Release Date – 20th August 2025, Cert – 15, Run-time – 1 hour 50 minutes, Director – Mike Flanagan

Who is Charles Krantz (Tom Hiddleston), and how has his life led to his face appearing everywhere as the world comes to an end?

One of the big questions asked throughout the opening act of Mike Flanagan’s latest Stephen King adaptation is ‘who is Charles Krantz?’ His face (Tom Hiddelston) appears on posters and adverts all across town as at first the internet goes down and the end times appear to be getting closer. However, as his life, or rather three stages, one, or two, of which are more particularly moments, plays out in reverse it’s made clear that he’s very much an ordinary man. An accountant walking down the street who one day finds the confidence to drop his briefcase and dance along to the busking drummer (The Pocket Queen).

It’s a moment of catharsis in the middle of the street as the sun beats down on the everyday, especially as he ropes in a complete stranger (Annalise Basso’s just broken up with Janice) to join in on the display for the growing crowd of onlookers. As the chapter’s of Charles’, nicknamed Chuck, life play out Nick Offerman provides occasional narration, emphasising the normality but perhaps spectacular nature of his life. One which has faced tragedy and uplift, love and loss. Not all of which is seen, and entirely felt, but manages to come across in some way in the story.

Not one of King’s horror stories, Flanagan still manages to bring in a sense of fear to the proceedings. It’s light and infrequent but throughout his childhood Chuck (played here by Benjamin Pajak) is told by his grandparents (Mark Hamill and Mia Sara, both on excellent form and stealing the show despite brief screen-times) to never go into the mysterious room at the top of the house. Little is said about it apart from when Chuck’s grandfather is in a drunken state of grief, suggesting it has links to past deaths and tragedies. The treatment of this room has feelings of the Overlook Hotel without stretching into pure horror, only the aforementioned fear, perhaps spurred by the mystery.

This latter chapter, providing answers and context for what has come beforehand, is perhaps the best of the film. As a whole, there are good moments throughout The Life Of Chuck, including some wonderful conversations between characters pondering life for an individual scene – moments including Matthew Lillard and Carl Lumbly come to mind – but there can sometimes feel a slightly drawn out feeling to some points. Particularly in the first chapter where many of the questions are built up and pondered before moving on to focus more directly on Chuck’s life. With this in mind, while the final stages tie things together rather well and provide some effective context there’s still the feeling of watching three, albeit linked, short films rather than more tied together chapters.

Where things work best are where Chuck is most directly involved. Hiddelston may not have a great deal of lines, but he certainly gives it his all when it comes to the dance that he gets to do, and the following thoughts going through his character’s mind about what compelled him to do it in the first place. There’s a thoughtfulness to Flanagan’s film, and the story which unfolds. It may not always boost things in the way that might be hoped for as there can be spaces between the most effective and enjoyable moments propelled by a real connection to the thoughts of life and humanity. They’re well done, but can sometimes feel slightly conflicted with the more drawn out details trying to approach these moments.

There’s a thoughtful film within The Life Of Chuck, one sold by a handful of the supporting characters and moments of the title character seizing life. However, it’s pondering can sometimes feel drawn out with the feeling of three short films.

Cert – PG, Run-time – 1 hour 51 minutes, Director – Nisha Ganatra

Mother and daughter Tess (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Anna (Lindsay Lohan) find themselves in another pre-wedding body swap situation, this time with Anna’s daughter Harper (Julia Butters) and step-daughter-to-be Lily (Sophia Hammons).

On the surface Freakier Friday strikes as the kind of film that Disney would normally reserve for direct placement on their streaming service. Another body swap situation just days before a wedding, this time between four people instead of two. Perhaps the returning forces of Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan as mother and daughter Tess and Anna are what have led this belated sequel to the big screen.

In fact, the pair are very much the forces which once again hold the film up and make it what it is. Much like the first film, the content of the sequel is generally fine. A functional, if predictable, plot with some decent gags thrown in here and there with the fun brought about by the lead performances – with Curtis and Lohan appearing to be having the time of their lives reuniting. 

