Friday, 29 December 2023
Top 5 of 2023
And so another year passes and I have done little to add any meat to the bare bones of this blog (no one blogs these days, let's admit it).
Mostly I have been fortunate to remain busy with projects during what has been, another rocky year in very recent memory due to industry strikes from the writers (WGA) and actors (SAG) unions. I simply make a note of this for prosperity/my own record.
But despite this, seeing films has still been a much enjoyed activity during my down time. So what are my Top 5 of the year...
5. The Super Mario Bros Movie - despite being the ideal gamer age; I was in Camp Sega rather than Nintendo so my deep knowledge of the little plumbers game was fairly limited. That being said I was looking forward to this and it didn't disappoint. A lovely looking film and genuinely light and breezy with its humour, pacing and story al existing within a 'Mario' world. This is what I always wanted the Sonic Movies to be...
4. Dream Scenario - a quirky Nic Cage film should be a yearly expectation. This one plays far straighter than the more comedic leaning trailer that advertised it. I found it was littered with humorous observations and moments that were nicely wrapped around a relevant topic that we are living in right now. Sure, it's 3rd act aims at a less ambiguous resolve but ultimately how else could it finish up. It kept me intrigued and entertained throughout
3. The Fabelmans - a part Spielberg-biography movie from the man himself. It doesn't reach the lofty heights of his greatest works (an expectation almost unfairly placed by the audience) but I find this story, although a little nichè, to still be pretty universal and the specifics, including the love letter to film to be a massive personal draw for me. Its a film that I can relate to heavily and also feel the self-inflicted questions it asks being directed back at me also making for a self reflective film.
2. Air - arriving early in the year, I had almost forgotten about this title. But seeing its name and the cast list reminded me of the real fun I had watching this story about the licensing of a trainer (who'd have thought it hey...). Parts I knew about were dramatised in a light and entertaining way and the stuff I didn't know about kept me invested and looking forward to more of its story. There's nothing wrong in a film doing exactly what it's supposed to and taking its viewers along for a comfortable ride.
1. Past Lives - a beautiful telling of a friendship/relationship spread across 2 decades and how we act/react to the cards we are delt in life. The Korean culture adds layers of subtly to the complicated relationship that is forged. An amazing film for a first time feature director.
A little honourable shout out to some particular titles include the Arnold and Bill Russell: Legend docs, Leave the World Behind, The Creator and Killers of the Flower Moon among many others.
My bottom 5 based on what Ive seen this year are as follows
5. Rebel Moon Part 1
4. Meg 2
3. Your Place or Mine
2. Heart of Stone
1. Mothers Day
Monday, 26 December 2022
Top 5 0f 2022
Well there goes another year of inactivity on here (but who's keeping count or reading this anyway)
Not sure I've watched a whole lot this year or at least not as much as I'd have liked to. Here's my five favourites that I saw, released in the UK in 2022.
5. Del Toro's Pinocchio - the attention to the details and the craft in which this film is lovingly made makes it an easy top 5 position. A lovely take on the tale with some surprising melancholia
4. Violent Night - nice to have something festive in the list this time of year, I thought I'd throw it in for fun. Unashamably a love letter to Die Hard and Home Alone yet being its own thing in its own right.
3. Everything Everywhere All at Once - sometimes amongst the art films and the popcorn movies you need something that fuses/blends the 2 cinematic ends of the scale to excite and surprise you with something new or different. Nutty, multiverse, OTT extravaganza. Everyone plays their part brilliantly. False ends, alternate realities and talking rocks (amongst many other things...) leads to the most creative film of the year
2. Top Gun: Maverick - a few years ago 2 films were, perhaps unjustly, held up with the responsibility of 'saving cinema' due to the terrible impact of Covid. Neither No Time to Die or Tenet could pull off the lofty expectations put upon them by the culture at large but this year we saw the potential of having a film succeed in reinvigorating the box office AND be a worthy and exciting watch. Top Gun pulled the mammoth task off. A true cinema experience to be seen big and loud and multiple times! Brilliant stuff
1. The Banshees of Inisherin - hitting all the emotional range possible, this film is extremely funny, poignnant, sad across the course of its tale. Amazing performance from everyone (and a donkey). The drama plays out in and around beautiful Irish scenery and leaves you with a mixed bag of feelings. Beautiful film making...
Some honourable mentions to Trainwreck Woodstock '99 (an indepth and in some ways morbidly interesting look at how an event can go oh so wrong), Brian and Charles (brilliantly english in the best and most sombre ways), All of Us are Dead (love me some zombie action coming out of Korea) and The Batman, of which has been my favourite job to have worked on so far.
