Not enough off the cuff.

Something I’ve been super hyped for—it’s been over 10 years since I first stepped into GTA Online, and some of my favourite memories were fucking about in Los Santos with my buddies, so it was a delight to get these memories evoked in Grand Theft Hamlet. That charm quickly fell away though; the laughs here are few and far between, the scripting weighing heavily on making this seem too clever for its own good. There’s a couple of hilarious moments (ParTeb), but they aren’t enough to make up for the fact that beyond the GTA gimmick, there isn’t enough to warrant this being anything more than an optimistic attempt at doing something different, which ultimately falls short. Meh.

Dead Man stanza-lone. 

A wonderful anti-Western, where the heroes are no more than the graves awaiting them, Neil Young’s shreds transcend into the black and white void beyond the desert, and Johnny Depp’s aura eclipses even that of Jack Sparrow. Jim Jarmusch’s sandbox has poems underneath the grains—Dead Man solidifies him as one of the greatest to ever do it, for me. I’ll forever love his unrelenting lack of urgency when it comes to film; some may call it a snoozefest, but I’m already dreaming.

Napoleon Dynamite is for real. 

In 2005, I went into Woolworths and had a look through the DVD’s. A man in a white t-shirt with red writing, stood on a cartoon stage with the words “Napoleon Dynamite” caught my attention—and that was enough for 11 year old me to ask my mom to buy it. I didn’t laugh much on that first watch, nor did I fully grasp what was going on; comedies were more routine to me at that time, and dare I say it, Napoleon Dynamite just felt too clever. Nonetheless, that Christmas I had my mom buy me a “Vote for Pedro” t-shirt from the internet—something she feared to do, as they’d never really brought anything online, and she was worried about scammers getting her bank details (nowadays she will order from Temu without a second thought). 

Over the years, this has become a comfort film to me, one I can almost recite line for line. When the Blood Elves got the Napoleon dance in The Burning Crusade, I became a Blood Elf. When I heard it referenced in music (Monster), or in general culture (Family Guy, SNL), I smiled. When I saw a “Vote for Pedro” t-shirt in the wild, I knew that person and I could be friends in another life. 

I love the setting, the small town Idaho heat, the steak juice, the significance of the insignificance. Napoleon’s character arc, from tater tot hiding jackass, to Canned Heat dancing supremacy, represents one of the most surrealistic and authentic depictions of American High School I’ve seen in film (and I’m a Brit). That he and Pedro overcome all odds, and Napoleon gets the girl, is about as important to me as when Luke finds out who his father really is, or when Jessie is finally loved again by Andy. They are the moments which shape you in your youth, and you carry them all the way to adulthood—and Napoleon’s dance ranks right up there for me; where he finishes, runs off and plays tetherball with Deb, not once revelling in the delight of his performance.

I absolutely adore this film, and once I learned how to laugh at it, I never stopped—and now I can also appreciate it as my favourite comedy of all time; one which shaped how I’d enjoy comedy for years to come, and truth be told, one which shaped me as a teenager. There’s plenty of themes for those awkward years to take a lot from, and in the words of Jamiroquai, “I’m gonna dance off the nasty things that people say… I’m gonna make it anyway”.

I’ll always vote for Pedro.

All my homies hate Grandpa Joe.

One of those films which comes as close as possible to nailing what the author had intended when translating literature onto screen. Such a whimsical delight, one which never feels like it slows down as the children are picked off one by one—and, when Gene Wilder breaks into “Pure Imagination”, suddenly I’m a young kid again, full of optimism and wonder. Magic in a bottle.

Nothing nowhere all at once.

The audacious act of dropping the title card after 75 minutes and moving into a singular take for the remainder of the film creates a separation between a beautifully intoxicating story and an out of body comedown. The lights are dimly lit, and Long Day’s Journey into Night never threatens to blind you; instead, it creeps into your brain, unlocking memories that may or may not be yours—it brings warmth, and between the swells of an arcade slot machine, or the clunking of pool balls, and the stage observed by a minimal amount of people, there’s a journey that keeps you consistently engaged. A rewatch will be needed as this took me entirely by surprise.

Time waits for no Gwen. 

