Movies I've Seen

I absolutely loved this.

More importantly, I'm so glad I got to see it at the cinema. Some films are made for the big screen, and this is definitely one of them.

Monica's billionaire boyfriend from Friends, Jon Favreau, has done it again.

Visually, the film is epic. The story is great, and the pacing feels just right. One of the challenges of turning a TV series into a film is knowing what to cut, but this never felt rushed. Instead, it made excellent use of its runtime to tell a complete story while still giving us plenty of time with everyone's favourite tiny green troublemaker.

And yes, I'm talking about Grogu.

The little green goblin is as cute as ever, and I loved the extra time spent with him. Favreau knows exactly wha he's doing there, and frankly, so do I.

One of the biggest surprises for me was seeing the Razor Crest back in action. As someone who still has the Lego version firmly parked on their wish list, this made me happy. Seeing it souped up by the hilarious Anzellans and their tiny ship only made it better.

The only thing that felt a little strange was hearing the Hutts speak English. I completely understand why they did it. It keeps the story moving and makes things easier for the audience. But after years of subtitles and Huttese, it was a bit like hearing Chewbacca suddenly start speaking in a Yorkshire accent... "Ay'up solo, you deffo did shoot first ya bastard".

Overall, this is an excellent Star Wars film that makes full use of the extra time that a cinema release allows. It expands the story, delivers spectacular visuals and gave me plenty to enjoy without forgetting what made the series work in the first place.

This is the way.

5/5

Wow, this is creepy.

Not jump-out-of-your-seat-and-spill-your-drink scary, but the kind of creepy that quietly gets under your skin and hangs around long after the credits have rolled.

The biggest surprise for me was seeing Adam Scott in this role. After spending so much time watching him as the caring and thoughtful Mark Scout in Severance, it's strange seeing him thrown into something so dark and unsettling.

In fact, there were several moments where I found myself thinking, "Mate, just get back on the plane to America." Pretending to be a detective in the middle of all this never ends well.

Visually, the film is stunning. Every shot feels carefully crafted, and there's a constant sense of unease throughout. The atmosphere does a lot of the heavy lifting, creating tension even when very little is happening on screen.

Ladies First is an enjoyable and easy-to-watch comedy that takes a simple idea and has a lot of fun with it.

Starring Sasha Baron Cohen, the film shines a spotlight on the inequalities that still exist between men and women in the workplace. It does this with humour rather than a sledgehammer, which makes the message easier to digest while still giving you something to think about.

One of my favourite parts was spotting all the familiar brands that had been cleverly flipped for this alternate world. Burger Queen, Queens Cross Station, Harriet Potter and Vincent Westwood all raised a smile. It's a small detail, but it helps bring the whole concept to life.

The film also reminded me of the book The Power. While the stories are very different, both explore what happens when the balance of power shifts and society has to adjust.

The cast is strong throughout. Rosamund Pike and Charles Dance are excellent, which will surprise absolutely nobody. Fiona Shaw is also brilliant, and I seem incapable of seeing her on screen without immediately thinking, "this is going to be good."

While I enjoyed the film, it never quite reaches the heights of the best comedies or social satires. It has plenty of good ideas and some funny moments.

Still, for a Netflix film, it's a solid evening's entertainment. Sometimes you don't need a masterpiece. Sometimes you just want to switch your brain into cruise control for a couple of hours and enjoy the ride.

3/5

Your Friends and Neighbours is still one of the most fun shows on Apple TV+, and Season 2 keeps the drama flowing nicely. I know it’s not a movie but I’m experimenting with more long form written content and this seems like the perfect place for it.

The cast remains excellent, although things get a bit more complicated with the arrival of Owen Ashe, played by James Marsden. Every time he appears on screen, you get the feeling he's about to make life much worse for somebody. Usually everyone.

One of my favourite things about the show is spending time in the fictional town of Westmont Village. It's packed with people who have more money than most of us will ever see, yet somehow they still manage to collect problems like they're loyalty points.

As with many Apple TV+ shows, plenty of money has clearly been spent on the production. The opening credits are a great example. You can tell there's a lot of green screen involved, but it still looks impressive. It's flashy, stylish and probably costs more than my house.

What keeps me watching isn't just the wealth and the drama. The show does a great job of exploring real issues such as mental health, grief and family struggles. It handles these topics with care while still keeping the story entertaining.

I'm currently halfway through Season 2 and already trying to work out where it's heading. My prediction is that Andy and Barney will eventually join forces to take Owen's $400 million. Whether that's a genius prediction or complete nonsense is something I'll find out soon enough.

For now, I'm hooked. Rich people making questionable decisions has rarely been this entertaining.

Wow. Wow. Wow.

That's probably the shortest version of this review, but honestly, it sums up my feelings pretty well.

Watching the behind-the-scenes story of how Thriller was made was fascinating from start to finish. I've always loved the music video, but seeing the creativity, hard work and innovation that went into bringing it to life gave me a whole new appreciation for Michael.

The documentary is packed with interesting stories and details. From the special effects to the choreography and the sheer ambition of the project, it's amazing to see what was achieved. What feels normal today was groundbreaking at the time, and it's easy to forget just how revolutionary Thriller was.

One of the things I enjoyed most was learning about the people behind the scenes. It's a reminder that iconic moments don't just happen. They take vision, talent and a lot of hard work from a huge team of people.

I'm especially glad I watched this at the cinema. Seeing it on the big screen made the experience feel much more special. It felt less like watching a documentary and more like being part of a celebration of a piece of music history.

Whether you're a fan of Michael Jackson, music documentaries or simply great filmmaking, this is well worth your time.

Unlike the zombies in Thriller, this is something that has aged exceptionally well.

5/5

Well there’s some good news and some bad news.

The good news is that the soundtrack absolutely slaps hard!

The bad news is that it has to carry the rest of the film on its back like it's competing in a one-person tournament.

Watching Mortal Kombat nearly 30 years later was a reminder that not everything from the 1990s deserves a to be rewatched. Some things are best left where they belong, alongside dial-up internet and trying to record songs from the radio.

The story is thin, the acting is questionable, and many of the special effects have aged like milk left out in the Outworld sun.

That said, the film isn't completely without charm. It's gloriously silly, knows exactly what it is, and never pretends to be high art. There is a certain nostalgic fun in watching characters shout, fight and generally ignore the laws of physics for 90 minutes.

The real champion here is the soundtrack.

The moment that iconic theme kicks in, you're ready to run through a wall. It's energetic, memorable and somehow remains more entertaining than most of the dialogue.

In tournament terms, the soundtrack wins with a flawless victory.

Soundtrack: 5/5

Film: 2/5

Great cast, not so great script. 2/5

Superb film! Wow! The action and fight scenes were spectacular 5/5