DOCTOR STRANGE

A former neurosurgeon embarks on a journey of healing only to be drawn into the world of the mystic arts. —IMDB

Full of new age mumbo jumbo and speculative science — but very, very entertaining! Cumberbatch is excellent and the special effects are very clever. I was privileged to watch this movie in IMAX and 3D right up close to the screen and it was wonderfully immersive. Doesn’t take itself too seriously so the humour is good. The whole package is engaging and very enjoyable and the finale is great. Definitely worth watching in the cinema; and definitely worth watching in 3D.

DEEPWATER HORIZON

A dramatization of the April 2010 disaster when the offshore drilling rig, Deepwater Horizon, exploded and created the worst oil spill in U.S. history. —IMDB

A gripping drama action thriller that slowly builds in the first half to an incredibly choreographed explosion of the rig in the second half and the way that staff on it had to fight for their lives. What’s so good about this movie is that the director (Peter Berg) never loses sight of the fact that he is telling a story about people — people whose irresponsible actions caused the disaster and the people who suffered permanent consequences. The performances of the cast are excellent, including Mark Wahlberg who plays the lead role. The events are portrayed very realistically and the movie seems to respectfully approach the story given that many of the people involved are still living. Try to see this one on the biggest screen with the best sound system you can find. Not to be missed.

JOE CINQUE’S CONSOLATION

On 26 October 1997, Australian National University student Anu Singh killed her boyfriend, Joe Cinque, by lacing his coffee with Rohypnol and injecting him with heroin at a dinner party where some of the guests had heard about the plan to murder Cinque. Despite this, none of them warned him. —IMDB

This is an incredibly bizarre true crime story — and very disturbing. Maggie Naouri is brilliant at conveying the emerging mental health issues suffered by Anu Singh that leads to her boyfriend’s murder. Sacha Joseph, who plays the complicit and enabling friend, is also very good. This was a riveting story that leaves many questions unanswered — perhaps the main failing of the movie. It is very compelling and proves, once again, that truth is often a lot stranger than fiction.

LIFE, ANIMATED

A coming of age story about a boy and his family who overcame great challenges by turning Disney animated movies into a language to express love, loss, kinship and brotherhood. —IMDB

A very interesting documentary and an amazing story. Beautifully filmed with excellent animation. Heartwarming and moving. What a loving family who, if it wasn’t for their open minds, may never have experienced their child’s development to the point where they could communicate with him so effectively. A very impressive piece of film making.

INFERNO

When Robert Langdon wakes up in an Italian hospital with amnesia, he teams up with Dr. Sienna Brooks, and together they must race across Europe against the clock to foil a deadly global plot. —IMDB

Boring, cliched, predictable, formulaic. Tom Hanks does does his best and there’s the usual nice scenery and pics of various cultural pieces, but it’s not enough to lift this lifeless action thriller to something worth watching.

SNOWDEN

The NSA's illegal surveillance techniques are leaked to the public by one of the agency's employees, Edward Snowden, in the form of thousands of classified documents distributed to the press. —IMDB

A great movie that gives excellent insight into what drove Edward Snowden to give up his life to do what he believed was right. Joseph Gordon-Levitt does an outstanding job of portraying Snowden. And Shailene Woodley (Divergent) puts in a multilayered, nuanced performance as Snowden’s girlfriend. It’s a deeply engaging story with moments of genuine, uncontrived tension. In my opinion, Snowden is a modern hero and this movie is a must see.

THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN

A divorcee becomes entangled in a missing persons investigation that promises to send shockwaves throughout her life. —IMDB

Emily Blunt is the best reason for seeing this one. She puts in an outstanding performance! The plot is complex but gets a bit sluggish at times. It’s not a great movie — but it was entertaining and the central theme (can’t tell you what it is without spoiling it) is a significant one. And from what I’ve heard, it’s pretty faithful to the original book.

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (2016)

Seven gun men in the old west gradually come together to help a poor village against savage thieves. --IMDB

This was better than most of the critics have been saying. The seven characters were diverse and played well off each other with good humour. I'm not sure Denzel Washington was the best actor for the lead roll. He's too much like he is in everything else he does and it doesn't quite work. Apart from that, the story develops well and ends in a well choreographed showdown which has a few surprises. I don't recall much about the original movie. But this one was entertaining enough. It's certainly not a great movie but it is a pretty exciting ride.

MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN

When Jacob discovers clues to a mystery that stretches across time, he finds Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. But the danger deepens after he gets to know the residents and learns about their special powers. —IMDB

Give it a miss. Very slow and tedious, overacted, and unengaging. Typical Tim Burton darkness but without any creativity on this occasion. It’s predictable and cliched. Dull, dull, dull. If your kids force you to go I’d make sure they are aged 12 or more. Not one for the little kids.