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Arriving onto our screens at home (courtesy of Netflix) 29 years on since the original 1996 sports comedy launched its star Adam Sandler into the big leagues, Happy Gilmore 2 marks the return of one of Sandler's most well-liked and well-known properties, gifting us a final product that is sure too appease fans of the original while not gaining new fans along the way.

More so an excuse for Sandler and his team that includes original members Christopher McDonald as fan favourite/Gilmore nemesis Shooter McGavin and Julie Bowen as Gilmore's loving partner Virginia (getting one of the films most unexpected moments) to harken back to past glories, mix and mingle with an abundant array of celebrity cameos that matter little to the grand scheme of things, Happy Gilmore 2 doesn't worry too much about crafting a real reason to exist but considering what could've been the end result here is about as mindlessly enjoyable as it could've been.

Working alongside director Kyle Newacheck, who last collaborated with Sandler on the atrocious Netflix offering Murder Mystery, Happy Gilmore 2 kicks off proceedings in a fast-paced and solidly humorous fashion, enhanced by the films secret weapon John Daly as a Gilmore house co-inhabitant, with anyone who regularly quotes or revisits the original likely to enter peak reminiscing nirvana as we go for a trip down memory lane to a bygone era where comedies in this ilk use to be prime movers at the global box office.

Getting looser as time wears on, Happy Gilmore 2 certainly starts to feel the weight of clocking in at just under two hours in length and looking to draw out a very flimsy premise and audience enjoyment is likely going to depend on how willing one is too go along with an increasingly chaotic and juvenile outing but when you consider much of Sandler's Netflix original work, Happy Gilmore 2 is thankfully one of the more watchable and entertaining examples of their lucrative partnership.

Not so much of a film, more so an excuse to live off the good-will of the 1996 original and get as many willing celebrities to come along for the ride (did anyone ever think a feature film would include Post Malone, Eminem and Bad Bunny?), including a bunch of scene-stealing real life golf pros who have a blast at their own expense in the films second half, Happy Gilmore 2 is as slight as they come but by owning what it is and giving its target audience an experience that was too be expected, Sandler and his merry band of off-siders may not have hit a hole in one but they've struck the right amount of energy and good-natured fun to allow Happy Gilmore 2 to come in just under par.

Final Say -

Unlikely to win over any new fans or convince any naysayers of the brand of its worthiness, Happy Gilmore 2 is unashamedly what it is for better and worse as Sandler takes a victory lap of his most popular past achievement.

3 hidden flasks out of 5.

A key moment in the Marvel cinematic universe, one that has gone through a tumultuous period since The Avengers: Endgame came and went with much fanfare in 2019, The Fantastic Four: First Steps sees director Matt Shakman herald in the beginning of "Phase 6" for the media giant that's looking to strike gold with the currently filming Avengers: Doomsday that is proposed to arrive at the end of 2026.

A seemingly cursed cinematic property thanks to the early 2000's double bill of films and the diabolical 2015 entry that many would regard as one of the worst comic book adaptations of all time, Shakman and the wider Marvel creative team certainly had their work cut out for them in ensuring past mistakes weren't repeated here while at the same time convincing audiences that have been burnt by this series in the past that this time was the time where the stars aligned.

Pleasingly for long-suffering fans, Marvel acolytes and those just wanting to watch a fun and fast-paced summer blockbuster, First Steps is a (pardon the pun) step in the right direction for the future of "Phase 6" and while it absolutely doesn't do anything extraordinary, this back to basics like offering that is well-casted, shot and produced is a breezy and enjoyable experience that puts in place a solid foundation for what is too come.

Steering clear of attempting to do another fully fledged origin story, Shakman gets stuck straight into things as we are transported to a retro-futuristic New York in 1961 and the awesome foursome that is Reed Richards ( Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn) are tasked with their greatest challenge yet trying to protect the world from the threat that is Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his loyal offsider Silver Surfer (Julia Garner).

