Film 2493 - Fear Street: Prom Queen

Intro: I was looking to extend the horror movie streak a bit longer, but had no idea what to watch. So I turned to Netflix, hoping its catalogue would save me. And, for the purpose of what I was looking for, it did.

Film 2493: "Fear Street: Prom Queen" (2025), directed by Matt Palmer
Watched: On the computer
Language: English
Watched with: No one
Thoughts: When I was a kid, I was a huge fan of R. L. Stine's "Goosebumps". I had most of the books, I read them constantly - even re-read one or two a bunch of times - and it was such a beloved franchise to me. So when I was scanning through Netflix's catalogue looking for something horror-related to spook up my evening, finding out that "Fear Street: Prom Queen" was based on the work of the same author was 100% the decisive factor. And sure, it wasn't mind-blowing, but I had enough of a decent time.
I'll be completely honest: this is not a good movie, but there's a certain vibe to it that I resonated with: the nostalgia. I love the 80s and I love horror movies, so the two elements combined definitely worked for me. But - and it's a big but - the acting isn't great, the plot twist at the end is a weak payoff for all the mystery set up throughout the plot, and overall "Fear Street: Prom Queen" feels more like - you guessed it - a Netflix production than an actual movie that would hit theaters and justify its existence by having something to say rather than simply filling out the catalogue.
I was happy to see Katherine Waterston again, though, and Lili Taylor is always guaranteed to deliver in the horror genre.
Cast: India Fowler, Suzanna Son, Fina Strazza, Chris Klein, David Iacono, Ella Rubin, Ariana Greenblatt, Lili Taylor, Katherine Waterston.
Box Office: /
Worth a watch?: I wouldn't necessarily recommend it, but if you're looking for something silly and easy to watch that falls under the horror umbrella, then go for it and see if it sticks. I think the original "Fear Street" is so much better, but the 80s prom night vibe could be a turn-on for some(one like me).
Awards: /
Key word: Winning.
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Bengi

Film 2492 - Meg 2: The Trench

Intro: Once I heard it was bad, I never convinced myself to go and see it at the movies. Then, a few weeks ago, I saw it listed on Netflix and I said to myself: "Why not?"

Film 2492: "Meg 2: The Trench" (2023), directed by Ben Wheatley
Watched: On the computer
Language: English
Watched with: No one
Thoughts: I mean, if you've seen the previous one, you know exactly what to expect from this sequel. And look, I'm not saying it's good by any means, but if you enjoyed "The Meg", you should have a good time this time around as well. And I did.
I think they tried to go even bigger with this one, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but the story ends up having way too many plots and subplots, and way too many main and side characters for the audience to be fully invested. To be fair, if you're watching "Meg 2: The Trench", you're doing it for the spectacle it provides and definitely not for the plot, but still, it's worth mentioning the overstuffed script.
And, as is to be expected, Jason Statham goes above and beyond to prove how badass he can be.
Not much else to say, really; either you have a good time or you think this is the stupidest movie in the world.
Film 1700 - The Meg
Film 2492 - Meg 2: The Trench
Cast: Jason Statham, Wu Jing, Sophia Cai, Page Kennedy, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Skyler Samuels, Cliff Curtis.
Box Office: $398.5 million
Worth a watch?: "A research team's journey into the depths of the ocean turns into chaos when a mining operation forces them into a battle for survival, facing off against Megalodons and relentless environmental marauders." (from IMDb). If this sounds like your jam, damn, you're gonna have a good time. Otherwise, venture elsewhere.
Awards: 3 nominations at the Razzie Awards for Worst Picture, Worst Director and Worst Actor (Jason Statham).
Key word: Rare-earth minerals.
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Bengi

Film 2470 - 30 notti con il mio ex

Intro: Still in Italy, I was looking for something to watch on the one evening I decided to spend at home. I was scrolling through Netflix, unsure what to watch, and found this. The last time I watched a new Italian movie was ages ago, so I decided to give it a go. To feel a bit like I still belong.

