April Watch List

The Good Dinosaur

I'll admit, I don't often cry at movies, I like to think I'm made of sterner stuff, but this made me tear up a few times. Young dinosaur Arlo is the smallest in his family of Apatosauruses, he is scared of everything. After a tragedy in the family Arlo becomes separated from his family and has to brave the journey home. He is accompanied by the reason for his current state, a ferral human boy he eventually calls Spot. Together they fight evil predators, befriend and asist a family of cowboy like T-Rexs and survive nature itself. It's beautifully animated, especially the landscapes. The idea that T-Rexs herd cattle and the Apatosauruses are corn farmers is quite clever. The bond between Arlo and Spot is the centre of the story. They share an actual journey as well as an emotional one. One particular scene is so sad but is subtly explained. I enjoyed the film but the story does feel like a mash up of other Disney and Pixar films put together and told with dinosaurs. The concept is good and as with all Pixar films of late, gets an emotional response. But I have a feeling this would have been lost on children. 3/5

Eye in the Sky

 With drone warfare being at the forefront of the news lately, this intense thriller/drama, really does hit the nail on the head. Taking place over one day, it follows, or rather sticks with several different groups of people all connected with making a terrible decision, is one life worth more than potentially saving many others? An amazing cast with technically only one location where the action was taking place, but never has a film with so many singular locations where characters do not move from a room has been so intense and ultimately tragic. After years of tracking and searching the British military, who are working with the USAF drone pilots and the Kenyan military as well as undercover agents, have found high ranking Al-Shabaab extremists. With the UK government watching, they all work together to at first capture then kill these extremists when the threat becomes bigger. I was on the edge of my seat for mots of this film and I think was brilliantly done and I was saddened by the outcome but it felt more realistic. 4/5

Captain America: Civil War

Let me start by saying, I loved the comic but with the way the films are going, the comic could never be made into a film, but what the Russo brothers have done is pretty spectacular. I rather regret not seeing it in IMAX like my friend suggested. For those who don't read the comics, fair enough, there a truck load of them to follow, but if you have the time I highly reccommend that you do read Civil War. Anyway, the story follows soon after the after effects of Ultron, where Stark feels responsible still. Cap and the gang continue to carry on the good fight tracking crazy terrorist Crossbones (although hes not named that). Wanda causes moe problems which gets Wakanda involved which means that Black Panther is on the scene too. Things take a bigger turn when the Winter Solider is blamed for more terrorist attacks. The Avengers become divided when Secretary of State Thaddeus Ross informs them that the UN wants them to sign an agreement to register and be at the beck and call of the government, of course this doesn't sit well with Cap and Tony signs. This divides the team. There is also a side story with Zemo, a wasted Daniel Bruhl in my opinion. He's a great actor, I just wish he had more to do. The real story is about the Avengers (minus Hulk and Thor) fight it all out resulting in an truely awesome but damaging fight scene and yes Spiderman makes an appearance, and its brilliant. Along with the blood and tears there is the dry wit too, thank gad. You need a bit of humour to go along with this revenge fest. An excellent segment in the next phase and I'm even more intrigued where this goes next. But I have no idea how Dr Strange will fit in all this. 4/5