Director: Scott Cooper

Based on Warren Zanes book of the same name, it tells the story of Bruce Springsteen’s time writing the album Nebraska and the material that would become, Born in the USA. After a successful tour Springsteen’s (Jeremey Allen White) manager Jon Landau (Jeremy Strong) rents him a home near Springsteen’s home town. In doing so he connects again with memories of a difficult childhood and comes face to face with his own mental health issues, which produces some of his greatest tracks, but comes at a heavy personal toll.

There is plenty in Deliver Me from Nowhere that should make it a better film but sadly it falls a little short and didn’t fully work for me.

It’s a film that tries to tell a difficult story, exploring the beginnings of what would become a life long battle with depression for Springsteen. And it is here, with touching melancholic storytelling, the film is at its best. It explores his relationship with his father (Stephen Graham) and mother (Gaby Hoffmann). It also looks at his challenges with building relationships, shown through a friendship with hometown girl Faye (Odessa Young) and her young daughter. And how this impacts his work and his life.

What works less well is the studio recording and business side of the story that doesn’t sit comfortably alongside the look at his life. It’s not helped by a sometimes clumsy script as it ticks off some music biopic tropes. And the longer the film goes on, the more prevalent this becomes, undoing the good work of exploring his life.

Deliver Me from Nowhere didn’t fully work for me. It’s at its best exploring Springsteen’s life and its influence on his music, which is warm and melancholic. But it is let down by the clumsy telling of the business behind the making of Nebraska, which often makes it feel like two separate films stitched together, badly. This is a pity, as it lets down the solid performances, and touching storytelling, especially in its first half. It’s a film that’s not a complete miss, but not the hit it could have been.

Director: Joachim Rønning

ENCOM and Dillinger System, lead by their CEO’s Eve Kim (Greta Lee) and Julian Dillinger (Evan Peters), are on the verge of a tech breakthrough, the ability to bring digitally created organisms to life in the real world. But both are missing a crucial piece, the “permanence code”. Eve tries to discover the secret in her sister’s work and that of their company founder Kevin Flynn, the builder of the original TRON grid. While Dillinger has a more nefarious plan, based on his soldiers from within the Grid, led by Ares (Jared Leto) and Athena (Jodie Turner-Smith), who he brings into the real world to hunt down Eve, get the code and allow Dillinger to change the world, and not for the better.

It’s fair to say, this is a film that has not been warmly received by critics, and the question of whether we needed more TRON is open to debate. But I had a good time with Ares.

It’s not earth shattering, and there is a serious question about how much of a TRON film it actually is, as it takes the whole premise of its predecessors and throws it away, bringing the world of TRON into the real world. But, reservations aside, it’s a solidly made couple of hours of entertainment. It looks great, has a swift moving, if rather predictable story and leaps rapidly between spectacular set pieces.

Greta Lee is at the heart of the best bits of the film. Jared Leto, brings some humour to the role of Ares as he tries to assimilate with humanity. Jodie Turner Smith is imposing as Athena. And there are decent turns from Hasan Minhaj, Arturo Castro and Gillian Anderson. As well as a banging Nine Inch Nails soundtrack.

TRON:Ares will not change the world, but it is a perfectly serviceable sci-fi adventure, even if it does seem to throw the premise of its predecessors in the bin. It doesn’t have too much to say, but it looks good, zips along between action set pieces and if you ever wanted to see Light-cycles in the real world, well here you go. Fun while it lasted, not sure we need any more!

Director: Kirk Jones

John Davidson (Scott Ellis Watson) is a teenager, polite, hard working with a life ahead of him. But life changes, as a series of tics and involuntary actions are the start of Tourette’s. We rejoin John (Robert Aramayo) 16 years later, when a chance meeting leads him to Dot (Maxine Peake), a psychiatric nurse, and a relationship that changes John’s life. With the help of a caretaking job, Dot and his new boss Tommy (Peter Mullan). John heads on a road through tough times into an advocate for education around Tourette’s and to support others with the condition.

