Pressure (2026) - A Guest Review by Chad Dixon

This is a dramatisation, with some historical tweaks, about the most important decision taken that ultimately became the turning point of WWII.

James Stagg (Andrew Scott), is a highly esteemed Met Office expert, recommended by Churchill himself, to become the Head of the Supreme Headquarters of the Allied Expeditionary Force Meteorological Committee. Leaving his heavily pregnant wife after a simple breakfast in their leafy suburban house, he is driven directly to SHAEF which is housed in what looks like a requisitioned stately home.

Arriving in his RAF Group Captain uniform, he's shown directly to the nerve centre of the forecasting team where amongst the 20 or so forecasters are dozens of historical weather charts for the same early June days throughout the previous forty years fill the walls. A cheery atmosphere is led by American meteorologist, USAAF Colonel Irving P. Krick (Chris Messina), who is holding court with jovial anecdotes of all the times he had forecast weather correctly for other WWII campaigns and Hollywood movie shoots in places that Stagg immediately realises are nowhere as volatile and dynamic as the North Atlantic.

Stagg then immediately mobilises the team to get on their phones and collate the latest meteorological data from as many relevant international weather stations as possible to obtain the best accurate up to date forecast. It's just four days before the proposed D-Day date and the first crucial weather report is due. Later, when it's time to present that crucial report to Supreme Allied Commander, General Dwight D. Eisenhower (Brendan Fraser), at the combined Chiefs of Staff meeting, Stagg pulls rank over Krick and because of their absolute disagreement on how to best forecast for the Normandy Landings, denies his request to attend the meeting too.

Stagg's initial report is that there is a good chance that major storms are on the way to the English Channel and the proposed day of invasion is totally out of the question. It doesn't help that the current weather is fine and clear. Obviously the joint chiefs of staff that include a very belligerent and condescending Field Marshal Montgomery (Damian Lewis) are all furious as they state that all the initial preparations are complete and all their various forces are ready to go.

Because of Krick's prior amicable and successful forecasting relationship with Eisenhower, Stagg initially feels isolated that his approach is not being listened to and when bad news comes on the phone about the bombing of a maternity hospital his wife was admitted to, right in the middle of an Eisenhower rant regarding the inconvenient report, he does not let on regarding his personal worry and defiantly stands his ground. Lieutenant Kay Summersby (Kerry Condon), the General's personal assistant is the only one who is empathic to the impossible stress James must be under and so becomes Stagg's ally.

This is a brilliantly told drama with, at it's core, a commanding and Oscar-worthy performance from Scott. All the supporting actors do very well too and Lewis is especially menacing as the overbearing Field Marshall.

The expansive detail of the Supreme Headquarters is a brilliantly recreated intense environment that gives the viewer a real insight into how the Allied War Machine must have been organised and what incredible responsibility certain individuals had. Also well-inserted archive footage of Allied troop organisations on the English South coast spliced in with newly shot scenes really did enhance the understanding of just what an incredible offensive preparation it all must have been. Of course, we all know the eventual outcome of Operation Overlord but seeing this important piece of history that led up to that decision of when to go, really puts in clear perspective the ultimate command Nature has on us mere mortals.

The Death of Robin Hood (2026) - A Guest Review by Chad Dixon

This is a new cinema release from Director Michael Sarnoski (A Quiet Place: Day One). "NOT ANOTHER ONE" I hear you cry..! Yes, apparently there are still stories to be told regarding the infamous bandit of Sherwood Forest. The latest non Englishman cast in the lead role is Hugh Jackman. With a Yorkshire lilt this time, that's definitely an improvement from his countryman's effort in 2010. Of whom performed it with multiple accents that seemed to cover the entire British Isles.

In the autumn of his life and set in the Winter of northern England 1247, we first see the grey bearded Robin by a camp fire at night. His heavy layered clothes filthy with the mud of the landscape. Approached by a desperate young woman begging for food, he throws her a meaty morsel in the whistling wind. Later when he seems asleep, she creeps up on him from behind with the intention to rob or worse but she's met with a lightning dagger to the side of the throat. "I smelled you coming" he murmurs, as he twists the knife and ends her life.

The next morning in the falling snow we see him burying the diminutive body under a pile of rocks. The view from directly above pans away and we see multiple graves on the hillside. This is not the Merry Man of whom we've been told many good stories. He is a ruthless murderer and every death shows on his drawn, grizzly face.

Later that day, a tall, blood-stained man looms menacingly out of the mist. He recognises the silhouette as his old comrade Little John (Bill Skarsgård). "I need your help." He then goes on to spin a tale of a redheaded wife and daughter that he's been forced to leave behind on a small holding not far away, by her angry kinsman. "They are my life." Robin agrees to help and clutching his trusty bow and arrows, they both prepare for a surprise raid under the cover of the coming night.

If you've seen The Northman (2022), starring Bills Brother, Alexander Skarsgård, then that experience should tell you enough about the graphic mud, blood and violence at the beginning of this film. But I don't think that I could have sat comfortably through a full two hours and twenty minutes of that, as it would be a relentless. Even though the fighting is all in context, thankfully the pace changes about a third of the way through when John has to take his badly wounded and delirious comrade to an island of refuge. He says that the Priory of St Clement is run by a prioress who has magical healing powers. Robin is left on the front step of the ancient looking stone facade as John and his young daughter immediately leave to row back to the mainland.

When he wakes the next morning in a quiet room and comfortable bed, his wounds bandaged and a wooden splint on his broken leg, Robin sees properly the kind and young face of the prioress that took him in for the first time. The clean, headscarved and smiling visage belongs to Jodie Comer. She asks his name. He deliberately lies: "Randolph". "Bridget." She replies. A short montage of rehab begins as with a strong wooden crutch we see the bearded man slowly regaining his strength. One day she says "go as far as you please". He slowly hobbles out of the quiet room to explore the castle like priory. The breeze is gentle and the bright sun is warm on his face. It must be Spring now. There are other nuns and children playing in the garden behind the Priory. In his mind he feels it's time for some reflection regarding the choices he has made in his later life.

There is a heavily bandaged leper on the island too played by Murray Bartlett but you only see his eyes. He initially warns Randolph not to harm anyone there, under threat of death, but eventually things become amicable. There is definitely good on-screen chemistry between Jackman and Comer. Both chameleons in the many various roles they've inhabited thus far, they, and the whole cast play totally credible characters in this harsh, mid thirteenth century England backdrop. A special mention for the young actor Faith Delaney who plays John's daughter, Little Margaret, who's return to the island later galvanises Robin's determination to make those positive changes in his remaining life.

