Road House (2024) Review

Road House (2024)

Directed by Doug Liman

Based on Road House by David Lee Henry & Hilary Henkin

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Daniela Melchior, Billy Magnussen, Jessica Williams, Joaquim de Almeida, Austin Post, Conor McGregor

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
Ex-UFC fighter Dalton takes a job as a bouncer at a Florida Keys roadhouse, only to discover that this paradise is not all it seems.

My Opinion:

Original Road House is a big guilty pleasure of mine & the all-time BEST “so bad it’s good” movie. I adore it plus it’s insanely rewatchable. This new one sadly doesn’t capture its spirit but it makes a good effort & I had a lot of fun with it despite it being unnecessary. Sam Elliott, Jeff Healey, the throat-ripping, f*%^ing to Otis Redding, and the polar bear are sadly missed (but the crocodile was cool, I guess).

Gyllenhaal is good but doesn’t do the “tortured philosophical soul” thing as well as Swayze. The lesser characters aren’t as fun as in the original (for a “bad” movie, the original did a great job with character development). I didn’t mind the change to a young girl & father and I liked Jessica Williams as the Road House owner (who I also really liked in the TV show Shrinking which I’ve just finished). Daniela Melchior is also fine as the Kelly Lynch character (but I missed the loads of hairspray). Although I loved Jeff Healey as the Road House musician & a great character in the original, the music played at the bar in this one fit the vibe well. Sadly, the biggest thing letting this movie down was Conor McGregor. Despite both being “so bad they’re good” movies, I still get thrown out of a film when the acting is just so bad that it’s distracting & that’s unfortunately the case with McGregor. Biggest fail for this film. Well, that & having no Sam Elliott character?! What a stud. 

I’ll honestly never rewatch this one when I can just rewatch the superior original with Swayze (and I do actually rewatch it every December while wrapping Christmas presents as that became a tradition for me after first seeing it that way). But, as far as movies from the disappointing past four years or so go, this remake is honest to god one of the more enjoyable films I’ve seen in a while. Seriously. I miss stupid, fun movies. It put a smile on my face. And I don’t think it ruins the Swayze film, as enough was changed for it to not feel like an exact copy. A remake of a favorite that actually managed to not piss me off! Good enough for me.

My Rating: 7/10

Violent Night, Candy Cane Lane, Spirited & Family Switch Movie Reviews

Guess I better post reviews for these new Christmas movies that I watched for the first time (rewatched loads of older favorites as well). One of these was pretty good but the rest weren’t the best…

– Violent Night (2022) – Enjoyed this one. Am a fan of Wirkola’s Dead Snow films & thought The Trip was pretty good. I’d say this is almost up there with Dead Snow for me. David Harbour was a good “sick of this shit” but still a nice & caring Santa. Great to see Beverly D’Angelo in another good Christmas film, although as a very different character from Ellen Griswold. Jean-Claude Van Dipshit! Bwahaha! Good, violent Christmas fun. – 7/10

– Candy Cane Lane (2023) – Man they pump out some weird family Xmas films now. To be fair, this was an original idea so I appreciated that & the tiny people were fun. I wish the execution of the story was better. Main characters were underdeveloped & Jillian Bell was annoying. Had they done better with those elements, it may have given this the rewatchability required of a Xmas movie. But one watch is fine for this one. – 6/10

– Spirited (2022) – Well. This was a bit rubbish but I’d feel like a Scrooge to give a Christmas movie a low rating. It gets an extra star for its one good song, “Good Afternoon” (which I guess means “F*^k You”, so I can appreciate that – Bah Humbug!). Ferrell & Reynolds were reliable but phoning it in a bit (Ferrell’s Elf poops all over this). Liked Octavia Spencer’s character, who was pleasant as usual. – 5.5/10

– Family Switch (2023) – Very sad to see Jennifer Garner go from one of the best body-swap films ever (13 Going On 30, obviously) to such an inferior one. Is it the worst one? Maybe not – there have been so many. But some of the jokes were pathetic & the baby/dog thing was weird. Lessons were learned, they all lived happily ever after, and we’ll get another movie just like it again. And again. And again. – 5.5/10

Saltburn, Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse & Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny Movie Reviews

Finally managed to watch four big 2023 releases before the end of the year. Ended up writing quite a bit for a couple of those below, so I decided that I’ll post my John Wick: Chapter 4 review later today. That one deserves a post of its own…

– Saltburn (2023) – I have no clue why, as these “filled with pretty people & trying to be edgy while actually being very shallow” movies normally annoy the shit out of me but I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Isn’t being shallow the whole point? This movie isn’t very deep but I loved the dark humor, especially from Pike, Grant & Mulligan who were all fantastic. 

Those characters were actually the highlights for me (I’m old). Mulligan was funny as hell & Pike’s one-liners were brutal. But I have to admit that Barry Keoghan, who gives me the bloody creeps, was brilliant. And, being old, I don’t know who the hell Jacob Elordi is but he was great too (Yeah, I know he’s in that Euphoria thing which looks like something I’d hate with a passion). I hated all these people SO much. But in that good “love to hate” kind of way. The story isn’t exactly the most original but the characters & the dialogue were fun & I liked not always knowing where the story was going. 

And I still believe that rich people truly are this f*^ked-up & that these movies just like to pretend the characters are an exaggeration. Which reminds me that I absolutely HATED last year’s “rich people suck” movie Triangle Of Sadness & found The Menu very overrated. So, again, not sure why but Saltburn just worked for me in a way that those didn’t. I think it was just much more fun to watch than those were? Fennell’s Promising Young Woman is definitely the better film but I have to admit that I had more fun watching this one. But even though I enjoyed this I can absolutely see why some hated it…

And, Film Miasma, I honestly don’t know what you’d make of this film (strong hatred could be a possibility?) but you really should watch it as you could quite literally use one of your favorite tags…

My Rating: 8/10

– Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse (2023) – I absolutely love the animation style in these films & the characters are great. I’m a bit sick of superhero films but found Into The Spider-Verse a breath of fresh air. While this was still very good, I just far preferred the story in the first film. This one is starting to get messy, which is something that annoys me about the MCU & not what I want from these. We’ll see what the next film is like…

My Rating: 7.5/10

– Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny (2023) – Hmm. Well, I decided after the last film that I’ll just pretend the first three are a trilogy & this film hasn’t changed that. This wasn’t awful but, as with most sequels of the past 20 years or so, it’s just so pointless. For me, it didn’t really ruin Indiana’s character so that’s good at least (that’s more than I can say for the Star Wars sequel trilogy). 

Thought this started out quite well with the sort of fun adventure story I expect from these films. And I loved seeing a younger Indiana Jones again (although some thought that looked terrible it seems but, whatever, I’m old and my eyesight is shit so it looked good to me!). And I really don’t like the little I’ve seen of Phoebe Waller-Bridge so was very worried about her being in this but I found her character… not hateful, at least. But I certainly would have no interest in watching her as the lead character if that’s their idea?

I just found myself literally falling asleep in the middle of this & it took a few tries to get the whole thing watched. And I can’t explain why as it tries to have the same type of story we got in the first three films. But it’s just so soulless? It feels like it’s trying too hard to copy previous successful elements, such as trying to give us a new Short Round character. 

Oh well. I don’t know exactly what this movie is missing but I shouldn’t be falling asleep in the middle of an Indiana Jones film. It didn’t ruin its legacy for me and it wasn’t as bad as I feared but, like with The Crystal Skull, I’m barely going to remember a thing about it in a couple of years.

My Rating: 7/10

Leave The World Behind, The Covenant & Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. Movie Reviews

Ho ho ho! Hope you all had a good Christmas! Mine was bloody awful. Here are three 2023 releases I watched…

– Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. (2023) – Good & realistic coming of age film. Always a fan of this subgenre. Abby Ryder Fortson, Rachel McAdams & Kathy Bates were all great & a believable, loving family. The only unbelievable part was girls wanting to get their periods? Seriously?! They call it The Curse for a reason! Overall, though, I didn’t relate to this one as much as Kelly Fremon Craig’s The Edge Of Seventeen, which I preferred.

Guess I could add this to my list of My Top Ten Period Dramas… – 7/10

– The Covenant (2023) – Not my usual type of thing but this was very good. Great story & characters you actually care about. Really picked up in the second half of the film. A lot of tense action & strong performances from Jake Gyllenhaal & Dar Salim. They worked so well together. Definitely worth a watch if you love a good war movie. – 7/10

– Leave The World Behind (2023) – My expectations were low when I saw this was from the guy who did the extremely underwhelming Comet film but this sounded intriguing. It’s better, mainly thanks to its strange score & eerie mood plus the actors all did well. I appreciated its atmosphere but the story went nowhere & I was a bit “What was the point?” at the end. Liked the Friends-loving daughter, though. I’d probably watch my favorite film as the world ended tbh. – 6.5/10

Looks like a scene from Bambi’s Revenge. I’d totally watch that movie…

Missing, Renfield & Champions Movie Reviews

Three decent 2023 releases today…

Missing (2023)

Directed by Will Merrick & Nick Johnson

Starring: Storm Reid, Joaquim de Almeida, Ken Leung, Amy Landecker, Daniel Henney, Nia Long

Plot Synopsis: (via Wikipedia)
Its plot follows June Allen, a teenager who tries to find her missing mother after she disappears on vacation in Colombia with her new boyfriend.

My Opinion:

Really enjoyed this, as well as the film Searching. Thought being set entirely on screens would be annoying but it works very well. Both have solid stories, which is more important than the screen gimmick. I love a fun mystery thriller! Used to get films like this more often. I miss them. Searching was a bit better but both were very enjoyable & I’d happily watch further standalone sequels.

Oh yeah – just realized that’s the girl who was the friend in The Last Of Us. I liked that episode. And I liked that dude’s character in the below photo.

My Rating: 7.5/10

Renfield (2023)

Directed by Chris McKay

Based on Dracula by Bram Stoker

Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Awkwafina, Ben Schwartz, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Brandon Scott Jones, Adrian Martinez, Nicolas Cage

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
Renfield, Dracula’s henchman and inmate at the lunatic asylum for decades, longs for a life away from the Count, his various demands, and all of the bloodshed that comes with them.