As usual I happened across some stuff I was not keen on; three of which are below 1. The Reef: Stalked 2. Disneys Pinocchio 3. Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Not sure I've watched a whole lot this year or at least not as much as I'd have liked to. Here's my five favourites that I saw, released in the UK in 2022.
5. Del Toro's Pinocchio - the attention to the details and the craft in which this film is lovingly made makes it an easy top 5 position. A lovely take on the tale with some surprising melancholia
4. Violent Night - nice to have something festive in the list this time of year, I thought I'd throw it in for fun. Unashamably a love letter to Die Hard and Home Alone yet being its own thing in its own right.
3. Everything Everywhere All at Once - sometimes amongst the art films and the popcorn movies you need something that fuses/blends the 2 cinematic ends of the scale to excite and surprise you with something new or different. Nutty, multiverse, OTT extravaganza. Everyone plays their part brilliantly. False ends, alternate realities and talking rocks (amongst many other things...) leads to the most creative film of the year
2. Top Gun: Maverick - a few years ago 2 films were, perhaps unjustly, held up with the responsibility of 'saving cinema' due to the terrible impact of Covid. Neither No Time to Die or Tenet could pull off the lofty expectations put upon them by the culture at large but this year we saw the potential of having a film succeed in reinvigorating the box office AND be a worthy and exciting watch. Top Gun pulled the mammoth task off. A true cinema experience to be seen big and loud and multiple times! Brilliant stuff
1. The Banshees of Inisherin - hitting all the emotional range possible, this film is extremely funny, poignnant, sad across the course of its tale. Amazing performance from everyone (and a donkey). The drama plays out in and around beautiful Irish scenery and leaves you with a mixed bag of feelings. Beautiful film making...
Some honourable mentions to Trainwreck Woodstock '99 (an indepth and in some ways morbidly interesting look at how an event can go oh so wrong), Brian and Charles (brilliantly english in the best and most sombre ways), All of Us are Dead (love me some zombie action coming out of Korea) and The Batman, of which has been my favourite job to have worked on so far.
As usual I happened across some stuff I was not keen on; three of which are below 1. The Reef: Stalked 2. Disneys Pinocchio 3. Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Friday, 31 December 2021
Top 5 of 2021
Along with this list (and the only post of the year. What a pointless blog this is...), I'm including a list of every film I saw in full this year. Off the back of Edgar Wright's yearly list, I was inspired/curious as to how many movies I could or do watch in a year. For now here is my usual Top 5 that came out in the UK this year...
5. Riders of Justice
- Mads Mikkelsen plays an incredibly wound up soldier who, going through a family tragedy, exacts some revenge through the help of statistic experts. Odd right? Wait til you see the rest of the film. The blackest of comedic moments and at times horribly depressing made for a watch where you were never quite sure which direction the film would head. It's good to be kept guessing...
4. Dune
- can only really go off the one watch in the cinema but I enjoyed it enough as a big screen experience.
3. Free Guy
- accept for three minor plot issues I had, Free Guy represents the fun that can be had at the cinema. Anyone with a youtube account will probably be aware of the build up to this film thanks to Ryan Reynolds consistant and amusing teasings of the film. Marketed as if it was almost never going to arrive and RR being peak RR, you knew exactly what you were getting in terms of humour and action. I just really enjoyed it as a whole.
2. King Richard
- I went in to see this with little to no knowledge of its background and was genuinely entertained by the whole thing. An account of the tennis-pro William's sisters early beginnings and upbringing by their dad its by far the best performance from Will Smith in a long time. That's not to say Will hasn't been great recently but I can't remember when I last saw him not as Mr Smith but as the character he was playing. I think he may be deserving of at least a best actor nomination this year.
1. Another Round
- Mads Mikkelsen makes a second appearance. A brilliant ensemble shows the potential highs and many more realistic lows to pushing the limit of alcohol consumption. A deeply personal project for the director Thomas Vinterberg and yet again Mads proves himself to be one of the best acting talents of the past 15 years.
An honourable mention goes out to The Beatles: Get Back documentary, Bo Burnham's Inside, Moxie, Nobody and Raya and the Last Dragon. As always the bottom 3 for me are worryngly poor. I give you the title and nothing else.
