The China Syndrome (1979)

A morning news presenter of puff pieces (Jane Fonda) with aspirations for harder-hitting investigative stuff hits the jackpot when an incident occurs at the nuclear power plant that she and her cameraman (Michael Douglas) happen to be visiting, but how critical was the event, how can they get their story to air on a corrupt news network, and how can the slow-burn thrills end without the movie simply snapping suddenly to black, are the questions that ratchet up the tension to meltdown-levels in this solid thriller.

★★★☆☆

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Book Club (2018)

Older females, book club members reading the Fifty Shades soft porn chick-lit series, are inspired by Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele's exploits to take on the challenges of modern romance, embarking upon online dating, initiating sex again with long-since-celibate partners, rekindling past romances and daring to love again after grief, and it is pretty funny in a very minor way - my 79-year-old mum particularly found it a fun watch.

★★☆☆☆

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Barbarella Queen Of The Galaxy (1968)

Its kitsch 1968 aesthetic, groovy music and the sight of a young Jane Fonda as a sex kitten space agent will mean this sci-fi romp has curiosity value for some but otherwise Barbarella, directed by Fonda's then husband, is leaden and only occasionally mildly amusing - one scene that opens with Jane Fonda's Barbarella singing operatically might raise a smirk. 

★★☆☆☆

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