Captain Marvel
Director: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck
Stars: Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Jude Law
For the first hour this could easily just be any sci-fi movie, yet I was simultaneously thinking it was one of the best MCU films yet – out of 21! For people who have evaded the MCU this is a very accessible film so you can take your friends who have not done comic-book story films and use this as a starting point. It serves as origin story for Nick Fury, a CGI de-aged Samuel L Jackson, and Agent Coulson, as well as introducing Brie Larson’s “Vers” and her journey to becoming Captain Marvel in what is as much a mystery solving film as an action one.
Larson and Jackson are both just the ticket. The variable Ben Mendelssohn and Jude Law are also both good here.
Visually, and effects wise, the film is as excellent as you would expect from an MCU film. Being set in 1995 it has an absolutely killer 90’s sound track, and of course you want to see this in Xtremescreen, or similar, to get the most from both sound and vision.
For the casual MCU fan there is plenty to mine here. Set in 1995 it is still very relevant to the Infinity War/End Game storyline despite not needing to be aware of it at all. Most importantly it does not go large on interminable comic book combat scenes, with more focus on layered revelation, twists and story.
I have avoided the over-politicised commentary on this, including Larson’s own, and I suggest you do the same. Let the movie speak to you on its own terms and choose your own meanings as relevant to you - as the open-text comic book style always did in the past. Definitely ignore the low IMDB rating and critics generally as too many are caught in the poison instead of just catching the film.

Destroyer
Director: Karyn Kusama
Stars: Nicole Kidman, Toby Kebbel, Sebastian Stan
Interesting and challenging but ultimately disturbing, misanthropic and depressing you might want to catch this if you particularly enjoy Kidman playing damaged women, such as in The Paperboy. Kidman picked up a Golden Globe nomination for playing disintegrating LAPD detective Erin Bell in this seedy tale.
The film cuts back and forth between past and present and forces you to make assumptions just to make sense of things, though you instinctively know it is a trap. Despite the obvious manipulation there is enough going on with the characters to sustain curiosity about their fate, but this is pulp crime fiction and if the genre is not usually for you then this will not be either, regardless of how much of a Kidman fan you might be. Toby Kebbel gets it right, though his hair artist did not, and Sebastian Stan carries his weight.

Hotel Mumbai
Director: Anthony Maras
Stars: Dev Patel, Armie Hammer, Nazanin Boniadi
Based on the Islamist terrorist attacks in Mumbai of 2008, especially of The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, this was heavy going in the immediate wake of Christchurch. Presumably some thought of suspending screenings had to have happened but this film was debuted in festivals long ago and was already overdue. I saw it with a full house in Sydney just 48 hours after Christchurch and the mood was, as expected, grim.
There is exactly what you would expect in this type of film; attempts to illustrate a few characters caught up in an historic event of appallingly callous violence. It switches between perspectives of some of the terrorists, staff at the hotel, guests and police. Historical footage and recordings are occasionally interspersed as narrative aides. You have probably seen similar things before and certainly the Mumbai attacks alone have inspired a plethora of documentaries, TV and features already - to the stage that many have asked “what was the point of this production?” However, it has proved to be timely as a reminder that the purpose of these attacks on soft, defenceless civilian targets is entirely to create outrage and fuel further conflict.
As a movie, though? Well the violence is full on and, although not a gratuitous gore fest, this is not for the squeamish. The self-righteous nature of and the utter disregard for the victims that all such perpetrators feel is certainly well captured. The characters are stereotypes though some empathy is established, at least with the victims. The motivation for the terrorists is inadequate though poverty is thrown in, along with manipulable religiosity. Nonetheless the pacing and the strength of the narrative sustains the movie.
Amandeep Singh and Suhail Nayyar are very good as terrorists. Armie Hammer and Nazanin Boniadi play what should be a loved up couple and though individually they are both solid, they lack any chemistry together. Dev Patel and Anupam Kher play hotel staff well enough that if you have ever worked in similar circumstances you will be triggered - by that feeling that your humanity requires you to help out but that simultaneously you are only even in this position for the sake of a handful of shekels.
If you feel the need to subject yourself to this type of misanthropy this is an effective enough film despite its limitations.

Alita: Battle Angel
Director:  Robert Rodriguez
Stars: Rosa Salazar, Christopher Waltz, Jennifer Connelly
Not going to lie, loved it. Sentimental and predictable sure, but it features an all-star cast that gives the material enough respect to see it through. You either enjoy sci-fi action or not, and this ticks a lot of boxes if you do. Based on a cyberpunk manga series it features a post-apocalyptic setting, cyborgs and robots, lost technology levels, privileged manipulative Utopians versus scrabbling masses, a non-human heroine more human than the humans, and plenty of action packed violence. Rosa Salazar's Alita being so very CGI might not work for you, but this is manga and Alita is not human, so the effect is somewhat uncanny in a good way.
Directed by Robert Rodriguez, how you have responded to some of his oeuvre might guide you here: Machete, Machete Kills, Sin City, the Spy Kids franchise, From Dusk till Dawn, etc. Tie that in with Christopher Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, and Mahershala Ali and I am left asking “What's not to love?” Okay, okay - you should be aware there is sequel building and that will annoy you if you do not want more, as it did for me in the woeful Robin Hood of 2018.

What Men Want
Director:  Adam Shankman
Stars: Taraji P. Henson, Kristen Ledlow, Josh Brener
Formulaic remake of Mel Gibson’s What Women Want, and without having seen that film, I am going to guess some of the scenes are taken direct from it.
If there was nothing else on, you wanted some cheap laughs, with a touch of moralising, and you had a discounted ticket. Maybe.

King of Thieves
Director: James Marsh
Stars: Michael Caine, Michael Gambon, Charlie Cox
This has been lashed a little unfairly in my view. The trouble is real crime is grubby, a bit dull, and certainly not sparkling - even if the loot is. Based on a genuine 2015 robbery, a group of pension qualified old crims take on a heist and gradually it all falls apart.
Jim Broadbent playing against type, Michael Caine, Ray Winstone and Charlie Cox all do a good job in my opinion - contrary to other views.
On individual points I cannot fault the critics - it is unevenly paced, the performances a little variable, and it is a bit slow and boring for a few minutes here and there. In the sum of the parts though, the film presents a good yarn, and is more than these trifles. You don’t need to see this on the big screen but do not be afraid to catch it when the opportunity arises.

Bio: Juddy keeps busy consuming cultural media while posing as a student at a major Sydney university, thus shirking real work. He hosts pub trivia, and tutors at said university, for beer and book money.