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Yep - John Travolta has now sadly joined the likes of Cage, Willis, Gibson and Russell Crowe in making god-awful movies for an easy paycheck and frankly it's sad to see. I mean from Saturday Night Fever, Grease, Swordfish and Pulp Fiction to THIS absolute garbage! Why?

This terrible 'straight to streaming' trash lacks any sembelence of credibility, excitement or originality from the start and while Travolta still has the charisma to mail in a decent enough performance the rest of the cast (including a washed up Kristin Davis and usually decent Lukas Haas) are as throwaway in their parts as the lacklustre script is.

I actually gave up and switched off less than half way through this botched bank heist debacle it was that bad - there really is nothing to keep you interested or engaged here folks.

Amazingly, there seems to be a sequel already in the works!!... which is about as enticing as a fistful of crypto = sad times as Hollywood continues to churn out mundane rubbish and once respected actors become a parody of themselves. What actually happened to GREAT MOVIES starring great actors?!

What has happened to Russell Crowe these days!? He looks terrible and literally hasn't made a decent movie in a lead role since 2018s 'Boy Erased'. This tame bore-fest is yet another Russell dud.

While Crowe himself remains a decent actor, the screenplay and supporting cast on show here are terrible. It's like a tv movie version of a Dashiell Hammett novel.

Things meander along without much happening for close to 2 hours until the Columbo type ending where all is revealed in flashback, but the clued up viewer already knew the outcome long before that.

Honestly, there is nothing on offer here to engage, excite or empathise with. The 'alztheimers' angle also doesn't stack up with many inconsistencies that betray the reality of the condition.

Sadly it's a case of another once great actor joining the likes of Cage, De Niro, Willis and Mel Gibson in simply going through the motions to earn an easy paycheck with no regard for a decent script, his legacy or once super solid reputation. One to ironically forget...

Thought i'd give this reboot of the 80s Patrick Swayze action flick a go, seeing as it stars Jake Gyllenhaal with a decent director like Doug Liman (Go, Bourne Identity, Mr & Mrs Smith) in tow but man, it's a total ott trainwreck.

A ripped Gyllenhaal plays Dalton (nice nod to Swayze), a down on his luck ex-UFC fighter (with a past) who gets hired as a bouncer to clean up an overly-rowdy beachfront bar on the Florida Keys. Of course there's a hefty side plot involving shady drug deals and corrupt property development plans that drive the film in between numerous insane fights, cheesy dialogue and some fairly decent 'bar band' music.

Aside from the wholly predictable popcorn fodder plot, the main problem here is the casting. Despite his impressive physique, Jake just doesn't seem right in the lead role with his annoying permanent smirk/grin and dull downbeat personality, while there is literally no one likeable or believable in the entire cartoonish supporting cast. MMA superstar Conor McGregor is worthy of mention though, just because his big screen debut is so insanely ott it's actually funny and entertaining - like Vinny Jones on speed!

The piece is nicely shot with some decent CGI effects, but the haphazard overlong screenplay, throwaway love angle and especially off the rails level of gratuitous violence/fight scenes actually becomes a distraction come the crazed, drawn out finale.

In summation I would actually give it a hard pass and seek out the 1989 original instead - this is definitely one pointless remake that fails to punch above its weight and deliver a knockout blow. Get back to business Jake!

This new Netflix take on the 'done-to-death' fantasy/dragon genre was actually better than expected.

Headed up by a decent fire-breathing CGI dragon and a stellar veteran cast including Ray Winstone, Angela Bassett and Robin Wright, it's actually 20 yr old Millie Bobby Brown (TVs Stranger Things) who steals the show with a fine and mature lead performance. Good job too, as she is carrying a good 95 per cent of the screen time!

After literally being thrown into the Dragon's Den, our Damsel in-a-dress goes into full on action mode as she tries to escape her perceived fate as a sacrificial lamb-to-the-slaughter. The question is, can she fight fire-with fire or will her flame soon flicker out...