I Swear is a fantastic piece of work, it’s a warm, thoughtful, often heartbreaking look at a poorly understood condition.

What the film does remarkably well, is it never makes John’s tics and swearing something comedic. The script and incredible performances by both Ellis Watson and Aramayo, provide a level of insight into the difficult world that John and others with Tourette’s have to deal with. Aramayo ,in particular, paints a graphic picture of an unbelievably tiring existence. Dealing day to day with something that makes it difficult to have relationships , find work, or function in a “normal” environment and it’s a gruelling watch. But it’s not a gruelling film, it’s a film of hope, opportunity and of a life to be lived, not suffered.

The performances are great, Maxine Peake, Peter Mullan and Shirley Henderson as John’s mother offer great support. But it is Ellis Scott and Aramayo who make this work, both present John’s struggles in a way that is compelling, endearing and heartbreaking.

I Swear is a film about an inspirational man. It has two incredible performances by actors portraying John at different ages. The performances take you into the heart of this condition that feels so exhausting and gruelling, but both are delivered with such heart you can only be engaged. I Swear is an outstanding piece of work about a little understood condition, Tourette’s, and deserves a big audience.

Director:Benny Safdie

Set between 1997-2000, The Smashing Machine, follows the life and career of Mark Kerr (Dwayne Johnson). Kerr is one of the early pioneers of MMA fighting and during this period we see his struggles in the ring, with his addictions and with his partner, Dawn Staples (Emily Blunt). Based on a 2002 documentary, The Smashing Machine gives an insight into the fledgling world of MMA and its early fighters.

Biographies can be tricky. Trying to cover a whole life risks skipping over important moments. Focussing on a specific time period risks lacking context. It is the latter problem The Smashing Machine has.

The lack of context left me feeling detached and struggling to understand the importance of Kerr’s part in the sport, what led him to where he found himself or the part many of the relationships, both professional and personal played.

On the plus side, Dwayne Johnson puts in an excellent performance as Kerr. Johnson shows him as a thoughtful, articulate and gentle character, who happens to be good at fighting. But he has demons facing both a toxic addiction and relationship. Emily Blunt is reliable as ever as Kerr’s girlfriend, swinging between loving partner and relationship nightmare. There is also impressive support from some real characters from the sport, with Ryan Bader playing Kerr’s long time friend and Bas Rutten playing himself, both delivering convincing performances. And all of them give an insight into the gruelling nature of their fledgling sport.

The film looks good too, with Safdie focusing on giving us glances into their lives, with cameras peering around corners, making it feel as though you are intruding on personal lives and moments.

The Smashing Machine is not a bad film, it has two excellent performances from Johnson and Emily Blunt and it looks great. However, it lacked context, making it hard to get to know the characters, understand their place in the sport, or invest in their struggles and success. While there are things to enjoy, it never really engaged me, leaving me feeling distant from it all.

Director: Kogonada

David (Colin Farrell) lives alone in New York. He’s happy alone, he travels and lives alone. But his life takes a turn after hiring a car from a mysterious car hire firm, to attend a wedding. Here he meets the intriguing Sarah (Margot Robbie) another single New Yorker. After a brief flirtation, they head off expecting not to see each other again. But David’s GPS has different ideas as it sends him on a big bold beautiful journey, a journey that takes him and Sarah on a road trip, punctuated by mysterious doorways that allow them the opportunity to reflect on their lives and the people they’ve become and want to be.

A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, is a romantic fantasy that has not been overly well received by critics. But in the main, I found it a charming, interesting look at life and how experiences shape us. But it is a film that struggles to keep the intrigue and the interest as it moves into its final act and loses its way a little.

