Simon Cocks·Jan 22, 2023RRR is the best blockbuster of 2022Rewatching it on the big screen confirms it… — Yes, I mean it. RRR makes for better big-screen entertainment and spectacle than many films that outperformed it at the global box office last year. It’s more grandiose than all the latest Marvel superhero flicks, more ambitious than the likes of Black Adam or Uncharted and far more fun and…Movies5 min readMovies5 min read
Simon Cocks·Sep 11, 2022Review: Disney’s new Pinocchio remake is horrendousThey should’ve just left this one alone… — It’s fair to say that, even if I’m yet to watch them all (sorry, Mulan and Lady and the Tramp), Disney’s “live-action” remakes are all rather hit and miss. When they can add a little something to the story of the original tale (Cinderella, Dumbo and Pete’s Dragon, for example)…Film4 min readFilm4 min read
Simon Cocks·Mar 14, 2022Review: The Batman is darker and grittier than previous rebootsThe Caped Crusader is back in cinemas now — Gotham fatigue? From the looks of it, there’s no such thing. Matt Reeves’ The Batman may be the ninth major film in the past 20 years to feature the city, but there’s no sign that audiences are tiring of the grimy crime-ridden metropolis when it comes to the box office…Movies5 min readMovies5 min read
Simon Cocks·Mar 7, 2022Review: Severance reimagines office life as an inescapable nightmareApple TV’s latest sci-fi is a creepy workplace drama — Timing is everything, and there’s something uncanny about how the release of Apple TV’s Severance coincides with many of us returning to the office. Created by Dan Erickson and executive-produced by Ben Stiller, this dark drama transforms the office into purgatory. It’s set in a world where it’s possible for…Streaming4 min readStreaming4 min read
Simon Cocks·Oct 10, 2021Review: No Time to Die might just be my favourite Bond filmDaniel Craig’s final 007 film is worth the wait — ★★★★½ Long before No Time to Die, Daniel Craig’s last outing as James Bond, the actor said he’d rather ‘slash his wrists’ than play Bond again. That comment wasn’t meant to be taken too seriously, of course. But, as he said it just after 2015’s Spectre, it does indicate how…Cinema5 min readCinema5 min read
Simon Cocks·Sep 14, 2021Review: Shang-Chi is one of Marvel’s best origin stories to dateThis is the real start of the MCU’s fourth phase… — ★★★★½ Shang-Chi, the master of unarmed weaponry-based Kung Fu, is forced to confront his past after being drawn into the Ten Rings organization. (IMDb) After the cataclysmic events of both Infinity War and Endgame, it’s obvious the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) couldn’t just continue on with business as usual. It…Movies6 min readMovies6 min read
Simon Cocks·Apr 18, 2021Sound of Metal is an impactful and immersive drama about hearing lossRiz Ahmed is incredible in this film — ★★★★★ A heavy-metal drummer’s life is thrown into freefall when he begins to lose his hearing. (IMDb) Not that it isn’t still deep and compelling, but you can just tell Darius Marder’s Sound of Metal (the director’s debut feature film, mind you) would’ve been even more of a profound and…Cinema4 min readCinema4 min read
Simon Cocks·Apr 18, 2021Palm Springs is one of my favourite rom-coms in agesThis movie is a delight — ★★★★★ Stuck in a time loop, two wedding guests develop a budding romance while living the same day over and over again. (IMDb) Trust me, you should go into Palm Springs knowing as little as possible. I’d almost suggest you fire up Amazon Prime right now and watch it before…Movies4 min readMovies4 min read
Simon Cocks·Apr 17, 2021Godzilla vs Kong delivers the crazy crowd-pleasing action it promisesIt’s loud, dumb, and exactly what we need right now… — ★★★★☆ The epic next chapter in the cinematic Monsterverse pits two of the greatest icons in motion picture history against one another — the fearsome Godzilla and the mighty Kong — with humanity caught in the balance. (IMDb) Even if you’re lucky enough to live in a part of the…Movies4 min readMovies4 min read
Simon Cocks·Mar 28, 2021Is the Snyder Cut worth watching?Zack Snyder’s four-hour version of Justice League is out now… — ★★★★☆ Determined to ensure Superman’s ultimate sacrifice was not in vain, Bruce Wayne aligns forces with Diana Prince with plans to recruit a team of metahumans to protect the world from an approaching threat of catastrophic proportions. (IMDb) The “Snyder Cut” of Justice League makes for a fascinating contrast with…Movies7 min readMovies7 min read