My Opinion:

For some reason I wasn’t expecting this to be the Deadpool of vampire movies but I had a lot of fun with the OTT comedic violence & Nicolas Cage actually being less wacky than usual. Nicholas Hoult was funny & I really liked Awkwafina‘s character plus they worked well together. I love horror comedy, though, so can see this not working for everyone. One of 2023’s more enjoyable films for me.

My Rating: 7/10

Champions (2023)

Directed by Bobby Farrelly

Based on Campeones by Javier Fesser & David Marqués

Starring: Woody Harrelson, Kaitlin Olson, Ernie Hudson, Cheech Marin

Plot Synopsis: (via Wikipedia)
The film stars Woody Harrelson as a temperamental minor-league basketball coach who, after an arrest, must coach a team of players with intellectual disabilities as community service.

My Opinion:

Enjoyed this. Can’t say it’s something we haven’t seen a lot (angry guy is ordered to work with people who are seen as less fortunate & sees the error of his ways & becomes a good person – Holy shit, how many times have we see this?!). But what can I say? I like a feelgood film with genuinely likeable characters & this ticks those boxes. A predictably pleasant watch.

My Rating: 7/10

Starfish, Landscape With Invisible Hand & Bring It On Movie Reviews

Hi All! Done with your Christmas shopping yet? Here are three movies I didn’t hate! 🙂

Starfish (2018)

Directed & Written by A.T. White

Starring: Virginia Gardner

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
A unique, intimate portrayal of a girl grieving for the loss of her best friend, which just so happens to take place on the day the world ends.

My Opinion:

This is the type of indie shit that I love. Weird story with a deeper meaning, some sci-fi, slightly pretentious. Very me. But this didn’t quite work. Liked the end & brief horror, Virginia Gardner was good, music a bit annoying, some experimental scenes didn’t quite work, and the story was a little too nonsensical. But I appreciate films like this being made & always eagerly watch them.

It reminded me a bit of the film Bokeh, although I wouldn’t necessarily recommend that one if you liked this. Maybe. Far more happens in Starfish (although Starfish was way too slow). But absolutely nothing happens in Bokeh. It’s just beautiful and has a similar, melancholy feel to it that this film also had. Plus the fact that most everyone on Earth suddenly disappears in both films. Both are far from perfect & probably quite “boring” to a lot of people, but I still think about Bokeh sometimes & know that I’ll still be thinking about Starfish sometimes. So, yes, I do really appreciate that. 

Oh, and the more obvious comparison to Starfish would be Another Earth. Also a very “me” film. I’d definitely recommend Starfish if you liked Another Earth. Very similar vibe. 

Okay, I just read this about Starfish director A.T. White at IMDb: “He wrote, directed and scored the film. Every cent he makes from ‘Starfish’ is donated to Cancer Research.” Well now I think he’s amazing. The type of music may not be totally for me but this film shows a lot of potential. I’d definitely watch more of his work. And I hope this movie made & somehow continues to make lots of money.

Oh, and this girl was also in the movie Fall which I thoroughly enjoyed even though it was absolutely ridiculous.

My Rating: 7/10

Landscape With Invisible Hand (2023)

Directed by Cory Finley

Based on Landscape with Invisible Hand by M. T. Anderson

Starring: Asante Blackk, Kylie Rogers, Tiffany Haddish

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
When an occupying alien species’ bureaucratic rule and advanced technology leaves most of Earth impoverished and unemployed, two teenagers hatch a risky plan to ensure their families’ futures.

My Opinion:

A strange film that looked very much like the indie weirdness I go for, but it didn’t really work for me. Love the idea but think it tried to make too many different (obvious) points when it could have devoted more time to just a couple of its ideas, giving more depth to the story & characters. But I appreciate its effort & uniqueness. (And I recognised the girl from Space Station 76, a film I loved. She was also in Beau Is Afraid, which I reviewed yesterday. I hate you Beau Is Afraid!)

My Rating: 6/10

Bring It On (2000)

Directed by Peyton Reed

Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Eliza Dushku, Jesse Bradford, Gabrielle Union

Plot Synopsis: (via Wikipedia)
The plot of the film centers around two high school cheerleading teams’ preparation for a national competition.

My Opinion:

Rewatched with the daughter for the first time in years. Holds up fairly well. I still like it, but it could’ve been great as a dark, Heathers-style comedy. I like the routines. I was a cheerleader in high school, which is hilarious to anyone who knows me as I’m the LEAST cheerful & MOST introverted person I know. Think I saw myself as Dushku‘s character (but I was a dork).

My Rating: 7/10

Women Talking, Unlocked, The Killer & Beau Is Afraid Movie Reviews

What do we have today? Four (U.K. release date) 2023 films. One good, two mediocre, one a piece of shit.

Women Talking (2022)

Directed by & Screenplay by Sarah Polley

Based on Women Talking by Miriam Toews

Starring: Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Judith Ivey, Ben Whishaw, Frances McDormand

Plot Synopsis: (via Wikipedia)
Based on the Canadian 2018 novel of the same name by Miriam Toews, itself inspired by the gas-facilitated rapes that occurred at the Manitoba Colony, a remote and isolated Mennonite community in Bolivia, the film follows a group of American Mennonite women who discuss their future, following their discovery of the men’s history of raping the colony’s women.

My Opinion:

A worthy film with worthy acting & a worthy story that I have no clue how to review. The story? Not at all surprising but still shocking & heartbreaking. Great performances, especially from Mara & Foy (Foy was the angry one, right? I was on her side – Pissed OFF). Glad Polley was recognised with a deserved Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar. Good film that would make a great play.

My Rating: 7/10

Unlocked (2023) (Korean: 스마트폰을 떨어뜨렸을 뿐인데)

Directed & Written by Kim Tae-joon

Starring: Chun Woo-hee, Yim Si-wan, Kim Hee-won

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
A woman’s life is turned upside-down when a dangerous man gets hold of her lost cell phone and uses it to track her every move.

My Opinion:

This was fine. I admit I was doing other things so I had the English dubbing on, which always ruins a movie a bit. Shame on me. The story was decent enough & shows how easily we could be taken advantage of through our reliance on our smartphones. The villain wasn’t very believable & those cops did a terrible job. Some things were also too far-fetched but it was still an enjoyable thriller.

My Rating: 6/10

The Killer (2023)

Directed by David Fincher

Based on The Killer by Alexis “Matz” Nolent & Luc Jacamon

Starring: Michael Fassbender, Arliss Howard, Charles Parnell, Kerry O’Malley, Sala Baker, Sophie Charlotte, Tilda Swinton

Plot Synopsis: (via Wikipedia)
It follows the titular assassin as he embarks on an international vendetta after a hit goes wrong.

My Opinion:

Man this was boring. Sorry. I watched it for Fassbender as I can take or leave Fincher (will this get me kicked out of the online film community?!) but his narration was too damn much. Blah blah blah! Shut up, man. And he’s usually great but his character was so bland. And The Smiths are okay but only in small doses. And the story was absolutely nothing special. What am I missing?

FYI Film Miasma – If you haven’t seen this yet, I can’t see you loving it since Fassbender never shuts the f*^k up and I know you hate too much talking in movies…

My Rating: 6/10

Beau Is Afraid (2023)

Directed & Written by Ari Aster

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Nathan Lane, Amy Ryan, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Hayley Squires, Denis Ménochet, Kylie Rogers, Parker Posey, Patti LuPone

Plot Synopsis: (via Wikipedia)
Its plot follows the mild-mannered but paranoia-ridden Beau as he embarks on a surreal odyssey to get home to attend his mother’s funeral, realizing his greatest fears along the way.

My Opinion:

What a load of bollocks. Literally.

Tromeo & Juliet did it first. And better.

Okay, the above two lines are all I wrote on Letterboxd. Because, honestly, sitting through this goddamn film was exhausting & I couldn’t be arsed to write anything about it after it had already wasted too much of my precious time.

I’ll say this: I find Ari Aster’s films interesting and, as I always say, I far prefer interesting to boring. Although I didn’t love them, I still appreciated a lot about Hereditary & Midsommar & wrote quite a lot about them in my reviews. I struggle to even write the short Letterboxd 8-line paragraph for most films now because, well, most movies these days aren’t worth saying much about. They’re bland.

So at least Beau wasn’t bland, I guess. But, unlike Hereditary & Midsommar, there’s nothing I appreciated about it. And I like weird. And I often like slightly pretentious. Hell, I think I love what I’ve seen of Alejandro Jodorowsky’s films (Santa Sangre & El Topo). Love them or hate them, you at least can’t say those two films aren’t entertaining! Weird & pretentious can be fine but I want a movie to also be watchable. Beau is like some kind of endurance test to see if you can sit through the damn thing just to get your film community cred on Letterboxd & shit. Do I win something?! It took me about six separate times but I suffered through all of this thing! Are you all happy now?!?!

Beau is afraid. Of what, I don’t know. Giant penises, I guess. I don’t care. Beau can go f*^k himself.

Okay, I thought of one thing I liked. I’m giving this an extra half a star for that guy hanging from the ceiling. Because of all the what-the-fuck moments in this, that one was the what-the-fuckiest for me for some reason. Oh, and I think there’s at least two head squishings, including one I think you see (I dunno, I looked away). Aster loves his decapitations & head squishings! I’m sure they all have some deep f*^king meaning, of course.

(Yet I’d probably still rank this above Under The Silver Lake. But maybe below the horse-fucking movie. Yes, below the horse-fucking movie. Oh my god – I just realised that all three are A24 films… I’m starting to seriously hate you, A24!)

My Rating: 4/10

*Added an extra half a star for the freaky mask during the play too. Ugh. Am I trying to talk myself into liking this piece of shit?! Oh – Minus half a star for ripping off Tromeo & Juliet, though. Wait… Also adding an extra half a star for having the young girl from Space Station 76 in this because that movie is kind of great. But minus half a star for now tainting that movie for me.

Oh! And you know what else is better than Beau Is Afraid? The movie about people disappearing up a guy’s butt. Seriously. I’d watch Butt Boy 100 times before I’d ever sit through Beau Is Afraid again. (maybe)

I’ll still probably watch Ari Aster’s next film. I hate myself.

