Incoming barrage (I'e had man flu for a few days)
...brace yourselves
The Haunting of Hill House (2018) - Mike Flanagan
Netflix
Mentioned on its TV thread, but a terrifically well directed and compelling 10-part mini-series. Parts 5 ,6 and 9 are standouts. 8/10
Kate (2021) - Cedric Nicholas-Troyan
Netflix
Seen it all before, time and time again. But there is definitely some violent entertainment value here and former girl-next-door turned badass Mary Elizabeth Winstead proves her mettle yet again, despite being not the most likeable protagonist. Tokyo looks great, notwithstanding the inexplicably dumb cartoon car chase. 5.5/10
Worth (2021) - Sara Colangelo
Netflix
Solidly enjoyable thanks to its interesting subject matter and the dual performances of Michael Keaton and Stanley Tucci. Beyond that, its pretty perfunctory. 6/10
Wrong Turn (2021) - Mike P Nelson
Netflix
Longer than it need to be, but better than it has any right to be. This initially trashy remake has more than a few tricks up his sleeve that surprised me a few times with it's sudden left turns. And the last ten minutes were pretty memorable. 6/10
As Good as it Gets (1997) - 6.5/10
Netflix
Not seen it before but heard it mentioned earlier. Really enjoyed seeing Jack Nicholson's scrooge-like character arc, thanks to Helen Hunt's long suffering waitress and his gay neighbour. Hunt is especially good here and there is some cracking dialogue and deadpan comedy thats probably a bit edgy by today's PC standards. 6.5/10
Jerry Maguire (1996) - Cameron Crowe
Netflix
Re-watch. The show-me-the-money nonsense still irritates the hell out of me, but I really enjoyed the
sort of friendship between sports agent Jerry and his client Rod (a wonderful Cuba Gooding Junior). The unrequited aspect of Jerry's relationship Renee Zellweger's character with also struck a realistic chord with me, although I didn't buy the cheesy
reconcilliation regardless of the line that's since become a meme. 6.5/10
Crazy Rich Asians (2018) - Jon M Chu
Netflix
Re-watch. Apart from the two leads, and the lovely Astrid (Jemma Chan) I found everyone insufferable in this and the romance plot quite basic (like any old 90s rom com, with an Asian paint job). The wedding scene is beautiful however and the ladies are all lovely. 5/10
Zombieland 2: Double Tap (2019) - Ruben Fleischer
Netflix
Meh. Its ok, some entertaining bits near the beginning but fairly weak stuff. Best character ironically is the annoying valley girl. 5/10
Raw (2016) - Julia Ducournau
Chilli
Been waiting to catch this forever and finally found it half price to rent on Chilli. What can you say, a unique blend of body horror, and weird French extreme indie cinema. I was transfixed and quite often wondered what the hell I was watching. Requires a strong stomach. Performances from the two sisters in particular are remarkable. Track it down if you can, its finger lickin' good. I'm looking forward now to Ducournau's upcoming
Titane. 8/10
American Horror Stories Part 1 Rubber(wo)Man (2021)
Disney+
Intriguing start to what I hope turns out to be a quality horror anthology series. 6.5/10
Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011) - Sean Durkin
Disney+
Elizabeth Olsen's film debut performance that proves she's always had plenty more to offer than superheroics. We follow two timelines; Olsen's character escapes a cult-like commune to be with her sister and boyfirned, and we see her experiences in flashback. The cuts between them are subtle and smooth so you need to fully engage with it. Its a quiet and restrained drama so dont expect heavy melodrama or histrionics, most of Olsen's performance is conveyed in her body language and silent trauma. Well worth a look; a quality film by the director of the recent (also excellent)
The Nest. 7.5/10
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989) - William Shatner
Film 4
An objectively bad Star Trek film, that's not even a matter of opinion. Crummy acting, feeble action scenes, and embarrassing special effects (all well worth exploring if you study the film's fascinating production history) and Shatner's ego bigger than his waistline. And yet, despite all the naffness, there's a good film buried deep within, and as one critic said back in the day, "the battered treasures are there to be found". Those treasures include some fantastic character work examining the relationship between the trinity of Kirk/ Spock/ McCoy and their personal histories and traumas. Laurence Luckinbill is also a superbly charismatic figure as Sybok; a trek antagonist with depth and purpose in the best star trek tradition. Corny as hell but still retains the essence of what makes Trek great and will always have a place in my heart despite my score. Talking of scores, Jerry Goldsmith's work is as wonderful here as ever. 5.5/10
Double Jeopardy (1999) - Bruce Beresford
Netflix
Trashy 1990's mystery thriller that is absolutely ludicrous and just keeps, well, doubling down on the silliness. Shame as the initial premise is an interesting one, but they go the typically 90s route of going over the top. I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it though and Tommy Lee Jones is always fun to watch being the smartest guy in the room. 5/10
American Made (2017) - Doug Liman
Chilli
First watch, again heard it mentioned earlier in the thread. Another enormously fun rise-and-fall story based (very loosely I hear) on the real life American pilot who smuggled guns and drugs for Pablo Escobar. Feels a bit like a change of pace for Tom Cruise but I liked him in it. A superb watch. 7/10
Crazy Heart (2009) - Scott Cooper
Disney+
Jeff Bridges does the grizzled old cowboy persona to a tee, and I liked him a lot in this. Unfortunately I did find it all a bit on the boring side. I was reminded of the more recent
A Star Is Born with Bradley Cooper, where again we have a fading, bearded, alcoholic southern country singer on a downward spiral. Only in this film, there is no Ally character to balance the story. It also felt similar to Daren Aronofsky's
The Wrestler which has a similar story structure and vibe. It was ok but it never really clicked and I doubt I'd watch it again. 6/10
The Birds (1963) - Alfred Hitchcock
Chilli
Rewatch after many years and still find it an effortless esperience even despite the long, drawn out (but hightly enjoyable) set up and preamble. I can't decide if Melanie Daniels is the most romantic and resourceful woman ever, or the worlds biggest stalker. In either case, she is a superb character. The bird attacks are well done for the time, despite a few instances where they are unintentionally funny. The scene outside the school by the jungle gym is absolutely masterful in its execution. I also love the dialogue scene in the diner; a scene that quickly introduces us to a plethora of rich character and viewpoints. Some of the later attack scenes also get pretty harrowing. Look out for a very young Veronica Cartright as Cathy. Tippi Hedren is also probably my favourite Hitchcock blonde after Grace Kelly. Gorgeous. 8/10
In order of recommendation: