COMPLETE: Tafty's Movies of 2023 • COUNTDOWN

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COMPLETE: Tafty's Movies of 2023 • COUNTDOWN, 105 Movies. One year. 2023.

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Tafty³³³ View member profile	21st January 2024, 08:04 PM Post #21
I found the love, I found the love in me Pronouns: He/Him Joined: 13 December 2007 Posts: 87,463 User: 5,042	QUOTE(JackTheeStallion @ Jan 14 2024, 10:16 PM) I really enjoyed Joy Ride! By no means perfect but it was still a lot of fun imo It's a cute movie. I just think it's largely forgettable and not sure I'd be too fussed if I never saw it again </3 QUOTE(UltraCruelSummer @ Jan 15 2024, 09:58 PM) Babylon and Gran Turismo deserved better x (I hate that I high key stan the latter film but I do oops) Bottom 15 i agree mostly x I’ve seen like ten of them, my fave of those was The Boogeyman but that would also be bottom half in my ranking! The flash cgi was hideous 90-81 oh no x justice for Anatomy of a December Asteroid Fall in the Dial of Feelings Destiny x I didn't hate them two either. I just have a really high rating system this year it seems Both enjoyable cinema movies! Yeah 'The Flash' was horrendous! 'The Boogeyman' disappointed me so much! UGHHHHH. It pisses me off how much I hate it 'Indiana' I didn't hate! It was mid, but I think I liked it more than most & enjoyed 'No Hard Feelings' somewhat! The other 2 though... no thank you. I'm ok with not being bored out of my brain watching those again! Thank youuuuu <3 QUOTE(Chez Wombat @ Jan 21 2024, 12:08 AM) Loved BlackBerry & Sisu too and M3GAN was a lot of fun. How to Blow up a Pipeline was really interesting as well as eco-terrorists are so often demonised in the mainstream media, it's interesting to see a film get made making them more sympathetic. Oppenheimer was one of my favourite cinematic experiences, the sound design in the bomb testing scene had me gripped. Incredible performances and all round style as well. Probably didn't need to be that long, but I was invested for most of it. I really loved The Boy and the Heron, a lot of it was derived from his own childhood experiences which I think really enhanced the emotional heart of the movie. It's weird iyeah but I think it was going for an Alice's Adventures in Wonderland vibe to it which I really loved. I'm interested in The Blackening, I do like horror films that go a bit meta! 'Blackberry' surprised me majorly. I think it does what 'Air' and 'Dumb Money' try to do, so, SO much better! 'Sisu' was fun & yeah, 'M3GAN' was a lot of fun too. I agree about 'How To Blow Up...' and it was very interesting they went that route for the movie! Refreshing take on that kind og story though. I can't fault 'Oppenheimer' for the technical side of things. Incredible detailing and the acting especially. But I would be fine not watching it ever again and use my 3 hours doing/watching something I would enjoy much more. 'The Boy & The Heron' was fine to me, but I do find it very overrated. I just thought it lacked the emotional gravitas that Studio Ghibli usually give us. So I was disappointed in that aspect. Oh 'The Blackening' is SOOOO fun! Definitely worth the watch if and when you can! Thanks Chez <3


Tafty³³³ View member profile	21st January 2024, 09:01 PM Post #22
I found the love, I found the love in me Pronouns: He/Him Joined: 13 December 2007 Posts: 87,463 User: 5,042	030. SOCIETY OF THE SNOW Score out of 5: ★★★★ [UK Release Date: 22nd December] I do like a good big budget movie based on true events. This is no different. J. A. Bayona did some really impressive work on this one. I like that it focused solely on the victims and didn’t do the whole “back and forth” with their families/rescue teams etc… it made you really rally for the victims and at times you even felt like one of them because you’d spent more time with them. It’s insane what they had to go through. Especially the weather conditions they had to endure. A strong biopic about an incident I had little (to none??) knowledge about! The only major downside for me again is the (shock horror) length of the movie. It could’ve been condensed down, however I don’t mind it with movies like this as it helps you sympathise and empathise for what they had to go through for so long… I’m sure I can endure the length of these movies lol. ---- 029. MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - DEAD RECKONING (PART 1) Score out of 5: ★★★★ [UK Release Date: 14th July] Been meaning to catch this for a few weeks now but I kept forgetting I hadn’t seen it yet lol. Another solid and good entry into the Mission: Impossible franchise. But it suffers from the same flaws as a few of the other ones… the stunts and action set pieces are incredible. Done to perfection. However, not only are they convenient but they go on and on and on, ESPECIALLY the last sequence with the train! My God it felt like it was the same thing for 4 different train carts lmao! Like… OK get on with itttt! But the major highlights for me were the women! Specifically Pom Klementieff. I NEEEEED more of her in the next one. But Hayley was great too. Overall a lot of fun and another consistent and strong entry to this franchise. I just wish they would tighten some of the sequences to prevent them from going on so long. This is my 1000th Letterboxd entry! ---- 028. SCRAPPER Score out of 5: ★★★★ [UK Release Date: 25th August] Was really into this but then at random moments it’d cut to silly documentary-lite interviews and random cut-scenes to talking spiders which added literally nothing to the plot of the story or anything. However, everything else was really