Though the story starts well, it begins to plod while certain elements of the screenplay leave the viewer pondering its overall depth and continuity. However, it still manages to keep you engaged and interested enough to see how things play out.

The dragon itself is impressively evil and sinister, which perhaps leads to the films biggest faux pas - it's rather too scary for kids, yet not adult enough for a more mature audience.

All in all then nothing particulary new or groundbreaking, but still decent enough for a one-watch on a rainy day... a case of out of the frying pan and into the fire as it were...

Well, what a strange, flawed yet oddly compelling gothic opus this one is.

First up, despite a relatively small budget, the vibrant Dali-esque set design, unique cinematography and ott costumes are truly spectacular (Oscar worthy), while the magnificent scene stealing performances from Willem Dafoe and Mark Ruffalo in particular are worthy of mention.

Lead performer (and producer) Emma Stone also carries her hefty workload with aplomb as the Frankenstein inspired muse 'Bella Baxter'. From the off we get to witness her bizarre 'coming of age' shenanigans charting her sexually charged progression from magnificent mansion shut-in to wide-eyed world traveler and wild n crazy Paris prostitute with no punches pulled. The drawn out storyline eventually comes full circle upon her arrival back in Blighty where the proceedings get even more twisted, macabre and downright crazy!

However, despite the impressive aesthetics and performance kudos, a series of flaws prevent the piece from reaching the true masterpiece status of such similar genre outtings as 'The Shape of Water', 'Pan's Labyrinth' and 'Edward Scissorhands'.

First and foremost, none of the characters are particularly 'likeable' so the viewer cannot fully engage with any emotional response, while some scenes just drag on too long (eg - Lisbon, the ship journey, Paris). Meanwhile, the final act and abrupt ending fall rather flat after such a long, arduous, psychedelic journey through mankinds/sciences warped curiosities regarding mortality and the meaning of life.

In summation then, a well performed, visual feast full of gratuitous sex and horror that ultimately fails to fully deliver in the storyline and emotional departments. Still worth a watch with an open mind over so many duds on offer these days though. Bon appetite...

I must admit my initial reservations about watching this film were wholly justified pretty early on. It's one of the worst Elvis based movies yet, and i've pretty much seen them all.

Of course, regardless of oddly accepting Southern US attitudes back then (see Jerry Lee Lewis marrying his 13 year old cousin for further evidence) the whole bizarre scenario here is pretty creepy and wholly unacceptable in this day and age, in that a 24 year old guy casually woos and dates a 14 year old girl, let alone that it was the King of Rock n Roll doing so.

Indeed the sad, sordid little tale itself is pretty dull and uneventful, but for me what absolutely ruins it most is the bizarre inaccurate difference in height between the two leads, which makes the 10 year age gap and premise between the two look even worse...

Cailee Spaeny's Priscilla is actually well portrayed, especially aesthetically, but Jacob Elordi's Elvis just doesn't cut it - he nails the voice ok but being a gangly 6' 4 actor when Elvis himself was 6 feet and pretty toned, it looks laughably bad, especially up against teeny tiny Priscilla.

The glaring omission of any Presley music also doesn't help (The EP estate refused permission, no surprise there).

All in all then Priscilla is unsurprisingly a total bust with deviant undercurrents galore that make it rather surreal, uncomfortable viewing from thr get go - do yourself a favour, skip it and go watch Baz Luhrmann's recent/decent Elvis biopic instead, it's definitely a case of A little less conversation, a little more action over this pervy outdated rubbish...

Hahaha - what an absolute travesty this insipid waste of 2 hours 20 minutes was... while on paper the small cast list is impressive and the 'doomsday' premise promising, it fails to deliver on every level.

Where to start - the music is awful, the screenplay is amateur hour and no one except bratty 'teen' newcomer Myha'la is even (ironically) likeable. Indeed snotty Roberts and her simp hubby Hawke in particular seem totally miscast. Meanwhile, Kevin Bacon pops up for a brief moment towards the end in a rather redundant cameo.

