Tom Cruise stars in a scene from the movie “Mission: Impossible – Fallout”. Photo: Paramount Pictures/CNS. By John Mulderig Tom Cruise’s by-now iconic American agent Ethan Hunt is at the top of his game in the engrossing espionage sequel Mission: Impossible – Fallout (Paramount). Despite extensive, though mostly restrained, action and the eventual showcasing of Hunt’s fraught marit...

Denzel Washington and Pedro Pascal star in a scene from the movie The Equalizer 2. Photo: Sony/CNS. By John Mulderig Reprising his role as dispenser of do-it-yourself justice Robert McCall, Denzel Washington once again imagines that vengeance is his in The Equalizer 2 (Columbia). Neither Washington’s gifts nor the good his character sometimes achieves compensate for the gruesome ma...

Mamma Mia! Here we go again will be in cinemas 19 July, with the original cast and several additions including Lily James and Cher. Photo: Supplied. By Amanda Murthy Honey honey, you’re in for a treat as the Mamma Mia! sequel is back after 10 years of much anticipation. Fans of Abba, and those who fancy feel-good, somewhat corny movies will enjoy the brand-new original musical brou...

Neve Campbell and Dwayne Johnson star in the edge-of-your-seat action drama Skyscraper. Photo: Universal Pictures International. By Matthew Lau Global icon Dwayne Johnson stars in Skyscraper as the death-defying protagonist Will Sawyer. Universal Pictures and Legendary Pictures have teamed up to produce an intense action-thriller that is not for the faint-hearted. Will is a form...

Paul Rudd stars in a scene from the movie Ant-Man and the Wasp. Photo: Marvel Studios/CNS. By Mark Pattison What’s noticeably lacking is any exposition or guidance for those not already familiar with the characters and their relationships from 2015’s Ant-Man and 2016’s Captain America: Civil War. While the film can still be enjoyed on its own, newcomers will feel somewhat left out ...

Chris Pratt stars in a scene from the movie Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. Photo: Universal Pictures/CNS. By Matthew Lau Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (Universal Pictures), explores the dangers of “playing God” with life-forms. Dinosaurs are about to become extinct once again, as the abandoned Jurassic World theme park on the Costa Rican island Isla Nublar is in danger of an impe...

This is a scene from the animated movie Incredibles 2. Photo: Disney-Pixar/CNS. By Joseph McAleer The first family of superheroes return in Disney’s Incredibles 2, the highly anticipated sequel to a much-loved 2004 animated film. Alas, the passage of time (a truly incredible 14 years) has not been kind. Despite Brad Bird’s return as writer and director, Incredibles 2 lacks the spon...

Alden Ehrenreich plays Han Solo and Joonas Suotamo plays Chewbacca in a scene from the movie Solo: A Star Wars Story. Photo: Disney/CNS. By John Mulderig Before he grew up to be Harrison Ford, inter-galactic freebooter Han Solo was Alden Ehrenreich – or so at least the folks behind Solo: A Star Wars Story (Disney), the pleasing but insubstantial latest addition to the blockbuster franchis...

Beauty truly can come out of ashes as Ryan Reynolds reprises his starring role in Deadpool 2. Photo: Twentieth Century Fox/CNS. By Matt Lau & John Mulderig After the smash hit success of the original 2016 Deadpool movie, hopes are high for the sequel which again stars Ryan Reynolds as the wisecracking mercenary. Deadpool 2 (Fox), directed by David Leitch, delivers on its promise...

This is the art for the movie Pope Francis: A Man of His Word. Photo: Focus/CNS. By John Mulderig Veteran filmmaker Wim Wenders respectfully profiles the current successor of St Peter in the well-crafted, sometimes moving documentary Pope Francis: A Man of His Word. Though Wenders also provides some narration, as his title suggests, he largely lets the pontiff speak for himself. ...