1. Father Christmas is Back
2. Twist
3. Thunderforce
AND so to this list I compiled. This is the list of films watched in the order I happened to see them. Bold for new releases, standard text for rewatches. The only repeat was seeing No Time to Die twice in the cinema. Enjoy
Monsters Inc (2001)
Hellraiser (1987)
Dark Waters (2020)
Easy Rider (1969)
Mortal Engines (2018)
#Alive (2020)
Cats (2019)
Taking Lives (2004)
The Last of the Mohicans (1992)
Ghost (1990)
- 10
Inside Man (2006)
The Wife (2017)
Mank (2020)
Mindhorn (2016)
The Sixth Sense (2000)
What's Your Number (2011)
Monty Python's Holy Grail (1974)
A Dogs Journey (2018)
Semi Pro (2008)
The Nutty Professor (1996)
- 20
Widows (2018)
Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979)
6 Underground (2019)
A Hard Days Night (1964)
Lucky (2017)
Jojo Rabbit (2020)
The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
The Drowning (2016)
Dredd (2012)
Bumblebee (2018)
- 30
The Gentlemen (2020)
Evil Dead (2013)
THX 1138 (1971)
The Boy with the Striped Pyjamas (2008)
Twist (2021)
Sputnik (2020)
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020)
Forces of Nature (2000)
Instant Family (2018)
Just Mercy (2020)
- 40
News of the World (2021)
The Invisible Man (2020)
The Notebook (2004)
Sliding Doors (1998)
Table 19 (2017)
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
Dawn of the dead (1978)
Tag (2018)
Pearl Harbour (2001)
Pele (2021)
- 50
Witness (1985)
Arrival (2016)
Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm (2020)
I Care Alot (2021)
Black or White (2019)
Grosse Point Blank (1997)
Disciples of the 36th Chamber (1985)
Moxie (2021)
Eighth Grade (2019)
Cyrus (2010)
- 60
Carry On Screaming (1966)
Doctor Sleep (2019)
Ben-Hur (1959)
The Best of Enemys (2019)
Soul (2020)
S.W.A.T (2003)
Bird on a Wire (1990)
Back to the Future (1985)
Willy's Wonderland (2020)
Thunder Force (2021)
- 70
Ghost Ship (2002)
Stowaway (2021)
Baby Mama (2002)
The Duelists (1977)
Nobody (2021)
Cheaper by the Dozen 2 (2005)
I Origins (2014)
Sound of Metal (2021)
My Octopus Teacher (2020)
The Art of Self-Defence (2019)
- 80
Enough Said (2013)
The Quick and the Dead (1995)
Unhinged (2020)
Red Tails (2012)
Mission Impossible: Fallout (2019)
The Devil's Own (1997)
Nomadland (2021)
Promising Young Woman (2021)
Rambo: Last Blood (2019)
The Unholy (2021)
- 90
Things Heard and Seen (2021)
The Doors (1991)
There Will Be Blood (2008)
Angel Has Fallen (2019)
Cruella (2021)
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021)
The Father (2021)
Legends of the Fall (1994)
Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark (2019)
A Quiet Place Part 2 (2021)
- 100
The United Way (2020)
Breakdown (1997)
Mad Max Fury Road (2015)
The Truman Show (1998)
Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)
Army of the Dead (2021)
Ma (2019)
Palm Springs (2021)
Supernova (2021)
Another Round (2021)
- 110
The Comeback Trail (2021)
F9 (2021)
Luca (2021)
Yesterday (2019)
Space Cowboys (2000)
The Hunted (2004)
Black Widow (2021)
Midway (2019)
Raw Deal (1986)
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
- 120
Old (2021)
The Fighter (2013)
The Mitchell's vs The Machines (2021)
Run (2021)
High Crimes (2002)
11:14 (2003)
Jungle Cruise (2021)
Callan (1974)
The Client (1994)
Unbreakable (2000)
- 130
Love and Monsters (2021)
The Dark Knight (2009)
Archive (2020)
Free Guy (2021)
'71 (2014)
Bad Trip (2021)
ZZ Top: That Little Ol' Band from Texas (2019)
Seaspiracy (2021)
Candyman (2021)
Wonder woman 1984 (2020)
- 140
Fatal Attraction (1987)
Reminiscence (2021)
Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)
Richard Jewell (2019)
Copshop (2021)
Malcolm X (1992)
Malignant (2021)
Kate (2021)
Summer of Soul (2021)
Deep Rising (1997)
- 150
Split (2016)
Barb and Star go to Vista Del Mar (2021)
A Clockwork Orange - 4k restoration (1971)
The Firm (1993)
Pale Rider (1985)
Minari (2021)
Coogan's Bluff (1968)
Man on Fire (2004)
Romy and Michelle's Highschool Reunion (1997)
Respect (2021)
- 160
The Fellowship of the Ring - 4k restoration (2001)
The Two Towers - 4k restoration (2002)
