2.0*/5.0*
Romy and Michele's High School Reunion poster

A pretty silly 90s comedy. It's a film with some cult appeal, though I have to admit that I never heard about it before. It's certainly very 90s, so it's no surprise at all that talk about a possible sequel is doing the rounds. Not sure if that's such a good idea, as the core appeal of the film is really tied to its era of release.

Read all

Sorvino is fun, Kudrow has a rather hard time detaching Michele from her character in Friends. The jokes are pretty hit-and-miss and the US 90s pop scene isn't really worth revisiting, but the comedy offers lighthearted fun throughout and the pacing is pleasant. Not great, not terrible.

Lightyear

2022 / 100m - USA
Sci-fi, Adventure - Animation
3.0*/5.0*
Lightyear poster

It's nice to see Pixar finally taking some risks, even when most people's reaction is clearly not all that positive. It's just another indicator that people generally deserve all the sequels and reboots thrown at them. Not only is Lightyear only tangentially related to the Toy Story series, it's also a much more straight-forward animated sci-fi flick. A fun surprise.

Read all

There's still some typical Pixar comedy present, but much less so compared to their other films. Their signature baseline contradiction is also absent, which is a big relief. Not that Lightyear is hardcore sci-fi, but it has the basic genre beats down and the film delivers a fun space-based adventure. A pleasant surprise. Oh, and if you're wondering about that "kiss", grown up people should be ashamed of themselves to even make an issue out of such a minor, throwaway moment.

Thunder Road

2018 / 92m - USA
Comedy, Drama
3.0*/5.0*
Thunder Road poster

Jim Cummings' breakthrough film. Credited as director, writer and lead actor, you're getting the full Cummings experience here, but that seems to be the case with all of his film. He's a pretty divisive character, somehow I seem to appreciate his commitment though, so it's no surprise I ended up liking Thunder Road.

Read all

The balance between drama and comedy is a little off and Jim's character could've use a few more layers, but there are some lovely scenes (like the funeral at the very beginning) and the drama does work pretty well. It's certainly not my favorite Cummings film, but fans of his persona won't be disappointed.

Crossfire

1947 / 86m - USA
Thriller, Crime
1.0*/5.0*
Crossfire poster

A murder mystery with a more noirish feel and an "important theme". The film isn't too subtle about it (then again, very few classics seem to be) and it does regularly get in the way of the genre elements, on the other hand it did create a nice diversion from what otherwise would've been a very basic noir film.

Read all

This is another noir with a lot (and I mean a lot!) of conversation. It's a very simple narrative, that regularly makes way to delve into the possible anti-Semitic nature of the case. I say "delve", but it's almost like watching school TV, with people delivering very flat and explanatory monologues. Not very good.

Flux Gourmet

2022 / 111m - UK
Comedy, Mystery
Flux Gourmet poster

Strickland latest is his maddest yet, and that's exactly what makes it a step up from his previous films. Flux Gourmet is weird, ambitious and pretentious, but it's also very funny, kooky and self-aware. It's nigh impossible to pin a single genre on it, and horror fans should probably think twice before having a go at it, but if you like to submerge yourself in a surreal and absurd universe, complete with sensory overload, then this is a film worth seeking out. Hopefully Strickland continues on this trajectory.

Jian Bing Man

Jian Bing Cia
2015 / 113m - China
Comedy
3.0*/5.0*
Jian Bing Man poster

A pretty typical Chinese blockbuster comedy. Jian Bing Man is glossy, high-energy and sporting a wealth of cameos. There aren't too many explicit jokes, instead a somewhat wacky plot and light-hearted characters are meant to provide some giggles throughout. It's doing a pretty decent job too, but the lack of risk taking makes it difficult to stand out from the crowd.

Read all

The film looks pretty slick for a comedy, there are some rather big names in the cast (who don't mind poking some fun at their own persona) and the pacing is solid, even though the runtime is a bit excessive. It's very easy filler and there isn't a lot to actively dislike, it's just that it's all a bit too formulaic and predictable, and thus not very memorable.

