OV9

Matty wrote: Thu Aug 13, 2026 2:30 pm Saw Odyssey at the IMAX in Birmingham (alas, not the proper IMAX). Despite it being *deafeningly* loud, thought it was otherwise great. Chugged along at a great pace despite the 3 hour runtime. Recommended.

Also saw Spiderman, which I thought was fantastic. Highly recommended.

Tom Holland, Zendaya and Jon Bernthal absolutely cashing in this year.

I'm curious was it just the Cyclops and Storm scenes that were too loud or the whole thing? Cinema I went to had judged the levels pretty nicely and it was only those two times I though they'd gone overboard.

Spiderman was enjoyable in the moment and I thought some of the best kinetic scenes inspired by Spider verse (only ten more months to wait!) were fantastic. But man the resolution of the main antagonist was dumb. MCU wrapping things up using the power of friendship (or shouting) is becoming grating.

Pitch Meeting for Spiderman skewered it completely.

I’ve never got on with the Tom Holland Spider-Man *old man shouts at cloud*

Gavster wrote: Fri Apr 10, 2026 8:33 pm Hamnet

Powerful and profound. It's one to strap yourself in for, it's quite heavy emotionally, the acting is phenomenal, and the story is great. It's an excellent film, but you need be in the mood for it.

Watched it this evening and even now, an hour after it finished, I am still somewhat struggling for the words to describe it and more importantly, how it’s made me feel.

It ended and me and the other half sat in silence while the entire credits ran and when they finished all I could summon at the end was “I’m speechless”

Hamnet is a stunning movie. Jessie Buckley is generational in her performance. I haven’t cried that much, without really knowing why, in years.

There isn’t a scale out of 10 to measure it so I’ll just say it’s now firmly in my top 5 of all time.

Brilliant! Just brilliant…

The original Godzilla from 1954.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IVONRrcn9 ... pbGVy&ra=m

We have all of the Show Era films and will watch them with the kids. Much to my surprise the kids were engaged even though it was black and white and subtitled. The effects were better than expected, the storyline was pretty good and we thoroughly enjoyed it.

It also has the correct Godzilla music in.

8 surprises out of 10.

Dave!

dinny_g wrote: Sun Aug 16, 2026 12:26 am

Gavster wrote: Fri Apr 10, 2026 8:33 pm Hamnet

Powerful and profound. It's one to strap yourself in for, it's quite heavy emotionally, the acting is phenomenal, and the story is great. It's an excellent film, but you need be in the mood for it.

Watched it this evening and even now, an hour after it finished, I am still somewhat struggling for the words to describe it and more importantly, how it’s made me feel.

It ended and me and the other half sat in silence while the entire credits ran and when they finished all I could summon at the end was “I’m speechless”

Hamnet is a stunning movie. Jessie Buckley is generational in her performance. I haven’t cried that much, without really knowing why, in years.

There isn’t a scale out of 10 to measure it so I’ll just say it’s now firmly in my top 5 of all time.

Brilliant! Just brilliant…

It’s interesting that neither of us actually scored this film, but also said it’s incredible. Defitnely one of the most powerful films I’ve watched in years. To some extent I’m not sure I did fully processs or integrate it, your review is a good reminder to put it on my list for a re-watch to see how it lands after that.

Giving it a rating out of 10 just doesn’t seem appropriate.

I think this is the sort of film that won’t have the same impact the second time around - like Slumdog Millionaire or City of God.

But that first watch is the gift…

The Taste of Things

Absolutely stunning period French film about the relationship and romance between a chef and his assistant cook. It contains the most elaborate displays of sumptuous food, shot with incredible patience and amazing lighting. The romance is unconventional, based around the idea of food as a display of love. It's got its sad parts too, however, is also a reflection on grief and new beginnings too. I fell in love with this film the first time I saw it in the cinema, and re-watched it today, it's still magnificent. Only watch if you enjoy slow-paced films, the first 30 mins is basically a single scene cooking a meal with very little dialogue, yet it's utterly compelling.

Also - available free on iPlayer https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m ... -of-things

9/10

dinny_g wrote: Sun Aug 16, 2026 8:37 pm Giving it a rating out of 10 just doesn’t seem appropriate.

I think this is the sort of film that won’t have the same impact the second time around - like Slumdog Millionaire or City of God.

But that first watch is the gift…

Good point, it's got far more impact when you don't know what's coming.

The end of Oak Street quite good fun, certainly superior to the last half dozen Jurassic Parks. Very B movie/VHS aesthetic, ending is a bit by commitee but Anne Hathaway gets all the passes from me.

Good luck, have fun, don't die Groundhog day meets the Matrix with a lot of weird. I liked it, some excellent Easter Eggs although the ending is polarising.

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG



I'm 7 year old boy on Christmas Eve excited about this. After Top Gun Maverick this might just fill up my '80's nostalgia reel' completely.

Well, unless they make Short Circuit 3 anyways.

Normal

Bob Odenkirk plays a temporary Sheriff covering the town of Normal Minnesota where, unbeknownst to him, the Japanese Yakuza store all of their ill gotten US gains.

It’s mad, daft and absolutely hilarious. It’s ultra violent in a Tom and Jerry way and there’s more than a nod to Hot Fuzz.