nice and ended up being such a cute little British-Indie movie. I really loved the dynamic between Jason and Georgie. Lola Campbell is a star in the waiting! Her line execution and delivery was perfect! Between Triangle of Sadness, this and the upcoming (for us in the UK at least) The Iron Claw, Harris Dickinson has an incredible future ahead of him and is one of the UK’s most promising actors right now. ---- 027. THEATER CAMP Score out of 5: ★★★★ [UK Release Date: 25th August] At least I know what a Mr. G spin off Summer Heights High movie could be like!! Really enjoyed my time with this. I thought everything played out the way it was supposed to really well. I do think it could have had a little bit more heart/character development as I thought the son entered being a douche but was immediately not? I just don’t think they fleshed his character out enough for such a whiplash effect. But it’s only a minor thing. This is my thing and I would welcome more! ---- 026. PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH Score out of 5: ★★★★ [UK Release Date: 3rd February] Wait… hold tf UP???? How is this so good? Legit one of the best stories and screenplays I’ve seen, especially for an animation, for a long, long time. Every beat was hit perfectly. My slight criticism is that I didn’t like the inconsistent animation at various points. Felt very Bad Guys in that sense although not as overdone as that was so it wasn’t too distracting, just got a bit annoying when it was happening for me. It was everything you could probably want from a movie based on “fairytales” tbh. I’m actually shocked as I’m not a huge fan of the Shrek franchise generally. The Big Bad Wolf is one of the scariest and terrifying villains in movie tbh. Yes, he was that good! I’m shocked. ---- 025. PEARL Score out of 5: ★★★★ [UK Release Date: 17th March] Another great addition to the X franchise. Mia Goth has given us the annual female horror movie performance with this turn. Great stuff by her. I love that Ti clearly has a vision for this franchise and it's what makes this all work. It doesn't come off as forced or ingenuine & it doesn't feel like a "cash grab". He has a plan and it has so far paid off very well for him. It lost me a tad with one too many overlong monologue sequences (as powerful as they ended up being) but overall it was sharply executed and the gruesome deaths weren't just for shock value. I loved seeing Pearl spiral and loved seeing how long it'd take for her to switch. It was incredibly effective in the final killing scene as that was really terrifying! --- 2nd REVIEW I’m in the very small minority that prefers X to this. However, the only issue I have with this movie is that it’s fairly slow and I love a good monologue but I find this has one too many and kinda slows it down more. Apart from that, I love this and even on a rewatch, seeing Pearl spiral in the way she does is just brilliant to see and Mia Goth truly puts in one of the greatest horror performances of all time and is yet another example of how stupid it is that awards season continuously overlooks horror performances. ---- 024. THE MARVELS Score out of 5: ★★★★ [UK Release Date: 10th November] Oh yeahhhh! This was exactly what I wanted from it. Just a short, sweet, FUN and funny Marvel superhero movie. The chemistry between the main 3 actresses was (unsurprisingly) amazing! Brie & Teyonah were excellent but the heart came from Iman. The villain is extremely 1 dimensional and “surface level” but that is ok for a movie like this. Reminded me a lot of the Phase 1 kind of villains. Tbf the MCU have never really been too strong on the villain side of things (bar a few exceptions). The action sequences were some of the most innovative I’ve seen in a superhero movie to date. Their power switch up made for some exciting and enthralling sequences. The Flerkittens… omg. Having Monica and Kamala there experiencing Aladna at the same time as us really prevented that whole scene become a bit too cheesy and cringe. It ended up being camp fun! This was also the best version of Captain Marvel we’ve seen to date. Idk but I had a BLAST with this. I cannot wait to experience it again in all honesty. It felt very early phase 2 MCU and I loved that tbh. --- 2nd REVIEW 2nd time and still just as fun, funny and just an all out good time. It’s just an entertaining movie and I’m sorry to those who don’t find enjoyment in it tbh. Also, the fight sequences are some of the best in the MCU. So good!! --- 3rd REVIEW The most over-hated movie of 2023. I’m sorry. It’s just so fun. Switch your brain off and just enjoy the ride, fun. ---- 023. THE CREATOR Score out of 5: ★★★★ [UK Release Date: 28th September] I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this. I thought Gareth Edwards delivered a really strong, sci-fi epic that will become a bit of a cult classic. I’ve seen a few people say they found it quite “hollow” and that the characters were “weak” but I disagree. I found myself invested in the characters and thought the emotional beats were well done. The main flaw for me though is that it isn’t as original as it’s being hyped up to be. It’s literally a love letter to sci-fi movies in general (Rogue One (obvz), Blade Runner, District 9, Ex Machina etc..) and although not particularly original or unique, I think it honours those movies nicely. Also, I thought the “villain” was the blandest and most generic thing about this as Allison Janney delivers a performance that resembles a bit too much like Stephen Lang in the Avabore movies. Just boring and 2 Dimensional. Luckily though, there is more to focus on with this storywise than there