Bloodbath at the House of Death (1984)
Hidden Figures (2016)
I Feel Pretty (2018)
Quantum of Solace (2008)
Breaking In (2018)
Casino Royale (2006)
The Voyeurs (2021)
No Time To Die (2021)
- 170
No Sudden Move (2021)
Dune Pt1 (2021)
The Guilty (2021)
The Last Duel (2021)
The Loved Ones (2008)
Something Borrowed (2011)
Halloween Kills (2021)
Halloween (1978)
V for Vendetta (2006)
After.Life (2009)
- 180
The Founder (2017)
Last Night in Soho (2021)
Halloween IV: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)
War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)
Ransom (1996)
Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure (1984)
For a Few Dollars More (1965)
No Time To Die (2021) x2
Coherence (2014)
Crazy/Beautiful (2001)
- 190
Red Notice (2021)
Halloween V: Revenge of Michael Myers (1989)
Ewoks: The Battle For Endor (1985)
Paths of Glory (1957)
The Christmas Chronicles (2018)
Rocky IV: Balboa vs Drago (2021)
Thor (2011)
Ghostbusters Afterlife (2021)
King Richard (2021)
House of Gucci (2021)
- 200
She's The Man (2006)
Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)
The Matrix re-release (1999)
Riders of Justice (2021)
Lovehard (2021)
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the 10 Rings (2021)
Bringing Out the Dead (1999)
West Side Story (2021)
The Christmas Chronicles Part 2 (2020)
Last Christmas (2019)
- 210
Godzilla vs Kong (2021)
Mechanic Resurrection (2016)
Splash (1984)
Home Alone (1990)
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
Spiderman 3 (2007)
Ron's Gone Wrong (2021)
South Pacific (1958)
Highlander (1987)
The Rookie (1990)
- 220
The Art of Racing in the Rain (2019)
Santa Claus: The Movie (1985)
Encanto (2021)
Scrooge (1970)
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
The Haunting (1999)
Father Christmas is Back (2021)
Klaus (2019)
Some series I managed to get through this year...
Cobra Kai S3 (2020)
The Terror S1 (2020)
Black Summer S2 (2021)
Them S1 (2021)
Mighty Ducks: Game Changers S1 (2021)
Rick and Morty S5 (2021)
Vigil S1 (2021)
Final Space S3 (2021)
The Beatles: Get Back (2021)
5. Riders of Justice
- Mads Mikkelsen plays an incredibly wound up soldier who, going through a family tragedy, exacts some revenge through the help of statistic experts. Odd right? Wait til you see the rest of the film. The blackest of comedic moments and at times horribly depressing made for a watch where you were never quite sure which direction the film would head. It's good to be kept guessing...
4. Dune
- can only really go off the one watch in the cinema but I enjoyed it enough as a big screen experience.
3. Free Guy
- accept for three minor plot issues I had, Free Guy represents the fun that can be had at the cinema. Anyone with a youtube account will probably be aware of the build up to this film thanks to Ryan Reynolds consistant and amusing teasings of the film. Marketed as if it was almost never going to arrive and RR being peak RR, you knew exactly what you were getting in terms of humour and action. I just really enjoyed it as a whole.
2. King Richard
- I went in to see this with little to no knowledge of its background and was genuinely entertained by the whole thing. An account of the tennis-pro William's sisters early beginnings and upbringing by their dad its by far the best performance from Will Smith in a long time. That's not to say Will hasn't been great recently but I can't remember when I last saw him not as Mr Smith but as the character he was playing. I think he may be deserving of at least a best actor nomination this year.
1. Another Round
- Mads Mikkelsen makes a second appearance. A brilliant ensemble shows the potential highs and many more realistic lows to pushing the limit of alcohol consumption. A deeply personal project for the director Thomas Vinterberg and yet again Mads proves himself to be one of the best acting talents of the past 15 years.
An honourable mention goes out to The Beatles: Get Back documentary, Bo Burnham's Inside, Moxie, Nobody and Raya and the Last Dragon. As always the bottom 3 for me are worryngly poor. I give you the title and nothing else.
