Black Adam

The latest Dwayne ´The Rock´ Johnson film. I watched it so you don´t have to. It canters on at pace, very superficial storyline, great special effects. Lots of explosions.... and I mean lots.

Thoroughly missable but would pass a couple of hours on a wet afternoon if you´ve nothing better to do.

5/10

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6443346/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

Black Adam

The latest Dwayne ´The Rock´ Johnson film. I watched it so you don´t have to. It canters on at pace, very superficial storyline, great special effects. Lots of explosions.... and I mean lots.

Thoroughly missable but would pass a couple of hours on a wet afternoon if you´ve nothing better to do.

5/10

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6443346/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

Home Alone

I watched the 1990 ´classic´ for the first time in over 25 years as part of a Christmas build up to try and move me towards slightly more Christmassy than the Grinch which I am.

It hold up okay, although the scenes in the house where a very young Culkin tries to fend off the bad guys is relatively short despite my mind having built it into the entire film. The lack of mobile phones, as ever, dates it a little but it is still a yarn which moves on at a decent pace and offers the odd slapstick laugh.

Nice cameo from the awesome and much missed John Candy, which I had totally forgotten about, and despite some jokes which fail to hit the mark after three decades it was an enjoyable 90 minutes.

6/10

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099785/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

Home Alone

I watched the 1990 ´classic´ for the first time in over 25 years as part of a Christmas build up to try and move me towards slightly more Christmassy than the Grinch which I am.

It hold up okay, although the scenes in the house where a very young Culkin tries to fend off the bad guys is relatively short despite my mind having built it into the entire film. The lack of mobile phones, as ever, dates it a little but it is still a yarn which moves on at a decent pace and offers the odd slapstick laugh.

Nice cameo from the awesome and much missed John Candy, which I had totally forgotten about, and despite some jokes which fail to hit the mark after three decades it was an enjoyable 90 minutes.

6/10

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099785/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

Land and Freedom

This was a Ken Loach film which had passed me by when it was released in 1995 but I was tipped off to it by a neighbour when we were discussing the Spanish Civil War. It´s pretty good, for 1995, and obviously pretty low budget.

It focusses on the infighting by the anti-Franco forces, the anarchists, communists and trade unions and tells the story as to why the people lost their fight against the fascists.

Contains the immortal line ´You should be killing the fascists, not each other´.

6/10

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114671/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

Land and Freedom

This was a Ken Loach film which had passed me by when it was released in 1995 but I was tipped off to it by a neighbour when we were discussing the Spanish Civil War. It´s pretty good, for 1995, and obviously pretty low budget.

It focusses on the infighting by the anti-Franco forces, the anarchists, communists and trade unions and tells the story as to why the people lost their fight against the fascists.

Contains the immortal line ´You should be killing the fascists, not each other´.

6/10

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114671/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

Amsterdam

My last film of 2022 and a bit of a strange one. The costume, music, acting, and cinematography are all excellent, but the plot is complex and requires 100% concentration.

Set in the late 1930´s with the rise of fascism across the globe it tells the story of a ragtag band of three damaged individuals trying to prevent a coup in the USA.

Focus, focus, focus.

7/10

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10304142/? ... _sr_srsg_0

Amsterdam

My last film of 2022 and a bit of a strange one. The costume, music, acting, and cinematography are all excellent, but the plot is complex and requires 100% concentration.

Set in the late 1930´s with the rise of fascism across the globe it tells the story of a ragtag band of three damaged individuals trying to prevent a coup in the USA.

Focus, focus, focus.

7/10

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10304142/? ... _sr_srsg_0

The Menu

Leave your pre-conceptions and take your place at the table for an incredible and unnerving meal. Ralph Fiennes is on top form in this strange and engrossing film which constantly twists and turns. Set on an island restaurant, approachable only by boat, with a hefty price to pay for your meal. Definitely worth a look, I really enjoyed it. Cheeseburger for me please.

8/10

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9764362/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

The Menu

Leave your pre-conceptions and take your place at the table for an incredible and unnerving meal. Ralph Fiennes is on top form in this strange and engrossing film which constantly twists and turns. Set on an island restaurant, approachable only by boat, with a hefty price to pay for your meal. Definitely worth a look, I really enjoyed it. Cheeseburger for me please.

