Written and directed by Dan Kwan and
Daniel Scheinert is this latest entrance into the world of multiverse storytelling. Michelle Yeoh is Evelyn, a hard working business owner running a laundrette with her husband Waymond (Ke Huy Quan). She has a difficult relationship with her daughter Joy (Stephanie Hsu) and still desperate to please her father (James Hong). Her life changes when attending an IRS audit with their auditor Dierdre (Jamie Lee Curtis). There she discovers that rather than an overwhelmed, underachiever, she is the central hope for saving not only one universe but the billions of other universe’s that are under threat.

I think it’s fair to say this isn’t quite the film that you expect, it is absolutely chaotic, but at the same time beautiful. While the premise may suggest sci-fi adventure, it really isn’t. Instead it uses that to explore the madness of life, whether the madness has meaning. Most touchingly it examines realtionships, between husband and wife, mother and daughter, father and daughter and the mights and maybes of everyday life.

The madness of life and it’s seamlessly endless craziness are depicted in an equally unfathomably crazy adventure story. We rapidly bounce between multiverses as Evelyn uses them to pick up new skills. Including a Universe where people have hot dogs for fingers, one where no life ever formed and a Universe ending bagel.

It’s a joyously original film and while its madness takes a little while to settle in, the pay off is very much worth it, as the story layers peel back to show a story full of depth and heart.

Performances are great and with martial arts fight scenes you get the balletic beauty that only they bring. The story also zips along and while of course there is CGI, it’s not overwhelming, with most action taking place in an IRS building and Evelyn’s laundrette.

In a world where multiverse films are becoming commonplace, this sets a high bar for others. Original, funny, crazy and beautiful in equal measure. If you could only see one multiverse film, I’d suggest this one.

Directed by Joachim Trier and starring Renate Reinsve is this thoughtful and smart story set in contemporary Oslo (yes it is in Norwegian, with subtitles). Reinsve is Julie, who we follow over a four year period as she tries to make sense of her life, her career and relationships. She is smart and talented and has the ability to chase whatever she wants and there’s the problem. She is also directionless, we see her at university change her studies at a whim, surgeon to psychiatrist to photographer. This is reflected in her realtionships as she shys away from long term commitment. And as she reaches 30 she seems as unsure as ever or is she just pursuing a version of life that doesn’t exist.

I really enjoy a cinematic portrait of life, a film which potrays characters you believe in, empathise and sympathise with. You get all of that here, in this smart well told story. It feels very much like Richard Linkletters outstanding “Before” series of films, as we spent time following a character who is chasing a version of life and while chasing it perhaps it is passing her by.

Built around three excellent performances alongside Reinsve’s outstanding performance as Julie, we also have Anders Danielson Lie as Aksel and Herbert Nordrum’s Eivind. While this is very much Julie’s story, we get enough time with all of the main characters to care for them. There is no good or bad guys, no rollercoaster of a plot, what we get is a depiction of life, its mundanity at times, and its personal difficulties at others. We see Julie’s difficult relationship with her father, beautifully and painfully shown when she visits him after her birthday. We also see how life changes, as people mature and their asperations change with them. All of this done in a gentle and wonderfully engaging way.

This is a really well done look at life with all its complexity and nuance. Carried by three excellent performances, we get a thoroughly engaging story with a set of characters you care for. You don’t believe any of them are the worst of us, more they are just us. Well worth seeking out.

Sam Raimi enters the Marvel Universe, with Micheal Waldron’s penned latest outing for Doctor Strange. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is still wrestling with the problems of the multiverse and while at the wedding of Christine (Rachel McAdams) he finds himself saving the life of a girl, America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez). But she isn’t any girl, she is one he has dreamt about. When he discovers she has moved through the multiverse, he knows he needs specialist help and seeks it in the form of Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen). But that visit opens a battle Strange did not expect.

The film certainly delivers on its titular madness as it romps through the multiverse, meeting a range of characters, some familiar, some crowd pleasing cameos. The potential for this to have been a disjointed mess would seem pretty high. But Marvel’s masterstroke was to put it in the hands of Sam Rami.

