League Of Gods

This review may contain spoilers!

When the CGI baby who knows martial arts and has super-farts as his secret power is one of the best characters of the film you know you've reached rock bottom. I would give League Of Gods a 2/10.

This film had some serious narrative problems which I'll get into later on but I do want to highlight that there were some great scenes; I really enjoyed seeing Leizhenzi discover his wings and the final battle at the end of the film was mostly pretty good. The cinematography of the film was the really strong element, there were some beautiful shots and everything felt very quick and constantly in motion within the film.

Angelababy, who played The Mermaid, is probably one of the best actresses in Chinese cinema at the moment; her pure and good-natured role really stood out from the rest of the stereotypical action heroes and villains of the film. Jacky Heung, who played Leizhenzi, made for quite a good protagonist to this film; Heung really made quite a charismatic and funny hero but he also managed to portray an extremely vulnerable and empathetic character.

However the best performance came from Wen Zhang, who played Nezha. Zhang was without a doubt one of the most chaotic characters within the film; scenes with him were always quite unpredictable and very funny. There was a very nuanced arc in this film about Zhang's role accepting responsibility for his past mischief and making a hero out of himself by the end of the film. I don't know if Zhang did the voice work when his character was a baby but if he did it resulted in some of the best scenes in the film.

The plot for this film was all over the show, I couldn't make any sense out of any of it. Ultimately the film dumps you in the middle of a war without really explaining the two sides or the important characters within the war very well, we're then exposed to a barrage of quests, subplots, new characters and plot twists that just make this film an overstuffed nightmare. By the time the final act has swung around you'll have stopped looking for much enjoyment from this feature and will instead be looking at your watch; failing that you'll be exposed to the shameless set up for a sequel that this film undergoes. The special effects look awful, at first I thought it was going for a cool video game aesthetic but after a while it became apparent that they had just spread their budget waaaaay too thin. the score for the film was also really generic for a big action blockbuster; there was nothing very significant there and it didn't make any of the scenes stand out for me.

Jet Li, who played Jiang Ziya, was such a strange performance in this film; it felt like Li wasn't trying too hard to take the role or the film very seriously. Tony Leung Ka-fai, who played King Zhou of Shang, was a rather forgettable antagonist; it became apparent that he wasn't a very significant antagonist from the get go. Louis Koo, who played Shen Gong Bao, was a really stereotypical henchman; he didn't impact the plot all that much and was really just present for the fight scenes. Huang Xiaoming, who played Erlang Shen, didn't really have anything to do in the film; there was one big scene where he was introduced and then he was abruptly forgotten about until the end of the film. Fan Bingbing, who played Daji, wasn't a great overall antagonist; Bingbing didn't really do anything new or different in her position as a seductive sorceress.

Star Trek: Beyond

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The Star Trek films are still going incredibly strong. I would give Star Trek: Beyond an 8.5/10.

This film marks new beginnings in a lot of great ways: new frontier, new characters and probably most significant of all, new director. What started as an incredible return to this science fiction series has found it's strongest narrative yet in the form of the exploration of the unknown. Kirk and his crew are faced with a villain who does not believe in peace between cultures and instead desires to create a state of conflict within the universe again. It's a fun story that will keep you engaged throughout with interesting character interactions and brilliant action sequences. The cinematography in this film looks stunning, the change of director certainly hasn't affected the beautiful visuals the Star Trek series has become known for. The special effects are a further testimony to this, probably the best scene of the film is the destruction of the Enterprise for it's visual quality alone. The score for this film is wonderful and really harks back to the original Star Trek TV series; the soundtrack is another gem, with Beastie Boys' 'Sabotage' accompanying my personal favourite scene of the film.

Chris Pine, who played Captain James T. Kirk, has always been the perfect casting choice for the protagonist of the Star Trek films; I think the best part about Pine's performance is the care he extends in role to each one of his crew whether they be an extra, minor role or lead. Zachary Quinto, who played Commander Spock, really has the neutral rationale-driven Vulcan persona down; in this film Quinto has the difficult position of conveying the loss felt by his character (as well as countless fans) at the death of Leonard Nimoy and his onscreen character. Simon Pegg, who played Montgomery 'Scotty' Scott, is as quirky and fun as he always is; I like how proactive Pegg is in this film and the friendship between his role and Boutella's. John Cho, who played Sulu, really does give of a strong 'action hero' vibe in this film; Cho presents an incredibly resilient and badass Sulu for this film. Idris Elba, who played Krall, was a role that I wasn't too sure about until they pulled off a surprising plot twist in this film that reveals he's a mutated human with xenophobic militant motivations; it's this startling reveal that creates an interesting contrast between Pine's Federation captain and Elba's ex-Federation captain. Sofia Boutella, who played Jaylah, is a really interesting new character to the Star Trek series; Boutella provides a really strong role who hides a horrific backstory about how she escaped Krall's prison camp and became an orphan.

However the best performance came from Karl Urban, who played Doctor 'Bones' McCoy. Urban has really done a great job of creating this abrasive, blunt doctor who is capable of great advice and insight. Within Star Trek: Beyond we see Bones in more of an action role within a few scenes which lead to a lot of laughs, especially when you include his snide remarks and grumbled insults. Yet what I appreciated most about Urban's performance in this film were his scenes with Pine and Quinto which led to some very poignant reflective scenes that really got at the nature of these characters and what they're doing while exploring the frontier.