1. Father Christmas is Back
2. Twist
3. Thunderforce
AND so to this list I compiled. This is the list of films watched in the order I happened to see them. Bold for new releases, standard text for rewatches. The only repeat was seeing No Time to Die twice in the cinema. Enjoy
Monsters Inc (2001)
Hellraiser (1987)
Dark Waters (2020)
Easy Rider (1969)
Mortal Engines (2018)
#Alive (2020)
Cats (2019)
Taking Lives (2004)
The Last of the Mohicans (1992)
Ghost (1990)
- 10
Inside Man (2006)
The Wife (2017)
Mank (2020)
Mindhorn (2016)
The Sixth Sense (2000)
What's Your Number (2011)
Monty Python's Holy Grail (1974)
A Dogs Journey (2018)
Semi Pro (2008)
The Nutty Professor (1996)
- 20
Widows (2018)
Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979)
6 Underground (2019)
A Hard Days Night (1964)
Lucky (2017)
Jojo Rabbit (2020)
The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
The Drowning (2016)
Dredd (2012)
Bumblebee (2018)
- 30
The Gentlemen (2020)
Evil Dead (2013)
THX 1138 (1971)
The Boy with the Striped Pyjamas (2008)
Twist (2021)
Sputnik (2020)
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020)
Forces of Nature (2000)
Instant Family (2018)
Just Mercy (2020)
- 40
News of the World (2021)
The Invisible Man (2020)
The Notebook (2004)
Sliding Doors (1998)
Table 19 (2017)
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
Dawn of the dead (1978)
Tag (2018)
Pearl Harbour (2001)
Pele (2021)
- 50
Witness (1985)
Arrival (2016)
Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm (2020)
I Care Alot (2021)
Black or White (2019)
Grosse Point Blank (1997)
Disciples of the 36th Chamber (1985)
Moxie (2021)
Eighth Grade (2019)
Cyrus (2010)
- 60
Carry On Screaming (1966)
Doctor Sleep (2019)
Ben-Hur (1959)
The Best of Enemys (2019)
Soul (2020)
S.W.A.T (2003)
Bird on a Wire (1990)
Back to the Future (1985)
Willy's Wonderland (2020)
Thunder Force (2021)
- 70
Ghost Ship (2002)
Stowaway (2021)
Baby Mama (2002)
The Duelists (1977)
Nobody (2021)
Cheaper by the Dozen 2 (2005)
I Origins (2014)
Sound of Metal (2021)
My Octopus Teacher (2020)
The Art of Self-Defence (2019)
- 80
Enough Said (2013)
The Quick and the Dead (1995)
Unhinged (2020)
Red Tails (2012)
Mission Impossible: Fallout (2019)
The Devil's Own (1997)
Nomadland (2021)
Promising Young Woman (2021)
Rambo: Last Blood (2019)
The Unholy (2021)
- 90
Things Heard and Seen (2021)
The Doors (1991)
There Will Be Blood (2008)
Angel Has Fallen (2019)
Cruella (2021)
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021)
The Father (2021)
Legends of the Fall (1994)
Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark (2019)
A Quiet Place Part 2 (2021)
- 100
The United Way (2020)
Breakdown (1997)
Mad Max Fury Road (2015)
The Truman Show (1998)
Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)
Army of the Dead (2021)
Ma (2019)
Palm Springs (2021)
Supernova (2021)
Another Round (2021)
- 110
The Comeback Trail (2021)
F9 (2021)
Luca (2021)
Yesterday (2019)
Space Cowboys (2000)
The Hunted (2004)
Black Widow (2021)
Midway (2019)
Raw Deal (1986)
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
- 120
Old (2021)
The Fighter (2013)
The Mitchell's vs The Machines (2021)
Run (2021)
High Crimes (2002)
11:14 (2003)
Jungle Cruise (2021)
Callan (1974)
The Client (1994)
Unbreakable (2000)
- 130
Love and Monsters (2021)
The Dark Knight (2009)
Archive (2020)
Free Guy (2021)
'71 (2014)
Bad Trip (2021)
ZZ Top: That Little Ol' Band from Texas (2019)
Seaspiracy (2021)
Candyman (2021)
Wonder woman 1984 (2020)
- 140
Fatal Attraction (1987)
Reminiscence (2021)
Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)
Richard Jewell (2019)
Copshop (2021)
Malcolm X (1992)
Malignant (2021)
Kate (2021)
Summer of Soul (2021)
Deep Rising (1997)
- 150
Split (2016)
Barb and Star go to Vista Del Mar (2021)
A Clockwork Orange - 4k restoration (1971)
The Firm (1993)
Pale Rider (1985)
Minari (2021)
Coogan's Bluff (1968)
Man on Fire (2004)
Romy and Michelle's Highschool Reunion (1997)
Respect (2021)
- 160
The Fellowship of the Ring - 4k restoration (2001)
The Two Towers - 4k restoration (2002)
Bloodbath at the House of Death (1984)
Hidden Figures (2016)
I Feel Pretty (2018)
Quantum of Solace (2008)
Breaking In (2018)
Casino Royale (2006)
The Voyeurs (2021)
No Time To Die (2021)
- 170
