Terminator Genisys, Inside Out and Ant Man. Cutting these a little shorter.

So cards on the table, I've not done one of these in a

while. Now I'm sure many of you are in outrage and are a week short from storming my home with torches and pitchforks but sarcasm aside and for the people who do enjoy these, here's some movies to see or avoid. That's up to you, what do I care?

So right out of gate we have the supposed revivification of the Terminator series, the fifth feature release and most definitely the dumbest title so far.
Yes, Genisys spelled that way is the true title of the film and has a plot convoluted enough to match. Robo apocalypse saviour, John Connor once again sends his younger father back to the eighties to protect his mother from a terminator to ensure his birth.
 If you're new to the series then just a preemptive warning that it involves time travel and causality paradoxes by the truck load, with first two movies you could grit your teeth and get on with it, Genisys however doesn't quite have the same luxury.
 This isn't so much a spoiler because the actual trailer ruined what should have been the great twist but John Connor has been reconstituted into a terminator and goes back in time to ensure the rogue AI system Skynet is created.
 The film feels unnecessary and is sadly marred by actors Jai Courney and Emilia Clarke who have the intense chemistry of a bowel movement, Terminator alumni Arnold Schwarzenegger is it's only saving grace despite Clarke's Sarah Connor cringe inducingly referring to him as 'Pops'.
I can't in good conscience recommend this to even the most ardent fans.

Pixar gave toys feelings. They gave monsters and cars feelings, 2015 is the year Pixar Animation Studios gives feelings feelings and it's just short a stroke of genius.
A relatively simple tale of a small family moving away to San Francisco and the effects it has on their daughter Riley. Inside Riley's head (and everyone else for that matter) we're introduced to the five dominant emotions that pilot us: Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger and Disgust. The various emotions are quickly established as unique and versatile characters with each getting some good laughs in but Fear, Anger and disgust sadly being a little underused.
 The story is very much about the relationship between Joy and Sadness however, Joy informs the audience early on that each emotion is essential to protect Riley, for example Fear takes the reigns to keep her from getting hurt and Disgust even helps Riley socially. Joy however cannot figure out why Sadness is there and views her as more of a hindrance, it's through their journey together however that Joy learns that she herself can't steer Riley through life by distracting her with happy things when opposition arises and that Sadness's true purpose is to alert others to when Riley needs help.
It would have been easy to sugar coat it and go for the tired old 'smile and everything will be fine' routine that Disney is famous for, Pixar does something much braver and culturally important in teaching kids and even the grown ups that it's okay to be sad sometimes.
This reason alone makes Inside Out one of the most memorable films of the year.

Marvel Studios is back again with something of a wild card that may initially put some of the more dubious viewers on the back foot, but Ant Man realises how ridiculous it sounds and has fun with it.
Paul Rudd plays Scott Lang, an ex-convict fresh out of prison who is roped into pulling a robbery to pay child support, things go a little awry however when he is roped into a heist while utilizing his new mentor, Hank Pym's shrinking Ant Man suit. Allowing Scott to shrink to the size of an insect while maintaining the strength and mass of his full size essentially makes him a bullet, the helmet also lets him control ants and believe me when I say that despite the incomprehensible premise, that Ant Man has action, humour and a surprising amount of heart.
Compared to the other Marvel entries this one feels scaled down (size puns, yay). The villain has believable motives and once the heist is under way there's palpable tension, in true Marvel style though a witty quip is interjected before it wades into taking itself too seriously and mostly by supporting cast member Michael Pena who near enough steals any scene he wanders into. At it's heart this is a story about fathers and their daughters and doing right by or repairing the fractures in their relationship, and with just under two hours these new characters are quickly fleshed out and feel organic, something summer blockbusters tend to negate.

Guardians Of The Galaxy

Oh good Christ yes.

So I'll try not to fan boy too hard on this one but this was a fucking great movie, like being a kid and watching Star Wars again for the first time.

Marvels newest wild card seemed like a bold move 2 years ago when it was announced but may well be on it's way to becoming one of the studios freshest outings. Going against the grain of comic book movies having to be somewhat gritty and dark Guardians only takes itself serious for a split second at the start, from then on it revels in its own goofiness and unashamedly breaks the mold.

Beginning in the 80's a young Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) finds himself abducted by a group of space ravagers after a traumatic family experience, he becomes well versed in the goings on of the galaxy and only has a few mementos of his life on earth, most importantly a Sony Walkman and his 'awesome mix tape vol 1'. Quill is a charming yet crass man child known for more than a few run ins with the law and has dubbed himself 'Starlord', something he wishes would catch on more. He later steals the films macguffin, a mysterious silver orb the universe's heavy hitters all seem to be after in a scene very reminiscent of the first five minutes of Raiders Of The Lost Ark and after this the whole plot is thrust into mayhem. There is an incredible prison escape scene in which we are introduced to the other guardians before they're a team, the driven warrior Gamora (Zoe Saldana swapping blue for green) a hulking and revenge bent Drax The Destroyer (Dave Bautista) and the seriously odd couple Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper) and Groot (Vin Diesel proving the same line throughout)

Director James Gunn realistically brings these offbeat characters together exceptionally and never making it feel forced, all the more credit in that these actors were having to act among 2 CGI characters. It's hard to say who steals the show however, Pratt is enigmatic and perfect as the relatable yet morally skewed Starlord, he's effortlessly charming and may well replace Robert Downey Jr as your favourite marvelite. Coming straight behind however is the pairing of Rocket and Groot, one is a crass talking Raccoon with a penchant for big guns and bursts of anger while his muscle/house plant is a Goliath like talking tree who can change shape, limited only to the words "I am Groot" Diesel still manages to convey different emotion between each uttering, you almost start understanding him. If you loved the macabre conversation between Han Solo and Chewbacca you'll be in your element here.

My only real gripe with the movie lies in its villains, you have three (potentially four but those are spoilers...) baddies who hold back the Guardians in one way or another, Lee Pace's zealot like Ronan The Accuser is visually dynamic but seems a little 2D, he's bent on destroying another race his planet is at war with for reasons that aren't really elaborated on too deeply. Doctor Who's Karen Gillan plays the cyborg adoptive sister of Gamora and does well to establish her as a sinister femme fatale with almost reptillian movements and at times a spurned angry child with the mother of all daddy issues, her on screen interactions with Gamora however are no way near enough so here's hoping we see an extension of this in the 2017 sequel.

Visually breathtaking and a soundtrack you'll be replaying to yourself for months to come, Marvel has no qualms with taking you into the unknown and bringing you out a believer. Believe the hype.

"You said it yourself bitch, we're the Guardians Of The Galaxy" the new kids on the block definitely give their earth dwelling cousins a run for their money. This film is the tits.
I read once that if The Avengers are The Beatles then these guys are The Rolling Stones.

Go see it already.