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"The Commuter" In this action-packed thriller, Michael MacCauley (Liam Neeson), an insurance salesman, whose daily commute home quickly becomes anything but routine. After being confronted by Joana (Vera Farmiga), a mysterious stranger, Michael is blackmailed into finding the identity of a passenger on his train before the last stop. As he works against the clock to solve the puzzle, Michael is unwittingly caught up in a criminal conspiracy that carries life and death stakes for himself and his fellow passengers. The commuter trains into New York travel from the suburban areas into the inner city, terminating in the Financial District. Along the way, they pick up all kinds of people from every strata of society and, because there’s no first class, the passengers all mix in together. The story centers on Michael MacCauley, a former cop and a now mid-level manager at a faceless insurance company, who lives with his wife Karen (Elizabeth McGovern) and son Danny (Dean-Charles Chapman) outside of New York City. Like so many hard-working family men, he's facing a financial breaking point, trying to make ends meet on a paycheck that is stretched to the rafters and a son who's about to go to college. Michael has been taking the same train for 10 years, five days a week, and then one day he's fired. He doesn't know how to tell his wife, and he's double-mortgaged on his house. At the end of his last day in the office, Michael gets on the train ready to face his family and admit that he has been fired and that the family faces bankruptcy. After having a drink in the local bar with an ex-cop friend of his, he takes the commuter train back to face the music. Into the seat opposite him slides a woman who's not one of the regular commuters Michael knows. She introduces herself and makes him a strange offer. Would you do one tiny, little thing for $100,000? Something of hers has been stolen on the train and she needs help finding it. If he agrees to help, he’ll be generously compensated. Joana literally shaking up his otherwise mundane existence. We all come to a fork in the road at times where we're quizzed on morality versus need, and she's that quiz master. Of the hundreds of people on the train, most are just normal people who are innocent bystanders. But Michael is forced to trust a handful of passengers who offer their help. One is Walt (Jonathan Banks), a commuter pal. Another is Tony (Andy Nyman), a regular New York guy who s always on the train, who lends Michael his phone. Others who raise suspicion include college girl Gwen (Florence Pugh), Dylan (Killian Scott), a young guy with a tattoo who Michael vaguely recognizes, Vince (Shazad Latif), a Wall Street type, Jackson (Roland Møller), a burly construction worker, Oliver (Kobna Holdbrook-Smith), a tired-looking guy with a guitar case, Eva (Clara Lago), a panicked nurse and Sam (Colin McFarlane), the train’s conductor. Following the worldwide success of "Unknown", "Non-Stop", and "Run All Night", Liam Neeson and director Jaume Collet-Serra reunite for a fourth time with the explosive thriller "The Commuter", about one man‘s frantic quest to uncover the truth about a train passenger before it's too late. The screenplay proves irresistible, not just for the bravura of the action and the thrill of the suspense, but for the moral conundrum the protagonist faces and it's consequences for him, the passengers on a New York City commuter train, and his family. On his commute home, the passenger sitting opposite him puts a proposition before him, find a passenger on-board the train who doesn’t belong, in return for a handsome financial reward. As an ex-cop with a strong moral sense of right and wrong, this is not an offer Michael takes lightly. Apprehensive to return home after just having lost his job, Michael eventually agrees to find the suspect amongst the sea of passengers, using his wit and skill to uncover their identity. But he soon realizes that he's at the center of a deadly conspiracy that only he can stop. If someone asked you to do something that seems insignificant, but you’re not sure of the outcome, in exchange for a considerable financial reward, would you do it? That’s the philosophical choice that our central character, a man of 60 who’s just been fired, has no savings, and mortgage he cannot afford, is faced with. Is he thinking just about himself or is he going to take into consideration the possible moral consequences of what he’s asked to do? It's really important to have Michael as someone who belongs to both worlds, he works in the financial district, but he's a real man who’s probably from a blue collar background and he has fought his whole life to give his family the best possible life. On the train ride home, he’s with a bunch of strangers who are also going through their own personal dramas, large or small. They all start off as strangers, but by the end, there’s a real sense of community between them, and it's very important to end it that way. The story almost plays in real time. The main character realizes what he’s set in motion; and sets out to identify the person that holds the key to the conspiracy. The tension cranks up at every stop as new passengers get on, and another clue is left for him. The danger gradually gets greater and greater and the film becomes this really fast-paced psychological thriller along the lines of a Hitchcock‘s "Strangers On A Train" or "North By Northwest". The audience is with him every step of the way, so we learn that his family is in danger only when he does. The film keeps the camera on the train, but imply that his family was in danger without showing it. "The Commuter" disguises a morality tale as a genre film. Michael strikes a Faustian pact with this mysterious woman and, once he’s agreed, the film plays out his deep regret. Joanna is the catalyst, a temptress who entices him, coaches him, and pulls his strings throughout. The film notes of mystery around some of Michael’s co-commuters, who may or may not be players in the conspiracy engulfing him. So when you meet a new character, you’re not sure why they’re on the train or what’s in their bag or why they’re acting the way they do. They’re rounded characters, so you care about what they’re thinking or what they’re up to. It's very important to keep our interest in them going throughout the movie so the payoff at the end is more satisfying. It's a spiritual sequel to "Non-Stop". With a mystery evolving around your central character, it has more impact if your protagonist is a normal guy. How much is he willing to do for money without knowing the consequences of what he's going to do? When extraordinary events happen to regular people, it's important that the first choices that these characters make are choices that we, as an audience, agree with, and that the action escalates plausibly from those choices.

