Ultima_Thule

Backrooms (18) is a psychological horror starring Chiwetel Ejiofor as Clark, aka as Captain Clark, the owner of a furniture warehouse of the same name, who frequently dresses up as a pirate to advertise his Ottoman Empire, aided by the video skills of Bobby, the boyfriend of his sole employee, Kat. Clark is persuaded by Mary (Renate Reinsve), his therapist, to role play the events of the night in which his wife threw him out of the house. Meanwhile, Clark calls in an electrician regarding the power outages in the warehouse. They discover an alternative power source has been added to the fuse box in the basement but for no obvious reason. One night, Clark who is sleeping at the store, discovers that there is a suite of rooms adjacent to the basement. The film is largely about his exploration of these rooms. It is difficult to describe this film. There are a few jump scares but no ghouls or demons, although that does not mean there is no danger in the rooms. For those who fear being lost in a labyrinth, this film plays on that but is also about human curiosity and our ability to let go of the familiar and move into the unknown. Is Clark mentally ill, the stress of his loneliness and a failing business, combining to unbalance him and do these bizarre, sometimes Escher-like rooms that seem to endlessly continue, exist only in his disturbed mind, or is this an alternative dimension to which his basement is merely an access point? Mary, the therapist, has had a difficult childhood and there are a number of scenes set in her former home, where she lived with her mother. That the house is about to be torn down for development seems to be trying to tell us something about belonging and change but this is never fully connected to Clark's experience to give us an explanation of what this film is about. Whilst the film is not boring, it is not particularly entertaining either and you will not be any the wiser about its meaning by the end. For those of you who like the weird and unusual, this is probably one to watch, for those who prefer a more conventional horror, go elsewhere.

Disclosure Day (12A) is a sci-fi thriller. The world is on the brink of war. Ambitious tv weather presenter, Margaret (Emily Blunt), has a strange experience while discussing her next job move with boyfriend Jackson (Wyatt Russell). She is running late for her 90 seconds at the end of the news. Just in time, she starts her forecast but speaks in an unknown clicking language which airs before the station can change camera. This makes her a person of interest to both secretive organisation Wardex, led by Noah (Colin Firth) and a group of whistle-blowers led by Hugo (Colman Domingo) who are planning to reveal some highly sensitive information to a troubled world. Meanwhile, Daniel (Josh O'Connor) a cybersecurity expert is also being hunted by Wardex who have kidnapped his girlfriend Jane (Eve Hewson) to get him to return the data he stole. Both Margaret and Daniel are key to an unfolding drama that is basically an extended chase but which tantalisingly drip feeds important details along the way to pique our interest and keep us watching. There are demonstrations of advanced technology using a form of telepathy that enables Noah to both control others and interrogate them without them being in the same physical location. How this technology was obtained is one of the reasons why the whistle-blowers want to inform humanity of what is being done in their name. Depending on what you think of the topic of aliens and their existence in our universe, you may be excited by this film that builds on the conspiracy theories of Roswell or you may feel that there are too many plot holes to invalidate the main driver of the film that we have a right to know. Given the director is Spielberg, who directed Close Encounters in the 1980s, comparisons have been made with the earlier film. However the former is regarded as a classic, whereas this may struggle to make the same impact. Certainly my fellow film goers, Dean and Ruth, differed from my opinion of this one. I enjoyed it but Dean considered it to be poorly developed and lacking in sophistication. If you like sci-fi, you will want to watch it and make up your own mind.

Obsession (18) is a part supernatural part psychological horror. Bear (Michael Johnston) loves Nikki (Inde Navarrette), or thinks he does, though can never find the right words to tell her at the music store where they both work. His friend Ian (Cooper Tomlinson) thinks that Bear's idea of pouring out his heart to Nikki is lame. They all meet regularly in a bar for a quiz with their friend Sarah (Megan Lawless) who seems fond of Bear. Nikki tells him that she is tired of working at the store and wants to move on, meaning there is pressure on Bear to declare his true feelings before it is too late. This is a slow starter but it starts to rack up the tension - clingy or needy partners are nothing new in relationships but what we see here in the Ned- Bear-Nicky-Sarah quadrangle becomes more disturbing as the story develops. What happens when one partner invests more into a relationship and can't accept you not wanting them anymore? You just know bad things are going to happen but the nature of what does transpire is highly disturbing and in one scene I was expecting some fireworks and the tension became almost unbearable. I relaxed but that was a big mistake! A dream that becomes a reality and ends in a nightmare is a fair description of this film. If you like someone, just tell them, certainly don't resort to trickery or you might find that you don't like the results. When people say that they would die for you is this merely a figure of speech or do they really mean it? Be careful what you wish for!

