Considering how its inflammatory ambition and scattershot execution put it closer to Spies Like Us than The Great Dictator on the political comedy spectrum, The Interview should ultimately stand as the boastfully juvenile lightning rod that modern American culture deserved — no butts about it.

There’s nothing wrong, of course, with sci-fi films asking Big Questions, but the delivery doesn’t have to be — should never be, in fact — this tedious.

Had this adaptation of the young adult fantasy-romance taken a few more liberties, it might have been a home run.

This old-fashioned tale of folk heroism and hardy underdogs benefits from solid performances and spectacular vistas, but it loses points for a sequel-baiting ending. 

Much more than just a witty title, this is a very genuine, very British send-up.

As you'd expect, Meyers handles the material with assurance and charm, and there's fun to be had in the odd-couple dynamic at her film's heart.

A little too exactly like the original but with (fewer) memorable performances.

In what could have been a definitive tribute to Whitney Houston’s career, surface-level execution means her story is not quite done justice. But Naomi Ackie's performance shines above everything else.

Emphasis has been placed on extravaganza, when it should really have been placed on getting good performances out of a talented cast.

If not quite on the level of Garbus's terrific Bobby Fischer documentary, this still filled with fond recollections of Mazza's life and career. Fans will relish it.

A crushing disappointment for fans and a scuppered opportunity for a cinematic event. That the first book has been so mishandled doesn’t bode well for the (already greenlit) more complicated ones to come.

With so much money and talent at work here, though, this latest incarnation of the legend is considerably smaller than the sum of its parts.

This slight, lightly charming comic adventure is most obviously appealing for the "Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" set — though Bryson himself was in his forties when he made his journey.

The fear factor is back. This is a Jurassic sequel that plays it both adrenaline-pumpingly huge and thrillingly small. A summer ride that will drive kids out of their minds, and maybe even give the parents nightmares.

Made more than two years ago, this is nowhere near as well thought out as its predecessor ["Boyz N The Hood,"] and is far more strained in making its point.

Not as funny as you’d hope – and yet the emotional character work pays off, right down to a sweet epilogue. Romcom fans should attend.

A modern-day treatment of Pygmalion and Cinderella rolled into one, it is graced by first-class performances from two easy-on-the-eye stars and a sharp, funny script.

Don't expect anything too profound from this middleweight fare - but it'll still be better than the inevitable remake.

Veers too close to hagiography, although it's visually arresting enough to carry you through sagging in the narrative.

This leaden relocating of an iconic German saga to 16th-century France isn’t helped by the miscast Mads Mikkelsen’s morose display as Michael Kohlhaas.

The Neon Demon pulls off the unique feat of being both boring and bravura all at once. Like the world it depicts, it’s a feast for the eyes but little else.

Top Gun is not so much a movie in the conventional sense as an escalating series of masterfully crafted adverts: motorcycles, aircraft carriers, pectorals and planes all look as if they’ve been shot for a particularly luminous beer campaign.

Not Woody Allen at his best, this period piece has some clever writing but is not completely convincing.

Though the central performance is impressively raw Farming’s uncompromising bleakness drowns out the fascinating story, making it a far tougher watch than it needs to be.

Boasting a powerhouse cast, The Last Full Measure has the best of intentions, to celebrate servicemen without condoning war, but winds up with little else.

There's a hint of comforting, chocolate-box, Sunday-night TV here, but it's delivered via such quietly powerful performances and with such hope that it's hard to resist.

This is sadly unsuccessful as both an eat-the-rich satire and a schlocky B-movie. Not even Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega can rescue Death Of A Unicorn from expiring on arrival.

Gilliam at his best and his worst.