STAR TREK BEYOND ****
THE BFG ****
Dir: Justin Lin (12A, 120 mins) With J.J. Abrams jumping franchise to a galaxy far, far away, its left to Fast And Furious franchise helmer to take over directing duties on this new voyage for the Starship Enterprise. The five-year mission to explore new worlds is in its beginnings for Kirk, Spock and the crew, but they soon encounter difficulties, leaving them stranded on a remote planet, the Enterprise compromised and no clear way back home. After the Cumberbatch Khan of Into Darkness, this sequel heads off to pastures new. Kirk has an enemy in Idris Elba’s reptilian Krall and a helper in the athletic shape of Sofia Boutella last seen leaping about in Kingsman. The original lineup all return; Chris Pine as Kirk battling father issues, Zachary Quinto and Zoe Saldana as the lovers Spock and Uhura, and Simon Pegg steps up a notch, reprising Scotty and also co-writing the script. Whether this means there will be more jokes is open to question. A franchise that is forever re-inventing itself and about to launch yet another TV series, the crew of the Enterprise should have a few more outings in them before they need beaming up. Opens July 22
Dir: Steven Spielberg (PG, 115 mins) Roald Dahl’s classic children’s tale comes to the big screen with jaw dropping visuals and crucially a sense of wonder attached. Ruby Barnhill is fantastically engaging as Sophie, a lonely girl in a strangely imagined indeterminately timed London, who one night looks out of her orphanage window and sees Mark Rylance’s motion captured giant. An initially scary encounter soon gives way to friendship as the BFG reveals himself to be just as lonely as Sophie, and tells her in Dahl gobbledygook about his job, dream catching, bottling dreams and putting them in the minds of sleepers. In Giant Country however, the BFG is a runt compared to the nasty meat-eating Bloodbottler and Fleshlumpeater, motion-captured by Bill Hader and Jemaine Clement. Of course, human children are somewhat of a tasty snack for these giants, far tastier than snozzcumbers. Epic in scale with an engaging performance from Rylance, this is Spielberg on family-friendly ground with an adaptation from the late Melissa Mathieson, who also wrote ET. Put together with love and respectful of its source, The BFG is an adaptation worthy of Dahl. Let loose the whizzpoppers! Opens July 22
THE LEGEND OF TARZAN ***
THE NEON DEMON **
THE PURGE: ELECTION YEAR ***
Dir: David Yates (12A, 109 mins) “Unk! Unk! Ungowa!” These are probably words that will not be spoken in this incarnation of Tarzan as Harry Potter director David Yates takes on the Ape Man, and the impressively ab-ed Alexander Skarsgard steps into the loincloth. Taking a less racist approach to Edgar Rice Burroughs’ character, this adaptation places us in the Congo Free State in 1858, as Tarzan is called back from London to the jungle where he was raised by apes. He’s now married to Margot Robbie’s spirited Jane, and soon set against greedy Belgian Christoph Waltz, whose mining activities are causing rumbles in the jungle. There’s gorilla vs. man fisticuffs, swinging through trees and lots of shirt-off eye candy. Samuel L. Jackson adds heft as anti-slavery soldier George Washington Williams, and it’s all quite stirring stuff. Make like an ape man. Opens July 8
Dir: Nicolas Winding Refn (18, 117 mins) It’s style over substance once more for Drive and Only God Forgives director Nicolas Winding Refn in this horror, set in the fashion industry. It’s a well-worn tale of impressionable teenager Jesse (an excellent Elle Fanning) going out to LA to become famous, a supermodel in fact. Sending horror chic photos to fashionistas, she is soon picked up by Christina Hendricks’ parasitic agent and plunges into a hedonistic and sinister world, meeting clingy makeup artist Jena Malone, who introduces her to creepy dungeon parties. Fanning’s beauty soon brings her rewards, much to the envy of others, and the attention of dodgy blokes like Keanu Reeves, making a convincing slimeball, and Alessandro Nivola’s fashion guru. It looks ravishing but remains deeply uninvolving despite Fanning’s best efforts. Opens July 8
Dir: James DeMonaco (15, 86 mins) Another instalment in this unlikely franchise puts Frank Grillo’s Sergeant back in harm’s way on the one night of the year when murder is legal in America. He’s now protector of presidential candidate Elizabeth Mitchell, who opposes the annual Purge and will stop it if she gets into power. Thus, on Purge night, she and Grillo find themselves chased by maniacs out to put a stop to her political machinations. They have to survive the night with the help of some and a lot of hindrance from others, who mostly wear animal masks. It’s the same grim violent actioner that the first two were, but with added social sting. The violence is constant, the B-movie exploitation vibe evident, with Grillo and co. battling axe and chainsaw wielding nut cases in a bid to find out who is behind the night of bloodletting. Probably Donald Trump. Opens July 15
(12A) French drama in which Juliette Binoche meets her son’s finance in a lovely villa in Sicily. It’s slow, but nice to look at. ICE AGE: COLLISION COURSE (PG) Yes, they are still making these. This one is in space... somehow. KEANU (15) Action comedy from Jordan Peele and Keenan-Michael Key, who find themselves caught up with drug dealers as they search for their missing cat. Hmmm. PRECIOUS CARGO (15) Bruce Willis slums it again for the money in this dull heist thriller. THE COMMUNE (15) Thomas Vintenberg (The Hunt) directs a tale of a Danish commune thrown into chaos with a clash of political ideologies in 70s Denmark. Better than it sounds. MEN AND CHICKEN (15) Bizarre Danish comedy drama starring Mads Mikkelsen as two brothers uncover the awful truth about their family.