If this film has a weak point it's a rather safe second act which doesn't bother taking any risks with the main cast, you don't feel tense or worried for your favourite characters at any stage of this point of the film. There are also a few subplots which feel tired and over-used. We know by now that Spock and Kirk retiring isn't going to happen so it'd be nice to stop beating that plot point to death; it's also rather irritating to see Quinto and Saldana's roles having yet another lover's feud as a subplot.

Zoe Saldana, who played Lieutenant Uhura, doesn't really do anything within this film; I felt like they completely wasted one of their strongest cast members. Anton Yelchin, who played Chekov, didn't have much screen presence in this film; his character elicits a chuckle now again but ultimately he's probably the most forgettable of the main cast. Joe Taslim, who played Manas, was a rather stereotypical henchman type role in this film; it's a shame the conflict between him and Boutella wasn't given more focus. Lydia Wilson, who played Kalara, was a pretty predictable plot point of a character from the get go; it was no big shock that she was a traitor working for Krall. Melissa Roxburgh, who played Ensign Syl, is a minor role with an important part in the plot; yet despite this it would have been nice to see her as a character rather than just a means to advancing the story. Shohreh Aghdashloo, who played Commodore Paris, was a rather dull performance within this film; her presence made what could have been an interesting story about Kirk's self-doubt rather boring.

Lights Out

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At the heart of every horror needs to be a good monster and this film delivers that. I would give Lights Out a 6/10.

There is a lot of work in this film put towards constructing this monster of 'Diana' - a shadow creature who preys upon a mentally ill mother and her family; what I liked about this monster was that she wasn't bound by much, she travelled across several locations and had rather clear motivations which made for a good antagonist. The rising build of tension in this film was extremely well done, and I felt like the movie carried along at a great pace. The cinematography was really well done, framing was so key in a film that relied upon showing the contrast between light and shadow and it was masterfully pulled off.

Teresa Palmer, who played Rebecca, made for a rather good protagonist for this film once the story moved away from her character's romance subplot; Palmer brings out quite a strong character who is very active in fighting Diana. Alicia Vela-Bailey, who played Diana, brought one of the best horror antagonists that I've seen for a while; Vela-Bailey's scenes where she gets to do voice work are brilliant because she makes Diana feel more like a character rather than just a spooky entity.

however the best performance came from Gabriel Bateman, who played Martin. Bateman is a really good child actor who really sells his terror well in this film. I liked that he had understanding over what was happening and how he had as much of an active role in fighting Diana as Palmer did. I especially liked that he had a strong relationship with his Mum despite her connection to Diana, it made both characters much easier to sympathise with.

There was a lot of this plot that let the greater film down, the frayed relationships between characters wasn't all that interesting, the romance subplot was very corny and the child services aspect of the film probably didn't need to be there. The editing had some major issues in this film, there were several moments where the cuts didn't transition well and brought me right out of the film. The score for this film was awfully generic as well, it was a shame the music didn't do anything unique.

Alexander DiPersia, who played Bret, was this really unnecessary love interest who took away from Palmer's character in this film; he didn't have all that much chemistry with Palmer and was definitely given more screen time than he needed. Billy Burke, who played Paul, was a boring intro to this film; sure what happened to his character was interesting but there just wasn't much impact made by him personally. Maria Bello, who played Sophie, gave a performance that was as wooden as a board; her portrayal of a mentally ill character was stereotypical at best (I won't even get into the whole mentally ill person killing themselves to free their family plot point). Andi Osho, who played Emma, was a rather unnecessary character for this film; I didn't really see the significance of a child services role as a part of the plot.

The Legend Of Tarzan

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Never thought I'd watch a film that's pretty much Tarzan fan-fiction but here we are. I would give The Legend Of Tarzan a 4.5/10.

This film's strength lies in it's visual style, namely the cinematography; there are countless scenes where I am simply blown away by how picturesque the director manages to make everything look and the way he captures movement is another strength of the film. The special effects for this film also look pretty good, there are a lot of CGI animals and they all look rather well designed with the exception being the crocodiles near the end of the film. The score for this film is beautiful from the get go, everything within the music reminds the viewer of the film's connection to Africa and to the power of nature.

Margot Robbie, who played Jane Clayton, is a better protagonist than Tarzan in this film; her fierce resistance after her capture combined with her excitement over African life made her a compelling character. Yule Masiteng, who played Muviro, was a very charismatic and likeable character; he had a strong connection with Skarsgard and Robbie onscreen and you felt the blow when he died. Simon Russell Beale, who played Mr Frum, was one of the few actors in this film who could play to the time period; as a minor antagonist his greed really defined him.

However the best performance came from Christoph Waltz, who played Leon Rom. Waltz crafted a vile and menacing character who could back up the threats he made, carrying off Tarzan and burning an African village to the ground being only two of his many vile deeds. Rom is also a bit creepy,as if something isn't quite right about him. He has a peculiar need to maintain an air of decorum, his predatory behaviour towards Jane is unsettling and there's an implied history of sexual abuse from his childhood priest. A really interesting antagonist that this B grade film didn't really deserve.