Film 2470: "30 notti con il mio ex" (2025), Guido Chiesa
Watched: From the TV
Language: Italian
Watched with: No one
Thoughts: I think the idea behind this story works and the potential is there, but I didn't fully buy the overall execution.
Bruno (Edoardo Leo) lives with his teenage daughter, with whom he struggles to connect. His ex-wife (Micaela Ramazzotti) comes back into the picture when she spends 30 days with them before being able to return to the real world now that her mental health treatment has concluded. I thought this premise was intriguing and could definitely set up an interesting story for all the characters involved, which it does to a certain extent. Being back together as a family is initially a struggle, but then things seem to work once again and, inevitably, feelings resurface and it all gets messy again. I'm fine with the story; I think it certainly doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it does a decent job of portraying a realistic scenario of what it would look like if a situation similar to the one depicted here happened in real life.
The issue for me lies with the ending, a classic cliffhanger that doesn't really work here. I'm not sure if this choice of ending the movie this way was intentional or just a replica of the Argentinian film this movie is inspired by ("30 noches con mi ex" by Adrián Suar), but it really bothered me. You've invested a couple of hours in this story, these characters, their lives and struggles, and how they finally start to cope with the new setup they're in and... the story ends. Caput. No more. Go home.
I'm sure this is supposed to be the movie's way of letting you decide for yourself what happens to these people, but it's actually just extremely frustrating. I really, really don't like open endings and, for a movie like this one, an alleged romcom, it is possibly the worst way to end your story. Or rather, not end it at all.
Ending aside, I appreciated Edoardo Leo's performance. To me, it was the one most grounded in reality. Micaela Ramazzotti is an extremely gifted actress, but here I felt she was basically giving off the same character vibes as the one she previously played in "La pazza gioia". Additionally, the whimsical, slightly frantic way she plays Terry started to get on my nerves after a while. You'd expect her character to grow and change as the story progresses, but there's a child-like quality to her that never really goes away, and I thought it felt unnecessary once Terry starts to regain her confidence and reconnect with her family.
I think I was expecting "30 notti con il mio ex" to be something different, maybe more comedic and lighthearted than it actually is. Which is obviously fine, but possibly not what I was looking for at that moment. That said, I still believe this could have been a better movie with a different ending, fewer dead moments, and a more grounded portrayal of mental illness, recovery, and reconnecting with the world and your loved ones.
Cast: Edoardo Leo, Micaela Ramazzotti, Gloria Harvey, Claudio Colica, Francesca Valtorta, Matteo Scattaretico, Anna Bonaiuto.
Box Office: $1,552,852
Worth a watch?: Not a romcom, more a dramedy... maybe? I didn't necessarily laugh, but there are definitely lighter moments. The ending was a big no-no for me. Overall, if you enjoy Italian movies, this is definitely not the worst one you could watch, but not the best either. It's more middle of the way for me.
Awards: /
Key word: Mental illness.
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Bengi

Film 2449 - People We Meet on Vacation

Intro: We're still in Fuerteventura and the girls have joined us on the island. Petra & Rebecca are on one side of the main village, while Debbi's accommodation is right next to ours. So on Monday, since Niamh had her college course, I went over to her's to watch a movie and have dinner together.

Film 2449: "People We Meet on Vacation" (2026), Brett Haley
Watched: From the TV
Language: English
Watched with: Debbi
Thoughts: I didn't know what to expect with this one. I didn't know the story, nor the book this is taken from, so I went in with low expectations and the hope that I would at least have a decent time. And look, to be fair, I did have a decent time at the beginning.
"People We Meet on Vacation" is your classic Netflix romcom that you watch and forget about the next day. There's nothing remarkable about it: the aesthetic is perfectly clean and glamorous, with no hint of real life anywhere. Everyone seems to be either rich or somehow gravitating towards a luxurious lifestyle, considering the way the characters are dressed and the locations they’re placed in. And of course, most of the romantic moments happen in what could easily be a postcard backdrop. But no one was really aiming for realism here.
Once you make peace with that and focus on the plot... oh jeez. If I had to summarize what happens in this movie, I'm not sure I'd be able to remember anything beyond the classic 'will they won't they' cliché. They're just friends, but secretly they're made for each other and obviously already in love, except the timing never seems to work in their favour. Eventually, towards the end, they find a way to finally **(I don't think it's a) SPOILER** make it happen for themselves. They are in love, all is good in the world, and we can move on because really, who in their right mind didn’t expect the plot to go exactly like this? Nobody.

Cast: Emily Bader, Tom Blyth, Sarah Catherine Hook, Lucien Laviscount, Miles Heizer, Jameela Jamil, Lukas Gage, Molly Shannon, Alan Ruck.
Box Office: /
Worth a watch?: Predictable and not memorable enough for any other qualities to make it stand out, "People We Meet on Vacation" is a good enough option for a night of brainless escapism, but not much else. Also, sorry to say, but I wasn’t impressed by Emily Bader's performance in the lead.
Awards: /
Key word: Ohio.
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Bengi

Film 2426 - Fall Into Winter

Intro: Not a great weekend that was, for both my personal life and the movie choice that was made. At Sórcha & Niamh's apartment for the now-annual Christmas party, we decided to watch a Christmas movie together the next day to recover. And, to be fair, watching this movie with your friends is the only way to get through it.

