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First Viewing Viewing Date: September 30th Via: Cinema Plot: After a cyber-attack reveals the identity of all of the active undercover agents in Britain, Johnny English is forced to come out of retirement to find the mastermind hacker. Rating: 6.6/10

First Viewing Viewing Date: September 23rd Via: Netflix Plot: Three female employees of a sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot find a way to turn the tables on him. Rating: 6.7/10

A masculine ugly-cry movie for the ages

“One of the most underrated and overlooked motion pictures of 2017, Only the Brave provides a group-biopic account of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, whose story is ideal fodder for the big screen. Only the Brave's plot is admittedly Hallmark movie-of-the-week boilerplate and, in the hands of less so” read more

Eye-wateringly funny from start to finish

“A parody of virtually every teen comedy from She's All That to The Breakfast Club, 2001's Not Another Teen Movie adheres to the same formula popularised by Scary Movie and Airplane!, and the result is easily one of the most successful spoof movies of the noughties. Far better than bottom-of-the-bar” read more

An instant manly classic

“Following up a directorial debut like 2015's sleeper surprise Bone Tomahawk is a tall order, but prodigy writer-director S. Craig Zahler defies the odds (and his own relative inexperience) with seemingly little effort. Brawl in Cell Block 99 is a fucking masterpiece from top to bottom; a brutal, com” read more

Viewed: Seasons 1-9

The Office eluded me for years, though I was certainly not unaware of it - the show confidently seeped into every aspect of pop culture, from memes to GIFs, to clips posted all around social media, not to mention it at least helped launch the careers of several performers. A show of such volume is difficult to get into, primarily due to availability (there still isn't a complete collection Blu-ray) and the commitment involved. But with the show becoming available to stream on Stan., I gave it a shot wanting something light and enjoyable...and I became thoroughly hooked. Binges of this magnitude are rare for me, but it took less than three months to chew through over 200 episodes of The Office, while also having a life (working & studying, making a new movie). I can't say I regret it one bit. I intended to simply watch episodes here and there while winding down in the evening, but instead I watched multiple eps at a time, and looked forward to the next opportunity to binge a few more. There are subplots and recurring threads which pulled me in; I wanted to see Jim and Pam get together, I wanted to see Michael find happiness, and I wanted to see what happened to all of these characters because I grew to care about every single one. I laughed. I cried. I felt. And I enjoyed myself so damn much. The show succeeds so much due to the ensemble cast. Once upon a time, John Krasinski was an unknown young actor, while Ed Helms was a few years away from The Hangover. Carell had seen success in the likes of The 40-Year-Old Virgin, but his star power only grew bigger and bigger after featuring in The Office. All of these actors commit to their roles 100%, quirks and all. Who would have thought that Carell could take the incredibly awkward and boorish Michael, and turn him into someone we love and care about? Jenna Fischer is insanely loveable as Pam. Rainn Wilson's Dwight can be insufferable, but his quirks and mannerisms are a hoot. I'll never get tired of watching Jim pranking Dwight. I'll never get tired of Michael saying "That's what she said." Despite the glossy disposition of the production, and the exaggerated personalities of the characters, these people and the office itself feel wholly authentic. You feel that you're there alongside the characters in the office, completing another monotonous workday. The writing is sharp and on-point, and I laugh at loud at virtually every single episode... ...Until we get to Season 8, when Carell departs and the show inevitably goes downhill somewhat. Oh sure, not all of Carell's episodes were home runs, but even the best episodes of Seasons 8&9 could have been made better with Carell. (James Spader was a nice new addition for S8, mind you.) More actors started to leave around this time too, leading to unsuccessful new characters being introduced in Season 9. It's never the same. But at least it all leads to a poignant finale, which is more or less note-perfect (except I wanted more Carell, dammit!). Can we talk about some of the episodes that made me cry? Carell's final episode is a tear-jerker for the ages. Television does not usually affect me this deeply, but this ep got me. Again and again. Carell's departure at least facilitated that, and I'm happy we got such an emotionally gratifying hour of television. How does it compare to the original UK incarnation? To be honest, it's not fair to compare them because they're dissimilar in terms of comedic styles, tone and intent. For what it's worth, I feel the UK Office is more consistent since there is not a single dud episode, and it's admirable that the show refuses to let characters win. But there is enough room in my heart to love both. And I do. Oh boy, I do. I wish I could erase every episode and joke from my memory, and start again. What a journey this show took me on. This is going to be on repeat rotation in my household, alongside Frasier and Parks and Rec. And hey, I'll never have full recall of all roughly 5000 minutes of this show, so certain gags and jokes will feel new upon rewatches. This is a great show.

