Terminator 3 (4½ Stars)

"Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" has the unenviable task of following two of the greatest science fiction films ever made. It isn't as good as either of them, but that's hardly a criticism. Taken on its own terms, "Terminator 3" is an excellent action film and a worthy continuation of the story.

Ten years have passed since John Connor and his mother prevented Judgment Day. Sarah is now dead and John has disappeared off the grid. He has no permanent home, no telephone and no credit cards. Nick Stahl looks gaunt and weary, very different from Edward Furlong in "Terminator 2", but that fits the character perfectly. John has spent his life preparing to become the leader of humanity, only to be told that the future he was preparing for no longer exists. He doesn't know what to do with himself, but he can't quite believe that the danger has gone away.

Then another Terminator arrives.

Kristanna Loken is superb as the T-X, a new model sent back to kill John and other future Resistance leaders. It would have been a mistake to imitate Robert Patrick's T-1000, and Loken creates something quite different. She's cold and mechanical, but she's also been programmed with distinctly female characteristics which she uses to her advantage. One of my favourite moments comes when she tastes John Connor's blood. Her expression of pleasure is almost sexual. She's found the man she's looking for, and she seems to savour the moment.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is back as another T-800, this time sent to protect John and Kate Brewster. There's more humour than in the previous films, but humour has always been part of the series, particularly in "Terminator 2", and the increase doesn't bother me. Arnold is still completely convincing when the action begins, and "Terminator 3" has some magnificent action sequences. The chase involving the enormous crane is particularly spectacular, relying on a level of physical destruction that still looks impressive today.

Claire Danes' Kate doesn't look like a future Resistance leader, but why should she? At this point she's a veterinarian living an ordinary life. She has years ahead of her to become the woman she's destined to be. John and Kate are both being pushed towards futures that neither of them is ready to accept.

And then comes the ending.

For most of the film we're led to believe that John and Kate are racing against time to stop Skynet and prevent Judgment Day once again. They reach Crystal Peak expecting to find Skynet's central core. It isn't there. There is no central core. Skynet has spread through computer networks and there's nothing left for them to destroy.

They haven't been sent to Crystal Peak to stop Judgment Day. They've been sent there to survive it.

When I first saw the film, this revelation shocked me. I didn't see it coming at all. After two films about preventing the nuclear apocalypse, "Terminator 3" has the courage to let it happen. Judgment Day wasn't prevented in "Terminator 2"; it was merely postponed.

Then, as nuclear missiles begin flying and the old world disappears, radio messages start arriving at Crystal Peak. People are confused and frightened, asking what's happening and looking for someone to tell them what to do. John picks up the radio and answers.

This is what everything has been leading towards. John has spent years running away from the destiny that his mother prepared him for, but when the moment finally arrives he doesn't need anyone to tell him what to do. He takes command. John Connor finally becomes John Connor.

"Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" isn't "The Terminator" and it isn't "Terminator 2". It doesn't need to be. It's exciting, spectacular and far more intelligent than its reputation suggests. Most importantly, it takes the story somewhere that genuinely matters. The future hasn't been prevented. The war is about to begin.

Success Rate:  + 0.3

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Scream 6 (4½ Stars)

How long has it been since we last saw Hayden Panettiere as Kirby Reed in "Scream 4"? 12 years. That's long enough for her to leave high school and become an FBI agent. Girls sure grow up fast these days.

"Scream 6" is a definite improvement on the previous two films. It doesn't attempt to reinvent the series. We still have Ghostface, a group of possible victims and suspects, horror film rules, red herrings and the inevitable revelation at the end. That's exactly what I want from a Scream film. The formula works, and this time there's even a new twist: there isn't just one Ghostface, or even two. There are three.

The biggest change is the move from Woodsboro to New York. It's a refreshing change of scenery without changing the nature of the film. Ghostface is just as dangerous in crowded streets, apartment buildings and subway trains as he was in the quiet streets of Woodsboro. The New York setting gives the familiar formula new possibilities, and the subway sequence is particularly effective.

I had problems following the characters in "Scream 5". There were simply too many of them, and when somebody reappeared after 20 minutes I often had to ask myself who she was. I had no such problem with "Scream 6". The returning characters are now firmly established, while the newcomers are introduced clearly enough that I always knew who was who. It makes the film much easier to follow and, more importantly, easier to enjoy.

The biggest absence is Sidney Prescott. In the first four films she was at the centre of everything, the person the killer ultimately wanted to reach. Her role was already reduced in "Scream 5", where she seemed almost incidental to the main story. Now she's disappeared altogether. I have mixed feelings about this. I miss Sidney, because for so long she was Scream, but "Scream 6" proves that the series can continue without her.

