Aleesha Matharu
CatchNews
Most Divergent Takes
- Ben-Hur (2016)1.0 vs TRM 5.1-4.1
- The Angry Birds Movie (2016)2.0 vs TRM 5.0-3.0
- Before I Wake (2016)1.0 vs TRM 3.7-2.7
- Wrecker (2015)2.0 vs TRM 4.7-2.7
- Robinson Crusoe (2016)2.0 vs TRM 4.6-2.6
Assassin's Creed
2016 · CatchNews · Dec 2016
Even though it's nice that they attempted to try and break the curse of video game movies, it still doesn't take away the fact that this is far from the best movie of 2016. While the gaming franchise has been ridiculously successful, the question here is: do those who spend their days tethered to their controllers and mouses really need a movie to gain the experience? Nope.
La La Land
2016 · CatchNews · Dec 2016
It's a beautiful movie about love and dreams, and how the two impact each other. As much as the cynics will walk in with half a mind to hate it, they won't be so quick to dismiss the enticing musical once the last song is sung.
Rogue One
2016 · CatchNews · Dec 2016
"It's the one film that you know it's gonna make its money back," Edwards said in an interview. Well, there's no doubt about that - The Force Awakens may have reanimated the franchise, but Rogue One is the rebel that will give Star Wars fans a new hope. After all, "rebellions are built on hope", and Rogue One is as rebellious as it gets.
Office Christmas Party
2016 · CatchNews · Dec 2016
There are laughs enough if you remember you're not meant to overthink it. But considering the cast, it's just a little bit of a letdown.
Deepwater Horizon
2016 · CatchNews · Dec 2016
"You can't stick your hand in a hole and hope for the best. Hope isn't a tactic," says Wahlberg's character early in the movie. It's true. Cutting corners doesn't work, something most multinationals would do well to remember. In all its thrilling moments, Deepwater Horizon never loses sight of that fact.
Underworld: Blood Wars
2016 · CatchNews · Dec 2016
If you prayed that this was the last you'd see of a leathered-up Beckinsale slash through werewolves and generally kick ass, it's not going to happen. Because Underworld: Blood Wars is a classic example of a franchise gone wrong because of the greed of studios.
Moana
2016 · CatchNews · Dec 2016
Should you watch this? Yes. The matter-of-fact way that Moana is treated is heartening. No one doubts her because of her gender; only sometimes because of her youth. She's the princess Disney needed. Because it's 2016.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
2016 · CatchNews · Nov 2016
It's a triumphant return to the wizarding world and Rowling's limitless imagination. Reports say Rowling and her team are currently editing the script for the second movie, which is scheduled to begin filming next year. Can't wait.
Doctor Strange
2016 · CatchNews · Nov 2016
I apologise if this sounds like a cheap plug, it's really not: you're probably going want to head in for a second round, perhaps picking IMAX more wisely.
Trolls
2016 · CatchNews · Nov 2016
What really did seem like an utter waste of talent was to not utilise Timberlake to sing more considering the fact that he is a pop superstar. But when he does sing near the end - Cyndi Lauper's True Colors - it's bound to have you squeeze out a tear at least (if you have heart).
The Accountant
2016 · CatchNews · Oct 2016
It's an unusual thriller - the body count is high, and the kills are straight from a video game - and has its fair share of flaws, but it's far more compelling than it possibly had any right to be with its mixed bag of number crunching and bone crunching.
The Girl on the Train
2016 · CatchNews · Oct 2016
Murder. Infidelity. Copious amounts of alcohol. Unreliable narrators. Just good old-fashioned tawdry entertainment. What's not to like?
Inferno
2016 · CatchNews · Oct 2016
For a thriller, it doesn't really offer much of a thrill. It's a perfunctory follow up to a formula that saw success 10 years ago but maybe it's time to toss the baby out with the bath water.
Storks
2016 · CatchNews · Sep 2016
It's not the best animation movie this year, but Storks does make for a decent distraction. While it doesn't answer the question of where babies come from, viewers of all ages should be able to enjoy it.
Bridget Jones's Baby
2016 · CatchNews · Sep 2016
After 12 years, Bridget Jones is back, and she's as brilliant as ever. It's such a fun and worthy sequel - laugh out loud funny and emotionally engaging throughout its runtime.
The Magnificent Seven
2016 · CatchNews · Sep 2016
It's a romp in parts, a little too obvious and boring in others, but I still have no doubt that some segments of audiences are going to love it. It is still good old-fashioned entertainment.