This time instead of swapping bodies with each other they find themselves embodying Anna’s daughter, Harper (Julia Butters) and step-daughter-to-be Lily (Sophia Hammons), and vice versa. The teenagers have hated each other since before their parents met, Lily’s father Eric played by Manny Jacinto), one wants to leave LA while the other wants to go to fashion school in London. So, in adult form they plan to break up the wedding with less than 48 hours to go.

Successfully avoiding cliched and cringe-inducing lines about age differences there are plenty of funny instances of the quartet getting used to their hopefully temporary new bodies. Whilst Butters and Hammons gain chuckles whizzing around the city on e-scooters making the most of fast metabolism, Curtis and Lohan get the bigger laughs as they play teenagers trapped in bodies which feel tired or sometimes simply refuse to move.

There’s a constantly moving energy to their scenes which keeps up the pace of the almost two-hour run-time, and it’s clear that the film, and those behind it, want to focus on them as the returning characters. And, as mentioned, they bring about the biggest laughs with the physical elements of their gleefully chaotic performances.

Disney have taken something of a plunge for themselves in this current era by releasing the film in cinemas, and it’s all the better for that being the case, especially with an audience which lets loose just like the leads and laughs along with them. While not all of its emotional beats entirely land, although there is some effect amongst their slightly extended nature in the later stages of the film, there are plenty of chuckles to see things through in what ends up being a fun and enjoyable film which knows not to take itself too seriously, and just as importantly where its strengths lie. It’s rather infectious fun.

While the narrative of Freaky Friday might play familiarly safe it does so by leaning into the gleeful joy of Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis’ leading performances, raising a number of chuckles along the way.

Cert – 18, Run-time – 2 hours 8 minutes, Director – Zach Cregger

2:17am, a class of children run out of their homes not to be seen again. A month later the town is still looking for answers, with the finger being pointed towards teacher Justine (Julia Garner).

Writer-director Zach Cregger has claimed that his Barbarian follow-up is partly inspired by Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia. The influence comes through in the separate chapters which play out as a community searches for answers a month after a class of third grade children go missing into the night. At 2:17am each one runs out of their homes, arms stretched out, with no trace of them beyond brief doorbell camera footage. Much of the blame is put on teacher Justine (Julia Garner), attacked and hounded by parents and other residents, particularly Josh Brolin’s heartbroken father Archer, spending each night sleeping in his missing son’s bed.

The pair make up the first two chapters of Weapons, following a prologue detailing the events that led to where we are now. The narrative from there jumps back and forth ever so slightly. Some showing events from different perspectives, others simply showing how the events have affected characters differently. It makes for a slow set of events in the first hour where while Cregger’s use of the camera has some solid effect the way he views the characters feels slightly out of reach from forming a full emotional connection, as if only just a step away.

Mystery should be the biggest draw. And while it has some impact, especially during some of the freakier moments – albeit much of what provides the 18 rating is saved for the later stages – I found myself enjoying the eventual reveals and explanations more than much of what came beforehand. It’s where some of the most twisted elements come to the fore and stretch beyond the more dramatic tones of the opening chapters where much of the push comes from the brief bursts of the horror and the instances where characters crossover in their search for answer, although not always a joint search as shown between Garner and Brolin’s characters, or even Alden Ehrenreich’s (always a welcome face, who I still hope to see in bigger, more central roles since Hail Caesar) troubled police officer and Austin Abrams in-need-of-cash drug addict James.

This latter pairing is where Cregger begins to explore the darker elements at play much more upfront, and becomes somewhat more concise. Luckily, as the film threatens to border on feeling overlong he brings out the most fun details and elements, and darkly comedic beats to wrap things up with. Turning something akin to a sequence in 28 Days Later on its head, seemingly having the most fun with what he’s given himself to play with after all the ambiguity in the approach. Ambiguity which while having some effect never quite creates the interest it perhaps hopes for, including creating an overhanging threat as Justine tries to find a way to talk to the only remaining student in her class (Cary Christopher’s Alex) or Archer’s grief sets him out on a personal investigation.

The ensemble cast each put in good performances, including a short turn from Benedict Wong as the elementary school’s headteacher. They help to lift the film up during the more drawn out moments, largely in the first hour where characters are generally left on their own in terms of both physicality and perspective. When bouncing off of each other the film is lifted up even more, alongside the push of things feeling more connected, Weapons is at its best. This is perhaps why the second half, where answers are explored more up until the final sequences with their own sense of dark fun that’s not entirely present in the rest of the film.