The film actually starts off 'ok' once the family unit arrive in upstate New York on a quick staycation getaway from the city (the albeit far-fetched tanker scene impresses), but things soon descend into a series of dull, drawn out episodes that lack conviction, thrills or excitement. That's the main probelm here - there is no payoff, you just keep hoping it'll take off but it never does!

There are zero twists or 'wow' moments that the script is literally crying out for and it all becomes way too talky, non-sensical and downright boring. In fact by journeys end the movie descends into cringe/laugh-out=loud territory, while the ending is a total cop out that just makes you shake your head in disbelief and disdain.

What should've been something more akin to a top Stephen King/M Night Shyamalan effort is nothing more than a throwaway episodic mess you could watch and instantly forget on Hulu or Peacock. No surprise though seeing as the director is direct from television. A total bomb that even Elon Musk would be reluctant to invest in...

Oh boy, what a letdown this over-hyped, overlong borefest was.

Seminal movie maker Martin Scorcese's latest 'epic' follows in a long line of recent big league directorial duds (Scott's Napoleon, Fincher's The Killer, Nolan's Oppenheimer, Andersons Asteroid City) that make me wonder if ANYONE is capable of making a truly great movie anymore (you know, legit classics like The Shape of Water, The Revenant, American Sniper or No Country for Old Men for example).

On the plus side the cinematography, fabulous mood music and scene stealing perfromances from De Niro and cult hero Brendan Fraser deliver the goods. However Di Caprio's lead character (somewhat channeling Brando in The Godfather) annoys, while the supporting cast fails to add any weight or emotion to the 3 and a half hour slog. The ending (featuring a director's cameo) is also a cop out, likely tagged on to cut down on the already longggg runtime.

The pacing of the piece is super slow, there is a distinct lack of surprise, excitement or indeed revelation while the talky delivery is mostly deadpan and emotionless throughout. There is simply nothing here to draw the viewer into the story or the characters over such a long, drawn out duration. In fact some aspects border on parody (like the bizarre Masons scene and the enormous amount of funny hats on show).

In summation, from the trailer I was expecting another Wolf of Wall Street or Gangs of New York from the American maestro, but this rates as one of his worst in years. So disappointing.

I would advise watching it with remote in hand to fast forward, otherwise you might not make it through, like many of the featured Osage in the film. A definite fail to strike oil i'm sorry to say.

Of course, elite director David Fincher's stunningly strong canon of work deserves respect, but as the saying goes 'you're only as good as your last film' and this one is distinctly below average.

It starts off excrutiatingly slowwwww and never gets off the ground. Micheal Fassbender puts in a typically solid turn as the title character (just as well, being in practically every scene) but the boring, lacklustre screenplay, lack of excitement and wordy voiceover throughout can't save it from disappearing up its own a$$.

As usual from Fincher the direction, camera work, editing and minut detail are top-notch, while Trent Reznors soundtrack adds atmosphere and nuance. However the overuse of The Smiths music throughout is annoying (not a fan), while a distinct lack of pacing, emotion, thrills or genuine surprises cannot paper over the cracks.

It's all rather bland and predictable, and was done way better in numerous other hitman flicks (try Road to Perdition, No Country for Old Men, Leon etc). All in all then a forgettable Fincher film that sounded so promising but ultimately ended up firing blanks.

I don't usually bother with money spinning third instalments but hey, movie pickings are slim and it's Denzel and Dakota reuniting some 20 years after the excellent 'Man on Fire'. Wish i hadn't bothered tbh, this Equalizer bookend mostly fires blanks.

