The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026)

It's been 7 years since the last theatrical Star Wars release. Since then, there have been 7 different live-action Star Wars TV shows released on Disney+, including The Mandalorian. Set several years after Return of the Jedi, the series follows bounty hunter Din Djarin and his apprentice Grogu (colloquially known as "Baby Yoda") in their adventures across the galaxy. The first two seasons were great, and felt like a return to the raw and gritty side of Star Wars seen in the original 1977 release. Their further adventures were stitched between The Book of Boba Fett (technically season 2.5) and season 3, at which point it burned through its goodwill and felt like there was no real direction for the future. After taking a few years off, creator Jon Favreau brings us this self-contained standalone story, which could easily be dubbed season 4.

Grogu (50 years of age) still hasn't grown up and suffers from a distinct lack of character development, which mostly hinges on being cute. And cute he is. The puppetry and practical effects are to be commended because it feels like it could have been crafted in the '80s. Meanwhile, Mando is a man of few words and even fewer facetime. The duo are sent on a mission to retrieve Jabba the Hutt's son and feature in largely generic set pieces. Grogu is by far the more interesting character and he shines whenever he's on screen. The best part is easily a wordless sequence that takes place late in the film. In the end, we still know nothing about these characters and we are no better for it. Still, I enjoy this stuff more than the self-seriousness of Andor. This is the way.

3 plot armors out of 5

Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025)

Avatar has a new skin. While the first two films introduced us to the forest and the sea clans, we now have the ash clan. All that's missing is the air element...

James Cameron does it again. By creating a rich, fully inhabited world that you would rather live in, you forgive all the flaws in this epic sprawling picture, filled with warring clans and transparent allusions to racism. Visually, it's a 10/10 movie; like your desktop wallpaper come to life. Cameron has masterful command over the material and takes us to dazzling, staggering heights filled with beauty, wonder and imagination. Individual moments shine, but most of it feels like CGI on overdrive with things exploding in the background, which overshadows the drama and emotional stakes. The new villain Varang (Oona Chaplin) oozes with sensuality, while the most interesting character remains the teenage Kiri (Sigourney Weaver), but there are too many storylines and the whole thing loses focus quickly. The fundamental flaw of these movies is that they're way too fucking long. And it's starting to feel repetitive at this point. I enjoyed it, but I also breathed a sigh of relief when it was finally over.

3½ breathing devices out of 5

Note: Luckily, this film does feature a conclusive enough ending if Cameron chooses not to continue with his planned sequels. We'll see what happens.

Dust Bunny (2025)

A delightful dark fantasy told through the eyes of a child. 8-year-old Aurora is terrified of the monsters hiding under her bed, including a literal bunny made up of dust. She procures the services of her mysterious next door neighbor to handle the problem, although he doesn't believe the monsters are literal. It's a simply told horror tale that lulls you in a state of calm on the surface, but the charming performances (including first-timer Sophie Sloan) carry you forward. 

Bryan Fuller (Pushing Daisies, Hannibal) makes his big screen directorial debut. 

3 chicken butt lamps out of 5

Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

Let's get this out of the way first: This movie is gorgeous. But that's all it is. It wades in shallow waters, but the colors pop and it's a world you achingly long to escape to. You want to watch this on the biggest screen you can find. 

It only took James Cameron 13 or so years to get back in the director's chair to follow up the visually arresting Avatar. He doesn't make too many changes to the formula here, but he swaps the Na'vi forests for its deep oceans (one of Cameron's own vested interests) in order to introduce the audience to new types of dazzling flora and alluring fauna. Like the original, people cynically bemoan it as a dearth of cinema, but it's only meant to be a simple good time at the movies. Get the stick out of your ass and flip the switch on your brain to "off" to get the maximum enjoyment. There's only going to be about 20 more of these damn movies.

3½ swims with whales out of 5

Avatar (2009)

This film is a visual marvel and most people tend to cynically look back on it as derivative of other films (Dances with Wolves or FernGully), but you have to appreciate it for what it was at the time: a technological spectacle that brought about remarkable advances in cinematic achievement. At once an environmental morality tale and a love story for the ages, Jake Sully is a paraplegic war veteran who is given a new lease on life when he gets the chance to try out a new, enhanced engineered body and infiltrate the mysterious Na'vi creatures of an alien planet called Pandora. It's enjoyable primarily because it manages to do what movies do best: take you on an adventure of imagination that is unbound by this world's stringent limits. Still manages to move this viewer and stir the withered heartstrings after all this time. I See You.

4½ hair jobs out of 5

Note: At the time of posting, this is still the highest-grossing film of all time, but it is neck and neck with Avengers: Endgame. It is still remarkable to me that James Cameron is responsible for three of the top four biggest box office returns. Not too shabby for a director who has made less than 10 feature films.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)

Trading in the laughs per minute for a heartwarming family dramedy, Jason Reitman (son of original director Ivan) lovingly constructs his film as a tribute to its fallen star (and original writer) Harold Ramis. As such, it functions as an homage to the entire franchise, even as it essentially resurrects the old Ghostbusters gang (and Gozer) and recycles the plot of the 1984 film. What sets this apart is that it centers around Spengler's legacy and takes place in the quiet countryside rather than the bustling streets of NYC.

