James

He was outstanding

The Phoenician Scheme: Although it is disjointed and has some overbearing Wes Anderson quirks, this is a really enjoyable espionage caper with a dark comic edge and a fun dynamic between Del Toro, Cera and Threapleton - 8/10

Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning: It still has incredible action packed set pieces which need to be seen on the big screen but this is the weakest of the recent MI movies imo. It’s very bloated, the pacing is frustrating and its sombre nature becomes overbearing - 6/10

Final Destination: Bloodlines - Cumbersome at times, but in the main an absolute blast. The inventive kills and gallows humour are great fun, but what works best is the misdirections and red herrings which keep you guessing all the time - 8/10

Thunderbolts* - Despite the conclusion dragging a little, there is a good mix of both sombre and humorous moments, the chemistry between the characters is very good and the performances from Florence Pugh and David Harbour elevate it - 8/10

The Accountant 2: The plot, like the first, is baggy but in this one, the dynamics between the brothers is really entertaining, funny and oddly sweet, with Bernthal stealing the show as Braxton - 8/10

Den of Thieves 2: Pantera (Prime Video) - Definitely more ambitious and sprawling than the first and the heist has solid thrills but I felt it missed the scuzziness and grittiness of the first. Stylish but missing that spark - 6/10

Havoc (Netflix): After a laborious first half hour and some terrible CGI car chases, it does what it says on the tin. The action is frenetic, extremely brutal, very bloody and just doesn’t let up - 7/10

Sinners: A couple of scenes were a little drawn out but it’s a film full of energy, the music is incredible, the dialogue is sharp and I enjoyed the surreal horror - 9/10

The Amateur: I think it does fizzle out at the ending and it’s very nuts and bolts but I also enjoyed its throwback 90s/early 00s chase thriller vibe and the enjoyable booby trap kills - 7/10

Warfare: Although it doesn’t have anything particularly new to say, the horror and disorientation of a wartime incident is effectively conveyed through excellent sound and production design - 8/10

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When the ticket machine on the bus isn’t working and you get a free journey

Drop: The ending is a bit rushed but thoroughly entertaining pretty much throughout. The tension building is good, the pacing is pretty much perfect, the awkwardness of first dates is captured well and it’s a really good central performance Meghann Fahy - 8/10

The Penguin Lessons: Ponderous at first but grows into a really poignant and moving film that also has a grounded, low key charm that works well. Wasn’t convinced by Coogan at first but he suits the role really well - 8/10

Novocaine: Does start to run out of steam as the conclusion approaches, but there’s a solid amount of laughs, the action is punchy and bloody, and Jack Quaid makes for a charming lead - 8/10

Death of a Unicorn: I felt the last act was a bit lumbering, but I laughed several times, Will Poulter absolutely stole the show with his performance and it also works as a gory creature feature - 7/10

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Going on Dinosaur for the last time today.

If it stays like this, I might just patch Disney

🍿Top 10 films of 2025 so far (UK releases)

Flow - 10/10
I’m Still Here - 9/10
The Brutalist - 9/10
The Last Showgirl - 8/10
Companion - 8/10
A Real Pain - 8/10
Nickel Boys - 8/10
September 5 - 8/10
Presence - 8/10
Black Bag - 7/10

Last Breath: Can feel nuts and bolts, earnest thriller at times but the tension building is solid, the set design and sound are excellent and the underwater sequences are well shot - 7/10

Flow: Absolutely wonderful. The animation is gorgeous, there are many thrilling moments, the animals’ personalities shine throughout and it’s incredibly moving - 10/10

Well…Flow destroyed me.

Black Bag: Although it’s a pretty generic story, it’s very slick and stylish, the dialogue is sharp, the score is excellent and Fassbender shines in this - 7/10

True!

Well for 60 mins yesterday we weren’t playing a midfield 😂

The two funniest outcomes were Celtic winning 6 or 7+ or a Barry Ferguson led Rangers side winning. A few reds and a government inquiry now please.

Papering over the cracks but will take the point. Fraser has his flaws but the boy plugged away today.

Yes. I’m a fan of country music.

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Spaten on the Perfect Draft

Mickey 17: There is a well crafted plot and some very funny moments but I think the goofiness can at times be grating, it’s very baggy and I did not buy the central relationship - 6/10