The Mandalorian and Grogu (12A) is a science fiction film from the people who bought you The Mandalorian TV series. Rather than produce a fourth instalment, they made a film instead. I have not seen any of the Star Wars spin-off but I have gleaned enough to learn that Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) is a Mandalorian soldier bound by an ethical code and that Grogu, of the same species as Yoda, is his ward, apprentice and sidekick. Working for the New Republic, formed after the collapse of the Empire, Djarin is employed as a bounty hunter by Ward (Sigourney Weaver) hunting down relics of the Empire's leadership who are biding their time for a comeback. These are often warlords with their muscle being former Imperial stormtroopers (still as useless). The plot is not particularly involved. The Mandalorian is persuaded against his better judgement to work with the Hutts to rescue one of their own, Rotta (Jeremy Allen White) who is held prisoner, in exchange for information about a warlord Commander Coin (Jonny Coyne) whom the Republic want to interrogate about other Empire loyalist warlords. To some extent this is John Wick in space as in a fair fight, e.g. The Mandalorian versus 20 or so hapless stormtroopers, is invincible. It takes more subtlety and cunning to bring him down. As a relaxing way to spend a Saturday afternoon this film was ideal. I didn't have to think too hard and I enjoyed the interaction between Djarin and Grogu. I have no idea if this is what individual episodes were like on tv but on this basis I would be happy to watch them.

It was late afternoon but there was a packed house for The Devil Wore Prada 2 (12A). Mostly women but I had enjoyed the first film and was hoping this would be as good. Clearly this could not be the same scenario as before. Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) is now an award-winning but jobless journalist, whilst Emily (Emily Blunt) has moved to Dior although has the same attitude as she had at Runway under Miranda Priestley (Meryl Streep) who still rules the roost - just. The underappreciated and supremely competent Nigel Kipling(Stanley Tucci) is still working there to ensure there is some order to the chaos and also acts as a confidante to Andy. A big scandal causes Irv Raviz the owner to hire Andy as the new features editor to limit the damage. That Miranda either knew or approved of this change is neither here or there but it recreates some of the tension of the original. This is less about the personal relationship between Miranda and Andy and more about the corporate finances and politics of the fashion industry, a little Ugly Betty in the cut and thrust of who is in and out. Andy is tolerated by Miranda and knows that she needs a scoop that can show that she is of value to the magazine. There are some good one liners and acid remarks that shows the sharpness is still there and it is enjoyable to watch as one crisis is averted only for a new one to rake its place. Streep is as excellent as ever, as is Tucci, Hathaway is more the glue that enables the different strands to come together although she is a much more confident character than in the first film. On the whole if you liked the original, you will enjoy this one too.

The Sheep Detectives (PG) is based on "Three Bags Full" by Leonie Swann. Perhaps if Richard Osman had written a detective novel about sheep instead of OAPs it would have been like this. George (Hugh Jackman) is a shepherd of a flock to whom he has given names. Sebastian (Bryan Cranston) the black ram is a loner who does his own thing, Mopple (Chris O'Dowd) unlike most sheep, can never forget facts as his species can conveniently choose to do when experiencing trauma. Ronnie and Reggie (Brett Goldstein) are twin rams who make up for their lack of brains with violence - usually against each other. Lily (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) is George's favourite and is considered the most intelligent of his sheep. There is an unnamed lamb, an outcast of the flock because he was born in winter not spring and so has disturbed the natural order as sheep like uniformity and not the unfamiliar. Of course George loves and hand feeds him but he has a solitary life in the meadow. A murder occurs and the sheep resolve to solve it or at the very least point the humans in the right direction. They have their own personalities.They talk to each other but they are not anthropomorphic, having a logic all of their own. George reads detective stories to them before they bed down for the night in the barn, so they understand the three key components; motive, opportunity and means. The local policeman Tim Derry was back of the line when brains were handed out and reminds me a little of the village policeman in Doc Martin. Fortunately a junior journalist Elliot (Nicholas Galitzine) is looking for a story to move him off the obit pages of the local rag and he helps Tim (as do the sheep) to piece together the story of what happened and why. There are a number of suspects. A young woman, Rebecca (Molly Gordon), who has just arrived in the village, the butcher, Ham (Conleth Hill), who can tolerate vegetarians as long as they are women, Caleb (Tosin Cole), a fellow shepherd, Beth (Hong Chau) the proprietor of the only hotel in Denbrook and finally Reverend Hillcote (Kobna Holdbrook-Smith) the vicar of the local church. George has had dealings with all of them, both good and bad, so all come under suspicion. I enjoyed this film and it would be a good one for a family to watch. There may be a few awkward questions about where the lamb for our dinner comes from afterwards from younger children but parents will have to answer such questions eventually, so why not now?

