Vue Birmingham

• 2019
• US
• 2h 8min
• PG

• Directed by: Guy Ritchie
• Cast: Will Smith, Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott, Marwan Kenzari, Navid Negahban, Nasim Pedrad, Numan Acar, Billy Magnussen, Alan Tudyk, Frank Welker

Disney’s live-action version of 1992’s Aladdin features a fun, fast-talking and scene-stealing Smith and terrific work from Massoud and Scott as Aladdin and Jasmine, but against that there’s some weird VFX, odd directorial choices and a well-intentioned but clunky female empowerment number. Enjoyable and entertaining nevertheless.

• 73%
• 53%

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• 2019
• UK
• 2h
• 15

• Directed by: Ric Roman Waugh
• Cast: Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman, Piper Perabo

Secret Service Agent Mike Banning (Gerald Butler) evades his own agency as he attempts to find out who framed him for trying to murder the US President.

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• 2019
• UK
• 1h 36min
• U

• Directed by: Thurop Van Orman
• Cast: Dove Cameron, Awkwafina, Peter Dinklage

When Eagle Island villain Zeta (Jones) starts lobbing ice bombs at Piggy Island, ruler Leonard (Hader) bonds with angry birds (Sudeikis, McBride, Gad) to try and clip her wings. Half-knowing and half-derivative, it’s cheerful but gaudy and relentless and the story isn’t strong enough to support all the half-baked set pieces.

• 64%
• 60%

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• 2019
• US
• 1h 46min
• 15

• Directed by: Gary Dauberman
• Cast: Mckenna Grace, Madison Iseman, Katie Sarife, Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga

Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (Wilson and Farmiga) find themselves once again menaced by devil doll Annabelle. Dauberman knows how to build tension and makes a few efficient jump-scares, but there’s no depth to the story and apart from excellent performances it’s a straightforward terrorise-the-teens picture.

• 61%
• 53%

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• 2019
• India

• Directed by: Rohit Jugraj
• Cast: Amit Mehra, Kriti Sanon, Sunny Leone

A young man inducted into the police force helps reduce the crime rate in the city without doing much about it.

• 43%

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• 2019
• US
• 1h 49min

• Directed by: Simon Curtis
• Cast: Milo Ventimiglia, Kevin Costner (voice), Amanda Seyfried

Enzo (Costner), a dog owned by racing driver Denny (Ventimiglia), looks back over his life and the changes that have happened in it. An unashamedly old-fashioned weepie where tragedy appears on every bend; some will find it corny, but Ventimiglia is a solid leading man whose conviction carries the film.

• 73%
• 42%

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• 2019
• India

• Directed by: Nikkhil Advani
• Cast: Mrunal Thakur, John Abraham, Nora Fatehi

Based on the true story of the 2008 police encounter in Delhi's Batla House.

• 82%

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• 2019
• UK
• 1h 54min

• Directed by: Gurinder Chadha
• Cast: Viveik Kalra, Kulvinder Ghir, Meera Ganatra

In 1982 Luton, Javed (Kalra) is a misfit who struggles to relate to family, neighbours and girls until he discovers the music of Bruce Springsteen. A joyful musical comedy about how music connects people; if it sometimes feels forced, and isn’t going to win prizes for subtlety, it’s still uplifting fun.

• 65%
• 74%

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• 2019
• India / Pakistan / UK
• PG

• Directed by: Janjot Singh
• Cast: Simi Chahal, Amrinder Gill, Iftikhar Thakur

Two Punjabi people struggle to make a living in a foreign country.

• 85%

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• 2011
• Australia
• 1h 21min
• 15

• Directed by: Paul China
• Written by: Paul China
• Cast: George Shevtsov, Georgina Haig, Paul Holmes, Andy Barclay

A bar owner (Holmes) hires a Croatian hitman (Shevtsov) to kill a local garage owner, but it all goes south when the hitman is involved in an accident. Writer/director China's debut isn't so much a homage to the Coens as a rip-off of them. Even the wonderfully laconic Shevtsov can't save it.

• 46%
• 71%

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• 2019
• US
• 1h 42min
• PG

• Directed by: James Bobin
• Cast: Isabela Moner, Eugenio Derbez, Michael Peña, Eva Longoria, Danny Trejo

Dora (Moner) is a teenager who spent her childhood exploring the jungle with her parents (Longoria and Peña), but when her parents go missing, Dora leaves high school to find them. A sweet Spy Kids-style adventure that never serves up anything too scary, complex or upsetting for young viewers; Moner gives a warm and delightful performance and is the main reason to watch.

