Reviews by Kyle Ellis

Really enjoyed the first two films, both contained great scenes/action, acting and the two best villains of the films. Was mixed on the third film, which wasn't that bad but suffered mainly from bloat, and was not totally sold on the 'Amazing Spider-Man' films.

Whether 'Spider-Man: Homecoming' is the best 'Spider-Man' film ever is debatable, some may prefer the first two films, others may prefer this. To me, it is the best 'Spider-Man' film since the second and on par with the first two. It may not have taken as many risks or had sequences/action as memorable as the first two films, and for more of an origin story it's best to stick with the first two films. For a fresh twist on 'Spider-Man' and the superhero genre, 'Spider-Man: Homecoming' (one of Marvel's best to date) more than fits the bill.

'Spider-Man: Homecoming' is not quite the masterpiece as proclaimed to me and maybe not quite as good as the acclaim, but personally can totally see why it is loved so much and that it deserves all the positivity it's received. It has a couple of faults, Liz is a bland and underwritten character and Laura Harrier does nothing with the character. Flash also could have been much more intimidating in demeanour and physicality, for a bully one is not intimidated, pretty anaemic actually and even annoying at times.

Much more could have been done with Spider-Man's powers and how he got around, they could have been better used, being not used enough, and of better quality.

However, 'Spider-Man: Homecoming' looks great. Slick, stylish with bold, atmospheric use of colour and mostly top-notch special effects. Michael Giacchino pens yet another winner of a music score, both rousing and hypnotic with also an intensity and emotional undercurrent.

It's a remarkably well scripted film too. It has some hilarious and rarely forced humour (namely from Ned and Michelle, both of whom should have been annoying but were refreshing scene-stealing comic relief), poignancy and tension. The story works well as a superhero story, with great chemistry between Peter and Tony Stark and a terrific scene in a car with our hero and Vulture, and even more so as an affectionate and easy to relate to coming of age and trying-to-fit-in story. The action is kept at minimum but what there is is fun and suspenseful, even if there were sequences and climaxes more memorable in the first two films.

A risk was taken having Jon Watts in the director's chair, but luckily inexperience doesn't show, there is a great sense of visual style and momentum is kept taut. A great cast also helps, with Tom Holland doing a wonderful job in the complex dual role, both roles are easy to relate to and he differentiates the two personalities of nerdy, awkward high school deadline and charismatic head-line-making superhero with remarkable ease.

Michael Keaton, fresh from giving two of his best performances in years in 'Birdman' and 'Spotlight', is also superb as Vulture, a refreshingly different and more complex villain than most Marvel villains, a menacing villain but with a humane side with a far less generic motivation than one would find in other Marvel films and doesn't feel underused. A villain that one is intimidated by but also feel sorry for. Marissa Tomei seemed bizarre casting on paper but she is very charming actually and fits well.

Robert Downey Jnr brings charismatic intensity and authority to Tony Stark, Jon Favreau is fun while Jacob Batalon and Zendaya are refreshing comic relief.

Overall, very good, often great and very nearly outstanding (which it would have been if more care was given to a few of the supporting characters). 8/10 Bethany Cox

I love superhero movies when they are done right, and Captain America is one of the better ones I've seen recently and a big improvement over the 1990 film. Is it perfect? No. Entertaining? Yes, I think so. It is a very well made and efficiently directed film, with wonderful costumes, effects and settings and the cinematography and editing also impress. The music is rousing, and I just love Star Spangled Man, one of Alan Menken's best songs in my opinion. The script is witty and smart. Cheesy also? Perhaps but in an endearing sort of way. The story has a strong start, but loses its way to sluggish pacing and clichés in the final act. The characters are clichéd too in a sense but like the actors are engaging. Chris Evans is perfect in the title role, and he is joined by sassy Hayley Atwell and a wonderfully gruff Tommy Lee Jones. Hugo Weaving wasn't quite there for me, he is a great actor and he is charismatic and menacing, but his accent is inconsistent and the character could have been delved into more. Overall though, a lot of fun. 8/10 Bethany Cox

The first Captain America film was a lot of fun, and 'Winter Soldier', taking a bigger, bolder and darker approach while not forgetting the entertainment value, was even better.

