Every Film I’ve Watched in 2024: April
Greetings friends! This is a record of every film I’ve watched in 2024, 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 4: April.
44. Road House (2024)
Where? - Amazon Prime [first viewing]
Thoughts - I’m not sure who this reboot is for. I can’t remember the last time I watched something which felt so out of touch and old fashioned. Granted, some of the technical elements have been updated, but the acting, characters, story and screenplay are all firmly stuck in the 1980s. It’s obviously not the type of film which is supposed to be deep or meaningful, but even at surface level it’s not exciting or entertaining, and any attempts to seem dark or edgy were embarrassing. Suffice to say, this is an easy contender for one of the worst films of 2024.
45. War For the Planet of the Apes (2017)
Where? - Disney Plus [rewatch]
Thoughts - After two brilliant films, this feels right at home in the trilogy. It’s not a lazy sequel, and is instead a fitting third instalment for the franchise, and more importantly for the character of Caesar. Much like the movement from Rise to Dawn, this film builds on the first two instalments in terms of tension and themes, and adds a new layer of darkness. Andy Serkis once again gives an incredible performance, and the VFX are even more impressive. I really like this film, because it takes itself seriously and rounds the trilogy off in a satisfying way.
46. Pearl (2023)
Where? - Blu Ray [first viewing]
Thoughts - X was already a very strong piece of work, and yet Pearl is a bold step up. It’s bigger and more theatrical, and yet it doesn’t buckle under the pressure. I applaud Ti West for crafting a proper character driven horror which is disturbing, uniquely off-kilter, layered and incredibly emotional. It also rewards audience members who are actively engaging with the film. Mia Goth gives an uncomfortably brilliant performance which will be remembered as one of cinema’s best horror performances. The end credits shot alone could have essays written about it. I thoroughly enjoyed this film.
47. Next Goal Wins (2023)
Where? - Disney Plus [first viewing]
Thoughts - This is more of a return to form for Taika, with a quirky ensemble of characters and a unique personality. It’s accessible regardless of whether you like football, and it has wonderful messages about celebrating identity. However, the film feels lukewarm. There isn’t enough humour or emotional engagement, and the true story isn’t trusted to captivate the audience, as unnecessary fictitious elements are added with minimal impact. And yet, this is still the type of positive film the world needs, so it’s good for harmless fun, but I’d recommend the 2014 documentary for a more accurate view of the story.
48. Lady Bird (2017)
Where? - Amazon Prime [rewatch]
Thoughts - I love this film. It’s a funny and emotional coming of age story, with stellar performances from Laurie Metcalf and Saoirse Ronan. What makes it so special is the honesty. Lady Bird doesn’t shy away from awkwardness or try to make the protagonist flawless, it’s not afraid to balance comedy with sadness and struggle, and it’s a sincere exploration of someone trying to find their place in the world. It has so much warmth and life, and it feels like I’m watching someone’s real memories rather than a scripted story, which is a testament to Greta Gerwig’s wonderful writing.
49. Fingernails (2023)
Where? - Apple TV+ [first viewing]
Thoughts - I’m afraid to say I was underwhelmed. The concept is intriguing, but the delivery left a lot to be desired. It has a trio of solid performances, and some of the song choices were excellent, but the narrative goes limp before the halfway mark. So as I naturally expected the film to go bigger and bolder, but it instead levels off and tiptoes towards end credits. It’s worth watching if you’re in the mood for something slow and mostly surface level, but ultimately it’s the type of film which could have been wild but ended up being mild.
50. Civil War (2024)
Where? - Cinema screening [first viewing]
Thoughts - This is Alex Garland’s biggest film to date, and a deeply emotional and thought-provoking experience. The cast are all excellent, most notably Kirsten Dunst’s subtle yet powerful performance. The fundamental strength of Civil War is Garland’s masterful writing. The characters felt real, and the narrative, tone and pace are pitch perfect. It’s a story that’s realistic and ambiguous but without becoming apolitical. It’s about language, actions and ideologies rather than partisan politics, and there’s room for audiences to think for themselves. It’s a remarkable film which delivers nerve-shredding intensity and grit, whilst tackling complex questions with eloquence.