This isn't really the story of Tarzan so much as it's a sequel to the famous Tarzan story; it answers the big questions like does Tarzan ever get a fancy house in England? Does Tarzan ever meet the prime minister? Does Tarzan ever become such an upper class busybody that he doesn't resemble the famed character at all? Well the answer to all these questions is a resounding yes! Sadly this isn't the Tarzan we all know and love, it's a British guy called John who goes about saving the woman he loves. We've seen it all a thousand times before. There are some flashbacks to the actual story of Tarzan but these don't really fit into the story well and just create pacing problems.

Alexander Skarsgard, who played Tarzan, was an awful protagonist for this film; he didn't really play the character we knew so much as he played a English lord gone primal rather well. Samuel L. Jackson, who played George Washington Williams, didn't even bother trying to give a convincing performance as a character from the time period; Jackson is in this film for little more than plain dumb comedic relief. Sidney Ralitsoele, who played Wasimbu, is a rather forgettable character in this film; he adds very little to the story and tends to fall into the background. Casper Crump, who played Major Kerckhover, does little more than fulfill the need to give Waltz a main henchman; Crump's screen presence is weak at best. Djimon Hounsou, who played Chief Mbonga, was a poorly written antagonist; Hounsou's role is talked about all film but he's never given a moment to shine or make his character count. Jim Broadbent, who played the Prime Minister, gave such a bizarre and over the top performance in this film; there wasn't much point in casting Broadbent in such an insignificant and puzzling role. Ben Chaplin, who played Captain Moulle, had the potential to be quite an interesting antagonist under Waltz in this film but he was sadly wated when he was killed off early; it was a waste trading out Chaplin for Crump. Genevieve O'Reilly and Hadley Fraser, who played Tarzan's Mother and Father, could have been quite interesting roles in this film; better use of these characters would have made the film's flashback subplot a lot more interesting.

Ghostbusters

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Leading up to this film I was joking about it being very similar to Pixels; it was supposed to be a joke at least...I would give Ghostbusters a 4.5/10.

If nothing else this film is funny, there's a lot of scenes that'll make you laugh and some really good quips that characters deliver. It's an action comedy that delivers at least half of what it promises. This film had a strong intro that promised a great blend of comedy and horror so I appreciated the impact that had. I really enjoyed the special effects used to make the ghosts and the energy blasts; maybe it wasn't the most authentic looking CGI but it did give the film a unique visual style. The score for this film was probably the best part, even the soundtrack had a lot of strengths barring one or two songs.

Zach Woods, who played Tour Guide, really kicked this film off to a great start; his rather comedic tour guide introduced both the light-hearted yet at times creepy nature of this film. Karan Soni, who played Bennie, had such a funny minor role in this film; Soni's interactions with McCarthy were some of the best scenes of the film. Steve Higgins, who played Dean, was a really fun minor role; he played an administrative role like Dance did but unlike Dance he managed to make his role extremely funny and noteworthy. Leslie Jones, who played Patty Tolan, had some incredible screen presence in this film; Jones presented a character who wasn't just entertaining or funny but who also had a fascinating wealth of knowledge about the history of New York. Bill Murray, who played Martin Heiss, really nailed it as a critical sceptic of the Ghostbusters team; his main appearance where he pressured the women into releasing a ghost was brilliant. Michael McDonald, who played Jonathan The Theater Manager, was a fun and flamboyant minor role; his protectiveness towards the state of his theater lead to some funny dialogue and moments. Dan Aykroyd, who played Cabbie, had a fantastic appearance in this film; Akyroyd's casual demeanour to the outbreak of a ghost apocalypse made for an entertaining cameo. Sigourney Weaver, who played Rebecca Gorin, was a great cameo to end the film on; her wild manner matched McKinnon's perfectly.

However the best performance came from Kate McKinnon, who played Jillian Holtzmann. I mean of all the Ghostbusters in this film McKinnon is without a doubt what was promised; a clever, funny, badass heroine who'll save the city without the help from anyone other than her friends. I enjoyed how unpredictable her character was, she was extremely bad at connecting with people so it was nice seeing her form friendships with the other Ghostbusters in this film. Her wild nature also lead to her being one of the funnier roles and I'd definitely call her a scene stealer. Add to the mix a kick ass scene where she takes out a swarm of ghosts while dual-wielding some sidearms she made and I'd say this is a Ghostbuster to remember.

This story opens with a rather boring examination of Wiig and MCarthy's characters and their relationship to one another, it's not very well put together and neither one seems to be an interesting character. So with a weak introduction to the two Ghostbusters who'll be our protagonists we're now swiftly jetted through pacing that establishes ghost hunting, government involvement, the addition of Kevin and the creation of ghost hunting tech way too quickly. The story moves to fast in an attempt to introduce as much content as it possibly can and it gets a bit overwhelming. On top of all that the antagonist for this film is really poorly written, his motivations for wanting a ghost apocalypse are weak and it all boils down to a final fight that's just agonisingly corny (I mean seriously?! The villain is beaten by a crotch shot?!). The cinematography doesn't really complement the nice visuals; the shots don't feel fluid or well framed, in fact you can feel the camera's presence in a few scenes which is a sign of poor direction I feel.

