Wow, did not realise the avalanche was real. Loved that it was all filmed in natural light too, it looked amazing. I get that it might be too long for some though - although I didn't think that. It was so immersive and in a era that I love that, despite the trials of Glass, I love being 'there' for every minute.
20. Unstoppable
Korean 'action' movie starring Don Lee (the big bloke in Train to Busan) who hunts down his wife's kidnappers, who are running a human trafficking ring. This should have been a bone crunching action film and Lee is a great screen presence but it's a wasted opportunity - not that much interesting happens, it's tonally all over the place and is far too long. All in all, pretty shit. 4
I started watching Mother. Can't worked out if it's XBox DVD + my TV, or just the movie in general, but the camera seems all sorts shakey & editing feels a bit weird, vs. the quality of e.g. Black Swan. And the plot is a bit too shonky for me to really enjoy it. So yeah hmm...
What's the deal with Suicide Squad, did they just wipe the slate clean and try again (while keeping some of the cast on)? Considered giving it a go recently but I'm not sure what the deal is (sequel or reset?). Heard the first one was awful but more people seem to like the new one.
20. Moonfall
All you need is some cool and exciting action setpieces and this never really delivered. Even the characters in the scenes seemed unimpressed when the sky was falling down. A shame really as the concept is so silly and fun.
[3]
I noped at it just from the pre-Scream trailer. Looked bad, big budget bad. Armageddon still king of the doomsday blockbusters.
GT: 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
14. Jennifer's Body
Very flawed but still entertaining comedy horror. A demonic Megan Fox sizzles on screen even if the rest of the film does not. An extra half point for the Fox/Seyfried kiss, genuine omg. 7
GT: 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
21. Riders of Justice
Well now. I think I might be in love with Mads Mikkelson. This film has everything that I wanted from 2 hours of cinema. It's got visceral action, it's got genuinely funny dialogue between believable underdog characters, it's got Mads being hard as all fuck whilst also being vulnerable and it's got real, heartfelt soul that made me cry at the end. Absolutely fucking brilliant from start to finish. This film made me want to learn how to speak Danish so I could appreciate it more. Wonderful, wonderful stuff. 10
Didn’t love it quite as much but it really is great. You’re not alone in the Mads love either. Having watched Riders and Another Round fairly close together solidified my love for the man.
The First Monday in May
Documentary about the 2015 Met Gala. You think it’s going to be about fashion and celebrity but the film actually turns out to be about the exhibition design and the logistics of setting up the Met’s biggest ever single exhibit, then the logistics of planning the Gala night. It’s a brilliant film. Second time I’ve watched it and I suspect I’ll do so again.
14. Ed Wood
An odd but interesting number (Burton so maybe a given) that I mostly enjoyed but a few things didn't quite sit right. Mostly it was Depp's performance which almost feels like he's in a different film. It actually reminded most of his Willy Wonka role, similar creepy vibe but felt out of place at times. On the other hand, Landau was superb and would've been keen to see a version with him as the focus. [6]
15. The Remains of the Day
There's great support, both in cast and setting, but this is all about Hopkins. A powerful performance as a man who has spent his life putting duty above everything. The backdrop provides perfect context for Hopkins' inner turmoil and it's a heartbreaking watch but well worth it. [8]
16. Once Upon a Time in America
Well that was a disappointment. Given the reputation I was looking forward to this but what I got was an incredibly dull look at the lives of some low level gangsters. All the interesting stuff was in the background and almost glossed over whilst we get ponderous shots of characters doing nothing, or 5 minutes of a kid eating a cream cake. Given the mammoth running time, there was surprisingly little character development and the flitting between time periods didn't help. It takes more than running time to make a film an epic.
There was a creepy focus on underage girls in the first hour and the continued sexual violence seemed entirely unnecessary. Coupled with awful dialogue almost any time a woman was on screen, there's a really uncomfortable undertone.
Another thing that really stood out was the lack of evolution in technique from Leone's earlier work. Arguably it's a style but felt more like he was stuck in the past. The overdubbing in some scenes was laughable too. And those fucking pan pipes! Massively underwhelming, nonsensical at points. What a terrible waste of time. [3]