Seen in 2022
Films, TV series, and episodes I have watched in 2022 with some additional information for posterities sake.
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- DirectorCéline SciammaStarsNoémie MerlantAdèle HaenelLuàna BajramiOn an isolated island in Brittany at the end of the eighteenth century, a female painter is obliged to paint a wedding portrait of a young woman.1st January, 2022
Dir. Céline Sciamma
France - French, Italian
The first movie of the new year. Watched it on Hulu. Brilliant as expected.
10/10 - DirectorPeter JacksonStarsElijah WoodIan McKellenOrlando BloomA meek Hobbit from the Shire and eight companions set out on a journey to destroy the powerful One Ring and save Middle-earth from the Dark Lord Sauron.2nd January, 2022
Dir. Peter Jackson
NZ/USA - English, Sindarin
Watched it with Mum and Jasmine. Loads of extra scenes I hadn't seen before I guess this version on HBO Max is even more extended. 10/10 - DirectorGuillermo del ToroStarsRon PerlmanDoug JonesSelma BlairA demon raised from infancy after being conjured by and rescued from the Nazis, grows up to become a defender against the forces of darkness.4th January, 2022
Dir. Guillermo del Toro
USA - English, Russian, German, Latin
Watched it with Jasmine and Mum. Jasmine is into Del Toro films. More outdated and less original than I remember. Still beautiful to watch though.
8/10 - DirectorGuillermo del ToroStarsRon PerlmanSelma BlairDoug JonesA prince of the mythical world starts a rebellion against humanity in order to rule the Earth. Hellboy and his team must fight to stop him from locating the all-powerful Golden Army.5th January, 2022
Dir. Guillermo del Toro
USA/Germany/Hungary
English, Gaelic, German
Watched with Jasmine and Mum. Same feelings as with the first one really but I was expecting that this one would of been a higher step up than the previous. Many plot convivences.
8/10 - DirectorHiro MuraiStarsDonald GloverBrian Tyree HenryLaKeith StanfieldBroke and low on options, Earn seeks to enter the music industry, by offering to be a manager for his rapper cousin, Paper Boi.6th January, 2022
Dir. Hiro Murai
USA - English
Are some people meant to lose just to make the winners be winners? - that hit hard, looking forward to this show. - DirectorAlex ProyasStarsBrandon LeeMichael WincottRochelle DavisA man brutally murdered comes back to life as an undead avenger of his and his fiancée's murder.6th January, 2022
Dir. Alex Proyas
USA - English
Been wanting to watch this film for ages as I adored the soundtrack. The film to my generation is known more for the horrific killing of Brandon Lee than the actual film but the film itself still checks out.
9/10 - DirectorAdam RandallStarsBill MilnerMaisie WilliamsMiranda RichardsonAfter being shot, Tom awakens from a coma to discover that fragments of his smartphone have been embedded in his head--and worse, that returning to normal teenage life is impossible because he has developed a strange set of superpowers.8th January, 2022
Dir. Adam Randall
UK - English
Watched with my parents. Dad chose it. Played awfully serious for such an absurd premise. Maisie Williams gave a brilliant performance, actually thought she was going to be the star. Found the film quite generic.
5/10 - DirectorDavid CronenbergStarsJeremy IronsGeneviève BujoldHeidi von PalleskeTwin gynecologists take full advantage of the fact that nobody can tell them apart, until their relationship begins to deteriorate over a woman.11th January, 2022
Dir. David Cronenberg
Canada - English
Was expecting more from this film to be honest. Cronenberg always has fascinating ideas in his films but I never seem to be able to fall in love with them. At many points the film can be slow-paced and repetetive. Nevertheless, I respect the vision of this film and like many of Cronenberg's film I feel like a second watch would make me appreciate it more.
7/10 - DirectorKEFFStarsTender HuangVivian SungMing-shiou TsaiA receptionist at a suicide hotel in Taipei, Taiwan forms a fleeting friendship over the course of one night with a guest who can't decide if she wants to live or die.12th January, 2022
Dir. KEFF
Taiwan - Mandarin
A rather drab film but considering the subject matter I reason that was intentional. Never found the addition of love stories into these sort of films to be a wise plot line and I think it makes the film rather cheap because of it.
6/10 - DirectorBen WheatleyStarsTom HiddlestonJeremy IronsSienna MillerLife for the residents of a tower block begins to run out of control.13th January, 2022
Dir. Ben Wheatley
UK - English
Ugh, confusing and hard to follow are the general feelings I have about the film AND I READ THE NOVEL! A real struggle to get through and the decent acting and colour of the film couldn't take away the fake artsy semi-philosophical airs that the director seems to put in all of his films.
First disappointment of the year.