8/10

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9764362/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

The Old Way

A western starring Nicholas Cage with almost no redeeming features. Poor and predictable script, cardboard acting, awful costume, pearly white teeth and not a single character with an endearing feature. I´d steer well clear if I was you.

A generous 5/10 for some of the cinematography.

5/10

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8593824/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

The Old Way

A western starring Nicholas Cage with almost no redeeming features. Poor and predictable script, cardboard acting, awful costume, pearly white teeth and not a single character with an endearing feature. I´d steer well clear if I was you.

A generous 5/10 for some of the cinematography.

5/10

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8593824/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

All Quiet on the Western Front (2022)

A film in German with subtitles which is rightfully up for awards in the forthcoming gong season. But this is hard work for almost it´s entire 147 minute run-time. Don´t take sitting down to watch this lightly and I´d probably advise avoiding doing so on a full stomach as it is graphic and gruesome as you would expect from a film whose sole message is about the futility of war.

There is certainly no compromise and the depictions of first world war conflict are bloody, gratuitous and unflinching. It is without doubt an epic, in every sense of the word, but it certainly won´t be a film enjoyed by all. Endured may be the operative word, but necessarily so.

8.5/10

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1016150/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

All Quiet on the Western Front (2022)

A film in German with subtitles which is rightfully up for awards in the forthcoming gong season. But this is hard work for almost it´s entire 147 minute run-time. Don´t take sitting down to watch this lightly and I´d probably advise avoiding doing so on a full stomach as it is graphic and gruesome as you would expect from a film whose sole message is about the futility of war.

There is certainly no compromise and the depictions of first world war conflict are bloody, gratuitous and unflinching. It is without doubt an epic, in every sense of the word, but it certainly won´t be a film enjoyed by all. Endured may be the operative word, but necessarily so.

8.5/10

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1016150/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

Glass Onion

Comic book caper and not as good as the first one, Knives Out, which I rewatched in advance of this latest one. Daniel Craig does his best Poirot impression, bathing costume and all, against an opulent backdrop and a great performance from the wonderful Ed Norton and Janelle Monaé. Too daft to be taken seriously but nevertheless a good wheeze and a way to pass just over two hours.

7/10

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11564570/? ... _sr_srsg_0

Glass Onion

Comic book caper and not as good as the first one, Knives Out, which I rewatched in advance of this latest one. Daniel Craig does his best Poirot impression, bathing costume and all, against an opulent backdrop and a great performance from the wonderful Ed Norton and Janelle Monaé. Too daft to be taken seriously but nevertheless a good wheeze and a way to pass just over two hours.

7/10

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11564570/? ... _sr_srsg_0

The Fabelmans (2022)

Now I´m torn.

This is Speilberg´s semi-autographical biopic about his formative years and falling in love with cinema, and to a slightly lesser extent, girls. It´s wonderfully filmed, well acted especially by the lead, and races along despite being two and a half hours long. There is a great story twist which is pretty well signposted but adds to the drama but it´s simply a delight to watch.

I´m torn because I thought that ´Banshees´ was nailed on for the major Oscars, but now I´m not so sure as I loved this too.

8.5/10

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14208870/? ... mg_c_3_prd

The Fabelmans (2022)

Now I´m torn.

This is Speilberg´s semi-autographical biopic about his formative years and falling in love with cinema, and to a slightly lesser extent, girls. It´s wonderfully filmed, well acted especially by the lead, and races along despite being two and a half hours long. There is a great story twist which is pretty well signposted but adds to the drama but it´s simply a delight to watch.

I´m torn because I thought that ´Banshees´ was nailed on for the major Oscars, but now I´m not so sure as I loved this too.

8.5/10

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14208870/? ... mg_c_3_prd

Camino: A Feature Length Selfie

I´ve cheated at the Camino de Santiago. I´ve walked the last 120km on four occasions from three different start points and I´ve always thoroughly enjoyed it. But I´ve never had the time or energy to do the full thing, the entire experience.

But this Dutchman has, and does, and does it on his won with just his camera for company. It´s an interesting insight but has too many shots of his feet and the footpaths and not enough of the gorgeous scenery. There was a missed opportunity to chat with people he met along the way as he focussed on his own journey and the quest for answers to questions he´d not yet posed. Big chunks are missing from this as he jumps forwards several days at a time in a 70 day trip from central France to the third most religious spot in the world.

