Review Roundup: April & May 2025

Welcome to another edition of Review Roundup, this time combining two months worth of reviews given that it's been a rather slow time on this front. With the final stretch of university at hand, I've not only had very little time to write meaningful reviews for the things I've watched, but I also just haven't watched that much stuff to write about in general. Nevertheless, there are a few pieces worth sharing here, so here they are!

 

NEW: Sinners (Ryan Coogler, 2025) - reviewed 24/04/2025

    "The temptation of giving into desire matched with a society that deems such as sinful behaviour, manifesting in a space where one is free to act as they please seemingly free of consequence, it’s only a matter of time before they are, to all intent and purpose, dancing with the devil, and dance they do. Gorgeously captured with a bit of IMAX and also kind of a musical. Coogler and co, you’ve outdone yourselves." 8/10

 

THROWBACK: Star Wars [4K77 Edition] (George Lucas, 1977) - reviewed 05/05/2025

    "FINALLY! After years of desperately wanting and hoping, I’ve finally seen Star Wars in its original form! A slightly belated May the 4th viewing, no better way to spend the time than by watching this film as it was meant to be seen, without the adjustments and tweaks of George, master-of-revisionist-anti-preservation-[REDACTED], Lucas. To the non-professional group of people who worked hard to get this authentic restoration made, you are absolute legends. All that being said, as someone who has only seen the original Star Wars trilogy in their special edition forms, I was a bit worried going into this about the possibility of it being a bit rough around the edges. For all the infamous nonsense that comes to mind when we imagine the special editions, part of me feared it might go a lot deeper than I expected and that there may be a lot of visual effects shots and so on in here that would just look downright shonky in their original form. But, since I’ve become rather radicalised regarding the ethics of film preservation, I obviously could not turn down the chance to see this, it is simply essential viewing. And, well, it was as good as I could have hoped! First of all, gone is all the superfluous CGI rubbish from the special edition, namely all that ugly added fluff during the Mos Eisley scenes, and in its place is actual good looking stuff. Animatronic creatures, shots that are a lot more elegant in their overall composition, it really can’t be emphasised enough how pointless all those additions are. But, easily the most rewarding thing here was finally seeing Han Solo shoot first! That is downright the most egregious change of the entire special edition, because while the impact of most of the tweaks is limited to way things look and feel, this one actively does a disservice to the narrative, undermining what was originally a perfectly judged character moment. The sudden explosive burst of smoke as Han shoots Greedo out of nowhere after slowly pulling out his blaster is awesome, letting you know right away what kind of rebellious and morally grey character he initially is. It’s infinitely better than that awkward cut to a medium wide of the two (which incidentally features a hilariously poor edit of Harrison Ford’s head to account for slight subsequent head movement) with the messily implemented lasers, the timing of which instead makes his decision to shoot an act of self defence which is, you know, considerably less striking of a move. [...] Speaking of Han, though, there is one thing that the special edition does ever so slightly better. One of my favourite moments in all of Star Wars is Han’s “heroic” pursuit of several Stormtroopers in the Death Star only to encounter about a hundred others and run away, which is another brilliant character moment for him. However, it was interesting to realise that this moment was actually enhanced by the special edition, where the scene initially only featured a small group of Stormtroopers while the updated version features the massive group we’re all familiar with. It’s still a great moment in its original incarnation, but the one I know and love is the superior one in my mind. But, yeah, that’s literally the ONLY thing I’d point to and say is an improvement, and it’s not even a significant or necessary improvement. All the VFX shots look absolutely fine in this, only with a very general dated-ness about them given that they’re almost fifty years old and things have come far since then, but otherwise honestly completely solid. The use of miniatures and other neat practical techniques is, big surprise, a very timeless way of handling the mis-en-scene of the Star Wars universe, and it still looks great. That opening shot that tilts down to the edge of Tattooine with the Star Destroyer coming over the camera in pursuit of the Tantive, still an absolutely flawless and stunning opening establishing shot. That X-Wing POV shot that goes from above the surface of the Death Star and into the trenches, still a jaw-dropping and exhilarating moment that gets me giddy with excitement every time. These are the sorts of things I assumed the special edition might have made the effort to tidy up, but it turns out they’re all fairly immaculate in their original form. Beyond that, though, there’s also just the very essence of the imagery at hand here. Star Wars was shot on film, and I finally got to have a feel for that. The texture of all that delicious grain made this visually feel more alive than ever, to the extent that I felt like I just picked up a ton more detail than I ever had previously. I mean, yeah, I’ve only ever watched Star Wars on the good old DVDs, so any HD version was bound to be an upgrade in some form, but this took it even further than I imagined. It’s sad to think about all the DNR this footage has undergone over time; my best guess is that Lucas wanted to try and create a sense of visual cohesion between the originals and the prequels, the latter obviously being very digital-infused films given that they released right around the digital revolution (although I am aware The Phantom Menace was shot on film, I really gotta see that 35mm print floating about at some point). But like, is that adjustment really necessary? There’s plenty going on narratively and tonally that makes these two eras of this universe feel perfectly sound, so the disjunctive technologies used to bring them to life really doesn’t bother me. If anything, it’s actually better that the two trilogies stand on their own on this front given that they are separate entities and belong to different eras of film history, attempting to homogenise them actually comes across as reductive and ignorant. The thing is, I don’t mind the existence of the special editions; if Lucas wants to realise the vision he supposedly had all along in retrospect, that’s fine, but on one condition, the original product has to remain intact. I really don’t see the issue, on Disney+ for example, why can’t you just have both the original and the updated Lucas approved versions available to watch depending on what the consumer wants. His intention to instead seemingly actively sit back and watch as every original version of Star Wars out there slowly withers away is some borderline evil stuff, not to mention going as far as denying the Library of Congress an original print for preservation too. I like a lot about George Lucas, the guy has a great imagination and is a solid filmmaker (and I’ve recently started to take interest in picking up on his filmic influences such as Kurosawa when revisiting his Star Wars films), but I could never agree with his ethics when it comes to the treatment of his work. What’s worse is how oblivious so many people are to this, with such a large amount of people online blindly worshipping the guy given how Star Wars has apparently gone downhill since he sold it to Disney. I agree with that sentiment overall, but I wouldn’t attribute the gradual downfall of this franchise to the absence of Lucas, that’s frankly the least of its problems nowadays. But this unawareness also applies to casual consumers too, arguably in a even more sad sense; my Mum goes on and on about her amazing experience seeing Star Wars for the first time in the 70s, queuing up all day outside the tiny cinema in her hometown, and yet the text she had that experience with is not the one she sees to this day, something I don’t think she’s even conscious of, at least not to the extent that I and other film nerds are. It’s probably about time to make the implications of this stuff more well known, I’m a prime example of someone who’s become very passionate about film preservation on learning the basic issues at hand, so who’s to say we can’t try to wake general audiences up on the matter. At the end of the day, though, regardless of what version I watch, Star Wars is Star Wars. It’s one of the greatest films ever made, so fundamentally indestructible in its charm and wonder as the quintessential hero’s journey and operating within one of the most memorable and exciting fictional universes ever conceived. It would take A LOT to take away even a fraction of the magic that this film has to offer, and for all the negative stuff I’ve gone on about here regarding the special edition, I’d be lying if I said its alterations are detrimental on the level of simply sitting down and enjoying the film. After all, I was still able to fall in love with the film through that version, and I doubt I’ll have a problem sitting through it again whenever I inevitably watch Star Wars again, most likely on my aforementioned, ever-reliable DVD (though of course I am open to being proven wrong there). Regardless, its original form is no doubt better, devoid of superficial additions and aggravating revisionism, as well as being comprised of visuals that absolutely stand the test of time. The state of purgatory in which it currently lingers is really quite unfortunate, and it’s sad that we have to resort to relying on an independent group of people to pay out of pocket without the promise of being reimbursed to see it at all, let alone to such a high degree of quality. But, if there’s anything this franchise has taught me, it’s that there’s always hope even in the darkest of times, so hopefully I’ll live to see a day where Star Wars in all its forms is out there for people to enjoy." 10/10

 

THROWBACK: That's Carry On! (Gerald Thomas, 1977) - reviewed 16/05/2025

    "While it was admittedly a bit painful to watch this elaborate best bits compilation and realise just how much rubbish I’ve trudged through in making my way through all the Carry On films over the last year and a half, I can’t deny that I was also reminded of just how many chuckles and smiles they’ve brought to me in that time. Honestly, it’s been fun to sit down and watch each and every one on a weekly basis at various points since I first started, whether it was briefly while I was living in Sweden and the films did a good job of making me feel a little closer to home, or throughout my final year of university during which a relatively relaxed and silly ninety or so minutes has been most definitely needed at least once a week. Yes, most of the films are not good and have not aged well at all, and framing bits and pieces from each of them in chronological order does place into perspective just how much they progressively got worse and worse, but there are simply too many genuinely funny, charming, and endearing moments in between all of that which have made the journey more or less worth it. I’ll always have a soft spot for the Carry On series, and as inconsistently entertaining a watch this may have been, it’s undeniably confirmed that fact in my mind." 6/10

 

NEW: Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning (Christopher McQuarrie, 2025) - reviewed 19/05/2025