'Civil War' is not quite as good as 'Winter Soldier' but it's a little better than the first film, in my opinion. It may not be quite the spectacular extravaganza that this reviewer was expecting from reading the critics' reviews, but it is very solid fun still, great entertainment and in the top end of Marvel's output even with its faults.

Granted, 'Civil War' is not perfect, so the detractors can think again before accusing me of being someone paid to write a positive review. This is actually somebody who saw the film, enjoyed it thoroughly but realises that it has flaws. Is anybody going to point out to Marvel detractors that people can enjoy Marvel's films without feeling like it's a criminal offence to and have been giving good reasons for doing so, so parroting out ridiculous and easily disproven conspiracy theories that have often come close to violating terms and conditions is only making them look like the idiots and the ignoramuses? Sorry to point out that irrelevant note, but this attitude keeps cropping up in the increasing user and critical condescension wave that IMDb is facing, and IMDb who seem shockingly oblivious to it should come down harder on it.

As with what was not quite right with 'Civil War', there is an over-stuffed and occasionally under-cooked feel at times. 'Civil War' has many subplots and characters, and while actually it deals with a vast majority of the subplots and characters are dealt with incredibly well there are a few subplots that appear (a couple of them abruptly introduced as well) and not enough is done with them, as far as being completely forgotten about after ten minutes or being rushed through to get to the next one. Zemo's story is lost within everything else and would have fared better within a film all on its own, because the potential was there. A vast majority of the characters are all interesting with engaging, in-depth personalities, but War Machine is somewhat side-lined, while one appreciates the complexity given to Zemo there was the sense that he wasn't as completely crucial to the main story as he could have been and while Spiderman really grows on you his entrance is a bit clumsily done and makes one think does he really belong?

However, 'Civil War' also does a huge amount right. It looks amazing for a start, the gritty but audacious look of 'Winter Soldier' makes a welcome return while the cinematography is stylish, the editing crisp (if slightly and occasionally confused in the airport action sequence) and the special effects as extravagant as they should, helped by thunderously authentic sound. Despite really not being a fan of shaky cam usually, it is not abused here, doesn't cause visual discomfort and gave certain scenes even more raw tension than they already had. The music again has much rousing excitement and haunting intensity while being no less memorable than the music in the previous two outings.

The action sequences in 'Civil War' are strong too. The opening sequence starts the film with a bang, with its tragic consequences being genuinely affecting, while the airport scene is tense, enormous fun and thrilling (though because with so much going on, the camera/editing does at times struggle to keep up). Best of all is the climax, which had much more intensity and was surprisingly rich in conflict and emotion. The direction is astute and deftly balances all the different conflicts and tone shifts, while the script is very smartly written with the light-hearted moments like with Spiderman and Ant-Man being witty and hilarious while not once being at odds with the more thought-provoking and serious elements (which never get bogged down in too much talk). The story, while a bit over-stuffed and under-cooked in places, is never dull, never feels too stretched or thin, always makes sense (even with parts that needed more development) and is endlessly riveting right up to the end, which is an achievement for a two and a half hour film with this much going on. Likewise, while some characters are more interesting than others (which is standard for any film with a cast as large as this), the characters are very intriguingly and engagingly written with distinct personalities and realism.

There are great performances across the board, with the one oddity being Marisa Tomei as Aunt May, not a big role but not small enough to give the impression that Tomei in age and manner did not fit the character. Much of the film however is dominated by Robert Downey Jnr and Chris Evans, both of whom are note-perfect as Iron Man and Captain America. Elizabeth Olsen is flawed but sympathetic, Scarlett Johansson is wonderfully fearless, Paul Rudd is a breath of fresh air with his introduction actually feeling like a character who belongs, Tom Holland brings endearing enthusiasm to Spiderman, Paul Bettany and Sebastian Stan are authoritative presences, Daniel Bruhl has the right degree of arrogance and is able to convey menace while only doing as little as a whisper and Chadwick Boseman characterises Black Panther's wounded pride with dignity and gravitas.

