Chimpomatic

21 Years

Richard Linklater

Career retrospective doc that keeps it fun and doesn’t outstay it’s welcome.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

11th Mar 2018

By the Sea

Slated by the critics, this is a stylish, slight, small movie - with two massive stars in it.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

6th Jan 2018

Kong

Skull Island

Fun, original take on an otherwise ageing property. Apocalypse Now meets Watchmen.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

5th Jan 2018

I, Daniel Blake

Bleak, real-time journey through the realities of living on benefits.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

25th Dec 2017

Lucky Logan

Amiable, zero jeopardy comedy from Soderbergh. Slightly unsure what it’s trying to be.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

2nd Dec 2017

6 Days

Historical engaging, but languidly edited thriller surrounding the 1980 Iranian Embassy siege.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

5th Nov 2017

The Lobster

Clever, quirky, black comedy parable that runs out of steam.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

23rd Aug 2017

The Girl With All The Gifts

Reasonable zombie drama. More rewarding than Walking Dead, but still a bit derivative.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

14th Jul 2017

Cake

Self-important, slightly contrived mainstream indie with the one with the good hair from Friends.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

8th Jul 2017

Song to Song

More clichéd Terrence Malick. Amazing cinematography. Meandering improv. Great real-world settings.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

6th Jul 2017

Jack Reacher

Never Go Back

Serviceable action sequel that ticks a lot of boxes without thinking outside of any.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

27th Jun 2017

Jason Bourne

Tired, pointless rehash of a franchise that long ran out of steam.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

6th May 2017

Money Monster

Tenuous financial hostage thriller, that doesn't add up to the sum of its parts.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

11th Feb 2017

Green Room

Disappointing punk rock horror thriller, that doesn't make the best of its left field set up.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

9th Feb 2017

Carol

Small scale period drama, anchored around strong central performances.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

15th Jan 2017

10 Cloverfield Lane

Ambitious small scale sci-fi that drags a bit before it all gets a bit wacky.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

11th Jan 2017

Zootropolis

Decent enough animated parable from Disney. Lacking the usual emotional Pixar punch.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

25th Dec 2016

The Overnight

Arkward and occasionally hilarious Duplass-esque LA comedy. And only 75m long.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

26th Nov 2016

Everybody Wants Some

Glacially paced re-hash/follow up to Dazed and Confused, with moments of fun. Great music.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

11th Nov 2016

Black Mass

Boring, meandering re-tread of The Departed. Wannabe Scorcese, with a typically OTT Johnny Depp.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

19th Oct 2016

20,000 Days on Earth

Pretty standard music promo from Nick Cave - extended to feature, executed with superior style.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

3rd Aug 2016

Mission Impossible

Rogue Nation

Collection of tired Hitchcockian set pieces, with very little tying them together.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

11th Jul 2016

Trainwreck

Enjoyable modern comedy, but it's bloated by improv and missing the magic ingredient. And no Paul Rudd.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

29th May 2016

Far from the Madding Crowd

Surprisingly straight adaptation from Vinterberg. Shapeless, but with a few nice moments.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

7th May 2016

The Gift

Indie Cape Fear. Intense and solidly handled, but it's all a bit one-note.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

15th Apr 2016

Knight of Cups

Incredibly shot, but there's a lot of slow walking and one-note improv. Best on a Bill Viola level.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

18th Mar 2016

Ant-Man

That Paul Rudd that we like gets a shot at super hero status. Solid enough, but not particularly remarkable.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

3rd Feb 2016

Body of Lies

Expensive, glossy thriller that's trying to be gritty. Muddled and forgettable. Classic Ridley Scott.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

17th Dec 2015

Force Majeure

Clinically executed, Kubrickian Euro drama. Intriguing concept, but it's all a bit lifeless.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

4th Dec 2015

Good Kill

Thoughtful, but ultimately heavy-handed drone pilot drama.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

2nd Dec 2015

Inherent Vice

Derivative, badly cast, impenetrable private dick pic. Meticulously made, but it's a bit pretentious.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

18th Nov 2015

Ex Machina

Self conscious, pretentious Brit sci-fi that acts a lot more mysterious and enigmatic than it really is.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

8th Nov 2015

Manson Family Vacation

Confident, small scale indie with input from the Duplass brothers.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

29th Oct 2015

Friday Night Lights

Solid dry run that set the tone for the long form TV epic. Get 'er done.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

22nd Oct 2015

The Disappearance Of Alice Creed

Focussed British indie thriller. Twisty, but somehow not that memorable.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

17th Oct 2015

Zabriskie Point

Meandering, liberal arthouse pic from 69/70. It must have seemed a lot more topical at the time.

Halliwell says: Highly self-indulgent and unattractive fantasy about escape from the crudities of our over-civilised world. An expensive failure and an awful warning of what happens if you give an arty director carte blanche.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF
#Halliwell

16th Oct 2015

Almost Famous

Like an Allman Brothers jam, this has tons of personality and moments of greatness but is way too long.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

8th Oct 2015

Coherence

Intriguing indie sci-fi that makes the most of its small setting, before becoming a bit incoherent.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

30th Sep 2015

The Drop

Another underwhelming, over-acted melodrama with Tom Hardy. Decent enough, but Tony Soprano can do better.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

29th Sep 2015

Keith Richards Under The Influence

Stylish doc that avoids too much new-album promo, instead focussing on the legacy.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

29th Sep 2015

Black Sea

Old-fashioned submarine thriller. Well put together with a great cast, but hardly full of surprises.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

19th Sep 2015

It Might Get Loud

Stylish, but ultimately bog-standard guitar doc. You might rearrange your heroes after watching.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

30th Aug 2015

Interstellar

Impeccably stylish but deeply flawed, sci-fi with some of the worst pacing ever. Someone reign Nolan in.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

25th Aug 2015

Men, Women & Children

Thoughtful, high-spec indie from Jason Reitman. Nicely put together, but a little high-concept.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

16th Aug 2015

Minions

Canny animated prequel, upping the tech style while cashing in on the banana-obsessed stars of the original.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

25th Jul 2015

Ant-Man

Efficient Marvel shrinking antics in which that Paul Rudd that you like gets a cool suit from Michael Douglas.

#Screened
#Film
#chimp71

9th Jul 2015

Ain't Them Bodies Saints

Luscious outlaw drama. Malick aspirations, hampered by pretensions and clumsy pacing.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

1st Jul 2015

Fury

Stylish but muddled war clone, lacking the clarity of the classics. Star power pastes over the cracks.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

28th Jun 2015

All This Mayhem

Paranoid, one-sided documentary showing an ugly slice of the 90s skate scene.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

5th Jun 2015

The Woman In Black

Classic gothic ghost story. Thin, but well crafted with plenty of shocks.

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF

31st May 2015