The Shallows
2016 · CatchNews · Sep 2016
Your breath will be hitched for the most part. I'm not saying that The Shallows is as good as Jaws - the Steven Spielberg film was a masterpiece and it doesn't seem likely that it will ever be toppled from its No.1 position.
Robinson Crusoe
2016 · CatchNews · Sep 2016
It's almost as if this was made for five-years-olds by five-year-olds. This is strictly only for the kids.
Sully
2016 · CatchNews · Sep 2016
Clint Eastwood's Sully is not a perfect film, but it comes close to being a great one.
Skiptrace
2016 · CatchNews · Sep 2016
Skiptrace is weighed down by a lack of chemistry between its leads, but saved by Jackie Chan's ever-reliable action work, and an enjoyable travelogue angle. Just skip it.
Don't Breathe
2016 · CatchNews · Sep 2016
Your nerves will be ridiculously frayed by the end of this terrifying movie experience. But since that's the very goal of any horror/thriller movie, you'll walk away satisfied, reminding yourself that it's okay to breathe again.
Nine Lives
2016 · CatchNews · Aug 2016
The movie is essentially about a crazy cat man who turns people he deems "bad" into cats to teach them a moral lesson of some sort. And if they don't learn their lesson in time, well, their human bodies die and they're stuck as cats forever. Dark.
Mechanic: Resurrection
2016 · CatchNews · Aug 2016
At the end of the day is this a bad film? Yes. I'll be fair and give credit where credit is due though. But if you love the brand that is Jason Statham, I doubt you're going to pass up the opportunity. Nor should you.
Pete's Dragon
2016 · CatchNews · Aug 2016
It's about kindness, bravery and family values - subjects most recent movies have missed. Overall, if you're among those who still allows their imagination to wander, it's a very pleasant way to spend a couple of hours.
Ben-Hur
2016 · CatchNews · Aug 2016
This movie is garbage. Do yourself a favour and just go watch the original.
Jason Bourne
2016 · CatchNews · Aug 2016
Technically and logistically, Greengrass delivers everything you expect from him; there's no one better when it comes to staging complex, chaotic action amid the real life of big cities. Whether or you'll enjoy such spectacle-focused bravado depends on what you're looking for in a 2016 Jason Bourne movie.
Suicide Squad
2016 · CatchNews · Aug 2016
So sadly it's not the masterpiece we expected, but it's also not an utter disappointment. It manages to be ridiculously fun in some of its loud and crazy extravagance. Overall, I'll still watch DC movies, but I do feel like they are missing something that the Marvel counterpart has got right. Maybe it's heart, maybe Marvel just have more practice but I hope DC can redeem themselves soon.
The BFG
2016 · CatchNews · Jul 2016
Despite the astounding visuals and magic on show, what really shines through in the movie is its playful love of language. Whether it's Sophie eagerly devouring "Dahls Chickens' Nicholas Nickleby", or the 'delumptious' words conjured up by the BFG, language remains at the heart of the story, just as it does in the original book. (Crucially, Rylance was also comfortable with the tongue-twisting aspects of 'gobblefunk').
Lights Out
2016 · CatchNews · Jul 2016
Ultimately, Lights Out is a perfectly acceptable waste of time for those looking for an orgy of jump scares that are professionally framed. And if the lights begin to flicker, just run.
Star Trek Beyond
2016 · CatchNews · Jul 2016
The movie is quite upbeat for the nightmarish times we live in. Star Trek always helped us understand that the possibilities are always endless, and the sweet and sincere nature of the film almost makes you believe that it could be true. So here's hoping the great adventure continues for another 50 years from here.
Ice Age: Collision Course
2016 · CatchNews · Jul 2016
The Ice Age franchise has run its course. Now it's exhausted. Collision Course has a few entertaining moments, but it's bland and unoriginal for the most part. Maybe it will be distracting enough for children under 10, but it's incredibly tedious for anyone beyond that.
The Secret Life of Pets
2016 · CatchNews · Jul 2016
So even though none of this is wholly original, I laughed all the way through The Secret Life of Pets - even at jokes that were really dumb or obvious or broad, because they were so expertly written and delivered. This is a kid's movie through and through - but for anyone who has loved some furry creature or the other, you'll absolutely love this one.