You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah, Quiz Lady & She Came To Me Movie Reviews

Hi All! Nearly Christmas! I better try to catch up on reviews. Here are three “perfectly fine” 2023 movies that I watched last month…

You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah (2023)

Directed by Sammi Cohen

Based on You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah by Fiona Rosenbloom

Starring: Idina Menzel, Jackie Sandler, Adam Sandler, Sadie Sandler, Sunny Sandler, Samantha Lorraine, Dylan Hoffman, Sarah Sherman, Dan Bulla, Ido Mosseri, Jackie Hoffman, Luis Guzmán

Plot Synopsis: (via Wikipedia)
It tells the story of two best friends whose bat mitzvah plans go awry as they fight for the attention of the same popular boy.

My Opinion:

First of all: I’m not an Adam Sandler hater so I was happy to check out his daughter’s film. Thought this was a fun film that captured how traumatising & awkward those coming of age years can be. And, sorry, but that “might have to sleep in the bathtub” line was funny. Also, Rabbi Rebecca rules. Oh! And I appreciated the older sister always watching horror movies.

My Rating: 7/10

Quiz Lady (2023)

Directed by Jessica Yu

Starring: Awkwafina, Sandra Oh, Jason Schwartzman, Holland Taylor, Tony Hale, Jon “Dumbfoundead” Park, Will Ferrell

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
A game-show-obsessed woman and her estranged sister work together to help cover their mother’s gambling debts.

My Opinion:

A fun but somewhat forgettable film. Awkwafina & Sandra Oh were both likeable & funny. The “I’m high on drugs” scene used so often in comedies was a good one here (can I have some of that first stuff? those clouds were adorable!). Liked the end. A worthwhile one-time watch.

My Rating: 6.5/10

She Came To Me (2023)

Directed & Written by Rebecca Miller

Starring: Peter Dinklage, Marisa Tomei, Joanna Kulig, Brian d’Arcy James, Anne Hathaway

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
A composer who suffers writer’s block rediscovers his passion after an adventurous one-night stand.

My Opinion:

This was an odd one but I kind of liked it, mainly because I really like Peter Dinklage & Marisa Tomei. They were great as always. There are a few stories going on here & you’ll honestly never guess where any of them are going or what Tomei’s character does for a living. A pleasant “Sunday afternoon” kind of movie worth a watch if you like its charismatic stars.

My Rating: 6.5/10

Babylon (2022) Review

Babylon (2022)

Directed & Written by Damien Chazelle

Starring: Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Diego Calva, Jean Smart, Jovan Adepo, Li Jun Li, P. J. Byrne, Lukas Haas, Olivia Hamilton, Max Minghella, Rory Scovel, Katherine Waterston, Tobey Maguire

Plot Synopsis:
Orgies. Shitting. Pissing. Puking.

My Opinion:

Oh boy. I don’t know where to start with this one. I didn’t love it. The crazy shit, piss & puke-fuelled beginning was giving me a headache & stressing me out. But then I really liked the next bit with Robbie & Pitt making their movies. That was a lot of fun and I think they were both excellent in these roles & easily the best & only truly great things about this film. Oh, Jean Smart was also fantastic (Remember Designing Women?? Underrated!).

Also really enjoyed the section with Robbie making her first movie with sound. And also the snake bit, which may be my favorite despite actually thinking that part was absolutely ridiculous. But this movie is all about excess & that part was so outrageous that it kind of worked for me & was at least funny unlike some of the other “shocking” scenes. Oh, I also thought the character of Robbie’s female director was good. It’s a shame that the main dude they focus on, who is in love with Robbie despite her being completely unlikeable, is just a bit dull as a character. But I guess he was going to seem that way compared to everyone else.

I just didn’t think all these different stories worked together that well. It was like several short films all shoved together and it felt messy. Then the entire ending, set years later, lacked any true emotion and seemed so far removed from everything that came before it. I didn’t believe for one second that he could feel so emotional over Robbie’s hateful character plus that Cinema Paradiso-wannabe ending was pathetic. As a movie lover, there’s nothing I love more than a “love of cinema” film but man that ending was so fake & forced.

Pitt & Robbie were great, yes, and this movie proves that they both have true star power & can carry a film but I wish I’d cared about the fate of their characters a little bit. Had some sympathy for Pitt as a fading star, I guess. Wish I’d loved this but it was far too long, had too many pointless scenes as well as main characters that I didn’t care about at all, and a ridiculous ending. Worth a watch for the good scenes mentioned above and for Pitt’s & Robbie’s performances but I’d never want to sit through the entire film again.

My Rating: 7/10 (decent rating mainly for the performances plus the film admittedly looked fantastic, but I may later knock off half a point)

**Sorry, Film Miasma! Know you liked this one a lot. But I think we liked the same things about it anyway.

Summer Of 84 (2018), The Boogeyman (2023) & Haunted Mansion (2023) Reviews

One I liked a lot today, one I thought was perfectly fine, and one that was family-friendly.

Summer Of 84 (2018)

Directed by François Simard, Anouk Whissell & Yoann-Karl Whissell

Starring: Graham Verchere, Judah Lewis, Caleb Emery, Cory Gruter-Andrew, Tiera Skovbye, Rich Sommer

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
After suspecting that their police officer neighbor is a serial killer, a group of teenage friends spend their summer spying on him and gathering evidence, but as they get closer to discovering the truth, things get dangerous.

My Opinion:

Watched this immediately when I saw it’s from the directors of Turbo Kid. This isn’t as fun as that one but both later grew on me a lot. I think I just found the end of this so jarring that I didn’t know what to make of it but, later, decided it’s great that something took me by surprise for a change. It’s not perfect. It’s too slow & is hurt by Stranger Things comparisons but it still felt refreshingly different to me. 

I can’t explain why but Stranger Things has a “trying too hard” vibe for me that I didn’t get from this movie, despite both trying to convince us of their ‘80s settings. I can certainly see the comparisons, though, with both having groups of likeable teenage ‘80s kids fighting against something evil. I’m not big on Stranger Things – I think I prefer Summer Of 84. I’d say Stranger Things is better is on character development, which was a bit weak in Summer Of 84. Oh, and I found the acting a little dodgy, which isn’t something I often notice. Plus the dialogue was a little… clunky? Strangers Things feels more polished but I’ve thought more about this movie since it ended than I ever did about that show.

This is a movie I think I’m wanting to love, as that ending really did elevate things. I wish the rest of the movie had lived up to that as, overall, this had the potential to be great. Can see it possibly becoming a cult favorite, though? Kind of like Turbo Kid. Is that a cult hit? Both of them should be. I think it would be deserved, as I do think Summer Of 84 has something unique about it despite it seeming very similar to other things in this genre on the surface. These directors certainly have potential. I’m curious about their other work now…

My Rating: 7.5/10

The Boogeyman (2023)

Directed by Rob Savage

Based on “The Boogeyman” by Stephen King

Starring: Sophie Thatcher, Chris Messina, Vivien Lyra Blair, David Dastmalchian

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
Still reeling from the tragic death of their mother, a teenage girl and her younger sister find themselves plagued by a sadistic presence in their house and struggle to get their grieving father to pay attention before it’s too late.

My Opinion:

Enjoyed this, but I’m always forgiving when it comes to Stephen King adaptations. As it’s a short story, I thought they fleshed this out well. I liked the sisters & their relationship. Can’t say it’s something we haven’t seen before but it had decent characters & an effectively creepy villain, which is more than can be said for a lot of horror. Some good imagery & I loved the use of that light-up ball. I want one!

My Rating: 7/10

Haunted Mansion (2023)

Directed by Justin Simien

Based on The Haunted Mansion by Walt Disney

Starring: LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Rosario Dawson, Dan Levy, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jared Leto

Plot Synopsis: (via Wikipedia)
In the film, Gabbie (Dawson) and Travis (Chase W. Dillon) enlist the aid of a team (Stanfield, Haddish, Wilson, and DeVito) to help exorcise the ghosts around them.

My Opinion:

I appreciate family-friendly Halloween movies. There are better ones but this was enjoyable enough with likeable characters. I saw the Eddie Murphy one just two years ago & barely remember it so think I prefer this one. But also think I’ll forget this one in two years too… Oh, it’s way too dark & drab-looking, though. Did it have to look so dull just to set the mood? And I kept picturing Ahsoka! (Not a bad thing)

My Rating: 6/10

Cryptozoo, Elemental, My Life As A Courgette & The Monkey King Movie Reviews

Finally! The last of the reviews for what I watched in September! Can move onto October’s horror movies next…

Cryptozoo (2021)

Directed & Written by Dash Shaw

Starring: Lake Bell, Michael Cera, Angeliki Papoulia, Zoe Kazan, Peter Stormare, Grace Zabriskie, Louisa Krause, Thomas Jay Ryan

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
Cryptozookeepers try to capture a Baku, a dream-eating hybrid creature of legend, and start wondering if they should display these beasts or keep them hidden and unknown.

My Opinion:

I’m often a fan of bizarre films & this is indeed a weird one. I quite liked it but I can’t explain why so I guess I’ll keep this short! Reminded me a lot of trippy adult animation from the ‘70s, such as Fantastic Planet, so that may be why as I love that era. Feel like I’d give this a higher rating if it actually was from the ‘70s instead of now. Story was average but I liked the animation & inventive animals.

I’ll add several images below so you can see what this one looked like. Trippy, man.

My Rating: 7.5/10

My Life As A Courgette (2016) (French: Ma vie de Courgette)

Directed by Claude Barras

Based on Autobiographie d’une Courgette by Gilles Paris

Starring: Gaspard Schlatter, Sixtine Murat, Paulin Jaccoud

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
After losing his mother, a young boy is sent to an orphanage with other orphans his age where he begins to learn the meaning of trust and true love.

My Opinion:

This was good. Liked its style & liked the kids. Depressing as hell, though. Can’t stand seeing kids abused or abandoned. But it had uplifting moments. I also find it highly amusing that it’s Zucchini in America & Australia (and Letterbxd) & Courgette everywhere else. As it’s a French film, I’ll stick with calling it My Life As A Courgette.

My Rating: 7/10

Elemental (2023)

Directed by Peter Sohn

Starring: Leah Lewis, Mamoudou Athie, Ronnie del Carmen, Shila Ommi, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Catherine O’Hara

Plot Synopsis: (via Wikipedia)
Set in a world inhabited by anthropomorphic elements of nature, the story follows fire element Ember Lumen (Lewis) and water element Wade Ripple (Athie), who spend time together in the city while trying to save a convenience store owned by Ember’s father, Bernie (Del Carmen).

