I have to admit that I’m a sucker for a quirky, gentle story and if you film it literally around the corner from where I live, then I’m going to be well disposed to it.

Sometimes Always Never is that movie, based on Frank Cotteril Boyce’s own short story it follows Alan and Peter a father and son whose lives live under the shadow cast by the disappearance of son and brother Michael.

What plays out is a gentle and charming drama lead by Bill Nighy at his most Nighy, the definition of effortless charm and Sam Riley as his detached son as they search for a missing brother while ignoring the relationship that is in front of them. Alan is always thoughtful and attentive to everyone but his remaining son, he provides wise words to his grandson, daughter-in-law and strangers and keeps his mind active with a love of scrabble and words which provides his bridge to other relationships.

The strength of the film is the central father and son narrative that beautifully explores a strained relationship as well as the pain that comes with the loss of a loved one and unfulfilled hope.

Sometime Always Never isn’t going to change the world, but it is a well played, beautifully shot, gentle journey through human emotion and as I said, shoot a film around the corner from my house, make it quirky and gentle and i’m in and with this I was.

One of my theories when you think about why you like a film is that films you like, you like because either they are cinematically good or because you just enjoy them as entertainment and of course good films can be entertaining, but equally “rubbish” can and for that they shouldn’t apologise.

The 3rd Bad Boys is not a cinematic piece of art that’s for sure, but if you’ve enjoyed the previous installments of Will Smith and Martin Lawrence’s action packed buddy cop movies, then i don’t think you’re going to be disappointed.

I saw one review of this film that got it absolutely right, you don’t come for the story you come for the boys and that is what Bad Boys for Life gets spot on, this is unmistakably Bad Boys, the boys are older and wiser, well older and this leads them to question how and if they should still be leading the bad boys life, but the action, the pace wit and the style all remain.

There is plenty of nods back to the first two films through repeating of well known bad boys cinematography, bringing back a handful of original characters (only a few) and many of the sights and sounds that worked previously.

The story has two distinct arcs the first half reintroduces us to the characters and the bad boys world then there is a moment when the film turns and the boys ride one last time.

That said the story doesn’t really matter and is a little ridiculous ( I never buy the big reveal or what comes after) but what this film does do is give those who wanted to revisit the world of Lowry and Burnett exactly that. Smith and Lawrence drop seamlessly back into the lead roles and to the films credit they also recognise that they are no longer in their 20’s and have a bit of fun with it.

If what you want is an unashamed revisit to this series of films, I did, then I don’t think this is going to disappoint, it’s full of action, humour and surprising bits of heart and stays true to the series look and feel, there was lots to enjoy in this and something that could’ve been terrible, certainly isn’t and gets it pretty much right.

We ride together, we die together…

Second film of the week that has generated a real buzz and garnered awards and nominations from all directions.

To be honest it wasn’t the film I expected, Marriage Story is a quirky black comedy based on the most humorous of subjects divorce! Specifically the divorce of Charlie and Nicole a New York theatre director and a Californian born actress.

The film’s real strength is its performances, Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson show why they such respected actors, both delivering nuanced, humorous and thoughtful performances. But they are also really well supported, especially by Laura Dern and Alan Alda who portray very different divorce lawyers.

It does an interesting job of blurring the complexities of a divorce especially when the couple has grown apart, rather than any kind of catastrophic failure. It shows beautifully the emotional swings that you’d expect as they go through the process, from gentle breakdown to lawyer inspired anger and back again, one scene in particular sees Driver and Johansson at their very best as they have a particularly angry exchange in Charlie’s flat.

It is a very different and original film, the kind of thing Netflix (and Amazon) are allowing to be made that maybe big studios aren’t and long may it continue.

Marriage Story wasn’t a film that I loved and that is perhaps because the subject matter itself is difficult to “love” but certainly something I admired. It’s well written, more humorous than I expected and filled with excellent performances as Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson, continue to impress, but maybe a bit like Charlie and Nicole lots to admire, but just not love.

What to make of the award laden Sam Mendes First World War story 1917?

It’s an interesting film and there is a lot to like about it, but for me not a great one and certainly not the best thing I’ve seen in the last 12 months, but stillba really enjoyable boys own type of adventure.

