I was never a big fan of Hutcherson in the first couple of films; his hopeless romantic seemed bogged with cringeworthy dialogue and a rather two dimensional character. This film changed my perspective entirely, Hutcherson delivered some of the best acting I've seen this year. In the film Peeta is recovering from some really extensive torture and brainwashing; he has PTSD and is thrust right into a war zone. Hutcherson takes this challenging character on with a really layered performance, he is constantly showing Peeta's vulnerability and displaying all the effects this psychological damage has had upon him. Fantastic acting at it's best.

I didn't dislike much about this film's plot except for two major things. Firstly the love triangle story that seems to have prevailed across all four films was really strong in this movie. There was no need to be constantly contesting discussions about who would wind up with Katniss out of Gale or Peeta when there was so much more happening within the film. I was also really against the film's last scene, I appreciate that there was an anecdote about Peeta and Katniss having kids in the book but I don't feel like I needed to see that play out as it just meant the film ended upon a slightly weaker note.

Liam Hemsworth, who played Gale Hawthorne, is a very stock male lead in most films he's in and it's not different in this film; he spearheads this love triangle subplot and it just brought the film down for me. Woody Harrelson, who played Haymitch Abernathy, doesn't have anything to do in this film; he still pulls off some good one liners here and there but you don't really feel like Haymitch has anything more to contribute to these films. Willow Shields, who played Primrose Everdeen, needed to be in this film more if they really wanted her death to have an impact; I never really felt like Shields has had much presence in this series and it's no different in this film. Elizabeth Banks, who played Effie Trinket, suffers from the same problems that Harrelson does in that she feels redundant in this film; I thought putting a romance hint between Banks and Harrelson was a pretty cheap move too. Jeffrey Wright, who played Beetee, has no real screen presence in this film; in fact I'd be surprised to learn that he had any more than five lines. Paula Malcomson, who played Katniss's Mother, has never had screen presence in any of these films; but what angers me about it in this film is that we don't even get a good enough reaction over Prim's death from Malcomson. Stanley Tucci, who played Caesar Flickerman, has maybe one scene in this film, I say maybe because it feels like a bad cameo more than a scene. Natalie Dormer, who played Cressida, hasn't done a thing in the Hunger Games movies and she doesn't set out to change that in this film, Henson does a better show of grieving than she does. Evan Ross and Wes Chatham, who played Messalla and Castor respectively, have always felt like glorified extras; you don't really care when they die in this film. Gwendoline Christie, who played Commander Lyme, had a really bad cameo in this film; you just don't care that she's in it because her role has no impact upon the plot and her acting doesn't really stand out.

Spectre

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A good Bond film but if this is to be Daniel Craig's last then he's bowing out on a weak note. I would give Spectre a 7.5/10.

The general plot of this film is actually quite good, Bond as a rogue agent is always exceptionally exciting and it made for a really enjoyable first half of this film. The cinematography in this film was extraordinary, the imagery was really good and the way action scenes were shot was a huge selling point. The fight choreography and stunt work gives the film it's intensity, you are hooked upon the action from the very start. However what makes the film is the wonderful score and Sam Smith's 'Writing's On The Wall'; this is probably one of the best film scores I've heard this year.

Daniel Craig, who played James Bond, continues to bring a powerful performance as the franchise's protagonist; he really delivers one liners well and he has a presence that makes you believe he is truly a lethal agent. Ralph Fiennes, who played M, has really made the role of M his own which is no mean feat following Dench; his wry humour and strong sense of righteousness really make him Craig's equal in this film. Dave Bautista, who played Mr Hinx, was able to play the best antagonist of the film even though he only spoke a single word; he was an incredibly dangerous threat onscreen and had a really strong presence. Andrew Scott, who played C, was another enjoyable antagonist; I think Scott was perfect to rival Fiennes in this film and he really delivered the motive to control information a lot better than Waltz did. Jesper Christensen, who played Mr White, was a brilliant cameo in this film; in fact his scene was one of the best in the film.

However the best performance came from Ben Whishaw, who played Q. Introducing Whishaw as Q back in Skyfall was one of the best things to ever happen to the Bond franchise. Whishaw was made to play this technical wizard, he can ramble off the information about his gadgets at an astonishing rate. I love the humour we get from this role as well, his wit and many of his lines really stand out for me in this film. Whishaw and Craig share some fantastic chemistry onscreen, one of the best moments of the film is when Bond visits Q for the first time in this film.