A Serial Killer's Guide to Life

2019 / 81m - UK
Comedy, Horror
3.0*/5.0*
A Serial Killer's Guide to Life poster

A really, really dry comedy. And therefor, maybe not quite crazy or out there enough to create the contrast needed for it to work seamlessly. I wanted to laugh more, I recognized the comedy and appreciated the idea behind it, but the execution felt a little underdeveloped.

Read all

It's a bit odd the film tries to hide Val's true intentions ... as it is literally there in the title. The performances are decent, the comedy is dark and pretty bitchy, the pacing is perfect and the runtime short. I'm not entirely certain why I didn't like this film more, but somehow it just wasn't as funny as it should've been.

A very basic faux doc exercise from Shiraishi. Set up like an actual TV show, this film takes on the legend of the slit-mouthed woman. There are quite a few films about the subject already. Shiraishi's version doesn't really add too much to what's already out there, but if you're looking for decent horror filler this film definitely fits the bill.

Read all

You'll find the usual faux doc/found footage scares here, but the slit-mouthed woman isn't really all that scary, neither is the added lore about the amulets. Shiraishi delivers a short and fast-paced film, which is good enough if you're starved for Asian horror cinema, but it's a film that will only please the most hardened fans of the genre.

The Jerk

1979 / 94m - USA
Comedy
1.5*/5.0*
The Jerk poster

One of Steve Martin's first feature film successes. I'm not a big fan of his work, it tends to be a little whiney and/or loud, and it's clear that's been there since the very start of his career. While the premise was rather silly, the rest of the film doesn't live up to it, and you're left with Martin being his jerky self.

Read all

Martin is pretty annoying and lacks the physical comedy this part needed so badly. The puns are horrible, the plot predictable and the obligatory dramatic turn during the pre-finale is annoying. Apparently this film was pretty big when it was first released, can't say it's very deserving of its reputation.

Click & Collect

2018 / 53m - UK
Comedy
3.0*/5.0*
Click & Collect poster

A short Christmas special that's quite a bit better than it has any right to be. Thanks to the comedic timing of Stephen Merchant no doubt, though he also found a perfect partner in Asim Chaudhry. There's plenty of funny chemistry between the two leads, which is all this comedy really needed to succeed.

Read all

The setup is pretty simple and with a 50-minute runtime, the film can't really go anywhere special with it. But Merchant and Chaudhry are a blast, the comedy is funny and season-appropriate, and the pacing is perfect. The film can't really escape its TV roots, but if you're looking for a pleasant comedy, Click & Collect delivers.

7 Man Army

Ba Dao Lou Zi
1976 / 119m - Hong Kong
Action, War
2.0*/5.0*
7 Man Army poster

Chinese war propaganda from the hands of one of Shaw Bros most respected and prolific directors. It's interesting comparing this film with the current wave of Chinese war epics. Apart from the obvious budgetary differences, they're surprisingly similar, highlighting the dedication and pride of soldiers sacrificing themselves for the greater good.

Read all

You can't take the Shaw Bros out of Shaw Bros films, meaning this never truly feels like an actual war flick. The fight is never even remotely realistic and the 7 vs 20000 premise feels more like cinematic claptrap, but the action scenes are pretty amusing and the pacing isn't too bad for a 2-hour film. Far from Chang's best, yet passable, if you can stomach the patriotism that is.

Men

2022 / 100m - UK
Fantasy, Horror
2.0*/5.0*
Men poster

Alex Garland's latest reads like a very expensive tweet. It feels as if every other horror film I watch these days is some flaccid social critique, not something I find very engaging. The A24 glazing is getting pretty stale too, either that or Garland isn't really suited to do this type of dark mystery/surrealism.

Read all

I usually appreciate a film that goes completely off the rails in the final act, but stylistically Men is rather poor, even though it's visibly straining to be as atmospheric as possible. The effect simply isn't there. The underlying themes are equally bland and disappointing, which makes for a pretty grotesque failure. At least the ambition was there though.