This is still unmistakably Scream. It respects the established formula while finding enough new ideas to keep it fresh. After my disappointment with the last two films, it's good to see Ghostface back on form. And it's always good to see Hayden Panettiere.

Success Rate:  + 3.1

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Scream 5 (4 Stars)

There was an eleven-year gap between "Scream 3" and "Scream 4", followed by another eleven-year gap before the fifth film. Maybe these long breaks helped to stop the series becoming stale. Or maybe nobody knew what to do with Ghostface for another decade.

"Scream" aka "Scream 5" brings back Sidney, Gale and Dewey, but this isn't simply another reunion. The film calls itself a "requel", combining new characters with survivors from the original films, while warning us that in a requel anything can happen. Dewey's death proves it. After surviving four encounters with Ghostface, he seems almost untouchable, so his brutal death comes as a genuine shock. From that moment onwards, we know that Sidney and Gale aren't safe either.

The film is entertaining and suitably self-aware, although at times it seems too dependent on reminding us of the original. Jenna Ortega makes a strong impression as Tara, while the returning characters give the film an emotional connection to the past. My biggest disappointment is the music. "Scream 5" doesn't sound like a Scream film until the familiar music arrives during the closing credits. By then it's too late.

Success Rate:  + 3.8

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Alice Cooper - School's Out

Ask a typical music fan what he thinks about Alice Cooper. He'll say he's a good musician, naming "School's Out", "Elected" and "Poison". But what about his other music? He's made 30 albums since 1969. I've listened to most of them, looking for great music like these three songs, and I was disappointed. I found most of his albums unlistenable.

"School's Out" is a classic. The song takes one of the simplest and most universal childhood experiences, the joy of leaving school for the summer, and turns it into an anthem of rebellion. It begins with an instantly recognisable guitar riff, simple but enormously effective. Within seconds the song has announced itself. There's no lengthy introduction and no attempt to be clever. The riff arrives, Alice Cooper starts singing and the rebellion begins.

The brilliance of the song is the way it exaggerates a perfectly ordinary feeling. Every child knows the excitement of the last day of school, watching the clock and waiting for the final bell. But Alice Cooper isn't satisfied with school being out for the summer. School is out forever. The school hasn't merely closed its doors for six weeks; it's been blown to pieces. It's the sort of ridiculous fantasy that makes perfect sense when you're a child and never want to see another classroom.

Alice Cooper's performance is equally important. He doesn't sing the song as a cheerful celebration of the summer holidays. There's a sneer in his voice that makes it sound dangerous. The heavy guitar riff reinforces that feeling, turning what could easily have been a lightweight novelty song into a genuine rock anthem. It's catchy enough to be a pop song, but aggressive enough not to sound like one.

Then come the children's voices. They're the perfect finishing touch because the children aren't frightened by Alice Cooper's rebellion; they've joined him. The adults have lost control and the pupils are celebrating their victory. It's theatrical, funny and just threatening enough to fit Alice Cooper's image.

More than 50 years later, the song hasn't lost its power. Musical fashions have changed beyond recognition, but children are still sitting in classrooms waiting impatiently for the summer holidays. That feeling doesn't date, and neither does "School's Out".

I don't like Alice Cooper, but I love "School's Out".

Scream 4 (4 Stars)

Eleven years after "Scream 3", Ghostface returns to Woodsboro. Sidney Prescott is back in town promoting a book, while Dewey is now the sheriff and Gale is struggling to find a new purpose in life. But this is a new decade. Mobile phones, webcams and the Internet have changed the way young people communicate, horror films have changed and, most importantly, the rules have changed.

The original films played games with the familiar rules of slasher films. Eleven years later, horror has moved on. Remakes and reboots are everywhere, and a new generation has grown up believing it knows exactly what to expect from a horror film. Ghostface has moved on as well, using modern technology to play a new version of the old game. Sidney, Gale and Dewey have to learn that the rules they knew no longer apply.

Hayden Panettiere plays Kirby Reed, one of the new generation. She's confident, likeable and knows almost as much about horror films as Ghostface. She easily stands out among the younger cast.

"Scream 4" is a good film, but for me it doesn't live up to the first three. "Scream 3" brought Sidney's story to a perfect conclusion, and the franchise could have ended there. The fourth film finds a clever reason to bring Ghostface back, but it still feels like reopening a story that had already been completed.

There's another difference that bothers me even more: the music. The first three films were filled with bouncy songs that gave them a distinctive energy. "Scream 4" is acoustically much quieter, with songs only appearing occasionally. It doesn't matter whether they were 90's songs or contemporary songs; I simply miss the constant musical background of the original trilogy. "Scream 4" has Ghostface, Sidney, Gale and Dewey, but it doesn't quite sound like "Scream".

