A Promising Start That Falls Into Its Own Tomb
The story starts off incredibly strong with episodes 1 and 2, but unfortunately, it declines sharply in both quality and enjoyment by episodes 3 and 4. This drop-off is frustrating because the early strengths are undeniable. The acting is top-tier—I’ve immediately fallen for the Second Doctor, who is both charming and engaging, and Victoria adds a delightful touch of eye-candy. The writing in the first half is compelling, capturing the spirit of the age of exploration with a sci-fi twist, as the characters venture into the mysterious Tomb of the Cybermen. The production design deserves high praise; the costumes and sets exude a cold, haunting atmosphere that feels almost tangible through the screen.
However, the latter half stumbles badly. After a jaw-dropping climax midway, the story’s writing begins to fall apart. The human antagonist is frustratingly stupid, making the same mistakes over and over in a way that breaks immersion. Their repetitive actions turn what should be tense moments into aggravating ones. On top of that, the Cybermen voices—while appropriately robotic to emphasise their alien, inorganic nature—are often so unclear that subtitles become a necessity just to follow their dialogue.
In the end, the story had immense promise, delivering some of the best moments I’ve seen in Classic Who so far, but it fails to bring the narrative to a satisfying conclusion. While it’s not something I’d recommend outright, it’s far from the worst Classic Who story. If you’re a completionist, you’ll find this one of the less painfully bad entries—but it’s hard not to wish it had fulfilled its potential.
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An Incredibly Okay Sequel
Incredibles 2 is the epitome of okay. It’s not bad, but it never quite earns the “must-watch” label either, sitting squarely in the realm of good, mediocre, and slightly bland. On my first watch, I surprisingly enjoyed it more than the original, even finding some interesting subtext in the villain’s ambitions. However, on rewatch, that complexity unraveled—revealing a sequel that plays things far too safe, bordering on boring.
That said, the animation is a significant upgrade—no surprise given the years between the films. Jack-Jack’s scenes and the slice-of-life moments with the family were highlights, often outshining the main plot. The superhero action, bolstered by the improved visuals, is more polished this time around, and the new characters are decent additions, even if they don’t leave a lasting impression.
Ultimately, Incredibles 2 lands in that awkward space of mediocrity. It’s not bad, but it’s also not compelling enough to recommend—or avoid. If you’re looking for something to entertain the kids or a casual first-time watch, it’s perfectly serviceable. But beyond that initial viewing, there’s little here to warrant a return.
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Transformers One: A Refreshing Return to Form
Transformers One serves as a strong opening entry into an animated series that sets itself apart from the Michael Bay Transformers films. By shifting its focus back to where the franchise belongs—kids—it delivers a charming children’s animated movie that captures the essence of Transformers. However, this approach inevitably leads to a plot with character arcs that are somewhat predictable and cliché. That said, the film incorporates unexpectedly mature themes, such as the illusion of meritocracy and the value of autonomy, which I only fully appreciated after reading other reviews.
The animation is beautifully done, and while I was initially skeptical about the art direction, its retro aesthetic works well for a prequel and origin story. This design choice also appeals to fans of the classic Transformers cartoons who have now grown up. The dialogue may lack the natural flow of a Baumbach film, but the story’s writing stands out for its simplicity and effective execution. The only weak spot is the final act, which feels rushed—one character, in particular, has a compelling, gradual development throughout the film that suddenly leaps to its conclusion without the buildup it deserved.
A standout aspect of the film is the humor, much of which comes from the sarcastic tone of Megatron (D-16) and several other characters. Whether intentional or not, this sarcasm adds a layer of humor, making the film amusing even when it’s not explicitly trying to be. The High Guard trio (Starscream, Soundwave, and Shockwave) are especially entertaining, with the movie leaning into their chaotic, “nutcase” tendencies in a hilarious way. Even Bumblebee, who finally gets to speak, proves to be so fun that it makes you wish he’d had this chance in the Bay films. Additionally, the film includes several nods and jabs at the Bay movies, which often feel like clever parody—intentional or not—and add to the overall charm.
Each character is well-crafted and engaging, with no clear weak links in the cast. From the villain to the supporting players, everyone contributes something worthwhile. The story itself may not reinvent the wheel, but its simplicity is its strength, even outshining the current Transformers comic series, which is highly regarded by fans.
Final Thoughts
Transformers One is a fantastic addition to the Transformers franchise and a must-watch for anyone with even a passing interest in the IP or animated films in general. It feels refreshing to have a Transformers film that breaks away from the bombastic style of the Bay movies, offering a story that is lighter, more focused, and ultimately more heartfelt. Highly recommended.
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This film suffered slightly on rewatch for me, as I’m not a big rewatcher and still remembered much of it. Its formulaic nature and lack of deeper layers also mean there’s not much new to discover the second time around. That said, it remains a fantastic film, offering excellent Latin representation and delivering a heartfelt, charming message with a vibrant tone.
Despite my usual dislike for musicals, I didn’t mind most of the songs here, and the colourful, dynamic animation is undeniably captivating.
Overall, I’d strongly recommend it to anyone who hasn’t seen it yet. However, if you’re not someone who enjoys rewatching films often, you might find it more impactful if you wait a few years before revisiting.
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Alien: Shitulus
This might be one of my most controversial takes, considering how many people love this film; to be fair, I’ve always been in a weird minority when it comes to Alien films. For instance, I adore Prometheus and Covenant by Ridley Scott and felt dismayed that he didn’t get to finish his trilogy. However, his new tonal shift in the Alien franchise did divide existing fans; those more accustomed to the traditional creature-horror angle were likely alienated by his philosophical approach. This is probably why this film appeals to the larger audience of long-time Alien fans—but it feels so much like a throwback that it lacks originality or creativity, leaving it with a distinct lack of identity as a film.
Much of the film is boring and dull; only flashes of intrigue caught my attention in rare moments. The direction and writing are abysmal; I also found the cast and acting dreadful. I’m puzzled as to why so many Letterboxd users seem to like the character Andy—I found him akin to wet toast. Every character is mind-numbingly boring, dull, predictable, and stupid. Even Caliee, whom I had considered a good actress based on her performance in Priscilla, couldn’t shine through such a bad script; some actors can rise above poor writing—she, unfortunately, could not.
The only redeeming quality might be the production design; even that becomes tiresome as the film panders to Alien: Isolation fans. The set designs, while initially striking, quickly become predictable and monotonous. Additionally, the sound design suffers from the same issues that plague many modern blockbusters—dialogue clarity is poor, and the score is unmemorable compared to Ridley Scott’s Alien films.
Overall, I’m highly disappointed in this film though, I’m not entirely surprised. I had a gut feeling from the trailers that it wouldn’t compare to the cinematic genius of Ridley Scott. If you loved Prometheus and Covenant, I’d recommend avoiding this; but if you hated those films, this might be the Alien movie you’ve been waiting for.
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Annoyingly it’s another Gundam film like the original 3 where it feels like you’re being plopped into the middle of a story and you’re constantly playing catch-up to the characters and plot whilst it’s going at a high tempo pacing. I’m probably going to stick to the Netflix’s Hathaway film series only now when it comes to anything to do with the Gundam franchise.
All in all, I’d avoid it if you haven’t seen any of the other Mobile Suit Gundam SEED stuff.
