Jamie Winship

Transformers One is arguably the best transformers movie yet, even proceeding the much loved 2007 original as well as the highly rated and well received Bumblebee 2018. The movie is definitely a lot better and more impactful when you have watched through all the other transformers movies but even casual viewers, who haven't seen any transformers films or even just the 2007 original, the movie is still very enjoyable and can still follow and understand everything in the story. Speaking of the story, this movie has a great, engaging story, with lots of unexpected turns and emotion. This is the first transformers movie that is not only set entirely on Cybertron but also includes no human characters and focusing only on what we want to see - Transformers! Which is really nice and refreshing. Transformers One has amazing, animation. Some of the most gorgeous, unique animation I've ever seen. Going into this film I was worried that I the new voice cast would be distracting and the characters wouldn't feel like the ones we know but I'm happy to say I was completely wrong. Bryan Tyree Henry and especially Chris Hemsworth did a great job at capturing and creating the voices and personalities of Optimus and Megatron. By the end of the movie, at least in my opinion, you fully believe that these characters have become Optimus Prime and Megatron. It felt like the more the film went on, the more Hemsworth sounded more like Optimus Prime. The movie moves at a brisk pace and despite its runtime only being about 90 mins Megatrons turn to evil and Optimus' rise to a sacrificial leader feels very natural and authentic. In addition, you completely get why Megatron becomes evil, which is great. His motivations are totally understandable. By the end of the movie Orion Pax feels like optimus prime, his growth his very natural and you feel he will become the Prime that we see in the Micheal Bay films. The third act of this movie has many scenes, shots and dialogue that are all so powerful to watch and experience especially as a transformers fan. Finally this movie makes you fully buy into the brother like friendship between Optimus and Megatron and after only seeing them as sworn enemies for multiple films in a row this is a great achievement. Their friendship feels so genuine and strong and this makes their turn to enemies later in the story so much more sad and heartbreaking. The only negatives I had with this film are, though plenty of the jokes landed, there were also a handful of jokes that didn't land that well. Also I found Scarlet Johanssons voice kind of distracting because I just heard and saw nothing but her when her character spoke and lastly even though I thoroughly enjoyed the entire film I thought the first half was a little weaker than the second half. Apart from them minor issues I really enjoyed Transformers One and it was an amazing experience watching it in the theatre for the first time. I recommend to this movie to anyone who knows anything about transformers.

San Andreas is an absolute blast of a film, from start to finish. Granted the plot is completely ridiculous and unrealistic but that's kinda the point, it knows that and it's not trying to be a compelling, well written film. All the main cast/actors do an amazing job. They suit their characters perfectly and you fully buy into all their performances and relationships with eachother. A side plot of this film includes the main couple losing their daughter to an accident, that as parents, emotionally damaged them and they still blame themselves and it's great how the film pauses to have them much needed, more emotional, grounded moments. Its allows the film as a whole to have a bit more depth to it and you can connect to the characters a bit more. It's also heartwarming how the characters of Blake and the two brothers come together. How such a horrific event can bring strangers together it times of crisis. The main thing to talk about with this film is the visual effects, which are absolutely breathtaking. Its mind blowing what we're able to do in movies. You believe basically every single frame, every single shot in this film, all the earthquakes, destruction, tsunamis, everything. However, despite the things this film get right, their are a lot of things that aren't that good. The plot, as mentioned, is stupid. Plus it's pretty predictable what's going to happen at each moment and with the characters. Speaking of the characters they are still very thin. The film does include some very cliche and cheesy dialogue and plot points. But at the end of the day film is meant fo entertain and it does it very well. Probably one of the best disaster movies ever made, but you keep in mind that's what this film is first and foremost.

