#2: SENTIMENTAL VALUE

 

STARRING: Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, Inga Ibsodotter Lilleaas and Elle Fanning. Written by Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier. Directed by Joachim Trier. Running time 133 minutes. 

This Norwegian drama sees two sisters, Nora and Agnes reconnecting with their father after decades of distance following the death of their mother, his wife, and the ownership of the family home. 

We are introduced to the Borg family through a truly beautiful sequence which sees the history of the family told from the house's point of view as retold by a story once written by the oldest Borg sister, Nora who's now an acclaimed Norwegian  stage actress (Renate Reinsve). She has major daddy issues stemming from the fact her father, celebrated film director Gustave Borg (Stellan Skarsgård) abandoned her, her mother, and her sister Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas) to pursue his own career. Now, Nora feelings of abandonment are starting to impact her life and jeopardise her stage career leading to crippling stage fright. So, when Gustave returns to Norway following the death of his wife to reclaim the family home the three of them are thrown together again. But Gustave has an ulterior motive. He wants Nora to play the lead in a film he's written about the life of his mother (a WWII Resistance Fighter) who committed suicide in the very family house at the centre of the story. When Nora flatly refuses he entices, Rachel Kemp – an American film-star (Ella Fanning) to take the part leading to more conflict. 

Yet another one of those films called a 'comedy/drama' which leans into the drama and whose only nods to comedy are a couple of amusing film-related gags. Norwegian films have a quality all of their own, measured, sombre, realistically acted and heavy on the pathos. 

As a result this was a hard slog, a film with some beautiful moments of acting, camera work and deep ponderings, which at the end of the day still leaves you bum numb and a tad fatigued. The trailer alludes to a more amusing film featuring Rachel and Nora, but that ultimately was a smoke screen. The glory of this film lies wholly in the hands of Skarsgård and Reinsve, he is phenomenal, his complete self-absorption making Gustave a deeply fascinating character. Nora clearly deeply damaged by her father is brilliantly played by Renate and the interaction between those two and Agnes is very satisfying to behold. 

Although ultimately this film offers nothing new on the dynamic of a broken father/daughter dynamic, it's just told through a different eye with a different agenda and that in itself is a delight to behold. Frankly I was in love with this with the opening narration told from the point of view of the house, and of the ending that is telegraphed early on in the film, which pays off brilliantly in the closing scene. 

A sombre and absorbing film with real heart. Sadly too long.

8/10

#1: MARTY SUPREME

 

STARRING: Timothée Chalamet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Odessa A'zion, Kevin O'Leary, Tyler Okonma, Abel Ferrara and Fran Drescher. Written by Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safde. Directed by Josh Safdie. Music by Daiel Lopatin, cinematography by Darius Khondji. Budget $70 million. Running time 150 minutes. 

It's 1952 in New York City and Marty Mauser (Timothée Chalamet) is an insanely gifted, obscenely driven and disgustingly arrogant young man who eats, drinks, sleeps and shits Ping Pong, indeed nothing else matters to him. He is a man who believes he will reign supreme, it's just a shame life seems to have other plans for him. Forced to steal his own money back from his uncle, who runs a shoe shop, to finance a Ping Pong tournament in London, which he very nearly wins, Marty finds himself living it large at the Ritz and shagging retired actress and socialite Kay Stone (Gwyneth Paltrow) whose husband, Milton Rockwell (Kevin O'Leary) just so happens to be a super-rich and highly influential captain of industry, whom Marty introduces to the world of Ping Pong, making him a huge fan in the process. When the whiff of success goes to Marty's head he wrecks a fantastic opportunity that would have put him on the map and leaves him having to return to New York eight months later, where he ends up on the run after his uncle bribes a policeman to arrest him for the previous robbery, added to that his married childhood friend, and lover, Rachel Mizler (Odessa A'zion) is pregnant and claims her unborn child is his, and then things just start going wrong, horribly wrong. 

Beautifully mounted, fantastically acted, with a superb soundtrack and looking like a million, or 70 million dollars, this is a extremely well mounted film. Chalamet is simply mesmerising in the lead role and is in each and every scene, his performance is excellent. Likewise Gwyneth Paltrow as the former movie star packs a punch and gives the film at least one likeable character and it's great to see her acting again in something significant. Kevin O'Leary has her husband is also deeply impressive and makes a speech near the end that is fantastically unsettling. The ping pong games are exciting but a little bit repetitive and the promised rematch between Mauser and the Japanese World Champion feels a little rushed.