Spectre is a long film, sadly it's too long and suffers from a poorly written second half, a weak villain and tired subplots. If anything the film will make you think of Quantum of Solace; for the second time the plot revolves around the control of a resource and the major villain claims direct responsibility for all the villains in the past film.So already the story lacks originality but then it tries to do what Skyfall did; it attempts to include old references that feel cheap such as the classic 'Bond. James Bond' or the Blofeld reveal (honestly who thought that was a good idea?). James Bond has always seduced women but in this film women and romance are treated as a commodity that Bond can receive without very much effort. Beyond all these plot flaws I also thought the editing had some flaws, specifically the cutting in dialogue scenes was boring and at times quite jarring.

Christoph Waltz, who played Blofeld, plays one of his worst roles in this film; not only is he quite predictably Bond's adoptive brother but he doesn't seem to have much purpose and if anything he feels like far too weak of a villain to be behind all the actions of the past few films. Lea Seydoux, who played Madeleine Swann, is one of the worst female protagonists in a Bond film to date, she has no chemistry with Craig and you are never really convinced by their romance. Monica Bellucci, who played Lucia Sciarra, was in this film for a very sloppy sex scene; it felt demeaning and cheaply written. Naomie Harris, who played Eve Moneypenny, is a performance I didn't like in Skyfall and I still don't like her in Spectre; Harris has no presence or chemistry alongside the rest of this talented cast. Rory Kinnear, who played Tanner, doesn't really do anything in this film; he lacks screen presence and I question why he hasn't been killed off yet.

Scouts Guide To The Zombie Apocalypse

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This'll be a strange review because the things I dislike about it are also strangely aspects I liked; suffice it to say it's one outrageous comedy. I would give Scouts Guide To The Zombie Apocalypse a 6.5/10.

One of the greatest things about this film is that it doesn't take itself seriously, it takes this ridiculous notion of boy scouts fighting the zombie apocalypse and just runs with it. You get a strange mixture of comedy within the film, there are certainly dirty jokes but then there is some really clever humour here too; most of the time the comedy lands quite well. I was hooked throughout this film and found myself enjoying it the entire time it played out, it really is just paced incredibly well. The editing in this movie is really well done, the cutting aids the speed that this film progresses really well. I feel like the soundtrack and score makes this film; opening the movie with the lip synch of 'Black Widow' by Iggy Azalea as well as Miller, Morgan and Droege singing Britney Spears' '...Baby One More Time' were some of the highlights of the film.

Joey Morgan, who played Augie, is an incredibly likeable character in this film; He brought out the best of the more dramatic elements of the plot. Sarah Dumont, who played Denise, may have an awkwardly written character but she plays it exceptionally well; Dumont is easily the most badass in this film and is thoroughly enjoyable to watch. David Koechner, who played Scout Leader Rogers, isn't as enjoyable as a zombie but in his scenes leading up to this he absolutely gave an incredible comedic performance; the neverending optimism of his role combined with the fantastic zombie deer takedown were some great displays of acting. Blake Anderson, who played Ron the Janitor, made the start of this film; frankly he was close to being the best part of this film as he really hooked me from the beginning.

However the best performance came from Logan Miller, who played Carter. Miller immediately nails the crude, cocky arrogance that the role demands which makes him such an entertaining presence in this film. Furthermore Miller is hysterical, he lands jokes constantly and knows how to make the best of a scene. Frankly I hope to see Miller in a lot more after this film because he really excelled in a leading role.

Right now to clarify what I meant by the good things are also the bad things, starting with the plot. While it's great that the plot didn't take itself seriously it was really frustrating to see lazy writing in which the characters miraculously gained a sudden advantage out of nowhere; for example when the bomb at the end of the film appeared it resulted in a great scene but justifying a sudden bomb isn't really possible. Beyond this the comedy in this film is really crude, you get dick jokes and sexual humour that sometimes are more cringeworthy than funny. The cinematography in this film isn't really anything special, it starts out with a lot of potential but quickly falls into showing a lot of simplistic shots. I also really didn't like how obvious special effects were in this film, bad enough they didn't look real but actors weren't reacting properly to where the effects were actually taking place.