No Sudden Move (2021)
Dune Pt1 (2021)
The Guilty (2021)
The Last Duel (2021)
The Loved Ones (2008)
Something Borrowed (2011)
Halloween Kills (2021)
Halloween (1978)
V for Vendetta (2006)
After.Life (2009)
- 180
The Founder (2017)
Last Night in Soho (2021)
Halloween IV: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)
War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)
Ransom (1996)
Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure (1984)
For a Few Dollars More (1965)
No Time To Die (2021) x2
Coherence (2014)
Crazy/Beautiful (2001)
- 190
Red Notice (2021)
Halloween V: Revenge of Michael Myers (1989)
Ewoks: The Battle For Endor (1985)
Paths of Glory (1957)
The Christmas Chronicles (2018)
Rocky IV: Balboa vs Drago (2021)
Thor (2011)
Ghostbusters Afterlife (2021)
King Richard (2021)
House of Gucci (2021)
- 200
She's The Man (2006)
Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)
The Matrix re-release (1999)
Riders of Justice (2021)
Lovehard (2021)
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the 10 Rings (2021)
Bringing Out the Dead (1999)
West Side Story (2021)
The Christmas Chronicles Part 2 (2020)
Last Christmas (2019)
- 210
Godzilla vs Kong (2021)
Mechanic Resurrection (2016)
Splash (1984)
Home Alone (1990)
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
Spiderman 3 (2007)
Ron's Gone Wrong (2021)
South Pacific (1958)
Highlander (1987)
The Rookie (1990)
- 220
The Art of Racing in the Rain (2019)
Santa Claus: The Movie (1985)
Encanto (2021)
Scrooge (1970)
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
The Haunting (1999)
Father Christmas is Back (2021)
Klaus (2019)
Some series I managed to get through this year...
Cobra Kai S3 (2020)
The Terror S1 (2020)
Black Summer S2 (2021)
Them S1 (2021)
Mighty Ducks: Game Changers S1 (2021)
Rick and Morty S5 (2021)
Vigil S1 (2021)
Final Space S3 (2021)
The Beatles: Get Back (2021)
Saturday, 26 December 2020
Top 5 of 2020
I initially thought the look back on this is going to be limited. 2020 was crap and we all know it. But rifling through my watched films released this year, on IMDb, I have somehow caught 29 movies despite the limited availablity for the silver screen. So as usual, what follows is the best I personally saw in 2020 and then a short list of the drivel I also encountered...
5. The Gentlemen
- a genuinely fun time is had following the usual reprobates and charismatic characters from a new Guy Ritchie film. Just gets in there with a 1st Jan release date. Let's just forget he made Aladdin...
4. Calm with Horses
- a small but tough Irish family drama with a truely believable performance from actor Cosmo Jarvis about an ex-boxer who makes the mistake of not doing his master's bidding.
3. The Invisible Man
- somewhat of a surprisingly good remake but that feels unfair. Remake seems the wrong word as it's simply a modern telling of a classic story. The camera's lingering performance elevates the whole thing which reminds me of Carpenter's original Halloween...
2. Tenet
- this years "saviour of cinema" didn't quite live up to such a title but realistically what film would. The pandemic isn't going anywhere any time soon. A lot has been said of the film already. For now I think it's Marmite for many people. I feel that second viewing makes all the difference and in time, may be looked at with more favoured eyes. I do however agree with some views of whether a film should perform on first viewing for an audience unlikely to go for repeat screenings. It lacks the balanced entertainment and smart story telling that instant classic, Inception, has going for it but maybe this film is a fine wine in the long run.
1. David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet
- a documentary film but a film nonetheless. And possibly the most important film of the year for the world to watch. If the message doesn't sink in after watching it then I can't the lesson being learnt in quick enough time. Sad, informative, entertaining, inspired.
An honourable mention goes out to Saint Maud, for a quietly unsettling envoyable time at the cinema and The Last Dance, for being absolutely brilliant across the board. As always the bottom 3 are the pants of what I saw this year. I throw little more than the title and no extra attention to them.
