60/ SELF/LESS
Watching Seconds not that long after made me realise how inferior this virtual remake really was, though it was certainly an entertaining cinema watch at the time, exciting and intriguing, and far better than Tarsem Singh’s [adopting a less visually extravagant style] last two efforts, though it tended to rush things, and was almost ruined by a weak final half hour piling on the daft ideas and an insultingly happy ending. But it was great fun getting there. 7/10
59/ INSIDIOUS 3
You could very well call this a good example of a typical lazy horror film sequel, basically just remaking the first film rather than continuing down the interesting pathways and more stylised manner of the second, and spending too much time setting stuff up, but the most important question I ask of a horror film is if it frightened me, and Insidious 3 certainly did for some of the time, while Lin Shaye’s performance in these films really is superb, and this one had some emotional weight too. 7/10
58/ STEVE JOBS
A Danny Boyle movie is almost always a treat, but I feel he missed the mark a little with this perhaps overly ambitious effort that had some great performances and an interesting structure but consisted too much of the same dislikeable people arguing over and over again, while the whole thing could possibly have done with a bit more of that over the top Boyle style, though I was still riveted for most of the time, which means that the film was certainly working. 7/10
57/ AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON
This rather messy sequel [release that original cut Joss!], with too much time spent “joining the dots”, wasn’t anywhere near as good as the first film, though there was still much fun to be had and the chemistry of the lead characters was undeniable, so much so that the best bits tended to be when we just hung out with this lot rather than the sometimes incoherent action scenes which were further weakened by variable CGI. It just about delivered the goods though. 7/10
56/ DEAD SHADOWS
One of those films where the budget didn’t stretch to a successful realising of everything, David Cholewa’s highly promising debut film, if parading its many influences from John Carpenter to anime, was still quite impressive, with too many reviewers in my view emphasising its cheapness, as if that in itself is a flaw. The gradual build up was nicely ominous, the performances were surprisingly strong, and it was all entertaining, gruesome ‘B’ movie fun in a very good way. 7/10
55/ VACATION
This was one of those films I expected to hate, especially as I fondly recall the original movies, but, despite often being tasteless [paedophilia jokes….really?] and mean spirited in the way of many modern comedies, I actually laughed a hell of a lot, which is the most important thing in a comedy, and it had some borderline classic moments. Ed Helms did rather well in channelling Chevy Chase, and I’d like to see this lot return, but it probably won’t happen as the film flopped. 7/10
54/ PROJECT ALMANAC
No, it didn’t need to be done as Found Footage, but I rather liked this underrated time travel lark, which had a considerable degree of charm about it, helped greatly by uniformly strong performances from its cast. The plot, which initially seems to be full of holes, does make a bit more sense if you think about it [though admittedly could have done with some clarification on certain things], and the film even managed to be rather thought provoking at times. 7/10
53/ SAN ANDREAS
My top Guilty Pleasure of the year! As dumb a disaster movie as you can get, largely consisting of the same people escaping almost certain death every ten minutes, and I still find Dwayne Johnson to be lacking much of a screen personality, but despite, or rather because of, its increasingly stupid script and unintentional laughs, it really was great “switch your brain off” action fare where you’re never far away from a climax, and boy was there a lot of mass destruction! 7/10
52/ KRAMPUS
Managing to feel like a proper Christmas movie as well a much needed antidote to it, 80’s throwback Krampus, replete with wonderful practical effects, was often infuriatingly vague, but then it was almost screaming out for a franchise, so I guess things will be explained in the sequels if they happen [I’m surprised one hasn’t been announced already]. A nicely dark variation on A Christmas Carol with well judged performances managing to be both comic and serious from its cast. 7/10
51/ FURIOUS 7
Though I’ve never been entirely happy at the way this series has almost forgotten its car racing routes, this could possibly have been the best of the lot in terms of gloriously over the top action, but was weakened by director James Wan’s [stick to horror] desire to chop the set pieces into near unintelligibility. Still, I have to admit that I almost shed a tear come the very well judged ending, and I do feel that the series should end now as a mark of respect to Paul. But of course money calls. 7/10
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