was for those movies. We’ll see what I think on a rewatch but yeah, very happy with this and I am eager to revisit it again! Also, I love AI robots in these movies. I always sympthise and empathise more with them than humans lol. --- 2nd REVIEW Saw this again but this time in IMAX and it really is a thrilling, sci-fi epic to me. I managed to take a bit more in on the rewatch as sometimes with big blockbuster movies although you like them originally it can still be a little overwhelming, so it was nice to just immerse into that world again and take it all in that little bit more. Just a delight. ---- 022. ELEMENTAL Score out of 5: ★★★★ [UK Release Date: 7th July] This was really stunning visually and it’s one of Pixar’s most consistently strong stories in a while. It really does just play off as a classic 90’s/00’s rom-com, just in a Disney Pixar way. The social commentary was strong in this but it was so cleverly done in that it will resonate with further viewings for children as they grow up. They’ll see it in one way as a kid but then watch it again in like 10 years time and be like… oh wow! Ok! Really cute and my favourite Pixar offering for a while. Since Soul probably. ---- 021. SUZUME Score out of 5: ★★★★ [UK Release Date: 14th April] Another stunning display of animation and it’s even bolder than Weathering With You was. I still need to see Your Name but I am a fan of these movies so far. This one has a story that, on paper, sounds absurd, but actually works really beautifully. It’s also a bit meatier than WWY is and there’s just more in general to sink your teeth into. It is quite formulaic and generic in terms of being an anime movie, but it’s still execute well. It’s a really lovely and exciting movie with absolutely STUNNING animation (to the surprise of nobody). Can’t wait for the next Shinkai movie tbh.


Tafty³³³ View member profile	22nd January 2024, 07:07 PM Post #23
I found the love, I found the love in me Pronouns: He/Him Joined: 13 December 2007 Posts: 87,463 User: 5,042	020. TILL Score out of 5: ★★★★ [UK Release Date: 6th January] I am a sucker for biopics like this and this is one of the best in recent memory. Absolutey gut-wrenchingly overwhelming and powerful. Danielle Deadwyler gave a fantastic performance as Mamie. She deserved every award nomination that went her way and truly, deserved more. I knew little about this story, but I knew some of the basics. My jaw DROPPED (although should it have really??) when I read at the end that the men not only confessed to his murder, but got paid $4000 for their interview and continued living as free men. Also Carolyn… vile. This story is so sad and heartbreaking. But, it needed to be told. ---- 019. TALK TO ME Score out of 5: ★★★★ [UK Release Date: 28th July] 2023 is shaping up to be the strongest year for horror movies I have witnessed in a long, long time. The thing that makes Talk To Me stand out for me is that it takes a very “predictable” premise of a posessed object and those who hold/encounter it but flips it 180 to give us one of the most sinister, creepiest and unique entries to the posession sub-genre at the same time. It really excelled by not having jump scares and instead just relied solely on it’s nerve wrecking tension to build an uncomfortable dread and make it uncomfortable whilst watching. My only qualm really is that a couple of the characters (not actors! As they all knocked it out of the park!) were just down right shitty people lol. But, you still feel sorry for them somewhat so I guess that’s just the bonus of having a more complex character. Very impressed with this! Will definitely be rewatching this in the future! Equal parts horrifying and it actually had a really nice comedic balance to it to help relieve the stress. ---- 018. NIMONA Score out of 5: ★★★★ [UK Release Date: 23rd June] This was SOOOOOO good! I loved the story and I thought the voice cast were stellar! Chloë Grace Moretz especially! Riz Ahmed is continuing to prove himself as one of the most likeable actors of today, too. The only drawback for me is that the animation feels very dated to me. Although it wasn’t inconsistent or necessarily bad, it’s just not completely my thing. But this is 2nd to Spider-Verse to me for animation movies of the year. Honestly, I’m glad Disney fumbled this one. ---- 017. RYE LANE Score out of 5: ★★★★ [UK Release Date: 17th March] A really cute, charming, funny Rom-Com. Really compelling lead performances by both David Jonsson and Vivian Oprah. Very strong chemistry and a distinctly British and unique directing style by Raine Allen-Miller that prevents this from being a completely generic movie. The screenplay underneath the unique directing style though is pretty generic on the whole and that’s fine but it kinda makes it feel like the movie isn’t as unique as it shows itself off to be. I recommend this to people though. Especially if you’re looking for a nice, cute modern day romantic comedy. Very good. ---- 016. ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET. Score out of 5: ★★★★ [UK Release Date: 19th May] There is just something that I love about a coming of age movie where the parents are, y’know, supportive and nice. This was really endearingly cute and charming. Rachel McAdams just seems to be one of the sweetest, kindest and warmest actors out there. She was really excellent in this role. Loved everyone in this overall. Kathy Bates being as reliable as she always is. Benny Safdie in that endearingly warm father character role. Even the kids served their roles really well. Just a nice, funny, coming-of-age movie. QUOTE We must. We must. We must increase our bust.