My Opinion:

I miss when Pixar could do no wrong. This was very average. Pixar’s finest have so many much-loved, amazing characters but I haven’t cared about any of them in recent films. Water Boy was annoying & angry Fire Girl was unlikeable. And I don’t even know their names so that says something. Horny Tree Boy was okay. Bring back things like WALL-E, Monsters, Inc & Inside Out, Pixar! Please. I’m begging.

My Rating: 6/10

The Monkey King (2023)

Directed by Anthony Stacchi

Starring: Jimmy O. Yang, Bowen Yang, Jo Koy, BD Wong, Jolie Hoang-Rappaport, Stephanie Hsu

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
Inspired by an epic Chinese tale, translated into an action-packed comedy, a Monkey and his magical fighting Stick battle demons, dragons, gods and the greatest adversary of all – Monkey’s ego.

My Opinion:

That monkey was an asshole.

Okay, that’s all I wrote on Letterboxd so I’ll add a bit more here. Seriously, though, this monkey was an absolute wanker. I rarely enjoy a film when the main character is just too unlikeable.

Asshole monkey aside, the story was also a mess. Admittedly, I was tired & also annoyed by asshole monkey so I wasn’t paying loads of attention but I didn’t know what the hell was going on. I had to read the entire plot synopsis while in the middle of watching this thing. This is animated entertainment aimed at kids – I don’t want to have to fucking read about it to try to figure out what the hell is going on.

I did read this on Wikipedia: “It is a prequel to the classic Ming dynasty novel, Journey to the West.” Well, shit, I’ve heard of that. Think that’s quite famous? So I don’t want to trash some beloved classic or something just because I have no knowledge of it. It’s probably a great story. Is there an asshole monkey in that?!

I should also add that it reminded me that I went to see Damon Albarn’s & Jamie Hewlett’s stage adaptation, Monkey: Journey to the West (Gorillaz dudes). I had completely forgotten about that! How?! I can’t remember a thing about it. What’s wrong with me?? I certainly don’t remember an asshole monkey in it…

My Rating: 4.5/10

Love At First Sight, Vacation Friends 2, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves & How To Blow Up A Pipeline Reviews

I’m back! But exhausted after posting so many reviews recently. This weekend I hope to catch up on comments & on reading blogs! Have watched very few movies in October so far, so at least I don’t have to go crazy reviewing a million things. But they’ve all been horror, so I might try to review them in time for Halloween.

Here are three 2023 movies I enjoyed. And one 2023 release (in the U.K.) that I didn’t enjoy so much.

Love At First Sight (2023)

Directed by Vanessa Caswill

Based on The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Starring: Haley Lu Richardson, Ben Hardy, Jameela Jamil, Rob Delaney, Sally Phillips, Dexter Fletcher

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
Hadley and Oliver begin to fall for each other on their flight from New York to London. The probability of ever finding each other again seems impossible, but love – and London – may have a way of defying the odds.

My Opinion:

Really enjoyed this, but I’ve liked Haley Lu Richardson since the excellent Columbus (highly recommend). Sweet story, good chemistry between couple & I always like American/British romance as that’s my own situation. Jameela Jamil’s appearances were cheesy – just narrating would’ve been better. But still my favorite 2023 rom-com-dram.

My Rating: 7.5/10

Vacation Friends 2 (2023)

Directed & Written by Clay Tarver

Starring: Lil Rel Howery, Yvonne Orji, John Cena, Meredith Hagner, Steve Buscemi, Ronny Chieng, Jamie Hector

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
A couple who meets up with another couple while on vacation in Mexico sees their friendship take an awkward turn when they get back home.

My Opinion:

Okay, sorry, I found both of these movies pretty damn funny? Don’t get me wrong, I’ve found nothing truly hilarious since like 1992 & most modern comedy is awful but these two made me laugh. John Cena & Meredith Hagner are great as the outrageous couple while Lil Rel Howery & Yvonne Orji work so perfectly as the normal couple putting up with their crazy shit. PLUS, this one has Steve Buscemi! I adore Buscemi and he’s brilliant here as always. He does comedy so well. Love him.

Enjoyed this. Think I originally gave this half a point less than I might have after seeing its low rating. Screw that – I’m putting it back to 7. It’s fun & the actors are perfect in these roles. Plus… BUSCEMI!

My Rating: 7/10

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)

Directed by Jonathan Goldstein & John Francis Daley

Based on Dungeons & Dragons by Hasbro

Starring: Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, Hugh Grant

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
A charming thief and a band of unlikely adventurers embark on an epic quest to retrieve a lost relic, but things go dangerously awry when they run afoul of the wrong people.

My Opinion:

The rating for this on Letterboxd is a bit too high but it was good fun & better than I think anyone was expecting. It’s so rare to get a good family-friendly adventure comedy now that everyone is extra enthusiastic when we do (we had movies like this constantly in the ‘80s). Great characters & everyone seemed to be thoroughly enjoying themselves, especially Grant & Pine.

Speaking of the ‘80s, it made me remember that I loved the Dungeons & Dragons Saturday morning cartoon. Anyone else watch that?! I’d love to see it again. Wonder if it would stand the test of time…

My Rating: 7/10

How To Blow Up A Pipeline (2022)

Directed by Daniel Goldhaber

Based on How to Blow Up a Pipeline by Andreas Malm

Starring: Ariela Barer, Kristine Froseth, Lukas Gage, Forrest Goodluck, Sasha Lane, Jayme Lawson, Marcus Scribner, Jake Weary, Irene Bedard

Plot Synopsis: (via Wikipedia)
It relies on ideas advanced in Andreas Malm’s 2021 book of the same name, published by Verso Books. Malm’s nonfiction work examines the history of social justice movements and argues for property destruction as a valid tactic in the pursuit of environmental justice.

My Opinion:

This was okay? I didn’t care about anyone except maybe the girl who was dying & her girlfriend & childhood friend. Everyone else was annoying as hell. And why did that dude keep spitting all the time? Why do dudes spit? Anyway. Where was I? Oh yeah. This movie. I just didn’t care. Story okay but godawful character development. Which is bad when each one got focused on separately.

My Rating: 6/10

Drive My Car, Decision To Leave & Tár Movie Reviews

Three worthy films today. Two were fine but I wasn’t really feeling the other one…

Drive My Car (2021) (Japanese: ドライブ・マイ・カー)

Directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi

Based on “Drive My Car” by Haruki Murakami

Starring: Hidetoshi Nishijima, Tōko Miura, Reika Kirishima, Park Yu-rim, Jin Dae-yeon, Sonia Yuan, Ahn Hwitae, Perry Dizon, Satoko Abe, Masaki Okada

Plot Synopsis: (via Wikipedia)
It follows a theatre director (played by Hidetoshi Nishijima), who directs a multilingual production of Uncle Vanya while dealing with the death of his wife (Reika Kirishima).

My Opinion:

Really good film that I liked but didn’t love the way I was hoping. Think I just didn’t fully connect with any of the characters, although I did like them (especially the woman who drives the car, the woman performing via sign language, and that woman’s husband). Some lovely scenes & great performances. Enjoyed the play & the rehearsals as well. The film just felt a bit too long.

My Rating: 7/10

Decision To Leave (2022) (Korean: 헤어질 결심)

Directed by Park Chan-wook

Starring: Tang Wei, Park Hae-il

Plot Synopsis: (via Wikipedia)
The story follows a married detective who, while investigating a man’s death, meets and falls for the man’s now-widowed wife, who is a suspect in her husband’s death.

My Opinion:

A good & visually stunning film, as to be expected from Park Chan-wook. Liked the story but didn’t buy into the romance or characters much. His characters do often leave me cold, though. Certainly not as brutal as some of his other films but also, I think, not as memorable. Worth a watch as I think he’s a very talented director but I have yet to love one of his films (The Handmaiden comes close).

My Rating: 7/10

Tár (2022)

Directed & Written by Todd Field

Starring: Cate Blanchett, Noémie Merlant, Nina Hoss, Sophie Kauer, Julian Glover, Allan Corduner, Mark Strong

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
Set in the international world of Western classical music, the film centers on Lydia Tár, widely considered one of the greatest living composer-conductors and the very first female director of a major German orchestra.

My Opinion:

This was okay but I was bored. To be fair, it’s not the type of film I go for. Why would I want to watch someone being an asshole for over two and a half hours? Actually, I found this character kind of likeable at first. Maybe I’m an asshole too?? Cate Blanchett was very good, of course, but she always is so I can’t say that was a surprise. Meh.

I suppose it made me think of Whiplash, but that film worked & was far more riveting. I think it just may be that I didn’t care about anyone in Tár (except the daughter). Yes, a strong performance from Blanchett but pretty poor character development for everyone, including her. Which is bad considering how damn long the film was.

My Rating: 6/10

Stray Dog (1949), Aftersun (2022) & Under The Silver Lake (2018) Reviews

Loved one, liked one, hated one…

Stray Dog (1949) (野良犬, Nora inu)

Directed by Akira Kurosawa

Starring: Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Keiko Awaji, Noriko Sengoku, Noriko Honma, Eiko Miyoshi, Hajime Izu, Ichiro Sugai, Minoru Chiaki, Eijirō Tōno, Teruko Kishi, Iida Chōko, Reikichi Kawamura

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
During a sweltering summer, a rookie homicide detective tries to track down his stolen Colt pistol.

My Opinion:

Still can’t believe a few of the more obscure Kurosawas are on Plex. This is obviously not on the same level as his very best but has a good story & great performances from regulars Toshiro Mifune & Takashi Shimura yet again, so I enjoyed seeing it just for that. Love them. Well worth checking out. Onto Drunken Angel on Plex next…

My Rating: 8/10

Aftersun (2022)

Directed & Written by Charlotte Wells

Starring: Paul Mescal, Frankie Corio, Celia Rowlson-Hall

Plot Synopsis: (via Wikipedia)
The film follows an 11-year-old girl on holiday with her father at a Turkish resort on the eve of his 31st birthday.

My Opinion:

A lovely, melancholic film with wonderful performances from Paul Mescal as well as Frankie Corio (I feel good child performances are often overlooked). Felt like a real father/daughter relationship. But for some reason the movie wasn’t as deeply affecting for me as I was expecting. Worth watching for the performances, though, which are very deserving of praise.

