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

Late Night with the Devil  ★★★ THERE’S a lot of buzz around Colin and Cameron Cairnes’ horror film Late Night with the Devil Written, directed and edited by the pair, it’s part found footage and part faux documentary approach has won plenty of attention on the international festival circuit. David […]

A late night in Hell

Civil War  ★★★★ THERE is a scene about three-quarters through Alex Garland’s latest film that provides a brilliant snapshot of its theme. Civil War is, as the title clearly states, about a United States riven by internal conflict. Three journalists, accompanied by a young woman who wants to be a […]

Garland’s latest a powerful warning

Eileen ★★★½ ANNE Hathaway has a ball playing the femme fatale in the psychological noir thriller Eileen. Based on a 2015 novel by Ottessa Moshfegh, the film takes place in 1960s Massachusetts. Thomason McKenzie plays the main character, a young woman living and caring for her widowed, alcoholic father while […]

Hathaway shines as femme fatale

Scoop ★★★ REMEMBER that car crash of an interview that Prince Andrew gave BBC Television in 2019? If you’ve ever wondered who thought that was a good idea and why, then you will find out in the British drama Scoop The Prince was under pressure at the time due to […]

Women behind the Royal stuff-up

Abigail ★★★½ IN BETWEEN recent instalments of the Scream franchise, horror directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett have taken some time out to give us the thoroughly enjoyable Abigail. The film is actually a loose adaptation of a 1930s horror film which I’m not going to tell you the title […]

Such a sweet, little girl…not