Showalter’s film gives Bakker a sentimental but effective final act, but never fully explains why this flawed but enormously warm human being became an unlikely icon.

Whilst its blend of influences make Emilia Perez unique, they also make it exhausting.

Hardy fans keen for a laugh will lap it up and forgive the slightly incomprehensible plotting, while those who just want a break from reality can happily chuckle at a comic book (anti)hero who is uncommonly free from the navel-gazing that afflicts bigger names of the genre.

Maria is both winningly camp and a little too po-faced for its own good, apparently unsure if it’s meant to be tongue-in-cheek or deadly serious.

To give Gunn his due, he crafts a world that’s as close to the DC Comics Superman that we’ve ever seen, with characters like the shapeshifting Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan) adding real texture. It’s a promising start-point to his plans for the DC Universe.

It’s heaps of fun watching Curtis chuck herself around the set in the name of slapstick as Lohan delivers the sort of poised performance she built her career on 20 years ago. Freakier Friday isn’t a flawless sequel but it does supply a satisfying nostalgia rush.

Don’t Make Me Go is a strange beast: a film that feels a little predictable until it snaps and stretches credulity to the limit. Thankfully, Cho and Isaac’s affecting performances are a lot more nuanced than the writing.

Though Lou is derivative and schematically plotted, it’s gripping enough to get away with it, thanks largely to Janney’s committed performance.

Taken on its own merits, the live-action Zom 100 is a pretty fun time – a consistently amusing adventure that makes up for its slightness with an abundance of silliness.

The film lacks narrative drive and genuine comedy, then. As it barrels towards its inevitable conclusion, though, a funny thing happens. Out of the chaos emerges a rather inspiring ode to making it up as you go along, living in the moment, saying ‘yes’ and hoping for the best.

Watching Pine and Newton try and erotically spoon-feed each other bits of bacon while secretly trying to work out if they have to kill each other is more than enough to hang an entire film off. It’s just a shame the rest of the movie isn’t up to scratch.

If you loved Gladiator, it’s odds-on you’ll enjoy this too. It’s got all of the same exciting bits – swordfighting, rousing speeches, nasty poshos getting what they deserve. The problem is that’s all it gives you. You want to feel like you’re watching Maximus lift off his helmet and deliver that iconic monologue for the first time again. You want the thrill of a core memory being unlocked. You want to know you’ll be quoting Mescal’s lines to your mates in the pub for the next 10 years. Gladiator 2, piously respectful as it is, can only offer a faded memory of that experience. There was a dream that was Rome – and this is kind of it.

Never quite sure enough of itself to answer its own questions, this is a fun, sweet and occasionally funny film, but it’s never going to win a battle of the band movies.

While the film doesn’t necessarily offer anything new for fans of the genre, Kill Boksoon is still a tremendously fun action-thriller that more than makes up for its formulaic blemishes with an abundance of superb set-pieces, engaging domestic drama and offbeat wit.

With such conflict already swirling around the films, is there any hope that new sequel The Secrets Of Dumbledore might cast a spell over audiences? It would help if the plot wasn’t so convoluted.

Tetris tells a cracking story, but it suffers from The Big Short effect – the thinking that no mildly complicated script is palatable without throwing every gimmick possible at it.

Bristling with good ideas and two great performances, a rushed ending that dips into daftness ends up killing off what could have been a great pitch for an offbeat little TV show that we’re now never going to get to watch.

Dead Reckoning’s spectacular finale does well to bring things back on brand – seriously, the closing action tableau is as impressive as any you’ll see – but by then most will have stopped caring because their heads hurt.

Despite its superficially dark material, Wolfs isn’t meant to be difficult or challenging, it’s just an enjoyable time hanging out with some chilled, reassuringly handsome gents as they get to the bottom of their not-a-murder mystery.

It makes you wonder whether a documentary series may well have been a better option – even if the movie makes for a moving and amusing recap of Maiden’s incredible legacy.

The climactic setpiece isn’t quite an action spectacular, but it does feel tense and narratively satisfying.

The first two Deadpool films were funny and violent and original, but this one shows Marvel’s most gloriously inappropriate superhero at his very best and worst.

The film’s emotional beats don’t hit as hard as its musical ones.

There’s plenty to admire in Silverton Siege, but most of it comes from the true story itself, with the film squandering every opportunity it has to make an impact.

