Directed by: Johan Renck

Screenplay by: Colby Day

Czech Astronaut Jakub Procházka (Adam Sandler) is 6 months into a mission to investigate a strange purple cloud that has sat in the night skies for the last four years. However, he is now at a point where the tiredness and loneliness are taking there toll, not only on Jakub but on his relationship with his wife Lenka (Carey Mulligan).  However, when he discovers a strange presence onboard his ship, it becomes a companion with who he evaluates his life, his loves, losses, regrets and, as they head into the purple cloud, maybe a chance for redemption.

This is an odd slow burner of a film. It’s far from perfect it’s uneven at times, often  meandering, sometimes odd, but also sometimes touching and thought provoking. It’s a story of loss, regret, love and self discovery for Jakub and his strange companion, Hanuš (Paul Dano).

There are certainly things that do work, this includes Sandler’s performance, he carries much of this on his own and in one of his most restrained appearances, he captures well the feeling of isolation and helplessness so far from home. Carey Mulligan is a little under utilized as Lenka, but delivers it with the quality you expect. Paul Dano is just the right level of weird for Hanuish.

The set design is an interesting late 80’s early 90’s display of Czech technology and adds to the feeling of out of time and place.

There are problems, its pacing can be very slow, it story sometimes a little confused and dialogue a bit on the nose. But for all of that it also does have a quirky charm to it and at times is touching.

This is by no means perfect. It often moves too slowly and is a bit disjointed. But there is also enough intrigue, tension, occasional humour and touching moments to make it feel worthwhile. Probably not for everyone but I enjoyed it enough.

Available on Netflix.

Directed and Co-Written by: Denis Villeneuve

Co-Written by: Jon Spaihts

Part two picks up the epic tale from where the first part ended. Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and his mother (Rebecca Ferguson) are under the protection of the Fremen, after the slaughter of House Atreides by the Harkonnen’s. Increasingly the Fremen are convinced that Atreides is a Messiah come to Arrakis to lead it to prosperity. As the Freman become convinced so does Paul, that while not the Messiah, is there to lead the Freman to reclaim their planet from the Harkonnen’s and in turn avenge his father. At the same time balancing his feelings and relationship with Chani (Zendaya). In the background the force’s of the Bene Gesserit in the shape of his mother and Gaius Helen Mohiam (Charlotte Rampling) are looking to shape theirs and Atreides future.

After the success of Part One, Villeneuve has not disappointed with this incredible sweeping epic of a science fiction film. Part Two has a lot more story to fill in than its predecessor, with politics, faith, belief, mysticism and betrayal. And while occasionally it creaks under the weight of the story Villeneuve keeps it on track with effortless style, telling it patiently, giving it time to breath.

Epic is the only way to describe Dune. It’s a film of scale in the best way of the epics through cinema history. It storytelling, visuals,  soundscape and ambition are totally absorbing as it meanders and weaves effortlessly as a Sandworm,

The cast is great,  Zendaya, Javier Bardem and Austin Butler’s, psychotic Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen all add to the story telling. But it is built on Chalamet and Rebecca Ferguson. Broth brilliantly building character arcs on growing from freedom fighter to leader,  the other in the shadows, manipulating those around them.

Dune: Part Two is breathtaking storytelling on a scale  you rarely see. While the story sometimes creaks it is never anything other than absorbing. This is a wonderful 166 minute epic from start to finish. Cinema at its best and if you can see it, see it on the big screen

Directed by: Thea Sharrock

Written by: Jonny Sweet

A story that’s more true than you think introduces us to Little Hampton in 1920’s England. Edith Swan (Olivia Colman) has received yet another anonymous and very personal and abusive letter, much to the distress of her father (Timothy Spall) and mother (Gemma Jones). The police are involved and the accused is next door neighbour Rose Gooding (Jessie Buckley), an Irish single mum, with a wild side and a colourful use of language who is arrested and charged. But when woman police officer Gladys Moss (Anjana Vasan) starts to doubt Rose’s guilt she rallies a small group of towns women to help clear Rose’s name and find the real culprit.

I was surprised to see some pretty sniffy reviews of this, because I had a really good time with what is a crazy true story. If nothing else there’s wonderful joy to be had in hearing Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley use some fine industrial language, and if you don’t enjoy that then you are doing it wrong! But this film has more to it than that. It’s a film with a surprising dark side and both a  sadness and warmth to it.

