Wednesday, 31 July 2024

Isn't it romantic? (5 Stars)



Wouldn't it be terrific to live in an alternate universe that follows the rules of romantic comedies? The first thing I'd do is look for Rebel Wilson and sweep her off my feet. The only problem is that it's a PG-13 universe, so no sex is allowed. There's always a catch.

I should watch more romantic comedies, or romcoms, as they're usually called. Maybe I can do a romcom marathon later this year, starting with "Sweet Home Alabama", a film that I haven't watched for 13 years. Shame on me!

Success Rate:  - 0.4

Order from Amazon.com
Order from Amazon.co.uk

Tuesday, 30 July 2024

Barbarian (3 Stars)



This is a topical film. Tess arrives in Detroit to get a job making a documentary, and she books an AirBNB house in a run down area of Detroit. It was cheap. When she arrives late at night she finds that it was double booked. There's already a man staying in the house. At first she wants to leave and sleep in her car, but he seems pleasant enough. After a friendly chat and a bottle of wine they decide to share the house for the night. There are enough rooms for both of them.

The next day she goes into the cellar and finds strangely furnished rooms. Then she finds a door leading to another room below the cellar.

I feel like I'm missing something. The film was a box office hit, and the critics praise it. I don't understand why. I find the film very disjointed, jumping uncomfortably from one scene to another. Without giving spoilers, the explanation of the mystery doesn't make sense.

After its cinema run Netflix obrained exclusive rights, so it can't be bought on disc.

Success Rate:  + 9,4

Monday, 29 July 2024

Charlie's Angels [2019] (4 Stars)



I missed this film when it was in the cinema in 2019. To be honest, I don't know why I've waited so long to watch it on Netflix. It's been on my watch list for a few years, but I've ignored it. My readers know I like strong women. The only reason that I watched it today is because it's been flagged by Netflix as "Leaving Soon". So it was my last chance to watch it for free. I'd have to buy it on Blu-ray.

I'm glad I watched it today. I would have been disappointed after spending money on it Compared with the last two Charlie's Angels films, it's a flop. The main problem is that it lacks the humour of the previous films. I agree that the 1970's television series wasn't comical, but that's why I didn't like it.

This film also highlights what I don't like about modern Hollywood films. So much emphasis is placed on films being unpredictable. Totally unnecessary plot twists were built into the later scenes. When did the craze for plot twists begin? Was it "The Sixth Sense" in 1989? It wasn't the first film with a significant plot twist, but as far as i remember it was the turning point. Since then films without plot twists have been dismissed as predictable.

Despite my criticisms, I've given the film a four star rating. It's not a bad film, even if it doesn't live up to its predecessors. But it's not a film that I intend to watch again.



My regular readers must have noticed my lack of posts in the last two months. One of my most faithful readers who claims that he checks my blog every day has asked me about it more than once. You know who you are! I gave the same answer every time, but he still wasn't happy. So I'll explain it here for the record.

I've been posting less because I haven't been watching films.

And why haven't I been watching films? It's because I've had a lengthy visit by my daughter and her children. They've been with me for more than two months. I've been spending every day with them, which has left me with hardly any time to watch films, neither in the cinema nor at home.

I promise to catch up now.

Success Rate:  -0.5

Order from Amazon.com
Order from Amazon.co.uk
Order from Amazon.de

Saturday, 27 July 2024

Deadpool & Wolverine (5 Stars)


It's good to be back in the cinema again, and what better film to watch than the new Deadpool film, "Deadpool & Wolverine"? I went to see the film with trepidation after reading that Ryan Reynolds had disagreements about the refilming of the film's third act. I feared the worst. Was it going to be another "Marvels"? I needn't have worried. I enjoyed the film from beginning to end.

It's a multiverse saga. That's another thing that made me groan when I read about the film in its early production days. Again, I was pleasantly surprised that the story succeeded. The multiverse was used as as a method of bringing back characters from old "forgotten" films. I shan't name them, because I don't want to rob you of the wow effect that I felt when they appeared on screen.

After watching the film I read reviews by critics who couldn't decide whether it's a good film or a bad film. The story is weak, which is obvious to me, but it's not about the story. The film jumps from one joke to the next, with only short pauses for action. The audience was laughing from beginning to end.


And Wunmi Mosaku is back! That's enough of a reason to watch the film!

"Deadpool & Wolverine" is my favourite film of the year so far.