The only negative is just how bleak and relentless this is, and its length at 10 minutes short of three hours truly tries one's patiences. The trouble is Marty is such a thoroughly unlikeable character, constantly scamming his friends and family, and putting them in danger, he's manipulative and so single-minded that he's extremely hard to like, but then it's only in the closing moments as the film ends that Marty seems to have learned some valuable life lessons. 

Great start to the new year. Intense, satisfying and well made, but I won't be hurrying back to it any time soon.

8/10

2025: A REVIEW - THE BEST AND WORST FILMS OF THE YEAR

FILMS OF 2025

Welcome to the annual round up of the year in cinema, a chance for you, kind reader, to relive with me the highlights and lows of the 2025 cinematic year. A year although slight on the number of new releases, but not bad in terms of quality. My attendance is down on previous years, where I'd easily see 10 or more films a month, but perhaps I've not been as Gung Ho in my approach, electing on occasion to avoid films I just know are going to be bad, rather than seeing absolutely everything. 

2025 saw the worst monthly box office haul of the 21st Century and the worst box office month since 1997! That month was October and in fact, there was one week in October where 'Hollywood' didn't release a single new movie.  

That said, Ne Zha 2, an animated film from China, did something no other animated film has ever done before, and only six other films in history have ever managed to do, it took over $2 billion at the box office, and I didn't even see it.

It was also the year of the heritage sequels and while the likes of Spinal Tap and Tron Ares crashed and burned, Naked Gun soared, and it was a year that witnessed a once mighty box-office juggernaut franchise, Mission Impossible, finish its eight film run roll with a whimper rather than a spectacular bang. And it was a year that saw the continued slow death of the superhero genre with only six Marvel or DC films released. 

Only two films broke a billion this year, the forementioned Ne Zha 2 and the live action remake of Lilo and Stitch (another film I didn't see).   

And then the year ended with the third Avatar film unleashed upon an indifferent world – a truly unique cultural phenomenon that somehow galvanises staggering box-office takings and yet leaves not a scintilla of cultural wake. So far it has taken over $217 million domestically and over $542 million internationally for a grand total of over $757 million. However, with a budget of $400 that means it still hasn't broken even. 

In total I went to the cinema a grand total of 85 times, of which 25 were re-issues of classic films.

SO without further ado, here we go for the list no one wants or even cares about. 

First up...

TOP TEN OF 2025 

1. ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER 10/10 (FILM OF THE YEAR)
"Overall this is a thrilling and gripping experience that just builds and builds to a coda that just seals the whole film with a satisfying and meaty thunk. And aided by humour as dry as the desert. Damn it, I can't fault it."

2. KILL BILL: THE WHOLE BLOODY AFFAIR 10/10
"I cannot think of a single thing I did not like about this film, it truly was one of those extremely rare cinematic occurrences, a note-perfect, cinematic triumph."

3.THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME 10/10
"Every aspect of this film was a pure delight, from the soundtrack, the style and direction, it's at turns funny, and dramatic and frantic. -- if you're a fan of [Anderson's] wonderful oeuvre then get ready for 109 minutes of pure bliss."

4. THE LIFE OF CHUCK 10/10
"This is an emotional film, beautifully performed by the cast from a witty literate script -- [the] near two hour run time flies by and engages you on a deep emotional level."

5. 28 YEARS LATER 10/10
"By no means is this an easy film, it's filled with nihilism, it's fantastically bleak and deeply savage, and yet it's also deeply engaging and at times moving. Quite simply one of the most unique and powerful films of the year." 

6. ETERNITY 9/10
"This felt like a throw-back to a bygone time, the script never preaches, there's no hidden agenda or messaging trying to piggyback the ride -- It's witty, funny, clever and utterly enjoyable and the running time of 114 minutes flew by. Catch it before it's lost for all eternity." 

7. BLACK BAG 9/10
"So refreshing to see something so satisfyingly adult. Fassbender and Blanchett are exquisite in their roles and give measured and precise performances and a masterclass in acting. Can't really fault this, beyond the complexity of the plot which robbed me of being able to work out who the spy was. But bloody hell I loved it."