Written, Produced and Directed by: Mahmoud Shoolizadeh United Kingdom, London, September 2018 Synopsis: SUSAN is a story of Love and War. A feature social drama film basically about Susan who lives in London, England with her lovely family. She loses her husband in Afghanistan war. She suffers but she keeps her Love and hope alive. In this film Susan is the symbol of love and kindness. She faces lots of challenges in her life, though she tries hard to keep this kindness and love, even in the very difficult situation she is facing. While she is alone, full of pain and misery, one unexpected moment happens and this is just the beginning!

One wonders what the world has done to deserve George Lucas. He is the Lady Macbeth of the Movie Brat filmmakers, an initially independent film maker whose mind once spawned of the greatest and most beloved films of our time, and then spent the rest of his life and career trying to destroy. I am of course talking about Howard the Duck, a masterpiece in every conceivable sense but the word. Produced by George “Moneybags” Lucas and directed by Willard Huyck, who co-wrote the screenplay of the original Star Wars, another of Lucas’ celluloid children that he has ever since tried to butcher with a cruelty matched only by King Herod and PE teachers. Howard is an underrated and sadly overlooked classic of dreadful film-making, a film so utterly bizarre that it achieves a kind of grandeur in its ability to unintentionally out-do most other films in terms of sheer incompetence. It has the usual Lucas-dressed hamburger salad of oak-wooden acting (especially from Howard himself, who is about as convincing a duck as Hannibal Lecter is a vegetarian), unnecessarily convoluted storylines and subtle-as-concrete dialogue. On the other hand, the film’s hero Howard throws some fascinating light on Lucas’ other trigger-happy heroes, Han Solo and Ronald Reagan: he vents all of his frustrations on a friendly janitor Phil played by Tim Robbins, who is very good at talking to feathered animals and does so here at great length. Howard also finds time during his time in Cleveland to hiss obscenities at the kind-hearted girl who takes pity on him and sadistically bite a receptionist on the behind whilst dressed as a French tourist, complete with beret, sunglasses and surly demeanour. Whilst allegedly based on the Marvel comic book, this is very much Lucas’ alter ego, a highly intelligent and capricious mass of feathered malevolence intent on wreaking havoc and causing heart-break to the very people that try to help him the most: his fans. In a cast that includes Jeffrey Jones, Tim Robbins and Richard Edson, Lea Thompson works the hardest—and incidentally does a good job— as Beverley, a young, lonely guitarist eager to find a new friend, but who upon offering the space-travel-lagged duckling a place to stay is cruelly berated and insulted. It is as if poor Miss Thompson were waiting for a friendly alien to come into her life and instead found… Howard. Still, she bravely soldiers on to help him return home and even develops a sexual attraction towards him over the course of their adventures. Enter Jeffrey Jones and Tim Robbins, who view Howard’s landing on Earth as a scientific breakthrough and join a party that evolves into a medley of cross-country chases, aerial acrobatics, glam-rock concerts and fistfights with deranged duck-hungry diners. A typical night in Cleveland this may be, yet if anything the film’s sudden shift from a potentially erotic thriller between Beverley and Howard into a Blues Brothers-style chase movie seem like an attempt by the film makers to bury the blossoming relationship between Howard and Thompson beneath a rubble of explosive but ultimately stale thrills. Indeed, Lucas and Huyck seem to have realised that they do not want to pursue the Michael Douglas/Sharon Stone trajectory between the lady and the duck, so the film ultimately fails to maintain the subversive edge and erotic drive of those early scenes in the final ninety-nine minutes of its running time. As if to punish Beverley for her misplaced affections, her encounters with other male human beings in the film constantly result in violence against her. She is attacked in the street, cat-called and tied down by various men throughout the film; the filmmakers even find it necessary for a fence to be erected between herself and the predominantly male crowd in the club scenes. Given such a representation of male human beings in Howard the Duck, it seems little wonder that she develops sexual feelings towards a talking duck and his…feathers. Still, there is much to enjoy in Howard the Duck, not least the cheerfully inept special effects and the violent intricacies of Quack-Fu. And as for Howard himself, not even James Bond can claim to have slugged three bystanders armed only with a cigar, an ice pick and a knuckle-hard wingspan. Good on you, Howard. That’s something to tell all the ducks back home. By Chris Middlehurst

Watch the official Thoroughbreds film trailer! Childhood friends Lily and Amanda reconnect in suburban Connecticut after years of growing apart. Lily has turned into a polished, upper-class teenager, with a fancy boarding school on her transcript and a coveted internship on her resume; Amanda has developed a sharp wit and her own particular attitude, but all in the process of becoming a social outcast. Though they initially seem completely at odds, the pair bond over Lily's contempt for her oppressive stepfather, Mark, and as their friendship grows, they begin to bring out one another's most destructive tendencies. Their ambitions lead them to hire a local hustler, Tim, and take matters into their own hands to set their lives straight. THOROUGHBREDS is released in UK cinema’s on March 9th 2018 Read our official Thoroughbreds film review.