Worth a look. It´s on Netflix in Dutch but subtitled.

6/10

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9818168/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

Camino: A Feature Length Selfie

I´ve cheated at the Camino de Santiago. I´ve walked the last 120km on four occasions from three different start points and I´ve always thoroughly enjoyed it. But I´ve never had the time or energy to do the full thing, the entire experience.

But this Dutchman has, and does, and does it on his won with just his camera for company. It´s an interesting insight but has too many shots of his feet and the footpaths and not enough of the gorgeous scenery. There was a missed opportunity to chat with people he met along the way as he focussed on his own journey and the quest for answers to questions he´d not yet posed. Big chunks are missing from this as he jumps forwards several days at a time in a 70 day trip from central France to the third most religious spot in the world.

Worth a look. It´s on Netflix in Dutch but subtitled.

6/10

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9818168/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

Triangle of Sadness

Bonkers and unbelievable.

An ´influencer´ and her boyfriend are invited onto a cruise with the uber-rich and a bonkers captain (´I´m not a communist, I´m a marxist´) player by the always brilliant Woody Harrelson. What starts off as a very pleasant experience soon descents into projectile vomiting and people fighting for their lives.

Suspend your disbelief and set sail on a manic 90 minutes.

Oh, and the opening 20 minutes seems to have very little to do with the rest of the film, almost as though there was a budget and a plan and then along came Mr Harrelson and the ripped the whole lot up. Billed as a comedy, but I´m not convinced.

6/10

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7322224/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

Triangle of Sadness

Bonkers and unbelievable.

An ´influencer´ and her boyfriend are invited onto a cruise with the uber-rich and a bonkers captain (´I´m not a communist, I´m a marxist´) player by the always brilliant Woody Harrelson. What starts off as a very pleasant experience soon descents into projectile vomiting and people fighting for their lives.

Suspend your disbelief and set sail on a manic 90 minutes.

Oh, and the opening 20 minutes seems to have very little to do with the rest of the film, almost as though there was a budget and a plan and then along came Mr Harrelson and the ripped the whole lot up. Billed as a comedy, but I´m not convinced.

6/10

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7322224/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

Where the Crawdads Sing

Call me a sentimental old fool but I loved this. Set in the deep south of the USA from the 1950´s to the present day it tells the story of the life of the ´swamp girl´ who lived in the marshes from a young child after being abandoned by her mother and then father. It´s a tale of murder and romance and intrigue and a great watch. Great cinematography, great acting, keeps you guessing until the final scene.

9/10

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9411972/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

Where the Crawdads Sing

Call me a sentimental old fool but I loved this. Set in the deep south of the USA from the 1950´s to the present day it tells the story of the life of the ´swamp girl´ who lived in the marshes from a young child after being abandoned by her mother and then father. It´s a tale of murder and romance and intrigue and a great watch. Great cinematography, great acting, keeps you guessing until the final scene.

9/10

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9411972/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

Everything, Everywhere, All At Once

Multiple Oscar nominated and probably righty so but it will need you full concentration for its full 140 minute runtime and even then, if you are like me, you will miss something and have to watch it again. It´s brilliantly acted, colourful, violent, and a cross between a great Tarantino movie and a martial arts spectacular with a crazy sci-fi storyline that will leave you baffled and reeling.

And you´ll never look at a bagel or hot dog in the same way again!

I´m off to watch it again to see if it makes more sense the second time, and to check I wasn´t tripping the first time I saw it.

8/10

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6710474/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

Everything, Everywhere, All At Once

Multiple Oscar nominated and probably righty so but it will need you full concentration for its full 140 minute runtime and even then, if you are like me, you will miss something and have to watch it again. It´s brilliantly acted, colourful, violent, and a cross between a great Tarantino movie and a martial arts spectacular with a crazy sci-fi storyline that will leave you baffled and reeling.

And you´ll never look at a bagel or hot dog in the same way again!

I´m off to watch it again to see if it makes more sense the second time, and to check I wasn´t tripping the first time I saw it.

8/10

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6710474/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

Imani

Simply don´t bother. I persevered for 10 minutes and then switched it off. Awful, absolutely awful.

1/10.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21967864/? ... _sr_srsg_3

Imani

Simply don´t bother. I persevered for 10 minutes and then switched it off. Awful, absolutely awful.

1/10.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21967864/? ... _sr_srsg_3