Set in the First World War we follow the story of Lance Corporal’s Blake and Schofield as they are presented with a challenge of delivering a crucial message to the front line and stop 1600 men including Blakes brother, falling into a trap.

What ensues is a brilliantly made action film, as the boys rush across no man’s land and through enemy territory to deliver the message. The film is full of sweeping action set pieces, brilliantly shot and using some fantastic and seemingly long single tracking shots pulling you right into the devastation of a war torn landscape. These action shots are punctuated with some thoughtful and heart felt vignettes that bring home personal stories that humanises the often massive scale of war.

While this works as an adventure film, my criticism of it and the thing that stops it been a really great film is oddly it lacked a real emotional core. I never quite cared enough about the main characters and it did at times feel a little bit like a video game, with our central characters having a level to complete before a little heartfelt interlude to bring some humanity to the running and jumping.

That is a minor gripe though as it is a really well made adventure and in that there is a lot to enjoy, but I suppose I’m not sure it is anymore than that.

One of the odd things about films is that moment when you watch something then read reviews and think you’ve seen a different film.

My latest entrant into this list is Taika Waititi’s oddly divisive Jojo Rabbit. For me it’s an exceptional piece of work, funny, thoughtful, touching and at times shocking.

It focuses on 10 year old Jojo an enthusiastic young Nazi with Hitler as an imaginary friend as he lives through the final days of the second world war and the collapse of the Nazi regime.

Don’t be fooled this isn’t a war film, it’s about a youngster finding his way in life as life challenges the things he believes, from Nazi doctrine to how he sees Jews. The film is built around a fantastic first time performance from Roman Griffin Davis and another superb one from Thomasin McKenzie, supported well by Waititi himself, Sam Rockwell and Scarlett Johansson.

The criticis of the film feel it doesn’t deal with the Nazi horror seriously enough, for me, that’s the whole point, its strength is its depiction of the ridiculousness of war, of hate built on prejudice and of blind unquestioned fanaticism. The story telling balances comedy and pathos perfectly, its emotional twist is beautifully handled and given time for it to be absorbed.

The writing is slick, the humour well placed and the core message well meant and delivered. I think this is a superb movie and at a time in the world where intolerance runs rife a film that puts it at its heart and shows it for the pointless and ridiculous pursuit it is, is to be welcomed.

Waititi has crafted a film that is as touching as it is funny and as positive and warm hearted as its subject is ridiculous and I’m amazed at the mixed reaction, but all opinions are valid even if they’re wrong.

Christmas is most definitely a time for films, be they new at the cinema or catching up via one streaming service or another. On the caught-up list then is Kenneth Branagh’s Shakespearean tale, All is True.

The story looks at the closing part of Shakespeare’s life, after The Globe has burnt down and the bard has retired from writing. The focus is on his return to Stratford and while he has no doubt been a huge success he returns home with regret, not been home when his son dies, the broken relationships with his daughter and wife, his desire to be accepted as part of a higher society that will not accept him, all weight heavily upon him.

We watch as he struggles with and later comes to terms with the reality of his choices and their impacts on his life. It’s a story that takes its time and it did take a while for it to grab my attention, but thanks to two, if not surprisingly, excellent central performances from Brannagh and the imperious Judi Dench, the story increasingly engages and draws you in to his mental turmoil.

It’s nicely shot, well written and played and although may not be one of Brannagh’s best, it takes an interesting journey into the private life of histories greatest play-write, some of the story will be true, much is dramatic construct but to be fair whether All is True doesn’t really matter, it’s an enjoyable tale nonetheless.

When you “reboot” a film you always run the risk of getting it wrong, so when “Welcome to the Jungle” was a big hit the bullet was dodged. Choosing then to make a sequel to a film that didn’t have a clear sequel storyline introduces a whole new set of risks.

Luckily though the risk has more than paid off, “The Next Level” sees our heroes from the first film head back into the game and transformed into Johnson, Black, Hart and the increasingly impressive Karen Gillan but with a twist. The addition of Danny Devito and Danny Glover also gives us a new and entertaining dynamic for our in game characters.

Devito and Glover bring real fun to the film and anyone who’s ever tried to explain a video game to an elderly relative will have enjoyed these characters before! They also bring us the surprisingly emotional climax.