3/10 - DirectorBill HaderStarsBill HaderStephen RootSarah GoldbergA disillusioned hit man wants to start a new life after following his quarry to an acting class.14th January, 2022
Dir. Bill Hader
USA - English
Such an absurd plot could easily become a drab parody that would fit more on SNL than on HBO. Thankfully this series looks promising. - DirectorBill HaderStarsBill HaderStephen RootSarah GoldbergBarry, who kills for money, discovers acting when he is looking for his target. He realises he enjoys it so much that he wants to leave behind his old life.14th January, 2022
Dir. Bill Hader
USA - English - DirectorHiro MuraiStarsDonald GloverBrian Tyree HenryLaKeith StanfieldEarn awaits bail after the boys get arrested for their shooting incident.14th January, 2022
Dir. Hiro Murai
USA - English - DirectorRidley ScottStarsMatt DamonAdam DriverJodie ComerThe Knight Jean de Carrouges must settle the dispute over his wife Marguerite by challenging his former friend to a duel to the death.15th January, 2022
Dir. Ridley Scott
USA/UK - English, German, French, Latin
Looking forward to this one and I was not disappointed. The naturally difficult scenes in this film were done with care and the attention that they recquired. I certainly smell some Oscars in the works for some of the cast in particular Jodie Comer whom I will be rooting for.
9/10 - DirectorLiz PatrickHannah LevyStarsAidy BryantMichael ChePete DavidsonHost Ariana DeBose; Bleachers perform.15th-16th January, 2022
Dir. Liz Patrick & Hannah Levy
USA - English
Why is it that the episodes that I watch live are always the most disappointing. Don't think I really laughed at all during this episode. - DirectorBill HaderStarsBill HaderStephen RootSarah GoldbergBarry misses an acting class to honor an obligation. The detectives try to piece together a murder puzzle. Sally makes a mistake during an audition, and turns to Barry for comfort. The Chechens rejoice when a legendary assassin arrives.16th January, 2022
Dir. Bill Hader
USA - English
Sometimes feels contrived but the characters are fun enough to watch that I don't mind so much. Feeling sceptical about this budding romance between Barry and Sally, feels awfully generic. - DirectorMaggie CareyStarsBill HaderStephen RootSarah GoldbergBarry finds that escaping Fuches and winning Sally's affections is harder than he thought.17th January, 2022
Dir. Maggie Carey
USA - English
Loving the interaction between the teacher and the detective characters which far out does the Barry and Sally plot. - DirectorHiro MuraiStarsBill HaderStephen RootSarah GoldbergBarry looks to hit the reset button with Sally, but a scene from "Macbeth" triggers a reaction that pushes them farther apart; Moss moves to interrogate members of Gene's acting class after a shooting video surfaces; Barry finds himself in a quandary after teaming up with Taylor, a reckless new acquaintance, in a dangerous mission to wipe out a group of Bolivians.19th January, 2022
Dir. Hiro Murai
USA - English - DirectorMostafa DerkaouiStarsNour AbdellatifSalah Eddine BenmoussaMohamed DerhamIn search of a subject for their film, a group of directors ask passers-by about their expectations of Moroccan cinema in the streets and bars of Casablanca.19th January, 2022
Dir. Mostafa Derkaoui
Morocco - Arabic, French
7/10 - 2018–202329mTV-MA8.4 (4.7K)TV EpisodeDirectorHiro MuraiStarsBill HaderStephen RootSarah GoldbergBarry tries to fly solo at a remote airstrip, but Taylor still wants in; Vacha looks to exact revenge on the man who killed his brother, despite Pazar's hands-off orders; Moss tries to end her association with Gene, but finds herself drawn to his classroom at a critical juncture; Sally lobbies for a major acting challenge.20th January, 2022
Dir. Hiro Murai
USA - English - 2018–202337mTV-MA9.2 (6.4K)TV EpisodeDirectorAlec BergStarsBill HaderStephen RootSarah GoldbergAfter a shootout at the airstrip, Barry must make a tough decision to avoid capture. Sally worries her performance in MacBeth will be compromised and ruin her chance at impressing a top talent agent.20th January, 2022
Dir. Alec Berg
USA - English
Wow! Given that this is the highest rated episode of the first season I was expecting something brilliant but damn this episode went way over my expectations. Could possibly be one of my favourite episodes of a TV series ever. - DirectorAlec BergStarsBill HaderStephen RootSarah GoldbergIn the season finale, Barry vows to give up his life of crime. Elsewhere, Pazar enlists a replacement to take care of Fuches. Detective Moss closes in on an arrest that they hope will crack the Madison homicide case.20th January, 2022
Dir. Alec Berg
USA - English
Some contrived plot elements didn't diminish the great ending to first season of this promising series. - DirectorGuillermo del ToroStarsFederico LuppiRon PerlmanClaudio BrookA mysterious device designed to provide its owner with eternal life resurfaces after four hundred years, leaving a trail of destruction in its path.21st January, 2022
Dir. Guillermo del Toro
Mexico - Spanish, English
A del Toro film that felt more like a Cronenberg film. Didn't feel that the characters were fleshed out that much and they mostly seemed to be caricatures. You can see many of the visual flourishes that became emblematic of Del Toro's oeuvre in this film.
6/10 - DirectorBen AffleckStarsBen AffleckElle FanningBrendan GleesonA group of Boston-bred gangsters set up shop in balmy Florida during the Prohibition era, facing off against the competition and the Ku Klux Klan.22nd January, 2022
Dir. Ben Affleck
USA - English, Spanish
It would be a cliché to call this movie a cliché but I don't really think this film deserves much of a review. It's not like the people who wrote this film reviewed it that much.