The cinematography throughout is excellent and the rugged island location looks especially stunning on the big screen. Without giving away any spoilers the clue is in the title, so nothing really to hide here, but the story is compelling and I'm glad that the master archer aspect still plays an important part. All in all, I felt that this was quite a bit better than the last few Robin Hood centric feature film offerings we've had to endure.

The Dog Stars (2026) - A Guest Review by Chad Dixon

This is the latest Science Fiction cinema release from veteran director, Ridley Scott, who's output seems to be speeding up in his later years. It's 2035 and the World is a few years on the other side of a devastating flu pandemic that has wiped out most of humanity. The remaining survivors have mostly left the big cities and are now scattered thinly throughout the rural areas and wilderness.

Hig (Jacob Elordi), is a mechanic and together with his trusty German Shepherd Jasper, flies regular supply runs to Denver in an old repaired Cessna light aircraft. Based at an abandoned small airfield in Erie, Colorado, which he shares with Bangley (Josh Brolin). He travels more than is necessary as the city was his home with his now deceased wife and infant. They are still constantly on his mind and these visits to his old family house is his only solace in this otherwise unrecognisable empty world.

Bangley is extremely comfortable with this arrangement, as together with a good supply of food and drink, they are well armed against gangs of violent roaming scavengers that periodically come through their location. However, Hig is constantly scanning the radio waves, in hope of finding something better. Maybe a bigger community, like the group of self sufficient Mennonites that live in a lush valley a few miles away that he often drops in on on his way back from Denver. It might feel more like living again rather than just surviving. One day he decides he has to go and loads up enough supplies, takes Jasper and flies off.

This really looks like Ridley Scott has watched a few episodes of 'The Last of Us' and/or 'The Walking Dead' and thought "I'm going to do a feature film in that genre". As a result, this feels just like an extended but much less interesting episode of one of those shows. There are fairly ok performances by everyone that includes Guy Pearce and Margaret Qualley as a father and daughter Hig lands near when his plane has some minor issues. But just like lots of Mr Scott's recent offerings, the script is quite poor so heavily relies on the visuals. Which here are various panoramas of the Rocky Mountains and shot mostly from the air, look breathtaking on the big screen. But otherwise this, just under two hour story is a very mediocre effort.

The End of Oak Street (2026) - A Guest Review by Chad Dixon

This is a science-fiction adventure film from Bad Robot Productions that has recently had its cinema release. Set in 1982 in a suburban town in Michigan - looking not dissimilar to the neighbourhood in E.T. - Oak Street is having a summer party with lots of happy fun going on. 

Looking like a model nuclear family from the outside, things aren't hunky-dory in the Platt household at the moment. There is friction between Gregg, the father (Ewan McGregor), and his wife Denise (Anne Hathaway) over him working excessively long hours. Meanwhile, their two kids, Audrey (Maisy Stella) and younger brother Brian (Christian Convery), are noticing their parents' issues and are worried about where they may lead.

However, these family issues will soon pale into insignificance as things in the neighbourhood take a very strange turn the following night during a heavy rainstorm. Brian is woken by some very bright flashing lights and sounds like heavy thunder. He then wakes his sister and they both start to hear unfamiliar, animal-like noises in the distance.

When morning finally comes, there is a total power outage affecting the entire street, and they also notice that the ambient temperature outdoors seems to have dramatically risen. They then discover that Starbuck, the family's treasured German Shepherd, has gone missing from his tether in the back garden, sending the parents out in the family car to look for the beloved pet.

The trailer for this summer release has been around for ages, so I don't think many who have heard of the film are unaware that the main premise is that the entire neighbourhood has somehow teleported back in time to the Cretaceous period, based on the dinosaurs we see. So, as the growing terror of the gradual invasion of prehistoric beasties builds, the family have to learn how to survive, and that mutual fear seems to bring them closer.

With a surprisingly short running time of 1h 40m, this is a quirky film as we never really find out why this time jump has happened, but the sight of extremely well-rendered dinosaurs of all shapes and sizes - including pterosaurs - running and flying around the streets and causing all sorts of havoc was very entertaining. The acting and the relationship between the son and daughter characters felt genuinely heartwarming as they clumsily negotiate the frightening situation unfolding outside when they get separated from their parents.

McGregor is the one who seems not to fit here, as I can't imagine why one of many American leading men wasn't cast in his role instead. It has been a busy year for Hathaway after major roles in The Devil Wears Prada II and the recent Nolan blockbuster, Odyssey - she is the one who carries this film, as it's her character who makes the tough decisions at the end. Although many humans meet their demise, it's not visually gory, making it suitable for family viewing. To sum up, it's great cinema entertainment, and you just know that J.J. Abrams is watching carefully to see if he can turn this idea into another money-spinning franchise!

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8: Samsung Nailed It! - A Guest Review by AJ Santos

Where to start? It’s my first Fold. I always had my doubts about the durability of these devices. Years ago in John Lewis, I saw one of those mechanical display units opening and closing a Fold several times a minute, and the top layer of the inner screen was peeling off. “I'll never buy one of those!” I thought to myself. Fast forward to the present and here I am with one, thanks to generous workplace discounts - but more importantly, thanks to the form factor and what it represents.

For a long time, I always had my eyes on top-tier flagship mobile phones. From the old days of the Siemens SX1 through to the Nokia N95, Communicator, Lumia 1020, Oppo’s Find X Pro and Samsung's S23 Ultra. That is where it stopped. It took me some time to figure out what I actually want out of a mobile phone. It doesn’t have to be top-of-the-range with the highest specs across the board - just the ones that matter to me, which happens to save some money in the process. Right? Well, yes and no - for reasons we’ve all discussed in our Phones Show Chat MeWe Group.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 has completely changed my day-to-day experience with a smartphone. Instead of feeling like a niche tech experiment requiring compromises on basic usability, living with this device feels remarkably natural. By moving to a passport-like shape, Samsung has built a phone that seamlessly adapts to the rhythms of daily life - from quick, single-handed checks during a morning routine, to productivity sessions at work, to relaxing on the sofa at home in the evening as a great media assistant.

When out running errands, grabbing a coffee or commuting, I rarely want to open the main inner display. This is where the Fold8's closed shape makes its biggest daily impact, and I am surprised by how much I use it - far more than I thought I would. Because the cover screen is wider and shorter than past models, my small hands can easily span the entire keyboard. I can reply to a quick message, deal with an urgent work email or control music on the go with great balance and without fear of dropping the phone.

