Thursday, January 27, 2022

The Decline Of Western Civilization: Part 3

I mean I know it's called the Decline but this is where the game truly changes and arguably ends.




It is shocking to see not just how punk culture has changed in almost 20 years, but the filmmaking and subject material too. This film deals solely with the homeless punk scene in L.A. and it does not pull any punches or makes light of the situation. It's a grim meathook reality that I genuinely shudder to think how it is now over in California, and the music scene is not touched on much, rightfully so I would say, you just can't make this stuff up and it is serious, it does need to have a spotlight directed at it, and talked about for no other reason than trying to help. I was a bit hesitant to review it because it didn't focus on the music scene but the music isn't the thing to look at, it's the culture. So we follow a good sized group of a fair bit of teens and a fair bit of people in their twenties as they try to live with no place to go and nothing to do. Punk changed significantly from the 70s to the 90s not just musically, I mean that was bound to happen as new music is introduced, metal stormed the world, grunge was the new thing, so of course punk music would evolve. But the style and attitude of the fans changed a lot, with colored hair in wild shapes, clothing, piercings, they seem way more mellowed out and socially aware fully knowing their standing in the world at that moment and also knowing damn well it's hard to change a situation. But they don't sugarcoat it, these kids do substance abuse, they panhandle to get some alcohol, they don't have homes to go to yet once more it's not all that black and white. Some were abused and thrown out into the streets, some didn't have parents period, they are isolated by society because of how they look, which on a sidebar I personally feel if a place doesn't hire you because you got a nose piercing, or a tatoo, or you got some mad punk hair, or awesome studded clothing, that is discriminatory and as your attorney I advise you to take that matter to tribunal. It's a hard thing to watch but goddamn it, it is happening way too much even today and I am happy all the profits from the film were donated to various charities for homeless people and abused kids. The world has a lot of f***ing problems in it that we're kinda taught to look the other way at. I can see why this collection of films were chosen to be archived and preserved for cultural and artistic significance, it just lays it out there and tells it how it is, and the filmmakers who worked on all three should be commended. I hate ending on a downer but when you're talking life through film, it's rarely a happy ending. 4 stars, 9/10, I do urge people to watch every one of them and hope you get as much as I did out of it. Thank you for joining me this week, till next time take care of yourselves and each other.

Wednesday, January 26, 2022

The Decline Of Western Civilization: Part 2

Now we're talking.




It almost kind of breaks my heart the film and director could only do metal bands in the Los Angeles part of the world cause man, heavy metal is global and it really started reaching to so many countries and was an institution by the time this documentary was filmed between 1986 and 1988. Same style as before but with more of an emphasis on band interviews I found, but seeing so many bands I'm familiar with was a real treat. I feel the lens is more showcasing the attitude and perseverance of more up and coming bands, the film spends a lot of time talking to them, what made them get into rock and roll, their experiences and thoughts on the music, what might possibly happen if they don't make it big, and I found it super entertaining and even compelling. Once again, very candid and honest from all the bands regardless if they're talking to Ozzy or Lizzy Borden, albeit it's very lighthearted and it does make you laugh. I feel that's almost a requirement for rock stars is to have a good sense of humor, because the whole thing of being a rockstar is kind of this power fantasy and you can't let it get to your head man. I do somewhat wish they talked to fans of heavy metal music as they did in Part 1, that's a plethora of material to use for a documentary all by itself but at the same time you kind of get the best of both worlds when you see these super young bands voice their passion and love for metal and will die trying to make it to the top. It's damn near inspirational, to where I caught myself thinking a few times "I could be in a band, I could perform, we got this man! We got this by the ass!" it gets you fired up and thinking you could achieve anything. People think oh heavy metal, it's very loud and mean and satanic and blah blah blah, honest to God there are some mighty nice folks who dig heavy metal and the performers themselves are real personable and appreciative of the fans. I can hear these guys tell stories and share their thoughts and feelings on music all bloody day, it just does that good a job immersing you in this community. Yes, you are gonna be hearing a bunch of very young men pressing hard on the topic of sex, I will not blame them. They are hormone fueled, late teens to early 20s guys who want to rock on, in the 80s, I will cut them some slack. And that brings me to a giant point that I appreciate so much about this, is it shows both sides of the coin, you see guys say hell yeah to sex and you see women all game for a bit of hey hey, you see some rockstars talk about being alcoholics and doing drugs and you see some who want no part of drugs and just want to do music, it's such a simple thing to show multiple facets of the same topic but I like they included that. I wasn't a headbanger or a metal head until about 2 years ago, and I know I still got tons more to learn and explore from the different styles, and I'm very happy I started listening in the first place. Again, not really expecting this film to convert people or make them more devoted to heavy metal music, it's just another portal of time to observe and get some entertainment out of it. 4 stars, 9.5/10! And Part 3 is coming your way tomorrow.

