Movie Record 2021 Edition
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poprock wrote:I actually ended up using Vere’s thread all through 2019, so let’s do it again.
I liked the short reviews/comments last year. Vere’s rule was a dozen words or less, but I broke that quite often. Some people like to leave scores, some don’t. It’s all good. You do you. What did really work was making a new post every time you watch a movie, then copy/pasting that into your master list at the start of the thread. I’m gonna do that again. Reading the list back at the end of the year was a nice thing.Verecocha wrote:
Gonna record ALLLLLL the movies I watch here this year …
Here we are again. I enjoyed doing this last year as it helped me remember all of the things I had watched and what I liked.
I still can't quite believe some of the stuff I watched was actually at the start of last year.
Anyway, we all know the drill by now.
Here's to watching all those releases that were supposed to come out last year! -
1. Soul
I watched this in a bit of a mood which is a shame because I enjoyed it in spite of that so would have loved it if I was fully there for it. Their rendering and lens tech is off the chain right now. Stunning.
[8]
2. Monster Hunter
If only Paul WS Anderson was good at making movies because the Monster Hunter stuff that was in this was very well realised and matched the games but it was wrapped in a very poorly put together package. It really didn't need the real world element and should have just gone full MoHan.
[2]
3. Wolf Walkers
Very pretty Irish animation that maybe leans a little too much into the melodrama at times but the high points are very high.
[8]
4. Wonder Woman 84
Ooft. Come on DC, time to do better. I was so confused about what and why and more why throughout. All score points are for Chris Pine being charming and funny
[3]
5. Host
A fun Paranormal Activity style Zoom horror that doesn't outstay its welcome and has some effective moments that make good use of the setting.
[7]
6. High Ground
Early 1900s set Australian drama thing that looked stunning but was one-note and plodding in pacing as well as not being very well written or thought out. Bit of a shame.
[3]
7. Sully
A bit overplayed with the villainous NTSB even though their blame game was pretty accurate going from my own knowledge of that world. Solid film, nothing special.
[6]
8. #Alive
Fuck me I hated this, ended up not paying attention to it and doing other stuff. Dumb people making dumb decisions in a dumb and cliched zombie film.
[0]
9. Iron Man
I guess it's time to go through these again. Definitely feels like a film from a different time (hoorah bros!) but RDJ and Pepper carry it.
[6]
10. Saint Maud
Excellent excellent excellent.
Just watch it.
[9]
11. Ju-On: The Curse
Realised I hadn't watched a Ju-On so went for the very first one. Compressed YouTube probably not the best platform but it's nowhere else. Was pretty good but could have done without the cliche horror soundtrack at times. Did a good job with tension and spooks without it.
[5]
12. Iron Man 2
Wasn't as bad as I remembered. Carried by the performances though as it's still fairly pedestrian from a storytelling perspective. Avengers really did change it all.
[6]
13. To All The Boys: Always and Forever
I have an unashamed love of the first two of these with the 2nd somehow being better than the first and now they top it off with an equally excellent 3rd. Just wonderful modern and emotionally mature rom-com writing.
[8]
14. Thor
Saved by some top acting by Hopkins and Hiddleston, it was a good step forward taking Marvel off Earth but it's still largely meh viewing.
[4]
15. Extra Ordinary
A pleasant and lightly funny Irish supernatural comedy. Nothing ground breaking but got some chuckles out of me.
[6]
16. Invasion
Should have read about this before I watched it. Him what did Downfall hired to do body snatchers remake but then butchered by the studio afterwards and action etc added. Woeful.
[2]
17. Triangle
Low budget Aussie pretending not to be Aussie sci-fi ish film. Not bad but not as good as other similar type films.
[6]
18. Captain America 1
I really like this one, it's a fun action adventure film which also manages to make you care for the characters. Well I did. Also, what a cast! Tommy Lee Jones is MVP, just some great line readings.
[7]
19. Avengers
I kinda forgot how much of a step up this film was not only in the scope of the story but also how much better the visuals look compared to all the previous films. Really set the look and tone for the upcoming films. Whedon may be in the sin bin now but he really does know how to write a script and knows effective visual film language.
[8]
20. Raya and the last Dragon
I got really frustrated with this movie. To me it felt rather messy and like they got halfway through making it, realised it was too serious and so tried to lighten it up but unfortunately they Dreamworks'd it. I really don't like lazy anachronistic references in films like this, just commit to your setting! Have confidence! Stunning to look at of course though.
[5]
21. Iron Man 3
The more Shane Black you watch the more you realise he's quite a misogynistic director who likes the word "spaz". He can spin a good yarn but this didn't land as well for me this time.
[5]
22. Sword and the Stone
Been a long time since I'd seen this and I must have mixed it up in my mind with The Black Cauldron and others as I'd forgotten how nothing it is. Really quite cheap and boring. Squirrel part is still weird and overly sad.
[2]
23. Minari
Not bad. I'm liking Steven Yuen's current career trajectory and he does well but the film seems to be made by someone grab bagging from typical drama tropes but not knowing how to really make them work.
[5]
24. Thor 2
Yeah it's a bit average innit. Too much fantasy guff. It forgets that it hired charming and funny actors for most of it. I like the 'meow-mer' moment.
[4]
25. Godzilla vs Kong
Complete and utter nonsense but it knows it and just goes with it 110%. Still too much human stuff really but the nonsense makes it entertaining. Pure big-screen cinema stuff. Got to see it at IMAX and it was loud and colourful and explosions. I loved it, put a big dumb smile on my face right when I needed it.
[8]
26. Captain America: Winter Soldier
It is a solid movie but just a bit too serious for me to really love it. I'm more into the space magic/science side of things.
[6]
27. Guardians of the Galaxy
I'd forgotten how much dialogue in this is exposition. But considering how weird, wacky and new the world is I guess it is needed. Still visually stunning, amazing design work.
[7]
28. Justice League
Well they finally made a serviceable movie. A heavily flawed one that still doesn't seem to understand these characters or what makes these kinds of movies work or why slow mo can be good or how to use music to enhance a film work but it wasn't complete trash.
[5]
29. Sherpa
An interesting look into the madness that is modern summiting of Everest and the Sherpas who do all the work. A bit clunky especially around the unforseen events that happen but still good
[7]
30. Thunder Force
A covid project I think, mostly closed sets and very few extras. Very bland and unfunny except for a couple of moments. Really hate that US improv style.
[1]
31. Avengers: Age of Ultron
I really enjoy this one. It has some clunky storytelling at times and it's peak product placement in a Marvel film but it has some of the best character stuff and cool action too.
[8]
32. Ant Man
Paul Rudd makes anything watchable. It's a shame Edgar Wright didn't get to put his type of pizzazz on this as it could have used it
[5]
33. Civil War
They did a good job with this making you actually believe that these characters could be at odds with each other. Kudos to that.
[7]
34. Dr Strange
Worth it just for Madds
[6]
35. GotG 2
Fun and colourful but I don't think I quite realised how hamfisted the storytelling is throughout. I noticed it with the first too. Probably shouldn't expect subtlety from Gunn
[7]
36. Mitchells vs the Machines
Lots of fun with just the right amount of wacky. Perhaps a little long and a bit of a dip in the middle but definitely worth watching.
[8]
37. Spiderman: Homecoming
Gotta love spiderman.
[7]
38. Thor Ragnorok
The jokes don't land as well on repeat viewings but it's a definite improvement over the self-serious fantasy version of Thor's world in the previous movies.
[7]
39. The Empty Man
I like films that swing for the fences and this one does do that. Just doesn't quite get there even though it's got some good elements and good sequences. I feel like the main thing that lets it down is the Empty Man monster type thing that doesn't fit the film and feels shoehorned in. One scene in particular is really out of place and gross because the girl is supposed to be a high schooler.
[4]
40. Rosemary's Baby
Excellent. One I've been meaning to watch for a while and it held up to whatever expectations I might have had for it.
[9]
41. Isle of Dogs
What a phenomenal film. Every frame of animation oozes effort and love and that snappy pace was so compelling. Loved it. Kinda makes me want to watch Plague Dogs again but I don't know if I can do that to myself.
[9]
42. Black Panther
It's quite a shame that the effects in this movie aren't as great as the usual Marvel fare as I think it's the main thing that lets this one down, that and maybe some more story time for the bad guy to flesh him out more. The visual design and especially the music are great. I think I'd forgotten how good the good parts are.
[7]
43. The Clovehitch Killer
Semi-competent indie thriller about a kid who thinks his dad is a serial killer. Was pretty good throughout but just didn't quite nail it for me, especially the later sections
[5]
44. Infinity War
The opening 20 minutes or so of this is just perfection. The rest is still great but the repeated viewings has taken away from some of the moments for me. Still amazing that it works though, it's a very quick 2 hours 40 minutes.
[8]
45. Backcountry
A couple in a toxic relationship go on a hike in bear country. Was alright considering the obviously low budget.
[5]
46. Spiral
If you were to write out the plot points for this movie you'd have a solid, Saw-style thriller. Unfortunately the execution is garbage. Which is a shame really because I think this story could actually have been good if made well. That Saw music theme is still a banger though.
[3]
47. Les Diaboliques
The next film on my horror podcast. Very enjoyable thriller from the 50s. Possibly a bit longer than it needed to be but it tells a fun story. Good quality version on YouTube.
[7]
48. The Fly
Cronenberg did a good job hiring Goldblum and Davis because they really sell this. A lot leaner than I remember too but there's solid "flesh" action throughout.
[7]
49. Army of the Dead
Abysmal
[0]
50. Ant-Man and the Wasp
I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought i would. First time was probably hampered by coming off of Infinity War. Some really nicely done light comedy throughout.
[7]
51. The Croods
Very typical DreamWorks fare except this time all rather ugly to look at and some very average writing.
[3]
52. Endgame
Now I don't mean this is a perfect film but dang if it ain't a perfect viewing experience after smashing through all the previous films. They really did knock this out of the park in tying up pretty much all the threads and making it a satisfying ending. It got me again even on 2nd viewing.
[10]
53. The Map of Tiny Perfect Things
A twee-er and not quite as entertaining version of Palm Springs (funny that they're both Amazon) but it does enough different and is enjoyable throughout if you're in the mood for another one of these sorts of things.
[6]
54. In & Of Itself
Recording of a New York one-man stage show that's part illusions but mostly something else. Don't really want to say much more about it except that if you're curious you should watch it and go in blind.
[9.5]
55. Quiet Place Part 2
Same problem as the first for me. Love the high concept sci-fi but there's too many moments that require you to not think about it for me to really get immersed in it.
[6]
56. Spiderman Far From Home
A fun movie to go back into the Marvel universe after Endgame. Solid throughout and good action stuff.
[7]
57. Luca
Pixar's need to cram a formulaic story into all of their movies ruined this one for me. Meant there was way too much time spent on characters and stories that just didn't need to be there. Could have been a cute little film about friendship but just ended up being watered down.
[5]
58. Stand By Me
Had to go watch a good film about young friendship straight after Luca. Still holds up and the kids feel like real friends and real people.
[8]
59. Apollo 11
An amazing achievement all round, both the real event but also the restoration and editing of the footage. Compelling stuff.
[9]
60. Fast and Furious 9
I think I might have just seen the bestest dumbest movie ever made. The script is disturbingly well-written. I don't even know what else to say except I love magnets
[1-10]
61. The Tomorrow War
Firstly, why why why are they the whitest family alive. Pratt sure, he produced it, but his wife too?
It was fine really but seems to not know that Starship Troopers, Aliens, ID, Live Die Repeat exist and why those movies work.
[5] cos monsters
62. Black Widow
Felt a little like Marvel making a regular movie, opening credits and all. Loved Pugh as she just sells everything she's in and I enjoyed the rest, but it did feel like a little too late to slot in this story and one that didn't really take the opportunity to give Black Widow a film truly about her.
[6]
63. The Vast of Night
Very confident first film with some cool and fun filmmaking. Was a bit hard to hear some of the mumblecore-ish dialogue but overall I loved it, wrapped me up the whole way through.
[9]
64. Secret of Kells
Really love the kind of flat style of art they do in these plus the beautiful story styling. You can definitely see the similarities with their later stuff, especially Wolfwalkers, possibly to the detriment. Would have been nice to see this when it came out. But still really enjoyed it.
[8]
65. Barb and Starr go to Vista Del Mar
Like most US comedies, it thinks it's funnier than it is. But the constant silliness throughout got quite a few laughs from me so I enjoyed it.
[7]
66. Triplets of Belleville
I'd forgotten how caricaturesque this film was. It does make for a slightly less pleasant watch than The Illusionist which is an all time fave.
[6]
67. Terms of Endearment
I like films with flawed characters like this, makes for interesting story beats and interactions. Also complicates your relationship with the film as you're not sure if you're meant to like these main characters like you are in other movies.
[7]
68. Bo Burnham Inside
A collection of sketches and comedy songs and self-reflections set through the pandemic. I loved this, I thought it was excellent.
[9]
69. Harry Potter 1
I'd forgotten how old school fantasy this is in the direction and storytelling. It's quite quaint and almost refreshing considering how modern films feel.
[5]
70. Nobody
Saul does John Wick. Quite enjoyed this and the simplicity of it, just like the first Wick.
[7]
71. Harry Potter 2
Same as the first in the quaintness but now with more money on screen. I do like how much practical effects they put into these and that set is a fucking stunning piece of craft. Is a bit long though.
[5]
72. Harry Potter 3
Such a crazy change in quality and style going over to Alfonso Cuaron. Was definitely needed as Columbus probably couldn't have pulled off something like the dementors. Still a bit long though.