It slips into a pair of jeans or a light jacket pocket without dragging clothes down or feeling like a brick. It feels just like carrying a standard, slightly thicker phone - especially with a case on. If I stop for breakfast or sit on a train, I can set the phone down on a table folded into a 'tent' position so it acts as its own kickstand, making it effortless to watch a video or catch up on the news hands-free. And trust me, that 5.5" screen is not as small as it looks. Video content is perfectly watchable - no complaints whatsoever. It’s a genuine head-turner, too; I've been asked about the phone on the train and in coffee shops more than once.

At work, the moment I sit down to focus, popping the Fold8 open transforms how I handle daily tasks. Opening the screen gives a broad canvas that makes running two apps at once feel truly practical. I can have a reference spreadsheet open on the left while drafting a message on the right, or keep a live map open next to an itinerary without constantly switching between apps. The wide main screen feels closer to a small digital book or pocket notebook than a phone. Flowing through long PDFs, reading articles or using the Kindle app feels far less tiring on the eyes compared to endless vertical scrolling on a standard smartphone. Using Auto Trader on the inner screen is actually better than on a laptop, I dare say!

The inner screen layout is flat enough that the central crease disappears from view during direct light-mode reading. However, because the hinge snaps open with real purpose, you can’t prop the phone half-open like a mini laptop on a desk - it prefers to be fully open or fully shut. When the workday ends, that inner screen becomes a dedicated personal entertainment hub. Opening YouTube or streaming apps gives a significantly larger picture than any traditional smartphone. Classic content, podcasts and video clips fill out the display nicely. Holding the open phone vertically turns app feeds into an immersive experience. Photos pop, text is crisp, and far more information fits on the screen at once.

Because the speakers line up on the sides when the phone is held vertically, rotating the open screen for landscape videos shifts both speakers to one side. For movie nights or travelling on a train or plane, I pair it with Sammy’s Pro4 earbuds anyway - which is still the most immersive way to watch, regardless of whether the phone's physical speakers are in the 'right place' or not. When travelling, I'm not wanting to disturb people around me anyway, so earbuds are my default choice. At home, any decent Bluetooth device will always give a better sound experience than smartphone speakers, which for me are strictly for hands-free calls and the occasional podcast. I did try using the built-in speakers to watch content and, unless you are actively listening for it, you won’t notice the sound coming from one side. The only exception is if the phone is held relatively close to your face - and who does that? It’s a bit like the crease: you'll only notice it if you go looking for it.

The camera system focuses on convenience rather than long-reach. The best camera feature isn't a complex setting - it’s unfolding the phone, using the cover screen as a live preview mirror, and taking high-quality family photos or group shots using the main rear cameras. You get vastly better clarity than any standard front-facing selfie camera can deliver. For candid selfies, pets, meals or weekend walks, pictures come out crisp and vibrant. If you like zooming in on distant subjects - like sitting at the back of a concert or shooting distant wildlife - you will notice that long-range shots rely on digital cropping rather than a dedicated telephoto lens. The cameras are not the absolute best on the market, but they are perfectly fine - they really are.

I don't have to constantly monitor the battery percentage throughout the day. Even with frequent use of the large internal display for reading and multi-app multitasking, the phone easily makes it from the morning alarm to bedtime with power to spare. If I've been heavily using the inner screen all afternoon, dropping the phone on a fast charger for 20 minutes while getting ready for dinner gives more than enough power to last through the night.

Microsoft tried with the Surface Duo but quickly abandoned the idea - goodness knows where we would be with a bit more commitment on their part. The original 2023 Google Pixel Fold was also a solid attempt, though it fell short due to the lack of a powerful chipset - and, like Microsoft, Google abandoned that specific form factor to return to the crowded space with the rest of the competition.

So, what do we currently have on the market as a credible alternative? With the Fold8, you are buying more than just a phone - you’re buying an experience. Someone rightly mentioned in our Phones Show Chat MeWe Group that no one is going to buy a £2,000 phone with limited specs in certain areas. That’s fair enough. But with discount codes and trade-in offers, the cost can be brought down by 50% - or even 60% if you’re savvy! That changes the scenario completely. Even more discounts will likely appear once Apple launches its own folding phone. At that price point, it becomes very competitive for what’s on offer.

Still, considering current hardware prices are through the roof, should a device at this price point have balanced speaker placement? Yes. Should it have better cameras? Yes. People often mention that the likes of Oppo, Motorola and Honor have superior camera setups. But try fitting that onto the Fold8 without adding a massive camera bump to the back of such a slim form factor! I suspect the lack of a dedicated telephoto lens and larger sensors comes down to physical space limitations and battery constraints more than anything else.

Come on, people - this is Samsung’s first real attempt at this specific form factor; give them some slack! The sequel - that difficult 'second album' - will be the real challenge where Samsung has to address those two shortfalls. Looking at the pre-order figures, though, consumers clearly don't mind that much right now! The 8th generation of Folds from Samsung has seen its most successful pre-sale run ever, largely thanks to the Fold8 selling out in South Korea and across most of the USA. Even with a hefty RRP, stock availability at some retailers is already being pushed back to September.

For what I paid and what I want to get out of it - including the overall experience - this feels like the right phone for me. Other phones may have better cameras, take outstanding photos, or offer superior speaker audio, but as a total package, I’m not sure any of them would suit me better. I think Samsung nailed it this time.

The Call (2013) - A Guest Review by Chad Dixon

This is a compact thriller from 2013 which is now available to watch on Netflix UK. Set in a contemporary Los Angeles, Jordan Turner (Halle Berry), is a confident 911 dispatcher working at LAPD's main call centre. One night a call comes in on a landline from what sounds like a teenage girl who's says she's home alone and is reporting a prowler breaking into her house. Turner advises her to hide behind any locked door but the best the frantic teen can find is under her bed. 

The intruder initially does not find her, but the call suddenly disconnects and without thinking, Turner rings back and the sound of the incoming call alerts the male Prowler in the house. There is a shrill scream and the last thing heard at the call centre is a man's voice saying "It's already done"! Jordan is stunned and removes herself from her desk. Soon, her Supervisor advises her to go home to decompress. The next day, when Turner is back on shift, she sees on the big TV, the worst possible news that a blonde teenage girl's dead body is found in a shallow grave outside the city.

It's now Six Months Later. We see a couple of blonde high school age girls enjoying a fun day at the mall. Even though they both have smartphones, one girl suddenly takes a call on a burner style phone that she says her boyfriend got her so that they can talk privately, as it's deliberately hard to trace. Meanwhile we see Jordan taking an inductee class of potential new recruits at the same 911 call centre.

