Star Wars Episode VI: The Return of the Jedi (1983)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086190/

The rescue missions, Luke's new mastery of the Force and his struggle to win Vader over to the good side are all very fun and exciting, but the Ewoks are stupid and I'm not impressed that nobody could come up with a better Empire threat than "new improved Death Star".

Four stars

Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080684

And here it is: the greatest of the Star Wars films to date.  The rebels are on the run, Han and Leia are falling in love, Vader reveals the big twist and everything Yoda does and says is brilliant. Action adventure film making at its greatest.

Five stars

They Came Together (2014)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2398249/

Middle-of-the-road, medium funny romantic comedy spoof.  None of the jokes are stand-out and the forced cheesiness is pretty irritating but the leads are great and it did make me laugh.  Perhaps I hate romcoms so much I can't even truly enjoy a spoof version?!

Three stars

Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076759/

What can I say? A true classic! Although even the digitally remastered version looks a little dated compared to the prequels (distinctly less epic lightsaber battle), the characters are as loveable as ever and the fast-paced sense of adventure - particularly in the ultimate scenes - makes it an immensely enjoyable watch.

Four stars

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0121766/

With ongoing war as the backdrop, Episode III's real focus is on Anakin's internal struggle.  As usual, Obi-Wan's storyline is the most exciting, although the ultimate lightsaber duel is preposterous. Extremely bleak as the conclusion to a trilogy but of course it's really just an excellent set-up for Episode IV.

Three stars

Star Wars Episode II: The Clone Wars (2002)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0121765/

One third action-packed, mystery-cloaked perilous Jedi mission, one third awesome epic battles (Jedis vs. Geonosians, Clones vs. Droids, Yoda vs. Dooku!) and one third nauseating romance between Anakin and Padme. PUKE.  If it weren't for the latter this would be an absolute corker but the gooey-eyed bullshit really spoils it.

Three stars

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120915/

Jar-Jar Binks is less annoying than I remember, baby Anakin is more annoying than I remember and the plot is more boring than I remember.  An awesome peripheral baddy in Darth Maul and some great lightsaber action but not enough space scenes and overall it was difficult to get excited.

Two stars

Spectre (2015)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2379713/

A return to off-the-shelf formulaic Bond here with 007 off on a rogue mission accompanied by a silk-clad beauty and up against a disappointingly un-sinister Christoph Waltz.  Explosions, cheesy one-liners and a gadgety car will keep purists happy but it's definitely less gritty than Craig's other outings.

Three stars

Predestination (2014)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2397535

What I thought was going to be a fucked up, mind-bending sci-fi action thriller turned out to be a long biographical piece about the strangest ever life story. Plenty fucked up though and it gets pretty mind-bending towards the end.  Plus Ethan Hawke is lush.

Three stars

Sicario (2015)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3397884/

As tense and gritty as you could hope for, this story of an out-of-her-depth FBI agent's assignment to a drug war task force keeps you on the edge of your seat.  A strong cast and soundtrack compliment the perfect balance of in-your-face action and stunning extreme long-shots. Highly recommended.

Four stars

Inside Out (2015)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2096673/

Charming and funny, this Pixar-Disney collaboration makes for lovely soft viewing.  Embodied versions of a young girl's core emotions fight to stay in control of her mind after a disruptive house move.  It's VERY childish but also endearing and beautiful to watch. Nearly boring but not quite.

Three stars

True Story (2015)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2273657

Fairly interesting character piece about a journalist and an accused murderer who form a complicated relationship in the run up to the latter's trial.  Whilst Hill and Franco aren't at their best and the film is a little muddled, the story is just about compelling enough to keep you guessing.

Three stars

Insurgent (2015)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2908446/

Barely worth a review and definitely not worth a watch.  Really terrible Hunger Games knock-off.  Completely dismal in every way.  First class uber tripe.  Don't waste your time.

One star

San Andreas (2015)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2126355

Completely predictable hole-ridden disaster movie epic!  The Rock bombs it round California trying to save his family during the world's biggest ever earthquake.  Helicopters, jeeps, speedboats... you name it The Rock will bomb around in it!  Super cheesy but massively enjoyable if you're in the mood.

Three stars

Locke (2013)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2692904/

Tom Hardy drives his car all night long whilst talking about concrete, daddy issues and homewrecking in a terrible Welsh accent.  I  didn't see the appeal, personally.  Having said that I didn't switch it off so I suppose it can't be all bad.

Two stars

Jurassic World (2015)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0369610/

What a riot! Yes it's ridiculous, there is massive gender stereotyping and it pales in comparison to Jurassic Park.  But the tone, soundtrack, humour and dino action really echo the original and despite all the drawbacks I found it really exciting.  Thrilling rather than scary, but how about that Mosasaurus?!!

Three stars

Watchmen (2009)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0409459

Genuinely the greatest superhero movie ever. Super cool, super inventive, super exciting and super unique; Watchmen does everything best.  Incredible comic-style cinematography, perfectly executed fights, relationship dysfunction, mystery, sexy suits - it really has it all.  The soundtrack is impeccable and the backdrop of nuclear war adds gravity.  LOVE IT!