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It definitely looks good and has a Christmas-y vibe/aesthetic to it … but I couldn’t stand the antics of this owl and kid. I also couldn’t stand the voice acting by both of those voice actors.
It’s probably decent if you can get past my grievances with its writing and voice acting, but it’s a strong miss from me.
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This was an incredible tribute to ‘One Piece’ as a treat for fans during its big anniversary year. To me it showcases how good the remake of the show in current-day anime format will be purely based on how good the animation here is whilst revisiting an event in the show’s past. The whole special episode oozes with style and charm familiar to One Piece with really nice direction and voice acting.
All in all, it’s perfect fan-service to One Piece fans to remind us of why we love the show especially when you’re tired of the outdated anime format that we currently experience in the age of the likes of Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen etc. I’d say it’s a must-watch to those familiar with One Piece even if you dropped out of the show because of its outdated format.
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It has been so long since Haikyuu ended its anime series in favour of completely the story with movies. The wait has been so long that it took me a good second to remember the characters again and everything etc.
Unfortunately, I do strongly believe the Demon Slayer movie has fundamentally changed when anime series have a movie. Haikyuu’s animation still feels like where it was in its anime show without the upgrade you’d usually expect to see with a film budget etc. It’s more in the vein of the Attack on Titan finale movies than Demon Slayer’s Mugen Train movie. This isn’t a bad thing as the quality of Haikyuu is still phenomenal and is the best sports anime. It just shows how much of a footprint Demon Slayer has been at setting new and higher benchmarks. Plus, the animation gets much better during the actual match which happens sooner and for longer which I can appreciate it; as sometimes you go into a movie expecting a big monster to cause mayhem and you leave disappointed because you didn’t get that *cough* Godzilla (2014) *cough*.
All in all, I think it’s still a solid movie but as it is a direct continuation from the anime series, it might not be ideal for newcomers. Although, I do strongly recommend Haikyuu if you haven’t seen it as it’s great for newcomers to anime and veterans whilst arguably being the best sports anime to exist; especially in the very niche market of volleyball media/content. It does still feel like it’s been far too long for them to finally release this film so I do hope the finale film for the series comes out more sooner than this one did.
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The best comic book miniseries.
I love everything about the world that the Batman created and to get a show like this feels like a treat and a privilege. Everything is immaculately flawless. Absolute perfection. From the writing in the scripts, direction, production, cinematography, acting etc. It is a masterpiece. I could discuss themes and dig a little deeper to analyse it but the most fascinating part of the show is how it interprets life, purpose and society. I just don’t want to elaborate too much and accidentally spoil anything as I do think it’s an incredible show that should be seen if you have the slightest of interest towards it.
There is so much to like from this and from a personal angle. I can see myself in Oz as another piece of shit with a physical disabilities and a touch of psychopathy. Being born with nothing, mocked and crippled. Driven by sheer hate and greed. I also saw myself in Victor as we share vulnerabilities and similar experiences. An aspect I found incredibly relatable were elements of Sofia’s experience in a psych ward being eerily similar such as the surreal stories I have from it and facts like other patients befriending you on the orders of Doctors with agendas. Even the prejudice you receive as a former psych ward patient was done incredibly authentic. I mean these are just a few personal reasons as to why this show really connected with me besides being a technical marvel.
Overall, this is probably my favourite show of the year and I only have the highest of praises for it. It is a must-watch show. I implore anyone to see it. I am thankful that DC has green-lit to complete Reeves’ The Batman sequel and support his vision despite moving forwards with Gunn as the helm of creating a new DCU to rival the MCU. I hope the critical success of this and the Batman allow DC to continue their support of Elseworld titles away from Gunn’s DCU to be made and to give Reeves’ a creative and financial blank cheque for whatever Batman projects he desires.
Top Shows of 2024:
srlzd.com/l/27fb6
A nice ending to the Cars trilogy; if the 2nd focuses on McQueen’s prime instead of a spy adventure with Mater.
I like that this third film brings everything back in a circular fashion to the first film with the narrative. It echoes reality in that way and the moral/message was nice. I also enjoyed the animation and soundtrack quite a lot. However on rewatch, it does loose some of the rosy-tinted nostalgic sentiment I had for this film as it’s much more vanilla, than I had thought of this film in memory. Plus, the general direction was decent.
Overall, it’ll be a nice movie if you enjoy Cars as a franchise but you’ll find it to be predictable slop if you didn’t. It’s a movie made for fans and certainly delivers on that fan-service front.
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A really well made documentary on the trial that bankrupted Alex Jones.
I like how the documentary gives us context as someone who is less familiar with him and his show. I think it’s somewhat of an intellectual mode of thinking to be skeptical but everything is only healthy in moderation. It might appear that he’s just a crazy, far-right dude with a platform on the surface level. However, I’d describe him more as a very slimey character. He generates money by peddling his products through his outrage media platform. He receives when he makes much more superficial comments and fabricating reality to fit an agenda that his echo-chamber audience wants.
It becomes really disturbing and disgusting when you hear the actual facts of the story he is saying blatant lies about just for views and better click-rates to his store front. In some ways, it reminded me a lot of ‘Tiger King’. Thus, I’m glad the documentary exists to bring balance into this new media era of polarised, extremist disinformation and misinformation battles from both ends; with the end result being for views. It’s a shame that he’d probably survive bankruptcy but hopefully the way this documentary presented the facts will reduce his audience to a fringe amount. Also, the way he handled the case and trial is very interesting in a confusing kinda manner.
All in all, a good documentary to watch if you want to learn about something whilst being entertained and engaged.
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It isn’t one of the worst MCU shows ever, which I am very glad about after watching the entirety of the Echo show. However even after finishing this, I still don’t understand why this was made as it is a whole show about a character that is less popular than the likes of Squirrel Girl.
Despite not understanding its purpose in the grander MCU tale, it was a good show. It sporadically has moments of genuine style and artistry in its direction that synergies to the production. The show at its best was when it feels like a cheesy, campy magical adventure; whilst I enjoyed its more serious and dramatic moments less. Also, the plot by the end does amplify the “why does this show exist” question but it does work as a decent mystery genre show.
All in all even though I found the show to be well made, I can’t seem to recommend it for all. Comic book media has gotten to a point where it’s as messy as getting into comics with how much stuff is out there and connected; such as needing to watch Wandavision to see this but you need to see so many other stuff to understand Wandavision. So if you’re in the camp that’s a bit disillusioned by the MCU now, this isn’t for you. However if you still follow the MCU, it’s a decent enough watch especially if you like theatre kid stuff as it has a lot of those elements.
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I really don’t see how people are praising this as one of the better legacy sequels. In my experience, I found this far more unwatchable than the third Beverly Cops entry as this just felt bad whilst the third one was bad in a very absurd and goofy way. Also, the film spends a large amount of time with Alex Fowley’s daughter to such a degree, that I think they don’t really understand why Beverly Hill Cops 1 & 2 are liked by some. It just doesn’t have the same style, tone or direction.
All in all, a very disappointing watch and it barely gives screen time to Billy and Taggart who are my personal, favourite duo in this franchise series. I cannot recommend this unless you really liked the daughter stuff during that one less nice season of Bojack Horseman or a weird Arya Stark fan.