Weapons is a film where the answers are more satisfying and engaging than the mystery of the build-up. At its best during darker sequences and when crossing over its solid ensemble cast, there’s just enough here to stop it from outstaying its welcome.

Cert – 12, Run-time – 1 hour 35 minutes, Director – Isaiah Saxon

Growing up on an island, Yuri (Helena Zengel) defies the warnings of her father (Willem Dafoe) to take a potentially threatening baby creature to its home.

If you were to think of what an A24 family film might look like your first thought may not be something in the vein of 2023’s excellent Marcel The Shell With Shoes On. Instead, it may be more akin to The Legend Of Ochi. I’ve long talked a lot about the lack of live-action family films in recent years, and the indie studio’s latest offering is just that, with hints of Robert Eggers.

There’s a strong atmosphere held in the fog covering the forests of the island of Carpathia. Just outside the woodland is a small village, more a hut, where young men are sent to learn to toughen up and take on the world – or in leader Maxim’s (Willem Dafoe) eyes take on the deadly ochi; a group of large, orangutan-like creatures. Daughter Yuri (Helena Zengel) is often left behind, bored and wanting to explore the world instead of listen to her father’s warnings of doom and danger again. When discovering a baby ochi she has an excuse to do so in order to take it home.

As her journey exploring the brighter colours of the outside world unfolds a greyer one begins for Maxim and the children he’s training. Theirs is led by the belief that the ochi are the biggest threat out there. In both realms the technical aspects of the film create great sense of wonder.

Evan Prosofsky’s cinematography brings about much of the visual atmosphere, with the production design and top puppetry for the ochi that we see bringing about the feeling of miniatures and classic family films from the mind of Jim Henson, such as The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. Meanwhile, David Longsreth’s score will surely go down as one of, if not the, best of the year. A stirring set of pieces which perfectly compliment the visuals on screen and I’m bound to be listening to on repeat for some time.

There’s something transportive about each of the film’s elements that, even as it slows down in the third act to almost drink, and almost get lost, in its own surroundings, or tick off each of its elements, create a sense of wonder and immersion in the environments. Whether out in the forests, or creating chaos in a bubblegum-tinted supermarket there’s a good deal to be wrapped up in both emotionally and viscerally, and quite often those factors work hand-in-hand.

Throughout much of The Legend Of Ochi I was transfixed by the pure atmosphere of it. While its 12 rating means it won’t work for younger viewers, and it may be a hard sell for others, it’s a meticulously designed family feature that doesn’t shy away from a darkness and intensity, largely from Dafoe’s character and how he views the ochi. After struggling in the US, and getting little push here, this may mark one of my favourite films of the year.

A visually detailed family film with strong effects and an Eggers-like atmosphere, things might slow down a bit too much in the final stages but there’s still plenty to be immersed in, including perhaps the best score of the year courtesy of David Longsreth.

Cert – 15, Run-time – 1 hour 25 minutes, Director – Akiva Schaffer

Whilst investigating a murder, Detective Frank Drebin Jr (Liam Neeson) uncovers a billionaire-led plot to destroy and restart the Earth.

While perhaps on the surface the ZAZ style of comedy seems quite simple, to actually pull it off takes a lot of effort to not make the obvious jokes obvious and also make it seem as if nobody on screen is aware that a joke is even happening. Even the great dead-pan abilities of Leslie Nielson ever so slightly acknowledged some of the gags with a bit of face pulling in the original Naked Gun films, although no bad thing. After years of sequel and reboot attempts, one finally arrives in the slight guise of a legacy sequel and Liam Neeson pratfalling into the lead role with no awareness of the comedy around him whatsoever.

It would be easy to fall into the trap of referencing and quoting the original film as much as possible, and while there are one or two visual nods, the writing team of Dan Gregor, Doug Mand and Akiva Schaffer (also serving as director), with additional uncredited material from Mark Hentemann, Alec Sulkin and producer Seth MacFarlane, largely stick to capturing the very silly tone of The Naked Gun rather than replicating gags. The only thing that sticks out amongst the slapstick and a consistently funny running joke about coffee cups, is an ill-sitting Bill Cosby reference; even in a film which includes a much-advertised to OJ Simpson’s role in the original trilogy.

