Finding freshness in the horror genre is always exciting and Obsession perfectly blends the old and new. Using the ‘monkey’s paw’ fable as its base but finding ways to escalate the tension and horror through a low budget, this is filmmaking par excellence from first time director Curry Barker. As lovestruck Bear wishes his friend Nikki loved him ‘more than anyone in the world’ increasingly twisted and frightening versions of that reality start to unfold. Each set piece ratche

Strangely, I don’t think there’s actually too much to say about Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Seemingly, Marvel’s slight retraction from its previously relentless schedule has suitably whetted audience appetites with a huge box office and tangible hype for the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday. The MCU has hardly ever let us down and Brand New Day is absolutely adamantium-solid filmmaking at the usual blockbuster scale. Moving Peter Parker’s story logically on whilst also remaining it

The Odyssey is every bit as epic as its source material, its ever-bubbling reputation, its box office, its aspect ratio, its ear-pummelling sound and its now legendary director. You already know that and have, likely, already experienced it. Showing off vast technical achievement in terms of sound design, practical effects, location work, costuming, visuals and skill with new IMAX equipment it is mandated that you do see this in the biggest screen you can find. Like a few fil

Should Disney stop this live action remake train? Critical consensus would certainly suggest so with nearly ubiquitous bad reviews, accusations of money grabbing and now, possibly, diminishing audiences. However, is the latest addition to the roster, Moana, a tad unlucky for arriving at the moment that this endeavour is really taking a bashing? I’d say the answer to that is a resounding yes. It’s undeniable that, from a critical and filmmaking perspective, these remakes have,

You’ve got to admire a one-setting, script-driven, ‘play-like’ film. The Invite is a top drawer example from Olivia Wilde and almost reinvents the classic screwball comedy for the modern era. As one couple (Wilde herself and Seth Rogen) invite their upstairs neighbours (Penelope Cruz and Edward Norton) for a dinner party they get more than they bargained for in every which way. At times a farce, a comedy, a drama and a psychological study of relationships, this is a very shar

It’s only the second film in the fledging, new DC Universe and already we’ve resorted to type. Despite all the potential shown and, hopefully, still on the horizon and all this particular story could have been, Supergirl is your standard and rote ‘modern’ superhero film. For every bit of promise here, and don’t worry there is a few to go into, the overwhelming whiff of studio interference and playing it safe casts a cloud as dark as much of the film itself. And there’s the ru

Has there been a fifth instalment in a franchise that feels timely, relevant and also holds up to its predecessors? It’s a small collection but one that Toy Story 5 can happily add itself to. It’s easy to be skeptical about this considering Pixar’s inconsistent sequels, the disappointing Lightyear and the ever-increasing awareness of the ‘business’ side to Disney and its many partners, but this film justifies its own existence and delivers on the quality. It’s a forehead-slap

A man coming out of prison and trying to locate his buried stolen loot is a plot top-line where you probably imagine you know exactly what comes next. The Last Viking is very much not that film. This Danish delight contains multitudes. There’s a flavour of ‘Coen Brothers, missing money crime’ sure, but it’s sprinkled with outright comedy, trauma, violence, heart and a dive into personality disorders. To say too much would be to spoil the surprises (there are two incredible ru

We all know Steven Spielberg and aliens is a perfect match but, whilst Disclosure Day offers a suitable amount of nostalgic delight in that regard, it also feels a little outdated. Let’s not get this wrong, this is a terrifically made, immaculately shot, ‘big feeling' blockbuster that is a true family film like only Spielberg can create. It’s just, perhaps, a film that would maybe be better thought of if it was released 10 or 20 years ago. The story of disclosing long-held go

Could He-Man be the next big franchise everyone seems to be seeking? The new take on Masters of the Universe actually makes a pretty decent swing at making this once, and probably still, seemingly mad possibility a reality. The beauty of the retro and toy-based is the way it can be sent up and adapted. Mattel themselves already did it to winning effect with Barbie and Hasbro likewise with the more obvious torchbearer here Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves. By making th

You can add Tuner to this great little sub-genre of music-adjacent thrillers which use sound as a core concept and propulsion. Of a piece with Whiplash, Sound of Metal (and, kind of, Baby Driver but that’s a little more high-octane) this is another brilliantly crafted movie. Our titular piano tuner Niki has a hearing condition that makes him highly susceptible to loud sounds but realises that this gives him the means to unlock safes. Cue a tale where he gets caught up in a li

In what looks like it could be an all-timer of a year for blockbuster releases, there’s always going to be a couple which, perhaps, go a little underseen and undervalued. The first unlucky candidate of 2026, strangely, seems to be the first new Star Wars film since the pandemic. Of course, Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu is a little different to its predecessors in the franchise and seems to suggest an initial investment from the viewer is required in the form of having se