1. Dolittle 2. Bloodshot 3. Mulan
5. The Gentlemen
- a genuinely fun time is had following the usual reprobates and charismatic characters from a new Guy Ritchie film. Just gets in there with a 1st Jan release date. Let's just forget he made Aladdin...
4. Calm with Horses
- a small but tough Irish family drama with a truely believable performance from actor Cosmo Jarvis about an ex-boxer who makes the mistake of not doing his master's bidding.
3. The Invisible Man
- somewhat of a surprisingly good remake but that feels unfair. Remake seems the wrong word as it's simply a modern telling of a classic story. The camera's lingering performance elevates the whole thing which reminds me of Carpenter's original Halloween...
2. Tenet
- this years "saviour of cinema" didn't quite live up to such a title but realistically what film would. The pandemic isn't going anywhere any time soon. A lot has been said of the film already. For now I think it's Marmite for many people. I feel that second viewing makes all the difference and in time, may be looked at with more favoured eyes. I do however agree with some views of whether a film should perform on first viewing for an audience unlikely to go for repeat screenings. It lacks the balanced entertainment and smart story telling that instant classic, Inception, has going for it but maybe this film is a fine wine in the long run.
1. David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet
- a documentary film but a film nonetheless. And possibly the most important film of the year for the world to watch. If the message doesn't sink in after watching it then I can't the lesson being learnt in quick enough time. Sad, informative, entertaining, inspired.
An honourable mention goes out to Saint Maud, for a quietly unsettling envoyable time at the cinema and The Last Dance, for being absolutely brilliant across the board. As always the bottom 3 are the pants of what I saw this year. I throw little more than the title and no extra attention to them.
1. Dolittle 2. Bloodshot 3. Mulan
Saturday, 23 May 2020
Corona May
Hello you fools.
It is I, the rarely here to post things guy. A mini update that follows on from the last post in March. I have indeed kept up with keeping somewhat busy and filling my time with spaceships! All can be viewed on my Artstation here. There are youtube links as well. Will post a few here just for the sake of posting really...
It is I, the rarely here to post things guy. A mini update that follows on from the last post in March. I have indeed kept up with keeping somewhat busy and filling my time with spaceships! All can be viewed on my Artstation here. There are youtube links as well. Will post a few here just for the sake of posting really...
Monday, 23 March 2020
2020. But are we seeing any clearer...
So, I didn't post all last year.
And why post at all, you may ask. Blogs are dead. There are more immediate ways to put your word out…
Well… you’re probably right, whoever you are, yelling at your screen.
Last year was hugely productive and hopefully, if you happen to be reading this in the future, proved to be a big step up and forward for me. Personally I made some rather big changes to my life but the internet isn’t a place to air one’s laundry so lets skip that as it’s not the point of the blog anyway (I know, what ever was the point of this blog?)
It’s 2020 and as history will report we are in the middle of the viral pandemic that is CoVid-19 or Coronavirus. Working from home or at least feigning to work from home, I’m determined to use the time as productively as I can whether it be keeping up with drawing, practicing painting or generally updating software and running some user/life admin tasks.
As this was intended as (and should remain as) a design and film blog from my perspective, I hope to post any pieces I’ve done during this time. I must admit, when starting something like this, you aren’t exactly concerned with whether you will hold yourself to it down the line whether that be a few months or even years later. Being busy as I have been on Fast9 and currently The Batman, it should be said it is hard to muster up the fuel to write some long essay for my own gratification.
But if you start to do something then you’ve at least begun the journey, right?
So what have I done to begin this “stay-at-home” period. I broke out the traditional materials and practiced with some mini painting in a postcard sized book that I had begun way back in a Sept 2018 post. I had since tried 3 other paintings (below) and the fourth is the one I did last night.
And why post at all, you may ask. Blogs are dead. There are more immediate ways to put your word out…
Well… you’re probably right, whoever you are, yelling at your screen.
Last year was hugely productive and hopefully, if you happen to be reading this in the future, proved to be a big step up and forward for me. Personally I made some rather big changes to my life but the internet isn’t a place to air one’s laundry so lets skip that as it’s not the point of the blog anyway (I know, what ever was the point of this blog?)
It’s 2020 and as history will report we are in the middle of the viral pandemic that is CoVid-19 or Coronavirus. Working from home or at least feigning to work from home, I’m determined to use the time as productively as I can whether it be keeping up with drawing, practicing painting or generally updating software and running some user/life admin tasks.