8. WEAPONS 9/10
"[A] film like this only works if it nails its landing and it's a delight to report that this does it with absolute precision and you will not be disappointed. I think this was one of the most original and chilling horror films I've seen in a very long time and I bloody loved it!"

9. SINNERS 9/10
"This is a deeply satisfying, energetic and gorgeous looking film and I goddam loved it! Definitely the best horror film I've seen in an absolute age!"

10. BECOMING LED ZEPPELIN 9/10
"I was captivated and sat centre four rows from the front and just lost myself in the music. -- Even if you're not [a fan of the Zeppelin] I'd still say give this a go! It's always fascinating to watch truly creative people working and creating something unique and extraordinary. Plus the music is EXHILARATING!!" 

HONOURABLE MENTION:

11. A COMPLETE UNKNOWN 9/10
"From beginning to end this is Timothée Chalamet's film, his utterly mesmerising performance grabs your complete attention from the first second he appears on screen in the back of car as a hitchhiker to the last as he rides off on his motorbike, 140 minutes later that seem to have flashed by in the blink of an eye."

ALL THE REST:

12. ONE TO ONE: JOHN & YOKO 9/10
13. PREDATOR: BADLANDS 8/10
14. SUPERMAN 8/10
15. FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS 8/10
16. MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: FINAL RECKONING 8/10
17. THE HOUSEMAID 8/10
18. PILLION 8/10 
19. COMPANION 8/10  
20. THE ACCOUNTANT 2 
21. FINAL DESTINATION: BLOODLINES 8/10
22. SISU 2: ROAD TO REVENGE 8/10
23. THUNDERBOLTS * 7/10
24. WICKED FOR GOOD 7/10 
25. NUREMBERG 7/10 MICKEY 17 7/10
26. MICKEY 17 7/10 
27. NAKED GUN 7/10 
28. THE RUNNING MAN 7/10 
29. THE ROSES 7/10
30. BRIDGET JONES: MAD ABOUT THE BOY 7/10 
31. F1: THE MOVIE 7/10 
32. DEATH OF A UNICORN 7/
33. CAUGHT STEALING 7/10
34. NOSFERATU 7/10
35. WARFARE 7/10 
36. AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH 6/10 
37. FACKHAM HALL 6/10
38. TRON ARES 6/10 
39. BALLERINA 6/10 
40. THE AMATEUR 6/10
41. THE WORKING MAN 6/10 
42. MONKEY 6/10 
43. M3GAN 2.0 6/10
44. SPINAL TAP II: THE END CONTINUES 6/10

TOP TEN RE-ISSUES:
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE 10/10
JAWS 10/10
DIE HARD 10/10
GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL 10/10
ALIENS 10/10
TERMINATOR 2 10/10
SEVEN 10/10
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE III 10/10
LORD OF THE RINGS: FOTR, TT, ROTK 10/10
THE BIG LEBOWSKI 10/10
THE SHINING 10/10

OTHER RE-ISSUES SEEN
EBIRAH, HORROR OF THE DEEP 10/10
GODZILLA VS. MEGALON 10/10
FANTASTIC MR. FOX 9/10
LIFE AQUATIC 9/10
GODZILLA VS. BIOLANTE 9/10
JOHN WICK 9/10
DIE HARD 2 8/10
X-MEN 8/10
X-MEN: FIRST CLASS 8/10
GOLDENEYE 8/10
STAR WARS III: REVENGE OF THE SITH 7/10
FINAL DESTINATION 7/10

And now the category you've been waiting for and in time honoured tradition in reverse order of awfulness...

WORST FILMS OF 2025 

How wonderful for Jack Black to have two films out in the same year and category, well done, Jack, that's not an easy feat to achieve. 

DISHONOURABLE MENTION
JURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH 6/10
"-- there were great bits, and lots of fun to be had, but by the same token there was a lot of stupidity and shit too. Still I didn't loathe with the same bile and hate as the last two of these shit shows, so you know. Winner, winner, almost chicken dinner."

(IN DESCENDING ORDER)

10. THE ALTO KNIGHTS 5/10
"Rather than watch this, go back and watch Goodfellows and Casino back-to-back and have a great evening rather than a thoroughly mediocre one." 