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Megalopolis: not quite the ‘Megaflopolis’ I thought it’d be.
This one was a bit of a toughie to write for. I don’t quite think it’s awful pretentious garbage nor do I think it is truly a masterpiece of a film. It lies somewhere in between for me. First of the bat, I’m going to sound slightly perverted again but the women in this production look truly like gorgeous eye-candy. Nathalie Emmanuel, especially so, distractingly so. Frankly, the whole costume, makeup and hair department went crazy here with the aesthetics as everything feels so sexy like a perfume advertisement whilst being alleviated by the film’s warm glow filter. It reeks of that old money look, that I’m just not skinny or rich enough to impersonate that style. Whilst also incorporating the whole Roman/Greco drama with some Shakesperian and modern inspiration sprinkled in like glitter. I just think on the technical elements, the production was great in terms of its special effects and production design to the acting performances that play well to the script and overall vision of the direction.
The issue most might find with this film is that it’s one of those pretentious allegorical films that just presents ideas, themes and thoughts; as opposed to conventional cinema. Essentially it’s like a massive blend of so many flavours. It’s a bit like when you mix all the sodas in one glass as a child; it’s often unique, can be stylish but just isn’t very polished enough and can taste a bit muddy. That’s this film. It has so many ideas, some would say too many to the point they dislike this film. I think for myself, it was paced well enough for me so that it felt like trying a taster selection of various foods at a fancy restaurant. The film speaks about; gentrification, conservatism vs progressivism (in the ideological aspect), the fall and rise of empires, tyranny of the minority like the 1% and career politicians, technocrats (like the recent rise in prominence of the likes of Elon Musk, Tim Cook etc) and much more. It even has more human and emotional elements like; speaking about fame, rich vs poor experiences, gold-diggers, pretty privilege and more. All of this is presented like a greco-roman play at its core with various influences from classical playwrights like Shakespeare to modern, pretentious stylisation too. Therefore, not only is the volume in ideas high but the style it’s presented has so much going on as well.
Despite this film being clearly a demonstration of excess in idea and style, it might be intentional. I say this because when I take a step back away from the film, the wider picture this film gives me is of iconic paintings. The numerous ideas and stylistic inspirations of this film, ultimately results in a baroque-like experience. It reminds me of Thomas Cole’s iconic paintings of his depiction of the fall of Rome as well as The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch. I believe the film intentionally has so much excess, as the film depicts the fall of this empire as a result of sin similar to how many in History depicted the end times of Rome to be in an excess of sinful behaviour. You see countless displays of it in this film where the human experience has reached a point of sickly paradise where incest, adultery, pride and greed are at the forefront. This Christian depiction of the decline in Empires is another reason why the Shakespearean influence is so strong and made evident by the characterisation of the likes of Shia and Audrey which feel similar to the mischievous spirits and fairies from Shakespearian theatre.
Also, I’d love to elaborate more and analyse this film but I fear I’d venture into spoiler territory. Plus, you can argue that I’ve wrote about this film in excess. However I do realise I have discussed the film mostly positively without giving it a higher rating because I think the film either needed more refinement and polish or to go all-in on the grand operatic drama by increasing the duration of the film. It settled for a middle ground and becomes a middling film as a result of that directorial decision.
Thus ultimately, I think this film is a little more than just pretentious garbage. It is pretentious, I don’t think that’s a bad word and if you hate that stuff then you’ll surely hate this, too. However, it’s a pretentious film that doesn’t quite hit its potential in the grand scope and ambition it has. That makes it a bit of a disappointment. Although, a disappointment that’s worth seeing for the film fans out there that love an allegorical, pretentious drama.
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She got my approval in the end.
I am the last person to like Ellen. I thought her show was fine, somewhat more entertaining than the regular late night talk shows but clearly was a bit of a hidden marmite character, with some of her subtleties. Frankly, I hate pretty much all the talk show hosts to varying degrees. However, I also hate so called self-imposed virtuous people in the style of Greta Thurnberg or even Ellen herself as there is a degree of inauthenticity to it.
Despite that, I dislike cancelling people especially in her case where she was only a bit of a toxic boss. Most good things or successful things come from toxic places; toxic developer crunch gave us phenomenal critically successful games like The Last of Us and Red Dead Redemption II. There’s even a whole movie about this called Whiplash. It isn’t surprising to me that she was especially when you psychoanalyse her but I do feel mixed. I am glad people can see that she is more of a grey individual like all of us with flaws rather than this kind-hearted individual she was painted as.
The way she tackled this in her show was done well; as she is correct in subtle cultural acceptances towards male and female bosses which can be evidenced by the much more nicer work emails you get from the ladies compared to the men. Also, she does imply this underlying commentary about parasocial relationships we have as her being toxic doesn’t co-exist well with her nice, good person performance to the point of cancellation. That being said, it also amplifies what I’d describe as the difference between LA folk being nice but not kind, whilst New Yorkers being not the nicest but are kind. Ultimately regarding her scandal, which this special is very much a response/comeback to is that; I think she’s entitled to do whatever she wants and cancel culture is toxic but having a toxic boss so I’m glad bad stuff happened as a person who has dealt with toxic and shitty bosses.
Plus, her set or show was pretty solid. You can tell she is very experienced with her timings being solid and using just a nice assortment of stand-up techniques. For example, weaving in jokes and bits from one to another seamlessly and having throwback jokes at the right time and more. She was a professional that knows how to do her job well which is something I can respect. The only drawback is her trying to validate herself to her cult-like fan crowd which results in a sick display of narcissism and virtue-signalling. Also, the intro was slightly weird but it does provide context neatly and becomes less weird when Ellen seeks positive attention from her fans during her performance.
All in all, the special is very much covered in controversy because it is a response to her scandals unlike when C. K. Louis returned with a comedy special. If you cut the controversy out, it’s a very solid, polished and well-executed stand-up special. Thus, I do think it’s worth a watch as it made me who previously disliked her more than liked to now liking her more than I dislike her.
P.S. I am very curious about what her thoughts are about TÁR
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Finding Dory was a fine movie.
I think the most interesting part is Nemo challenging Marlin for being slightly ableist towards Dory as well as the very ‘unique’ pigeon (out of frustration, not hatred .. which I’m sure anyone who works in education can relate to). Although, it is one of those sequel films that I don’t think entirely justifies its existence but provides Dory more context about her idiosyncratic features from the first film. Plus, there are moments of illogical plot moments but it’s a kids movie so I’ll let it go.
The animation for the most part is well done but nothing too amazing. The newly introduced characters were a lot more appealing to me on rewatch as I previously weren’t too big of a fan of them. The most notable fun new character being the octopus whom I enjoyed in his scenes. However, the film doesn’t fully have any meaningful or significant moments nor do I think adults can like it as much as the kids here. However, it isn’t so kiddish like the Good Dinosaur, just not to the extent of something like Toy Story or Monsters Inc, etc.
All in all, the overall experience of this movie is just very middling, flat and average. I wouldn’t call this a bad time nor a good time, somewhere in between. I’m not even too certain if it’s more enjoyable for kids but I can assume that it would satisfy some form of curiosity if they did like Finding Nemo. This is something I can extent to the adults who’ve seen Nemo and not Dory, as it’s just a movie that exists if you’re curious to watch it rather than something to avoid or something that is a must-watch.