3/10 - DirectorLiz PatrickMike DivaStarsAidy BryantMichael ChePete DavidsonHost Will Forte, Måneskin performs.22nd-23rd January, 2022
Dir. Liz Patrick & Mike Diva
USA - English
A step up from last week but with the announcement that Willem Defoe was hosting next week my mind kept wondering about the next episode. - DirectorPaul Thomas AndersonStarsAlana HaimCooper HoffmanSean PennThe story of Alana Kane and Gary Valentine growing up, running around and going through the treacherous navigation of first love in the San Fernando Valley, 1973.23rd January, 2022
Dir. Paul Thomas Anderson
USA/Canada - English, Japanese
First time going to the cinema in 2022. Went to the AMC with Mum to catch this; we had been talking about going to see it for a month. My mother thoroughly adored this film and from her view was a perfect representation of those years.
9/10 - DirectorHiro MuraiStarsBill HaderStephen RootSarah GoldbergBarry tries to convince Sally and the rest of the class to go ahead with a performance, despite the absence of teacher Gene; Noho Hank and Cristobal's new partnership faces growing pains; Fuches learns that replacement hit men don't come easy.23rd January, 2022
Dir. Hiro Murai
USA - English - DirectorHiro MuraiStarsBill HaderStephen RootSarah GoldbergFacing pressure from Noho Hank, Barry struggles to pull off an important hit. After asking the class to mine their personal traumas for an original piece, Gene decides to confront his own past.23rd January, 2022
Dir. Hiro Murai
USA - English - DirectorMinkie SpiroStarsBill HaderStephen RootSarah GoldbergAs part of a class project, Gene tasks Barry with revisiting his past, and Sally reflects on her own history. Barry offers to provide training to NoHo Hank's men. Fuches finds Barry in an unexpected location.24th January, 2022
Dir. Minkie Spiro
USA - English - DirectorLiza JohnsonStarsBill HaderStephen RootSarah GoldbergBarry's patience is put to the test when a figure from Sally's past arrives in LA. Gene gets a pleasant surprise and encourages Barry to believe that change is possible.24th January, 2022
Dir. Liza Johnson
USA - English - DirectorWalerian BorowczykStarsMichel SimonGeorges WilsonJacques PerrinBlanche is the young, pure, beautiful wife of the Master of the castle, in a secluded land. Every man is in love with her, including the King and his servant Bartolomeo, visiting the Master.24th January, 2022
Dir. Walerian Borowczyk
France - French
Admittedly lost track of the plot in this film and didn't understand it all that well. Lovely costumes though.
5/10 - DirectorBill HaderStarsBill HaderStephen RootSarah GoldbergAn encounter that Barry never could have predicted has surprising effects.25th January, 2022
Dir. Bill Hader
USA - English
Now this was truly an epic piece of television from the opening to closing frame. This single episode has more to it than entire seasons of other television shows. Worth several rewatches. - DirectorAlec BergStarsBill HaderStephen RootSarah GoldbergGene helps Barry get into character as he prepares for his big scene with Sally; Sally resolves to embrace her truth; Noho Hank prepares for a big night with his newly trained men; Fuches goes on a mission.25th January, 2022
Dir. Alec Berg
USA - English - DirectorTrey ParkerStarsTrey ParkerMatt StoneApril StewartWhat happened to the children who lived through the Pandemic? Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny survived, but will never be the same Post-COVID.25th January, 2022
Dir. Trey Parker
USA - English
8/10 - DirectorTrey ParkerStarsTrey ParkerMatt StoneApril StewartIf Stan, Kyle and Cartman could just work together, they could go back in time to make sure Covid never happened and save Kenny's life. Traveling back to the past seems to be the easy answer until they meet Victor Chaos.26th January, 2022
Dir. Trey Parker
USA - English
9/10 - DirectorAlec BergStarsBill HaderStephen RootSarah GoldbergBarry prepares for his first audition under Gene's guidance; Sally takes a stand in a meeting with a major TV producer; Noho Hank bares all.26th January, 2022
Dir. Alec Berg
USA - English - DirectorBill HaderStarsBill HaderStephen RootSarah GoldbergBarry seeks vengeance; Noho Hank faces the looming threat of being sent home; Sally makes a split-second decision on the night of the acting class's big performance; Fuches turns to an unexpected source for help.26th January, 2022
Dir. Bill Hader
USA - English - CreatorAlec BergBill HaderStarsBill HaderStephen RootSarah GoldbergA hit man from the Midwest moves to Los Angeles and gets caught up in the city's theatre arts scene.26th January, 2022
10/10 - DirectorRainer Werner FassbinderStarsMargit CarstensenHanna SchygullaKatrin SchaakeA troubled fashion designer strikes up a romance with a much younger woman.27th January, 2022
Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
West Germany - German
8/10 - DirectorBlackhorse LoweStarsBrigadier BrownNoelle BrownCarmelita B. LoweMary Jane must choose to either stay at home on the reservation or leave to go to boarding school.28th January, 2022
Dir. Blackhorse Lowe
USA - Navajo
8/10 - DirectorAndrew Okpeaha MacLeanStarsTony BryantOlemaun RexfordBrad WeyiouannaAn Inuit hunter drives his dog team out on the frozen Arctic Ocean in search of seals, but instead, becomes a witness to murder.28th January, 2022
Dir. Andrew Okpeaha MacLean
USA - Iñupiaq
8/10 - DirectorHelen Haig-BrownStarsEdmund LuluaKelly WilliamA hunter on horseback accidentally discovers a portal to another world in this fantastical true Tsilhqot'in story.28th January, 2022
Dir. Helen Haig-Brown
Canada - Chilcotin
8/10 - DirectorTy SangaStarsJames BrightKuiokalani Lee GaperoBriana GarridoStones is a mythical Hawaiian tale about a family torn between preserving their native land and life and embracing new people and cultures.28th January, 2022
Dir. Ty Sanga
USA - Hawaiian
8/10 - DirectorShaandiin TomeStarsTrini KingForrest GoodluckErnest Tsosie IIIA women's craving for a connection with her son, which is hindered by alcoholism.28th January, 2022
Dir. Shaandiin Tome
USA - English, Navajo
Hashtł'ishnii is the name of the movie in Navajo.
