Film 2425 - Wicked: For Good

Intro: I mean, I watched the first one so it made sense to go and watch the second one I guess. I wasn't thrilled though.

Film 2424: "Wicked: For Good" (2025), Jon M. Chu
Watched: At the movies
Language: English
Watched with: Debbi
Thoughts: I was never a massive fan of the first one, but at least "Wicked" had a bunch of good songs, two of which I actually knew. This second one cannot say the same.
I understand it was a huge disappointment for fans to see both Cynthia + Ariana and the movie itself get snubbed at the Oscars this year, but honestly, I can see why. This "Wicked: For Good" isn't as good as the previous film. The ending is a bit anticlimactic and misses the spark and grandeur of the "Defying Gravity" closing song, none of the new songs created for this film are memorable, and since both movies were shot back-to-back, I can see why not a lot of Academy members felt the need to reward last year's winners with a new shiny Oscar for the same work they already got recognized for (specifically, last year "Wicked" won Best Costume Design and Best Production Design out of its 10 nominations).
I'll be honest, I didn't particularly enjoy "Wicked: For Good". I thought it was too long and boring at times. It's not the movie's fault—I think the second half of the original musical this is taken from is weaker than the first act anyway. I think they did the best they could here. Not my cup of tea.
Film 2332 - Wicked
Film 2425 - Wicked: For Good
Cast: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Colman Domingo, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum.
Box Office: $533.7 million
Worth a watch?: Just for fans of the previous movie, Cynthia/Ariana, or "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" lore.
Awards: 2 BAFTA nominations for Best Costume Design and Best Make Up & Hair. 5 Golden Globe nominations for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Supporting Actress, Cinematic and Box Office Achievement, and Best Original Song (for both "No Place Like Home" and "The Girl in the Bubble").
Key word: Lies.
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Bengi

Film 2424 - Pillion

Intro: It took me a while to get to this review. I had the template ready for about 10 days, but couldn’t find the time, energy, or just the willingness to sit down and write it. Yeah, the peak of award season just ended, but to be fair, it was mainly because this is the last movie I watched with Yegor before our breakup and, possibly, part of me wasn’t ready to let go.
The list of new movies to review is getting longer, though, so off we go.

Film 2424: "Pillion" (2025), Harry Lighton
Watched: At the movies
Language: English
Watched with: Niamh, Debbi, Yegor
Thoughts: Not the gay romance I was expecting, "Pillion" was definitely an interesting watch. To me, BDSM, dom and sub—it’s all a world I don’t know much about, and it’s not a kink I have, so watching this movie was almost like analyzing a case study.
I think Alexander Skarsgård is perfectly cast and gives off the right vibe for his character, Ray. Harry Melling is a great protagonist and shows his potential here as a leading man, regardless of the genre, but I can’t deny it was a bit strange to see Harry Potter’s cousin’s ass on the big screen (Melling plays Dudley Dursley in the "Harry Potter" franchise). Anyway, the two together are the gay couple you didn’t know you needed. They make a great screen pair.
Overall, "Pillion" is bold and provocative and shines a light on a community that is rarely the subject of a movie (let alone one produced by the BBC). Not necessarily my gay romance fantasy, but I found it interesting and definitely refreshing.
Cast: Harry Melling, Alexander Skarsgård, Douglas Hodge, Lesley Sharp, Jake Shears.
Box Office: $5.9 million
Worth a watch?: "Pillion" isn't for everybody, but if it's premise interests you ("A directionless man is swept off his feet when an enigmatic, impossibly handsome biker takes him on as his submissive.", from IMDb), then it's definitely worth a watch.
Awards: 3 BAFTA nominations (Outstanding British Film, Outstanding British Debut, and Adapted Screenplay). The movie won Best Screenplay at the Cannes Film Festival 2025 in the Un Certain Regard section.
Key word: Day off.
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Bengi

Film 2423 - Hellraiser

Intro: Yegor and I watched a lot of "Dragula" together and this franchise is referenced a lot in the show, so we decided to watch the original movie together.

Film 2423: "Hellraiser" (1987), Clive Barker
Watched: From the projector
Language: English
Watched with: Yegor
Thoughts: I did enjoy it, but as it's often the case when you watch a film that came out almost 40 years ago, you can tell it's that old. I don't mean in in a bad way, I actually quite enjoyed some of the practical special effects, they're extremely creative and showcase the craftmenship that is behind this art. This said, some of them are leff effective.
To me, the story is a bit scattered and not always cohesive in tone and pace. There's a lot of S&M references when the world of hell is summoned, but it kind of goes nowhere? For a film that is called "Hellraiser", I was definitely expecting a bit more of the titular character and less of the second wife's sexual adventures. Also I find Ashley Laurence's performance as the daughter to be a little too over the top for my liking, but that's just me.
All in all, not my favourite horror movie but the idea behind the story feels fresh and I see why this movie is considered a cult classic.
Cast: Andrew Robinson, Clare Higgins, Ashley Laurence, Sean Chapman, Oliver Smith, Doug Bradley.
Box Office: $30 million
Worth a watch?: It has an iconic appeal to it and, if you like horror movies, it's definitely worth givining it a go. Not my favourite, but I don't regret watching it.
Awards: /
Key word: Cube.
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Bengi

Film 2422 - Frankenstein

Intro: When it came out on Netflix, everybody was talking about it and the reviews were good, so I was curious to give this movie a try.