It’s odd to look back at these films with such nostalgia now—especially when, upon first viewing on their releases, I wasn’t the biggest fan. As mentioned in my Amazing Spider-Man review, Garfield turned out to be my favourite Spidey. It’s not perfect by any means—it doesn’t have the Raimi sauce, or a Dafoe Green Goblin level villain, or even the most coherent love story—but god damn if all that isn’t forgotten by the clock tower sequence; the culmination of some beautiful web slinging, genuinely high relatability, an undeniable authenticity between Peter and Gwen, and the largest turn in Garfield’s arc. I hope No Way Home isn’t the last we ever see of him in that suit.

Watched on Wednesday February 26, 2025.

Watched on Wednesday February 26, 2025.

It’s not the alligators that are dangerous.

A brutal truth unfolds when you watch Bully. That many, given the opportunity, may hope to do the same to the bane of their life. Only, Bully represents what happens when you actually go through with it. As with Larry Clark’s Kids, there’s a profoundness hidden somewhere between the vulgarity. It’s not an easy watch at all, and the consequences that play out are difficult to indulge in. There’s something about the stupidity of youth nailed in the films I’ve seen by Clark—on the flip side, it makes me look back at my relatively normal youthful cringe years with fondness. Solid watch.

She’s just a cosmic girl.

Tranquil meditation. There’s a dreamlike atmosphere present in August In The Water, and you can’t help but float down its stream. I had an overwhelming amount of nostalgia watching it; there’s a warmth here, and though there’s questions asked of the cosmic void, it never creates an existential dread—rather, you bathe in the insignificance of the carefree on show. Lo-fi lucidity brought to life by Ishii, one which feels like the smoothest blend of samples. Loved every second.

Sam Jackson knows ball. 

Coach Carter has a lot of heart. There’s something about inspirational true sports stories that I just love—maybe it’s from being a kid, watching Remember The Titans and The Mighty Ducks on repeat. It’s formulaic—it knows when to deliver its emotional punches, things are bad and then they aren’t—there’s no new ground trodden here. However, that doesn’t take away from its impact and the message it hopes to deliver; how boys can become men with the right influence and a bit of ball. That’s good enough for me.

Brings the heat. 

The Wicker Man may not be textbook scary, but it creates an undeniably eerie atmosphere, and there’s a prolonging sense of uncomfortableness as you take it in, before it manages to get right under your skin. The surreal nature of the film only adds to that feeling of dread—be it through its musical cues, or odd sense of humour, or that ending, it’s a wholly unique experience, one that ranks right up there with the best British horrors.

More hip replacement than hip amazement. 

For the amount of age on show in Youth, those years don’t correlate to depth. A decent bringing of existential dread, but the arthouse quirks of Sorrentino are lost on me—maybe I’m just an uncultured swine, too young and naive to take in the wonder of this film; or maybe, beyond the glimpses of nudity and long graceful silences, there isn’t enough significance to fill the chasm of anything slightly charismatic. A gathering of greats that never threatens to break free from the mediocre.

About Time I never watch this again. 

Like a time loop I’m stuck in, I get the great idea around this time every year that I’ll watch About Time again. And I’m not sure why I keep putting myself through the torture. It’s always felt like one of those films which has no right to be this good—but then you look at the cast, the premise and how well it’s executed and wonder why it doesn’t have that right. Curtis’ best is probably the best British-American romcom there is for me—balances out the charm with the right amount of laughs, and certainly an overwhelming amount of tears. That quick little walk made me cry before I was a dad, and now I am one, it wrecks me beyond measure. Fantastic little film, this.

I owe you an apology. I wasn’t really familiar with your game. 

Yeah, I really liked this. One that my son has been eagerly anticipating, having read the first Dog Man book last week, and it didn’t disappoint. Wonderful animation style, great voice cast and Dog Man is truly both the man and the dog. Really cute, full of charm, and quite a poignant story with Petey too. Dog Man is a really enjoyable time, and my son enjoyed the hell out of it—more like this, please.

Takeshi Kitano: Greatest Hits.