    "The No Time to Die / Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl of Mission: Impossible films, if that makes any sense. Most anticipated film of 2025 on my birthday and just after finishing my last ever uni assignment, I basically knew I’d have a great time with this despite some mixed responses I’d heard beforehand. I can partially sympathise with such in some areas, it is a bit all over the place to begin with and there is definitely a lot going on to keep track of and consequently a lot of expository scenes throughout, but I really don’t care because, like all the M:I films, the result is a sprawling and exciting action piece that uses its myriad of moving parts to craft an extremely tense narrative in which everything is tied together beautifully by the end. Some may take issue with an overly elaborate plot, but that’s exactly what I’ve signed up for by now, because the way these films never fail to seamlessly use every little bit to add to the overall tension only to eventually satisfyingly pay it off by the end is just awesome. On top of that, you have the usual phenomenal set pieces here too. Some of it does look a bit more artificial than we’ve come to expect from M:I, but you can tell that the majority of it is clearly involving real people and real environments and it’s all the more engaging as a result. Whether it’s the sensational third act that sees the usual relentless edge of your seat thrills we know and love, or an extended set piece around the middle that’s comparatively very glacially paced yet still extremely nerve racking. What’s also great about the action is how old fashioned so much of it feels, as a part of the plot involves a necessary reversion to various archaic technologies, and the film utilises this to give its set pieces a more refreshing aesthetic compared to other films in the series, which helps to reaffirm the timeless values about M:I as a contemporary action franchise. It is a long film, and unlike its predecessor, it does feel long, but not necessarily in a bad way. I was never bored, rather it makes you feel the weight of what’s going on in how extensive the runtime is, and I wouldn’t have it a minute shorter honestly because the pay off is completely worth it in the end. It feels like a perfect amalgamation of this series, referring back to previous entries to construct its plot as well as to thoroughly deconstruct the very essence of the characters and certain tropes, not to mention completely earning all of its callbacks too. This is a series that has up to now given us seven instalments that each simultaneously stand on their own and go together perfectly, so it’s absolutely deserved the right to be a bit self congratulatory by this point, especially since there is a sense of conclusion about the whole thing. I really don’t know how you could get to the end of this and feel like it was a mess or a disappointment, for me it all completely clicked and I left the cinema very fulfilled. Given its horrendous budget, this film will probably lose a lot of money, but I think it’s worth taking that short term hit sometimes, because what Cruise, McQuarrie, and the rest of the crew have done here is construct an action epic that I’m sure will have plenty of staying power, encapsulating everything great about what is easily one of the best film franchises of our time. If you care about cinema in the least, drop everything and watch all eight of these films right now!" 8/10

 

NEW: Thunderbolts* (Jake Schreier, 2025) - reviewed 22/05/2025

    "I suppose it is nice that this takes itself somewhat seriously and that there’s some level of care about the characterisation at hand, but at the end of the day it’s still just the usual ugly looking and blandly crafted fare that in this case was more boring to sit through than anything. The Marvel schtick has got so tiring by now that even an entry like this which by all means has plenty of good things to offer still did barely anything for me. When you then consider the fact that in the screening room next door you have Tom Cruise doing all manner of insane action for the eighth film in a row and that it somehow remains just as exciting and engaging as ever, you realise that this series really must’ve gone wrong somewhere for it to now just feel so dull whenever a new entry arrives. But hey, at least this one had Florence [Pugh] and whenever she’s on screen that makes me happy," 6/10

 

THROWBACK: The Docks of New York (Josef von Sternberg, 1928) - reviewed 23/05/2025

    "One of the most visually and formally exciting films of its time. So much striking lighting and dynamic cinematography, easily on par with the best that the classical years that followed it had to offer. It feels so ahead of its time, where if it weren’t for the lack of sound, this could easily pass for something from, say, the 1940s. I’ve always been interested in seeing fundamental techniques of modern film form reduced to their essence in early silent films, but there’s something arguably even more magical about seeing something like this from late in the silent era that shows how advanced and expressive films were able to become in the space of just a few decades, when all they had to work with was the visual construction. Betty Compson also shines in this, quite literally because of just how gorgeously so many of the shots are lit around her. Such a feast for the eyes this film is, part of me thinks cinema might have been better off before everyone on screen started yapping away." 8/10

 

NEW: The Phoenician Scheme (Wes Anderson, 2025) - reviewed 25/05/2025

    "Can’t remember the last time I left a film with such shallow feelings about what I just watched. I mean, this sure is a very prototypical Wes picture, all the usual charming Wes-isms are on display, I was intermittently entertained by certain parts, and that’s about it. Not hard to sit through but really hard to think of anything remotely interesting to say here. I suppose it’s neat and quite impressive that Wes has consistently dropped a new piece for every year I’ve been at uni, and while this portion of his career does represent a somewhat intriguing advancement for his style and approach, it also perfectly illustrates the rather hit-or-miss nature that I regard about his overall output. At this point I don’t think I’ll ever be certain how I feel about the guy." 6/10

Review Roundup: March 2025

Welcome to this month's iteration of Review Roundup! Not much activity to report from this last month, the university workload has definitely taken its toll on my Letterboxd activity, but I still managed to jot down a few thoughts after some of the viewings I had (most of which I now realise was rather middling fare), so here they are!

NEW: Captain America: Brave New World (Julius Onah, 2025) - reviewed 01/03/2025

    "It’s recently dawned on me that it has been TEN YEARS since I started following the Marvel franchise. I still remember going to see Avengers: Age of Ultron for the first time as a twelve year-old back in 2015, and becoming ever so eager to go back and fill myself in on every prior film as well as follow the story as it went on. This franchise went on to define large parts of my teenage years, but in recent years I have simply just lost interest. It’s not like I’ve even been actively trying to distance myself from it or anything, in an ideal world I’d still like to be highly anticipating each new entry and getting excited with each new turn, but that excitement I once had has just kind of faded away with time, and I’ve really only showed up to the latest instalments out of obligation. Valid as I believe some of the reasons for the MCU’s slow decline may be (the integration of TV shows, the lack of overall cohesion), I think it might also just be the simple fact that I’m getting older and naturally want to move on to other things. Despite having fun with parts of this film here and there, especially the enjoyable performances, I just did not care about what was happening overall. The whole schtick of pulling together plot threads from numerous films within the shared universe used to have a charm to it, but now it’s just kind of exhausting. The extremely digital-infused aesthetic never used to bother me, but now I consider it quite ugly and jarring. I feel like I’ve got the most I can out of this franchise now, honestly; I was there when it was in its prime and I’ll always have the valuable memories of being around for that, but I feel like now more than ever I’m ready to make those sorts of memories and connections with something else. There are simply so many films out there, so many iconic ones from years past, that I have not seen, so continuing investing time in a series that fails to offer anything new or even anything that remains enjoyable in its familiarity sadly doesn’t seem worth it. That’s not to say I’m gonna ignore Marvel altogether, I’m actually pretty excited for the new Fantastic Four film, but after a decade of consistently seeing each and every one, I think I’m comfortable with calling it a day as a dedicated fan." 6/10

THROWBACK: They Shall Not Grow Old (Peter Jackson, 2018) - reviewed 04/03/2025

    "Not sure how I feel about this. The work done to this footage is technically impressive and no doubt took a lot of work, but the implications of the end result have me conflicted. In a world where so much early cinema has sadly been lost over time, it is quite amazing that all this archival footage of the First World War from over a century ago still exists, and thus everything ought to be done to ensure that won’t change. However, if such can only be seen through the lens of this supposed ‘augmentation’ (colourisation, added sound effects, etc), one can’t help but wonder if it’s actually being preserved or not. We may get a supposedly more realistic image and atmosphere of what was captured all those years ago, neatly complimenting the words being spoken by the narrators about their own experiences, but the fact remains that the untouched material is what was produced by those who captured it, and when looking back on it, letting it continue to exist in that form is what I’d consider the biggest priority. If this is nothing more than just a gimmicky experiment designed to explore the possibilities of playing around with archive footage, I suppose it’s inoffensive enough and functions as a solid documentary about an important area of history, but if it represents what some believe to be the standard practice for approaching and presenting existing film material, which becomes quite believable considering how so many more recent films are now having awful AI restorations promoted and treated as their definitive versions, then that’s cause for concern." 6/10

NEW: Mickey 17 (Bong Joon Ho, 2025) - reviewed 08/03/2025

    "Despite having all the usual Bong-isms on the surface (sociopolitical satire, offbeat and dark comedy, even more weird CG creatures), this really doesn’t feel like a Bong Joon Ho film all that much. It’s not as sharp nor as memorable as what I’ve come to expect from the guy, so broad and unfocused in its themes and commentary as little more than a vague critique of the capitalist system and how it abuses those within, with some environmental elements thrown in for good measure. The lack of cultural specificity at hand really seems to do it a disservice; while I don’t want to let films such as Parasite or The Host be ultimately defined by the fact that they’re Korean, I’d be lying if I said that their distinct cultural contexts didn’t help them work as well as they do. They feel so refined and assured in what they’re critiquing as a result, which in turn is where a lot of Bong’s unique sense of humour can successfully be derived from, resulting in the striking and entertaining pieces we know him for. Mickey 17 on the other hand comes across as a bit tame and flavourless, almost like it’s designed to appeal to a mass audience, not at all surprising given that it’s a product of the Hollywood system, but quite disappointing when considering the director at hand. This makes me hope that Bong returns to his familiar territory for whatever he does next, because it might just be that what he’s been able to do there is far better and more interesting than what the rather monotonous mainstream Western landscape allows for filmmakers such as him. That said, he did at least get yet another great performance out of Robert Pattinson here, wouldn’t mind seeing them work together again." 6/10