8/10 - DirectorCaroline MonnetIn this bracing short cut from archival footage, people from Canada's First Nations move from the woods to the tops of New York skyscrapers-almost all of which have been built in part by Mohawk iron workers.28th January, 2022
Dir. Caroline Monnet
Canada- n/a
8/10 - DirectorRainer Werner FassbinderStarsBrigitte MiraEl Hedi ben SalemBarbara ValentinA lonely widow meets a much younger Moroccan worker in a bar during a rainstorm. They fall in love, to their own surprise and to the outright shock of their families, colleagues, and drinking buddies.28th January, 2022
Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
West Germany - German, Arabic
8/10 - DirectorIlya NaishullerStarsBob OdenkirkAleksey SerebryakovConnie NielsenA docile family man slowly reveals his true character after his house gets burgled by two petty thieves, which, coincidentally, leads him into a bloody war with a Russian crime boss.29th January, 2022
Dir. Ilya Naishuller
USA - English, Russian
A cheap John Wick rip off without the charm or character play that made that series instantly likeable and unique. The whole film just made me want to rewatch those ones.
4/10 - DirectorLiz PatrickMike DivaHannah LevyStarsAidy BryantMichael ChePete DavidsonHost Willem Dafoe; Katy Perry performs.29th-30th January, 2022
Dir.
USA - English
This was a brilliant episode in my opinion with multiple skits that landed well with the audience and myself. Katy Perry, whom, I have never been a fan of personally, had a visually brilliant set I must agree. Worth watching during a rewatch.
9/10 - DirectorRichard AyoadeStarsJesse EisenbergMia WasikowskaWallace ShawnThe unenviable life of a government-agency clerk takes a horrific turn with the arrival of a new co-worker who is both his exact physical double and his opposite otherwise--he's a confident, charismatic ladies' man.31st January, 2022
Dir. Richard Ayoade
UK - English
I had actually read the novella this was based on when the film first came out with the intention of seeing the film which I ended up not doing.
6/10 - DirectorMarco DutraCaetano GotardoStarsMawusi TulaniClarissa KisteCarolina Bianchi1899. The fates of the women in two families become entangled when the Soareses, former land and slave owners, request help from Iná, a woman of African descent they once dismissed due to religious differences.1st February, 2022
Dir. Marco Dutra & Caetano Gotardo
Brazil/France - Portuguese
Was drawn to this film because of the subject matter but the meandering plot, when there even is a plot, and the mediocre written characters made this film more of a yawn fest than an enlightenment.
6/10 - DirectorJames MangoldStarsJohn CusackRay LiottaAmanda PeetStranded at a desolate Nevada motel during a nasty rain storm, ten strangers become acquainted with each other when they realize that they're being killed off one by one.1st February, 2022
Dir. James Mangold
USA - English
From the beginning I kinda thought this would be a pretty dumb movie. It belongs to a schlocky subgenre of early noughts thrillers with a catch that are now outdated and mostly forgotten about. I laughed like hell a that ending though!
5/10 - DirectorPaul Thomas AndersonStarsJoaquin PhoenixPhilip Seymour HoffmanAmy AdamsA Naval veteran arrives home from war unsettled and uncertain of his future - until he is tantalized by the Cause and its charismatic leader.2nd February, 2022
Dir. Paul Thomas Anderson
USA - English, Filipino
Had been looking forward to this film and it is is well made, as are all PTA films that I have seen. For the life of me I couldn't really like any of the characters in this film. The ending was peculiar and I need to read more about though before I make up my mind about it.
7/10 - DirectorTrey ParkerStarsTrey ParkerMatt StoneApril StewartPC Principal bans the 4th-grade class from Pajama Day.4th February, 2022
Dir. Trey Parker
USA - English, German
Kinda average episode and the parody of anti-mask wearing was pretty contrived.
7/10 - DirectorMarc MundenStarsJodie ComerArthur HughesLesley SharpSarah seems to have found her calling working in a Liverpool care home where she has a special talent for connecting with the residents. Then, in March 2020, the Coronavirus pandemic hits.5th February, 2022
Dir. Marc Munden
UK - English
Pretty underwhelmed by this movie plot wise. I enjoyed Jodie Comer's but the plot was a wasted potential.
7/10 - DirectorMartín RejtmanStarsVicenticoValeria BertuccelliFabián ArenillasAlejandro, a cab driver, and his girlfriend Cecilia are in the midst of breaking up when they become adopted by a social group led by a bossy husband and wife team, Sergio and Susana.8th February, 2022
Dir. Martín Rejtman
Argentina - Spanish
5/10 - DirectorCraig JohnsonStarsKristen WiigBill HaderLuke WilsonHaving both coincidentally cheated death on the same day, estranged twins reunite with the possibility of mending their relationship.10th February, 2022
Dir. Craig Johnson
USA - English
7/10 - DirectorTrey ParkerStarsTrey ParkerMatt StoneApril StewartStan is horrified to realize that he has misinterpreted some of the greatest writing of all time.11th February, 2022
Dir. Trey Parker
USA - English
Great episode that quite literally talks to the viewer!
8/10 - DirectorJohn DowerStarsLouis TherouxTom CruiseMarty RathbunLouis Theroux documents his investigation into what goes on behind the scenes of the infamous Church of Scientology.12th February, 2022
Dir. John Dower
UK - English
7/10 - DirectorCharles LaughtonStarsRobert MitchumShelley WintersLillian GishA self-proclaimed preacher marries a gullible widow whose young children are reluctant to tell him where their real dad hid the $10,000 he'd stolen in a robbery.12th February, 2022
Dir. Charles Laughton
USA - English
I was expecting brilliance but I was really quite taken aback by this film.
10/10 - DirectorKevin AltieriBoyd KirklandFrank PaurStarsKevin ConroyDana DelanyHart BochnerBatman is wrongly implicated in a series of murders of mob bosses actually committed by a new vigilante assassin.12th February, 2022
Dir. Kevin Altieri, Boyd Kirkland, Frank Paur
USA - English
10/10 - DirectorDjibril Diop MambétyStarsMagaye NiangMyriam NiangChristoph ColombMory, a cowherd, and Anta, a university student, try to make money in order to go to Paris and leave their boring past behind.14th February, 2022
Dir. Djibril Diop Mambéty
Senegal - Wolof, Arabic, French
8/10 - DirectorPaul Thomas AndersonStarsMark WahlbergJulianne MooreBurt ReynoldsBack when sex was safe, pleasure was a business and business was booming, an idealistic porn producer aspires to elevate his craft to an art when he discovers a hot young talent.15th February, 2022
Dir. Paul Thomas Anderson
USA - English
10/10 - DirectorJûzô ItamiStarsKen WatanabeTsutomu YamazakiNobuko MiyamotoA truck driver stops at a small family-run noodle shop and decides to help its fledgling business. The story is intertwined with various vignettes about the relationship of love and food.16th February, 2022
Dir. Jûzô Itami
Japan - Japanese
First Japanese film of the year. Wonderful start of the film though I felt the narrative getting repetitive and slacking later in the film. Overall a wonderful and culturally enlightening slice of Japanese comedy with a farcical edge.
Reminded me of the documentary Jiro dreams of sushi. I suppose these films belong to their own specific genre of Japanese food films.
I wonder what Uncle Roger would feel about this film!
8/10 - DirectorTrey ParkerStarsTrey ParkerMatt StoneApril StewartCartman is furious with his mom when she tells him about her new job.17th February, 2022
USA - English
8/10 - DirectorRémy BelvauxAndré BonzelBenoît PoelvoordeStarsBenoît PoelvoordeJacqueline Poelvoorde-PappaertNelly PappaertA film crew follows a ruthless thief and heartless killer as he goes about his daily routine. But complications set in when the film crew lose their objectivity and begin lending a hand.17th February, 2022
Dir. Rémy Belvaux, André Bonzel, Benoît Poelvoorde
Belgium - French
A very unique film I guess though it sounds like a cliché with this film. I enjoyed the central premise but felt like it became stale relatively quickly. The film works best when its main character is surprising us with his horrifying actions
7/10 - DirectorJames WanStarsJason MomoaAmber HeardWillem DafoeArthur Curry, the human-born heir to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis, goes on a quest to prevent a war between the worlds of ocean and land.18th February, 2022
Dir. James Wan
USA - English, Russian, Maori, Italian
9/10 - DirectorDave FiloniStarsPedro PascalCarl WeathersWerner HerzogA Mandalorian bounty hunter tracks a target for a well-paying, mysterious client.19th February, 2022
Dir. Dave Filoni
USA - English
Anything with Werner Herzog is inherently interesting to watch if only for one scene. Mum randomly put this on though I didn't really have any inclination to watch it.
7/10 - DirectorMartin CampbellStarsAntonio BanderasAnthony HopkinsCatherine Zeta-JonesA young thief seeking revenge for his brother's death is trained by the once-great, aging Zorro, who is pursuing his own vengeance.19th February, 2022
Dir. Martin Campbell
USA/ Mexico - English
Last of the family films on the night before I left to return to Germany.