Tafty³³³ View member profile	22nd January 2024, 07:11 PM Post #24
I found the love, I found the love in me Pronouns: He/Him Joined: 13 December 2007 Posts: 87,463 User: 5,042	015. PAST LIVES Score out of 5: ★★★★ [UK Release Date: 7th September] Just a really lovely, rich and beautiful drama with stunning performances. Greta Lee is fantastic and delivers such a wonderful performance that all comes together perfectly with that final moment in the movie. Both her main supporting stars Teo Yoo and John Magaro were excellent in their roles too, especially the latter who managed to convey his hurt and emotions perfectly. The story was a bit simple and wasn’t executed in a particularly unique or fresh way, but it’s enough for it to make a lasting impression on you. --- 2nd REVIEW This is just such a cute movie. That last shot where we see Nora walking back to her home before she breaks down in Arthur’s arms is probably my favourite movie moment of 2023. Just superbly executed and acted. The right amount of devastating and tenderness. Also, my fave moments are definitely the moments with Arthur. From the bed moments to the scene where he has a somewhat of a heart to heart with Hae.. just beautiful. I feel like you really feel his pain but how he keeps it all in. ---- 014. SAW X Score out of 5: ★★★★ [UK Release Date: 29th September] So they did it. They managed to make a SAW movie that actually legitimately lives up to the original in a way that makes you wish that it had originally followed on from it from the start. It doesn’t quite match the grittiness of the original but it succeeds where 90% of the other sequels fail… it has an engaging story and although there are traps and they are “moments”, they actually feel secondary to the story… as they should! The thing that lets it down for me a little bit is that the first 20 mins or so are a bit slow and it tested my patience a little, but once it got going (pretty much right from the moment of realisation)… it was all systems go. Captivating story. Gruesome traps. Characters that you love to hate and hate to love (John Kramer is still a terrible human for setting all this shit up but he does it for a purpose!!!). The character arc of Amanda is so good in this. The twists were also well earned and not just thrown in coz “it’s another SAW movie!!!!!” Tobin Bell is incredible in this and it’s definitey my favourite performance of his in this franchise. Shawnee Smith was a delight as ever as John’s apprentice. Synnøve Macody Lund was fantastic - one of the best antagonists this franchise has ever had. She was just an all out bitch and there was no redeeming of her character and the way they got around that so you ended up routing for John and Amanda was excellent. 2023 has been the best year for horror since I can remember! Incredible year! ---- 013. SCREAM VI Score out of 5: ★★★★ [UK Release Date: 8th March] The requels are 2 for 2 for me! The Melissa Barrera haters are gonna be crying coz she proved every single one of them wrong lmao! She was a big highlight, even more so than she was in the first (where she was overshadowed by Jenna). My main gripe is… are you ready? My main issue with movies nowadays… it’s a bit overlong but… I really had a blast in this and it’s just further solidified the Scream franchise as my favourite horror franchise. Even if it was predictable, it was still a lot of fun to follow and see it all unravel! I love the “core four” so much and honestly after the amazing work Neve, Courtney & David did to make the originals so great, I never thought it’d be possible to get that kind of connection in this franchise again. But they succeeded. So much fun! Edit: Oh and can I just say… whoever edited the teaser trailer… ROUND OF APPLAUSE!!! Y’all really made me believe they were all on the same train!!! ---- 012. A MAN CALLED OTTO Score out of 5: ★★★★1/2 [UK Release Date: 6th January] Very nearly gave it a 5. It probably does deserve it, a beautiful and compelling one, but heavy all the same. I cried numerous times. Not just “teared up”, literal streams and the ending destroyed me. Every character was on point and I loved how feel-good it felt throughout to help give you the hope that you needed in this movie. After a troubling last few projects, Tom Hanks is BACK WITH FULL FORCE! He is probably the most “human” actor out there. Him and (unrelated to the movie) Olivia Colman both shine the most in the most human moments of their