She begins a tour of the facility with them as she's now designated as a teacher there. Later at the mall's food court, the taller girl gets a text on her main device and says to her friend that she has to leave immediately and rushes away with her shopping, without finishing her meal. Annoyed, the shorter girl eats up and starts clearing away their food cartons and discovers that her friend has left her burner phone behind. She pockets it and making her way home through the mall's multi-story car park, she's nearly run down, and then grabbed, by a white male in a baseball cap and sunglasses as he smashes her smartphone and uses morphine to render her unconscious. 

Back at the call centre complex, the induction tour has reached the shop floor where Jordan is describing to the group the process of an incoming call with one of the newer dispatchers. Cut to the dark interior of the boot of a moving car where the shorter girl begins to wake. She remembers the little burner phone in her jeans pocket and calls 911. That call comes into the very dispatcher Jordan is standing next to and soon it becomes very clear there are similarities to the traumatic call she herself took six months previous. As the totally frantic screaming audio of the young girl's voice continues, the rookie dispatcher quickly seems out of her depth and Jordan takes over the desk and call. Suppressing her own latent PTSD, she quickly calms the caller down and establishes the teenager's name is Casey.

This concise, claustrophobic thriller keeps you on the edge of your seat as the quickly-unfolding events become progressively frenetic. The (15) rating is justified as the graphic violence, from the get go, starts ramping up. There are very strong performances from both Halle Berry and Abigail Breslin as Casey - and I felt that the growing connection between dispatcher and abductee genuine, as the epic 911 call plays out. The fact that the burner phone is hard to trace is key to the plot here as the dramatic situation plays out across the City.

One other notable character is LAPD Officer, Paul Phillips played by Morris Chestnut - who is Turner's Boyfriend - together with his cop partner, are part of the police contingent following the continuing trail of the ruthless and determined kidnapper. At just over 90 minutes, this should easily be a gripping one-hit watch on the sofa with your favourite snacks!

The Odyssey (2026) - A Guest Review by Adrian Brain

After the 2023 megahit “Oppenheimer”, director Christopher Nolan is back with his latest epic. This is based on Homer’s ancient poem about King Odysseus’s prolonged return from the Trojan wars. And EPIC spelt large it is, but sometimes bigger isn’t necessarily better.

The film moves from set piece to set piece, some better executed than others, as Odysseus and his men encounter monsters and fickle gods, with his men being culled in numbers after each encounter. Meanwhile, back home his (very) long suffering wife and son have to deal with his absence and uncertain succession, all whilst under threat from sea raiders (and some curious neologisms).

Matt Damon as Odysseus leads the stellar cast, but I’m not sure was the right person for the job, whilst Anne Hathaway and Tom Holland do a bit better as his wife and son. Robert Pattinson, John Leguizamo, Logan Marshall Green, Charlize Theron, Elliot Page, Jon Bernthal, Lupita Nyong’o and a memorable Samantha Morton all pop up in support, but this array of celebrity thesps actually becomes distracting after a while.

I quite enjoyed the film, and Nolan didn’t try to mold the story to fit a modern narrative: the story of good and bad leadership, the horror of war and the consequential loss of humanity is still as relevant today as ever. However, the film simply isn’t in the same league as Oppenheimer, Dunkirk, Interstellar or Inception, and as such can only be considered something of a disappointment.

Disclosure Day (2026) - A Guest Review by Adrian Brain

This is Spielberg's latest addition to the SciFi genre he once owned. It could easily be considered “Close Encounters of the Third Kind: Part Two”, though it is nowhere near as accomplished as his earlier classic. In fact in places it is a real mess, though there are redeeming features.

If you have seen the trailer, you essentially know the plot, so I won’t waste your time or give any spoilers in that area. Imagine a bunch of episodes of the X-files cut up and reassembled and you essentially have the tone, style and substance of this film.

The first redeeming feature is the brilliant casting - Emily Blunt, Josh O'Connor, Colin Firth and Colman Domingo are the leads and each are superb. Even actors in supporting roles shine - Spielberg knows how to let actors perform at their best.

He also knows how to direct thrilling action set pieces; there is one outstanding piece that recalls his “Raiders Of The Lost Ark” heyday. Sadly though there is a lot of “this happened, then that happened” presented without his usual story telling flair. Plot holes and implausibility also get in the way of enjoying the proceedings.

I did enjoy the main themes of the film though (empathy is a super-power, religion is not belief in an external entity but belief in humanity), even if they were hammered home rather obviously. All in all, far from a classic but just about enough going on to be worth a watch.

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026) - A Guest Review by Chad Dixon

Because I don't have a Disney plus subscription, I've never seen any TV episodes of The Mandalorian. So although I've seen every Star Wars feature film released in the cinema so far, this was my first outing for these group of characters. Honestly, I don't think it mattered as I felt right at home from minute-one.

Pedro Pascal reprises his lead role as Mando, the cool headed, gunslinging lead with his Force-wielding, bottomless-stomached side kick, Grogu - a constant and reliable pint sized ally. I wasn't that familiar with most of the actors in some of the major parts here but there were a couple of interesting cameos.

Sigourney Weaver shows up as the straightforward Rebel Base Leader and handler of Mando's missions and Martin Scorsese voiced a very talkative four-armed, primate-like street food vendor that reluctantly helps our main protagonists track down one of the ex-Empire war criminals. My favourite character though, was ultra reliable Rebel Pilot, Garazeb 'Zeb' Orrelios, voiced by Steve Blum. Obviously, I'd never seen him before but he reminded me of one of the early Ralph McQuarrie concepts for Chewbacca.

I was entertained throughout as the 2 hour 12 minute, easy-to-follow story moved along nicely. The action sequences are well choreographed with all the different exotic multi-planetary locations, various alien species (whether they be intelligent societies or the scariest monsters you could imagine) looking authentic for the Lucas-created universe. My favourite bits were the battle-scarred hardware and spacecraft. All created by top quality CGI, but looking as real and convincing on-screen as any Earthbound transport. It may all be seen as just an extended episode of the TV series but I would recommend it for fans of the franchise who miss seeing this fantastic fantasy world on the big screen.

Mobius (2025) - A Guest Review by Kah Leong Ow

This is the 16-episode drama from China. The title referenced the Mobius strip, which is a continuous loop that returns to the starting point.

Criminal investigator Ding Qi possessed the ability to time travel and returned to the beginning midnight of the present day. No one remembers what happened and he used it to gather evidence and prevent a crime from happening.

During an investigation of a series of murders, he realised that there are others who had the same ability and all seemed to be connected to a genetic biotech company. As he raced against time to get to the bottom of things and within the 5-cycle limit, he unraveled the web of mystery behind his ability.

