Reviews

Next Goal Wins (2023) Review - Taika Waititi sports movie 'Next Goal Wins' (2023), starring Michael Fassbender, fails to capture the charm of his older works. Review by Emi Grant.
Destroy All Neighbors (2024) Review - 'Destroy All Neighbors' is an over-the-top horror-comedy B movie sendup that fails to deliver on its outrageous premise for its duration. Review by Kieran Judge.
Mean Girls (2024) Review - The 2024 'Mean Girls' musical is as brittle and fake as plastic, Tina Fey phoning in what could have been a meaningful remake. Review by Margaret Roarty.
The Beekeeper (2024) Review - David Ayer's action-thriller 'The Beekeeper' starring Jason Statham offers 100 minutes of badly shot action sequences and should buzz off. Review by Kieran Judge.
Network (1976) Review - Sidney Lumet and Paddy Chayefsky's 'Network' (1976) truly was a film ahead of its time, putting all ends of the political spectrum to task. Review by Kieran Judge.
Foe (2023) Review - Despite glimmers of 'Marriage Story', 'Her' and 'Black Mirror', Garth Davis' 'Foe' (2023) starring Paul Mescal and Saoirse Ronan is severely lacking. Review by Rehana Nurmahi.
Good Grief (2023) Review - Daniel Levy's feature directorial debut 'Good Grief' (2024), a Netflix Original, promises a lot but doesn't reach the heights of 'Schitt's Creek'. Review by Martha Lane.
The Boy and the Heron (2023) Review - 'The Boy and the Heron', thought to be the final film from Hayao Miyazaki, is up there with the best that Studio Ghibli has ever made. Review by Sam Sewell-Peterson.
Ferrari (2023) Review - Enzo Ferrari biopic 'Ferrari', from 'Heat' director Michael Mann and starring Adam Driver, reinforces negative stereotypes and fails in its mission. Review by Clotilde Chinnici.
Night Swim (2024) Review - Blumhouse horror 'Night Swim' (2024), starring Wyatt Russell and Kerry Condon, is derivative of 'The Shining' and other better horrors. Review by Kieran Judge.
One Life (2023) Review - 'One Life' (2023), the James Hawes BBC film starring Anthony Hopkins as "The British Schindler" Nicholas Winton, doesn't hit every mark but does strike a powerful chord. Review by Kieran Judge.
9 Highest-Scoring Films 2023 – The Film Magazine - The 2023 movie releases that received the highest review scores - 5 stars - from the insightful expert writers on The Film Magazine.
Rebel Moon (2023) Review - Zack Snyder's pitch for a new 'Star Wars' movie has been re-tooled for Netflix and the sci-fi epic 'Rebel Moon', a film sadly derivative of better movies. Review by Sam Sewell-Peterson.
Anyone But You (2023) Review - 'Easy A' director Will Gluck balances humor and heart in 2023 romcom 'Anyone But You' starring Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell that proves love doesn't get old. Review by Margaret Roarty.
‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers’ at 45 – Review - The 1978 sci-fi horror adaptation 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers' starring Donald Sutherland remains an all-time classic 45 years on from its release. Review by Kieran Judge.
‘The Ten Commandments’ at 100 – Review - Cecil B. DeMille's 1923 silent epic 'The Ten Commandments' is impossible to watch without your mouth hanging open in awe. The artistry is astounding. Review by Margaret Roarty.
Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget (2023) Review - 'Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget' (2023), the 'Chicken Run' sequel almost a quarter of a century in the making, pales in comparison to the original. Review by Emi Grant.
Godzilla Minus One (2023) Review - Takashi Yamakazi's 'Godzilla Minus One' aka 'Gojira -1.0' (2023) has a very strong claim to being the best kaiju movie in 70 years. Review by Sam Sewell-Peterson.
Maestro (2023) Review - Bradley Cooper stars in and directs 'Maestro', a biopic on "West Side Story" composer Leonard Bernstein that is long overdue but served well. Review by Rob Jones.
Wonka (2023) Review - Timothée Chalamet might be the only saving grace of Paul King's barely passable 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory' prequel 'Wonka' (2023). Review by Margaret Roarty.