Kristen Wiig, who played Erin Gilbert, was such a boring character in this film; she didn't stand out as a protagonist nor was she comedic so her purpose as a lead was lost on me. Ed Begley Jr., who played Ed Mulgrave, was a rather boring lead into the ghost aspect of the film; his character wasn't funny like Woods' was at all. Charles Dance, who played Harold Filmore, was a really boring character; he didn't even have any impact upon the story or Wiig's character so he seemed a bit redundant. Melissa McCarthy, who played Abby Yates, surprised me by not being very funny in this film; McCarthy normally is a powerful comedic presence but in this film she felt like she was cast in the wrong role. Neil Casey, who played Rowan North, was such a uninteresting antagonist; his entire motivation for wanting an apocalypse was because everyone thought he was weird which is honestly at this point just bad writing. Chris Hemsworth, who played Kevin, was clearly trying a bit too hard as the idiot Kevin in this film; his only reason for being in this film besides Wiig drooling everywhere was so he could rather predictably be possessed by the film's villain. Michael Kenneth Williams and Matt Walsh, who played Agent Hawkins and Agent Rorke, were very hastily cobbled together government agents to add that aspect to the film; these guys didn't really need to be there when we already had the mayor character. Andy Garcia and Cecily Strong, who played Mayor Bradley and Jennifer Lynch, were introduced far too late into the film to have a lot of impact; it felt jarring that all of a sudden the high powers had a role in the film and that they knew about the ghosts. Ernie Hudson, who played Uncle Bill, was one of the more forgettable cameos within the film; Hudson isn't given the opportunity to be funny and instead is shoehorned in very briefly before the credits roll.

Ice Age: Collision Course

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When will the Ice Age movies end already Hollywood? I would give Ice Age: Collision Course a 4/10.

This film's plot has one particularly interesting storyline which is essentially Peaches coming of age story (and yes, it is incredibly similar to Ice Age: Continental Drift in that regard). Throughout the film Manny and Ellie are constantly trying to persuade Peaches not to leave their herd with her fiance but as the film progresses they come to accept their daughter's maturity and accept the fiance, Julian, into the family. It's a touching element of the film and probably the only engaging element of the plot.

Simon Pegg, who voiced Buck, has one of the strongest presences in the film; Pegg presents a truly funny line who has a smattering of great lines over the course of the film. Jennifer Lopez, who voiced Shira, doesn't do as much in this film as she did in Continental Drift but she's still one of the better voice actresses; Lopez makes the very minor subplot of her role and Leary's role wanting children quite an enjoyable one. Keke Palmer, who voiced Peaches, has a really great chemistry with Romano and Latifah in this film; Palmer has a great voice for this strong role who finds her independence in this film. Denis Leary, who voiced Diego, has lost the more aggressive quality of his character by now and instead seems like more of a charming leader figure; Diego is a great role and Leary has really developed him well over the course of these films. Queen Latifah, who voiced Ellie, is one of the more insightful characters of the series; Latifah is really responsible for guiding the Peaches 'coming of age' story along. Wanda Sykes, who voiced Granny, is one of the most consistently funny characters; her line delivery is insanely great and Sykes has created one of my favourite role to come out of Ice Age.

However the best performance came from Ray Romano, who voiced Manny. Romano seems to have really thrown himself back into the role in this film, Manny has a strong presence again and feels like an interesting protagonist. His antics as an overprotective Dad are pretty funny and he also brings a strong emotional performance to that subplot. While this isn't the best Ice Age film by a long shit it's great how a lot of the original cast put their all in for this film.

The story about the impending meteor in this film just didn't feel as dangerous as it was supposed to, the characters never seemed afraid so you weren't afraid for them as an audience member. The film also started to drag out because more often than not the story would be paused completely to pay attention to unnecessary subplots like the youthful characters who lived in the asteroid or the dinosaur antagonists or worst of all, Scrat's continued adventures with his precious acorn. The animation for Ice Age really hasn't changed or improved much over the years so that was an issue for me, it's particularly bad timing that Finding Dory is out at the moment a film which has done so much to look better than it's predecessor. The score for this film was pretty generic and most scenes I didn't even have the impression music was playing, the soundtrack was garbage and filled with some pretty bad choices.

Adam Devine, who voiced Julian, clearly wasn't making much of an effort in this film; his character was boring and he had no chemistry at all with Palmer. Nick Offerman, Stephanie Beatriz and Max Greenfield, who voiced Gavin, Gertie and Roger respectively, were pretty forgettable antagonists to the film; they didn't really seem all that necessary and ultimately the asteroid was villain enough for the film. John Leguizamo, who voiced Sid, is the one original film character who hasn't progressed well with the franchise; Leguizamo's awkward moronic character was fun at first but five films down the line he's just become annoying. Seann William Scott and Josh Peck, who voiced Crash and Eddie respectively, weren't as original as Leguizamo's role but they've suffered the same fate; now that they're no longer crucial to the story Scott and Peck have become rather stale characters. Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who voiced Shangri Llama, was such a boring character; his entire performance revolved around his yoga jokes which fell flat without fail. Michael Strahan, who voiced Teddy, fell into the background more often not; Strahan and Sykes' role having a flirtation was one of the more cringeworthy parts of the film. Jessie J, who voiced Brooke, came far too late into the film to have much of an impact; the subplot of her and Sid having a romance was an aspect of the film that no one really wanted nor asked for. Neil deGrasse Tyson, who voiced Neil deBuck Weasel, was a cameo that was neither funny nor necessary; his role would have gone over the heads of a lot of the audience. Chris Wedge, who voiced Scrat, is responsible for the Minions of Ice Age; Scrat is a character that has annoyed me more and more as these films have gone on and if this is the last film then I'll be all the happier for never having to watch Scrat again.

