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Happy Gilmore 2 (2025)

Asteroid City (2023)

This movie rewards rewatching.

Tomie (1998)

Very slow, predictable and only redeemed by interesting casting and some occasional nice cinematography, which was then ruined by choppy editing.

The Thing (1982)

Still amazing. It was my wife’s first time watching this movie and even she said the practical effects were impressive.

The Phoenician Scheme (2025)

Asteroid City helped me understand this film. And, this film helped me better understand The French Dispatch. The depth of philosophical, artistic, and psychological expression in these films is breathtaking. I can understand why this movie might not resonate with everyone, but for me, this is what art is for. Reflections on the human condition, offering no explicit answers or artist’s manifesto. The struggle of a man trying to make sense of identity, life, meaning, and purpose. These films are too beautiful to be true—yet they feel more true and real than anything else. True humanity lies in the poetry.

The Third Man (1949)

Well’s is functional in the film for 3min. Steals the show.

Palm Springs (2020)

I really enjoyed this, despite the premise being very familiar to any love of Punxsutawney Phil this movie stands on its own and is a genuinely rewarding take.

The Vast of Night (2019)

I loved this film. As a fan of radio theatre and The Twilight Zone and other 1950s sci-fi, it felt tailor-made for me. The cinematography, performances, and overall elegance of the production were truly impressive.

The Florida Project (2017)

Beautifully shot, texture, motion, colour all conspire to tell a the modern fairytale, which is to say; this is a tough watch. Amazing performances all around as well as very effective subtly story telling. … that end though.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

A film that focus on how it feels above all else; despite being largely ridiculous, inconsistent and contrived in almost every respect it still feels relentlessly fun.

Titan: The OceanGate Submersible Disaster (2025)

Classic Netflix documentary, just too drawn out to the extent that some of the elements become unclear due to repetition.

Pulp Fiction (1994)

A great film packed with memorable moments. The 4K UHD release, combined with sheer familiarity after so many viewings, brings some minor flaws and oddities to the surface—occasional focus issues and other small details. But it’s still a wildly entertaining experience. In some ways, it hardly feels like a movie. It feels like back to back episodes of a fun Show.

The Irishman (2019)

Excellent

Django Unchained (2012)

A hard watch, a loose tale held together by performances.

Dune: Part Two (2024)

I watched Dune: Part One and Part Two back-to-back, and I have to say I thought more highly of Part Two this time around. The pacing in the final quarter still feels rushed, but I enjoyed it much more overall. Austin Butler was especially notable—despite limited screen time, his screen presence was impressive. I didn’t care for Christopher Walken as the Emperor. Despite not dominating not much the casting seemed off.

Dune (2021)

After rewatching Dune: Part One, I find it hard to fault. Its borderline perfect in its execution, cinematography, and world-building.

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

Rewatched Mad Max: Fury Road on a new TV via a 4K UHD.

Flow (2024)

There were a few moments where the animation’s fidelity broke the immersion, but overall, the narrative and subtle character development more than compensated, making it an engaging experience. This charming little film avoids the trope of a cute animal dying or suffering to add emotional weight. Instead, it offers a gentler, more enjoyable story. That’s not to say there aren’t trials—only that they feel genuine rather than manipulative emotion bait.

Throne of Blood (1957)

Throne of Blood surprised me with its compressed stripped down storytelling and theatrical performances. Kurosawa distills Shakespeare’s Macbeth to its elemental forces—fate, ambition, and guilt—delivering a tale that feels both ancient and immediate. The stylised acting, especially from Toshiro Mifune, borders on Noh theatre, with every gesture loaded with symbolic weight. While some may find the minimalism distancing, I found it refreshingly stark.

Snatch (2000)

Absolute nonsense, I love it.

Nosferatu (2024)

Narratively thin and lacking character development, the film leans heavily on visual spectacle and a few standout performances. That said, everything’s better with Willem Dafoe—glad he escaped The Lighthouse.

