Alex B Cann Film Column - 29th January 2026

Imagine a world in which AI judges decide your fate. I suppose it would be one way of reducing the huge backlog in the court system, and Mercy sees Chris Pratt playing a detective who ends up being tried by the very system he was instrumental in setting up, following the brutal murder of his wife. He has 90 minutes to prove his innocence, and avoid a death sentence, by way of the AI judge's unlimited access to computer databases, phone records and social media account

It's a decent set-up for a taut modern-day thriller. Rebecca Ferguson is shrewdly effective as the AI judge with occasional glints of humanity ("AI or human, we all make mistakes"). The film is by no means perfect, but I liked the premise, set in the near future in 2029. It's twisty enough to keep our interest for the duration, but is also set to deliver Chris Pratt some disappointing box office takings.

H Is For Hawk is a thoughtful, quietly moving film about grief, after Helen (Claire Foy) loses her dad (Brendan Gleeson) and cuts herself off from the world. Her only companion as she retreats from her social circle is a newly acquired goshawk who she names Mabel, takes on and trains to hunt in the wild. Seeing Helen reconnecting with the wider world, and giving a moving eulogy at her dad's funeral, is incredibly moving, and the cinematography in some of the wildlife scenes is remarkable. A subtle, perfectly pitched, brilliantly acted masterpiece, and a really honest look at love and loss. Her dad was at the centre of her universe, and for those of us scared about the prospect of losing our parents, it's especially moving.

No Other Choice follows a man's descent from buying his wife posh new dancing shoes and thanking his lucky stars as the cherry blossom falls from the trees, to losing his job at the paper factory where he's worked for much of his lifetime. The shame of becoming unemployed, and the huge dent to his pride and self-worth, lead to desperate measures as he seeks to take out his competition to finding a new role. There's a perfect mix of slapstick comedy and dark moments, and if you're a fan of subtitled films, this is a Korean masterpiece. It's slick, funny, and full of compelling characters.

And The Rip (Netflix) sees Ben Affleck and Matt Damon as cops who are tipped off about a huge drugs money stash hidden in an attic .There follows a race to count the cash, as phone calls come in warning them to get out before people start dying. Which of the cops can we trust? "What would you do with this money? Everything" is one memorable line. Look out for the 'money dog', who is the real standout star. Enjoyable Friday night sofa fare.

Next week, I'll have reviews of Is This Thing On?, 28 Days Later and a mystery horror film that I'm watching on Monday night.