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Raw in a disgustingly close-up way to private and personal matters. Real human experiences and emotions on display.
This documentary is shot beautifully and is about incarcerated men being able to have a father-daughter dance through a social programme aimed at reducing their chance of reoffending once free. In this sense, it is extremely emotional on both the inmate father and their daughter because of the heightened and extreme context. This is especially so given the new visitation policies implemented where touch visits are forbidden and the plexiglass is being replaced by screen; which creates more isolation and less autonomy around being there with your family. Each individual mother and child has their own struggles, whether they still love, show distance and caution or even anger towards their father. I am pleased that they let the story unfold without a heavy-handed narrator as it was powerful and compelling material on its own since it is such a heavy human tale with parental trauma being passed down and the deep emotions at play. Also, I’m glad we got a full picture of pre-dance, dance and post-dance as each segment leaves with a variety of different emotions and elements to showcase.
However, I can’t but see this as very morbid entertainment akin to the likes predicted by Hunger Games. Frankly society does seem to emulate a great deal of it, but specifically about this documentary, it feels wrong to peer into real people’s personal family matters. Although, it is entertaining and gripping just like a good conversation you overhear on public transport or watching very immoral television shows like Judge Judy or Jimmy Kyle show. All of this can be disregarded, when you read the “95%” of individuals who took this social program did not reoffend as the documentary is a great advertisement for it. Also, it shows us experiences of humanity and that’s valuable on its own; real issues with real emotions and experiences.
All in all, I highly recommend this well-crafted documentary with stunning visuals and a great narrative that puts a spotlight on this issue to enrich people of this by absorbing and understanding humanity and its issues in a macro-level.
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A rip-off Dalek design is in a good story.
I felt like this story felt very similar to the New Who formula in the way it formats its stories in its episodes. The obvious being the modern-day setting but with the particular detail of it being set in London. Also, it has modern-day companions with one of the blokes being working class with the army and the noble with a relationship to the Doctor similar to how UNIT would behave. The acting and directing for the most part was well done with the setting of the nightclub in 60s London being particularly unique as I’ve never experienced it in this way. Plus, WOTAN did feel like a compelling villain especially since the “AI bad” rhetoric can be seen from a 1960s angle. The whole WOTAN idea also feels neat as it introduces a concept of a primitive internet/wireless network.
Unfortunately, the reason why I didn’t praise the writing is because the ending was extremely anti-climactic in a rushed manner. It felt like they wanted more time for something more thematic and poignant of a story but had to default into a generic action and conflict narrative with a simple ending and story. Also, the way Dodo left the show was a bit strange. Plus, the WOTAN’s war machine design looks like a really cheap imitation of a Dalek but I suppose that might be referring to the Dalek race as war machines.
Overall, I still think it’s a fairly good story despite a lacklustre ending which to me just makes this seem like it just underdelivered on its potential to be a really great story.
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This was not great at all. It feels very generic in the fact that it doesn’t really have any of the idiosyncratic features that Alex Foley or Bill has in the previous films. However, it also has this bizarre choice of setting with a lot of the film being set at a theme park (plus, it has a lot of weird and odd directorial choices especially with the shot selection in editing).
Also, the lack of Taggart is sorely missed but the return of Serge from the first film was the only good part in this movie with him really embracing his role and character. After reading some other reviews, apparently Eddie Murphy was depressed during the production of this and you can sort of tell with how tired and aged he feels here. Additionally, I am intrigued to learn more about the behind the scene aspect of this film as it sounds far more intriguing than this film ever was.
Overall, I know that I’ve been critical of this and for good reason as it’s not a well made movie but it was at least entertaining. It’s one of those bad movies that are watchable enough for you to laugh at it and be morbidly entertained by its zany-ness.
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Ryan Long feels a lot more like how he behaves in his videos in this one which includes his very funny but dark humour. There wasn’t any bad jokes but nothing here is going to make you have some full-frontal laughter. Also, I like the amount of balls here to just say things how they are which is very much appreciated.
All in all, a very good special with good humour by Ryan Long.
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It’s the most okay film.
This isn’t as bad as what people have said, but it is pretty obvious as to why this is one of Pixar’s less commented on movies produced by them. It feels oddly generic as I don’t know any dinosaur media for kids despite kids liking them but dinosaurs on its own does feel generic. Also, for some reason the dinosaurs are farming corn and cattle here which just feels like “utter woke nonsense” in the most ironic way possible. (Very odd choices). Other parts where the film really felt flat were in its emotional scenes which might be because the film is made more for kids and not adults too unlike other Pixar films.
The best part about the film is that it’s pretty much inoffensive and is pretty cute for large parts of the movie. Also, the animation around fat and flubber is done really well. I really liked the animation design of the toddler baby thing.
Overall, it’s an okay dinosaur animated film which is probably a bit more nicer with a kid who likes dinosaurs.
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This is the kind of film I wanted from the 1st film. It’s a super fun and stylised cop film featuring Eddie Murphy. Billy and Staggart are a great and funny duo with great characterisation. Also, the plot this time was less emotional which really works in its favour as it didn’t have the dull, more serious moments in the 1st film.
The only drawbacks is that it does feature some full frontal nudity at one point, which was disappointing as it’s not really an adult movie but I suppose the boys in the crowd would get a kick out of it. It is does very much tick the checklist for boys to have a good time with cars, explosions etc. Also, another drawback are the camera shot selection in the editing process as some over-the-shoulder or close up shots wouldn’t quite match the more wider shot.
Overall, it’s just a really good fun time if you want a nice 80s cop flick.
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This was a nice ending and goodbye to this iconic British trio.
This reminded me of the times that I started to realise that things that you enjoy do eventually come to an end, such as the tenth Doctor’s era in Doctor Who or watching the last episode of a YouTuber called Sips’ Sim City play-through. I was in my early tweens then, when I was grasping and coping with the concept of finality, even of programmes that you thought would never end in the moment whilst you are finding so much comfort in it. Now with how much my own world and the world around me has changed in the span of a single decade, I find myself reminiscing endings with the trio pretty much retiring their car show / them basically hanging out for our entertainment. I’m more used to endings but can’t help but reminisce since this trio’s road trip specials have been a consistent part of my escapism media and something that is equivalent to me as comfort food. There’s also an aspect about the trio that has profoundly influenced me as I was most happiest when I am surrounded by older white male colleagues that enjoy good banter and good chat; whereas my cousin and most others I know of my age group prefers younger brown/black guys to hang out with which left a distinct impression on me. I think it’s fascinating to see how much I’ve aged and changed since I started watching these guys and you can also say the same about the trio.
The special itself was just pure comfort entertainment. There was a focus on their friendship and legacy throughout this special as normally you don’t know when it’ll be the last time you do something like the last time you’ll drink warm milk from a bottle to the last time you kiss someone. However, here it’s different as it is the last time they pull into work and there’s a whole mixture of emotions from joy but with this mild sadness of longing for just a little bit longer like breaking up with someone you love or the last day hanging out with your school friends. The very last scenes and the credits were especially gut-wrenching like a wholesome goodbye.