Film 2426: "Fall Into Winter" (2023), T.W. Peacocke
Watched: From the TV
Language: English
Watched with: Niamh R, Sórcha, Michelle
Thoughts: Possibly the worst and cheapest-looking Christmas movie I've ever seen. Not much else to say, really.
Cast: Lori Loughlin, James Tupper, Cherion Drakes, Darrin Baker, Marc Senior.
Box Office: /
Worth a watch?: I mean, you don’t watch this type of movie for the revolutionary plot or superb acting, but because it's Christmas and you want something easy, cheesy, and food-coma-proof to play in the background while vegetating on the couch. If that’s your goal, then "Fall Into Winter" is the perfect pick. Otherwise, look somewhere else.
Awards: /
Key word: Shop.
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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 2411 - A Deadly American Marriage

Intro: Third documentary in a row, last movie we watched in Corfu, Greece.

Film 2411: "A Deadly American Marriage" (2025), Jessica Burgess, Jenny Popplewell
Watched: From my laptop
Language: English
Watched with: Niamh, Debbi
Thoughts: Another terrifying true story, but this documentary isn't as effective as the previous one we watched. Not a bad movie by any means, yet I didn't find it as compelling or as well told as the previous documentaries we watched. The story is less sensational, in the sense that the facts presented are closer to what you would expect from a typical true crime case. It's obviously a heartbreaking story, and it's devastating to witness what happened to this poor man and his family, but A "Deadly American Marriage" didn't quite glue me to my chair, if that makes sense.
Cast: Jason Corbett, Sarah Corbett Lynch, Jack Corbett Lynch, Molly Martens Corbett, Tom Martens.
Box Office: /
Worth a watch?: For those who appreciate true crime stories, I'm not a big fan of this genre. I don't find pleasure in witnessing other people's suffering or in the slightly voyeuristic component of this kind of piece of media.
Awards: /
Key word: Au pair.
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Bengi

Film 2410 - Abducted in Plain Sight

Intro: Debbi arrives to Corfu and the first thing we do at dinner the next day? We watch another documentary on Netflix because why not?

Film 2410: "Abducted in Plain Sight" (2017), Skye Borgman
Watched: From my laptop
Language: English
Watched with: Niamh, Debbi
Thoughts: This story is crazy and the fact that it's real is even crazier. I'm not sure how is Jan Broberg still in touch with her parents after all they did. And it isn't just speculations or 'he said, she said' scenario: the two parents are featured in this film and they corroborate, admit and describe the facts narrated here. It's insane.
I don't want to give too much away about this story, so I'm just going to say that a poor 12-year-old girl gets kidnapped TWICE by her neighbor, the parents know about it, they both have a sexual relationship with the kidnapper - who also abuses the girl, while the parents suspect it but chose not to believe the girl - and all they do is questioning if they were too naïve about it. And if you think I'm giving too much away... Watch this documentary and check how much I left out from the story.
Cast: Jan Broberg, Mary Ann Broberg, Bob Broberg, Karen Campbell, Susan Broberg.
Box Office: /
Worth a watch?: From Skye Borgman, the same director of "Unknown Number: The High School Catfish", this documentary covers a story that is so insane, it almost feels impossible. And yet it happened back in the 70s, it is true and you better believe aliens are involved too. Entertaining for sure, but extremely unsettling and disturbing.
Awards: /
Key word: The mission.
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Bengi

Film 2409 - Unknown Number: The High School Catfish

Intro: After the time jump to go through movie that are more relevant to this year's awards race, it's time to go back to where I left off. This is the second movie Niamh and I watched in Corfu, Greece.

Film 2409: "Unknown Number: The High School Catfish" (2025), Skye Borgman
Watched: From my laptop
Language: English
Watched with: Niamh
Thoughts: Like most reality TV shows and documentaries produced by streaming platforms nowadays, "Unknown Number: The High School Catfish" is a documentary that feels more like fiction because of how it’s edited and how the story is told. There’s a plot twist after another, in a crescendo of tension and chaos that culminates in the reveal of what’s actually happening behind the scenes. In this case, who was behind the horrifying text messages that the teenage girl Lauryn Licari was receiving.
I almost struggle to consider this a documentary, considering how overly produced it seems: when you watch it, it almost feels like you’re watching a mockumentary (like the previous Netflix hit "American Vandal"). It almost feels fictional for how absurd the story is and how glossy and visually clean it looks. It’s so strange.
Overall, though, I found it very compelling. The story is insane, and it’s even more unsettling to think that this happened for real, and that the person who stalked and harassed a teenager, along with her boyfriend and friends, actually decided to take part in this film. I understand that this person was trying to give her version of the facts, but considering who they are in relation to Lauryn, it’s almost absurd to me that the production gave them a platform. Far from me to censor anybody, but what this person did is disgusting and horrifying, and part of me doesn’t think they deserved the screen time they got thanks to this production.
"Unknown Number: The High School Catfish" is definitely an entertaining piece of media, but there’s a voyeuristic component and exploitation that don’t sit well with me. The story is as shocking as it is sad, and seeing a young girl having to go through all of this and, in the end, still being able to feel compassion for the person who put her through hell… As a viewer, it’s quite hard to watch.
Cast: Lauryn Licari, Owen McKenny, Shawn Licari, Kendra Licari.
Box Office: /
Worth a watch?: Definitely a crazy ride; it all boils down to who the stalker and abuser is. If you’re up for real stories like this one, then go for it. Otherwise, it’s better to find something else to watch.
Awards: /
Key word: Messages.
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Bengi