[7]
73. In the Heights
Lin Manuel Miranda's earlier musical in film form. It's good, the songs as well formed as you'd expect although it's like going back to an earlier album after a band's opus. I like that the film uses film techniques to improve the storytelling. Waaaaay too long though.
[7]
74. Love and Monsters
Really enjoyed this. The first half is better than the second half but it's a fun story with some cool monster design and effects and just enough character work to keep you interested. Pretty much the perfect version of this kind of movie.
[7]
75. When Harry Met Sally
I mean, it's the best rom-com right? Like there's other good ones but this is pretty much perfect. I think it's because it's 1.5 hours of dialogue, no silly gimmicks or scenarios, just 2 people getting to know each other.
[10]
76. Notting Hill
Should probably have avoided rom coms for a while after wHmS but here we are. A film that's 30 mins longer than that one but in which it feels like the two leads barely know each other. Maybe less "umms" and "ahhhs" would have cut down the run time.
[5]
77. Paddington
Still great, still hilarious. Made all the better because it lead to them making the perfect Paddington 2. It's the magical realism elements in this that really sell it.
[9]
78. Jungle Cruise
I enjoyed this quite a lot, there's some cracking one liners early on. Shame it goes a bit Pirates sequels and less simple like the first one or The Mummy. Also less is more needs to apply for effects, or "just because you can, doesn't mean you should".
[6]
79. Censor
Probably would have dug this is a bit more if Saint Maud didn't exist. Solid, confident filmmaking in this and a cool setting. Just done better elsewhere for me
[7]
80. Promising Young Woman
Similar to Nightcrawler I think I liked the performance more than the film. I also think it was telling two different stories and it probably should have picked one. Perhaps harmed by having some story elements spoiled for me too.
[6]
81. Flightplan
Fun idea for a little thriller with some nice Zemeckis style direction. Fumbles some of the story beats and the ending though.
[5]
82. They Came Together
Stumbled on this one, hadn't heard of it. A rom-com spoof film with an excellent cast. Made me laugh a fair few times but it doesn't seem to get what makes a good spoof movie and (to me) that's telling the typical story but silly. If you were to say the plot of Flying High or Naked Gun or Austin Powers they just sound like a regular film of their type. In this one the plot is a spoof too and so the really silly parts don't hit like they should. A real shame because if they'd done that part right it would have been great I think as there's some good jokes in there
[5]
83. Bridge of Spies
Solid, gentle thriller that wasn't as twisty turny as I thought it was going to be. Wasn't amazing but also didn't feel like a waste of time. Made me wonder what was the last truly great Spielberg film. Catch Me If You Can? I haven't seen Munich so maybe that one? Even CMIYC is fairly throw-away ultimately but it's dang entertaining.
[6]
84. Groundhog Day
I've seen this so many times and I only just noticed that the newlywed kid is none other that Michael Bloody Shannon! He hadn't quite developed his intensity at that stage but you can see it a little in his face.
[9]
85. Brittany Runs a Marathon
Brittany is supposed to be a hot mess in this but unfortunately it is the film that is the hot mess. It's all over the place storytelling and editing and lazy shot selection (put a moment of thought into the shot selection my gawd!). Seriously one snap edit jumps a year into the future with no notice when 20 minutes earlier there was a "5 months later" title card. But it was still funny and enjoyable at times.
[3]
86. The Suicide Squad
I thought it would have a bit more joy and fun to it. A bit more sparkle. A bit more inventive and interesting use for the violence instead of violence for violence sake. It ended up being a bit messy and mismatched with its scene flow too, just like the previous one. Bit of a let down really. I guess the Marvel machine really does have better staff writers to mold their stories.
[4]
87. The Mummy
Still great. Made at that perfect time where effects were getting good but only when used smartly and with a mix of practical and CG. It all holds up (well mostly) because the characters are fun and so is the story.
[8]
88. The Hobbit 1
The only real problem for me with these is that they ended up being made as prequels to LotR so, like so many prequels, you get the explanation for how this character got that thing (don't care) and 'hey, remember this shot/moment from those other movies!' (Gandalf 'you shall not pass'ing the boulder with the trolls can get fucked). I don't mind a big epic version of the hobbit but don't take me out of the film with your little references.
[5]
89. Singing in the Rain
It's still great. A fun story and fun characters. Spectacular dance numbers. Would be perfect if that Gotta Dance section didn't go for so long and deflate the pace a bit.
[9]
90. Murder on the Orient Express
Still entertaining on a subsequent watch largely due to Branagh's performance, although knowing the ending does spoil it a bit.
[6]
91. Moulin Rouge
It's so hectic and eclectic that it really shouldn't work. But it does, for the most part. The actors really sell it mostly I think. I don't think I've seen so much 'dropped frame effect' since I last watched Peter Jackson's King Kong.
[7]
92. Malignant
Wan's stuff is usually much better written, better lit, better formed than this. A shame as there's some cool stuff throughout and nice camera work. Kind wish he'd try and push himself and do something a bit different, maybe a bit more serious and less popcorn, carnival ride horror.
[3]
93. The Mummy Returns
The action is more over the top, the mythology gets muddled, and the cg regularly step past what was competently possible at the time. But dang it's still fun.
[6]
94. Sound of Metal
Very confidently made first feature with excellent performances and some original feeling story beats. Didn't get pulled into it as much as I thought I would though.
[8]
95. Candyman
I remember the original feeling like a drama with a horror edge but this was a horror film that wasn't scary with half baked drama and story threads with too much cg. Disappointing.
[4]
96. Paddington 2
It's just perfect.
[10]
97. VHS 94
A definite return to form after the terrible previous one. The framing narrative sucks but there isn't much of it and the fun shorts make up for it. My faves were the last one and 2.
[7]
98. Boss Level
Pretty fun action Groundhog Day. It actually gets better the further it gets into it, once it's done expositioning. It's a shame it's not as good as its best bits throughout because the best bits are very good but the average stuff is very average.
[6]
99. Edge of Tomorrow
It's a very good Groundhog action film. A large part of its strength is in how it fills in details of previous loops without showing any part of that loop. And also the effective use of budget for the action.
[8]
100. Sleepy Hollow
This is Tim Burton doing good Burton. Helps that it doesn't take itself too seriously. Weird pacing stuff and story flow at times though.
[6]
101. Shang-Chi
Crazy to think we have come from Iron Man to this. It's pretty great really. It feels like the Marvel stuff almost gets in the way of the epic Chinese action adventure film
[8]
102. Big Trouble in Little China
First watch for me. What a weird, silly, unique film this is. Really wish I'd watched it as a kid at the height of my Indiana Jones interest as I imagine it would have fit well alongside it. Considering how shlocky it is and how clunky some of the stuff is presented it probably shouldn't work but it really does. I think because it knows what it's doing.
[doesn't need a score]
103. Jaws
Not much to say really. Still not topped in a lot of areas. I love how it proves the direction doesn't have to be quick cut or shaky to be exciting and scary (the Pond sequence is still an all-timer for me) and it shows that you gotta spend time making your characters have some depth.
[10]
104. Antlers
Hooooooboy was this a stinker. Sometimes a drama directors comes to horror and adds a nice layer of humanity to a spook piece and sometimes a non-horror director tries to make a horror and has no idea what makes horror work. You also can't get away with people making stupid decisions anymore, call the police before you go into the creepy death house plz. Please just watch The Ritual instead for something similar about dealing with trauma. Points only for creature.
[2]
105. Halloween Kills
Made it a double feature with Antlers and it was nice to watch something that was competent. Not sure I bought the whole mob thing and I can't help but feel that Michael shouldn't really revel in the pain of his kills which seemed more for the gorehound audience than to aid in the film. I need to rewatch the original but I feel he just 'got the job done'. Some more stupid decision moments in this but Antlers also made them feel less egregious.
[5]
106. The Death of Stalin
I'm always so impressed at Armando and his writing team for how they can write something so dense and sharp. Can they picture the witty flow of conversation as they write it? Excellent
[9]
107. Killer Klowns from Outer Space
For some reason I thought this was a proper splatter film like Braindead so I was kind of surprised when it turned out to be a... kids horror??? It's a pretty bad film really but those costumes and designs are what carries it, they really are creepy.
108. Eternals
I'm sorry but I loved it. It's flawed AF but man it really goes for it. It's amazing how much of a difference real locations makes too, there's absolutely stunning and real effort shots in here. Score is for enjoyment and not film quality. Kumail Nanjiani was excellent.
[9]
109. Christine
Imagine making a movie about a demon car and it being great. Carpenter knocks it out of the park. Except maybe knowing how to wrap it up smoothly, it's a little clunky how it gets to the final sequence even though that bit is great.
[8]
110. The Wolf of Snow Hollow
Jim Cumming's cop character from Thunder Road finds himself in a snowy town with a werewolf(?) attacking people. Well it's not the actual same character but it's basically the same. Some stuff works great - especially the comedy that is timed very well - but some stuff doesn't. If you liked Thunder Road you should like this.
[6]
111. Old
Neat setting but terrible script. I'm guessing it was a rushed COVID production because some of these really seemed like one and done takes and there wasn't the usual careful thought put into the camerawork like other Shyamalan productions. Not a waste of time but could have been better.
[4]
112. The Night House
Bruckner makes a tense movie. This one had me clenched for most of it and it has some stellar moments. I should be mad that one moment is very similar to one in The Ritual but it got me both times so kudos to him. Seems he's making a Hellraiser remake. I think he could do a good job.
[8]
113. Titane
Hmmmmmm, I don't really know what I just watched. As a visceral experience it's fantastic but as a story I'm less sure. I think ultimately I didn't really gel with where the film went after the slick opening but it's certainly had me thinking a lot about it afterwards. God it's so French.
[7]
114. No Time To Die
Enjoyment definitely helped by seeing it on a massive IMAX screen. There's a certain feeling you get with blockbuster Bond. But it's a long film and whilst it didn't drag I also don't think it used it's long runtime in a meaningful way.
[6]
115. The Phantom Menace
Figured it was time to watch all these again. Never done it 1 - 9. Will probably work better as it starts and ends with disappointment but has a nice middle. This started off fine for me - I knew what it was - but then as it went along it really lost my interest. It's just a bunch of nonsense scenes one after the other with no attempt to make you care about the characters. It's really shit. Still can't believe this is what came out after all those years.
[started at 5, ended at 1]
116. Spider-man
Even though I like the Marvels I think this is still my favourite movie version of the character. In the current climate it's nice to watch a superhero film that isn't trying to be anything bigger than a good film on it's own. I still remember how it captured my imagination when it came out. The effects still just hold up too.
[8]
117. Threads
Even after multiple people have talked about how upsetting this is I still didn't really expect it to hit me as hard as it did. I mean it's a 4:3 tv movie! It's amazing how effective many of the sequences are, there's some amazing sound design in it. I realised I was feeling quite stressed and upset at multiple points. Probably shouldn't have watched it when I was already feeling a bit under the weather. It is a bit long though, could probably lose the last 20 minutes to text and snippets and not lose the impact of it.
118. Tremors
Still excellent. Looks amazing in 4K apart from some grainy scenes where I imagine the source film was not great. It still holds up because the characters are fun and the practical effects are really smartly done.
119. Dune
As great as I figured a new Villeneuve movie would be. He just is able to make great creative choices. I especially love how much texture there is in his sets and designs. Music was great here too. I think maybe the heightened high sci-fi fantasy of it maybe put a bit of coldness to it that stopped me from being fully immersed in the film but I still had a great time with it.
[8]
120. Venom 2
Superhero special effects films have definitely been better written than this for a long time. Weird pacing at times too but Hardy is entertaining in the role
[5]
121. We're All Going to World's Fair
Very competent indie with an interesting premise and story, and very good lead that sells the whole thing. An appetite for chill indie indie stuff is required.
[8]
122. In The Earth
I was expecting more Field in England style dream-feel than a regular movie but I quite enjoyed this. He really does have a knack for visceral sounds and visuals.
[8]
123. The Green Knight
Just skirts the edge of pompous but the lush design and cinematography and the performances sold it.
[8]
124. Spider-Man 2
Still boggles my mind that other films at the time never figured out why this one was so good. It’s because it’s more about the people than it is the action stuff. So nice to watch a superhero film that obviously isn’t all green screen studio filmed
[9]
125. Spiderman No Way Home
Very scrappy at times but the best parts of it definitely hit some of those highest Marvel highs. Was helped by being in a packed cinema that was super pumped for it
[8]
126. The Matrix: Resurrections
How can you make a Matrix film and fuck up the action?! The previous sequels proved that that is all you really need. The most disappointing part of it really, the story was fine and the CG was great but man boring action in a Matrix film, sad times.
[4]
127. Encanto
The tech on display in this film is stunning, amazing stuff. Although I think the mouths maybe move too smoothly or something, some aspect of that threw me off. Plus it just never really grabbed me, maybe I was tired or maybe I'm just a little sick of the typical story formula of modern Pixar/Disney animation. You don't have to try and make me cry each time peeps, just tell a good story.
[5]
128. The Matrix: Resurrections
I'd booked myself in to see it twice with two different friends groups as I'd seen every other Matrix more than once at the cinema. Somewhat regretted it after the first viewing but I actually enjoyed it more this time. Knowing the action was garbage I got more into the story and I actually quite liked it. Makes the fact the action is terrible even sadder as it could have been a solid film with that.
[6]
129. Don't Look Up
Pretty well put together satire that doesn't really need to stretch itself far from the real world. 40 mins too long though. Seriously.
[6] -
1. Shawshank Redemption been watching it since 11:30pm in 2020. Wanted something easy to watch that I’ve seen far too many times. Can still quote loads of dialogue. Wonderful story, cast and film.