The original Police Squad and Naked Gun series seemed very much to be parodies of 50s and 60s cop shows. In that vein this reboot, even with its references to electric cars, feels inspired by 90s and 2000s police dramas. Detective Frank Drebin Jr (Neeson) is investigating a murder case which leads him to billionaire Richard Cane (Danny Huston), who is secretly plotting to destroy the world with a device that unleashes people’s animal instincts (a la Kingsman), before restarting with a select few. It’s a narrative which is given just enough details to see the film through, as noted by the 85-minute run-time.

Where things truly set off quickly are in terms of the jokes. While the opening sequence may have largely been shown in the trailers once onto the unseen moments there’s plenty to raise laughs throughout the audience. Things may somewhat lose steam just before the third act arrives, but there are still a good few chuckles to be found. Perhaps not quite on the same consistent belly-laugh level as some might hope for, but certainly a number of audible chuckles are found throughout to help move things along. And, even then there are likely certain moments that go missed or unheard, or will simply still work on a re-watch – including a brilliantly understated brief visual gag involving a disposable glove. Plus, be sure to stay through and keep an eye on the credits.

The big screen comedy, let alone the summer comedy, has been much discussed as struggling, and almost non-present, in recent years. Many seem to be banking on success for The Naked Gun to show life still in the genre in cinemas. Thankfully, the film has a strong hit rate thanks to the attention that has gone into the screenplay and just what’s happening in the background of so many scenes as well as the upfront narrative and wordplay. A love for these films helps things to go a long way and trying to overly modernise and make something darker or more action packed doesn’t appear to have been on the agenda.

Instead, the efforts to make the joke are present for the behind the camera and below the line team, while those on screen go about unaware. Neeson’s oblivious turn is distinctly different to Nielson, he’s a gruffer, harder-edged LA detective with a love for season 1 of Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Meanwhile, Pamela Anderson, as femme fatale love interest Beth, continues a strong comeback – after an awards worthy turn in The Last Showgirl earlier this year – with a performance that truly lets go and embraces the silliness whole-heartedly. She may be underserved in some of the later sequences, yet still gives a great performance – as do the supporting cast, such as Paul Walter Hauser’s Ed Hocken Jr, Frank’s fellow detective making up for his blunders and misunderstanding of how the law applies to the police.

It may start to lose some steam as it gets closer to the finale, but this reboot of The Naked Gun still manages to deliver on the laughs. Understanding most of what made the original set of films work so well without trying to directly replicate them. It may not reach the heights of them, but it still manages to fit in among them (perhaps standing better than the final instalment 33 1/3: The Final insult). Helped along by great comedic performances from Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson, be sure to see this on the big screen and with an audience.

A very welcome surprise with further entertaining surprises, The Naked Gun keeps the silliness and variety of the originals without leaning into repetition. Neeson and Anderson are brilliant in capturing the dead-pan nature that’s needed to keep things moving even amongst the loss of momentum in the latter stages. Making for a consistently funny, mostly quick-paced 85 minutes.

Cert – PG, Run-time – 1 hour 44 minutes, Directors – Pierre Perifel, JP Sans

The Bad Guys have gone good, but the world struggles to accept them as such. To prove their change of heart they try to catch a new criminal mastermind striking the city, only to be blackmailed into their old ways one last time.

2022’s The Bad Guys was a pleasant, energetic surprise from Dreamworks. I left it more than happy to see further escapades from the titular group of criminals, even having turned good at the end of the first instalment. The opening to the sequel promises much of the same. We’re launched into an energetic car chase sequence – with a moment involving a crane and a magnet which induces a similar giggle-inspiring feeling to The Fast And The Furious franchise’s later instalments – full of bright, bursting animation – the studio seemingly inspired by anime visuals once again.