Film 2434 - KPop Demon Hunters

Intro: I'm in my movie era once again and lately I've been trying to catch up with all the films that I missed during last year or saved "for later" and never went back to. So here we are, giving this franchise another chance after its disappointing latest entries. But I was looking for somthing fun and easy and I thought this one could be a good candidate.

Film 2434: "KPop Demon Hunters" (2025), Maggie Kang, Chris Appelhans
Watched: From my computer
Language: English
Watched with: No one
Thoughts: I found it really entertaining and well made, although I didn't necessarily fall in love with it. I didn't find it as exceptional as the various media channels portrayed it to be. Again, it's a great movie; it's just that I was expecting something mind-blowing and, as per usual, my expectations were set too high by what I read before watching the movie myself. The music is catchy, with "Golden" and "Soda Pop" being the two standout songs for me.
Overall, "KPop Demon Hunters" is a great watch and a visual spectacle, and I can see why so many people resonated with it. I'd say I'm just not part of the frenzy surrounding this movie (or K-pop music in general). Still, I'd definitely give it another watch.
P.S. Interestingly enough, there was no nomination at this year's BAFTA Awards. I find it interesting that this film isn't nominated in the Animated Movie category. The BAFTAs don't have a song category, so no snub there.
Cast: Arden Cho, Ahn Hyo-seop, May Hong, Ji-young Yoo, Yunjin Kim, Daniel Dae Kim, Ken Jeong, Lee Byung-hun.
Box Office: $24.7 million
Worth a watch?: It will probably win at the Oscars in both categories where this movie is nominated. I haven't seen many of the animated movies this year—actually, this might be the only one I've watched so far—and I'm happy for it to win, to be honest. It's great fun, the music is good, and it's a visual spectacle. If you're a fan of K-pop music, "Demon Hunters" should be on your to-watch list.
Awards: Nominated for 2 Oscars for Best Animated Feature Film and Best Original Song ("Golden"). Nominated for 3 Golden Globes for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement, it won Best Motion Picture – Animated and Best Original Song ("Golden"). 5 Grammy Awards nomination for Song of the Year, Best Song Written for Visual Media, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, Best Remixed Recording (all for "Golden"), and Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media.
Key word: Golden Honmoon.
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Bengi

Film 2430 - Wake Up Dead Man

Intro: I had to start watching this movie three times before I could finish it — not because of a lack of intention, clearly, but because we chose to start watching it while in Dingle, Co. Kerry, during the New Year’s celebrations. And I don’t think it was a smart idea to give it a go after a long day of travelling, a long day of drinking, or in the company of friends (Niamh, Rachel, and Eimear) you’d just gone partying with.
So, when I got back home in the new year, I finally gave it a proper go (while on the new treadmill I bought so I don’t have to go for my weekly run in the rain).

Film 2430: "Wake Up Dead Man" (2025), Rian Johnson
Watched: From my computer
Language: English
Watched with: No one
Thoughts: I'm still a big fan of the first "Knives Out" and, as fun as it is to have more than one movie in this series, neither of the sequels has lived up to the initial hype — this one especially. Or, to put it differently, after the second movie came out and revealed itself to be a bit of a 'meh', I think people weren’t too curious about the third outing of the franchise.
To be fair, "Wake Up Dead Man" is better than "Glass Onion", in my opinion. The killer is still quite obvious, but at least it isn’t revealed as blatantly by the plot as it is in the second film. I hoped the big reveal of who committed the murder would at least be the kind of plot twist these types of movies should deliver and, in the end, it was — so kudos for that.
Still, I have to admit that a) stories revolving around religion, cults, and/or faith don’t necessarily appeal to me, and b) I wish Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) had been more at the centre of the story, rather than feeling like a supporting character simply linking the Knives Out series together.
Overall, although quite intricate, the story is entertaining, the mystery is an actual mystery, and the cast is full of A-listers delivering solid performances. Josh O’Connor proves once again that he’s a great lead, although it feels strange seeing him play a priest opposite the original hot priest from "Fleabag" (Andrew Scott).
Film 1844 - Knives Out
Film 2010 - Knives Out
Film 2152 - Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Film 2429 - Wake Up Dead Man
Cast: Daniel Craig, Josh O'Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack, Thomas Haden Church.
Box Office: $2.5 million
Worth a watch?: If you enjoyed the previous two movies in this franchise, this will be a nice addition and definitely one to watch. Overall, it’s better than the previous one, but not as surprising or entertaining as the original "Knives Out". Still, good fun.
Awards: /
Key word: Damascus.
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Bengi

Film 2408 - My Oxford Year

Intro: We all heard how bad it was, so for our second movie in Corfu, we decided to see it for ourselves.

Film 2408: "My Oxford Year" (2025), Iain Morris
Watched: From my laptop
Language: English
Watched with: Niamh
Thoughts: One of the worst movies I watched last year—cheesy and clichéd—it focuses solely on capitalizing on the dramatic events of the story. Although I’ve never seen it, it reminded me a lot of "Emily in Paris" in terms of aesthetics and overall blandness.
The chemistry between Sofia Carson and Corey Mylchreest is simply not there, and I’m sorry to say she doesn’t deliver a strong performance here. Considering she’s the lead, that’s not a good look.
Cast: Sofia Carson, Corey Mylchreest, Dougray Scott, Catherine McCormack.
Box Office: /
Worth a watch?: The story is mainly shock value and romance (forced to the viewer). Bad.
Awards: /
Key word: Passport.
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Bengi

Film 2407 - The Thursday Murder Club

Intro: Before leaving to go on holiday I saw the trailer for this movie and how much they were trying to push it on Netflix. And of course I was intreagued!

Film 2407: "The Thursday Murder Club" (2025), Chris Columbus
Watched: From my laptop
Language: English
Watched with: Niamh
Thoughts: I enjoyed this movie although, I'll be honest, I was expecting a bit more. I mean, it's very enjoyable and the cast is great, but yeah, I was hoping for something a bit more thrilling, almost like of the first "Knives Out".
Reality is, "The Thursday Murder Club" is a perfectly fine movie, the actors do their job perfectly and overall it's a fun ride. Also, it's always nice to see Pierce Brosnan back in action.
Side note: Writing about this movie that I watched in early September, I cannot help but think about Celia Imrie in the UK's "The Celebrity Traitors". Who knew that, only a few weeks later, the world would have witnessed Imrie becoming one of the funniest contestant on the celebrity spinoff of "The Traitors" thanks to her exchanges with Alan Carr and, of course, that fart. Icon.
Cast: Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, Celia Imrie, Naomi Ackie, Daniel Mays, Jonathan Pryce, Richard E. Grant, David Tennant.
Box Office: /
Worth a watch?: Not groundbreaking, but surely entertaining. The four main leads are a perfect match together and, overall, "The Thursday Murder Club" is one of the latest best additions to the Netflix catalogue. (If only it didn't have that usual glossy and overly perfect look that every Netflix production has...)
Awards: /
Key word: Passport.
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Bengi

Film 2365 - The Whole Truth

Intro: Another movie from the Netflix catalogue, another dinner at home in Lanzarote.

Film 2365: "The Whole Truth" (2016), Courtney Hunt
Watched on: On the TV of the apartment
Language: English
Watched with: Niamh
Thoughts: I love legal drams, so I had high hopes for this one. In the end, tho, "The Whole Truth" isn't as powerul as it promises it to be when watching the trailer.
The movie has a very slow pace and the performances are a bit underwelhming, mostly because the story isn't that exciting. And it's a pity, because the cast is great and this genre of movies I usually really enjoy.
Ps. The screenplay is written by Nicholas Kazan, the son of famous director and 2 times Oscar winner Elia Kazan.
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Renée Zellweger, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Gabriel Basso, Jim Belushi.
Box Office: $1.7 million
Worth a watch?: It's not terrible, but there are other legal drama pictures there are way better and more interesting to watch, like, to name just a few, "12 Angry Men" or "Juror #2".
Awards: /
Key word: Watch.
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Bengi

Film 2340 - Carry-On

Intro: The second movie I watched on Christmas day is one I had heard of, but didn't know what was about. So I reluctantly decided to give it a chance, not knowing what to expect.

Film 2340: "Carry-On" (2024), Jaume Collet-Serra
Watched on: From the TV
Language: English
Watched with: No one
Thoughts: I didn't expect to enjoy this movie as much as I did. It's not groundbreaking by any means, but it definitely a better-than-expected thriller that once again showcase Taron Egerton's talent as a leading man.
Because of its story and setting, "Carry-On" also heavily reminded me of several other movies like "Flightplan", "Red Eye" and "Non-Stop", all of which are set in an airport, although this one doesn't take place on an actual plane.

That said, I really enjoyed this movie and as the first new movie I watched this year - and by this I mean a movie I had never watched before - I was happily impressed.
Not unforgettable, but definitely enjoyable.
Cast: Taron Egerton, Sofia Carson, Danielle Deadwyler, Theo Rossi, Logan Marshall-Green, Jason Bateman.
Box Office: /
Worth a watch?: Usually I don't particularly enjoy Netflix's movies, but this one I did. It's a good ride, Taron Egerton and Jason Bateman play well off each other and the story is crazy enough to be entertaining. One of those movies set in an airport: if you enjoy this kind of films, then "Carry-On" will do the trick for you.
Awards: /
Key word: Promotion.
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Bengi

Film 2337 - Emilia Pérez

Intro: After all the award buzz this movie was getting, before Christmas I decided to give it a go.

Film 2337: "Emilia Pérez" (2024), Jacques Audiard
Watched on: From my computer
Language: Spanish
Watched with: no one
Thoughts: It has been a while since I watched it and, funny enough, "Emilia Pérez" is now gaining a bad reputation after its multiple wins at the Golden Globes last Sunday.
For a (long) moment, it seemed like nothing could stop this movie: it won a Cannes for Best Actress and was getting nominated (and winning) everywhere, especially the performance of it cast, particularly Zoe Saldaña. But something has shifted after the Globes - the first televised award ceremony of the year, people have started watching either the movie on Netflix or the clips on TikTok and this is where things went south. Especially after "Emilia Pérez", a musical, has beaten "Wicked", another musical, in the movie of the year category.
So here's the thing: I watched this movie in Spanish, I read the lyrics of the songs and I paid attention, because I felt this movie was going to play a big part at the Oscar this year. So it had my full attention. And I can say two things: "Emilia Pérez" is not as bad as they're trying to paint it now, but it isn't the greatest movie ever made either (needless to say).
I applaud the idea of a musical about a man from the Mexican cartel transitioning and the portray of the struggle that comes with it, I think it's a different idea and the movie has it's moments. I particularly apprecciated and admired Zoe Saldaña's performance: a few minutes into the movie and I was ready to bet on her for the Supporting Actress Oscar win. (I really do think she has it in the bag.)
That said, yes, I did struggle a bit with this watch. The movie is very long (132 min) and none of the songs is a hit, really. There are a few interesting ones also visually speaking, but no song stuck with me and, on the contrary, I felt some of the performances from the supporting cast were actually really bad vocally. I understand that they didn't chose professional singers (Selena Gomez aside, and she does a decent enough job here to be fair - and yeah, her Spanish is bad, but what did you expect?), but the end result is sometimes jarring.
So, although I appreciated some bits of this movie, "Emilia Pérez" is definitely not my favourite movie of the year. Its cast does a great job and I was captured by Karla Sofía Gascón's performance (not in the lead category tho, I'd say more supporting, where Saldaña is really in the lead here, but anyway), some of the visuals and its themes (although some are critizing the stereotypical portraayl of Mexica culture) but other than Saldaña, I wouldn't give this movie any other award.
Cast: Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gomez, Adriana Paz, Mark Ivanir, Édgar Ramírez.
Box Office: $9.8 million
Worth a watch?: Definitely not a movie for everybody. It's a long musical in Spanish about violence, abuse, transitioning and many other heavy themes that could scare some people away. If you're interested in the controversy stemmed from the Golden Globes, then I would reccomend watching this movie and make an opinion for yourself, rather than just watching a few clips online out of context. Otherwise, if you don't care or you're not necessarily connecting with "Emilia Pérez'" themes, I would skip this watch.
Awards: Nominated to 10 Golden Globes, the movie won 4 awards for Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, Best Supporting Actress (Saldaña), Best Motion Picture Non-English Language, and Best Original Song (for "El Mal"). Currently, the movie is also nominated to 3 Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role (Gascón) and Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role (Saldaña).
At Cannes 2024, the movie won for Best Actress (Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gomez, and Adriana Paz), the Jury Prize and the Soundtrack Award for Best Composer (Camille, Clément Ducol).
Key word: Children.
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Film 2335 - Hot Frosty

Intro: Never in a million years I would have imagined this movie to be my first review of the year!