The Legend of Tarzan
2016 · CatchNews · Jul 2016
It's a well-intentioned take on the King of the Jungle. Bottom line: it's more entertaining than most of the other summer blockbusters we've gotten so far.
Finding Dory
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
Despite some minor faults - Finding Dory takes some extreme liberties with fish out of water and the script gets repetitive in the second half - the film is about finding hope even in the darkest of places. About learning to love and connect with people even when you previously thought you couldn't.
Central Intelligence
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
Central Intelligence may be a buddy-comedy, but it's Johnson's movie all the way. And it's been a while since I've clutched my stomach so hard or have my face hurt thanks to laughing so hard. So if you want some light-hearted fun while attempting to survive the summer heat, this is it.
The Conjuring 2
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
There's a lot crammed into 134 minutes and not everything works perfectly. But is it scary? Hell, yes it is! Hopefully, this will not be the last we see of the Warrens at work.
Me Before You
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
The movie has already incited a few complaints about its portrayal of quadriplegics and its glossing over of the touchy subject of state-assisted suicide. But it's a sugar-coated romantic comedy with everything you're looking for in a chick flick/chick lit and not a gritty documentary.
The Danish Girl
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
...what's sad is that the film won't challenge the audience one bit. And just might send those insensitive to gender issues straight to sleep.
Daddy's Home
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
The tough guy-nice guy dichotomy is a set-up for some stereotypical masculine showdowns: building stuff, handling bullies, and comparing physical attributes. And a dance-off. I'm not sure if there's even a point in talking about cinematography. Oh, there was a GoPro skateboarding scene that's the film's one clever visual touch. That's it.
Our Brand Is Crisis
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
Viewers looking for an educational adaptation of Bolivian political history will, without question, find a lot of problems. Those hoping for a zany dramedy may find that Green spends too much time trying to emphasise larger sociocultural messages instead of only delivering cutting satire.
Point Break
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
The fact that the movie runs out of plot long before it runs out of stunts to show off, makes Point Break a remake that really ought not to have been made. But if adrenaline is your heroin, do yourself a favour and go to a theatre. This would be really pointless to see on a small screen.
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
It's all mostly harmless as far as these things go - lazy, sure, but harmless. And if you ever wanted to see a chipmunk sing Baby Got Back and Uptown Funk, well, congratulations, Christmas is here.
The Angry Birds Movie
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
Unlike Zootopia and Inside Out, this movie refuses to accept that people are more intelligent than this drivel. Perhaps the best way to sum up how The Angry Birds Movie feels for most of the run time is to call it an unmitigated disaster. And a complete waste of time. Thanks Rovio. I'm sure there's already a sequel no one needs planned. Now pluck off.
Alice Through the Looking Glass
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
As gothic as Burton's first take on Alice was, James Bobin's film is far more gaudy and colourful...
X-Men: Apocalypse
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
Singer's latest film is overloaded with action and computer-generated mayhem to conceal its own shortcomings: it has nothing new to say.
Criminal
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
It's good old-fashioned entertainment if you like slipping in the occasional B-movies to wet your movie-watching appetite. But it isn't necessarily a 'must watch it in a theatre' watch either.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
It's got some fun moments of course, and light-hearted family drama that will make you groan with the familiarity of the situations. But this, without a doubt, will be one of the most unmemorable movies you'll se this year.
Money Monster
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
The movie is competently made, but also perfunctory, telling us things about the greed of rich business executives and the shallowness of cable TV that we already know. And if you care about your money, just watch the trailer - it gives away far too much.
Captain America: Civil War
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
Comic book adaptations can be fickle beasts. But when done well, they shine. Civil War is a super satisfying film in that regard and also because it takes its characters and not itself seriously Despite being half an hour longer than the average Hollywood flick, it's dynamic, entertaining and you're not going to be itching to leave you seat.
10 Cloverfield Lane
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
These days, you can pretty much glean the entire plot of a movie from its trailer. Which is why it's rare to watch a film that keeps you guessing. And your pulse racing.
Mother's Day
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
This one is purely for the audiences - most of whom will watch a barely funny star-studded vehicle no matter what. But perhaps, just perhaps, you shouldn't subject your mum to this as a Mother's Day treat. She deserves better.
The Man Who Knew Infinity
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
The Man Who Knew Infinity plays it very safe by reducing Ramanujan's life into a well-established sellable movie formula. But it's a wonderful change from the fare we've getting recently.
The Huntsman: Winter's War
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
It isn't the worst movie in the world, but it's not great either. It just simply exists.