Inside Out 2 is a fantastic sequel to Inside Out. Not only is this the most relatable Pixar movie yet but it might be one of the most relatable animated movies. The best thing about the film is how well it captures such universal human experiences, exactly like the first one but what's unique with this sequel is how accurately it explores the experiences and feelings of teenage puberty years. All the things we feel and do due to puberty is done to perfection. They selected a perfect group of additional emotions for this story. There all very well designed and are all really fun and quirky, anxiety is a big stand out. I like how she's perceived as a villain but is just doing her job and has good intentions. Once again the imagination is through the roof, with the world building and some more concepts such as the sar-casm and a brain-storm are all very clever. It's nice how the other og emotions come along for the ride this time and also how Riley is much more of her own character in this movie. We follow her and her life in the real life just as much as we follow the emotions inside her head. This film includes a panic attack scene which is probably the best scene in the film. Its amazing how well it visually shows what a panic attack is like. A very powerful and well done scene. One of the most accurate panic attack interpretation scenes I've seen. There are a few criticisms I have. For one it's strange how for the majority of the runtime sadness is completely separate from the other og emotions. Also, you can't really tell where each act of the story ends and begins and the middle didn't quite have the same hook that the first part and climax of the movie had. And finally while there was still plenty of emotion throughout the film, it didn't quite reach the same emotional level of the first movie. Overall while this movie doesn't quite reach the same heights of the first movie, its certainly close and is still a brilliant movie, a brilliant sequel and has the magic and spark that Pixar is known for.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is a very strong follow up to the Caeser trilogy. Although I must say that Kingdom is the weakest of this franchise and the story doesn't have the same emotional effect that Rise, Dawn & War had. Noa, the new lead character, doesn't compare to Caeser but of course that's completely expected. Despite this Noa is still great. The fact he doesn't know about the world around him and much of the movie and his story is about him discovering the truth about the history of apes and humans makes him an interesting character and interesting lead. The CGI and VFX are once again astonishing, in particular on the apes. You believe every frame, every scene. The ale performances are really good as well, which is great since this is the first time all the actors have played CGI apes. The next thing to talk about is the villain, Proximus Caeser. Even though he isn't as good as Koba, he is pretty close. Proximus Caeser certainly has an extremely strong screen presence, much praise to the actors performance. He has interesting, understandable motivations and he is a very cool character, especially because he has twisted Caesers words. He has twisted everything Caeser was and used it for his own gain. Caeser is all over this movie without him being in the film. It's very much about his legacy. The legacy he left behind and something very compelling about kingdom of the planet of the apes is the theme about how over time words and actions are remembered differently and how much they can be perceived completely differently. Speaking of Caeser, this movie opens with an amazing scene. Something I never expected which was just wonderful and emotional to see. The film has a hopeful ending, an almighty ending that gets you very excited for the future! Kingdom of the planet of the apes may not be on the same level as Rise, Dawn and War but it's still another fantastic addition to this franchise and its without a doubt one the best planet of the apes movies to date.

This movie is an absolute action packed thrill ride! Easily one of Sonys best animated movies yet. The only criticism I have is that the main villain is rather plain and simple, although Olivia Coleman voices her, so her voice and performance is fun and lively but the character itself is not. Now that's where the negatives end. Everything else is amazing. This is one of the funniest movies I have seen in a long time. The comedy is really refreshing and unique and every joke lands The movie has you in hysterics all the way through and a lot of the humour is very relatable because it plays on the life of a typical family. The other stand out thing about this film is the animation style. This kind of animation is really making a comeback and it's not a surprise why. The animation is both incredibly vibrant and dazzling but also really expressive, it helps enhance the humour and world really well. The characters, specifically the main characters, being the Mitchell family, are great characters to spend time with. Their personalities and their dynamic are incredibly quirky, fun, likeable and hilarious. It also includes lots of really great action too, plus a well written story. But at the core of this movie, it's really a story about family and that's where it pulls on the heart strings. I was actually very surprised with how emotional this movie got. Its about family love and respect.

To begin on a negative note Kong Skull Island has rather one dimensional characters. Apart from each characters personal career background they don't have an interesting backstory. They're mostly written to be simple characters. The story is also rather simple. A team of scientists and military troops travel to a mysterious, uncharted island where they encounter very strange and dangerous creatures. They have to try to work together to get of the Island alive. That's about it. The film, however has a great cast including, Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L Jackson, Brie Larson, John C Reily and John Goodman. These actors are probably overqualified to play these roles but they do a great job anyway. You understand that motivations of the characters mainly Samuel L Jacksons character and they are all written consistently as well. Because different characters have different motivations, views and opinions it allows for some tense, unpredictable scenes especially towards the climax. John C Reily is the one exception when it comes to the one dimensional characters. His character is probably the most interesting and enjoyable to watch, not only because he has much more of a lively personality compared to the others but he also has an interesting and sad backstory so you are rooting for him to make it off the island. The creatures of skull island are both cool and creative. The CGI is as good as ever and as for the action scenes they aren't as long and big in scale as they could be but they are still very fun and it makes you feel the danger. Easily the best thing of this movie is that it has an incredibly unique aesthetic and cinematography. It takes you back in time and the film is full of huge shots with absolutely gorgeous and dazzling shots and scenes. Its all very vibrant and thrilling to watch. So while Kong Skull Island fails to have a unique story with well written characters, it is still enjoyable and is a solid addition to the Monsterverse franchise.

Tangled is easily one of Disneys best movies to date and probably one of the best animated movies ever. It's a vibrant, gorgeous world, with fantastic, memorable characters, whether that's the main characters or the side characters. This is the most expensive Disney animated Disney film ever and you can tell when the animation is amazing and dazzling as it is. Rapunzel and Eugene's are one of the best, sweetest Disney couples ever and the story of then falling for each other feels really natural and is wonderful to watch. The villain, mother Gothel, is one of the best Disney villains. She is so incredibly evil and threatening yet in a way you also understand why she wants Rapunzels hair. As usual Disney hits so hard with the songs. I would say tangled easily includes some of Disneys best songs. Every single song in this movie is just amazing. There all so catchy, so well written and vocally they're performed to perfection by the cast. They enhance every scene and create alot of emotion especially the I see the light song. But the best part of this movie is the lantern scene. I honestly can watch it over and over and over again. Not only is animated beautifully but it pulls huge emotions out the audience. It's one of the most magical, gorgeous, heartwarming and of course romantic, scenes Disney has ever created and will ever create. Plus all of these things are packaged in a great, unique, entertaining story full of hilarious humour and heart. Top tier Disney movie.

