MOVIES:
GLADIATOR II (2024)
AVAILABLE IN CINEMAS
Rated 15
If you are ready to leave the festive period and Christmas movies behind then pop along to your local cinema and watch Gladiator II.
Released in November 2024, this is an epic movie full of action, gore, fighting, solid storyline and many recognisable faces.
The story is based around 16 years after the original movie and does not disappoint. This is one of our favourite movie genres and we miss the old days where we were spoiled with the original Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven, Troy, 300 etc - but this takes us straight back to our happy place. It’s an epic in its own right but even more so as a sequel - which has to live up to such a good original movie and then follow on from.
The cast is really good - we enjoyed all the performances and the storyline had a few twists too, which was nice and the CGI is worthy of the high budget.
A really solid 7.9/10 for this proper blockbuster movie! I could happily watch it again but believe the cinema is the best place to do the cinematography justice. (We believe it is starting to become available to rent at around £13.99 on some online platforms).
CARRY-ON (2024)
AVAILABLE ON NETFLIX
Rated 15
Loosely Christmas related (in the same way as Die Hard), Carry-on is not a comedy caper like the Carry On Movies of old.
We’ve got a really good Netflix Action Thriller here that would actually have been good enough to watch in the Cinema in our opinion but you’ll be glad to hear that you get to watch it as part of your Netflix subscription!
Taron Egerton is a TSA Agent who gets blackmailed into letting a package pass through the security check at the airport he works at, on Christmas Eve and the rest of the movie follows the unfurling events that bring inevitable action and drama. Jason Bateman is the bad guy in this one and it’s really enjoyable to see him in a different sort of role from the more comedy style genre that what we’re used to from him!
This is a good, fun movie to watch on your own, with your partner or your family.
A better-than-decent 7.5/10 for this one from us - a good one to end the festive period.
WE LIVE IN TIME (2024)
AVAILABLE IN CINEMAS
Rated 15
Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh in a moving romance film - it’s got to be good…doesn’t it?
It’s possibly going to be a controversial review with a lot of you but we’re sorry - we just didn’t like this one. We’re fans of both Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh’s work but with high expectations for this one, we thought it fell flat. That’s not to say no-one will like - we just didn’t enjoy it ourselves.
Yes - there is a decent storyline, yes - your partner will likely shed a tear at some point and yes - the acting is good but for me the characters they portray are too stiff and the storyline moves too slowly.
The movie follows the story of Florence Pugh’s character - an up-and-coming chef and Andrew Garfields character (a divorcee) as they meet, fall in love etc but come to face difficulties in their relationship (massive over-simplification to not spoil any plot).
Some will love this, some will not - we did not.
We give it 6.2/10 and would suggest saving your pennies and wait for this to land on streaming services if you really want to see it. There are better movies in the cinema right now than this (Sorry Andrew/Florence).
KRAVEN THE HUNTER (2024)
AVAILABLE IN CINEMAS
Rated 15
We were really looking forward to this one after first seeing the trailer some time ago!
Released only in the weeks leading up to Christmas, this is a Sony Marvel Movie that tells the origin story of the criminal hunter - Kraven, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson. We see his life as a child and the impact of his dodgy father - played by Russell Crowe and what it leads him to in adult life.
It’s a standalone film that doesn’t require you to watch any other movie in the Marvel catalogue.
There are some fun scenes to watch but the Trailer is better than the movie. If you are just into Marvel/Superhero type movies - you’ll probably find this one ok and the Cinema experience will probably inflate the score for what I felt was a very average movie that I have no appetite to watch again.
We give it 5.7/10 - some might score it a touch higher if they are Marvel fanatics but for the masses I’d say its a swing and a miss.
DEAR SANTA (2024)
AVAILABLE ON PARAMOUNT+, YOUTUBE PRIMETIME, AMAZON PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION
Rated PG13 - one for families with kids 11+
If like ourselves, you’ve been trawling through some of the new Christmas Movies that are out - you’ll have lost a lot of hours of your life that you will never get back! There is some absolute Christmas movie garbage out there this year, (that we’ll try and help you avoid) - as you weigh up your viewing options - with some of the Christmas classics being surprisingly hard to find.
Unfortunately, Dear Santa is not a freebee on your standard streaming subscriptions but if you are looking for something new to watch with the kids, that is actually decent - then Dear Santa is the best we’ve found so far.
