PeterAlexander

In what is potentially the strangest film of the year so far, director Boots Riley paints a goofy yet harrowing depiction of the American dream. At times however, the film feels too absurd for its own good.

Netflix’s adaption of the Jenny Han novel is executed to heartwarming perfection. This is a coming of age story that explores the power of all forms of relationships and the undeniable beauties and struggles that accompany them.

Venom feels like a movie that simply couldn't decide what it wanted to be. The film has its issues, particularly with respect to its pacing and characters; however the chemistry between Tom Hardy and Venom carries the movie to stable standpoint.

On one hand, some of the characters in this film are unbearably cringe. On the other hand; the Predator itself is truly terrifying, exciting and a joy to witness in its full force.

While Christopher Robin is a sweet film; it as at times very slow and somewhat a forgettable affair. Ewan McGregor as Christopher Robin and the character of Pooh provide a charming chemistry which is hard to ignore however.

Crazy Rich Asians is funny, heartwarming and equally heartbreaking. It had the potential to go so very wrong, but turned out to be one of the most entertaining and powerful romantic comedies of the decade as well as one of the best tourist advertisements for Singapore ever made.

The Meg starts off somewhat entertaining, however immediately loses its credibility as soon as the characters start talking.

The Death of Stalin is ridiculous and entirely satirical, yet somewhat believable. It is a movie that doesn't hold back from what it tries to be and is all the more better for it.

Wind River is mysterious, powerful and absolutely thrilling. It is truly a crime drama that has you guessing from the start.

Coco looks as beautiful and vibrant as the story it tells. It is deeply moving and continues to propel traditional kids movies into some of the most powerful tales put to screen.

Funny. Powerful. Haunting. Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman is truly unique and perfect for it. It tells an unlikely story which is as thrilling and tense as it is amusing.

Fallout is the best film in the Mission Impossible series and is undoubtedly one of the best action films of the year. Thrilling and mysterious sequences akin to the Dark Knight and Skyfall are joined by what are some of the most insane action set pieces ever put to screen. With the Zimmer-like score to add to the mix, this is movie is truly a cinema spectacle.

Mamma Mia succeeds in what it is trying to be, unfortunately what it's trying to be isn't very ambitious. While the scenery is nice and there are some upbeat musical scores, ultimately this is a film that is both demeaning to men, women and the art of film.

The long-awaited sequel to the original Incredibles film exceeds expectations. The Incredibles 2 is full of action, comedy, tension and heart. Somehow, it managed to give me even more laughs, chills and heart wrenches than the original.

While undoubtedly no masterpiece, Ant Man and the Wasp is certainly worth the entry fee. The film is funny, entertaining, dramatic and full of heart. The story itself is engaging and original, ensuring Ant Man and the Wasp acts as a worthy sequel and addition to the Marvel cinematic universe.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom is worthy of it's name, as all it does is fall incredibly short in comparison to the mighty dinosaur kingdom created by Spielberg. What was once a series built on the backdrop of powerful and intelligent themes and ideas, Jurassic Park is now nothing more than a 2 hour long complaint over animal rights. While its forced agenda is bad enough, every plot point and character decision is as predictable as it comes, not to mention the introduction of a few of the most annoying characters to be displayed on screen. While the effects, action sequences and sound design are worthy of the series' name, the true essence of what made Jurassic Park such a powerful piece of pop-culture is truly missing in this film.

It may not have the deep and lasting impact of the episodic instalments, but Solo still has the visuals, action and characters necessary for a good Star Wars film. While the story is engaging and the planets are simply gorgeous, it is the dynamic between the characters that ensures the film is a success.

The second instalment of Deadpool takes everything that made the first one so brutally and ridiculously entertaining, and pumps it to the next level. The film has more laughs, more action, more story, more themes, and more pure entertainment. I was thrilled by every second of the movie.

Perhaps one of the most ambitious blockbusters put to screen, Avengers: Infinity War rides the wave of expectation as well as possible. Simply put, films aren't meant to focus on so many characters. Infinity War however, under the assumption the viewer has seen every other film in the cinematic universe, balances the characters and their arcs expertly. The films stakes, which are made known from the opening scene, ensure this succeeds in being a fun action flick of huge proportion.

