Over on Twitter I run an account that gives movie reviews in twenty words or less. In a fast and moving world, attention spans can be short, especially on social media. I challenged myself to strip away the excess fat from reviews and post my succinct thoughts that get to the heart of how I feel. New releases, old classics, first-time viewings, and tenth time rewatches
See below for a round-up of the last two month’s content.
Secrets and Lies – Tightly constructed melodrama with not a sentence of dialogue wasted. Perfect casting ensures you’re emotionally engaged, without even realising it.
Modern Times – A high point in slapstick comedy with Chaplin at his best. Looks great today, must have been mind-blowing in 1936.
Space Sweepers – A little cheesy and predictable, but high production values and colorful characters make it a blast to watch. Uncomplicated entertainment.
Palm Springs – A familiar concept in a fresh guise, it gets the balance between proper laughs and heartfelt romance just right. Quality.
Sound of Metal – At it’s core, a movie about the acceptance of change. Fantastically immersive sound design matched only by Riz Ahmed’s performance.
The Final Girls – Horror spoof playing on genre tropes, with some pretty impressive scenes. Runs out of steam but much better than expected.
The Matrix – Often imitated but never bettered, a high point in action and sci-fi cinema that’s aged remarkably well.
Maborosi – A look at tragedy and loss that’s delicately paced and intentionally slow, leading to a very real, hypnotic effect.
Tell No One – Tightly paced thriller full of mystery and suspense. Multiple twists will have you guessing until the very end. Brilliant.
Saint Maud – Disorientating direction and sound make for a really unsettling experience. In a good way. And it absolutely nails the ending.
Red Cliff (original version)– Nearly five hours of epic battle scenes and martial arts action, mixed with lots of John Woo cheese. Absolute bliss.
Shin Godzilla – Great showcase of Godzilla as a destructive force and bureaucratic nightmare, but left me craving a little more monster action.
Tenet – Spectacular visuals, audio and action but the incredibly convoluted plot really grated on me by the end.
The Mitchells vs. the Machines – Charming animated adventure, made for kids but had me laughing more than most adult comedies have in recent years.
Love and Monsters – Might not be particularly memorable but it’s a decent way to waste a few hours. Light and enjoyable entertainment.
Hellraiser – The Cenobites still look unbelievably disturbing today and the story maintains an original feel. Revolting. Terrifying. Proper nightmare fuel.
Army of the Dead – Far too long and full of clichés but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy myself.
The Quiet Family – Kim Jee-woon’s debut starts slowly but ends hilariously. An awesome cast and early sign of the great things to come.
The Great Silence – Everything I could ever want from a Spaghetti Western, with added snow and a brutally uncompromising ending. Sergio Corbucci’s best.
Have you seen any of these films and if so, what are your thoughts?