9. CRAPTON AMERICA: BLAND NEW WORLD 5/10
"A film lacking flavour or bite. One that will wash over you like another person's rancid fart, which once sniffed will soon be nothing more than a rather unpleasant, rapidly forgotten memory." 

8. ELLA MCCAY 4/10
"The proof is in the pudding and this eats like a rancid apple pie, sickly sweet and limp, with a damp soggy bottom."

7. ANACONDA 4/10
"This was shit. Poorly written, filled with contrivances to support the plot and characters so one dimensional, they couldn't turn sideways."

6. DR. STRANGELOVE 4/10
"This just feels like a poorly staged church hall performance that seems incredibly dull and boring in comparison to its cinematic originator and manages to be an hour longer than it too. Although, it did make me want to rewatch the film again. So it's not all bad, but I certainly won't be rewatching [this] again."

5. A REAL PAIN 4/10
"How apt to see a film whose title reflects exactly how you felt when you finally walk out of the cinema with your life 91 minutes shorter than it was. It's not all self-indulgent twaddle, The music by Chopin was a delight" 

4. THE BRUTALIST 4/10
"--it's all so ponderous and arrogant, "look everybody! We're all a bunch of serious actors and film makers striving to make something worthy enough to win loads of Oscars and shit. Well, shit off."

3. IN THE LOST LANDS 3/10
"The action in this is shit, the acting is shit, the characters are shit, the look of it is shit, the script is shit, the motivation is shit, the CGI is shit, the soundtrack is shit, the special effects are shit, there wasn't one thing about this that wasn't shit."

2. MINECRAFT 2/10
"It's hideous, it's bland, it's boring. A 7 year old boy with his dad in the toilets afterwards said, and I quote, "That wasn't very good, daddy." He was spot on, although I'd have phrased it somewhat differently."

1. MARCHING POWDER 2/10
"The funniest lines are in the trailer so save yourself by just watching that." 

TOP TEN MOST READ REVIEWS
This part of the yearly round-up has been one of the most fun parts, watching as films rise and fall up the list, reader figures are up on last year, so thanks to all who take time to read my reviews, it means a lot to me. 

The Naked Gun was a clear winner but the battle for silver and gold went to the wire with both films vying battling courageously till the very bitter end.  

1. THE NAKED GUN
2. SUPERMAN
3. CRAPTON AMERICA: BLAND NEW WORLD
4. ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
5. NOSFERATU
6. A REAL PAIN
7. BALLERINA
8. JURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH
9. THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME
10. A COMPLETE UNKNOWN

THE LEAST READ 'NEW' FILM REVIEW OF 2025
ELLA MCCAY

#85: THE HOUSEMAID

STARRING: Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried, Brandon Sklenar, Michele Morrone and Elizabeth Perkins. Writen by Rebecca Sonnenshine. Directed by Paul Feig. Budget $35 million. Running time 131 minutes. 

Right then, eyes down for a full house. Sydney Sweeney is Millie Calloway, a troubled young woman living in her car and desperately trying to make a life for herself after serving 10 years of a 15 year prison sentence, for what -- remains to be seen, although all will be revealed... Amanda Seyfried is Nina Winchester the massively neurotic wife of rugged beefcake Andrew Winchester (Brandon Sklenar) and Elizabeth Perkins is Andrew's mother Evelyn, a deeply sinister matriarch with an unhealthy control over her rugged, beefcake of a son. Oh, and Indiana Elle is Nina's daughter Cece. And together they all live under the roof of a sprawling handsomely appointed town house in the middle of an apparently never ending winter. Well, they will be once Millie accepts the job offer of becoming Nina's live in housemaid of the title. 

At first, Nina couldn't be more wonderful if she tried, but the minute Millie moves in, she changes, transforming into a seriously unhinged maniac with obviously bipolar tendencies, flying off the handle at every slight, verbal abusing Millie in front of friends, neighbours and her daughter, leaving her handsome, rugged and fabulous beefcake husband to pick up the pieces and try to patch things up. But Nina just keeps escalating the abuse, literally driving Millie into the arms of Andrew until they become lovers and that's all I'm giving you, plot wise.

