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.

Directed by Craig Roberts and adapted by Simon Farnaby from Scott Murray’s book is the story of Maurice Flitcroft. Flitcroft (Mark Rylance) is a crane driver from Barrow-in-furness, who when he hears from his son (Jake Davies) that he may be made redundant, he decides he needs a new job and that entering the 1975 British Open Golf is the job for him. The problem is he has never picked up a golf club. But encouraged by his loving wife, Jean (Sally Hawkins), he applies and via some poor due diligence from the committee, he finds himself accepted to play. However, he’s not as good as he had hoped, scoring 121 the worst score from a professional (Self proclaimed) golfer. He’s seen as an embarrassment and banned for life, but undeterred Maurice keeps trying.

Roberts and Farnaby haven’t brought to screen a biography of Flitcroft. In the way Jaws is not about a shark this isn’t about his attempts to get into the open. It’s more a human story about hope, dreams, encouraging others and sacrificing yourself for them to achieve. This is compounded by the Rocketman’esque use of fantastical dream like sequences, which feel a little odd but do bring charm.

And charm is something it has plenty of especially from its leads. Rylance portrays Flitcroft as unassuming and good hearted, who constantly uses his homespun positivity to encourage others to achieve. And even when he feels he has failed he finds he has still inspired others. In Sally Hawkins, Rylance has the perfect support as she brings to Jean lots of understated charm and her unwavering support and love.

It is sweet film, a little slow at times and the premise is maybe a little thin. But its easy going warm nature and Rylance and Hawkins’s performances more than win you over.

Phantom of the Open won’t change the world, but it’s charming and inoffensive, humorous and warm hearted. Flitcroft’s story is a bizarre one and brought enjoyably to the screen and a nice enough way to spend 100 or so minutes

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Next film in the 100 film bucket list challenge is Monty Python’s 1979 look at religion, cults and protest groups, the Life of Brian.

Directed by Terry Jones, written by and starring the Python cast, including Jones alongside John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Michael Palin and Graham Chapman as the titular Brian. Brian lives in Roman occupied Jerusalem, who finds his purpose in joining one of Judea’s revolutionary groups. When on the run from one mission he accidentally finds himself followed by 1000’s after been identified as a new Messiah. But in reality he is just a naughty boy!

Monty Python remain comedic greats and Life of Brian one of their most famous creations. The comedy remains sharp and strangely prescient for a film that is over 40 years old. Its take on organised religion still remains controversial in some places even now, but for most it’s a typical pythonesque take on both historical and contemporary affairs.

The core cast, as usual, play multiple roles, from centurions to crazed peasents and all in between. As with all Python films it is full of scenes and lines that have become cultural references across generations as well as one of cinemas most famous film ending musical set pieces.

Yes it feels a bit clunky at times, but that’s partly because of their irreverent nature and of course it has aged. Would it still work as well for a brand new younger audience? I’m not so sure as the comedy may be aged and is very much of the Oxbridge type of the 70’s and 80’s. But for me still works just fine.

Life of Brian is one of histories most quoted films and with a final musical set piece that has become part of popular culture. And while its comedic approach is of its time, the target of that comedy, religious zeal and the hypocrisy of “protest” groups is still as accurate today as it was then. Life of Brian is and remains a classic.