The script is fun, but does explore some dark attitudes to immigrants, womens rights and coercive control. And while it never delves too deeply it’s an undercurrent that plays well throughout.

The cast are fabulous Colman and Buckley are great and as always a joy. Anjana Vasan’s determined police woman often steals the show. Add to that Timothy Spall, Gemma Jones, Hugh Skinner’s bumbling policeman, Joanna Scanlan and Eileen Atkins you have brilliantly watchable ensemble.

I had a great time with Wicked Little Letters. While there is lots to enjoy in Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley’s use of “language” there is much more to it than that. It has a sadness, darkness and warmth I’d not expected. It is a well written telling of a strange and rather sad story brought to life by a fabulously watchable cast.

Directed by: Reinaldo Marcus Green

Written by: Terence Winter, Frank E. Flowers, Zach Baylin, Reinaldo Marcus Green.

One Life follows the life of  Bob Marley (Kingsley Ben-Adir) between the attempted shooting of him and his band in Jamaica, through to his return to the One Love concert in 1978 and attempts to reunite his violently divided homeland. In between it follows the band to England and the recording of the Exodus album. The film touches on his life with his wife Rita (Lashana Lynch), the hugely successful Exodus album European tour and his tragic cancer diagnosis, before returning home to attempt to bring peace.

I went into this now knowing much of Marley’s life, beyond his music. And rather disappointingly I left it not knowing much more about him from this disappointing disjointed and flat telling of the life of a man whose music still remains well known and well loved.

On the plus side, Kingsley Ben-Adir delivers in the central role, inhabiting it wonderfully, from his laid back vocal delivery, to his energetic musical performances. Lashana Lynch underused but does the best with what she has. And of course Marley’s music is there to give you a great soundtrack to enjoy.

But beyond that it all feels a bit surface. The first half is a bit of a jumble, from the shooting through to heading to London, none of the story or decisions seem explored and presents seemingly random events. The second half is better, as we see the creation of Exodus, the interaction with the band and the performances. It only occasionally explores his unknown father, the complexity of his relationships and his religion. But it fails to ever fully explore what should be a fascinating story. And its use of Patois does have you working hard to capture the dialogue.

One Love, considering its subject, is a strangely flat affair. Kingsley Ben-Adir is hugely watchable in the lead role, but sadly the film around him never matches his performance. It all feels a little jumbled and never really gets under the skin on the story. But at least there’s the soundtrack.

Written and Directed by Sean Durkin

Based on the true and tragic tale of professional wrestling family the Von Erich’s. Kevin (Zac Efron) is the eldest of four surviving brothers, having lost his eldest brother as a child. He also is one of the hopes of landing a world title for his former wrestler and now trainer father, Fritz (Holt McCannally). Kevin is already established but is soon joined in the ring by brother David (Harris Dickinson) and Kerry (Jeremy Allen White) who joins them having lost his chance to go to the Olympics. For each wrestling is in their blood as is their desire to  please a demanding father. But it’s a desire that brings opportunity and tragedy in equal measure.

The true story of the Von Erich’s is incredibly tragic. And while there are things to admire in this telling I wish it had worked better for me.

This partly comes down to some of the story telling decisions. While clearly care is taken in telling such a tragic story, telling it from Kevin’s point of view only, meant it felt like it lost something in understanding how the tragedies developed, leaving them feeling like distant events rather than gut wrenching tragedy. It also never fully explored the themes it introduced, such as Kevin’s own feelings about what had befell his family, was there guilt or responsibility? Or a look at the impact of the demanding father. It all felt a little bit too surface level.

All of which is a pity, because there are things to like. Efron, is a likeable screen presence and carries the story well. He’s also well supported, Allen White and McCannally of the central cast. But also strong support from Maura Tierney as a mum with so much to handle, Lily James as Kevin’s wife and Stanley Simons as youngest brother Mike.

But ultimately it never felt it had the emotional depth it needed.

The Iron Claw takes care in telling a tragic story and I wish I’d liked it more, especially thanks to some strong performances. But sadly it felt that the story never quite got under the skin of the real life tragedy and all felt a little detached. Which is a pity.