I am not familiar with the cast, which is made up of Chinese and Hong Kong actors, but they are competent and the two male leads play off each other well. The drama is well-shot and well-written, all based on a Chinese novel. Having said that, the script could have been tighter to up the intensity of the pace. While there are twists after turns, the uneven pace seemed to dampen the intensity at times. And as with time-travel themes, there are some parts that will leave you scratching your heads a bit as you struggle for an explanation.

If you are new to Chinese drama, this will be a good introduction. Chinese drama tends to over-dramatise and also stretches to more episodes. Twenty to forty is not unusual! So 16 episodes is probably considered short. Nonetheless, Mobius is a good and exciting watch and recommended, with a caveat that you may want to fast-forward some parts!

The Boroughs (2026) - A Guest Review by Chad Dixon

The Boroughs is a supernatural TV series on Netflix about a seemingly secluded utopian retirement community in the middle of the New Mexico desert that's been set up by the grandfather of charismatic CEO Blaine (Seth Numrich), and his charming stepford-style wife, Anneliese (Alice Kremelberg). Alfred Molina plays Sam Cooper, a recently widowed, retired engineer who, partially against his will, is moved into a cul-de-sac house in this community by his daughter and her husband as they say that his continuing depressive grief has now detrimentally affected their family unit.

However, soon after Sam moves into his new house, he starts having weird dreams that feature his deceased wife that he can't explain. Then one night, he hears strange noises and a flashing red light coming from the friendly next door neighbour's (Bill Pullman) house and after he repeatedly calls out and gets no response, he breaks in - only to discover a grey skeletal, multi-legged creature, crouched over and seemingly probing Jack's inert body. Sam lashes out at it but it escapes. When the paramedics arrive and are taking Jack's body away, nobody believes Sam's account of what he's seen and insists that Jack has simply suffered a heart attack. Later, Sam's other new neighbours are also skeptical of his claims but after other strange things seem to happen to them, they then decide to collaborate and start to question the motives of Blaine and why he has really set up this isolated retirement community.

From the same stable as 'Stranger Things', which I've never seen, this story is of the same ilk but with geriatric protagonists instead of kids. Like Stranger Things, I think the vibe is very much inspired by the Stephen King storytelling universe. Introducing a supernatural element without really explaining why it is there or where it came from, seems to be the what's expected in this horror sub-genre.

There is a strong cast of players that all live in the same cul-de-sac, who gel well together as the true nature of the community reveals itself. Besides Sam and Jack, it includes Geena Davis as spunky arts-and-crafts teacher, Renee, Clarke Peters and Alfre Woodard as an 'eternal hippy' couple Art and Judy Daniels, Denis O'Hare as retired doctor Wally and a short cameo by Dee Wallace as Grace, the former occupier of Sam's house - and is the very first victim of the skeletal creatures we see in the first few minutes of episode one.

I have to be honest, I'm not a huge fan of this supernatural/horror genre as creating a scary thing which can't be explained by earthbound science doesn't float-my-boat. Ironically, I don't mind monsters that could be explained as extraterrestrial like in 'The Quiet Place' for instance. However, the 'straight out of the 80s' storyline here is easy to follow and the occasional body horror scenes are pretty mild. Everyone's performances are solid and I really warmed to Molina as the prime protagonist.

With just eight, 45 minute episodes, this could easily be binged in a couple of evenings or an intense ice-cream and popcorn filled all-dayer. Suitable for teens, too, as I think it may lead them to see the 70s in a whole different light.

TCL NxtPaper 60 Ultra - A Guest Review by Gareth Williams

TCL - Call me when you get there!

First things first: thanks to Ted for the chance to spend the last few weeks playing with, testing, and evaluating two TCL NxtPaper phones - namely the 50 Pro and 60 Ultra. The former is a smaller unit and arrives without the branded smart folio case or pen included with the larger-screened latter.

Both have the TCL trick of paring back the phone to an e-ink-like experience, not only to maximise battery life but also to provide a streamlined, potentially more focused communication and usage experience. I was considering buying a TCL 70 Pro to fill a gap in my three-phone setup. I usually run with one flagship, one mid-ranger and an older flagship - depending on my particular whim - with one being camera-centric, one being my main do-it-all powerhouse and one for my sideline operations (small media/enterprise stuff that occasionally springs into life).

As things stand, I have a Pixel 10 Pro XL and a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, and I flit between an older Samsung and a Huawei - so the "No. 3" phone slot is up for grabs! Back to the plot: there I was, contemplating the 70 Pro, when it was suggested I give these two a whirl prior to any final purchase decisions. How right that suggestion was!

I openly admit that I wanted to like the "e-ink" thing and was genuinely open to the TCL 70 Pro being my mid-range phone of choice; its higher storage capacity, smaller size and e-reader style were all of serious interest. However, as soon as I opened up the two NxtPaper phones and signed in to my various accounts, any thoughts of purchasing the 70 Pro evaporated!

From this point on, I only had eyes for the 60 Ultra. If you are looking at this series of phones and the TCL e-ink style setup, the pen and larger screen are a must. I feel it pertinent to state that I fully understand the so-called "e-ink" is not actually e-ink, but an effort to present something akin to that effect on an LCD screen (and it is effective). There is a degree of "horses for courses" here, with phone desirability being very much relative to the use-case.

With all that out of the way, here is what I think of the 60 Ultra from a usability stance, rather than bothering with benchmarks or spec-heavy analysis. I like it! I like the feel - yes, the feel - of the screen. The interaction with the surface is lovely and I like the fact that the pen setup is there, along with the folio case for protection and use as a stand.

Battery

Battery life (when utilising the ink modes) is very much "charge once and forget". I did this on a few occasions without any issues. I liked that.

Screen

Screen quality - in terms of overall visibility - is as good as you would expect. Again, the ink modes work well here and I do enjoy the tactile nature of interacting with it.

Sound

Audio is handled reasonably well. The speakers are certainly loud enough; however, a touch more depth would have been nice.

Cameras

The cameras are OK. The zoom range is acceptable and, in good light, they are fairly capable. There are enough modes to keep the average user happy, but there were some issues with fast focus and motion blur.

There are certainly far better "phone-shooters" out there, better-sounding phones and phones with better screens - and, of course, better-spec'd devices all-round. I think TCL clearly knows this, but - and this is a big "but" - there is just something about this phone. TCL has definitely hit on something with this ink-style system. It was enough to make me think twice - well, three or four times, actually - and I did consider adopting this one full-time. I was not alone, either; there were other admirers within my family!

