Lyle Lyle Crocodile 

epic for a “musical”.

funny and not far fetched at all.

10/10

Poor Things 

Really enjoyable comedy.  2 hours 20 minutes did not drag. Great set design and acting.  

9/10

wellygary:

Speaking of Synder, I watched Rebel Moon -Pt 1 ( Netflix) over the weekend, ... in short... don't bother, 

Other than stunning visuals and well choreographed violence, its a shocker.....

Standard Space opera tropes of Evil warlord threatens salt of the earth farmers, one of the "farmers" then goes off into t universe to find warriors to defend them.... 

Paper thin character development and miles of stodgy dialogue 

 

Nope - DVD - 5/10

Jordan Peele (Get Out) directs a western/scifi/horror which just doesn't do it for me. Maybe it was because I couldn't understand a word the main characters sister was saying.

Saltburn.

A lot of social media hype, but I think I'm too old for any of what happens to be shocking.

Definitely memeable but I feel like that's all I got out of it.

6/10 simply because it's actually an OK watch on its own merits outside of the TikTok hype. 

Scale for reference:

10: Godfather Part 2, Highlander

8: Lost in Translation

5: Role Models 

0: The Hills Have Eyes (2006)

I'm going through previously watched films, which is something I used to do every Thursday after 5-a-side football during uni, with a 6 can of Carlsberg export for 5quid! 

With the trailers for Dune part 2 released, I made a mental note to rewatch Dune. Having watched it the first time round and not understanding anything, this time I was more prepared to listen and absorb. 

Good film, enjoyed! Easy to understand. 

Won't watch again (no need)

Wonka 

2023 must have been the year of whimsy.  Pleasant with some great cameos, largely forgettable music but sweet and funny at times.  Nice throwbacks to the original.  

my cycnical 12:year old son enjoyed it - so theres that :)

7/10

Logans Run - DVD - 7/10

An old sci-fi movie from 1976 stars Jenny Agutter and Michael York who escape the fate of all those who live in their domed city - execution when you reach 30.

No CGI and it looks very basic compared to todays epics but I quite like it. Agutter probably helps in that regard.

stocksp:

 

Wonka 

 

 

 

2023 must have been the year of whimsy.  Pleasant with some great cameos, largely forgettable music but sweet and funny at times.  Nice throwbacks to the original.  

 

my cycnical 12:year old son enjoyed it - so theres that :)

 

 

 

7/10

 

I introduced my 9 and 6 year old daughters to the "original" 1972 Gene Wilder film, and they instantly pronounced it their favourite film ever.  And not just a hollow boast, as they asked to watch it again next movie night a week later.

How do you reckon Wonka (2023) would play for a 9 and 6 year old?

X -  Netflix.  Made in NZ.  Horror, Thriller.  Filmed in Wanganui 2022, mate of a mates historic home was used for the filming. 

Also the Ohakea Memorial Hall on Speedy road was used for the Garage scene.  Not a bad watch.  There is a Pre-quill to this called 'Pearl' on Prime.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (5/10) - Disney+

I love Raiders of the Lost Ark.  Temple of Doom is great.  Last Crusade - fantastic, arguably the best of the IJ trilogy.

Then came Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Oh dear. Even though the founder of this thread reviewed it in the inaugural post and said they quite enjoyed it, it has not stood the test of time well (and by test of time, I mean even the first week after it was released).  When my partner introduced her 12-year old son to the franchise with Raiders, and then continued with Temple and Last Crusade, I was curious to hear what he thought of Crystal Skull.  He loved it.  So I wondered - was I being too harsh on the fourth entry in this franchise? I re-watched it a few months ago and confirmed in my mind that it was dreadful, particularly Shia Le Beouf's character.

Enter the fifth instalment.  I never bothered to watch the trailers - I felt burnt by the fourth film.  I was vaguely tempted to go and watch it in cinema towards the end of its run, but never got around to it.  So when it came out on streaming, I checked it out.

I felt so incredibly bored by this film, which is something you should never be when Indy is on the screen.  I have huge respect for Phoebe Waller-Bridge (as both an actor and a writer - loved Fleabag); Mads Mikkelsen is another fantastic actor - but neither of them could add the sparkle necessary to make this film come alive.  It felt so flat and uninteresting, I kept wondering what was the point.  The characters never really move forward at all, the plot is filled with yet another macguffin (at least the first three films managed to make their macguffins seem less macguffiny) that is just hand-waved as being a device that leads you to a fissure in time (ooooooh! 🙄)

I tried to give it a chance, and told myself "maybe it's not just a cynical cash-grab this time".  But no - it's a cynical cash-grab.  I'll revert to what I began saying after Crystal Skull - "I love all three movies in the Indiana Jones franchise!"

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (1960) • 4K Ultra HD Disc • 9/10

An oppressed Mexican peasant village hires seven gunfighters to help defend their homes.

What can I say about this film that hasn't already been said? A truly classic Western with a stellar cast from the era. Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, James Coburn... and the list goes on.

I picked up this 4K Ultra HD disc from Amazon US in the Christmas sales. An absolute favourite Western of mine that looks as good as it will ever look. Not on a par with the latest digital wonders, but this was shot on film in the late fifties and still retains its grain structure, albeit better than all of the previous releases. I enjoyed the 2016 remake , but, if I had to chose between the two, it would have to be the original 1960 release. Its all that a Western should be, and then some.

Nothing more I can say, its just a great movie of its era.

The Beekeeper.

Absolutely the best film I have seen since Covid. Fantastic entertainment. 9.9/10

Blackberry (2023) 

Enjoyable biography of a company we're probably all aware of. I had a Pearl, and at the time it was the best thing since...

I give it a 7.5/10