2023: noteworthy movies watched

12 Jan, 2024

I've been using Letterboxd since spring 2019, initially importing old viewing history from Netflix and other streamers alongside filling in some more memorable watches. When I joined I was struggling to watch films all the way through and had lost my way with them - it got me back on track! The community is great and the design of the website/app mostly great. Since then I have been watching a couple of films a week usually, a massive increase in focus.

Turns out that after a couple of years of doing that you can actually have an opinion on things and so I started writing “reviews” in 2021 (I think only one) so as of 2022 I will archive some of my reviews here for posterity. I am excluding snarky one-liners that only really belong on Letterboxd. These are hardly critical notes but a few might sneak in and hopefully will improve over time.

Honest Thief

2020 ★★★ Watched 14 Jan 2023

Wow, after watching loads of Gerard Butler films, seeing an action thriller where only a handful of people die instead of literally 10s or 100s was refreshing.

It managed to be perhaps a little unbelievable but not unrealistic whereas those GB films tend to be both, strongly.

A hot headed agent given the opportunity to take home that much cash and it all just goes more and more wrong... it kept me intrigued throughout.

I feel the dog was just added because dogs are cute and it gave some viewers something to bond with?! Weird.

Plane

2023 ★ Watched 10 Mar 2023

What is going on here. Replace “trailblazers” with “Ryanair” for additional comedy value. I can only assume the G-dawg had to rework the script to fit in with a reduced crew size for covid or some such as this story was beyond ridiculous. Frustratingly coupled with decent action moments occasionally which makes the change of story seem more plausible.

The boardroom of airline execs running some special ops situation with no involvement from the actual military despite being on TV news - just brilliant.

Update: ★★ Rewatched 21 May 2023 Better this time. I’m not saying it’s good.

In the Line of Fire

1993 ★★★½ Watched 17 Mar 2023

JM’s disguises! White guys! More disguises and white guys!

Wow, there was something trippy about this film being from the middle of the 60 years since JFK’s assassination in the sense that it seems very contemporary and yet, there are so few SUVs? And Clint Eastwood was nowhere near too old yet playing too old.

This was enjoyable but some marks are deducted for poor ageing of some of the above things mentioned.

The Equalizer

2014 ★★★★ Watched 25 Mar 2023

Wow, Antoine my man. This is just great fun and knowing it was following on from Olympus Has Fallen, what a level up.

The easing into the story, feeling it just running its course while being entertaining, clever and satisfying. I actually follow a thoughtful, exposing storyline whose hero’s background is mentioned just enough to explain while letting you enjoy the satisfaction of “the equalizer”.

Boston, The Reznor-esque music, the Nighthawks recreation. Denzel just ethically ruling the action film world. Chef’s kiss.

Not getting to hear the CD. David Harbour surviving off camera. The top dog’s fixer just leaving when they realise the trap, not razing an entire residential block. The brevity is right on alongside the entertaining action with a high level of violence and just enough gore.

The Bourne Ultimatum

2007 ★★★★ Watched 02 Apr 2023

Great tying up of the trilogy. Somewhat nervous continuing along this thread to the Legacy but whatever.

I love the 2000s aspects to this and all the trilogy. I mean, the leader of a top level secret CIA upgraded program is outdone by a fax machine.

Looking back I don’t care how advanced secret military/gov equipment might have been but this lot are not watching live streaming footage from something smaller than a cellphone from Madrid to the US on a 5 min lead time. But at the time perhaps it was more believable.

All these films make me want to listen to Moby and then I’m always a little disappointed. What is your fave Moby album?

Snitch

2013 ★★★★ Watched 21 Apr 2023

Seeing that iPhone 4 amongst all that 2000s tech makes me feel old. I enjoyed this whilst very much despairing at the situation portrayed.

It could have been a little grittier for me though. The film has that clean look of TV shows in the 2020s which you could perhaps pull off on the big screen in 2013 but now in 2023 sends oddly mixed messages.

Great trucking action though - where my ATS players at? 🚛

I am always happy to see Harold Perrineau and David Harbour but watching MKW is always a pleasure and a sad reminder of that loss. Overall character acting is enjoyable in this.

Baby Driver

2017 ★★★★★ Watched 22 Apr 2023

Great car casting. The late 90s Cadillac is probably my fave but everything puts on a great show.

Jon Hamm coming to this shortly after Mad Men finished up - he’s cool as a cucumber, just a total badass who knows he is. Confidence is off the scale.

Hercules

1997 ★★★★ Watched 30 Jun 2023 Just moved house and this is the first film to christen the set up - wtf. Was aged single figures when I last saw this a little after release I guess and it holds up well, if you count how many scenes were familiar and almost certainly impactful on my life anyway. Yeahh That spiral motif. Love the occasional hair metal guitar. Danny DeVito continuing Harry Wormwood… loved it.

Pain & Gain

2013 ★★★½ Watched 21 Jul 2023 I’m not sure I can look at anything without the framing of the climate/biodiversity crisis anymore. In that context this film is actually very on the nose regarding the capitalist / money grabbing / USA "business" lifestyle.

It’s supposedly a true story but I’ve always thought organised criminal types were actually quite clever it’s just that you can’t really get away with crime, so some end up caught.

Then you consider what they have done and compare that to the most egregious of capitalist / ultra high net worth types and you realise: A) how f-big bad UHNW types are to be compared to this lot and B) there probably are some people this stupid in prison for such stupid things.

Rebel Wilson and the doctor calling out the surgical gear on MW pretending to be doing something else elevated this right up for like a few minutes at least.

The whole 1995 thing and then having a Chrysler Prowler from 97 at the earliest. Lazy on the details but what a cool car.

Great credit sequence!

The line "I'm in the middle of a superset" (or thereabouts) played so well.

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol

2011 ★★★★½ Watched 30 Sep 2023

I have to consider what ratings I’ve given to much worse films. Honestly, little bugged me in this but the last third perhaps was a little slow. It didn’t ruin it at all but it stood out.

Enjoyed seeing the i8 concept car, driving too! Then the E36 cabrio later is a nice older BMW akin timing wise to an e9X generation 3 series in 2023 I guess. 🚗🤓

Interceptor

2022 ★★★ Rewatched 31 Oct 2023

On a second watch, from 2 to a 3. Totally here for the positive attitudes and seeing some different views and characters despite the seemingly normal domestic terrorist vs military appearance.

Still, of course it’s a bit silly but the good bits shone out far more for me this time.

Taken

2008 ★★½ Watched 18 Nov 2023

All the kids these days are following “a rock band” U2 around Europe ?!! I guess 2007/8 really is a long time ago.

Wow that “family man” lead in is painful, once the action starts you know the part the crew were excited and serious about.

What a horribly realistic portrayal of organised crime and people trafficking whilst maintaining a relatively clean action thriller.

I can see Gerard Butler’s inspiration in this.

Speed

1994 ★★★★ Rewatched 02 Dec 2023

I can’t believe I rated this 2.5 when I last watched it quite recently. Clearly I was in a bad mood - this is a great watch.

Everything that can be thought of or could go wrong, does and everyone knows it. The action is great perhaps let down by scenes where the speed is clearly inaccurate, or time in the case of fuel gauges.

Great entertainment and has inspired a non-profit public transport idea.

PS: the speed song referencing greased lightning in the final credits is fucking annoying and awful.

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