Tye Sheridan, who played Ben, is not a leading actor; watching this kid attempt to give inspiring speeches or lead this film in any way was really hard because he just didn't have the presence to pull this off. Halston Sage, who played Kendall Grant, was just there to create a romance subplot and it felt so redundant; you didn't believe her and Sheridan should be romantically involved in fact this subplot just felt awkwardly executed. Cloris Leachman, who played Miss Fielder, has no screen presence in this film; but if you want to see an Academy Award winner attempt to bite someone's butt (I wish I was kidding) then you might enjoy watching her. Niki Koss and Patrick Schwarzenegger, who played Chloe and Jeff respectively, are the stereotypical bully antagonists of a film where teenagers are the leads; they're not original and they certainly don't give original performances. Drew Droege, who played Drunk Man, gives a really fake performance in this film; it's like he struggles to act because I literally felt like I was watching him acting.

Rock The Kasbah

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This movie is certifiably insane but has a lot of positive messages in it. I would give Rock The Kasbah a 7.5/10.

This film hooks you really well throughout, landing a good joke or presenting an interesting choice of subject matter at just the right point to keep the pacing moving. Ultimately the comedic elements of this film were some of the best parts, most jokes landed exceptionally well. What I really liked was the commentary in this film about Afghan culture as well as the conflict within Afghanistan; both observing the Afghan and American sides. While this film did have an American 'save the day' you didn't feel like this took away from the respectful approach towards telling what was ultimately a cultural story. The soundtrack makes this film, it's utilised as a character within this film while also aiding the comedic scenes of the film.

Bill Murray, who played Richie Lanz, was an incredible comedic protagonist in this film; his character's development was masterfully done because you feel like you've learnt the exact same lesson that Murray's character has by the end of the film. Fahim Fazli, who played Tariq, has quite a strong presence in this film; his line delivery is incredible. Taylor Kinney, who played Private Barnes, gives a convincing performance as a soldier but also nails a really awkward scene between himself and Murray; the scene between him and Murray is one of the funniest of the film and it's mostly due to Kinney.

However the best performance came from Scott Caan and Danny McBride, who played Jake and Nick respectively. They were easily some of the best comedic talents within this film, managing to outshine even Murray himself. Their chemistry with one another was flawless and I really admired how well they could bounce off of one another. They delivered a very satirical performance and definitely introduced a strong theme of war profiteering.

This film had very little to present in terms of visual style, the slow cutting was a testament to this. The cinematography didn't help much either as it focussed less upon imagery and instead constructed a fairly basic shot.

Bruce Willis, who played Bombay Brian, was an absurd role in this film and didn't feel like he belonged; Willis really felt like he was just cashing it in within this film. Kate Hudson, who played Merci, is just another prostitute role that falls for Murray; Hudson really had little more to contribute to this film than a weak romance subplot. Zooey Deschanel, who played Ronnie, felt like she had been written to leave; therefore you never really connected to Deschanel's performance at all. Leem Lubany, who played Salima, proved that a nice voice does not always mean a good acting ability; Lubany gave a weak performance alongside her co-stars and probably should have been introduced a lot sooner in the film. Arian Moayed, who played Riza, just felt like Murray's mouthpiece in this film; you didn't think much of his character unless he was translating for Murray. Jonas Khan and Sameer Ali Khan, who played Nazir and Azam Ghol respectively, just felt like stereotypical antagonists; they were never developed but instead just angrily arrived at the final act of the film. Beejan Land, who played Daoud, sounded like he had barely memorised his lines; his performance was annoying to watch because it was so simplistic.

The Last Witch Hunter

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This film had all the trappings of a good blockbuster if it weren't for the C grade plot. I would give The Last Witch Hunter a 4.5/10.

This film had some really nice visual effects, all the magic sequences looked incredible and the swarms of flies descending upon New York was stunning. The cinematography was another great element of this film, the camera really set up big expansive shots. The score was one of the best parts of the film, everything about it screamed major motion picture score.

Vin Diesel, who played Kaulder, was a pretty good lead in this film; Diesel gives a naturally likeable performance and discusses points of lore in this film with relative ease. Rose Leslie, who played Chloe, had a lot of screen presence; her emotional range was fantastic in this film and the scene where she breaks down over her friend dying was a great example of that. Michael Caine, who played Dolan 36th, is just straight up likeable; his line delivery is really good and he has some great chemistry with Diesel.