The Mummy (18) is a supernatural horror. News reporter Charlie (Jack Reynor) and his family, pregnant wife Larissa (Laia Costa) and their two young children Katie (Natalie Grace) and Seb are living in Cairo while he awaits an expected job offer back in the States. Whilst playing in the back garden, Katie is spoken to by Hayat, a woman on the other side of the garden fence, claiming to be the mother of her friend Layla. Katie is not seen again and the police are called. The older detective Husam thinks her parents accidentally killed her but his new partner, Dalia (May Calamawy), is not so sure. Eight years later the family, with Maud born since Katie's disappearance, are now back living with Larissa's mother, Carmen (Veronica Falcon), in her big house in Alburquerque. Charlie is contacted by Dalia as new information has come to light. This house is where most of the subsequent story takes place. From there on the plot develops and we gradually piece together what happened to Katie all those years ago and the present day consequences slowly become evident. However there are also key scenes in Egypt as Dalia continues to investigate what happened to Katie after Charlie revisits some overlooked information that yields a clue. Charlie also starts looking into Egyptian hieroglyphics, enlisting the help of archaeologist Professor Bixler to interepret what he has found. Between them can Dalia and Charlie discover the truth of what transpired? There is some tension but this film is not particularly frightening although there is more drama to grab your attention in the later stages when the rather slow pace speeds up considerably. Not a great horror but to me interesting with some imaginative features. The additional plot line of the female Egyptian detective helps raise this film out of the ordinary, though it is not perfect by any means.

The Drama (15) is a black comedy about a soon to be married Charlie (Robert Pattinson) and Emma (Zendaya) his fiancee. Charlie is trying to write his groom's speech, recalling details of how they first met etc. After a dance session with their wedding DJ, they later see her doing something anti-social and wonder if they should say anything. A menu tasting at a restaurant with married friends Mike (Mamoudou Athie) and Rachel (Alana Haim) leads to a drunken discussion about the DJ and what they should do. Rachel defends her and recalls Mike's dog story which was the worst thing he's ever done, asking him to tell it to their friends. Mike will only do this if the others will talk about their own worst actions too. They tell their stories but it is Emma going last who causes a stir and the fallout threatens to ruin her future happiness with Charlie as he tries to come to terms with her revelation. What is shared is so shocking that Charlie begins to doubt if he really knows Emma any more. Is a person who could do that really be the woman he loves? As the wedding preparations proceed apace, they visit the photographer, whose choice of words inadvertently reminds Charlie of Emma's confession and we can see from his body language that Charlie is deeply uncomfortable. Returning to his groom's speech he starts to edit the text and the details about Emma he was once so sure about. Charlie begins to see images of Emma as the 15 year old she was when it happened and we also see disturbing flashbacks which are also comic at the same time. Despite Emma's protestations that she is different now she is an adult, Charlie interrogates her searching for some childhood trauma that can explain why she acted as she did and tries to persuade Mike and Rachel that this is the reason why the incident occurred, although he really appears to be trying to convince himself. At work at the museum, leafing through a book of art photos on his desk brings back the doubts for Charlie and he asks Misha, his colleague, what she would have done if her boyfriend had done what Emma did. He doesn't like the answer which upsets him even more. Misha tries to be supportive and this leads to further complications. The wedding day arrives. Will Charlie and Emma be able to overcome their differences and will their nuptials actually take place? Despite it being about a couple's relationship going off the rails, I liked this film which got a reaction from the cinema audience. Initially there were romantic scenes but a change in tone led to some darkly comic moments that led to either gasps or nervous laughter as the situation unravelled and got out of hand. At times I felt uncomfortable about what I was seeing. If you go and watch this with your partner, whatever you do afterwards, don't ask them to tell you the worst thing they've ever done.