Film 2335: "Hot Frosty" (2024), Jerry Ciccoritti
Watched on: From the projector
Language: English
Watched with: Niamh
Thoughts: No need to go too deep into this movie, as I believe anyone can imagine that "Hot Frosty" isn't anything groundbreaking or even good. Plot-wise it makes no sense and, believe me, it is not becuase he's a snowman that turns into a human thanks to a magical scarf: there are so many inconsistencies in this screenplay, too many to list anyway. I'll just say this: he turns human and can understand the concept of love and death no problem with no need for explaination, but he struggles to grasp the meaning of the most basic words.
With that said, that doesn't take away from the fact that "Hot Frosty" is such a silly watch it's entertaining. As it makes lesser and lesser sense, it gets funnier and more upsurd and, if you're into these plotless silly Christams movies, than you're up for a tread because there's a lot to laught about!
Pretty iconic moment when Lacey Chabert sees a scene from "Mean Girls" and says that Lindsay Lohan's character reminds her of a girl from her school.
Also, worth mentioning that Dustin Milligan looks weirdly sick in this movie, ripped as ever before, yet somehow disturbingly skinny. This man here doesn't look like the same person from "Schitt's Creek" and it's strange.
Cast: Lacey Chabert, Dustin Milligan, Katy Mixon Greer, Lauren Holly, Chrishell Stause, Joe Lo Truglio, Craig Robinson.
Box Office: /
Worth a watch?: Netflix has been trying so hard to replace Hallmark's Christmas movies with its own for the past few years it's insane. And I think it's kinda working. To be added to the endless list of movies only good comes Christmas time, "Hot Frosty" isn't very good nor particularly compelling, yet there's something about it that makes it a great movie pick to watch with friends (and to laught about). And there's nothing wrong with it.
Awards: /
Key word: Red scarf.
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Film 2324 - Martha

Intro: Netflix fa partire per caso il trailer di questo documentario e decido all'istante di volerlo vedere. Così metto in pausa la mia frenesia horror per un attimo e mi concedo un titolo diverso...

Film 2324: "Martha" (2024) di R. J. Cutler

Visto: dal computer
Lingua: inglese
Compagnia: nessuno

In sintesi: della storia di Martha Stewart sapevo davvero pochissimo, eppure ho sempre avuto chiarissimo chi fosse. Forse i tre elementi chiave che avrei utilizzato per descriverla erano:
- esperta di tutto ciò che riguarda cucina e casa;
- amica di Snoop Dogg;
- ex detenuta per evasione fiscale.
Per quanto immaginassi ci fosse altro da dire sulla Stewart, non immaginavo che fosse così tanto. Da servizi di catering di lusso a magazine, da presentatrice tv a icona di stile, questo documentario copre sufficientemente a fondo aspetti della vita di un personaggio pubblico di cui, però, si tende a dimenticare certi traguardi raggiunti nel tempo, offuscati da più recenti ricordi di sfortunate disavventure.
L'approfondimento sul processo è certamente interessante, anche se per me la parte più affascinante è rappresentata dallo scoprire Martha Stewart non solo come personaggio, ma come persona. C'è praticamente solo lei in questo film - il che è anche l'aspetto negativo di questa operazione, a tratti un po' monotona - e le è permesso di raccontarsi liberamente, anche prendendosi certe libertà e dimostrando un certo candore che onestamente non mi sarei aspettato. Il film poi non le fà certo sconti nel rappresentarla come una sorta di Miranda Priestly in carne e ossa, ma in fondo e nonostante tutto ci si trova sempre a tifare per lei.
Un documentario interessante per il soggetto della sua analisi. Ribadisco, avrei gradito un po' di varietà nelle interviste, ma la Stewart è comunque talmente magnetica da saper tenere banco benissimo anche da sola.
Cast: Martha Stewart, Andrew Stewart, Alexis Stewart, Snoop Dogg.
Box Office: /
Vale o non vale: Interessante documentario sulla vita di una personalità che ha certamente influenzato l'America moderna. Per chi fosse interessato, "Martha" è sicuramente un buon film.
Premi: /
Parola chiave: Perfection.
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Film 2317 - Under Paris

Intro: Secondo film del sabato sera casalingo salotto con proiettore. In realtà avevo in programma di recuperare un'altra pellicola, ma dato che non si scaricava, ho optato per l'opzione più semplice: Netflix.