AHHHH Titanic, one of the major classics on screen, and the still 'going-on' debate whether Rose had room on that door or not?! If you are part of the population who loves a romance, with a few tears, as well as a young Leonardo DiCaprio on your screen, then Titanic is definately a film you will enjoy. Titanic is one of the most famous tradegies to occur causing the director James Cameron, to have the pressure on highlighting the the world the horrible tragedy and historical events which occured that awful night in 1912. DIRECTOR: For a good movie, calls good director, and James Cameron is certainly a good director. With the stress of showing the emotional aspect of this occurance, Cameron provided a memoriable and amazing tale of two lovers of different classes, wanting to spend eternity with each other rather than with their apparent family. The use of flashbacks made this film so moving and memorible whislt seeing Rose aged 100, (the present) and to the past (1912) ACTORS: The use of actors within Titanic provides an amazing and emotional atmosphere for the audience watching the film. With the talented acting of Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, what is there to hate about it?! Kate's acting is devine, highlighting her aristocratic life with her elegant gowns and stunning appearence. Whilst Leo's role is much more layed-back, due to him being noticed as a 'poor guy', thus contrasting with his romantic interest. The acts of the class system is shown to see higher and lower class being divided, however Kates character Rose, and Leo's character Jack go against this and find love in the weirdest of places - a massive ship. SETTING: The setting and effects used are amazing! Notice the intricate details which the creators have placed into the scenes. I was able to watch the behind the scenes of the film, in which the creators informed of the detail of making the settings look exatly the same as the real titanic which tragically sunk in 1912. The delicateness of first class gives the atmosphere of pure wealth and power over the lower class, who are seen to be in rooms like a square, two bunkbeds and nothing more. COSTUMES: As a member critiquing films, I believe costumes is to be one of the main aspects which creates the atmosphere in which the film was set - if for example they were wearing hoodies and adidas shoes in this film is wouldn't be realistic - however, the designers inflicted their knowledge on past higher and lower class fashion back in the early 20th century. The black suits with black ties showing men as the dominant figure, with the higher women wearing elegant gowns and fuffy hats highlighting purity and delicatness. THEMES: The overall theme for this movie is LOVE, a tragic love story left with the audience in tears and inpity. As well as providing a desire for both men and women to have on how their relationship would be. SOUND: The non-degetic sound in my opinion proivide the most emotion, with Celine Dion's song of 'My Heart Will Go On,' even when used in an instrumental way, left my heart shaking and feeling faint. MEMORIBLE MOMENTS: There is flashbacks of the video footage of the real life titanic, this moment creates a flood of emotion for the entire audience as it puts into account the real life event which took place, and that this movie was based off of such a tragedy that it is shocking it truly happened. I RECOMMEND K x

In Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, we rejoin the story three years on: An impending volcanic eruption threatens to wipe out the surviving dinosaurs on Isla Nubla, and Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard), has created the 'Dinosaur Protection Group' in an attempt to save the dinosaurs from extinction. After the U.S. Senate rejects plans to rescue the dinosaurs, Claire is contacted by John Hammond's former partner, Benjamin Lockwood (James Cromwell), who is planning to move the dinosaurs to a new island sanctuary. Whilst discussing the rescue operation, Eli Mills (Rafe Spall) – Lockwood's aide – voices concerns that locating Blue, the sole surviving velociraptor, will be near impossible, compelling Claire to recruit Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) to help on the mission. J.A.Bayona directs this sequel to Colin Trevorrow's, Jurassic World. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom promises to be a "darker film", one more "scary"; exactly what you'd expect from Bayona. However, with a huge franchise production such as this, there's always going to be a back-and-forth between the director and studio; usually resulting in any influence the director has being significantly watered down. Regrettably, that's exactly what's happened here. Bayona does what he can with a lacklustre script, naff story, and a franchise too afraid to take risks. There are – and entirely to Bayona's credit – some visually beautiful and brilliantly put to together scenes; some of which are actually quite scary. The opening scene – one of the best – Is full of promise: The pitch dark setting, tropical thunderstorm, lashing rain, and general murky gloominess provides a sincere horror movie ambience; comparable in tone to Jurassic Park's opening scene. And again, during the third act, there's a remarkable scene, set in a sprawling gothic style mansion, which sees the indoraptor – Henry Wu's (BD Wong) latest lab manufactured horror – hunt Maisie Lockwood (Isabella Sermon, playing Benjamin Lockwood's granddaughter), who is seeking solace in her bedroom. The creature, slowly creeping over the rooftops, silhouetted against the moon, strikes an imposing figure; the iconic Wolfman look. The scene shifts to a Nosferatu feel as the creature, with long reaching claws, purposefully and delicately opens Maisie's bedroom window and enters her room: Shadows creep slowly across walls, and claws tap menacingly against the wood floor as the creature moves in a measured, loury manner towards Maisie; hiding under the covers of her bed. Extreme close-ups of both subjects follow; creating a palpable sense of uneasy closeness. Making good use of long unbroken shots, slow purposeful movement, and intense close-ups do add a tangible sense of dread: I enjoyed these sections of the film very much and really appreciated the directors nods to various classic horror monsters. Unfortunately, these scenes are few and far between; any sense of threat is quickly extinguished within the first quarter of the movie as you realise this is the safe franchise film you knew you should have expected. The cast is adequate if not exemplary, and Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard obviously enjoyed a friendly working relationship. There are a slew of new faces, all of whom do a perfectly acceptable job in their respective roles, most of which are destined to end up as one-hit wonders. And therein lie the problem. Neither of the main cast has anything in the way of character development (They're reunited in this movie in exactly the same way as in Jurassic World; with Claire having to recruit Owen, who's at his trailer, at the behest of somebody else, after an awkward break-up), and none of the new characters are worth spending any time or effort on as they'll never be