At first I was put off by this tone, until I realized there was no way they were ever going to replicate the spirit of the original, so they might as well try something different. Unfortunately, we really miss the presence of the original cast's camaraderie—in particular Bill Murray's wry wit—and this becomes glaringly obvious anytime they appear on screen together. Let's face it; the only reason this film is successful at all is because of the goodwill of the original.

If I could sum it up in even simpler terms, this is the Force Awakens of the Ghostbusters franchise.

3 mini-Pufts out of 5

Vantage Point (2008)

A twisty thriller set in Spain during a political summit concerned with creating an international alliance to tackle America's war on terrorism. It's of such importance that the US president (William Hurt) is making an appearance, making himself a visible target for the people he's there to protest against.
The singular event is replayed many times from the perspective of various attendees, the 'vantage' points of the title. Initially it's exciting and adds a level of intrigue but the overuse and highlighting of too many damn coincidences turns it around until it becomes an exercise in endurance. Likewise, the editing, effectively adding tension at the start, starts to annoy over time. The ridiculous car chase is where I gave up caring about any of it.

2½ phone calls out of 5

Alien: Resurrection (1997)

The Alien franchise should've ended with Alien³ (1992). If you're a Cameron fan you might say it should've ended after Aliens (1986). And even though I like the third film, I'd have been just as happy if it had ended after Alien (1979). It's a debate that'll never end. But I'm guessing that the majority of fans will at least be able to agree that Resurrection should never have happened.
Dir. Jeunet at max idiosyncratic level would've been wholly inappropriate for the series. Jeunet uncharacteristically restrained fares little better and it's not long before the cracks begin to show in the attempt. It's a $75,000,000 B-Movie with a story better suited to one of the tie-in books than a feature-film.

1½ connective difficulties out of 5

Aliens - Special Edition (1986)

Cameron's Aliens (plural because there's more than one xenomorph - it's the law of sequels) occasionally references the cold isolation and horror that helped make the first Alien (1979) film work, but his style is very different to Scott's; it's still reliant on subtleties, but is much more action driven.
The SE reinstates to the theatrical cut 17 minutes of previously excised footage, including important details of Ripley's personal journey, slowing the pace of the first half to even more of a crawl than it was before.
If you're not a fan of the Heinlein-esque colonial marines and their big guns (I'm not), then it's a slow advance to the good stuff; i.e the last half hour. Even though it's action-heavy then too, it stays relevant by having an interesting subtext present, made more poignant by those initially troublesome extra minutes. So in the end it balances out and I feel that the SE is the more developed and enjoyable option for that reason.

3½ real monsters out of 5

FINDING DORY [2016]

13 years after the wonderfully crafted Finding Nemo, Disney, Pixar & director Andrew Stanton make a much-anticipated return to their underwater world with Finding Dory.
The lovable blue tang fish with a short-term memory sets out to find her long lost parents leading her to a dizzying adventure in a Californian aquatic park where she meets all sorts of weird and wonderful characters.
I entered into the film a little cautious, thinking it couldn't stand up to the original that didn't really need a sequel but after an awkward first 15 minutes, I found myself at ease and constantly laughing at the story unfolding before me.  It manages to pack in a profoundly emotional punch, some hilarious moments for all ages and enough warmth to forgive any of it's very minor short-comings.

4 septopus out of 5

GHOSTHEADS [2016]

Mega-Ghostbusters fan Brendan Mertens shows his love for the film franchise with the documentary fan-flick Ghostheads.
It mostly centers around a number of dedicated fans from all over the map who share their adoration for the films through cosplay, internet forums, conventions and various other forms of geek-love.  As an added bonus it interviews cast & crew from the movies and animated television show for whatever reason.  It could have heavily benefited by exclusively focusing on stories of it's fans and instead wastes a lot of time on the celebrities sharing their foggy memories of the films they made over 20 years ago.
As a whole, it's an aimless mess by never really knowing exactly where it's headed or what it wants to say besides the obvious but it's heart is in the right place and that's enough for this Ghosthead.

2½ ghostbusting ringtones out of 5

CHAPPIE [2015]

District 9 director Neill Blomkamp's latest gritty sci-fi thriller, Chappie, leads me to believe the film-maker has the shitty M. Night Shyamalan virus, only his is working at an accelerated rate.
Set in the not-so distant future of South Africa, it follows a robot police officer that breaks free from the herd, with the ability to learn, feel and reason.  Blomkamp's more than obvious tribute to Robocop aims high with it's ideas but shits the bed with it's cringe-worthy dialogue, horridly uneven tones and annoying performances.  I mean, who the feck thought casting counter-culture hip-hop act Die Antwoord to attempt to act out some emotionally heavy scenes?  Jesus.  Visually the film is quite compelling and every now & then it raises some interesting question but it manages to fail miserably on every other account.