Wonderful romp with familiar tones and settings but nonetheless totally enjoyable and rewatchable. Dad seemed to remember a number of the scenes like when the horse moves when Banderas's character jumps down.
7/10 - DirectorMax BarbakowStarsAndy SambergCristin MiliotiJ.K. SimmonsStuck in a time loop, two wedding guests develop a budding romance while living the same day over and over again.24th February, 2022
Dir. Max Barbakow
USA - English
First film to watch in Germany. Brilliant film and a great performance from the two leads Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti. For a rom-com it has a rather familiar tone mixed into a very original story. I was very pleased.
9/10 - DirectorAlejandro G. IñárrituStarsLeonardo DiCaprioTom HardyWill PoulterA frontiersman on a fur trading expedition in the 1820s fights for survival after being mauled by a bear and left for dead by members of his own hunting team.25th February, 2022
Dir. Alejandro G. Iñárritu
USA - English, Pawnee, French
A very long and drawn out film which I suppose fits the necessities of the central character. Tom Hardy felt oddly underutilised in this film, a rarity, but DiCaprio clearly steals the show. Very much enjoyed the complex narrative of Native American politics of the period in the film and it is always great to hear and see Native and First Nation people perform in their mother tongue.
8/10 - DirectorMárta MészárosStarsKati KovácsTeri HorváthÁdám SzirtesOn receiving a letter from her mother, a quiet working-class girl leaves the state orphanage in Budapest where she grew up and takes a trip to the rural countryside to visit her.26th February, 2022
Dir. Márta Mészáros
Hungary - Hungarian, French
I think people underestimate the difference in cultures in urban and rural eastern Europe. This film gives us a representative of the chic youth culture living in a communist dictatorship that is wonderful to see. I would want to read more about this youth culture during this period and does anyone have an idea of what music was played here?
7/10 - DirectorMárta MészárosStarsKatalin BerekGyöngyvér VighPéter FriedA lonely middle-aged woman wants to give birth to a child, but her acquaintance with dysfunctional teenagers leads her to the idea of adoption.27th February, 2022
Dir. Márta Mészáros
Hungary - Hungarian
There is a tangible bond these two characters share that is mostly seen through the eyes. For a film that is only 90 minutes long it certainly carries an emotional weight with it.
7/10 - DirectorMárta MészárosStarsIsabelle HuppertLili MonoriJan Nowicki1936. Sylvia a rich but sterile woman, marries Akos but needs an heir to inherit her father's money. She bribes Irene a Jewish girl to have a child by her husband.28th February, 2022
Dir. Márta Mészáros
Hungary/France - Hungarian, German
Any film about European Jews in the 30s always comes with a feeling of dread and encroaching terror. We feel this as mentions of Hitler and anti-semitism are shown. The film ends rather abruptly which to me is a major failing point. It gave surprisingly little for the audience to go on after the ending scene.
I can't seem to find much to read about this film. Isabelle Huppert gave a wonderful performance and in Hungarian - how did this happen?
7/10 - DirectorRaúl RuizStarsJean-Bernard GuillardPhilippe DeplancheNadège ClairA drunken sailor recounts the surrealistic odyssey of his life story to a murderous student.28th February-1st March, 2022
Dir. Raúl Ruiz
France - French
This was a very peculiar film that I was a bit unprepared for. Brilliant premise but I felt let down the execution and the often meandering and difficult to follow plot. Wonderful ideas that may make more sense on a second viewing.
7/10 - DirectorCristi PuiuStarsDoru AnaMonica BarladeanuAlina BerzunteanuMr. Lãzãrescu, a dying old man, is shuttled from hospital to hospital by a loyal paramedic as doctors refuse to operate and no one can agree on a diagnosis.2nd-3rd March, 2022
Dir. Cristi Puiu
Romania - Romanian
9/10 - DirectorMatt ReevesStarsRobert PattinsonZoë KravitzJeffrey WrightWhen a sadistic serial killer begins murdering key political figures in Gotham, Batman is forced to investigate the city's hidden corruption and question his family's involvement.3rd March, 2022
Dir. Matt Reeves
USA - English
First new film of 2022 and what an experience this was!
10/10 - DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsMarlon BrandoAl PacinoJames CaanThe aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son.4th March, 2022
Dir. Francis Ford Coppola
USA - English, Italian
Saw at Passage Kinos for the 50th-anniversary showing. The theatre was pretty packed and the audience was quite active in laughing at many of the more humourous and misogynistic parts of the film. Not a sole made a bathroom break which just goes to show what an experience it is to see a film of this calibre on the big screen!
10/10 - DirectorTerry ZwigoffStarsSteve BuscemiThora BirchScarlett JohanssonTwo eccentric best friends graduate high school and respond to a man's romance-seeking newspaper ad as a gag, only to find their lives becoming increasingly complicated.6th March, 2022
Dir. Terry Zwigoff
USA - English
7/10 - DirectorJake KasdanStarsDwayne JohnsonJack BlackKevin HartIn Jumanji: The Next Level, the gang is back but the game has changed. As they return to rescue one of their own, the players will have to brave parts unknown from arid deserts to snowy mountains, to escape the world's most dangerous game.8th-9th March, 2022
Dir. Jake Kasdan
USA - English
The characters are so fun you forget the contrived plot for all of the characters to get this world again. It was pretty weird for me that Danny Glover's character just out of the blue decided to live the rest of his life in a video game but I guess it is sequel bait.
