Now, with Disclosure Day, he returns to the science fiction genre to deliver what feels like his definitive statement on one of humanity’s oldest questions: are we alone in the universe?

If you found out we weren’t alone, if someone showed you, proved it to you, would that frighten you? This June, the truth belongs to seven billion people. We are coming close to … Disclosure Day.

Spielberg’s Definitive Statement On The Unknown

Arriving at a time when public fascination with UFOs, Area 51, and government disclosure is at an all-time high, Disclosure Day feels remarkably timely. Yet while its premise is rooted in conspiracy and mystery, Spielberg never loses sight of the human story at its centre.

The film opens on the brink of global conflict, with tensions threatening to push the world towards catastrophe. At the centre of the chaos is Daniel Kellner (Josh O’Connor), a gifted hacktivist who uncovers evidence proving the existence of extraterrestrial life after stealing classified information from the shadowy Wardex Corporation, a private organisation dedicated to suppressing alien activity.

As Daniel races to reveal the truth, his path unexpectedly collides with Margaret Fairchild (Emily Blunt), a Kansas City meteorologist and former journalist desperate for a second chance at relevance. Together, they become entangled in a conspiracy that stretches far beyond anything they could have imagined, setting in motion a globe-spanning race where the future of humanity hangs in the balance.

Pure Spielberg Magic

Every hallmark of Spielberg’s filmmaking is on display throughout Disclosure Day. This is blockbuster cinema crafted by a master operating at the height of his powers.

The film seamlessly blends intimate emotional drama with pulse-pounding action and nerve-rattling suspense.

Spielberg’s greatest strength has always been his ability to balance spectacle with heart, and nowhere is that more evident than here. The moments that resonate most are those where emotional vulnerability collides with breathtaking scale, creating sequences that are both exhilarating and deeply affecting.

Longtime collaborators once again elevate the experience. Cinematographer Janusz Kamiński fills the screen with striking imagery that captures both the wonder and terror of the unknown, while John Williams delivers a sweeping score that reminds audiences why his partnership with Spielberg remains one of cinema’s greatest creative alliances. The result is unmistakably Spielbergian in every sense.

Emily Blunt Leads A Stellar Cast

The cast proves equally impressive, with Emily Blunt delivering one of the strongest performances of her career. As Margaret Fairchild, Blunt brings remarkable vulnerability and authenticity to a woman whose life is suddenly upended by forces beyond her comprehension. Through Margaret, Spielberg explores humanity’s need for answers in an increasingly uncertain world, and Blunt carries that emotional weight with extraordinary grace.

Josh O’Connor also impresses as Daniel Kellner, grounding the film’s larger-than-life premise through a relatable everyman perspective. His determination to expose the truth gives the narrative its momentum, while his chemistry with Blunt provides much of the film’s emotional core.

Meanwhile, Colman Domingo once again proves himself a magnetic screen presence. As Hugo Wakefield, he brings wisdom, mystery, and an undeniable sense of wonder to the story, stealing every scene in which he appears.

Final Verdict: A Sweeping Science-Fiction Epic

Disclosure Day is Spielberg at his finest: ambitious, thrilling, emotional, and filled with the sense of awe that has defined his career. While it grapples with questions of extraterrestrial life and humanity’s place within the cosmos, its true focus is far more intimate. This is a film about truth, connection, and the hope that understanding something greater than ourselves might ultimately help us better understand who we are.

Image: Universal Pictures

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Watch the all-new teaser trailer for Disclosure Day below:

Here’s the official synopsis:

If you found out we weren’t alone, if someone showed you, proved it to you, would that frighten you? This June, the truth belongs to seven billion people. We are coming close to … Disclosure Day.

While the teaser trailer is itself a rather cryptic watch, and gives you a taste of the atmosphere of Disclosure Day, with its focus zeroing in on a you g father (Josh O’Connor) and a noted celebrity meteorologist reporter (Emily Blunt) being revealed as not all thy appear to be.

Spielberg has joined forces with noted screenwriter David Koepp to produce this original tale of UFOs and first encounters, and its packed out with that classic sense of Spielbergian wonder and awe that we have all come to know and love. While any sense of a real direction of the narrative is not revealed, you do get a sense as to the atmosphere of the production, and Disclosure Day is looks packed full of drama, mystery, suspense and action, and it’s certainly going to be an experience up on the big screen.