characters. I loved everyone in this but Mariana Treviño was a big scene and movie stealer as both her and Tom bounced off each other perfectly. Yeah, I loved this and I loved how heartwarming it was throughout but then it really drags you in at the most opportune moments. Beautifully profound. Will catch the original when I can! ---- 011. SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE Score out of 5: ★★★★1/2 [UK Release Date: 1st June] Another solid entry into what is set up to become the greatest trilogy ever? (Or at least one of…) Pretty much the only qualms I have with this are the exact same as the first one. The animation is kind of all over the place, I get it when they’re visiting other worlds etc… but sometimes when they’re in the same universe, the animation (not of the characters) is quite inconsistent with that world and it just throws me out most of the time. But like the first, the animation styles themselves are so beautifully done. The structure of this movie is a bit more inconsistent in it’s story too. Not really a fan of stop-starts in movies in general though. But I really like the story and was really drawn into it towards the end. I love all the characters too. Not a weak link among the main ones! I think Shameik, Hailee, Issa and Jake Johnson are going to go down as beloved actors who brought Spider-Man to life. In a similar way to how Mark Hamill is considered one of the absolute best Joker. I loved Spot so much. I thought that character was extremely compelling! Excited for more of him in the future! An extremely good-great movie! Even though I’m not too big a fan of the animation’s various styles all at once (which makes it seem messy to me) I get the hype. Excited to see it a few more times coz Into the Spider-Verse has really only gotten better for me on repeated viewings so maybe this is the same? --- 2nd REVIEW On a rewatch I think this is exactly like the first in that, in terms of story, characters and the overall aesthetics of each animation style used etc… is flawless. There is so much more to it too. I actually managed to soak it all in a lot easier on a rewatch. The first watch was kinda overwhelming. But my main problem is still the same… the animation style overall in each world is quite inconsistent to me and I just find it hard to adjust immediately each time (for example sometimes it’ll look like 3D animation and the next scene right after it looks slightly like stop motion and then 2D for a brief second - almost like it’s unfinished? Idk I’m not a technical expert at this lol) but other than that personal gripe… it’s amazing. Worth the hype.


Tafty³³³ View member profile	22nd January 2024, 07:12 PM Post #25
I found the love, I found the love in me Pronouns: He/Him Joined: 13 December 2007 Posts: 87,463 User: 5,042	Don't know what happened there. I tried to post all 10 together, but it just posted a blank post and wouldn't let me "edit" as I "didn't have permission"... how odd.


Tafty³³³ View member profile	23rd January 2024, 10:32 PM Post #26
I found the love, I found the love in me Pronouns: He/Him Joined: 13 December 2007 Posts: 87,463 User: 5,042	010. WONKA Score out of 5: ★★★★1/2 [UK Release Date: 8th December] Paul King (of the family movies!!!)! Absolutely LOVED this. Paul seems to create such magical worlds with his vision and they come off so wholesome, pure and just absolutely wonderful, which make them work and connect with their audiences. He manages to find the perfect balance for a family movie. Not too childish and not too adult. It’s always the best balance to keep both adults and children alike entertained all throughout. Timothée is absolutely fantastic as the title character and had such a great supporting cast surrounding him. Especially from Calah Lane and the ever brilliant Olivia Colman! It’s just such a magical and beautiful imagining of such a famous children’s character. The songs are great too. I’m bowled over. Perfect movie to get us through the holidays! --- 2nd REVIEW Still an absolute joy on rewatch. I was just sat there with a huge grin on my face the entire time. So damn good! ---- 009. HOW TO HAVE SEX Score out of 5: ★★★★1/2 [UK Release Date: 3rd November] Well… talk about an underrated future cult classic. This was one of the biggest emotional rollercoaster rides I have witnessed in a movie in absolutely ages. Let me start by saying Mia Mckenna-Bruce gives us one of the best performances of the year. This really