Films Watched: 16
How Many Were First-Time Watches: 12
Best Films: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023), Frances Ha (2012), Theatre Camp (2023)
New Releases: Meg 2: The Trench, Gran Turismo, Haunted Mansion, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, Blue Beetle, The Blackening, Theatre Camp
FULL LIST AND REVIEWS
Meg 2: The Trench (2023) A murky, messy, poorly plotted film from start to finish that takes itself way too seriously to be any fun at all. The great British director Ben Wheatley sours his filmography with an unredeemable sequel that nobody asked for ⭐️
Gran Turismo (2023) The racing sequences are well made, and David Harbour is typically charismatic, but otherwise this is a soulless outing with some poor supporting performances. Two hours of of cliched drama, product placement and dick swinging make this macho car-fetishist’s dream a dull cinematic affair ⭐️⭐️
Whiplash (2014) It’s difficult to review this film without sounding like a ‘film-bro’… so apologies. It’s just fantastic, Damien Chazelle’s singular vision is an energetic and taut exploration of obsession and the pursuit of perfection, with J. K. Simmons giving the performance of his career ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
La La Land (2016) The Guardian review on the Blu-Ray box calls this a “sun drenched masterpiece” and honestly I couldn’t put it better myself. Stone and Goslings sizzling chemistry, Chazelle’s astute direction, the romance, the comedy, the music. It’s just GORGEOUS and always turns me into a blubbering mess ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Haunted Mansion (2023) Some creepy visuals and a few inspired scenes can’t save this theme-park adaptation from a total lack of thrills. Overly plotted and surprising boring, this wastes the potential of a fun premise and good cast with a lack of any real scares or humour ⭐️⭐️
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023) The biggest compliment for this movie is that, where ‘Spider-Verse’ looks like a comic book come to life, this is like a child’s sketchbook has come to life. Vibrant, fresh and super entertaining, it’s a great new take on the famous mutant gang ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) A super-stylish swinging 60’s caper. The design, the music, the camera techniques, it all means that although the plot is completely lacking any substance, this still remains perfectly entertaining ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Blue Beetle (2023) It’s admirable for being the first all Latino cast in a superhero movie, but past that this superhero film is as bland and cliched as it comes. Vague powers, ugly visuals and forced humour make for a pretty dull flick ⭐️⭐️
Strays (2023) Considering it’s a talking swearing dog movie, this was so much better than it had any right to be. Charming, well ‘performed’ and importantly funny, it makes for entertaining viewing, even if the joke does start to wear thin by the end ⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Blackening (2022) It could have been funnier, scarier and more satirical, but this still holds up as a fun horror comedy with some inspired moments. It’s biggest problem is setting up a potentially unique spin on a known premise, but ultimately delivering the same clichéd plot we’ve come to expect ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sightseers (2012) Written and performed to perfection by Alice Lowe and Steve Oram, Ben Wheatley’s pitch black comedy is full of inspired moments. Beautifully capturing the English countryside, it’s funny, bizarre and oddly romantic ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Lost Boys (1987) Joel Schumacher’s 80s classic is a scattershot but none the less totally entertaining teen vampire flick. Stylish, inventive and unique, it lacks much substance but is performed excellently by its young ensemble cast ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Theatre School (2023) Hilariously capturing an authentic portrayal of youth theatre schools (to the point it may alienate non-performers?), this mockumentary packs loads of charm and comedy into a tight 90minutes. Sometimes it has to pause the fun to progress the plot, but the fantastic talent of the writer/performers still make for easy viewing ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Wizard of Oz (1939) What can be said that hasn’t already. It’s totally magic and an absolute masterpiece. A technical technicolour marvel with great performances, great visuals and great songs ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Founder (2016) Aided by a typically enigmatic performance from Michael Keaton, The Founder is a great dramatisation of the untold story behind the iconic fast food chain. At once a well performed and entertaining biopic, and a shocking indictment of capitalist greed ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Frances Ha (2012) Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig’s first collaboration is a sweet, charming and fizzing indie affair. It’s like Manhattan, but the characters are likeable and it’s not directed by a narcissist. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Daniel Robinson: From Reel to Real 