 

NEW: Flow (Gints Zilbalodis, 2024) - reviewed 24/03/2025

    "Why do we wish to survive? What does it even mean to exist? Truly the least apt to deal with such questions would be animals, simple creatures for whom, as far as we’re aware, survival is the ultimate end goal. They may not be conscious of their place as a thing that exists, and when faced with a life threatening situation, they seek no more than a basic means of survival, with no regard for why they choose to do so nor what will come as a result aside from their continued existence. But that is not the case in Flow, for here we see a heightened portrait of animals that are forced to reckon with their very essence and what space they occupy. In a world with an abundance of water, while they may narrowly find ways of seeking refuge (a boat, an island, etc.), one thing they cannot escape is themselves, as their reflections are something they’re constantly faced with everywhere they look. It’s clear they can’t even begin to comprehend it and its implications at first, it’s even frightening for them, and after a while, you have to wonder if it’s really death that they’re trying to evade, that they might instead possess a subconscious instinct to avoid being faced with the inevitable question, something their nature may not be equipped for. The act of treading water then sees them enter a liminal space, desperately clinging to the safety and comfort of that which lies above the surface, yet ultimately consumed by a whole world of deep revelations all about them. Indeed, going beneath the surface reveals many things, be it a whole ecosystem of its own or the submerged remains of bygone eras, but furthermore, it is the space where one’s nature finds itself put into perspective, something that is only reached on taking the plunge and daring to look beyond merely the reflection of one’s exterior that the surface has to offer. And with that, the truth becomes clearer than ever. These animals get a firm grip on survival without difficulty, but there’s more to life than survival, and slowly discovering a sense of belonging and companionship is what makes them realise that their existence is worth more than its own sake. All it took was a lot of water, a window into the soul and a guiding path of sorts, to get them there. It will always be beautiful to see someone find meaning in life on film, but there’s something simply magical about seeing the same courtesy extended to beings with no sense of themselves to begin with. That’s just what cinema, and more specifically the distinct possibilities of animation, is capable of exploring." 8/10

CATCH-UP: Mufasa: The Lion King (Barry Jenkins, 2024) - reviewed 31/03/2025

    "As a big The Lion King fan (well, a fan of the 1994 film and basically nothing else of the franchise), I was keen to see this back in December but never got around to it. Having finally sat down to watch it now, I can say it definitely has some admirable things about it, but it nonetheless shares a lot of the weaknesses of its predecessor. The best thing is that the overall direction is a noticeable improvement. They definitely took notes from beforehand by making the characters and environments more expressive amid the photorealistic style. There’s a lot more colour to be seen, and occasionally some striking, well composed visuals are constructed. At the end of the day, it is still mostly digital slop, but I think it’s fair to say Barry [Jenkins] did the best he could with what the aesthetic has to offer. It’s definitely not Avatar levels of making a fully computer-generated world completely mesmerising and full of awe, but it’s still a step up from the blandness of The Lion King 2019. That said, this distinct direction doesn’t extend to the narrative and tone at hand, which is where the film mostly falters. The biggest problem with The Lion King 2019 is that the photorealistic style just doesn’t work for the given story, as there are some things that simply work exclusively in the 2D animated realm, and singing lions navigating an emotional, Shakespearean / Biblical narrative happens to be one of those things. What I was looking forward to here, beyond finding out what prequel narrative would be devised for these characters, was seeing if they’d take the chance to tell a story involving them that’s better suited to the style. They’re not confined to an existing narrative anymore, they’ve got the chance to craft something altogether new. Unfortunately, they don’t take advantage of that fact, instead keeping the tone consistent with The Lion King ‘94, thus retaining what made the 2019 film so poor. It was at least an understandable issue there given that they were retreading the same story, but it’s more frustrating here as they had the chance to try something new. Tell a more grounded story, be less cartoony with the behaviour of these animals, maybe even eliminate the musical angle (which isn’t something you’d find me saying very often!). When we were introduced to Kiros, for example, I felt a glimmer of hope that things might be going in that direction, as the ruthless and intimidating nature of the character combined with Mads Mikkelsen’s delicious voice made him feel like a suitably gritty antagonist. But then five minutes later he’s singing a goofy Lin-Manuel Miranda song and all that is undermined, instead giving him a theatrical stage presence that’s better suited for the heightened 2D animated space. Photorealism is, for me, always going to be a somewhat questionable exercise in animation given that the whole appeal of the latter medium comes from its removal from reality, but I feel like if you are going to adhere to it, the very least you could do is try to have a consistent, appropriate tone. In other words, don’t look to animated Disney films that thrive off of everything that photorealism is simply incapable of for inspiration! Aside from that, the whole framing device for this new narrative is implemented awfully, as while I like the idea of Rafiki telling this story to Kiara just fine, the constant cutting back to them (as well as the infinitely cringe inducing antics of Timon and Pumbaa) was completely unnecessary and really only padded the runtime out. The new story itself is passable, unsurprisingly nothing that significantly reframes anything about these characters as we knew them, mostly just consisting of the usual Solo: A Star Wars Story esque depictions of how the most incidental things came to be, but it’s nothing aggressively awful either, just perfunctory at worst. The songs range from okay to straight up bad, you can really tell when Lin is just phoning it in as none of his usual creative lyricism was to be found here. The incidental music otherwise manages to misuse just about every theme from Hans Zimmer’s original score, very clearly just shoving them in for the sake of nostalgia and an extremely forced sense of cohesion. The voice acting was surprisingly pretty solid, unlike the 2019 film which boasts one of the worst examples of celebrity voice casting, here everyone did rather fine for the most part. Overall I wouldn’t say there’s enough worth here to justify this film’s existence, but I suppose it’s good that there was an attempt to make the best of a bad situation? I don’t know, man, just bring back 2D animation, Disney, its absence is felt greater by the minute!" 6/10

Review Roundup: January & February 2025

Welcome to a new series I'm starting here on this blog called 'Review Roundup'. Basically, ever since I started using Letterboxd over five years ago, I've slowly become more accustomed to writing reviews for the films I watch on there rather than on here, with this blog now mostly being reserved for end of year lists and such. But, this means that my reviews are somewhat inaccessible, as a lot of people I know who are interested in reading them aren't Letterboxd users. So, I thought I'd find a way to fix this, and so this series is the solution! Every month or so, I'll compile some of my latest reviews from Letterboxd into one post on here, allowing anyone not on the app or just anyone who might have missed them on there to give them a read. What this also means is that, while I usually focus on newly released films when writing on this blog, I'll now switch things up a bit by sharing the reviews I write for any older films I watch as well, which I'm looking forward to doing since, if you read my previous post, you'll know my enthusiasm for present cinema isn't all too strong. Most of these are quite short pieces and they may be a bit more informal than what you've come to expect from here, and there might also be some implied contextual details missing given that I usually write on Letterboxd under the assumption that the reader has seen previous diary entries and so on, but hopefully they'll still give you enough of an idea about my thoughts on the films in question. If you'd like to see more, just head over to my Letterboxd page for yourself (@Quetty). So, let's begin this inaugural roundup!

To organise things, the reviews are listed in order of the date I watched and reviewed them, and I've sorted them into three separate categories:

- NEW: for a newly released film.

- CATCH-UP: for a somewhat recent film I've only just got around to watching.

- THROWBACK: for any film released some time ago.

 

NEW: Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (Jeff Fowler, 2024) - reviewed 03/01/2025

    "I’m not a Sonic fan in the least, yet even I can’t help but admire just how far this film adaptation series has come along over the years. It began with just plopping this popular character into a restrictive kids movie framework, then stepped things up by narratively aligning itself closer to the source material and cutting out some of the fluff, all the way to here where they’ve really refined the formula to properly focus on the main aspects of interest and deliver a very solid and consistently entertaining watch. When also considering how it’s reached this point many years on from that initial kerfuffle over the original Sonic design and has done so in a relatively short space of time and amid significant disruptions to the film industry (COVID lockdowns, actors / writers strikes), it just becomes all the more impressive. Honestly, more power to it. These films aren’t anything groundbreaking, but there’s a real charm and, dare I say, sincerity about them that I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of seeing, and the way they somehow manage to keep getting better against all odds is something I’m absolutely here for. Plus, I’d be lying if I said things like Shadow Akira-sliding up the side of a building isn’t one of the most epic things I’ve seen in a while. Plenty of fun to be had, love to see it." 7/10

 

THROWBACK: The Wildcat (Ernst Lubitsch, 1921) - reviewed 23/01/2025

    "Now THAT is the Lubitsch I know and love back at it again! While I admired his non-comedic efforts like Sumurun and Anna Boleyn, there was a consistent feeling throughout them that Lubitsch was rather restrained in the director’s seat due to the unique tones at hand, slipping his usual sensibilities through the cracks wherever possible but overall unable to reach his previous heights. Well, that is anything but the case here! This is about as Lubitsch-y a picture as they come; chaotic, goofy, sly, and unbelievably visually inventive. What really stands out here is seeing him continue to extract as much potential for expression as possible from the visuals by doing so on a more fundamental and formal level, most notably with the variety of playful aspect ratios used that correspond with on-screen actions, but also with other techniques like double exposure and image distortion. Additionally, his usual directorial hallmarks are firing on all cylinders, with tons of organised chaos in the form of the usual bustling groups consisting of countless moving parts as well as speedy and satisfying choreography and movements amid such. It doesn’t quite have the extra layer of magic as The Doll, which is really a one of a kind amalgamation of everything to love about the silent era and what it represents, but it’s easily the closest I’ve seen Lubitsch come to achieving such in his other silent works. It’s also the funniest film of his aside from the latter, as so many of the bonkers antics throughout had me consistently chuckling away. Whether it was full on set pieces like that extraordinary cat-and-mouse style chase or just the odd action like people falling over, tumbling out of windows, or crying streams of water, just about everything is cranked up to the max and it’s wonderful. Honestly feels like a live action cartoon, everything from its simplistic yet striking sets and costumes, greatly expressive characters, borderline refusal to comply with any sort of real-world logic, and complete faith in what is visually constructed and communicated, it’s amazing to see a live action piece achieve so much that I once thought was exclusive to the animated realm. Man, I hate to say it but where has this level of craftsmanship gone in the world of film nowadays? Pola Negri absolutely smashes it here too, would love to see more of her comedic roles, it’s so nice after Sumurun to see how much more dynamic of a performer she was than perhaps just another ‘it’ girl. Lubitsch is quickly becoming one of my favourite filmmakers of years past, the guy has single-handedly got me interested in exploring silent cinema more, and while he maybe doesn’t represent the versatility of this area with his output, he’s undeniably convinced me that there’s ever so much to be amazed by, and the The Wildcat embodies much of this." 8/10

 

NEW: Nosferatu (Robert Eggers, 2024) - reviewed 24/01/2025

    "Seems like I’m the last person on the planet to see this, but better late than never. Enjoyed it a fair bit, though I’m not entirely sure how much it adds to this story beyond the distinct direction. While I may have enjoyed this one more than the 1922 version due to it inherently being more accessible, I think I’d be more inclined to choose the latter if I was to revisit one or the other, partially because I’m more interested in the mechanics and aesthetics of silent cinema at this point in time, but also because I feel like everything on offer there is just a bit more memorable. Sure, that’s largely because it’s very iconic stuff, but also because the construction at hand is just a lot more striking in my mind than what this has to offer. While it does stand sufficiently on its own through its comparatively more slick and elegant approach to this material, implementing plenty of techniques that probably weren’t possible back in the day, it does at times feel reducible to simply a more polished and elaborately crafted rendition of the story. That’s not a bad thing as Eggers’ direction is undoubtedly very assured and so the film is extremely watchable, but it does make its moments of directly drawing upon the original feel slightly shallow. Is it applying a unique twist beyond the way things look? I don’t entirely know, but I’d be willing to familiarise myself more with both versions (as well at the 1970s one I’m yet to see) to work out exactly what each brings to the table. Despite all this, the thing that stood out to me the most is that there is something quite interesting about seeing a so-called ‘elevated horror’ approach to what is otherwise a very traditional horror story; while Nosferatu 1922 is a very prestigious piece, I think it’s fair to say that it’s also a definitive instance of the basic horror monster narrative, a precursor to what would become popularised during the classical Hollywood years. So, to see such a traditional feeling horror narrative articulated through a style often associated with more complex horror works (namely that of Eggers’) had a certain charm to it, even if it raised the slight questions of redundancy I alluded to. I suppose that adds a bit more to be admired, the fact that the film doesn’t lose any ounce of credibility or come off as silly as a result, even though some elements (such as the admittedly somewhat goofy characterisation) make that a likely possibility. Anyway, good stuff overall, perhaps my least favourite of Eggers’ output, but my Mum and I have now seen his last three films at the cinema so we’re committed fans of his now!" 7/10

 

CATCH-UP: Emilia Pérez (Jacques Audiard, 2024) - reviewed 26/01/2025

    "I can’t bring myself to join everyone in hating this, but I also can’t deny the lack of much worthy of praise either. I’m not in the best position to judge whether this film’s exploration of trans issues or its cultural representation are tasteful, but what I think I can say is that the whole thing just felt so performative in its overall approach. There’s especially very little gained from the musical format here, if anything it actually works against what the film is trying to go for. I usually like the heightened and over the top narratives that can be derived from this style and genre, but here I felt it had the undesired effect of reducing its representative elements to a matter of caricatures, flamboyantly showcasing their superficialities in a way that resulted in a limited (or sometimes outright misguided) engagement with the issues at hand. In other words, it’s the perfect film for awards season, as it passes itself off as progressive and inclusive on the surface but offers little of insight upon closer inspection. It’s sad just how easily the musical form can be manipulated into a tool for this sort of thing, as when it isn’t being used as incisively as it has the potential to be, it’s easy for it to simply become a vessel for barraging the audience with otherwise shallow ideas, not to mention doing so in a manner that falsely connotes high art and sophistication, as is desperately attempted here. So, yes, it’s no surprise that awards voters seem to be falling for the illusions of intelligence and progressiveness on display here, and what’s worse is that such will probably give musical haters all the more fuel for what I believe are dismissive feelings towards such a diverse and exciting genre, even though there was recently a glimmer of hope that the tide may be turning there due to the success of Wicked. The music itself wasn’t terrible, some of the lyrics are a bit questionable but the melodies themselves were often catchy and occasionally effective. Whenever it isn’t a musical it’s all rather stagnant, dull, and even ugly-looking stuff, so even if it greatly misuses this form, such at least made the film memorable. It was also never too boring as a result of this, and there was plenty for my friends and I to point and laugh at every now and then. It’s a mess no doubt, but I guess you could do a lot worse? Again, I don’t really feel qualified to weigh in on more specific aspects here without coming across as ignorant, so take what I say with a grain of salt on that front. Obviously I don’t think this deserves to win Oscars, but I’m so beyond caring about what wins or loses at these awards ceremonies in general by now so I honestly couldn’t give a [REDACTED] if it does or not. I like the films I like and that’s all the validation they need, a group of other people deeming it worthy of a little golden trophy is unnecessary, and society will only move forward when everyone else agrees on that fact. Ugh, I really hate this time of year in the film world sometimes." 5/10

 

THROWBACK: Carry On Henry (Gerald Thomas, 1971) - reviewed 29/01/2025

    "Back to carrying on with the Carry Ons, and what better an entry to welcome me back into the series! This is probably about as perfect as a Carry On film can be, managing to succeed in many places where other entires failed. I find the history-oriented ones to be some of the most conceptually appealing, and when done right, such as with this one or Carry On Don’t Lose Your Head, they can easily be some of the best. What’s especially good about this one is that its source of satire, that being Tudor era England, is a lot more localised; in strictly focusing on English historical figures operating strictly within an English setting, it avoids disrespectfully creating comedy at the expense of other countries and cultures (aside from France, I suppose, but I think it’s fair to say the film’s poking fun at them is no greater than that of England). This is something that films like Carry On Up the Khyber and Carry On Up the Jungle have a tendency to do, and it definitely makes them a bit uncomfortable to watch today given how such aspects haven’t aged well at all. Conversely, relentlessly mocking a figure like Henry VIII is far more welcome, coming across a lot more tasteful and even self-conscious as a film gladly pointing and laughing at the history of the country to which it belongs and nothing more. It’s funny how unintentionally close I watched this to Ernst Lubitsch’s Anna Boleyn, a completely different interpretation of such to say the least, though seeing this only makes me wish he stuck to his comedic routes in depicting this figure as the potential was very clearly there. On top of that, the film manages to account for other elements that usually weigh these films down, adopting a more streamlined narrative that doesn’t waste time on dull subplots, starring and making the most of my favourite regular cast members, and also finding more interesting ways of being funny. Yes, there’s still plenty of the naff innuendos and somewhat misogynistic moments that make it feel suitably of its time and thus a bit awkward, but there’s also an abundance of more intelligent and timeless comedy in the form of terrific visual gags and clever wordplay, the latter being made especially memorable due to the priceless delivery of actors such as Williams and James. For me, this is far more enjoyable than the reliance on outdated cultural attitudes that Carry On usually derives its humour from, so this was simply hilarious compared to much of what the series has had to offer before on this front (the torture chamber stuff alone was practically funnier than the entirety of certain previous films). Lots of Blackadder II vibes from this one for sure, though absolutely not as refined or assured. It’s still largely imperfect, at this point I don’t think I’ll ever see a Carry On film that is completely self aware and thoughtfully put together, but if this is the best they can do, I have faith there will be a few more gems awaiting me as I myself carry on with them. It’s been over a year since I began now, and we’ve still got a way to go…!" 8/10

 

NEW: Better Man (Michael Gracey, 2024) - reviewed 01/02/2025

    "While the short term fate of this film is practically sealed as a flop by now, everything I’ve heard about it these last few weeks got me curious enough to show it a bit of love, especially compared to some other films out at the minute. I’m glad I did because, in line with the impression I was previously given, it’s a lot better than it could’ve been, mainly because it successfully approaches the genre at hand in numerous interesting and unique ways. It’s a lot more sincere than most of these music biopics tend to feel, where despite being a bit expectedly self important, it does genuinely come across as [Robbie] Williams willingly taking the chance to confront his past and display his vulnerabilities so to rationalise on his gradual shift towards overcoming a sense of self loathing. There is the usual emotionally manipulative sense about it, but it can very easily be taken as a personal catharsis for the central figure more so than an attempt at cynically gathering sympathy. It doesn’t seem like a film that exists to indulge in the success of its protagonist, in fact it’s actually rather firmly critical of the mindset he seemingly upheld when pursuing his career in music, that being the vacuous desire for the validation of others instead of satisfying his own interests. This is all very well aided by the portrayal of Williams as a chimpanzee, on the one hand there to reflect his view of himself as essentially a ‘performing monkey’ for others to get something out of, but on the other also to signify the sense of inertia he finds himself in later in life as someone who hasn’t mentally advanced, or rather ‘evolved’, beyond their immature and reckless youthful state of being. The effect is seamless, honestly rivalling the similar VFX work seen in the recent Planet of the Apes films, and it crucially doesn’t take you out of the film for one minute. This is partially because, beyond its primary purpose, the gimmick also feeds into the film’s other main strength, that being its deliberate rejection of realism. While other music biopics are often weighed down by merely relaying the facts at hand with extremely flat direction (despite the fact that in dramatising their respective stories there’s already an inherent degree of embellishment), Better Man proudly rolls with its conceptual removal from reality as much as it possibly can in practice. It functions as a full on musical, and Gracey’s direction is very committed and effortlessly puts a refreshing spin on the existing tunes heard throughout. Elegant and fluid cinematography, lively and mesmerising colours and lighting, and an overall distinct visual aesthetic make this simply a feast for the eyes as well as the ears. It’s always so nice to see a music biopic that aspires to be an exercise in creatively weaving its respective music into the film form, which I think should be the very least you could ask for in a film literally about a musical artist, right? It’s this very thing that frankly minimises my urge to check out the currently very popular A Complete Unknown, which from what I’ve seen looks like a far more typical music biopic, no doubt containing a memorable central performance but one that will probably be operating under some dull direction, especially if James Mangold’s previous contribution to this genre, Walk the Line, is anything to go by. As it stands, Better Man is easily one of the best examples of a music biopic in recent memory, right up there with the likes of Rocketman, a thematically and stylistically similar piece in many ways. Really the only thing that could be said to let it down isn’t even a problem with the film itself but just the contextual factor of Williams perhaps not being the most relevant or warranted subject for such a film, as you can’t help but wonder if applying everything going on here to someone more iconic or renowned would’ve yielded a more rewarding experience, which is how I felt about Rocketman given that I’m a huge Elton John fan. That said, as someone who went into the film not considering themselves to be much of a Robbie Williams fan, I did come out realising that I do like a lot more of his songs than I previously thought, as many numbers involved a tune I liked and recognised but didn’t know was his. For that reason and many others, I’m actually really glad this film was able to get made as it did and that it is uniquely Williams’ story, so here’s to hoping it eventually becomes a cult classic that reemerges when the general public’s engagement with otherwise flavourless music biopics finally starts to decline." 8/10

 

THROWBACK: Cleopatra (Cecil B. DeMille, 1934) - reviewed 04/02/2025

    "Surprisingly cohesive as a precursor to Cleopatra ‘63, not the most remarkable feat given that both are drawing upon the same historical source material, but nonetheless nice to watch unfold as certain moments and scenes (Cleopatra being wrapped up in the rug, the parade) are largely reminiscent of the later film. In some ways, I’d actually say this is a more successful rendition, mainly due to the superior characterisation. I can’t quite remember Cleopatra ‘63 in clear detail, but from what I can recall, for a film over four hours in length, its portrayal of the titular figure is bizarrely shallow. It has a bit of an identity crisis regarding how it wishes to depict her, with some attempts at constructing a tragic and sympathetic character, but such often falling flat given that most of the picture elsewhere seems focused on making her more seductive and manipulative, almost femme fatale esque. It’s not that these two sides can’t cooperate and form a uniquely complex whole, it’s just that the film itself fails to combine them in a way that successfully does so, as it’s often quite reductively reliant on the fact that Elizabeth Taylor is rather easy on the eyes to make her particularly compelling. Comparatively, Cleopatra ‘34 is a lot more refined in how it constructs the central character; she’s still expectedly sexualised much of the time, but here you truly feel the hollow and complicated nature of the life she belongs to as well as how frustrating the impact of political turmoil is on her relationships with others and how she’s viewed. It’s a lot more engaging, and with a tighter script that’s moderately economical regarding how much time is dedicated to introspection versus spectacle, it’s easily a more efficient and even a more effective piece than the 1963 film. The key thing that the latter obviously has over this one is its presentation, as the scope at hand there is ludicrously impressive and features production design that’s as lavish and sumptuous as can be, as well as some gorgeous colours that can perhaps best be observed through Taylor’s countless costumes. While such isn’t always matched by what it has going on beneath the surface, it remains quite stunning as an experience to take in. To its credit, though, while not without some slight inelegance, Cleopatra ‘34 does a solid job at creating a sense of grandeur, with lots of clever camera movements and editing tricks that subtly make things seem on a vast scale despite mostly being contained. That slow tracking shot that starts on Cleopatra and gradually moves down the length of the ship with the thunderous sound of drums in the background was especially memorable on this front, as were the well orchestrated and energetic battle scenes. Sure, while what it has to offer on a formal level would never really hold a candle to what Cleopatra ‘63 would bring to the table (especially when looking at their versions of the parades, to say it’s no competition would be an understatement), it’s still charming to notice the clear evolution between the two films and how much things clearly expanded and advanced down the line. As someone who wants to be more adversed in the world of epic cinema, I found it valuable to watch something from relatively early in the genre’s history, particularly from before the prolific years of the 1950s and 60s, and to note how things developed over time. Overall, a great watch, now all I need to watch is Carry On Cleo and I think I’ll be fulfilled regarding cinematic interpretations of this historical figure!" 7/10

 

THROWBACK: The Big Country (William Wyler, 1958) - reviewed 09/02/2025

    "I feel like this is the western I’ve been waiting to discover my whole life. I’ve never really been a fan of this genre, but this is one of the few I’ve seen that I can confidently say I adored, although it is quite a curious case as in many ways it’s actually something of an anti-western piece. Unlike other films of the genre, this doesn’t feel like an attempt to sincerely mythicise the American past through heightened and memorable figures, as it instead offers a cast of strikingly down to earth characters. Gregory Peck’s protagonist is far from your typical sharp shooting and heroic cowboy, he’s just a regular man entering the old west environment with nothing but a strong moral compass and conscience, and although this allows him to act as the voice of reason throughout much of the narrative, he remains largely imperfect, with numerous instances of incompetence such as his clumsy attempts to ride a notoriously difficult horse. He is, at the end of the day, just a human being, and the same goes for many of the others. No cartoonish villains to be found here either, in fact not really any overt villains at all. Both sides of the conflict have their issues and their sympathies, and it is through Peck’s character as an outsider that we are able to see them through an almost omniscient lens, similar to the worldview of Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke. There’s a tremendous sense of scope here, but such is not created so to appease the traditional desired elements of the western, but rather to offer a more novel critique of them. The film is largely opposed to intimacy, frequently keeping its characters at a distance from the viewer and ensuring that their actions are always registered within the broader picture, which demonstrates such aspects as the pettiness of personal feuds between conservative folks in powerful positions and the uncivilised, almost pathetic nature of resorting to violence as a means of settling issues. The shot composition is extremely effective, often framing the subjects to seem tiny compared to the vast landscapes they inhabit, not to mention efficient in using the widescreen format to communicate and capture as much as possible in doing so. Despite the epic scale, action and spectacle is rather scarce here, with the impact of injuries and deaths being strongly felt at each occurrence, and culminating in a climax that’s noticeably mundane in how it resolves the central conflict, fittingly so given how the film is firmly intent on displaying what little such can be reduced to despite how expansive it may initially appear. That title sequence promises everything you’ve come to expect from this genre on a massive scale, with its sweeping and energetic shots accompanied by the iconic and bombastic music, but what follows is a far more nuanced and thoughtful deconstruction, which, like all the great cinematic epics, has so much more to offer through its scope beyond merely looking and sounding beautiful (even though it effortlessly does precisely that too). Honestly, more so than maybe any other film, the title absolutely says it all here. As the characters frequently remark, the titular country is indeed a truly big one, with an abundance of space and potential for greatness as various factions of mankind navigate their places within, and it is only when the ultimately trivial and archaic conflicts among the latter are realised and moved past that something can be made of this potential. The infinitely perfect ending is a hopeful one, but is also underscored by a fair amount of melancholy; given the film’s place as a period piece, it’s somewhat bittersweet to see America in its infancy here, when all the makings of a potentially utopian land were in place, as such has no doubt never really come to fruition over time. It’s a sentiment that would’ve likely been impactful during the age of Cold War paranoia in which the film emerged, and it still bears much weight today given that the country seems to remain in a turbulent state. The myth that the film seeks to create is one of reminding us what could’ve been, hinting at the idealised world we desire all the while reaffirming its removal from reality. Man, there’s just so much to love here, and honestly barely anything I can say I didn’t like. I can’t even say anything about pacing or certain scenes being too slow or anything of that sort, as those 166 minutes went by like it was almost nothing. Aside from Calamity Jane this is probably my favourite western of all time, and a downright masterpiece in its own right. It pleases me to say that I now have hope that maybe I’ll eventually come around to enjoying what this genre has to offer some day." 9/10