Paul Feig made his name with a series of genuinely funny films which included Bridemaids, The Heat and Spy, then ruined all that good will with all-female remake of The Ghostbusters. In recent years he's moved into the realm of the psychological drama, popularised by the 2014 film, Gone Girl with a Simple Favor and the sequel Another Simple Favour. He's a director who clearly enjoys complex, multi-layered dramas which like to twist his audience up a corpse on a noose. And this one is one of those. 

It's a twisty and very entertaining drama whose outcome is never clear. It's carried effortlessly by Sydney Sweeney who gives the film it's strong emotional core, but it's Amanda Seyfried, however, who has the biggest emotional arc in the film, seriously she's magnetic and you'll find yourself desperately trying to work out what her game plan is, because it soon transpires that all but one of the characters has a game plan.

I was expecting to hate this, but it won me over and I found myself engaged and more importantly entertained by this, plus it's helps massively that Sydney Sweeney is a very game actress and eager to share her bountiful abilities at the drop of a hat, repeatedly. 

Anyway, this was fun, twisty, and rather gripping, plus it nails its landing. So, a good ending to the year. 

8/10 

#84: ANACONDA

STARRING: Paul Rudd, Jack Black, Steve Zahn, Thandiwe Newton, Daiela Melchior and Selton Mello, Ice Cubes and Genital Lopez. Written by Tom Gormican and Kevin Etten, directed by Tom Gormican. Budget $45 million. Running time 99 minutes. 

Paul Rudd is second rate actor Ronald 'Griff' Griffen Jnr living the dream in Hollywood auditioning for pathetic bit parts in a series of TV shows. Meanwhile his childhood friend, Doug McCallister (Jack Black), who never left their home town toils away working as a wedding videographer rather than struggling in Hollywood, then there's Kenny Trent (Steve Zahn) and Claire Simons (Thandiwe Newton) who were also both childhood friends they also failed to live up to their childhood dreams of working in Hollywood. One year at Doug's surprise birthday party, Griff reveals that he has the rights to the film Anaconda and convinces the others to head to the Amazon and film a sequel 'guerilla style', so they raise nine thousand dollars and armed with a mobile phone and an attachment leave their lives behind and sod off to Brazil to make a film. And much hilarity ensues. Meanwhile there's a woman Ana Almeida (Daniela Melchior) who is investigating illegal gold mining in Brazil. The gang get to Brazil, hire a snake handler who has an anaconda and promptly kill it and so have to head off into the jungle to find a replacement. They do. It's massive and starts killing everybody not important to the plot. Then the gang discover that there's another film crew filming a remake of Anaconda with Ice Cube Tray and General Lopez and that Griff never had the rights. And once again much hilarity ensues. Then they discover that Ana isn't all she appears to be and much hilarity ensues. Then while the gang are running through the jungle for some reason or other Doug is eaten alive by the giant Anaconda and much hilarity ensues. Then Doug comes back to life, apparently being eaten alive by a giant anaconda isn't as fatal as some might have thought. Then the gang find the film set of the other film and it's been destroyed by the anaconda and Ice Cube saves them and then there's a big explosion and everything's okay. The gang head home, and no mention is ever made to the death and destruction of the film crew and set of the other Anaconda film, or the murder of an undercover cop, shot by Griff 'accidentally', or the gold smuggler. 

Back home the gang show their finished film to their friends and family and everybody is happy. 

Apart from me. I'm not happy. Indeed, I'm pretty goddam pissed off. I was lied to, I was lead to believe by early reviews and the trailer that this was a funny film, a very meta film and with a cast that included Paul Rudd and Jack Black, I was kinda hoping for something akin to the recent Naked Gun reboot. Well, dear reader, do not be taken in. This was shit. Poorly written, filled with contrivances to support the plot and characters so one dimensional, they couldn't turn sideways.

The humour is piss poor, one very lengthy sequence has Doug, who is believed to be dead, left as a decoy for the Anaconda and draped in the corpse of a dead boar, oh how no one laughed when Doug comes to life with a dead squirrel stuck in his mouth and has to run for his life while he's chased by an anaconda. Don't worry that's not a spoiler, it's in the trailer. Actually all the vaguely amusing stuff is in the trailer, so if you want to have a good time with this film, just watch the trailer, you can then avoid all the crap that's takes up the other 98% of this wretched piece of shit. 