Mike And Dave Need Wedding Dates

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Sometimes a crude comedy that doesn't take itself too seriously can be done extremely well. Iwould give Mike And Dave Need Wedding Dates a 7.5/10.

This is a film which had me laughing for pretty much the entire time and not every comedy can boast that these days, the jokes that were in here were pretty clever and the quick snappy dialogue that was exchanged was brilliant. While the plot itself was simple it never really felt stupid, it just had an easy premise for you to follow and as such you were hooked throughout. The cinematography was spectacular for a comedy film, I've been impressed with a couple of comedy films camera work this year but so far I'd say that Mike And Dave probably has the best. The soundtrack for this film is a good blend and really complements a lot of great scenes, I have to say that watching Efron, Devine, Kendrick and Plaza all sing Montell Jordan's "This Is How We Do It" was a brilliant way to end the film.

Zac Efron, who played Dave Stangle, is a rather charismatic lead in this film; he's really got a handle on being a comedy performer but he still manages to bring a serious quality to his character's ambitions and feelings. Anna Kendrick, who played Alice, plays a bit of an inebriated loose cannon quite well; Kendrick also shows the grief of her character being left at the altar really well and it's something you see her move past over the course of the feature. Aubrey Plaza, who played Tatiana, dominates the screen when she's infront of the camera; Plaza is hilarious and I enjoyed the ongoing joke of her leading Mike on. Stephen Root, who played Burt, did the father figure extremely well in this film; his constant bursts of outrage became increasingly funnier and funnier. Alice Wetterlund, who played Cousin Terry, had a brilliant onscreen rivalry with Devine; her snide remarks were a lot of fun and the idea of her being a rival for Tatiana's affection was quite a unique idea. Kumail Nanjiani, who played Keanu, had an out there scene that some might not find funny but which I thought was hilarious; it's a crude sex joke scene without needing it to be about sex I thought it was hilarious and Nanjiani made it.

However the best performance came from Adam Devine, who played Mike Stangle. Devine is a comedy powerhouse in this film, he has some of the funniest lines and easily some of the best delivery. I think if he keeps going like this he'll be one of the comedy greats like Ferrell or Stiller one day. Devine and Efron have incredible chemistry with one another onscreen, it's easy to see them as brothers and it only serves to make the banter between the two of them all the more funny.

As much as I can laud how funny this film was despite it's crudeness there were a few scenes that pushed the envelope a bit, not every joke landed and sometimes jokes got taken a bit far. Some subplots within the film didn't get given enough attention to feel fully fleshed out, the Terry/Mike feud was very hastily established for example. I also felt like the editing was a bit slow, this comedy moved fast when it came to the story but the cuts didn't follow suit at all.

Stephanie Faracy, who played Rosie, didn't really have any screen presence in this film; her role as Mum didn't seem important and her performance was overshadowed by Root's. Sugar Lyn Beard, who played Jeanie Stangle, had a character that was a bit too manic and all over the place to be believable; her sweet and charming introduction became someone who had an orgasm from a massage and who took drugs on their wedding night so she was a bit out there. Sam Richardson, who played Eric, was a really boring character; Richardson didn't really have a funny edge to his character so he just became another performer sternly gazing at Efron and Devine. Lavell Crawford, who played Keith, was probably the most forgettable character of the film; he did not seem like the best man of the wedding nor did he even interact with Richardson all that much. Mary Holland, who played Becky, gave such a stiff performance it became cringeworthy; bad enough she had no chemistry with Beard but she didn't even seem necessary to the story.

The BFG

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Sometimes books don't translate well to film and sadly not even a visionary director like Spielberg is able to escape this fact. I would give The BFG a 6/10.

Visually this is possibly the greatest a family film has ever looked, the motion capture and CGI effects used to create the BFG, the giants and the dreams are exceptionally vivid and beautiful. The cinematography is immaculate, namely how shots are framed is done really well and indicates a type of storybook quality in the film. While there were a lot of issues with the film's plot I have to say the core relationship between the BFG and Sophie is very well done, seeing these two grow to care for one another so much is rather sweet.

Ruby Barnhill, who played Sophie, is a wonderful young protagonist in this film; she plays a courageous strong role very well and also manages to convey the wonder of being in such a magical environment.

However the best performance came from Mark Rylance, who played BFG. Rylance as the BFG is one of those casting choices that just makes absolute sense. He doesn't convey what he means to say very well and Rylance captures this stilted way of delivering lines rather well. I also thought that the way Rylance shares his role's wide range of emotions is rather well done; the death of the young boy he knew is a sadness that still lives with him, the fear of his fellow giants and the joy he discovers while adventuring with Sophie. I loved this role and I enjoyed seeing him develop into a brave character who defends his friend at all costs.