Written and directed by Jonathan Glazer.

Rudolph Höss (Christian Friedel), his Wife Hedwig (Sandra Hüller) and their children live their idyllic life. However it is a life built on the horror of Höss’s job as commandant of Auschwitz. The camp walls act as Hedwig’s garden walls in which she grows flowers and the children play, seemingly immune to the noises of industrial scale murder happening behind those walls. As Rudolph’s career advances and he is promoted, Hedwig demands to stay in her dream home and above all else keep it a home in which to raise her family.

This is not a film to provide a good time. It’s more domestic documentary than “story” as it follows Höss and his families day to day lives. And it is it’s domesticity that makes it work. It’s the normality of how mass nurder is such a normal part of life that is the films horror.

A couple who have done well for themselves, a big house, children running and playing, wife entertaining friends, tending the garden. Proud to show off her work when her mother comes to stay. He deals with his workload as though the head of a factory, handling strategic problems, dealing with his staff.

While we never see the signs and sounds of the industrial murder are ever present. Voices, shots fired, the clanking and banging of the machines of murder. In the background pillars of smoke continuously rise, steam puff’s from trains and at night the orange glow of the furnaces lights the skies. Not everyone escapes the horror, Hedwig’s mother sees it, one of the children overhears his father ordering murder.

The performances of Friedel and Hüller are excellent and chilling. But the soundscape is the true star, as the sounds of murder seep into every scene and are a constant reminder of what is really going on in these seemingly normal lives.

While not a piece of “entertainment” this is a hugely powerful film. The intertwining of industrial scale murder with domestic bliss is truly chilling. A smart piece of cinema that shows the way that seemingly normal people can treat mass murder with such scant disregard.

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Written by: Jason Fuchs

Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard) is a writer of Bondesque spy novels. Struggling to finish her fifth installment, she gets a train to visit her mother (Catherine O’Hara) to try to figure out the ending. On the train her life is changed when she meets Aidan (Sam Rockwell) a real life spy, who has come to protect her. Because it turns out she is not only writing stories, but making predictions that are happening in the real world of espionage. This has made her a target for a shadowy group of bad guys, headed up by Ritter (Bryan Cranston). Aidan, Elly and her cat Alfie, set off on an adventure to get her and the information she knows into safe hands.

Tucked away somewhere in Argylle is a 75 minute, entertaining and funny spy parody. The problem is that idea is stretched into a 139 minutes and it really doesn’t have enough to sustain it.

It’s hard some harsh reviews, and in its defence it’s not a complete disaster. There are bits that work. It has moments where it’s funny and it has some decent set pieces, including an extremely colourful shoot out in the bad guys lair. All with an enjoyable soundtrack.

It also has a likeable cast. Rockwell is enjoyable as his down to earth spy. Bryce Dallas Howard an always enjoyable presence and you can’t go wrong with Bryan Cranston. Henry Cavill rocks up as Elly’s embodiment of Argylle. Alongside a starry set of cameo’s including Ariana De Bose Dua Lipa, John Cena and Richard E.Grant. All with an enjoyable soundtrack.

It’s problem is, the nugget of the idea, is just not strong enough and it’s stretched beyond breaking point far to early. It’s plot is more hole than plot and it didn’t know when to stop as it just kept going, going and going, having long since stopped being interesting.

Argylle had a nugget of a fun idea. But it’s an idea that is stretched about an hour too far, and it’s not smart or funny enough to sustain it. While it has its moments, it doesn’t have enough and will most definitely leave you wanting less.

Written and Directed by: Cord Jefferson

Based on novel by: Percival Everett

Thelonious “Monk” Ellison is a frustrated man. A black writer struggling to get his work published. While visiting a book fair in Boston, his life his changed by a tragic family event and he finds himself dealing with an ailing mother (Leslie Uggams),a strained relationship with his recently divorced and out brother Cliff (Sterling K. Brown) and a new relationship with neighbour Coraline (Erika Alexander). This all adds to his frustrations which drives him to write a nonsense book “Fuck”, under the pseudonym, Stagg R. Leigh, full of the tropes he detests. But to his disgust the book is a massive hit as his the fake author. The crazier he acts, the more his success grows, with sales, critical acclaim and a movie deal. This makes his frustration worse as he tries to grapple with the man he is and the how it impacts his life.