Project Hail Mary (12A) is a sci-fi film which takes its name from the American football term meaning a desperate last chance. The Sun is slowly dying, threatening to end all life in Earth. To find out why this is happening and hopefully find a cure, a space ship named Hail Mary is sent towards a distant star, Tau Ceti, to find out why it is not experiencing the same slow death as many other stars in our galaxy. Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) is a micro-biologist who gave up academic research to teach school kids. Yet we find him waking up from an induced coma on the Hail Mary with long hair and beard after a long journey to the distant star. Contacting Earth for guidance will take 11 years for a message to reach it, so he is on his own. Although the film does have a linear narrative, there are plenty of flashbacks to his life on Earth. Why is he on the ship and what does he know that placed him there? We are gradually drip fed more information. In the course of his mission, Grace comes across another being sent on a similar mission, to save its own star. Grace and this alien, who he names Rocky, begin to interact, trying to understand what they have in common to make a joint effort to fulfil their respective missions. This is a long film of 2½ hours and at times it does seem quite slow, not a film with constant excitement. The science just about made sense but at times, although I got the main gist, I didn't really understand quite what was happening and relied on images of the ship's computer screen messages to tell me what was happening. Although in many ways this is familiar 'lone man in a spaceship' territory with the usual clichés it has some differences that makes it stand out from the crowd. Although there are no particular 'wow' moments, you continue watching to find out whether they will succeed or not. It has a little humour too, as I frequently chuckled to myself. Grace is certainly not a cardboard cutout hero trying to save the world and Rocky is fun too. If you don't like space movies, you probably won't want to sit through this one but if the subject of astronomy and our universe fascinates you in any way, give this a go as you should enjoy it.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

If I Had Legs I'd Kick You (15) focuses on Linda (Rose Byrne) the mother of a sick daughter who has a tube to receive nutrients and can only have it removed if she eats enough to reach a certain weight. Hospital visits are made more difficult by her refusal to pay for parking which leads to trouble with the attendant. She doesn't seem particularly maternal although her unseen daughter is vocally demanding. Her husband Charles (Christian Slater) is away for two months but calls regularly. A plumbing disaster that creates a hole in the ceiling of their rented apartment sees them move to a hotel, a 'flop house' as she calls it while repairs are made. We see her at session with her unnamed therapist (Conan O'Brien) as she tells him how she feels alone and unsupported not knowing what to do. Linda 'self-medicates' with alcohol and drugs. It is somehow disconcerting to find that Linda is a therapist too, though seemingly more neurotic than some of her patients like Caroline (Danielle Macdonald) a new mother obsessed with the safety of her child. The hole in the bedroom ceiling of the abandoned home becomes a sort of metaphor for the problems in Linda's own life and at times, after drinking or taking drugs, she sees a beam or individual lights appearing to come out of it. As portrayed, Linda is not a woman for whom I have much sympathy and you feel that some of her problems could be solved if she stopped feeling so sorry for herself and thought about others but that is just my take, women and mothers may be more empathetic. I am not sure about what the ending of the film tells us. Does Linda have an epiphany and start to realise that life isn't just about her? It is difficult to tell. Not a film that I want to see again, it was certainly not entertainment, more of a chore to be endured, although seeing that Linda is beset by so many problems, one may leave thinking that our own lives in comparison are much better. I wouldn't recommend watching it though.

Hoppers (U) is an animated film that deals with serious environmental issues in a light-hearted way. Mabel Tanaka (Piper Curda) loves animals and hates to see them caged up which gets her into trouble. Fortunately her grandma (Karen Huie) is a calming influence and perched on her favourite rock over looking a forest glade, she teaches Mabel how to be still and observe nature. That said, Mabel becomes a headstrong young woman and when she finds that Mayor Jerry (Jon Hamm) of nearby Beaverton, a popular politician, is about to push a new highway through the glade, she resolves to do something about it. Learning that her professor at the University has devised a new way of observing animals in order to understand them better, Mabel decides to take advantage of this technology and use it herself. That's all I'm telling you about the plot. A film children will enjoy, if not all adults, the woman, sitting near to me with her kids, seemed to lose interest and took out her phone. However, despite this distraction, it was an enjoyable romp with a different take on our understanding of the animal kingdoms, yes kingdoms. Not a sugar-coated view of the natural world by any means. Pond Rules, anyone? Can humans and all of the other animals share the world without any one kingdom selfishly favouring itself to the detriment of the others? This Beaverton fantasy shows that if you care about others, then there is always a chance.