7/10 - DirectorBabis MakridisStarsYannis DrakopoulosEvi SaoulidouMakis PapadimitriouThe story of a man who feels happy only when he is unhappy, a man addicted to sadness, who has such need for pity, he's willing to do everything to evoke it from others. This is the life of a man in a world not cruel enough for him.11th March, 2022
Dir. Babis Makridis
Greece - Greek
Seems every Greek film follows the life of a weirdo. Strange to see this type of film be so dominant in the way we view Greek cinema nowadays. Felt the story could have been a lot more dramatic and while, yes, the ending was very violent I felt it was quite unearned.
7/10 - DirectorMatt ReevesStarsRobert PattinsonZoë KravitzJeffrey WrightWhen a sadistic serial killer begins murdering key political figures in Gotham, Batman is forced to investigate the city's hidden corruption and question his family's involvement.11th March, 2022
Dir. Matt Reeves
USA - English
First film seen twice in 2022. Well worth the second theatre viewing as I really appreciated the images and the sounds more on the second viewing.
10/10 - DirectorSidney LumetStarsPhilip Seymour HoffmanEthan HawkeAlbert FinneyWhen two brothers organize the robbery of their parents' jewelry store the job goes horribly wrong, triggering a series of events that sends them, their father and one brother's wife barreling towards a shattering climax.12th-13th March, 2022
Dir. Sidney Lumet
USA - English
Had quite a few melodramatic moments and I found the non-linear storytelling needless and distracting. You can kinda see where this story is going midway in the film and it generally will flow as expected from then. Odd to see this film with a stellar cast relatively forgotten.
7/10 - DirectorDan TrachtenbergStarsKarl UrbanJack QuaidAntony StarrWhen a Supe kills the love of his life, A/V salesman Hughie Campbell teams up with Billy Butcher, a vigilante hell-bent on punishing corrupt Supes -- and Hughie's life will never be the same again.14th March, 2022
Dir. Dan Trachtenberg
USA - English
A great introduction to the series. And wow that first death sure did surprise me. Looking forward to this!
9/10 - DirectorMatt ShakmanStarsKarl UrbanJack QuaidAntony StarrThe Boys get themselves a Superhero, Starlight gets payback, Homelander gets naughty, and a Senator gets naughtier.15th March, 2022
Dir. Matt Shakman
USA - English
Great follow up. The boys so far are undeniably more interesting and better written than the seven and starlight's character isn't that appealing to me yet. The politics are kinda cliche at this point and I can guess where this is heading. I was expecting Homelander to of killed the senator on the orders of his superior but it is more interesting that he did it on his volition. Great way to end to episode and I loved the dynamic of the captured superhero.
9/10 - DirectorPhilip SgricciaStarsKarl UrbanJack QuaidAntony StarrIt's the race of the century. A-Train versus Shockwave, vying for the title of World's Fastest Man. Meanwhile, the Boys are reunited and it feels so good.16th March, 2022
Dir. Philip Sgriccia
USA - English
The whole plot around a supposed steroid for superheroes isn't all that interesting so far. And the episode shouldn't have been centred around a race with no stakes in it. Love the idea of some superheroes being b-listers and this can have some interesting followups later.
7/10 - DirectorStina WerenfelsStarsVictoria SchulzJenny SchilyLars EidingerWhen her mother decides to stop administering medication to her mentally challenged daughter, 18-year-old Dora awakes, as if from a deep sleep. Dora discovers her body, her sensuality and finally, sex, too.16th-17th March, 2022
Dir. Stina Werenfels
Switzerland/Germany - German
I would question the authenticity performance of the central character as being dubious at best but nonetheless it was mesmerising. The plot is what really breaks this movie down. Too many eye-rolling moments. A film that tackles such a tenuous subject should of had deeper character moments.
6/10 - DirectorFrederick E.O. ToyeStarsKarl UrbanJack QuaidAntony StarrOn a very special episode of The Boys... an hour of guts, gutterballs, airplane hijackings, madness, ghosts, and one very intriguing Female. Oh, and lots of heart -- both in the sentimental sense, and in the gory literal sense.16th-17th March, 2022
Dir. Frederick E.O. Toye
USA - English, Filipino, Arabic
7/10 - DirectorStefan SchwartzStarsKarl UrbanJack QuaidAntony StarrThe Boys head to the "Believe" Expo to follow a promising lead in their ongoing war against the Supes. There might -- MIGHT -- be a homicidal infant, but you'll have to see for yourself.18th March, 2022
Dir. Stefan Schwartz
USA - English
7/10 - DirectorKar-Wai WongStarsTony Leung Chiu-waiMaggie CheungSiu Ping-LamTwo neighbors form a strong bond after both suspect extramarital activities of their spouses. However, they agree to keep their bond platonic so as not to commit similar wrongs.20th March, 2022
Dir. Kar-Wai Wong
Hong Kong/China - Cantonese, Shanghainese, French, Spanish
Got tired of watching films with my poor internet connexion so I played one of the Criterion Blu-Ray's I got on sale in the USA. Good to see this film on Blu-Ray as the colours really pop out.