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Get ready for the truth to be revealed when Disclosure Day arrives in cinemas on June 11.

Image: Universal Pictures

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The Smashing Machine chronicles the life and career of mixed-martial arts and UFC champion Mark Kerr (Dwayne Johnson).

This is not your typical fight movie. Directed by Benny Safdie, The Smashing Machine carves into the story of MMA pioneer Mark Kerr with raw precision, stripped of spectacle and swagger. It’s muscle without the flex, pain without the crowd’s roar. And for the first time, Dwayne Johnson isn’t just playing a hero — he’s plummeting into a world of bruises, addiction, regret, and a chaotic, self-destructive love.

Let it be said: Johnson abandons all pretence of his larger-than-life Hollywood persona to deliver a performance of startling vulnerability. He disappears into Kerr — mind, body, and soul. Gone is “The Rock.” Through transformative prosthetic work, physical immersion, and a near-method commitment to character, Johnson becomes unrecognisable. Every scar, every tremor, every desperate breath feels real. His Kerr is not just a champion; he’s a man behind The Smashing Machine — obsessive, broken, and consumed by the grind. Johnson lays himself bare, stripped of armour, and the result is a performance unlike anything he’s done before; raw, fearless, and utterly captivating.

Opposite him, Emily Blunt gives an equally ferocious turn as Kerr’s long-time partner Dawn Staples. Blunt dives headfirst into the chaos, embodying a woman torn between love, loyalty, and destruction. She’s wild, magnetic, and heartbreakingly human — both enabler and victim to Kerr’s spiralling insecurities. The chemistry between Blunt and Johnson burns with volatility; together, they create a love story that feels like Sid & Nancy reimagined for the MMA world — a world where violence, money, and drugs collide in a relentless storm of emotion. Blunt is nothing short of astonishing here — a live wire performance that could (and should) make her an early Oscar frontrunner.

In bringing The Smashing Machine to life, Benny Safdie channels the grit of the original HBO documentary and then fills in the blanks with cinematic fury. He captures the humble, brutal, and often savage origins of early mixed martial arts and the birth of the UFC with an unflinching eye. Fights are often seen from outside the cage, through ropes or glass, fractured and claustrophobic. Safdie isn’t interested in victory laps; he’s dissecting the psychology of obsession.

The film’s soundscape is equally haunting, Nala Sinephro’s minimalist score murmurs more than it shouts, drawing you into the quiet aftermath of violence. Cinematographer Maceo Bishop gives the film its sweat-soaked soul, shooting across a patchwork of formats, from 16mm to 70mm to rough-edged VHS, evoking the grain and texture of the late ’90s and early 2000s. Every frame breathes tension and history, with Safdie and Bishop using their lens to explore themes of addiction, loneliness, and the toxic intimacy of love and ambition.

As a visual and emotional experience, The Smashing Machine hits hard. It’s not a story of clean wins or cinematic triumphs — it’s about survival, pain, and identity. It’s ugly, beautiful, heavy, and strangely compassionate.

Dwayne Johnson shatters his Hollywood image, exposing the heart beneath the muscle, while Emily Blunt delivers one of the most blistering, emotionally volatile performances of her career. Together, they create something unforgettable.

With The Smashing Machine, Benny Safdie doesn’t just reinvent the sports biopic; he weaponises it. The result is intimate, restrained, and brutally honest. A24 once again proves its mastery of character-driven storytelling, and this one’s a knockout.

Image: VVSFilms

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Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling), a battered and past-his-prime action choreographer, finds himself working on a film set with Tom Ryder, a famous actor for whom he had doubled long ago. When Tom goes missing and the film, which is being directed by Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt), Colt’s ex-girlfriend in her directing debut, is in danger of being shut down, Colt volunteers to find Tom and save Jody’s debut film.

