The Boys in the Boat ★★½ IF ONLY George Clooney could transfer his on-screen charisma to films he just directs. The American has made several films, none of which have registered highly with critics and audiences. It’s not the material he chooses, but rather the care that’s taken with it. […]

Not enough oars in Clooney’s boat

The Strangers: Chapter 1 ★★½ FINLAND’S most famous film director had a string of hits in the 1990’s including Die Hard 2 and Cliffhanger. Renny Harlin also made a massive flop during the same period called Cutthroat Island. The 2000s haven’t been too kind to Harlin with the odd film […]

New strangers not as welcome

The Substitute ★★½ THE 1996 American film The Substitute is a ridiculous action thriller that pits ex-marines turned mercenaries against a bunch of drug-runners who are using a Miami high school as cover. Lead actor Tom Berenger has managed to cling on to an entire career based on one performance  – […]

Berenger fails to teach a thing or two

The Three Musketeers: D’Artagnan ★★★★ The Three Musketeers: Milady ★★★½ IF YOU’RE one of those boring people who constantly claims ‘they don’t make movies like they used to’, check out the latest film version of Alexandre Dumas’ The Three Musketeers. Director Martin Bourboulon actually splits the epic adventure across two […]

New musketeers’ version is one for all

Boy Kills World ★★★ IT’S not often that you say the best things about an action film don’t include the action. But that’s the case with the action comedy Boy Kills World. The debut feature from young German director Moritz Mohr stars Bill Skarsgård as Boy, a deaf mute seeking vengeance […]

Boy Kills World a narrator’s dream

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes ★★★ THE Planet of the Apes film franchise may have run its race. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is the fourth of the recent reboots and 14th instalment overall. In terms of spectacle it’s fine, but the story meanders along a […]

Too much aping of original

Twisters ★★★ THE new action/disaster film Twisters is billed as a ‘stand-alone sequel’ to 1996’s Twister. It’s actually a remake, but you can trade off the original’s success and describe it as something else because it has different characters and a slightly different story. Either way, 2024’s Twisters is an […]

Twist and shout

The Toxic Avenger ★★★½ The Toxic Avenger Part II ★★ The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie ★★★ Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV ★★½ WITH a new version on the horizon, it’s time to look at the 1984 original The Toxic Avenger. In fact, let’s have […]

Kaufman and his Avenger still the splatter kings

The Exorcists ★½ HOW many demonic possessions does it take to make a good film? That’s not intended to be a joke question, although now I’ve written it I’m not so sure. The answer should be one, of course. Certainly not the number in low budget horror film The Exorcists. The […]

You’re possessed and you’re possessed and…

Tarot ★★ IF YOUR idea of a good horror movie is ample jump scares then Tarot may be for you. Otherwise, there is nothing remotely interesting or new in this story of a group of people being terrorised by Tarot card figures come to life. The visuals are fine and some […]

More to horror than jump scares

The Bikeriders  ★★★ A NEW film from American director Jeff Nicholls is always an event. They don’t come around too often – his last, Loving, was in 2016. The Bikeriders is a fictional drama that also serves as part examination/part tribute to America’s motorcycle culture. Why motorcycle clubs formed? What type […]

Nicholls and his wild ones

One More Shot  ★★★ A WHILE ago I reviewed a 2021 British action film called One Shot. Its shot at a claim to fame is depicting the entire story filmed as one continuous shot. I’m not sure whether there are any cuts, but it succeeds quite well in that regard, […]

Improvement with One More Shot