Takeshi Kitano’s Broken Rage is like watching a child deconstructing and reconstructing his favourite Lego set. This level of spoof can only come with years in the business, and in his late 70’s Kitano is still having as much fun as ever—does he ever miss a beat? A bittersweet look at all the things he finds wrong in film, spawning the love child of his most silly Getting Any? and the badassery of Outrage, which proves that there’s more than just bullets in his head.

By way of brilliance. 

A suspenseful and reflective gangster piece that makes Scarface look like the angry kid in the corner. Carlito’s Way is perfectly framed from screen right to the edge of your seat—the performances manifest into manuscripts on the wall, whereby all pieces of dialogue are primed to deliver knockout punches. This isn’t about the rise and fall; this is about destiny—the more that you run, the more those doors only lead you back. We all wanted to be Tony Montana; how many of us want to be Carlito Brigante?

X out of X.

An absolute mammoth of a film; an epic in every sense of the word, as profound, conflicting and full of power as the man himself. This is Denzel Washington at his absolute best, and Spike Lee transcends cinema here—this is the greatest biopic of all time, a complete and utter masterpiece in filmmaking. The full evolution from Red to Malcolm X, and the accompanying tonal and cinematic shifts as this happens—the bright suits and the blurred beach into the black frames and ‘fro—are an important part of why this deserves every second of its 202 minute runtime. Yeah, as far as film goes, this is probably it for me. Simply brilliant.

Watched on Sunday February 16, 2025.

Geralt of Trivial. 

Decent animation—looks pretty, some nice action sequences, and a fantastic score. Loved hearing Geralt’s original voice actor. Sirens of the Deep can feel a bit overtly slapstick at times, the humour a bit too cheap—The Witcher series has always managed to find a deft balance between lightening up its dark undertones, but this was too much. It’s just a shame that with the source material available, Netflix haven’t managed to convert any of it masterfully. Still, worth a watch for fans of the series.

n.b. What was Essi’s voice acting all about? Seemed so off…

First time ever I saw No-Face. 

Something utterly wonderful about watching this on a quiet Saturday morning with my kids. The first ever Ghibli I laid eyes on still manages to well them up. The image of the lone house on the island still sticks with me (may be my favourite singular frame in film ever); that train ride makes this world feel so dense—and yet even being largely confined to the bathhouse isn’t a bad thing, as it’s the most stunning setting. Lovely.

Cheers I’m crying. Nice one. 

Love and loss represented through a dog and a robot. That not all things are forever, and to enjoy the good times whilst we are in them. We grow, hopefully outwards, sometimes inward. Robot Dreams is as meaningful as it is joyfully animated; but that glee will turn to gloom as the relationship rusts. There’s an aching reality present that’s bursting to get out, and unfortunately this one couldn’t be contained. It’s for the best.

Immortality in film. 

Bloodlust elevates everything that the initial Vampire Hunter D has to offer. Far more stylish (the gothic architecture is insane), the story feels that much tighter—this is one of the finest examples of the vampire genre that I’ve seen, and even 25 years on, nothing has come close. Every little detail within Bloodlust is refined to within an inch of its life, be it the backdrops, the action, the monsters, the animation; so many frames could be hung on the wall—remove all form of narrative and there’s still an entire world and atmosphere to soak yourself in. So fucking cool.

Low stakes, high reward.

Berserk is often mentioned as the inspiration behind FROM SOFTWARE’s Souls series, and rightly so—however, it’s not hard to see where Bloodborne drew its imagination from when watching Vampire Hunter D. Full of gothic imagery, dark atmospheres and a hat-wearing ass-kicking protagonist to boot. I love how moody Japanese animation could be in this era—combined with that post-apocalyptic western feel, I could drown in its ambience for centuries. If the recent Netflix Castlevania series is anything to go by, I hope to see the Resurrection series of this sooner than later. Now I have the sudden urge to lose more of my life to Vampire Survivors…

The road less travelled (for good reason).