I watched this on Mubi in the same week as Petite Maman & Close. All very good but those two had a bigger emotional impact on me. So I may have rated Aftersun more highly if I hadn’t seen those at the same time.

My Rating: 7/10

Under The Silver Lake (2018)

Directed & Written by David Robert Mitchell

Starring: Andrew Garfield, Riley Keough, Topher Grace

Plot Synopsis: (via Wikipedia)
The film follows a young man (Andrew Garfield) investigating the sudden disappearance of his neighbor (Riley Keough), only to stumble upon an elusive and dangerous conspiracy.

My Opinion:

I dislike many, many movies. But I rarely hate one. I hated this one.

Okay, that’s all I wrote on Letterboxd but I’ll say slightly more here. First of all, I was looking forward to this as I actually love David Robert Mitchell’s previous film, It Follows. I know that one isn’t for everyone, though, so maybe it’s the same way with Under The Silver Lake? Some bloggers do seem to love this one.

I just thought the story was a complete mess & everyone in this was completely hateful, which is something I never enjoy. It felt like it was being weird just for the sake of it. I didn’t know what was going on but I didn’t care. I ended up cleaning my house & leaving this running in the background just to be able to say that I finished it. It felt like it would never end. It so wants to be something like Mulholland Drive which, although that’s not one for me either, I can at least admit that one is the work of a true master. This just felt like a very poor, uninteresting, meaningless, unnecessarily confusing copycat.

My Rating: 4/10

*The look on my face while watching this damn thing*

Linoleum (2022), The Artifice Girl (2022) & Possessor (2020) Reviews

A couple of good & I think slightly obscure sci-fi films here. And one not-as-good sci-fi body horror.

Linoleum (2022)

Directed & Written by Colin West

Starring: Jim Gaffigan, Rhea Seehorn, Katelyn Nacon, Gabriel Rush, Michael Ian Black, Tony Shalhoub

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
When the host of a failing children’s science show endeavors to achieve his childhood dream of becoming an astronaut by constructing a rocket ship in his garage, a series of bizarre events occur that cause him to question his own reality.

My Opinion:

Ever watch a film & not pay attention & then the end punches you in the gut & you’re like “Damn, what an ending! I should’ve paid attention”? This film. Damn. What an ending. Can see why it’s compared to Donnie Darko & I’d add Predestination & maybe even Brigsby Bear, though not as good as those. Wish it had grabbed me earlier on but will be great to rewatch with knowledge of the end.

My Rating: 7.5/10

The Artifice Girl (2022)

Directed & Written by Franklin Ritch

Starring: Tatum Matthews, Lance Henriksen, Sinda Nichols, David Girard, Franklin Ritch

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
A team of special agents discovers a revolutionary new computer program to bait and trap online predators. After teaming up with the program’s troubled developer, they soon find that the AI is rapidly advancing beyond its original purpose.

My Opinion:

Love when intriguing “smart sci-fi” discreetly appears on services. This one has a great concept & explores some deep ideas when it comes to Artificial Intelligence and its ramifications that, admittedly, have been explored in many films. But there are some fresh ideas here that make it worth watching if you’re a fan of this genre. Starts better than it ends but was still a rewarding watch.

My Rating: 7/10

Possessor (2020)

Directed & Written by Brandon Cronenberg

Starring: Andrea Riseborough, Christopher Abbott, Rossif Sutherland, Tuppence Middleton, Sean Bean, Jennifer Jason Leigh

Plot Synopsis: (via Wikipedia)
Riseborough portrays an assassin who performs her assignments through possessing the bodies of other individuals, but finds herself fighting to control the body of her current host (Abbott).

My Opinion:

Been desperate to see this as I’m a fan of David Cronenberg’s body horror (I ranked his films here) so wanted to check out his son’s work & I liked the look of that freaky melty face on the cover. Well, freaky melty face is the best thing about this. I was very disappointed overall. And, yeah, I expected violence but bloody hell. Stabby stabby stab stab. Holy shit. Bit too much for me. I’ll stick to his father’s good old fashioned, fake looking, wounds that look like genitals, parasites into orifices, watermelon head exploding body horror. 

Okay, I didn’t actually hate this. I just didn’t like it as much as I was hoping. I’ll probably still check out his other work. But the story in this wasn’t anything we haven’t seen done much better in other sci-fi films & the excessive violence seemed pointless. But the ending wasn’t too bad. And I admit I’m liking Andrea Riseborough‘s choices in roles (big fan of Mandy). Plus I always love seeing Jennifer Jason Leigh. So it was still worth a watch. I’ll just lower my expectations before I watch his other films. Probably very hard to be compared to his father all the time, too, but that’s going to happen when sticking to the same sort of genre.

My Rating: 6.5/10

Sharper, The Beanie Bubble, You Hurt My Feelings & Red, White & Royal Blue Movie Reviews

Well, shit. I have two months of movie reviews to catch up on. And I went a little crazy as I had Mubi for £1 for one month, so I binged loads of great stuff. 36 movies watched since the 1st of August.

The below four aren’t from Mubi, though. They’re just some mediocre 2023 releases on other streaming services…

Sharper (2023)

Directed by Benjamin Caron

Starring: Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan, Justice Smith, Briana Middleton, John Lithgow

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
Motivations are suspect, and expectations are turned chaos, as a con artist takes on Manhattan billionaires.

My Opinion:

A movie where the actors are better than the film itself. Intriguing story at first as they set up each character really well but it petered out a bit at the end. Justice Smith & Briana Middleton were the true stars & very good together while Julianne Moore & Sebastian Stan were reliable as always. Enjoyable double-crossing story but I think the film will be forgotten.

My Rating: 7/10

The Beanie Bubble (2023)

Directed by Kristin Gore & Damian Kulash Jr.

Based on The Great Beanie Baby Bubble: Mass Delusion and the Dark Side of Cute by Zac Bissonnette

Starring: Zach Galifianakis, Elizabeth Banks, Sarah Snook, Geraldine Viswanathan

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
Ty Warner was a frustrated toy salesman until his collaboration with three women grew his idea into the biggest toy craze in history.

My Opinion:

One of those “meh” movies where I struggle to think of anything to say about it & know I’ll forget all about it in a year. I guess the story was fairly interesting & I like Banks & Snook but I didn’t really need to know that the dude who created Beanie Babies was a dickhead.

My Rating: 6/10

You Hurt My Feelings (2023)

Directed & Written by Nicole Holofcener

Starring: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tobias Menzies, Michaela Watkins, Arian Moayed, Owen Teague, Jeannie Berlin

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
A novelist’s longstanding marriage is suddenly upended when she overhears her husband giving his honest reaction to her latest book.

My Opinion:

This was fine but I’m getting pretty bored with all the “fine” straight-to-streaming films. Julia Louis-Dreyfus & Tobias Menzies were a believable married couple, I enjoyed some of the humor, and I liked the relationship with the sister. The gifts were cute as well. But overall this is just another pleasant romcom that I’ll forget in a year.

My Rating: 6/10

Red, White & Royal Blue (2023)

Directed by Matthew Lopez

Based on Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Starring: Taylor Zakhar Perez, Nicholas Galitzine, Clifton Collins Jr., Sarah Shahi, Rachel Hilson, Stephen Fry, Uma Thurman

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
When the feud between the son of the American President and Britain’s prince threatens to drive a wedge in U.S./British relations, the two are forced into a staged truce that sparks something deeper.

My Opinion:

This was fine but I don’t tend to watch cheesy TV romance movies for a reason as I know they’re not my thing. I thought this would be better than the made-for-TV stuff so I gave it a chance but found it just as cringey (if not more so). An unrealistic story (which is common in romcoms, but it was just too silly) & characters that didn’t feel genuine to me.

The two main actors were lovely, though, and had decent chemistry. I liked seeing Clifton Collins Jr. in a big(ish) role (for him). Thurman’s accent was super distracting. And. Um. I dunno. An inoffensive and sweet film, I guess. But SO bland. Bros was a lot more fun. Maybe I’m just too crude.

Also, I thought I might enjoy this a bit more as an American living in the U.K. and in a British/American relationship. But all the American & British stuff thrown into this felt very cliché.

My Rating: 6/10

The Big Boss, The Way Of The Dragon, Game Of Death & Game Of Death II Movie Reviews

Been wanting to see more Bruce Lee films since watching & loving Enter The Dragon. I later saw Fist Of Fury, which I liked, but none of the others were on any services. Until now. So I binged the below four in July… 🙂

I’ll review them in the order I watched them…

The Way Of The Dragon (1972) (Chinese: 猛龍過江)

Directed & Written by Bruce Lee

Starring: Bruce Lee, Nora Miao, Paul Wei, Huang Chung-hsin, Tony Liu, Unicorn Chan, Chuck Norris, Malisa Longo, Robert Wall, Hwang In-shik, Jon T. Benn

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
A man visits his relatives at their restaurant in Italy and has to help them defend against brutal gangsters harassing them.

My Opinion:

This was fun but so cheesy. Certainly not up to the standards of Enter The Dragon or Fist Of Fury. Guess it’s rated highly because people were excited by the fact that Chuck Norris is in it at the end. Yes, it was cool seeing Lee & Norris together. Kind of like De Niro & Pacino in Heat!

The movie was a bit underwhelming up until that part, though. Not enough fighting overall. And not enough blood! The one I watched after this had blood flying all over the place, which I quite frankly want from this type of movie. Squirt! And what was with the random naked woman? And why did Bruce Lee keep needing to go to the bathroom all the time?? Cheesy movie but that’s okay – I love ‘70s cheese. I still enjoyed this.

My Rating: 7/10

The Big Boss (1971) (Chinese: 唐山大兄)

Directed by Lo Wei & Wu Chia Hsiang

Starring: Bruce Lee, Maria Yi, James Tien, Han Ying-chieh

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
A young man sworn to an oath of non-violence works with his cousins in an ice factory where they mysteriously begin to disappear.

My Opinion:

Okay, the version I saw of this had bits of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon playing throughout it, which was weird but kind of cool. I watched this just after The Way Of The Dragon. I preferred this one, which wasn’t as cheesy. It had a more serious story & loads of fighting & lots of squirty blood. Squirt squirt! Bit depressing, though, what with all the murdering going on. So many evil henchmen in all these Bruce Lee films…

My Rating: 7/10

Game Of Death (1978) (Chinese: 死亡的遊戲)

Directed by Robert Clouse & Bruce Lee & Sammo Hung

Starring: Bruce Lee, Gig Young, Dean Jagger, Colleen Camp, Kim Tai-jong, Yuen Biao, Robert Wall, Hugh O’Brian, Dan Inosanto, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Mel Novak, Sammo Hung, Ji Han-jae, Casanova Wong

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
A martial arts movie star must fake his death to find the people who are trying to kill him.

My Opinion:

This was a cobbled together nightmare. Which is understandable, of course, as they had to finish it after Lee’s death. Well, they didn’t HAVE to but I suppose they needed to make money. It feels so exploitative. But, damn, once it got to the end and it used the actual footage Lee filmed, it was pretty f*^king awesome.

The story cobbled together before Lee’s bit, involving a faked death & mafia bosses or some shit, was pretty pathetic. But the end involves Lee’s original idea of him having to ascend a five-story pagoda where he has to defeat different martial artists on each level. That was great! What a brilliant idea. Is that where The Raid got that idea?! Had no clue it was Lee who had inspired so many movies & video games with that concept.

And, of course, this is the film with the iconic yellow jumpsuit so I had to see it just for that. I loved all that actual Bruce Lee footage at the end of this film, especially his fight with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Absolutely fantastic. So I have to give this movie two ratings: one for the overall film & one for Lee’s footage, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Up until the end, the movie is pretty bloody awful and it’s also sad as hell to see the way they inserted shots of Lee from previous films of his. So distracting & feels disrespectful.

My Rating: 6.5/10 (Overall film – I like the Colleen Camp Wayne’s World connection) & 8/10 (Bruce Lee’s footage)

Game Of Death II (1981) (Chinese: 死亡塔)

Directed by Ng See-yuen

Starring: Bruce Lee (not really), Tong Lung, Huong Cheng Li, Roy Chiao, To Wai Wo, Hoi Sang Lee

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
After Billy Lo is killed while seeking the murderers of his friend, his brother Bobby goes all out to bring the perpetrators to justice.

My Opinion:

Using old footage of Bruce Lee to make this film years after his death felt weird & icky. It got better when they stopped using old footage to try to insert Lee into this movie & instead moved onto focusing on a different character.

*Cute Monkey*

Overall, it’s a better story than what they cobbled together for the start of Game Of Death (which appears to be in no way related to Game Of Death II other than the same character name). This one has better sets, a funky score, the fights are fun & there’s a cute monkey. But it’s not a Bruce Lee film. While this one feels like a stronger film overall, the final part of the first Game Of Death with Bruce Lee’s footage is so much better than anything from this weird “sequel”.

My Rating: 6.5/10

Nimona, They Cloned Tyrone & Ghosted Movie Reviews

Reviews for three “meh” 2023 releases (well, one was slightly better than “meh” & one was pretty terrible). I’ll try to post reviews for three 2023 movies that I really liked tomorrow (if I get the time to write a review for Barbie today…).

Nimona (2023)

Directed by Nick Bruno & Troy Quane

Based on Nimona by ND Stevenson

Starring: Chloë Grace Moretz, Riz Ahmed

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
When a knight in a futuristic medieval world is framed for a crime he didn’t commit, the only one who can help him prove his innocence is Nimona — a mischievous teen who happens to be a shapeshifting creature he’s sworn to destroy.

My Opinion:

This was decent. Wish I loved it but think I just found the girl too annoying. I wasn’t really feeling much for the characters until the end, when we get the full story. And that story was really good & I appreciated the theme of not being accepted so that made the film go up in my estimation quite a bit at that point. I just wish we’d had more of that sort of emotion earlier on.

My Rating: 7/10

They Cloned Tyrone (2023)

Directed by Juel Taylor

Starring: John Boyega, Teyonah Parris, Jamie Foxx

Plot Synopsis: (via Wikipedia)
The film stars John Boyega, Teyonah Parris and Jamie Foxx (who also serves as a producer) as an unlikely trio uncovering a government cloning conspiracy.

My Opinion:

I adore a weird sci-fi mystery so was looking forward to this. It has some great elements: Amazing soundtrack (hubby really loved that), the look, and the overall idea. But it did a terrible job telling the story. I’m not the brightest sometimes but it’s bad when I have to read the plot online throughout the entire film. Had potential but feels too much like it wants to be a Jordan Peele film.

My Rating: 6.5/10

Ghosted (2023)

Directed by Dexter Fletcher

Starring: Chris Evans, Ana de Armas

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
Cole falls head over heels for enigmatic Sadie, but then makes the shocking discovery that she’s a secret agent. Before they can decide on a second date, Cole and Sadie are swept away on an international adventure to save the world.

My Opinion:

Another straight-to-streaming dud with big name stars. A dull movie with attractive people who have zero chemistry. It needed to be half an hour shorter. I’ll give it an extra half a star for the ridiculous spinning restaurant stuff. They should have just made the entire movie that dumb. It’s all that I’ll remember a year from now. Oh, and the distracting cameos too I guess.

My Rating: 5.5/10

Broker, Watcher, The Greatest Beer Run Ever & Juno Movie Reviews

Three 2022 films today & a rewatch from 2007…

Broker (2022) (Korean: 브로커)

Directed & Written by Hirokazu Kore-eda

Starring: Song Kang-ho, Gang Dong-won, Bae Doona, Lee Ji-eun, Lee Joo-young

Plot Synopsis: (via Wikipedia)
The film revolves around characters associated with baby boxes, which allow infants to be dropped off anonymously to be cared for by others.

My Opinion:

Liked Hirokazu Kore-eda‘s Shoplifters but feel the same about both. Both are good but didn’t have the emotional impact I was expecting and I didn’t fully buy into the characters. Not sure why. But I enjoyed seeing Song Kang-ho again, the baby was adorable, and it’s still a better film than the majority of current English language films. Certainly worth a watch.

My Rating: 7/10

Watcher (2022)

Directed by Chloe Okuno

Starring: Maika Monroe, Karl Glusman, Burn Gorman

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
A young American woman moves with her husband to Bucharest, and begins to suspect that a stranger who watches her from the apartment building across the street may be a local serial killer decapitating women.

My Opinion:

This was decent. I thought Maika Monroe would be a bigger star by now. This had a nice, tense atmosphere that I appreciated but I can see some not liking this as it’s another “slow burn” thriller where absolutely nothing happens until the final act. The tension worked for me, though, so was worth a watch but it’s not one I’d feel the need to ever watch again.

My Rating: 7/10

The Greatest Beer Run Ever (2022)

Directed by Peter Farrelly

Based on The Greatest Beer Run Ever by John “Chickie” Donohue & Joanna Molloy

Starring: Zac Efron & Russell Crowe

Plot Synopsis: (via Wikipedia)
The film stars Zac Efron and Russell Crowe, and follows the true story of Donohue, who as a young veteran sneaks into the Vietnam War to deliver some beer to his friends, who are serving their duty.

My Opinion:

This is certainly an odd & interesting true story but maybe Zac Efron was the wrong choice to play this role. Russell Crowe really outshines Efron when he appears. The movie picks up a lot at the end with Crowe’s presence – the rest of the movie needed that sort of energy. Not a bad film but I feel like a better one could’ve been made from this outrageous story.

My Rating: 6.5/10

Juno (2007)

Directed by Jason Reitman

Written by Diablo Cody

Starring: Elliot Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Allison Janney, J. K. Simmons

Plot Synopsis: (via Wikipedia)
Page stars as the title character, an independent-minded teenager confronting her unplanned pregnancy and the subsequent events that put pressures of adult life onto her.

My Opinion:

Felt like rewatching this one that I liked a lot when it came out. Still really enjoyed it but the “Check me out, I’m SO quirky & indie!” soundtrack got on my nerves a bit this time. Still think it’s a well-written film with a great performance from Page, though. Janney, Simmons & Garner are also good. I’m still a fan.

My Rating: 8/10

The Long, Hot Summer (1958), All The King’s Men (1949) & Titanic (1997) Reviews

Okay, I have 20 movie reviews to post for all the movies I watched in July. I’ll try! Let’s start with these three, including some sexy Paul Newman…

The Long, Hot Summer (1958)

Directed by Martin Ritt

Starring: Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Anthony Franciosa, Orson Welles, Lee Remick, Angela Lansbury

Plot Synopsis: (via Wikipedia)
The movie is based in part on three works by William Faulkner: the 1931 novella “Spotted Horses”, the 1939 short story “Barn Burning” and the 1940 novel The Hamlet. The title is taken from The Hamlet, as Book Three is called “The Long Summer”. Some characters, as well as tone, were inspired by Tennessee Williams’ 1955 play, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, a film adaptation of which – also starring Newman – was released five months later.

My Opinion:

*FYI – I wrote this review before looking up the above Wikipedia synopsis. Guess I was right on the Cat On A Hot Tin Roof comparison! What an idiot. I should’ve read about it first.*

Did I watch this just because young Paul Newman was on the cover? Yep! I didn’t know anything about this one – I’d say it’s similar to Cat On A Hot Tin Roof. Both have a sexy & troubled Newman, horny attractive people, and a fat & grumpy old patriarch. Not as good as Cat but definitely worth a watch to see fantastic actors at work & the chemistry between Newman & Joanne Woodward.

*HELLO!*

Man, I did this quick review on Letterboxd without even mentioning that Angela Lansbury is in this too. Love her! Miss her. Murder, She Wrote rules! Loved seeing her in this as well.

My Rating: 7.5/10

All The King’s Men (1949)

Directed by Robert Rossen

Based on All the King’s Men 1946 novel by Robert Penn Warren

Starring: Broderick Crawford, John Ireland, Mercedes McCambridge, Joanne Dru, John Derek, Shepperd Strudwick

Plot Synopsis: (via Wikipedia)
The plot focuses on the rise and fall of the ambitious and ruthless politician Willie Stark (Crawford) in the American South.[2] Though a fictional character, Stark strongly resembles Louisiana governor Huey Long.

My Opinion:

Watched this while on services as I’m working on a Best Picture Project. It’s a good film. I’ve not seen the other nominees from that year & am sure it was deserving of the Oscar but it’s not as strong as many of the other Best Picture winners. It dragged in the middle & the acting didn’t stand out for me despite acting wins. Did like the supporting actress who reminded me a lot of Judy Garland, though. And I appreciate the timeless story of political corruption. Worth a watch but not ranked very high in my list of Best Picture Winners (all ranked here).