However the best performance came from Julie Engelbrecht, who played the Witch Queen. For some people Engelbrecht might seem like a strange choice but for me she is the only choice. What you get in her performance is one of the only characters that feels a part of the world the story attempts to create. Engelbrecht is terrifying in her role and her line delivery is phenomenal. She isn't just scary but she makes you interested in this fantasy world which is a feat few of the rest of the cast pull off.

This story is really hard to engage with because the lore and information about the witches, or the Axe and Cross or Kaulder are constantly being thrown at you throughout the film. Just as you think you have the grasp upon another piece of information you're force fed another fact. It's sloppy world building, a world should exist and present itself to you; you should not have to be told every piece of information about the world through some basic dialogue. The dialogue was another thing that suffered in this film, it was very basic and the good lines were few and far between. One of the points that really irked me about this film was that Leslie and Diesel seemed to be heading towards a sort of romance, despite the characters and actors having little chemistry when it came to this. The film constantly dealt out plot points that made no sense or undermined itself, it felt very rushed and not very well thought out. The editing was another irksome point as it was the only thing that let down the visual style; the cutting was too slow for a blockbuster film and so scenes moved slowly because of this.

Elijah Wood, who played Dolan 37th, is one of the most irksome and poorly written characters in this film; the 'plot twist' in which he betrays Kaulder comes out of nowhere and is rather ineffectual to the story. Olafur Darri Olafsson, who played Belial, was a really weak antagonist; he felt very stereotypical and you didn't much care what he did. Joseph Gilgun, who played Ellic, is barely understandable in this film; this is probably some of the worst line delivery that I've seen this year. Isaach De Bankole, who played Max Schlesinger, is a complete puppet to the plot; rather than being a character he simply acts as a means to an end for the plot. Michael Halsey, who played Grosette, lacks screen presence in this film; he's one of the characters that should have made me interested in this world but didn't really deliver much in the end. Dawn Olivieri, who played Danique, is another weak antagonist; you feel like she's hastily crammed into this film to extend the running time and push a last minute plot point.

The Dressmaker

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This film bears such a powerful beginning and ending with an incredible performance by Kate Winslet that was sadly bogged down by a weak plot, subplots and poorly written characters. I would give The Dressmaker a 4.5/10.

In terms of narrative what really matters was the character of Tilly and how elbaorate her search for the truth was as well as her own psychological damage done by the people within her town. This incredible character immediately hooked you at the start of the film and nearly had you cheering in your seat by the end of the film. The soundtrack and score really fluctuated but ultimately orchestrated many seats beautifully.

Hugo Weaving, who played Sergeant Farrat, was a rather whimsical and likeable character in this film; his crossdressing persona and immense chemistry with Winslet made a lot of scenes quite enjoyable. Kerry Fox, who played Beulah Harridiene, portrayed the best antagonist of the film; such a vicious and petty role that was portrayed with the appropriate spite. Julia Blake, who played Irma Almanac, was such a kind figure in this film; her scenes brought the best out of Davis and she really was a role you genuinely liked. Genevieve Lemon, who played Mae McSwiney, did grief so incredibly well in this film; when she broke down over Hemsworth's death it quickly became one of the better scenes of the film.

However the best performance came from Kate Winslet, who played Myrtle 'Tilly' Dunnage. I swear when Winslet does a leading role in a historical drama you know she's going to knock it out of the park. The reason for that is her presence, she commands the personality of her character completely. You see all degrees of her role in this film, defiance, grief, weakness, strength, love, joy and triumph. Winslet is a powerful performer and she shows it in this film, dominating every scene and proving that she can lead a film solely by herself.

This film has a muddied plot, muddied in the sense that we're constantly being diverted with these bizarre comedic moments, or out of place romance subplots, or spontaneous changes in how characters act. It was strange and the more this went on the more outlandish the film got. Ultimately the pacing of the film suffered by going so far afield and you felt as if the film had gone on for too long by the end of it all. The cinematography was nothing short of wasted potential, the film opened with stunning shots but wound up being peppered with mediocre imagery after the first ten minutes. The editing was no better, the incredible cutting at the start of the film gave way to a simple flow after only a short time.

