My Penguin Friend (2024)
Directed by David Schurmann this film inspired by real events stars Jean Reno and Adriana Barraza. A retired fisherman in Brazil helps a penguin, the penguin returns to visit him every year.
A bit cheesy and sappy there is not a lot to this film. Essentially this is a piece of viral news stretched out to fill 90 minutes or so. Does not really go anywhere and tries to manufacture some drama in the second half.
2/5
Cuckoo (2024)
Written & directed by Tilman Singer this film stars Hunger Schafer, Dan Stevens and Jan Bluthardt. An older teenager moves with her family to a resort in the German alps.
Given the title the film goes pretty much where you expect. As a horror film it is pretty decent, some sufficiently creepy moments here and there, also nice to see the protagonist actually get a character arc for once. Well made for what it is.
3/5
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (2020)
Directed by Jason Woliner this film stars Sacha Baron Cohen and Maria Bakalova. A Kazakh journalist travels to the USA in an attempt to give a gift to Mike Pence.
Some how four years later this feels very flat. There are some funny moments however the satire is all a bit too easy and not as biting as you would hope. As we face another four years of Trump maybe that is part of what makes this less funny now.
3/5
Scandal Over the Teacups (1900)
Directed by George Albert Smith this is an early short film. Two old women gossip over tea.
Captures a familiar scene although we do not get the details of what is being talked about. A fun little short even if there is not much depth. Could have been made today as the same behaviour still exists.
3/5
Weary Willie (1897)
Directed by George Albert Smith this is an early short film. A tramp scares away all the people sitting on a bench.
Not as suspect as the name might suggest. A simple short with a gag that is not too bad. Really good image quality on the surviving version.
3/5
Hanging Out the Clothes (1897)
Directed by George Albert Smith this is an early short film. A married man is caught smooching with the maid.
Simple, fun, works well as a short. Nice to see some narrative in such an early film. Well made and survives in surprisingly good quality.
3/5
Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
Directed by Taika Waititi this sequel stars Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tessa Thompson and Christian Bale. Thor faces off against a god killer.
A bit on the simplistic side this film is still pretty good for what it is. The plot remains fun with some humour through out although it does border on self parody occasionally. Seeing Russell Crowe rock up as Zeus is pretty great.
3/5
