Rami Malek

USA’s surprise hit has style and resonance to spare, but it’s still got some bugs to work out.

Da Sweet Blood of Jesus Written and Directed by Spike Lee (based on the film by Bill Gunn) USA, 2015 Spike Lee films tend to fall into two categories, masterpieces and trainwrecks. His latest, Da Sweet Blood of Jesus, leans to the latter. However, even his failures – including this – work as engrossing bits …

Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb Written by David Guion and Michael Handelman Directed by Shawn Levy USA/UK, 2014 Getting the band back together for one final gig is almost never a good idea.  In the case of Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb, however, there’s enough ingenuity and fun to …

The new film Need for Speed does not deserve its lead actor, as he proves in a number of the dramatic moments. Even those audience members not familiar with Aaron Paul’s outstanding work on the AMC drama Breaking Bad would likely notice the straining-at-the-seams emotional style he brings to his character here, which is somewhat unexpected in a movie that essentially wants to kickstart its own The Fast and the Furious-esque franchise. Those movies, like Need for Speed, boast plenty of pedal-to-the-metal street racing, outrageous stunts, beautiful women, more racing, more stunts, and so on. Need for Speed, however, tries too hard to be a real, grounded story of revenge and hate, too often tippling over into melodrama.

The life sacrificed for your fellow man is at the heart of Short Term 12, a new film focusing on a foster-care facility run by a group of passionate young people, many of whom come from broken homes of their own and are trying to offer safety and shelter where once there was none.