Triple 9 (2016)

Here's a little crime thriller with a big ensemble cast that's kind of ok-ish. The acting is solid and it has a good tone and style with a distinct grainy retro look, it's the script itself that lets it down. It feels as though it wasn't all that well-thought out and instead just focused on trying hard to be this gritty,edgy retro style thriller, leaving us with a film that's a little messy. I didn't really fully connect with anyone so I didn't really care much about what was happening with characters and I really struggled to buy into the triple 9 that ended up happening in the film, and If I have trouble buying into something, you know there's a problem.
But like I said performances are still good and there's enough there to keep it somewhat enjoyable, just it could of have been so much better. Not terrible but not that good either. **1/2

How To Be Single (2016)

I went into this film with mild expectations and ended up enjoying alot more than I thought I would. It's a part romcom/non-romcom about the way certain people are during their periods of being single. A follows a bunch of female characters with different traits who are well acted by a likable cast and I want to give particular praise to Leslie Mann who really shines through in some of the more dramatic scenes. The film is filled with quite a few funny moments, nothing uproariously hilarious but enough to keep you satisfied, and it's got some solid dramatic moments too. 
Despite wanting to be it's own thing, It does still fall into a few genre cliches while barely escaping others and is still a little superficial and hokey at times (not fond on the execution on some of its voiceover narration). But overall I thought this was a solid comedy that was very enjoyable and funny.***1/2

The Mermaid (2016)

Stephen Chow's latest offering is a fun comedy that bats you around the head with an eco-friendly message (but not in an annoying way). It has the usual silly absurd  humour Chow uses, delivering plenty of laughs with a likable cast and some decent CGI. It's just a hugely enjoyable experience one that is strange, fun, absurd and even slightly emotional at times. It may not reach the level of greatness of some of Chow's previous work but it's still a strong effort.
A just solid fun fun fun comedy with some good themes.***1/2

The Duke Of Burgundy (2014)

Here's a solid piece of arthouse drama about a Lesbian couple and their BDSM tendencies. A very elegantly done film filled with warm colours and steady cinematography. It's also has solid performances from it's actors who portray the complex emotions felt in their character's relationship.
A beautiful and very fine piece of classy erotic arthouse.***1/2

Zoolander 2 (2016)

Almost 14 years after Zoolander first hit our screens, he's now finally back for a sequel. But is it any good? well not really, did I still like it though? yeah kind of. Here's the thing, this film is an awkward rehash with lots of misfiring jokes, clunky dialogue exchanges and needless cameo's aplenty. Yet despite not being this and not all that funny, I still rather enjoyed it cause it's a movie that does it's own thing in it's own little world and my enjoyment comes from that even if I don't laugh. Like every character has their own little weird traits and I just enjoy those little things, even if they are not that well thought out.
So while not being able to recapture the glory of the original, there are still a few funny moments and enough there for me to enjoy. It's not good but I liked it.
**1/2

A Bigger Splash (2015)

Here's a solid drama with some damn good acting. the plot concerns a famous  rockstar (Tilda Swinton) and her partner (Matthias Schoenarts) who are unexpectedly visited by an old friend (Ralph Fiennes) and his daughter (Dakota Johnson) whilst on vacation. Ralph Fiennes is on top form here (compelte with full frontal nudity) with a performance that is funny and very engaging, and  the rest of the cast are also very strong, playing interesting characters that have their own little traits. The films set on the Italian island of Pantelleria which looks really beautiful and there's some good cinematography though there are a few weird bits that feels little jarring and experimental but still very interesting.
The drama itself unfolds really nicely too we get a sense of frustration building up in every character as the films goes on, creating a very compelling watch. there were actually a few moments that I thought it was gonna end (and could have), but when it finally did it was very fitting for the movie.
Overall this is a very solid little movie with some good drama and great acting and certainly worth a watch.
***1/2

Deadpool (2016)

The first big superhero film of this year and it's a pretty darn solid one. A rare 15(R) rated marvel film filled with graphic violence,strong language,some sex and of course 'breaking the fourth wall' making for a very fun viewing experience. Ryan Reynolds is on top form as the titular character in probably the best role of his career, and the rest of the cast are also good. The plot is pretty straightforward and still contains the usual genre conventions but it's well executed and it's more adult themed content and meta-stuff make it stick out a little. Overall this is just a really fun, solid superhero film that's not necessarily great but works well as a introduction to the Deadpool character and is just really entertaining. I  look forward to the sequel and how they go about it.***1/2

From Vegas To Macau III (2016)

I went into this  without seeing any of the previous films in the series, all I knew was it had a 1.1 IMDB score and was meant to be an utter mess, so of course I had to see it for myself.
The film is indeed an utter ridiculous mess but one I kind of had fun watching (I do enjoy a fun mess). Anyone who likes an ounce of logic in their films, should probably avoid this, as it's mostly a nonsense. A bunch of silly jokes and action slapped together with a thin plot, assaulting your face at mach speed. Its like they wanted to make a fun movie but weren't sure what to do, so just lobbed everything at it.
But like I said it's a mess that I still managed to enjoy to a certain extent, not super fun but kinda fun.
recommended only to those that can find enjoyment in anything (like me), otherwise stay well away.**1/2

Goosebumps (2015)

Here's quite a fun movie, based around the book series. It's more tamer and kid friendly than the 90's TV series adaptation, essentially a generic family film with a couple little twists. It's 103 minute runtime fly's by quickly, as the characters encounter a  bunch of series' classic monsters (although sadly missing a couple of my personal faves like the horned demons from Horrorland). It's a movie full of energy with a few good jokes scattered about. I really like the cop duo alot and wish we got to see more of them in the film. Also don't expect a an accurate portrayal of R.L Stine from Jack Black, as he just does his usual thing aside from speaking weirdly, still fun to watch though.
Overall despite just be a very generic affair, it's still a fun ride with hints of nostalgia for those that ever read the books as a kid.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016)

