Kaka

Kenneth Branagh continues with the same, generic whodunit that is a carbon copy of the previous one. Only instead of the sunny Nile Delta with its often overly digital Pyramids, we have mysterious Venice, specifically a gothic house full of strange sounds and untold secrets. Not a single moment is remarkable, not a single shot or sequence of events unpredictable. At least it is briskly told and with a few wannabe horror moments and a decent production design, and it also has a decent (meaning short) running time.

A battle of two equally dirty worlds and two implacable rivals on opposite sides of the barricade. From the perspective of a study of two interesting protagonists, it's actually quite an impressive series. Both Paul Giamatti and Damian Lewis' characters have charisma, and both are well written and expertly acted. The depiction of a functioning universe around them is less well done, and often some of the moves on the imaginary chessboard are very simplistic. Speaking of cinematic metaphors, of which there are a dozen in every episode, it's safe to say this is Neil McCauley vs Vincent Hana, but if the you are willing to accept something a level or two below, this series will be watchable once finished. It's a great shame that the last 2-3 seasons slide heavily into mediocrity and come across as tired, generic and unnecessarily drawn out. Four stars for the first half, barely three for the second.

If anyone was expecting back to basics and the definitive elimination of "paper dialogue" and endless speeches and annoying metaphors with the seventh season, they will be sorely disappointed. It continues, give or take, in the rhythm of the tired sixth season, and even the main attraction, the return of Bobby, is delivered rather sporadically in a supporting role. The over the top crazy finale just shows the total inability of the creators to come up with a story that frames reality and doesn't edge on the fictional world in the style of Ocean’s Eleven, and even most of those guys had more charisma than the robots here.

The breezy mix of documentary, art and pop continues in its final season. The first couple of episodes with Diana have an engaging pace and a traditionally well-drawn setting. There is no shortage of controversial moments, or iconic shots that went around the world in the tabloids of their day. All masterfully matched by a top-of-the-range production ensemble and superb direction. The pace falters a bit in the second half, when you actually realise that the most gripping story of Diana won't cover the whole season, but other, sometimes less interesting personalities are given space. But, as is often the case with The Crown, even the less interesting parts are still top-notch, and film enthusiasts big and small will find their appetites whetted.

A heavy-handedly narrated prison drama with solid atmosphere, Paul Newman's mesmerizing face and a specific feel-good vibe. Good as a precursor to The Shawshank Redemption, but hand on heart, Darabont's opus tells the story of get busy livin' or get busy dyin' more comprehensively and on a whole other level.

A meticulous and thorough biography of the master, which for my taste spends far too long charting his early youth and far too little on his best-known work, with which he captivated much of the music world. The fact that they completely omit any mention of some of his most famous oeuvres and instead go to great lengths to name and analyse in minute detail early works that are unknown to most viewers is hard to understand.

Another fine Netflix series that is remarkably similar to The Crown in its craftsmanship, period feel and focus on a detailed study of a strong female protagonist in a man's world. It's just less expansive and deals almost exclusively with chess instead of politics. And just as The Crown is primarily about the life of a statesperson, The Queen’s Gambit is filmed in such a way that diehard fans of the supporting theme – chess – will find it enjoyable, but more mainstream viewers who need the classic, emotional level of the plot to be entertained will not be bored either. This series has almost everything. Occasionally, the gaudy production design and visual effects are disappointing, but it's no fun to do retro on a limited budget, so it can be overlooked. An awesome “bad guy” in Borg and Anya Taylor-Joy excelling like never before.

Sam Mendes poetic, fragile and intimate. Empire of Light is a slow-moving film that explores the travails of personal life through Roger Deakins' haunting imagery and the minimalist setting of a single coastal street with an opulent cinema. Depression, loneliness, illness, racial issues, several strong themes are outlined in this slow-moving story of a handful of people sharing their troubles in a small British town. But the whole thing strikes me as perhaps too artsy, too static and lacking in energy. Olivia Colman gives a brilliant performance, but you can't find your way to most of the characters.

This determined effort by the French to make a gripping biopic fails in its handling of the story, which is unnecessarily elaborately edited and overwhelms the viewer with constant flashbacks that incoherently spill back and forth for basically the entire runtime. At times, the narrative style reminded me of Once Upon a Time in America – only much less well executed and often saying nothing. Dramatically is hardly average, but the acting is amazing, with Marion Cotillard putting on a fabulous one-woman-show. Also worth mentioning is the fantastic make-up of the protagonist. All in all, though, Edith Piaf is quite a harrowing 140 minutes. Out of duty to the legend, or as a showcase of masterful acting without anything. As an entertaining and inspiring film, rather not.

An intergalactic take on Indiana Jones. All adventure, blaster instead of lasso and using beskar armour as a bulletproof vest!