Success Rate:  + 0.4

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I love you, Beth Cooper (3½ Stars)

Yesterday I was sad to hear the news of Hayden Panettiere's death. I immediately decided to watch one of her films to remember her, but I had to delay it because I'd already bought a ticket to watch "The End of Oak Street". I picked "I love you, Beth Cooper" not because it's her best film, but because it's the film in which she has the most screen time.

Dennis Cooverman is the school valedictorian, and during his graduation speech he suddenly declares his love for Beth Cooper, the most popular girl in school. He's sat behind her in class for years, but he barely knows her. To his amazement, Beth turns up at his house that evening with two friends, and what follows is a chaotic night in which Dennis discovers that Beth is very different from the perfect girl he's created in his imagination.

I wouldn't call "I Love You, Beth Cooper" a great film. It's a silly teen comedy, but it's good fun while it lasts. There's not much in the film that's memorable, apart from Hayden Panettiere. She gives Beth an energy and personality that lifts the film whenever she's on screen.

Beth is confident, reckless and seemingly carefree, but there are quieter moments when we see that there's more to her than the beautiful girl Dennis has been dreaming about. Hayden makes those different sides of Beth convincing. The film gives her plenty of opportunity to be funny and exuberant, but also allows her to show Beth's vulnerability.

Don't ask me to defend "I Love You, Beth Cooper". I watched it because I wanted to remember Hayden Panettiere. For that purpose, I couldn't have chosen better.

Hayden Panettiere
August 21, 1989 – August 16, 2026

Success Rate:  - 1.1

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The End of Oak Street (2 Stars)

First we had Jurassic Park.

Then we had Jurassic World.

Now we have Jurassic Suburbs.

This is one of the silliest films I've seen for a long time. A chunk of land surrounding the peaceful Oak Street is transported into the distant past, where it's surrounded by hungry dinosaurs. Unlike the carefully separated territories in the Jurassic Park films, the dinosaurs are all mixed together. There are no herbivores, only meat-eating dinosaurs.

No explanation is given how the time travel happens. Maybe they're saving it for the sequel. Please, we don't want a sequel. In its favour, there's a lot of action and suspense as people run from dinosaurs. It's just too ridiculous to take seriously. There was a woman sitting next to me who obviously felt the same way that I did. Every time a new dinosaur threat appeared we turned and looked at one another and laughed. It should have been made as a real comedy, instead of making us laugh at its silliness.

Terminator 2 (5 Stars)

"Terminator 2: Judgment Day" is one of the best films ever made because it does everything right. James Cameron takes the simple premise of the original and expands it into a spectacular action film without losing its humanity. Arnold Schwarzenegger's transformation from unstoppable killer to protector works perfectly, while the T-1000 is an extraordinary replacement as the new threat. The action and special effects are magnificent, but the film's real strength is the growing relationship between John Connor and the Terminator. Beneath all the explosions, "Terminator 2" is a surprisingly emotional film about humanity, fate and the possibility of change.

Which film is better? I can't choose. "Terminator" is a lean, frightening science-fiction slasher, while "Terminator 2" is a much larger action film with greater emotional depth. The sequel doesn't improve on the original so much as reinvent it. They're two very different films, but they're both masterpieces.

Success Rate:  + 3.5

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Miyamoto Musashi 5: The Duel at Ganryu Island (4 Stars)

"The Duel at Ganryu Island" brings the five-film series to a sombre and satisfying conclusion. Musashi has travelled a long way from the wild young man of the first film. He's become the swordsman he always wanted to be, but his victories have come at a cost. After the bloodshed of the previous film, particularly the killing of 13-year-old Matashichiro Yoshioka, Musashi is beginning to understand that defeating opponents isn't enough to give his life meaning.

The final confrontation with Sasaki Kojiro has been inevitable for several films. Kojiro has watched Musashi's progress while establishing himself as the one swordsman capable of challenging him as an equal. For that reason, the duel is surprisingly short; one sword blow and Kojiro falls dead. After such a long build-up I would have preferred a longer and more spectacular battle. Nevertheless, the brevity has a purpose. This isn't simply another opponent for Musashi to defeat. Kojiro is the culmination of Musashi's obsession with proving himself, and killing him brings little sense of triumph.

Musashi's real victory comes afterwards. He finally recognises that being undefeated isn't the same as being complete. His redemption doesn't erase the men he has killed or excuse everything he's done, but it shows that he's finally gained something more important than skill with a sword: wisdom. The five films have shown Musashi learning how to become a great swordsman. At the end of "Miyamoto Musashi 5", he finally learns how to become a man.

Miyamoto Musashi 4: The Duel at Ichijo-Ji Temple (4 Stars)

The fourth film in Tomu Uchida's Miyamoto Musashi series shows how far Musashi has developed. The wild young man of the first film has become a disciplined and calculating swordsman. He still wants to prove himself as Japan's greatest swordsman, but he now relies as much on strategy and intelligence as physical skill.

After Denshichiro Yoshioka is killed by Musashi in a duel, his 13-year-old son Matashichiro is appointed the new head of the Yoshioka school. Although he's a non-combatant, his clan places him in the middle of a battle so that he can symbolically claim victory over Musashi. Dozens of Yoshioka swordsmen are waiting to do the actual fighting. Sasaki Kojiro attends as a spectator because he increasingly regards Musashi as the only swordsman worthy of being his ultimate opponent. He wants to observe his abilities for himself.

The most disturbing moment comes when Musashi deliberately kills Matashichiro first. He's only a child, but as the new head of the Yoshioka school he's officially Musashi's opponent. Musashi understands the clan's strategy and turns it against them: by killing Matashichiro, he has technically completed the duel before taking on the other swordsmen. His reasoning is understandable, but that doesn't make his action easy to accept.

The final battle demonstrates just how formidable Musashi has become. He uses the terrain and careful planning to overcome overwhelming numbers rather than relying on brute strength. He's undoubtedly becoming a greater swordsman, but the death of Matashichiro raises a more troubling question: is he also becoming a better man?

"The Duel at Ichijo-Ji Temple" is the strongest film in the series so far. Musashi's development and Kojiro's growing interest in him point towards the confrontation that now seems inevitable.

Miyamoto Musashi 3: Birth of the Two Sword Style (3 Stars)

"Miyamoto Musashi: Birth of the Two Sword Style" is the third film in Tomu Uchida's five-film series, and it's noticeably slower than its predecessor. There's less action and more time spent examining Musashi's development. He's still obsessed with proving himself by challenging any swordsman with a great reputation, but cracks are beginning to appear in his philosophy. His encounter with a supposedly important master who proves unworthy of his reputation demonstrates the emptiness of simply defeating famous names. Musashi is becoming a better swordsman, but he still has a lot to learn about what greatness actually means.

At the same time, Sasaki Kojiro is becoming increasingly important. He's no longer merely another character crossing Musashi's path; he's emerging as his great rival. Kojiro shares Musashi's ambition and confidence in his own abilities, but he's cooler and more controlled. The film gradually brings the two men into each other's orbit without rushing towards the confrontation that we know must eventually come. "Birth of the Two Sword Style" isn't as exciting as the second film, but it feels like an important transitional chapter, preparing Musashi and Kojiro for what lies ahead.

New Order - Blue Monday

"Blue Monday", originally released in 1983, is frequently described as one of the greatest dance records ever made. That's an impressive claim, but it also raises a question. Is "Blue Monday" really a dance song?

Obviously it is. It's driven by a relentless electronic beat, it was made for clubs, and the original 12-inch version lasts more than seven minutes. But calling it a dance song somehow seems inadequate. Most dance music invites you to enjoy yourself. "Blue Monday" sounds cold, lonely and vaguely threatening. It's music for dancing in the dark.

To understand why, it's necessary to go back to Joy Division. After the suicide of singer Ian Curtis in 1980, the remaining members continued as New Order. They didn't simply abandon their past and become a synthpop group overnight. The darkness of Joy Division remained, but it was combined with synthesisers, sequencers and drum machines. "Blue Monday" is the moment when those two worlds came together perfectly.

The song begins with a programmed drum pattern that immediately establishes its mechanical pulse. Then Peter Hook's bass enters, refusing to behave like a conventional bass guitar. Instead of merely supporting the rhythm, it becomes a melodic instrument in its own right, cutting through the electronics and giving the song an unmistakably human element.

Bernard Sumner's voice is just as distinctive. He sounds detached, almost numb, beginning with the unforgettable question, "How does it feel to treat me like you do?" The lyrics suggest anger, disappointment and emotional confusion without ever explaining exactly what has happened. Even the title doesn't appear in the song.

That's the great paradox of "Blue Monday". The rhythm tells your body to move while everything else tells you that something is wrong. It's enormously danceable, but there's no sense of celebration. You can imagine a room full of people dancing while each person remains trapped inside his own thoughts.

That's what separates "Blue Monday" from so much 1980's synthpop. New Order didn't use electronic instruments to make something bright and futuristic. The machines sound cold because the emotions are cold.

Is "Blue Monday" the greatest dance song of all time? I don't know how anyone could objectively give that title to a single record. But it deserves to be part of the argument.

It's a dance record without happiness, a pop record without a conventional chorus and an electronic record that still feels unmistakably human. New Order took the darkness of Joy Division onto the dance floor.

More than four decades later, the beat still starts and people still dance.

---

How does it feel to treat me like you do?
When you've laid your hands upon me
And told me who you are?

I thought I was mistaken,
I thought I heard your words.
Tell me, how do I feel?
Tell me now, how do I feel?

Those who came before me
Lived through their vocations,
From the past until completion
They'll turn away no more.

And still, I find it so hard
To say what I need to say,
But I'm quite sure that you'll tell me
Just how I should feel today.

I see a ship in the harbour,
I can and shall obey,
But if it wasn't for your misfortune
I'd be a heavenly person today.

And I thought I was mistaken,
And I thought I heard you speak.
Tell me, how do I feel?
Tell me now, how should I feel?

Now I stand here waiting.

I thought I told you to leave me
While I walk down to the beach.
Tell me, how does it feel
When your heart grows cold?

Dragon Fist (5 Stars)

Who's that boy? It's Jackie Chan at the tender age of 23. 

"Dragon Fist" was made at a fascinating point in Jackie Chan's career. It wasn't released until 1979, but it was filmed earlier. Producer and director Lo Wei was still attempting to turn him into the next Bruce Lee. There's no comedy in "Dragon Fist", no elaborate use of furniture and household objects and very little of the playful personality that would become his trademark. Instead, Jackie plays his role completely straight. The result isn't typical Jackie Chan, but it proves that he was already an exceptional martial artist who didn't need comedy to make his fight scenes exciting.

Jackie plays Tang Hao-Yun, a young martial arts student devoted to his master, San Thye. When San Thye is challenged by a rival martial arts master, Chung Chien-kuen, the encounter ends in tragedy. San Thye is defeated and killed. Chung isn't simply presented as an evil man, however. He has his own reasons for what he does and subsequently regrets the consequences of his actions. This immediately makes "Dragon Fist" more interesting than a conventional revenge story in which a hero merely has to track down and kill the villain.

Tang Hao-Yun spends years training, determined to become strong enough to avenge his master's death. When he finally finds Chung, accompanied by his master's widow and daughter, he expects the confrontation that he's been preparing for. Instead, he discovers a man who has been living with remorse. Chung has effectively punished himself for what he did and refuses to defend himself when Tang attacks him. Tang has trained for years to defeat a dangerous enemy, but what satisfaction can there be in beating a man who won't fight back?

This creates a moral problem for Tang. His loyalty to his dead master demands revenge, but the situation is no longer as simple as he expected. The man he has hated for years isn't the monster he imagined. Even his master's widow recognises Chung's remorse. Revenge has ceased to be a straightforward question of justice.

The story becomes more complicated when Tang becomes involved with another martial arts clan. Its leader, Wei, appears to offer friendship and assistance, particularly when Wei learns that Tang's mother is seriously ill and requires medicine. Tang agrees to perform tasks for Wei in exchange for the medicine, but he's being manipulated. Wei has his own ambitions and uses Tang's loyalty, fighting ability and desperation to further them. Tang gradually finds himself working for people whose motives are considerably less honourable than they initially appeared.

This is where "Dragon Fist" moves away from the simple revenge plot promised by its opening scenes. Tang begins the film believing that he knows exactly who his enemy is. As the story progresses, the distinction between friend and enemy becomes increasingly blurred. The man Tang wants to kill may deserve forgiveness, while the people offering to help him are exploiting him. Honour, loyalty, revenge and obligation pull him in different directions.

The plot is sometimes difficult to follow. Characters change sides, motives aren't always explained clearly and the large number of martial arts masters and their followers can make it difficult to remember who belongs to which group. Nevertheless, I prefer this complexity to a simple story about good men fighting bad men. There are villains in "Dragon Fist", but the film's central conflict isn't black and white. Tang has to decide for himself what honour actually means rather than blindly following the demands of revenge.

And then there are the fights.

Anyone who only knows the Jackie Chan of "Police Story", "Project A" or the "Rush Hour" films might be surprised by what they see here. There's nothing funny about the fighting in "Dragon Fist". Jackie doesn't stumble around pretending to be helpless before suddenly defeating his opponent. He doesn't turn chairs, ladders or tables into weapons. The choreography is hard, fast and direct, belonging firmly to the traditional kung fu films of the 1970s.

Jackie is spectacular.

It's sometimes suggested that the comedy in Jackie's later films was used to disguise his limitations as a martial artist. Quite the opposite. The comedy worked because he already possessed extraordinary physical ability. "Dragon Fist" gives him an opportunity to demonstrate this without any distractions. His movements are precise, his kicks are powerful and the lengthy exchanges allow him to display both speed and control. Even at 23 he looks completely convincing as a serious fighter.

The film is also interesting historically because it captures Jackie at the moment when two possible careers were competing with one another. Lo Wei wanted him to inherit Bruce Lee's mantle as a stern martial arts hero. At approximately the same time, films such as "Snake in the Eagle's Shadow" and "Drunken Master" were demonstrating that Jackie could become something entirely different. Those films allowed his humour and personality to emerge, eventually creating the Jackie Chan that the world knows today.

In retrospect, Lo Wei was taking Jackie in the wrong direction. There could never be another Bruce Lee, and Jackie became a much bigger star once he stopped trying to be one. But that doesn't mean the serious Jackie Chan was a failure. "Dragon Fist" proves the opposite. If Jackie had continued making straight martial arts dramas, he could have had a successful career doing that as well. We would simply have been deprived of everything that later made him unique.

"Dragon Fist" isn't one of Jackie's most famous films, and its complicated plot occasionally works against it, but I enjoyed it considerably more than I expected. The moral ambiguity gives the story more substance than the usual revenge tale, while the fight scenes show a side of Jackie Chan that disappeared as his comic persona developed.

Jackie Chan didn't become the next Bruce Lee. "Dragon Fist" demonstrates that he probably could have spent his career trying. Fortunately, he chose to become the first Jackie Chan.

A Minecraft Movie (3 Stars)

I tried to like "A Minecraft Movie". I really did. The trailer made it look like the sort of gloriously silly film that I'd enjoy, especially with Jason Momoa and Jack Black in the leading roles. I expected the two of them to be equally wild, bouncing off one another and competing to see who could be the most outrageous. Unfortunately, that isn't what happens. Jack Black is as crazy as expected, but Jason Momoa is surprisingly restrained. He's amusing, but I kept waiting for him to really let himself go.

The other problem is the supporting cast. I admit that Henry is essential to the story, so I put up with him, even though I didn't find him particularly interesting. Dawn and Natalie could both have been omitted from the film, and it would have been better without them. Jennifer Coolidge, on the other hand, is terrific. She makes the most of every scene she's given, but unfortunately she isn't given enough of them. I would happily have traded Dawn and Natalie's screentime for more Jennifer Coolidge.

There was a standing joke in "2 Broke Girls" that whenever Jennifer Coolidge walked into the diner the unseen audience burst into applause, as if she were the real star of the show. I would have been applauding with them.

Visually, the film does what it needs to do, bringing the blocky Minecraft world to life without attempting to make it look realistic. There's plenty of colour and plenty happening on screen, and Jack Black throws himself into the madness with such enthusiasm that it's difficult not to smile whenever he's around. The ingredients for a very funny film are all there. They just don't come together as well as they should.

Maybe the trailer raised my expectations too high. I went into "A Minecraft Movie" expecting a wild comedy, and for a while I kept waiting for it to become the film that I'd been promised. Eventually I realised that it wasn't going to happen. I tried to like the film, but as it continued I couldn't help checking my watch. That's always a bad sign.

Success Rate:  + 4.4

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Madonna - Ray Of Light

I've never been a Madonna fan, but "Ray of Light" was different. It's a magnificent album, and much of its magic comes from William Orbit. He was the perfect match for Madonna, giving her music a depth and atmosphere that I've never heard on any of her other albums.

Today I'm listening to "Ray of Light" again, but this time it feels different. William Orbit passed away on 23rd July 2026, aged only 69, and the news of his death has only just been announced. It's sad to listen to his music knowing that he's gone, but it's also a reminder of what he left behind.

Above all, there's "Frozen". I've loved the song ever since I first heard it. Madonna's voice is beautiful, but it's Orbit's production that turns it into something extraordinary. The music seems to float around her voice, haunting and dreamlike, building into something that still sends shivers through me after all these years. I don't say this lightly: "Frozen" is one of the best pop songs ever recorded.

William Orbit may be gone, but as long as people continue to listen to "Ray of Light", they'll hear his genius. R.I.P. William Orbit.

William Orbit
15 December 1956 – 23 July 2026

X-Men: The Last Stand (4½ Stars)

"X-Men: The Last Stand" is the third film in the original X-Men trilogy. It's a very good film, but it suffers from what I call "telescoping". Comic book stories develop over years, while films have to squeeze the important events into a couple of hours. As a result, things that happened years apart in the comics can take place within days on screen.