This film has serious pacing issues, while there was a lot of attention paid to showing how beautiful the special effects were there was also not much focus on advancing the plot. This led to a lot of long gaps between action and there were several scenes that got quite repetitive. By the time the main characters finally decided to do something about the film's antagonists it was starting to get boring but the introduction of the Queen didn't help matters. Once the focus was upon the Queen it all got a bit ridiculous, nothing seemed to make a lot of sense and it was clear this section of the story wasn't translating well to screen. The film's score was also a bit of a let down, it sounded like the score for a direct to tv film rather than a Spielberg blockbuster.

Penelope Wilton, who played The Queen, gave a rather disappointing performance as the Queen in this film; she didn't have the strong screen presence that would have suited a monarch figure. Jemaine Clement, who played Fleshlumpeater, gave a rather generic villainous performance; he wasn't a character so much as he was an overarching menace. Rebecca Hall, who played Mary, was one of the more forgettable performers of the film; she was an assistant to the Queen and thrown a scrap of lines to work with. Rafe Spall, who played Mr Tibbs, was little more than the butt of a litany of weak jokes, Spall wasn't a very good comedic performer so he failed to add a new comedic edge to the film.

Love And Friendship

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While comedic enough this period film doesn't have much in terms of plot or well developed characters. I would give Love And Friendship a 4/10.

This film essentially thrives on it's witty dialogue and back and forth interaction between characters, play upon words and snide yet clever remarks are the backbone of this film. The score for this film is also rather well done, it has a certain liveliness that isn't always present within the plot.

Kate Beckinsale, who played Lady Susan Vernon, displayed a very quick wit and versatile performance in this film; Beckinsale was a great choice for the film's main protagonist/antagonist. Morfydd Clark, who played Frederica Vernon, played the innocent emotionally distraught young girl very well; her turbulent relationship with Beckinsale and strong chemistry with the rest of the cast made her one of the better performers of the film. Xavier Samuel, who played Reginald DeCourcy, made for a very charismatic and sometimes gullible role; his infatuation with Beckinsale felt very natural and was performed well by Samuel. Justin Edwards, who played Charles Vernon, was a very entertaining minor performance; he had to be the butt of a few jokes but Edwards kept the tone very good-humoured and fun. Conor MacNeill, who played The Young Curate, this minor priest role resulted in one of the best scenes of the film; MacNeill presents a pure passionate monologue that really resounds with one of the main cast. Jemma Redgrave and James Fleet, who played Lady DeCourcy and Sir Reginald DeCourcy respectively, were an incredibly fun comedic duo; Fleet's obsession with the younger characters was entertaining and the pair shared a hilarious letter reading scene that stood out for me.

However the best performance came from Tom Bennett, who played Sir James Martin. Bennett presents a role who is easily the funniest in the entire film, there are many scenes where he just keeps talking on wild tangents and it will leave you in stitches. There are very few performers in this film who have the type of screen presence that Bennett brings and it would be fair to say that he steals the show. His moronic, bumbling role is a delight and kept my attention throughout.

This film has a very jarring start, you are thrown into the chaotic life of these characters who aren't very well explained or fleshed out, and then you are expected to remain engaged as the plot doesn't really advance so much as you watch long scenes of dialogue during which certain characters attempt to romance one another. It's awfully stale and very stagnant, there is nothing gripping about the film...nothing to keep you engaged and as such the pacing is awful. The cinematography is a bit off, very simple shots interspersed with some rather awful looking attempts at creative shots. The editing for this film is strange and inconsistent, the cutting would move at varying and unpredictable speeds and the character title cards were a novelty that soon wore off.

Jenn Murray, who played Lady Lucy Manwaring, was little more than a simple hysterical performance; she was too over the top and not grounded at all in her performance. Lochlann O'Mearain, who played Lord Manwaring, was essentially reduced to a plot device in this film; he never really felt like a character so much as he was an object to be attained. Chloe Sevigny, who played Alicia Johnson, was a very bland performer and had no chemistry with Beckinsale at all onscreen; Sevigny doesn't deliver her lines very well in this film and her voice kind of grates against your ears after a while. Stephen Fry, who played Mr Johnson, is a very forgettable minor role in this film; his appearance has absolutely no impact upon the story whatsoever and could have played out without him. Emma Greenwell, who played Catherine DeCourcy Vernon, didn't have very much screen presence in this film; Greenwell doesn't stand out at all alongside the stronger members of the film's cast such as Beckinsale, Edwards or Samuel. Kelly Campbell, who played Mrs Cross, was a rather redundant minor role; she was used for one main joke and then abruptly written out of the story. Conor Lambert, who played Wilson The Butler, was a rather bland minor role in this film; not so much a character as he was a piece of the background.

Central Intelligence

This review may contain spoilers!

It's a fairly generic action-comedy propelled by great chemistry from it's two leading stars. I would give Central Intelligence a 6.5/10.