All in all, I think it’s very hard for me to think of how I’d have done this differently. I do remind a time when I did think the format was getting a bit stale and that you can see the difference with their younger selves in terms of the quality of the road trip specials and the overall hunger for success. However, I am glad that they ended in style and in their own terms (unlike how they were shafted from Top Gear). It is just very bittersweet and I suppose this will be a part of growing up as I see the celebrities I know but also family & friends get older with me to the point of retiring and passing away.
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None of the material here really made me laugh out loud but none were bad jokes. The experience felt more like listening in on a conversation like I do during my work lunches at the staffroom or hearing a podcast.
He wasn’t particularly charismatic though and there was even a segment where the crowd didn’t really laugh or react like he wanted to which was oddly funny in an embarrassing manner. The only joke of his that I actually laughed at was his final one but the joke didn’t really feel all that creative or innovative; you’d see similar stuff like when you’re doomscrolling memes on Instagram.
All in all, it’s not a comedy special that made me cringe or annoyed etc but it didn’t succeed at being funny. However, it was somewhat entertaining enough to listen to him ramble on about various comedy special cliché topics like race and gender.
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I hope Netflix never issues another comedy special from any of the people that starred here.
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It’s a hyped up, overrated B-movie with a cop plot. I just didn’t find it as funny as others did and think it’s perfectly fine but not anything amazing. In some ways, I would argue it’s somewhat generic but the soundtrack is catchy and I really liked the 2 detectives that helped out Eddie Murphy in the film.
All in all, I am a bit skeptical about watching future sequels of this considering the first film is supposed to the ‘good one’ as I found it to be fairly average. It’s not something I’d really recommend unless you really want some 80s LA cop movie.
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This legit felt like an old ass unc spitting a few unasked for jokes of his at you, where you have to pull in your best fake laughs that you do (especially that fake laugh you pull off at work).
The special just wasn’t well put together. I’m glad there isn’t a ton of crowd work as it can get annoying but there wasn’t any real good jokes/stories/bits here and the transitions were terrible. He’d dive into so many topics without actually landing anything rewardingly funny. The most the rare few jokes that worked only managed to get a smile out of me than actual laughter.
Overall, I don’t think he should do another stand-up special considering it’s his first. He seems to have a good acting career so for some unsolicited career advice; probably should stick to that. Although, I suppose his stand-up special title does fit his performance.
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This was so bad. Actually terrible. I already hated musicals and they play this awful tune/song a million times. Also, it just isn’t funny and I feel like the vast majority of the time Hartnell era Doctor Who attempts a funnier story, it generally fails.
Overall, it’s so bad that it can be on par with some of the latest season’s bad episodes since I feel bad for criticising it so much after seeing this.
P.S. The popular Letterboxd reviews liking this story is so predictable lmao
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Brave Bang Bravern bangs like myself during sex, great passion but very low stamina.
I say this because the show loses its steam very quickly. It starts off great with the opening 3 episodes and the fifth being some of the most funniest anime scenes, I have ever witnessed. It essentially makes jokes towards the big robot/mecha sub-genre seen in anime by really exaggerating and heightening certain moments. The funniest being the big robot describing a pilot entering him as if it was his first sexual awakening/experience. These bromance jokes were the best bits of the show.
However, it pretty much used all of its funny content and its attempts at being parody of this anime sub-genre, as it just becomes more and more of a generic mediocre mecha/big robot anime. Also, the plot becomes very illogical and convoluted towards the end to a baffling extent with time-travel and weird reincarnation anime bullshit stuff.
In terms of characters, Bravern is the funniest consistently throughout which I appreciate. He is very much extremely macho whilst being extremely gay, which is just a funny combination. The Smith guy was pretty great too as a character until they did something weird with him towards the end for the convoluted plot. Plus, this might be some daylight racism but hearing Japanese voice actors say English words for some attacks and names such as Smith is peak brain-rot entertainment. Some of the side characters were nice but I would’ve appreciated it if they had more screen time during the middle and end of the anime so that it could’ve leaned into its comedy aspects rather than just become a mediocre mecha action anime. For instance; it has a muscled up black dude US commander that is tired of how passionately gay Bravern the big robot is, a FBI guy that loves to waterboard everyone, and several girl characters that are infatuated by the smallest things. The characterisation was there for the show to really hone in on its strength and I think it’s a massive shame that it just ran out of jokes and humorous bits.
All in all after finishing this, I can’t recommend it because of how much of a slog it became when it did lose its steam on the comedy front. However, I do recommend watching the funny bits of the show like certain clips on YouTube as it was extremely funny in a “wtf am i watching” such as the gay jokes.
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I found this to be quite enjoyable and really liked how it made use of the concept of time and space travel. I also like how you have a certain theme around history and society with the flipping of the social structure after centuries passed; as well as the initial storyline of sickness which plays nicely into a colonialism theme that can be seen more explicitly in the last episode.
There’s not really much I dislike here and since I don’t intend on watching any stories which have reconstructed or animated episodes; I can’t complain about not fully understanding the companions. Although, I find Steven to be a bit (insert mild insult) … there is some likability in him from that characteristic of his. Dodo on the other hand feels a bit too damsel-like which might just be a product of its time. However, I did think the Doctor gave a strong performance here and I enjoyed the production of the story too.
Overall, I would say this is one of the better 1st Doctor stories for me. It’s nothing revolutionary but does well within a strict production budget and uses its unique selling point of a time and space travel show well.
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I still don’t feel the passion as others do for this on rewatch.
I think the emotions in the control room are entertaining especially when you get moments in the film where you have the opportunity to see other people’s emotion HQ control room; such as her parents during a dinner table scene. However, to me the whole concept this film had wasn’t as clever or creative as it is for others since I had a similar concept/imagination prior to the film; where little people run things inside your body. It was one of the few ideas I even had when I wanted to be a writer/producer when I was roughly 9 years old.
Plus, I couldn’t fully resonate with Riley’s experience of moving to a new city at her age. Although, on rewatch I did relate to her other feelings such as the mixture of joy and sadness when you look back on your memories. Also something else I noticed on rewatch, is that it heavily foreshadows a sequel film focusing on her puberty/teenage years. (I’m not sure if that is what Inside Out 2 is about as I haven’t seen any marketing of it). Also, the whole Bing Bong character arc wasn’t as emotional for me either; perhaps thats my apathy for death or that I just never really had an imaginary friend.
All in all, I think it’s fine. It’s not their best work in my opinion as even the animation’s resolution kinda looks bad. Although, it’s not their worst either like the very forgettable Brave movie. It’s very average and run-of-the-mill.
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Finally discovered Netflix has more interactive content beyond just Black Mirror: Bandersnatch.
I thought it was cute but I also feel like they were poking fun at itself too with how they delivered their voice cast (unless it’s unintentional lol). You pretty much play as someone who’s interviewing to work for Boss Baby and they put you in a VR simulation (not actual VR, just for the plot) where you get assigned a job role like it’s Divergent. The whole experience reminded me of the baby/easy to read versions of choose your own adventure books; and I thoroughly do miss good choose your own adventure books especially Doctor Who themed ones.
All in all, it’s like a longer version of a pointless Buzzfeed quiz that satiates your morbid curiosity whilst being kinda fun and entertaining. I got myself the negotiator job at the end of my go at this, so I’m pretty chuffed with myself.
