🎥 Films
🎥 Deadpool & Wolverine, 2024 - ★★★★
The reduction of the bloated explosions continues in the Marvel Universe - and from my perspective - that is good.
Plus Ryan and Hugh.
Plus ‘Wick like’ choreography and it’s not that they are breaking the 4th wall - it’s more ‘what wall’?
Oh - and it’s Deadpool.
Big Fan.
🎥 Anora, 2024 - ★
When I first heard about Anora I looked it up and put it in the category of ‘no’ .. not even ‘yeah .. no’ .. just definitely .. NO. Despite this, I found myself watching it last night as part of a group where we are attempting to watch all the ‘Best Picture’ nominations before our Oscar party on Sunday. Left to my own devices .. I would have switched it off, or walked out, by around the 20th minute.
The rest of the movie just had me repeatedly asking myself ‘why’. The final 10 or so minutes found slight redemption .. but not sufficient to move the movie out of the worst movie I’ve seen this year (have to think more if that should read ‘ever’) .. but even ‘the year’ qualifier is significant given that I recently saw Babygirl (a 2 star rating from me.)
Side note .. one reason I didn’t want to see it was it struck me as a low rent remake of Pretty Woman .. and yes similarities in the set up .. but no.
It was just bad .. and Oscar nomination? PLEASE!
BUT judging by the ratings of others … I am very alone.
🖇️ Baby Girl Review .. in case you were wondering.
🎥 Captain America: Brave New World, 2025 - ★★★★
It’s marinated since I saw it last week. I had heard that it was a ‘back to basics’ take .. ie a movie sans gratuitous explosions - planets being destroyed and using portals to jump through to parallel universes. And indeed delivered - though for my taste - that shield is just a bit too clever - but heh - I know it is me.
When Marvel (and Star Wars) did their 6 to 8 episode TV shows - I liked them - and again - it was the story - without all that ‘extra’ stuff up there. I like my movies that way.
This one was like that. Not as cut back as I would like - but still well pared down.
And to see Giancarlo Esposito in there - so good.
🎥 The Usual Suspects, 1995 - ★★★★½
I just spotted that Giancarlo Esposito was in this - and I decided that I should add a review - because it was ... is ... so good.
🎥 To Catch a Killer, 2023 - ★★★
It started well … it went on fine .. until the last 15 minutes. Queued up for a sequel .. but I don’t think so.
🎥 A Complete Unknown, 2024 - ★★★★
I appreciate Bob - not a fan - but I do go see these biopics as they come out, because music. Definitely one of the best of that particular genre. Of course Timothy did a great job - but so did Edward Norton - and then some. I only hope people didn't watch it as a documentary. I mean they will - and history will be rewritten accordingly. A shame really - but do try to watch it.
🎥 Queer, 2024 - ★★★★
Outside of Layer Cake - one of the best Daniel Craig movies outside of his Bond work that I have seen. I hadn't registered that it was a William Burroughs story when I first saw it and so my initial - leaving the theatre thought was .. not clear. Mainly because it wasn't what I expected. Once I joined the dots. YUP - pieces fell into place. BUT - holy mackerel - Jason Schwartzman - another one of those side roles that might just slip you by. Excellent all round - and even the end all made sense - in the end.
🎥 The Miracle Club, 2023 - ★★★½
One of those lovely little movies that you come across and get into and when it all ends you are sad.
🎥 Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, 2024 - ★★★★
How could you ever NOT love Wallace and Grommit - so good.
🎥 Ferry 2, 2024 - ★★★
I watched the series and then I watched [🖇️ the first movie](https://john.philpin.com/2025/02/11/ferry.html) and then I watched this second movie .. and I dunno - I keep watching them - but they don't get better. But somehow I am drawn in. No explanation.
🎥 Ferry, 2021 - ★★★
Watched it a while back - so logging it here. Not bad - but maybe watch the series first to garner some context.
🎥 Carry-On, 2024 - ★★★
I like both actors - so despite the warnings of ‘the new diehard’ I ploughed ahead. it was a fine movie - but both actors have substantially better performances and films/shows on their cv.
🎥 The Two Popes, 2019 - ★★★★½ 🖇️
I’ve clearly got something about Popes‼️
🎥 Juror #2, 2024 - ★★★★
It’s up there as one of his better ones - and like a lot of his better ones .. quiet, tight, personal.
🎥 Wicked, 2024 - ★★
Against my better judgement .. decided to go see it. I’m sure it’s a fine movie - just not my cup of tea - but so many people I know kept telling me how great it was. Yeah no. At least for this bear.
Don’t hate me. Don’t tell me that missed something. I didn’t.
🎥 Father Figures, 2017 - ★★★★
An older movie that I hadn’t heard of with an awesome cast… I was nervous .. but decided if it was going to be bad, we could always switch it off. We got to the end .. Owen plays Owen, Ed plays Steve Carrell and the rest did a good job … stellar .. no .. but waaaay better than I expected which prolly explains the 4 stars.