Of course Denzel is as brilliant as ever in the starring role, the all-Italian scenery is stunning and the (albeit) few and far between action scenes are well executed (and graphic), but that's about all. The story itself is slow, talky and lacking in genuine thrills, spills and intensity. The screenplay is cliched, uneventful and wholly predictable (Italy>crime>mafia>retribution - yawn) but most annoying is that literally half the film is in subtitled Italian dialogue, which is way ott and detracts from the overall viewing experience. I found myself fast forwarding after a while as the lacklustre proceedings dragged on like an extended audience with the Pope.

Yep, all in all it's a disappointing one-watch end to the trilogy that's for completists and Denzel afficinados only. Back to the three Godfather classics it is then... Arrivederci Mr Washington.

The combination of major studio credentials (Dreamworks/Universal) and an impressive trailer for this one drew me in, and while it didn't quite live up to its initial promise, this fresh take on the enduring Dracula canon is still decent enough to recommend a watch.

The first twenty minutes are excellent with great visuals, good character development and a tasty big budget feel setting us up for the sinister 'dangerous cargo' sea faring journey from Bulgaria to England that lies ahead...

Once underway the vampyric beast is of course unleashed and things quickly develop into a claustrophobic 'Alien' type vibe as the no-name cast gets picked off one by one, courtesy of the rampaging blood-thirsty Count. Alas, this odd Dracula characterization is the first of a fair few disappointments thereafter, as the vampire is more of a hideous cgi Gollum type creature than the sinister relatable human based form we all know and love to hide from

Further still, the lack of human likeability/compassion within the crew itself is sorely apparent, which makes the body count somewhat unemotional and insignificant to the viewer. Black actor Corey Hawkins is decent enough in the leading role and has an interesting look about him, but other than that the rest of the cast are all pretty forgettable and throwaway.

There are also more than a few plotholes and inconsistencies in the screenplay that will make you scratch your head, but i won't spoil it by going into detail - you'll likely see for yourself.

On the plus side the cinematography, editing, score and foreboding atmosphere are all top-notch. With a bit more due care and attention, better intensity and perhaps twenty minutes trimmed off this could've been a real creature feature winner - instead it's a missed opportunity vampire flick that's more of a snack than a feast. There could be a sequel for dessert though...

If ever there was a 'foreign' film crying out for a Hollywood remake with a big director, star names and a decent budget, 'Operation Napoleon' is it.

The premise of a mysteriously long missing WW2 Nazi plane and its clandestine mission re-discovered in Iceland (thanks to global warming) is a damn good one.

However the low event feel, wooden cast and annoying crossover of Icelandic and English dialogue ultimately ruins it. Indeed, the film plays out more like a terrestrial tv show than a big screen movie. It even audaciously sets itself up for a sequel in an unneccesary tagged-on ending.

Plus points are the stunning widescreen vistas, good pacing and some reasonable action sequences, but these are outweighed by a clunky screenplay, lack of chemistry between the two leads and the aforementioned wooden acting. Brit actor Jack Fox (from the Fox acting dynasty) is especially bad as a bumbling professor come sidekick, while the sadistic pencil-loving female CIA agent is downright laughable.

I would suggest however, if you can get past all these obvious groans and gripes it's worth a watch, but don't expect a classic of the genre like The Odessa File, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo or Marathon Man... this is more akin to a prime-time Netflix drama set in the snow.

Checked this one out because of the 'heavyweight' cast, but sad to report the script and screenplay don't match the talent on show.

A badly aging John Travolta headlines with typical aplomb as a smalltown redneck sheriff, with Matt's bro Kevin Dillon also putting in a decent turn as the film's pivotal catalyst to disaster. However, it's the oft underrated Stephen Dorff who steals the show as a New Orleans mafia enforcer. Dorff is off the hook and carries his weighty bad guy role with typically sinister yet cool-calculated nastiness. He will keep you watching if nothing much else will.

The story itself however is a letdown. It's slow, lacking in tension, originality and continuity, while you really have to shake your head at Travolta's continual failures to connect the dots.