I really like this phone. Did I say that already? Not as my No.1 device, or even my No.2, but as a device to keep for its positives, despite some definite issues. It feels nice, it looks nice and it is so very close to where it needs to be. And that is why I will be picking up a TCL - just not this one! My ideal TCL phone would have all the positives of this unit but with an AMOLED screen, a more comprehensive camera and a fully functional smart pen - all similar to the Samsung S24 Ultra.

On reflection, perhaps the S24 Ultra is the mid-range phone for me! Except it isn’t mid-range, and it doesn't have that "TCL magic" feel. I am wrestling with myself. I want this e-ink-like option and the "Max Ink" minimalist experience coupled with that lovely tactile screen interaction - especially for reading - but I want it as a layered option on a more premium phone.

TCL - I am enthralled by what you are doing. So much so, I am considering writing a separate piece advocating for your innovation, focusing solely on the genius switch on the side of these phones and the wonderful options the transition presents. You are almost there. Almost, but not quite. When you get there (assuming Samsung et al. don’t jump in and perfect this first), take my money!

The Capture (2019-2022) - A Guest Review by Adrian Brain

Season 1 of this TV Series is now streaming on the BBC iPlayer, and Season 3 is also on-air right now. Concerned by deep fake videos, almost constant video surveillance and a crumbling judicial system not fit for the 21st century? That is the subject of this excellent police procedural murder mystery.

The first season aired in 2019, where the subject matter might have seemed somewhat implausible, though watching it now it seems almost inevitable. I missed it then but have just caught up. I found it thoroughly gripping, binged it in two evenings and I'm looking forward to watching seasons 2 and 3.

I'll not go into any plot details to avoid spoilers, except to say it is set in London, involves surveillance cameras, night buses and police of varying levels of competence and honesty. The plot is constantly twisting and evolving around an event that occurs in the first episode. The audience thinks they know what has happened but as the characters uncover information, your own assumptions are cleverly undermined.

Superbly plotted, well performed with relatable (if occasionally cliched) characters, and a smattering of American glamour (Ron Perlman and Famke Janssen), this is cracking entertainment with a rather less liberal viewpoint than you might expect.

Project Hail Mary (2026) - A Guest Review by Chad Dixon

In cinemas now, this 12a film is an adaptation of the best-selling 2021 Science Fiction novel by Andy Weir, who also penned The Martian in 2011, and that became a blockbuster film in 2015. The latter is produced and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller.

Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling), wakes up from a previously-induced medical coma onboard what seems to be a ship of some kind. He immediately discovers two other, supposedly crew members dead in their stasis capsules. Shocked and being very disoriented, he then stumbles around the many-roomed craft in his scrubs and eventually discovers the large observation window. He's in outer space!

Flashback to Grace who is seen in civilian clothes as an American middle school science teacher, trying to make his class as entertaining as possible. A question is asked from one of the students, "Is the Sun dying?". He pauses and then tries to explain as simply as possible that it's been observed that something, unknown as yet, seems to be slowly eating away at our Sun, but don't worry as the best scientists in the World are on the case and things will be OK.

In reality, a solution must be found to stop the Sun's decline as it's predicted that it only has 30 years before going critical. Outside, after the school day ends, he is approached by a serious looking lady calling herself Dr Eva Stratt (Sandra Hüller). Continuing in a German accent, she says she knows that he is also a PHD molecular biologist and is aware that he has fallen out of favour in the scientific community over his initially failed research into the observed phenomena killing the Sun, now officially known as, 'Astrophages'. "Have you ever thought?" she asks, "That you may have been right, and everyone else was wrong?" He is intrigued and realises that this may be a second chance for him as a serious scientist.

Together with Dr Stratte, he is taken immediately in a government black sedan to a unknown location. Grace is given a lab and some samples of Astrophages previously collected by a space probe to see if he can figure out exactly what they are and if they can be destroyed. He eventually observes that it has a cell structure and then accidentally discovers that they multiply by being exposed to carbon dioxide. That explains why the Astrophages have been observed moving back and forth between the Sun and Venus's atmosphere. It's as part of a biological reproduction cycle, specifically to consume carbon dioxide so they can multiply efficiently.

The story then moves to a US Navy aircraft carrier, where Grace is introduced to a room full of diverse international scientists. A spokesperson then explains that further experiments that they've done with the Astrophages shows that exposing them to high-intensity infrared light turns them into pure energy, that has now ironically given the world new hope - as it will provide nearly light-speed propulsion for a project, called, 'Hail Mary', that is in development to send an interstellar mission to Tau Ceti (11.9 light-years away), which is the only star in the observed galaxy not dimming, and to see what is different there that could help us.

OK, this plot contains loads of serious science, which I personally love seeing in human-based science fiction stories, but I know it may put some off. Gosling pulls off the role of a shy, unassuming but enthusiastic molecular biologist well. Stratt is the only other human with any major screen time here and has a good supporting role. How Grace eventually ends up on the mission instead of the initially chosen, rigorously-trained NASA crew is a bit of a macguffin but it proves to be for the best. However this film's undoubted star is the alien Grace encounters when he reaches his destination. Dubbed "Rocky" due to his rock-like appearance by Grace, we eventually find out that it comes from the planet Erid. And whose triple-star system 40 Eridani is suffering the same fate as our Sun.

Using the A.I. onboard the Hail Mary, the six legged creature's language is quickly deciphered and eventually Grace forms a mutual bond as they both try to figure out what makes Tau Ceti so special. With more that half of the 2 hour 36 minute runtime spent in outer space, we get to see a lot of the NASA ship. The design and interior is impressively futuristic but still familiar. All the alien hardware really looked original but still seemed to comply with our knowledge of physics. I read that 'Rocky' himself was a multiple person operated puppet. It made the alien feel more alive so interactions with Grace felt realistic compared to a digital character. All the actual CGI rendering was flawless to my eye so I'm glad I saw those jaw-dropping visuals on one of the biggest screens in my area. I didn't think this was too long at all and there's a quirky, but satisfactory ending. So all in all I'll rate this as the best Hard Science Fiction film I've seen since 2014's 'Interstellar' and I highly recommended it any fans of Sci-Fi.

War Machine (2026) - A Guest Review by Chad Dixon

This Netflix film is a Predator-inspired military action drama directed by Patrick Hughes. It stars Alan Ritchson (known mainly for the Reacher TV series) as a no-name US Army Staff Sergeant whom we first see during the Afghanistan conflict when his small convoy of engineers comes to help a friendly platoon and fix its broken-down vehicle. We soon see that the head of that group is his brother, played by Jai Courtney, whose name is also not spoken.