Starting at the end with this one—the final sequence is an absolute mind fuck of the highest order, and is where the gimmick of changing actors finds its payoff—and, yes, it absolutely does pay off. Then you weigh up everything the film has to offer with regards to pro-choice, pro-life, the righteousness that exists in religion and society, and how sometimes they feel like a mutually exclusive thing; where a moral compass has no true direction, and south is about as far north as you can go; where the right-minded are about as wrong as the high-minded. Spin these ideologies with typical Solondz grotesquerie and I’m somewhere at a crossroads—where I think this film is stunningly and cleverly executed, and where I think it’s executed with such meaningless distaste. If life is a palindrome, then I’ll always give this film a 1, and I’ll always give this film a 5.

Strawberry Dreams Forever. 

An absurd illusion, one which feels like a disjointed dream, hypnotic right up until the fingers click. Strawberry Mansion is a bold array of visuals, at times colourful and bizarre, and yet there’s a sad undercoating peering out of the bright and beautiful. It belongs both in the future and in the past; decades from now, we’ll be eating chicken from a bucket with nothing but the sheer silence of space for company, reminiscing about the Ford Starliner. There’s no substance, but Strawberry Mansion was made to oscillate the inner substance of ourselves, and I had tears on more than one occasion; that terrific score is largely to blame. One to watch with fried chicken, or just fried.

Sealed with a póg.

Potentially even more of a straightforward story than The Secret of Kells, but the charm in Song of the Sea is amplified tenfold; proving that simplistic done well is still a great formula. The whole film feels like a lullaby, beautifully animated and scored. Hard not to liken it to Ponyo, or
Princess Kaguya, but it still feels completely fresh. What a wonderful experience.

Folkbore. 

An absolute pleasure to look at, with some gorgeously colourful and fun animation (minus the blackface design of the black character, and the quite literal yellow Asian character). The score is a delight, mesmerising at points, adding to the quaint charm that The Secret of Kells has. I wasn’t fully enamoured by the story, though I appreciate it leaning into Irish folklore and bringing that to life—I just think it was a little too flat, a little bit too textbook, and the characters all a little too underdeveloped. Decent little watch, but not one I’ll be returning to.

An absolute scorcher. 

Completely visionary—made in ‘89 and still as poignant today. A Brooklyn summer which radiates as much heat as the racial tension in the air. Looks great, sounds great, hits even harder—every piece that Spike Lee lines up gets knocked down incredibly. Captivating and unflinching in its subject matter, with the truest reflection of love and hate I’ve seen captured in film. All colours are painted the same—Spike Lee shows us what happens when the colours don’t blend. Every line of dialogue feels so authentic—be it sat in front of a red wall shit talking Mike Tyson, or pointing out the lack of diversity on a white wall; the stuttering Smiley, bumbling his way through black history; Da Mayor, who speaks more sense than they care to hear; and in the case of Radio Raheem, who only speaks when necessary, and still his ending is an absolute powerhouse of importance. Do the Right Thing and watch this masterpiece; and that’s the double truth, Ruth.

Fantastic by name, fantastic by nature.

Chairs around the fire, each one seating an extra thread in the Cash family cross stitch, one which spells ‘anarchy’. Each layer here comes with its own dynamic, be it through gender and age, hopes and dreams, or how much they’re like Mom, and how much they’re like Dad. And Dad, in this case, is Viggo Mortensen—the first, and most important stitch sewn; the one who stings to touch, but ultimately the one who holds it all together. And this is what Viggo does to Captain Fantastic; he keeps it grounded, allowing for the emotional knockouts, bringing forth all of the sincerity that Captain Fantastic has to offer. It’s awkward, at times absurd—it’s ferocious, and then it’s funny—it’s harrowing, and it will break your heart. 

n.b. Alex Somers’ score here is euphoric, and its placement is incredibly used.  

He just needed better villains. 

For a few years now I’ve believed that Andrew Garfield is the best Spider-Man, if not necessarily the best Peter Parker. On this rewatch, particularly during the scene where he asks Gwen out to the backdrop of Coldplay, I think I was wrong—he’s now my favourite Peter Parker, too—because he connects me with Peter more than any of the other performances. I’ll be an Amazing Spider-Man defender until the day I die, and as much of a curse as that may be, I’m okay with it.

Familiarity in nothing; where nothing makes us all the same. 