The unimaginatively titled Scream 7 (18) is the latest in the slasher horror franchise. Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) is back after missing the previous instalment. The opening 15 minutes back in the 'murder house' in Woodsboro set the scene for the rest of the movie as we learn that yet again someone with a grudge has resurrected Ghostface. Sidney, now in Indiana, has a police chief husband Mark (Joel McHale from 'Community') and a teenaged daughter, Tatum (Isabel May), whose boyfriend Ben (Sam Rechner) attracts mom's suspicions above and beyond the natural protective mom vibes. Given Sidney's past history there are few people that she trusts, so anyone getting close to her family is seen as a potential murder suspect. As you might guess, the bodies start piling up as Ghostface eventually appears with the usual sharp-edged modus operandi. All the customary features of the Scream movies are present, the phone calls, the self-reference to previous films and the red herrings that lead you to suspect the innocent. Can Sidney protect Tatum and ensure that she will lead a normal life after this current round of violence splutters, or splatters, to its bloody end? After the opening which did provide a few jump scares, I felt the film was rather flat and lacking in tension. Although it was played straight and not for laughs, I just found I couldn't take it seriously. If it had been played in a semi-humorous vein it may have been better. Sidney is the strongest character and you want her to win through but you don't really get to know the others well enough to really care if they survive. The discovery of the killer was a surprise but the rationale for the murder spree was somewhat convoluted which made you realise, if you hadn't already, that this franchise has little left in the tank creativity-wise and perhaps film makers and serial killers should leave Sidney and family in peace and start tormenting a new set of unconnected teens with a different rationale and a more imaginative plot.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

Cold Storage (15) is a sci-fi comedy horror and although played straight it doesn't take itself too seriously. Set in a regular storage unit, as you might see just off the A34, this is one is situated in the middle of a desert and was previously a military grade facility, until decommissioned, privatised and manned by minimum wagers who are not exactly enthralled by the work but hey, it's a job. On nights is Travis aka 'Teacake' (Joe Keery) who is keen to stay out of trouble and not get mixed up in a dodgy enterprise run by janitor Griffin (Gavin Spokes). He finds that he is on shift with new girl, Naomi (Georgina Campbell). Meanwhile Robert Quinn (Liam Neeson) a retired containment expert is awoken by Abigail, a US Army operative at a command centre due to an alarm triggered at a former US Army storage facility... I will say no more about the plot. I enjoyed the film. I cared about the main protagonists, Travis and Naomi, wanting them to survive the potential fate in store for them. I liked how we gradually got to know a bit more about their lives as the film progressed, which seemed natural, like two new colleagues gradually getting to know one other. The special effects were good. The main surprise was 'item 7' which sent the film into fantasy, that is if you consider that up to that point it was still clinging to some version of reality. The film is fairly linear and there are no plot twists to complicate things and get in the way of the fun. There are some laughs and also a few jump scares along the way, so it meets the criteria for a comedy horror. If you are tired and stressed after a busy week, then this is one to watch, as it is entertaining without you having to think too hard.

Crime 101 (15) is a crime thriller with Chris Hemsworth as Mike the upmarket thief, who never harms his victims or leaves any evidence. Cop Lou Lubenick (Mark Ruffalo) has a theory that a series of crimes all committed off Route 101 in Los Angeles are by one man due to their similar MO. However his views are not shared by his junior partner Tillman (Corey Hawkins) or his captain. Meanwhile Sharon (Halle Berry) works for a high value client insurance broker and is frustrated at her lack of promotion and the excuses she is offered each time she enquires about the partnership promised her. This film is about how the three become entangled in each others lives, fairly obviously in the case of Mike and Lou but less so with respect to Sharon. This wasn't the car chasing, squealing brakes and gunfight saga I expected and is much the better for it. A more involving and intelligent film. People whose experience isn't recognised or hard work rewarded may feel some kinship with Lou and Sandra here. None of the three is particularly happy with their lives. As we soon find out, Mike, despite successfully planning and carrying out his heists, wants out of the game as soon as possible which doesn't please his boss/fence Money (Nick Nolte) who gets biker Ormon (Barry Keoghan) to commit the next crime instead and keep tabs on Mike to see what he is going to do next and steal his ideas. Desperately lonely and looking for a real relationship, Mike chances on Maya (Monica Barbaro) and suggests a date but that brings its own problems. We also follow the lives of Lou and Sharon as they face up to their own failures and insecurities. How their separate stories entwine and come to a conclusion may be implausible but it is certainly an enjoyable ride and I can recommend it as a crime movie different from the 'screech screech bang bang' that one frequently associates with this type of film.

