Joeblade

Short reviews

  1. King of New York

    Solid, grimy 90s crime drama that also now delivers a big nostalgic hit. Star turns from everybody except David Caruso. →

  2. Tremors 4: The Legend Begins

    Look, it’s a franchise that knows exactly what its fans want, and routinely delivers just that and no more. Four films in, you’re probably on board with it. →

  3. Into the Forest

    A slow and thoughtful apocalyptic drama that sees two sisters learning to survive on their own. Ellen Page and Evan Rachel Wood are almost hypnotically good. →

  4. Drive

    Ryan Gosling’s silent, soulless schtick is less impactful than it used to be, but Drive remains a beautifully shot, beautifully scored masterpiece, expertly performed →

  5. Wind River

    Spectacularly filmed and there’s also a decent crime thriller in here in between Jeremy Renner’s mumbling, but nothing really all that surprising. →

  6. Strings

    A brilliantly-inventive mythic fantasy where the strings on the marionettes are an acknowledged part of life. Visually stunning and technically impressive; loved it. →

  7. The Fall of the House of Usher

    A perfectly respectable adaptation, but Vincent Price is pretty much carrying the whole thing. →

  8. Muppet Treasure Island

    Possibly one of the more overlooked Muppet films but unfairly so: It’s Tim Curry in a Muppet film, what stronger recommendation do you need? →

  9. A Simple Plan

    A solid 90s crime thriller that’s narratively straightforward but with lots of chewy characterisation. Also, a bonus Gary Cole. →

  10. Wayne’s World

    It has aged about as well as can be expected and let’s just leave it at that. →

  11. Ingrid Bergman: In Her Own Words

    A fascinating documentary on Bergman told largely through her diaries and own home movies. Quietly riveting. →

  12. Mary and Max

    A pitch-black dark comedy from Australia that’s dry, funny, charming and sad all at once. →

  13. The Limehouse Golem

    A solid Ripper Street-style murder mystery. Nothing too challenging, but gets a long way on some magnetic performances from Bill Nighy and Olivia Cooke in particular. →

  14. Tremors 3: Back to Perfection

    At this point the films feel more like hobbies than anything else, but the cast is enthusiastic and everyone’s having fun so who cares. →

  15. Spider-Man: Homecoming

    Tolerably functional, immediately forgettable. →

  16. It

    Mixed feelings; wished they’d focused more on the actually-terrifying psychological horror and less on the CGI, and there’s awkward and unnecessary sexualisation. Overall, a misfire. →

  17. Beyond Skyline

    Surprisingly decent sci-fi action that goes in unexpected directions. A dumb, fun Friday night film to watch with a takeaway. →

  18. Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders

    Not the best-quality animation, but still an affectionate revisit of the 60s series with a lot of charm, particularly with West, Ward and Newmar returning. →

  19. Hellmouth

    Heavily-stylised horror from the writer of Pontypool. Fairly incomprehensible, but anything starring Stephen McHattie gets a pass from me. →

  20. Hunt for the Wilderpeople

    So charmingly touching and funny it practically made me angry. →

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