Director: Mark AZ Dippe Cast: Michael Jai White, Martin Sheen, John Leguizamo Certificate: 15 By Roger Crow Todd McFarlane’s crispy eponymous hero, a Faustian eternal warrior resurrected in assorted forms, was one of the most interesting comic book creations of the 1990s. And when it was announced that a movie was in the pipeline, I, like many fans, was excited ...

Director: Matt Shakman Cast: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn Certificate: 12A By Roger Crow There have been a few attempts to bring Marvel’s gifted family to the big screen. The first was made in 2004 just to keep the rights, but was apparently never meant to see the light of day. The second in 2005 was a hit-and-miss offering ...

Director: James Gunn Cast: David Corenswet, Nicholas Hoult, Rachel Brosnahan Certificate: 12A By Roger Crow In 1978, Richard Donner kick-started the big screen superhero epic with one of THE greatest exponents of the genre. Superman: The Movie was a glorious, starry, effects-filled origins story and disaster epic with a sweet romance at the heart, and some glorious bad guys. Aside ...

Director: Todd Phillips Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson Certificate: 15 By Roger Crow Like many Lady Gaga fans, when it was announced she was playing lovably psycho psychiatrist Harley Quinn in a sequel to Todd Phillips’s surprise blockbuster Joker, I couldn’t wait to see what she did with the role. That 2019 movie was a grim origins story ...

Director: Shawn Levy Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin Certificate: 15 By David Reid The Marvel/X Men fans have been anticipating this summer release for some time. This is especially the case, given recent big screen disappointments featuring the Marvel universe – debatably since Avengers: Endgame, in 2019. The premise for the film isn’t straightforward. Not least as Hugh ...

Director: Peyton Reed Cast: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michelle Pfeiffer Certificate: 12A By Roger Crow When Edgar Wright spent years developing an Ant-Man movie, it was a shocker when he left the project at the 11th hour. Could anything be salvaged from the mess? Well, yes, as it turned out. Peyton Reed did a terrific job juggling the comedy, adventure ...

Director: Matt Reeves Cast: Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Paul Dano Certificate: 15 By Roger Crow Even for a hardcore Batman fan, the thought of spending three hours watching another movie featuring the Dark Knight was daunting. I needn’t have worried. The Batman, for this fan at least, is the best of the saga since 2008. It’s not that Ben Affleck’s ...

Director: Jon Watts Cast: Tom Holland, Benedict Cumberbatch, Zendaya Certificate: 12A By Roger Crow Has it really been almost 20 years since Tobey Maguire starred in the first of many blockbuster movies based on Marvel Comics’ enduring wallcrawler? Afraid so, and while that inaugural film was terrific, the follow-up was even better, a peerless sequel which still stands as the ...

Director: James Gunn Cast: Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, John Cena Certificate: 15 By Roger Crow There are ideas in James Gunn’s latest movie which are so barking, you’d think he’d been given a hefty grant from some random arts council. Five years ago we had just Suicide Squad, a Dirty Dozen with superheroes if you like. Okay, super villains. We ...

Director: Cate Shortland Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, Rachel Weisz Certificate: 12A By @Roger Crow Just when I thought I couldn’t love Scarlett Johansson more, there’s a scene in Black Widow where she recites lines from Moonraker. I can only assume because director Cate Shortland was born two days before me, it’s a generational thing, or that she has very ...

Director: Cathy Yan Cast: Margot Robbie, Ewan McGregor, Mary Elizabeth Winstead Certificate: 15 By Roger Crow I had no idea of what the opposite of misogyny was, but “misandry” is apparently the answer. ’The hatred of, contempt for, or prejudice against men’. Which sounds like a really political intro for a comic book movie as daft and lightweight as Birds ...

Director: Jon Watts Cast: Tom Holland, Jake Gyllenhaal, Zendaya Certificate: 12A By Roger Crow There was a time I’d have been there on the opening day for a new Spider-Man film. It was an event, like Christmas, but with so many of them since 2002, it’s become something of a semi-regular occurrence. Every few years they roll another one out ...