When it comes to the action game, stunt man turned filmmaker David Leitch has been right at the forefront of the changing of the guard and has brought a new energy, pace and creativity to a genre that in the mid-2010s was becoming stale. With work on projects such as John Wick, Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2, and Hobbs & Shaw, Leitch took his considerable experience and helped push the genre into an entirely new direction. The Fall Guy is his most ambitious and personal project to date, resurrecting the classic television series for a whole new generation. Giving it a fresh direction for a brand new audience, Leitch makes a film that is a throwback to those classic action pictures of the late 1970s/early 1980s. With a solid mix of action, romance and comedy, there’s a terrific retro feeling to The Fall Guy, and there’s a certain Smokey and the Bandit/Every Which Way but Loose quality to the picture that only adds to the fun. Leitch makes this a true blockbuster experience in every sense of the word.

Ryan Gosling is the reigning king of pop culture blockbuster cool at the moment, and he gets to bring in his own Clint Eastwood-macho style as the aptly named Colt Seavers in The Fall Guy. And boy, does he have a blast. As a past prime stuntman who has earned the name of ‘The Fall Guy’ due to a tragic accident, Gosling’s Seavers starts out as a down-and-out loser who heeds the call to adventure and gets the chance to be the hero again! Gosling rolls with the punches, and his complete physical performance, sharp wit, and smouldering presence lead him to drive fast cars, fight the bad guys, kiss the girl, save the day, and the movie, that the love of his life is making. Gosling also gets put through the wringer thanks to 87North, and he puts himself on the line to deliver big on the action set pieces, and it’s a damn blast!

Paired next to Gosling’s Colt Seavers is Emily Blunt as Jody Moreno, Colt’s ex-girlfriend and a camera operator turned first-time director, and her presence brings a wicked love story to the big screen that audiences will holler for. Blunt’s Jody holds all the cards, and after Colt’s literal ‘fall from grace,’ she’s left reeling for a life and a love that could have been, and this adds a dose of tension that leads to one of the film’s most memorable ‘relationship’ sequences in the picture. Like Gosling, Blunt is just having a fun time with the film and takes inspiration from the life of Kelly McCormick, Leitch’s real-life wife and producer, and her performance carries a Ginger Rogers quality to it that produces plenty of spark in this throwback to the classic rom-com.

The Fall Guy also has some key support players, and they bring their A-game. Winston Duke is Seavers’ best friend and stunt coordinator, Dan Tucker, who is the facilitator not only for a certain reunion, but when the bullets start flying, he takes it up a notch, and under his watch, things get explosive. Aaron Taylor-Johnson gives a scene-stealing performance as Tom Ryder, a world-famous action star and complete a**hole diva who’s as smart as a box of rocks and who pulls Colt into a whole heap of trouble. Finally, the always fantastic and spontaneous Hannah Waddingham is superb as Gail Meyer, Jody’s executive producer, and with her big hair, power suits, and reliance on Diet Coke, she makes for a character who completely goes from A to Z through the course of the picture.

The Fall Guy is an action film that goes to the MAX, and you can forget about the CGI here because this is Leitch and his team at 87North going all the way with the action. And it’s a rush! Car chases, glass falls, fist fights, helicopter dives, and some damn big explosions are all present and practical, and your adrenaline will spike with this picture. Leitch has followed a proud tradition of stunt performers like Hal Needham and Terry Leonard, and his passion for his craft speaks through in the bombastic, over-the-top cool that is on display in this picture. But it’s not just action that’s driving The Fall Guy; this is a film that honours the stuntmen, stuntwomen and other crew on set who help to bring about the movie magic that dazzles us all. It’s a touching tribute to those behind the scenes, and this only adds to the joy of the whole experience.

The Fall Guy has everything audiences are looking for in a movie: action, romance, Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, LOLs, KISS, unicorns, and a dog called Jean Claude. So grab yourself a spicy margarita and get ready for a total hit of blockbuster fun because The Fall Guy is a cinematic experience that gets the thumbs up!

Image: Universal Pictures

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Watch the official trailer for The Fall Guy below:

Here’s the official synopsis:

A battered and past-his-prime stuntman, Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling), finds himself working on a movie set with the A-list star for whom he doubled long ago. When the star goes missing, and the film,. which is being directed by Colt’s ex-girlfriend, Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt), is in danger of being shut down, he volunteers to investigate the disappearance and find the missing actor.

