Let’s just begin by acknowledging that this movie is so good if it came out twenty years ago it would have been banned, not only by the catholic church but by psychologists, samaritans, and the Republic of Gilead.

Mother is Whiplash without the drum sticks but with double the intensity, even if it does drag at the beginning and rush towards the finish.

The film has come under some criticism , mostly due to the length of time dedicated towards setting the tense atmosphere, but this basically boils down to thirty minutes of Jennifer Lawrence changing facial expressions, which leaves you wondering if you’ve ended up going to an adult version of the Emoji Movie.

Mother has an unexplained Carrie moment but it’s revealed pretty early that the house is owned by a world famous writer who’s working on his next novel while his wife works to rebuild the property after a fire burned it down to the ground prior to their marriage, but we learn little more about the time before until close to the end of the movie.

Clever angles and frantic camera bounce add to the turning of the screw opening which gives a haunted house feeling that you might be familiar with from horror movies. There are some really mysterious moments where Lawrence gets emotional with the timber walls and you get the feeling the house is part of her psyche but you’re never quite sure if this is an exaggeration of her attachment for her woodwork or if there is something deeper going on.

Of course this movie is all about the mysterious stranger who turns up on the doorstep, a bit creepy, and bringer of fire, his entrance adds the spark you’ve been waiting for. While trying to figure out this guest and his motives there is a moment when you’re left thinking to yourself that you’ve ended up at this year’s Broke Back Mountain but we never do find out what happens in the mountains when men go hiking alone.

Unfortunately it’s hard to write too much without spoiling the Movie but every line is retrospectively so clever and I’ve been very amused reading some of the bad reviews because if  you don’t come away from Mother questioning whether the pursuit of love diminishes our quest for art or whether our own hedonistic lifestyle is what prevents us from truly finding peace, then quite simply you’re not paying much attention to your life nor have you ever considered why you’re here.
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Mother is the pursuit of the meaning of life, if you don’t go see it you’re missing out. 

Matt Damon’s Flashback saga continues with the straightforward title ‘Jason Bourne’.

Being a huge fan of the last four, yes all four, movies I couldn’t believe it when I heard this was in the pipeline. Looking back on how the original film single handedly reshaped the Bond franchise, or how spy movies became more mysterious and gritty in the 21st century, all thanks to an agent who couldn’t remember his name, I was sure this long anticipated Bourne instalment would take things to a new level faster than Keanu Reeves could fuck with the matrix.

But like most movies you look forward to seeing these days it was a complete let down. What made the previous Bourne movies such superior flicks was their edgy realism, a factor this chapter completely sidestepped. From the very opening and right through this film you can’t help but think, ‘wow, that was lame, was that meant to be a fight scene, you know he was impressive in Behind the Candelabra – wonder if he’s going to return to acting anytime soon’.

The plot is terrible to begin with, it factors in a very topical issue on cyber security compromising personal freedom, but then fails to really do anything with it or make a meaningful statement. It fails to build on a central character, Aaron Kalloor, with any real depth which is probably the biggest let down in the movie. The character Aaron Kalloor could have evolved the espionage element of the entire series by demonstrating the level of intelligence government agencies now have at their disposal, and perhaps make further assertions on how this information is gathered, collated and processed.

Regardless the Aaron Kalloor fiasco was a mere sub plot to the main storyline of Bourne crying over premature orphanism not unlike ‘Skyfall’s whingefest, which further disheartened the now growing feeling that this Bourne film was nothing more than a late cash in on an epic franchise.

Further tiresome moments included Bourne once again getting help from inside the agency from the lead female character, a ridiculous clichéd ploy to equate youthful femininity with an innate sense of good moral judgement. What’s even more aggravating is how polarised everyone in the movie is, there is so little dynamic in the agency after four movies, you’re either in complete shit and the only way out of the dog house is by killing Jason Bourne, or your an intern who has access to more Treadstone e-mails than Hillary Clinton and you decide to commit treason by dropping Bourne some breadcrumbs to get him out of harm’s way.