 

NEW: Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy (Michael Morris, 2025) - reviewed 15/02/2025

    "Bridget Jones is back and at her very best! I love this series, I’ll always have a soft spot for anything remotely belonging to the cohort of 90s / 2000s British romantic comedies (especially those involving Richard Curtis, Hugh Grant, etc.), so I’m always down to spend more time with these characters and have the mood of that era evoked. This was no different, being about as charming and funny a watch as ever with brilliant performances from everyone, especially Zellweger and Grant, and generally retaining the cosy atmosphere that makes these films so infectious and all round difficult to not enjoy. However, what’s particularly special about this one is that it doesn’t just settle for the bare minimum, as it actually does something meaningful with the passage of time that has passed since the previous entries. Bridget isn’t exactly as we remember her, noticeably a lot older and no longer surrounded by certain familiar faces in her life, and there’s a real sense of melancholy as she navigates things and tries to move forward in spite of such. I love stories about changing times and the various ways people come to terms with it, so to see that applied to this beloved character was surprisingly quite impactful. It feels like an actual evolution of the series, not content with just rehashing the familiar formula around slightly older characters (which is basically what Bridget Jones’s Baby was, although I still like that film more than others seem to). Nostalgic callbacks are thankfully rather few and far between, only being reserved for moments where they serve a purpose beyond being a cheap novelty or fan service. I was really struck by the desire to take matters more seriously here than ever before, as it really took its time with plenty of slow and sombre moments amid all the usual antics. And, well, I couldn’t help but find myself sobbing my way through just about the entirety of the third act (which I’m sure was a sight to behold for the couple sat right next to me). It’s definitely not a perfect film, with a fair bit of cringeworthy humour and an expectedly predictable narrative overall, but its heart could frankly not be more in the right place, so I’d say it’s an absolutely perfect final note for this delightful series!" 8/10

 

CATCH-UP: Anora (Sean Baker, 2024) - reviewed 18/02/2025

    "A fairly breezy and enjoyable watch for the most part but also strikingly profound at times, a rather delicate balance that the film manages to admirably do a good job of maintaining. I can understand why one may take issue with the comedic angle at certain points, but I think the film has sufficient depth to offset whatever softening the lighter moments may cause, and even so, the offbeat humour seems suitable for the rather bizarre nature of the certain plot points at hand, and the stark contrast between that and the more tragic scenes renders the latter all the more compelling. It’s hard to walk away from this and feel like what you saw was ill-judged in any way, especially with that final note. It’s a tale of someone who has become accustomed to treating sex and intimacy as a transactional affair who is then seemingly given the chance to feel authentic love towards another person, only to eventually be denied such in part due to how the life they lead is viewed by others, amounting to the troubling question of whether they’re ultimately capable of experiencing close connections as others do. The specifics of this narrative on the surface are where the goofier aspects find their place, but they don’t prevent the implications of what lies beneath from being properly registered. [Mikey] Madison gives a very committed and believable central performance, brilliantly anchoring every emotional and physical step of this journey, and the supporting cast helped to keep the experience entertaining. Not a film for everyone, at times I certainly felt uncomfortable, but it does feel rewarding enough on the whole and I’m glad to have seen it. Will be thinking about Anora strolling around in her puffer jacket for the foreseeable future!" 8/10

 

THROWBACK: Hans Christian Andersen (Charles Vidor, 1952) - reviewed 21/02/2025

    "I love musicals, I love film artifice, I love the art of storytelling, I have a soft spot for the Nordic world, this film was practically made for me! No doubt an excess of artistic liberties to be observed here, but what does it matter? If I wanted to learn about the life of Hans Christian Andersen, I’d watch a documentary or read his Wikipedia page. I came to this musical seeking a whimsical and heightened portrait of this iconic storyteller, and that’s precisely what I got. Endlessly charming and simply gorgeous to watch, I get that there’s nothing wildly unique going on formally here considering what the standard was for the time, but, man, you really can’t beat painted backdrops and Technicolor visuals, cinema just isn’t the same without them. It’s especially fitting here, as on top of the nicely distinct Danish atmosphere and aesthetic, just about every frame looks like something right out of a storybook, the sort of wondrous imagery connoted by what the protagonist is known for, that being his countless stories and fairy tales, which then leads on to one of the best things about the film. The very essence of storytelling is one of the main capabilities of cinema that has captured my imagination throughout the years, so to see pieces that examine the implications of such in any way is something I always appreciate. Sure, it’s extremely basic here compared to my favourite instances of this (A Monster Calls, The Breadwinner), but the sentiment nonetheless remains standing and it’s as endearing as can be. As for the musical side of things, of course I loved this! From that opening song alone, I practically knew I was in for a great time with this one. The songs are all terrific, some serving to put a refreshing spin on the beloved and ubiquitous tales, and others there to boost the overall fantastical nature of the film. I like how it situates Andersen as a character in a fairy tale narrative all of his own, as there’s something so magical about seeing how his imagination comes to life in various ways. Whether it’s The Little Mermaid diegetically being adapted from the page to the stage (as depicted in that hypnotic ballet number), or his own internal desires having their own process of reification through a theatrical form. As alluded to, I wouldn’t quite say the film is particularly self reflexive in terms of how it goes about conveying this central concept, more often than not just settling for indulging in the amiable vibes it enables, but such is as enchanting as can be, so this was nothing short of a fabulous watch. A delightful hidden gem to stumble across on such a rainy evening!" 8/10

NEW: I'm Still Here (Walter Salles, 2024) - reviewed 27/02/2025

    "I went into this not realising that it was a true story. I was struck beyond all belief during the end credits. It’s refreshing to see a film that’s willing to embrace the prospect of changing times amid showing how daunting it can be. There’s something beautiful about watching the next generation grow up and find themselves able to live the lives that their parents could not. For those who made great sacrifices to ensure their children could reach this point, while whatever tragedy they persisted through may still leave an undeniable impact that will always be felt, and while suffering in other forms will likely continue to exist no matter what, there is still hope that, as one reaches the end of their life, they may be able to take solace in knowing that the world they are leaving behind is at least a little better than the one they entered. This film’s protagonist is beyond inspirational, faced with just about every reason to lose faith in the world around them, yet still choosing to be a good person regardless, for themselves, for their family, for whatever they can impact in their small corner of the world. It’s yet another film that reminds us to look for the beauty in everyday existence wherever possible, to process the value of every moment and curate a life of vivid memories worth remembering much the same way a film camera is able to capture that which it is faced with, allowing it to be projected with such clarity once all is said and done. There’s really something to be said for every space of time here; a rich understanding of the human desire to cling to the past and its familiarity, an honest depiction of the frustration surrounding an inert present, and a hopeful suggestion that the uncertainty of the future is something worth placing one’s faith in rather than dreading. The only constant in one’s life is oneself, and at the end of it all, while the world around you may change for better or worse, it is how you process it and choose to navigate it that defines a life. Indeed, to say that ‘I’m Still Here’ is to truly say it all." 8/10

Top 10 Films of 2024

Well, we've reached the end of yet another year, and 2024 has been... a rather mixed bag for cinema, to be honest. There's not been anything inherently bad about it, certainly no global pandemics or strikes disrupting matters in the film world as we've seen in previous years this decade, so the stage has been set for new releases to come in and leave an impact just fine. Despite this, there sadly haven't been that many films to write home about upon reflection.

Granted, I have seen a lot less new films than usual this year, and it's entirely possible that the ones I did choose to subject myself to may not have been the best selection; in fact, I can safely say that they weren't. I'm still yet to catch a lot of popular and acclaimed titles such as Nosferatu, Anora, and Conclave, and there are, as usual, a couple of that same category that haven't yet had their UK release such as The Brutalist, A Complete Unknown, and Memoir of a Snail, meaning I haven't been able to see them (and hopefully enjoy them) just yet. But, even so, many that I hoped and even expected to be great ended up disappointing, such as Paddington in Peru, Gladiator II, and The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, many that others were enthusiastic about left me personally feeling slightly underwhelmed, such as Challengers, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, and The Wild Robot, and, above all else, the vast majority of what I saw was just okay or decent. Whether it was Monkey Man, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, A Quiet Place: Day One, Kinds of Kindness, Deadpool & Wolverine, or Wicked, so much of the output from 2024 wasn't necessarily bad, it just wasn't anything special in my opinion. I don't like to be one of those people who purports that modern cinema is in a bad place or is merely a shadow of what it once was, especially since the films of 2022 and 2023 are enough to make such a claim seem plainly false, but it's definitely been harder to champion the latest offerings these last twelve months, and I've generally found myself having more fun with watching pre-existing films I hadn't previously seen instead.

For a while, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to construct a 'Top 10 Films of 2024' in good faith given the high possibility of such featuring several films that, while good, I wouldn't otherwise consider worthy of being listed as among the best of its respective year. But alas, I've managed to gather ten films that I do feel are worthy of such, so the list can go on, though I unfortunately don't have any honourable mentions to list off because of this shortage. Let's get started!