1½ ED-209's out of 5

EXODUS: GODS AND KINGS [2014]

Director Ridley Scott takes it upon himself to retell the biblical story of The Amazing Adventures of Moses & The Jews in Exodus: Gods and Kings.
Uber-broody Christian Bale is cast as a sword-wielding Moses who leads 600,000 Jewish slaves out of Egypt to freedom and along the way they meet all sorts of zany characters and exciting hijinks ensue  Visually, the film is pretty damned spectacular, in both scenery and special effects, never denying itself the chance of a sweeping CGI overhead shot of the ancient lands and cities.  Elsewhere like in the heart and brains department, Exodus lacks a great deal.  Scott tries to scientifically explain all the biblical events like the parting of the Red Sea or the different plagues and in turn, he sucks all the magic out of what is actually a pretty amazing story and turns it into dazzling dullness.

2½ Godly kids out of 5

Galaxy Quest (1999)

I’ve seen nothing but praise for Galaxy Quest, but after having watched it I can’t fathom why. It’s a spoof of syndicated sci-fi shows from yesteryear, parodying specifically Star Trek TOS. I got the whole meta aspect, the cast-rivalries and in-jokes, and I enjoying laughing at the things I love, but the connection to the characters just wasn't there for me. The smiling aliens were fucking irritating. They’re morons but can build a ship with abilities that would make Einstein piss himself; a lame joke. I never thought I’d say it, but I found something that made Star Trek Voyager look good.

2 relevant conundrums out of 5

RAMPART [2011]

Director Oren Moverman fictionalizes his film around the Rampart scandals of LAPD in the late '90's making for some pre-setup tension.
Woody Harrelson leads the ensemble cast and unfortunately is the only character we really get to know which makes it a challenging watch seeing as he's so despicable.  Had the film added in another leading character to contrast Harrelson's corrupt cop it might have been a more inviting and interesting watch, instead we're just sort of waiting for this douche to get what's coming to him.  To add to it all, the camerawork is distractingly shaky and sometimes feel like it's trying a bit too hard to be naturally raw.
Rampart had pretty big potential to be a great crime drama but instead is just pretty off-putting and pointless.

2 ex-wives out of 5

Alien³ (1992 / 2003)

It's as bleak as a British winter and it'll piss off many fans of Aliens (1986), but I doubt pleasing Cameron's crowd was ever on the agenda of the creative team. If you've seen the Theatrical Cut, then you'll know how messy and lifeless it was. Fincher declined an invitation to do a Dir. Cut himself, so instead we got an Assembly Cut (by editor David Crowther?) that takes a xenomorph sized shit all over the studio's preferred version.

The bad CGI and hasty rewrites are still evident, but the forced camaraderie, the crushing despair and the multiple malignancies are more tightly woven into the narrative structure. Ultimately, if you're a fan of the series and haven't seen the 2003 version, then you really ought to.

1992 Cut: 2½ wall-runs out of 5 | 2003 Cut: 3½ parental instincts out of 5

Half Moon Street (1986)

People obsessed with money make me fucking sick. People obsessed with politics would come in a close second. If it wasn't for Sigourney Weaver and Michael Caine I’d have been lost at sea for something to entertain me in Half Moon's political thriller climate. Sigourney is a part-time escort girl with a PhD who uses her tits and her wits to make money. Caine is a work-hungry Lord who wants to watch her shave. Along the way there’s some underdeveloped nonsense about Arab and Israeli politics.
Polanski could've maybe did something more interesting with it.

2½ spiritual pollutants out of 5

Death and the Maiden (1994)

Roman Polanski’s adaptation of Ariel Dorfman’s play of the same name is a tense and morally suffocating piece of film. Both Sigourney Weaver and Ben Kingsley give it their all in characterising their respective players; it's a dark and lonely mindset to even begin to imagine.
Polanski’s use of space is intentionally restrained, but the attention to detail is of his usual standard. He keeps your attentions right where he wants them every step of the way.

3½ telephone wires out of 5

Alien (1979)

Ridley's first influential sci-fi is an ambitious production that's lit more like a horror film. The creeping zooms in dark corridors and ominous environments reinforce the claustrophobic living conditions that influence the crew. It's a cold, distanced experience that forces you to find a connection with the mostly unlikeable protagonists. Once you find it, you feel the fear the same as they do when the terror comes calling.
The themes that would make Cameron's action movie sequel worth watching were birthed here, hiding in the narrative and the performance.
The original 1979 Theatrical Cut is superior to the 2003 Director's Cut.
Let's not forget H.R. Giger, who gave the world the most fascinating alien design I've ever seen. Its appeal is that it's familiar but frightening.

5 meals ruined out of 5

THE VILLAGE [2004]

M. Night Shyamalan knows how to create creepy moods and atmosphere with great effect and that's pretty much what saves The Village from being a complete disaster.

It has moments of strained and awkward dialogue, silly plot elements that are handled poorly and an "surprise" ending that I saw coming from about 20 minutes into the film.  However the photography, music and performances are wonderful and make it all the worthwhile.

3 bright red bad out of 5