I’d give it 8 ‘Fonzy getting blown up in front of the whole town’ out of 10

dinny_g wrote: Mon Jul 06, 2026 1:13 pm

DaveE wrote: Wed Mar 25, 2026 10:52 am Project Hail Mary

Loved it

One of the best films I've seen in a very long time

Also, it's nice to see a film that's only a 12A certificate with no bad language, no gore, no violence etc - just a great romp/story

(This review is very likely to have been influenced by how much I enjoyed the book)

All of this... Great film - loved it.

Another bump for Project Hail Mary

I am a certified sci-fi-phobe. I don't like Star Wars, also Star Trek bored me. Alien was meh. Bladerunner had me yawning. Fantasy films are even worse, I fell asleep watching Lord of the Rings at the cinema. The only sci-fi film I can remember really enjoying was The Fifth Element.

Anyway, Project Hail Mary is such a delightful film, because it's really about connection, love and being human, plus it's funny too. I'd give it a solid 8.7 out of 10

Simon wrote: Sat Aug 29, 2026 9:37 pm OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG



I'm 7 year old boy on Christmas Eve excited about this. After Top Gun Maverick this might just fill up my '80's nostalgia reel' completely.

Well, unless they make Short Circuit 3 anyways.

I veritably skipped into the cinema to watch Maverick so it looks like I'll be skipping again

Dave!

Back to the Future

Watching it with the middle one. He's looking rather surprised.

The film has not aged well

Of note:

• What's with the V8 sound in the DeLorean?

• The "driving" is appalling

• What's with the automatic shifting when it has three pedals?

• I had forgotten how raunchy some of the looks are

DeskJockey wrote: Sat Sep 19, 2026 6:40 pm Back to the Future

The film has not aged well

Are you going on about this again? You already moaned about it next month.

mik wrote: Sat Sep 19, 2026 6:57 pm

DeskJockey wrote: Sat Sep 19, 2026 6:40 pm Back to the Future

The film has not aged well

Are you going on about this again? You already moaned about it next month.

Future me apologises.

Death of a Unicorn wasn't on my radar as reviews were very meh, Mrs wanted to see it though so sat down with her and really enjoyed it. Very very silly but knowingly so and although the CGI was ropey it's not that kind of film.

Outstayed it's welcome by only about ten minutes which is pretty good by modern standards.

dinny_g wrote: Sun Aug 30, 2026 10:30 am Normal

Bob Odenkirk plays a temporary Sheriff covering the town of Normal Minnesota where, unbeknownst to him, the Japanese Yakuza store all of their ill gotten US gains.

It’s mad, daft and absolutely hilarious. It’s ultra violent in a Tom and Jerry way and there’s more than a nod to Hot Fuzz.

I’d give it 8 ‘Fonzy getting blown up in front of the whole town’ out of 10

Watched it this morning, it's a great film for when you want to switch off and be entertained, without needing to do any thinking along the way.

I find it misleading that films such as Normal don't score very high from a critical persepctive, it's only a 6.3 on IMDB, however I totally agree with your 8 out of 10, the momentum is perfect to carry you though from start to finish. It's got a simple plot, exaggerated violence, a distant love story and Japanese criminal gangs, everything you need!

DaveE wrote: Wed Jun 10, 2026 11:14 pm Disclosure Day

Just back from watching this

Really enjoyed it

I'm a sucker for these aliens kind of films, but two and a half hours went by very quickly and I thought it was an entertaining film

Missed the mark for me - OK but far from great. Spielberg has used that colour palette already in War of the Worlds so something a little different would have been better. The "Main Character Armour"ness was just stupid in places and there were several plot holes (although to be fair, some of these may just be because I wasn't paying attention enough - which is telling in itself).

A new big budget Speilberg film about Aliens being real, set against the backdrop of World War 3 breaking out and it was all just a bit meh

No more than 4 our of 10

Gavster wrote: Sun Aug 16, 2026 9:25 am

dinny_g wrote: Sun Aug 16, 2026 12:26 am

Gavster wrote: Fri Apr 10, 2026 8:33 pm Hamnet

Powerful and profound. It's one to strap yourself in for, it's quite heavy emotionally, the acting is phenomenal, and the story is great. It's an excellent film, but you need be in the mood for it.

Watched it this evening and even now, an hour after it finished, I am still somewhat struggling for the words to describe it and more importantly, how it’s made me feel.

It ended and me and the other half sat in silence while the entire credits ran and when they finished all I could summon at the end was “I’m speechless”

Hamnet is a stunning movie. Jessie Buckley is generational in her performance. I haven’t cried that much, without really knowing why, in years.

There isn’t a scale out of 10 to measure it so I’ll just say it’s now firmly in my top 5 of all time.

Brilliant! Just brilliant…

It’s interesting that neither of us actually scored this film, but also said it’s incredible. Defitnely one of the most powerful films I’ve watched in years. To some extent I’m not sure I did fully processs or integrate it, your review is a good reminder to put it on my list for a re-watch to see how it lands after that.

<chokes>

I don’t know how to describe that either. Wow. And some amazing acting by the child actors. Chapeau.