seen again. Much of the storyline seems rushed and badly paced, particularly the island rescue scenes: There was a good deal of build-up to this section of the film, and many people were anticipating a Jurassic Park: Lost World kind of feel; those people must be feeling let down. Too much time was spent on scenes either side of the island rescue section, but particularly just after it takes place. The section of the movie between the Isla Nubla rescue and Lockwood estate scenes is long, unnecessary, and just boring. Much of this could have been scrapped and more time could have been spent on Isla Nubla, developing characters and giving us more dinosaur action. From a technical point of view, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom has some wonderful cinematography, and is perhaps where J.A.Bayona's influence is felt most staunchly. The use of animatronics is something which has been sorely missing from these movies for many years and make a welcome return here: A shame then that the movie relies far too much on CGI throughout much of the duration and never uses it to its full potential. While the CGI isn't bad in and of itself, it does feel unsubstantial and holds no weight. The scenes using animatronics were instantly noticeable and more enjoyable: Consequently, this leads to many of the scenes using CGI to feel a bit limp. Verdict Maybe I expected too much from a child-friendly franchise movie, maybe I'm being overly harsh; I just couldn't help but feel massively disappointed. In all fairness, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom achieves what it sets out to make; a loud, fast, and entertaining enough action-adventure movie which families will flock in their thousands to see; I have no doubt that it'll have a huge taking at the box office. I just wish J.A.Bayona had more free rein, or that the studio had been more willing to take risks. What we've been left with is a movie which is as average as they come: A movie which showed such promise, and really could have been something special. For me, the movie is saved from falling into complete mediocrity by the (admittedly few) windows of greatness that could have been; something I attribute to the director. Should you go see it at the cinema? Yes, absolutely. Is it something I'd want to purchase on release? Probably not. 6/10

Cast: #anthonygonzalez #gaelgarciabernal Director: #adrianmolina Disobeying his family’s baffling ban on music, Miguel embarks on a journey through the enchanting Land of the Dead in search of his dreams of becoming a #musician. 12-year-old Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) who lives in a small town in rural #Mexico hopes that one day he can become a musical sensation, just like his idol, the late great #ernestodelacruz (Benjamin Bratt). But, his family have other plans and imposed a ban on music. He still practices and plays in secret, in an attic which his made into a shrine for his idol Ernesto de la Cruz. The ban commenced many generations ago, when Miguel’s great-great-grandfather supposedly abandoned his loved ones to pursue a career as a singer. As the annual Day of the Dead festival approaches, the town of Santa Cecillia prepares to celebrate its deceased and honour their memories. However, a twist of fate sees Miguel miraculously transported into the Land of the Dead, where the macabre residents are shocked to find a living person walking amongst them. MY FINAL THOUGHTS A few things which caught my attention about Coco was some of it's breathtaking animated backdrops, they looked absolutely stunning. The magical thing about Pixar they've always manage to capture the imagination of the audience. This lovable new addition to their franchise doesn't disappoint. It also educates the younger audience about the Mexican folklore festivities, which is associated with the celebrations #dayofthedead. This movie has a touching storyline, not forgetting to mention it's gorgeous music which is composed by Michael Giacchino, the man behind the music of #startrek. Overall I gave this toe-tapping, inspiring movie which is catered for the whole family young and old, a dizzying 5/5 Stars 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 #followyourheart #seizeyourmoment #cinema #cocó #entertainmentnews #familymovienight #filmcritic #movienews #mustseemovie #mexicanmusic #pixar #pixarcoco #composer #michaelgiacchino #unpocoloco #kamaras_reviews

Working both as a prequel and as a sequel to the original 1972 masterpiece, The Godfather: Part 2 feels more as an operatic and more complete story of decay, sin and moral ambiguity within the Corleone mafia family. The two main storylines show the contrast between the two Dons, as we get an inside on how similar and different in the same time they are and how they manage to climb on the social class. Whilst Vito (in a beautifully nuanced performance by a young De Niro) has humble beginnings, starting as a store clerk, but through a sheer of circumstances manages to take his shot and climb, Michael continues his legacy with an iron fist and not taking any risks, ordering the hits on every family who try to make him an enemy: „If history has taught us but one thing is that you can kill anyone!” It’s here where the movie works as a Shakesperean tragedy, a story about a man who is winning everything, who ends up being at the top, but losing everything and everyone in the same time. Al Pacino’s magnetic and sometimes understated performance ranges from a flawed father and husband to a confident and untouchable mobster, a cruel Don feared by everyone around him. The scene in which he talks with his ageing mother about his fear of losing the ones he holds dear always strikes as the best and most truthfully humane, and represents the moral core of the story as it brings in context yet again the importance of family. This is why the ending, in which we see a solemn Michael, sitting in the chair, all alone, staring in the abyss is so powerful. Robert De Niro’s portrayal of young Vito Corleone is one of an ambitious and intelligent young man, that learns the value of respect and loyalty in a foreign country. While his narrative opens with the killing of his brother and mother, at the hands of the local sicillian boss, it also ends with his personal vendetta against him, and his success in launching the most powerful mafia family. So, if Michael’s story is one of a moral failure, Vito’s is one of triumph against all odds. It’s one of the many reasons why this film works so well even now. It’s almost a parody and an ironic look at the American dream. Copolla’s direction is subtle and epic in the same time, relying on scenes in which his characters act unexpectedly, with a lot of dark nuances in the color palette of the film’s latter half. He also manages to avoid exposition at all costs. The longest and the darkest in the trilogy, The Godfather: Part 2 is the best one, not because it’s bigger and broader, but because it’s bold and it takes risks, it expands its characters and universe while remaining true to them, and by the end you’re compelled by the magnitude and power of it. Daniel Craciun