Turning an awful true story about a serial killer into an awful true story about the system that let it happen, The Good Nurse is an important lesson for anyone who tries to package Cullen’s crimes too neatly. Better still though, it gives us one of Chastain’s best performances; one of the year’s most believable superheroes.

The characters and story may feel a little stock, yanked straight out of a canon of teen movies from Bring It On to Bottoms, yet you won’t come away from this crowd-pleaser without a smile on your face to match those of the peppy Millenium Girls. And in that sense, Victory is victorious.

My Policeman suffers at the hands of a slightly depthless script, and all three sides of this sad and wretched love triangle mostly feel like standard-issue archetypes.

Watching the project as a whole is a bit like arriving at pre-drinks to find that someone has queued up 11 slightly same-y Miley Cyrus tracks in a row. Hardcore fans will be entranced; more casual admirers might want to wait until they all end up on YouTube.

Dodgy depictions of real-life celebs (such as Liam Gallagher) clash with the film’s fantastical tone, which itself can’t support Gracey’s attempt to address serious topics.

Badland Hunters is simply in it for the mayhem, marvellous though it may be, but ultimately mindless.

Is it scary? Rarely, to be honest. But it knows how to twist the knife, at least.

While there are glimmers of drama, there are also extended sections where this deliberately bewildering film gets a bit boring. Despite this, Sasquatch Sunset is worth seeking out if you have a taste for the absurd.

Robbie and Pitt still provide enough star-wattage to power most viewers to the end-credits. Babylon does babble on (sorry) past its natural conclusion, but what party ever ended when it was supposed to?

Murphy’s youthful cheekiness has long gone, stripping this sequel of some of its verve. But this is still an enjoyable, affable reunion: the heat is just about back on.

The clarity, dynamism and sheer scale of the action is near enough unparalleled, and it’s hard to argue you don’t get your money’s worth. Still, Cameron is going to have to think outside the (Pandora’s) box and change the game for any future installments.

While The End Continues obviously won’t be talked about in such hallowed terms in four decades’ time, it thankfully doesn’t sully its own reputation, and it sure is pleasant to be back in the company of the band again.

Despite the peaks, Uprising would have benefited from a shorter runtime and a more focused lens – and perhaps less severed noses.

You won’t come away feeling as though Shania Twain has bared her soul, but you will have renewed respect for the talent, vision and hard work that made her an era-defining artist.

Wingard does try out something different here, creating long dialogue-free sequences where it’s just the monsters going toe-to-toe. With Wingard relying on gestures, grunts and groans from his alpha-beasts, it’s like watching the most expensive silent movie ever made.

A career of such breadth and note deserves deep exploration, certainly, but so much of the greatness of Morricone’s music speaks for itself that exposing the workings rarely enhances the piece.

Director and co-writer Justin Chon’s film is not saying anything new here, just presenting it slightly abstractly with brief flashbacks (and flash-forwards) alongside Joyo’s unusual tree and plant-based rituals.

Wicked: For Good doesn’t defy gravity like its predecessor but fans will want to hold space for a sequel with a very poignant payoff.

Director Joachim Rønning (the surprisingly decent fifth Pirates Of The Caribbean) is a safe pair of hands. He doesn’t deliver any massive surprises but confidently marshals an entertaining instalment that sits comfortably alongside its predecessors.

With so many of the gang now in the ground, this swansong doesn’t boast the same punk energy of the show’s early seasons. Only occasionally does it snarl and show its teeth, with flashes of the cold-blooded violence that gave it so much of an edge.

Bell is as low-key brilliant as he always is – that ominous, gravelly voice gets a great workout, while his withered, grey-haired appearance lends the film real gravitas. And yes, there is enough Saw iconography here to keep the bloodthirsty on-side.

Saving the day this time isn’t Poirot, but the city itself which Branagh captures in all its decadently crumbling glory.

Well made, but instantly forgettable.

Sting is derivative but fitfully gripping. Crucially, it’s also good fun: with a main protagonist named Charlotte (lolz), there’s definitely a knowingness to proceedings.

There’s a bit of perfunctory plot to get past – Rake has repressed guilt involving his ill son and ex-wife that needs resolving – but character development is not this film’s strong point. In fact, it’s often baffling.

A notch above its predecessors.