Just perfect. Never mind it taking place over the span of a day, I could have watched these snippets for over a year—just as you become familiar with one character, they’re gone and another takes their place. Slacker is alienation—to a society which deems them to be different, but they’re free from the binds of said society, and the exploration of what connects them here, be it political, social, philosophical or economical is just so incredibly done; it’s hard not to find some form of relation. Linklater’s lazy style of filmmaking in Slacker is enthralling; it feels careless, and yet the approach is so methodical, which becomes apparent when you listen to him talk about the making of this film. A true form of art imitating life—that person you pass on the street has an entire world of their own.

Miami Connection is a helluva drug. 

An 80’s time capsule, buried away somewhere in 1987 and fortunately dug back up not too long ago. Who are we to say these events didn’t happen? Has anyone ever actually been to Florida? Miami Connection stands on a mountain of cocaine, and those who make the climb can enjoy the view—ninja biker gangs, Dragon Sound, hot pink and cyan, synthwave, hair metal guitars, big mullets, bigger moustaches and the highest calibre of martial arts. This isn’t a film to mock—whether you watch it ironically or unironically, you can soak in its decadent vibe, nod your head to the killer soundtrack and truly experience the 80’s for just over an hour. Then, and only then, can you look back down the mountain at your footprints in the snow and appreciate how far you’ve come.

Sci-fi simplicity with a deep existential core.

What a ride this is—one which quickly reaches levels well above the speed limit and stays there throughout. There’s a bit of everything in Upgrade, with a cyberpunk enhancement to its revenge underpinning; at times it reminded me of Blade Runner, Robocop and Minority Report, with the chaotic duality of Venom and a sprinkling of Hong Kong cinema to finish it off. And yet, even with all of these blends, it still feels unique—between the intense violence, the slick camera work, and the neon drenched visuals, there’s still enough cheese which means it’s an incredibly fun time. I’m a sucker for a “bad ending”—films need to do this more.

Watched on Sunday February 2, 2025.

Watched on Sunday February 2, 2025.

Chronic Youth.

Films like this aren’t made for sitting on the fence, and so I’m not going to be doing that—I’m firmly in the crowd that regard Kids as a masterclass in filmmaking. A true “you had to be there” vibe. It’s hard to get these purposefully charmless films right—there needs to be an authenticity to the subject matter so that you can stomach these shitty people. By no means is this an easy watch, and like a true reflection on early adolescence, it refuses to set any boundaries. Teenage packs can be horrendous and annoying, and what Korine writes here feels so real; from the mob mentality, to the violence, to the crude talks on sex—if you haven’t lived it, it’s hard to imagine a world where Kids takes place; shocking more so that it’s in the house, street or town next to yours. Youth is wasted on the young. Just some motherfuckin’ kids. 

n.b. Apart from the obvious musical link to the late, great Mac Miller, it was awesome to see Lou Barlow of my favourite band Dinosaur Jr. did the soundtrack to this.

Better when the roots grow beneath the ground.

Life, indeed, encompassed on a grand scale—one which looks, and sounds, magnificent, covering the vast theme of existence and everything which ties those threads together, transcending even space and time. And yet, I couldn’t help shift this feeling, like it was an overtly annoying on-the-nose preach in my face, one which shouts at me to feel something (which is ironic as the film is a series of sensitive whispers, and dinosaurs). Not sure if I have a lack of connection with The Tree of Life (which, as a father, I thought I’d have more) or maybe in being so transcendental it loses the authenticity of the mundane (which I feel is mythologised here in order to then be analysed, whereas more simplistic works resonate with me on a much larger scale, though that could be my ADHD talking)—it’s technically astounding, and I can see why many would take something away; that being said, and I hate to say this, it’s not for me. First case of too much style, too much substance?

Pretty, empty. 

The Red Turtle presents something of a curious time—free from dialogue, it’s an experience which relies solely on immersion, with its meditative approach coming undone from the fact you have to actively engage with it; there are several cues that you can’t afford to miss, or you may be left somewhere between the authentic and the surreal. This is somewhat of a frustration in itself—there’s an odd balance between there being enormously everything and absolutely nothing to absorb, and even with a runtime of just over one hour, I think it would have worked better as a short. Gorgeous to look at, but has no real significant substance—it may have that Ghibli slide before it starts, but that’s as close as it gets to anything else the studio has out there.

