Favorite films

Pinned reviews

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  The Irishman 2019

  ★★★½ Watched 13 Oct 2019

  A sprawling epic of Mafia machinations throughout 20th century American history, dutifully ticking the expected boxes – Castro, JFK, Watergate, Hoffa – and providing ample space for its ageing cast to shine once more, thanks in large part to a surprisingly and consistently amusing script.

  Pacino is the indisputable standout as the aforementioned Jimmy Hoffa. The doomed union leader is an absolutely loveable rogue in a very shouty and humorous turn that gleefully recalls Al's early 90’s excesses from Scent…

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  Joker 2019

  ★★★½ Watched 04 Oct 2019

  In which a bullied mental outpatient takes revenge on society with a handgun.

  The opinion going around that this movie could inspire violence is preposterous - no society would be fucking stupid enough to make guns so easily available...

Recent reviews

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  The Dead Don't Die 2019

  ★★½ Watched 12 Jul 2019

  This is about 70% Jarmusch and 30% zombies. And it needed to be the other way round to be any good.

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  Brightburn 2019

  ★★★½ Watched 19 Jun 2019

  Terrifying reimagining of the Superman story, with the pubescent Boy of Steel breaking bad all over this dark mash-up of a superhero and horror movie, and containing the genre thrills of both in abundance.

  About as far away as you can get from yet another Disney cartoon with coloured stones - and all the better for it.

Popular reviews

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  Scarecrow 1973

  ★★★½ Added 2

  There is a new answer to the 'hidden gem' question. It's Scarecrow, starring Al Pacino when he was still young and beautiful and Gene Hackman, when he was still, erm, a very charismatic man.

  They are both ex-con drifters, drawn together by common ineptitude. Along their meandering journey, director Jerry Schatzburg treats us to a ground level view of Nixon's America, in particular the rust belt, in all its rustic would-be glory.

  Yes, it's the Odd Couple On Tour, but the acting is compelling in its working class verisimilitude, and the film is gifted with a finale rich in understated affection.

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  The Equalizer 2014

  ★★½ Added 5

  The Equalizer has found itself in a fortunate position. This tale of a former Black Ops soldier (Denzel Washington) taking on the entire Boston wing of the Russian mob comes at a time when Russo-American relations are at an all-time low for this century. Capitalism capitalises and Denzel against the Russkies consequently broke a few minor box office records when it debuted last September.

  Those mafia fiends have even taken possession of Hollywood teen princess Chloe Grace Moretz and have…