51. Causeway (2022)
Where? - Apple TV+ [first viewing]
Thoughts - Causeway is the type of film which didn’t necessarily do anything wrong, but it also didn’t do much to stand out. It has some nice tender moments and the central performances are good, particularly Brian Tyree Henry, but the story is a bit jumbled and quiet. Granted, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, especially considering the film is at its strongest when it’s being delicate. It’s not so much about the story, but about the characters. It’s a film about human interaction and finding an unexpected friend. However, this trait is stronger than the overall picture.
52. Scoop (2024)
Where? - Netflix [first viewing]
Thoughts - With the abundance of recent films “based on a true story” I have become more sceptical, but Scoop struck a good balance. Of course it has sections which are over-dramatised, and the heavy-handedness sometimes leans more into cheesy territory. However, the film also treats the subject matter with sincerity, and knows when to tone down the dramatics. It’s guaranteed to have ruffled some feathers, but that’s due to the film’s quest for clarity rather than cinematic sensationalism. I applaud the filmmakers for daring to address the subject, and to recreate verbatim moments. Also, Gillian Anderson is spectacular.
53. X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
Where? - Disney Plus [rewatch]
Thoughts - This still holds up as one of the best X-Men entries. Exploring time travel and utilising two cast generations is ambitious, and yet the film delivers high quality storytelling and slick blockbuster action in ample supply. It’s confident, but it’s well balanced. The expected comic book action is accompanied by delicate scenes which reinforce the tone and gravity of the story. Days of Future Past was ahead of its time (not a time travel pun). It paved the way for films like Avengers: Endgame by proving it’s possible juggle so many moving parts and deliver a great cinematic experience.
54. X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
Where? - Disney Plus [rewatch]
Thoughts - Despite my passion for comic books and the X-Men, this film doesn’t make me feel angry or sad. On the contrary, I feel disappointed. Given the cast, the great ensemble of heroes and villains, and the infinite possibilities for an Apocalypse centric story, this film was a wasted opportunity. It didn’t need to be a masterpiece, it just needed to be a good time, and sadly it didn’t deliver. It’s not totally without merit, but the positives are certainly in short supply, because the finished product is long, boring and lacking in any sense of suspense or adventure.
55. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Where? - Blu Ray [rewatch]
Thoughts - With every rewatch, this film cements itself as my favourite film of all time. I’m always in the mood to watch this, because it cures me of any negativity and fills me with joy. The story is full of passion and heart, and it never fails to engage my emotions and thoughts. Even removing the layers, at face value this film is an absolute riot. It’s fast paced, fun, energetic, and it explodes into bursts of colour as it perfectly fuses film and comic book storytelling. Even after six years, I’m still finding new reasons to love this film.
56. Argylle (2024)
Where? - Apple TV+ [first viewing]
Thoughts - Despite an impressive cast and some fun action, Argylle seriously missed the mark. The story is all over the place, lazily cramming multiple twists, reveals and layers into one confused film. My biggest issue is that Argylle is thunderously stupid, which can’t be on purpose. There are many signs this is supposed to be clever and meta, but the writing is lacklustre. This could’ve been a clever and witty pastiche of lame spy films, but it sprung it’s own trap and became a lame spy film. The end product is unfocused, ill-disciplined, baffling and surprisingly dull.
57. Robots (2005)
Where? - Disney Plus [rewatch]
Thoughts - People don’t talk about this film often enough, which is a shame because it’s really fun! The worldbuilding is inventive, the ensemble of wacky characters are fun, and the voice acting performances add both heart and humour. Watching Robots as an adult was a great experience because I could appreciate the social commentary, which was way ahead of its time. Toxicity of consumer capitalism and the fashion industry, exploitation of the working class, misusing resources - these are just a few examples of complex themes explored throughout Robots. Most importantly, it has a timeless, heart-warming message about helping people.
Favourite new film of the month
Civil War
Thank you for checking out part 4, hopefully you’ll find yourself back here soon for part 5! If you’ve enjoyed this article, please check out my other recent articles:
