Every Film I’ve Watched in 2023: August
Greetings friends! This is a record of every film I’ve watched in 2023, including rewatches, repeats and first viewings. Each film is accompanied by how / where I watched it, and my thoughts in 100 words or less. Welcome to part 8: August.
113. Prisoners (2013)
Where? - Netflix [rewatch]
Thoughts - Prisoners is on the ever-growing list of masterpieces directed by Denis Villeneuve. It’s gripping, intensely emotional, and features one of the best ensemble casts I’ve ever seen. Hugh Jackman and Paul Dano in particular deliver show-stopping performances. There’s also beautiful cinematography from Roger Deakins, which helps bring the grounded and tense atmosphere to life in glorious fashion. Prisoners takes you on a wild ride, which isn’t just about the central mystery, but is also a dark tale about grief, anger and obsession. It’s a modern classic, and it feels fresh every single time I watch it.
114. Malignant (2022)
Where? - Amazon Prime [first viewing]
Thoughts - This was frustrating. The first 70 minutes are tedious and derivative, relying on lazy flatpack horror assembly and cheap thrills. During this time, Malignant consistently doesn’t know what story its telling, so it squashes multiple horror tropes into a clumsy mess and throws in loud bangs and screams to keep the audience awake. When the film eventually works out what its own twist is, it’s both underwhelming and hilarious. Finally, the last 25 minutes offer a random blood fest which even the 1990s would find embarrassing. Despite potential for exploration of interesting themes, the poor writing leaves Malignant feeling deflated.
115. Black Adam (2022)
Where? - Blu Ray [first viewing]
Thoughts - Despite having high hopes, this was rubbish. I’m a big fan of DC Comics, and even I found it boring. The best description is simply “inconsistent.” The story and tone are all over the place, characters don’t track from one scene to the next, and there’s no meaningful throughline of emotions or themes. Even at face value as an action film, it lacks entertainment and spectacle. Crucially, the central performance by Dwayne Johnson is flat, and doesn’t mirror the complicated anti-hero from the comic books. Pierce Brosnan’s Doctor Fate is fantastic, but otherwise, positive attributes are in short supply.
116. Submarine (2010)
Where? - Netflix [rewatch]
Thoughts - Having not watched Submarine since my teenage years, I found it annoying. It starts as an offbeat comedy about young romance, which is cute, but the momentum doesn’t hold. The lead character / narrator is older than his years, which is funny for a bit, but he gradually becomes irritating and problematic. Thankfully there’s fun supporting characters played by Sally Hawkins, Paddy Considine and Noah Taylor to take the edge off. Submarine walks a tight line between quirky charm and frustrating, over-stylised fluff with little substance. Sadly, the latter constitutes a higher proportion of the runtime.
117. Lilo & Stitch (2002)
Where? - Disney Plus [rewatch]
Thoughts - I’ve had a soft spot for this film since my childhood, and I’m pleased to say that soft spot remains strong. I had a terrific time rewatching Lilo & Stitch, and I found myself swept away by the visual flare, emotional story, fantastic sense of humour and powerful themes. It’s a timeless tale; the charming story of a monster defying their purpose and finding a family. More than anything, I was struck by how much this film is about open-mindedness and understanding. It’s about withholding judgement and extending a friendly hand to someone you don’t know, which is wonderful.
118. The Truman Show (1998)
Where? - Netflix [rewatch]
Thoughts - I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of this film. It’s a fascinating concept, and the execution is mesmerising. Everything about this film is polished, and it never diminishes over time. The reveals still land, the atmosphere remains unsettling, and the emotional hook is still powerful. The reason this works so well is because fundamentally the audience cares about Truman. They want to go on this journey of discovery with him, whilst asking deep questions about their own lives. I love this film for not only being an obscure comedy, but for having substance and heart to back it up.
119. Smile (2022)
Where? - Blu Ray [first watch]
Thoughts - I was pleasantly surprised! Although Smile uses a bag of familiar tricks, it felt refreshing. Unlike many recent horror films, Smile focuses more on the central character, the story and the atmosphere, rather than cheap thrills. That doesn’t mean it’s not scary. In fact, various horror storytelling tools are used creatively, and help construct a great atmosphere, but the film never loses sight of the story. This was a well-rounded package. It’s got thrills and scares in ample supply, but it also offers an emotional and engaging story. It’s not totally original, but it was simple and well crafted.
120. Tag (2018)
Where? - Amazon Prime, rented [rewatch]
Thoughts - This is a great comfort film. It’s a simple comedy about an oddball collection of characters, and it makes me smile and laugh every time. It’s not only a result of solid writing, but there’s a fantastic cast who are well suited to comedic acting. If you remove the gags and the exaggerated comedic bits, this has a firm foundation built upon a real-life story of friendship, which is heart-warming. It’s a film which has a playful soul, and it’s clearly not meant to be taken too seriously.