The team (voiced by Sam Rockwell, Craig Robinson, Marc Maron, Awkwafina and Anthony Ramos) are trying to prove to the world that they’ve gone good. But, the city struggles to believe them, especially during job interviews for a position at the bank they robbed three times. To prove they’ve gone good the team plan to capture a phantom thief who has been stealing notable items all across the city. However, the thief turns out to be a trio of Bad Guys fans (Danielle Brooks, Maria Bakalova and Natasha Lyonne), blackmailing the gang into helping them pull off one last heist, with unknowing global consequences.

From the opening car chase returning director Pierre Perifel, and co-director JP Sans, try to keep their feet pressed down on the peddle as best as possible. The screenplay is full of plenty of witty gags, and some good fart jokes in the climactic sequences, and they help to move things along with a quick pace. While there may be some familiar beats here and there they don’t tend to overly get in the way, at least as much as the sidelining of two of the three new criminal gang members. While leader Kitty Kat (Brooks) gets much of the spotlight, Doom (Lyonne) only really gets her moments in relation to Marc Maron’s Mr Snake, and Bakalova’s Pigtail feels like a cookie cutter excitable figure with only a few lines of scattered dialogue. The downfall of this pair feels largely linked to the fact that unlike the titular team, aside from their proper introduction, they don’t have something specific they can contribute to the heist at hand and so feel more like backup or just there for the sake of having a team instead of one new villain.

Yet, a sense of fast-paced fun is still to be found with the main focus being on The Bad Guys themselves. I left The Bad Guys 2 having once again had a pleasant time and being more than open for further outings for the chaotic group at the heart of the film, whether they be doing good or bad. Even when things stray into convention, or even for an animated film with talking animals raise questions as to how likely or survivable something is, there’s an easily embraceable ordered chaos unfolding on screen in colourful, energetic bursts.

There may be some familiar beats present in the narrative, and supporting characters might falter with an imbalance of details, but The Bad Guys 2 keeps its foot on the peddle for another fun, entertaining and energetically animated ride.

Cert – 12, Run-time – 1 hour 58 minutes, Director – Kyle Newacheck

Happy Gilmore (Adam Sandler) is forced out of retirement to fund his daughter’s (Sunny Sandler) future in ballet. However, traditional golf is being threatened by a new, high-powered, video-game style of gameplay.

While some may accuse Adam Sandler of simply making films with his friends, cameos from the likes of Steve Buscemi and co have at least brought some amusement to the proceedings. However, when an entire film, one that’s almost two whole hours long, is crammed full of them – as if reporters and fellow golfers have been added almost for the sake of bringing in another famous face – it starts to wear thin quickly.

29 years after the original Happy Gilmore, one of Sandler’s more well-regarded films from his earlier years, the legacy sequel sees Gilmore (Sandler) down on his luck. After losing his style in the wake of his wife’s (Julie Bowen) golf-accident death he’s scraping by with work in a supermarket. However, when it’s recommended that his daughter (Sunny Sandler) attended ballet school in Paris the money to get her there seems as if it can only be raised by taking part in a golf tournament. However, with no help from alcohol, Happy’s skills have faded and he needs to get them back quickly.

Cue a first hour full of practice sessions on out-of-the-way courses and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, featuring Sandler’s other daughter Sadie as the most supportive member of the group and Ben Stiller’s returning Hal L from the first film. Yet, while all this plays out in the background billionaire Frank Manatee (Benny Safdie) is trying to push Maxi Golf, a super-powered, video game style new form of gameplay made up of ultra elites, potentially including old Gilmore rival Shooter McGavin (Christopher McDonald – seemingly enjoying not holding back with his performance), fresh from prison. Maxi comes much more to the fore in the third act tournament. With all the colours, powers and stats which fill in the screen, and the general atmosphere of the sequences, Happy Gilmore 2 eventually ends up feeling like a video game adaptation that tried to keep as many of the visuals intact as possible, almost close to a let’s play of a game that doesn’t exist.

There’s a lot going on in this film, largely because of how many characters there are playing a part in Happy’s life. Each making a running joke, most of which fail to properly land. There are a couple of light chuckles here and there, but really not enough to justify a two-hour run-time. Instead, famous faces pop up here and there with the intended effect almost feeling like a point of recognition rather than a laugh from what they’re doing. Bring in the various callbacks and references to the small, much-quoted characters of the original and it starts to feel like Happy Gilmore 2 is largely just ticking boxes of fan service before jumping into a crazier comedy focusing on big scale crazy golf.