2. John Carter massive guilty pleasure. It failed at the box office and wasn’t particularly well received, but I just really enjoy the setting. The Victorian sci-fi thing has always appealed. I’m guessing it was growing up watching films like Journey to The Centre of The Earth and The Time Machine. This is a modern take on those films with an enjoyably nonsensical plot.
3. Tenet Nolan doing Nolan again. Enjoyable stuff, good cast, just don’t try to make sense of it and go with it. Smatterings of Red Dwarf Backwards episode throughout. The usual physical set pieces that impress and the usual terribly balanced score and dialogue track. I think at this point he is just mocking the audience with it all. The best part of the film was the first half where he basically made a black Bond film to possibly irritate the gammons, while the world was arguing about Idris he just did. Enjoyable action, nonsense plot.
4. Zodiac - have started this a couple of times and was always out off by the scene at the lake. It’s a completely plausible and uncomfortable scene to watch. Yet what follows is a brilliant investigative story with a top notch cast.
5. Blade - great Marvel action with limited and generally considered use of CGI. This is still a great movie and the second DVD I bought. Just don’t bother with the sequels.
6. The Equalizer - Denzel on top action man form. That first fight scene in the restaurant is great stuff and yes it’s your typical action plot.
7. The Imitation Game - Benedict on top form as Alan Turing, with some solid supporting actors. Certain there was dramatic liberty, but the truth of a hero not being recognised for decades because of his sexual orientation is another British embarrassment.
8. Cloud Atlas - flawed attempt at an epic. There is something about it that I still enjoy having watched it a few times. Broadbent’s caper being the highlight. But I want to like it more than I actually do.
9. 1917 - the war film I didn’t know I wanted to watch. Spent the first 30 minutes concentrating on spotting the clever edits before letting that wash away and watch a genuinely surprising film with no idea about where it would go, enjoying the story and main characters throughout. Glad I missed the hype.
10. Tron Legacy - hated this at the cinema. A kid fan of the original it really felt groundbreaking. I guess I was hoping for the impossible with the sequel. Having watched it again it’s not as bad as I first thought. Visually it’s stunning, but would love to see a 4K/HDR version. Soundtrack is fantastic too.
11. The Equalizer 2 - actually prefer it to the first film, Denzel still being bad ass Denzel, with a hint of Bourne/MI spy/CIA in the mix, simple watchable action.
12. Knight’s Tale - underdog sports story starring the late Heath Ledger, some of the romance in it is ultimate cringe, but it has a nice heart and the British humour takes the edge off the naffness.
13. In Time - Justin just about acting in this enjoyable sci-fi action film playing on the growing divide between rich and poor. It’s been timely for a decade, but seems even more relevant now than when it was released. Cillian Murphy on fine form as a cop with a cool retro car and the lad from Mad Men is always watchable.
14. Sideways - my favourite indie film of all time. Giamatti and Church are amazing in a film that isn’t really about wine, but just about life. Just watch it.
15. American Pickle - definite film where the trailer made the film seem better than it is. Seth Rogen playing a man out of time and his great grandson. Average stuff with a couple of good scenes.
16. City of God - haven’t seen this in about ten years but still holds up as an all time classic. Possibly my favourite gangster film and a great soundtrack.
17. Inside Man - how did I miss this great film. A heist movie with a great story that keeps you guessing. While I did guess the “end” I still enjoyed some great performances from Denzel, Owen and Plummer. And Jodie Foster looked like she was having great fun really playing against type. The supporting cast were also excellent. Brilliant stuff.
18. Greenland - just watch 2012 or Armageddon or Deep Impact instead.
19. The Banker - Apple knocked it out of the park with this film based on a true story about two black men in the 60’s trying to own a bank. Sam Jackson walks his role and Hoult is solid as the supporting cast, but Mackie shows he can act when away from the action man. It touches on the obvious racism but not just that, it’s more about the systems in place to keep the status quo of which race happens to be one factor. Great stuff.
20. The Matrix - been a while since I’ve watched this. The 4K rendition had a lot of film grain, but the Atmos sound mix was excellent. The club scene with Prodigy in the background did not drown out the dialogue with Neo and Trinity. I was expecting it to have aged, but apart from a couple of dodgy comps and the Nokia product placement it’s a very much a timeless film. I think this is thankfully due to limited CGI. The sequels definitely felt that CGI was realistic enough to use. It wasn’t. Despite being parodied a lot the film still holds up as a modern classic action film.
21. The Greatest Showman - got the lockdown blues? Turn up the volume and watch this. Nonsensical fun and that Atmos music mix is *chef’s kiss*
22. Independence Day: Resurgence - terrible sequel. If you liked the original do yourself a favour and don’t watch this.
23. Twilight - trying to understand the appeal. Patts does a decent job. Stewart is terrible.
24. Twilight New Moon - better quality but less fun sequel saved a bit at the end by Sheen hamming it up.
25. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World - been a long while since I’ve seen it and yes it’s style over substance but when the style is this great who cares. Still enjoy all of it and the cameos are great Evans having the most fun I think.
26. Twilight: Eclipse the third film adds more violence and sexual three way tension. Full report in the main movie thread. I even laughed once. Are these films growing on me?
27. Ava John Wick meets Nikita with an ex-alcoholic hitwoman going back home while killing the odd mark. Not as big budget or a good as some of the other assassin films but enjoyable but it gets 2 extra points just because Chastain is in it, yes I’m in love.
28. Justice League: Snyder Cut what did I just watch? Ok positives. Flash guy and Wonder Woman are great. I like Batfleck and shame he didn’t get his own film. But meandering waffle wasn’t needed for Snyder to get his vision across. He just needed to cut the Whedonisms out. Tbh I can’t remember the OG version so have no idea what has been added beyond the pointless epilogue that added 30 mins to the runtime.
29. Haven’t watched this since about 2000, but I always recall enjoying Dark City as a different take on something like the Matrix. The years have taken the edge off what is obviously a smaller budget film than The Matrix released a year later, but a solid cast well acted (apart from Sewell’s American accent) make it better than it should be.
30. Molly’s Game - Chastain again on excellent (and incredibly hot) form alongside a solid Elba in based on a true story about a woman running a very lucrative poker game.
31. Palm Springs - genuine successor to Groundhog Day. Wonderful time loop rom com.
32. Thunder Force on Netflix is a superhero “comedy”. It’s odd, not very funny, but has a couple of moments during the training scenes that are ok. I personally wouldn’t waste your time.
33. Life decent enough Alien rip off with solid cast that does the Alien thing far better than the shite Prometheus and Covenant. It’s weakness is the characters are too normal so you don’t have any empathy when they inevitably come up a cropper. With the OG alien you had a crew of character actors that all stood out. Anyway worth a watch and the alien was very well done.
34. They Live - seems wrong watching this in hi-def. last time I properly watched this was on VHS. It’s a lot slower than I remember and at it’s core it’s still relevant today, probably even more so. And that alley fight. Oh boy!
35. Love and Monsters - homage to Zombieland, Tremors, Stand by Me and any Harryhausen film with some great scenes all wrapped up into a simple but fun short action film that doesn’t seem to get made anymore.
36. When Jeff Tried to Save The World the Sky write up would make you think this is a Dodgeball type film. It’s not. They list it as a comedy. It’s not. It’s more about family and work and what pressure that can put on someone.
37, 38 and 39 - The Lord of The Rings Trilogy in 4K - well that’s a sight and no mistaking. Still a classic. The 4K is a solid rendition that makes it look that little bit better.
40. Page Eight - based on a rec in here. It’s Bill Nighy leading a great cast in a low key British spy drama. Enjoyable stuff, mainly for the sparring between the different characters. Though...Spoiler:
41. Godzilla (1998) - I recall this being one of the early DVD’s and pretty sure it got bundled with my Samsung DVD player. So I usually put it on to show friends the quality of DVD. It starts well enough but soon descends into a farcical mix of carry on meets Jurassic Park. Emmerich must have been on drugs making this.
42. Nomadland - a widow experiences a different life after the town she lived in becomes no more. Emotional and bleak but with some hints of hope throughout.
43. Crazy Rich Asians - fun take on the rom com. Some dubious questions about the morality of the super rich, but don’t think this is the sort of film worried about such things. Just some stupid fun with silly characters, with the female leads friend stealing the show (amazing what women keep in the boot of a car).
44. Army of The Dead - err, one interesting idea in a film that isn’t as good as Snyder’s own Dawn of the Dead. Great opening titles though.
45. Arrival - still amazing and still gets better after each watch. Into my top ten.
46. Cruella - on the other end of the spectrum we have this origin story that no one asked for. Terrible in pretty much every way possible. Gets slightly better towards the end, but that’s taking it from a 0 to 3.
47. The Dig - wonderful performances all around in this quiet measured period piece based on a true story. Curmudgeonly Fiennes is excellent in the lead role contrasting strong against his previous archeologically obsessed character in…
48. The English Patient - three overlapping stories come together at the end of World War II. A take of betrayal, love, lust and loss with Fiennes, Scott-Thomas, Binoche, Defoe and an amazing supporting cast.
49. Enemy of The State - conspiracy fun from Tony Scott this type of late 90’s/early 00’s action flick still floats my boat. Apart from the ridiculous meet cute with Jason Lee, this is just a great example of solid action, plot that twists and turns, and a supporting cast (guys in the van) make it more interesting than it should be.
50. Sicario - on first watch I didn’t appreciate this film. Now one my third viewing and this is just a brilliantly paced film of American corruption and collusion.
51. Clear and Present Danger - the best of the Ryan’s has similar messages as Sicario with the Good Ole US of A getting it’s hands dirty with the cartels. In a film of suspense and intrigue it’s a top director who can make an inkjet printer a tense scene!
52. The Dark Knight Rises - flawed and overlong but still enjoyable and ultimately satisfying end to the Nolan bat films. Usual great physical set pieces that the director is known for and (at least on the Arc) Bane is perfectly legible (especially compared to Tenet mask chats).
53. An Officer and A Gentleman - spoiled a little by it’s up beat ending this is literally a love story they don’t make anymore. Quite gritty and certainly the version on Netflix isn’t what I remember watching on TV when I was younger. The love story is convincing but obviously Louis Gossett Jr steals the show and takes home the Oscar.
54. The Matrix Reloaded - the sequel that disappointed at the time doesn’t feel quite as bad as coming off the original at the time. Some great action set pieces (with some now dodgy looking CGI) and The Architect doesn’t irritate as much as I recall.
55. Up in The Air - Clooney in good form playing the guy who fires you, realising that perhaps life isn’t that great.
56. The Matrix Revolutions - rounding out the trilogy that didn’t need to be. It’s a bit of an oddly paced film that actually manages to be worse than Reloaded.
57. Mississippi Burning - Defoe and Hackman on top form with a supreme supporting cast. A film you’d hope was past history, sadly not.
58. Donnie Darko - Been a long while since watching this. Still holds up as a classic, intriguing time travel tale.
59. Promising Young Woman - Wow. Mulligan is amazing and such brilliant film that switches tack several times without once leaving it’s core message. And Act IIII oof. -
Shawshank is a long ass film.
It feels like you’re doing forty with dufresne. -
In!