121. Birds of Prey (2020)
Where? - Blu Ray [rewatch]
Thoughts - I love Birds of Prey. It’s one of the finest comic book films ever made. It’s got a fantastic cast, with the likes of Margot Robbie and Ewan McGregor delivering powerhouse performances. The jumbled narrative is perfectly suited to Harley Quinn, and the screenplay offers a great blend of humour and heart. Crucially, this is a film which balances high levels of energy and grit. The action sequences are bombastic, fun and incredibly well choreographed, bringing an endlessly energetic quality to the proceedings. This is top tier comic book filmmaking, which makes most Marvel films look tedious by comparison.
122. The Founder (2017)
Where? - Netflix [rewatch]
Thoughts - In many ways, this is a great example of how to make a biographical film. It’s informative and comprehensive, but not too glossy. Although the story seems light from the outside, there’s multiple layers of complexity to explore, and the film thankfully doesn’t idolise the protagonist. The dialogue is fairly sharp, capturing real events and people in an engaging and emotional way. Michael Keaton delivers yet another fantastic performance, and the supporting performances from John Carroll Lynch and Nick Offerman inject warmth and heart into an otherwise darker story. It’s by no means a masterpiece, but it’s entertaining and enlightening.
123. Hereditary (2018)
Where? - Blu Ray [rewatch]
Thoughts - Despite being a big horror enthusiast, I don’t think Hereditary is the modern classic some have labelled it. There are moments which work really well, and Ari Aster clearly has a good eye for horror. The physical craft that went into this film is impressive, and Toni Collette gives a terrific performance. However, the writing is where Hereditary falls down. The narrative is fairly predictable, the pacing is inconsistent, and the dialogue is clumsily exposition heavy. It’s a shame, because the moments that work are terrific, and there’s some fascinating themes explored, but the story and dialogue are hugely underwhelming.
124. Trainspotting (1996)
Where? - Blu Ray [rewatch]
Thoughts - I don’t just say this because it’s one of my favourite films, but Trainspotting is an absolute classic. It’s a fascinating insight into human behaviour and struggles. The cast are outstanding, the screenplay captures Irvine Welsh’s brilliance, and Danny Boyle’s vision is phenomenal. Considering this was made on a small budget in the 90s, it holds up really well. The rough look and feel of Trainspotting absolutely work in favour of the story and characters, and the way it dances between genres makes for a captivating experience. Also, it has one of the best soundtracks of all time.
125. T2 Trainspotting (2017)
Where? - Blu Ray [first viewing]
Thoughts - I put off watching this for six years. I was nervous to see one of my favourite films given a sequel. I’m relieved, because this was fantastic. It’s perhaps cleaner than Trainspotting, but there’s still enough grit to match the emotional intensity without overshadowing it. Crucially, it’s not a cash-in. It’s an extension of the original, in terms of narrative and themes. The characters are older, twenty years have passed in real-time, and it’s a story about time, aging, regret, and masculinity in crisis. This film hit me hard, and it stuck with me for days after.
126. Groundhog Day (1993)
Where? - Netflix [rewatch]
Thoughts - Another one of my favourite films. Considering how many times I’ve rewatched it, I’ve somewhat lived my own version of Groundhog Day, but it never gets old. The concept is genius, the time loop structure is executed brilliantly, and it’s got a wonderfully positive message about selflessness. In hindsight, not all of the jokes have aged well unfortunately, and there are times when it’s unclear how much Bill Murray is actually acting in order to portray a grumpy narcissist. However, I still love this film. It makes me laugh, it makes me cry, and I’ll keep coming back to it.
127. Last Night in Soho (2021)
Where? - Blu Ray [first viewing]
Thoughts - I loved Last Night in Soho. It’s a full-blown psychological horror, polished to perfection. It’s a combination of fantastic writing from Edgar Wright and Krysty Wilson-Cairns, and Edgar Wright’s passion for the craft of filmmaking. Thomasin McKenzie, Matt Smith and Anya Taylor-Joy all deliver great performances, which breathe life into the story. More than anything, the film is overwhelmingly engrossing. The story crawled into my head, and the themes explored left me feeling disturbed. It’s the dream combination for a horror film: substance in the story and craft in the execution. Last Night in Soho is excellent!
Favourite new film of the month
T2 Trainspotting and Last Night in Soho
Thank you for checking out part 8, hopefully you’ll find yourself back here soon for part 9! If you’ve enjoyed this article, please check out my other recent articles:
