Argylle

The trailer made it look more interesting, surprise. Strange casting, some unbelievable (in a bad way) performances and dear god I hope there’s no sequel!

So yeah Enemy was fun, and I'm now onto Prisoners, which has started intriguingly enough.  That's then everything post Polytechnique, which you can seemingly only rent for streaming.  

The obvious follow-up will be a BR double-header, and then the first Dune...

Yep it remains top of my DV list

Accidentally side tracked onto Zombieland (again, with the daughter this time), and The Favourite. Both entertaining.

Arrival is an interesting second watch. Knowing the full story you appreciate how brilliantly the emotional beats are woven into the overall timeline. It’s genius. Think I’ve watched it about 5 times now. Still remember how it hit me in the cinema.

Great film. A lot of the dialogue was improvised by actors in character, then cherry picked for the script.

10. Just got back from Dune: Part II and I loved it, it was, for me, so much more engaging than the first film. While Villeneuve can clearly do visuals and world building, there was certainly something off about the pacing of the first movie. He gave more time for the main characters, with Bardem having the most fun, a great character in Stilgar, Butler ridding us of the comical Sting version of Feyd, playing psycho very well and Chalamet was excellent here, growing into the messiah he needed to be. I think I gave the first film an 8, this is easily a 9, bordering on a 10 if it wasn't for the dodgy casting of Walken as the emperor.

11. Aftersun - Two excellent performances really make you believe in a dad and daughter on holiday, viewed through the lens of the daughter’s memories and video-cam footage, it all just felt so natural, not actually acting, though of course they were. I had this underlying sense of unease throughout the film that, having finished it, understand where it was coming from, but isn’t what I thought it was. It’s definitely a film to watch more than once [9]

Edit - forgot to drop Dune: Part II in.

You should recommend every single film that comes out.

My wife noped out of aftersun after about 15 mins, thinks it's shite. I finished and enjoyed it but wouldn't have it near my top list, not because of faults with the film tho.

I think Aftersun is one of those films that stews in your mind and gets much better over time.

Villain must get better over time too because this is definitely at least the third time Nick's watched it.

Moot_Geeza wrote:

Villain must get better over time too because this is definitely at least the third time Nick's watched it.

Honestly can't remember it if I have, only Fairbrass I recall are the RotFS series and the excellent Avengement. Watch this space for updates!

12. American Fiction - Jeffrey Wright on top form as a frustrated writer in an American system obsessed with the "black" experience. It's bang on the money, yes there are funny moments, and the trailer would lead you to see it as a comedy, but there is more emotional heart here than I was expecting and some great supporting performances, with Sterling K. Brown, as his brother being a stand out. I was a bit disappointed with the meta stuff, which, ironically, felt a bit lazy, but then again, I wonder if that was part of the intent, in which case it was genius. [8] or a [9] if I think about it a bit more.

I now really want to see Wright and Giamatti in a film together, I think they'd be great playing off each other, maybe a decent remake of the Odd Couple?

Slightly unexpected Oscar win for The Boy and the Heron. No-one from Ghibli bothered to turn up!

Poor Things beats Barbie to Production Design, ending Maestro’s Oscar hopes.