Tuesday, January 25, 2022

The Decline Of Western Civilization: Part 1

Very different material to work with on this show but sometimes you need to go out to the edge.





From the same in my consideration, brilliant woman who directed Wayne's World comes a documentary filmed between 1979 and 1980 delving into the Los Angeles punk rock scene, not so much as to get all philosophical and get to the meaning of the culture, community, and music but more just to showcase the community and music. It's a super loose documentary with no real beginning or end, intercutting footage of the bands performing, and brief off stage personal time asking them questions and the like, with a dash of interviewing the fans of punk music. It's super candid and doesn't shy away from any aspect, drugs and alcohol are talked about, it gets them cuss words and hateful shit in there, the moshing before it was called moshing and why people get into those scuffs, but it doesn't potray punk rockers or punk fans in a demonizing way. Hell some of them don't even fit the mental image of a punk, and some are very laid back, casual, nice to talk with, it shows them as people and not menaces to society. Now I will fully admit on record, I don't generally know much about punk rock despite my love and appreciation for all the subgenres of rock and roll. So I was more or less just an open minded witness to this sub community in all it's wild glory. But you better believe I was jamming to the music and really dug the hell out of some of the bands, primarily Black Flag and X both onstage and off stage, they just seemed like super nice folks who do not take themselves that seriously at all, and could play quite well. I'm not expecting anyone to fully understand the genre or even the people who enjoy it by watching this, but it's a very unique window into a time period over 50 years ago now to just see what it was like. It's almost very very difficult to critique documentaries, because what the hell are documentaries? To me, it's film footage on an event, a period of history, an individual, an environment. Whether it be nature documentaries by the BBC, or the CNN documentaries on the 60s through the 90s as they cover all aspects of that decade from entertainment to politics to fashion. So obviously this does indeed focus on punk rock, so now the question comes is it enjoyable and even a bit informative? I would say yeah, it does dig a tiny bit into why people enjoy punk rock, why they get into fights, what drives them, what are the bands like, it had my interest throughout. I will say the best parts of it was when the director was interviewing people outside of the bands, club owners, the fans themselves, because you get the best picture of that time and place in the world when you hear them discuss this type of music. It's not super flashy production wise either, the cameras have that unique grain and color saturation that only 70s cameras can give you, it moves very freely, there's not too much structure in the overall "story" of the thing. But I enjoyed it and I wouldn't mind broadening my brain into this genre though I think history showed punk went to the wayside fast once metal music kicked off good and hard. Which is what Part 2 will cover and we will discuss tomorrow. I give Part 1 a solid 3.5 stars, 8.5/10, and a firm recommendation.

Thursday, January 20, 2022

In Retrospect: Halloween Kills

This I think is the in retrospect most sorely deserved.