Before I Wake
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
If you're a true blue horror fan and want something scary, look elsewhere. Or just watch the Babadook again. Otherwise you would have most definitely wasted 137 minutes of you life. And a few hundred rupees that would come to use at the end of the month.
Demolition
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
Demolition is first and foremost a movie about grief, and how everyone deals with it in different ways, but it's as unconventional as you can get, with a dark comic tone that mirrors something like Fight Club or American Psycho. That means that it probably won't be for everyone, although it never enters territory quite as dark as either of those movies.
The Jungle Book
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
The Jungle Book is a film that has something for everyone. It truly feels like a home coming of sorts, driving you right back into the charms of childhood wonder.
The Divergent Series: Allegiant
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
The promise of the premise has long been lost. But we must endure the finale before we can give the franchise a proper burial.
Kung Fu Panda 3
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
Kung Fu Panda 3 is the weakest feature installment of the series overall, but it's still full of all that Kung Fu goodness that we first fell in love with. And the kids will go gaga for it. That goes without saying.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
What proves to be kryptonite is the editing and the senseless direction. But it's a superhero flick and if you're even remotely interested in the comics, you'll criticise and enjoy it all the same. Hell, it's the Caped Crusader and the Man of Steel going at each other. It's entertaining, but you'll be left wondering if this could have been executed with a little more finesse and a lot less melodrama.
Eye in the Sky
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
It is a stark and intricate look at how war in the 21st century is waged. As a result of Mirren and Rickman's performances, we see what baggage leaders bring into these split-second moral decisions, and as a result of Aaron Paul's performance, we see what baggage young drone pilots and soldiers will walk away with after pressing a button that unleashes a rain of destruction.
Bus 657
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
You probably haven't had this much fun with a modern B- grade movie in a while. And Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Need I say more?
The Program
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
...the racing scenes in a film that espouses cycling as the exciting, dynamic, fast-paced sport are dull.
Race
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
What Hopkins and his team truly get right is a very fine re-creation of the games and a powerful reminder of the impact one man can have, even in the shadow of much bigger worldwide events about to take place.
Carol
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
Carol is that rare example of a film that is nearly flawless in design, story and performances. The emotional conflicts are so powerful that it's worth a watch more than once.
Gods of Egypt
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
This is definitely not even in the so-bad-it's-good territory, but with just a tiny extra push into the ridiculous, this 127-minute slog could have been made into a caustic 90-minute satire.
The Revenant
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
The Revenant isn't be for everyone. Many of you will be squeamish in so many parts. And even though it's technically impressive - filled with breathtaking cinematography and those long-staged shots Inarritu chases - the film is kinda short on dialogue (big on grunts) and pretty thin on characterisation while being unapologetically cruel and startlingly realistic with its violence.
Spotlight
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
Spotlight isn't a big, flashy movie, but it's a beautifully told story that says something important about our world. It is a movie I think everyone should see.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
It's a one-joke movie but the joke is funny. But in the land of zom-coms, it does pale in comparison to Shaun Of The Dead and others like Zombieland and iZombie. The film also has an overt theme of female empowerment - almost like Jane Austen on steroids. These feisty female warriors would make any feminist proud because they're not merely surviving, but charging off into battle to save their beaus from rampaging zombie hordes.
How to Be Single
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
It relies heavily on rom-com tropes, but it's a perfect Valentine's Day weekend viewing choice - whether you're in a committed relationship or simply enjoying the single life.
The Finest Hours
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
The Finest Hours is all about action, suspense and tension - it rarely lets its audience down on any of those accounts. But it's still a strictly procedural film and doesn't exactly break new ground. But it's at least 10 times more fun than Ron Howard's recent high seas drama - In the Heart of the Sea.
The Choice
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
Most likely, The Choice is perfect for anyone looking for a fix of romance that is entirely divorced from reality. Most likely, that includes anyone who is a fan of Nicholas Sparks' books or past movies based on them. Or Harlequin Romance devotees. Basically, if you've seen one film adapted from a Nicholas Sparks book, you've seen them all.
Room
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
Room may be a film about entrapment, but it's also one about liberation, about letting go of one's fears and moving on from trauma. At one point Jack asks to be shorn of the hair he has been cultivating since infancy. It's a revelatory, transformative moment in a film you won't find nearly so easy to say goodbye to.
