Matthew’s Letterboxd Watchlist
So this episode covers the week before my wedding, and the two weeks after when I was on honeymoon. Which is why we’ve only got 10 films in 3 weeks. This was the period I knew I would watch significantly fewer movies than I had been, so I wanted to be ahead of myself by the point I got here, which I’ve done. The rest of the year I don’t need to be so pressured in watching as many films as possible each week.
Except for the week in September I’m away. And the Star Trek convention in October, and other things coming up. Hmmm.
Terry Pratchett: Back in Black
I’ve talked elsewhere about being a major fan of Sir Pratchett’s work. I’ve been putting off watching this documentary about his life with an actor portraying him, but I needed to watch it for part of the series I am writing about the reading order for the Discworld. It was really good, but I’m not sure the central conceit that it was ‘him telling us his story’ was necessary, and a straight talking heads biography would have been more informative. But the Pratchett clan were never ones to do what other people do so I will appreciate it for trying something different.
Deadpool 2
My Pop Culturally Deprived co-host Mandi was over for my wedding so we went to the cinema and recorded an episode together in person. You can check it out here, Deadpool 2 is as good as Deadpool 1, but I don’t think it went particularly further with the comedy and ideas. Still great fun and one you should see.
Steve Martin and Martin Short: An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life
One you shouldn’t see is this blatant cash grab. I’m always suspicious when older comedians do a major show, and this is exactly what I’m worried about – tired jokes, obvious stuff, and archaic comedy that no longer belongs on stage. Avoid.
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
From the title and cast I’d expected a comedy about war reporters, so I was thoroughly surprised to find this is based on a true story and is a fascinating insight into life on the front line for a journalist. Tina Fey is always excellent, and the supporting cast delivered something genuinely interesting and moving.
Sneakers
Sneakers is one of my favourite films. Despite technology moving on this is still a gripping film with some really interesting twists.
Eagle vs Shark
I was lulled into a false sense of something by Taika Waititi’s recent films that I adored. This is a strange film that had largely unlikeable characters making decisions I didn’t understand. It reminded me of Napoleon Dynamite, another comedy I didn’t enjoy.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
So I’m trying to watch more ‘classic, must-see’ films that I’ve not seen before. For the most part I’ve avoided them because I don’t think I’ll enjoy them, and this was not a good start. I’m not a fan of the manic pixie dream girl, and arguably this is a film about such a character that is still about her furthering men’s stories. The wildly problematic racist and awful people aside, I can see why the film would appeal to people showing this charismatic and interesting person, but I feel like it’s all veneer and we never quite get to the heart of the character.
Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange is probably one of my top three MCU films. It does a number of different things with the origin story, the climax is very cleverly done, the effects are tremendous (best use of virtual person mocap yet), and it has Tilda Swinton and Chiwetel Ejiofor. What more could you want?
Goal! The Dream Begins
I watched this a few years ago, probably after the 2006 world cup. It’s back on Sky and we wanted a feel-good film one evening. It still holds up – funny, charming, emotional, and tense, this is a film that really does work well portraying characters with some nuance but still fundamentally good people trying to do good things.
Iona
I had heard the performances in this film were exquisite, and I have to agree. There is very little dialogue, but so much comes out in the stillness and quiet of the film. In the end it lacks a real purpose or reason to exist, but the story itself is interesting as it unravels.
Marjorie Prime
Interesting sci fi is always up my street, and if you put Jon Hamm in the mix it’s definitely a film I want to watch. The movie was a different story than I expected but still really enjoyable as an investigation of memory and grief.
Recommendation
Week 23 – Sneakers is still a wonderfully gripping film. Part heist, part thriller, part comedy, it’s got the most sensational cast of any film from this time, and the performances back that up all the way.
Week 25 – Goal! The Dream Begins is surprisingly a great film. A young Mexican lad going to try out in Newcastle should not work this well but the large ensemble help deliver something incredibly charming and heart-warming.