Five stars*

* I wish I could give it more than five.

Be Kind Rewind (2008)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0799934

Near-slapstick comedy sees Jack Black and Mos Def bumble their way through an attempt to re-shoot some of their favourite movies with no money and even less talent.  Genuinely hilarious in parts and with real heart this was surprisingly enjoyable and had me rooting for the "goodies".

Three stars

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1392190

Mad Max?... Mad Movie!  Totally bonkers non-stop action from start to finish in this adrenaline-heavy chase story. Low on dialogue and high on explosions it looked incredible, was frantically entertaining and has a great pair of leads in Hardy and Theron. Not life-changing but destined to become an action classic.

Four stars

Under the Skin (2013)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1441395

Weirder and more boring than I expected, this minimalist sci-fi thriller focuses on Johansson's mysterious endeavours to tempt men back to her place. If the point of this film is to make us think "what's the point of this film?" then top marks. Perplexing and intriguing but not very exciting.

Three stars*

* and one of those is just for Johansson's performance

Boyhood (2014)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1065073

Filmed over 12 years with the same cast this is a real growing-up story.  While I greatly appreciate the innovation and commitment involved, the end product lacked the realism it's been heralded for and I actually found it fairly boring (and LONG!). Could be a tear-jerking masterpiece for others though.

Three stars

Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (2010)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1465522

Classic slapstick comedy violence here with a loveable pair of dumbass leads.  Tucker and Dale aren't going to change your life but it's very funny and if you're in the mood for something silly with plenty of deaths then it's definitely worth a watch.

Three stars

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2395427

Everything I could have wished for and more! EVEN BETTER than Avengers Assemble due to more whole-team action, and apart from the naff ending I can't say a bad word about it.  Action packed, super funny, a great baddie and some cool new superpowers. Epic fun!

Five stars

Coherence (2013)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2866360/

A surreal low budget thriller, Coherence benefits from well-written characters and strong acting.  Which is a good job really as its parallel-realities sci-fi plot is pretty thin.  Essentially just a dinner party gone freaky, its worth a watch if you're after something different.

Three stars

Wild Tales (2014)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3011894/

Absolutely fantastic storytelling here from writer and director Damian Szifron.  Six short stories with nothing to link them but the distressing nature of their protagonists' predicaments.  Beautifully shot, nice and gritty, I would recommend this to pretty much everyone (aged 15 or over).

Five stars

Paddington (2014

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1109624

I seriously misunderstood what was going on here.  I thought it was a kids' film for grown-ups too but turns out it's just a kids' film for stupid kids.  Immensely annoying Brown family and unbelievably over-the-top sincere and silly Paddington. Skip the film and reunite yourselves with the wonderful storybooks.

One star

The Sitter (2011)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1366344/

If you think Jonah Hill is funny (which I do) then you'll probably squeeze a few giggles out of him being a babysitter.  Other than that, not much to pull this up from one star to be honest (even Sam Rockwell as a crazy baddie doesn't improve things much!).

Two stars

Jack Goes Boating (2010)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1278379

Although funny and heartrending, Jack Goes Boating is still rather disappointing for a film directed by and starring Philip Seymour Hoffman.  The clumsy romance that forms the key plotline is way too awkward for my taste, and towards the end the whole movie becomes borderline farcical. Worthwhile? Yes. Excellent? No.

Three stars

Gravity (2013)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1454468

Gravity looks fantastic - all exploding space stations and floaty zero-gravity delightfulness.  It also has a riveting story at its heart - a fight to return to earth when a space mission goes awry.  Bullock and Clooney are as charismatic as ever but it lands firmly on the wrong side of cheesy.

Four stars

Horrible Bosses (2011)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1499658/

Horrible Bosses?... Horrible Movie more like.  Few of the jokes are above gutter level and fewer still are actually funny.  The whole movie has seriously misogynistic undertones and there's a smattering of poorly disguised racism for good measure.  Some obvious chemistry between the leads but I can't forgive the rest.

One star

Europa Report (2013)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2051879/

Gripping, chilling, excellently acted, here FINALLY we have a science fiction movie that's more science than fiction.  A mission into deep space sees a group of astronauts struggle their way through an epic journey of discovery.  Bit boring to start with but I loved it by the end.

Five stars

Blackfish (2013)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2545118/

Shocking and distressing documentary about how awful it is for SeaWorld to keep killer whales in captivity and the drastic consequences it can have for the humans working closely with them.  It's very upsetting and I did learn a few things but unsurprisingly it's a little one-sided.

Four stars

Honeymoon (2014)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3177316

Much of the “horror” here comes from the bodysnatchers-style idea that something could take away someone you love from the inside out.  It's not very scary - or even particularly exciting – but this chilling two-hander has a strong sense of mystery and is well acted enough to be enjoyable.

Three stars

God Bless America (2011)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1912398/

An almighty “fuck you” to some of the things we hate about modern Western society: narcissism, meanness, stupidity, celebrity...  Ever wished you could murder the person that leaves their phone on in the cinema?  Or ranted endlessly about what a pile of shit The X Factor is? Watch this film.