Sunday, 14 July 2024

Off-Topic: Wrist Watches


There's one thing I really hate: it's people who don't wear a watch when they go to the cinema. They rely on their phone to tell the time, and every time they check there's an unpleasant flash of light that disturbs the people sitting next to them or in the row behind.

I assume that people don't wear a wrist watch in the cinema because they don't wear a watch at all. Young people today think that a smartphone replaces everything in their lives. I can see their point, but a clunky mobile phone is a bad replacement for a slick phone on their wrist. A phone needs to be charged every 24 to 48 hours, whereas my watch only needs a new battery once a year. I wear a Casio Wave Ceptor, the watch in the picture above. I've worn a digital watch since I was 16. I forget when I bought my first radio controlled watch. Was it 30 years ago? Or 40 years? It was as soon as they were commercially available. I just remember that they used to be expensive, but the price dropped fast. The important thing is that the time is always correct.

I rarely check the time when I'm in the cinema, usually only when the film is boring. I also have to press a button to turn on a light, but it doesn't disturb anyone. The light is smaller and paler. Apart from that, when I press the button my hand is over the watch, so the person sitting on my right sees nothing. I wear my watch on my left wrist. It's possible that the screen wouldn't be covered as well if I wore it on the right.

Some people with more class than me prefer an analog watch. Many men even treat watches as jewellery and have many at home to choose from. Do you remember the scene in "Doctor Strange" when Stephen Strange stood over a box of wrist watches to decide which one to wear? They were all expensive watches. I'm cheap, when it comes to watches. I only have one watch, and it only cost me $50. It's adequate for me.

Maybe it's different for women. For me a watch is something practical, for women it's a fashion accessory. All I can say is that there are hundreds of attractive watches to choose from, both digital and analog.

I've challenged friends who sat next to me using their phone to check the time in the cinema. None of them accepted my criticism. Most said, "I don't need a watch". One girl even said, "Only old men wear watches".

If you're reading this post, please take my words seriously. If you don't have a watch, buy one. And remember to put it on when you go to the cinema.

Sunday, 7 July 2024

Despicable Me 4 (4 Stars)


No review today. I'll wait until my writer's block passes.

Although, to be honest, it's not writer's block preventing me from writing anything. It's writer's distraction, if there's such a thing. My daughter Fiona is visiting me with her children for the next two months. That leaves me little time to watch films, and even less time to write about them. I had to see "Despicable Me 4" in the cinema today, because my grandson Oliver was desperate to see it. Now that I'm back home my other grandchildren are running around shouting "Opa! Opa! Opa!" Blogging is tough!

Saturday, 6 July 2024

Maxxxine (4½ Stars)


"Maxxxine" is the third film in the X trilogy. Sort of. "X" took place in 1979 and introduced the young woman Maxine Minx who wanted to become a big star. Mia Goth played two roles, Maxine and the old woman Pearl. The second film, "Pearl", took place in 1918, a prequel about the previous life of Pearl herself. "Maxxxine" takes place in 1985 and continues Maxine's story, so it's really the second film.

I've been waiting anxiously for "Maxxxine" all year. "Pearl" was the best film of 2023 – argue if you like, but I won't change my mind – so I expected "Maxxxine" to be the best film of 2024. I'm disappointed to say that it doesn't live up to my expectations. Almost, but not quite. It doesn't have the subtlety of "Pearl", but I can see it was never the intention. "Pearl" takes place on a remote farm in Texas, whereas "Maxxxine" takes place in the big, brash city of Hollywood.

In the last six years Maxine Minx has found success in the porn industry. Naturally, that isn't enough for her. She wants the whole world to know her name, but porn stars are only known by a select few. Even people who watch porn films don't know the names of the naked bodies rolling around the screen. And don't forget, the year is 1985. The videotape porn industry was still in its early years. Maxine needs to go to Hollywood.

She's hired for the leading role in a horror film. Admittedly, very few horror films get worldwide attention, but it's a start on her ladder to stardom. She's thrown into a myriad of problems. People are being killed by Richard Ramirez, nicknamed the Night Stalker. Someone is killing Maxine's friends. There are mass protests against horror films (presumably started by the video-nasty-phobia) outside the studios. And to round it all off, a private detective is stalking her who knows about the farmhouse massacre in "X".

There are a lot of flashbacks to "X". Would they confuse anyone who hasn't seen the first film? I don't know.

I intend to watch "Maxxxine" again next week. I might revise my rating.