Dear Santa tells the story of a sweet 11 year old kid called Liam - who suffers with Dyslexia, as he accidentally makes a spelling error on his Santa Letter - inadvertently sending it to Satan instead (played by Jack Black). It’s a fun Jack Black comedy that’s a bit risqué with the language at times and a number of references to Santa not being real (which of course he is), so is better suited to those around the age rating.
It’s not perfect, but we love Jack Black and it was nice to find something new that is enjoyable - because we have watched some utterly terrible, cheesy Christmas movies this year that I think we’ll call bandwagon movies - because all they have tried to do is jump on the Christmas bandwagon.
A worth-a-watch 6/10 movie for us - give it a go and be thankful you didn’t watch any other new Christmas movie guff on the streaming channels so far..
RED ONE (2024)
AVAILABLE ON AMAZON PRIME
Rated 12A - one for families
Finally - A good, new Christmas movie that you dont have to pay an additional subscription for - as you can watch this on Amazon Prime! Amazon left it a bit late in the day with this one but it’s refreshing to watch a movie that is totally different to the more cheesy, hard to watch movies and it feels like a movie that had a decent budget offered to it.
The Rock and Chris Evans star in a movie that combines the stories of Santa’s Head of Security (The Rock) and Chris Evans’ bad boy character, after Santa gets kidnapped. Hopefully from that you’ll get that this is not your typical Christmas movie.
It’s fun, there is plenty of action, the storyline is refreshingly different, the graphics/CGI are really good and it was an easy watch.
A comfortable 6.9/10 movie from us - we’re not sure it will land on the prestigious list of Christmas classics you’ll want to watch every year but you and the family should enjoy it first time round.
THE CHRISTMAS CHRONICLES (2018)
AVAILABLE ON NETFLIX
Rated PG - one for the whole family to enjoy
If you haven’t been paying too much attention to Christmas movies of late, then you might have missed The Christmas Chronicles. Released back in 2018, Kurt Russell stars as Santa Claus in this fun, modern spin, on a classic Santa story.
It follows two siblings who plan to catch Santa on camera and the this leads to a fun but bumpy adventure for them all.
A really good storyline, natural acting, plenty of fun, jokes and action - this is a great Christmas Movie for the whole family and I would say is an instant classic, that is a worthy addition to anyone’s top Christmas Movie lists to watch each year. Kids should love it along with parents. It steers well clear of the cheesy nonsense that we see too much of each year and has a proper go at being a jolly good Christmas Movie.
If you enjoy this one, there was a sequel released in 2020 that you can watch on Netflix as well. Although it was much anticipated and appreciated during COVID times, it doesn’t (in our opinion) the same spot as this one but is still worth a watch if you haven’t seen it.
For us, this is way better than a lot of modern family Christmas Movies - an easy 8.2/10
A MAN CALLED OTTO (2024)
AVAILABLE ON NETFLIX
AVAILABLE TO RENT ON AMAZON PRIME
Rated 15 - one for mid-late teens, adults and couples
If you haven’t already seen it, A Man Called Otto is our Movie of the month for November. Before the inevitable transfer in most households to Christmas Themed Movies, this movie is one that you could easily pass by without considering. It doesn’t look particularly interesting on the outside and seems to have flown under the radar somewhat in its online presence with trailers etc (I don’t think we ever saw one on our Social Media feeds or elsewhere online).
Put that aside though and realise that Tom Hanks is the star - which is what peaked our curiosity to give A Man Called Otto a go. It’s rated 15, so not one that younger kids are likely to enjoy but its a really lovely wholesome film that will make you wince, smile and cry (or at least bring a tear to your eye - if you have any sort of emotions). It tugs on the heart strings and we’d easily recommend it if you are looking for something easy to watch or to snuggle up to whilst the crappy UK winter weather moves in.
A Solid 8/10 movie for us - give it a go and thank us later.
THE HOUSE WITH A CLOCK IN ITS WALLS (2018)
AVAILABLE ON NETFLIX
AVAILABLE TO RENT (£3.49) OR BUY (£5.99) ON AMAZON PRIME
Rated 12 - Older Kids and Families
Jack Black is the wacky uncle who takes custody of his orphaned nephew Lewis Barnavelt after he loses his parents. A little bit of an outcast, Lewis is soon surrounded by both good and evil magic, from the moment he steps into his Uncles house. Cate Blanchett also co-stars as the Lewis’ Uncles friend and neighbour.
