The Holiday (2006)

Two separate movies spliced together, Nancy Meyers' loooong episode of Wife Swap (or Life Swap) tells the stories of two unlucky-in-love professional women who do a holiday switcheroo and finally meet the loves of their lives - Cameron Diaz's Amanda lands a handsome widower who fixes coffee machines, while Kate Winslett's Iris shows some affection towards a musician but falls head-over-heels in love with modern home interiors.

★★★★☆

CINECAL: ONE SENTENCE REVIEWS

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)

This frequently very funny third movie shelves the old board game of previous Jumanji episodes and launches the series into the digital gaming age, sending four teens into an immersive virtual adventure where their avatars Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan and Jack Black must overcome jungle dangers, teen insecurities, a lack of clearly articulated game rules and objectives, and a poorly defined bad-guy game boss in order to survive Jumanji and get home.

★★★☆☆

CINECAL: ONE SENTENCE REVIEWS

School of Rock (2003)

The nuns are students, the convent is a private elementary school, the criminal masquerading as a sister is a loafer masquerading unqualified as a teacher and, also just like Sister Act, rules are broken, music unites, the no-hoper discovers a purpose, his charges discover their inner rock gods, and it is all thanks to Jack Black's genuine, unabashed, and infectious enthusiasm for rock and roll that this movie, despite its well-trodden plot and issues here and there with gender stereotyping, is a feelgood classic.

★★★★★

CINECAL ONE SENTENCE REVIEWS

Bernie (2011)

Jack Black is hugely charismatic as real life convicted murderer, Bernie, but the movie, despite the inclusion of interviews with the townsfolk involved in the true events, feels like it has failed to turn over some obvious other stones.

★★★☆☆

CINECAL: ONE SENTENCE REVIEWS