The Help

 

The Help 2011

• Director: Tate Taylor
• Cast: Viola Davis, Emma Stone, Octavia Spencer, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jessica Chastain, Allison Janney, Cicely Tyson, Sissy Spacek
• Why? The cast
• Seen: 9 July 2026  

 

          Skeeter (Stone) is young, rich, white and ambitious. She wants to write, seriously, unlike her ditsy rich white friends, who are all married mums, and mean. And racist.

          Skeeter decides to write about the black maids. Reluctantly Aibeleen (Davis) and Minny (Spencer) agree to help. This is dangerous, for blacks and whites both, but especially for the blacks.

          It could have been a ‘white-liberal-do-gooder-saves-the-poor-black-maids’ film but it succeeds in not being that. Primarily because of the superb acting.

 

4* of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Into the Wild

 

Into the Wild 2007

• Director: Sean Penn
• Cast: Emile Hirsch, Catherine Keener, Marcia Gay Harden, William Hurt, Jena Malone, Kristen Stewart, Hal Holbrook
• Why? Interesting subject
• Seen: 6 July 2026  

 

          Chris (Hirsch) leaves his well-to-do but dysfunctional family to live the life of a hobo. He hates society and romanticises nature, which, granted, is spectacular and wonderful, especially in Alaska where he ends up.

          True story but kind of boring film with a variety of irritating characters, including Chris himself.

 

2 ½ * of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cold Comfort Farm

 

Cold Comfort Farm 1995

• Director: John Schlesinger
• Cast: Kate Beckinsale, Eileen Atkins, Ian McKellan, Rufus Sewell, Stephen Fry, Joanna Lumley
• Why? The cast
• Seen: 4 July 2026  

 

          Flora (Beckinsale), a young society girl in financial straits, seeks out relatives in the countryside to gain life experience so that she can become a writer. She finds herself on a farm near ruin, populated by several eccentric individuals.

          With this cast one expects great things. Sadly, this is only somewhat entertaining.

 

2* of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Superintelligence

 

Superintelligence 2020

• Director: Ben Falcone
• Cast: Melissa McCarthy, James Corden, Bobby Cannavale, Brian Tyree Henry
• Why? McCarthy
• Seen: 2 July 2026  

 

          Carol (McCarthy) is the most average person in the world and a super AI chooses her to help it decide if it should destroy the human race or not.

          It’s silly but fun. Sort of. So much more could have been done with the idea.

 

2* of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apex

 

Apex 2026

• Director: Baltasar Kormákur
• Cast: Charlize Theron, Taron Egerton, Eric Bana
• Why? Maybe OK
• Seen: 25 June 2026                     

           Sasha (Theron) loses her lover Tommy (Bana) mountain climbing in Norway. Grieving, she goes to Australia, Tommy’s homeland, for a new adventure. She is pursued by smug male chauvinists, but then she’s hunted by the nice guy, psycho Ben (Egerton).

          Unlikely but exciting and the Norwegian and Australian views are beautiful. Good acting too.

 

3* of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amelia

 

Amelia 2009

• Director: Mira Nair
• Cast: Hilary Swank, Richard Gere, Ewan McGregor
• Why? The subject
• Seen: 23 June 2026                   

           Earhart was my mother’s hero so I’ve heard about her all my life.

          Amelia (Swank) loves flying, hates doing adverts to finance her flying, deals with the fame, pomp and circumstance, demands an open marriage and complete freedom of her husband (Gere).

          It’s a straight forward, low key, somewhat tame, even trite, biopic but it’s fun to see.

 3* of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thrash

 

Thrash 2026

• Director: Tommy Wirkola
• Cast: Phoebe Dynevor, Whitney Peak, Djimon Hounsou, Aleya Browne, Stacy Claeson, Danti Ubaldi
• Why? hurricane
• Seen: 20 June 2026                     

 

          Heavy rain becomes a hurricane. Evacuation. Disaster.

          Impressive hurricane visuals. Then the sharks some and there’s a lot of blood.

          Many viewers hate it. Me? Let’s say, I’ve seen better. But it’s kind of entertaining.

 

2 ½ * of 5