Joeblade

Short reviews

  1. Gold (2016)

    Serviceable dramatisation but a little forgettable. McConaughey goes full Oscar-bait, so there’s at least some decent scenery chewing.

  2. The Death of Stalin

    Just fantastic. Dark, complex, smart and hilarious.

  3. Dark Passage

    Bogart/Bacall noir with a distracting first-person-perspective gimmick. Historically interesting, but unbalanced.

  4. Captain America: Civil War

    Performed well, some fun action, ultimately superfluous.

  5. Sneakers

    Really solid 90s hacking film that’s aged surprisingly well. Great cast, fun script, decent thrills.

  6. Wizards

    Mad Ralph Bakshi animation with post-apocalyptic Nazi mutants warring against elves and fairies. Ludicrous stuff; recommended.

  7. Dr. Phibes Rises Again

    Narratively less focused than the first film, but just as absurdly, gruesomely funny.

  8. Secuestro Express

    A Tarantino-esque Venezuelan crime thriller, a solid mix of grim & brutal action and the occasional dark laugh.

  9. The Killers (1946)

    A stylish, gripping, Citizen Kane-like crime drama that keeps you hooked to the end.

  10. Halloween III: Season of the Witch

    If it didn’t have the Halloween brand, nobody would give this a second glance. Forgettably mediocre.

  11. Ocean’s Eleven (2001)

    As brisk and snappy as it ever was. Fun and absurdly charming.

  12. The Avengers

    I keep watching it and I keep loving it. There’s not a thing it does badly.

  13. The Secret of NIMH

    A dark and gripping tale, expertly animated and told. There’s an ageless charm about this film.

  14. Thor: Ragnarok

    Relentless fun. Coherent, punchy action, superb score, and a witty script, hilariously performed. Couldn’t get enough of it.

  15. Upside Down

    An ok sci-fi with fun effects work let down by a perfunctory love story and dubious accents. Watch Patema Inverted instead.

  16. Night of the Eagle

    Decent ‘60s witchcraft horror that goes for gradual, ever-building tension and suspense over jump scares. Solid stuff.

  17. The Scar

    Kieślowski’s debut isn’t showy or spectacular, just a solid, thoughtful industrial drama.

  18. The Abominable Dr. Phibes

    Fantastic comedy horror that stands up today, with Vincent Price out-acting everyone without ever moving his lips.

  19. Frenzy

    Hitchcock’s penultimate film is a gripping, complex, thriller, though it’s aged poorly in places thanks to a streak of '70s misogyny.

  20. I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore

    Brilliantly funny indie revenge comedy. Taut, acerbic, occasionally shocking.

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