A hilarious and heartfelt Aussie comedy
“Over twenty years after the events of 2003's Gettin' Square left the authorities assuming that Johnny 'Spit' Spitieri (David Wenham) is deceased, the international fugitive returns to his home country of Australia on a fraudulent passport. Border officials promptly detain Spit and attempt to ascerta” read more
First Viewing Viewing Date: February 19th Via: Cinema Plot: Ex-con returns to Australia after 20 years, gets detained. He faces old enemies, makes new friends in detention, and teaches his version of Australian mateship while staying ahead. Rating: 7.9/10 Why Did I Watch It? There was a preview screening with a David Wenham Q&A! I had to go! Review here
Strangely leaden and unengaging
“Illumination and Universal Pictures continue to make a lot of money from the Despicable Me franchise, branching out into Minion-centric prequels, a web series, short films, video games, a holiday special and even a theme park attraction. Nevertheless, it is becoming increasingly difficult to care ab” read more
An entertaining, visually dazzling macho fantasy
“Zack Snyder's second feature film after his 2004 Dawn of the Dead remake, 2007's 300 establishes the director's distinctive visual style, replicating a graphic novel aesthetic for the big screen with a heavy reliance on digital effects. Instead of a factual retelling of the historical Battle of Ther” read more
First Viewing Viewing Date: February 9th Via: Cinema Plot: A weekend getaway with friends at a remote cabin turns into chaos after it's revealed that one of the guests is a robot companion, and it commits a murder. Rating: 6.7/10 Why Did I Watch It? The reviews and promising IMDb rating had me intrigued.
A gripping, edge-of-your-seat period thriller
“September 5 is another dramatisation of the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre, but it offers a different and compelling viewpoint. Whereas Steven Spielberg's Munich was about the aftermath of the attack as Mossad agents assassinated the terrorists responsible, September 5 is an account of the events at ” read more
A unique and compelling ghost story
“How can a filmmaker make another "ghostly presence in a haunted house" horror movie feel original and fresh? For Presence, writer David Koepp and director Steven Soderbergh (reteaming after 2022's Kimi) achieve precisely that by telling the whole story from the perspective of the spirit through a se” read more
First Viewing Viewing Date: February 8th Via: Blu-ray Plot: During World War II, several oddly assorted military experts are teamed for a mission to raid and destroy a bridge vital to enemy strategy. Rating: 7.2/10 Why Did I Watch It? I was always interested in this sequel, particularly with Harrison Ford and Carl Weathers in the cast. A double feature seemed like a great idea.
First Viewing Viewing Date: February 8th Via: 4K Blu-ray Plot: A team of Allied saboteurs is assigned an impossible mission: infiltrate an impregnable Nazi-held Greek island and destroy the two enormous long-range field guns that prevent the rescue of 2,000 trapped British soldiers. Rating: 8.2/10 Why Did I Watch It? I've been meaning to see this film for a long time for pretty much every reason imaginable: the great reviews, the premise, the action, the cast, the special effects, everything. It is pretty much tailor-made for me. But somehow, even though I bought it on DVD and then Blu-ray, I still haven't watched it until now. With me recently catching up on some classics, this was a top priority.
First Viewing Viewing Date: February 7th Via: Apple TV Plot: In the 19th century, a drunken applejack salesman must go from zero to hero and become North America's greatest fur trapper by defeating hundreds of beavers. Rating: 7.2/10 Why Did I Watch It? I was curious about it considering the great reviews and reputation.