Cinema

Wow.

Another perfect Spider-Man film.

The thing I'm buzzin' about is that I managed to avoid every single spoiler before going to see it. In an age where social media seems determined to ruin everything, that felt like an achievement in itself.

And it was absolutely worth it.

I'm deliberately keeping this review spoiler-free because there are some moments that are far better experienced knowing as little as possible. Let's just say I wasn't expecting the main villain, and that's all I'm going to say about that.

It was also great to see Jon Bernthal back as The Punisher. He's one of those actors who completely owns a role, and every scene he's in feels like it carries a little extra weight.

What I loved most, though, was that the film simply felt like Spider-Man.

Without a doubt, this is the best film I've seen all year.

I have a feeling it'll stay at the top of my list...

At least until Avengers: Doomsday arrives in December.

5/5

It's certainly different from the 1984 Helen Slater version.

I went in expecting something closer to the DC TV series starring Melissa Benoist, but what I got was something that felt much more like Guardians of the Galaxy.

Which isn't a bad thing at all.

I love Guardians of the Galaxy.

I have mixed feelings about Supergirl, though. Visually, it's stunning. There are some beautiful set pieces, the action is great, and it has plenty of humour throughout.

The story, however, feels surprisingly simple. At times, it reminded me of John Wick, where one event sets everything in motion and the rest of the film follows that journey.

It just feels like something is missing.

I can't quite put my finger on what it is, but I never found myself as invested as I wanted to be. I enjoyed the ride, but I just didn't leave the cinema feeling blown away.

I think I preferred the TV series.

3/5

Going in, I wasn’t exactly the target audience. I never really watched the original He-Man cartoon in the 1980s and, if I’m being honest, apart from He-Man and Skeletor, I didn’t know who half the characters were.

That said, there was still plenty to enjoy.

Idris Elba was hilarious as Man-At-Arms, playing him like a drunk uncle who’s somehow ended up responsible for saving the universe. Every time he appeared on screen, things became instantly more entertaining.

Visually, Skeletor is stunning.

I suspect that most of the film’s budget was spent on making him look incredible. The visual effects are superb, and I particularly loved the anamorphic style used for his eyes. Every scene featuring Skeletor looked fantastic.

Skeletor the character, however…

Not so much.

I understand they were trying to stay true to the cartoon, but they’d already changed plenty of other things. Why not make him a genuinely terrifying villain? Instead, he often felt like a cross between the Scotch Video Tape Skeleton and Austin Powers, which isn’t a combination I was expecting to see in 2026.

The frustrating thing is that the film has so much potential. There are moments that are genuinely spectacular. The action is big, the visuals are impressive and the world feels rich enough to support something really special.

But it was all just a bit too cheesy for me.

I kept finding myself wondering who the film was actually for. Adults who grew up with the cartoon might find it daft, while younger audiences don’t have the nostalgia needed to overlook some of its flaws.

By the end, I was left feeling like I’d watched a film that was caught between two worlds. One trying to honour the original cartoon and another trying to become a modern blockbuster.

Unfortunately, it never quite masters either universe.

3/5

I absolutely loved this.

More importantly, I'm so glad I got to see it at the cinema. Some films are made for the big screen, and this is definitely one of them.

Monica's billionaire boyfriend from Friends, Jon Favreau, has done it again.

Visually, the film is epic. The story is great, and the pacing feels just right. One of the challenges of turning a TV series into a film is knowing what to cut, but this never felt rushed. Instead, it made excellent use of its runtime to tell a complete story while still giving us plenty of time with everyone's favourite tiny green troublemaker.

And yes, I'm talking about Grogu.

The little green goblin is as cute as ever, and I loved the extra time spent with him. Favreau knows exactly wha he's doing there, and frankly, so do I.

One of the biggest surprises for me was seeing the Razor Crest back in action. As someone who still has the Lego version firmly parked on their wish list, this made me happy. Seeing it souped up by the hilarious Anzellans and their tiny ship only made it better.

The only thing that felt a little strange was hearing the Hutts speak English. I completely understand why they did it. It keeps the story moving and makes things easier for the audience. But after years of subtitles and Huttese, it was a bit like hearing Chewbacca suddenly start speaking in a Yorkshire accent... "Ay'up solo, you deffo did shot first ya bastard".

Overall, this is an excellent Star Wars film that makes full use of the extra time that a cinema release allows. It expands the story, delivers spectacular visuals and gave me plenty to enjoy without forgetting what made the series work in the first place.

This is the way.
5/5

Wow. Wow. Wow.

That's probably the shortest version of this review, but honestly, it sums up my feelings pretty well.

Watching the behind-the-scenes story of how Thriller was made was fascinating from start to finish. I've always loved the music video, but seeing the creativity, hard work and innovation that went into bringing it to life gave me a whole new appreciation for Michael.

The documentary is packed with interesting stories and details. From the special effects to the choreography and the sheer ambition of the project, it's amazing to see what was achieved. What feels normal today was groundbreaking at the time, and it's easy to forget just how revolutionary Thriller was.

One of the things I enjoyed most was learning about the people behind the scenes. It's a reminder that iconic moments don't just happen. They take vision, talent and a lot of hard work from a huge team of people.

I'm especially glad I watched this at the cinema. Seeing it on the big screen made the experience feel much more special. It felt less like watching a documentary and more like being part of a celebration of a piece of music history.

Whether you're a fan of Michael Jackson, music documentaries or simply great filmmaking, this is well worth your time.

Unlike the zombies in Thriller, this is something that has aged exceptionally well.

5/5

Superb film! Wow! The action and fight scenes were spectacular 5/5