Los Angeles has had its fair share of both cinematic love letters and deconstructions down the years. For every ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ extolling the virtues of Hollywood and pursuing ones dreams, there is a ‘Mulholland Drive’ that pulls back the bedsheets to expose the dark underbelly of corruption. It’s rare to find a film that manages to portray the magic and hypocrisy of Hollywood simultaneously. But Damien Chazelle’s La La Land takes a wide aim at the movie business while still managing to show why so many flock to Tinseltown to chase their dreams – even if most of them end up writing think pieces in between their shifts at Starbucks. Mia (Emma Stone) is an aspiring actress looking for her big Hollywood break. Through a chance encounter on the highway she argues with Seb (Ryan Gosling) a jazz fanatic desperate to start his own club and reinvigorate the disappearing art he has devoted his life to. As they both struggle through tedious day jobs to pursue their dreams, a chance meeting at the bar Seb works at, and a later incident at a party convince the two that there are sparks between them. They begin dating, and their individual passions power their romance. But as each becomes more successful and closer to their dreams, the demands of success threaten to tear their relationship apart. Also there’s a lot of singing. Movies about moviemaking are regular fixtures on the Oscar-hype train. Many cases are incidents of Hollywood giving itself a nice, self-indulgent slap on the back over how wonderful, mysterious or difficult their lives are. With La La Land however there are quite clear reasons why awards will be heading its way. The film is stunningly directed, with some wonderful and original ideas in its presentation. It can be difficult to offer any innovative scenes in a city like LA, which has been covered head-to-toe in cinema leaving practically all corners a cliché. But every scene in La La Land is drenched in classic Hollywood style and mixed in with modern Hollywood vanity. It’s like existing in a present with a filter of the past covering everything you see. Colour bursts from the screen presenting the world as a land of opportunity at all the right times – when our characters meet and fall in love. This is later drained and unsaturated as reality kicks in, and issues between the characters arise. More impressively, this never becomes a distraction to the story. The subtle differences are what stand out, in lighting, wardrobe and shooting, which work to amplify the story we see played out. The plot itself is not anything particularly special, but the ways the story is told elevate it to greatness. Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are both inspired choices for the leads. Stone’s Mia is a hopeful but frustrated dreamer. Her acting career is headed nowhere when we meet her, yet her creativity and spirit remains intact. As Seb enters her life things begin to look up, despite little progress being made. Stone then gets to bring out the characters true feelings of despair as her relationship begins to suffer, despite her creativity blossoming and eventually seeing some payoff. The role is filled with the typical boisterousness you would expect from Stone, and it’s easy to pull for her to achieve her dreams. Gosling’s Seb meanwhile is himself a dreamer, albeit a much more aloof one with a touch of arrogance. His passion for Jazz is the only driving force in his life, to the point where he is willing to join humiliating 80’s cover bands to fund it. Despite his reserved attitude, Gosling brings a warmth and maturity to the role that plays incredibly well off of Mia’s vulnerability. Despite being the standoffish type, it is Seb who is the one supporting the more outgoing Mia and pushing her to aim for the stars. She in turn opens his eyes to new opportunities and ways to make his love of Jazz more relatable to the people he is so desperate to attract. It’s very easy to root for the characters to be together because of these performances, whilst still seeing all the differences in them that make them strong individuals. It’s food for thought maybe that the next person you flip off on the motorway could be your soulmate, at the very least. La La Land’s strongest point is the theme of the film and the battle it tells through the story between chasing your dreams and dealing with reality. The whimsical musical numbers are often interjected with humorous quips regarding the actuality of life outside of the movies. The growing apart of the characters is facilitated not by typical Hollywood misunderstandings or coincidences but by fundamental issues in their relationship relating to the characters careers. Seb’s life on the road as a keyboard player for example and the stress a long distance relationship puts on Mia. These matters are what facilitates the drama of the movie and raise the questions over what we need to compromise on when two sides of a relationship have different goals and dreams. It is clear as these characters become closer that each side requires sacrifice from the other to fulfil their goals. Seb’s goals involve being on the road to earn enough to start his club, leaving Mia alone. Mia’s require Seb to be more present in the relationship where she can stay in LA to secure acting roles. And while both are at a crucial point in their careers, their demands of each other threaten their dreams. In an old Hollywood movie, they would each know exactly what to say and do to solve their issues, and live happily ever after with all their dreams come true. But that isn’t the world in which La La Land exists. It’s a world where people make mistakes. It’s a world where people don’t always know the perfect thing to say. And it’s where people have to give up some of the things that mean the most to them to find what they need to be happy. It’s hard to imagine that a film about an aspiring Hollywood actress and a Jazz sensation falling in love in the Hollywood hills can be applicable to most people on the planet – especially in today’s culture of anti-elitism and disdain for all things metropolitan. But despite all its whimsy, La La Land is one of the most realistic films of the year. Final Thoughts La La Land is no average LA love story. Much like Damien Chazelle’s previous film Whiplash, central to the film is the price that must be paid for success. It’s the story of two creative individuals with hopes and dreams and what they have to sacrifice in order to attain them. Whilst far more optimistic in its outlook than Whiplash was about doing what it takes to achieve greatness, La La Land isn’t afraid to ask questions about whether the pursuit of dreams will truly lead to happiness, and whether relationships can survive against the demands of a passion. Looking past the toe-tapping songs and excellent performances, and the richness of this modern day classic is on full display. If it sweeps the Oscar’s, it won’t be because of Hollywood’s need for self-indulgence (alright, not JUST because of that). It will be because no other film takes the same risks in telling an original story about love, commitment and creativity as La La Land has done. Now, if only J.K Simmons’ cameo appearance could have been changed to feature him screaming ‘NOT MY TEMPO!!!’ at Ryan Gosling, it would have Whiplash beat in every way.

