Dim the lights, shake those Maltesers into your popcorn, devour a flavoured choc-top and be transported into the silver screen. School holiday time means cinemas are the perfect place for time out with the whole family. There’s something fun for everyone.
Many of my most treasured movie moments were as a child being dazzled by different worlds
Among the choices are insect marvel superheroes, gothic teen classic literature, talking police dog on a catwalk, ABBA singalongs to the best Adam Sandler film since the last Hotel Transylvania instalment.
Among the choices are insect marvel superheroes, gothic teen classic literature, a talking police dog on a catwalk and ABBA singalongs.
NOW SHOWING
INCREDIBLES 2 (PG), 118 min (best suited from age 8). Holly Hunter, Craig T. Nelson, Samuel L. Jackson. Pixar Disney have done it again. A brilliant animation adventure. Following on straight after the original red-suited family of unique superheros left off 14 years ago, Elastigirl goes solo with Mr Incredible housebound watching the kids. Hilarity ensues. Must see.
HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3 MONSTER VACATION (PG), 97 min (best suited from age 5). Adam Sandler, Fran Drescher, Selena Gomez.
This amusing third instalment follows Count Dracula and friends onboard a monster luxury cruise as a summer gift from daughter Mavis. Light-hearted mishaps at sea that adults will enjoy as much as the kids. Blobby by the pool is hilarious.
JURASSIC WORLD FALLEN KINGDOM (M), 128 min (best suited from age 13). Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Daniella Pineda. Dark prehistoric mayhem follows a questionable rescue of dinosaurs by private military from the volcanic eruption destroying the island. When back in civilisation the creatures, including a hybrid, break out.
ANT-MAN AND THE WASP (PG), 118 min (best suited from age 9). Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas. Avengers fans, keep alert for Marvel links/cameos. One minute miniscule the next gigantic, Ant-man has evolved since the 2015 original and battling out Captain America’s civil war. He is now joined by companion the wasp to pursue justice with a focus on comedy.
MARY SHELLEY (PG), 112 min (best suited from age 12). Elle Fanning, Bel Powley, Maisie Williams. Teenage gothic girl-power flick looks at the iconic author of Frankenstein going on a European trip that became inspiration for a literary trailblazer when staying in the eerie castle of oddball Lord Byron.
SHOWDOGS (PG), 90 min (best suited from age 8). Will Arnett, Natasha Lyonne, Stanley Tucci.
Off-the-wall comedy with police dog Max called into undercover action to infiltrate a self-aware, prized best-in-show canine contest alongside his human partner to avert disaster. The animals all talk.
FROM JULY 12
SKYSCRAPER (M), 102 min (best suited from age 14). Dwayne Johnson, Neve Campbell, Noah Taylor. Die Hard for the modern era has everywhere man The Rock as security assessor on assignment at the world’s tallest building in Hong Kong when it bursts into flames. Vertigo sufferers beware: stunts are realistic to the point of exhaustion. SOS Bruce Willis, where are you?
STARTS JULY 19
MAMMA MIA HERE WE GO AGAIN (PG), 114 min (best suited from age 12). Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Cher. Mamma Mia (2008) was the big-screen hit derived from the ABBA stage musical. Now it’s time to dust off those dancing shoes and sequins for a kind of prequel following the teenage years of Donna (Streep) while her daughter (Seyfried) is pregnant herself. ABBA movie gold.
THE EQUALIZER 2 (MA), 120 min (best suited from age 17). Denzel Washington, Melissa Leo, Abigail Marlowe. Brutal follow-up to the original 2014 action hit has hitman McCall doing his bit for the underprivileged by knocking out criminal riff-raff.