Even Paul Rudd, a comedic actor of some skill can't rescue this lazy, pathetic crap fest. And spare a thought for poor Thandiwe Newton who surely deservers better than this? Jack Black though, he deserves this. He's been in two shit films this year, this and Mein Kraft, actually I think he's only been in two good films in his entire career School of Rock and Mars Attacks. 

It's not just the story, acting that's shit, the action isn't much cop either and the snake despite being really big is hardly in it. And when it is, it's just a big old CGI monster that can come and go whenever it likes and has almost magical abilities to propel the plot along whenever it's needed. 

At one point a character throws a bag of gold nuggets into the river and then leaves five other bags of gold nuggets, what the actual what? That gold would have made them all rich beyond the dreams of Midas. 

It's sad to end the year with this sort of shit, however I'm hoping my next and final film of this year, The House Maid will be good. In the meantime, this snake oil crap gets a 4/10

#83: IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE

Starring James Stewart, Donnna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, henry Travers, Beulah Bondi, Ward Bond, Frank Faylen and Gloria Grahame. Written by Fracnes Goodrich, Albert Hackett, Frank Capra and Joe Swerling. Directed by Frank Capra. Budget $3.5 million. Running time 131 minutes. Originally released in 1946.

A one word review - Wonderful!

Just wonderful. Beautifully written, great direction and a superb performance by James Stewart. I just love this film. It's one of my five favourite Christmas movies along with A Christmas Story, Scrooge (1951) and Bad Santa and Die Hard.

Produced and directed by Frank Capra, it always amazes me to realise that on its release this film flopped, and only became a Christmas staple when first shown on American TVs in the 50s.

Seeing this restored version of IAWL on the big screen means you get to see things you probably missed if you've only watched it on a TV, count how many rooms the drawing of George lassoing the moon turns up for example, or better yet see if you can spot the newspaper headline declaring that 'Mr. Smith has won a nomination to go to Washington'.

Stewart is simply brilliant as George Bailey, the richest man in town. He portrays Bailey from the age of approximately late teens to late 40s and without the need for elaborate make up. He is the prototype Tom Hanks and it's on his performance that the whole film swings. That's to take nothing away from the supporting cast, lead by the Donna Reed, who all give this film its huge heart and character.

The story sees George Bailey, a man who sacrifices his own dreams and ambitions for the greater good of Bedford Falls, who when, through no fault of his own, faces financial ruin and imprisonment decides to kill himself. He is saved by a trainee angel who grants him his wish of never having been born and discovers just how much his life has touched the lives of so many others. The film takes its time, building its back story, not just of George's, but his fellow Bedford Falls inhabitants. Watching George grow from young boy to manhood is a delight and it makes his subsequent fall that much more emotional. His desperation as he runs through town towards the bridge and his date with destiny is deeply powerful, he at that point is a man who has lost, or so he thinks lost everything. The sequence where he finds out just how many lives he's touched is profoundly moving and never fails to make me well up.

For a film that's nearly 75 years old to be this captivating, this engrossing and this magical is a pure triumph. As a callow art school youth I scoffed at this and Singing in the Rain, believing them to be old and fuddy-duddy, despite the fact I'd never actually watched them. And in both cases I stumbled across them whilst watching tv, I came in half-way through in both cases and was captivated by both and I love them to this day.

This film lifts my spirit and makes me feel deeply moved and I bloody love it without reserve.

The perfect Christmas movie and one of my actual Top Ten Movies of all times.

10/10 

#82: AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH

STARRING: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Kate Winslet, Jack Champion, Oona Chaplin, Jermaine Clement, Giovanni Ribisi, David Thewlis and Britain Dalton, plus loads more, too many to mention. Screenplay by James Cameron, Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, produced by James Cameron and Jon Landau, directed by James Cameron. Budget $400 million. Running time 197 minutes long. 