On the plus side there are some decent shootouts, driving scenes and reasonable character development, but the bottomline is this is a rather predictable, low-budget b-movie that fails to ignite, or be quirky/original enough to push it into 'cult' movie territory like an early Cohen Brothers flick for example.

In summation then a one-watch rainy night film at best. Y'all come back now y'hear...

Open wide and disengage brain folks... yep, macho-mumbling eco warrior come action hero Jason Statham is back with a sequel to 2018 summer hit The Meg, and boy is it one chum-bucket mess of a film.

While the first instalment was an enjoyable enough mindless popcorn muncher, this one is all over the place and becomes a total over-the-top farce by the final frantic shark showdown.

Never mind Megalodon, the screenwriters must have been on a mega-sugar rush in front of their laptops because they throw the whole kitchen never mind the sink at this ott travesty - ripping off elements of practically every underwater sci-fi/shark flick you can think of along the way (The Abyss, Underwater, 20,000 Leagues, Deep Blue Sea, Sharknado and Jaws of course). As usual Statham is basically being Statham - wisecracking, scowling, grinning and scrapping in a diving suit, while the no-name supporting cast are annoying, noisy, over excitable and as throwaway as the main plot about illegal undersea mining in 'secret' Meg infested waters.

The worst part of it all though is while the plot and numerous sub-plots over-bombard you like a tsunami, the Megalodons are practically an afterthought until the last 20 minutes when it all kicks off into overdrive, and not in a good way!

Even the cgi sharks (and also a giant octopus, and mutant lizards lol) are pretty lame this time out. Indeed there really is nothing other than some decent location filming and well choreographed fight scenes to keep you hooked-lined and sinkered.

There is some good news though. Meg 2 has been a box-office bomb so it looks like the chances of having to endure another lacklustre, money spinning film franchise will end up as it should... as fish food. Fin.

Oh boy, talk about flogging a dead horse! This (hopefully) final instalment of the storied Lucas/Spielberg 'boys own' invention rates alongside The Crystal Skull as the worst in the money spinning five film franchise.

Things actually starts off well enough, as Indy's old foe the Nazis make yet another appearance in the series and an impressively de-oldified cgi Harrison Ford takes them on in a typically pulsating opening sequence. But things soon fall off a cliff when we fast forward to the 60s, where Dr Jones is heading towards retirement and one last adventure after inadvertantly being dragged into the search for the missing half of Archimedes 'Dial of Destiny', a mythical astromical calculator lost in the depths of time.

Thereafter the typical Indy globe-trotting 'cluedo' shenanigans ensue with maps, baddies, double crossing and cat-and-mouse chase scenes galore leading to the grand finale, which has to be said is an absolute disaster. Truly awful to behold such nonsense.

Sadly it's all rather formulaic with the 2 hour twenty screenplay sorely lacking in many departments. There is a definite lack of tension, intrigue, drama and genuine excitement, while leading lady Phoebe Waller-Bridge is nowhere near as interesting or fun as earlier female incumbants such as Alison Doody, Kate Capshaw and Karen Allen.

To it's credit the chase scenes are good, Ford is decent (but well past his sell-by date) and there are some nice cameos from Antonio Banderas, John Rees- Davies and Toby Jones. The movie itself is well shot and edited but James Mangolds (Wolverine) direction certainly lacks the gravitas Spielberg brought to the party, while the aforementioned ending is so shockingly bad I could not wait for it all to end... ... and let's hope it does after the joint worst film in the series.

Well, back to the original three film DVD box set it is then... so long Dr Jones. Enjoy your retirement - we will.

Well, well (ignore the haters)... superstar diva Jennifer Lopez tones down the glam, ditches the rom-com fluff and goes full on action chick here, joining the A-Lister likes of Charlize Theron, Jessica Chastain and Gal Gadot ... and i'm surprised but pleased to report she kicks all their a$$es - this is a damn good flick. All the more shocking i know considering it's from Netflix!