• 58%
• 63%

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• 2019
• US
• 2h 16min
• 12A

• Directed by: David Leitch
• Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Idris Elba, Vanessa Kirby, Roman Reigns, Eiza Gonzalez, Eddie Marsan, Cliff Curtis, Helen Mirren

Hobbs (Johnson) and Shaw (Statham) reluctantly team up to stop nasty Brixton (Elba) from doing bad things. It should have been a hoot, but while the two leads have proven comedy chops, a sketchy script doesn’t give them enough to do and there’s a general lack of imagination. The tank is half empty on this one.

• 69%
• 60%

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• 2019
• US
• 15

• Directed by: Gene Stupnitsky
• Cast: Jacob Tremblay, Keith L. Williams, Brady Noon

Max (Tremblay), Lucas (Williams) and Thor (Noon) are 11-year-old best friends who, in the course of learning how to kiss, have a day-long adventure involving a stolen drone, drugs and sex toys. Silly, rude and often hilarious comedy with terrific performances from the boys.

• 59%
• 57%

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• 2019
• UK
• 1h 32min
• PG

• Directed by: Dominic Brigstocke
• Cast: Sebastian Croft, Emilia Jones, Nick Frost, Kim Cattrall, Warwick Davis, Craig Roberts, Derek Jacobi, Rupert Graves, Kate Nash

A story of Celtic tribes, led by queen Boudicca (Nash), uniting against their Roman overlords. The trademark puerile humour and comedy songs are all there, and it’s jam-packed with appearances from much-loved comedians; if its overriding silliness doesn’t measure up to Life of Brian or Blackadder, it has ramshackle charm.

• 54%

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• 2019
• US
• 1h 58min
• PG

• Directed by: Jon Favreau
• Cast: Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Alfre Woodard, Billy Eichner, John Kani, John Oliver, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, James Earl Jones

The photorealistic version of the beloved Disney story has memorable visuals, impressive set-pieces and adorable yet credible animals, but precisely because they’re so realistic, it’s weird when they speak and even stranger when they sing. All the star voices in the world don’t count when you can’t simulate heart and soul.

• 71%
• 55%

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• 2019
• US / Sweden
• 2h 20min
• 18

• Directed by: Ari Aster
• Cast: Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, William Jackson Harper, Vilhelm Blomgren, Archie Madekwe, Ellora Torchia, Will Poulter

Dani (Pugh) is a fragile American girl dating fellow student Christian (Reynor) who, after tragically losing family members, travels to Sweden with Christian and his friends to visit a commune. Slow-burn horror which simmers rather than explodes, but Pugh and Reynor give full-blooded turns and it’s transfixing.

• 76%
• 73%

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• 2019
• India
• 2h 30min

• Directed by: Jagan Shakti S. Shankar
• Cast: Kirti Kulhari, Tapsee Pannu, Sonakshi Sinha, Akshay Kumar, Vidya Balan,Sharman Joshi, Nithya Menon

Inspired by the true events of the Indian Space Research Organisation.

• 68%

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• 2019
• US / UK
• 2h 45min

• Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
• Cast: James Marsden, Margot Robbie, Leonardo DiCaprio

Past-his-peak actor Rick Dalton (DiCaprio) and his stuntman and buddy Cliff Booth (Pitt) are living in Hollywood in 1969; then Sharon Tate (Robbie) and her husband Roman Polanski move in next door. Compelling and provocative, but uneven; for all the fine performances, black comedy and savage violence, Tarantino may have bitten off more than he can chew.

• 83%
• 84%

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• 2019
• UK
• 2h 19min
• 12A

• Directed by: Asim Raza
• Cast: Maya Ali, Frieha Altaf, Faheem Azam

An aspiring actress and an expat embark on an unlikely relationship.

• 57%

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• 2019
• France / Germany

• Directed by: Lino DiSalvo
• Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Daniel Radcliffe, Kenan Thompson

Marla (Taylor-Joy) and Charlie (Bateman) are siblings who come to terms with grief by entering a fantasy world where they become Playmobil figures. Taylor-Joy is delightful with both live-action and voice acting, but it misses the warmth and storytelling flair of the best toy adaptations and plays it overly safe.

