A Haunting In Venice (2023)

With his third Agatha Christie adaptation (the first being Murder On The Orient Express; the second, Death On The Nile) director, lead actor, and likely infatuated-starer-at-self-in-mirrors Kenneth Brannagh delivers another big glossy star vehicle (this one has Tina Fey, terrific as Poirot's mystery novelist friend Ariadne Oliver, and Michelle Yeoh appears) but he again mishandles the all-important mystery, this time transforming Halloween Party into a supernatural horror, forgetting that to solve a mystery Hercule Poirot needs clues, not just to simply float around a crumbly Venetian mansion in extreme close-up; in the end, Brannagh's Poirot looks ridiculous presenting grand revelations magically-gleaned from two clues: flowers and a ringing phone. 

★★★☆☆

CINECAL: ONE SENTENCE REVIEWS

Sisters (2015)

As a loosely held together skit comedy compilation about fortysomethings trying to relive their teenage partying years, this is a riot with plenty of laughs delivered by a Who's Who of SNL and 30 Rock comedians, but as a narrative about two fortysomething sisters who think one last houseparty in their old childhood home will help them grapple with various personal issues, it is much less successful, so watch it for the mostly funny jokes not the story..

★★★☆☆

CINECAL: ONE SENTENCE REVIEWS

Muppets Most Wanted (2014)

A lookalike mastermind criminal does the old switcharoo with Kermit - Kermit ends up in a Gulag run by Tina Fey while the criminal inveigles his way into the Muppet theatre troupe - in this Muppet movie instalment that is funny throughout, frequently hilarious, with all the cute songs and big name cameos you'd expect, this time including Usher, P Diddy and Josh Groban.

★★★★☆

CINECAL: ONE SENTENCE REVIEWS