In a nutshell Ex-army sniper/assassin J-Lo is forced out of hiding in Alaska to save her estranged young daughter from former colleagues/lovers who she dobbed in to the FBI many years ago. Thereafter, a full on game of cat and mouse ensues with plenty of gratuitous action and carnage, aided and abetted by Joseph Fiennes superbly playing the ex-SAS bad guy.

The film is nicely shot and edited, well paced and ideally balanced with just enough back story to fill the gaps. Plenty of well executed, high octane fight scenes throughout will keep the popcorn munchers happy. Shout out too for a decent soundtrack featuring the likes of Massive Attack, Portishead and Grimes.

While J-Lo is totally convincing and stellar in her lead role, the real standout here is relative newcomer Lucy Paez as her feisty12 year old daughter Zoe - the Mexican newbie carries her weighty role with conviction, emotion and aplomb. In fact the whole cast is really good.

Sure, it's nothing particularly ground breaking and there are a few flaws in the (midpoint) pacing, continuity and believability, but these minor gripes aside i'm giving The Mother top marks - it's one of the best sleepers of the year so far.

Jenny's definately back on the block in this one folks so go check it out... there's even a gratuitous booty shot thrown in for good measure.. win win. Well done J-Lo and co, great job here.

Ah yes, dear old (portly) Russell Crowe is back in Rome folks, only this time he's taking on the devil as... you guessed it... the Pope's Exorcist!

Pleased to say the Crowe-man is back on top form here, drinking espressos, telling corny jokes and riding around on his vespa scooter in full priests garb with his trusty bag of anti-christ tricks strapped to the back.

After a decent start sets the tone, at the behest of his boss back at Vatican HQ - the Pope, Crowe heads to a creepy rundown Spanish castle where a young boy has been possessed by a particularly evil entity, and so the plot thickens as the blood, thunder and numerous nods to Friedkin's benchmark 1973 flick The Exorcist ensue.

The main plot (involving Vatican cover-ups) and many sub-plots just about manage to hold your attention, but the film starts to plod in places with too much downtime talk and unecessary backstory between the two exorcising priests (shout out to Daniel Zovatto as Russell's reluctant sidekick), which somewhat interrupts the focus and flow... as do The numerous subtitles due to different languages being used.

Then in the final third things get pretty whacky, while the finale itself straddles the fine line between exciting and ott parody.

Aside from a top performance from Russell Crowe (and indeed the entire supporting cast), the feel, lighting, cinematography, music and effects are all worthy of praise. However the overall screenplay is just not solid enough to sing it to the heavens.

Based on the true stories of long serving lead Vatican Exorcist Father Gabriel Amorth, the film sets itself up for a sequel or two, so assuming it's a big enough hit, we could be seeing a hero rise from Rome once again... well, why the hell not....

While i'm not a big fan of self-indulgent, over-rated Brit director Guy Ritchie (even more so after he top bills himself in the title!), this is actually one of his better *toned down* efforts.

Talented Jake Gyllenhaal is typically on=point and as intense as ever in the leading role of a US soldier whose life is saved against the odds by an Afghan US army interpretor, also superbly depicted by Iraqi actor Dar Salim.

As the story and bodycount progresses we find that a debt of gratitude has to be repaid and it's out of the frying pan into the fire again for our two heroes - the question is, can they prevail against the relentless pursuit of the evil Taliban and their numerous 4x4 nissans.... or not.

While it's nothing new or ground-breaking and features the usual ott jingoism and American flag-waving, The Covenent is still an intense, enjoyable thrill ride, especially during the high octane finale.

Despite the acknowledgement that America threw many Afghans under the bus (especially army employees), it's a shame the high cost (both human and dollars) and pointlessness of it all is somewhat glossed over.

In reality you just have to shake your head when you consider what a barren wasteland that only knows conflict Afghanistan is and that an insane $2.26 trillion was spent (plus 2,402 US lives lost) by the US in 20 years... just for the Taliban to walk straight back into power where it's now business as usual. Mad world. When will we ever learn... never i'm afraid. Movies worth a watch though.