P.S. It’s my birthday, I fully accept that I’m now a full-on man-child at age 24 but it’s better than being hooked on drugs etc I guess.
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A documentary about the unofficial first Women’s World Cup for football.
I liked learning about the historical context of how the FA, FIFA, the press and public treated women’s football prior to 1971. It was a concise and well-delivered historical documentary with interviewee sentiments being displayed too.
However, the documentary kinda lost me when they began to recap the 1971 Women’s World Cup as it was very snooze-inducing. This might be partially because I’m becoming more apathetic to sports and I’m already apathetic to women’s football. (Also, the people who demand equal wage in football need to understand viewership. I think equal pay in Tennis is more significant since women’s and men’s tennis receives pretty much equal attention.) Also, the documentary leaves very little time and room to discuss the aftermath of 1971 and zooms quickly to present-day Women’s football. I wish we learned about how Women’s football has grown quite significantly in the last few years.
Overall, I think whether you’d like this or not depends on how much you appreciate women’s football.
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This review may contain spoilers.
My university experience didn’t live up to the expectations that this film gave me.
I still love this movie on rewatch. Some things hit differently watching this post-University but the story and characters are top-tier with great voice cast and great fur animation that lives up to today’s standards (which probably speaks volumes about how little CGI/western animation hasn’t improved). The story is just full of heart and very relatable as I was a smart kid but wasn’t born with the greatest genetics etc.
Also, the characters being in trouble with the dean and getting kicked out of University is something I can relate to too and I’m glad that things did work out well for Mike after he was doing odd jobs at Monsters Inc. Hopefully, that happens to me as even though health wise (mentally and physically) I like my current work/personal lifestyle, cash flow can be rough especially when you get unexpected expenses like your washing machine breaking down. Moreover, the whole “not being good enough”plot point was relatable in two ways to me; my intrusive thoughts and experiences of others saying that to you.
All in all, it was a comforting movie when I first watched it and it is now as well primarily due to the story which I can thank the writing and direction for. The film feels like reconnecting with someone you used to know well and you’d be more inclined to like it if you did like the original. I sincerely hope we get another Monsters movie.
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I wish I was on whatever the audience was on to actually enjoy this.
It just felt extremely lazy and low effort in a sleazy fast food worker kinda way, even if it was maybe that’s intentional, it’s not to my style. First half of jokes just felt so lazy and he just doesn’t have any of the timing or storytelling prowess or anything that makes a good stand-up comedian. The vast majority of his skit stories felt so fictional in a talking out of your ass kinda way (and yes, I know most of the skits by comedians aren’t real but his execution here didn’t work for me).
He did have a few good jokes in the middle of his performance, the vast majority of the ones that were funny were self-deprecating. However, I can’t help but notice how he yoyo’s from liberal to conservative jokes and it felt like he only went there because he isn’t creative or funny enough to deliver something original or unique.
Also, during the end he just whips out a recorder and just starts playing it as if it’s funny. Then, there’s a a bit where he just plays the recorder to some seals for the runtime. It feels like he didn’t put in the effort and work to actually write, practice and perfect a good stand-up set.
Overall, this stand-up special is a hard and definite no from me.
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Honestly, it was one of the better musician documentaries as it has a decent narrative compared to just rehearsals or behind the scenes footage. The best parts were with current-day Celine as those were far more interesting than the archival footage of her past as a singer. Plus, I do appreciate her highlighting invisible disabilities/medical conditions to a wider audience such as her fans here but I also can’t help but feel envy of her wealth that allows her to have the best treatment possible ASAP; since the NHS at this current moment feels very short of budget right now considering the long wait periods, shortage of experienced specialists and the amount of bureaucracy involved with getting expensive treatment.
All in all, it’s decent but would’ve been better if it was less fan-service-y to her past and focused more on her current state.
]]>I feel like the majority of people who hate this, hate it because it’s made by AI. If you say it was made by a human, then they’d actually appreciate it. I guess a part of it might be that their liberal arts degree becomes even more worthless than it already is in today’s working world. Also, it’s a similar pattern you see in history, “every reaction has an equal and opposite reaction”, when you had folks sabotaging factory machines for taking their jobs. Even though in the long-run we see the benefits of factory machinery and the printing press etc.
The actual short film itself is super charming and reminded me a lot of that fuzzy warmness from the movie ‘Her’. It had genuine emotion and great direction. It was of a great quality that I don’t see from actual human filmmakers. Extremely excited by the future.
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This review may contain spoilers.
Predictable, dull and boring.
The movie had a degree of promise up until she went to see the witch and her mother got turned into a bear. After that, the movie is just so unbearably boring and dull. It felt more like a Disney animated princess movie than an actual Pixar film, and it’s still a bad one even if it was that. I think the plot and direction is just awfully bad.
The animation itself ain’t bad, it’s your standard Pixar/western 3D movie animation. I guess I liked the characterisation for the clan headman’s and the King. However, when you think about it, the princess being so unruly is due to her father not being a good dad by encouraging her behaviour by buying a bow and not being part of disciplining her. Also, you might like it if you have mummy issues but I don’t so that side of the film didn’t really impact me.
All in all, I am glad I never saw this before and that I’m only seeing it as a completionist for my Pixar ranked list. I’m glad no one really speaks of this film when discussing Pixar as even though people criticise Cars 2, this film is ignored which speaks volumes of how terrible this film is.
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It’s 16 minutes long but easily could’ve been cut down as it’s extremely slow paced with bits where nothing happens. The art is solid and parts of the animation are nice but I can’t help but see the resemblance of this animation to the leaked CD Zelda animation. The movement animation of its characters is where it feels highly artificial and not smooth at all. Plus, there is nothing innovative at all about this, it’s literally what you expect from ‘Alien’ (basically stalking and killing).
I’m glad others enjoy this but I don’t know if that’s just virtuous support as it’s made by a small team of fans rather than corporate studio executives. I can commend their efforts but this feels more geared towards horror Alien fans rather than Alien Prometheus and Covenant fans.
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It’s a film about a guy who accidentally lost and mistook another wife to his home because both were wearing a veil. The general vibe of the film is fairly cute and lighthearted but you do worry about the characters at times. It has amusing moments especially with the cops and the subtle subtexts the film has is not obnoxious which is appreciated. I like how optimistic it felt throughout. Also, the main actors looked so good and the actors did well considering it’s some of their debut movie performances. Plus, the production was nice with the writing and direction working well together to provide a well-paced light dramedy.
The only aspects I didn’t like at all were the songs. Only liked one song out of the four. Also, the score wasn’t for me either.
All in all, I do recommend seeking this out as it is has a smaller exposure and especially so given its a smaller Hindi movie. A dramedy for those who don’t want too much conflict.
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This review may contain spoilers.
Boys: Crying when the toys nearly get burned by the incinerator
Men: Crying when Andy gives his toys to Bonnie
I think this is the perfect Toy Story movie especially if you’re watching this after you’re grown up enough to stop playing with toys. At its core, it’s about ‘moving on’ and the fears that come along with it like abandonment and loneliness. In that sense it touched me as well as of course, that heartfelt ending which rivals Up’s opening 10 minutes.