2024 is shaping up to be a very big year for cinema fans, and bringing the action is David Leitch, Hollywood’s go-to director for big bombastic action done right! And with a list of credits including Deadpool 2, Hobbs and Shaw and Bullet Train, they’ve found the right guy for the job with The Fall Guy. What makes this an even bigger thing for Leitch is that he himself is a former stuntman and a principal at 87 Eleven, the action madhouse stunt production house that is re-writing what film action is, and you know he wants to make The Fall Guy authentic. Leitch has doubled for some of the biggest names in the business, including being the principal stunt double for Brad Pitt and Matt Damon, and from this first trailer, he’s really cranked things up for The Fall Guy.

Leitch has given the film a crazy level of on-screen realism, and make no mistake; everything has been captured in frame here. There’s no mincing about with complex CGI work, nope, Leitch and his team take us back to the good old days of noted stunt legends Hal Needham and Terry Leonard and make this an absolutely crazy watch. But mixed in with the fist fights, car wrecks, and multiple explosions is a narrative with real character work, laugh-out-loud comedy, a spot of romance and plenty of heart. It’s clear that The Fall Guy will be a film that audiences will absolutely applaud.

Ryan Gosling is in his element as past his prime stuntman Colt Seavers, and he’s having a blast with the material. Gosling mixes it up with a performance that is a mixture of laid-back surfer cool and impromptu class clown, and Colt sure does get put through the ringer in this one. Matched up to Gosling is the delightful Emily Blunt as the whip-smart Jody Moreno, a young woman who is set to be Hollywood’s next big thing, and she gets taken on one crazy ride thanks to Colt’s antics.

The Fall Guy looks like it will be a straight-up blast of fun for cinemagoers, so brace yourself for things to get wild when it arrives in cinemas on February 29.

Image: Universal Pictures

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Set during the early 20th century, riverboat captain Frank Wolff (Dwayne Johnson) transports British scientist Dr. Lily Houghton (Emily Blunt), and her brother MacGregor (Jack Whitehall), on a mission into a jungle to find the Tears of the Moon, which is believed to possess healing powers that could be of great benefit to modern medicine. All the while, the trio must fight against dangerous wild animals, a hot and deadly environment, and a competing Imperial German expedition that is determined to find the tree first.

Set deep into the mystical corners of the Amazon jungle, Jungle Cruise is a film that was made for the big screen and this is blockbuster entertainment at its finest. Everything you love about Walt Disney Pictures unique frame of storytelling can be found in this movie and director Jaume Collet-Serra makes this one big, bold and epically cool to behold. Telling an engaging story that draws on mythical forces, undead conquistadors, and a race to find a potent power that could either save the world or damn it, Collet-Serra is in his element with Jungle Cruise as he handles a heartfelt story of adventure and pure escapism and pairs it with blockbuster visuals that will make you watch on in awe.

Jungle Cruise is a classic swashbuckling tale in every regard and audiences seeking adventure will be very pleased with what’s presented on screen here. In terms of its tone and style, I very much likened this film to classic adventure tales such as Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Goonies and Hook, and it’s a picture that has a quintessential feel-good vibe to it. The visuals are marvellous to look upon, and Collet-Serra draws upon the tropical colours of the Amazon to give this film a unique look and feel, and you can also be certain that danger awaits at every turn. It’s been some time since we’ve had a film of such high adventure fun, and audiences will feel a great feeling of nostalgic joy with this feature. And there’s some very clever narrative reveals that will completely take you by surprise.

Leading the journey in Jungle Cruise is Hollywood superstar Dwayne Johnson as intrepid skipper and somewhat smooth conman Frank Wolff. On his last legs and with few opportunities he takes a part in Dr. Lily Houghton’s quest to discover the mystical Tears of the Moon. As always Frank is a quintessential Johnson character, but he also takes a nod from the legendary Humphrey Bogart with this performance as a can-do man of action and sly charmer. Johnson also makes Frank a bit of a joker and his ‘dad jokes’ in this one are utterly legendary! But there’s more to Frank than meets the eye, and Johnson levels some serious dramatic revelations as his story unfolds before us. Johnson also has terrific chemistry with co-star Emily Blunt and these two are a very cool pair up on screen together.