What he does is take a relatively predictable script and have real fun, pulling from his back catalogue and no doubt favourite films to bring something fresh to the MCU. Being Rami he of course uses plenty of horror inflections, especially as Strange and Chavez are chased though the different universe’s. Importantly though he also has that light comedic touch. That levity is something that Marvel judges well and is right up Raimi’s street.

It is these things that makes this an entertaining adventure and one that delivers something a little different from the usual MCU fair.

There are a couple of issues. Firstly it does lean on some of Marvel’s non cinema properties, Wandavision particularly, which, while not essential helps apply context. Secondly is Wanda herself, a complex character, who while at the centre of this story, remains rather one dimensional.

Multiverse of Madness, while having a relatively basic story, in the hands of Sam Rami is something fresh and fun. His horror-humour background shines through and brings a great mix of dark tension and light madness. Making it an enjoyable multiverse adventure.

Robert Eggers writes and directs this epic, viking legend inspired adventure. Alexander Skaarsgard is Amleth who as a boy sees his father King Aurvandil (Ethan Hawke), betrayed and murdered and his mother (Nicole Kidman) kidnapped and swears to avenge them. When he sees a chance to get to his uncle Fyjölnir (Claes Bang) who believes responsible for his father’s death, he takes it. Here he plans his violent and bloody revenge nightmare, but his plans change when he meets Olga (Anya Taylor-Joy) who inspires and guides him to more than he thought.

This is a fabulous journey through Viking legend and mythology that provides a visceral and engrossing cinematic experience. For some it maybe a little much, as it’s based on myth and legend it heads off on some wierd and wonderful diversions as we enter Amlets visions and imagination. Its language could also be challenging for some with its Shakespearean type use (no surprise that this story is loosely based on the same one that supposedly inspired Hamlet). But for me that is all part of what makes this such a fabulous treat of a film.

Performances are excellent, Skaarsgard’s Amleth broods through his bloody and violent revenge. Claes Bang and Nicole Kidman are great but the show stealer is Anya Taylor-Joy whose presence and performance light up the screen.

It looks incredible and is full of stunning cinematography and a brilliant use of its scandi-noir feel and Bergman inspired quick cut style and moodily lit close ups of faces add to the beautifully cinematic experience.

There is also an originality to this, so often epics are sand and sandals inspired, but the use of viking legend is refreshing and the way it’s shot and Shakespearean language and scale are things we often don’t see from a big studio

The Northman may he a bit much for some. But for me, Its wild and crazy, looks beautiful and is full of engrossing performances. It’s a fabulous and wonderful romp through a viking inspired legend and a brilliant and absorbing cinematic experience.

Directed and written by Tom Gormican, is this rather nuts version of Nicholas Cage’s life. Starring Cage, playing a crazy version of himself, well who else would play him, who is questioning his career choices and realtionships. When his agent (Neil Patrick Harris) finds him a good paying “gig” attending the party of a wealthy businessman, he reluctantly takes the money and heads to Mallorca to meet Javi (Pedro Pascal). He’s charmed by Javi, until he is approached by US CIA agents (Tiffany Haddish and Ike Barinholtz) and finds out not everything is as it seems. It sets Cage on a crazy mission that is part spying, part creating a screenplay!

This film is absolutely bonkers, but there is plenty of fun to be had. While it’s not wholly original, there is enough originality to make it worthwhile and it has plenty of humour based on Cage, other films and the film making process to keep you entertained. Although for all its madness it does end up down a rather predictable route.

Cage is self aware enough to have fun at his own expense and actually he feels the perfect actor to pull off this kind of self parody. Pedro Pascal’s Javi is also a big part of what works, sharing a great and believable onscreen chemistry. The cast is solid and give enjoyable performances with Sharon Horgan and Lily Mo Sheen as Cage’s wife and daughter and Haddish and Barinholtz particularly.

The script zips a long as it winds through its increasingly bizarre plot but manages the balance between engaging madness and switch off weirdness.

This is a 107 minutes of madness but with plenty to enjoy and a story that has originality, humour and fun, carried along by a nice on screen chemistry between its two stars. Nick Cage is cranking out plenty of odd and interesting stuff at present and this is a nice addition to his catalogue.