The Whistle (15) is a teen horror. The trailer said it was from the people who bought you The Monkey so you know a little of what to expect. After the scene setting opening with basketball star Mason, we move on to the main protagonist, Chrysanthemum "Chrys" (Dafne Keen) an older teen who has relocated to live with her cousin Rel (Sky Yang). Her first day at high school doesn't go so well and she, Rel, his friend Ellie (Sophie Nélisse), Grace (Ali Skovbye), his crush and her boyfriend Dean (Jhaleil Swaby) end up in detention with teacher Mr Craven (Nick Frost). Something falls out of Chrys' bag that attracts his interest and sets this ersatz Breakfast Club on a road that should not have been taken. From hereon in things start to happen and not in a good way. Can these teens find a way to prevent the supernatural intervening in their young lives, potentially forever? Mason's mother (Michelle Fairley) collector of memento mori may have some clues that will help them. If you liked The Monkey you will probably enjoy this. Although not as intense and complicated, it has some genuinely scary moments. There is a love story thrown in which become integral to the plot. The film is too linear to really shock you and part way through I gained an inkling into how it was likely to end, so perhaps a little too formulaic, with not enough twists, though plenty of jump moments and gore. A good performance from the cast and overall you are concerned about their fate and do root for them, well, some of them. Not as good as The Monkey but still worth seeing if you like this type of horror.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

Shelter (15) is a film starring Jason Statham. I could stop my review there as his films have become so formulaic that you almost feel you are watching the same film as the one he made before. The Statham character usually lives alone, minds his own business but is friendly with an old lady etc. Something then happens that requires him to cast off the cloak of anonimity and reveal that he is a former soldier, usually SAS, or an ex special agent, anyway you get the picture. For some reason, as with a lot of films lately, it seems to be shot in a gloom. Almost a silent one too to start with as you see Statham standing and gazing with intense focus at the sea view. The action does pick up though as he finds he has to act as a parent and nurse to a suspicious young girl Jessie (Bodhi Rae Breathnach). Statham has a paranoia about being seen, actually, as always, his fear is well grounded as when he is eventually spotted all hell breaks loose as he and young Jessie are hunted down. I won't say anymore as you can probably work out the rest. I did like the film as it was an easy watch. It required no real effort to understand what was happening - you could just sit back and enjoy the ride. The young girl who is Staham's co-star does really well in her role and it was her acting that gave us the only real emotion in a film that was otherwise lacking any, given Statham's deadpan performance, with little dialogue except his occasional instruction to her. If you are a Statham fan you will want to see it but if you have seen his other films and were not impressed, this will not change your mind.

If you can imagine '9 to 5', 'The Admirable Crichton' and 'Lord of the Flies' rolled into one, then that gives you some idea of what this film is like. Linda Liddle (Rachel McAdams) is a data analyst for a consultancy firm. Her immediate boss, Donovan (Xavier Samuel) claims credit for her work. However he is merely a junior **** compared to Bradley Preston (Dylan O'Brien), the entitled son of the founder, who is now CEO. In a world of bro's, Linda is the lowest of the low and despised by them. She only survives because she is so valuable but her social skills and penchant for tuna sandwiches are only a few of the things that stop her scaling the office ladder. However if the tables were turned and Linda became the alpha, how would the boys feel then? Particularly Bradley. I don't want to say too much but this film has many layers and if you think you have sussed it out, then the next scene can completely confound you about the direction it is taking. This is one for office nerds everywhere who have dreamed of sticking it to senior management but have never had the opportunity. For Linda that becomes a reality and we can enjoy unpeeling the layers of this film and trying to anticipate its twists and turns. There is much more I could say about this film but I don't want to spoil it for you. It is only February but this is the best film I have seen this year so far, possibly a contender for film of the year. Rachel McAdams is brilliant as Linda and Dylan O'Brien is the perfect foil as Bradley. This film really struck a chord with me and though it is utter fantasy, I really got involved in it which is something that rarely happens. More comedy than horror it is true but certainly a must see if you like the films I do.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

