Project Hail Mary (12, 156 mins)
Verdict: Excessively drawn out.
Ryan Gosling stars as Ryland Grace, a middle-school science teacher thrust into a high-stakes interstellar mission. The film depicts his journey to Tau Ceti, a star 11.9 billion light years from Earth, immune to the mysterious microbes dimming all other stars and endangering humanity’s future.
Grace awakens from a year-long coma aboard the starship Hail Mary, grappling with amnesia in zero gravity. Flashbacks reveal his recruitment by mission director Eva Stratt (Sandra Hüller), a stern bureaucrat who values his past as a brilliant molecular biologist. With no family or close ties, he becomes the ideal candidate for a one-way trip.
The ship carries enough power for the outbound voyage but not the return, forcing Grace to confront potential self-sacrifice. He soon discovers a companion: a rock-like, spider-shaped alien named Rocky, dispatched to save its own species. What begins as tense sci-fi evolves into slapstick comedy, evoking an odd-couple adventure amid the stars.
At over two and a half hours, the runtime exceeds Gosling’s previous space role in First Man (2018), a taut true story of the moon landings. Like The Martian (2015), it leans on a lone hero’s charisma, yet the pacing tests endurance. Early screenings draw laughter and praise, though some viewers find it overly extended.
Midwinter Break (12, 90 mins)
Verdict: Thoughtful and compelling despite slow pace.
Lesley Manville portrays Stella, a devout Catholic scarred by past injuries from the Troubles in Belfast. Now emotionally confined in her marriage to retired architect Gerry (Ciarán Hinds), who favors whiskey over faith, she travels to Amsterdam. There, Stella contemplates joining a community of women, sparking a pivotal shift in their longstanding bond.
Polly Findlay’s adaptation of Bernard MacLaverty’s novel delivers exquisite performances and keen observation, maintaining engagement through its concise length.
Also Showing
Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come (15, 108 mins)
This gore-filled sequel reunites Samara Weaving as Grace, handcuffed to her estranged sister Faith (Kathryn Newton) while evading hunters from Satan-worshipping families in a sprawling mansion. The deadly game promises global control to the victor. Sarah Michelle Gellar, Elijah Wood, and David Cronenberg appear in the chaotic thriller, blending reality TV excess with graphic violence. The 15 rating raises questions amid its intense depictions.
Broken English (15, 99 mins)
This documentary traces Marianne Faithfull’s turbulent life, from 1960s stardom with the Rolling Stones to her resilient present. Even reliant on oxygen, her charisma endures in poignant reflections on her legacy.
All films screen in cinemas now.