Because I kinda had a love/hate thing going on with Halloween Kills, I thought the story needed to focus it's attention more, I thought there was a ton of fan stuff thrown in for no good reason, and like most sequels didn't reach the same heights as the previous installment. On second viewing, a lot of that has been mended for me and I better understand the point of the movie. After all this is the middle chapter of a trilogy, it would be kind of redundant to see Laurie go toe to toe with Michael and come up short yet again so I completely understand why the filmmakers did what they did. I mean really think about this, Haddonfield has been the setting for the majority of these movies but you never really get a firm grasp on what the town's mentality is around Halloween, how do the residents feel when Michael has struck again, we genuinely don't know much about this famous fictional town and this movie if nothing else gives the setting some depth. You see more of the neighborhoods, you see a ton of people both survivors of past attacks and people who just live there. I very much complained the movie went on tangents with all these different folks and didn't give any time to the Strode family, now I think that was entirely the point. And I was foolish to think that because this series has spent a fair bit of runtime on side characters who just end up dying later on, hello Tina, hello John's friends from 20 Years Later, and so on. Slasher movies do that. It wasn't even because it was boring or badly acted, it isn't and I know a fair few people gave this movie good grief and I even agreed with them until I watched it again. Many people pointed to how does everyone mistake the other escaped patient from the last movie for Michael? I firmly agreed with them until they show two photos on TV in the bar, umbrella guy and Michael, they do not make any distinction as to who is who and when an angry, illogical, irrational lynch mob forms with the resounding chant of "evil dies tonight" starts jumping at shadows and chasing the wrong guy it's easy to see where such an audience reaction would come about. And there is no doubt some big message in that scene where something along the lines of, a hateful, irrational, and quickly growing mob will chase anyone and anything even if they are told it is wrong and through their blind anger and witch hunting, innocent lives will be lost. Okay, I get it. Humans are bastards and idiotic bastards at that. Fear is an insurmountably potent weapon. I know. Really that was the only thing that did not improve on second viewing, I still hated it just as much as I did the first go around. Everything else, I'm down for. Production was good though made on a relatively small budget of 20 million, music was still excellent throughout, the cast God bless them for coming back even if just to be a corpse so well done to every single one of them, the kills are still just as disturbing and gruelling as I remembered I mean this guy when he kills people is a hateful motherf***er and it is wonderful, the story worked better mostly and even though I watched the extended cut with the different ending I didn't notice that much new stuff and I dare say I like the alternate ending better. It's decent, it's not a dumpster fire, it's not a modern horror classic, it's good. I bump it up to 3 stars, 7.5/10, and we will see how it ends this October. If it somehow gets bloodier, I shall approve.

Wednesday, January 19, 2022

In Retrospect: No Time To Die

Here we go.




