“A physically intimidating performance from Russell Crowe can’t save the film from a weak script & inexplicable character decisions”

My definitive top ten of 2020’s movie releases

“A social satire full of righteous fury, even if its message is delivered in a slightly inelegant way”

“The cast is great, but many of the ideas feel familiar, & the film’s bleak tone won’t be to everyone’s taste”

“Some interesting ideas don’t make up for the fact that this lacks the emotional impact of Pixar’s better films”

A selection of my favourite bits and pieces from 2020

“A much needed blockbuster packed full of emotion, humour & fun, with a central message of hope”

“An amusing (if unsurprising) festive family comedy, carried by the cast’s comedy & chemistry”

“Despite the film being fairly lightweight & insubstantial, Kurt Russell is still the Santa to beat for on-screen coolness”

“The surreal humour makes this an amusing watch, even if it does run out of steam halfway through”

“A perfectly-timed Halloween treat for families, mixing the chills with moments of humour”

“A fun comedy/thriller, carried by a great performance from Millie Bobby Brown as the engaging teen detective”

“Despite a good cast & some interesting ideas, this is an entry for X-Men completists more than casual movie goers”

“Just as funny as the earlier films, but with more plot & character development, this is one hell of an encore”

“An epic fantasy that successfully combines cinematic battle sequences with the intimacy of Mulan’s personal journey”

“A satisfying puzzle-box of a movie, boasting impressive action scenes & mindbogglingly original visuals”

“The central performances from the main three stars & the impressive VFX are enough to make this an enjoyable watch”

“One of the better original action blockbusters of the last couple of years”

“Captures the energy, creativity & excitement of the stage production & sets a new benchmark for live theatre recordings”

“This uninspired introduction seems likely to be the beginning and end of this wannabe series”

“Delivers a powerful anti-hate message through an effective combination of absurdist comedy & genuine heart”

“If you liked the first film, you should enjoy this too”

“The handful of decent actions sequences aren’t enough to distract from the fact the plot is a hodgepodge of action movie clichés”

“A joyously fun & heart-warming family film, with the adventure, humour & emotion in perfect balance”