Spotlight - 4 Stars

This is a great movie - it is somewhat reminiscent of All the President's Men (1976) and Erin Brockovitch (2000). It's a riveting story about the Catholic Church, abuse and the (journalistic) investigation that uncovers it all.

The cast is very strong: Mark Ruffalo (Just Like Heaven) gives a superb performance - driven and heartfelt; Michael Keaton (Batman 1989) has apparently resurrected his career (I didn't know it was 'dead'), playing with understated intensity; Stanley Tucci (Devil Wears Prada) just keeps getting better and better with each role he takes; Liev Schreiber (Kate and Leopold) plays his part in a similar manner to Keaton; and, Rachel McAdams (Midnight in Paris) also delivers a very solid performance.

The dialogue is sometimes difficult to hear due to accents, but I highly recommend this movie and plan on seeing it at least once more.

Spectre - 2.5 Stars

I like James Bond movies - I'm pretty sure I've seen them all, not including the first Casino Royale (1967 spoof). Yes, they're violent (which for some rare reason doesn't bother me), and they are misogynistic.

Daniel Craig (Cowboys & Aliens, which was a mistake...) is solid but, with rumours swirling that this might be his last Bond movie, seems detached and somewhat 'mailed in' his performance. I like Lea Seydoux (Robin Hood) very much and also Andrew Scott (Moriarity in BBC's Sherlock), who was suitably 'oily'. I'm also a fan of Ralph Fiennes (Maid in Manhattan). Monica Belucci (The Sorceror's Apprentice) has a brief, restrained and effective role.

If you like Bond, it's worth seeing, especially on the big screen. I'll see it again at some point.