We get to have a chat now folks. I'll try to be concise but this is most likely gonna be one of those long reviews, covering almost everything from opening shot to end credits, so shall we begin. Excellent gunbarrel sequence despite the lack of blood, second only to Casino Royale in my opinion for the Craig era. Opening sequence dips it's toes in some horror and really that whole scene is directed so wonderfully and easily ramps the tension high with Safin quite brutally and yet mostly unseen killing Madeleine's mom, it's just muy bien. I will level with you, after that scene and we meet up with James and Madeleine when he says "We have all the time in the world." and those opening chords of that song started playing all I could think was, f*** she's gonna die. She's gonna die! She's gonna get shot in the head or poisoned or some shit, oh God! I know Bond films don't really rip each other off, even in the case of Moonraker being a more space orientated, science fact, remake of The Spy Who Loved Me it doesn't tread the same waters. But that genuinely was my first impression. Bond visiting Vesper's grave really hit for me, when he tries to find the words and says I miss you, I was friggin' getting teary eyed man. I mean who knew least of all Eva Green, how big and impactful this character would be 4 movies after Casino Royale. The car action with the DB5 is awesome, best car action since Die Another Day. Yes, I said that. Also best use of the DB5 since Goldfinger, well done writers. Now for the opening titles. I don't follow modern music, I have never heard a Billie Eilish song in my life before this and it is definitely one of the more moody, downbeat, kinda depressing Bond songs. But not really in a bad way, it works real good for this movie and the animations presented are maybe my favorite of the Criag era. We're gonna come back to the story but I wanted to give the cast some love real quick. Daniel, best performance of his movies in this series hands down. All our returning MI6 personnel, good as always and it's nice to see Tanner again. I still don't fully buy the whole big love story of Bond and Madeleine but Lea Seydoux has a lot more to do in this movie and therefore gives a much better performance. Rami Malek is such a great villain in the more, quiet, soft spoken, yet still utterly insane and threatning way. As a man who loves Javier Bardem a good fair bit, and still says Rami is more my favorite goes to show how well he did this role. Lashana Lynch as Nomi, I didn't necessarily hate though I did love that total f*** you jab to all the people who were like, let's make James Bond a woman. Well there you go, a lady 007 and it's canon, so toddle along and play with your crusades elsewhere. Fine actor, really felt the character however was not so much in a playful workplace banter sort of relationship and honestly hand over my heart, felt kinda man hating. I really don't like even thinking that, it's such a stupid pile of motherf***ing bullf*** to hate or discredit people based on gender period, but man it just seemed she despised everything about James and constantly wanted to be the best. I did not get the Ana de Armas love, I saw her in Blade Runner 2049 and really really liked her in that and her character Joi was super lovely, I saw her in Knives Out and was behind her character all the way and thought she was a total wee sweetie pie, but citizens of the world I do declare....I get it now after seeing her in No Time To Die. I love everything about her, her skills, her humor, her personality, the dress, mother of God have mercy on me I was crushing quick and hard folks. Christoph Waltz comes back one last time and while not having much to do, did good work and on second rewatch I like his final scene more. Plus I'm just a sucker for when the producers take bits of Fleming's works and injects them into the story, so the whole 'die Blofeld die' thing I liked. Back to the story with my man, my loved and appreciated man, Jeffrey Wright back as Felix and it hurt to see him die. It really should have occured to me sooner how this all was gonna end with just how many people, big characters bite the dust in this movie. First Felix that hit like a sack of bricks, then Blofeld which really floored me that they had the balls to do that. So the whole Cuba sequence is super well done and I love it, onwards to the Swann household. I did actually catch Madeliene placing her hand on her stomach during the pre-titles sequence, and I was thinking are we really doing this? Yes, yes we are. James Bond has a daughter in this movie, I don't truly hate that and again it's showing the producers and writers really pushing the envelope for this series. The shootout in the foggy woods is beautifully shot with such good cinematography and delivers another super cold kill by Bond reminding me of Dalton and even Moore in For Your Eyes Only. Now for the finale, 10/10 best villain base since like Moonraker for me personally, I know it owes so so much to Dr. No and the work Ken Adam had in the concepts of all those big villain lairs, but this is a whole other level and is designed to perfection. Both encounters Bond has with Safin are very well written and do such a good job showing how out there he really is, and once again a pretty brutal cold kill for Bond. Okay. This I'm sure is what everyone wants to know what I think. James Bond dies. That's a pretty big deal, and when it happened in the cinema my reaction was exactly, "Are you kidding me? R-really??" because all I felt was shock and disbelief. Obviously I knew this was Daniel's last hurrah and considering how tightly knit the story and continuity was I really had no idea how the movie could have ended. I also know Ian Fleming basically for a time did kill James Bond in the books, he was posioned and was dying on the last page of From Russia With Love and like Arthur Conan Doyle with Sherlock Holmes brought the character back for more stories. So I know technically this has happened before, kinda sorta, but to see James be obliterated by missiles and have some down time to see the emotional fallout of that has impact. And I have no idea who said this but it is so undoubtfully true but they said, people are going to remember this is the film that killed James Bond and not the film where he was given a family, and that hits hard man. I mean hearing the whole song of We Have All The Time In The World in particular the orchestral score right before end credits really made the tears fall, it hinges a bit on viewers who have seen On Her Majesty's Secret Service which is like top 5 Bond films for me for that song to mean something. But obviously it worked on me effortlessly, and yes both those movies share a very depressing ending which I will let the readers decide which is sadder. James cradling his dead wife from a drive by shooting remarking we have all the time in the world, or James telling Madeliene you have all the time in the world and knows his daughter has his eyes before being incinerated. I can't truly fathom the audience reaction seeing Majesty's in the cinema, and I could tell a lot of people in my theater didn't really know how to take it. I've heard stories of audience members hearing people say well I guess there aren't going to be more Bond movies, but I bring good news. At the very very very end of the credits we still have it, James Bond will return, thank Christ. But where do we go now? I hate to see our MI6 cast be dropped but...I mean, what can you do? If I was speaking my mind, and I always do, I'd give it 5 years before the next James Bond movie even starts production. I do appreciate, enjoy, and understand the movie better than the first time so I do bump my grade up to 4 stars, 8.5/10. I know this is a tricky movie for folks to get their definite views on and rightfully so but the stuff I genuinely love is in abundance and even with something that would never ever be so casually thrown into a script, people take a lot of consideration when doing stuff like that. You don't kill James Bond, or Luke Skywalker, or Superman on a whim unless you damn well have good reason for it. I don't like seeing it, but that doesn't mean I hate it from a storytelling aspect. There is a difference and people need to make that distinction. If you're still with me thank you so much for joining me, and tomorrow we dig into another possible lengthy discussion with Halloween Kills.

Tuesday, January 18, 2022

In Retrospect: Venom Let There Be Carnage

Time again to look back.