This isn’t a new movie (2018) and was perfect for the Halloween season but its still worth a watch if you’re after a good, dark family fantasy film before Christmas movies take over.
A fun 7.8/10 movie for the whole family to enjoy.
DON’T MOVE (2024)
AVAILABLE ON NETFLIX
Rated 15
Starring Kelsey Asbille - who you might recognise as Monica from hit show Yellowstone, Don’t move is a really decent thriller that will definitely remind you of your claustrophobia - if you have it. It’s a thriller that follows Iris, who falls victim to a well-practiced killers tactic of injecting his victims with a paralysing agent before doing what he does best.
It probably had us on edge a bit more than expected because we are now sceptical of all storylines, ever since the first episode of Game of Thrones where spoiler alert - the main character is killed off early on - which was unfathomable at the time…so we always expect directors of new movies/shows to throw in a massive curveball - that rarely comes, but makes watching other movies/shows more fun.
How the story unfolds…we won’t tell you that - you’ll have to watch for yourself but its an easy watch that you should enjoy if its you sort of genre.
We liked it…the critics did not - but a more than decent 6.7/10 score from us.
THE WILD ROBOT (2024)
AVAILABLE IN CINEMAS,
AVAILABLE TO RENT OR BUY ON AMAZON PRIME
Rated U - Kids & Families
If you fancy a trip out to the cinema with the kid(s) or can afford the ££ to rent at home, then The Wild Robot is an excellent family choice. Dreamworks bring us a really nice movie that just has all the ingredients to make it enjoyable for everyone. It has a sort of Wall-E meets Zootropolis kind of vibe and has a more modern storyline to go with it.
It follows the adventures of a Robot called Roz, who is shipwrecked on an uninhabited island and has to adapt to its environment and surroundings. It’s robots, animals and has a sweet storyline that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside…if you are into movies like this.
A wonderful 8/10 movie for us - we think the whole family will enjoy.
TV SHOWS:
SQUID GAME, SEASON 2
AVAILABLE ON NETFLIX
Rated 15
It’s been so good to get a number of shows back on our screens that we’ve had to wait years for - even better when it’s on one of the main streaming channels and not requiring a further subscription.
We were big fans of the massively popular Squid Game when the first season was released back in 2021. It gave us something totally different to what was available at the time and we’re not put off watching a show with subtitles…please don’t watch foreign shows with English voice-overs/dubbing - it really ruins the watching experience!
Season 2 picks up a few years on from the first squid games but generally speaking it follows on with more of the same that we had in Season 1. It does have a new storyline that ensures it isn’t just a duplication of Season 1 but we still head back through the games with an almost new cast. Season 2 is only 7 episodes long - so is an easy binge watch over a long weekend if you prefer to do that.
As with most follow-up seasons, is not as good as the first season but only because the element of surprise is gone and you know what to expect. It’s a really enjoyable to watch 7.6/10 from us.
OUTLANDER, SEASON 7 Pt 2 (2024)
AVAILABLE ON MGM+ (THROUGH AMAZON PRIME)
Rated 15
Finally! Outlander is back! If, like us - you are a die hard follower of the series, you’ll have waited well over a year for Part 2 of Season 7 - but it’s here now. Frustratingly, it’s another show that you can only see through an additional subscription to the standard streaming services and they are releasing the episodes weekly - no doubt a trick of the trade to get more than one months subscription out of you.
Spoilers aplenty will appear on your social media feeds, if you aren’t keeping up to date with the episodes - so perhaps you should just treat yourself this winter and enjoy watching the latest adventures and misadventures of Jamie and Claire. My wife has already been in tears watching it.
We’re massively biased towards this show, having watched it for nearly 10 years now - so far, this season is 8/10 from us.
*If you haven’t gotten into Outlander at all yet, you can watch Season 1 on Amazon Prime as part of your standard Prime TV Subscription. If you do that and find that you love it, get that MGM+ Subscription through Amazon and binge your way through almost 70 episodes to get your moneys worth out of that additional £4.99 subscription.
YELLOWSTONE, SEASON 5 Pt 2 (2024)
AVAILABLE ON PARAMOUNT+ SUBSCRIPTION
Rated 15
Not unlike Outlander, we’ve had to wait almost 2 years for Yellowstone to come back to our screens. It’s been highly publicised this year that Kevin Costner would not be returning to reprise the role of John Dutton this season after a conflict of schedules between the filming of this series and his own Western Movies.
