This week, in cinemas: Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg cover Cold War history in Bridge of Spies; Johnny Depp covers Italian-American gangster history in Black Mass; and Pixar cover pre-history in The Good Dinosaur.
Bridge of Spies
★★★★☆
What it’s about: Spielberg heads to East Berlin with his most reliable of leading men for this frosty Cold War thriller. If anyone can make protracted legal proceedings and lengthy geopolitical negotiations thrilling, it’s ol’ beardy himself.
What we thought: “So godlike is Spielberg’s status that we often take his talents for granted... Bridge Of Spies is another sterling reminder that we shouldn’t”.
The Good Dinosaur
★★★☆☆
What it’s about: Animation wunderkinds Pixar have imagined an alternate history where the dinosaurs never went extinct, and humans are doglike scavengers. This heartwarming tale features the best-looking nature animation you will have ever seen, to the extent that you might find yourself wondering where David Attenborough's narration is.
What we thought: “This is a lesser effort from the studio, a sweet, funny, very straightforward adventure with a lot of heart but none of the sophistication of, say, Inside Out”.
Black Mass
★★★★☆
What it’s about: Johnny Depp swaps his Captain Jack dreadlocks for some balding prosthetics, in this true-story crime drama about legendary gangster Whitey Bulger (an inspiration for Scorsese's The Departed) . With all the Oscar buzz he’s generating, this could yet become Johnny’s Golden Mass.
What we thought: “Depp hasn’t been this intense or vital in years. Welcome back, Johnny.”
Carol
★★★★☆
What it’s about: Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara embark on a love that dare not speak its name, in this sumptuous, soon-to-be awards-hoovering romantic drama. This is one Christmas Carol they’ll be singing on Oscar night! (Please accept our deepest apologies for the previous sentence.)
What we thought: “A beautiful film about longing, loss and the confusion and wonder of love”.
Being AP
★★★☆☆
What it’s about: an all-access documentary looking at the life and career of record-breaking jump jockey Tony “AP” McCoy, who jumped his way into retirement this year. Actual names of horses he rode: Exotic Dancer, My Tent Or Yours, Thomas Edison. (Not that one.)
What we thought: “Can’t quite find the perfect story focus to put this among the best sporting films”.