Favorite films

Recent reviews

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  The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 2001

  ★★★★★ Rewatched 21 Sep 2023 3

  What a treat it was to discover that this, and the other two parts of the trilogy, had popped back into cinemas this week, in their extended cuts no less, presumably as some sort of anniversary re-issue. To think it has been nearly 22 years since I first saw this opening chapter in cinemas. I was a weedy little 14-year-old at the time, and a Tolkien obsessive, too (I still am) filled with unbridled excitement and anticipation at the thought…

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  Benedetta 2021

  ★★ Watched 20 Sep 2023 2

  Given Paul Verhoeven’s by now well established reputation as one of the foremost provocateurs in European cinema, you’d expect this, his most recent film, about the lesbian love affair of a 17th century Italian nun (based on a true story, no less), to do more than just a little in the way of provoking. But honestly, beyond the mildly salacious poster—which so shamelessly sets out to ruffle the feathers of hardline Catholics—this is a fairly tame, and largely dull, affair.…

Popular reviews

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  Midnight Express 1978

  ★★ Watched 26 Feb 2021 27

  So here’s another widely respected classic that seems more than a little problematic to me. There’s much here that I really liked—the intro airport sequence is brilliantly put together: following our protagonist Billy Hayes as he attempts to smuggle 2kg of hashish out of Turkey; sweat beading down his forehead, heartbeat audibly thudding in his chest, trying his best to allay suspicion as he makes his way tentatively through customs. It’s a super tense and slickly orchestrated sequence that hooks…

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  The Witch 2015

  ★★★★½ Watched 03 Aug 2020 2

  Wouldn’t we all like to live deliciously?

  It’s good to put things into perspective. Despite all the biblical-scale madness happening this year, be thankful you’re not a God-fearing peasant farmer living in the bleak 1600s, procreating uncontrollably, banished for your supposed misdeeds, forced to scratch a living off dirt, plagued by blighted crops, tormented by demonic livestock, and cursed by a satanic coven of witches who dwell in the creepy woods behind your house.

  This is such an assured and…