I consider myself very lucky to have got tickets to the Dublin Film Festival's screening of the elegant war time film Aftermath. The evening opened with an introduction by one of the film's young stars, Fionn O'Shea who said being part of this film was "a dream come true" which was the perfect prelude to this post war fantasy.

Set in a time before Brexit, long before the Germans learned to speak English and kick Britain out of the EU, long before people exposed everything about themselves on the internet. In a time after the great war and the war after that, but before therapy helped people deal with tragedy and before Nespresso replaced tea in the English kitchen.

Now we've all seen plenty of war time films so it's quite intriguing to see a movie take on a different angle in the toil and tumble of post war Europe. Aftermath is a movie about rebuilding and recovering what has been lost, and with themes of compassion forgiveness and reconciliation it has plenty of ammo to bring you to tears time and time again.

Set in the ruins of Hamburg, just five months after World War Two the cinematography is outstanding with the best opening sequence I've seen in a film since Lord of War. The contrast between the bomb shelled buildings in the city to the safe haven of the snow topped manor is absolutely breathtaking. The home's heart is it's piano, a significant prop that forms part of the emotional veins that run through this movie.

Keira Knightley plays the lead role but not just as the centre of the ensuing love triangle, no Keira performs with the stage presence you'd expect from the most glamorous cinema star of our generation. I often wonder what she'd be like in other classic love stories like Rebecca, Titanic, or The Painted Veil but when she's able to select movies like this and make instant classics of her own it's no wonder she's got such box office appeal.

Keira Knightley fandom aside there is a wonderful cast in the film with each of the characters searching for something of their own, whether it's a lost mother figure, a post war wife, or a friendly führer replacement, every character leaves their heart on their sleeve trying to fill the void. In fact the depth of love is explored from more angles than a Hugh Grant movie marathon while we also experience the characters fears and grievances, which make this one of the most emotional packed movies you'll ever see.

Aftermath has a very powerful ending that I'm sure will have critics talking for weeks. For me it's an instant classic that I can't wait to watch again but if you're not a fan of the Keira Knightley genre it might not capture your imagination, which means you'll never really experience World War Two PTSD the way you want to. For those of you that adore the genre this movie comes easily recommended.

Looking back over 90’s movies with special effects can sometime be cringe to the point of being unbearable but Alita helps us forget the time before CGI by seamlessly integrating computer generated characters with regular old movie stars. I now believe that robot children and Hollywood A-listers can finally live side by side without developing into a messy lawsuit years later.

Alita Battle Angel is a CGI master class that changes the face of entertainment in the same way Avatar did back in 2009.  This film is the 21st century equivalent of ballet, its peak entertainment and there is a whole lot more to come as a result. This film showcases CGI being integrated in perfect harmony with traditional cinema, prepare to enter a fantasy world without even noticing.

Alita holds a great storyline, it feels more like a limited series in the sense that it’s not rushed together or chasing towards an impossible ending. There are plenty of characters to like and hate which helps give a sense of depth and reality to the movie, while also introducing elements of comic book seduction much like Sin City did. There are also plenty of different areas of interest in IronCity, it’s a wonderful landscape all by itself, from the streets to the underground, from the Sky City to the badland lakes. There are also dark elements to this wonderful city from sinister Hunter Warriors, to body part collectors, and characters driven by self interest regardless of cost.

The cyborg Alita begins her reawakening as a child android on a path to self discovery. Thirty minutes in and she’s into adolescent phase discovering bad boys, motorball, and chocolate which adds to the humour of the film. It also develops into a cute love story which makes you wonder if Twitter bots are all that bad, can humans love automated intelligence, is there room for botboyfriends in the real world? This film holds the answer to that question.

What makes this movie so intriguing is how you get drawn into caring for the young robot with  android eyes and a human brain, ultimately Alita is a relatable character, more so than say Scarlet Johansson’s attempt at playing robot consciousness in Ghost in the Shell, similar concept, one clear winner. Alita has such a hidden history that we only get to discover the tip of the iceberg in this installment, I can only imagine there will be sequels and prequels to dive into this fantasy world in years to come, this could very well be a universe to potentially match the Star Wars realm and it might just be time to hang up your lightsaber.

The best thing that can be said about this movie is that it is literally a film for everyone, there is nobody on this green earth that could possibly dislike it, it’s an action packed righteousness adventure where dog lovers triumph and bad guys get punished. Alita not only has a human heart but also has a touch of soul that resonates with everyone. This is one film you shouldn’t miss if you’re emotionally ready for the future of cinema, the technology is here and it may very well be the perfect time to remake “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” as well as opening up the real potential of visual entertainment like you never imagined possible.