When Campbell, Cox or both are on screen, Scream 7 is at its best. Campbell now is as indefatigable a scream queen as Jamie Lee Curtis in the Halloween series, while Weathers is probably Cox’s greatest role, even if the Friends faithful prefer Monica Geller. So, even an average Scream film is worth seeing for the dark thrills and bloody spills we can depend on. Just don’t expect to be wowed.

The discomfort that’s baked into the premise of The Drama is amplified by disconcerting camera moves, cuts and audio choices, as well as Daniel Pemberton’s unsettling score. But despite all that, Borgli successfully plays things primarily for laughs.

Sonic 2 is certainly a fan-pleaser and comes pre-loaded with a post-credits scene that hints at more action (and more game throwbacks) to come. Who remembers that dodgy first design now?

If you’re already a fan of the game – and want to see Jovovich at her baddie-squashing best, then you’re in for a treat. And a little brainless escapism never hurt the rest of us either.

EPiC: Elvis Presley In Concert is a kaleidoscopic mix of documentary and concert movie, replete with a behind-the-scenes peek at the rehearsal process, much of it narrated by Elvis himself. Forget talking heads: Luhrmann has described his tribute as a “tone poem”.

The Moment is too protracted and tonally uneven to work as a great mockumentary, but it has plenty of meme-worthy moments that TikTok will lap up. If that sounds like faint praise, well, just remember it was enough to make Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn a sensation back in 2023.

Simplicity can be elegant, one must be careful not veer into simplistic, which can be monotonous. Ballerina teeters on the edge both.

The Naked Gun isn’t big or clever and that’s just fine – silliness has been missing from comedy cinema for far too long now. It might not smell quite as ripe as the original trilogy but it’s never not wonderful to hear Frank Drebin let ‘er rip on the big screen.

If this is a bookend to his incredible performing career, at least it’s a respectful and tender one.

But while DaCosta’s Candyman reboot was thrilling, this never musters the same level of engagement, despite a script that is chock full of good lines and a cast of willing participants. More meh than marvel, you might say.

Powell is a very watchable everyman, convincingly demonstrating the man of the people integrity of his character. There’s great work too from Colman Domingo as the show’s slick presenter Bobby T and Michael Cera, who plays a loose-cannon contact that Richards makes during his quest for survival. Wright also handles the explosive action well, orchestrating elaborate, kinetic set pieces that throb with excitement.

There’s already talk of a sequel, Cocaine Shark, and the cast have joked about getting jobs in the Cocaine Bear Cinematic Universe. So maybe it doesn’t really matter if Cocaine Bear is average, as long as it has both cocaine and bears in it. And we can most definitely confirm that it does.

As summer blockbusters go, it’s only ever really mildly diverting. But bringing us a first Latino superhero in a DC movie, ably played by the charming Maridueña, is still to be applauded.

I Wanna Dance with Somebody isn’t as illuminating as it could be, but it still feels like a fitting tribute to a brave and complicated artist with a genuinely incredible gift.

Thankfully, if you can suspend your disbelief, Heart Of Stone is plenty of fun and far slicker than a lot of recent Netflix content. It almost goes without saying that the ending leaves room for a potential franchise. And after two hours of near-constant japes and scrapes, you’d need a heart of stone – or at least a high entertainment threshold – not to think “Oh go on then, why the hell not?”

For a film about feats of next-level bravery, Thirteen Lives is a little too cautious to really soar.

Full of sex without ever being sexy, and twisted into the shape of a thriller without having any actual intrigue or suspense, it still stands up as the kind of adult relationship drama that’s gone out of fashion – just as trashy as it is complex.

For better or for worse, Raya And The Last Dragon is not your traditional Disney princess story. It ambitiously tries to subvert those tropes by going against the grain with a dark narrative about human mortality and selfishness. But the film forgets storytelling fundamentals, instead jumping the gun with a mishmash of influences that leads to an uneven plot and unsatisfying finale.

Wheatley proves himself an instant master of CGI monster movie mayhem here, but by piling it on so relentlessly thick he all but admits defeat in his initial attempts to give the franchise any believable depths.

Awkwafina’s deadpan drollery dovetails neatly with Cena’s golden retriever energy and the climactic set-piece is genuinely exciting.

It’s enjoyable enough. It’s also a real treat to watch a Marvel film that doesn’t depend on viewers having seen a dozen other films and TV shows.