Richard is a dick.

Richard III is one the great Shakespeare villains. Laurence Olivier brings his story to life well enough; his role as the titular character misses no beats, playing it with such an anarchistic mirth, completely endearing (despite his Lord Farquaard looking ass). But not even Olivier’s performance can save Richard III from the other problems it creates; it feels like a stage play at times that stays long past its welcome, and when nobody else can bring the energy of Olivier, the majority of interactions become dull affairs. I don’t want to lower myself to calling it boring, but I think it’d be a great cure for insomniacs. Much better Shakespeare adaptations out there I’m afraid, at that one’s which aren’t just reciting the piece line for line. Pretty costumes, though.

A hellish ride in the back of a cab.

I Saw the Devil hits heavenly heights. A masterclass in the gruesome, creating the most uncomfortable tension palpable and puppeteering you through its evil nature. Whatever horrific things this film plates up for you, you’ve no choice but to eat—with clever cinematography, and an intoxicating atmosphere, it’s an utterly transfixing time. I said in my Oldboy review that revenge was best served old—I now think it’s beneath a guillotine with your teeth being the only thing holding the blade back. The coldest film name in history lives up to its title. I need a smoke.

Kestrels are better than people; Kes, don’t you think that’s true? 

Bleak, grey and miserable; nobody captures the sombre British atmosphere quite like Ken Loach. As with any true Brit’s direction, it’s unabridged with cynicism as the lens of 1960’s Britain is a dirty one—there’s no rose tinted spectacle in sight, as the class divide is in full swing and those who cannot vote are left in a state of mundanity. Enter Kes—the quite literal symbol of hope for the hopeless, free from the social shackles and self restraints of Tripartite education. But like everything before Kes, and everything after Kes, it all returns to dirt beneath our nails as we dig our own graves.

Natural spring water. 

Another Ozu watch where I slowly sink into my chair and find myself smiling; only, this time, they’re all smiling back at me, in almost every frame. I love how he captures the ordinary in life—if Takeshi Kitano’s Kids Return gave the bicycle meaning, then it was Ozu’s Late Spring bringing that bicycle to life. The softest moments are captured as gracefully as the heartbreaking ones—and what feels like a comfort film eventually turns into discomfort; and yet, never loses the natural in those emotions it evokes. Happiness isn’t a feeling; it’s an action. 

A day off work spent watching three Ozu’s sounds productive enough to me.

Mornings are for chilling.

A true comfort film—one which feels laidback, looks stunning and has a few laughs to boot. Playful, full of farts and captures that idyllic feeling of being a child on a Sunday afternoon, with not a care in the world. Such a relaxing time—everything Ozu frames here feels effortless; you could pause this at any point and hang it on your wall.

Ozu’s ode to humbleness. 

Poetry in black and white. Tokyo Story is beautiful. Growing up is the one decay that there is no cure for—be it through you, your parents or your children—seemingly as much a curse as it is a blessing. Ozu’s wisdom is a reminder to take time to make time. Easy to see why it sits among the greats—it feels so natural second by second, and yet there’s a real meticulousness to the craft on show; be it through its contemplative reflection, or how freely the tightly wound story unravels, or how it effortlessly weaves together profoundness and minimalism.

More than kenough.

My second watch of Barbie, and once again I’m left floored by how funny and tender it can be, and impressed by how it never trades those laughs for any less meaning. Yeah, it’s very face value, but it’s an important message for its younger audience, and a nice reminder for the rest of us. A rare occasion where I don’t enjoy the inclusion of Will Ferrell, and some of the real-world scenes can drag, but Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling are an absolute joy. I will endeavour every day to be more Allan.

Watched on Sunday January 26, 2025.

I’ll love it forever.

The coming-of-age film. Four wonderfully fleshed out individuals; over the span of an hour and a half, you come to learn all of them individually, making the links of why they all exist together—each boy with their own overlapping venn diagram of their life, their mould and their dreams. Magic in a bottle that perfectly captures the seemingly infinite albeit short-lived space of just before you start growing up. Youth is wasted on the young, except in cases when questing with the boys to find a dead body.