There is plenty to enjoy, nothing more than its central performances, Farrell and Margot Robbie play off each other well and are both believable and deliver some wonderful scenes together. Kevin Kline and Phoebe Waller-Bridge bring an entertaining cameo as the staff at the mysterious car rental company. And some of the vignettes that are delivered as they pass through the doors into the major moments of their lives are touching and well judged, and the scene where they visit David’s high school is a joyous musical interlude.

Unfortunately though it doesn’t manage to sustain its charm, as it meanders its way to its conclusion, and even at under 2 hours it dragged towards the end.

A Big Beautiful Journey is a fantasy romance, that doesn’t quite hit it off. There are things to enjoy and for a good part, l found it charming and intriguing, with two enjoyable performances at its centre. But it did lose its way in the final act and felt it dragged a little to the end. A promising journey whose destination is a little disappointing.

Director: Ethan Coen

Honey O’Donahue {Margaret Qualley) is a private investigator in Bakersfield, California, who finds herself investigating the suspicious death of Mia Novotny. It’s a case that leads not to one death, but several. It’s a case that leads to a local church, its pastor Drew Devlin (Chris Evans), as well as drug dealings and disappearances. When the case gets closer to home, Honey looks for help from local police officer MG Falcone (Aubrey Plaza), between them can they uncover what’s behind Mia’s death? find what’s behind the other goings on as well as protecting Honey’s family?

Honey Don’t! is the second in a trilogy of films from Coen and his wife Tricia Cooke. Neither this nor the first film, Drive Away Dolls, have been warmly received. But while Honey Don’t! Is far from earth shattering, I enjoyed it for what it is.

It does have its problems. Its main issue is that it feels very undercooked. At just 89 minutes it never gives itself time to get into depth and understanding of its characters. It also feels like it never deals with its numerous story threads, by the time the film careers towards its end, lots of the threads it starts to pull are unresolved in its rush to a predictable end.

All of this is a pity, because there are things to enjoy. Margaret Qualley 70’s style hardnose private detective.

Dialogue that is sharp and witty at times and the mix of the look of a 1970’s thriller within a contemporary setting. There’s some solid support on offer from Charlie Day, Chris Evans. Gabby Beans and Lera Abova, although as with Aubrey Plaza, they are all a little underused.

All that said, I did enjoy it, even if felt a bit TV drama.

Honey Don’t! Is an enjoyable, if rather lightweight outing. There are things to enjoy in this 1970’s style detective story. Margaret Qualley’s central performance, its look and the occasionally sharp dialogue. But at just 89 minutes it also rushed, never exploring characters or story threads it drops as quickly as it introduces them. I enjoyed it while it was there, but it had a chance to be better.

Director: Darren Aronofsky

Hank (Austin Butler), a former baseball prodigy trying to sort out his life, heads home after his shift at the bar, with girlfriend Yvonne (Zoë Kravitz). When he gets home he finds neighbour Russ(Matt Smith) leaving him a note, asking him to take care of his cat while he flies home to England to see his ill father. What he doesn’t realise is Russ is also leaving him in a host of trouble, he finds out when he meets some russian mobsters. It’s a meeting that takes Hank’s life spinning out of control that puts him and those closest to him in huge danger.

Caught Stealing is an entertaining crime caper. It may not be highly original, but it’s delivered with style, packed with excellent performances and with a few more surprises than you may expect. At the heart of it is a story about how reckless behaviour impacts those around you and the price you pay for not facing the impact of those choices.

Austin Butler is excellent in the leading role, giving you a character to care for in portraying a slightly broken but good guy who finds himself in a world that he’s not equipped to deal with. Matt Smith, Zoe Kravitz and Regina King all add to the story with strong support, as does the broader supporting cast.

The story speeds along as it twists and turns from one seemingly impossible situation to another and Aronofsky brings plenty of cringe inducing blood, guts and death, alongside its sharp dialogue and twists and turns.

It’s a blast of a film that leaves you on the edge of your seat with Hank hanging on as he tries to find a way out and face his demons.