Directed by brothers Aaron and Adam Nee, The Lost City is an old school romantic adventure, harking back to films like Romancing the Stone. Sandra Bullock is Loretta a novelist who writes “schlocky” romantic novels based on the adventures of her hero Dash, embodied in real life by model Alan (Channing Tatum). But Loretta has had enough of writing and is heading out on one last book tour. However, rather than a tour she finds herself kidnapped by Daniel Radcliffe’s Abigail Fairfax, a wealthy eccentric who has realised that in the pages of her books are clues to a real treasure and she is going to help him find them. He then flies them off to a remote island which holds the fabulous treasure. This is the chance for Alan to prove he’s a real life hero and with the help of Jack Trainer (Brad Pitt) he heads off on his own adventure to rescue the girl and find the treasure.

The Lost City is very much what it says on the tin. It’s a light hearted, thinly plotted romantic adventure, that survives purely on the excellent casting of its two leads, who are helped by Daniel Radcliffe, who delivers that quirky performance he does better than pretty much anyone.

The film plays perfectly to the strength of those leads. Bullock at her best playing the smart, slightly neurotic woman who lacks confidence and struggles to find happiness. Tatum doing what he does, the charming good-looking guy, who is so much more than his shiny veener, he is sensitive, self aware and good hearted.

It is the their charm and engaging personality that allows The Lost City to get away with its paper thin plot and rather dull and predictable story. But that doesn’t matter thanks to the humour in the script and charm in the performances. The supporting cast all add to the whole, Pitt, Oscar Nunez and Da’vine Joy Randolph particularly.

The Lost City won’t rock anyone’s world, but it is a charming and fun diversion, carried by its two leads. Proving that there is still life in the star powered vehicle after all. A treasure worth risking your life for? Maybe not, but if you stumble across it, you’ll enjoy its shiny fun.

John Madden directs a screen adaptation of Ben MacIntyre’s book based on the true story of Operation Mincemeat, a fascinating story of the most successful deception of the second world war. Ewen Montagu (Colin Firth) and Charles Cholmondeley (Matthew Macfadyen) are intelligence officers, who devise a plan to deceive Hitler and get him to move troops from Sicily, a target for an Allied invasion, to Greece. To do this they take an idea from a young Ian Fleming (Johnny Flynn), yes that Ian Fleming, to have a dead body washed ashore in Spain, carrying official papers that contain fake Allied plans to invade Greece. The trick is then to get those papers into the hands of German spies, to Berlin and ultimately to the Fuhrer himself. The plan is so ridiculous, that it is almost doomed to fail, but if they can make it work, it will speed up the Allied advance into Europe and save thousands of lives.

It is a bit of a mixed bag of a film, the true story is fascinating and the complexities and madness of the idea are absorbing. However, what is not as successful are those bits of “artistic licence” like the out of place love story between Montagu, Cholmondeley and Jean Leslie (Kelly Macdonald).

Performances are of the quality you’d expect from such a fine cast, Firth and Macdadyen share a well-balanced sense of tension, bond and humour. Jason Isaacs brings an unpleasant edge to Admiral John Godfrey and Penelope Wilton, Mark Gatiss and Simon Russell Beale all offer good support.

The script is neat and tidy, developing the film’s eccentric plot at a nice pace and with well-judged humour, especially as you watch Fleming building a cast of characters that would become world-famous. Really the story could have done with more of this and the focus on the remarkably complex mission rather than spending time on its fabricated love interest.

Operation Mincemeat is a fascinating story and while the film is not the unqualified success of the wartime operation. It is good enough to be a worthwhile way to find out about this remarkable and little known piece of the allied war effort.

Jeff Fowler is back at the helm as the world’s most famous blue hedgehog returns for a new adventure. Ben Schwartz again voices Sonic, who since we last saw him has spent time trying to find his place in the world, using his talents to be a hero, a hedgehog Batman if you like. Dr Robotnik (Jim Carrey) banished to a mushroom planet, has not wasted time either and has at last found a way to get back to Earth. This includes an alliance with Knuckles (Idris Elba) who shares Robotnik’s desire to find Sonic, who he thinks is the route to finding an all powerful emerald that was taken from his civilization. When Robotnik and Knuckles reach Earth it becomes a race between them and Sonic, ably supported by Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessy) to find the emerald.