A tearrific time.

The shoe broke me. That’s how powerful The Cure is—it contains so much soul. There’s a plethora of incredibly moving beautiful moments; you can predict the narrative from a mile away, and yet it doesn’t make those emotional beats hit any less. Two unlikely friends, one hopeful cure, a ton of personal development. I can’t praise it enough. Honestly, if you haven’t already—just watch it.

Beepity boop, embrace the computer gloop.

There’s something so charming about TRON, particularly watching it 42 years after its initial release. Be it through its lingering 80’s optimism, the fact none it really makes any sense (not that it matters), or the array of iconic aesthetics and insane use of colours; it all rounds into a wonderfully unique experience. So cool to see where they took this with LEGACY, and cooler still where it’s yet to go, but the original TRON set a clear framework here for science fiction synth—and Windows screensavers—for years to come.

Notes are who recommended the film.

• Upgrade

  Round 1: Cinevets

• Do the Right Thing

  Round 2: T

• Carlito's Way

  Round 3: Josh

• Coach Carter

  Round 4: Brayden

• Dead Man

  Round 5: Mitch

Evolving every year. Sorted in alphabetical order. 

• About Time
• Aftersun
• Akira
• Anora
• Armageddon
• As Good as It Gets
• August in the Water
• The Banshees of Inisherin
• Battle Royale
• Belly

...plus 122 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

Clearly biased. Not sorry. 🐐 

Average Rating: 4.23

1. A Scene at the Sea
2. Fireworks
3. Sonatine
4. Kids Return
5. Dolls
6. Kikujiro
7. Takeshis'
8. Zatoichi
9. Kubi
10. Boiling Point

...plus 7 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

🌌 

Average Rating: 4.50

1. Hanagatami
2. Casting Blossoms to the Sky
3. His Motorbike, Her Island
4. House
5. Seven Weeks

Average Rating: 4.16

1. Tokyo Story
2. Late Spring
3. Good Morning

One film per year of my life thus far.

• Pulp Fiction
• Toy Story
• Kids Return
• As Good as It Gets
• The Truman Show
• Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace
• Remember the Titans
• Spirited Away
• The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
• Oldboy

...plus 21 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

Greetings. I am Archer, emissary of the Gorgonites.

Average Rating: 3.57

1. Small Soldiers
2. Gremlins 2: The New Batch
3. Matinee
4. Gremlins
5. The 'Burbs
6. The Howling
7. Looney Tunes: Back in Action
8. Piranha

🥋 Thanks Josh.

• The Protector
• Ong-Bak
• Drunken Master
• Drunken Master II
• Black Dynamite
• Blood and Bone
• Undisputed
• Undisputed II: Last Man Standing
• Avengement
• Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning

...plus 5 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

By Mitch

Average Rating: 3.25

Prompts below:

1. Watch any movie with a 4.4 average on letterboxd
2. Most popular Liam Neeson movie you have not seen
3. Any movie in the Turkish language
4. Watch or rewatch any Joel Schumacher movie
5. Watch any movie from the letterboxd top 250 documentaries list
6. Watch any movie with an animal on the cover
7. Watch any movie with a city name in the title
8. Watch any movie with a 3.2 on letterboxd
9. Most popular Haley Lu Richardson movie you have not seen
10. Any movie in the Portuguese language
11. Watch or rewatch any Eli Roth movie
12. Watch any movie from the letterboxd sight and sound greatest films list
13. Watch any movie with a weapon on the cover
14. Watch any movie with a person's name in the title
15. Watch any movie with a 2.6 average on letterboxd
16. Most popular Colin Farrell movie you have not seen
17. Any movie in the Vietnamese language
18. Watch or rewatch any Kathryn Bigelow movie
19. Watch any movie from the letterboxd top 100 animation list
20. Watch any movie without people on the cover
21. Watch any movie with an animal in the title
22. Watch any movie with a 1.6 average on letterboxd
23. Most popular Daniel Kaluuya movie you have not seen
24. Any movie in the Japanese language
25. Watch or rewatch any Martin Scorsese movie
26. Watch any movie from the letterboxd top 250 women directed list
27. Any movie with purple on the cover
28. Any movie with a title longer than 5 words
29. Any movie with a 1.9 average on letterboxd
30. Most popular Seth Rogen movie you have not seen
31. Any movie in the Russian language

1. The Ascent
2. Silence
3. Before Your Eyes
4. St. Elmo's Fire
5. Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution
6. As Good as It Gets
7. Paris, Texas
8. The Greatest Beer Run Ever
9. Columbus
10. Zama

...plus 21 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

My top 8 Joe Hisashi scores, with my favourite track as the note.