The underdog feeling of the original just doesn’t seem to be here. We know that Happy can play golf, especially when he gets back to the level he was once at. And the seemingly superpowered elite players of Maxi Golf with their colourful, cartoonish costumes appear to be angled as the golf equivalent of the Globo Gym Purple Cobras but never have the same effect, perhaps due to spending such little time with them apart from some lines of dialogue for Haley Joel Osment as main rival Billy Jenkins.

With so much going on, Happy Gilmore 2 simply feels like a messy jumble of ideas where instead of forming an underdog narrative the focus became creating characters and moments for Sandler’s friends and family to come to set for a day and make an appearance. It quickly becomes tired with the majority of gags faltering under repetition both from this film and the original.

There are more cameos than laughs in Happy Gilmore 2 which feels almost specifically designed to bring in as many of Adam Sandler’s friends and family as possible, leading to repetitive gags in a film that forgets its underdog stylings and instead leads to an overdone video game style golf tournament.

Cert – 12, Run-time – 1 hour 54 minutes, Director – Matt Shakman

The Fantastic Four (Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bacharach) find their status as beloved defenders of the world made tense when planet-eater Galactus (Ralph Ineson) threatens Earth, and the superhero family’s new arrival.

Pixar’s The Incredibles is often cited as the best Fantastic Four film. The inspiration of Marvel’s first family appears to be clear in that film, and now that film appears to have served as some inspiration on the 60s-inspired alternative-Earth setting of the group’s introduction into the MCU. The design doesn’t feel tacky and instead provides a welcome world that fits into the idea of the Fantastic Four being beloved defenders of Earth, with their own cynicism-free cartoon series and merchandise. The kind of team who people can go about their day not worrying about the world ending because they know the Fantastic Four will be there to sort out any threats that may turn up.

Yet, even with these feelings there were occasions through First Steps’ fairly restrained narrative that I felt that I’d rather be watching The Incredibles. Largely during the extensive build-up which sees multiple montage sequences to catch us up on the story so far, the family have had their powers for four years when we meet them, and get us finally to the big bad of the film.

After being warned of his coming by the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) – who gets hints of some solid beats with Joseph Quinn’s Johnny Storm/ Human Torch – a trip into space introduces us to towering planet-devourer Galactus (Ralph Ineson), who plans to add Earth to his list of eaten worlds. However, he also has his eyes set on the son Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal) and Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby) are expecting. Soon the family, including Ebon Moss-Bacharach’s Ben Grimm/ The Thing – in full acceptance of his rocky exterior – find themselves facing fears and accusations that they may not be able to save the Earth, with the population starting to turn on their family unit.

As Galactus gets ever closer an answer as to what to do seems more and more difficult to find. As this becomes the focus Galactus is generally made to feel like less of a big villain and more a threat to be faced – presumably with how much he’s built up and just how big a character he seems to be in the comics we’ll be seeing him again in the future, maybe in the main Marvel world/ universe, which this film sits outside of. There are some clever ideas in the final battle to face off against him, and in general when the film really strikes a good idea it runs with it and makes it last. One particular sequence involving the biggest plan of trying to defeat, or rather get around, the giant feels as if it’s being done with a smile as the effort off-screen appears to match that being portrayed on-screen – not to say that the rest of the film has a feeling of lax production, which is certainly not the case.

In general there’s a lightness to the film which matches the form of the narrative. There are some good chuckles here and there, largely from Quinn, and there’s an attempt to make the characters feel likable and engaging with their individual powers and traits, and as a team and family. While Pascal’s Mr Fantastic might not have his physical powers shown quite often, the film seemingly admitting there’s still an uncanny valley nature to live-action stretch powers; although those seen aren’t too bad here, his skills with a blackboard and piece of chalk are certainly rather good.