While I played the Sonic ganesy when I was younger and I did enjoy the first film, I do appreciate I’m not the target audience for this. That said, this was still enjoyable enough. It’s more Sonic action focused than the first film, with only a side plot for the human characters, although Natasha Rothwell as Rachel is one of the comedic highlights.

The Sonic action focus isn’t a problem though as it allows us to enjoy the fun that Carrey and Elba are having as Robotnik and Knuckles. Elba in particularly finds a nice balance between Knuckles naivety and driven fierce warrior.

Action set pieces are big and impressive, although perhaps a little bit overblown at times. This is probably a symptom of the films biggest critisicm, in that at just over 2 hours, it is a too long and at times it feels like there’s some “and here’s another thing” thrown at the screen.

Overall, Sonic 2 is a decent enough sequel, a bit of long, but there’s plenty of fun and the story zips along at a rapid enough pace. Not an animation classic, but in the video games to screen genre it’s a more than solid effort.

Daniel Espinosa directs this latest addition to the Sony, Marvel anti-hero catalogue. Jared Leto is Dr Michael Morbius, born with a rare and debilitating blood condition. Brought up in a home where he is looked after by Dr Nikols (Jared Harris), he befriends a new patient whom he christens Milo. We fast forward from his less than idyllic childhood to find him experimenting with vampire blood to try to cure his condition. He believes he has success however when he takes his serum it has unexpected side effects and while it fixes his broken body, it also unleashes a beast.

It’s fair to say there has been a comic book fan backlash to this. But for me, while it is not great, it also isn’t terrible. What Morbius suffers from, and this is a possible issue for Marvel, in the long run, is that it is another character who we struggle to care for, like the other Sony anti-hero Venom he isn’t that interesting.

Although Morbius is not helped by the filmmakers, who in the relatively short 104 minutes, make no attempt to develop his character or that of his friend Milo (Matt Smith), who predictably becomes the main antagonist, leaving us with two characters we don’t care about. The lacklustre story doesn’t help with little by way of plot or narrative arc. This leaves us with a few action set pieces that just amble along with no real hook to draw you in.

There is one redeeming feature and that is its commitment to its vampire inspired horror which is dark and visceral at times, but unfortunately, that’s not enough to overcome its shortcomings.

Performances are Ok with the limited script they have to work with. Leto is restrained, Matt Smith has a good time, and there is a little light relief from Al Madrigal and Tyrese Gibson’s FBI officers.

Morbius is no classic and while it is a little dull it’s not the stinker some suggest. It’s just uninteresting, a non-event, lacking narrative or character development. Instead, it just passes you by and will soon be forgotten. But no doubt he’ll be back, like Venom, whether we want more or less-bius of him!

Now available on Netflix.

Directed by Philip Barantini and co-written alongside James Cummings, is this feature length adaptation of their own short film from 2019. Stephen Graham is Andy a talented Chef and owner of a successful restaurant. We find him heading into work, just before Christmas on what will be the busiest night of the year. A night that ramps up the pressure on him and his staff. We follow it all as we see how they react, from those that feel it intently, such as his number two Carly (Vinette Robinson) to those who are using the job as a stepping stone elsewhere and care less.

Cleverly shot in one take by Matthew Lewis, which rather than a gimmick, the technique is used brilliantly to not only build tension but also provide real depth to the story. As the camera moves we see thoughtful vignettes that move beyond life in the restaurant. Andy’s relationship with his estranged wife that we only capture in phonecalls and his strained relationship with former boss and celebrity chef Alistair (Jason Flemyng).

We see unpleasant and obnoxious customers some with racist undertones. We see a belligerent maitre d’s vulnerability exposed. A young chef who self harms. And along with those feeling the strain we see others engaged in idle chit chat. It is these tiny insight’s into life as the camera swoops by that adds so much to the story.

Graham is excellent and carries much of the film. But where Barantini is clever is he doesn’t make him the sole focus. There is brilliant supports throughout with wonderfully subtle and smart performances providing a convincing and natural feel.

Boiling point is a fine piece of work. The smart writing, performances and camera work absorb you fully. Genuinely shot in one take, which rather than a gimmick is central to the story and creates a 94 minute whirlwind tour of life, it’s stresses and strains. By the end you’ll feel you’ve lived every minute with them. But you’ll be glad you did.