Well, I’d like to rename 2017 “the year that Marvel killed it”. Having already watched Guardians 2 and Thor 3, I finally got around to seeing Spider-Man: Homecoming, and blimey was I impressed yet again.
Telling the true story of Molly Bloom, ‘Molly’s Game’ relays how the American entrepreneur went from a failed Olympic career to being the runner of a multi-million, high-stakes poker game. The screenplay was written by Aaron Sorkin, who also directed (in his directorial debut).
‘A Quiet Place’, set a couple of years in the future, tells the story of a family learning to survive in a world run by aliens who hunt by sound. As the tag-line says, “If they can’t hear you, they can’t hunt you”. This original idea has been superbly translated onto the big screen, and is a masterclass in jump-scare horror that has big heart.
I missed Thor: Ragnarok when it came out last November, but with Infinity War looming on the horizon, I invested in the Blu-ray to watch it first. Boy am I glad I did, not only for the story continuation that will occur in The Avengers 3, but also for the sheer joy of watching one of the best Marvel films to date.
Wes Anderson has done it again! By which I mean made a bizarre film with a totally unique premise, melancholy undertones and ridiculously underplayed humour. And of course, I loved it.
Ready Player One is the new blockbuster film from Steven Spielberg, the man responsible for defining what a blockbuster film actual is. Having to follow up hits like Jurassic Park and Indiana Jones, just two of his countless hits, is a monumental task. It is with the biggest smile on my face that I announce that he has managed to add another amazing film to his legendary back catalogue.
I’m in a rare position where I have never seen any of the other Lara Croft films, or played any of the games. With only a slight bit of knowledge about the character of Lara Croft before seeing Tomb Raider, I felt I was able to go in with no premonitions, and have a very unbiased view of the film...OH MY GOD IS IT BORING.
Produced by Amazon Studios (you know, that online retailer that has decided to turn its hand to filmmaking), Gringo is a crime-comedy directed by Nash Edgerton (in his directorial debut). It stars David Oyelowo (who is by far the best part about the film) alongside Joel Edgerton, Charlize Theron and Amanda Seyfried.
Red Sparrow has been all over the media this week with criticism of overtly sexual scenes filled with gratuitous gore, mixed with a dull plot and lack of depth. I must admit, I don’t know what film everyone else was watching because I thought it was fantastic!
Odeon Coventry finally decided to show Lady Bird, a film that has been out for months and which has garnered some pretty major critical acclaim. Though it didn’t win, it was nominated at the Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Supporting Actress and Best Screenplay, and it won the Golden Globe for best Comedy Film. This major acclaim got me very excited to see the film, and while it didn’t quite live up to my (very high) expectations, I did enjoy it.
Daniel Robinson: From Reel to Real 