PLANNING ON HEADING to the cinema this weekend?

There are a few new movies out, but which is a must-watch, and are there any you should avoid? 

We take a look.

Colette

What we know

This is based on the true story of the life of the author Colette, who was taken advantage by her husband until she was able to strike out on her own. 

What the critics say

• “In her best role since Saul Dibb’s 2008 period drama The Duchess, Knightley brings Colette to life with a performance that blends grit with glamour in seemingly effortless fashion.” – The Guardian
• “With The Favourite’s punk aesthetic and Mary Queen of Scots’ big theatrics, there’s definitely more scope to paint outside the lines with this new vein of female-focused biopics. This film would benefit by taking notes from its subject and doing the same thing.” – Little White Lies

What’s it rated?

• RottenTomatoes: 7.3/10
• IMDB: 6.8/10

Stan and Ollie

What we know

Steve Coogan and John C Reilly team up to play Laurel and Hardy, in a bittersweet look at the latter years of their career.

What the critics say

• “The film depends, in other words, on its stars. Both, you can tell, have studied their respective masters with scrupulous care, and the results of their pupillage are plain to see.” - New Yorker
• “What ultimately sells Stan & Ollie are Coogan’s and Reilly’s performances, which not only capture the charm of Laurel & Hardy’s routines but the natural grace of two old comedian friends constantly trying to make one another laugh as they workshop material and generally goof around.” - Birth Movies Death

What’s it rated?

• RottenTomatoes: 7.6/10
• IMDB: 7.4/10

The Upside

What we know

This film is already getting a bit of controversy due to the fact Bryan Cranston plays a quadriplegic man, despite not having a disability himself. The fact it stars Kevin Hart is another bugbear for some. This film is based on the true story of a man and his carer – first told in the French comedy-drama The Intouchables.

What the critics say

• “…all the flaws of the original film are present — the lurching swings between irreverence and sentimentality, a reliance on stereotypes, and racial politics that could charitably be described as “quaint” — but two strong lead performances go some distance toward alleviating them.” – Variety
• “The whole point of the original story was that the carer didn’t patronise his patient, didn’t treat him like he was anybody special or different. If anything, he initially treated him with a certain level of contempt and disrespect, making him a real contrast to everybody else around him. That’s not the case here.” – The Hollywood News

What’s it rated?

• RottenTomatoes: 6/10
• IMDB: 3.6/10

Which one would you go see first?

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