Also, the movie itself besides the ending feels like Pixar learnt all the lessons of prior films to create a really nice story to follow along with containing some great characters; especially enjoyed the Ken and Barbie dynamic (wish the actual Barbie movie took more inspiration from the satirical animated side of Barbie content). My only complaint which is more directed towards the studio executives is that Toy Story 4 undercuts the heartbreaking moment where Andy gives Woody to Bonnie, because of what I vaguely recalling from what happens in Toy Story 4.
All in all, I think this movie is Pixar’s Infinity War, in the sense that it’s their best movie they made after learning and improving on their filmmaking craft which never have topped since. It’s the perfect movie for adults who want to be reminiscent of the transition from childhood to adulthood.
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Season One Review:
These braindead long titles result in great annoyance to me.
The show isn’t much in its animation, in that respect it’s fairly low-budget to mediocre. It’s more about vibes - and it’s pretty chill here. The whole concept is that the main character has reincarnated into this new world but has the ability to view other people’s stats and potential in a gamified way. It's sort of like addictive junk food as you are slowly watching this predictably become a slow power fantasy; luckily it’s taking its time. This is good as it highlights another strength it has going for it besides a brainrot-addictive concept, as the general character dynamics and atmosphere is fairly nice. Plus, it has a bit of royal politics shenanigans going on as underlying plot which is just another nice bonus for me whilst I assume my power fantasy show. Each character has been great and the voice acting and animation isn’t bad. Whenever, I thought things were getting a bit stale and bland, it picks up by progressing the underlying plot story or introducing a new character that adds to the existing dynamics.
All in all, it’s a decent anime but hard to recommend as it’s like saying McDonald’s is tasty. It’s good and addictive in a sense but definitely not deep in any thematic sense or trying anything innovative. Sometimes you get McDonald’s and this is that.
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Time meddling - to help humanity or to preserve its history.
That’s the central theme of this story by its end. In that sense, I appreciate the level of depth it poses as Doctor Who hardly ever gives out stories that require you to deeply think. However for the most part, you are just transported to some rural coastal village of England in 1066, where you watch the Doctor and his companions get lost from each other and explore their surroundings. In that historical sense, it was nice and you can clearly see some BBC educational mandate being applied by how much they refer to the events of 1066 which has been a staple of the history curriculum in the UK. Plus, the way they introduce the Time Meddler and his plot was done well whilst being a little silly and goofy (but that might just be because of his rounded physical appearance).
However, it does feel a little low on budget with the amount of limited sets and the acting and camera work being amateur. This is especially evident whenever there is any action as it feels like watching a drama class in a UK high school. Also, I found the new companion bloke to be very uncharismatic but did really enjoy the performances of that couple that lived in that village as well as the monk himself.
Overall, this was a good story. I think it’ll be nice to see a new version inspired by this as it’s pretty clever and nice; but it just suffers from the poor pacing and production downside elements that’s prevalent throughout Classic Who.
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It’s literally a pretentious french art house film.
The only thing that kept me not from falling asleep were the costume design and the nice synergy between stylised cinematography working in tandem with the direction and editing.
I cannot recommend sleep-inducing content even if it is pretty in a certain angle.
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I am a fan of Cars but this was just competent, not good. Watchable, but not lovable.
I feel like it could’ve leaned more into Mater and McQueen’s relationship and explored his relationship with Radiator Springs, too. For example, how McQueen needs to behave a certain way around different crowds and how he is embarrassed by Mater and his connection to Radiator Springs. It’s a strong theme that could’ve been delved into deeper whilst providing something for adults and children but it opts for a spy story that sidelines this. The spy stuff is fine but gets in the way of what made Cars 1 great (the relationships and the racing) and the guns were weird to see in something that children could see.
Overall, fans of Cars won’t find it as unwatchable as the haters of Cars but it still isn’t a great movie if you are a fan of Cars.
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What a wonderful movie.
I really enjoyed this but it definitely is a slow-burner. Initially and going into it, I was a little pessimistic as it is hard to follow up on Matt Reeves and Andy Serkis. However, they did well in terms of their longform storytelling to the extent in which I think the MCU should seek inspiration. It looks to the original movie and the Ceasar trilogy and uses it to form legends/mythology as you see the aftermath of his legacy on the ape population. It doesn’t rely on nostalgia or cameos, just straight up good writing with some weight behind in it terms of themes whilst utilising the history of prior movies to strengthen the world-building and lore of this one. In particular, I enjoyed the theme of Ceasar’s legacy as you can see comparative history of it to ours in the sense of how ancient Indian and Egyptian leaders were turned into religious figures over time. Also, how his legacy is being questioned upon by the current circumstances; which also can be seen in progressive Christianity. There is more to it too, this is just the core theme of it and the movie’s slower pacing does help you digest these thoughts quite nicely.
The voice acting and acting work in my opinion, is a little weaker here but the special effects are still good, especially so in the third act. I wasn’t too big on the score and the direction whilst being competent, it doesn’t compare to the more poignant style seen with Matt Reeves. The main strength for me is the writing which appeals to Planet of the Apes fans like myself.
All in all, I am somewhat pleased with myself as I did expect it to be not as good as the Matt Reeves film from when it was announced that the staff have been changed for this new film. However, as a fan of the franchise, I loved it and you’ll at least like it if you are a fan of it, too.
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Up has a very special place in my heart. Ratatouille made me fall in love with food and cooking but Up inspired me to have adventures. Before rewatch, I did think this was one of the best Pixar films but afterwards I can agree with its critics. By this I mean, the first 10 minutes are perfect but the rest of the film despite being good doesn’t match the same highs of that first 10 minutes.
However, I do remember those first 10 minutes profoundly changing my life and my expectations of it whether it's my love life, career, purpose and general happiness. I also, remember listening to the score multiple times and being fascinated by movie scores and classical music because of how good the score was.
I think the story here works as a sweet tale about a grumpy old man warming up to life again after he lost his wife and carrying on his wife’s spirit of adventure. There’s something romantic and sweet about that. Plus, the kid and the talking dog are so cute, it’s a bonus. It also has another theme of not idolising a dream or person and to appreciate the boring, mundane things as well as the little things in life. This is something I can wholeheartedly get behind as to me it feels true to how I find happiness when I break things down in my mind.
All in all, I miss the feeling of awe I had when I first watched it; but rewatching it was a nice reminder to have a positive and calm outlook and to appreciate the mini adventures we all do in our everyday lives even those that appear to be mundane, boring and little.
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It’s a decent film about a conflict between two ladies concerning foul-worded letters in 1920s England. It feels very rural village in its tale, which feels apt given it’s based on a newspaper story from Littlehampton.
I feel like some viewers might be a little lost or not pick up on certain nuances/subtlety in the film if they aren’t as aware of the context of Britain during that time period. For instance, the shift in gender roles post-WW1, British-Irish relations and the Suffragette movement. That being said, it still might be enjoyable and it does a good job at exploring the theme of conformity in polite society versus liberalism as well as gender.
In general, I liked the production and the acting. The only issue I had is the film not giving more emphasis on its non-white cast as I’m not sure if it’s a British attempt to ignore racism and paint a different picture or just virtue-signalling. I would’ve liked it to display some more of the British subtle racism but I suppose it might’ve conflicted with the film’s themes and tones. (Although, there was one mention of this by a senior police officer speaking about a brown police officer). Also, my knowledge of race relations in the UK during the 20th Century isn’t as knowledgeable as it is in the US.