The Green Knight (2021)

A meditative and symbolic journey that reflects on honour, mortality, and identity. Dev Patel delivers a compelling performance as Gawain, a flawed yet fascinating protagonist. The pacing is deliberate, enhanced by dreamlike imagery and minimal dialogue, contributing to the film's introspective tone. Fantastical, though not a conventional fantasy, it rewards patience with thematic depth and, while not resolving its existential questions, offers a meaningful perspective from which to contemplate them. A visually rich and atmospheric adaptation of the 14th-century Arthurian poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

Top Secret! (1984)

Top Secret! is very silly, but it maintains a consistent pace of absurdity throughout—more than can be said for many of its modern counterparts. I’ve read that Kilmer was reportedly difficult to work with, but credit where it’s due: the role demanded a lot. From underwater fight scenes and elaborate choreography to filming sequences in reverse and committing fully to the film’s relentless absurdity, he delivered. On top of that, he recorded and performed all the songs and nailed the dance numbers. There aren’t many performers who could have pulled all that off!

Lord of Illusions (1995)

Dated effects and a nonsense plot but at least it has that Clive Barker commitment to the nonsense. Also not the wildest episode of Quantum Leap ever.

Needful Things (1993)

Genuine question, is this a comedy?

Inherit the Wind (1960)

This script didn’t quite stick the landing, but it was an entertaining ride nonetheless. The performances were generally strong, though they occasionally dipped into melodrama, with some lines delivered awkwardly. The portrayal of religious figures felt heavy-handed at times, making the resolution and shift in momentum seem somewhat abrupt.

Phantom Thread (2017)

Meticulous and hypnotic, this film explores the cruelty of obsession, control, and the complexities of love within a perfectionist’s identity. Daniel Day-Lewis delivers as always, with Vicky Krieps providing the perfect counterbalance. So much is conveyed through sound design—the closeness, the emptiness, and the relentless rhythm of obsession. There’s texture here, an attention to subtlety that makes every detail feel deliberate, layered with an underlying darkness or madness that lingers.

The Sword of Doom (1966)

Incredible performances from a fantastic cast, embracing a bold and unconventional narrative perspective. This is not an easy film to watch—its protagonist is an irredeemable bastard whose descent into madness is as compelling as it is unsettling. The film’s strong concept is somewhat undercut by clunky, underdeveloped plot points, uneven character development, and pacing issues. The abrupt and ambiguous ending feels more clumsy than profound.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

Only the truly evil listen to Enya.

Chinatown (1974)

I thought I had seen this before but apparently not. Excellent cast, well paced despite being a little convoluted.

A Fish Called Wanda (1988)

Not as funny as I remember; but Kevin Kline steals the show regardless. Jamie Lee Curtis does what she can with a very odd and limited character who seems like she solves 70% of her problems by sleeping with whoever is in her way.

Conclave (2024)

The film’s distracting sound design and reluctance to fully embrace its own intrigue kept the audience at a distance, dulling the impact of some excellent performances and cinematography. Conceptually, it plays like a murder mystery—only the “murder” is becoming pope. The double twist at the end felt contrived in the first instance, and the second left me uncertain. I will continue to watch Ralph Fiennes in anything; and a small part thought perhaps after all Monsieur Gustave H had found a home in the institution of the Catholic church.

The Departed (2006)

Nicholson and DiCaprio carry this. Felt longer than it needed to be. Directorially, not a patch on his later work  The Irishman.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is somehow both better and worse than it could have been. Visually, the film delivers on the strong aesthetic, and to its credit, it genuinely tries to do something new with its story rather than simply rehashing the original. Michael Keaton is excellent, fully embodying the role once again with manic energy without it ever going to far.

I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore (2017)

I think it was going for Cohen brothers, it fell short. Lynsey was good, wood, whilst not a bad performance, wasn’t right for the role. He is too endearing to be the social outcast awkward loner. This movie doesn’t like hands. Bad guys lacked depth, or coherence.

Clockwise (1986)

It has its moments but never really delivers on what it wants to do. Comedy from absurdity is one thing but characters need to act in a way that’s grounded in reality for it to be funny; the contrast is what makes us laugh. Cleese is funny here but it’s nothing new it might as well be basil faulty up there; accept that Faulty Towers was much better written.

Adaptation. (2002)

A screenplay so good it wrote itself.