Film 2317: "Under Paris" (2024) di Xavier Gens

Visto: dal proiettore
Lingua: francese
Compagnia: nessuno

In sintesi: ammetto che fossi un po' restio a scegliere questo film all'inizio: non solo si tratta di un prodotto di Netflix (si sa che i loro film sono terribili), ma per di più in francese, il che avrebbe comportato il dover seguire tramite sottotitoli. D'altro canto, però, adoro i film con squali assassini che sembrano intenzionati a voler decimare la razza umana, per cui alla fine mi sono deciso. E ho fatto bene.
Per quanto "Sous la Seine" non si certo "Lo squalo", devo comunque ammettere che la visione non mi sia per niente dispiaciuta. Mi ci è voluto un attimo per risintonizzare l'orecchio sul francese (parlano veramente veloci), ma una volta abituato non ho più avuto problemi, anche perché, diciamocelo pure, non è che la storia sia poi troppo complessa da seguire.
Non troppo complessa, comunque, non vuol dire semplice. Succedono un sacco di cose in questa storia, infatti, il che è abbastanza inusuale per un prodotto di questo genere. Di solito o il racconto non ha niente di nuovo da dire, oppure la trama è talmente farcita di elementi, che il risultato finale è un'accozzaglia informe difficile da digerire. Qui mi pare si sia trovato il giusto equilibrio.
La storia è assurda tanto quanto lo può sembrare ad una prima occhiata: uno squalo bianco che si "trasferisce" nella Senna per mettere al mondo una colonia di altri squali bianchi, il tutto per culminare in una frenesia di spuntini per pescioloni affamati durante una competizione di triathlon in previsioni delle Olimpiadi di Parigi 2024. Insomma, c'è proprio un po' di tutto in questo "Under Paris".
Per quanto, appunto, ampiamente ancorato all'universo dell'improbabile, il film riesce in ogni caso a presentare un mondo sufficientemente credibile e radicato nella realtà. La sempre ottima Bérénice Bejo - la stessa di "The Artist", ruolo per cui fu candidata all'Oscar come Miglior attrice non protagonista - sostiene alla grande il film, tra l'altro in compagnia di un Nassim Lyes davvero niente male. Gli effetti speciali non sono perfetti, ma funzionali e le scene d'azione sono ben girate, specialmente quelle nelle catacombe e della gara. Il finale deraglia un po' nell'assurdo e, ammetto, se non avessi letto il riassunto su Wikipedia avrei faticato a mettere insieme i pezzi del cosa sta succedendo e perché, ma a parte questo "Under Paris" funziona senza intoppi.
Una piacevole sorpresa di Halloween!
Cast: Bérénice Bejo, Nassim Lyes, Léa Léviant, Sandra Parfait, Aksel Ustun, Aurélia Petit, Anne Marivin.
Box Office: /
Vale o non vale: Il film mantiene le promesse: c'è uno squalo che divora tutti, ci sono ottime scene d'azione e il risultato finale è tanto assurdo quanto ben confezionato. Per gli amanti del genere, un titolo sicuramente da tenere in considerazione.
Premi: /
Parola chiave: Parthenogenesis.
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Film 2228 - Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always

Intro: Da bambino ero un fan sfegatato, per cui non c'erano dubbi che avrei recuperato questo film nel momento in cui Netflix lo avrebbe reso disbonibile!

Film 2228: "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always" (2023) di Charlie Haskell

Visto: dal computer
Lingua: inglese
Compagnia: nessuno

In sintesi: operazione nostalgia, ma anche (quasi) operazione tenerezza, perché questo "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always" è è tutt'altro che un film riuscito, ma va a toccare le corde giuste de quei fan che, da piccoli, si sono innamorati dei Power Rangers (me incluso).
Va detto, si vede che Netflix ha tentato il più possibile di fare la sua solita magia (leggi soldi): la fotografia è pulita, i set e le scenografie ben fatti, i costumi più sgargianti che mai e persino una certa dose di effetti speciali da minimo sindacale che rendono omaggio a quelli del telefilm originale (leggi a basso costo). Insomma, tecnicamente l'upgrade si vede.
Quello che manca, però, è una storia solida e una recitazione meno lobotomizzata, anche se devo ammettere che non mi aspettassi niente di diverso. La serie tv è divertente e sufficientemente spensierata, mentre qui si devono elaborare questioni umani ben più complesse, in particolare il lutto conseguente alla morte di due dei protagonisti originali. E, va detto, non tutti gli attori (ri)chiamati qui sono all'altezza.
Tutto sommato, comunque, un tuffo nel passato che personalmente ho gradito, in linea con le mie aspettative e dignitoso rispetto all'eredità culturale lasciata dai mitici Power Rangers.
Film 1032 - Power Rangers - Il film
Film 1344 - Power Rangers
Film 2228 - Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always
Cast: David Yost, Walter Emanuel Jones, Steve Cardenas, Catherine Sutherland, Charlie Kersh, Johnny Yong Bosch, Karan Ashley, Richard Steven Horvitz, Barbara Goodson, Ryan Cooper, Daniel Watterson.
Box Office: /
Vale o non vale: Solo per i fan della serie originale o i successivi spin-off.
Premi: /
Parola chiave: Triny.
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