Film 2422: "Frankenstein" (2025), Guillermo del Toro
Watched: From the TV
Language: English
Watched with: Yegor
Thoughts: Much ado about nothing? It's not bad, but I'm not sure where all the fuss is coming from, to be honest.
Maybe my expectations were too high, as usual, but I was genuinely expecting something way more epic from this film. Mainly I didn't like how much green screen was used and how evident it was. I don't expect the production to move to Antarctica to shoot the scene in the icy water, but I was surprised by how fake the whole environment felt and looked, considering this movie cost $120 million to produce.
And I'll be even more honest here: is Jacob Elordi's performance so memorable that it deserves all the accolades it's getting? I'm not sure. Is it a bad performance? Absolutely not, but an Oscar nomination for it? Uhm.
All in all, "Frankenstein" is an entertaining enough movie. The costumes are breathtaking and we get the chance to see Mia Goth play two roles (one of which with... eyebrows!), but to be completely honest I didn't care much for Victor Frankenstein's story, and while watching the movie I kept thinking how much I would have preferred to be watching "Young Frankenstein" instead.
Cast: Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, David Bradley, Charles Dance, Ralph Ineson, Christoph Waltz.
Box Office: $480,678
Worth a watch?: Considering the amount of awards and public discussion this movie has earned and generated, it's not a bad idea to give it a go and check what all the fuss is about (especially considering the Oscars are next weekend and "Frankenstein" is definitely going to win at least one or two of the technical categories). Personally, though, it's a movie I wouldn't rewatch.
Awards: Nominated for 9 Oscars (best Picture, Supporting Actor for Elordi, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Production Design, Costume Design, Makeup and Hairstyling, Score, and Sound). 3 BAFTA wins (Best Production Design, Costumes, and Makeup and Hair) over 8 nominations (Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Elordi, Cinematography, Score, Sound, and Visual Effects). 5 Golden Globe nominations (Best Motion Picture – Drama, Actor for Isaac, Supporting Actor for Elordi, Director, and Score). 3 nominations at the Actor Awards (Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role for Elordi), Cast in a Motion Picture, and Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture).
Key word: Syphilis.
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Bengi

Film 2421 - Ocean's Eight

Intro: One (late) morning we were all at home, looking for something to watch together while having breakfast. Netflix's catalogue suggested this one.

Film 2421: "Ocean's Eight" (2018), Gary Ross
Watched: From the TV
Language: English
Watched with: Yegor, Gigi
Thoughts: I think "Ocean's Eight" is a fun watch. I love the cast, the story is engaging, and the heist is elaborate enough to be entertaining and a real spectacle.
The chemistry between all the protagonists is great, the fashion is on point, and this movie positions itself perfectly within the "Ocean's" franchise as a solid reboot for the series and sequel in general.
More on-screen banter between Sandra Bullock and Cate Blanchett in the future would be greatly appreciated by yours truly.
Film 1647 - Ocean's Eight
Film 1800 - Ocean's 8
Film 2421 - Ocean's Eight
Cast: Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina, Rihanna, Helena Bonham Carter, Richard Armitage, James Corden, Dakota Fanning.
Box Office: $297.8 million
Worth a watch?: A fun watch, "Ocean's Eight" delivers both easy entertainment and amazing cast chemistry between all the talented actresses. It should have been even more successful than it ended up being.
Awards: /
Key word: Necklace.
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Bengi

Film 2420 - Shelby Oaks

Intro: I didn't want to see this movie and only agreed because I thought it was a different film... and I only realized it once the show started.

Film 2420: "Shelby Oaks" (2024), Chris Stuckmann
Watched: At the movies
Language: English
Watched with: Niamh, Debbi
Thoughts: The movie equivalent of a scam. One of the worst movies I've watched this year.
It's trying to channel "The Blair Witch Project" so hard that it's annoying to watch the story unfold. It's cliché after cliché and adds nothing to the horror genre.
Cast: Camille Sullivan, Brendan Sexton III, Keith David, Sarah Durn, Derek Mears, Emily Bennett, Charlie Talbert, Robin Bartlett, Michael Beach.
Box Office: $6.6 million
Worth a watch?: I really didn't like it. Forgettable — personally, I wouldn't waste my time.
Awards: /
Key word: Broken glass.
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Bengi

Film 2419 - Sinister

Intro: I remember watching it ages ago and liking it, so I thought it could be a good idea to give it another go with Kate for our new weekly cinema appointment in the living room.

Film 2419: "Sinister" (2012), Scott Derrickson
Watched: From the projector
Language: English
Watched with: Kate
Thoughts: I remembered it being… scarier?
I'm not sure if it's because more than 10 years have passed or maybe I simply remembered it differently, but yeah, I was a bit surprised to realize that "Sinister" isn't as scary as I was expecting it to be. And not as good either.
I mean, it does its job as a horror movie, and a few of the jump scares are effective, but yeah, I think I had higher expectations than I should have, and this kind of affected the whole vibe of the movie for me.
Film 1016 - Sinister
Film 2419 - Sinister
Cast: Ethan Hawke, Juliet Rylance, Fred Thompson, James Ransone, Clare Foley, Michael Hall D'Addario, Vincent D'Onofrio.
Box Office: $87.7 million
Worth a watch?: Horror movie fans should enjoy this film from Scott Derrickson, who’s also the same guy who wrote and directed "The Black Phone" 1 and 2, "Doctor Strange", and "The Exorcism of Emily Rose". It has its good moments, and Ethan Hawke is always a great protagonist.
Awards: /
Key word: House.
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Bengi