10. Blitz

As weak a year for film as 2024 has been, we did at least get not one, but two great films starring my beloved Saoirse Ronan. Blitz is the first of the two, and one where I can understand the somewhat mixed reception it's received. While it is quite a tame and simplified depiction of the Second World War, it's for that very reason that I have a lot of admiration for it. This feels like a film made with the consideration of children as a target audience, with almost everything from its childlike viewpoint to its restrained indulgence in depicting tragedy, it feels designed to convey how distressing the Blitz were without being too upfront and potentially disturbing. This is a text I can see being very valuable, as I think children ought to learn about the World Wars at a young age given how so many young people were affected by the conflicts, so it's important to have things like this that can be educational for them and not too distressing. I wish I had a film like this when I was ten years old and first learned about the Second World War, so I can only hope today's youngsters benefit from it. On top of this, Saoirse is of course fabulous, so I enjoyed my time with it sufficiently.

9. Piece By Piece

Something you may not know is that I love Lego, so I'm always excited when a new Lego film is released. I wasn't so sure about this one since Pharrell Williams certainly isn't the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about Lego, but this documentary about his life that utilised the latter for its aesthetic was nonetheless rather delightful. I loved how elegantly it connected the nature of Lego to the basis of Pharrell's outlook on life, that being that the world is merely a set of existing pieces waiting to be rearranged by anyone who encounters them, and I found this idea quite intriguing in itself too. It was refreshing to see a documentary where the focus wasn't simply on relaying the story at hand, but rather serving as a thoughtful reflection on what can be gathered from such, in this case, showing how this philosophy was gradually shaped throughout Pharrell's various experiences over time. On top of this, in a world where a Lego aesthetic is often seen as gimmicky and perhaps best fit for a more tongue in cheek tone, it was really something to see it be used as a serious form of artistic expression. Someone high-profile like Pharrell having the faith that Lego is the best way to articulate his values makes me ever so happy, and I hope it's another step towards the otherwise cyncial connotations surrounding Lego being squashed some day. Beyond that, the story itself is very inspiring and well told, and the animation is generally a pleasure to take in, so this was a great time overall.

8. Twisters

Mainstream blockbusters aren't in the best of places right now. I used to be fairly accepting of the dominance of ongoing franchises and monotonous computer-generated nonsense, but I've now reached a point where that just doesn't cut it for me anymore. In fact, I've found myself quite nostalgic for the 1990s, a decade where the most successful blockbusters were often standalone high concept films with a couple big names thrown in and made possible by effectively utilised early digital effects; for the audience, no prior knowledge of any sort was required, just the desire to be swept up in a simple yet engaging narrative with an emphasis on making it as exciting as can be. A prime example of this would be 1996's Twister, a bonkers but brilliantly fun watch that I thoroughly enjoyed checking out for the first time this year, and upon this inaugural viewing, I was convinced that everything great about it would be everything that its then upcoming sequel, Twisters, would lack. Well, it was a pleasure to go and see the latter and realise that the opposite was true, as this was a rather terrific throwback of a blockbuster. It isn't perfect, with definitely a bit too great reliance on digital augmentation, the likes of which the original was careful to hold back on, but almost everything else about it really worked for me. The characterisation is basic but effective, as Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones are both extremely likeable leads, and the set pieces they find themselves navigating are just spectacular, retaining the scope and sense of awe that its predecessor had and finding ways to satisfyingly up the ante to distinguish itself. There may not be any flying cows this time, but you better believe there are FIRE TORNADOS! In fact, that's one of the film's best attributes in multiple ways; it does little to function as a sequel to the 1996 film, with no returning characters or blatant acknowledgement of the previous events, and all the better for it. You get the sense that the filmmakers were sincerely more interested in making an accessible, wide-appeal piece here rather than alienating a large chunk of the audience for the sake of directly appeasing fans of the original. That's what tends to weaken a lot of 'legacy sequels' of this sort, definitely a few released in 2024 for that matter. But, much like 2022's Top Gun: Maverick, Twisters instead prides itself in being a grand, standalone cinematic spectacle that anyone can get something out of, and I have a ton of respect for it on that front. Honestly, it's such a shame that this didn't take off and become the film of the summer in the same way Maverick did in its respective year, because I think it had every bit of potential to do so. It's even more unfortunate that the film that more or less did end up taking that title (which released merely a week after this) is closer to the slop side of modern blockbuster cinema. Oh well, I'm very glad to have seen it and only hope we get more like it!

7. Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

I began constructing this list a few days before Christmas Day, the day this film premiered here in the UK. But, I couldn't help but reserve it a spot, as even in a year filled with disappointments, I just knew the infinitely reliable Aardman wouldn't let the side down with their latest offering, and surprise surprise, they did not. Vengeance Most Fowl was a welcome return to what is probably my single favourite media franchise of all time; I've always adored the many adventures of Wallace & Gromit, and to have more time spent with the two here was expectedly delightful. It was interesting to see the series take a stab at a direct sequel for the first time, and while it does occasionally retread elements of The Wrong Trousers slightly too much, which had the unfortunate side effect of making the thirty-minute format seem more desirable given just how efficient it was in that film, it made sense as it panned out because, above all else, this mainly thrived from how it reaffirmed the heart of the franchise. This film sees what is arguably the duo's greatest struggle with technology and the consequences of superfluous inventions, a clear agitation with the present which has caused Wallace to lose sight of the authentic friendship he has with Gromit. It only makes sense for this to coincide with the return of the deliciously evil Feathers McGraw here, who maniuplates things just as he did back in the day but on a far greater scale. By the end of it, the irreplacable value of the bond between the titular characters becomes clearer than ever, making this feel like a complete love letter to the series and the human connection at the heart of it. This is aided by how it feels so cohesive in the newly serialised state, with numerous callbacks to the previous entries that feel completely earned, even if it raises some questions about the exact continuity at hand for my pedantic brain as a massive fan. Additionally, the tactile stop motion animation is as enchanting as ever, and its handcrafted nature makes the heart at hand feel all the more faithful (well, once you ignore the recent controversy with AI being used in the Wallace & Gromit remasters). However, even putting all that aside, this was just wonderful to watch in the time and place it emerged; Christmas Day is typically very busy and active in our household, especially when we have people round, but this managed to get everyone to drop everything and gather around the telly for, and it had our group of all ages consistently chuckling away. If it hadn't been for the Gavin & Stacey finale later in the evening, this surely would've been the undisputed highlight of the TV line-up (well, it was to me anyway). Obviously, it doesn't live up to most of the previous entries in the series, but given that films like The Wrong Trousers and The Curse of the Were-Rabbit are some of the best pieces of animated media I've ever seen, I don't think that's too unexpected. Given everything I believe it stands for, I can easily imagine Vengeance Most Fowl becoming even more favourable with time, so a couple rewatches down the line, it may well find itself higher up this list!

6. Juror #2

Every year, I like to label one entry in my Top 10 as the most underrated film of the year, as I find it rewarding to shed light on something great I've seen that perhaps not many others have, or that others may not have liked as much. I can't decide exactly which entry deserves that title this year, but it would likely be either this or the next one. Juror #2 was a great watch, one that I'm so glad to have seen at the cinema considering it wasn't given the best opportunity to thrive in such, a bit odd considering the high-profile director and stars, but not surprising once you've seen the film itself. Amid being a thoroughly engaging courtroom drama, something I'm very partial to, this was a really thoughtful critique of the legal system in the USA as it still stands today. It makes no secret how old the system is, and also highlights the present setting in which the film takes place, making all the flaws that become apparent throughout all the more striking. Juries are still imperfect, they can still be populated by indifferent people, and the consequences of such can still be unfair, everything the system is designed to not be. Coming from Clint Eastwood, this is all the more noteworthy, as the somewhat old-fashioned nature of its direction and presentation furthers how sharp its critiques are. It's a film that encourages the audience to question their values if necessary, and to care about what goes on in the world around them, especially if they have any power to influence it. Overall, an extremely thought-provoking piece, and I'm glad to see more people giving it the attention it deserves since its release.

5. The Outrun

The second Saoirse feature on the list, and the other film I would consider eligible for the label of 'most underrated', arguably more so than Juror #2 since, not only do I like it more, but I feel as though even less people have seen it. What I loved so much about The Outrun lies at the core of its narrative; this is a story about someone with a desire to escape, specifically to escape both a troubled way of life and the environment in which such thrived. I love stories about people trying to escape something, it's the sort of thing I find myself longing for from time to time given how overwhelming even the simplest parts of day-to-day life can be. In the case of this film, its protagonist is a recovering alcoholic, and their desire is to abandon the urban world in which their condition was at its worst and return to their rural roots, a place that allows them to make a true connection with the world for once. Surrounded by nature, she finally finds her way, discovers her true passions, and formulates a plan going forward. There's a careful focus on the sights and sounds at hand here, and you really feel how desirable the remote Orkney Islands are compared to the bustling world of London. Although, as someone from London who finds the way of life here extremely exhausting, you don't have to do much to convince me of that fact! Saoirse is excellent of course, and there's an intimacy and authenticity about her performance that grounds everything really well, helping the film avoid coming across as emotionally manipulative in any way. While it suffers from an often inelegant structure and some clunky narration, I found this a really memorable experience. It's difficult for something that tackles such serious subject matter to end up being so life affirming, but the way The Outrun does precisely that makes it absolutely worthwhile if you haven't seen it already.