Overall, very solid fun if just missing out on being the spectacular extravaganza expected. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Saw 'Doctor Strange' (although fairly late perhaps) because of liking the cast a great deal, who can argue with Benedict Cumberbatch and Tilda Swinton, and having liked a lot of what Marvel has done, something that one doesn't see people saying a lot here.

'Doctor Strange' is not a perfect film, but to me it was a thoroughly enjoyable one and is one of Marvel's best. Lets begin with the things that from personal opinion didn't quite work. Rachel McAdams does do a good job with what she has, but the character was underused and underwritten. Her screen time, while essential, was not large and her development was sketchy at best. Strange mastering magic does happen too fast, didn't buy how rushed that aspect was, and while there are a lot of fun and witty moments a few jokes felt random and out of place (i.e. Beyoncé).

However, the cast are a major asset. Had reservations about McAdams's character but not with her performance. Benedict Cumberbatch really makes the interesting title character his own and knocks it out the park. The standout of the rest of the cast is Tilda Swinton, wonderfully mysterious as the film's most interesting character and played with relish by her.

Chiwetel Ejiofor has a charismatic intensity and Benedict Wong has fun and enjoyed his chemistry with Cumberbatch. Do think that the villain Kaecilius could have been explored in more depth, but Mads Mikkelsen is intriguingly menacing.

The story, making the most of a great innovative concept, is never dull and is told with absorbing atmosphere, exuberance and very rarely sacrifices coherence or credulity. There are some really interesting ideas here, explored with thought-provoking intelligence. The action excites and thrills, as well as being visually stunning, instead of being drawn out even though quite long the climax is great fun to watch (or at least it was to me).

'Doctor Strange's' script has emotion, wit and tension and although he doesn't have the character growth one would like Strange is a well realised character and Cumberbatch has a lot to thank for that. The music score has great intensity, rousing excitement and nuance and Scott Derrickson clearly engaged hugely with the material.

Where 'Doctor Strange' is particularly good is in the production values. It's very stylishly shot and edited and handsomely mounted in production design but it's the incredible special effects (particularly jaw-dropping in the climax) that take centre stage.

Overall, while not quite finding it a masterpiece of film-making and having a few problems with it 'Doctor Strange' was a thoroughly enjoyable film and among Marvel's best. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Really enjoyed the first 'Thor' and loved even more its bigger, darker and bolder follow-up 'Thor: The Dark World'. 'Thor: Ragnarok' manages to be the best of the three, and is not just a strong contender for the funniest Marvel Cinematic Universe film (yes even more so than the 'Guardians of the Galaxy' films) but also one of their best to date.

As said in my review for 'The Death of Stalin', 2017 has been very hit and miss for films, the best ones being wonderful (I.e. 'God's Own Country', 'The Farthest', 'The Death of Stalin', 'Blade Runner 2049', 'Wind River', 'IT', 'The LEGO Batman Movie') and the worst ones being dreadful (i.e. 'Baywatch', 'The Snowman', 'The Emoji Movie', 'Stratton', 'Flatliners', 'The Mummy', 'Transformers: The Last Knight'). 'Thor: Ragnarok' is to me up there with the year's best. Would even go as far to say that it's one of the best and most entertaining "superhero" films so far, whether in Marvel, DCU or anywhere.

On a visual level, 'Thor: Ragnarok' is the best-looking of the three 'Thor' films and of Marvel in general. Asgard looks colourful and atmospheric. The photography and editing are stylish and the locations are stunningly vivid. The special effects and stunts are not just dazzling and have substance and purpose rather than just being thrown in for the sake of it, they are among the best of any Marvel film. Just for the record, Marvel get a lot of hate, particularly in the ridiculous and blown completely out of proportion DCU vs Marvel war, have personally enjoyed a lot many of their efforts. The music pulsates thrillingly and is also catchy and rich in atmosphere and emotion.

