25 January 2018

Darkest Hour, 2017 - ★★★

I dithered about seeing this or not. In the end I don't regret seeing it but can't really recommend it either. It is all about the performances but I'm not sure if they can save the film. That scene on the Underground is terrible but it did also work for me (or worked me) and I'm not really sure what that means.

January 25, 2018 at 05:51PM

23 January 2018

Downsizing, 2017 - ★★★

A film full of great ideas and opportunities, all of which are squandered. I still enjoyed it but can't help feel that if any one of the many strands was developed further or delivered with more vision, this could have been really great.

January 23, 2018 at 08:09PM

21 January 2018

Kong: Skull Island, 2017 - ★★

I know we're living in the age of stupid but is there really any reason to make this so dumb? I knew it didn't get great reviews (neither did Godzilla and that's great) but I'd heard some good things so still wanted to see it. Stupid people doing stupid things for stupid reasons that make little to no sense. I know it was filmed in multiple locations but nearly everything looks like it's in front of a green screen. Most of the CGI looks bad and badly composited. Kong himself isn't terrible but I'm assuming that's down to Terry Notary because he's just as believable (possibly more so) without any CGI in The Square.

January 21, 2018 at 06:09PM

The Beguiled, 2017 - ★★★

It looks amazing especially the outdoor scenes but I'm not sure if there was really much else to this.

January 21, 2018 at 06:00PM

20 January 2018

Colossal, 2016 - ★★★½

As expected I liked this but I it was the concept more than the execution. I had a problem with how one of the characters develops which really took me out of the second half of the film. Having slept on it and scanning some other reviews I realise now that those sudden changes were probably intentional and serve a greater purpose rather than just being misguided like I originally thought. I suspect on a second viewing it will seem more coherent, deep and a little bit more terrifying.

January 20, 2018 at 12:23PM

14 January 2018

John Wick: Chapter 2, 2017 - ★★★

I don't know if I'm just getting old or the amount of real world terror is playing a part but I'm increasingly finding it difficult to get enjoyment out of gun violence. There's no denying that the violence on display here is exquisitely done but is there really much else to this? I also couldn't remember enough about the set up in the first film to always be clear exactly what was going on. And what's with calling him Jonathan?

January 14, 2018 at 04:40PM

Coco, 2017 - ★★★★

This could be Pixar's most mature film both in terms of themes and storytelling as well as technically. It's visually stunning, there's a strange (as in I can't explain it, rather than bad) non-animated feel to the land of the living and the land of the dead is gloriously realised. I did think the story was lacking some emotional in places but it makes up for it with an incredibly moving conclusion.

January 14, 2018 at 04:35PM

11 January 2018

Molly's Game, 2017 - ★★★★

My cinematic 2018 starts with a really fantastic opening sequence that requires a moment to catch your breath after it ends and the film gets going. The rest of the film take a more leisurely pace but when it delivers at Sorkin's speed and style it really is something. It's possibly slightly too long but it's nearly always engaging, frequently funny and great performances all round.

January 11, 2018 at 09:41PM

My Films of 2018

The best/greatest/worthwhile/favourite new films I saw during 2018.

  1. Molly's Game
January 11, 2018 at 09:27PM

08 January 2018

Logan, 2017 - ★★★★

Even knowing what to expect this was a lot harder than I thought, perhaps excessively so, but it's also the best use of these characters and a refreshing change to see them in a different type of film.

January 08, 2018 at 10:29PM

North by Northwest, 1959 - ★★★★★

I'm struggling to think of any recent mainstream film that has any chance of standing up as well as this does in sixty years time (perhaps one of Christopher Nolan's films). North By Northwest is of it's time but it still works incredibly well.

January 08, 2018 at 10:21PM

07 January 2018

The Kids Are Alright 2017

The adults may have ruined 2017 but at least with this lot of young performers the future of film feels safe.

January 07, 2018 at 11:10PM

Cinema 2018

Everything I saw in the cinema during 2018

January 07, 2018 at 10:49PM

2017: The Regrets

Films I wish I'd seen in 2017

  1. Colossal
  2. Brawl in Cell Block 99
  3. Tower
  4. The Beguiled
  5. In Between
  6. Brigsby Bear
  7. The Party
  8. Split
  9. Kong: Skull Island
  10. After the Storm

...plus 10 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

January 07, 2018 at 10:48PM

2017 Time Capsule

The 20 films to save from 2017

Based on UK release date, ordered alphabetically.

...plus 10 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

January 07, 2018 at 10:25PM

06 January 2018

The Highway Rat, 2017 - ★★★

Watched on Wednesday January 3, 2018.

January 06, 2018 at 05:58PM

Personal Shopper, 2016 - ★★★½

This worked for me for a while, then it didn't, then it did again and now I don't really know what to think.

January 06, 2018 at 05:43PM

04 January 2018

The Lost City of Z, 2016 - ★★★

Good at what it does but until the third act lacks any real emotion to so I never felt a connection to what was happening.

January 04, 2018 at 10:05PM

New Films to Watch 2018

Added before any reviews so may turn out to not be worth it after all.

January 04, 2018 at 08:40PM

03 January 2018

Films Shown at Hyde Park Picture House 2018

...plus 2 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

January 03, 2018 at 05:29PM

A Quiet Passion, 2016 - ★★★

Didn't really work for me but I ended up admiring it nevertheless.

January 03, 2018 at 12:44PM

Lady Macbeth, 2016 - ★★★★

Not what I was expecting and all the better for it. Exquisitely shot, every scene is so carefully framed and wonderful performances throughout.

January 03, 2018 at 12:41PM

Jurassic World, 2015 - ★★★½

I still enjoyed this but a few things really stood out.

1. The effects already seem worse than the 1993 original
2. It's a shame we won't get to see what Trevorrow would do with a sequel
3. It's a shame we won't get to see what Trevorrow would do with Star Wars.

January 03, 2018 at 12:35PM