As this was intended as (and should remain as) a design and film blog from my perspective, I hope to post any pieces I’ve done during this time. I must admit, when starting something like this, you aren’t exactly concerned with whether you will hold yourself to it down the line whether that be a few months or even years later. Being busy as I have been on Fast9 and currently The Batman, it should be said it is hard to muster up the fuel to write some long essay for my own gratification.
But if you start to do something then you’ve at least begun the journey, right?
So what have I done to begin this “stay-at-home” period. I broke out the traditional materials and practiced with some mini painting in a postcard sized book that I had begun way back in a Sept 2018 post. I had since tried 3 other paintings (below) and the fourth is the one I did last night.
Thursday, 26 December 2019
Top 5 of 2019
Well this is depressing. The one and only post of the year is my end of year round up...
To be fair, Ive been busy in the best of ways work wise this year having worked on Fast & Furious 9 followed by Batman so Ive had zero time to make any personal work.
As we end this decade Im definately coming out of it in a far different place than what I came in to it, for good, and sadly, for bad also (but that's not for here).
OK, so whats my Top 5 of the year? (As always based purely on what Ive seen released in 2019 in the UK...
5. Toy Story 4
- could they do it again. One more time. Apparently so. Some fun highlights like Duke Kaboom, the ventriloquist dummys and the high five soldier made this a fun film but it brought the emotion with a real sense of goodbye between Woody and Buzz that anyone who grew up with these characters could feel as well. But I will say Buzz is sorely under-used in this film...
4. Us
- I enjoyed Getout but perhaps not as much as the rest of the world apparently. Us on the other hand was a step up for me and it took Peele's horror sense to larger, national scale. Great stuff indeed!
3. Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood
- is it long, yeah; self-indulgent, perhaps. Is it his best thing since Basterds, I think so. Also Brad Pitt has created the coolest QT character since Sam Jackson showed up in Pulp Fiction!
2. Le Mans '66
- this film was dramatic, exhilarating and above all else, damn fun. Seeing it on the big screen helps and I just really enjoyed a film that takes you comfotably through the story with solid performances and confident directing from Mangold.
1. Avengers Endgame
- was there going to be anything else? for story telling, juggling the size of it, emotional beats and sheer entertainment which is what these films sometimes forget to be. Also, so so satisfying. Something never to be under-appreciated. Marvel did it. Congrats. I can leave the MCU behnd now and be perfectly happy if I never saw another one. Amazing
Notable shoutout to The Irishman and Chernobyl which I'd love to have included in the list.
Bottom 5 as always based on what Ive seen and not particularly bad films. Just lowest rated by me...
1. Gemini Man
2. In The Tal Grass
3. Men in Black International
4. Godzilla King of Monsters
5. Dumbo
To be fair, Ive been busy in the best of ways work wise this year having worked on Fast & Furious 9 followed by Batman so Ive had zero time to make any personal work.
As we end this decade Im definately coming out of it in a far different place than what I came in to it, for good, and sadly, for bad also (but that's not for here).
OK, so whats my Top 5 of the year? (As always based purely on what Ive seen released in 2019 in the UK...
5. Toy Story 4
- could they do it again. One more time. Apparently so. Some fun highlights like Duke Kaboom, the ventriloquist dummys and the high five soldier made this a fun film but it brought the emotion with a real sense of goodbye between Woody and Buzz that anyone who grew up with these characters could feel as well. But I will say Buzz is sorely under-used in this film...
4. Us
- I enjoyed Getout but perhaps not as much as the rest of the world apparently. Us on the other hand was a step up for me and it took Peele's horror sense to larger, national scale. Great stuff indeed!
3. Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood
- is it long, yeah; self-indulgent, perhaps. Is it his best thing since Basterds, I think so. Also Brad Pitt has created the coolest QT character since Sam Jackson showed up in Pulp Fiction!
2. Le Mans '66
- this film was dramatic, exhilarating and above all else, damn fun. Seeing it on the big screen helps and I just really enjoyed a film that takes you comfotably through the story with solid performances and confident directing from Mangold.
1. Avengers Endgame
- was there going to be anything else? for story telling, juggling the size of it, emotional beats and sheer entertainment which is what these films sometimes forget to be. Also, so so satisfying. Something never to be under-appreciated. Marvel did it. Congrats. I can leave the MCU behnd now and be perfectly happy if I never saw another one. Amazing
Notable shoutout to The Irishman and Chernobyl which I'd love to have included in the list.
Bottom 5 as always based on what Ive seen and not particularly bad films. Just lowest rated by me...
1. Gemini Man
2. In The Tal Grass
3. Men in Black International
4. Godzilla King of Monsters
5. Dumbo
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