The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)
Having loved the first two films i went into this final chapter hoping it would finish on a high. I'm delighted to say this was the best yet. Thrilling battle scenes with superb set pieces are at the centre of this film but there's also well conceived dialogue and characterization that's rare in modern blockbusters. I felt this had a more satisfying conclusion than the cumbersome ending after ending which Return of the King suffered from in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
The Dark Tower (2017)
Speaking of characterization, The Dark Tower has none whatsoever. Based on an epic eight book Stephen King's series, this is frankly awful. Running a mere 80 odd minutes plus end credits, dialogue is basically there to move the story along. At no point did it ever seem like i was watching real people and it was only testament to stars Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey that i managed to stick it out until the end. This film should have been ambitious and huge instead it felt cheap and unloved. And what happened to the Gunslinger (Elba) ? The central character of the 8 book series - he was sidelined to shoehorn a kid in instead. Terrible!
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
A film so much better than Age of Ultron (2015) - the last time the Avengers assembled. This takes into account the Avengers accountability for the wanton destruction and collateral damage they cause whilst fighting for justice. The politicians want to control the group which doesn't go down at all well with Captain America.
Balancing superb action with a great script isn't something these films do too well but manage it here. Even with an influx of new Avengers - Spiderman, Antman and Black Panther - the script keeps everyone busy and more importantly keeps the viewer engaged with thought provoking themes and action which appeared less cartoon like - at least to my eyes anyway - than many of these films.
Excellent.
Dunkirk (2017)
Christopher Nolan's gritty account of the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from the beaches of Dunkirk, France, as the German army advanced.
At a mere 100 minutes this is actually far less detailed (and less involving) about the operation than the 1958 film of the same name. However it proves a more visceral affair thanks to modern filming techniques. At times the film is practically wordless and has an almost documentary feel, meaning it actually lacks in drama, yet at others it seems like one of the best action movies in recent memory. My main complaint was the score which at times sounded like a monotonous dirge humming through my surround set up.
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