feels like one of those “breakout” roles where you just know that actor is going to be a huge star over the course of the next 5 years or so. She was wonderful! Gave me big Florence Pugh vibes (absolutely a positive!!). I loved how it touched on a lot that people wouldn’t probably be aware of in those situations. Everything to do with Paddy, how all of their friends feel (Taz & Em and how Em knew whenever something wasn’t quite right but never pushed too much) Badger knowing what Paddy must have done but never saying anything to him about it. That balcony scene where Taz just stares at Badger was a MOMENT. He knew. HE KNEW! The movie is just so powerful and rich in it’s story that you absolutely end up feeling every feeling you should at every moment. It’s such a powerful and hard watch, but it’s supposed to be. I will be thinking about this movie for a while. ---- 008. CLOSE Score out of 5: ★★★★1/2 [UK Release Date: 3rd March] JEEZUS FK MAN. This was beautifully devastating! I’d heard it was emotional but didn’t really realise to what extent. I was a mess as soon as everything hit and then was on and off for the entirety of the last 40 mins or so. The first half is where this movie shines the most though as it really helps set everything up perfectly. It really executes the emotional tones for the movie wonderfully. You are immediately drawn into Leo and Remi’s world and it feels like you’ve known them since they were born, which greatly helps the movie experience later on. The self-denial part of the story was the strongest point to me as it was immaculately told. In a way I haven’t experienced in a movie before. As someone who lost a close friend when we were just 14 as she sadly took her own life, I completely sympathised and empathised with Leo, right from the moment he was told all the way to the end where he couldn’t help but feel guilty somewhat. I do think it took a tad too long to get to the point where Leo broke down in front of Remi’s mother though. I was really yearning for that 1 to 1 speech we didn’t really get. Especially the dinner scene. Eden Dambrine and Gustav De Waele were both outstanding. Especially for them to convey as much as they did for boys who are so, so young. I’m so blown away by all of this. Equal parts powerful, beautiful and devastating. ---- 007. SALTBURN Score out of 5: ★★★★1/2 [UK Release Date: 17th November] This was unexpectedly better than I thought it would be. I was expecting it to be good but not as good as it was. It was funnier than I had anticipated too. I laughed out loud a lot. Barry Keoghan is such a STAR. He is absolutely one of the best breakout stars of the last few years, imo. He’s on a huge roll right now. Such a captivating performer. Rosamund Pike and Richard E. Grant give incredible performances too. I loved that this dark comedy didn’t shy away from any of it’s weirdness and it seemed to actually embrace it all which played to it’s favour of being a nice, quirky movie. One scene in particular I can’t stop thinking about… it really caught me off guard and I wasn’t expecting it at ALL. I’m so happy Emerald didn’t shy away from any scenes. Can’t wait to watch this quirky little number again! ---- 006. EVIL DEAD RISE Score out of 5: ★★★★1/2 [UK Release Date: 21st April] Genuinely one of the creepiest movies I have seen in a while. I was expecting it to be a bit creepy, but this somehow outdid those expectations. I think this is my favourite entry into the Evil Dead franchise yet. I feel like Lee Cronin managed to grasp everything that worked with the franchise (original AND sequels/reboot) and managed to throw it all together for one cohesive, creepy, scary and fun horror movie. I had a really good time with this. I do think it started off a little slow (after the EXCELLENT opening!) but once it got to where it needed to go, it grabs you by the throat and never once lets go! The way it just embraces the chaos and the gore was so fun! Big [REC] vibes sprinkled throughout and I appreciated that. Highly recommend to those wanting a damn good time in a horror movie. Will definitely be keeping my eye on Lee Cronin in the future… --- 2nd REVIEW I just had to up this half a star. Just incredible. The best horror of the year for me. Right from THAT opening sequence all the way to the very end. Perfectly paced, the perfect balance of OTT gore & genuine horror, amazing use of weapons… Just fantastic stuff! The best of the Evil Dead franchise, imo.


