Joe Bloggs About Films
Stagione 1
Companion
Memoir of a Snail
Spider-Man 3
Wolf Man
Squid Game 2
Nosferatu
Favourite Films of 2024
Kraven the Hunter
Gremlins
di Joe Hobson
From the creative team behind 'Barbarian', comes another very clever thriller that brings an AI twist to the cabin horror subgenre. 'Companion' delivers on a number of levels; the outstanding performance from lead Sophie Thatcher, Jack Quad too in here is devilish and psychotic, the script is tight, but its the films themes of consciousness, technology, as well as controlling relationships, that really is where the movie is at its strongest. But even with these themes and messages, the film still basks in its horror, making 'Companion' an intense and gripping, not to mention humorous, watch from start to finish. There are films akin to this latest release from Drew Hancock, but there's enough about it that makes this feel unique and stand out amongst the rest of the AI horror flicks you may have seen prior. Full thoughts in this episode.
Following the films premier at the 2024 Annecy International Animation Film Festival, along with its recent Oscar nomination, Adam Elliot's 'Memoir of a Snail' is finally making its way to cinemas worldwide; and it is simply excellent. This mature themed, tragicomedy presents the whirlwind journey for lead character Grace Pudel, from childhood to adulthood, all beautifully and perfectly captured through claymation. The film manages to balance and explore the dark and harder aspects of life, as well the beauty and innocence excellently - and it doesn't hold back when it comes to the humour too. As poignant releases go, it's going to be hard to top this one - and it's a film that needs to be seen by all. Full spoiler-free thoughts in this episode.
Everyone's friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man returned to the big screen in 2007, with the franchises biggest, and darkest story yet... and ultimately, the worst of the bunch. Though 'Spider-Man 3' delivered at the box office, becoming one of the highest grossing films ever at the time, it was severely criticised by fans and critics, entering into meme territory (thank you, Bully Maguire) thanks to the huge misstep in direction that left so many underwhelmed with an awful lot that was included - most notably, the handling of fan favourite Venom. As much as the story did try to continue and resolve a lot of character arcs already established from the previous films, as well as delving into themes such as revenge and forgiveness, Spidey 3 had too much going on with its overstuffed script and stacked cast, that it was an impossible job to land this successfully. Full thoughts in this episode.
'Wolf Man' reunites Leigh Whannell with Universal Pictures, as he once again brings a classic monster into a modern and contemporary setting. Whannell is a writer and filmmaker I have followed since his breakout with 'Saw', and so having him attached to bringing universal monsters to the big screen is a huge win in my eyes. 'The Invisible Man' was a big success, but sadly 'Wolf Man' doesn’t leave the same mark. The film does use some effective camera techniques to showcase a man transforming into a werewolf, as well some brilliant sound effects to exaggerate this transition. And though the character study of Blake, played by Christopher Abbot, is gripping - it doesn’t connect as well as the film wants on an emotional level between he and his family. Ultimately, 'Wolf Man' leaves a lot more to be desired, but still has some fun scares for audiences. Full thoughts in this episode
The highly anticipated 'Squid Game 2' dropped on Netflix over the festive period, bringing audiences back to this world, as more participants enter these wicked and mysterious games. The first season was an overnight sensation, and catapulted the show to becoming a pop culture icon. Now with season 2, the stakes have been raised, as Seong Gi-hun re-enters with the motive of stopping the games once and for all. Though the show may have lost some sting, it still packs a punch with a gripping narrative that is equally entertaining as it is disturbing. It's evident that creator Hwang Dong-hyuk has taken time to perfect and craft this sequel's story, whilst also elevating the games and the shows philosophical angle. As dark as the show can get, its still a joy to see its return - and what a return this is. Full thoughts in this review
Robert Eggers brings us his take and vision on the silent picture from 1922, ‘Nosferatu’, and my goodness it is VERY good. Starting as a passion project back in 2015, Eggers has delivered on bringing audience a terrifyingly gorgeous picture that will lock you in a trance from minute one. The tone and atmosphere are impeccable, as well the stunning sets and costumes, on top of some staggering cinematography courtesy of Jarin Blaschke. But the main stand outs in this Gothic supernatural horror are its leads, Lily-Rose Depp, who puts on an outstanding performance, and Bill Skarsgård, who is lost in the makeup and embodied the malevolent Count Orlok. ‘Nosferatu’ deserves all the praise it is receiving, and then some. It is already a serious contender for film of the year… and it’s only January… Full thoughts in this episode.
As 2024 comes to a close, it's time to once again unveil my top 10 favourite films of the year! A massive thank you for all the support this year for the podcast - we officially hit 20k downloads this year (which I'm pretty chuffed about) so again, thank you - it means the world! Catch you in 2025.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson is Kraven the Hunter, the latest and possibly final entry in this messy Sony-verse of Spider-Man characters. The bar was quite low on the back of the last few releases from Sony, however, Kraven does have its moments that shine. The main highlights from this release is the performance from Taylor-Johnson, who makes Kraven his own, whilst still bringing in that intimidating presence, as well as animalistic qualities that us fans expect. The action in places is certainly a step up from some of the previous attempts courtesy of our favourite studio - however, as usual, the film is let down by a pretty weak script that includes some of the worst dialogue put to screen. It takes some big swings that, like all these spin offs, lacks that killer blow. Is it the worst of the spin offs? Definitely not. Is it the best? Not by a long shot. Full thoughts in this review.
Celebrating its 40th Anniversary, Joe Dante's 'Gremlins' is still a film that is adored by all - and a huge staple within pop culture. The film manages to balance the tones of comedy and horror equally to excellent effect, setting it apart from all the rest of horror/comedies - which is one of the many reasons it still is hailed all these years later. Not to mention everything you see is shot on camera, with no CGI and all animatronics, it makes everything feel real and captures a tightknit community who's Christmas spirit is ruined thanks to the mischief and mayhem these creatures cause. But aside from the wonderful tone, creativeness of the creature designs and brilliant script and performances, the other key component to the films success is down to the lovable Mogwai, Gizmo. Gizmo is the sole reason we all return, and is arguably one of the best creations and designs in cinematic history. 'Gremlins' is a must watch in our household over the festive period, and without doubt one of my favourite films of all time. Full thoughts in this revisit.
After 24 years, Ridley Scott brings audiences a chance to re-enter the Colosseum for another round, with 'Gladiator II' - and I was indeed entertained. Following the now older, and more hench, Lucius from the first outing, the sequel reminds you what made the first film so epic and mesmerising, whilst also looking to create something new for this current generation. There is that feeling of familiarity with its plot and character journey, however, its certainly all forgiven once the gladiator-ing commences. The scale of the film, at times, is off the chart. And with a stacked cast of Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielson, Joseph Quinn, and more, it seems too easy to say that there really wasn't a bad performance in here - but I'll say it anyways; there really wasn't a bad performance in this 2 and half hour, Roman epic courtesy of Scott. Contender for film of the year? Quite possibly - all dodgy CGI baboons to one side!.. Full thoughts in this review.