Never saw the 2006 adaptation but would be curious to see how it compares.

My Rating: 7/10

Titanic (1997)

Directed & Written by James Cameron

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates, Frances Fisher, Bernard Hill, Jonathan Hyde, Danny Nucci, David Warner, Bill Paxton

Plot Synopsis: (via Wikipedia)
Incorporating both historical and fictionalized aspects, it is based on accounts of the sinking of RMS Titanic in 1912.

My Opinion:

This movie sure does divide people. I’m a fan. Not an “OMG I’ve watched this 100 times!” fan, but I’ve always really liked this & am happy my daughter finally watched it with me. Winslet & DiCaprio are lovely together, I still love her wardrobe, and the instrumental score is great until Celine Dion starts singing over it. The scenes with “old Rose” haven’t aged well, though. Cheesy.

My Rating: 8/10

Brian And Charles, Cha Cha Real Smooth, Causeway & Bros (2022 Movie Reviews)

Four 2022 releases today. All pretty good! Liked one of these a lot.

Brian And Charles (2022)

Directed by Jim Archer

Based on Brian and Charles by Jim Archer

Starring: David Earl, Chris Hayward

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
After a particularly harsh winter Brian goes into a deep depression; completely isolated and with no one to talk to, Brian does what any sane person would do when faced with such a melancholic situation. He builds a robot.

My Opinion:

Liked this a lot, but it’s very much “my thing”. Also really like Lars And The Real Girl so was worried this would be too depressing with its similar theme of loneliness & I need more uplifting films currently. This was bittersweet, but with much more sweet than bitter. A pleasant watch with very likeable characters. A lovely, quirky delight! (My daughter hates my overuse of the word “quirky”).

Charles as a stroppy teenager was the best. Charles Petrescu! Anyone have an old washing machine I can borrow? I could use a new friend.

Have added this to my list of My Top Ten Films Of The 2020s (so far).

My Rating: 7.5/10

Cha Cha Real Smooth (2022)

Directed & Written by Cooper Raiff

Starring: Dakota Johnson, Cooper Raiff, Raúl Castillo, Odeya Rush, Evan Assante, Vanessa Burghardt, Brad Garrett, Leslie Mann

Plot Synopsis: (via Wikipedia)
The plot centers on a 22-year-old college graduate (Raiff) who starts making money as a party starter while he also strikes up a relationship with a 32-year-old mother (played by Dakota Johnson, who also produced the film).

My Opinion:

One of those movies I did really enjoy while watching it so gave it a decent rating but am now thinking I’ll probably never give it another thought ever again. Not a fan of Dakota Johnson & feel like she’s played this sort of character loads. But I really liked the character played by Cooper Raiff (who I didn’t realise was also the director & writer). I always think “Why the hell don’t they make more movies with characters who are actually likeable?” so, hey, that’s what we get here! Also thought Vanessa Burghardt was great as Johnson’s daughter and enjoyed her relationship with Raiff‘s character. It was very sweet. I just wanted him to be happy!

Actually, maybe I did quite like this. One of the better Apple+ offerings that I’ve seen. But I still feel like it’s not going to be a very memorable film.

My Rating: 7/10

Causeway (2022)

Directed by Lila Neugebauer

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Brian Tyree Henry, Linda Emond, Jayne Houdyshell, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Russell Harvard

Plot Synopsis: (via Wikipedia)
The film follows a soldier struggling to adjust to her life after returning home to New Orleans.

My Opinion:

Solid performances from Jennifer Lawrence & Brian Tyree Henry. Cared about their stories & was rooting for them & their friendship to succeed. Movie felt a little too short & ended too abruptly. Didn’t feel like we got to know either character well enough so would have liked them to be fleshed out more. Another decent Apple+ film but could have been better with more character development & more of a resolution.

My Rating: 7/10

Bros (2022)

Directed by Nicholas Stoller

Starring: Billy Eichner, Luke Macfarlane

Plot Synopsis: (via Wikipedia)
The film starring Billy Eichner and Luke Macfarlane as two gay men in Manhattan who avoid commitment but are drawn to each other.

My Opinion:

A funny comedy for recent years (which may not be saying much as I don’t think I’ve truly loved a comedy film since the early ‘90s. Why does modern comedy suck?). But I got some good laughs out of this one. The main character just got on my nerves slightly (although I liked his humor). I’d probably rate this more highly if I liked him a bit more. His hot boyfriend was very likeable, though, and their relationship was fun to watch. Loved their fight in the park. And the fake Hallmark type movies. An enjoyable watch.

My Rating: 6.5/10

To Catch A Killer, Extraction 2 & Maybe I Do (2023 Movie Reviews)

Three 2023 releases today: One quite good, one stupid good, and one just a bit stupid.

To Catch A Killer (2023)

Directed by Damián Szifron

Starring: Shailene Woodley, Ben Mendelsohn, Jovan Adepo, Ralph Ineson

Plot Synopsis: (via Wikipedia)
In the film, a talented but troubled young Baltimore cop is recruited by the FBI to help profile and track down a serial killer.

My Opinion:

Thought this was surprisingly good for a film I’d heard nothing about & for a “too much like real life” crime thriller, which is not a genre I often like. I’d rather movies gave me an escape from society’s horrible realities & daily American gun violence. That’s two decent crime thrillers that I liked this year: this one & Boston Strangler (and I especially dislike most serial killer movies). 

The events in this were intense, especially at the very start of the film, so it kept me watching. The movie did drag in the middle a bit and I’m sorry to say that I couldn’t buy into Shailene Woodley as a cop AT ALL, although she did a decent enough job in the film. I loved Ben Mendelsohn, though, who I never noticed much before but have started to really appreciate. They worked very well as a team. 

Good stuff. Glad I checked it out despite it not really being my type of thing. I’d recommend it to those who like a good crime thriller.

My Rating: 7/10

Extraction 2 (2023)

Directed by Sam Hargrave

Written by Joe Russo

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Golshifteh Farahani, Adam Bessa, Olga Kurylenko, Daniel Bernhardt, Tinatin Dalakishvili, Idris Elba

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
After barely surviving his grievous wounds from his mission in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Tyler Rake is back, and his team is ready to take on their next mission.

My Opinion:

This wasn’t bad. Ridiculous but entertaining. I vaguely remember the first being about Hemsworth saving a kid from baddies? And now he’s saving 2 kids & their mother from baddies. Next one is gonna throw in some puppies. Or would that be too much like John Wick? I can see these turning into a similar franchise. I’ll watch them all & smile as thousands of bullets never kill Hottie Hero Hemsworth.

My Rating: 6.5/10

Maybe I Do (2023)

Directed by Michael Jacobs

Based on Cheaters by Michael Jacobs

Starring: Diane Keaton, Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, Emma Roberts, Luke Bracey, William H. Macy

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
Michelle and Allen are in a relationship. They decide to invite their parents to finally meet about marriage. Turns out, the parents already know one another well, which leads to some differing opinions about marriage.

My Opinion:

Oh dear. This movie is certainly a waste of some very big talent. They all do what they can with the material, though, so I did like seeing four seasoned actors doing their thing. Emma Roberts felt very out of her depth in comparison, although this is the perfect sort of movie for her at least (but she does too many like it).

The movie is pretty dreadful at first but does pick up when you realise their connections & I was indeed looking forward to the moment when they all came to the realisation themselves. The Roberts/Luke Bracey romance was mostly just annoying as was Sarandon‘s character (but she played it well). Then it all ended exactly as you’d expect from a cliche rom-com. Meh. I’ve seen worse, I guess. But it’s maybe the worst rom-com of 2023 that I’ve seen.

My Rating: 5.5/10

Don’t Worry Darling (2022) Review

Don’t Worry Darling (2022)

Directed by Olivia Wilde

Starring: Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Olivia Wilde, Gemma Chan, KiKi Layne, Nick Kroll, Chris Pine

Plot Synopsis: (via Wikipedia)
The film follows a housewife living in an idyllic company town who begins to suspect a sinister secret being kept from its residents by the man who runs it.

My Opinion:

Wow, what a mess. That ending was even messier than all that behind-the-scenes drama. I didn’t hate this, though, as I’m a massive fan of the original Twilight Zone & love any story that has that same sort of vibe. The story itself here is perfectly fine, although not very original. But not many stories are anymore so the execution is important.

This one started out very well. It had a great look & set design plus I liked the eerie score & mood. I always appreciate good production design, even though it was very derivative here. And those synchronised dancing ladies were cool. I’m not a fan of Pugh, though (sorry). I was a little thrown out of this “‘50s lifestyle” as they couldn’t have found an actress who looks less like she’s from that era, so I immediately expected some Shyamalan plot twist (you know which movie I mean). But I was still intrigued by the story & was eagerly awaiting what I knew would be an underwhelming reveal. But it really went off the rails at the end & the conclusion was very unsatisfying.

Besides the very obvious (and much better) influences like The Stepford Wives & The Truman Show, this also reminded me a lot of the more recent Vivarium. I really liked that one, although it’s certainly not one I could recommend to everyone. It’s weird as hell. But, unlike Don’t Worry Darling, it’s also very original and unlike anything I’ve seen before. So possibly worth checking that out if you liked the vibe of this but want something more unexpected.

Not sure what else to say other than, despite finding this disappointing, I did still appreciate its look & its mood & the idea for the story. It’s one I feel could’ve been great with the right people working on it. Not sure who & I don’t mean to insult Wilde. There’s just a much better movie to be made here…

My Rating: 7/10

Studio Ghibli Mini-Reviews: My Neighbors The Yamadas, Tales From Earthsea, Pom Poko & Earwig And The Witch

It was all over Twitter that the Studio Ghibli movies were gonna disappear from Netflix U.K. at the end of May. Even though I knew I’d already seen all the best ones by far, I’ve still been desperate to watch all the rest for years now as I adore Studio Ghibli. So I watched these remaining four before the 1st of June. The only one I have left to watch, which I want to see the most but have to wait since my family want to see it too, is The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (but luckily I have the DVD).

Well, the Ghibli movies are still on Netflix. Oh well – it got me closer to my goal! 🙂

These four confirm that I had indeed already seen the best. I’ve ranked the four at the bottom of my ranked Ghibli list here on Letterboxd (the only other one at the bottom being Ocean Waves). But one of these was still quite delightful, one was perfectly fine but very forgettable, one had way too many testicles, and one was sadly not worthy of the Ghibli name.

