If you're a John Wick fan, there will inevitably be comparisons with pulpy new action film Monkey Man, which is out this weekend. Armed with little more than a monkey mask and a shedload of grit and determination, Dev Patel's Kid won't rest until the men who took everything from him get what's coming to them.
One elevator scene will certainly make you wince, and whilst the camera work is a little shaky at times, the story is terrific, drawing on the Indian legend of Hanuman. Patel is fantastic, and I guess my only other criticism might be that some threads of the storyline fade away a bit as the film progresses. It's perhaps not as laser-sharp in its focus as it could be, yet overall this is a hugely enjoyable addition to the action genre. It's unapologetically gritty and unflinching, and certainly not one for the faint-hearted. I'm not even sure John Wick would survive a bout with Kid, as he smashes his way through the floors of the sleazy nightclub in the closing scenes, taking out everyone in his path.
As it was April Fool's Day earlier this week, we were promised gravy-filled doughnuts by Morrisons and Yorkshire Tea-fuelled helicopters by the Air Ambulance, amongst my favourite spoofs. I watched Naked Gun (1988) which has been back on the big screen, and it's fair to say some of the misogynistic humour would be quickly cancelled these days. Yet Leslie Nielsen is a master of visual gags and deadpan silliness, and I did enjoy its daftness all these years later. OJ Simpson...whatever happened to him?
Godzilla x Kong : The New Empire sees two titans teaming up to save the world. Luckily, Rebecca Hall is on hand to act as narrator to explain to us what's going on amid some pretty impressive CGI, and 11 year old Kaylee Hottle as her daughter is a real standout. I preferred the last Godzilla origins film Minus One, which sadly doesn't seem to be available to stream anywhere as yet, but this is definitely worth catching for some spectacular world saving scenes. I can't help thinking of the old Chewits ads whenever I see Godzilla stomping through various capital cities, and it's amazing to think this radioactive beast dates back to the 1950s. I think I'd prefer a banana smoothie with Kong, though. He's ace.
And Disney's Luca returns to the big screen this weekend, as along with Soul and Turning Red, it didn't get a fair crack of the whip during the pandemic. I watched it on Disney Plus the other night, and thought it was one of Disney's finest in a long time. Beautiful Pixar animation, a fish out of water story that will appeal to all ages, and I imagine it will look stunning at the cinema if you get chance to go. The underlying message about appreciating the little things in life, and accepting others for who they are, is powerful, but not rammed down our throats like a morality lesson at the end of a He-man episode. A reference for 80s kids there.