Asterix: The Mansions Of The Gods
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
The film finds a nice mix between comedic antics and outright social commentary. It captures the staunchly irreverent spirit of the books, with the movie giving much of its focus to the overall buffoonery of the residents of its absurd version of history. Old, young, whatever age: everyone should watch this one.
The Boy
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
If you're looking to be repeatedly scared and shocked, The Boy isn't for you.
The 5th Wave
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
And I don't know about you, but when I go to an alien-invasion movie I want to see some aliens actually invading. This is evidently not a priority for director J Blakeson, however, who sticks to formulaically adapting the book to make a slightly colourless film.
Joy
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
Joy is a decent biographical drama anchored by J-Law's performance, but fails to realise its greater ambitions. And J-Law is fine on her own, thank you very much. Don't be surprised if she wipes the floor with all competition to win her second Oscar.
The 33
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
For a movie about vulnerable men trapped half-a-mile underground, The 33 fails to convey a sense of claustrophobia or dread that would ensure viewers are present every second But it still has a heart. It is, after all, an extraordinary story of courage, hope, and faith.
The Hateful Eight
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
After the thrilling convolutions - narrative and moral - of Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill and even Inglorious Basterds, Tarantino has stopped challenging himself. Django Unchained is where he became his own yes man, and by the looks of The Hateful Eight, he hasn't yet remedied the issue. Though my mind could change with another viewing. That's the power of Tarantino.
Hotel Transylvania 2
2015 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
It's hard to recommend Hotel Transylvania 2 to moviegoers who don't have children in tow. This one is only for the little ones.
Crimson Peak
2015 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
...go ahead; venture into the shadowy halls of Allerdale Hall, open the creaking doors and immerse yourself in the devilish delights of this film.
Bridge of Spies
2015 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
Bridge of Spies is surprisingly warm and funny for a film about the Cold War - a time full of morally grey areas. It doesn't shrink away from the nastiness of the time - people are shot trying to leave East Berlin - but it's still quite optimistic with its character portrayals.
The Last Witch Hunter
2015 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
...the dull nature of the movie gives you time to ask some awkward questions about the plot, especially the anticlimactic final act. All you can do then is shuffle out of the theatre feeling utterly cheated.
Rock the Kasbah
2015 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
Rock the Kasbah doesn't really rock at all...
Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension
2015 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
All you're left with is nothing more than a lame-duck finale that does nothing but slight fans with each predictable jump scare. Thanks, Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension.
Wrecker
2015 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
I recommend you give this a miss. You've already been there and done that.
Spectre
2015 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
Spectre is a 007 film that charts no new ground. Pay to view it at your own risk. PS: The opening credits are hilarious, with implied tentacle porn. Enjoy.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2
2015 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
Critically speaking, the only relevant questions would seem to be whether the film suddenly veers from the path that was laid out (and has thus far yielded a billion+ in box office) at the beginning. Mockingjay - Part 2 does not.
Creed
2015 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
All in all, Creed is a fan film, a movie made by someone who loved the original Rocky movies and thought he could breathe new life into them And Coogler has done exactly that. Despite the cliches.
In the Heart of the Sea
2015 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
Not Ron Howard's best by a long shot. Still, a reasonably robust high-seas adventure even though it's a little all over the place.
Legend
2015 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
Sure, the Krays are dynamic in and of themselves, but a lack of a narrative drive as well as dangling subplots that never really take off, all amount to a much longer affair than you'd expect. And with fewer punches than you'd expect. Ultimately, it all comes back to Hardy's performance.
The Peanuts Movie
2015 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
There's enough dancing and silliness with Snoopy to keep younger kids engaged and enough nostalgia for adults. And with his knack for falling into the worst imaginable luck, unfortunate choices, and ridicule by his peers, Charlie Brown is the embodiment of the feelings of anxiety and self-doubt we all carry within us.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
2015 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
Star Wars: The Force Awakens is the movie it was promised to be, with great new characters, a respect for the original trilogy and a strong understanding of what makes this franchise click with fans. But in the end it matters not, this review. See the film, you probably will. See the film, you should.
Sicario
2015 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
At the end of the day, it's the fascinating and cohesive storyline packaged with brilliant cinematography that make Sicario an appropriate film to reign in the upcoming Oscar season.
Deadpool
2016 · CatchNews · Feb 2016
It's gratuitously violent. It's puerile, crass, meta and it goes to the ends of the earth to earn that R rating. In short, it's everything Deadpool should be.