A Quiet Place is pure tension from start to finish, with every camera shot and every sound filled with agonising intensity. It is more than just a scary movie however. It is at heart a powerful story, filled with thought provoking themes and questions of family and humanity.

Annihilation is filled with tension and is indeed incredibly unsettling yet beautiful to watch. Its mystery is its greatest strength and it capitalises on this until the very end. An end which successfully left me with many questions of intrigue.

Black Panther serves as the most powerful, entertaining and visually stunning Marvel film yet. It is innovative and filled to the brim with surprises and action. The characters in focus, including the villain, are extremely well drawn out. This ensures the conclusion is as heart-wrenching as it is exciting.

The Last Jedi will be the most fiercely debated and polarising Star Wars ever. Some of the humour and sequences are a bit off, but make no mistake, this is the most powerful Star Wars film ever made. The Last Jedi has some of the most epic moments and lore in the sagas history, coupled with amazing camera shots, an exciting plot, and the best character development it's ever seen in Ben and Rey. This is a very different Star Wars, and many fans will feel negatively towards it it; but there's no denying we begged Rian Johnson to take risks. The Last Jedi will stand alone as one of the most unique and memorable films in the saga and I only have praise for this.

While Matthew McConaughey and Idris Elba play their roles well, the film is harmed by an array of negative aspects. A story of epic scope such as Stephen King's The Dark Tower requires ambition; clearly severely lacking in what is no more than a 1 hour action flick. The film is rushed, and quite frankly, harmed by a young actor that isn't quite up to it.

The Golden Circle doesn't quite live up to the thrill of its predecessor, but is still an original, quirky and entertaining ride nonetheless. With the film is dragged down by its mediocre middle act, its strength certainly lies in an action packed conclusion.

Visually ambitious, but ultimately the two leads fail to match up to the excitement of the worlds created. The characters are one dimensional and are hurt by a story that isn't all that enthralling.

Power Rangers spends most of its duration wasting our time rather than giving us a Power Rangers movie. While none of the main cast are bad in their roles, none of them are good. The disturbingly ridiculous main villain however being the exception. On the most part, this film tries to be more powerful and epic than it really is.

Ridiculously cheesy dialogue, over the top action sequences, and quite frankly a boring story; all combine to make this film a mess. The most impressive aspect of the movie is its ability to transform quality actors into shockingly dull characters.

The fear of the unknown is a horror device that works on so many occasions, as further demonstrated in Life. While the film has its flaws; it is entertaining, scary and dripping in atmosphere.

The Founder is an entertaining representation of the inception of the world's biggest fast food industry. Michael Keaton serves up a great performance as the creator of McDonald's.

Thor Ragnarok is one the funnest cinema experiences I have ever taken part in. It is quirky, imaginative, and truly entertaining. While the story is no masterpiece, it is both unpredictable and thrilling from start to finish. This film looks, sounds and feels great.

This film had me both optimistic going in to the cinema, and excited to leave. Justice League adds to what has been a string of mediocre films on DC's part. Shockingly cheesy dialogue and action sequences, a hilariously bad villain, and quite simply a story that had me falling asleep leaves this film as the worst comic book movie in years.

Stunning imagery, immersive sound effects, well-crafted characters and a story filled with mystery ensure Denis Villeneuve's sequel matches the original Blade Runner. Blade Runner 2049 brings the dystopian world back to life in spectacular fashion.

This film brings the terror of Stephen King's work to life in haunting fashion. In true Stephen King fashion, the film has the audience truly fearful for the children so horribly terrorised throughout the duration of the story. Bill Skarsgard's portrayal of It is in my opinion, the best yet.

The final instalment of the Planet of the Apes trilogy wraps up the series in epic fashion. This movie is not the action packed blockbuster many perhaps predicted; in fact, it is far more. War for the Planet of the Apes is a dark, powerful story, focussing on character development. The films big punches don't come through it's explosions, but through its story and its beautiful cinematography to match.