Caught Stealing is a smart, high paced caper film, which leaves you hanging on as it careers through New York’s seedy underbelly. Austin Butler is excellent and is  well supported. It’s a film that deals with the impact of not tackling your demons. It’s got smart dialogue, a story that keeps you on your toes, delivered with Aronofsky’s style. A blast of a film that keeps you invested from start to finish.

Director: Jay Roach

When successful, but frustrated, architect Theo Rose (Benedict Cumberbatch) meets, talented, but frustrated, chef Ivy (Olivia Colman). They hit it off and fly off to a life in California. Now with a family and successful career, Theo offers to buy Ivy a building to turn into a restaurant, so she can get back to her cooking passion. But when a storm hits the California coast their lives are turned upside down. But not only their lives, but their relationship, from a loving and supportive couple, to something very different, can they recover or will they kill each other first!?

The Roses, is a new adaptation of Warren Adler’s The War of The Roses, which despite the powerhouse that is Olivia Colman, falls a little flat.

It’s a film that I’m not sure quite knows how to get its balance right. In reality it’s a pretty dark comedy, as we watch the unravelling of both a relationship and the people involved, but it tries to balance this with some slapstick revenge set pieces.  But it never really commits to either, it’s too surface level to invest in the characters enough to care about whether they can make it as a couple or not. And the slapstick is not consistently funny enough for the slapstick to pay off.

But all that said, it’s not without plusses. Olivia Colman is as wonderful as ever and she is the one person you can invest in. Andy Samberg and Kate McKinnon are entertaining as the couple’s friends and there is an excellent Allison Janney cameo as Ivy’s ferocious lawyer. The script does have laughs and many of the set pieces do work. It has its moments, but just not enough of them.

The Roses is a film that doesn’t quite deliver. For all the joy that watching Olivia Colman brings, the film around her doesn’t work as well. It’s a dark comedy that doesn’t have enough depth to make you care and a slapstick comedy that isn’t quite consistently funny enough. It’s not terrible and there are laughs and performances to enjoy. It just doesn’t live up to its promise.

Writer & Director: Mike Flanagan

Based on Stephen King’s 2020 novella, The Life of Chuck, follows the life of Charles Krantz (played at different ages by Tom Hiddleston, Jacob Tremblay, Benjamin Pajak & Cody Flanagan). But who is Chuck? We meet him through teacher, Marty Anderson (Chiwetel Ejiofor), who finds himself in a world  on the verge of collapse, earthquakes, fires, floods and the disruption of technology. As well as endless ads thanking someone called Chuck, for his 39 wonderful years of service. When Marty meets up with ex-wife Felicia (Karen Gillan), they find themselves at what must be the beginning of the end of everything, but how is Chuck at the centre of it all?

The Life of Chuck is an enjoyable, if a little light and disposable, film. Told in reverse, it’s a story about life and the people, places and moments that shape it and how you remember it all.

How much you enjoy it, may rely on at what point you realise what is happening. Told in reverse, the first act, although it’s the final act of the story, sets up an intriguing premise, but when you “catch on” it does take away the intrigue and makes the film, while enjoyable, a tad predictable. 

That does not mean there is not plenty to enjoy. It has some truly wonderful moments, the street dance scene, in particular, is gloriously entertaining. And it has, as life does, love, laughs and sadness. Its full of solid performances from its ensemble cast, including Mark Hamill, Mia Sara and Benjamin Pajak’s 11 year old Chuck, who between them are the heart of the story. But while it has plenty of feel good and feel sad moments, it does lack a little depth, and in the end washed over me a bit.

The Life of Chuck is a feel good look at a life and what makes it, the people, the loves, the sadness and how we remember them. It probably never quite lives up to the intriguing opening, but it gives you plenty to enjoy, with some glorious moments. But it is a film of moments and ultimately a little light and washed over me a bit. But I enjoyed it for what it was and was happy to let it wash away!