Another burnout factor is that you’re not likely to survive longer than twenty minutes unless your name is actually Jason Bourne, all characters are dispensable one dimensional drones who look and act like their predecessor, again diluting the realism and significance of the role characters play in the movies, which damages the franchises ability to build a world fans can truly dive into.

Perhaps if you like ridiculously silly car chase scenes that surpass the boundaries of reason, but you’re too heartbroken to watch old Paul Walker movies; you might get some guilt free kicks by fast forwarding through most of this movie.

Or if by chance you’ve never seen a movie where the good guy chases the bad guy down the wrong side of the motorway, narrowly avoiding oncoming traffic at full speed, you might consider this a poor film with average road rage compilations and a bonus Moby track at the end.
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However if you love the Bourne franchise and want to protect its reputation in a violent pub fight in New York City some night, don’t watch a single minute of this movie, or you could get it on DVD with some popcorn and stay out of New York for the rest of your life, but that’s a choice you’re going to have to make. 

There is something about a sunny day in Spring that makes me want to hide away in the dark basement of a cinema, I don’t know why that is, it’s just part of who I am I guess. So perhaps I had a natural inclination to see 10 Cloverfield Lane, it kinda called out to me as the birds and bees went about their merry business, buzzing and twerping, completely oblivious to the potential apocalypse which could be unleashed upon us any day now by God, or aliens, or the Donald Trump fan band.

Sitting cosy I have to mention some of the trailers, which are an early warning sign that the Summer blockbusters are on their way. First up was Batman vs Superman, which I will probably go see, so stay tuned as it’s a movie that will answer some very important questions. Secondly there was a very interesting trailer for a revamped Jungle Book which I most definitely won’t be seeing, you’d want to be on hard core drugs to sit through that....or maybe have kids or something....but I don’t know why people ruin their lives and sit around watching remakes of Disney movies to begin with.

Thankfully 10 Cloverfield Lane manages to avoid the blockbuster mentality and has a somewhat b-movie horror vibe to it.

The movie begins when Michelle (the damsel) having the worst possible break up, as she packs a loose bag and ends up staying with Josef Fritzl and Brandon Dassey .

The result is a film which packs a serious psychological punch with Michelle questioning whether the monster lives outside the hatch or maybe it lies within.

We don’t know much about the benevolent Howard, he was probably in the navy, has a tendency to believe in conspiracy theories and has a serious disliking of monopoly. However he holds all the power in his man made bunker and we’re not quite sure what he has planned for Michelle, but we know he’s creepy and the very innocent Emmet barged in at the last minute to ensure the cloverfield dictator isn’t the last man on earth.  

Howard’s creepy actions make this a great suspense movie (for instance why rescue someone and then chain them up, when exactly did Emmet barge in?). The film also keeps us guessing about what might be really happening above ground, and despite some gory scenes outside the hatch Michelle isn’t convinced that pigs will fly as she develops some conspiracy theories of her own, meets the neighbours and does a great Solid Snake impression through the vents.  

There has been some criticism over how this movie doesn’t connect with its predecessor but I think that the intention is to explore some twilight zone apocalyptic scenarios, and if so we could be heading towards a series of really well thought out sci-fi thrillers, where each film is independent enough to ensure it’s not governed by the rules or events of the previous one.
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If you’re thinking about 10 Cloverfield Lane its best to see it early before the hype dies down, or before you read a review that reveals too much, but this is a movie that won’t fail to entertain and will give you some appreciation of a time where we could walk to the shops for milk without being sprayed by Trump zombie gas, which turns you this strange fake tan colour and makes you eat the flesh of dead babies. 

​ (Picture by Glen Brogan @GlenBroganArt)

‘TheVoices’ is a movie that derives most of its humour from vulgarity as opposed to sharp wit or clever punch lines.  The lead character is one dimensional, doing little to explore the complexities of the human mind, instead linking mental illness with psychopathic behaviour. It’s a bit disappointing in this sense because murder is a callous and calculated crime where as poor Jerry, who seems to suffer from depression and schizophrenia, turns out to be a slapstick serial killer with a very troubled childhood. So for instance if you’re a fascist with an intolerance of the diverse society we actually live in you will probably love this film.

