There were cheers, gasps, droid photo opportunities, casino games and more than a few standing ovations at the jam-packed world premiere of Star Wars: The Last Jedi in Los Angeles, which many are already praising online.

It’s easy to see how magical Skellig Michael captured Hollywood’s imagination, writes John Daly.

Here are the top three films you don’t want to miss this week, writes Declan Burke.

Irish director and former republican prisoner Terry George tells Esther McCarthy about his controversial new genocide drama and his fond memories of Martin McGuinness.

A Hologram for the King 3/5

The X-Men series continues with its latest entry, and it's supposed to see in big changes for the squad. Plus there are some dramas if you're into something alternative and no other big movies looking to compete with Professor X and his crew.

The summer movie season is almost upon us, with blockbusters galore, and some of them don't even have superheroes in them. Not many we'll admit... here's looking at you Independence Day!

Get excited

The final trailer for the upcoming X-Men: Apocalypse has revealed a number of secrets about the characters (that we kind of already knew) as well as a cameo from one of our favourite mutants.

Once on an island far, far away, Star Wars landed on the rocky slopes of Skellig Michael off the coast of Kerry.

Mad Max: Fury Road roared to victory as film and TV critics honoured the best work on the big and small screen.

The Force finally returned to Hollywood as Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Mark Hamill walked the red carpet at the world premiere of the new Star Wars movie.

X-Men Apocalypse is coming, and the first trailer is absolutely epic.

Star Wars The Force Awakens is a film that's going to be a little bit popular, and everyone involved is a huge fan

It is official, Star Wars Episode VII The Force Awakens is going to be in cinemas in Ireland early!

The force is still with the cast of Star Wars.

Star Wars fans hailed the trailer for the latest instalment in the franchise as “spectacular”, with plenty of drama to keep moviegoers on the edge of their seats as they await the full release later this year.

Homes in Kerry at risk due to a number of wild fires in Killarney National Park, Ireland’s TDs have returned almost €140,000 in allowances, a whistleblower nurse motivated by a desire for patient safety and Man City manager Manuel Pellegrini claiming that his side’s season was “not a disaster”. These are some of the latest and most read news on irishexaminer.com this evening.

Oscar Isaac will appear in Star Wars VII and took the opportunity to get some advice from Han Solo himself, Harrison Ford.

Mary Lou McDonald is standing over her decision to name alleged tax evaders in the Dáil, Gardaí have launched a probe into a fire in the Kerry mountains, anti-water charge TD’s have said the Government is bluffing over the Irish Water bill threats and could Sue Perkins be the next Top Gear host? These are some of the latest and most read news on irishexaminer.com this evening.

Ex Machina ****

Sci-fi thriller Ex Machina, Johnny Depp stars as a bumbling buffoon in comedy Mortdecai, New York-set drama A Most Violent Year and Mark Wahlberg plays a professor with a gambling addiction in The Gambler.

Irish actor Domhnall Gleeson's latest is super-smart sci-fi Ex Machina from writer/director Alex Garland - here's what he had to say about the film

After breaking through with The Beach, Alex Garland has swapped the pen for the director’s chair on Ex Machina, writes Ed Power

Warwick Davis thinks 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' is going to be an "amazing moment" for cinema.

Tom Cruise, Hugh Jackman and Simon Cowell have become some of the latest stars to take part in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.

Harrison Ford's injury will reportedly delay the release of 'Star Wars: Episode VII'.

The first 'Star Wars' spin-off film will be made in England.

'12 Years a Slave' star Lupita Nyong'o and 'Game of Thrones' warrior Gwendoline Christie have been announced as the latest additions to the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII.

Domhnall Gleeson is still "coming to terms" with being cast in 'Star Wars Episode VII'.

Months of speculation concerning 'Star Wars', one of the most successful film franchises of all time, has ended as the cast for the latest instalment was announced.

'The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug' leads the Jameson Empire Film Award nominations.

August: Osage County ****

The force of Gravity may be about to exert itself on Hollywood’s awards season when Academy Award nominations are announced today.

From food to fashion, movies to music, our critics reveal their Hot 100 choices for the year ahead.

'American Hustle' and '12 Years a Slave' lead the Golden Globes 2014 nominations with seven nods each.

Justin Timberlake has teamed up with Marcus Mumford to record the soundtrack for the new Coen Brothers movie.

Justin Timberlake has signed up for 'Trouble with the Curve'.

In the mesmerizing noir thriller 'Drive', director Nicolas Winding Refn ('Bronson', 'Pusher') takes James Sallis's eponymous pulp novel and lends it a stylish retro sheen, harkening back to archetypal "lone wolf" films of the '70s and '80s.