I think I get it more now. Originally in my review I said they knew what they were going for and succeeded, and on second viewing I enjoyed it more than the first time. I respect it a lot too, it is this sort of batshit comic book movie that is fairly loose on logic and rightfully so when you have a story with shifting alien blobs and super sonic screams that would make Rob Halford jealous, it's there to entertain and I applaud it for that. I think we need more comic book movies like this, it has the same attitude as a 90s comic book movie it doesn't take itself seriously and is there to give you a good time. I'm happy we get this cast back, I'm happy we get to see a continuation of Eddie and Venom's life/romance/crimefighting, and God I'm gonna get so much shit for this. I'm gonna say it anyway. Tom Hardy is cast better as Eddie Brock than Bane, and I very much liked Bane in The Dark Knight Rises it was a very good performance, but he can have a wild time with this script and it's infectious how humorous he plays it. I gave some good grief over how they handled Anne and her standing with Eddie, but it didn't bug me much this time around and should make for an interesting dynamic if God willing there be a 3rd movie. Do it, I want you to do it. If you seriously think that I would not attend the day one premiere of a movie where Eddie and Venom beach bum about, watching spanish soap operas, and trying to keep a low profile as their odd couple antics increase, then you must be new. Hi, welcome, we love the odd stuff here, hope you stick around. I can see a ton of people really bash this movie when it comes to Woody Harrelson and Naomi Harris, not so much because of the actors but the characters themselves. Oh they completely gave no respect to Carnage and his story, and I have no comment on that because I can't name two symbiotes beyond our hero and villain in this, and I really need to watch more Atop The Fourth Wall to learn more Spidey and Venom information. I can't believe how foolish I was though, I was sitting there the whole time in the theater thinking, "Why is that woman so strikingly beautiful? Why do I think I've seen her before?" when clearly as bright as daylight, as frank as Frankenstein, that's Naomi Harris gracing my vision. I wish to apologize for that. Still though, best scene, maybe even my favorite scene in a comic book movie in the last 5 or so years, Venom taking the stage. I don't care, I love it. It is so damn weird and mostly superfluous to the plot, but I adore it and I'm so happy it exists. And I'm giving some long overdue praise to Peggy Lu, Mrs. Chen shine on you crazy diamond. We need to give her so much attention and love, she is brilliant, the movies would not be as good without her, I have spoken. And I know sequels are very difficult to do, because there is precedent. No one knew how the first Venom movie would go, least of all me, and it was a weird hot mess that I now love, so when you get a second movie you want it to be as good as the first if not better. And while I don't think that, my estimation still has went up from the first time watch of it. So the score is now 3 stars, 7.5/10, you can enjoy it and you can take it as seriously as it wants to be which isn't much at all. I had kind of a ehhhh it's okay, now I think it's a decent movie and I feel that is the trend for this week when tomorrow we unpack....a lot with an in retrospect of No Time To Die.

Saturday, January 15, 2022

Licorice Pizza

I always save the best for last, and I totally did not mean to forget to post it yesterday.




You know my stance on romance movies, so the fact I'm reviewing this alone should be reason enough to hunt this movie down and watch it. Once more we look at a facet of the complex, shining, crazy diamond that is relationships as we meet Gary and Alana and this is where it becomes complicated to talk about this movie. Because I have so much I could say and yet don't want to say anything, because the way their relationship forms is so endearing, simple yet strange, and absolutely real. Cause Gary, my f***ing man, is the smoothest bastard I've seen in my life. He hits on her out of the blue one day and she inexplicably against her own protests goes to meet him for a Coca-Cola, and it's this real tightrope situation where they are undoubtedly best friends but a lot of people flat out ask them, hey are you guys a thing now, and they genuinely say yes and no. At first I thought it was a modern story but it actually takes place during the early 70s, the clothes, the appliances, the world events, and it works surprisingly well for the story plus I'm a sucker to see that decade. I love our leads, Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman are honestly a bit too good. I can't say one bad thing about them, they play it so well and with an abundance of sincerity. You buy the romance, they do things just to spite one another, they do have conflicting emotions, they can be quite weird. That's kids man. That is romance at a young age where they have nothing to compare it to, they're just trying to figure it out. I think movies like this will stand the test of time far more than your regular love story fare. But it's damn funny too, I was probably the only person in that theater laughing consistently, honestly even to the point where I thought I was laughing too loud that I was disturbing the viewing for everyone else. It's a bizarre but highly effective use of comedy and one that hit my buttons just right. I haven't seen many Paul Thomas Anderson movies, only Boogie Nights before this but I sure noticed he loves him some long takes, moving long takes at that which worked wonderfully. The camera moves frequently and scenes take their time which I appreciate. They don't need to rush, they just ride this weird torpedo to the end, and it immerses you in the time period and more importantly the relationship. It is worth every second. I quite loved this movie and do urge people to see it when you can. I give it 4 stars, 9/10, a surprise to be sure but a welcome one.

Wednesday, January 12, 2022

The King's Man

Humble beginnings indeed.





