UK release date: 24/02/16
Directed by: Louis Leterrier
Grimsby was grim by name and grim by nature. It was reasonably funny in parts, but I did spend the majority of the time cringing and feeling generally uncomfortable. In classic Sacha Baron Cohen style, the film was pretty ridiculous, but I found this one particularly silly. At one point Cohen and Mark Strong, who plays his long lost brother, were inside an elephant. It was like a really, really, really gross Revenant.
UK release date: 15/01/16
Directed by: Lenny Abrahamson
Room tells the story of a young woman and her son who spend their lives locked in a shed, and their great escape plan. This is definitely one of the best films I’ve seen this year, but I have heard many people complain that the trailer completely gives the story away. I didn’t really care about this. I don’t really care about many things. Brie Larson picked up an Academy Award for Best Actress, which I think was thoroughly deserved, and Jacob Tremblay’s performance was first class, too. I hear the book is also good. But don’t hold me to that.
UK release date: 19/02/16
Directed by: Christian Ditter
How To Be Single follows several different singles in New York, showing how they all handle their situation differently. For a comedy, it really wasn’t that funny. In fact, the only bit I fully laughed at was when I realised one of the characters had the same name as my old high school Headteacher. Rebel Wilson had a few funny lines, Dakota Johnson played the classic “I don’t know what I’m doing with my life” character, there was a bar man who gave his nightly words of wisdom. And the ending was like a Nike advert. It was weird, I didn’t really see the point of the film.
UK release date: 19/02/16
Directed by: John Hillcoat
Triple 9 shows a gang of criminals, and some dishonest police officers, trying to achieve their biggest heist yet. This is not the kind of film I would usually enjoy, but I did really like the story. To pull off their task, they would have to kill a police officer and we watch as the gang plan to do this, we see loop holes and other forces getting involved. It was action packed, with an actual decent storyline and some great characters. It was dece.
UK release date: 12/02/16
Directed by: Peter Landesman
Concussion is a true story about a doctor who moves from Africa to the US and discovers a form brain damage experienced by many professional American Football players who have suffered with concussion many times. Will Smith plays Dr. Bennet Omalu, and many believe that he should have been nominated for Best Actor for his performance. This coincided with the “Oscars So White” fiasco, where there was big controversy as no black actors were nominated for any major awards. Although I found the film fascinating, I don’t think it was as enjoyable as those that were nominated. However, in my opinion, Will Smith did deliver one of his best performances in recent years.
UK release date: 06/02/16
Directed by: Ben Stiller
I honestly don’t know why I left my house to see this film. I didn’t find the first film funny, and this one was 10 times less funny. After a long break from modelling work, the two main characters Hansel and Derek (Owen Wilson and Ben Stiller) are reunited and become the centre of a conspiracy. I literally have nothing to say about it. Don’t bother would be my advice.
UK release date: 10/02/16
Directed by: Tim Miller
Deadpool was weird but funny. I didn’t expect myself to enjoy it but I did. Wade Wilson, played by Ryan Reynolds, adopts the altar ego ‘Deadpool’ after acquiring healing powers, and tries to hunt the man who deformed him. I say deformed him, but really he made him magic and gave him really bad eczema – I think I could learn to live with the rough skin in his situation. It was quite nice to see a ‘superhero’ type film that didn’t take itself too seriously, and everyone in the cinema was laughing the whole way through so that says a lot.