As Ritchson finishes off the repair, the two talk of their mutual wish to become US Rangers and vie to join RASP (the Ranger Assessment and Selection Programme) together as soon as the current conflict is over. As Ritchson returns to his vehicle, a direct Taliban missile strike hits both convoys and there is a big conflagration. Later, he comes to with an injured right knee and sees destroyed vehicles and burnt bodies all around. He hobbles towards his brother's inert body and finds him alive - barely.

Cut to two years later and we see the Staff Sergeant in a parade of mainly younger Ranger candidates on the first day of their eight-week programme at RASP. He is given the designation "81" by First Sergeant Torres (Esai Morales) who, with the camp's Sergeant Major Sheridan (Dennis Quaid), gives the assembled candidates a stern speech regarding what is expected of them to complete the assessment and become a United States Ranger.

Cue the usual training montage where 81 - who at 6'3" and built like a human tank towers over the majority of his co-candidates - consistently outdoes them but stays aloof during meals and downtime. At night, and occasionally during particularly gruelling trials, he still has harrowing flashbacks to when he and his brother were attacked in Afghanistan. This plays on his mental health. Also, intermittently, we see reports on the TV news of an asteroid that has entered the inner solar system and seems to be behaving quite oddly compared to previous extrasolar objects, as it appears to be getting closer to Earth.

As the remaining candidates go on their final assessment mission in the mountains of Colorado, the camp commanders put 81 in charge of the group (against their better judgement due to his previous PTSD) because he has been, head and shoulders, the top-rated individual. After an arduous hike in full gear to the high-altitude checkpoint where their timed mission begins, the battalion encounters what they think is an abandoned prototype tank lying next to a stream. Thinking it is the target objective, they set explosive charges and withdraw; however, after the "FIRE IN THE HOLE!" explosion, it is observed that there is no apparent damage to its armour plating. The "tank" starts to move, transmuting into a walking multi-weapons platform, and angular, ominous red lights appear. The soldiers are temporarily transfixed before it starts to scan them with a broad laser beam. They agree it is time to RUN!

The initial establishment of the main protagonists (of whom we don't really get to know many) seems quite long, but actually only takes up the first 25 minutes of this film's 1-hour 47-minute runtime. There are some memorable faces amongst the younger candidates, including a couple of capable female soldiers who, thankfully, do not get special treatment. Otherwise, the performances are unremarkable and typical for this trope.

As said at the beginning, this is obviously another iteration of the classic Predator (1987) story, just set in different terrain and with a much bigger and deadlier antagonistic opponent. Ritchson is decent and does command the screen with his beefy silhouette, but he is not a patch on Schwarzenegger in his prime action-hero era. Quaid and Morales are really just cameos and have minimal lines, but look decently authentic in military fatigues.

I read that the director, Patrick Hughes, tried to use real locations as much as possible to convey the raw jeopardy of the situation without much green-screen. When we head into the second act - which is why we are really here - the action really ramps up and it is hard to catch one's breath. Although there is no official BBFC certificate for this so far, I would say the blood and dramatic dismemberment of some individuals may be challenging for some viewers. However, there isn't too much of that.

The CGI War Machine itself is as good as anything I have seen rendered on screen so far and looked adequately menacing in the mountainous surroundings. The extra ending did seem to be a bit pointless - unless there is a sequel in the pipeline already. All in all, I did not really mind this unoriginal story, as it looks good, was acted satisfactorily and is just about the right length. But I know it won't be everybody's cup of tea.

Send Help (2026) - A Guest Review by Chad Dixon

This is a survival horror thriller film, co-produced and directed by Sam Raimi. Starring Rachel McAdams as the dowdy but highly efficient and completely unappreciated office worker, Linda Liddle. On a day at work where the new CEO, Bradley Preston (Dylan O'Brien), takes over from his father (the man who built the company), Liddle is expecting that a promise made to her by the old man will now be honoured.

So, after seven tough years, she hopes that she will finally be rewarded with the promotion she most definitely deserves. However, Preston disappoints her by brazenly giving the aforementioned promotion to his old fraternity buddy, Donovan (Xavier Samuel), who has only been with the company a few months.

Liddle is incandescent with anger and storms into the CEO’s office to remonstrate against the decision, but Preston ignores her protestations. Although he is impressed enough by her bravado and knowledge of Liddle’s analytical strengths, he asks her to accompany him and a few of the other senior executives on an upcoming, crucial business trip to Bangkok. Still seething, she slinks off home.

A few days later, they are all onboard the company’s Learjet on their way to Thailand, and Donovan shows the other guys a video he’s found online showing Linda’s audition for a TV reality survival show. Seated, she looks up from her work laptop as all the execs start laughing and looking at her. Suddenly, the aircraft gives a massive jolt and the Captain’s voice over the tannoy instructs everyone to sit down and belt up.

Seconds later, a catastrophic explosive decompression rips open the side of the fuselage, and the strapped-in Linda witnesses Donovan and a couple of other executives get sucked out into the night. The plane, with engines on fire, then ditches in the ocean. Liddle gets herself free and watches helplessly as the aircraft quickly sinks beneath the waves. The next morning, she wakes up face-down on a tropical-looking beach and seems to be OK. She immediately starts looking for other survivors and, moments later, a bit further down the same beach, she discovers her boss, Preston, unconscious with a badly cut leg.

This film initially presents as the start of a classic office rom-com and McAdams plays the role well - a meek but hard-working corporate strategist working under an attractive but extremely arrogant male boss. However, her demeanour changes dramatically as the narrative moves to the desert island. All of her fascination with survival TV shows kicks in, and the invalid Preston is now totally reliant on her for his survival.

Knowing that Sam Raimi is behind this project, you know there’s a good chance of some visually bloody moments and, in the third act, that gory style kicks in with a vengeance - there were some occasions that made me wince! Otherwise, there are some chuckle moments and quite a few gross-out scenes that produced the most laugh-out-loud events in the cinema.

The tropical island they are stranded on is, of course, a major character too and always looked authentic. Even the obviously CGI wild animal they encounter looked well done. With no other notable performances to mention here, the main two leads acted their parts very well and spent the vast majority of the film together. As tempers frayed, they both upped the tempo believably, especially when things got extremely fraught. The ending was a bit predictable, though, but it was an enjoyable 1 hour 54 minutes spent on a rainy weekend afternoon.

Is This Thing On? (2025) - A Guest Review by Chad Dixon

This film is loosely inspired by the life of British Comedian John Bishop, who is also one of the producers. It is a cinema release that is set in a contemporary New York City.

Working in finance but never actually seen in his place of work, Alex Novak (Will Arnett), is currently separated from his Wife, Tess (Laura Dern). Sharing custody of their two 10 year old sons, Alex lives separately from the family home in a spartan one bed apartment in the city. One evening, when he is feeling particularly sorry for himself, he finds himself at a club in town that lets patrons duck the $15 cover charge if they put themselves down for a short stand-up set. He signs his name and very soon it's his turn in the spotlight.