• 43%
• 25%

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• 2019
• Belgium
• 1h 25min
• PG

• Directed by: Vincent Kesteloot, Ben Stassen
• Cast: Jack Whitehall, Julie Walters, Sheridan Smith, Ray Winstone, Matt Lucas, Tom Courtenay

Rex (Whitehall) is a corgi living in Buckingham Palace until Donald Trump (Culshaw) and his oversexed dog Mitzi (Hadland) arrive. Poorly judged Belgian animated feature with lame gags normalising sexual assault and bizarre underworld stereotypes and drug-based humour. Kids are unlikely to take offence but adults may feel that explaining the jokes aren’t worth the bother.

• 47%

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• 2019
• US / Canada
• 1h 51min
• 15

• Directed by: André Øvredal
• Cast: Zoe Margaret Colletti, Michael Garza, Gabriel Rush

A group of teens must face their fears in order to stay alive.

• 65%
• 61%

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• 2019
• USA / Japan / France

• Directed by: Chris Renaud, Jonathan del Val
• Cast: Patton Oswalt, Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart

Max (Oswalt) lives with owner Katie (Kemper) in apartment with other pets Gidget (Slate), Chloe (Bell) and Snowball (Hart); then Max becomes worried about Katie’s new baby Max. There’s not enough humour, charm or sense to win over parents, but kids will enjoy the vivid animation and animal antics.

• 65%
• 55%

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• 2019
• US
• 2h 9min
• 12A

• Directed by: Jon Watts
• Cast: Tom Holland, Samuel L. Jackson, Zendaya, Cobie Smulders, Jon Favreau, J. B. Smoove, Jacob Batalon, Martin Starr, Marisa Tomei, Jake Gyllenhaal

After the events of Endgame, Peter Parker (Holland) is dealing with the loss of his mentor when he and his schoolmates find themselves fighting the Elementals. An enjoyable mix of storming special effects and road trip silliness which manages to work in the believable development in the relationship between Peter and MJ (Zendaya). It returns the fun to the Marvel canon.

• 79%
• 69%

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• 2019
• US

• Directed by: Ry Russo-Young
• Cast: Yara Shahidi, Charles Melton, Anais Lee

Natasha (Shahidi) and Daniel (Melton) meet and wander around Manhattan for a day, while she’s struggling to keep her family from being deported to Jamaica. The blissed-out love letter to New York tonally jars with the underlying pessimism, and plot contrivances let its good intentions down, but it looks luminous and the flaws deserved to be overlooked.

• 55%
• 52%

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• 2019
• India
• 2h 42min

• Directed by: Vikas Bahl
• Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Mrunal Thakur, Pankaj Tripathi

The life of the mathematician Anand Kumar and his Super 30 program for IIT aspirants in Patna.

• 85%

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• 2019
• Pakistan

• Directed by: Mohammed Ehteshamuddin
• Cast: Bilal Ashraf, Mahira Khan, Alizeh Shah, Nadeem Baig

Upcoming Pakistani romantic drama.

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• 2019
• US
• 1h 40min
• U

• Directed by: Josh Cooley
• Cast: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Annie Potts, Joan Cusack, Blake Clark, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Estelle Harris, Jodi Benson, Michael Keaton, Jeff Pidgeon, Kristen Schaal, Bonnie Hunt, Timothy Dalton, Jeff Garlin, Laurie Metcalf, Lori Alan

Woody (Tom Hanks) joins new owner Bonnie at kindergarten where he finds a new purpose in protecting her improvised toy Forky (Hale). Pixar manages to further the story with fine new characters and a satisfyingly teary conclusion, for a fine last chapter in the saga.

• 82%
• 84%

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• 2019
• China / Canada / US
• 1h 27min

• Directed by: Kelly Asbury
• Cast: Kelly Clarkson, Nick Jonas, Janelle Monáe

Moxy (Clarkson) is a sock puppet who lives in Uglyville, who travels to the Institute of Perfection to be trained by Lou (Jonas) for introduction to the real world. With a cast largely of music stars phoning in their voice performances, it tries too hard to be cute and the result is a strain.

• 47%
• 39%

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• 2019
• UK
• 1h 52min
• 12A

• Directed by: Danny Boyle
• Cast: Himesh Patel, Lily James, Kate McKinnon

Singer-songwriter Jack (Patel) is knocked unconscious when a bus hits his bike, and he wakes up in a world where the Beatles are unknown. There’s some fine comedy (including from Sheeran, playing himself) but it gets less surefooted; Patel can’t stop Jack from being rather morose and it’s neither a classic Curtis rom-com nor as infectiously euphoric as Boyle’s best work.

• 70%
• 56%

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