1. Double Date
Semi-effective Brit comedy horror lite. Two friends, Alex and Jim, one a virgin, date two sisters, Kitty and Lulu, one an apeshit occult bothering fruit loop. 6.5
2. Bad Santa 2
Billy Bob is still bad in this lesser sequel that still manages to raise a few ho ho hos. 7
3. JoJo Rabbit
Witty Nazi baiting satire. It got more Reich than wrong but just not funny or biting enough to sustain my interest. 7
4. My Bloody Valentine
Apeshit pick axe wielding coal munching miner type party poops small town's Valentine's in this cult 1981 slasher. 7
5. Fear
Marky Mark sulks, smoulders and seduces his way into Reese Witherspoon's affections, but dad William Peterson doesn't fall for his good vibrations in this steamy 90s thriller. 6.5
6. Fifty Dead Men Walking
Taut and tense thriller telling the dramatised true story of Martin McGartland, an Irish hustler who rose up the ranks of the IRA whilst also informing for British Intelligence. 8
7. The Night Eats The World
Dude falls asleep at a party in Paris, wakes up in the zombie apocalypse. Interesting French zombie film dealing with themes of isolation, loneliness and social distancing. 7.5
8. Deceived
Formulaic early 90s run of the mill devious husband wronged woman thriller with Goldie Hawn and John 'Kevin' Home Alone' McAllister's dad' Heard. 5
9. Nightmare Beach
Apeshit leatherclad helmet biker nutjob bothers springbreakers in this entertainingly bad late 80s Italian American slasher cheesefest. 6
10. Jagged Edge
Glenn Close's lawyer defends Jeff Bridges, accused of murdering his wife, in this 'did he didn't he' legal thriller. This came repped but I found it to be a predictable, uninspired, unthrilling snoozefest. 5
11. National Lampoon's Vacation
First in the NL Vacations series sees the Griswolds making a cross country trip to Walley World in this zany cult comedy. 7
12. Short Term 12
Brie Larson's foster unit supervisor juggles her own troubles whilst caring for equally troubled kids in this powerful and emotional drama. 8.5
13. E tu vivrai nel terrore! L'aldilà
Lucio Fulci's The Beyond, bizarro 1981 Italian zombie horror. Chick buys Louisiana hotel, discovers it's one of the seven gateways to hell, shoulda done a survey lol. Not as amazing as its cult status would suggest but some decent scenes of horror to marvel at. 6
14. Free Fire
IRA members meet arms dealers at a Boston warehouse with catastrophic results in this 70s set black comedy shoot 'em up. Not mind blowing but a strong ensemble cast holds it together, featuring the delectable Brie Larson, Cillian Murphy, Sharlto Copley and Armie Hammer. 7
15. National Lampoon's European Vacation
Inferior but still fun follow up sees the Griswolds win a trip around Europe. 6.5
16. Ocean's Eleven
Clooney and Pitt head up this implausible but fun and cool, all star heist movie. 7.5
17. Lucy
Flashy, daft and moderately entertaining Luc Besson sci-fi. Scarlett Johansson is as beguiling as ever as an unwilling drug mule who ingests a super drug. The film however, is an odd mix of lavish effects, action and jump the shark storytelling. 6.5
18. Mamma Mia
Watched at the behest of mother and sister, the things you do for family. Cheesey, campy karaoke 'em up. A thin, inoffensive story stretched over Streep, Brosnan and Co., caterwauling out ABBA's back catalogue. Not a disaster but I question whether sticking pins in my eyes and Gold on the wireless would have been more preferable. 5
19. Breakdown
Kurt Russell loses wife in desert and falls foul of a kidnapping trucker gang. Very solid and effective 90s thriller. 7.5
20. Calm With Horses
Top tier Irish crime drama. A bruising ex-boxer with a soft side has to balance providing for his autistic son with the burden of responsibility of being the goto bruiser for a crime family. Excellent performance by Cosmo Jarvis. 8.5
21. We Own The Night
Joaquin Phoenix and Mark Wahlberg headline this solid crime thriller as a divided family of club manager (Phoenix) and cop (Wahlberg) are drawn together and into conflict with the Russian mob. 7.5
22. Shirley Valentine
Poignant drama about a bored, Scouse housewife who finds a new lease of life on an impulsive holiday to Greece. First watch for me, I really felt the hopelessness of Shirley's plight in the first half of the film, very effective, emotional performance from Pauline Collins. 8
23. Cape Fear (1962)
Dominant performance from Robert Mitchum as the sinister, predatory Max Cady, as he stalks and eyeballs lawyer Gregory Peck and his family. Instantly makes me want to watch Night of the Hunter for another creepy Mitchum showing. 8
24. Villains
Fugitive lovebirds uncover a dark secret after breaking into the house of oddball nutjob couple in this very competent comedy horror. 7.5
25. A River Wild
Fairly thrilling um, thriller that sees Meryl Streep's expert rafter take her family down river to save her marriage, whilst attracting the attentions of bank robbing duo Kevin Bacon and John C. Reilly. Great whitewater action camera work. 7.5
26. Identity
Ten strangers stranded at a motel start getting bumped off and John Cusack leads the chase to find the killer. Fairly entertaining, twisty thriller. 7
27. Game Night
Fun lowbrow flick sees Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams' game night turn into real life mystery when Bateman's bro Kyle Chandler is kidnapped. 7
28. Hollow Man
Paul Verhoeven's slightly creepy direction leads this sci-fi horror as Kevin Bacon's scientist develops an invisibility serum that sends him la la. 6
29. It's Complicated
Gentle and amiable romcom featuring Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin as divorcees who embark on a secret affair. The film could have done with more Lake Bell who is an absolute goddess, Baldwin is good value though and looks to be enjoying himself. 6.5
30. Jumanji: The Next Level
Fun sequel that is an inferior retread of sorts of the first film and carries a lesser impact as a consequence. Awkwafina is a good addition to the line up however. 7
31. The Wailing
Top tier Korean horror. A series of killings and queer goings on in a village draws in a local policeman who finds himself and his family suddenly the focus of some heavy supernatural shit. Long but fascinating and multilayered, a great lesson in storytelling. Big shout out to the intense exorcism scene. 9
32. Do the Right Thing
Super cool slice of 80s hood life written, directed by and starring Spike Lee. Racial tension bubbles up on a roasting day in Brooklyn, centred around a pizzeria. A fusion of music and subcultures and a visual treat for a sneakerhead like me. 8.5
33. In Bruges
Funny yet dark tragicomic drama from Martin McDonagh starring Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson as two hitmen sent to Bruges to lie low by Ralph Fiennes. 8.5
34. Coming to America
Peak Eddie Murphy plays Akeem, an African prince travelling to America to find his bride. A feast of memorable skits, one liners and Murphy and Arsenio Hall's genius cameos. 8.5
35. Coming 2 America
A likeable, modern sequel to the original that is inferior but manages not to tarnish its memory. Eddie Murphy becomes the Zamundian king and must now relearn the message from the original film as he discovers he fathered an illegitimate son in Queens. 7
36. The VVitch: A New England Folktale
Compelling, unnerving and unsettling period debut horror from Robert Eggers. A banished Puritan family encounter an unnatural evil from the woods by their homestead. Great performances all round and a wonderfully authentic script. 9.5
37. I Care A Lot
Scamming legal guardian Rosamund Pike bites off more than she can chew when her old and wealthy 'cherry' proves no easy fruit to crush. This film had me invested at first, Pike is immediately dislikable, but the final third seemed to throw it away and descend into implausibility city. Eiza González plays Pike's lesbian lover/business partner and is a total babe however. 7
38. The Boy
Underrated creepo doll horror. Nanny is employed to look after ageing cuckoo couple's boy, Brahms... who is a china doll. 7
39. Sexy Beast
Jonathan Glazer's stylish crime drama and directorial debut. Featuring a tour de force performance from Ben Kingsley and a solid Ray Winstone turn as a sun soaked retired gangster. 8.5
40. The Tag-Along
Taiwanese ghostly horror based on the Taiwanese urban legend The Little Girl in Red. A promising premise let down by a lack of scares and some ropey CGI. 5.5
41. Bone Tomahawk
Kurt Russell leads a posse to rescue kidnapped townsfolk from a tribe of cannibals in this solid and occasionally gruesome western horror. 7.5
42. The Killing Fields
Powerful, emotional and thought provoking biographical drama chronicling the Khmer Rouge regime based on the experiences of two journalists. 8.5
43. Widows
Solid heist thriller which I didn't realise at the time is based on an 80s TV show penned by Lynda La Plante. A decent update with strong all female protags plotting to cover a stolen debt left by the death of their husbands in a fatal robbery. 7.5
44. Possessor
Brandon Cronenberg's sci-fi psycho horror sees a corporate assassin struggling to disassociate from the minds she inhabits in order to carry out her contracts. A slow start that builds in to a visual and aural feast punctuated by trademark Cronenberg gore and brutality. 9.5
45. Creation Stories
Mildly diverting Creation Records founder Alan McGee biopic. Too scattershot and skimming to be successful. Too much is attempted to be covered in the runtime, it needed better editing and more focus on key events. 24 Hour Party People is a better example of this kind of story. 6
46. In The Loop
Big screen outing of this witty, political satire. Solid performances all round, Capaldi's creative delivery obviously a highlight. 8
47. They Live
John Carpenter's crazy, cool and cult, sci-fi social commentary. Roddy Piper is perfectly cast as the mulleted, muscley drifter who discovers life is a B movie through special sunnies. 'I have come here to chew bubble gum, and kick ass. And I'm all out of bubble gum.' Classic. 8.5
48. My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Two people from across the class divide meet and fall in love, leading to an amusing culture clash in this gentle rom-com. 7
49. Zombeavers
Self-deprecating, mildly entertaining, low budget horror comedy. A group of unlikeable youths find themselves in the middle of the zombeaver apocalypse during a rural retreat. Notable for the Bill Burr and John Mayer cameos that bookend the film on which presumably the majority of the budget was spent. 6.5
50. The Hitcher
2007 remake of the 1986 cult classic with Sean Bean reprising Rutger Hauer's apeshit highway nutjob role. Bean is mildly menacing but the film is an obvious naughties remake that lacks that 80s chiller style. 6
51. Unhinged
Woman gets on the wrong side of a wronged nutjob Russell Crowe during a road rage incident and a dark and menacing pursuit ensues. Crowe does a decent job, angrily chewing his way through the script but after a promising start the film descends into your average psycho chase thriller. 6.5
52. Disclosure
Michael Douglas plays a techie embroiled in a sexual harassment tug of war with his foxy boss and ex, Demi Moore, in this steamy 90s thriller. 7
53. The Final Girls
A group of friends are sucked into a Friday the 13thesque slasher and must make it to the end of the film alive to make it back home. Entertaining comedic homage to 80s slashers with a very touching central mother/daughter relationship. 8
54. The Game
Slick 90s Michael Douglas thriller from David Fincher. Douglas plays a wealthy, troubled banker who is gifted a 'game' by his brother Sean Penn, which becomes an all too real rollercoaster experience. 8
55. The Vanished
This twisty Korean thriller sees a professor bump off his missus using an experimental poison undetectable by autopsy, which is great... until the body goes missing. 7.5
56. Host
The Zoom call from hell. Inventive, unnerving and concise found footage horror. A group of friends hold a group call séance during the Cove and unwittingly unleash a malevolent force. 8.5
57. Summer of '84
80s set, Stranger Things inspired throwback thriller. A group of friends suspect their cop neighbour is the local serial killer and try to find proof. A fairly middling thriller that takes a darker final turn, leaving you yearning for the film as a whole to have had this tone. 6.5
58. In Search of Darkness: Part II
Part two of the 80s horror superdoc. Still an epic four and a half hour nostalgic trawl, if marginally less essential than the first. Still a treat for horror fans. 8.5
59. In Search of the Last Action Heroes
Similar in vein to In Search of Darkness, however this concentrates on the great action heroes of the 80s (and touching on the 90s). Not as epic in scale or as exhaustive in content, the shorter two and a half runtime seeing to this. A good whistle stop tour of the likes of Arnie, Sly and Van Damme, with slightly more offbeat looks at the likes of Cynthia Rothrock, etc. 7.5
60. Dead & Buried
Stan Winston effects driven 1981 horror with a notable early pre-Freddy Robert Englund appearance. A local sheriff investigates a spate of killings and uncovers a sinister, reanimated townspeople plot. 7
61. Relic
Australian psychological horror starring Emily Mortimer. A dark, demonic presence hangs over the grandma of a family that her daughter and granddaughter struggle to comprehend. An interesting film that explores themes of dementia but was just lacking a little more edge for me. 6.5
62. Hellraiser
Clive Barker's iconic 1987 gothic horror. The Cenobites and Pinhead in particular are great pieces of horror character design, although time and my age have dulled their impact over the years. 7
63. Hellbound: Hellraiser 2
A part of me slightly prefers this to the original, it carries a slightly weirder tone and offers a more bleaker, gothic vision, plus Kenneth Cranham's Cenobite is gruesomely realised. 7
64. Ring
I think again time and tide has dulled the impact of this since I last watched many years ago near release. The story and premise is still interesting, Sadako is still a creepy TV bothering chick, however it is a slow burn and the pay off now is not what it was back then. 7
65. Ring 2
A lesser sequel that doesn't really add more to the legend and forgoes shocks and dread to play out like a conventional horror lite. A couple of stand out creepy moments that again have lost impact over time. 6
66. Benny Loves You
A manchild's stuffed toy turns apeshit plushie nutjob in this chucklesome, Child's Play meets Toy Story, zany, lo-fi British comic horror. 7
67. Saint Maud
Powerful and unsettling study of a private nurse's religious fervour whilst in the grip of psychosis. Gripping and original psychological horror debut from Rose Glass with an excellent lead performance by Morfydd Clark. 9.5
68. The Amusement Park
A restored, unreleased until 2019, Romero, short educational film from 1973 on ageism. An old man encounters analogous instances of elder abuse on a day out to an amusement park. 7
69. Bloody Birthday
Surprisingly enjoyable 1981 slasher lite. Three little shits, all born during an eclipse, team up ten years later to wreak murderous havoc in sleepy Meadowvale. Couple of decent kills, little gore but lots of boobies. 7
70. The Mutilator (a.k.a. Fall Break)
Apeshit battle axe wielding nutjob bothers wisecracking vacationing youths in this 1984 slasher. An extra half mark for the final flourish that sees the nutjob's severed torso have just enough life left in it to chop off a cop's leg. Watchable. 6.5
71. Urban Legend
Lame 1998 Scream clone with a lol parka sporting axe wielding chip on shoulder nutjob who uses said urban legends with which to end its victims. 5
72. Promising Young Woman
Carey Mulligan is excellent in this vigilante revenge thriller as a woman, driven by the rape and suicide of her best friend, who lures men into attempting sexual assaults. Very good debut from Emerald Fennell. A strong story, the ending bumming me out as I was very emotionally invested in Mulligan's character. 8.5
73. Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon
Reasonable black comedy slasher mockumentary. A film crew follows wannabe apeshit nutjob Leslie Vernon as he plans to join the pantheon of famous slasher killers 6.5
74. Re-Animator
Blood filled zany horror classic. A brilliant but nutty medical student invents a dead body activating reagent... what could possibly go wrong? 8
75. Terror Train
Watchable 1980 slasher with scream queen Jamie Leigh Curtis and a beguiling David Copperfield cameo. A wronged nutjob wreaks revenge on his college mates during a New Year's Eve train party. 7
76. The Brood
Ollie Reed starring David Cronenberg 1979 psychological horror. A man battles to uncover the link between a brutal series of murders and his institutionalised ex-wife. 6.5
77. Fear Street: Part One 1994
First part of the Netflix teen horror trilogy based on R. L. Stine's book series. Enjoyable and entertaining, with heavy Scream vibes and a couple of decent kills, one in particular very memorable! 8
78. Bride of Re-Animator
Lesser 1990 sequel to Re-Animator. A bloody and madcap Frankensteinesque follow up albeit missing the first film's quality and story. 6.5
79. Fear Street: Part Two 1978
Strong sequel to 1994, this time echoing the Friday films. Camp Nightwing is the focal point as the campmates must survive an apeshit possessed counsellor's murder spree. 8
80. Basket Case
Cult 1982 Frank Henenlotter low budget horror. A man and his deformed, formerly conjoined basket bound twin arrive in New York to seek out those responsible for their unwanted surgical separation. 7.5
81. La Horde
Cops and gangsters must come together to make it out of a high rise alive in this French zombie flavoured take on The Raid. 6
82. Cold in July
Gritty, crime drama featuring Michael C. Hall, Sam Shepard and Don Johnson. The killing of an intruder puts a man into the path of a vengeful father. 7.5
83. The Babysitter
Enjoyable teen comedy horror featuring the delightful Samara Weaving. Young Cole adores his beautiful babysitter but one night unfortunately finds out she is not quite as perfect as she seems. 7.5
84. Frankenhooker
Very enjoyable, zany Frank Henenlotter comedy horror. Hapless inventor Jeffrey accidentally chops his bird up in an automatic lawnmower and rebuilds her using prozzy body parts... and why not? The exploding room of hookers scene is a delight. 8
85. Vivarium
Intriguing and stylised sci-fi social commentary on suburban purgatory. 7.5
86. Basket Case 2
Lesser sequel that picks up from the events of the 1982 original. Duane and Belial are rescued from their plight and integrated into a family of freaks. 6.5
87. Fear Street: Part Three 1666
Trilogy conclusion that explores the origins of the Shadyside curse. Weakest of the trilogy for me, but still an effective slice of entertainment. 7.5
88. Basket Case 3: The Progeny
Basket trilogy dropping off hard, and I'm struggling to recount the events... the continued adventures of Duane and his deformed, monstrous twin Belial. 5.5
89. The Rental
Dave Franco's directorial debut. Two couples hire a weekend getaway that takes a sinister voyeuristic turn when a camera is discovered in the shower. 7
90. Brain Damage
Bonkers Frank Henenlotter comedy horror. Brian is your average guy, but after becoming inhabited by an English speaking, parasitic worm, whose steady supply of trippy, psychotic juice causes Brian to go on apeshit, brain devouring rampages... life becomes far from normal. 7
91. Wedding Crashers
Dated Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson comedy. Some minor chuckles but this is lightweight and questionable in some respects. Will Ferrell steals the show with a cameo. 6
92. Slashlorette Party
Trashy and forgettable modern slasher with no likeable characters. A bachelorette/bachelor party weekend away turns grizzly for the partygoers. 5
93. Edge of the Axe
Pretty forgettable 1988 backwoods slasher with some weird computing theme. Meh. 5
94. No Time To Die
Pretty enjoyable Bond romp and a return to form following the lull that was Spectre. Still incredibly flawed and certain characters are underused and under developed but it has Ana de Armas in it so all that gets a pass. 8
95. The Purge
Mildly entertaining dystopian thriller upon which America celebrates a national holiday whereby all crime is decriminalised for 12 hours. Lacks the initial impact upon rewatches but still an interesting concept. 7
96. Dawn of the Dead (2004)
A successful and entertaining revision of Romero's 1978 original. Some snappy dialogue, camera work and set pieces make this a worthy update. I always like to give this a rewatch every few years. 7.5
97. The Purge: Anarchy
Equal if maybe slightly superior sequel. The action takes to the streets as Frank Grillo and a bunch of survivors navigate the annual purge. 7
98. Body Count (Camping del Terrore)
Bobbins 1986 Italian American slasher of very little note. 4
99. Kingsman: The Secret Service
Entertaining all star action spy comedy featuring Taron Egerton as a chavvy upstart turned into a super spy with the aid of the suave Colin Firth. 7.5
100. The Fog
Creepy and effective, 1980 John Carpenter horror featuring scream queen Jamie Leigh Curtis and the delectable Adrienne Barbeau. A mysterious, eerie fog envelopes a coastal town, bringing with it the vengeful ghosts of shipwrecked mariners. 8
101. The Evil Dead
Bruce Campbell and friends' log cabin holiday goes tits up as they release a demonic spirit that sees Campbell having to survive against his possessed companions. Sam Raimi's legendary zany and gory, supernatural horror. 8
102. The Babysitter: Killer Queen
Weaker follow up sees the original's protag, Cole, witness history repeat itself as he encounters another demon worshipping, nutjob blood cult. Feels like a retread in parts of the first film and suffers from less Samara Weaving who is a total babe. 7
103. Palm Springs
Unexpectedly enjoyable, witty and occasionally touching Andy Samberg time loop rom-com sees two wedding guests relive the same occasion again and again, offering a different spin on this well worn formula. 8
104. The Limey
Watchable Steven Soderbergh revenge flick with Terence Stamp and his mockney accent travelling to America to investigate his daughter's death. 7
105. Bingo Hell
A film title that promised more but didn't deliver. Elder folk defend their local bingo hall against a demonic new owner. 6
106. Halloween Kills
An entertaining and bloody fan service sequel of sorts that doesn't progress the story and feels more of a bridge to Ends, but allows Michael Myers to showcase what he does best, killing. 8
107. Muriel's Wedding
Quirky Australian comedy starring Toni Collette as a misfit young woman who escapes her small town humdrum life in search of something more. 7.5
108. Menace II Society
Iconic and gritty, early 90s hood drama chronicling an LA youth's descent into hood violence and criminality. 8
109. Class of 1984
A new teacher in a troubled inner city school becomes embroiled in battling a gang of bad dudes. Interesting 1982 crime thriller. 7.5
110. Knives Out
Another watch of this well scripted, well acted murder mystery film. Probably still my favourite Daniel Craig performance. 8
111. Hot Fuzz
Always entertaining Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, buddy cop comedy. Doesn't top SotD for me but a strong film nonetheless. 8
112. There's Something About Mary
Still entertaining Farrelly brothers rom-com with Ben Stiller, a show stealing Matt Dillon and Cameron Diaz in her prime cutey phase. 8
113. House
An author inherits his aunt's house after her suicide only to discover the abode's demonic presence in this 80s horror lite comedy that is short on scares. 6
114. The Bronx Warriors (I guerrieri del Bronx)
Stylish Italian American dystopian action sci-fi which sees a young heiress run away to NY's Bronx, a no man's land battled over by various gangs, and a mercenary's attempts to locate her. 6
115. Skinner
90s slasher starring Ted Raimi as a skin flaying nutjob and Traci Lords as a junkie prostitute survivor, out for revenge. 6
116. My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2
Likeable and heart warming follow up to the hit first film, with no surprises another Greek wedding in it. 7
117. Vamp
Quirky 1986 vampire film with Grace Jones in hypnotic form. Two chaps venture into the shady part of town in a bid to hire a stripper to impress frat bros. 7
118. Wrath of Man
Guy Ritchie's most un-Guy Ritchie film ever is a straight up heist action thriller that doesn't really add anything new or stylish to the genre but still remains a worthwhile action flick. The Stath stars as security truck guard with a mysterious past and a mind set on revenge. 7.5
119. No Retreat No Surrender
Camp and cheesy high kicker with a youthful JCVD and some decent fight choreography. Young lad turns table on bullies and organised crime with the help of Bruce Lee's spirit. Apparently fighting IS the answer. 6.5
120. Silent Night, Deadly Night
Frighteningly effective festive 1984 slasher sees young Billy's parent slaying at the hands of a Santa dressed maniac PTSD manifest itself in later life, when he is unwittingly made to don the costume. The deer trophy antler impalement scene is a highlight. 7.5
121. Silent Night, Deadly Night 2
The first movie's events in flashback are leaned on rather too much for the first two thirds, as Billy's asylum incarcerated bro Ricky, escapes to pick up where Billy left off. Picks up in the final third once Ricky gets to killing, including the infamous 'Garbage Day' meme scene. 6
122. Home Alone
Neglected, serial killer pending youngster targets two hapless burglars with which to unleash his repressed sadistic apeshit angst upon in this sick, ultraviolent festive tale. 8
123. Die Hard
Individual performances, set-pieces, script, location, all perfectly assembled to make the complete action film and the best Christmas film. 9
124. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
Neglected, serial killer pending youngster continues his reign of repressed sadistic apeshit ultraviolence against the same two hapless burglars... except this time in New York. 8
125. Die Hard 2: Die Harder
Chaotic sequel is not as taut an experience and with an occasionally scatty plot but still manages to feature some stand out sequences. 7.5
126. Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker
Orphaned teen Billy finds keeping it in the family is a pain as his incestuous protective nutjob aunt causes bother in this fairly decent 1981 slasher. 7GT: WEBBIN5 - A life in formats: Sinclair ZX81>Amstrad CPC 6128>Amiga 500>Sega Megadrive>PC>PlayStation 2>Xbox>DS Lite>Xbox 360>Xbox One>Xbox One X>Xbox Series X>Oculus Quest 2 -
@Crayon just over 2hrs. Easiest time I’ve ever done.
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mistercrayon wrote:Shawshank is a long ass film.
It feels like you’re doing forty with dufresne.
It'd feel long if it you weren't engaged with it seeing as how slow and measured the pace is. But I can't help but get sucked into it every time I watch it
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Yeah, I always forget what I've watched. This'll be handy
1. Forrest Gump
I'm conflicted about this one. On the one hand it's a good story well told with an iconic performance by Hanks and some great moments. On the other hand it's right wing reactionary wet dream about the karmic punishment you can expect if you don't conform to the American ideal and the system that has (and continues to) suppress the majority of its people under. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it. 6
2. Batman: The Killing Joke
Despite the presence of Hamill and Conroy, this animated adaptation was very disappointing. 5
3. Interstellar
Seen this 4 times now and its still as stunning as it was the first time. 10.
4. The Great Outdoors
Not as funny as I remember it being, but still a classic bit of John Candy and the kids loved it. 7
5. Baskin
Turkish horror movie in which 5 cops in a transit van somehow end up in the middle of a black mass and then actual hell. It's as extraordinarily unpleasant, freakish and horrific as a trip to hell should be. I'm not sure I enjoyed it, but it's quite a striking and extremely unsettling watch. 7
6. David Bowie: 5 Years
Doco covering 5 key years in his career, using unseen footage and interviews with him and his closest friends and colleagues. Great stuff. 8
7. David Bowie: The Last 5 Years
Companion piece to the above, using the same format. Touching and lovely portrayal of a legend. 8
8. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
Long overdue rewatch, as the family movie night film. Utterly daft and chock full of quotable lines, it's Brick the weatherman that steals it though. Kids loved it and were crying with lols at one point. 8
9. Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar's Revenge
Functional pirating. Large me want to play Sea of Thieves.5
10. Deadpool 2: Funny and violent. 7
11. Fighting with my Family
Good natured true story tale of a rough as owt British amateur wrestling family who's kids want to make it big in the WWE. A good laugh, but felt a bit rushed towards the end. 7
12. The Other Guys
Interestingly subversive Will Ferrell comedy, rich with laughs and Mark Wahlberg who always surprises me with how good he is at comedy. 8.
13. Greenland
Once I'd got over my incredulity at the fact that I was watching a Gerard Butler film, I really enjoyed this. He's actually pretty good in it, playing against his usual type as an everyman is an extraordinarily stressful situation. Pretty great SFX and some very dark moments make this very watchable. 7
14. Reign of Fire
I remember this being better than it is when I first saw it years ago. Some choice overacting from Bale and some truly incredible feats of fast travelling, but it's all a bit crap really. 5
15. Us
A great premise and performances, but in the end struggles to keep the momentum of an incredible first two thirds and has a. Still, I really enjoyed it. 8Spoiler:
16. Iron Man 3
RDJ does his mumbley sarcastic schtick without a suit of armour for most of the film and it's the better for it. You can tell it's a Shane Black film and the action set pieces are suitably spectacular. 7
17. Stan & Ollie
John C Reilly and Steve Coogan are superb in this touching film about the duo at the end of their careers. 8
18. Central Intelligence
Dumb as a bag of hammers action comedy with The Rock and Kevin Hart. Was poised to hate it but it was actually a pretty entertaining way to pass a few hours. 7
19. District 9
Hasn't seen this for ages and decided to watch it as it had just started on sky. Still brilliant and I'd forgotten just how gory and cronenbergy it is - it's a very strange film. 8
20. Ride Along
Much to my dismay, watched this on Saturday. Rubbish. Felt like it was an action movie that got re-tooled for Kevin Hart comedy purposes, except they forgot to put any jokes in. Ice Cube appears to be visiting from a completely different film entirely. 3
21. Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa
Rewatched this and liked it a lot more second time around. Really funny. "I've got balls coming out of my arse!" 8
22. Happy Gilmour
Stupid and enjoyable Sandler film with the distinction of being actually funny unlike his other 'comedies'. 7
23. Blue Ruin
Aimless vagabond Dwight takes revenge on the family of the killers of his parents in this intense, melancholy but brutal film. Great performances and some grisly scenes. 8
24. Safe
Statham kicks, punches and shoots his way through Russians, Chinese and the cops to save a kid in this brain dead action flick. It's not bad, just very average. 6
25. Zack Snyder's Justice League
Much, much better than the original, I enjoyed this far more than I thought I would. It's too long and is essentially 2 films (or a single 3 hour one) but as a JL fanboy I loved it. 8
26. Little Monsters
Deranged Australian zombie comedy in which a man-child sad sack 'musician', a kindergarten teacher and an unhinged children's entertainer have to protect a class of 5yo kids when they find themselves in the midst of an undead outbreak at a petting zoo. Highly inappropriate, shitloads of swearing, gallons of gore, very funny and really entertaining - plus Lupita Nyong'o looking absolutely stunning. Loved it. 9.