'Thor: Ragnarok', as said, is a contender for Marvel's funniest film. The dialogue crackles in wit and deadpan deliciousness, and absolutely loved Thor's quips and the clever in-jokes (Loki's horrified reaction at coming face to face with Hulk was a standout). They are all placed adeptly, placement is never questionable.

It's not just about the humour that makes 'Thor: Ragnarok' so great though. Like 'Thor: The Dark World' in particular of the previous two films, the action is absolutely thrilling and breath-taking in spectacle (almost 'The Lord of the Rings'-like in scale). There is plenty of bold dark-natured tension and the emotional moments give the film a lot of heart and are genuinely moving.

Taika Waititi balances humour, action and drama with ease and it shows in the compelling and tightly structured and paced story. The characters are even more expansive in development, both intrigue and entertain and their well fleshed out personalities make them easy to care for them. Thor and Loki are beautifully realised characters while Hulk is the most interesting he's been in a long time. Hela is not just the best non-Loki 'Thor' villain (so much better than the one-dimensional and underwritten villain of 'The Dark World) but also one of the best villains in the Marvel canon, not just posing a threat, interesting in personality and having a motivation that nobody will scoff at but she is also one of few Marvel villains to actually have an arc. Korg (with Waititi writing himself in to portray) is a bit random but is a lot of fun.

Chris Hemsworth is at his most relaxed and charismatic, while Tom Hiddleston is terrific as Loki and pitches his mellifluousness and serpentine-like malevolence perfectly. Anthony Hopkins continues to bring welcome gravitas to Odin and doesn't ham up. Cate Blanchett relishes the character of Hela, and makes her a character that's menacing, entertaining and oddly rootable.

Mark Ruffalo is a strong presence as Hulk, Benedict Cumberbatch brings everything that was good about his Dr Strange in the first place and Jeff Goldblum is suitably playful. Karl Urban comes off least but does his best with the relatively little he has (which to me was nowhere near distracting enough to bring the film down).

Overall, a brilliant film with Thor and Marvel being at the top of their game. 10/10 Bethany Cox

This is in no way a knock on the first Thor because I enjoyed it a lot, but, as said with Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Thor: The Dark World impressed me more. The look of the film is wonderful, Asgard is just as colourful as it was in Thor yet also darker too, matching the darker, bolder tone very well. The photography and editing are stylish and the locations, especially Iceland, are stunningly vivid. The special effects are even more dazzling than in Thor and the same can be said for the stunts. The music score by Brian Taylor is dynamic and never repetitive or pedestrian, adding to the action sequences rather than detracting. Speaking of the action sequences, they are packed with thrills with battles almost on scale of Lord of the Rings and smack-downs that are enough to crush the bones. But Thor: The Dark World is not just about action and spectacle, it has substance too(or at least it did to me), laden with humour that will genuinely make you laugh but doing so without over-powering the dark nature of the story or the tense sparring between Thor and Loki. The story is compelling with the right doses of action, humour and drama, it's bigger in scale and bolder in tone than the first Thor but also more expansive in characterisation. The acting is top-class with most of the cast getting more to do, Anthony Hopkins is always dependable and Natalie Portman brings a touch of class and Stellan Skarsgard has some very funny moments but the acting honours do go to Chris Hemsworth, who's more robust and poised than he was in the first Thor, and especially Tom Hiddleston, who is terrific as Loki and pitches his mellifluousness and serpentine-like malevolence perfectly. My only complaints here are Christopher Eccleston having very little to do so he gives a somewhat one-dimensional performance that exudes moody menace but not much else and Loki surrendering and Thor forgiving him too easily and quickly. All in all however, a truly excellent follow-up that improves even more over the first Thor. 9/10 Bethany Cox