Generally, as it moves along, First Steps finds its stride and its pacing gets better. However, during a lengthy build-up and handful of montages along the way it feels as if the film is almost a bit too breezy, and trying to create the lightness through making things concise, which slightly backfires when it comes to the threat being faced. No doubt this Fantastic Four makes for a likable and engaging team who I’m sure will continue to grow these factors with future appearances – they’re bound to be key in next year’s Avengers: Doomsday – and they help to keep you engaged alongside the world that they slot into well, in addition to how that world responds to them which creates some interesting beats in a somewhat traditional vein. Yet, sometimes with everything I was seeing and feeling from the film I found myself wondering if it would be better suited to animation, and not just because of The Incredibles.

The likable dynamic between Marvel’s first family helps see The Fantastic Four: First Steps through a drawn out build-up and an occasionally held back narrative. When the film has a good idea it really runs with it and pushes engagement within its lighter confines.

Cert – 15, Run-time – 1 hour 41 minutes, Director – Andrew DeYoung

Marketing exec Craig (Tim Robinson) finds himself socially distanced from his colleagues and family, the arrival of suave neighbour Austin (Paul Rudd) brings a turbulent and increasingly desperate spark into his life.

With a simple bar of soap Friendship creates one of the most excruciating moments I’ll see in a film all year. With the push of Tim Robinson in the lead role, which was apparently written especially for him by writer-director Andrew DeYoung, bringing some of his I Think You Should Leave energy there’s a good deal of pure awkward cringe humour throughout the film as we see a man desperately trying to maintain a friendship which may not have ever started.

In an almost reverse Banshees Of Inisherin, marketing executive Craig (Robinson) appears to be at a distance from his colleagues and his wife, Tami (Kate Mara), and teenage son (Jack Dylan Glazer). The trio are looking to move house for a new start after Tami has been cancer-free for a few months, however when suave new neighbour Austin (Paul Rudd) moves in up the street Craig sees this as the potential spark that he’s looking for. The two appear to develop a bond when Craig is taken in by the TV weatherman’s almost carefree attitude to the rules and explorative nature – travelling through the sewers to find a space underneath City Hall – however after a sparring session with some of Craig’s friends goes wrong Craig finds himself quickly cast out and trying to make amends, only to make things worse not just with Austin but everyone.

The awkwardness hangs thick in the air on many occasions and with that how you’ll respond to Friendship is largely down to your tolerance of high-level cringe humour. For myself, I generally like the style but found it to run out of steam about halfway through. There are still good moments and a good few chuckles, another make or break for the film will likely be how those around you, if anyone, respond to it – I watched this in a very quietly attended screening with a scattered response.

As plot developments focus more on the downbeat situations that Craig finds himself in as his desperation to make amends and hold onto relationships pushes everyone away one or two developments don’t quite click as much. One particularly scene involving a drug trip in a Subway is certainly amusing but doesn’t quite feel as if it slots in with the surroundings. Certainly the second half of the film feels slightly more uneven as the build up, albeit taking things in unexpected directions and tones to what the trailers may have suggested.

The cast each put in good efforts with Robinson being a particular force with a performance that probably won’t get the levels of praise that it deserves simply for the comedy surroundings of the film. Yet, he’s where much of the cringe effect comes from on most occasions, especially in the aforementioned most excruciating moment – an instance which feels more and more drawn out with each new sentence that’s layered on as the group being ‘performed’ to look on in horror, shock and concern yet still holding an air of not knowing how to respond at all to what they’re being presented with.

Yet, Craig never feels like a wholly unlikable character. He certainly has a good deal of insecurity and self-doubt, especially in the wake of Tami’s relationship with ex-boyfriend fireman Devon (Josh Segarra). Yet, as he appears to drive his own relationships into the ground with a feeling of not knowing how to respond in certain situations, as if preventing awkwardness with his own inadvertent awkwardness, you can almost see him trying to do the best he can – at least largely in the first half before he appears to go too far. He’s constantly in search of that hope and spark to be the cool guy that people like, want to have a conversation and laugh with.

As that style takes a turn for isolation rather than loneliness in the second half things start to feel stretched out as the central figure starts to find himself at a loss of how to fix things. Leaving the film to slightly wonder what to do as well. It leads to a slower feeling to these events that while still holding some chuckles causes the run-time to feel somewhere pushed. Yet, there’s still some effective moments and a successful finale that helps to wrap things up without Friendship having to struggle as much as Robinson’s character does to maintain things.