Liam Hemsworth, who played Teddy McSwiney, was a character that introduced a strange subplot into this film; he became a romantic interest for Winslet which felt very out of place in this film. Sarah Snook, who played Gertrude 'Trudy' Pratt, was a very weak superficial character; I was baffled by how constantly her character kept changing without any justifiable explanation. Judy Davis, who played Molly Dunnage, gave a performance that just didn't feel genuine; her comedy fell flat and seemed to be pathetic instead. Caroline Goodall, who played Elsbeth, was such an over the top character; her acting was exaggerated completely. Rebecca Gibney and Shane Jacobson, who played Muriel Pratt and Alvin Pratt respectively; had next to no presence in this film; they just became bumbling sideshow acts to Snook, Goodall and Mackay. James Mackay, who played William Beaumont, was supposed to be a charming role that was alluring; instead he sort of awkwardly stood in for a few scenes and didn't have any chemistry with the rest of the cast. Gyton Grantley, who played Barney McSwiney, didn't feel very convincing in his performance of a disabled person; I think there needed to be a lot more to make this a good portrayal. Barry Otto, who played Percival Almanac, was this bizarre twisted role; he just didn't feel realistic at all. Sacha Horler, who played Una Pleasance, was another cast member who tended towards performing over the top; she just felt very artificial in her performance. Alison Whyte, who played Marigold Pettyman, was shockingly erratic in her role; she escalated to a point that just didn't seem very believable in the film. Shane Bourne, who played Evan Pettyman, had no screen presence in this film; his role as an antagonist was greatly diminished because of this.

Bridge Of Spies

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Steven Spielberg shows himself to be an old dog who has no new tricks when it comes to his direction. I would give Bridge of Spies a 6.5/10.

This is an incredible plot, it feels like two fantastic short films woven into one. The first aspect of the film analyses the ethics around who deserves a proper defense in the American justice system. Whereas the second part focussed upon the political tension between America, Russia and the rising problems within Berlin. The special effects in this film were quite minimal but there were some incredible moments such as the U2 being shot from the sky. The score of this film is what stands out, it's something that feels like it could become a timeless classic.

Tom Hanks, who played James B. Donovan, is an incredible lead in this film; his line delivery is phenomenal. Dakin Matthews, who played Judge Byers, really rallied against Hanks in this film; his gruff rebukes are some displays of really good acting. Scott Shepherd, who played Hoffman, built some great chemistry with Hanks; his constant conflicting performance to hanks was really entertaining to watch. Mikhail Gorevoy, who played Ivan Schischkin, was a great sinister role; I loved how he presented politics and the Soviet perspective of the film.

However the best performance came from Mark Rylance, who played Rudolf Abel. I haven't seen Rylance since he blew me away in The Gunman and he's done nothing but come back with a vengeance. You think this would have been a sinister role or the role of an antagonist but it isn't. What Rylance delivers is someone who is remarkably human, you laugh at his repeated quips and you have nothing but empathy for him. What really gets to the core of the film is the great chemistry between Rylance and Hanks, all of which culminates in Rylance's perfect delivery of the 'Standing Man' story.

This is a long film and you feel it, you want to be a lot more engaged than you are but when Hanks and Rylance aren't guiding the action this film falls relatively short. The cinematography felt out of date, this was certainly a nostalgic sense of film making that was only felt by Spielberg himself. The editing suffered in a similar way, cross fades and other old fashioned transitions meant this film became something out of the bargain bin.

Billy Magnussen, who played Doug Forrester, had no screen presence in this film; his stereotypical go getter role was another out of date aspect of the film. Amy Ryan, who played Mary Donovan, couldn't hold a candle to Hanks and had no chemistry with him; she didn't seem very necessary to the film. Jillian Lebling, who played Peggy Donovan, wasn't a great child actor; she was a tool to heighten the fear factor for the family subplot. Noah Schnapp, who played Roger Donovan, seemed like a very artificial role; he was written in an unconvincing way to filter in more exposition. Eve Hewson, who played Carol Donovan, didn't deliver a great performance; she was victim to a romance subplot that was completely thrown aside and never addressed after it had been introduced. Austin Stowell, who played Francis Gary Powers, was a character who needed more attention; there was nothing about this role that made you care about his fate. Jesse Plemons, who played Joe Murphy, had absolutely no screen presence; nor did he really share any chemistry with his co-star Stowell. Will Rogers, who played Frederic Pryor, was victim to the same issues as Stowell in that you didn't care about his character; furthermore Rogers was introduced far too late into the film to have any impact upon the audience. Sebastian Koch, who played Wolfgang Vogel, delivered the Berlin aspect of the plot and frankly it came off as too little too late; we were well into the film by now to care about any part of the politics in Berlin so that became another failed subplot.