One Night in Miami takes some artistic liberties with its portrayal of a real historic meeting of minds but grounds itself so forcefully in politics and humanity that it forms what might well be one of the most realistic and striking films of this year.
Hitting that perfect emotional note once again, this sublime visual and tonal companion-piece to Inside Out sees Disney/Pixar dig deep for further reflections on mortality following their excellent work on Onward and Coco.
Earnest and fun, but also flabby and fatally over-indulgent, Patty Jenkins' sequel WW84 is a valiant throwback to superhero classics like Donner's Superman, but trades in some heavy-handed messaging.
A wonderful addition to Netflix’s slate of films, a fitting tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman, and a welcome break from the wall-to-wall Christmas romcoms dominating the homepage at the moment.
One of the best films of the year, Let Him Go reunites Diane Lane and Kevin Costner for a brilliant, brutal and blisteringly tense Neo-western thriller.
Gibson's edgy twist on Santa steps one bloody foot too far for left-field family entertainment at Christmas, but also treads too gently when it should really embrace its wacky dark fairytale whims.
South African-born Australian filmmaker Seth Larney works some sporadically impressive magic to bring his sophomore sci-fi feature to life with scale beyond its indie budget, telling a competent time travel yarn that, above all, showcases a promising future for this young filmmaker.
Fincher's deep dive into the life of Hollywood screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz, who clashed with volatile genius Orson Welles on his magnum opus, is a beautiful film about the Golden Age of Hollywood.
Viggo Mortensen’s move behind the camera to write, direct, produce (and score!) is a semi-autobiographical story of a son caring for his elderly father and brings back Lance Henriksen in a career defining performance.
Writer/director Max Winkler (yes, son of the The Fonz) doesn't quite hit third time lucky with his latest, an indie rehash of familiar boxing/fighter/brother dramas with earnest performances from Charlie Hunnam and Jack O'Connell.
Kurt Russell returns for a well-meaning, bigger budget, but slightly less endearing follow-up to last year's surprisingly enjoyable Christmas Chronicles, which should at least remind us that the Holidays are coming.
Based on a controversial best-seller by J.D. Vance, Ron Howard’s Hillbilly Elegy is ostensibly a true story, though the film goes out of its way to make it seem like pure cinematic fiction.
The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special (Disney+) Movie Review
by Cas Harlow
Disney's Lego Star Wars Holiday Special plays out like the comedy Endgame of the Star Wars universe, revisiting and poking fun at iconic moments across the franchise.
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (Netflix) Movie Review
by Kumari Tilakawardane
Like it or not, it’s pretty much the most wonderful time of the year. Even through lockdowns, a pandemic and worldwide upheaval, Christmas does not care about your melancholy. Not keen on all this Christmas spirit and seasonal magic? You should probably steer clear of Jingle Jangle, which is not merely just a Christmas film, but also a musical to boot.