Beyond the Christmas movie splurge of December, I found some time to watch some non-festive bits and bobs… check out the comments and tell me what you’ve been enjoying lately too!
👫 No Hard Feelings - the trailer makes it look like one of those early 2000s raunchy comedies, and while it certainly has elements of that (lots of elements), this Jennifer Lawrence comedy manages to rise a little above that. The basic premise is that a 19 year old lad is soon to head off to Princeton. His parents want him to have a bit more life experience... particularly with women. Desperate for a car she needs for work (to save her home), JL's just the woman for the job - easy money, you'd think. It's Jennifer Lawrence after all! There was an outcry when the trailer first dropped - mostly blokes crying about how if the gender roles were reversed, the movie would be labelled as creepy. JL is funny as hell and is clearly having a blast in this one. There's something else under the surface with this one, though. There's a touch of sensitivity, some sadness to it, and it's handled well. Generally a popcorn flick with some laugh-out-loud moments - but some of it lingers on afterward, and no, not just because JL gets her kit off!
🌫 The Fog - a classic John Carpenter movie I'd never watched. This seems a good candidate for when the time comes to introduce my sons to more 'grown-up' horror movies. An enjoyable, easy watch with a cool plot involving a curse on a town brought about by an ancient betrayal.
🎭 The Northman - I had no idea I was watching a retelling of Hamlet. I mean, the clue is right there in the main character's name 'Amleth' - but I caught on part way through that the plot rang a bell (I've never read Hamlet or seen it performed, but have a vague knowledge of the story). And just as I realised it seemed 'a bit like Hamlet', someone said the character's name out loud and it all fell into place. Anyway, it's a grim, at times brutal pic - very enjoyable, with some beautiful scenery, great performances and very cool supernatural/Norse mythological elements.
🕳 True Detective: Season 1 - my second viewing of the original True Detective. It's been about 8 or 9 years since I watched it the first time. I loved it - I mean it's full of fucked-up themes, but Jesus, what a show. I noticed the hint at the end of Season 3 (which I watched a couple of months ago) that connected back to the original, and it looks like Season 4, just starting this week, builds on it. I hope they don't spoil a good thing. This rewatch of Season 1 hit the spot, though. I noticed lots more things that I missed first time and I got my head around Rust Cohle's dark philosophical ramblings much better. In fact it lent language to some things I've been trying to work through on a work in progress - helped me understand what it was I was trying to convey. It won't be long before I watch it again. But onward - Season 4 beckons!
In anticipation of True Detective season 4, I've returned to the original. I loved it first time around, but a lot of it just washed over me back then - I just went with it for the ride. This time, I'm picking up on so much more. Something in the first episode even helped me organise my thoughts for a work in progress, where I'd hit a bit of a sticking point with some of the world-building. That alone was worth the rewatch!
🛁 Saltburn - there's a bit of buzz about this one at the moment. Some heaping praise on it, others calling it overrated. I very much enjoyed it. Great performances from the leads, although Barry Keoghan's accent seemed off at times and I think it was more than just the fact that the character adapts his approach to whoever he is talking to. All the same, when that Scouse accent holds, it holds up well. The film's plot is very reminiscent of 'The Talented Mr Ripley', which I also enjoyed (and Saltburn has encouraged me to want to rewatch it). While Saltburn isn't a horror movie outright, there are plenty of horrifying things in it. In fact, writing this, I might even watch it again quite soon.
🦚 About My Father - another comedy - this one's got Robert De Niro in it. Unfortunately he's no longer the guarantee of quality, but I still love him. This is a bit like 'Meet the Parents' and has its own charm. There are some things I find didn't work, but there are some good low-brow laughs to be had too. Like most comedies, stick it on, switch off and unwind.
🍺 The Machine - I seem to swing between quite liking Bert Kreischer, and being irritated by him (it's his laugh that gets on my nerves). Still, I fancied giving this one a shot and it had some good laughs in it. Definitely one for switching the brain off.
⚡️Shazam: Fury of the Gods - watched this with the youngest son and was pleasantly surprised. We all loved the first one, but older son was too wrapped up in his phone this time 😠. Anyway, I think it’s a shame this one didn’t get more love. Sure it’s over-long, but it is a lot of fun. Great cast all round, great humour, and quite surprisingly dark in places.
🍄 - Super Mario Bros - having the kids with me over the Christmas period, of course my movie watching dropped a couple of age brackets. The kids really enjoy this one, and I have to admit, it was a nice one to watch with them. Good fun if you just want to switch off and enjoy something silly.
🕷 - Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse - I loved the original (Into the Spider-Verse), and while this one started out with promise, I lost interest part way through. I think I'm a bit done with superhero multiverse stuff.
I thought it was the best yet. Incredible artistry, using colours for emotions. But I do get what you mean though. I think we're all a bit 'marvel'-ed out.
It’s just all the timelines and alternate versions of everything that are doing my head in at the moment. Where are the stakes if you can just wipe out one Spider-Man, or a Loki, or a whole universe of superheroes, but there are millions more to take their place? The same thing has put me off watching season 2 of Invincible (I loved the first season).
❄ Fargo (season 4) - not the best season of the show, but I thought Chris Rock was great in it. I've heard Season 5 is a return to form, so I hope to catch that soon, if time allows.