Ghost Zombie

Yƻrei Zonbi
2007 / 71m - Japan
Horror
2.0*/5.0*
Ghost Zombie poster

This isn't Shiraishi's greatest film, not by a long shot. And it's not that I had any real expectations based on the title, it's as basic as you can get. Still, Shiraishi is a pretty decent horror director, but this film falls into the category of quick and cheap filler. There is some fun to be had for sure, but it's purely and strictly for genre fans only.

Read all

So you get ghosts and zombies, with some minor demon activity at the very end. The tone of the film is very light, the effects are pretty cheap and the performances not that great. The film is short though, and it's pretty fast-paced, so all in all it's pretty amusing. Just don't go in expecting a vintage Shiraishi chiller, and you should be okay.

The Foul King

Banchikwang
2000 / 112m - South Korea
Comedy, Sport
2.0*/5.0*
The Foul King poster

One of Jee-woon Kim's earliest films. It was the last of his feature films I still had to watch, it seems I made the right call to keep this one until the very end. It's a pretty basic sports comedy with few of Kim's usual touches, which means there really isn't much there to get excited about.

Read all

The performances aren't great, the film looks pretty bland, the story is not very notable and the runtime is a little excessive. There are a handful of scenes that preempt Kim's later films, and it never gets too dull or uninspired, it's just not enough to keep things interesting for nearly 2 hours.

Revealer

2022 / 86m - USA
Horror
2.5*/5.0*
Revealer poster

A high-energy horror flick with strong 80s influences. Director Boyce seems to be going all-in too, which is pretty cool, until he starts peppering his film with lazy American (identity) politics. It feels so incredibly out of place that it was hard not to roll my eyes during some of the more nonsensical moments.

Read all

Revealer is flashy and colorful, but it's held back by budgetary limitations and some cringeworthy dialogues. Religion, LGBTQ+ and liberal/conservative nonsense invade the film and break up the horror for no good reason at all. It's a pretty big shame, this could've been a lot better.

Never Say Die

Xiu Xiu De Tie Quan
2017 / 100m - China
Comedy, Sport
2.5*/5.0*
Never Say Die poster

Mainstream Chinese comedy. These films tend to do pretty well locally, there isn't too much international appeal though. Maybe it is because they are extremely formulaic, maybe because the star power isn't there yet, or maybe this is just lazy cinema that Hollywood can provide on its own. You're not missing much by just skipping this.

Read all

So this is just a very basic body-switching comedy with some sports elements thrown in. The cinematography is well above average for this type of film, but that's just about all that stands out. The performances are rather weak, the plot is dull, and the comedy lacks anything distinctive. Just bid budget fluff, not the worst of its kind, but hardly great.

The Thief of Bagdad

1940 / 106m - USA
Fantasy, Adventure
1.0*/5.0*
The Thief of Bagdad poster

The '24 adaptation of this story was a lot better than expected, sadly, the '40 version is every bit as bad as I'd feared. Color and dialogue don't do the film any good. Instead of being mystical and mysterious, it's just terrible cheesy and kitsch. At least, they were smart enough to cut down the length of the film.

Read all

The special effects are truly horrendous, and there is no monochrome fuzziness to hide them here. The only appeal comes from how cheesy it all looks, which is nice when the film is in full fantasy mode. The rest is even worse. Just watch the '24 adaptation instead. Longer, but better.

Watcher

2022 / 96m - USA
Horror, Thriller
2.5*/5.0*
Watcher poster

A somewhat disappointing horror/thriller. The premise is tricky, with an American expat having the biggest trouble getting used to a foreign country. It doesn't make for the most sympathetic lead character, which in turn makes it pretty hard to believer and root for her when things are going sideways.

Read all

Monroe is very unlikable, the mystery is too simple, the finale pretty disappointing. It's a shame, as the cinematography is quite remarkable, and the score very moody. All the elements were there for a tense little horror film, but the result felt rather flat and uninspired. This was too much "Lost in Translation - The Horror Movie".