Not entirely what the trailers would have you believe, but still good. I was fully expecting an action packed full on origin story of the Kingsmen, but the story goes much farther beyond that. The film takes place during The Great War, and I'm almost positive you would have to be a hardcore World War 1 buff to fully understand everything that happens because the film deals with so many incidents from the assassination of Franz Ferdinand to the rise of Lenin, and all the while we follow the founding father of the Kingsmen and his son as they try to personally end the mastermind behind the war. It's a good story, throws you for some hard loops and yet I somehow still called out the hidden villain. The cast treat it seriously, it has nowhere near the level of over the top, save for one weird ass scene, or action as the first, so it focuses on the characters which I appreciate. I can see some people think of this as a nothing entry in the Kingsmen series, but I see it for what it is and do like how the story progresses. If anything it made me really want to look up the history of World War 1 and how it started, cause everyone talks WWII but I don't know much about it. I do want to know how we got from Czars of Russia to Marxist-Leninism, I do want to know about the battles, so even if the movie did nothing for me it made me want to increase my knowledge. But it's a solid good movie, I personally give it 3 stars, 7/10, and next time we finally talk about the film that stole the #2 spot on my top 10.

Monday, January 10, 2022

The 355

Alright, I'm back and I wish it was on grander circumstances.




Sort of breaking the rules this year reviewing a movie not on opening day but I think the game is changing this year for reviews. I really thought nothing of The 355 before seeing it, it looked like harmless action movie fluff and I can appreciate that, but it just was a bunch of average. Credit where credit is due the cast commits to this, all our leading ladies do decent work with the action and bits of espionage, even the big moments of emotion work well! It's a bit of a no brainer plot that essentially boils down to, this device could start World War 3, agents from all around the world join to retrieve it, bang bang you're dead, we won, okay bye. However. The movie has moments, it has little glimmers and shinies, that make it a bit better than average. I like how all our agents aren't besties off the bat, they fight each other and get in the way of the other's mission before they all join in, which I am also pleased to say happens early on so you don't have to wait until the end or even the halfway point it seemed. Each operative has little touches of backstory, some stated and some not, and while they are not full three dimensional characters it all works. I like how the movie actually took me for a twist or two and did stuff I fully was not thinking it would do, I will give props to it for that. The action is....average without bashing it too hard, I blame more the editing than the actual choreography why it didn't work so good for me, you get a decent amount and each is different from the last. The location shoots are nice, again adding variety here and there and it does give some nice visuals. Nothing really popped out at me though besides the cast who even still, kinda deserved a better written story to work with. Action movies are very difficult to do and to add some variety and spice to a very tired, very easily halfassed genre. You're gonna forget this movie in about 3 days and I repeat, I did not expect anything from it if anything I was hoping in the back of my head it would throw me for a loop and have a kind of cult action hit vibe to it. I really didn't want to hate it and I suppose I don't, it's just so middle of the road nothing. A lot of people gave shit to The Protege and said it was very much in the same vein of action movie as this, I strongly disagree, you should go rent that movie it is better than you think, you can easily skip this one. 2 stars, 5.5/10, and because I have nothing else to do The King's Man is coming up next time.

Sunday, January 9, 2022

Top 10 Films of 2021

Start the countdown.



10. Halloween Kills. I had problems with it but at the same time I am endlessly fascinated how this ends and I did enjoy it for what it was.


9. The Protege. Leave me be, it's a solid movie man and it has Michael Keaton in it as a villain! Come on!

8. Cry Macho. Clint does it again with a good story, solid connections, and one of the most gosh dang happiest endings ever.

7. The Suicide Squad. Wild superhero stuff, would have made it higher if you didn't off Polka Dot Man. For shame.

6. Dune. Re-evaluation will come when I see the rest but I certainly am here for the ride!

5. Candyman. Excellent modern telling with a unique spin and wonderful production.

4. No Time To Die. Don't worry we're gonna talk about it again, but I did enjoy so much of it and respect it for the big things it did.

3. Last Night In Soho. Mental, visually stunning, and an interesting plot. I couldn't ask for more.

2. Godzilla Vs. Kong. May have been juggling a few stories and had some weak elements, but it's a competently made movie and a gigantic treat to have seen in the cinema.

1. Cruella. Yes. I just did that. I loved it, I thought it was f***ing class, no I am never taking it back.



Breaking the law, breaking the law! And it continues on with our first week of reviews starting tomorrow, see you there.