Like A Star Is Born, Maestro peters out after an astonishing first act that frontloads all of Cooper’s directing tricks.

Another Simple Favour has built up enough goodwill to keep you invested, thanks largely to game performances from Lively and co-star Anna Kendrick.

Ultimately, Kids Are Growing Up serves as a meditation on happiness.

It’s sometimes funny and emotionally effective when it counts, but also very, very dark, with some of the grimmest scenes of any Marvel movie.

As vampire movies go, this one doesn’t slay, but it has enough thrills, spills and playful charm not to feel like a grave mistake.

It might not be much of an Owen Wilson movie, or even that much of a superhero flick, but if you ignore the poster and trailer and the casting and premise, there’s a fun little Sunday afternoon family film here just begging for a sequel.

This take on Nosferatu may be essential viewing for fans of gothic horror but must be recommended with caution for everyone else.

Somehow, Raimi – with strong, grounded turns from Cumberbatch and Olsen – just about keeps the film from running too far off the rails.

Top Gun: Maverick does exactly what its intended audience wants it to do – pile on the airborne thrills and steely military heroics without knotting things up with too much moralising or complex character development.

Exploring themes of ancestral reparations and generational grief, The Piano Lesson is powerful on paper, but unremarkable on the screen.

This is a typically unsophisticated, heart-in-the-right-place comedy from Sandler, complete with Happy’s four sons mooning and making dick jokes.

Nightbitch makes plenty of very valid points about traditional gender roles and the oppressive nature of new parenthood. But it never fully sinks its teeth into a meaty premise; it’s briefly ferocious where it could have been completely feral.

Fizzing along nicely, even as it tips the two-hour mark, Enola Holmes 2 fits the mould it broke two years ago with a twisty murder mystery that’s well worth solving.

Anchored by phenomenal performances from Kim and Kang, JUNG_E’s potent dramatic beats inject much humanity into a well-worn and predictable premise.

You can largely predict what will happen, but that’s okay. To All The Boys: Always and Forever is sweet, sleek and has plenty of charm. Sometimes, that’s all you need.

Unfortunately, its intriguing conceit is also hampered by comatose chemistry, a claustrophobic setting and a slew of dead one-liners.

The film runs out of rail a long time before it stops moving. On the other hand, it’s almost impossible not to enjoy every moment that Pitt is on screen. Stealing the film with whatever he’s given (a water bottle, a bucket hat, an automatic toilet…), he’s clearly having a great time. It’s lucky for us that at least some of it rubs off.

Sure, there’ s no real reason for this story to keep unfolding. This is all about enjoying the imagery of human beings getting chopped up. And in that regard at least, Texas Chainsaw Massacre does not disappoint.

Lopez and Wilson are so right in their roles that the film’s ropier moments are easily forgotten. It’s a quintessential J.Lo movie that makes you wonder why she doesn’t make them more often.

The Kitchen loses some of its potency by balancing too many elements – the world-building, societal context, interpersonal relationships and the paternal bonding that deserves to be the nucleus.

Almost completely built out of clichés and corn, there’s very little in Plane that hasn’t been seen before, but it very rarely matters. Exciting without ever really thrilling, it’s an immovably solid actioner – a fun Friday night pizza movie packing a handful of relentlessly unfussy action scenes that deliver exactly what they promise.

There are some entertaining showdowns and Weaving again excels as the funny and fearsome Grace, one of modern horror’s toughest protagonists.

The Lost City isn’t cutting-edge entertainment, but it is a decent action film boasting a great cast and some good jokes, without a superhero in sight. That alone is cause for recommendation.

Because it takes too long to become truly gripping, it ends up overstaying its welcome during the last few big reveals. Still, there’s no denying it contains enough intrigue to launch the franchise that Vaughn is already planning.

Fortunately, Hawke is fantastic. Over-acting like his life depends on it, his mad kabuki mugging somehow works perfectly.

Despite its problems though, One Of Them Days still makes for a fun ride. This is largely down to Palmer and SZA’s undeniable chemistry, perfectly capturing the sometimes chaotic, deeply loyal nature of female friendship.

Certainly, it’s not for those looking for fist-pumping sporting triumphalism. But in this age of franchise vapidity, it’s still a film worth grappling with.