Overall, this is a very afternoon tea vibe of a movie. It reminds me of eating biscuits given by an older woman. The way it balances its lighthearted tone with a fairly polite sense of British humour whilst exploring a theme with substance was nice.
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This was extremely disappointing as the first half is literally perfect compared to the second half. Everything about the film is good too, which is why it’s disappointing as it could’ve been 5 star potential. For instance; the acting is really solid and intimate, the action choreography is super slick and violent and the cinematography and direction are very well executed.
The reason why it’s disappointing is because of the writing. It sets itself up as an authentic, revenge story about a close-knit family who struggle to get by but manage to do with their chins held up high. It felt different and fresh to regular revenge action films because of how authentic and intimate it felt. However, the second half really leans into typical conventional clichés from Tamil action movies. Plus, the explanation of the plot twist, that exists purely for outrage and surprise, felt like a poor attempt at justifying a plot twist that didn’t need to exist. I feel like if they wanted to do family drama or betrayal, it should’ve been done with the same amount of care put towards authenticity that was seen in the first half.
Also, I wasn’t a big fan at all of the songs but to be fair, the whole “every Tamil movie being a musical” is one of the things I dislike about the Tamil movie/music industry as I’m generally not a fan of music and musicals. I think I liked only one song here out of the many other songs featured.
All in all, I am very keen on Dhanush’s next movie both as an actor and director. As an actor because he’s very talented. As a director because of how good the direction of the movie was and how stylistically unique it was in the revenge genre. However, you’ll probably enjoy this if you are a fan of Dhanush or want a good action, revenge film but be warned of the writing suffering in the second-half.
]]>A ranked list of films created by Pixar Studios.
...plus 14 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>This is my film awards for films that have come out in 2022, that I have seen by this point.
[Top Films of 2022]
- The Batman
Best Original Score 🏆
Best Soundtrack 🏆
Best Production Design 🏆
Best Costume Design 🏆
Best Cinematography 🏆
Best Sound 🏆Best Crime Film 🏆
Best Superhero Film 🏆
- Aftersun
Best Film 🏆
Best Actor (Paul Mescal) 🏆
Best Direction 🏆
Best British Film 🏆
Best Debut Film 🏆 - The Banshees of Inisherin
Best Supporting Actor (Brendan Gleeson) 🏆
Best Supporting Actress (Kerry Condon) 🏆
Best Original Screenplay 🏆Best Drama Film 🏆
- All Quiet on the Western Front
Best Foreign Film 🏆
Best Adapted Screenplay 🏆Best History Film 🏆
Best War Film 🏆
- Top Gun: Maverick
Best Original Song (I ain’t worried by One Republic) 🏆
Best Visual Effects 🏆
Best Action Film 🏆 - Minions: The Rise of Gru
Best Animated Film 🏆
Best Male VA 🏆Best Family Film 🏆
- Men
Best Actress (Jessie Buckley) 🏆
Best Horror Film 🏆 - The Northman
Best Film Editing 🏆
Best Fantasy Film 🏆
- Navalny
Best Docunentary Film 🏆
- The Bob's Burgers Movie
Best Female VA (Kristen Schaal) 🏆
Best Music Film 🏆
...plus 10 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>This is my film awards for films that have come out in 2023, that I was able to watch. Honestly, some categories were quite hard to pick just one whereas one category had a win by default as I just didn’t see any other short documentaries this year.
Some notable films I wasn’t able to watch sadly were Godzilla Minus One and the Boy and the Heron.
- Doctor Who: The Giggle
Best TV Special
- Skip and Loafer
Best Animated Miniseries
- Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland
Best Documentary Miniseries
- The Curse
Best Miniseries
- John Mulaney: Baby J
Best Stand-Up Comedy Special
- Rye Lane
Best Romance Film
Best Directorial Debut (Raine Allen-Miller) - Tetris
Best Thriller Film
- Talk to Me
Best Horror Film
- Nimona
Best Fantasy Film
- Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Best Sci-Fi Film
Best Action / Adventure Film
Best Voice Actor (Shameik Moore)
Best Soundtrack (Daniel Pemberton)Best Animated Film
...plus 16 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>My personal top films from 2024 that I was able to watch. Films below 4 stars are excluded.
- Hit Man
- Dune: Part Two
- Daughters
- Jim Henson Idea Man
- Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
- The Truth vs. Alex Jones
- Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
- HAIKYU!! The Dumpster Battle
- Laapataa Ladies
- All of Us Strangers
...plus 5 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>A ranked list of the top films of 2022 from what I’ve seen.
This excludes films I have rated below 4 stars.
[The 1st Kaizen Awards]
Last Updated: 11/4/23
- Aftersun
- The Banshees of Inisherin
- The Batman
- All Quiet on the Western Front
- Decision to Leave
- Top Gun: Maverick
- Glass Onion
- The Northman
- X
- Men
...plus 38 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>My personal top films from 2023 that I was able to watch. Films below 4 stars are excluded.
[The 2nd Kaizen Awards (2022)]
Last updated: 9/3/24
- May December
- Priscilla
- Oppenheimer
- Killers of the Flower Moon
- Rye Lane
- The Holdovers
- Tetris
- Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
- No Hard Feelings
- Unlocked
...plus 36 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>A ranked list of films directed by Stanley Kubrick.
- Barry Lyndon
- A Clockwork Orange
- Lolita
- Full Metal Jacket
- Spartacus
- Eyes Wide Shut
- The Shining
- The Killing
- Killer's Kiss
- Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
...plus 3 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>A ranked list of films directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.
]]>A ranked list of Star Wars films.
- Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
- Star Wars
- Solo: A Star Wars Story
- The Empire Strikes Back
- Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones
- Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace
- Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
- Return of the Jedi
- Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens
...plus 1 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>A ranked list of the top shows of 2022 from what I've seen.
This excludes shows I have rated below 4 stars.
Last Updated: 28/1/23
- Obi-Wan Kenobi
- Ice Age: Scrat Tales
- The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
- Moon Knight
- Pokémon: Hisuian Snow
- jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy
- She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
- The Grand Tour: A Scandi Flick
- Doctor Who: The Power of the Doctor
- Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi
...plus 1 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>The list of films ranked here by me are films I have seen and reviewed; based on my favourite content creators’ best films of the year + my favourite award shows’ nominees.
Films I’ve rated below 4 stars are not featured.
Also, I’m aware some of the films’ year of publications aren’t 2021 because movie releases were a bit wishy-washy in the pandemic years of 2020-2021.
(It was very hard ranking these, and I wish I could’ve seen more).
Ended my watchlist to get through the top films of 2021 on 26/7/22, which is why i may not have seen some films by this end-date.
- Drive My Car
- The Worst Person in the World
- Spencer
- The Power of the Dog
- The Green Knight
- Boiling Point
- The Father
- The Humans
- Parallel Mothers
- Dune
...plus 52 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>A ranked list of films directed by Sam Peckinpah.
- The Ballad of Cable Hogue
- Straw Dogs
- The Getaway
- The Wild Bunch
- Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia
- Ride the High Country
- Cross of Iron
- Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid
- The Deadly Companions
- Major Dundee
...plus 4 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>