This film will leave you feeling lonely, cold and depressed; demonstrating only it's power in connecting with the audience. It is a film filled with mystery and maintains one of the eeriest vibes seen in film. Beyond that, it is a touching story; successfully adding light moments to a truly dark film.

A masterpiece. Dunkirk is a thrilling, haunting picture of sound and cinematography. With little to no character development, and mostly drowned out dialogue, this movie is truly a spectacle of action, drama and at times, horror. Such an intense take on war has never been filmed before, and hasn’t had me so immersed in the cinema for many years. Christopher Nolan has once again created a film that has you drawing for breath by the end.

Get Out is mysterious, tense and at times downright haunting. Aside from the political commentary that it is, Get Out is simply a great film. One scene involving the game of bingo was particularly chilling and represents the true creepiness of the film. Don't expect to watch this and have a fun time.

Edgar Wright's filming style races onto screen with exhilarating pace. Every sequence, no matter its importance, is filmed in a way that captures you from start to finish. An engaging story, killer tunes and snappy dialogue work to keep the viewer on the edge of their seat.

The Last Knight follows the series formula, unfortunately it remains a losing formula. Bar the opening sequence, and an almost entertaining battle at Stonehenge, the film is a mess. After what is a surprisingly exciting battle scene, the film inevitably spirals into incoherency as soon as the human characters start talking. The dialogue is even more cringe worthy than in previous instalments. With the opening half hour introducing what seemed to be six disinteresting main characters and story-arcs, I was lost from the very start.

A truly terrible movie, but an enjoyable one. Whilst the story makes no sense on so many levels, it is almost pointless to delve in to as the film knows its place as a huge mesh of stupidity. Baywatch is so bad it's entertaining.

The newer, younger version of Spider-Man fits the hero's character perfectly. With an exciting, action packed story to match, Spider-Man: Homecoming plays to its strengths, knowing its place as a film driven on entertainment value.

The Mummy is a huge waste of potential, going in a direction it should never have embraced. With the chance to display the magical wonders of Egyptian mystery, the film instead spends most of its time in the Middle East and London. Not to mention the characters are downright sub-par and the story is mediocre at best.

Gal Gadot shines as Wonder Woman in what is an average film. The film's strengths lie in its humour, particularly in the back and forth banter between Gal Gadot and Chris Pines' characters during the first act. The film loses itself however in its over the top action sequences, heavy use of slow-motion effects and overwhelming amount of flashback sequences.

The fifth instalment of the swashbuckling franchise has its moments, but nothing more. Dead Men Tell No Tales, in a good way on many occasions, is more of a conglomeration of nostalgia infused scenes than a fully fledged movie. Whilst it is great to have the original characters back and on form, the new additions drag the film back from start to finish. The magic of the series has truly faded.

The second instalment of the series looks far better than the first and delves further into the characters struggles as a good sequel should. Whilst it may not have the same magic as the first, and often relies on too much humour, it is the fun ride we expected all the same.

Visually grander than any of its predecessors, Alien: Covenant looks spectacular. Whilst the characters aren't developed to perfection, the film is truly terrifying and has you fearing for them all the same. The mysterious tone of the film works like a treat for the most part, but sometimes tends to slow the film down to a large degree.

Ghost in the Shell is visually stunning and has the story to match. The wide array of futuristic effects, including both the visual and the sound, create an incredibly captivating premise and setting. This is matched by a story that kept me intrigued from the very first scene to the last.

Kong: Skull Island is monstrously entertaining, follows a simple plot that works, but fails to deliver in terms of characterisation. The film has some of the best action sequences you'll see all year, but also some of the worst. It also has some great acting performances, including John Goodman and Samuel L. Jackson, and some less than stellar performances. Overall I have very mixed feelings about this film.

Whilst not on the level of the original Lego Movie, the Lego Batman is still brings the universe to life in wonderful new ways. The dynamic between the Joker and Batman, whilst somewhat predictable, is charming from start to finish. The introduction of new characters and universes is done with perfection.