it's been three years since the last one of these, but Cameron's not giving us a recap, no siree it's straight into action with this one, no messing about. And so begins the third installment of James P.'Sully' Sullivan's adventures on Pandora, a big planet full of giant blue humanoids called the Na'vi in a galaxy far far away, but very much in the future. James used to be human, well he was in the first film. In that he was the twin brother of bloke who died and James was hired to 'drive' his giant blue avatar for a mining corporation run by Giovanni Ribisi who were mining for Unobtainium. In the second film it was the spinal fluid of giant whales and so it is in this one. In the first film Sully lead a revoltion that saw the humans kicked off planet. In the second one the humans came back, bigger, badder and more weaponed up. And in this one they're even more bigger, badder and weaponed up. This time, they ain't taking prisoners or shit off anyone, least of all Sully, his extended family and all the peace and environment loving sea-side people of Panty Doreen. And once again it's Sully mother-fucking useless family of idiotic children who are running the show, mainly by keep getting abducted by Stephen Lang's big blue baddy. So Sully goes off with a bunch of the Na'vi who fly enslaved gas filled sentient balloon, that is until a branch of Na'vis called the MonkeyWang Tribe, lead by a very angry red faced Na'vi played by Oona Chaplin, who kill everybody. Then there's a series of big action set pieces interspersed by Sully's children not doing what they're told so as to endanger themselves and the vast tribe of people, so then Sully has to get himself captured to elicit their rescue before the dastardly humans mount an enormous attack on the big whale things and Sully, and his deeply annoying family rally everyone round for one mother-fucking battle to end all battles. Into that massive plot boiling pot add the relationship between Spider - the human kid living with the Na' vi and his dad played Stephen Lang, then there's Sigourney Weaver's clone Na' vi to deal with, oh and the slow deterioration of Sully and his wife's marriage, her almost uncontrollable racism aimed at Spider and humans. Look there's lots of secondary guff to deal with ontop of all the action, and shit. There's also a fantastic rescue mission that ranks right up there with Return of the Jedi in its staggering stupid complexity, when three completely separate parties all simultaneously attempt to rescue Sully on the eve of his public execution. And Cameron, so enamoured with this idea does the exact same thing later on when three completely separate parties all simultaneously attempt to rescue another character in a rapidly sinking battleship (something the keen eyed among you might remember from the last Avatar outing). Actually there's quite a lot of call backs to the last film in terms of plot points and motivations.

Anyway, the story is pretty dreary to be honest, it's stupid and only works because it requires stupid people to do stupid things to make the whole stupid plot work. And yet at its core there are some very interesting dynamics taking place, mostly involving Stephen Lang and his estranged son, which sadly never get completely or satisfactorily explored. Oona Chaplins villainess character is the MVP in this whole bloated affair, giving us a truly red-blooded villain to root for, and boy did I root for her. I might be alone but I really wanted her to win. I'm frankly sick to death with Sully and his whole sodding family, a bunch of whiney bitches to a T, that is when they're not moping around endangering everyone with their stupid decisions. 

I was also struck by just how callous the Na'vi are to their enslaved animal livestock, several times those glorious winged creatures are just left to die, you know those creatures the Na'vi mindmeld with through their hideous rat-tails. it seems that once they're of no more use the Na'vi are quite content to leave them to die pierced by multiple arrows. There's also a bewildering sequence where a poor floating creature, which is harnessed to a rapidly burning sentient balloon is left to die horribly, rather than be rescued by one of the Sully's children.

Anyway, as with the previous films the plot and story is lamentable, too much reliance of co-incidence and idiotic behaviour, but the visuals are another matter all together. Frankly the sheer visual excellence of this cannot be over stressed, it is truly breathtaking that this whole world(s) exist only in a computer and built with pixels. But the trouble is, third time round and the wonder and awe are such a given that you forget. Also, give the 3D a miss, fucking waste of time. Just watch it in 2D on the biggest screen you can. Also, as wonderful as these effects are, they don'e dazzle and amaze as they had done, it just seems par for the course now. 

Can't say I hated this, can't say I loved it. Once again I was awed by the sheer spectacle and somewhat bored by the story. The final battle is incredible but the lack of a satisfying conclusion was deeply annoying. Three characters disappear completely and the question of the humans remains utterly unanswered. I was kinda hoping this would be the end of the three film saga and that the rumoured 4th and 5th parts might be something new, but no, I'm guessing we're going to have to conclude this one properly. 

Visually a masterpiece worthy of a 10/10, but plot and story warrant only a paltry 3 giving this an aggregate score of 6/10