Tafty³³³ View member profile	26th January 2024, 07:17 PM Post #27
I found the love, I found the love in me Pronouns: He/Him Joined: 13 December 2007 Posts: 87,463 User: 5,042	005. MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON Score out of 5: ★★★★1/2 [UK Release Date: 17th February] Well, isn’t this just the most charming and beautiful little movie?? So endearing and gorgeous. It’s literally just a big, warm hug in movie form! Adorable. We all now want a pet shell, with shoes on ofc! Charismatic, endearing, funny and just down right cute!! We will protect Marcel and his family at any cost that we need to!! So sweet! --- 2nd REVIEW Just the warm big hug that everyone needs from time to time. Just so damn cute!! ---- 004. Barbie Score out of 5: ★★★★1/2 [UK Release Date: 21st July] GODling! This is SUBLIME!!! No, seriously, it’s excellent. Usually with comedies like this that also deal with social commentary of things, the jokes and actual “comedy” wears thin at around the half way mark, but this absolutely didn’t. In fact the 2nd half got some bigger laughs and I think the message that Greta clearly tried to go for, landed perfectly. Margot IS the perfect stereotypical Barbie. Ryan IS exceptional as Ken. Like, I don’t think people understand just HOW good he is in the role. The set design is phenomenal and everybody played their parts to perfection. Truly. I don’t think I’ve seen such a strong ensemble cast quite like this before. Well, not since Endgame I don’t think. I genuinely think some award noms and wins are on their way. Golden Globes for both Margot and Ryan at least I reckon. I’m gonna have ‘I’m Just Ken’ stuck in my head now. There are some really excellent monologues in this particularly the ones from Margot, Rhea and America. Just really good! The main negative for me is that the structure of the movie was quite jarring at times. Things happening pretty quick, but I didn’t mind it too much. I’d rather it did that than outstay it’s welcome explaining plot points that didn’t need explaining for as long as they did etc.. I’m just so happy it didn’t disappoint me! The replay factor is HIGH as I already want to see it again! It was exactly the movie you’d expect and want a Barbie movie to be in 2023. Soooo good! --- 2nd REVIEW GODling! In a world full of Ken’s be a Ken but aim to be an Allan. --- 3rd REVIEW GODling! 3rd time and it’s still just so much fun! A really good time with such a great message. Give them all the awards this awards season tbh! --- 4th REVIEW GODling! First time watching in IMAX and it was… SUBLIME! It was just as wonderful if not even moreso in IMAX. The bonus content at the end was great. I miss outtakes in the credits anyway but I liked that and the BTS footage that we got! The movie looked like it was an absolute BLAST to work on! ---- 003. GODZILLA MINUS ONE Score out of 5: ★★★★1/2 [UK Release Date: 15th December] I thought this was excellent. The only critique that I have is that, just like all the other Godzilla movies that have come before it, it never finds the perfect balance of human story/Godzilla attack & story. It’s either too much of one and too little of another. However, the thing that separates this from all the others is that the human story is actually fantastic and engrossing. You end up rooting for who you’re supposed to and there’s an emotional punch that hits incredibly nicely. When we do see Godzilla, it was genuinely exciting/terrifying. Felt like stakes were at play. Also, Godzilla itself looked incredible. There is one scene that would have been nice to see though and that’s how Godzilla got out of Tokyo! He just looks up at the damage he caused with his heat beam whilst the human protaganoist is mourning the loss of his friend in the attack as radiation pours down on him. Is Godzilla supposed to have just been like “oh that was my bad sorry folks, I’ll head back to the water. Sorry again.”… But other than that, I thought this was excellent and it’s already my favourite Godzilla movie… ---- 002. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3 Score out of 5: ★★★★1/2 [UK Release Date: 3rd May] Yeah I LOVED this. I just think this group is one of the most consistently solid and fun groups to grace a movie screen ever. James Gunn manages to make this volume soul destroying AND make it have the same charm and charisma that the other 2 movies benefit so hugely from. The entire Rocket backstory was incredibly done and touched every damn emotion possible. Which really helped elevate the villain as being one of the most heinous, vicious and cruel villains we’ve seen in the MCU to date. My jaw dropped several times and most of them was throughout his back story. Groot and Drax remained the absolute highlights. Groot had some incredible and genuine bad ass moments. But I think everyone played the role they were supposed to play, extremely well. Stakes were high and I’ve not been this uncomfortable in a movie, waiting for the fate of our heroes since Endgame. I was gonna go half a mark higher but just like recent movies, the length of the movie is a bit long and there ended up being some plot points that didn’t need to happen just to prolong the movie some more, when it could’ve just happened a different way and could have been a bit shorter. I didn’t hate those plot points, but just felt like the movie wouldn’t have been any better or worse with them included. I’m really excited to see this again ASAP. I just love them and they cheer me up as a group so much. The perfect ending to this trilogy, but I love that it left it wide open for more to come