4. Inside Out 2

I've said it plenty of times, but 2024 has had many disappointments with its new releases, especially with the franchises that have made a return. However, if you were to tell me that one of the few sequels that wouldn't end up disappointing and would even go on to exceed most expectations would come out of Pixar, the studio I honestly have the least faith in to deliver any memorable output these days, I one hundred percent would not have believed you. I don't hate Pixar, but it's hard to deny that they're no longer the animation powerhouse they once were. I've gone out to see each and every new film of theirs for almost twenty years now, but many of the recent ones haven't done that much for me, and from next year onwards, I honestly don't think I'll force myself to catch their latest output if it's something I otherwise have no interest in (looking at you, next year's Elio). Because of this, my expectations for this Inside Out sequel were fairly low, yet it somehow managed to almost be as good as the amazing original! It does have some problems, occasionally repeating certain plot beats from its predecessor in a less effective manner as well as retaining the somewhat egregious lack of subtlety that comes as a result of the central concept. But, it also retains what worked about the original too, mainly by finding extremely fun and creative ways to expand and deepen the worldbuilding of what goes on inside the mind, with so many inventive new concepts and just about the right amount of self-indulgence in what novelty and cleverness they contain. While the first film was simple story about the melancholy of leaving one's childhood behind and the acceptance of sadness as an emotion not to be suppressed, this is a more elaborate tale about the complexities of adolescence and the struggle of letting one's sense of joy flourish amid a new wave of complicated feelings. It's perhaps not as heartfelt a sentiment due to the added convolution, but it's nonetheless able to register completely resonant. Overall, this might be the biggest surprise of the year, where even though I may not have enjoyed it as much as some lower entries, the fact that it was this good undeniably makes it worthy of a place this high up. Pixar have still got a way to go in terms of convincing me they've consistently still got it, but at least I can take solace in knowing that they're still capable of making the odd great thing every now and then.

3. The Substance

Despite its shortcomings, one thing that 2024 didn't completely fail to deliver was a couple of unexpected surprises every now and then, films that weren't on my radar at the start of the year but ended up as some of my favourites. The Outrun and Juror #2 are two good examples of just that, but if there's one film that fulfils the criteria better than anything else, it would have to be The Substance. My experience with this film was ever so bizarre; before heading back to university in the autumn, my Mum and I were seeking out one last film for us to see at our local cinema. She didn't fancy Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, which was rather wise because it didn't turn out particularly good when I went to see it, but, on the literal last day before I left, she asked if I was interested in this film called The Substance. I was vaguely aware of it beforehand, but dismissed it as something I'd see eventually and wouldn't bother catching in a cinema. But, since she was intrigued, I thought we may as well go ahead. Well, I'm ever so glad we did because this is honestly one of the most memorable experiences I had at the cinema all year. Throughout the surprisingly brisk two and a half hours, the two of us were sat at the back of the cinema going back and forth between wincing and covering our eyes at some moments, but completely mesmerised and even laughing in disbelief at others. Keep in mind that, while my Mum is generally open to seeing any type of film at the cinema with me, horror definitely isn't something she's too keen on, so the fact that this was all her idea is what's most impressive! While she mainly enjoyed the social satire regarding the critique of female beauty standards in today's world, I was just in awe of how utterly insane and enthralling this film was. It goes all out in its body horror, starting rather ruthless yet somehow becoming increasingly bloody, brutal, and bonkers as it progresses. The editing and cinematography are lively and erratic, ensuring that everything seen on screen gets under your skin as much as it possibly can, aided by some really unnerving sound design too. By the utterly unbelievable climax, I was just sat there wide-eyed and covered in chills, fully confident that I was witnessing something truly special. I feel bad for anyone who missed this at the cinema, because seeing it in an environment where every bit of phenomena it offers is near-impossible to ignore is absolutely the way it needs to be seen. It's a tremendous experience with something meaningful to say beneath the surface, and easily one of the cinematic highlights of the year.

2. Civil War

I've seen a myriad of responses to Alex Garland's Civil War, some good, some bad. When I saw the film, I found myself undeniably on the more positive side, and the extent of such when considering the many less favourable reactions I've seen has really only made me like it more with time. There are many things I can understand as valid points of criticism here, particularly the lack of depth in the political subtext, something that may be disappointing in a film that, on the surface, seems to be intent on addressing political divisions in the USA. However, this didn't bother me at all because what I liked most about the film is that it isn't primarily about the politics of the country in which it takes place, deliberately so. It vaguely takes a stand on the matter, but exploring the nuances of such is not where its main interest lies, instead wanting to take a step back and observe the broader picture when it comes to the essence of war and, more specifically, the psychological turmoil that trying to uphold a state of indifference in the face of such can have on someone, as exemplified through the war photographer protagonists. For me, this is what Garland does best, not limiting the thematic scope of his pieces to what they concern on a surface level, always striving to situate them in the context of bigger and bolder ideas. It's why films like Ex Machina and Annihilation work so well, and why his previous film, Men, which was more insular in its themes, perhaps didn't. Civil War might just be my favourite of his filmography, because not only do I find the aforementioned ideas that it tackles really fascinating, but the way they're articulated is especially impactful too. Every atrocity big or small is strongly felt, with the sound at hand being particularly effective. It's not the spectacle of war that's used to immerse the viewer, but the low-level intimacy with well-realised characters in a morally ambiguous position. As a slow burn, it consistently had me glued to the screen, all the way to the harshly satisfying final note. While it is completely possible that my reaction here is ignorant of blatantly problematic issues with the film that others have registered, what I do know is that I found it to be quite remarkable, and easily one of the best things I saw all year.

1. Dune: Part Two

If you've seen my Top 10s of previous years, you may know that it's common for me to lament how my top spot is often taken by an extremely predictable choice. The thing is, I don't formulate these lists at the end of the year primarily when preparing to get things written, I instead keep a best-to-worst ranking of every new release I see throughout the year that I add each new entry to as I see them. Because of this, the results are just decided by process of elimination, meaning the film in the top spot simply emerges there naturally, and more often than not, the one that does so is one I haven't specially curated to do so. But, hey, I can't help it if my favourite is what it is, and if it seems to be quite basic, it's got to be basic for a reason. With that said, Dune: Part Two, one of the most popular and acclaimed films of the year, is quite easily my favourite. Part of me was tempted to place Civil War in the top spot just to make things a little more interesting, but I couldn't do that in good faith because, as good as it is, there's no way I think it's better than this. If you read my post from last summer regarding my experiences with cinema trips while living in Sweden, you'll know what great experiences I had with this one, whether it was seeing it on opening night with a packed crowd, or seeing it again in glorious IMAX a few weeks later while travelling. While in both cases my enjoyment was slightly hindered by a bothersome subtitling situation (read the full post for more on that), it didn't stop me from having the most brilliant time with it on each occasion. While the first Dune film preoccupied itself with setting the stage and establishing this universe and all its factions, Part Two has the freedom to go all out with making everything that was only ever alluded to before as spectacular as possible. Like the great cinematic epics of old, it expertly contrasts its extraordinarily vast scope with intimate turmoil found in its rich characters, making the narrative advancements all the more compelling with a mixture of satisfying and tragic revelations and developments. It looks and sounds gorgeous, the ensemble is excellent, and not a single moment of its extensive runtime is dull or wasted. Honestly, what more is there to say? It's Dune: Part Two, and chances are you've probably seen it and enjoyed it too. I can't say I'm too proud of likely being just another person labelling this as the best of the year, but I think it's fair to see why that may be the case.

So, there we go. While 2024 may not have been the best year for film overall, there are at least a couple noteworthy titles at the very top of the tree. Sadly though, my lack of enthusiasm for new films seems to be carrying over into 2025, as upon taking a glance at the current line-up of upcoming releases, there aren't many I'm especially excited about. There's no doubt plenty I'm interested in seeing, but only a select few that I'm particularly eager to catch as soon as they arrive. So, when it comes to new releases this year, I'll definitely be placing most of my hopes for greatness in what unexpected gems pop out of nowhere, things like The Substance, or The Outrun, or Juror #2 that we saw from this year. That said, it is tradition for me to list my most anticipated films of the forthcoming year at the end of these annual Top 10s, so with that in mind, here are some of my most anticipated films of 2025:

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy - I love this series, will gladly enjoy more of it

Mickey 17 - can't go wrong with something by Bong Joon-ho

A Minecraft Movie - my favourite video game being adapted, but can't say I'm too optimistic

Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning - can't contain my excitement much longer!

Ballerina - anything John Wick-adjacent has to be at least a little good, right?

How to Train Your Dragon - not at all needed but I'm morbidly curious

Jurassic World Rebirth - should be extinct by now but I have some faith in Gareth Edwards

The Running Man - Edgar Wright teaming up with Glen Powell? Count me in!

Wicked: For Good - had some issues with the first one, maybe this will resolve them?

Zootropolis 2 - more Inside Out 2 than Moana 2 would be nice

Avatar: Fire and Ash - can't get enough of this franchise (yet), very keen to see more

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery - same as above, bring it on, Rian!