The History of Sound (15) is a period drama set largely in the early 20th century. It was screenwritten by the author of the book of the same name. Lionel (Paul Mescal) is a country boy from Kentucky with an aptitude for music who leaves home for a college in Boston. Hearing a familiar song from home being sung by a pianist, he introduces himself to the player, David (Josh O' Connor). They become friends but it is 1917 and David enrols in the US Army, Lionel's eyesight preventing him from doing the same. The college closes and he returns home to help out on the family farm. The heart of the story is during 1919 after David returns from the war. He suggests that Lionel joins him in a project for his new employer, a college in Maine. Travelling the state, they will record the songs of rural America on wax cylinders using a special machine. They rebond over their common interest in folk songs but David won't talk about his wartime experiences. He explains to Lionel that in order to get people to co-operate and sing he often bends the truth about the recording to encourage participation. The two are recording songs that may soon disappear, as one small island community is being moved on so that their land can be developed so their soulful and beautiful music may one day be preserved only on those wax cylinders as they are uprooted from the land they know and love. The two men part and in the early 1920s Lionel travels to both Italy and England to earn a living in music either singing or as a choirmaster. He leaves relationships behind him and is clearly restless. Having written to David he receives no replies. When his family no longer have any call on him, he seeks out his old friend in Augusta, Maine, the last place he lived. Will Lionel find some contentment or will he fall further into despair? The film develops slowly and on occasions is beautifully shot. The music is affecting and is not country music as we know it today but a folk precursor that with its themes of love, death, pain and sorrow has been handed down and modified by each generation but is now gradually being lost. In some way the songs mirror Lionel's own experience as we move through his life as he takes new lovers and ends old relationships. It is well acted by both Mescal and O' Connor who bring both men to life in their different ways, complementing each other, the one born rural and poor with family responsibilities, the other wealthy and urbane with no ties. This was a film I did not plan on seeing as I knew nothing about it. Those who like thoughtful and reflective films may enjoy it but it will not be for everyone.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

I have a confession to make about Song Sung Blue (12A), which I thought was a biopic of Neil Diamond rather than a film about Mike Sardina (Hugh Jackman) and Claire Stengl (Kate Hudson) both part-time entertainers getting small town gigs in Wisconsin wherever they can while hoping to make it big some day. They meet when both are on the same bill, imitating other stars, she as Patsy Cline and Mike as Don Ho (exactly!) but he refuses to play this role and walks **** rest of the film shows how their personal relationship develops and start working together as Lightning and Thunder, a band 'interpreting' Diamond's songs yet also how Claire's family react to a new person entering their lives. Jackman and Hudson are very much the stars but the supporting cast is good too, particularly Claire's teenage daughter Rachel (Ella Anderson). The music of Neil Diamond features strongly and in addition to old favourites, other less well known songs (to me anyway) make an appearance. As you might guess the course of love and music never runs smooth so there are peaks and troughs in Mike and Claire's personal relationship and in their performing partnership too. I enjoyed this movie which has some emotional heft. Some may consider that its plot development is a little predictable and I had a feeling that there might be a positive ending but you will have to see for yourself whether I was right or not.

Hamnet (12A) could have been subtitled 'The Shakespeares' as it is about the family life of the playwright William (Paul Mescal), his wife Agnes (Jessie Buckley) pronounced An-yes and their children Suzanna, Hamnet and Judith. One advantage of us knowing very little about Shakespeare's life apart from his plays, is that it allows a novelist/screenwriter to fill in the gaps and I feel it has been done well. Agnes is shown with an affinity for the natural world and is often found in the nearby forest where she gathers the wild plants according to the herblore taught to her as a girl by her natural mother. The action takes place mostly in Stratford although occasionally we see Will in London. With her husband being absent for much of the time, Agnes has to look after the children alone with the occasional support of her sometimes fierce mother-in-law Mary (Emily Watson). Much of the film is centred around the three Shakespeare children and the actors in these roles, especially the boy Hamnet, are very convincing. Although the words of Shakespeare feature in this film, it is ironic that its most dramatic moments are conveyed by look and gesture rather than in speech. I would be surprised if anyone is not moved emotionally by watching Hamnet and even if you have no interest or knowledge of Shakespeare, the human drama is compelling and I would recommend it.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]