Oh man, what an absolute travesty this lame cheese-fest from Apple movies (instant red flag) is. Of course it's trying hard to be another 'Mr and Mrs Smith' but sorely lacks any of the same chemistry, laughs, intelligent action or sharp dialogue of the aforementioned 2005 Brangelina hit.

Indeed, the lack of sparks flying between gorgeous Ana de Armas and the Captain America dude is so shockingly non-existent the overall cringe factor is ramped up even higher as the two A-listers 'romance' burns like a wet rag in the rain throughout the awful first third of the film.

Despite an obviously big budget, some nice locations and a decent supporting cast (including cameos by Ryan Reynolds, Sebastian Stan, and the film's hapless director Dexter Fletcher) this bickering, unfunny, by-the-numbers outting illicits more groans than the Playboy Mansion back in the day. Even when the film flips into action mode it's a total chore to watch while the ending is as corny as it is a welcome relief.

Yep - 'Ghosted' is easily one of the worst of the year so far, and quiet why both leads agreed to star in this tosh truly beggers belief.

Avoid like... well, you know... the taxman.

Once again another high octane trailer flatters to deceive - this mediocre sci-fi mash up of Jurassic Park meets After Earth fails to deliver on both it's concept and initial promise.

Adam Driver is decent enough as the film's Robinson Crusoe=esque lead and carries the entire load of the screenplay with vigour, but quite why the only other main human character in the film (Ariana Greenblatt) doesn't speak English is both pointless and absurd.

Of course, the real stars of the show are the numerous dinosaurs with good ole T-Rex taking centre stage. The survival/escape premise is simple enough and whille the cinematography and cgi effects are decent, the film lacks tension, pace and emotion, with plenty of plot holes that illicit more groans than a giant lizard stuck in the mud.

All in all then, what could've been a high-octane blockbuster is yet another disappointing damp squid that fails to ignite and gain lift-off. Oh well, beam me up Scotty...

... you really are sure of a big surprise. This mad movie is actually pretty damn good.

(Loosely) based on the true story of a lost cocaine smuggling shipment landing in the Kentucky forest from a plane... only to be discovered and inhaled by a wild black bear, the ensuing mayhem is definately worth your watching for the next 90 minutes. The bear-tastic action comes fast and furious with lots of bloody, manic and fairly funny cocaine-fuelled moments from beginning to satisfactory end.

Great to see the late Ray Liotta going out on a high (ahem) here, but the real star is the CGI bear, who is truly outstanding. The supporting cast is pretty low-key, but all are decent enough, while the cinematography, editing, pacing and soundtrack all add to the weight of the proceedings.

A surprisingly decent budget actually helps raise Cocaine Bear into future 'cult classic' territory, so do yourselves a favour and kick back, relax, disengage brain and enjoy the carnage. All the bear essentials are in place for a good ole trip into the wilderness and beyond...

I guess it was always a big ask to continually keep getting better when your two big screen directorial debuts were the outstanding American Beauty (1999) and Road to Perdition (2002), and looking through Brit director Sam Mendes resume it's unfortunately been a slow descent into mediocrity ever since. Alas, this latest self penned effort from the Brit Hollywood heavyweight continues the slow downward spiral.

Oscar winner Olivia Colman takes top billing and although she is stellar as the mentally challenged duty manager of the piece, she ultimately can't save this one from flopping at the box office.

Despite some typically great cinematography from 12 times Coen Brothers alumnus Roger Deakins the whole feel and screenplay is like something you'd see as a watershed mini-series on the BBC back in the day. Aside from Colin Firth the rest of the supporting cast is also distinctly B-movie level.

The 80s setting mostly inside a stunning art deco Margate cinema amuses, especially if you were around back then, but the film itself meanders and drags failing to grab you and pull you in both spiritually or emotionally.