While things might slow down in the second half, there are still a good deal of laughs, and effective cringe humour led by Tim Robinson’s great central performance, to see Friendship through until the end, although its truly excruciating scenes may prove too much for some.

Cert – 12, Run-time – 2 hours 9 minutes, Director – James Gunn

After stopping one country invading another, Superman (David Corenswet) becomes a figure of international controversy, something pushed and used by Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) to finally defeat him.

The trailers for James Gunn’s Superman, the first entry in his and Peter Safran’s relaunched big screen DC universe, didn’t give a great deal away in terms of plot and instead hinted at a very busy affair. On seeing the plot it’s clear why that wasn’t used a selling factor – Superman (David Corenswet) dealing with the consequences of having stopped a war between two countries? Geopolitics isn’t quite what you want to sell your big summer superhero blockbuster on.

Yet, with the directions this narrative goes in, via way of corporate-financed heroes and pocket universes, there’s a symbol in the latter stages of the film that made me feel genuinely emotional. The 1978 adaptation of the iconic character, which to this day still means that Christopher Reeve is synonymous with the character, is a film full of hope; a patriotic tale of an American-based hero out to save the world and do good. It’s nice to feel that sense of hope again.

Leaning away from the tone of sci-fi romps such as Guardians Of The Galaxy and The Suicide Squad, Gunn still brings in a couple of chuckles here and there but understands that that style simply doesn’t work for Superman. This is a film where people wear silly costumes and dogs can fly (superdog Krypto is a force of joyous chaos throughout) and yet with the powers that are on display, and indeed the colourful nature, there’s an air of things being taken seriously so that ridiculousness doesn’t overpower. Although, there is the occasional nod and acknowledgement of some of the ‘from the world of comic books’ abilities here and there which brings in instances of humour – especially when it comes to the unofficially titled ‘Justice Gang’ featuring Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion), dead-pan Mr Terrific (Edi Gathegi) and the slightly pushed aside Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced).

The presence of these characters shows Gunn’s love and knowledge of comic books and there are clearly many characters and references for fans which may lead to further exploits for Superman or other figures who crop up here. And yet, the film as a whole avoids feeling so busy. As the hero deals with the follow-on attacks by Ultraman, who may have links to Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult really getting into the role of scheming, evil tech billionaire), the country of Boravia (whose president, played by Zlatko Bravic, has an air of Ken Dodd about his looks, but quite the opposite about his attitudes) inches closer to invading neighbour Jarhanpur. Growing international tensions and a race against time.

From the opening scene there’s a sign of a slightly flawed figure, or at least someone not always with the upper-hand as we’re told that Superman has just lost his first battle, three years after announcing himself to the world. Weaknesses come up a handful of times and there is an emotional nature to this take on the character, somewhat refreshing after the DCEU’s grittier, more fuelled-by-anger take. Corenswet steps into the cape with confidence and helps to bring about some of that sense of hope in his performance and strive to do good across the world. To save people. I believed him as Superman. In this take he and Clark Kent are very much the same, we see little of the latter guise, the relationships with Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane and his adoptive parents on Earth (Neva Howell and Pruitt Taylor Vince), all aware of his secret identity, hint that there’s not as much of a performative nature to Clark and that he is simply part of Superman.

Yet, amongst all of this, the stakes at play and the elements of geopolitics, there’s an thoroughly entertaining film here. One that avoids feeling weighed down by all it features, although could perhaps have ten minutes cut from it, and creates an enjoyable, colourful comic book adaptation. A film that, for the first time in a long time, really gets across the idea of hope that Superman symbolises and strives for. It feels nice to feel that sense of hope, especially in this time and with what the film deals with as a part of its narrative – again, featured alongside all the unashamed comic book elements which fit right into the blend that makes up this particular iteration of Metropolis and beyond. Superman is once again a great time at the cinema.

Colourful, funny and entertaining yet never overblown, David Corenswet’s Superman returns the sense of hope to the character and his fight for peace. The action is punchy and there’s a lot to enjoy within both the comic book and geopolitical takes of good vs evil.