Activism takes many forms and usually requires breaking the law at some point. Put simply The Post tells the story of how one man’s decision to copy classified documents and leak them to the Press.

But it is much more than that. The Post tells the story of how during the period of Nixon, the Washington Post together with the New York Times went to Court to defend the independence of the Press and expose the fake news that a number of administrations that preceded Nixon and the ended with him about America’s involvement in the Vietnam war.

Daniel Ellsberg (Matthew Rhys) was a US military analyst and started to feel disaffected by all the news reports about the lies being told about the success of the Vietnams War. So, whilst working for RAND he took some of the Pentagon Papers and copied them. He then sent them to the New York Times and the Washington Post. The parallels with today are stark – Wikileaks anyone?

Back in 1969, the world was much smaller and women had a place and it certainly wasn’t running a newspaper. Katherine Graham (Meryl Streep) is the owner of the Washington Post and together with her editor Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks) go to battle against the Nixon administration. A good battle is like going into battle and boy did they go into battle. The interesting sub-plot is that of how women were viewed. Yes, Graham owned the newspaper but only because her husband died. Even though she is the brightest person in the room, in the boardroom the men ignored her opinions. Little by little, we see her find her voice. This is the story of how the provincial post became The Washington Post that broke Watergate and how a woman found her voice in a male-dominated world. Sarah Paulson as Tony Bradlee was a joy on screen albeit briefly.

What The Post will make you do is lament the quality of the news we have today and the fact that no one seems interested in a long read. The Pentagon Papers took up the first 6 pages of the New York Times – can you imagine that today.

The Post is all about sweeping themes, the bigger picture. There are moments where this is poured on too thickly. I would have liked to see more of the supporting cast.

The Post is good and has a decent pace. Surprisingly, the standout performance is from Bob Odenkirk as the bedraggled, seen it all journalist, Ben Bagdikian. Matthew Rhys as Daniel Ellsberg also gives the film a bit of meaning as the man who had the courage to originally leak the Pentagon Papers.

This is a film for now. Steven Spielberg at the European Premiere explained that 10 months ago he hadn’t even received the script. This film was shot in record time, edited and released just as Trump comes to the end of his first year as President. It’s definitely well intentioned but it does feel rushed in order to get it out within the first year of this presidency. Only the first 15 minutes of the film are classic Spielberg, the rest is just good. There are grittier and meatier films about journalism – this is no All The President’s Men. However, this is not the message of this film. The Post’s central message is beware of fake news. Ultimately, Spielberg does achieve what he set out to do and that’s to provoke critical thinking – what is truth and what is fake.

The Post opens on Friday 19 January 2018 in cinemas across the UK.

Martin McDonagh strikes gold here, not only the writer but, also directs the film about a tale of grief, racism and the power of words set in small town America tied together by three billboards. Can you guess where it’s set? Yes, the clue is in the title – Ebbing, Missouri.

Central to Three Billboards success is a blistering performance by Frances McDormand supported by an incredible cast including; Sam Rockwell, Peter Dinklage, Clarke Peters but it is Woody Harrelson as Chief Willoughby who shines brightest. His character provides the support and balances the visceral, raw rage of Frances McDormand’s, as the grieving mother of the murdered teenage daughter. She, who is clinging to the vain hope that using billboards will ignite the police force into searching for her daughter’s killer and, he, a man who knows he has no hope of beating pancreatic cancer.

The film starts with Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand), still raw with grief after the brutal rape and murder of her teenage daughter, seven months ago, driving past three dilapidated billboards on a road no one drives down since the new freeway opened.  Out of sheer desperation and frustration at the local police chief’s seeming inaction in finding her daughter’s murderer takes out three billboards to shame Chief of police and his force into doing something. Three Billboards is by the writer of In Bruges. If you’ve never seen it then briefly its a  black comedy of two hitmen hiding out in that much sought after location of Bruges after carrying out a hit on a Catholic priest that goes tragically goes wrong.

Much like his earlier film, McDonagh uses very black humour to highlight police brutality against black people, bigotry and lack of diversity whilst never losing sight of the central story of a mother who is fighting not just for justice for her daughter but trying to fight the shame and guilt she feels about her last words to her daughter before she was murdered. The power of words on the Billboards, the language used in the movie and the way in which it’s expressed means this film resonates on so many levels – your words are what’s left long after you’ve departed.