American Fiction is a fabulous bitter sweet comedy balancing comedy and satire perfectly. It is also a really well written, well played, piece about family, love, loss and relationships, often touching and moving.

While the premise of creating something ridiculous, to find it taken seriously, may not be new, it is done brilliantly and hilariously as Monk gets more ridiculous, so the admiration for his book and his frustration grows.

But the heart of the story is the relationships, which are beautifully drawn delivering something that is truly heart warming and engaging.

The performances are great, Wright shows his comic capabilities and is a joy. He’s well supported with Brown and Erika Alexander at the stories heart. Leslie Uggams portrayal as his mother with Alzheimer’s is touching and John Ortiz is fabulously funny as his publisher Arthur.

American Fiction is a wonderfully bitter sweet comedy. Its satire is laugh out loud funny throughout. But its real strength is its touching portrayal of relationships that gives the film a real warmth and heart. Funny and touching in equal measure, well worth a watch.

Writer/Director: Andrew Haigh

Based on Taichi Yamada’s novel

Adam (Andrew Scott) is a screenwriter, living in an almost deserted tower block. He is writing a new script based on his growing up in the 1980’s and the loss of his parents when he was only 12. His work is interrupted when, it seems the only other tower block resident, Harry (Paul Mescal) knocks on his door. It interrupts his lonely insular existence. It also inspires him to visit his childhood home, it is here life changes as he finds his parents (Jamie Bell & Claire Foy), who are preserved at the age he remembers them. It gives him an opportunity to share with them the life they’ve missed. We follow Adam’s life growing more complex as he deals with his memories, the growing relationship with Harry and all that it means.

It is a complex film, the story is purposely vague. It leaves to your interpretation what you’re watching, who Adam is, the reality of where he lives, the relationship with Harry and his encounters with his parents. It also comes with an ending that certainly leaves you with more questions than answers about even what genre of film this is.

But don’t be put off by this unusual piece of storytelling. Because what this film also has is a beauty and sweetness. The real strength of the film is in Adam’s relationship with his parents. The chance for him to discuss a life he had that his parents never saw, the chance to discuss his sexuality, his life and the reality that he’s turned out okay. These interactions are beautifully done and heartbreaking at times.

The film is built around four wonderful performances, each perfectly judged making it mysterious and moving in equal measure. And helped along by its 80’s soundtrack.

This is an unusual story and its ethereal and unclear nature may not work for all. But, it’s also a beautiful and touching piece of storytelling about love, regret and second chances. Lit up by four superb performances. A film that is touching and will leave you thinking.

Director: Alexander Payne

Writer: David Hemingson

In 1970 New England the boys of Barton school, an elite boarding school, are getting ready for Christmas break. But some boys can’t go home for Christmas and stay at school as the holdovers. This year there are five boys and the teacher tasked to look after them is Mr. Hunham (Paul Giamatti), helped by school head of catering, Mary (Da’Vine Joy Randolph). Hunham is not popular amongst the students, or the students with them, with his resentment towards their entitlement and privilege. But as the holiday passes and numbers dwindle, Hunham and Mary are left with just Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa) and between them they go on a journey of discovery of themselves and each other in ways that will change all of their lives.

The problem with small reviews is you can’t always do wonderful films justice. This is one of those times. So if I can only tell you one thing it is that The Holdovers is a wonderful treat. Effortlessly beautiful from first minute to last. Like a favourite dish the more you have, the more you realise you love it.

It is a perfect balance between grief and happiness, potential and disappointment. Delivered by three excellent central performances. Giamatti’s frustrated and embittered teacher, Joy Randolph’s grief stricken Mary and in debutant Sessa, a portrayal of a youngster at war with the world. Each is wonderfully layered, their depth giving you characters to truly care for and relate to. It is not just the main characters, there is not a performance that is anything other than perfectly judged.

It is also laugh out loud funny. A comedy interspersed with emotional warmth, all perfectly judged. Funny and poignant, no joke missing its mark. And even when it takes its predictable final steps you don’t care as it has earned the sweetness of its ending

The Holdovers is a wonderful film. Fabulously made and performed and doesn’t miss a step. It portrays life, for its humour and grief, frustration and hope. Pitch perfect from start to finish and I can’t recommend it enough.