27. The Truman Show
Haven't seen this since I seen it at the cinema. I'd forgotten how good it is and how great Carrey (and the whole cast) are. Plus it's only 94 minutes! Great stuff. 8
28. Safehouse
Surprisingly not shit genre action thriller with Ryan Reynolds and Denzel Washington chasing each other and being chased by everyone else for reasons. Better than I expected it to be. 7
29. Tina
Doco of the life of one Tina Turner. Very good. What a woman. Ike: what a cunt. 8
30. Jerry McGuire
Peak 90s, with Cruise and Cuba on top form - it's aged surprisingly well. 8
31. Save Yourself!
Two Brooklyn hipsters turn off their phones and get away from it all to a cabin in the country, just as aliens invade. Gently amusing and well observed low budget fare. 6
32. Oceans 8
Female cast reboot which wasn't as bad as thought it was going to be. Perfectly serviceable Sunday afternoon heisting. 6
33. Green Room
Hardcore punk band get booked to play a neo-nazi bar in the woods of the Pacific North West. Mayhem ensues. Brutal, bloody and brilliant follow up to Blue Ruin from writer/director Jeremy Saulnier. 8
34. Avengers Assemble
Haven't seen this in ages and this is the first time I'd seen it in HD. It's still a rollicking good time of a film. 8
35. Alien Covenant
Pretty average, but not as bad as some had painted it. Certainly better than Prom. 6
36. Rambo
Stallone looks like a half melted Waxwork as he escorts some idiotic missionaries down the river in this monumentally dumb slaughter-fest which is both incredibly violent and somehow a bit bloodless as CG demonstrates once again that it's no substitute for a good old fashioned practical squib. 5
37. Speed
High concept, highly wooden Canoe Reeves and highly hammy Hopper combine with lovely Sandra Bullock, some extremely daft moments and some great stunt work for a film that's still great fun. 8
38. The Mitchells Vs The Machines
Brilliant fun with some truly eye popping and stunning animation. Also very funny and although it does it heavy handedly (it is a kids film though) it's good to see big Tech getting a shoeing. The sequence in the shopping mall was a highlight. 9
39. Good Morning Vietnam
First watch in about 25 years. It still stands up. What I hadn't noticed about it before is how well it's directed. It feels very documentary at times and very in the moment - Williams is at his best when he's not doing the DJ thing and shows some real chops. Forest Whitaker is brilliant too, as is the rest of the cast. It's made me want to revisit all of the Vietnam war films of my youth, but I've got no idea where to start. 8
40. Inside Out
It wasn't as good this time around but it's still a great kids movie dealing with some big issues with a really great voice cast and it looks stunning in HD. 8
41. The Social Network
I'd forgotten how fantastic this film is and it only gets more sinister with the passing of time. The whole cast nail it, especially Eisenberg who treads that line between obsessional disinterest and actively sociopathic manipulation. Only weak spot is, as usual for Sorkin, the almost complete lack of decent female characters. 9
42. Point Break
The 90s action movie revival continues with one that I had never really rated that much when I first saw it years ago. Why I thought that I don't know, because this was brilliant fun from beginning to end. There's not that much action actually, but it's a great film that's incredibly well made and constantly gorgeous to look at, brah. 9
43. Armageddon
I'd forgotten how much I liked this stupid, stupid movie. It's in the so bad it's good category for me and the combination of grade A cheese, ludicrous set pieces and a fun ensemble cast made it a great Saturday night watch. 7
44. Army of the Dead
Fuck off Zack. 4.
45. White House Down
Absolutely cheese ridden dumb as all fuck action film, but was entertaining throughout and features a surprising amount of hand to hand grunting action. Like, really quite a lot of unnecessary and very noticeable grunting. 7.
46.Tremors
Still brilliant and the kids really enjoyed it. 9
47. Primer
Incredibly low budget and extremely obtuse, but was compulsive viewing even when I didn't know what the fuck was going on. 7
48. Yesterday
Happened to be on and I watched it, but didn't realise it was Danny Boyle! Was better than I thought it would be and despite not being a fan of the Fab 4 it turned out to be an enjoyable way to spend a few hours. 7
49. The Tomorrow War
Dumb as a bag of hammers, but I really enjoyed it. Great creatures and some truly spectacular and tense action sequences. Plus, JK Simmons! A lot to like. 8.
50. Love & Monsters
Despite some occasionally shonky SFX, this was actually quite a charming and fun little film. Then Michael Rooker turned up and it's became really great, then went back to being simply a really fun watch. 7
51. Captive State
John Goodman is part of a pretty good cast in a story that posits the question of what would happen if an alien civilisation invaded and conquered Earth, subjugating the human race whilst they strip the planet of its natural resources. Low budget, with some interesting ideas and sparse but very effective special effects it's not quite as good as it should be, but it's a watchable if bleak movie. 7
52. The Full Monty
Unemployed northerners turn to stripping to make ends meet. Pretty iconic, with a smart & funny script, some quite dark moments and a lot more swearing than I remembered. 7
53. Paddington 2
Joyful, funny, charming and lovely sequel. 9
54. Close Encounters of the Third Kind
I don't think I'd seen this since I was a teenager, but this was an absolutely fantastic watch right up until the hilariously bad aliens at the end. The visual effects for the UFOs are still stunning, Dreyfuss is so watchable as the Everyman who abandons his family and the overall atmosphere of conspiracy, cover up and dread is as compelling as ever. 9
55. The Bourne Identity
Still kicks arse after all these years. Better than Bond, superb action scenes and one of the best car chases of recent years. 8
56. Kick Ass
Hasn't aged as much as I thought it would have and is still a rollercoaster of fun, extreme violence and Nicholas Cage. 8
57. Snatch
Jason Statham can actually act, Stephen Graham in his first film role and Brad Pitt having a whale of a time. It's very funny and I think it's Ritchie's finest hour. 8
58. Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood
One of the best films I've seen in a loooong time. Both leads are amazing and it's possible over of the funniest films I've seen in ages. Sublime. 10.
59. Stir Crazy
Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder in prison break comedy that hasn't aged at all well. First hour is actually pretty funny but then it falls off a cliff and gets very boring very quickly. One best left in the past. 5
60. The Gentlemen
Entertaining Guy Ritchie crime caper with a pretty great cast, the usual complicated twisty turny plot but a surprising lack of laughs. Decent enough. 7
61. Black Widow
Better than I thought it was going to be and a great send off for ScarJo. Bonus points for having David Harbor in it too. 7
62. The Bourne Supremacy
Still great, still makes Bond look like a geriatric joke. Greengrass directs like he's on fire and looking for a pond to jump in and that car chase is superb. 8
63. 28 Days Later
What a fucking film - still manages to shock and disturb, with some great set pieces and performances. 9
64. Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice
I'd never actually seen this all the way through before. Whilst it's gotta some decent moments it's far too long, Eisenberg totally fucks up Luthor and makes him a whiny annoying twat and yet again Synder fucks up the basic building blocks of the 2 main characters continuing this time with having Batman gun down loads of bad guys. Not good. But at least it's not WW1984. 5
65. Scott Pilgrim Vs The World
Without a doubt Edgar Wrights best film and I say that as a massive fan of Hot Fuzz. It's a very, very strange film and I can understand why it failed at the box office - but it's that rare thing, a big budget film that doesn't play by the generic rules of that price range and there's nothing else like it out there. Some fantastic cameo roles in it too - Chris Evans and Brandon Routh in particular are hilarious. 8
66. The Untouchables
Loved this film as a teen but hadn't seen it for nearly 30 years. It's still a phenomenal film - the action sequences are thrilling (the train station sequence is a masterclass in tension and choreography), Sean Connery is superb and his death scene is still a hammer blow even though I've seen it countless times. Costner is great and Andy Garcia is brilliant in his first major film role (so cool). Morriconnes score is soooo good and even though some of the sound effects and SFX have dated a bit, it's still an absolute classic from beginning to end. 9
67. Possessor
Finally got around to this and it didn't disappoint. Really creepy and disturbing with great performances by the cast. 8
68. Free Guy
Well that was really fun. Smiled the whole way through and had a great time. Just so charming with a surprising amount of heart. Thumbs up from me. 8
69. Dawn of the Dead (2004)
Thought I'd take a gander at this again as I remember it fondly as being a lot better than a remake of a stone cold classic should have been. It's still pretty good - mainly because it's not recognisably a Zack Snyder film in the way that his recent output is. It's about a million times better than Army of the Dead too, which helps, and is pleasingly nihilistic in it's outlook. 7
70. In The Loop
Hadn't seen this for ages and it's still absolutely one of the best British comedies of the 21st century. Malcolm Tucker really is one of the great creations and there's been enough distance between him and Capaldi in the intervening years that it's still quite shocking how brutal he is. The whole cast are amazing on both sides of the pond.
10.You know, I've come across a lot of psychos, but none as fucking boring as you! I mean, you are a real boring fuck! Sorry, I know you disapprove of the swearing, so I'll sort that. You are a boring F-star-star-CUNT.
71. The Invisible Man (2020)
Not particularly scary, but very tense and effective update of the classic story. Elizabeth Moss, as usual, completely carries the film and is outstanding as the victim of an abusive partner and tech genius whom she flees and who then takes her life apart piece by piece using a state of the art optical projection gimp suit. The special effects are subtle, but really effective, and there's some truly brutal killing along the way. Really enjoyed it. 8
72. The Hunt
Blumhouse hunting humans for sport horror comedy. Better than I expected, although it somehow manages to be both endearingly completely aware of itself bit also really smug about it's politics. At times it's incredibly blunt and obvious, with some really clunky woke stuff in it with is total eye-rolling nonsense. But then someone explodes and it gets fun again. Having watched The Leftovers recently, I'm astonished that Lindelof wrote such terrible dialogue. Saved by the central performance of the 'heroine', who deserves her own character spin off. 6
73. Shang-Chi
Loved it. Fight choreography was brilliant and it was just a big, daft action fantasy. Perfect Sunday afternoon fare. 8
74. Chaos Walking
Doug Liman directed this sci-fi action adventure that looks like it's suffered at the hands of the studio, because he's a reliable enough director to have made this a better film than it is. Not to say that it's rubbish - I actually quite enjoyed it. Great cast - with Tom Holland, Daisy Ridley and Mads - but it feels rushed and a bit messy, the pacing is all over the place and it actually could've used a bit more time to breathe a little with the interesting concept. 6
75. The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs
This is the first Coen brothers film I've seen in ages and I loved it. Some great little stories, with the title tale and Tom Waites prospector stealing the show - along with the stunning cinematography. 8
76. Dredd
It's a tragedy that there won't be more of these films, because Urban as Dredd is superb and the faithfulness of the vision of MC1 is astounding. I saw this at the cinema and was blown away and every time i watch it I love it even more. 9
77. The Vast of Night
Had no idea what to expect with this and was seriously impressed by it, particularly as it sitting l apparently only cost $700k to make. Great atmosphere, performances and outstanding direction create some really magical moments of tension, excitement and dread. Superb stuff. 9
78. Zombieland
Just great fun from start to finish - from Eisenbergs neurotic narration, to Woody Harrelsons deranged redneck and that superb cameo it zips along and never outstays it's welcome. 8
79. Home Alone
The Don of Xmas movies. Best last 45 minutes of slapstick violence on the history of kids movies. 9
80. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Still makes me laugh every time I watch it. From Clark getting hit in the face by the loft ladders, to Todd and Margot's doomed yuppies it's a great 90 minutes. 10
81. Die Hard
Rickman has never looked better and the last 30 minutes are a masterclass in action and tension. 10
82. Muppets Christmas Carol
This gets better every time I watch it. 9
83. Zombieland Double Tap
Wasn't expecting much as I'd heard it was a poor sequel to a great film, but I really really enjoyed it. It was as funny and violent as the first one and really revelled in its own ludicrousness. Great fun. 8
84. Godzilla: King of the Monsters
Better than I expected it to be and visually absolutely stunning at times - but it was too long and when stuff was happening, it seemed to take ages to happen with scenes being 30-60 seconds longer than they needed to be. 6
85. Commando
Peak 80s b-movie action nonsense. 7
86. Don't Look Up
Well, now. I cannot understand some of the negative reviews that this has been getting - it was absolutely tremendous. A real gem from start to finish - smart, funny and terrifyingly believable. 9
87. Paddington 2
Brilliant sequel that betters the first one by being a pretty much perfect family film with some great performances and a real heart. Hugh Grant is a superb baddie and Brendan Gleasons pronunciation of 'marmalade' gets me every time. 10
88. Luca
Pixar do it again with a touching, visually stunning coming of age story that had me in tears by the end. 9
89. Spider-Man: No Way Home
Loved it. Spectacular action in not only the best live action Spidey film but one of the best MCU films so far. It's the closest they've made it to what my 12yo comic reading self wanted from a film. Joyous stuff. 10Gamertag: gremill -
Looked on with envy last year so I'm in.Live, PSN & WiiU: Yippeekiyey -
74 movies in 2020. Let’s see how 2021 pans out...
1. Soul - 2 Jan
That Pixar goodness. Fun to watch, funny, and good messages.
[8]
2. Mirai - 4 Jan
Average anime about a toddler/young boy who is jealous of his new baby sister but learns to love his family.
[5]
3. Destroy All Monsters - 13 Jan
You can see the extra budget thrown at this and the additional production values that bought. But it still ended up being a simple alien invasion monster movie aso hear the additional themes Honda wanted to explore had to be cut due to budget reasons. But it was an enjoyable romp with a great all out battle at the end with Godzilla & Co. vs. Ghidora.
[6]
4. All Monsters Attack - 16 Jan
A different kind of film and mostly light-hearted. Little boy being bullied uses dreams of monsters to spur himself and grow in confidence etc. Misses the mark though.