That's particularly damaging here because the film combines two of the X-Men's most important stories, the Phoenix Saga and the Dark Phoenix Saga. In the comics Jean Grey returned from apparent death as Phoenix, but it wasn't until years later that Mastermind manipulated her and unleashed Dark Phoenix. In the film Jean returns and almost immediately becomes a destructive force. Phoenix is also presented as a power that has always existed within Jean, rather than a cosmic force. It's an effective story in its own right, but it loses much of the tragedy and gradual development that made the Dark Phoenix Saga so memorable.

At the same time, a second story concerns a "cure" for mutation, created from the powers of a young mutant who can temporarily suppress the abilities of other mutants. Magneto sees the cure as an attack on mutantkind and gathers an army to destroy it. It's a strong plot, but putting it alongside Dark Phoenix means that neither storyline gets as much room as it deserves.

The film also takes the surprising step of killing three of its central characters. Scott Summers dies early in the film, Jean Grey dies at the end and Professor Xavier is apparently killed by Jean. Xavier gets a reprieve after the credits. Earlier in the film he discusses the possibility of transferring the mind of a dying person into the body of someone with no higher brain functions. The final scene reveals that he has done exactly that, transferring his consciousness into another body.

So I have the same basic problem with "X-Men: The Last Stand" that I had when I last watched it. As an adaptation of the Dark Phoenix Saga it's disappointing. As a film, however, it's very good. Maybe the biggest mistake wasn't the way the story was told, but trying to tell so much of it at once.

Stan Lee makes one of his usual cameos at the beginning of the film. He appears as one of Jean Grey's neighbours, watering his garden as the water rises into the air.

There's a second cameo by Chris Claremont, playing another neighbour whose lawnmower starts floating. Lee co-created the X-Men with Jack Kirby, while Claremont wrote the original Dark Phoenix Saga. If anyone had earned the right to look puzzled by what the film was doing with Jean Grey, it was Chris Claremont.

Success Rate:  + 0.2

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Spider-Man: Brand New Day (5 Stars)

"Spider-Man: Brand New Day" is a good film in its own right, with plenty of action and an entertaining story. It works well as another chapter in Spider-Man's increasingly complicated life, even if the ever-expanding Marvel universe sometimes threatens to overwhelm him.

My biggest problem is the introduction of Jean Grey. The X-Men film chronology was already a mess, and this makes matters worse. More importantly, this Jean Grey bears little resemblance to the character I remember from the comics, particularly in the way her mutant powers are portrayed. I enjoyed the film, but as an old-school X-Men fan I found some of its choices difficult to accept.

X-Men 2 (4½ Stars)

"X-Men 2", commonly called "X2", is often regarded as one of the finest superhero films of the early 2000's, and it's easy to see why. Bryan Singer expands the scale of the original film with more action, stronger character development and a compelling story involving Colonel William Stryker's plan to wipe out the world's mutants. The action scenes are exciting, the special effects still hold up well and Hugh Jackman once again steals the show as Wolverine.

My biggest criticism of the X-Men films is one that applies to the entire series rather than this film alone. Instead of adapting the comics as they developed over the decades, the filmmakers created a pick-and-mix version of the team. Heroes from the 1960's, 1970's and 1980's are thrown together because they happened to be popular when the films were made. The original X-Men line-up of Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Beast, Iceman and Angel, created by Stan Lee, was discarded in favour of a roster that never existed in the comics. As someone who loves the classic stories, I find the disrespect for the source material disappointing.

Fortunately, "X-Men 2" succeeds on its own merits. The relationships between the characters are convincing, the pacing is excellent and the film balances spectacle with quieter moments surprisingly well. It may not be the X-Men story I wanted as a long-time comic reader, but taken as a superhero film it's an entertaining and well-crafted sequel.

Success Rate:  + 1.7

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Miyamoto Musashi 2: Duel at Hannya Hill (4 Stars)

After introducing Miyamoto Musashi's origins in the first film, "Miyamoto Musashi 2: Duel at Ichijoji Temple" follows his transformation from an impulsive young fighter into a man determined to master both the sword and himself. Although there are several impressive duels, the film is more interested in Musashi's personal growth than in action for its own sake.

In the first film he's known as Shinmen Takezo, the rough village youth whose violent temperament repeatedly gets him into trouble. At the beginning of this film he's given the name Miyamoto Musashi. The new name represents a fresh start. He's no longer trying to become the strongest swordsman through brute force alone. Instead, he sets out on a lifelong journey of discipline, self-improvement and spiritual development.