Not only is Martin McDonagh a talented writer but his direction is as refreshingly direct as his language. Imagery and symbolism is important to a writer and McDonagh understands this. The abiding image of Mildred running with a paltry fire extinguisher to try and put out the fires engulfing seven foot high billboards is so powerful as the symbol for her fight to get answers on her daughter’s case.

Now call me a prude but the one niggle I have, is the swearing. I can abide all swear words except the c word which does appear a few times in the film. Not as many times as I thought – I’ve seen the film twice but enough for me to remember it.  Without that word this film is a 5 star but, the inclusion means I’ve taken a star away.

This film does live up to the hype and in a sea of biopics and big budget movies, here is a film that tells a story and touches on universal truths without overplaying the cliches. It is full of dark gallows humour and is 2 hours long. Actually, for the film length, I am going to award it a half star. So this film gets 4.5 stars.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri opens across cinemas in the UK on Friday 12 January.

Molly’s Game is a refreshingly told, in your face biopic of Molly. The success of this is down to a central character and powerful portrayal by Jessica Chastain, it is also its’ Achilles heel as all the supporting characters are well, flat. If you fail to engage with Molly then the film will be 120 minutes of your life that you’ll never get back. For everyone else, it may just have upped the ante where biopics are concerned.

Molly Bloom is the girl that for two years ran the biggest, illicit poker table in the world, well in New York at least, and picked up the moniker of Poker Princess. Molly is an overachiever and was destined to be an Olympic skier until a horrific accident ended that dream. She took that determination and diligence and instead of going to law school ended up running the biggest illicit gambling table. That is until she was allowed the Russian mob to join her game and well gangsters and royalty don’t mix.

This whole tale based on Molly Bloom’s autobiography is told at a cracking pace, first person narrative under the steady guise of Aaron Sorkin who both wrote the screenplay and directed the film. Jessica Chastain dominates the screen and here is the issue, Molly’s story is extraordinary but all the other characters feel two dimensional. It may work well on the page but on screen, the supporting characters need to come to life. Kevin Costner as Molly’s dad is the only character that comes close. Even Idris Elba as the honest lawyer, yes they do exist, doesn’t really come to life. Having said that the photography is excellent, the tempo good and the script provides enough poker jargon without the viewer ever becoming bored.

What is great about the film is that this is Molly’s story told without pity or the use of sex, just a good old fashioned story about an unorthodox way of making a lot of money.

Molly’s Game opens in cinemas across the UK on New Year’s Day – 1 Jan 2018

And they are back, all the pitches are here, no I mean Bellas of course. Trilogies are hard to pull off, there’s always a weak link but Pitch Perfect 3 is certainly not it. Pitch Perfect 3 is full of feel good vibes, feisty females and toe tapping fantastic songs!

The story so far is following a split, the Bellas reunite and enter a singing competition. The winner of which is to be picked by DJ Khaled to perform in France. However, there’s a sting in the tale now this acapella group  are up against groups that use instruments, yes way!

Meanwhile, fat Amy is tracked down by her criminal father, who we soon learn is not looking for a relationship with her, but for the money she unknowingly has in an offshore account. She soon learns of this and cuts ties with her father, but it’s too late because he’s already kidnapped the other Bellas and holds them captive on his yacht. I guess there could be worse places to be holed up! To add to the drama, I mean could it get any more dramatic, DJ Khaled tells Becca she’s his solo winner. Yes, you read right, solo. What will she do, ditch the other pitches and go to France or say one for all and all for one, wait that’s a different film?

It doesn’t matter if you haven’t seen the other Pitch Perfect films, you’ll quickly pick up the story. The brilliance of this franchise is that they don’t take themselves too seriously, pick good songs and have fun on the screen. The final song of this installment will leave you feeling uplifted but sad that this particular singer is no longer with us!

The film is entertaining and provides light relief if you are feeling all bah humbug!  Pitch Perfect 3 opens in cinemas across the UK today, Wednesday 20 December.