That said this is a black comedy, so we can’t hold it accountable for its limited attempt in explaining that victims of abuse or psychological disorders are multifaceted individuals with an equally diverse range of human emotions.  But we can judge it for being an attempt at comedy which it fails miserably. The quirky bright side of an out of touch Jerry is a clever contrast to the sinister world of severed heads and piled up pizza boxes from which he escapes, but the film lacks the intelligence of a black comedy and falls short of the laughs you’d normally associate with your average light hearted movie, so it really plays out as nothing more than a quirky gore movie with a foul mouthed cat who has a dispassionate view of his canine  companion, the kind of quarrelling pair that you find on children’s tv.

In summary this isn’t a movie worth going to see unless you’re on something, or its raining and there has been a train strike and it’s gonna take you an hour and a half to walk up hill through a ghetto to the nearest bus station which is inhabited by a pack of crazed wolves. The Monty Python / Life of Brian score at the end of the film cements the feeling of resentment towards the whole picture, trapped in the middle of the centre row of a semi crowded cinema this was probably the most pain staking three minutes of my life, for which I can remark that going to see this film has only added to the therapy bill. 

First of all this is the must see movie in cinema at the moment. The movie is Black Swan on cymbals, it’s a diverse work of genius in human thinking, the kind of emotional highjacker that all writers hope to achieve. We get so wrapped up in Andrew Neyman’s desire to achieve greatness that we have no idea what’s going to happen next. Tragedy, suicide, murder, love, death, and triumph are all possible in the pulse of the script.

The lead character, Andrew Neyman, is a shy introverted kid with a single minded desire for greatness, a desire that the ruthless and perhaps sadistic Terence Fletcher sniffs out and dangles before him, permitting Fletcher to influence a psychological hold over the young musician.  

Interestingly after Neyman bumps his head at the start of the movie, things get a bit hazy and this film could easily be ‘inception’ or just Neyman’s brutal reality, as he ends up in a nightmare realm full of his own fears and exerts little control over his rage, confronting his family, his peers and his mentors. At times the formerly introverted protégé has exuberant confidence to overcome the emotional hurdles in his life, at other times he is inflicted with the worst case scenario setbacks one could only find in dream like fantasy. The running theme of dripping blood is comatosing, it reminds us that this kid is on the edge and the bloodletting continues to build up anticipation of an intense eruption which could swing one way or the other.

Secondly I was a bit disappointed to read detractors like The New Yorker’s Richard Brody who complained that the protagonist was a tunnel visioned individual with no passion for creativity, and the film failed to capture the essence of jazz. Quite simply I don’t understand why critics pick holes like this in movies, such critics are basically reality tv junkies who’ve forgotten that movies are only two hours long, we don’t expect to go to the cinema to come out four days later having a well rounded view of the lead character’s entire life. This film is a tension boiler with psychological impact, if you want to go watch jazz there are plenty of musicians worth supporting and talking about, why spout a highbrow opinion on music about the one movie with a jazz element to actually come out of cinema.

Finally Whiplash deserves credit for the emotional roller coaster it provides, winner of both the Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize at this year's Sundance Film Festival, the movie delivers every beat without rushing or dragging in a brilliantly rhythmic cinematic masterpiece. 

The Drop is a story about a dog called Rocco, who also goes by the alias of Mike. Rocco winds up moving in the dark circles of the Brooklyn underworld after a chance meeting with Bob Saginowski, played by Tom Hardy.

It turns out Rocco has  a bit of a mysterious past, having previously entangled with a known hoodlum by the name of Eric Deeds, the dog has the scars to prove he's seen harder times having come out the worst from his dealings with the street thug. Deeds is a very calculated individual and with a physical presence that towers over Tom Hardy we get an immediate chill from the danger which radiates from his presence. We soon learn that Deeds is connected with an unsolved murder which begins to trouble Saginowski, especially when Deeds reveals he has some unfinished business with Rocco and begins to shake the pair down for some money, whilst looming sinisterly in the background to assert his control over the situation.