• Kids Return

  MEET AGAIN (05:00)

• My Neighbor Totoro

  The Path of the Wind (03:17)

• NiNoKuni

  The Boundless Skies (01:44)

• Porco Rosso

  To the Adriatic Sea (01:50)

• A Scene at the Sea

  Bus stop (05:10)

• Sonatine

  Play On the Sands (04:44)

• Spirited Away

  The Sixth Station (03:38)

• The Wind Rises

  The Falcon Project (01:33)

Yes, I gave The Good Dinosaur a 5. No regrets.

Average Rating: 3.78

1. Toy Story 2
2. The Good Dinosaur
3. A Bug's Life
4. Ratatouille
5. Monsters, Inc.
6. Toy Story
7. Luca
8. Monsters University
9. Cars
10. Up

...plus 16 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

We do it my way. Fear is our ally. The gasoline will be ours. Then you shall have your revenge. 🎸

Average Rating: 4.30

1. Mad Max: Fury Road
2. Mad Max 2
3. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
4. Mad Max
5. Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome

I’d rather be a pig than a fascist. 🐽 

Average Rating: 4.10

1. Porco Rosso
2. Grave of the Fireflies
3. The Wind Rises
4. The Tale of The Princess Kaguya
5. The Boy and the Heron
6. Spirited Away
7. Princess Mononoke
8. Castle in the Sky
9. Ponyo
10. My Neighbor Totoro

...plus 8 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

I have enjoyed the journey. ⚔️ 

Average Rating: 4.44

1. Ran
2. Seven Samurai
3. Ikiru
4. The Hidden Fortress
5. Rashomon
6. Throne of Blood
7. Kagemusha
8. Yojimbo
9. Dreams

It ain’t about how hard you hit etc. 🥊 

Average Rating: 4.00

1. Rocky
2. Rocky Balboa
3. Rocky II
4. Rocky IV
5. Rocky III
6. Rocky V

🏹 

Average Rating: 3.90

1. First Blood
2. Rambo
3. Rambo: First Blood Part II
4. Rambo III
5. Rambo: Last Blood

🚗 🚬 

Average Rating: 4.20

1. Drive My Car
2. Evil Does Not Exist
3. Happy Hour
4. Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy
5. Asako I & II

The Oogie Boogie man clears all. 

Average Rating: 3.75

1. Coraline
2. The Nightmare Before Christmas
3. James and the Giant Peach
4. Wendell & Wild

My top 8 John Williams scores, with my favourite track as the note.

• E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

  E.T.’s Powers (02:43)

• Home Alone

  Carol of the Bells (01:25)

• Jurassic Park

  Theme from Jurassic Park (03:27)

• Raiders of the Lost Ark

  Washington Ending / Raiders March (06:52)

• Saving Private Ryan

  Hymn to the Fallen (06:10)

• Schindler's List

  Stolen Memories (04:20)

• Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones

  Anakin and Padmé (03:56)

• Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace

  Duel of the Fates (04:14)

Justice for Tom Bombadil.

Average Rating: 5.00

1. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
2. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
3. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Changes with every rewatch. 

Average Rating: 4.00

1. The Empire Strikes Back
2. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
3. Star Wars
4. Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones
5. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace
6. Return of the Jedi
7. Star Wars: The Last Jedi
8. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
9. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Real human bean. 

Average Rating: 3.57

1. Drive
2. The Neon Demon
3. Pusher
4. Only God Forgives
5. Pusher II
6. Bronson
7. Valhalla Rising

Average Rating: 4.00

1. Get Out
2. Nope
3. Us