Kagemusha (1980)

Epic. Beautifully subtle performances. Wonderful visual design.

Annihilation (2018)

Transformation; the unknown, identity. Natalie Portman is excellent as always. Oscar Isaac isn’t really in the film. A little too much flashback. Some issues with the character motivations, hard to know if the rationality is an effect of the Shimmer or the script. Beautifully shot; and engages the imagination without being a too ambiguous.

Jurassic Park (1993)

Not to take away for this undoubtedly being a classic but this time around I was much more aware of the movies pacing issues, odd dialogue and delivery and the narrow aspect ratios. After rewatching Jaws I couldn’t help feel that the elegance of the framing wasn’t as good as I remembered in this film. Also; I totally forgot about Sam Jackson in this thing!

Jaws (1975)

I had never seen this movie, I thought I had but i was wrong. The story is so simple, but the execution is almost perfect. It’s great to see something dramatic, exciting and engaging where the world isn’t at stake. The budget constraints show but it’s ok. Because the cinematography is great and the feel is on point. It further emphasises the point that there is nothing that a John Williams score can’t make magical. Spielberg is excellent.

High and Low (1963)

Fantastic performances, pink smoke and mirrored sunglasses. Beautifully shot and elegantly paced.

Being John Malkovich (1999)

Utterly strange whilst remaining delightful, thought provoking and entertaining.

Renfield (2023)

Nicholas Hoult and Awkwafina save a rather uninspiring script that fails to take advantage of an interesting premise. Over the top stylised comic book gore comes crashing back to made for tv movie dialogue.

My Neighbors the Yamadas (1999)

Poignant and beautifully animists slices of the everyday life of a Japanese family.

Dreams (1990)

These are dreams that I will keep dreaming for a while. The use of colour; the framing, the feel.

12 Angry Men (1997)

An interesting made for TV remake; it lacks some of the nuanced performance of the original in my opinion but remains powerful regardless. Strong cast; but had me imagining an modern remake, who would you cast?

Dream Scenario (2023)

Nic Cage. So there is that.

Mind the Gap (2016)

I am not sure I will ever be ready for the sequel

I Saw the TV Glow (2024)

Trans identity, nostalgia, the blurry surrealist landscape of childhood and understanding who you are in the context of others. Connecting to fantasy as a way to understand reality. The term Lynchian gets thrown around a fair bit wherever a move gets a little strange but I think this movie is unashamedly wearing its influences proudly and to good effect. Stylish, strange and well executed.

Jacky in the Kingdom of Women (2014)

Jacky in the Kingdom of Women presents an intriguing premise—a gender-swapped authoritarian society—yet drowns its commentary under too many layers of absurdity.

Koyaanisqatsi (1982)

I started to watch and didn’t know if I would see it through, I got lost in thought inspired by the visuals, then I couldn’t tell what I was thinking and what the film involving. I got lost in the inhuman perspective. I will need to watch this again.

Do the Right Thing (1989)

Love, hate. So much love in this movie; how little hate is needed to make that love feel hopeless. This movie is going to live with me for a long time.

The Apartment (1960)

What a performance from Shirley MacLaine; Jack Lemmon was excellent also but Shirley MacLaine was on another level. It’s a slow start, but wow that ending got me. Beautifully shot, great set and just a fantastic script.

Heretic (2024)

First half was full of interesting set up and promise; and the second half spectacularly failed to deliver on any of it. Hugh Grant seemed to enjoy the role and was certainly the most compelling thing about the film.

The Zone of Interest (2023)

My wife asked me if I liked this movie. I didn’t know what to say. It’s was a harrowing nightmare of subtlety. The say show don’t tell. But what if you don’t see it, what if you don’t talk about it and what if the silence and the absence of the thing is the loudest part of the experience. This one will haunt you. This is an important movie.

Se7en (1995)

I find myself enjoying Se7en less with each rewatch. While the film’s dark neo-noir atmosphere, Fincher’s dynamic cinematography, and meticulous world-building are impressive, they do almost all the heavy lifting. The performances are a mixed bag. Pitt, aside from his final scene—which is genuinely well-executed—delivers an unconvincing performance, feeling more like background noise than an active protagonist. His work in 12 Monkeys (released the same year) was far more compelling. Freeman brings moments of warmth and gravitas, but his character is underwritten, often reduced to a passive observer rather than a driving force. Paltrow feels miscast, though that may be more of a personal bias against her as a performer.