(Release Info London schedule; January 25th, 2019, 63 - 65 Haymarket, Westminster, 20:00 PM) "Second Act" As Maya Vargas (Jennifer Lopez) celebrates her 43rd birthday, she has one wish. A promotion. After 15 years at 'Value Shop', the past six as assistant manager, she’s ready to run the big box store in Queens. Her resumé doesn’t scream upper management, but her track record sure does. She’s an innovator who listens to customers, knows what they need and finds a way to deliver. But 'Value Shop' hires 'the right man for the job', a man with an 'MBA', not 'GED'- certified Maya. Maya’s boyfriend Trey (Milo Ventimiglia) and best friend Joan (Leah Remini) try to boost her spirits, but Maya is frustrated as once again street smarts doesn’t equal book smarts. Was her entire future determined when she was 16, or can she actually reinvent herself in her 40’s? Maya’s prospects brighten when she lands an interview at the Manhattan consumer products firm, 'Franklin & Clarke'. When Maya’s friends show up to make breakfast before her first day at 'Franklin & Clarke', a spontaneous 'Salt-N-Pepa' dance party breaks out in the kitchen. Anderson Clark (Treat Williams) wants to meet her and invites his daughter Zoe (Vanessa Hudgens), a rising star at the company, to check out Maya, too. While Zoe is skeptical, Anderson is dazzled by Maya’s ability to think on her feet, not to mention her 'Wharton' degree, 'Peace Corps' service, 'Mastery Of Mandarin' and overall power player vibe. But unknown to Zoe, her father, and initially even Maya herself, those credentials were invented by Maya’s godson, who surprised her with a brand-new online identity for her birthday. Thanks to her years of experience working at 'The Value Shop' Maya lands the job, although she’s uneasy about the deception, and unsettled about her other secrets, she’s confident she can do the job. Her first day at 'Franklin & Clarke' pits Maya against Zoe in a big product development competition. 'Franklin & Clarke’s' heavy hitters align with 'Team Zoe', but Maya and her tiny crew of corporate misfits are determined to succeed. Maya Vargas, a born-and-bred Queens girl, is having her 'Is that all there's'? moment when "Second Act" begins. She's disappointed when we meet her first. Maya has ridden the bus to 'The Ozone Park Value Shop' in Queens for 15 years. Each day, she puts on her smock and name tag and handles the store’s business with a firm and friendly hand. She knows she has what it takes to be the boss. The problem is convincing the chain’s 'CEO' that she’s qualified. But Maya, still wrestling with choices made as a teenager, has lived with regret ever since, and it’s holding her back. The people close to her would say she’s suffered long enough. But Maya has never even told her longtime boyfriend about this part of her life, and keeping that secret from him adds to her burden. Maya really is an every person. We all have dreams and often don't achieve them all. Maya is a person who made certain choices because of things that happened early in her life. There's a lot of regret about how it could have been different. As she tries to climb the ladder and things don't go her way, she sees some of those past decisions as the reason. But then she gets to cross the bridge! With that crossing, she becomes 'Manhattan Maya'. The film shows how women support each other through thick and thin. Maya is destined to be bigger than her friends. Joan is focused on being a mom, but wants Maya to get her chance. She believes that out of all of their friends, Maya is the one who will make it. But when Maya starts to lose sight of who she really is, it’s Joan who keeps her grounded. Of course, not every woman is as supportive. Hildy (Annaleigh Ashford), the product development executive assigned to work with Maya, sees her as a rival. They’re supposed to collaborate and come up with a product together, but Hildy wants to be top dog and will do anything to get there, including stomp on her fellow lady. She’s also one of the first people to see through Maya, and question if something else is going on. Zoe, 'The CEO’s' ambitious daughter, has her guard up, too. Zoe is not Maya’s biggest fan when she arrives at 'Franklin & Clarke'. She’s another woman. Another woman is a threat. But gender is also the reason Zoe’s attitude quickly changes. To see another woman hold her own in a male-dominated space is something that most women look up to. Zoe respects Maya and through that, they form a connection that Zoe didn’t expect. Maya in Queens is a bit sassier than 'Manhattan Maya', with a big hoop earring and bigger hair. Attitude! Borough girls naturally know how they want to look because they’re exposed to a lot of street style. Maya becomes the chic girl in Manhattan, some silks, some softer silhouettes, without completely abandoning the original. Because you can't do that. It's not a lobotomy. The original has to remain there to be believable. You always have to consider what a garment is going to do in a scene. It's not only the look of something, you've to tell the story. It's not a fashion runway. It's interesting for people to see combinations they wouldn't have thought of. This film is about reinvention, because so many people are stuck in lives they don’t want dreaming of lives they do, only to realize they had the power all along to change. It's about a woman who feels she never got a fair shake. But then she gets an amazing opportunity, albeit not entirely honestly, that changes everything for her. Maya learns she does not have to be stuck forever. You can always reinvent. You can always make a change. You can always keep growing and to me that message has so much relevance for everybody, but especially for women. She gets to know what life is like when your dreams come true. And of course she has to deal with the fall-out of lies while achieving the goal. In one of the favorite scenes at Michael Jordan’s 'The Steak House N.Y.C.' at 'Grand Central Terminal'. Maya, Zoe and her dad are having lunch when Maya’s Queens friends, posing as old 'Ivy League Chums', pop by to check on their girl. The film gets all of the women together and we see them interact, and that’s when the real soul of the movie comes out. "Second Act" inspired many conversations about second chances and reinvention and not giving up. About women empowering themselves and each other. About not letting one event become your whole story. About going for your dream, no matter your age or background or zipcode. This movie itself is a reminder that everything deserves a second look, a second chance. It's coming to the world at a time where people need to be reminded you just have to get creative when you’re thinking about what you’re going to do with the next 40 years. "Second Act" always means the second act of the show, when all the good stuff happens. It’s where we back up the story; it’s where the hero confronts their biggest battles, and where we've the opportunity to make the biggest, boldest choices. The mantra for "Second Act" is the only thing stopping you is you. You don’t have to hide. You really can just let all those feelings go.