Kung Fu Panda 4 is a good, enjoyable movie, however it's without a doubt the weakest of the franchise. I think the main issue with the film is the fact the furious five are not in it, which is just a terrible and very strange decision. It's explained in the film they're all on separate missions. I don't understand why they thought the audience would be ok with the furious five suddenly not appearing. I think the the furious five being main characters, alone, would make the movie and peoples opinions alot better. They do make a brief appearance at the end of the film, during the credits, which was actually a really nice surprise but they don't speak. The villain of the movie, the Chameleon, is pretty good, the concept of her shape shifting is really cool and interesting to watch and it's very well animated but she is definitely the least threatening, memorable and interesting villain of the franchise, which is surprising considering she can turn into any powerful master she wants. The next thing to talk about is the new main character, Zhen, played by Akwfina, who becomes Po's successor. She is a good character and she has a great character arc throughout the film. Her and Po's friendship grows nicely but she doesn't feel like the right character to be the new dragon warrior. I get they wanted to do something different and interesting but the audience are very happy with Po continuing to be the new dragon warrior. The main problem with Zhen is she's voiced by Akwfina of all people. There's nothing wrong with her performance or her as a person but it's just her voice is very distracting. Everytime Zhen speaks all you hear and see is Akwfina. I must say though a secret is revealed about Zhen and the villain which was an unexpected element that genuinely shocked me. The minor side characters in the city aren't good or memorable. It feels like they were trying to fill out the cast, characters and world. Also it feels like they're trying but mostly failing to capture the humour and magic of the the first three movies. Now when it comes to the positives, there's plenty of Master Shifu and he's still his awesome Shifu self. Giving plenty of inspirational, well written quotes. Both of Po's dads get their own side plot so we get lots of them together. The reason for their inclusion kinda feels cheap just to have them in the film but it's still really great to see them both together. Also, though not as good and memorable as the other three, the action is still great. But easily the best thing about the movie is the return of all the villains. Though it would have been cooler if they were more involved in the story and Shen and Kai got some dialogue and action scenes, it was still really exciting and really cool seeing them again, especially all together, felt kinda surreal actually. Tai Lung got alot of dialogue too, which was good. The villains however didn't feel consistent with their past appearances. They don't really act in character. These are villains that have alll fought and been defeated by Po. They have all tried to kill him and are all so evil yet they all don't even try to fight Po given the opportunity. They accept to go back to the spirit realm and even willingly bow down to Po in respect to him. There is no way any of the villains would do any of these things. So i'd say I do definitely still recommend Kung Fu Panda 4, there's still lots to enjoy, specifically in the third act but it certainly has issues and really lacks the magic and flair that Kung Fu Panda 1, 2 & 3 have.

I was absolutely shocked to see this movie only has 66% on RT and to see any negatives reviews too. This is one of the best Sc-Fi movies I have ever seen and I don't see any of the negatives other people are saying. For one the story is fantastic and really interesting. I loved how, unlike other A.I movies, these A.I robots look exactly like humans. They're not just robots that are designed to look like humans, they actually have skin and human anatomy and there's something very unsettling about that, in a good way. It's also a unique thing to see. Something else that's unique is how a for some humans and artificial intelligence have actually fallen in love with eachother, or in the case of themselves main character and the little girl robot, end up developing a father and child relationship. It's so heartwarming and sweet to see their relationship grow and see them love eachother despite one of them not even being human. The visuals from start to finish, in this movie are just phenomenal, which is nice to see these days. The action is incredible. The film has alot of heart and emotion to it. Also the performances are fantastic, specifically the main character and the definitely the child robot. I cannot believe the child actor in this film. They were 7 years old in the filming of the movie and personally I think she gives close to an Oscar worthy performance. She blew me away for being so young and yet so talented. I loved this movie and I certainly recommend it especially if your a big sifi fan.

Firstly I will say the story is simple and very much follows the book beat by beat so it doesn't do anything different to the book if that's what you want, however regardless of whether you have read the book or not it is still an enjoyable film. A big thing when it comes to the movie is that the animation is very distinct and interesting. Despite the fact the movie is complete animation the animals, humans and physical environment looks very real. This was a refreshing kind of animation to see. The characters are brought to life as if the movie came before the book because they look and sound exactly how you would think. This is largely because of the amazing casting, including big names, like George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Bill Murray and William Dafoe. Plus it includes some unique sound affects and music and has the nice detail of showing how much time has passed for both humans and the fox's. 2 human hears is 12 fox years. It's also tells the story in an interesting and clever way and connects it to the book as if you really are watching a movie of the book. For example throughout the film the names of each chapter from the book are shown on screen. This film has some nice themes like, responsibility, what is right and wrong, working together and accepting yourself. The movie also has great comedy throughout. This movie just has such an incredibly distinct and unique style to it that could have only come from Wes anderson