THE BIG SCREEN
The Belko Experiment revels in the torture and suffering of a poorly served cast. Screenwriter James Gunn knows how to stage an orgiastic bloodbath, but it’s hard to raise emotional investment in the thinly sketched characters. Repetitive rapid-fire death sequences become tiresome, and a ham-fisted coda, which attempts to justify the carnage as a social experiment in human behaviour unfettered by social norms, merely tees up a sequel. Their Finest is a sweet and charming confection with a full conscription of reliable cliches to keep the cinematic fires burning. Gemma Arterton and Sam Claflin kindle a spiky on-screen romance, conflicted about their feelings for each other until a supporting character observes, “When life is so precious, it seems an awful shame to waste it.” Period detail is solid throughout and director Lone Scherfig makes light work of the two-hour running time. The madness that ensued at the culmination of the 89th Academy Awards, when Warren Beatty was handed the wrong envelope, is nothing compared to the haphazard plotting and direction of his first feature behind the camera since Bulworth in 1998. Lily Collins and Aiden Ehrenreich struggle to convince as star-crossed lovers, clinging to a haphazard script that works against them, while Beatty embraces his character’s OCD with fervour. Every night, seven-year-old Tim Templeton (voiced by Miles Christopher Bakshi) enjoys three bedtime stories, five hugs and a special song from his parents Ted (Jimmy Kimmel) and Janice (Lisa Kudrow), who make time for their boy despite demanding jobs for Puppy Co. This bond is tested with the arrival of a brother called Boss Baby (Alex Baldwin). The Boss Baby ties itself in knots blurring fantasy and reality. Based on the cult Japanese manga of the same title, Ghost In The Shell is an actionpacked futuristic thriller set in a world where a hacker is wreaking havoc by leaping into the minds of unsuspecting strangers. The lastest installment screeches around Cuba, Germany, America and Russia to deliver jaw-dropping set pieces on land and splintering ice. F Gary Gray’s film passes its MOT with flying colours. However, as a coherent narrative full of believable characters and sinewy subplots, the eighth film is a clapped-out banger.