This film stands strongly upon it's comedy, there are a lot of great cracks in this film and some great back and forth banter. From a plot perspective this film had two great elements; firstly the treatment of Bob being bullied and then him ultimately standing up to his bully was very well done, I also enjoyed the mystery surrounding the identity of the 'Black Badger' at the end of the film even if the final reveal wasn't as surprising as I would have liked. The cinematography looks really good for a comedy film, there a some really nicely framed shots scattered throughout the feature. The soundtrack for this film is fantastic, it provides comedy but it also keeps you excited and engaged.

Dwayne Johnson, who played Bob Stone, is clearly having a tremendous amount of fun in this film; his completely ridiculous hero-worshipping character makes for a lot of fun. Kevin Hart, who played Calvin Joyner, is extremely good at playing very funny and grounded characters; Hart will often be the performer to lead and direct the comedy in this film and he does a great job of it. Ryan Hansen, who played Steve, is very fast and loose with some brilliant one liners in this film; Hansen has probably some of the best line delivery in the film. Kumail Nanjiani, who played Jared the Airport Security Guard, made for a hilarious minor appearance in this film; the scene between Nanjiani and Hart was one of the funniest in the film. Phil Reeves, who played Principal Kent, really introduced the comedic tone of the film; his opening speech and following banter with Hart opened the film extremely well. Melissa McCarthy, who played Darla, had a very funny cameo at the end of this film; McCarthy once again establishes why she is one of the most demanded comedic actresses by performing in just a few minutes of the film.

However the best performance came from Jason Bateman, who played Trevor. Bateman is one of my favourite comedic performers and this film he just keeps it coming. Bateman has one main scene in this film (as well as a small reappearance near the end) in which we see him as a minor antagonist to Johnson's Bob. Bateman delivers a very nasty and kind of cruel character who shows how disgusting bullying someone is. At the same time Bateman manages to keep the scene funny, throwing out a few good quips and keeping the audience entertained.

The comedy in this film doesn't always land and sometimes you feel like the pacing stretches on a bit too long, it's like they couldn't think of enough material to keep the comedic tone going throughout. Sadly the CIA aspect of this film is absolutely boring, you don't really care about Johnson's mission throughout the course of the film and it doesn't help that the one key thing Johnson needs are "super sweet accounting skills". The editing for this film didn't help the pacing much, the cuts were slow and sometimes poorly pieced together. The fight sequences were a bit standard, clearly the choreography there didn't do anything to stand out from the crowd.

Amy Ryan, who played Agent Pamela Harris, gave an exceptionally bland performance in this film; she made the CIA aspect of the plot a bit of a let down. Danielle Nicolet, who played Maggie, didn't really have a lot of chemistry with Hart in this film; you didn't really care for their marital troubles and it became a subplot you dismissed rather rapidly. Aaron Paul, who played Phil, made for a rather disappointing antagonist; his big reveal of being alive was obvious and his motivations for being the bad guy were flimsy at best. Tim Griffin and Timothy John Smith, who played Agent Stan Mitchell and Agent Nick Cooper respectively, presented a pair of very stereotypical secret agents; they didn't need anywhere near the amount of screen time they got and may as well be labelled overpaid extras. Thomas Kretschmann, who played The Buyer, was yet another boring simple antagonist; he was neither threatening nor did he make much of an impact upon the story as a whole.

Sing Street

This review may contain spoilers!

I'd pay good money to watch Littlefinger bust a move again. I'd give Sing Street an 8/10.

This film has an incredible story here about using music to run from and then rise above the struggles you can be confronted with in life, it's a really interesting film that will have you hooked from start to finish. The story pays a great deal of attention to the main character, Cosmo, as he discovers and claims his identity; not only that but the film works really hard for the main female lead to not be this symbolic prize for his coming of age but in her own way she claims her identity too. The soundtrack for this film is great and there's numerous hits that you'll recognise in here; yet I think what made this film so memorable is the incredible use and purpose of original songs within the feature.

Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, who played Cosmo, made for a quiet yet surprisingly courageous protagonist in this film; I really liked seeing the way his character developed and grew throughout the course of the film. Aidan Gillen, who played Robert, really wore his frustration and pain quite visibly during this film; I really enjoyed the scenes he shared with Reynor because the two of them bounced off one another really well. Lucy Boynton, who played Raphina, had a very cool demeanour that set her apart from the rest of the cast; however as the film progressed Boynton skillfully revealed the more vulnerable qualities of her character. Mark McKenna, who played Eamon, was one of my favourite performers in the film; his very reserved enthusiasm for music and taking risks were a lot of fun to watch. Don Wycherley, who played Brother Baxter, made for a rather intimidating antagonist within this film; his constant oppression of Cosmo really fueled the film onwards.

However the best performance came from Jack Reynor, who played Brendan. Reynor had a very sarcastic edge to his role that made him one of the more comedic roles of the film, he also shared a brilliant onscreen chemistry with Walsh-Peelo which solidified the brotherly bond of their roles. I loved how Reynor talked about music so irreverently, he really did break down how significant music was and how it could define your identity. This character also bore a lot of self-pity and buried frustration which Reynor lets out in a very emotional scene, it's incredibly telling of how upset this role is by the separation going on within his family.