The Godfather (1972)

Brando, The Godfather. What a musical score.

The Gentlemen (2019)

Good stuff! Brilliant performances all around. Guy Richie on point whilst not getting to lost in affectation.

Rebel Ridge (2024)

Interesting, a little predictable but not bad.

Groundhog Day (1993)

Never fails too charm; my wife spotted a god barking at Bill and Andy as they climbed over the fence at the end.

65 (2023)

It’s genuinely fascinating that a film with so many things going for it can be so bad. It’s just a bad script with uninspiring direction and cinematography. They say show, don’t tell; but this old chestnut must have never been told to the scriptwriters because they wrote a magic science box constantly explains what’s happening at all times so there is nothing to figure out. This just leaves the contrived action beats.

Gremlins (1984)

Such a classic, loved it.

Total Recall (1990)

Still holds up, still awesome.

Cliffhanger (1993)

Been a long time since I saw this; not entirely sure why I watched it now. It’s Die Hard on a mountain. Some beautiful vistas are about the only thing of real interest here; the plot is utter gibberish and just makes Die Hard look better by comparison.

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (2021)

Very endearing.

Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)

As advertised

Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)

Fun but I suspect the version I watched was not the theatrical release as some of the pacing and editing felt clipped.

Uncle Buck (1989)

I had never actually seen this and it was better than I expected.

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Such a fun film. Silly, self aware but just the perfect lighthearted action adventure. Spielbergs blocking, and the overall colour grading stuck out to me as especially exceptional this time around.

Tampopo (1985)

Despite being clearly made for a more international audience the Japanese sense of humour is unmistakable. A delicious sweet and filling movie that will deserve a rewatch.

The Blues Brothers (1980)

Forgot about the “Who ya gonna call line”; I understand it wasn’t intentional but it still made me laugh.

The Boy and the Heron (2023)

I think this is going to take some thinking about.

Suzume (2022)

Charming, a little silly on the plot but very well animated.

Trancers (1984)

This is just as good as I remember. Terrible and strangely brilliant. Jack Death, a cop from the future who is chasing a man called Whistler who can turn people into mind controlled zombies. What’s not to love.

For a Few Dollars More (1965)

Continuing my journey through the trilogy. Defiantly better than A fistful of dollars. Lee Van Cleef was excellent, a perfect counterpart to Eastward.

A Fistful of Dollars (1964)

I am glad I saw Kurosawa's Yojimbo (1961) first. Leone's film is functionally just a remake. Clint Eastwood has the charisma to carry it off however.

Onibaba (1964)

A lot to unpack here. Dark, gritty with some excellent performances. The old women played by 39 year old Nobuko Otowa did not feel sufficiently old or baba like but regardless this one leaves you with a lot to think about.

Forbidden Planet (1956)

A groundbreaking science fiction film, stunning design and special effects. It’s compelling narrative, drawing inspiration from Shakespeare's The Tempest a thoughtful exploration of the dangers of unchecked power. Its influence on the genre is profound, making it a classic that still resonates with audiences today. Worth the watch for Robbie The Robot alone.

It Came from Outer Space (1953)

A classic sci-fi film that taps into the era's pervasive fear of the unknown, often seen as a metaphor for Cold War anxieties and the fear of communist infiltration. The film's depiction of extraterrestrial beings who can mimic human appearance reflects the paranoia of hidden enemies within society. Its atmospheric tension and subtle social commentary make it a standout in 1950s science fiction cinema. Its slight story is drawn out over the 81min run time, and its tone is too bland to reach its potential. Nothing like as interesting or as tense as the excellent 1951 movie The Thing from Another World.

The Thing from Another World (1951)

*The Thing from Another World* (1951) is a seminal sci-fi horror film that masterfully builds tension through its claustrophobic setting and the looming threat of an alien entity. As in all good movies at this sort the alien, “An intellectual carrot.”, is not really the focus but just the catalyst for the human interaction. Rise to some sharp and amusing dialogue. “We are getter nowhere”

Banned from Broadcast: The Movie—Saiko! The Large Family (2009)

Not sure what to say about this one. My wife loved it, I was less keen.