[4]
5. Godzilla vs. Hedorah - 6 Feb
Mostly enjoyable one, this, with better effects. Strong environmental message. Theme for Godzilla wasn’t great and there’s still a little silliness in how the monsters act/attack/move, but far better than last few films. A drawn out final battle brings it down a little, but otherwise one of the better films.
[6]
6. Princess Mononoke - 16 Feb
Not seen this in something like 20 years, but yikes! A bit violent for the kids and scary/freaks for my 7yo in a couple of places. But it didn’t disappoint. As good as I remember it to be with that wonderful music.
[9]
7. Saint Maud - 18 Feb
A brilliantly directed, shot and edited British psychological horror about a nurse who recently found God. Some genuinely outstanding shots. Highly recommended.
[9]
8. Rocky II - 19 Feb
Never seen any but the first. All on Amazon Prime, so why not? Enjoyable, fight was still shit.
[7]
9. Arrival - 20 Feb
Vileneuve does beautiful alien contact film. Wish I had seen it in the cinema.
[8]
10. Hustlers - 27 Feb
Enjoyable film about a downtrodden stripper trying to make ends meet and makes friends. And money.
[7]
11. Moonlight - 28 Feb
Utterly brilliant, devastating and heartbreaking story about a boy growing up in a difficult society and circumstances, trying to find out and be who he is. Had me on the verge of tears throughout the movie. People can be so cruel. Also beautifully filmed.
[9]
12. Rocky III - 4 Mar
Hulk Hogan! Mr T! A shredded Stallone!
[7]
13. Rocky IV - 6 Mar
Surprisingly emotional, but feels like I’ve seen this before. Recently.
[6]
14. Rocky V - 7 Mar
These are getting worse. At least it’s a little bit different to the last few.
[5]
15. Rocky Balboa - 7 Mar
Oh dear. Pointless rubbish. Not even a nice muscly man to look at. Stallone looks too old and the other guy looked like a weed.
[4]
16. Creed - 7 Mar
Seen this before and I quite like it. A couple of great long takes, that first bout was brilliant. Even the boxing was ok.
[7]
17. Spirited Away - 5 Apr
Not seen in ages. So fun and beautiful. Kids loved it. The 2 hours absolutely flew by.
[9]
18. Where Is The Friend's House? - 20 Apr
My first taste of Kiarostami and it didn't disappoint. Found myself being reminded of Satyajit Ray's Pather Panchali although I can't quite place why - maybe it was the story unfolding about and around a little boy, and the images of rural Iran reminding me of my native Bangladesh. Thumbs up and I'll be watching the next two in the trilogy soon.
[8]
19. And Life Goes On - 1 May
A beautiful road movie where a director and his son travel from Tehran to Koker amidst the aftermath of the 1990 earthquake which claimed thousands upon thousands of lives. Described as a blend of fact and fiction, and unusual in its ‘plot’/narrative in that the film before this in the trilogy is actually portrayed as a film whose child actors the lead is in search of to make sure they are ok. If ‘Where is the Friend’s House’ wasn’t enough, this has certainly got me interested in watching even more Kiarostami beyond the Koker trilogy.
[9]
20. Through the Olive Trees - 4 May
This goes full meta and twists the whole narrrative thread even more than the last film! A director picks out a cast and is making the film/documentary that was the last film in the trilogy, which itself was a film about how the first film was a film… erm, yeah hard to put into words easily. Great viewing again, I’m a fan.
[8]
21. Godzilla vs. Kong - 22 May
Perfect popcorn spectacle movie to mark the return of cinema. As expected, story, script, acting, and exposition are all super shit. But I went for the monsters and found entertaining fights and spectacle.
[6]
22. A Quiet Place Part II - 5 June
More of the same cliched nonsense with lots of stupidity, but it was still fun and enjoyable.
[7]
23. As Tears Go By - 18 June
Debut feature by my man Wong Kar Wai. You can see flashes of the brilliance to come, but this is good for a first film with a decent if typical plot, eye candy with young Andy Lau and Maggie Cheung. Bittersweet and sentimental.
[7]
24. Days of being Wild - 26 June
WKW starts hitting his stride, with his first collab with maestro Christopher Doyle and the gorgeous Tony Leung (with a small unexplained appearance). A great film with the intertwining character arcs that became a WKW staple. A sad story that is at times heartbreaking and thoughtful, and it is beautifully shot with great repeating musical thems/motifs. WKW fans will love it.
[8]
25. Black Widow - 18 July
Fun enough, if unnecessary, diversion in the MCU. Gets an extra point cos lots of ScarJo screen time phwoar.
[6]
26. Chungking Express - 23 July
Peak WKW with his second collab with legendary cinematographer Christopher Doyle. Beautifully shot and a kicking soundtrack. His masterpiece is up next.
[9]
27. In the Mood for Love - 28 August
What better way to celebrate my new TV and soundbar than with one of my all-time favourites. Skipping two of WKW’s films from the boxset and going straight to his best film as I just can’t wait to see the new restoration and transfer. And it didn’t disappoint.
Already a beautiful film, it looks and sounds better than it ever did. A perfect blend of audiovisuals and performance of an aching story, it is a true masterpiece of filmmaking.
[10]
28. Shang Chi - 4 Sep
Decent enough and there was enough spectacle to warrant the cinema trip. Great performance once again from a certain Brit actor.
[7]
29. Howl’s Moving Castle - 23 Oct
Another anime sesh with the kids. Beautiful, and decent for the most part, but goes a bit all over the place in final third or so.
[7]
30. Dune - 24 Oct
Massively disappointing, but what was I expecting from a practically unfilmable book? It’s grand enough. There’s a lot of spectacle, it looks and sounds wonderful, although the music is quite overbearing most of the times. So much missing, most of the depth and nuance of the book has been lost or missed out. Shame.
[6]
31. Spiderman (2002) - 25 Oct
My favourite Spidey flick, although I need to see the sequel again to make sure. Watching these earlier ones with the Boy so he ‘gets’ No Way Home, but also because I like them anyway.
[7]
32. Fallen Angels - 26 Oct
WKW does crime drama with interlacing character arcs in pseudo-sequel to Chungking Express. Interesting choice of ultra wide-angle lens and characters up close to the camera, which works really well. Christopher Doyle (he seems such an eccentric fella from the interviews) works his magic again with the cinematography. The movie just falls short of being great - a few of the scenes just went on for too long for my tastes, and one or two of the characters (or how they were portrayed) just didn’t do it for me. To end on a positive - another great soundtrack. WKW is a fan of music and he uses it to great effect in all his movies.
[8]
33. Happy Together - 27 Oct
Possibly WKW's weakest movie for me. I didn't notice any particular shooting style and it didn't look or sound as good as his other films. The first half dragged a bit, but it did get better.
[7]
34. Spiderman 2 - 27 Oct
Definiteley prefer the first movie, but this again fun. Confused the hell out of the Boy with all the scientific mumbo jumbo but he loved the action. He echoed my sentiments on the PP-MJ exchanges and the will-they-wont-they - JUST HURRY UP AND GET IT ON YOU TWO! Spiderman 3 next. I remember being disappointed, the Boy will probably find it fun.
[7]
35. 2046 - 28 Oct
Sumptuous, heartbreaking loose sequel to In the Mood for Love with a bit of carry-on of Days of Being Wild too, with some beautiful original music for the film by the same Japanese composer behind the theme used for ItMfLove. Occasionally a little confusing with all the different characters, and at times a little odd, and I don’t remember liking it all that much on my first viewing many years ago. But having watched WKW’s other films recently has helped me understand and appreciate it more this time round. Not a movie you can go in cold and watch stand-alone without having seen a couple of his others referenced here. Recommended for WKW fans.
[8]
36. Spider-Man 3 - 29 Oct
Bad pacing, too many characters, and just felt messy. Nonetheless, still an entertaining enough movie.
[6]
37. The Eternals - 14 Nov
What a load of meh.
[5]
38. PTU - 4 Dec
My first Johnnie To movie. All taking place in one night in Hong Kong. It has humour, tension, suspense, action, atmosphere, style. Great fun.
[8]
39. Drive My Car - 5 Dec
Slow, ponderous tale of people wondering who they are and whether we know who other really deep inside etc. I think. Difficuly to place, but a very thought provoking movie.
[8]
40. The Amazing Spider-Man - 11 Dec
Garfield is shit. The villain and action is shit. Nice to see Irfan Khan though, RIP. And Emma Stone is gorgeous. Extra point for that.
[6]
41. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 - 12 Dec
Garfield is shit. The villain and action is mostly shit - last fight with Electro was alright, I suppose. Harry is shit. This is worse than the first one.
[5]
42. Spider-Man: No Way Home - 18 Dec
What a ride! Great fun. Some of it doesn't make sense, and some of the scenes dragged a little, but only a little. Otherwise this was so good.
[8]
43. Matrix Resurrections - 24 Dec
I’m sorry. What was the point of this movie, why did it exist? I think there’s a line in the movie itself that probably answers that, something about just making another sequel. I didn’t enjoy any part of this movie at all and it’s full of trash cliches. Even the action wasn’t enjoyable. The movie does absolutely nothing well or new or anything. Only giving it a 4 as I still managed to sit through it all without getting too bored.
[4]
44. Ponyo - 25 Dec
Watching with the kids. I was impressed when I first saw this and still think it’s pretty average. Kids didn’t enjoy it much either.
[5]
45. Punch Drunk Love - 28 Dec
Sander can really act when he wants to. A great performance in a romantic comedy of sorts by possibly one the best directors still making movies - PT Anderson aka the good Anderson.
[8]
46. Badlands - 28 Dec
Malick’s feature debut reminds me of Godard’s own feature debut, Breathless. And that’s as good a comparison as you can get. Sheen is great as a slightly unhinged murderer who takes his teenage girlfriend along with him in a spree.
[8]
47. The Green Knight - 28 Dec
Quite the trip, this one. It’s good, although sometimes confusing and a bit too strange. It does make for good viewing for the sights and sounds, too.
[8]
48. The Power of the Dog - 31 Dec
Really enjoyed this. Beautifully shot and some great performances, specially by Cumberbatch. The subtext running through the film is nicely told.
[8]I am a FREE. I am not MAN. A NUMBER. -
I use the game thread for movies too cos I can't cope with all different places and don't watch enough movies so yeah there boo and hiss -
I’ll take this slot. Top marks to Vere for starting this idea and props to Shabby for taking the reins this year.
Notting Hill
Smug romcom that I’ve somehow never seen until now. Hugh Grant before he learned to act, and Julia Roberts after she stopped bothering to.
The Wife
Jonathan Pryce plays a fêted novelist but his wife, played by Glenn Close, was the actual author of his books. He wins the Nobel Prize and she can’t take it any more. Strong stuff, made to feel like a stage play by not using any musical soundtrack.
Skyscraper
The Rock does Die Hard, but lacks charm. Hey, this has Neve Campbell in it! Even she can’t save it from its own po-faced unoriginality.
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Understated, melancholy drama that’s also funny as hell. Manages to make a lack of resolution entirely satisfying.
Widows
Widows of criminal husbands band together to pull off a heist. Subtle performances, restrained cinematography, and an unnecessary twist at the end. Solid stuff, nonetheless.
The Dig
Period drama framing the discovery of the Sutton Hoo hoard amidst the eve of WWII. Like a warm, comfortable pair of slippers, and Feinnes is excellent as the central curmudgeon.
Hotel Artemis
Jodie Foster runs a secret hospital for criminals. An all-star cast turn up for her attention and Events Get Out Of Hand, as they say. Top-grade bunkum with everybody involved merrily chewing the scenery.
I Care A Lot
Rosamund Pike knocks it out of the park in a pitch black comedy about exploiting the wrong old lady.
Constantine
I don’t give a damn if it’s not faithful to the comic books, this is a cracking film. Doesn’t show its age too much either. Tilda Swinton and Peter Stormare put in particularly good supporting performances.
Made You Look
Okay-ish documentary on (probably) the biggest known case of art fraud to date. A bog-average piece of film on a really great story. Could be done better.
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Really quite good period courtroom drama. Cracking cast. Very few women though, like most things written by Sorkin.
Collateral
Cruise is surprisingly solid as a stone cold hitman who hires Jamie Foxx’s cab. More action towards the end than I remembered.
The White Tiger
This is what Slumdog Millionaire might have been if it was made by Indian filmmakers instead of Danny Boyle. A solid [7] of a movie, telling some home truths about the caste/class system in a fun Hollywood style.
Page Eight
Beautifully paced old fashioned British spy thriller with Bill Nighy and Rachel Weisz on top form.
Turks & Caicos
Bill Nighy’s old school spy goes on the run to a Caribbean tax haven, gets mixed up with Winona Ryder, Christopher Walken … and the conspiracy from Page Eight follows him.
Salting the Battlefield
Final part of the trilogy. Bill Nighy is with Helena Bonham-Carter and up against Ralph Feinnes. Understated, taut, and beautifully done.
Inside Man
Still a great heist movie and arguably Spike Lee’s finest attempt at a mainstream hit. Strikes me on a rewatch just how many details the Money Heist TV show stole from it.
Without Remorse
Hmmm. A Tom Clancy adaptation with too much action and not enough intelligence shenanigans.
American Hustle
’70s glam with the edges worn off. Incredible performances from Bale, Adams, Lawrence, Renner and Cooper, as con artists get out of their depth and the American dream sours.
The Tomorrow War
Like Starship Troopers with its humour removed. It’s a sci-fi B-movie cheesefest starring Chris Pratt, with ‘just about adequate’ written all over it.
Black Widow
Scarlett Johansson and Florence Pugh do Killing Eve with a splash of Captain America. I could have done with more of the Killing Eve and less of the Cap. Perfectly good Sunday evening action matinee, but nothing more.
