I hate big flights of stairs too.
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Arachnophobia 1990
Holds up remarkably well as an old school Amblin creature feature. Goodman has the best lines and I wish he featured more.
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Evil Dead Rise 2023
Whilst many people considered this is hit, unfortunately it just didn’t work for me. I felt similar to when I saw Fede’s 2013 version. However, looking back I think I appreciate that version a lot more. Stylistically though, there’s something bland about both updates. The colour grading on both films might have their fans but I just find them uninteresting.
The biggest problems I find with any Evil Dead movie after Raimi’s original trilogy is a lack of a strong lead and…
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Into the Wild 2007
Not without its faults and ego, it still wants me to get off my arse into nature more often 🥾🏔️
Eddie Vedder's music also still slaps
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Batman Begins 2005
Nolan’s take on The Batman fits nicely between the Tim Burton 1989 film and Matt Reeves 2022 The Batman in terms of tone. Whilst it doesn’t go super dark like the 2022 film, it is perhaps more generic and crowd pleasing. And Hans Zimmer’s electric score throughout pummels the film along with blockbuster glee. When Gordon asks Batman “I never got to thank you” and the Dark Knight replies “And you’ll never have to”, boom goes that score and pure blockbuster perfection.
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Army of Darkness 1992
For me, Ash's story ends here. While there is the TV series, that felt like pure fan service. It's also jarring to see an older Ash, since the character we all grew up loving was Bruce Campbell in his younger days.
Sam Raimi's final film completes a truely unique trilogy, where each chapter has a distinct flavor. Army of Darkness has all the best lines but is arguably the least consistent of the three. Despite its rough edges, it's still a complete blast thanks to Raimi's direction and Campbell's hilarious performance. Special shout-out to Danny Elfman’s “March of the Dead” theme too.
Hail to the king!
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Evil Dead II 1987
Like many filmmakers before and after, Sam Raimi's love letter to his cinematic influences growing up is on full display here. He masterfully blends his love for horror and comedy, creating a unique experience that rivals that of An American Werewolf in London, Braindead, and even Scream (1996). It's clear that much of Raimi's personality shines through, and it seems to have been made without any studio intervention. The film is batshit insane in all the best ways, and Bruce Campbell solidifies his position as the Harrison Ford of the horror/comedy genre.
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The Evil Dead 1981
It’s almost impossible to review Sam Raimi’s original low-budget indie horror film today without taking into account multiple factors how you watch it.
For example, knowing that Sam Raimi was only 21 when he directed this. Or that it was extremely low-budget and Raimi mostly utilised his friends to help. Or that it plays that much better with an audience either with friends at home or in a packed movie theatre with genre fans. And of course it was made…
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Before Midnight 2013
I love that Delpy, Hawke, and Linklater wrote what feels like the concluding chapter to the Jessie and Celine story. In fact, having anyone outside of the three writing for these characters would feel inauthentic at this point. I feel like so much of each actor is embedded in these characters.
The scenes toward the end of the film are entirely genuine to who Jessie and Celine are. The question of whether they can sustain a relationship outside of fleeting…
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Before Sunrise 1995
Richard Linklater's first installment in the Before trilogy was always meant to capture a moment in time. Loosely based on his own experiences, I wondered if the film would lose its appeal over time. However, after rewatching it on the beautifully presented Criterion Blu-ray, it hits differently when you're closer to the age range of the characters in Before Midnight.
But my expectation of how I might feel about the film today didn't ring true. I initially thought, "I'm well…
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Bloodsport 1988
I've lost count how many times I watched this when I 13. This and Kickboxer were on repeat. Tapes were worn, a tonne of flicker but when your 13 year old brain is pretty much on par with everything about this film, it slaps.
Cut to the present day and you wonder why. Why did I put this on? You know this isn’t going to hold up but you press play regardless.
This is genuinely fucking terrible now. And incredibly…