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Akira
I have a lot of empathy for Tetsuo; If I suddenly gained superpowers, I’d probably put on a cape and destroy my city as well. →
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Paddington
Just absurdly charming. →
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Predestination
A nicely-chewy, talkative Bradbury adaptation. A bit obvious as it laid itself out plainly, but it got by on performance. →
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A Most Violent Year
Enjoyed this slow-burning thriller. Oscar Isaac continues to be amazing and there’s some stunning cinematography. →
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Big Hero 6
Animated Marvel film is funny, colourful, enjoyable, but in the end, kind of forgettable and mostly predictable. →
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Out of Sight
George Clooney & Jennifer Lopez eye-fuck each other for two hours and take part in the sexiest bath scene in film history. →
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Only Yesterday
A deeply satisfying animated flashback drama. Naturalistic, subtle, funny and poignant. →
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From Up on Poppy Hill
A sweet but slight Ghibli film. Glosses over post-WW2 family confusions in Japan in favour of a shallow school tale. →
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After Hours
An odd little Scorsese film from 1985 that’s far too sour, mean & dark to be the comedy it’s advertised as. Worth a look though →
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Citizen Kane
Pretty good! It’s basically the Citizen Kane of movies. →
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The Kingdom of Dreams & Madness
A very dramatic title for a very placid Ghibli documentary. Enjoyably calming and slow. →
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Ocean Waves
A short, pleasant character piece from Ghibli. Nothing fantastical, just a decent story about high school students. →
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Mystic River
The sort of solidly unchallenging work that Clint Eastwood’s been directing for a decade or so. Dependably unremarkable. →
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The Age of Adaline
The tragic tale of an immortal woman harassed and pestered into mortality by unwanted male attention. Terribly sad. →
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Time Bandits
Features cinema’s best ever non-animated appearance of Robin Hood →
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Tales From Earthsea
Incoherent Ghibli adaptation of Le Guin’s novels that felt like it’d been made from offcuts of other Ghibli films. →
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Black Sea
Boringly predictable submarine drama; only point of suspense was which way Jude Law’s accent was going to go from scene to scene. →
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My Old Lady
This comedy/drama was darker than expected, but really well done. Kevin Kline and Maggie Smith both excellent as usual. →
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Escape from Alcatraz
Solid dramatisation of a successful escape from Alcatraz, but you know they’re going to escape, so…not much tension. →
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The Falling
An enjoyably-sinister schoolgirl psychological drama, though as the lead, Maisie Williams is the weakest link. →