Escape from Pretoria
Could have used a little more context building, being a true story, but this is a tight little prison break thriller. Daniel Radcliffe manages to carry it and the tension’s palpable. Not bad.
Fast and Furious 9
It’s taken 10 films (including Hobbs & Shaw) but they’ve finally jumped the shark. F9 is a disjointed mess of action sequences barely strung together. Somehow it’s still fun, but it’s objectively rubbish.
Beckett
Not the ‘political thriller’ Netflix say it is, but not a bad ‘wrong man, wrong place, wrong time’ flick. Could do with being half an hour shorter.
The Mauritanian
True story of an innocent man imprisoned in Guantanamo Bay for 14 years. The torture scenes maybe feel too stylised but they shock appropriately. Foster and Cumberbatch are good as the opposing lawyers desperate for evidence to either exonerate or condemn him.
Sweet Girl
Feels like quite a grounded revenge thriller until it, er, doesn’t. Momoa isn’t bad, but the plot jumps the shark quite dramatically.
The Guilty
Jake Gyllenhaal’s performance is outstanding, but his character is an irritating shit. Makes for a frustrating watch, given that it’s almost two hours close up on him alone.
Infinite
Marky Mark Whalberg being completely wooden in a C-tier action sci-fi flick with an inexplicably big budget. Thinks it’s the next Matrix. It’s not.
Free Guy
Amiable, but instantly forgettable, nonsense.
Cruella
Pleasantly anarchic Disney villain origin story with a frankly outstanding soundtrack. Daft, but charismatic. Emmas Stone & Thompson seem to be having marvellous fun in their roles.
Maleficent
Jolie chews the scenery quite well in this live-action fairytale. Better than Stardust, despite its simplicity.
Army of Thieves
A Zack Snyder movie I didn’t hate. That’s a surprise. It’s stupid, but it’s not offensive.
Shang-Chi
Best Marvel film for a while because it’s big dumb fun. Harks back to some of the gleeful joy the first Iron Man and Guardians films had.
No Time To Die
An adequate Bond movie, which is nice after the last two or three being hollow shells of things.
Red Notice
A plastic emptiness of a buddy/heist movie, all surface and nothing beneath. Fun enough to pass the time, but completely forgettable.
Clear and Present Danger
A mid-tier Jack Ryan movie. Harrison Ford phones it in but is still watchable.
Wrath of Man
Not what I expected from a Guy Ritchie and Jason Statham flick. No comedy, no cockneys. A straight-up US gangster/heist movie. Not bad.
Dune
It feels like the book, in exactly the way David Lynch’s attempt didn’t. So it’s a win in my book. Nails the appropriate vibe.
It’s a Wonderful Life
This goes without comment, right? First time I’ve actually watched it on a TV instead of at a cinema.
Into the Woods
First half is still better than the second. It’s all downhill after ‘Agony’. Anyway, best panto ever. RIP Sondheim.
Eurovision: The Story of Fire Saga
All the ingredients are wrong but the results are so right. It’s funny, heartwarming and not actually a pisstake after all.
Jungle Cruise
It’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Jungle Cruise. And it’s as fun as that sounds, while also being as uninspired as that sounds.
Don’t Look Up
Brilliant, darkly funny, and all-too realistic take on how the US would handle an actual extinction-threatening event. Hilarious and depressing in equal measure.
Cloud Atlas
Turns out a bit of time and a rewatch is very kind to this movie. One act of kindness ripples through the ages and affects disparate stories which may or may not be happening to the same endlessly reincarnated souls. A tricky tale, and a magnificent effort at telling it on film.
Palm Springs
‘Lonely-Island-guy-time-loop-film’ in ‘not-shit’ shocker.
Bad Boys For Life
Absolute garbage from start to finish.
Stowaway
A nice bit of smart, calm, quiet sci-fi. Simple, focussed and surprisingly tense.
Falling for Figaro
Netflix rom-com about a girl who wants to be an opera singer. A lot better than that ‘Castle for Christmas’ shite, but still pretty bad. -
I've neglected films since I started smashing the games. Will put a placeholder here just in case I stick to the plan this year (which is 'watch more films'). Tbh I watched more in 2020 than in the three or possibly four previous years combined, but it was mostly fluff selected for the spicific purposes of a synced group viewing with whatsapp texts. In 2020 I doubled my Van Damme count for example, having now seen four things with him in.
-
Watched Room on Netflix. Good film with a dark haired captain marvelPSN - minkymu
-
Also watched Guy Ritchies The Gentleman. Thats enjoyable bunkem too. Not at the level of Snatch of even Rocknrolla but still worth a punt if only for hugh grantPSN - minkymu
-
Placeholder
(Does anyone actually go back and look at placeholders the following year?) -
I've got some corkers lined up to start the year. I probably won't watch any of them.
1. The Apartment (1960). Jack Lemmon lets company bosses use his apartment for extra-marital frolics. Complications ensue. Solid classic. [8]
2. Tenet. Second viewing. I think Nolan just didn't have enough story here to justify a full movie, it feels like the sort of thing that would've made a cool short story. Still, there's some cool set pieces and it looks and sounds great. It's very Nolan though isn't it? I probably though of this as an [8] on first viewing, now it feels more like [7].
3. Beastie Boys Story. Lots of interesting stuff here that I wasn't aware of. A cool ride through the Beastie's history. [8]
4. Memories of Murder (Salinui chueok). Beautifully shot and carefully constructed serial killer thriller. [9]
5. Calm with Horses. Fucking tense with horses more like. Solid enough gritty Irish gangster affair. [6.5]
6. Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai. Feels greater than the sum of its parts. I thought Jarmusch had shit the bed with the tone of this, but the quirkiness grew on me over the course of the film and I ended up really enjoying it. [7.5]
7. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Extended). Not sure I've seen the extended version of this before, probably a bit overlong, it meanders a bit in the middle. Still class, but the pacing felt better in Fellowship.
8. They Live. I mean, objecively this is not a good film. But, what a fucking film! [7]
9. Saint Maud. This didn't grip me, but I did like it. The finale was great, and the build up is retrosepctively solid. Doesn't outstay it's welcome. I probably shouldn't have watched it in the daytime, found it difficult to engage with the middle third. [7]
10. Rocky. I think my memories of this all stem from later entries in the series and famous clips, I remembered very little of it. It was much more ponderous than I expected, kind of a proper character study, especially compared to the later films. [8]
11. The Croods: A New Age. Solid enough Dreamworks fare, the kids seemed to enjoy it. [7]
12. The Map of Tiny Perfect Things. Actually quite watchable teen drama take on theformula. [6.5]Spoiler:
13. John Wick. A long time since I last watched this, it's a very tightly put together revenge flick. It really didn't need any sequels. [9]
14. Days of the Bagnold Summer. Typically British directorial debut from Simon Bird. Watchable (and short). [6.5]
15. Django Unchained. Haven't seen this since release. I think the middle third drags a bit, proper Tarantino self-indulgent dialogue, but the finale rescues it. [8]
16. Whiplash. Such an intense film. Couldn't watch it in one sitting, it was making me anxious! Quality performances. [9]
17. Raya and the Last Dragon. Went in with low expectations, but enjoyed this. Would've been nice to see at the cinema, looks lovely, really nicely animated. Kids enjoyed. [8]
18. Flora & Ulysses. Nice little family film. Doesn't do anything special, but it's enjoyable and well made. [7]
19. Pete's Dragon (2016). Was a fan of the original as a kid, this passed me by entirely when it was released. See above for a relevant review. [7]
20. BTTFII. UHD rewatch. Great, but reminded me that I think I prefer III these days. [9]
21. Snyder Cut. I mean, it's better (I never made it all the way through the first), but it's still a cut below the majority of the MCU stuff, just doesn't feel as well written as it could be. [7.5]
22. BTTFIII. UHD rewatch. Great, but the ending's wonky. Still the best trilogy of family films ever. [9]
23. Tom and Jerry (2021). No. [4]
24. Godzilla Vs Kong. Silly big monsters fighting. Had the opportunity to watch it with the sound right up, was worth it. [7]
25. Sound of Metal. Nice performance from Riz, a good snapshot into coping with sudden and unexpected hearing loss. [8]
26. Promising Young Woman. Solid can’t-hide-from-the-past sociopathic vengeance piece. Does a good job of not revealing too much detail.[7]
27. The Mitchells vs the Machines. Really well made animated post-apocalyptic family adventure from the Spiderverse people. [8]
28. Nomadland. Bleak, almost-a-documentary, but a nice message underneath. [7]
29. Unforgiven. Can't believe this one passed me by. Great performances all round, and some class lines. It's a hell of a thing, killing a man. [9]
30. Gattaca. I thought I'd seen this, but I definitely hadn't. Now I have, and I liked it. [8]
31. Citizen Kane. Kind of expected more given the status of this, but still a really well told story that's still relevant. [8]
32. Nobody. John Wick with a different lead and slightly different motivations. Still a fun 90mins. [7]
33. Luca. Nice Pixar adventure. Nothing fancy but solid entertainment. Kids enjoyed. [7]
34. Girl, Interrupted. Thought it was gonna be One Flew Over... but with a mostly female cast. Was much better than that (not better than OFOTCN ftr, better than some pointless immitation). [8]
35. Starship Troopers. How has this film not aged? Haven’t seen it since VHS days but it’s exactly as I remember it. Would you like to know more? [8]
36. THE Suicide Squad. New Dumb Friends! Fun and gory, enjoyed it. [8]
37. Black Widow. Solid actioner, now special but entertaining enough. [7]
38. Almost Famous. Great film, can't believe I missed this when it came out. Get the feeling there could be a grittier cut, but I'm glad they kept it reasonably light. [9]
39. Batman: The Long Halloween (Part 1). Decent animated Batman, slow, ponderous, dark. [7.5]
40. Vivo. Lin Manuel Miranda totally wants to be Eminem (but in monkey form apparently). Nowt special but the kids enjoyed it. [6]iosGameCentre:T3hDaddy;
XBL: MistaTeaTime -
Soul
Well I loved this. Really really great concept and brilliant script. Shame the kids didn't engage with it.
Not everything is The Best or Shit. Theres many levels between that, lets just enjoy stuff. -
1. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
Its terrible but I absolutely love this movie. The vast majority of points belong to Rickman's panto performance. A point for Sean Connery's Richard Lionheart just rocking up at the end.
7 -
I'll see if I can keep up with it this year.
1. Bad Boys - Haven't seen this since the 90s, when I might have enjoyed it. But it really is absolute shite. None of it makes any sense, the banter is tedious and the main feature of the big action scenes is a load of exploding barrels. *
2. Inside Man
Hadn't watched it since it originally came out. It's pretty great really - expertly plotted, paced and performed. Just don't think about it too much. ****
3. Ravenous
Zombies in Canada. It's got some nice camera work and a does decent line in long quiet bits followed by sudden bursts of noise/violence. But underneath it's still your basic zombie film with all the usual stuff. ***
4. Outside the Wire
One of the Netflix films that's competently made but just feels sort of like a mush of things you're supposed to like. Bit of action, sci-fi, some themes to chew over. Then it ends and on you go. Story by Yescombe, pedalling the same old Hazy ideas.**
5. Us
Just as wonderful as it was the first time. Playful, clever and confident. *****
6. Intouchables
It's a bit of a cliché set up, but it's beautifully written and performed, funny in parts and never overly sentimental. ****
7. The White Tiger
You can feel the slow build up of frustration and anger in this story of a lower class driver serving a rich family in India. And it does a good job of reflecting not only the corruption in the country but supposedly enlightened western attitudes to poverty as well. ****
8. Red
Daft action with a strong cast of veterans having a good time. Enjoyable. ***
9. Magic Mike
Solid Soderbergh about a male stripper who might just be getting too old for this shit. ***
10. I Care a Lot
Rosamund Pike has old people kicked out of their homes and sent into care, legally. Then she targets an old lady with shady connections. It's far-fetched, but it's really about the sheer unstoppable drive of American individualism, and does a good job at getting that across. ****
11. News of the World
Tom Hanks does a Western, getting into scrapes on a journey across dusty plains. Decent enough. ***
12. Constantine
Keanu Reeves dealing with demons and the fate of his soul. Daft really, but it was OK. ** -
JonB woke up with a Power Ranger up his ass -
Bad Boys was bad on release. I’m shocked you even probably enjoyed it in the 90s.I am a FREE. I am not MAN. A NUMBER.
-
Probably the best line in the film TBH.Paul the sparky wrote:JonB woke up with a Power Ranger up his ass -
LivDiv wrote:1. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
Its terrible but I absolutely love this movie. The vast majority of points belong to Rickman's panto performance. A point for Sean Connery's Richard Lionheart just rocking up at the end.
7
Probably my favourite film ever. Did a 'best film ever' thing at uni with a bunch of mates and nobody had rhpot as the best but everyone had it in their top few so much that it won. Best film ever imo.
-
Yeah lets do it, just downloaded 8 obscure foreign films that have been submitted for this year's Oscars. -
nick_md wrote:LivDiv wrote:1. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
Its terrible but I absolutely love this movie. The vast majority of points belong to Rickman's panto performance. A point for Sean Connery's Richard Lionheart just rocking up at the end.
7
Probably my favourite film ever. Did a 'best film ever' thing at uni with a bunch of mates and nobody had rhpot as the best but everyone had it in their top few so much that it won. Best film ever imo.
Sober me takes this back although it is top 5ish for sure. -
Its great fun.
Far better than the Crowe Robin Hood or the one from a few years back with the Elton John lad in it. -
It's better than great fun, come ooon.
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