Taking on the gauntlet to find the Tears of the Moon, and bring a new understanding of medicine to the world, which in the process could save countless lives is Emily Blunt as Dr. Lily Houghton. And her’s is a pitch-perfect performance. Lily is a can-do adventurer, a woman who defies the standards of her era, such as adopting pants instead of a petticoat and skirt and charging headfirst into the Amazon and the adventure that awaits. As always her performance is spot on here, and her talent for stunt work is made present very early on and she roughs it up good alongside Johnson as they take on German mercenaries, undead conquistadors and the dangers of the jungle itself. She’s perfectly matched beside Johnson and their chemistry together is a major part of how much fun and entertaining this movie is.

Providing a key level of backup in this film is comedian Jack Whitehall, who as a longtime Disney fan has his dream made true in this project and he’s utterly hilarious as Lily’s leisurely dandy brother McGregor. Acting as his sister’s assistant, confidant and somewhat ‘advisor’, McGregor is pulled into her quest to find the Tears of the Moon…and he really doesn’t suit the jungle at all. Whitehall’s own unique offbeat style of comedy is well suited to the part of McGregor and he offers up plenty of humorous quips that audiences will find themselves going giddy over. Whitehall is very much the heart of this film, and his performance as McGregor marks him out as an absolute scene-stealer.

From its opening scene to its closing credits, Jungle Cruise is a straight-up fun rollercoaster of a blockbuster film. It’s big, boisterous and utterly transportational and audiences who are seeking adventure and escapism will be well pleased with what they get to watch here. It all comes together on this film. Direction, casting, cinematography, costuming, stunts, visuals effects and score, and the result is a grand old time at the movies. I myself found it to be a very nostalgic watch as it brought back memories of the grand escapism of the movies of my youth. From the start, we’ve known that Johnson, Blunt and Whitehall had an incredibly fun time making this movie, and you can feel this enjoyment and enthusiasm within the finished film. Jungle Cruise is a film that makes you feel good and I’m certain that it will spark a whole new generation to seek the call of adventure as well.

For those seeking an adventure, I highly recommend you hop onto Jungle Cruise because this is a film filled to the brim with action, romance and adventure and it makes for a rollicking good time at the movies.

Jungle Cruise arrives in cinemas on July 29 and will stream on Disney+ with Premiere Access from July 30.

Image: Walt Disney Pictures

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Following the deadly events at home, the Abbott family must now face the terrors of the outside world as they continue their fight for survival in silence. Forced to venture into the unknown, they quickly realize that the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threats that lurk beyond the sand path.

Beginning moments after the shocking ending of A Quiet Place, A Quiet Place Part II quickly kicks into high gear and this is the cinematic horror experience that fans have long been waiting for….and the wait has definitely been worth it. Writer-director John Krasinski amps up the scares in this very clever sequel and has taken what worked so well in the first movie, the hostile ambience and quiet dis-ease of the film’s unique mixture of suspense and horror, and he’s cranked these up for maximum shock factor. And the result is a very scary and compelling film.

This time around Krasinski is able to devote himself completely to the direction of this terrifying sequel and he uses suspense and the formula of the thriller to his advantage in providing maximum scare value. Moment after moment the tension and terror rises, and just as the Abbott family clear one obstacle, another jumps up and ensnares them in it. Using multiple points of view and the uneasiness and fright that comes from the presence of noise and these terrifying creatures, Krasinski is able to keep the tension high and you’ll be holding your breath and gripping the frame of your chair for dear life with these thrills. While I won’t go into spoilers I will say that A Quiet Place Part II is exceptionally shocking and your heart rate will go through the roof with this one.

Taking centre stage in A Quiet Place Part II is Krasinski’s wife and fellow actress Emily Blunt who returns in the role of Dr. Evelyn Abbott, who having buried her husband at the end of the first film is now fighting to survive after fleeing from their destroyed farm. Blunt proved herself to be a compelling and strong character as Evelyn in the first film and she’s now very much a walking she-wolf who will do anything to ensure the survival of her children in the wake of new dangers. In a role that draws more from physical performance over dialogue, Blunt again excels and she completely holds your attention on screen.