We’re not going to lie - that was a big negative for us - but as with all long-running shows, you adopt the characters you’re used to and we loved Costner in this. That being said, we’ve waited a month to get back into it and the show is still as crazy as ever - even without Costner involved this time. You can set your phone down and pay attention to this one!
Still an easy 8.5/10 show for us - a must watch.
*If you haven’t gotten into Yellowstone at all yet, you are in for a treat. Although you have to pay an additional £6.99/month for the Paramount+ Subscription, I believe you can get a free 7 day trial. If the free trial isn’t still on, pay the £6.99 and binge the show like crazy over the Christmas break!
CROSS, SEASON 1 (2024)
AVAILABLE ON AMAZON PRIME
Rated 15
If we step away from movies and have a look at a TV series for you to binge on, then you might want to check out Cross, Season 1 on Amazon Prime, which stars Aldis Hodge, who some of you may remember from an old favourite series of ours called Leverage.
Cross is a crime-drama-thriller that follows DC Metro Detective - Alex Cross as he puts his skillsets to use in trying to find the criminals, whilst battling his own issues too. It’s an 8-part series that follows one storyline from start to finish - so you have to watch from the beginning and watch each episode to ensure you dont miss any important info - which makes it binge-worthy.
The storyline is pretty good although flawed at times (where you’ll say “they would say that in real life or that wouldn’t happen in real life”) but don’t let it take you away from what is a better than decent show. You’ll also recognise some other faces of the cast such as Ryan Eggold, who plays the main doctor (Doctor Max Goodwin) in another hit show - New Amsterdam.
This one gets a Solid 7/10 from us - definitely worth a watch if its a genre you are into.
NOBODY WANTS THIS, SEASON 1 (2024)
AVAILABLE ON NETFLIX
Rated 15
Nobody Wants This is a new 10-part series (25minute episodes) that follows two main characters…one is a sex podcaster and the other a Rabbi, who fall for each other and the series watches to see if they can make their new relationship work despite such contrasting lifestyles and beliefs.
Kristen Bell (Bad Moms) and Adam Brody (The O.C.) star in this really easy to watch series that is both fun and naughty. It is definitely one that we think the ladies will enjoy more than the gents but either way - its an easy watch for singletons or couples who are looking for something they can either concentrate on and get into fully or flick through your phone whilst watching half-heartedly.
This one gets a Solid 7.5/10 from us and with the short 25 minute episodes, you can easily binge the entire series over the course of a weekend.
THE GENTLEMEN, SEASON 1 (2024)
AVAILABLE ON NETFLIX
Rated 15
An 8 episode Brit Dark Comedy Thriller series brought to you by none other than Guy Ritchie, who delves into a TV series adaption, that has all the traits of his famous movies.
The critics weren’t a huge fan of this series, which was release earlier this year - but we were hooked after one episode and binged on it pretty hard.
It follows the story of aristocrat Eddie Horniman, who inherits his family estate - much to the dismay of his troubled and entitled older brother but he soon finds out that his late father dabbled in illegal business to fund their family lifestyle. Expect wacky storylines, mad characters and laugh out loud, whilst shaking-your-head-moments throughout.
This one is up in the 8’s for us, we’ll go 8.1 /10 - definitely worth a watch if you like Guy Ritchies work and we look forward to a second season.
THE DURRELLS (2016-2019)
AVAILABLE ON NETFLIX AND ITV X APP
AVAILABLE TO BUY ON AMAZON PRIME
Rated 12
If you love a light-hearted period drama and have only gotten into the genre in recent years, there is a good chance you will have missed a fantastic show called ‘The Durrells’, that you should really add to your watch list.
It’s based in the 1930’s and has a really simple storyline, that follows Louisa Durrell as she struggles to raise her 4 quirky children after the passing of her husband. With a combination of money troubles and issues with her kids lives, she makes the decision to move them all to Corfu and we get to watch them attempt to fit in and adapt to Corfu life.
You’ll get to enjoy 4 seasons of the show, when it sadly draws to a end and leaves you gutted that there wasn’t a 5th season. The simple storyline feeds the craving a lot of us have inside of moving abroad and you’ll be drawn in by the brilliant acting, that endears every single character in the show, to you.
We’re giving this one a well deserved 8.6 /10