from this specific part of the MCU. If we can get Michelle Yeoh back for next time though… that’d be grand!!! --- 2nd REVIEW Impromptu trips to the cinema FTW!!! Wasn’t planning on seeing this again today, but when it was suggested, how could I say no?! I think this hits just about every beat that is needed and I can’t get over how amazingly well written Rocket’s character has been. His origin story is absolutely devastating! I just wanted to protect him, Lylla, Teefs and Floor so much!! So good and just as good on the 2nd time around as it was easier for me to process the length of the movie. --- 3rd REVIEW 3rd time in a week! Oops. This time for IMAX though and what a beaut it is. Rocket’s story seems to be absolutely wrecking me the more times I see it… it’s just so wonderfully done and soul destroying but beautiful. And ending on such a high note after all that… whew. --- 4th REVIEW I swear the scene where Rocket is just about to die and he’s visited by Lylla, Teefs and Floor gets more and more emotional each time… WHEW. It destroys me. --- 5th REVIEW There are just some scenes in this movie that are going to be my favourite scenes in movies this year. Sorry Scream Sequels, I have a new core 4! ---- 001. THE FABELMANS Score out of 5: ★★★★★ [UK Release Date: 27th January] This was so much more than just a “love letter to movies” than I thought it would be. That narrative didn’t come off as forced or as preachy as I was expecting. The story was simple, beautiful and so emotionally deep. I was really impressed by it all. As I was sat there watching him introduce the movie, I realised he is the actual GOAT director. He has such a special spark to his movies that, no matter how different, “normal” or unique his movies are, you know it’s Spielberg. He has this wonderful magic to majority of his movies that’s really hard to describe. Michelle Williams really earns her noms and praise in this. Probably my favourite role of hers. I was really impressed by Gabriel LaBelle as Sam too! He had the perfect blend of endearing, likeable awkwardness that Steven has. I’m really enamoured by this movie tbh. Something so simple, but so, so beautiful and told with such beautiful passion and care. The screenplay is… chef’s kiss --- 2nd REVIEW At this point in the year, it feels like I’m the only one that thinks this is the best movie of the year (I’m working on UK dates!). I just think in terms of movie biopics that are based on such a prolific name, you will be hard pressed to find a better one. The thing that makes this standout is that it feels quintessentially Spielberg. The shots that are used. The story that really makes you want to do something you never wanted to do before watching the movie and the acting is… SO GOOD. Gabriel LaBelle really captures Spielberg’s endearing awkwardness perfectly, that makes him such a likeable and warm lead. I just love this so much and if I’m the only one ranking this as the #1 movie of the year, then so be it. I will not be apologising. So warm and cute. LOVE!


Tafty³³³ View member profile	26th January 2024, 07:17 PM Post #28
I found the love, I found the love in me Pronouns: He/Him Joined: 13 December 2007 Posts: 87,463 User: 5,042	FULL 2023 LIST: 01. The Fabelmans 02. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 03. Godzilla Minus One 04. Barbie 05. Marcel the Shell With Shoes On 06. Evil Dead Rise 07. Saltburn 08. Close 09. How To Have Sex 10. Wonka --- 11. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse 12. A Man Called Otto 13. Scream VI 14. SAW X 15. Past Lives 16. Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. 17. Rye Lane 18. Nimona 19. Talk to Me 20. Till --- 21. Suzume 22. Elemental 23. The Creator 24. The Marvels 25. Pearl 26. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish 27. Theater Camp 28. Scrapper 29. Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning (Part 1) 30. Society of the Snow --- 31. Blackberry 32. Bottoms 33. The Blackening 34. The Whale 35. Totally Killer 36. Sisu 37. Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget 38. Sick 39. Broker 40. The Little Mermaid --- 41. Next Goal Wins 42. Oppenheimer 43. When Evil Lurks 44. M3GAN 45. Thanksgiving 46. Anyone But You 47. Dream Scenario 48. Air 49. Cobweb 50. How to Blow Up a Pipeline --- 51. Wish 52. Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania 53. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem 54. Super Mario Bros. The Movie 55. Of an Age 56. Renfield 57. The Nun II 58. The Boy and the Heron 59. The Killer 60. Cocaine Bear --- 61. Babylon 62. John Wick: Chapter 4 63. Transformers: Rise of the Beasts 64. Gran Turismo 65. Knock at the Cabin 66. Polite Society 67. Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves 68. Strays 69. Insidious: The Red Door 70. Joy Ride --- 71. Leave the World Behind 72. Maestro 73. Women Talking 74. Pretty Red Dress 75. Killers of the Flower Moon 76. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes 77. Red, White & Royal Blue 78. TÁR 79. Ghosted 80. No One Will Save You --- 81. No Hard Feelings 82. War Pony 83. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny 84. Dumb Money 85. May December 86. Anatomy of a Fall 87. Napoleon 88. Asteroid City 89. Carmen 90. Shazam! Fury of the Gods --- 91. Plane 92. The Equalizer 3 93. The Collective 94. Journey to Bethlehem 95. A Haunting in Venice 96. The Flash 97. 65 98. Meg 2: The Trench 99. Fast X 100. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom --- 101. Blue Beetle 102. The Boogeyman 103. Ferrari 104. The Exorcist: Believer 105. The Last Voyage of the Demeter