Entertainment

Of all the film franchises that I enjoyed growing up, I didn’t expect Men In Black to be handed a reboot. The 1997 original was great fun at the time and, while the two sequels never quite reached those heights, it’s a film most look back fondly on. Men In Black International does its best to re-tread the famous footsteps ...

To say the X-Men timeline had become a little confusing is putting things mildly. That being said, Fox had assembled a mighty cast of characters for their ‘First Class’ and I’ve mostly enjoyed what has been served up over the past decade (Apocalypse aside). With Dark Phoenix acting as their last stand (pun intended) before Marvel Studios get their hands ...

When you think of the best monster movies over the years, they usually take a ‘less is more’ approach when it comes to showing off the main event. Consider how little you actually see the shark in Jaws or the T-Rex in Jurassic Park and you realise that their main purpose is to be a menacing undercurrent more than the ...

After the remarkable success of last year’s Bohemian Rhapsody, it was inevitable that plenty more films focusing on the lives of much-loved musicians would follow. Step forward Rocketman, another biopic about a British rock legend from director Dexter Fletcher – only this time following the trials and tribulations of Elton John. It’s fair to say that Bohemian Rhapsody played it ...

Spalding’s White Horse Writers group is hosting its second open mic night on Thursday, May 30. Serge’s Tapas on Francis Street is again hosting the eclectic mixture of poetry, prose and music, all by local performers. It follows on from the success of the first such event at the end of March. The event starts at 7.30pm and all new ...

John Wick is a name that breathes fear into those living in the deliciously sadistic assassin world created by this breathless series of action films. But for me, the name John Wick means I know exactly what I’m going to get at the cinema – non-stop action, visceral fight scenes and brilliantly over-the-top interplay from a great cast. I’ll not ...

Spalding Festival is set to be even bigger and better as it returns for 2019 this weekend. This year’s Spalding Round Table event is both an indoor and outdoor spectacle promising even more fun for all the family than before at the Castle Sports Complex. Not only is there set to be the usual fantastic array of beer and cider ...

As somebody with little or no interest in Pokémon (I may have downloaded Pokémon Go the other year, but keep that to yourself) I wasn’t sure what to expect from Detective Pikachu. Even as somebody who has something of a video game addiction, Pokémon has just never really appealed to me. I am, however, aware that it’s a very big ...

Talented young dancers representing a South Holland dance studio cleared up in a big dance competition. Polka Dot Dance Academy, which holds classes in Spalding, Long Sutton and Holbeach, took 18 dancers to London to compete in Starz UK London at The Albany Theatre. Every student went home with an award, including first prizes. The street dance crew FUSION placed ...

It’s fair to say that the film and television industry has become a little bit obsessed with serial killers over the past few decades. Usually, the murderous monster is the target for our heroes (see Luther, Criminal Minds, etc) but Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile takes a surprisingly different path. Based on the heinous crimes of notorious American serial ...

Never before has one film acted as a finale for the 21 others that preceded it, but it’s unlikely that there’s ever been a bigger production than Avengers: Endgame. If, like me, you’ve enjoyed the incredible work done by Marvel Studios over the past decade – bringing the likes of Iron Man, Captain America and Thor to life in the ...

In the very crowded super-hero genre, it’s difficult to stand out from the rest. As somebody that enjoys all things Marvel and DC, Shazam! always looked like taking a different route to the many that came beforehand. With a youthful cast and a hero who isn’t quite as mainstream (or serious) as the likes of DC stalwarts Batman, Superman, Wonder ...

As a big fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it’s always a thrill to see a major new player thrown into the mix. And the players don’t come much bigger than Captain Marvel, who is (finally) the first female super-hero to get her own MCU film at the 21st time of asking. Comic enthusiasts will have been looking forward to ...

As rags-to-riches stories go, the tale of WWE superstar Paige is one of the more intriguing ones I’ve seen. I have plenty of knowledge of the wrestling industry and was aware that British wrestler Paige, real name Saraya-Jade Bevis, originated from the Norwich wrestling scene. But seeing her story on the big screen was a genuine delight – and one ...

His recent behaviour aside, Liam Neeson has always been a safe pair of hands when it comes to delivering a certain kind of performance. Ever since 2008’s Taken, Neeson has been the go-to man when it comes to being the ‘vengeful older guy’ – so much so that I can’t remember the last time he didn’t play that kind of ...

As a fan of the science-fiction genre, the all-star team-up between Robert Rodriguez (director) and James Cameron (writer) for Alita: Battle Angel isn’t far off as good as it gets (hype-wise). With those two working on the iconic manga story of Alita, this is a film that many have been looking forward to for some time. There’s an abundance of ...

Green Book is one of those films that makes you shudder at the state of the supposedly civilised world in the not so distant past. Set in 1960s America, it’s the true story of Tony Vallelonga (Lip to his friends) and celebrated pianist Dr Don Shirley and how two people from very different backgrounds bonded during the latter’s multi-city tour ...

Much hype surrounded the release of Vice, given that it has scored a huge eight Oscar nominations. Adam McKay’s (The Big Short) new film tells the story of former American Vice President Dick Cheney, who is regarded as one of the most influential political figures in recent times. Not as notorious to those of us with limited interest in American ...

Ever since that tease at the end of Split, it’s fair to say that Glass is a film there was a sizeable clamour for. Seeing Bruce Willis’ David Dunn make an appearance at the end of the well-received 2016 hit was a pleasant surprise, some 19 years after the success of Unbreakable. Dubbed the The Eastrail 177 Trilogy, Glass is ...

Although mostly Box Office hits, the Transformers films have been on a steady downward spiral since the largely enjoyable live action original back in 2007. Often unpopular with the critics for being bloated, CGI action heavy and, well, directed by Michael Bay, it’s fair to say that all five films have had their moments. I personally enjoyed the first two, ...