I had to study the original Pride and Prejudice for A-level English literature and hated it(tough I have enjoyed a few of it's film/TV adaptations). When I finally read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, I thought it was a vast improvement over the original, weaving zombies into the plot in an interesting and fun way. So now comes the film adaptation and while not as well executed as the novel, this was still pretty fun. The films biggest problem is that the more Pride and Prejudice type stuff is really quite solid, while the zombie stuff is a little on the weak side. It tacks on a more generic action movie ending that feels a little rushed and the action is ok but not as interesting as the rest of the movie. As mentioned the Pride and Pred stuff is good and there are some good comedy bits here and there, one actor that really shines through is Matt Smith, who is a perfect Mr Collins and is probably the best thing in this movie, just super enjoyable and really funny.
Overall while it struggles to get a good balance between it's two elements, there's still enough there to keep you interested for it's 108 minute runtime making for a fun (if a little underwhelming) movie. ***

Assassination Classroom (2015)

Here's a fun and strange Japanese movie from 2015, based on the Manga of the same name. It concerns a powerful Octopus like creature, who has threatened to destroy the world within a year, but offer mankind a chance to stop him, by becoming teacher at a Junior High School, teaching the students the ways of assassination with the goal of assassinating him. If you can't get behind that kind of plot, then this movie definitely isn't for you. I myself really enjoyed this,  it's got some good comedy and wacky moments and Koro-Sensei (the creature) is really likeable and quirky. It's got a few other pretty interesting characters too and it's just a good solid fun time overall. I look forward to the sequel. ***1/2

45 years (2015)

Here's a solid little drama about an old couple (played by Charlotte Rampling & Tom Courtenay) during the week of their 45th Anniversary. It's a rather simple and slighty subdued movie that has depth and is lead by strong performances,with a great ending where Rampling's acting really shines through with her facial expressions that portray a range of complex emotions.
It just miss the mark on being great but is still a really solid film overall and worth checking out for those who like a good piece of drama. ***1/2

Top 10 films of 2015

Finally it's here, my overdue top 10 film list of 2015. I've only done this now, because there was a bunch of 2015 releases out in the cinema in January that I wanted to see before making the list. (although there are still a quite a few others I want to see). Now 2015 was a pretty solid year for films, though there hasn't really been that many standout releases compared to 2014 but it has still been more solid overall.
This years list has been one that I've actually found difficult to sort and it's the first year in a while where I haven't had a definitive film of the year, so the order of these films may not be definitive, but they are still my current ten favourites of 2015.

Honourable Mentions
Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation
The Hateful Eight (in 70mm)
Kung Fury
Sicario

10. SPL II: A Time For Consequences

 A sequel in name only, I absolutely loved this, A chaotic Martial film, filled with great action and melodrama and Tony Jaa!

The Company Of Wolves (1984)

Here an intriguing little horror fantasy film based on 'the werewolf' story from Angela Carter's short story collection 'The Bloody Chamber' which itself is based on The Red Riding Hood fairytale. The film boasts some nice production design and some really fun werewolf practical effects, though the whole thing is a little clunky and doesn't quite all gel together. Also Angela Lansbury is in it, but her acting is weird, especially with her dialogue delivery and facial expressions and all the performances overall aren't that great but not terrible.
Despite these flaws the film is still really entertaining and strange. A nice slice of werewolf fun.
***1/2

Spotlight (2015)

Spotlight is a dialogue heavy drama directed by Tom McCarthy about The Boston Globe's 'Spotlight' team as they investigate child sex abuse cases involving Roman Catholic Priests in the Boston area. Based on stories by the real 'Spotlight' team, Spotlight is a rather fascinating movie that is constantly engaging and intriguing (something that can be hard for a movie that's mainly just people talking). It's dark and corrupt subject matter is one that is able to rile up your emotions and it's well written dialogue and strong acting really helps achieve this. I've not really got much more to say other than, it may not be the most 'cinematic' of films but it is a great piece of drama worth checking out.
****

13 hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (2016)

Michael Bay's latest film is an action thriller that's surprisingly mature and actually pretty good. It's based on the book about the security team that defended an American compound in Benghazi, Libya, in 2012, but don't expect it to be all that historically accurate. Bay instead focuses more on delivering the action, which is very entertaining and at times brutal with it's 144 minute runtime not dragging much at all. Although the action is the dominant factor, the film does still manage to retain a little of it's subjects depth, even it's characterisations are still rather generic (the usual family men questioning what their doing). The camerawork and editing is also very dizzying at times, though there are a few nice little bits in there.
Overall this is a pretty decent movie and definitely one of the better ones that Michael Bay has directed. An enjoyable war thriller with good action.
***

The Big Short (2015)

Who knew that a film concerning the 07/08  financial crisis could be so fun. This is a really great comedy drama containing very interesting characters brought to life by a great cast of actors, with stand out performances from Christian Bale and Steve Carell. The film also explains different concepts and terms to the audience in a usually fun way so that everyone can understand and be aware of them, It helps dissolve any confusion, making it fun and easy to digest without negating any of it's depth.
This is the first film that Adam Mckay has written/directed that isn't a comedy starring Will Ferrell, instead Mckay applies his talent to something greater showing how good he really is. Overall this film is just thoroughly entertaining film with a good amount of laughs and drama, and a strong thought provoking ending. Recommended. ****