14. Tomb Raider (2018) - 3 Mar
Stupid as expected, like the game. But I actually kinda enjoyed it and liked how it followed the game (reboot) somewhat, and the gamey things like the rock axe me the traps and the climbing etc. Even the QTE style escape sequence. Average movie is elevated a little by that.
[5]

I can send our roommate over Shabby, he's a real American and laughs at the weirdest stuff. Might be able to help you out there. Warning, he also likes to talk while watching something, specially when he figures something out about the story.

hylian_elf wrote:

15. The Last Witch Hunter - 3 Mar I should stop just watching any shit on Netflix. Specially shit with Vin Diesel in it. [3]

I liked the world-building and prod design on that one. Fairly blatant attempt to launch a new franchise but I dig the work Diesel's team is doing on this and Riddick etc.
Mary Sueing hard though, but I found it passably entertaining.

Night Train to Munich - Has a similar feel to The Lady Vanishes, with which it shares some cast members.  Radford and Wayne play the same pair of middle-class British gents in a few films, apparently, and they're the scene-stealers here say old boy this Mein Kampf has no cricket in it what what.  It's unfortunate that the miniatures look so miniature, at one point it looks like they've filmed the Playmobil Concentration Camp set.  [6]

Royal Wedding - Astaire dancing on the ceiling is still really impressive and makes this essential.  "How Could You Believe Me..." is the other standout number as I most often prefer the comedic routines over the ballroomy stuff, Easter Parade's "A Couple of Swells" being the high water mark.  I'm not a big fan of Powell's voice but between numbers it keeps up the pace with plenty of charming, silly gags and old man Fred romancing Sarah Churchill, daughter of Winston.  She's a little older than many of Astaire's love interests so it's not quite as creepy when you remember he was born in the nineteenth century.  [7]

The Day the Earth Caught Fire -  Humanity shoots itself in the head and the foot simultaneously, how very pertinent.  I hear 60's British sci-fi and imagine I might have to look past some dated effects and ham but there's no need for such goodwill with this, it's just a great movie.  The dialogue is the star, as the journalists trade cynical jokes and affectionate insults at such relentless pace it's almost exhausting.  The effects sit in that lovely sweet spot where their low tech works in their favour, giving them an otherworldly, impressionistic feel and are helped further by the HD restoration.  [9]

Kazuo wrote:

Millennium Actress The only one of Satoshi Kon's tragically small filmography that I'd never seen, so was a treat to catch this beautiful 4K restoration. A heartfelt and endlessly inventive love letter to cinema, inearly had me in tears by the end.

Always immensely frustrated that Kon died so early as he was clearly an incredible force of nature. I rate his work far higher than Ghibli myself. Much more of a progressive. Miyazaki fetishisizes certain aspects of production in a way that's very conservative - in that predictable Japanese way. 

He makes beautiful films, but the way he is obsessed with naturalism at the exception of all else has a lot of drawbacks. The way Kon's storyboarding transfers into some truly mindbending animation is the kind of thing I can't ever imagine Ghibli doing. They sure do animate a good bowl of ramen being eaten though.

Even something like MA, which is going for a more cinematic and grounded approach still has flights of fantasy so beautifully achieved by animation in a way that film couldn't manage that I am sure has old man Hayao throwing his pens around in rage. "It is unnatural therefore it is a sin!"

25. The Call of the Wild

Reasonably enjoyable adventure although the CGI dog is almost as distracting as Ford.

[6]


26. Dark Encounter

Intriguing low-budget family disapperance mystery which unfortunately starts and ends really poorly.

[5]

I’m watching it with the kids tonight cos they actually want to see it. The things I’ll do for the kids.

Ah that reminds me. I also watched

Pacific Rim Uprising

It was mildly entertaining. But the first film was great and it’s about giant robots smashing giant monsters. It shouldn’t be just “mildly entertaining”

It was a sequel that need not exist

18. Dolittle. Did little for me, but the boy seemed to enjoy it, and the girl was interested for a bit too.

19. Dark Waters. Dark and soapy, and poisonous. Need to throw some pans out, just in case. Good film, didn't know about the case.

20. Jumanji: The Next Level. Mindless trash, but a reasonably enjoyable adventure nonetheless.

17. Sonic the Hedgehog - 7 Mar
Took the kids to see this. Actually kept my attention. Carrey is as annoying as ever, but there was one funny moment and it was mildly entertaining. Kids loved it.
[5]

Blockers was actually surprisingly good. I was expecting something of an Adam Sandler level.

53. Maniac (2012)
Interesting remake sees nutjob mannequin man Elijah Wood desperately seeking scalps. 7

Webbins wrote:

53. Maniac (2012)
Interesting remake sees nutjob mannequin man Elijah Wood desperately seeking scalps. 7

I really like this movie, I think it is made by casting Elijah Wood.

54. Blockers
Entertaining, eager kids vs. overbearing parents, coming of age comedy. 7

Blockers and Booksmart were both great imo.