COVID-19 Special: 'The Post' (12A)

Director: Steven Spielberg

Cast: Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Bob Odenkirk, Tracy Letts, Bruce Greenwood

Where can I watch?: You can watch The Post on Netflix.

Rating: 4/5

Review: Spielberg. Hanks. Streep. They may be part of cinema's 'old guard' now, but there's still something reassuring about seeing these 'titans of the movies' getting together to make a film - you immediately know you're in safe hands. Taking on the momentous occasion when the female-owned Washington Post took on the US government over the publication of a damning Vietnam report, this meaty topic certainly gives our auteurs something to sink their teeth into: there are secret phone calls; tense standoffs; scenes of the printing press whirring and clanking; and Tom Hanks posturing like only Tom Hanks can. Despite the outcome being well-known, such is Spielberg's deft direction, it's still nail-biting in some sections, as characters grapple with the enormity of the situation and the implications of doing, or not doing, something about the papers. As always, Spielberg gets the very best from this star-studded cast, making it an informative, intelligent way to pass the time.

A COVID-19 Must-Watch?: Three of cinema's heavyweights take on a critical moment in the history of US journalism - what's not to like? Also, the houses on display are incredible - I'm clearly in the wrong industry.

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'Eternals' (12A)

Director: Chloé Zhao Cast: Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Angelina Jolie Where can I watch?: Eternals is in cinemas and available to stream on Disney+ Rating: 2.5/5 Review: When watching a Marvel film, you must suspend some level of disbelief to fully enjoy it. However, Eternals really does push the boat too far. I'm all for a bit of fantasy and a splash of sci-fi, but I found myself drawing the line at big red robot things floating around in space - and I'm not even going to try to explain (or remember!) everything else that was revealed during this strangely boring, yet rather beautiful, superhero experience. Chloé Zhao, fresh from her Best Director win, helms the 26th film (yes, really) in the Marvel franchise, but she fails to make any sort of impact. At times, it feels as though we're veering towards something of a character study, but unfortunately all the characters are painfully shallow and one-dimensional, making the 'intimate' tal...

'The Last Duel' (18)

Director: Ridley Scott Cast: Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Jodie Comer Where can I watch?: The Last Duel is in cinemas and available to stream on Disney+ Rating: 3/5 Review: Young people, put down your "fucking cell phones" and observe how men have been shit to women for literal centuries! That's right, not depressed enough by the state of the world, I decided to watch Ridley Scott's latest 'flop' during the festive period and, boy, did it feel like a battle. Based on a true story from the 14th Century, The Last Duel is a tale of rape and revenge. Focusing on three central characters, Scott's depiction is divided into a trio of interlocking chapters during which Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon), Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver) and Marguerite de Carrouges (Jodie Comer) give their accounts of the events preceding and following Marguerite's assault. Despite the horrendous wig, Damon gives a strong performance as a highly unlikeable knight, but it's Come...

'Mary Queen of Scots' (15)

**** Arriving on the shores of Scotland, Mary Stuart moves to reclaim her title and her position as Queen. A Catholic and with a claim to the throne of England, she immediately poses a threat to Queen Elizabeth, a Protestant and the last of the House of Tudor. The relationship between Mary Stuart and Elizabeth Tudor is one that has fascinated historians and artists alike for centuries. In a history that's dominated by male sovereigns, Mary and Elizabeth ruled alongside each other until Elizabeth had her cousin executed - surely that means that the two hated each other? In his play which premiered in 1800, Friedrich Schiller portrays Mary's last days, and the fraught relationship between the two women - one that is far from the 'black and white' dynamic that you might expect. Since then, numerous historians have revisited this momentous moment and dissected the connection between the two. One such biography is John Guy's Queen of Scots: The True Life ...

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