Please Don’t Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain (2023) Review - 'Saturday Night Live' act Please Don't Destroy transition to the big screen with 'Please Don't Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain;, proving their talents as they do. Review by Mark Carnochan.
May December (2023) Review - Natalie Portman, Julianne Moore and Charles Metlon impressively belie their characters in Todd Haynes' awards frontrunner 'May December', a film that is hard to forget. Review by Connell Oberman.
Little Women (1933) Review - George Cukor's 1933 adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women" starring Katharine Hepburn is perfect for those who may need an umbrella during a sun shower. Review by Margaret Roarty.
It’s a Wonderful Knife (2023) Review - 'It's a Wonderful Knife' (2023) adds a twist to 'It's a Wonderful Life', creating a technically proficient 90-minute blast of a slasher movie with some real star power. Review by Kieran Judge.
Wish (2023) Review - Disney's 100th birthday release 'Wish' is a disingenuous, one dimensional, form of corporate self-fellatio that is insufferable to watch. Ariana DeBose and Chris Pine star. Review by Mark Carnochan.
Napoleon (2023) Review - Ridley Scott reunites with 'Gladiator' star Joaquin Phoenix for historical epic 'Napoleon', a film about Napoleon Bonaparte's conquests that had a lot of potential. Review by Joseph Wade.
Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) Review - There is a universal truth at the core of John Hughes' 'Planes, Trains and Automobiles' (1987), an exercise in empathy that has maintained its potency. Review by Connell Oberman.
Thanksgiving (2023) Review - For the most part, Eli Roth's slasher horror 'Thanksgiving' (2023) does exactly what it says it's going to. It gives a good, bloody slasher flick. Review by Kieran Judge.
‘Frozen’ at 10 – Review - Walt Disney Animation mega-hit 'Frozen' is 10, and with a progressive and influential central narrative it maintains its impact and importance. Review by Martha Lane.
Dashing Through the Snow (2023) Review - 'Dashing Through the Snow' (2023), Disney's direct-to-streaming Christmas offering from Tim Story starring Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges, is a one-watch-and-done festive adventure. Review by Martha Lane.
Embers (2023) Review - Christian Cooke's 2023 feature 'Embers' breaks down our understanding of therapy and mental illness, achieving a short, sharp shock that lingers in the mind. Review by Kieran Judge.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023) Review - The prequel to 'The Hunger Games' is another worthy entry into the canon, 'The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes' offering a rich and intriguing peak into the past. Review by Margaret Roarty.
Saltburn (2023) Review - Emerald Fennell has done it again. 'Saltburn' (2023) is like a Shakespearean episode of 'Skins' with a dash of 'Succession', and Barry Keoghan offers a special performance. Review by Mark Carnochan.
The Marvels (2023) Review - Nia DaCosta takes on 'The Marvels' (2023), a "decent enough time at the movies" that doesn't quite top the canon of Marvel Cinematic Universe offerings. Review by Sam Sewell-Peterson.
Dream Scenario (2023) Review - Kristoffer Borgli's 'Dream Scenario' (2023) seems like a dream scenario for star Nicolas Cage, and is an effortlessly watchable and compelling film in its own right. Review by Rob Jones.
Poor Things (2023) Review - Emma Stone stars as Bella, a remarkable creation formed by the hands of Willem Dafoe's Doctor, in Yorgos Lanthimos' most laugh-out-loud funny movie to date. Review by Sam Sewell-Peterson.
The Killer (2023) Review - David Fincher offers one of 2023's best films in 'The Killer' starring Michael Fassbender, a thriller that deserves to survive the plight of the Netflix algorithm. Review by Mark Carnochan.
How to Have Sex (2023) Review - Molly Manning Walker's 'How to Have Sex' (2023), winner of the Un Certain Regard prize at Cannes, is a film about sex and consent thankfully absent of the male gaze. Review by Gala Woolley.
Wingwomen (2023) Review - Mélanie Laurent directs and stars in 'Wingwomen' (2023), a Netflix Original buddy actioner reminiscent of 'Ocean's Eleven' and 'Lethal Weapon'. Review by Rob Jones.
Bottoms (2023) Review - Emma Seligman's 'Bottoms' (2023) is a hilariously violent teen sex comedy co-written by co-star Rachel Sennott. This is a memorable satire that packs a punch. Review by Margaret Roarty.