Necroshaman’s Films Watched in 2024
Let’s see if I can outdo 2023 … probably not but it’ll be fun trying.
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- DirectorDan BrownStarsAngus CloudElliot KnightJessica GarzaWhen a dispute over a winning lottery ticket turns into a deadly hostage situation, the witnesses must decide exactly how far they're willing to go and how much blood they're willing to spill for a cut of $156 million.Pretty good thriller that didn’t necessarily go the clichéd route. Interesting batch of characters all looking for a piece of the pie. The pregnant lady was particularly strong and resourceful and made for an enjoyable character. 7/10 - 1/1/2024
- DirectorKyle BaldaBrad AblesonJonathan del ValStarsSteve CarellPierre CoffinAlan ArkinThe untold story of one twelve-year-old's dream to become the world's greatest supervillain.Pretty stacked cast in this sequel (arguably of both Minions and Despicable Me) that blends what’s good about both. Michelle Yeoh proves that she is bad ass, even in animated form. Fun story, stylish scenes and a nice 70s soundtrack. I also liked the Chinese version of Bang Bang. 7/10 - 1/1/2024
- DirectorJeannot SzwarcStarsRoy ScheiderLorraine GaryMurray HamiltonPolice chief Brody must protect the citizens of Amity after a second monstrous shark begins terrorizing the waters.Maybe it’s a time period thing but I did not find this sequel scary, suspenseful or even thrilling. To be honest, the film needed more shark and a heck of a lot more blood. It was just sort of average. 1/1/2024
- DirectorDavid O. RussellStarsChristian BaleMargot RobbieJohn David WashingtonIn the 1930s, three friends witness a murder, are framed for it, and uncover one of the most outrageous plots in American history.A varied assortment of interesting characters played by a ridiculous stacked cast. The story is fascinating from an historical standpoint but the film was overly long and meandered. It would have been better with a tighter cut to create a better sense of urgency. While the cast was amazing, I found the dialogue a little “off” all throughout. 6/10 - 1/1/2024
- DirectorMarcel WalzStarsCerina VincentMonique ParentSarah FrenchMason Maestro has just directed what he considers to be his masterpiece, a film titled 'That's a Wrap.' One by one, the cast disappears until the true nature of the evening is revealed.Terrible film. Tried to insert a lot of sex but was not sexy. Characters were vapid with awful lines. Kills lacked creativity or good gore. I honestly expected better out of this, despite the bad ratings. At least the color scheme was okay (even if unoriginal). 2/10 - 1/2/2024
- DirectorBanmei TakahashiStarsKeiko TakahashiDaijirô TsutsumiShirô ShimomotoAfter several strangely threatening calls from a local salesman, a homemaker becomes increasingly afraid to answer her apartment door.I either misunderstood what this film was or my expectations were too high. This was a mostly bloodless, slow moving thriller about I guess a stalker. It doesn’t get particularly interesting until about 20 minutes left in the film. At least they applied Checkov’s gun to the chainsaw. Though it seems weird the father would casually have one hanging out in a toolbox in an apartment. The music used throughout didn’t seem a good fit for thriller or horror. 4/10 - 1/2/2024
- DirectorDane ElcarStarsDana BergerMax WoertendykeA couple find themselves trapped while on a run around a pond.Low budget Sisyphean nightmare couples therapy film or something like that. Reminded me of both Triangle and The Incident to some degree. The pile of headphones on the ground recalled the birds from Triangle. They did well with what they had and created a good air of mystery amplified by good use of sound (eg heartbeats) and minimalist music. A bit of a gem. 8/10 - 1/3/2024
- DirectorKurtis David HarderStarsEmily TennantRory J SaperCassandra NaudWhile struggling on a solo backpacking trip in Thailand, social media influencer Madison meets CW, who travels with ease and shows her a more uninhibited way of living, but CW's interest in her takes a darker turn.Better than I was expecting for this thriller with unexpected direction that it went. The main antagonist was portrayed well by Naud and reminded me a bit of Isabelle Fuhrman in Orphan / Orphan Kills. The story was overall good, though the ending betrayed Naud’s character throughout the rest of the film. 7/10 - 1/3/2024
- DirectorLowell ShermanStarsMae WestCary GrantOwen MooreIn the Gay Nineties, a seductive nightclub singer contends with several suitors, including a jealous escaped convict and a handsome temperance league member.I don’t feel this has held up. The script was rough around the edges and wasn’t all that funny. This despite the presence of a very young Cary Grant. Songs were okay I guess but I feel Mae West was overrated. 4/10 - 1/3/2024
