Morbius (15 mins, 104 mins).
Verdict
Rating: 
It’s yet another Marvel film. Except this one is different — apparently.
Rights Issues is a litigious supervillain that Morbius doesn’t belong to Disney’s Marvel Universe, which includes its Iron Men, Black Widows and other characters we are familiar with.
Instead it is part of Sony’s larger, more bizarre Marvel universe that also contains the Venom movies.
As a result, it is much more independent.
Morbius can also be described as un-Avengers-like. Morbius’ hero is Dr Michael Morbius. He has raven hair and is an anti-hero.
Jared Leto is a worse vampire than he.
Blood thirsty: Morbius, played by Jared Leto, screams when he sees the bloody bags
Morbius was not always a sharp-eyed fang.
Film opens with the human doctor standing on crutches and being flown into jungle to examine a cave that is full of vampire bats.
We then learn that he’s being bankrolled by his childhood buddy, Milo (Matt Smith), to find a cure for their shared, unspecified condition — by whatever means necessary.
I was astonished by these early scenes.
Morbius was a movie I expected to see. But Daniel Espinosa, Burk Sharpless and Matt Sazama seem to have bigger aspirations.
As the camera was dripping down a Costa Rica waterfall, it struck me: This film is full of visual imagination.
As Morbius returned to New York, I was curious: Are we going to witness the first superhero of the pandemic age?”
Additionally, the unusually romantic relationship between Morbius, Milo, is a testament to 19th century poets, opium-addled and trying to make sense of the cosmos.
Smith is great as an emaciated patient who clings on to the life of a bon vivant.
Leto, who has perhaps the worst effort-to-achievement ratio in Hollywood, is more laidback here and considerably more watchable for it.
But then their relationship goes downhill — and so does the movie.
Morbius is a mutant vampire who has been subject to experiments that make him eat artificial blood.
Milo then follows but doesn’t seem to have the same scruples.
Matt Smith portrays Milo in Morbius
Then suddenly it becomes a lot of flaws.
Smith was doing an excellent job casting shadows using only his cheekbones and quiff, but now his performance has been covered with a prosthetic.
Jared Harris (as a mentor to Morbius as well as Milo) and Adria Arijona (a likeable sidekick in science), receive less attention.
Their roles are reduced to nothingness as the plot becomes more absurd and faster.
It all ends with a daft punch-up between Morbius and Milo, who both, of course, have super-strength, super-senses, fly around, and … all the usual.
Some visual imagination is left with vampires leaving colorful trails, but there’s very little imagination for any other species.
It is truly a shame.
Morbius claimed to be something different. For a few minutes, it made me see Leto’s performance and not wallowing.
Next time — and judging by the post-credits scenes there will be a next time — they need to go back to the lab.
Unwell geniuses are far more fascinating than buff bloodsuckers.
From the Ipcress File to a truck in Texas…
In Bastian Gunther’s compelling, but melancholy film, there are strong echoes from Sydney Pollack’s 1968 dance-marathon drama They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? These Days (15, 119 mins).
Rating: 
This is a true story about an endurance race sponsored by a Texas car dealer in a Texas small town.
The winner of a fancy truck will be awarded if the car is kept in one place for at least an hour. However, no sleep can be guaranteed.
Although the challenge seems simple, many contestants find themselves losing their grip on not only truck but on their sanity.
Joel Cole, pictured with family, in One Of These Days
Joe Cole, now playing a very English spy in ITV’s The Ipcress File, shows his versatility with a tremendously credible performance as a sleepy-eyed, blue-collar local, desperate to win the truck to improve the life of his young family.
The Truth About Life (15 mins.) Another sad film is also well-acted and directed smartly by Harry Wootliff, rising British filmmaker.
Rating:
Ruth Wilson plays the role of Ramsgate’s benefits worker, becoming increasingly dependent on a charismatic, young man (Tom Burke), who she has just been released from short time in jail.
She is almost afraid he will smell her low self-esteem. Then, a toxic relationship with him develops that threatens her job and friends, as well as her health. This seems all too familiar.
Phil Grabsky’s exquisite documentary Easter in Art (PG, 85 mins) It does exactly what it claims on the tin. The film vividly tells of the Resurrection using centuries of amazing paintings and sculptures, including those of Michelangelo and Munch.
Rating:
This film asserts and convinces us that history of Christian iconography can be considered art history.
Brian Viner
Jim Carrey, Off-the-leash Jim Carrey, is an actual fungi
Sonic The Hedgehog 2. (PG), 122 Mins
Verdict: It’s not super!
Rating:
The Bad Guys (U)
Verdict: Jaunty Animation
Rating:
Aptly enough, it doesn’t seem like two years since the first Sonic The Hedgehog movie came out, inspired by the video-game franchise.
When the turbo-charged nuisance surrounds, time passes quickly.
In truth, too quickly.
We are back with another predictable story. Sonic’s archnemesis Dr Robotnik is pictured as the movie’s most valuable asset. The planet’s mushrooms make him feel a little bit smug.
Jim Carrey as Dr Robotnik on Sonic the Hedgehog
Also, he wants to seize an enchanted gem, and to that end, he has an accomplice: Knuckles (voiced by IdrisElba).
The film will have some gags that may be too funny for the target audience. However, it is moderately entertaining for the whole family.
The Bad Guys by Dreamworks is also available. This animated film about an animal gang who plan a heist is inspired not only by Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs but also the books.
Sam Rockwell voices the leader of the Gang, Mr Wolf. Awkwafina plays Ms Tarantula. Richard Ayoade is the pompous English Guinea Pig.
B.V.