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.

Which one would you go see first?

Ready Player One

What we know

Steven Spielberg is well suited to being at the helm of this film set in a dystopian 2045. A teenager takes part in a massive virtual reality game and is soon sought after by baddies.

What the critics say

• “Spielberg has seemingly done the impossible: balancing sugar-rush nostalgia with an involving story to create a pure, uncynical, cinematic ride that recaptures the magic of his early films.” – Empire
• “Ready Player One is a triumph of big-screen spectacle and pop-culture nostalgia, with just enough meta-commentary to make it sting.” – Forbes

What’s it rated?

• RottenTomatoes: 7.2/10
• IMDB: 8.0/10

Isle of Dogs

What we know

Wes Anderson turns his hand to animation again with this flick about a little boy searching for his missing dog in Japan.

What the critics say

• “Given the heightened complexity of Anderson’s cinematic environments, with their whirligig detailing and multitude of moving parts, animation was always a logical sidestep for America’s most artisanal auteur, and Isle of Dogs doubles down on the nook-and-cranny meticulousness and mechanism fetish of Fantastic Mr Fox.”- Variety
• “He keeps everything at an annoying hipster’s ironic distance, valuing aesthetics over meaning and context. This may work in the spaces of Anderson’s meticulously crafted universe of films like Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums, but Isle of Dogs is set in an actual foreign country whose culture and traditions Anderson unwisely commandeers. The results are cringe-worthy.” – RogerEbert.com

What’s it rated?

• RottenTomatoes: 8.1/10
• IMDB: 8.4/10

Journeyman

What we know

Paddy Considine’s second feature as a writer-director is about a top boxer who collapses after a major fight and ends up with a devastating brain injury.

What the critics say

• “…a boxing film must be about more than just boxing, and Whittaker’s presence shows that Journeyman is capable of that kind of reach. Emma is facing a fight (sometimes an actual, physical fight) with someone she loves. Journeyman is flawed, but intelligent and heartfelt.” – The Guardian
• “While Journeyman is more a performance piece than fully rounded drama, it works in the context of this particular story. Everything else is stripped away in the face of Matty’s injury, which overwhelms the man he once was and consumes the life he used to have.” – Screendaily

What’s it rated?

• RottenTomatoes: 7/10
• IMDB: 7.8/10

Which one would you go see first?

Making a difference

A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

For the price of one cup of coffee each week you can make sure we can keep reliable, meaningful news open to everyone regardless of their ability to pay.

Support us Learn More