The Big Lebowski (1998)

What more can I say. I have seen this movie many times and yet still, The Dude abides.

It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958)

‘Forbidden Planet’ released 2 years before is significantly better. To be fair there aren’t many films where an astronaut guards a hatch in a spaceship as it returns to earth with a Bazooka. The approach to the introduction and ending very much come form the tell don’t show school of melodrama. The connection to Alien certainly makes this movie a curiosity.

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022)

This is such a great movie; just so much fun. Cage and Pascal make it work on pure charisma. Some of the direction is excellent with some surprising nuance to the cinematography in places. The constant bait and switch of the narrative would be clumsy in less accomplished hands. Somehow it all just works. I was surprised how much fun it was on second viewing.

Dawn of the Dead (1978)

Such a classic. Been a while since I had seen it.

Deathstalker (1983)

Couldn’t tell if this was a soft porn movie with surprising commitment to its narrative or an actual movie written by I guy who half remembers the trailer to Conan the Barbarian and think that boobs make everything better. This is certainly in the so bad it’s good category so it managed 2 starts but, it’s pretty terrible. Could have been vastly improved with better editing, sound design and cinematography.

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024)

Enjoyable but I was hoping it would be better. Was t quite sure how to feel about the tone.

The Conversation (1974)

Texture and tone, framing felt excellent. Amazing performance by Hackman, intense isolation and paranoia played perfectly without a hint melodrama. Some odd narrative moments confused me, but a stylish film none the less.

Catch-22 (1970)

Hard to collect my thoughts about this one. Will need a second viewing.

The Time Machine (1960)

Which three books would you take?

Rashomon (1950)

Interesting. Also that scene with the medium, wow.

Ran (1985)

Wow, they really don’t make them like that anymore. So much is striking. The scope, the stunt work, the use of colour. The famously King Lear inspired plot left me with much to think about even as its poetry on futility left, greed, revenge and ultimately nihilism was something less than enjoyable; but less rewarding.

Dancer in the Dark (2000)

This move is elegant, Bjork is amazing, but the narrative is miserably dark. I never want to see this movie again.

Sanjuro (1962)

Funny, charming, elegant, silly, beautiful, and at one memorable moment more than a little blood. This move is a masterpiece, and yet it remains a simple story. It’s action adventure at its very best.

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (2024)

“Beverly Hills Cop Axel F (2024)” fails to impress. Like so many nostalgia cash grabs the film asks us to assume that its protagonist, Axel, at 63 is no different to Axel at 23. The total absence of character growth in the last 40 years feels dumb. Worse still it’s a missed opportunity to tell a much more interesting story. Quick cut fight sequences don’t work for Steven Segal, and the don’t work here; the audience can see he is a 60 year old and ignoring it is jarring.

Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999)

Not the first time I have seen this but I hadn’t seen it in a long time. The surreal nature of aspects of this movie stuck me; not as elegant as Dead Man (1995) but still elements of the exaggerated and of depth surround the movie. The two different perspectives on Lewis rescuing young Ghost Dog for example were lost on me the first time and were a nice touch.

Taxi (1998)

I love this movie, and I am always surprised it doesn’t get more love. It’s stylish, funny but crucially well directed and beautifully shot. The action remains fun without being overbearing the characters are both ridiculous but strangely lovable this may well be style over substance but when there’s this much style I can’t really find much to complain about.

Killers from Space (1954)

Some interesting, non-liner storytelling elements and special effects in places. But mostly feels slow, clunky and bad. Suffered from terrible pacing and editing. The male lead was pretty good though.

It Follows (2014)

Better than I expected. Felt like it needed to be a bit smarter than it was at the end. A final interesting twist would have made this a great movie. Stylish and wearing its influences on its sleeve this is better than your average modern horror.

Psycho (1960)

Such a classic. It’s easy to forget just how good Anthony Perkins is in this movie; Not to mention just how stylish it is.