Joining the action of A Quiet Place Part II, in a now larger canvas, is noted thespian Cillian Murphy in the role of Emmett, a former friend of the Abbott’s in a previous life, before the arrival of the monsters, and who is now a feral survivalist. Murphy makes for a character who you can never really place and his ambivalence and twisting nature only adds to the tension of A Quiet Place Part II. Murphy’s Emmett makes for a great foil for the characters of Evelyn and Regan Abbott, and you never quite know what he’s going to do next.

Millicent Simmonds, who made a huge impression on audiences with her role as Regan Abbott in A Quiet Place, takes a major step forward in A Quiet Place Part II, and she settles into the role and position that Krasinki’s Lee Abbott held in the first film. Venturing out into the outside world and armed with a way to fight back, Regan makes a quest to do her part to ensure the survival of her family and Simmonds certainly holds the audience’s attention with her performance.

Audiences who are seeking a good scare will be very pleased with the resulting action of A Quiet Place Part II, and this is horror cinema dialled all the way up. Krasinski’s handling of suspense and terror keep you on edge the whole way through and the addition of multiple narratives make for a very unsettling watch. Added into this is the untrustworthiness of a far more feral landscape, and the monsters have lost none of their dread. You may be tempted to scream during A Quiet Place Part II, but the sheer panic of this film will ultimately cause you to hold your breath.

A Quiet Place Part II delivers some incredible scares and this is the horror movie experience we’ve long been waiting for and Krasinski, Blunt and the whole team behind it knock it out of the park. So remember to keep the decibels low, and get ready for a rush of intense suspense because A Quiet Place Part II is back in cinemas and you’ll want to see this one on the biggest screen possible.

Image: Paramount Pictures

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In 1930s London, Jane (Emily Mortimer) and Michael Banks (Ben Whishaw) are now grown-up, with Michael still living in the house on Cherry Tree Lane. He lives there with his three children, Annabel, John, and George, and the housekeeper named Ellen. After Michael suffers a personal loss, Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt) comes back to the Banks family with street lamplighter Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda ), and eccentric cousin Topsy (Meryl Streep).

Everyone knows of the magic of Mary Poppins, a fun-filled family adventure that is considered a timeless classic, and now director Rob Marshall (Chicago) is ready to take audiences back for another feel-good adventure with Mary Poppins Returns and there’s magic at every turn. Setting his film up as a continuation of the original story, Marshall places his audience in the dire circumstances of the Banks Family who on the verge of bankruptcy have seemed to have lost all hope in the middle of the Great Slump. That is until delightful magical nanny Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt) arrives back on the scene to help balance out all accounts…along with a bit of pixie dust thrown in for good measure.

Taking up the magical umbrella of everyone’s favourite flying nanny Emily Blunt truly makes the role of Mary Poppins her own and she is practically perfect in every way as the character. Poised and polished, Blunt once again captures this classic characters eternal optimism and is the primer for the Banks family to rediscover ideas of imagination and wonder and ultimately leads them to discover that no matter what they can always count on each other as a family. Blunt also gets the opportunity to let her voice be heard and she proves herself a true songbird with the performance of a number of terrific tunes including the likes of ‘Can You Imagine That’ and ‘The Royal Doulton Music Hall’. It’s clear from her performance that she’s having a blast from beginning to end as the character and watching her you’ll find yourself smiling with happiness as she inspires your own imagination to set itself free.

Lending Blunt a hand in the film is the musically gifted Lin-Manuel Miranda in the role of go-getting lamplighter Jack who proves himself a great companion. Miranda’s Jack passionately believes in the wonder of Mary Poppins and his knowledge of London leads Mary and the children on a journey that takes them to many unexpected places. Then there’s his superb vocal range and dancing talents and they find themselves chanelled up onto the screen in remarkably inspiring songs such as ‘(Underneath the) Lovely London Sky’, and he’s also able to show off his characters spot-on cockney accent. Miranda complements Blunt’s performance perfectly and the pair have a great back and forth rhythm between the two of them that reminded me of the theatrics of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.

As a feat of production Mary Poppins Returns is simply enormous and its reliance on both the practical and the digital leads the way for some truly striking visuals. Marshall and collaborating production designer John Myhre and costumer Sandy Powell fill the film out with a colourful candy coloured pallete that pulls you into the film’s fairytale narrative. The details really do shine through here and everything fits together perfectly from the falling cheery blossoms to the fantastical worlds that Mary, Jack and the children find themselves strolling through. It’s as if with Mary Poppins Returns that Marshall is not shooting his film with cameras and lenses, but rather painting it with bright strokes of watercolour. It’s most definitely a visual treat and every frame offers up another breathtaking sight to capture your attention and pull you into this magical, fantastical canvas.