👫 No Hard Feelings - the trailer makes it look like one of those early 2000s raunchy comedies, and while it certainly has elements of that (lots of elements), this Jennifer Lawrence comedy manages to rise a little above that. The basic premise is that a 19 year old lad is soon to head off to Princeton. His parents want him to have a bit more life experience... particularly with women. Desperate for a car she needs for work (to save her home), JL's just the woman for the job - easy money, you'd think. It's Jennifer Lawrence after all! There was an outcry when the trailer first dropped - mostly blokes crying about how if the gender roles were reversed, the movie would be labelled as creepy. JL is funny as hell and is clearly having a blast in this one. There's something else under the surface with this one, though. There's a touch of sensitivity, some sadness to it, and it's handled well. Generally a popcorn flick with some laugh-out-loud moments - but some of it lingers on afterward, and no, not just because JL gets her kit off!
🌫 The Fog - a classic John Carpenter movie I'd never watched. This seems a good candidate for when the time comes to introduce my sons to more 'grown-up' horror movies. An enjoyable, easy watch with a cool plot involving a curse on a town brought about by an ancient betrayal.
🎭 The Northman - I had no idea I was watching a retelling of Hamlet. I mean, the clue is right there in the main character's name 'Amleth' - but I caught on part way through that the plot rang a bell (I've never read Hamlet or seen it performed, but have a vague knowledge of the story). And just as I realised it seemed 'a bit like Hamlet', someone said the character's name out loud and it all fell into place. Anyway, it's a grim, at times brutal pic - very enjoyable, with some beautiful scenery, great performances and very cool supernatural/Norse mythological elements.
❄ True Detective: Night Country - 2 episodes in and loving it so far - come and join the chat on this one at https://open.substack.com/chat/posts/18d2ae34-066c-4b46-82a9-601d2ebd2623
🕳 True Detective: Season 1 - my second viewing of the original True Detective. It's been about 8 or 9 years since I watched it the first time. I loved it - I mean it's full of fucked-up themes, but Jesus, what a show. I noticed the hint at the end of Season 3 (which I watched a couple of months ago) that connected back to the original, and it looks like Season 4, just starting this week, builds on it. I hope they don't spoil a good thing. This rewatch of Season 1 hit the spot, though. I noticed lots more things that I missed first time and I got my head around Rust Cohle's dark philosophical ramblings much better. In fact it lent language to some things I've been trying to work through on a work in progress - helped me understand what it was I was trying to convey. It won't be long before I watch it again. But onward - Season 4 beckons!
In anticipation of True Detective season 4, I've returned to the original. I loved it first time around, but a lot of it just washed over me back then - I just went with it for the ride. This time, I'm picking up on so much more. Something in the first episode even helped me organise my thoughts for a work in progress, where I'd hit a bit of a sticking point with some of the world-building. That alone was worth the rewatch!
🛁 Saltburn - there's a bit of buzz about this one at the moment. Some heaping praise on it, others calling it overrated. I very much enjoyed it. Great performances from the leads, although Barry Keoghan's accent seemed off at times and I think it was more than just the fact that the character adapts his approach to whoever he is talking to. All the same, when that Scouse accent holds, it holds up well. The film's plot is very reminiscent of 'The Talented Mr Ripley', which I also enjoyed (and Saltburn has encouraged me to want to rewatch it). While Saltburn isn't a horror movie outright, there are plenty of horrifying things in it. In fact, writing this, I might even watch it again quite soon.
🦚 About My Father - another comedy - this one's got Robert De Niro in it. Unfortunately he's no longer the guarantee of quality, but I still love him. This is a bit like 'Meet the Parents' and has its own charm. There are some things I find didn't work, but there are some good low-brow laughs to be had too. Like most comedies, stick it on, switch off and unwind.
🍺 The Machine - I seem to swing between quite liking Bert Kreischer, and being irritated by him (it's his laugh that gets on my nerves). Still, I fancied giving this one a shot and it had some good laughs in it. Definitely one for switching the brain off.
⚡️Shazam: Fury of the Gods - watched this with the youngest son and was pleasantly surprised. We all loved the first one, but older son was too wrapped up in his phone this time 😠. Anyway, I think it’s a shame this one didn’t get more love. Sure it’s over-long, but it is a lot of fun. Great cast all round, great humour, and quite surprisingly dark in places.
🍄 - Super Mario Bros - having the kids with me over the Christmas period, of course my movie watching dropped a couple of age brackets. The kids really enjoy this one, and I have to admit, it was a nice one to watch with them. Good fun if you just want to switch off and enjoy something silly.
Took my teen to the cinema for this but I feel asleep cuz I didn't understand or know half the characters. He enjoyed it though.
🕷 - Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse - I loved the original (Into the Spider-Verse), and while this one started out with promise, I lost interest part way through. I think I'm a bit done with superhero multiverse stuff.
I thought it was the best yet. Incredible artistry, using colours for emotions. But I do get what you mean though. I think we're all a bit 'marvel'-ed out.
It’s just all the timelines and alternate versions of everything that are doing my head in at the moment. Where are the stakes if you can just wipe out one Spider-Man, or a Loki, or a whole universe of superheroes, but there are millions more to take their place? The same thing has put me off watching season 2 of Invincible (I loved the first season).
I get it. I feel Marvel have made this same mistake too.
Marvel were the *first* ones to make that mistake , and are the most prominent offender in current movies & TV.
❄ Fargo (season 4) - not the best season of the show, but I thought Chris Rock was great in it. I've heard Season 5 is a return to form, so I hope to catch that soon, if time allows.