Glad I went in blind on this one. It could have put more effort into what it was trying to say, but its dark humour still makes it stand out from the many similar-themed films out there.
Less synth documentary, more personal journey of family discovery. Not exactly what I was expecting, but the humanity and vulnerability make it worth a watch nonetheless.
It exceeded my admittedly low expectations. A serviceable, albeit ludicrous, police action flick that kept the RPMs high while I was on my bike trainer.
Implausible yet watchable action film, elevated by Roschdy Zem's nuanced performance as the flawed hero. It would have been a much better film without the ridiculous last act.
Pulpy and meandering exploitation film that gets progressively more violent (and captivating) as it goes. It's noteworthy for the retro vibes and Linda Carter's first big screen appearance.
Less rounded than other Mike Leigh films and it took me a while to habituate to the exaggerated ticks of the younger characters. It's a great meditation on the nature of friendship, though. And features my favourite quote from one of his films yet: "I suppose on a clear day you can see the class struggle from here".
Still a fan of Bêka and Lemoine's style. A very random but also very enjoyable look at London's fascinating Barbican estate and all those who live in or pass through it.
A wonderful mix of slapstick, love, and socialism. Its critique of gentrification and class disparity still very relevant today, if not more. Case in point: the building they live in is still there today, but completely embedded into a hip office block.
Sharp and entertaining fairytale gone sideways, albeit lighter than Baker's previous films. The performances are all fantastic, but Mikey Madison and Yura Borisov are the standouts for me.
For something with clearly lots of effort put into the chases and stunts, it's remarkably generic. It's also full of that annoying Netflix over-exposition for multitasking audiences. The film equivalent of a shrug emoji.
Great look into the San Francisco early 90s rave culture. While we had our own scene on this side of the pond, I'd get glimpses of what was happening over there via posts in the alt.rave newsgroup from many of the names interviewed here. Very much one of those "back in my day" talking head documentaries, but it was nice putting faces onto names and getting a glimpse into their story.
A pretty standard cat and mouse thriller. What makes it more interesting is the fact it's based on an true story and the great recreation of the era, particularly the supermarkets and all that old-school packaging.
I'm surprised I'd never heard of this, but reading it was released just after 9/11 explains it. A bomb on a plane probably wasn't going to go down well. It's a lot of fun and has a great cast. Really enjoyed this.
A fun, unpretentious comedy that delivers a well-intentioned if somewhat naive message of tolerance. Everything hasn't aged particularly well, but the chemistry between the leads does a lot to compensate for it.
A subdued but powerful look at a dark chapter in Irish history, highlighting the complicity of a population that ignored the abuses. I have childhood memories of hearing about girls being "sent to the nuns" with no idea of what that meant at the time, today it sparks intense rage.
Starts off incredibly well. Sadly, the more questions it answers, the more trope-laden it becomes, culminating in a final act that completely wimps out. It's a fun ride until then though, with great performances.
Tense from beginning to end despite following a well-trodden path. It's a shame it keeps the politics at surface-level, though. Still, the action is impressive and it's nice to see Brussels used properly as a backdrop for once.