Bob introduces Rocco to his neighbour Nadia who helps keep an eye on him, Nadia who has some scars of her own, immediately associates with the dog and a love interest begins to bloom. Nadia reminds Tom that Rocco is a pit bull, a very dangerous breed known for their innate aggression, but only when left in the hands of a malicious master, Nadia gives us the message that this dog will only bite if it’s backed into a corner, but until then he plays a rather unassuming role. Rocco’s very much the gentle type, a bit shy - his hobbies include long walks along the seashore, playing with squeaky toys and the disposal of body parts.  

Of course the movie has many masters, Marv a kind of Scrooge character, played by Gandolfini, is the character in charge of a drop operation which employees Bob and Rocco. The operation in turn is run by some Chechen gangsters and it’s interesting to see who exactly is pulling the strings when the curtain folds.

Early on in the film we learn that Rocco has very strong religious roots, but we're not so sure if he has his mind made up on being a fully fledged member of the church. When Detective Torres forewarns the temple may fall we begin to see the dark arm of the mob embrace our protagonist and the question that arises is whether Rocco will be left standing as a saint or a sinner!

The movie builds up to a dramatic showdown between Rocco and Eric Deeds at Marv’s bar, Marv makes his excuses so that the lead characters can carry on about their business, but he by no means bows out in what has to be remarked as a very memorable performance from the late James Gandolfini. The film is carried by the excellent performances from its lead characters who provide a very edgy screen presence coupled with some blurred camera shots that add to the suspense. It’s a movie worth seeing for this reason alone and Rocco provides enough bite to ensure you won’t leave the cinema disappointed.   

I’m going to be honest, I really liked the start of this movie, two writers falling in love in a cloud of romance couldn't be any sweeter. I spent the first twenty minutes falling in love with Amazing Amy as she tells of how she fell in love with Nick Dunne, but as the story develops cracks appear in the relationship and it’s difficult to tell where our allegiance lies, which is why we get caught up in the initial media frenzy that the movie pulls off so well.

At the turning point we find Nick Dunne is just another washed up writer in a bar downtown, his relationship is under some serious stress and we wonder if these two can make it.  Then disaster strikes as Nick comes home to find a coffee table turned over in the living room. He immediately suspects something is wrong, unemployed Amy would have had all day to clean that up, best call the police.

I've never had cops over to the house after I’ve reported someone missing but I think I’d be pretty perturbed if they suddenly left little post it notes all about the place saying ‘check this shit out’ ‘forensics need to see this’ ‘definitely evidence’ ‘blood all over the kitchen’.

Nick doesn't mind though, just happy to help out as he entangles himself further by leading the police from one clue to the next. Quick interview with the prime suspect and we learn that he doesn't know his wife that well at all, how did these two ever get married? Does Nick even love Amy? Has he ever loved her?

The best part of the thriller is wondering if Nick has something to do with his wife’s disappearance, but the film never really convinces us of his malice, in fact the movie lacks a real villain in that sense.

By that I mean the movie never really delivers an act of evil that we can use to identify the sinister criminal, the rat, the bad guy – we never get that feeling of fear where our skin crawls with discomfort. Instead we get a psychotic house wife, a cheating husband, a cop that can’t solve a crime, a teenage girl that can’t pass her exams, a sister that can’t find a husband (or a friend outside of her family), a good looking rich guy who can’t find a girlfriend, two parents who can’t find their daughter (no not the McCanns), a lawyer who can’t find a case, two mentioned marines who never find anything, a drug lord that can’t find a gun, a news anchor who can’t find more than the one news story, a Father who’s lost his mind, and a movie that loses the run of itself.

I can’t understand why this movie tries to continuously get clever with itself instead of developing one plot at a time, usually a thriller tries to play mind games with the audience by slowly building cliff hangers but this is a movie too busy trying to play mind games with itself, it moves too quickly from scene to scene in an easily explained and convenient fashion, without capturing the imagination of the viewer. It mostly just gets boring and refuses to end. Alright we get it, you’ve had a few bad relationships, let’s all just be friends again. Ultimately the film is just too Ben Afleck, sure it tries to be bold but it’s just not cut throat enough to make it off the bottom shelf.

Spoilers include  :

Why wait to get out of the hospital to have a shower?

Surely divorce would have been a better option?

Why not get search warrants straight away?

Why is there only one suspect in a murder investigation?