The Next Level catches all the humour and fun of the first film, game type action set pieces that keep it sweeping along at a fairly rapid pace and a likeable central cast that all get the chance to play against character, all bring an entertaining and enjoyable sequel.

If you really want more Jumanji, the film even sets up the potential for another installment! Not sure we need it, but then never thought we needed this one and yet here it is and it’s just as enjoyable as the first.

The Irishman is Martin Scorsese’s 3 1/2 hour film based on the book “I heard you paint houses” that follows the life of Frank Sheeran a Teamster union leader and thought to be heavily involved in suggested links between the mob and the unions.

This is certainly an epic, which allows Scorsese to take his time to tell the story and his excellent ensemble cast lead by De Niro and with Al Pacino and Joe Pesci by his side it provides a mob film dream team, to put that story on screen.

But this isn’t a “traditional” mob or even Scorsese film, what he has crafted is a patient story that explores Sheeran’s actions but more importantly the impacts of them on himself and his family, especially the relationship with his daughter Peggy (Anna Paquin).

It’s that exploration of Sheeran’s choices and actions that makes this an interesting watch and more engaging than many a “wise guy” film.

The performances are as you’d expect from such a cast and although occasionally noticable the de-aging special effects work well enough to be unobtrusive.

The Irishman is a well told and involving story, it is 3 1/2 hours on Netflix so treat it as a mini series if that helps, but it is worth the investment.

Saw this on Thursday morning at a midnight screening but wanted to hold back with a review so not to risk spoilers. But I’ve left it a sensible time now, so here’s my thoughts (this will be spoiler free).

Making the 9th film in a saga that has spanned 42 years would seem a thankless task and no version of this film was going to please everyone, even if it was the best Star Wars film ever made, plenty would still be unhappy.

Now, this is not the best of the 9, however what JJ Abrams has done is bring together a more than passable and enjoyable finale, like Force Awakens he makes this a full on space adventure, but that doesn’t mean it’s wall to wall action from the start, he gives the film time to build as we begin to learn how the story arc for the new (and some old) characters will complete.

The film focuses on the culmination of Rey’s story and brings out of Daisy Ridley her best performance of the three, she carries the weight of the film well with energy, humour and emotion when needed. There are also much fuller stories for Finn and Poe, as well as the completion of Leia’s and a couple of nice cameos, one expected, one less so.

The film does try to fit in a lot by trying to tie together a vast amount of loose ends from across the 9 films. The story telling of the 3 sequels suffers a little from Rian Johnson’s excellent but very different Last Jedi, which gives us 3 separate films that need tying together and it pretty much comes off. Rey’s discovery of who she is leads us to the culmination of the Skywalker story with the final battle between the light and the dark, which I felt was well realised in its simplicity and while one of the criticisms of the film is that it took too many easy options, I’m not sure more difficult choices would have allowed episode 9 to end the story in they way they wanted to.

There has, not surprisingly, been criticism of episode 9, alongside a luke warm critical reception (not unusual for a Star Wars film), but for me, while it’s a long way from perfect, it was an enjoyable and satisfying enough end to a saga that has been a part of my life since I was 6.

Go see if for yourselves and of course may the force be with you…. always.

Last week I watched the fabulous “Knives Out” a homage to the whodunnit. In Motherless Brooklyn we have another modern take on a classic genre, as Edward Norton’s passion project delivers a stylish “gumshoe” detective drama.

This well told, well made, melodic paced drama sees Norton play Lionel Essrog a smart, hardworking private detective who struggles to combat his tourette’s style “affliction”, which for the first 10 minutes feels like it will be distracting, to Norton’s credit becomes a charming quirk. Lionel takes on the case to find the killers of his inspirational father figure which leads him into the world of power obsessed officials running corrupt city departments to deliver their “vision” of change.

The story fizzes along well, although, maybe as expected in a 144 minute film, has a baggy 20 minutes as we head into the final act, Norton’s voiceover evokes memories of classic 50’s detective dramas and the story twists and turns its way to a clever conclusion.

Norton is well supported by a strong cast, especially Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Laura Rose and Alec Bladwin as power driven city official Moses Randolph.

Motherless Brooklyn is a well made, well told story, evoking classic detective drama with a modern take. Norton carries the film well with a super central performance, dust off the trench coat and hat and go check it out