It wouldn’t be Mary Poppins without a rousing musical score and the best of the best has been assembled for this production. Composer Marc Shaiman and lyricist Scott Wittman offer up a treasure chest of soon to be instant classics with songs like ‘Trip A Little Light Fantastic’, ‘Turning Turtle’ and ‘Nowhere To Go But Up’ and in both musical composition and lyrical arrangement there’s a present feeling of unanimous joy. Shaiman and Wittman also experiment with a vast arrange of styles and themes from classical music to big brass jazz along with a sprinkling of modern hip-hop and rhythm and blues, and all of it will wrap you up inside the film’s marvellous story.

Filled to the brim with magic and imagination, Mary Poppins Returns is an utterly charming film that will warm your heart up with love and joy and is a perfect watch for the whole family this holiday season.

Image: Walt Disney Pictures

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Idealistic FBI agent Kate Macer (Emily Blunt) is enlisted by an elite government task force official (Josh Brolin) to aid in the escalating war against drugs. Led by an enigmatic consultant (Benicio del Toro) with a questionable past, the team sets out on a clandestine journey forcing Kate to question everything that she believes in order to survive.

With an all-star cast and powerful script you shouldn’t need any more reason to line up for this thrilling flick. In case you’re on the fence, here’s the extra push you need:

5. The Wild West 

Set in the dark and dusty plains of the American Border and Mexico, Sicario makes it clear that the Wild West never died, having simply replaced horses with four wheel drives and upgraded to bigger guns. When idealistic FBI Agent Kate Macer (Emily Blunt) first crosses the border, she comes to find herself in a completely alien world where the very question of right and wrong doesn’t exist. Villenenue uses the classic western archetypes to his advantage, but shifts them to suit this new world that his characters operate in where there are no rules, and the white hats have left town forever.

4. Cinematography on the edge 

In Sicario, Villenenue also finds himself blessed with the partnership of noted cinematographer Roger Deakins, and the two shoot one hell of a film together. Deakins captures the crimson dusk and fading light in clear, beautiful strokes which heightens the scope and epicness of the plot. But the biggest test for Deakins comes in the formidable border crossing scene: a tense, nail-biting, journey that is framed beautifully and tracks at the pace of a ticking clock attached to a stick of dynamite.

3. The shadow world

Part of what makes Sicario so compelling is Villenenue’s commitment to detail in the world he finds himself operating in. Centering his story on the shadow warriors of the elite Tier One units of the FBI and their fellow law enforcement organisations, Villenenue takes the time to get their look and actions right, from the kit that they wear to their weapons and tactics. Everything works to create a believable world that will both fascinate and scare audiences.

2. Benicio del Toro’s Muerte Encarnada 

Death takes human form in the shape of Benicio del Toro’s silent and intimidating assassin Alejandro — a lethal man of few words who is brutally efficient in the art of death. From the moment he graces the screen, you know there’s something off about this smooth and silent man with no name. Del Toro fully commits to the role of Alejandro, crafting a frightening and intriguing character who will live on as one of the silver screen’s most legendary antiheroes.

1.  Emily Blunt: a sheep amongst wolves

While del Toro may provide the horror, Denis Villenenue places Emily Blunt at the film’s centre as FBI hostage rescue operative Kate Macer — a thoroughly green agent who finds herself quickly in over her head in this dark and chaotic world. As the only women in Sicaro’s boy’s club, Blunt really steps up to the plate, crafting a performance that guides the audience into the dark and brutal world where they experience the events of the movie first hand as she does. Blunt brilliantly bears the responsibility of playing the film’s moral center, which places her at great odds with her puppet master superior, the sly Matt Graver (Josh Brolin), and the dangerous world in which she now works. Blunt gives a simply stunning performance, and it’s very likely that Academy Gold could be heading her way.

Image source: Roadshow Films.