The cinematography within this film was really weak, the visual style felt a bit too simple and there weren't any moments that I remember for their visual quality. The editing was a bit simple as well, the cuts happened at a very gradual rate and if it weren't for the great plot would have had a serious impact upon the pacing.

Maria Doyle Kennedy, who played Penny, was quite a rigid performance that didn't deliver the same emotional impact as Gillen did; you didn't see her as a role that fit within the family. Kelly Thornton, who played Ann, had a really weak screen presence in this film; sadly her role in the family was often forgotten and she didn't share much chemistry with Reynor or Walsh-Peelo. Ben Carolan, who played Darren, was a bit of an awkward character who never left much of an impression; his role wasn't comedic nor did he really add anything to the plot. Percy Chamburuka, who played Ngig, was typecast as the black character for the film; I wish I was kidding but that seemed to be the message this film was putting across when it came to his character. Conor Hamilton and Karl Rice, who played Larry and Garry, were easily the most forgettable members of the band and the cast; they were really only in the film so that there were a couple more instruments present. Ian Kenny, who played Barry, was a rather weak antagonist in this film; I couldn't help but feel that his performance was a bit simple and two-dimensional. Lydia McGuinness, who played Mrs Dunne, was introduced far too late into the film to have had any impact; her support for the band and for Cosmo didn't seem to matter by that point as they had already started to find themselves. Peter Campion, who played Evan, was a character I wish we'd seen a bit more of; as it was he could have made a great antagonist if he'd had a bit more presence within the film.

The Conjuring 2

This review may contain spoilers!

The first Conjuring was made all the scarier because it was 'based on a true story', this film is the exact opposite. I would give The Conjuring 2 a 6.5/10.

The first half of this film was an absolutely perfect horror film sequel, we were introduced to the Hodgson's and got to see the haunting they were experiencing get worse and worse but at the same time we could see where the Warrens were at this point in their lives as well as the demon who was haunting them. This all made for quite a thrilling and truly terrifying beginning to the film, something that was quite memorably. The cinematography for this film was spectacular, the director knows exactly how to frame his shots or where to place his focus to get the most out of a scene. The editing was instrumental in making this film so scary, the timing within scenes was perfect. The score for The Conjuring 2 is easily one of the best horror scores that I've listened to this year; this was a film that got all the technical qualities of a horror film very right.

Patrick Wilson, who played Ed Warren, is a really strong protagonist for this film; his unwavering determination and onscreen charisma make him a stand out performer. Madison Wolfe, who played Janet Hodgson, did an exceptional job for a young actress in this film; she played the long game with he role and you could really see her character become more and more frightened of herself and the spirit possessing her. Benjamin Haigh, who played Billy Hodgson, has the remarkable charisma of a talented young performer; Haigh's role has a strong stutter in the film which he performs remarkably. Franka Potente, who played Anita Gregory, presented a more rational performance in this film; I liked her firm and decisive delivery about this haunting being little more than a hoax. Bob Adrian, who played Bill Wilkins, has an incredibly strong presence in this film; I liked that his role had two side to it and that he was more than just another 'malicious spirit'.

However the best performance came from Vera Farmiga, who played Lorraine Warren. The role of Lorraine has such a strong presence in this sequel, this time round it's less about her premonitions and more about her as a person which I really appreciated. Farmiga emphasises the dangers posed to this woman with a supernatural gift, she feels responsible for keeping her family safe yet cannot resist the call to help others. One particularly touching scene between Farmiga and Wolfe reveals how Lorraine has always felt like an outsider and that to find acceptance with her husband Ed is a precious thing to her; this great sentiment is brought to the forefront through the incredible onscreen chemistry that Farmiga and Wilson share.

This film ends on a bit of a flat note because the film starts analysing the idea of hauntings as hoaxes, this has the unfortunate effect of making the film a lot less scary and drags out the pacing with a lot of unnecessary scenes. Throughout the course of the second half I found myself looking at the film through a more sceptical eye because that's the direction the story was taking and as a result a lot of scenes lost the impact they otherwise would have had. The special effects within the film also pulled me out of some scenes, I thought the most obvious was when we first see the Crooked Man who looks more like a really poorly designed piece of CGI than a monster.

Frances O'Connor, who played Peggy Hodgson, was quite a boring character in this film; she was a very generic mother performance and never had a scene in which she really stood out. Lauren Esposito, who played Margaret Hodgson, had a really weak screen presence; sadly Esposito fell into the background when compared to Wolfe's performance. Patrick McAuley, who played Johnny Hodgson, is a role I forgot about several times in this film; of all the Hodgson characters Johnny is the least impressionable. Simon McBurney, who played Maurice Grosse, gave a rather boring British equivalent of the Warrens; sadly McBurney couldn't muster anything to make himself stand out like Wilson and Farmiga. Maria Doyle Kennedy and Simon Delaney, who played Peggy Nottingham and Vic Nottingham respectively, were two extremely unimportant side characters who were given far too much screen time; they were pointless because they never contributed to any important scenes nor did they share much chemistry with the rest of the cast. Sterling Jerins, who played Judy Warren, sadly falls into the backdrop in this film; despite the Warrens getting more focus in this film Judy is pretty much forgotten.