Things eventually peter out to a rather drab ending that much like stale popcorn and flat cola leaves you yearning for something much more substantial.... A one watcher at best i'm afraid.

Once again folks the hype train and wild, high octane trailer for Babylon flatter to decieive the prospective viewer. I'm afraid this bloated, three hour epic is yet another big name, big budget bust.

Despite some admittedly excellent performances from the likes of Brad Pitt, Diego Calva, Toby MaGuire, Flea! And the fabulous Margot Robbie this debauched, disjointed tale of early Hollywood excess fails to cohere, hold up or engage. It's basically one over indulgent madcap scene after another, all of which drag on and on, interminably dragging us through the sleazy underbelly of LA in the 20s and 30s in the process.

I actually ended up fast forwarding it after a while, hoping things would catch fire and ultimately make sense.... they never did. On the plus side the bold, brash aesthetics of the film and the aforementioned performances are good, but everything else falls as flat as an Ed Wood film-fest for aspiring movie makers.

After yet another major disappointment I seriously wonder if there will be another truly worthy blockbuster ever again, because on this evidence and indeed that of the past few years it's highly doubtful. Lights, camera, dissatisfaction... sigh.

Well, what a pleasant surprise this overlooked, under-appreciated movie from Apple and one of the Farrelly brothers was.

A fresh and fascinating take on the Vietnam war, incredibly, this scarcely believable tale is (loosely?) based on a true story about a New York slacker (Zac Efron = reminiscent of a young Kevin Kline here) who decides to hop onboard a ship and deliver beers to his neighbourhood buddies who are fighting in the Southeast Asian insanity, while also hoping to find his best friend who is reported 'MIA'.

The story and script are funny, poignant, dramatic and never dull or boring as our protaganist heads right to the front lines with his trusty bag of beers for the boys on his shoulder. Shoutout for a very good 60s soundtrack adding to the journey as well. There are plenty of decent twists and turns along the way as we relive an extraordinary time in American history that still resonates today. Efron carries the load with aplomb while small but important cameos from Hollywood heavyweights Bill Murray and Russell Crowe add to the proceedings.

Sure it's a bit over-dramatic in places, some scenarios (eg: the CIA angle) seem preposterous, while Efrons 'magic' beer bag appears as bottomless as Santa's present sack. These minor gripes aside however, I thoroughly enjoyed the film from beginning to end.

While not in their exhaulted league, if you enjoyed Forrest Gump, Apocalypse Now and Good Morning Vietnam i'm pretty sure you'll like this one too. Ignore the daft title and negative critic reviews - i'm hard to please and this crazy-but-true story is a total winner. Sleeper movie of the year for sure. Cheers and beers...

Like everyone else, the star power of Stallone starring on the small screen made me check this series out, but after two episodes i'm out. It's a bust.

Upon heading to Tulsa at his mob bosses behest after 25 years in jail, the laughable premise of Sly spontaneously walking into a local *legalised* and crime free weed store offering 'protection' for a cut of the vast profits makes zero sense. And so it begins, and so it goes... Further to the ridiculous screenplay the main problem here is the show doesn't know if it's a comedy, a serious gangster story or a redemption piece but hey ho - Stallone is in practically every scene, being Stallone, so who cares, right.

You can pretty much guess where this is all heading as Sly parodies himself and the mob in pursuit of building an Okie empire with the ATF hot on his tail and the cheesy one liners comin' at you like an angry Al Capone armed with a baseball bat.

A few plus points are some decent cinematography, editing and casting but the weak storyline, cartoonish characters and cringey script make this Stallone retirement vehicle all rather... expendable. Ignore all the bogus glowing reviews (and markdowns) here from obvious plants because as De Niro et al would say - 'forget about it'. Back to the Rocky box set then while the many Stallone acolytes watch this dud in between re-viewings of Cobra and Over the Top.