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In the near future an alien force known as the Mimics are threatening to destroy earth and humanity. Career military officer Major William Cage (Tom Cruise), who has never seen a day in combat, earns the scorn of his superiors and is chucked head first into combat. His tour of duty isn’t very long, and he is quickly killed, but not before taking down a Mimic Alpha and taping into their ability to ‘reset’ the day. Now with the ability to relive the same day over and over again Cage enlists the help of Special Forces soldier Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt), and becomes the ultimate warrior, and now has a chance to defeat the Mimics and save the world.

Cruise shines in the role of Major William Cage, a high flying military PR officer, whose job it is to sell the war, and who until now, has never even served a day in combat. His trajectory from oafish, spinmaster ad man to grunt is pretty quick, and the realities of war hit him square in the chest. But not before he takes down one of the enemy with him, tapping into their power to control time and space. With his reset power in hand and a keen intellect and set of reflexes he becomes the ultimate gunmetal warrior, blowing through round after round of alien monsters in an exo-skeleton suit which becomes like a second skin. But while he might end up as the ultimate soldier, he also allows Cage moments of gripping dramatic tension and guaranteed comedic gold. A running gag of how many different ways Cage can die never gets old, as is the seriousness of how important these deaths become to the pursuit of winning the war. Cruise is clearly having a blast making this movie, and his enthusiasm and commitment to the character shines in every single frame of the film. He’s at the top of his game, and his journey from grunt to badass is pretty cool to watch.

The film also stars Emily Blunt as Rita Vrataski, also known as ‘the Angel of Verdun’, also known as the ‘Full Metal Bitch’. Vrataski is a no-nonsense tough chick, a decorated Special Forces soldier, who recognizes what Cage has become and set’s out to turn him into a super soldier, who with her help might be able to defeat the Mimics and save humanity. Vrataski is also presented as a Joan of Arc figure, a fighting angel held up as the possible savior of the world, but even in her messiah like status she is not devoid of emotions such as love and fear, which Vratasksi seems desperate to hide, and which Blunt does an excellent job of portraying. Cruise and Blunt stand toe to toe with each other and this is the very reason the film works, while there’s enough explosions and action to keep the audience primed, the solid acting from these two co-stars will keep them gripped in their seats, as both actors are at their very best.

Finally there’s Bill Paxton, and man is he a hoot. Where Paxton was once the ever loveable, wisecracking, smartass Hudson in ‘Aliens’, here as Master Sergeant Farrell Bartolome he’s a completely different man. Master Sergeant Bartolome is a complete spit and polish career grunt, who is the complete and utter opposite of Hudson, he’s an intentional hard ass, who likes the fact that he is the biggest hardass in the military, and loves nothing more than berating his squad in both the glories of combat, and of their failures, which are particularly funny to watch.

Edge Of Tomorrow is simply a phenomenal movie. If you go into it thinking that you’ll just witness a ‘Groundhog Day/Starship Troopers’ mashup, then I’m telling you now you’ll be very disappointed. While the film is an action junkies dream, it also takes a serious look at concepts and ideas such as fate, time and the future. There’s been a lot of thought placed into this movie, and even in the most crazy action spectacular scene (and believe me there are a few of them), you will find yourself drawn into its phenomenal and gripping story.

Director Doug Liman is at his best here, and Edge of Tomorrow is easily his best film since 2002’s ‘The Bourne Identity’, the action scenes that he crafts are nothing short of genius. The film’s time travel plot point also allows for a continual shift in the action, so nothing is ever really presented in the same way, and the rapid-fire cutting, and Christophe Beck’s intense score really pushes the action forward. Part of what makes Edge of Tomorrow so awesome is the exo-skeleton battle suits that Cruise and Blunt get to use, these things pack a serious amount of hardware, and with the amount of munitions that Cruise and Blunt go through, its kind of amazing that there was still a world left to save, it’s intense!

The film also has absolute ingenious moments showcasing the many ways in which Tom Cruise can be killed. Some are serious and dramatic, while others are just lough out loud funny. And off course every time he does die, he comes back better and better, until he is the ultimate alien killer. It’s just fantastic.

Edge Of Tomorrow is so far the best film I’ve seen all year, it is an intense, visceral action spectacular, with a solid pair of actors who are at their very best. It’s an absolute thrill ride, don’t miss it!

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