I just want to add that for some stupid reason I completely forgot to mention the coolest thing I’ve done in a very long time back in January. I can’t believe I didn’t mention this in my January roundup post! I’m just not used to doing interesting real-life things that relate to my stupid little movie blog. 🙂 I went to see the live production of My Neighbor Totoro at The Barbican in London. It was absolutely AMAZING. It did the film justice without harming its legacy in any way. The way they represented the soot sprites was so clever and the Totoros they created were perfect. And the Cat Bus! The acting was brilliant as well. They couldn’t have done a better job with such a beloved movie & score. Am happy to see they’ve added more shows now. I’d very highly recommend it to all Studio Ghibli fans. And you almost got a picture of me at it but other people are in all the photos too close to me to cut them out so here’s a photo of the lobby instead. 😉

Now let’s review these rather disappointing Studio Ghibli movies…

My Neighbors The Yamadas (1999) (ホーホケキョとなりの山田くん, Hōhokekyo Tonari no Yamada-kun)

Directed by Isao Takahata

Based on Nono-chan by Hisaichi Ishii

Starring: Hayato Isobata, Masako Araki, Naomi Uno, Touru Masuoka

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
The life and misadventures of a family in contemporary Japan.

My Opinion:

A fun series of vignettes with a delightful & very relatable family. The format reminded me somewhat of the Peanuts skits, which I absolutely adore. It’s certainly not up there with the Hayao Miyazaki Ghiblis (of course) and I’d rank it below most of the non-Miyazaki Ghiblis as well but it’s still worthy of the Ghibli name. It‘s just so different from the style & wonderfully bizarre nature of the Ghibli films I love the most, which is why it won’t ever be a favorite for me personally. But it was a very sweet film & a pleasant watch. 

My Rating: 7/10

Tales From Earthsea (2006) (ゲド戦記)

Directed by Gorō Miyazaki

Based on Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin & Shuna’s Journey by Hayao Miyazaki

Starring: Bunta Sugawara, Junichi Okada, Aoi Teshima, Yūko Tanaka

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
In a mythical land, a man and a young boy investigate a series of unusual occurrences.

My Opinion:

Not one of Studio Ghibli’s best (it’s hard to live up to those) but I can’t quite put my finger on why? It has Ghibli fantasy elements that I like & a Ghibli look. It’s a much more straightforward story & far less “strange” than my favorites, so maybe that’s why it’s less memorable? Seriously – I watched this a week ago & I barely remember it already. That’s not something you can say about their films like Spirited Away, etc. It’s a simple story with fairly unremarkable characters. That warlock was pretty cool, though. And quite terrifying, so this one wouldn’t be for really young kids. He was sort of a scary combination of Howl & of the wizard from Ponyo. Most memorable thing about this film. Oh, and the cool dragons too (which are barely in this).

I still enjoyed this & think it’s a good anime film, just not a great Ghibli film. I’d say it’s most similar to The Great Adventure of Horus, Prince of the Sun, which isn’t a Ghibli film but may as well be as it’s from Isao Takahata & was also worked on by Hayao Miyazaki. I liked that one a bit more. Both are worth watching if you’re a very big Ghibli fan like I am & want to watch them all.

My Rating: 6.5/10

Pom Poko (1994) (平成狸合戦ぽんぽこ, Heisei Tanuki Gassen Ponpoko)

Directed & Written by Isao Takahata

Starring: Kokontei Shinchou, Makoto Nonomura, Yuriko Ishida

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
A community of magical shape-shifting raccoon dogs struggle to prevent their forest home from being destroyed by urban development.

My Opinion:

I expected to like this one the most of these four as it looked the most bizarre, which is something I love about Ghibli. But I think it featured just a few too many testicles for my liking.

*Balls*

I did appreciate the weirdness of Pom Poko, although it’s not the beautiful & magical sort of weirdness that I love in the very best Ghiblis. Some of the humor was fun but the story was far darker than I was expecting. Between all the death & all the testicles, it’s certainly not one for the youngest Ghibli fans. And while I normally prefer memorable films to boring ones (and I will certainly never forget Pom Poko), I just wasn’t feeling this one. I’m glad I’ve watched it as I’ve been wanting to see all the Ghibli films but this isn’t one I’ll have any desire to watch again, which is unlike most of the studio’s other films I’ve happily watched multiple times. So I’ve ranked this below the rather bland & forgettable Tales From Earthsea as I liked that story much more & that one felt more like a Ghibli film to me.

Pom Poko was disappointing but, as I said, at least it was memorable. Seriously, though. What was with the testicles?! Okay – those bits were kind of hilarious. I’m giving this an extra half a point just for the balls.

My Rating: 6.5/10

Earwig And The Witch (2020) (アーヤと魔女, Āya to Majo)

Directed by Gorō Miyazaki

Based on Earwig and the Witch by Diana Wynne Jones

Starring: Shinobu Terajima, Etsushi Toyokawa, Gaku Hamada, Kokoro Hirasawa

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
An orphan girl, Earwig, is adopted by a witch and comes home to a spooky house filled with mystery and magic.

My Opinion:

Oh dear. This is indeed the worst Studio Ghibli film. But if the Ghibli name wasn’t attached to it, would we all think it was so bad? It’s certainly not the worst animated film I’ve ever seen. I’d say it’s something along the lines of the weakest films from Illumination or DreamWorks such as Sing or Home. You know, the kind of stuff you’ll happily watch once with your young kids to keep them entertained and then hopefully not have to watch a hundred more times if they then decide that’s their favorite movie. But that’s not what we expect from Studio Ghibli, who have made so many gorgeous & brilliant films that I as well as my daughter adore and have watched many, many times. The animation in Earwig is so ugly by comparison. Unfortunately, the character is also quite unlikeable, which I wasn’t expecting. I think they were trying to make her seem “cheeky” and precocious but she crossed the line into slightly annoying too often. The story is okay, I guess. I like a story about witches but it was hard to be interested when I didn’t care about any of the underdeveloped characters. And I can see why people complain about the ending. It just stops so abruptly. Could we not get a little closure? At least a small explanation? I thought maybe we’d get a “here’s what happened next” as they had some images through the credits but they didn’t fill in enough of the blanks. 

I don’t know. It’s just a very frustrating film. It’s not absolutely terrible. But it’s not Ghibli. In all honesty, I liked it enough that I’d watch a sequel if it promised to continue the story properly. And I thought the band was actually pretty cool. A sequel could focus more on that and maybe include flashbacks with some cool songs? But I think it’s safe to say that a sequel to the most widely hated Ghibli film is extremely unlikely.

My Rating: 6/10
(My score is being very generous)

The Whale (2022), Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris (2022), Ticket To Paradise (2022) & Next Of Kin (1982) Reviews

Four quickies before June! Three 2022 films & a crappy old Australian horror…

The Whale (2022)

Directed by Darren Aronofsky

Based on The Whale by Samuel D. Hunter

Starring: Brendan Fraser, Sadie Sink, Hong Chau, Ty Simpkins, Samantha Morton

Plot Synopsis: (via Wikipedia)
The plot follows a reclusive, morbidly obese English teacher who tries to restore his relationship with his teenage daughter.

My Opinion:

Was prepared to hate this as not really an Aronofsky fan & this looked as depressing as Requiem For A Dream (which I’ll never watch again, but the score is a masterpiece & one I listen to a lot). This was definitely worth the watch for the fantastic performances from Brendan Fraser & Hong Chau, though. I had sympathy for them & cared about their characters. Unlike Sadie Sink‘s character – Good god was she hateful! The boy was an annoying shithead as well.

Fraser‘s performance is absolutely heartbreaking & his Oscar win was well deserved. I found this most similar to The Wrestler, which is the one other Aronofsky film I like okay but in both cases it was more for the brilliant performances from the main characters than for the movies themselves. Like Requiem For A Dream, however, I’d never want to sit through this one again. Unlike that one there is a slight feeling of hope in The Whale, though. But the look in Fraser‘s eyes broke my damn heart. So, yeah – a great performance indeed.

My Rating: 7.5/10

Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris (2022)

Directed by Anthony Fabian

Based on Mrs. ‘Arris Goes to Paris by Paul Gallico

Starring: Lesley Manville, Isabelle Huppert, Lambert Wilson, Alba Baptista, Lucas Bravo, Ellen Thomas, Rose Williams, Jason Isaacs

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
A widowed cleaning lady in 1950s London falls madly in love with a couture Dior dress, and decides that she must have one of her own.

My Opinion:

This was pretty delightful. I’m not a very girly girl but I was all “OMG give her the red dress!!!”. That dress was lovely. This is the very definition of a feelgood film. But I was disappointed when later looking it up to see it was first an Angela Lansbury movie?!? Adore her! Want to see that version now.

My Rating: 7/10

Ticket To Paradise (2022)

Directed by Ol Parker

Starring: George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Kaitlyn Dever, Maxime Bouttier, Billie Lourd, Lucas Bravo

Plot Synopsis: (via Wikipedia)
A romantic comedy film starring George Clooney and Julia Roberts as a divorced couple who team up to sabotage the impending wedding of their daughter in Bali.

My Opinion:

Perfectly fine rom-com. Clooney & Roberts look great and work very well together. Predictable every step of the way but who cares? The whirlwind romance was as unbelievable as always in these type of movies. Pleasant & passed the time. I’ll forget it in a year.

My Rating: 6.5/10

Next Of Kin (1982)

Directed by Tony Williams

Starring: Jackie Kerin, John Jarratt, Gerda Nicolson, Alex Scott

Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
In a rest home for elderly people, a daughter reads her mother’s diary. Soon events that are mentioned in the mother’s diary begin to happen to the daughter.

My Opinion:

I watch this kind of stuff thinking it’ll be some hidden horror gem. Look at that great pulpy poster! And quite high Letterboxd rating! Took me a week to finish as I kept falling asleep out of sheer boredom. I guess it was fairly atmospheric but the story couldn’t have been more basic & the pacing was so slow & the “crazy ending” wasn’t that crazy but I suppose it just felt that way to some since fuck all happens until the final 20 minutes.

Disappointing. But I liked the very ‘80s style diner.

My Rating: 5.5/10