10/10 - DirectorJennifer PhangStarsKarl UrbanJack QuaidAntony StarrSUPER IN AMERICA (2019). Vought Studios. Genre: Reality. Starring: Homelander, Queen Maeve, Black Noir, The Deep, A-Train, Starlight, Tara Reid, Billy Zane.20th March, 2022
Dir. Jennifer Phang
USA - English
7/10 - DirectorDaniel AttiasStarsKarl UrbanJack QuaidAntony StarrNever trust a washed-up Supe -- the Boys learn this lesson the hard way. Meanwhile, Homelander digs into his past, Starlight discovers that love hurts, and if you're ever in Sandusky, Ohio and a girl asks if she can touch your gills, say NO.21st March, 2022
Dir. Daniel Attias
USA - English
The plot thickens. This episode was a step up from the previous ones which I think lacked the wow factor of the first two episodes. This feels like it is setting up a brilliant final episode of this fun tv show.
8/10 - DirectorEric KripkeStarsKarl UrbanJack QuaidAntony StarrSeason Finale Time! Questions answered! Secrets revealed! Conflicts... conflicted! Characters exploded! And so much more!22nd-23rd March, 2022
Dir. Eric Kripke
USA - English
Overly long at some parts and many times the plot was a load of clichés and poor writing.
I suppose I should of guessed that surprise at the end of the episode but it genuinely surprised me!
8/10 - DirectorMike FlanaganStarsEwan McGregorRebecca FergusonKyliegh CurranYears following the events of The Shining (1980), a now-adult Dan Torrance must protect a young girl with similar powers from a cult known as The True Knot, who prey on children with powers to remain immortal.24th-25th March, 2022
Dir. Mike Flanagan
USA - English
A very by the numbers sequel-of-an-old-&-iconic-IP that felt more like fanfiction than a true sequel. Rebecca Ferguson was the best thing in the film.
5/10 - DirectorAdrian LyneStarsBen AffleckAna de ArmasTracy LettsA well-to-do husband who allows his wife to have affairs in order to avoid a divorce becomes a prime suspect in the disappearance of her lovers.26th March, 2022
Dir. Adrian Lyne
USA - English
I guess Ana de Armas isn't great in everything. Often I was bemused by the lazy scriptwriting but honestly I found Affleck's performance oddly mesmerising. His odd zombie-like approach to this gave his character a very comedic tone that I found arresting to watch.
6/10 - DirectorKim Yong-hoonStarsJeon Do-yeonJung Woo-sungBae Sung-wooA struggling restaurant owner, caring for his sick mom, finds a bag of cash in a sauna locker, while a customs officer gets into trouble when his girlfriend runs off with money he borrowed from a loan shark.28th-29th March, 2022
Dir. Kim Yong-hoon
South Korea - Korean
5/10 - DirectorJe-yong LeeStarsYoun Yuh-jungNash AngHyun-jun ChoiThe Bacchus Lady looks into the issue of elderly prostitution in South Korea. So-Young, an elderly lady who provides sex services to the male senior citizens using the pretext of selling Bacchus (an energy drink) to them. When So-Young picks up a Korean-Filipino boy named Min-Ho from the clinic she visits after Min-Ho's mother stabs the doctor (Min-Ho's father), she takes care of him while seeking a living through prostitution. From her interactions with her former clients, she finds that the golden age in their silver years may not be that bright after all.31st March, 2022
Dir. Je-yong Lee
South Korea - Korean, Tagalog, English
8/10 - DirectorJustin KurzelStarsLucas PittawayDaniel HenshallLouise HarrisBased on true events, 16 year-old Jamie falls in with his mother's new boyfriend and his crowd of self-appointed neighborhood watchmen, a relationship that leads to a spree of torture and murder.1st-2nd April, 2022
Dir. Justin Kurzel
Australia - English
6/10 - DirectorScott SandersStarsMichael Jai WhiteArsenio HallTommy DavidsonBlack Dynamite is the greatest African-American action star of the 1970s. When his only brother is killed by The Man, it's up to him to find justice.3rd-4th April, 2022
Dir. Scott Sanders
USA - English
10/10 - DirectorAki KaurismäkiStarsMarkku PeltolaKati OutinenAnnikki TähtiM arrives in Helsinki only to be viciously attacked by thugs and pronounced dead by medics. He revives but with no memory of his past or his identity. He rebuilds his life from scratch, but the past inevitably catches up with him.8th-9th April, 2022
Dir. Aki Kaurismäki
Finland - Finnish
7/10 - DirectorPhilip SgricciaStarsKarl UrbanJack QuaidAntony StarrWith Butcher still missing, Hughie, Mother's Milk, Frenchie, and Kimiko are now fugitives, and Homelander and Vought are more powerful than ever. But just as the Boys are about to leave the country, they are pulled back into the fray.10th-11th April, 2022
Dir. Philip Sgriccia
USA - English, French, Arabic
By the numbers return to the season 2.
7/10