The contrast with the first film is striking. Takezo was quick to anger and eager to prove himself in every confrontation. Musashi is more patient and thoughtful. He chooses his battles carefully and spends as much time learning from the people he meets as he does perfecting his swordsmanship. His confidence now comes from growing inner strength rather than youthful arrogance, although the film makes it clear that his education is still far from complete.

The supporting characters continue to play an important role. Otsu remains devoted to Musashi despite his constant wandering, while Akemi's feelings become increasingly complicated. The film also introduces Sasaki Kojiro, another gifted swordsman whose personality provides an interesting contrast to Musashi's. Rather than presenting the two men as immediate enemies, the story gradually establishes them as rivals whose destinies will eventually collide.

Tomu Uchida directs the film at a measured pace, allowing the characters to develop naturally instead of rushing from one sword fight to the next. The beautiful photography captures both Japan's landscapes and its historic settings, while Nakamura Kinnosuke gives a more mature performance than in the first film, convincingly portraying a man who's begun to leave his reckless youth behind without losing his determination.

Although "Miyamoto Musashi 2" contains enough action to satisfy fans of samurai cinema, its greatest strength is the development of its central character. It marks the point where Takezo truly begins to become the legendary Miyamoto Musashi, laying the foundations for the remaining three films in Uchida's outstanding five-part series.

Terminator (5 Stars)

Sometimes I'm proud of German cinema audiences. Today "Terminator" was shown in my cinema as part of the monthly "Best Of Cinema" series. The theatre was almost sold out, with only a few empty seats left at the front.

James Cameron's "Terminator" remains one of the greatest films ever made because it blends two distinct genres. On the surface it's science fiction, with time travel and killer robots from the future. In reality it's also one of the most effective horror films ever made, with Arnold Schwarzenegger's unstoppable Terminator playing the role of a relentless monster hunting an ordinary young woman.

The premise is unforgettable: a cyborg assassin travels back in time to murder Sarah Connor before she can give birth to the future leader of the human resistance. From that point onwards the film barely pauses for breath. Schwarzenegger gives the defining performance of his career, creating a villain who's frightening not because of emotion, but because he has none. Linda Hamilton is equally convincing as Sarah, transforming from an unsuspecting waitress into a determined survivor, while Michael Biehn brings unexpected depth to Kyle Reese.

What makes "Terminator" so enduring is its atmosphere. Made on a modest budget, Cameron relies on suspense rather than spectacle, creating a dark, gritty nightmare that still feels more believable than many modern blockbusters. The action is relentless, the pacing is flawless and the film never loses sight of its horror roots, even as it explores one of cinema's most fascinating time travel paradoxes.

More than forty years later, "Terminator" still feels fresh. It isn't simply a great science fiction film or a great horror film. It's one of the rare classics that succeeds brilliantly as both.

Success Rate:  + 10.2

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Miyamoto Musashi (4 Stars)

Most Western audiences know Miyamoto Musashi as Japan's greatest swordsman, but the real man was much more than that. Born around 1584, Musashi lived during one of the most turbulent periods in Japanese history. The country had just emerged from the Sengoku period, more than a century of civil war, and was beginning to unite under the Tokugawa shogunate after the decisive Battle of Sekigahara in 1600. For countless samurai, peace brought an unexpected problem. There were no longer great wars to fight, so many became wandering swordsmen searching for purpose. Musashi was one of them.

Tomu Uchida's film follows Musashi before he became a legend. Instead of presenting an invincible hero, it shows an impulsive, stubborn young man who gradually learns discipline and self-control. His greatest enemy is not another swordsman, but his own pride. This makes the film far more interesting than a simple series of duels. Every victory teaches him another lesson about what it truly means to be a warrior.

The historical setting is recreated with impressive authenticity. Villages, castles and forests all feel like part of a living seventeenth century Japan rather than elaborate film sets. The action scenes are exciting without becoming exaggerated, while the quieter moments give the characters room to develop.

The film's most surprising sequence comes during the final ten minutes, when Musashi enters the castle and the story suddenly takes on a supernatural atmosphere. Ghostly figures and strange apparitions appear around him, making the solid walls of the castle seem less secure than the wilderness outside.

These ghosts aren't merely included to frighten the audience. They represent the castle's violent past and the psychological burden carried by Musashi himself. He may be physically fearless, but he's entering a world shaped by death, betrayal and political power. The supernatural elements turn the castle into a place of spiritual testing, forcing him to confront forces that can't be defeated with a sword.

The scene also reminds us that this isn't intended as a purely realistic biography. Musashi's development is presented as something almost mythic. Before he can become the legendary warrior remembered by history, he must pass through a world where history, folklore and personal fear overlap.