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Our favourite cinema picks of the month, by Rhys Wilson-Plant…

HAIL, CAESAR!
Hail, Caesar! is not your conventional film; it follows many protagonists and jumps to and fro throughout. However each story carries its own unique comedy and entertains thoroughly. The story is a broad one, and it predominantly follows Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin) who is Head of Physical Production at Capitol Pictures, or more fittingly, a fixer who tries to keep his wild performers in line. This film goes against every rule in film. The Coen brothers often jump into scenes that have no relevance to the story but are comically rich. At first these scenes are a delight, but what eventually results is a film filled with these scenes and because of that, it makes it a bit of a monotonous affair.
Director: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

 

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DOOR
After Maria (Sarah Waynes Callies) loses her son in a tragic accident she can only feel responsible for, she seeks out an ancient Indian temple where you can contact spirits for one time only. However, open the door inside the temple, and you will upset the balance between life and death. This film lacks the scare factor it should be championing as it explores Indian culture and afterlife, however, this understanding is often more confusing than clear, which leads to a puzzling finale.
Director: Johannes Robert

 

LONDON HAS FALLEN
After the British Prime Minister dies in his sleep from a supposed heart attack, the US President insists to be present at the funeral. His team make the trip, only to find that the grandest of traps awaits them. From the outset, the audience is exhaustingly introduced to a handful of the world’s democratic leaders that within ten minutes all get brutally killed. The film then converts into a series of different ways to kill a terrorist, rather than a story.
Director: Babak Najafi

 

THE DIVERGENT SERIES: ALLEGIANCE
If anyone is thinking, “Oh of course, I remember watching the first one, what was it about again?” you wouldn’t be the only one. It seems that Hollywood persists on pumping out sequels, even if the first isn’t particularly good. After destroying the Erudite coup in Divergent, Tris and Four make it over the wall that circles Chicago, and discover the shocking truth that lies behind it. Rather than offer answers, Divergent poses more questions and lacks an impactful climax.
Director: Robert Schwentke