I was interested in seeing this ever since it came out. After finally seeing it I am so glad I did. It is a visually stunning film with excellent cinematography and editing and the costumes, settings and effects look wonderful. There may be the odd longueur in the plot, with a little too much of admiring the scenery, but most of it is amusing and while not sticking true to the original source material there are a lot of nods to it. Kenneth Branagh directs superbly, the action is earth-shattering and the script is filled with witty fish-out-of-water moments. The acting is fine with Chris Hemsworth giving his all in the role, Anthony Hopkins bringing some welcome gravitas to Odin rather than hamming up, Natalie Portman more than a pretty face and Tom Hiddleston's Loki a villain worth watching for. All in all, an immensely enjoyable film. 9/10 Bethany Cox

'The Revenant' to me is one of 2015's best films and deserved its hype, its critical acclaim justified. It is easy to understand why the audience reaction is more divided, but to me the low ratings are too harsh. The visuals, direction and acting are so brilliant that even if the film didn't impress me it still would have gotten no lower than a 4 or 5.

Its best assets are the visuals and direction. Simply put, 'The Revenant' is one of the best-looking films of the year and a thing of sheer beauty. The settings are rich in atmosphere and the lighting remarkably natural, but it's the cinematography that shines brightest, it's both intimate and immersive. Iñárritu's direction is even better than in his outstanding direction in 'Birdman', some of the best direction of the year.

Acting is marvellous, everybody showing great commitment. Leonardo Di Caprio got his only Oscar for his performance here and it was more than well deserved in one of his best films and performances, a performance of emotional intensity and honesty that is most agonisingly poignant. Tom Hardy excels in bringing brooding menace to his role, and Will Poulter is impressive too.

'The Revenant' has much more to it than those things. The action is brutally tense and the story, while deliberately paced and very simple, immerses the viewer in how gripping it is, being intense and emotional. The characters are strongly realised.

Film fares least in the script which is not bad at all but occasionally a little garbled. This is such a minor criticism however and not enough to bring down my rating.

In conclusion, brilliant film. 10/10 Bethany Cox

'The Revenant' to me is one of 2015's best films and deserved its hype, its critical acclaim justified. It is easy to understand why the audience reaction is more divided, but to me the low ratings are too harsh. The visuals, direction and acting are so brilliant that even if the film didn't impress me it still would have gotten no lower than a 4 or 5.

Its best assets are the visuals and direction. Simply put, 'The Revenant' is one of the best-looking films of the year and a thing of sheer beauty. The settings are rich in atmosphere and the lighting remarkably natural, but it's the cinematography that shines brightest, it's both intimate and immersive. Iñárritu's direction is even better than in his outstanding direction in 'Birdman', some of the best direction of the year.

Acting is marvellous, everybody showing great commitment. Leonardo Di Caprio got his only Oscar for his performance here and it was more than well deserved in one of his best films and performances, a performance of emotional intensity and honesty that is most agonisingly poignant. Tom Hardy excels in bringing brooding menace to his role, and Will Poulter is impressive too.

'The Revenant' has much more to it than those things. The action is brutally tense and the story, while deliberately paced and very simple, immerses the viewer in how gripping it is, being intense and emotional. The characters are strongly realised.

Film fares least in the script which is not bad at all but occasionally a little garbled. This is such a minor criticism however and not enough to bring down my rating.

In conclusion, brilliant film. 10/10 Bethany Cox

I saw Gran Torino mainly as an admirer of Clint Eastwood, both as an actor and as director. And I was very impressed, there were parts that amused me and others that had me moved. Gran Torino was a very well made and beautifully directed movie, complete with a fitting soundtrack, a strong script with smooth enough tone shifts and a powerful message that is well conveyed and one that I think many, myself included, would identify with. The story is mostly engaging with an interesting protagonist, but there are a few moments where it is hackneyed and predictable, which is my only criticism of this movie. In regard to the acting, Clint Eastwood gives a very commanding performance and the kids are also very good mostly. Overall, very well done. 9/10 Bethany Cox