(Release Info U.K. schedule; January 26th, 2018) "Maze Runner: The Death Cure" In "The Maze Runner" Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) woke up as he was being delivered to "The Glade'. He had no memory of who he was or why he’d become a member of a community of young people; among them Minho (Ki Hong Lee), lead maze runner; Newt (Thomas Brodie-Sangster), a good friend and advisor, Gally (Will Poulter), a leader and adversary and Teresa (Kaya Scodelario), the only female glader, with whom Thomas may have a potentially dark history. Together they're trapped, surrounded by 200 foot walls and an ever-changing maze. Bad turns to worse when 'The Gladers' finally escape 'The Maze' only to discover they're in the middle of a desolate wasteland called 'The Scorch'. In "Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials", Thomas and the surviving gladers met new allies while discovering clues about a mysterious group behind all of their tests, an organization known as 'WCKD'. With "Maze Runner: The Death Cure" the motives of 'WCKD' become clearer, Dr. Ava Paige (Patricia Clarkson), 'WCKD’s' executive director is close to what she believes is a cure for the disease known as 'The Flare', an infection that has decimated the world’s population. But the cure comes by sacrificing the few young people left in the world who are apparently immune. In order to free those who've been rounded up as test subjects, including his friend Minho, Thomas must now band together with fellow survivors, old and new, and take the battle to what may be the last remaining city and the final stronghold of 'WCKD'. He must break into the super-secure 'WKCD' headquarters and try to bring down the organization from the inside. Action reaches new heights in this mission-oriented third and final segment of 'The Maze Runner". "The Maze Runner" was the first of a trilogy of stories based on the James Dashner novels. In the original 'Maze Runner' the involuntary inhabitants of the mysterious encampment knows as 'The Glade' were surrounded by an ever-changing maze with 200 foot walls. They're a colony of young men with a singular goal; escape the glade by solving the maze. When Thomas showed up and, shortly after, 'The Glade’s' first girl inhabitant Teresa, everything began to change. The way out led them to the truth; they're members in an immense and cruel test. In "Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials" 'The Gladers', as they're now known, discovered that once out of the maze they're not the only participants forced to endure tests. There were in fact other mazes, other survivors and they were to learn of the organization that had selected them, 'WCKD'. Thomas, who had become the presumptive leader of the group, didn’t trust the message he was hearing that 'WCKD' is good. Breaking free from the compound where they’d been housed after being rescued Thomas led the survivors of the original maze and others he had encountered in the new facility out into 'The Scorch”, a desert wasteland that appeared to be all that was left of the world. Looking for a rumored safe haven, the group became trapped when Teresa, conflicted about 'WCKD' and it's true mission, gave up the hidden location of the surviving assemblage and a 'WCKD' resistance group known as 'The Right Arm'. Having been betrayed by Teresa, and vowing to save Minho, who has been abducted by 'WCKD', Thomas concluded 'The Scorch Trials' with a single declaration to kill Ava Paige. The woman who had become synonymous with the organization enigmatically named 'WCKD' had now become his nemesis. When "Death Cure" opens, it's clear the team have had time to come up with their plan. They're a different group, organized and on the offensive. It’s a plan so audacious it requires that they steal an entire moving train car in their attempt to save Minho. "Maze Runner: The Death Cure", picks up roughly six months after "The Scorch Trials" ended. In the final battle of 'The Scorch' the survivors of 'The Flare', a disease that has devastated the world’s population, have defined their purpose; to find a safe haven away from the influence of 'WCKD'. Uncertain if this last city had even survived, 'The Gladers' knew that somehow gaining entry would be difficult. To then break in to the 'WKCD' headquarters where Minho was being held, that was impossible. In the first movie the challenge was to solve the maze, to break out of 'The Glade'. A big part of the group, led by Gally, wanted no part of that. They looked at 'The Glade' as their home and they were safe. 'In Scorch Trials' we're out of 'The Maze', had a building to live in and were taken care of but there was a price to pay.  In "Death Cure", Thomas wants to break in to the place that caused all of this to save his friend Minho, which he promised he’d do. Most thought it was a crazy plan. The Thomas character is someone that takes that step forward into the unknown when everyone else takes a step back. It’s a film about not leaving a man behind. And that's Thomas’ journey. Newt is skeptical of it, so are some of the other 'Gladers'. You've a big choice to make when you’re going after one man who has been captured, what do you do with all of those other young people who you’re trying to save? How does that balance out? So it’s a conundrum of sorts. As the target of Thomas mission, Dr. Ava Paige sees the 'WCKD' agenda as a very challenging moral dilemma. She's someone who truly cares for the immunes but she has a drive to succeed that's above all else. It’s an almost heartbreaking relationship with Thomas. If there’s someone who can deeply affect and touch Ava, it’s Thomas. She goes on to explain how failure isn't something her character handles easily. And she has that very powerful line to Janson (Aidan Gillen) when she says, 'it’s not about giving up, it’s actually knowing when you’ve lost'. As much as all the characters have maintained the family bond through the first two films, this time with a direct assault on 'WCKD' the strategy has become one of divide