While this stereotypical world destroying threat and battle plays a key part in First Steps, what's impressive about this enjoyably baggage free offering is the fact Shakman is just as keen to allow the family element of this group play out, even more so than CGI spectacle or carnage, an angle that allows his talented cast to take centre stage and First Steps to become more than just another excuse for Marvel/Disney to waste their significant budgets on eye-candy and cameo loaded sugar rushes.

It's refreshing to see a more stripped back Marvel offering, one that has the brands most striking visual palette in some years thanks to the old-school Jetson's like atmosphere and in particular one that isn't obsessed with one liners every other minute and wink wink jokes with the performers natural charms all generating natural emotions both of a frivolous nature and far more serious when the time calls for it.

All doing well with their debuts in the Marvel universe, all casting choices here work well with Kirby and Quinn standing out amongst the Four while Ineson and Garner do a lot with limited screentime, making their respective marks as some of the most interesting Marvel villains to grace the big-screen over the last decade.

Clocking in at under two hours, moving along at a constantly moving pace and even featuring a notable score (very unlike Marvel) courtesy of the legend that is Michael Giacchino, First Steps may not be ground-breaking but this is an enjoyable and polished experience that sets the scene for what is all of a sudden an appealing next era of the Marvel universe.

Final Say -

With an on-song cast, a fun and visually memorable retro-futuristic setting and some impressive villains, The Fantastic Four: First Steps is an easy to like summer event film that continues the Marvel momentum after Thunderbolts.

3 1/2 rock beards out of 5.

Close to 40 years on from its initial release, it's safe to say The Naked Gun needs no introduction.

The brainchild of comedic superpowers David and Jerry Zucker and Jim Abrahams, the trio responsible for fellow genre classics Airplane and Top Secret!, this Police Squad spin-off that follows Leslie Nielsen's bumbling police detective Frank Drebin on a journey through L. A to stop a potential assassination of a visiting Queen Elizabeth II is a laugh a minute exercise that embraces its silliness to achieve memorable results.

Soon to be re-imagined by Lonely Island member Akiva Schaffer with a Liam Neeson starring outing that is starting to appear more and more likely like a surprise winner, this original Gun sets the tone from its opening minutes as Drebin takes it to a room full of plotting world leaders in Beirut before the films opening credits begin to roll over the adventures of a very adventurous police siren, giving its audience an ample taste of what's to be expected from a film that is intent on coming at you thick and fast at every given opportunity.

With every minute of its sub-90 minute running time loaded with a joke (or two), there's no denying that not every joke, punchline or piece of slapstick jammed into David Zucker's film works but the hit ratio found here is one that's far above average and the amount of classic one-liners and situational hilarities on offer makes one wonder little as too why Gun has remained such a timeless comedic classic across all these years, a film enjoyed by repeat viewers and those discovering it for the first time.

Front and centre throughout this unashamedly goofy venture is the game and iconic Nielsen who has an absolute blast inhabiting Drebin on his mission that includes safe practices with Priscilla Presley's Jane Spencer, event filled baseball matches, up close and personal statue interactions and some questionable parking moves.

Once known as a more straight up dramatic performer, it's hard to imagine anyone else in the shoes of Drebin with Nielsen's timing, facial expressions and general presence a major reason as to why Gun ended up spawning a further two follow ups and a raft of imitators all looking to capture the same lightning in a bottle that was found here.

Upcoming reboot star Liam Neeson has his work cut out for him as he takes on the role of Frank's son, here's hoping he can do his legacy proud and prove to us all that there's life still yet in the spoof film that has mostly gone to ground in today's new movie-making climate.

Final Say -

Still holding up with the best of them all these years on from its launch, The Naked Gun may not be for all tastes but for anyone willing to embrace its zaniness and go along for the ride, there's not many better ways to find a boatload of laughs.

4 steamrollers out of 5.