The Last Film You Watched

A catch up of my first time film watching over the festive period!

Birdy (1984) - ** 1/2
There is something sweet and kind of sensitive about male friendship in here, but boy does it feel unsatisfying by the end. Literally zero threads are wrapped up in any kind of rewarding way.

Wonka (2023) - *** 1/2
The absolute definition of perfectly fine. A hell of a lot of plot, would have benefitted from being a bit more streamlined, but very sweet and Chalamet is charming as hell.

Married To The Mob (1988) - ***
I can’t say that this is really my vibe, but I do love that Michelle Pfeiffer plays this dead serious versus everyone else in a full blown comedy.

Being There (1979) - **** 1/2
A fantastic film. So very nearly five stars, but modern eyes on the romance angle of the story have it come across a little bit too odd for me. Shirley MacLaine's interest in Peter Sellers feels borderline inappropriate given his life experience up to that point!

The Great Santini (1979) - *** 1/2
I'm a sucker for this kind of melodrama, and Duvall is infuriatingly authentic. Great cast all round actually!

Perfect (1985) - ***
Awful but great. You know the drill. Nice to finally put a name to the face re. the Jamie Lee Curtis/John Travolta hip thrusting gifs!

Heavenly Bodies (1984) - * 1/2
No, sorry, this is my dance movie limit. Every time it threatens to turn into something even remotely resembling a film, they just revert back to grating music video mayhem. It made me never want to interact with music again.

Midnight Express (1978) - *** 1/2
What else to watch on Christmas Eve? I thought this was solid, but I don't quite get the reputation that it seems to have to with the older middle and generation. My dad always cites it as one of his favourites films, but I can't go that far.

Ferrari (2023) - ***
Mixed feelings. It feels like Mann has made a film that is clearly intended to be about the personal side, whilst simultaneously being more interested in the sporting side. A jaw dropping crash scene, but for me, any moment without Penelope Cruz on screen is lacking.

Priscilla (2023) - *** 1/2
Visually sumptuous, but a bit of a slog if I'm honest. Feels longer than it's relatively brief runtime. Despite the title, it still feels more like a film about Elvis. Testament to the space he took up I suppose, but I was expecting something even further on the other side of the spectrum.

Saw Priscilla yesterday at the cinema and have to agree - really disappointed. The screenplay is at times downright bad and the central performance is empty. The film has no depth or hold. I normally find something to enjoy in a film and it's aesthetics are the strong point but to the point that it seemed the priority.

Saw a couple of films yesterday and both were rubbish I'm afraid.

Good Grief on Netflix which was quite dreary and they could have told the whole story in 30 mins

Arthur's Whisky on Sky. Only really watched it for Patricia Hodge but it was all very silly.

Sorry you didn't enjoy it, Marwood, but each to her/his own and my ex and I thought it was a hoot. I do know they played it for laughs but we enjoyed it as part of a day trip to Brighton. We did do other things (visit an exhibition and eat out as a rare treat), but would agree that this was definitely the highlight and just what we needed on a wintry day.

Saw this yesterday at the cinema. Great Spanish film. Extremely well shot and moving story.

I have a couple of buts: excessive use of sentimental music towards the end; some shots make the actors look far too beautiful when they are starving and dying, at times it looks like a perfume ad.

Is it dubbed? Go for the original language, always best.

jr yes dubbed on Netflix - I've tried watching foreign language films with subtitles but find it too much a struggle.

Another bunch of first time watches since my last post here! ...

Monsoon Wedding (2001) - ****
So much more than just a Love Actually companion piece. It came first, and it covers so much more in so much more depth! Granted, a few less laughs, but what you get instead is so much more rewarding.

Earth Girls Are Easy (1988) - ***
Absolutely bonkers. I'll thank God every single day that I didn't watch this high. I would have been sent to a different dimension from which I would have never returned.

One Life (2023) - ***
Obviously an emotive watch, but definitely falls into the category of biopic that doesn't manage to live up to the strength of the real life story. Helena Bonham Carter a surprise standout.

Bloodsport (1988) - ** 1/2
Kind of rubbish but kind of great? One thing this movie taught me; I do not like to see a man in a split.

Enter The Dragon (1973) - ***
Bruce Lee is always going to be cool to watch, but this kind of film just doesn't do it for me. It's not quite camp or cheesy enough to be a goofy watch, but not arresting enough in a more serious way to be worth it at the other end of the spectrum either. Just feels old and clunky at this point.

Next Goal Wins (2023) - ** 1/2
Some wholesome sporting underdog fun that has good intentions, but unfortunately is just a little bit rubbish.

Tremors (1990) - **** 1/2
Honestly? It's flipping great stuff! Efficient set up, straight into the action, a whole host of likeable characters, funny, cool creature design, REBA!?

The Boogens (1981) - * 1/2
Took forever to get going and you never really get to see anything. Needed like 85% more Boogen.

Hot Fuzz (2007) - ****
Very fun, but perhaps a touch too long? Would have been an untouchable banger at 90 minutes or so.

Hot Shots! (1991) - * 1/2
Yeah pretty much hated this. Exactly the kind of humour that does nothing for me, and none of the cast drew me in either.

Wet Hot American Summer (2001) - ** 1/2
Surprised not to have liked this one. I love most of the cast, but it's just dumb and gets dumber and dumber and that's not my comic style at all.

The Boys In The Boat (2023) - ***
Probably gave this half a star more than it actually deserves, I'm a sucker for a classic gold medal against the odds vibe. Aside from its emotive story, the filmmaking is incredibly uninspired. George Clooney's directorial catalogue is so safe and forgettable.

Hot Pursuit (1987) - * 1/2
A full mess. Bonkers story with a very 80s amount of homophobic slurs and racist behaviour to boot. Not one that has aged well at all.

Weekly roundup!

Poor Things (2023) - *** 1/2
I'm genuinely not sure how I feel about this. The first and third acts are great, but the bulk of the middle with Mark Ruffalo feels ways too long and seems to cover the same ground and message over and over again.

The Long, Hot Summer (1958) - **** 1/2
A sweaty American Southern banger. Paul Newman at the peak of his powers. Almost perfect but for a slightly underwhelming ending!

Caged Heat (1974) - **
Was curious to see what Jonathan Demme's directorial debut had to offer, and in honesty the answer is not too much! I don't mind going along for the ride with this sort of women in prison exploitation flick, but it's super rough around the edges from a modern perspective.

Mean Girls (2024) - ** 1/2
Oof, I think nostalgia has done some real heavy lifting for me with this one. I'd go to war for Renee Rapp, but this really felt too lightweight and rushed in a way. A couple of the songs are definitely going to enter into my musical playlist rotation, but everything funny about it is just taken from the original, but there is just much less character depth and definition all around. My only genuine giggle was when Tina Fey did the song start fake out.

The Holdovers. Thought it was excellent today. Deservedly award winning lead performance and, I think, a new 'classic' holiday film for grown ups.

Saw Poor Things (****) Wonka (****) and the Boy and the Heron (****)

Seeing Mean Girls this week, doesn't look like another 4 star!