The Angry Red Planet (1959)

A classic Sci-fi, but not a sci-fi classic. The giant martian bat spider was pretty epic

Godzilla Minus One (2023)

Awesome, this is how you make a monster movie. It’s never about the monster; and it’s not about how great your VFX are. The tone is perfect.

Seven Samurai (1954)

Wow, firstly what a great way to spend a Sunday. Secondly, so I guess everyone has just been remaking this movie for the last 68 years. Kurosawa, I mean dam. The 3 hour 26min run time just flys. Nothing to add that hasn’t been said already.

The Hidden Fortress (1958)

The house back fight.

Rumble Fish (1983)

A surreal musical without music.

10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)

The film features great performances overall, with Mary Elizabeth Winstead being especially good. It’s refreshing to see a well-written female protagonist in a film like this. The suspense is well developed throughout. The most compelling antagonists are those who believe themselves to be the heroes. The movie should have ended with the line, “Aw, come on.”

Wicked Little Letters (2023)

Olivia Colman is an absolute delight in this quirky comedy, complemented by an excellent cast. Jessie Buckley, provides a strong counterpart to Colman and brings heart to the role. Timothy Spall as the Swan family patriarch is also exceptional. However, the film struggles to find its comedic rhythm, with a jarring contrast between the sinister Swan family dynamic and failed attempts at invoking Edgar Wright's kinetic comedic style. Anjana Vasan's PC Gladys Moss, despite her spot-on comedic timing, suffers from a role as underwritten as it was anachronistic.

Yojimbo (1961)

Can’t believe I had not seen this. It’s been on my list for a long time and it was excellent. Funny, stylish and beautifully shot,

Blue Ruin (2013)

An interesting ride that does some interesting things with genre tropes. Cinematography is excellent and the low budget camera set up is never noticeable outside of some moment where the limitation of the dynamic range start to show; however even in those moments is make the film feel more personal, grounded and only draws you closer to the narrative. Some great performances. The back third felt a little loose but generally well worth a watch.

Anomalisa (2015)

Hackers (1995)

Wow, I can't believe I had never seen this movie before. In fact, I must have done at some point and just forgotten. It appeared to have been carved out of pure 1995. Jonny Lee Miller, Angelina Jolie, Matthew Lillard are all fair as cast members, although there isn't much they can do with what's on the page. but I really wasn't expecting Wendell 'the Bunk' Pierce and Penn Jillette to be in this. The visual effects are as mad as the computer babble techno-speak. The story is utterly rubbish, predictable nonsense and the overall tone is bonkers. Yet there is something strangely loveable about this.

Spy Game (2001)

A good spy movie that resists the standard tropes of the genera. Redford and Pitt are both good and make the movie compelling where it might have faulted in less charismatic hands. A little too much walking around in corridors on the phone and an occasional suspicious lack of security/common-sense so the plot can happen but on the whole not bad.

Sphere (1998)

Terrible pacing. Predictable, underwhelming and felt like such a missed opportunity. Great cast; all of whom were criminally under used.

Upgrade (2018)

This movie demonstrates the huge advantage of a clear understanding of what you are doing. It knows it’s not high concept, but also that it can’t overly rely on action or novelty. What it delivers is a surprisingly tight premise despite the conceptual scope. Can’t help but wish there was a version of this that went full Knightrider meets Ghost in the Shell TV Show but for a low budget move this was stylish and entertaining.  The story was predictable, there were some extremely large plot holes but it didn’t matter because movie always stayed entertaining.

Prisoners (2013)

Spotlight (2015)

V for Vendetta (2005)

Pokémon Detective Pikachu (2019)

The Lighthouse (2019)

The Matrix Resurrections (2021)

Lifeforce (1985)

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984)

Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)

GoldenEye (1995)

From Russia with Love (1963)

Casino Royale (2006)

An American Werewolf in London (1981)

Snowpiercer (2013)

Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose (2023)

Holmes & Watson (2018)

Elysium (2013)

One Cut of the Dead (2017)

Immortals (2011)

The Mist (2007)

Scrooged (1988)

Violent Night (2022)

The Equalizer 3 (2023)

The Whale (2022)

The Equalizer 2 (2018)

Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Poor Things (2023)

The story is thoughtful and thought provoking. The script is excellent. The costume design is delightful. Wonderfully shot with the blended surreality and perspective of the protagonist.

The Holdovers (2023)

Enjoyable, sweet and generally endearing. The classic 70s feel seems to not quite lands at all times with the modern feel of the camera but still like that they tried and for the most part landed the look.

My Dinner with Andre (1981)

‘You really want to hear all this’ ….yeah.

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget (2023)

Just terrible writing and utterly fails to have a tenth of the charm of any of the previous Aardman animations.

The Crow (1994)

I absolutely adore this movie. Despite its flaws it’s still an absolute classic. The loss of Brandon Lee while shorting it never ceases to feel profound. As he said in an interview shortly before his death.

Road House (2024)

Some moment of potential there but they got lost in the ludicrous tone.

Night Is Short, Walk On Girl (2017)

Strange sweet beautiful surreal elegant funny and poignant. I’m going to need to watch this one a few times before it will properly make sense. The subtitles were fast and the story strange making it a challenge. The lack of an English dub didn’t help. Regardless, this is a wonderful modern animated fairytale.

Nope (2022)

An interesting exploration of our fascination with dangerous spectacle. Lots of interesting notes to other cinematic classics. Some mild nonsense in the narrative but mostly fairly strong. Always respect to show that has the courage to actually reveal its monsters.

Get Out (2017)

Slow start and both subtle and unsubtle in its social commentary; saved be excellent direction and writing and some smart performances the wider cast. I wasn’t as much of a fan of the lead performances however but this was still an interesting and entertaining example of science fiction and social commentary worthy of the Twilight Zone (which I consider high praise)

American Psycho (2000)

I have never been much of a Christian Bale fan but I have to say he really was excellent in this.

Anima (2019)

Bottle Rocket (1996)

Interesting, the early elements of the Wes Anderson style is certainly present; and there are certainly moment of real beauty. Its subtle, timid, rough but there is a charm and the performances are interesting. Ultimately, there is something about this movie that I feel will linger stick around much longer than 1. Might expect from a simple viewing of the narrative. There seems to be a superficial parsing that’s easy to enjoy and talk about with Wes Anderson movies, but ultimately, there is truly hidden depth.

Wonka (2023)

I was very hopeful; and ultimately very disappointed. Hugh Grant was certainly the best thing in this movie and almost every single scene of his was in the trailer.

North by Northwest (1959)

Certainly a classic and no doubt remarkable for its time.  Lee G. Carroll is excellent as The Professor.

They Cloned Tyrone (2023)

Set in the modern era; although clearly making this fact ambiguous this is a sci-fi-thriller-mystery-comedy-Blaxploitation-satirical buddy movie. Its ultimate message is heavy handed and not strong enough to to land.

Submarine (2010)

Clearly inspired by Wes Anderson; this is a coming of age story about a young Welsh boy who was worried his parents were breaking up whilst perusing his first love. The two young Leeds are fantastic and whilst its influences were clear the direction was no less well done. Ayoade wrote the script and whilst his voice was there; it never suffocated the narrative. A great movie.

Punch-Drunk Love (2002)

I couldn’t quite overcome Adam Sandler’s character in this movie. I also just don’t write him as a performer. I don’t understand why the girl falls for him that lack of verisimilitude made the rest of the narrative feel contrived. It’s a shame as the opening moments of the film capture the attention.

Rear Window (1954)

Charming and surprising. Thelma Ritter was especially wonderful as the nurse Stella. The mood, tension and tone not to mention the masterful lighting of the ending; just wonderful.

View from the Top (2003)

The only reason I watched this movie was because the amazing book “Ayoade on Top” Richard Ayoade a 256 page masterpiece of passive aggression aimed at providing a definitive assassination of this masterpiece of mediocrity.

White Noise (2022)

A strange lament on the nature of addressing death. Theatrical, poetic and at times ridiculous. This move is saved by an excellent cast and direction.

Leave the World Behind (2023)

Paddington (2014)

Whiplash (2014)

Paddington 2 (2017)

<blockquote>“Open your mind and your legs will follow” - Paddington 2</blockquote>