Talking off the top of his head about his recent marriage break up during the set, amazingly, his stream of consciousness goes down well with the small crowd - and afterwards, when talking to the other more regular stand up performers, he feels some sort of kinship. Reflecting on it later it seems like it was quite a cathartic experience and he definitely would like to do it again.

Meanwhile Tess is getting on with single life the best she can. Dutifully looking after her musically talented boys but still feeling like the peek of her life up till this point was her participation in the 1984 USA Olympic Volleyball Team. She now hopes to get into women's volleyball coaching as the next Games hosted in Los Angeles in 2028 is just around the corner.

Alex and Tess have a small group of mutual friends who are equally supportive of them. Most notable is Alex's old college buddy and best friend Arnie (Bradley Cooper), who is also this film's director. He's an insecure, struggling actor whose life and relationship to Christine (Andra Day) seems to be mirroring Novak's as they both separately tell Alex that they are not happy in their marriage.

The Novak grandparents, Dad (Ciarán Hinds) and Mum (Amy Sedaris), also supply emotional and practical support - which in a couple scenes in particular, proves very moving. His fellow stand-ups even become a sort of surrogate family that Alex leans more on, as the narratives of his subsequent performances reflect the ups and downs of his life.

Regarding the chosen cinematography, this irked me a lot - as whenever the main two characters are on screen, which is a lot of the 2 hour 4 minute runtime, the camera is right in their face - to the point that nothing else is visible in the frame. I had to move back a couple of rows in the multiplex cinema to compensate for this slightly nauseating technique.

Otherwise this story was told straightforwardly and there are solid performances from the ensemble cast, although I must say Bradley Cooper's character was a quite annoying. Not to mention his many facial hair changes (which apparently was for the different acting roles he was involved in). Nothing else really bugged me, but possibly this may be a much easier watch at home when it finally gets onto streaming platforms.

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (2026) - A Guest Review by Chad Dixon

This is a direct sequel to last year's 28 Years Later (and was shot back-to-back). It is still set in a post-apocalyptic Britain where many mindless, "infected", cannibalistic humans roam ferally, usually led by one giant Alpha individual.

The story follows directly on from the final scene of the previous film where, after losing his whole family to illness and to "the infected", Spike (Alfie Williams) runs into a band of violent fanatics who all dress like Jimmy Savile with blonde flowing wigs and gold chains worn over different coloured tracksuits. He is addressed by their apparent leader who introduces himself as Satanist "Sir Lord" Jimmy Crystal (Jack O'Connell), adorned with the most chains and a prominent inverted crucifix.

Spike is a virtual prisoner within this cult which, including the leader, numbers seven disciples known as his "Fingers", all called Jimmy "something". In what looks like an initiation ceremony in the empty pool of a long-abandoned water park, Spike is forced into a knife fight with Jimmy Shite (Connor Newell). The young, diminutive newcomer is totally terrified, but the gang member's cockiness leads him to let his guard down, allowing Spike to fatally cut his leg artery. Over the still-warm corpse, Crystal promotes Spike to become the replacement "Finger" and immediately gives him his new name: "Jimmy".

Meanwhile, Dr Ian Kelson (Ralph Fiennes), still living alone, is continuing the dutiful guardianship of the "Bone Temple", a hilltop memorial of piled-up, bleached human remains he has found over the years. However, he now seems to be fascinated with a nearby 6'7" Alpha male he has christened Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry), whom, during their latest encounter, he has skilfully sedated with a blowpipe. In his dream-like state, Samson seems to be showing signs of some sentient brain activity. Could this be a sign that the terrible infection that has devastated the land for a generation could be cured?

The main core of the plot here, however, follows the path of the "Jimmy" cult and their fanatic leader, the self-proclaimed son of "Old Nick". He leads his "disciples" in a reign of terror across the land; they are actually more of a threat to any "uninfected" humans just trying to survive the best they can. Spike is obviously the thread that runs through both of these films, and as he seems to get closer to one of the young females in the cult, Jimmy Ink (Erin Kellyman), things take a surprising turn. The countryside again looks fabulously unmanicured and can definitely be seen as another character in this nightmarish world.

The "18" certificate is definitely warranted here, as this is much more gory than the previous film in the series. It includes graphic scenes of disembowelment, mutilation and overt cannibalistic behaviour. It can be a tough watch, but thankfully it's not relentless. There is some respite in the scenes where Ralph Fiennes has a much bigger part and shows us some quite animated exuberance. Indeed, his involvement in the third act is quite a feast for the eyes and ears! The runtime of 1 hour and 50 minutes flies by, and there is another end scene that links to the third film in the trilogy, where we are met with a familiar face from the original 2002 film.

H is for Hawk (2025) - A Guest Review by Chad Dixon

This is a cinema released drama based on the memoir of the same name by Naturalist Helen Macdonald. It is directed by Philippa Lowthorpe, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Emma Donoghue. Starting in the autumn of 2007, Claire Foy plays in the lead role as a fellow of Jesus College, Cambridge, teaching the history and philosophy of science.

She has a good relationship with her immediate family, however it's apparent she is much closer to her photojournalist father, Alistair Macdonald (Brendan Gleeson), who through her life has taught her all she knows about the natural world.

At home one evening with her visiting good friend and fellow academic, Christina (Denise Gough), Helen receives a devastating phone call from her mother saying that her dad has collapsed on a work trip to London. The loss she feels is instantly profound and even though she has a good relationship with both her Mother (Lindsay Duncan) and Brother (Josh Dylan), who both live close by, she finds it hard to accept this big change in her life.

One evening, looking a old photos of her taken by her father, she remembers her fascination for small birds of prey. She then decides in the desperate need to fill the chasm left by her father and with the help of an old family friend, Stuart (Sam Spruell), who is a falconer, she makes the big decision to acquire a fully-grown but inexperienced goshawk. However, in embracing the training of this hunting bird, it leads to her becoming withdrawn from her work, friends and even family.

Mabel is the name given to her goshawk and from the moment we first see this magnificent bird of prey, it becomes the real star of the film - as we see her on Helen's arm walking through the dreamy spires of Cambridge, then eventually flying in the beautifully-filmed golden hours of the English countryside. All the humans are fairly solid, however Foy gives a consistently superb performance of a previously-organised woman whose life changes out of all proportion as she tries to deal with the abject grief that can come with the loss of a parent. The runtime of 1 hour 55 minutes felt about right for this straightforwardly-told adaptation.