Perfectly enjoyable "big dumb" monster movie

“Not to be confused with the 2009 Uwe Boll film of the same name, 2018's Rampage represents another big-screen video game adaptation, released in the shadow of the Tomb Raider reboot. However, Rampage's source material is not an expansive open-world game or a popular first-person shooter, but instead” read more

First Viewing Viewing Date: September 10th Via: Netflix Plot: The Bandit is hired on to run a tractor trailer full of beer over state lines, in hot pursuit by a pesky sheriff. Rating: 6.9/10

First Viewing Viewing Date: September 7th Via: Cinema Plot: A priest with a haunted past and a novice on the threshold of her final vows are sent by the Vatican to investigate the death of a young nun in Romania and confront a malevolent force in the form of a demonic nun. Rating: 6.3/10 You can read my review here

First Viewing Viewing Date: September 5th Via: 4K Blu-ray Plot: A former boxer-turned-drug runner lands in a prison battleground after a deal gets deadly. Rating: 10/10 You can read my review here

First Viewing Viewing Date: September 4th Via: 4K Blu-ray Plot: When three different animals become infected with a dangerous pathogen, a primatologist and a geneticist team up to stop them from destroying Chicago. Rating: 6.8/10 You can read my review here

Viewed: Season 1

Jack Ryan exceeded my every reasonable expectation. I was interested in the show due to my liking of the source material and some of the prior Jack Ryan movies, but I had no idea it was going to be this riveting or outright enjoyable. Presenting an original story with no ties to any of Clancy's novels, this season focuses (what else?) on contemporary terrorism, paying mind to Islamic fundamental terrorists which keeps the show feeling relevant and modern. Admittedly, Jack Ryan isn't exactly thematically deep and the narrative is fairly black and white, but I don't care - the series is more enjoyable and exhilarating than more dialogue-driven TV shows, with big action set-pieces scattered throughout the eight-episode run. Speaking of eight episodes, it allows for tauter storytelling, though the length of each episode does vary from 45 minutes to an hour depending on the content. This is an adult show to boot, and it's never visibly neutered by the demands of television - there is swearing and violence when the occasion calls for it. It just serves to make the show more enjoyable and immediate. Furthermore, real money was spent to bring this thing to life. The scope is tremendous; Ryan globe-trots from U.S. to Yemen, from Paris to Turkey. Set-pieces take place inside hospitals and railway stations, and even in a massive refugee camp. Production values consistently impress, making this look more cinematic than most TV shows, and more expensive than the last big-screen Jack Ryan adventure (sorry, Kenneth Branagh). On top of everything, Jack Ryan really pulls you in. I binged the final six episodes back-to-back in the course of one evening, because I was enjoying it so much and wanted to see what happens next. Yes, we ostensibly know that good will triumph over evil, but we don't know the cost, especially since the show does daring things. Also, for fans of the novels, several characters make an appearance; not only Jack's future wife Cathy, but also Jim Greer, who was played by James Earl Jones in the Harrison Ford flicks. John Krasinski, meanwhile, makes for a pitch-perfect Ryan - he effectively conveys the intellectual abilities of the role, and he looks believable as a man of action, using his wits as well as physical weapons. I need more of this show in my life. I'll remain a Prime subscriber as long as this show is being made.

First Viewing Viewing Date: September 2nd Via: iTunes Store Plot: In a story depicted in oil painted animation, a young man comes to the last hometown of painter Vincent van Gogh to deliver the troubled artist's final letter and ends up investigating his final days there. Rating: 8.1/10