Five stars

Interstellar (2014)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0816692

Epic in scope, excellently balanced between on-earth and in-space scenes and brilliantly acted - this is properly fantastic sci-fi!  McConaughey is great as Captain Wormhole Explorer, the science is believable enough and it made me cry a whole bunch of times.  Didn't totally get the ending though.

Five stars

Frank (2014)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1605717

Wonderfully eccentric characters, interesting music and gloomy undertones.  Domnhall Gleeson joins “Soronprfbs”, a band led by enigmatic Frank who wears a papier mache head.  All the time.  The characters and plot seem to be completely preposterous and yet somehow they manage to stay natural, funny and relatable.  Bit weird though.

Four stars

Ghost World (2001)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0162346/

A pair of annoyingly self-involved and precocious teenagers play a trick on Steve Buscemi that changes the direction of their unimportant post-high-school lives.  Some punchy dialogue earlier on but mostly it's just drivel about friendship and growing up etc.

Two stars

Empire Records (1995)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112950/

Classic 90s high-school fun in this quirky comic drama set in a music shop. It's all about romance, "doing it", hating crap pop music and sticking it to the man.  Infantile throughout, with cliched characters and absurd approach to relationships but hey-ho, it's pretty funny and not unlikeable when hungover.

Three stars

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2012)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1951264/

With a slow start and WAY too many parallels with part 1, this sequel felt mostly reeeeeeally long.  The undercurrent of revolution made me excited for the next instalment, the whole film looks great, and I suppose its a necessary step in the series. But as a standalone, pretty boring.

Three stars

Big Hero 6 (2015)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2245084/

A kid builds some robots, gets another robot as a sidekick and teams up with his "nerd" mates to battle a baddy.  The sidekick robot is funny and I got a bit caught up in the adventure but overall not entertaining enough; basically just a good quality kids' film.

Three stars

Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2802144/

Swords for legs, exploding heads, badass fighting from Colin Firth and deranged lisping from Samuel L Jackson.  Brilliant!  Kingsman misses its mark with some of the humour and its preposterous plot but makes up for it with lashings of silly but impressive fighting and (as I already explained) exploding heads.

Four stars

The Theory of Everything (2015)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2980516/

With a brilliant and well-researched performance from Redmayne, this moving portrayal of a pivotal part of Stephen Hawking's life had me close to tears many times.  The family dynamic and disease progression were captivating, but there was hardly any science and it's primarily a romance (which I tend to dislike).

Three stars

The Campaign (2012)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1790886/

Not as funny as some Will Ferrell movies (Anchorman, Zoolander, Blades of Glory) but a solid three-star comedy.  Two equally hapless politicians battle it out to be congressman, jokes include punching a baby and sex in a portaloo.  Recommend viewing whilst hungover.

Three stars

Nightcrawler (2014)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2872718/

Jake Gyllenhaal is fantastically engaging as a creepy thief-turned-crime-journalist who becomes obsessed with covering the best/worst crimes of the Los Angeles night.  It's hard to take your eyes and ears off the eloquent, charming and tenacious protagonist, but this leaves other characters underdeveloped.  A very stylish, well-directed affair.

Four stars

Oldboy (2003)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0364569/

The fantastic combination of mystery, violence and humour makes Oldboy a big hit.  Released from 15-year imprisonment our hero must use his brains and his fists to fight his way to his unknown captor.  Some parts are visually savage (think teeth-pulling!) and others are emotionally savage, but it's excellent throughout.

Five stars

There Will Be Blood (2007)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0469494

A powerhouse performance by Day-Lewis as a ruthless oil-man hell-bent on acquiring success.  He is mean, scary and unhinged but almost matched by Paul Dano's demented preacher.  The film is really far too long but it can't be denied that it's an epic performance and a bold, brutal story.

Four stars

Ex Machina (2015)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0470752/

A wonderfully straightforward and undeniably brilliant artificial intelligence story.  I don't know whether it was the super-stylish setting, the head-on confrontation of the "does it have consciousness" question, or the darkly funny performances but I hugely enjoyed it and would recommend it to any scifi fan.

Five stars

St Vincent (2014)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2170593

BILL MURRAY! Playing BILL MURRAY! Doing and saying BILL MURRAY type things.  Grumpy, sarcastic and world-weary, this is an easy role.  As Vincent's life continues a downward spiral, a clever young boy-next-door (no, not that type) brings him some hope and light. N'awwww.  Funny and touching but nothing new.

Four stars

Bad Neighbours (2014)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2004420/

Funnier than expected, as long as you're looking for semi-slapstick toilet humour and dick jokes.  There's a war between some young parents (Rogen and the under-appreciated Byrne) and their new frat-house neighbours (led by Efron), and despite attempts to present some "getting-older" personal struggles, it's mostly just dick jokes.

Three stars

The Double (2013)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1825157

Creepy, awkward and extremely accomplished writing and directorship from national treasure Ayoade (way better than Submarine). Eisenberg's greatest performance to date with sterling support from Wasikowska.  Story by Dostoevsky.  What more can I say? A beautifully crafted filler-free 93 minutes.

Five stars