- DirectorNicholas HytnerStarsAmanda SchullEthan StiefelSascha RadetskyA group of teenagers from various backgrounds enroll at the American Ballet Academy in New York to make it as ballet dancers and each one deals with the problems and stress of training and getting ahead in the world of dance.You’ve seen this film before: just replace ballet with whatever other thing they are competing for / training on. Dancing was okay. Characters a bit cliché with lingering 90s style. Notable as Saldana’s first film. 6/10 - 1/4/2024
- DirectorBrad BirdStarsCraig T. NelsonSamuel L. JacksonHolly HunterWhile trying to lead a quiet suburban life, a family of undercover superheroes are forced into action to save the world.Such a well made animated superhero film, well before the MCU invasion. Holds up on repeat viewings well. It helps that the characters are all relatable and human, despite being super. I loved realizing the Young Sheldon connection this time (Nelson and Shawn). 9/10 - 1/4/2024
- DirectorJohnnie ToKa-Fai WaiStarsAndy LauTakashi SorimachiKelly LinTwo very different hitmen find themselves to be in each other's way. They use all their skill to solve the problem.Stylish HK film that made a point of name checking other, good movies (baked into the script via the movie store girl). Action was okay but I did find the story droned on after a while. 6/10 - 1/4/2024
- DirectorSoi CheangStarsNiki ChowBernard ChowChi Kui ChowThree people meet in a hospital to denote blood in an emergency, to save the lives of a couple who made a suicide pact because one of them was dying of cancer. Their blood has a 50% success rate, leaving the man in a coma but the girl dead.Slow burn Hong Kong spook film. Visually saturated in blue throughout with a decent classical soundtrack. Jump scares here and there. Shots of blood contrast the blue from time to time. Overall it was too slow to be scary with a lot of time between anything interesting. 6/10 - 1/5/2024
- DirectorPeter HallStarsRod SteigerClaire BloomJudy GeesonSteve Howard, a British sales executive living in Middlesex, England, begins an affair with a young hitchhiker, Ella Patterson, to emotionally get away from his marriage to his wife Frances. But when Ella moves into a room in Steve and Frances's house, he must keep the true nature of his relationship with Ella under wraps at all costs.I was expecting some sort of silly 60s British sexy comedic romp but this was not that. Basically marital strife mixed with a fling and they all get involved with each other. It was not funny in the least. As a drama, it was okay and was probably more risqué for the time. 5/10 - 1/5/2024
- DirectorGeorge B. SeitzStarsEdmund LoweElissa LandiZasu PittsPhilip Trent is tired of playing film detective Shelby James, thinking that the stories are tripe, and plans a vacation to get away from Hollywood. But on the ship he meets a mysterious young woman, then finds a body--then discovers that the whole affair was staged by Peter Dean, author of the Shelby James novels. But then Mr. Van Mier is found murdered in the same way and the Dragon diamond is missing. No matter what Philip tries to do, he finds himself involved with the crime and meddles his way through it looking for the killer and the diamond--with help from Peter Dean.It tried to be funny but I didn’t find many of the jokes hitting. Gwenn looked young but maybe that’s just because he wasn’t sporting a Santa beard. Some dated bits like the pretending to be Asian on the phone. 5/10 - 1/5/2024
- DirectorVal GuestStarsEdward JuddJanet MunroLeo McKernWhen the U.S. and Russia unwittingly test atomic bombs at the same time, it alters the nutation (axis of rotation) of the Earth.I like these cautionary tales of the horrors of nuclear weapons. This one is a different spin in that it’s not nuclear war but the testing that sets off a climate catastrophe. There was an interesting mix of sepia tone and regular black and white to indicate what was happening. There was also some good scenes of climate crisis destruction (the “caught fire” bit). The movie itself reminded me a bit of a Twilight Zone episode (“The Midnight Sun”). 8/10 - 1/6/2024
- DirectorMonte HellmanStarsMillie PerkinsJack NicholsonWill HutchinsA mysterious woman persuades two cowboys to help her in a revenge scheme.I really wanted to like this. Millie Perkins looked pretty bad ass as a cowboy, I love Warren Oates and Jack Nicholson is in this too. But the story was hard to get into and not much exciting really happens. 5/10 - 1/6/2024
- DirectorNorman TaurogStarsElvis PresleyJoan BlackmanAngela LansburyAfter arriving back in Hawaii from the Army, Chad Gates defies his parents' wishes for him to work at the family business and instead goes to work as a tour guide at his girlfriend's agency.Can’t say I really enjoyed the film but I’m not really a big Presley fan either. The whole film is basically a vehicle to showcase his music and thus the story is simple and suffers because of it. Throw in the very dated behaviour towards women and it’s an artifact of the time. Worth it I guess to see him sing Fools Rush In but overall I wouldn’t watch this again. 4/10 - 1/7/2024
- DirectorNorman TaurogStarsElvis PresleyJuliet ProwseRobert IversTulsa McLean, a soldier with dreams of running his own nightclub, places a bet with his friend Dynamite that he can win the heart of an untouchable dancer. But when Dynamite is transferred, Tulsa must replace him in the bet.More of the same. Womanizing Presley in dated scenes while singing his catalogue of songs throughout. The situations were probably more comedic in the early 60s than they are now. He does have a good voice, even if he isn’t my favourite performer. 4/10 - 1/7/2024
- DirectorAlexander PayneStarsPaul GiamattiDa'Vine Joy RandolphDominic SessaA curmudgeonly instructor at a New England school remains on campus during Christmas break. He soon forms an unlikely bond with a brainy but damaged troublemaker, and with the school's cook, a woman who just lost a son in the Vietnam War.A story with heart and humour. Giamatti is stellar as always, though I found his strabismus or glass eye disconcerting but also funny. It was fun to see the budding friendship between Paul and Angus. The film itself was well made and scenes were poignantly done. 8/10 - 1/7/2024
- DirectorLarry PeerceStarsTony MusanteMartin SheenBeau BridgesLate one night, two young toughs hold hostage the passengers in one car of a New York subway train.Took a while to get going as there was a surprising amount of character development of the various passengers before even getting on the subway. Once the meat of it happened, it was pretty good. The two hoodlums definitely made you despise them. Beau Bridges played a heroic character very well. The black and white and apparent on location filming was quite good. Interesting to read the subway ads in the background as they appeared to be authentic. 7/10 - 1/7/2024
- DirectorDavid SwiftStarsJane WymanHayley MillsRichard EganA young girl comes to an embittered town and confronts its attitude with her determination to see the best in life.Bland story filled with awful adults. You totally feel sorry for Pollyanna suffering these odious people. 4/10 - 1/8/2024
- DirectorSidney LumetStarsSean ConneryHarry AndrewsIan BannenIn a North African military prison during World War II, five new prisoners struggle to survive in the face of brutal punishment and sadistic guards.Maybe I’ve seen too many prison set films recently or overall, but this was very bleh. It lacked any meaningful character development to make you care for the maligned prisoners and so it was just an exercise in watching prisoners get punished by power hungry prison staff. I also didn’t really care for the use of black and white here. It didn’t really offer anything extra. If they were trying to give off the sweltering vibe, could have used the sepia tone that The Day the Earth Caught Fire used. 5/10 - 1/8/2024
- DirectorHenri DecoinStarsJuliette GrécoLiselotte PulverJean-Marc BoryFrançois is a vet surgeon on the Noirmoutier island. He is married to Catherine. One day, he is called by a mysterious attractive woman, Myriam, whose leopard is sick. They become lovers. But Myriam lived in Africa for years and she seems to have maleficent powers. Besides, she is a jealous possessive woman who wants to keep François for herself alone. She owns a strange statuette which might cast a spell on someone who's on the way, François's wife for instance. And Catherine falls suddenly seriously ill.A slow moving thriller that lacked much suspense throughout. Atmospheric sounds were sparsely used but effective when they were. Not a lot happens and when it does, it’s not jolting or shocking. Better editing might have improved the runtime and the quality. The reveal was interesting enough and there was something soothing about a purring cheetah. 6/10 - 1/8/2024
- DirectorLuis BuñuelStarsCatherine DeneuveJean SorelMichel PiccoliA frigid young housewife decides to spend her midweek afternoons as a prostitute.Famous film but it really didn’t scratch any cinematic itch for me. The sex wasn’t particularly risqué compared to modern film and in terms of Buñuel, not weird or surreal enough. It was okay but not great. 5/10 - 1/8/2024