and conquer, requiring the group to split into teams to become even stronger. She has a very strong agenda, obviously, and people’s feelings, thoughts, emotion are not a large part of her life. What's important to her is survival. As we moved through the three episodes, through the three installments, in this third one you see a slightly more personal side to Ava. You see how she lives in a way. You see she’s more affected by human contact or human interaction. Ultimately you find out in the end she really thought she's doing the right thing. Janson is an employee if you like, of the 'WCKD' corporation. But a very ambitious employee. He’s almost like a secret policeman or something. The Janson character is initially introduced into the story, or to the kids, if we can call them that, as providing a potential way out or maybe a good guy within this corporate prison environment. But it turns out he wasn’t that. We got to see that through the course of the film. At this stage in the story he's even more driven and ruthless and reckless and ambitious you know, with an eye running the show. Though Ava Paige is behind the ever-repeating message 'WCKD' is good there’s plenty of doubt about that in Brenda’s (Rosa Salazar) mind. She doesn’t believe for a moment that 'WKCD' is the altruistic organization they present themselves to be. They’re trampling on the people in order to make money while at the same time telling people we’re trying to help. They’re harvesting the serum from innocent children. They’re trying to capitalize on a very devastating epidemic. They’re not doing it for us, and they’re not doing it for the good of the people, and they’re not doing it to save lives, they’re doing it so that they can make a coin. In the first film, 'The Gladers' primary goal was to escape. In the second film, they're on the run, staying barely a step ahead of 'WCKD'. Now, as they turn the tables and are on the offensive they find help from an unlikely source; Gally. Thought to have been killed while turning against the others in the last moments before escaping 'The Maze', their old companion and Thomas adversary is on the forefront of the war against 'WKCD'. As many fans of 'The Maze Runner' novels know, Gally makes his surprise return in the third book. Gally was the one who, when back in the maze, never wanted to rock the boat. Now, he’s back and he’s a soldier leading the war against 'WCKD'. The others, especially Thomas, don’t trust him but now Gally wants to defeat 'WCKD', he wants to bring them down. As 'The Gladers' pursue their mission to rescue Minho, they also have a chance to save many of the other immune children captured by 'WCKD' and to be used as test subjects. The tests 'WKCD' is conducting are their attempt to see if the immunes might have what's needed to make a serum to cure 'The Flare'. The first film, with 'The Maze', was all cement and decay. The second story was the sand and rust of 'The Scorch' and this film, "The Death Cure", is a world of glass and steel. They each have their own tone and color palate. But it’s the world of steel and glass, a world that 'The Gladers' are not even certain exists that will become the target as they take the battle to 'WCKD'. The battle against 'WKCD' actually started at the end of 'Scorch Trials'. In the third book there’s this whole idea of a resistance, a group opposed to 'WCKD'. Having the warring factions show up at the end of the second movie is a slight deviation from the book. There are things that aren’t exactly like the book but they’re inspired by the books. The fans of the books are very loyal to the stories and very protective of them but some things just work better in a cinematic universe. The whole movie’s really a rescue mission and it’s a special sequence in this exciting trilogy. "Scorch Trials" started at the exact moment that the first film ended. With this film, it been about six months and you can see that these guys have been busy. They’ve taken that time to get organized, to come up with a plane and to go save Minho. You’re in a place where people still band together and they rise up. Where people have an interest in what’s going on around them and they say it and they vocalize it and they fight. People here, they will fight, they will rise up. Having rescued a train car full of young people, all immune to 'The Flare', headed for the test labs of 'WCKD', the ultimate goal is get everyone to the safe haven. Once again, it's a place that no one was sure really existed.   The locations are absolutely stunning and unique and you’re getting a little bit of a throwback to 'The Maze', 'The Grievers’ might make an appearance you get sort of everything. It’s a culmination of all three books and "The Death Cure" really brings it all together. It’s an amazing adventure. The design is fantastic. It’s very easy to act on those sets, you know. It’s not like, oh here’s a white wall and over there it just stops and there’s a bunch of people standing around. It really feels like a world that you can inhabit, like the real thing, because it’s all there. You know you can walk down that corridor and there’s another corridor and you can walk into that corridor and there’s a lab and then it brings you back to the other corridor. It’s quite easy to feel it. It’s not only giant but it’s also very specific in that it reflects a modern day dystopian western.

Jessablle is a 2014 American horror film directed by Kevin Greutert and written by Ben Garant. The first time I watched this movie, I wasn't expecting much. Most horror films have the same old boring storyline; people move into an old house with withering walls and strange things start to happen. This movie, however, grabbed my attention straight away. I was gripped. Jessabelle is a movie that has it's hold on you from start to finish, and even has you thinking about it long after it's horrors have been revealed. The twist and turns in the plot will have you on edge and yelling at the TV screen. This film is a must watch and needs to be more widely noticed.