C.S.A.: The Confederate States of America

 And this week's Friday night movie has been... C.S.A.: The Confederate States of America!

Original image located here. Accessed 26th September 2025

Anyone heard of this? This is a mockumentary, presenting an alternate history where the American Civil War was won by the South. As such, it tracks a path where events go differently and the world as we know it looks very different. The views of the Confederacy still remain but in a more modern setting - further reinforced by ads that proliferate through the documentary.

Yes, this is quite vicious in it's satire and dark in it's hilarity. Yet the vision it presents is quite nasty, in that a) it's ideals of the Civil War being presented in a modern context and b) how disturbingly similar it looks to the racism that exists in the U.S. of today. Just when you think we had advanced from bleaker times...
Nevertheless, the facts are well presented and the level of research that went into this speculation is staggering. And no matter how uncomfortable viewing this may be, it still manages to generate some laughs.

Still, as I watch this, I am reminded of my own country and it's own brand of racism. Makes me wonder how long it will be before someone comes up with their own mockumentary presenting an alternate history where the arrival of the First Fleet went a little differently.....

The Revenge Artist

  And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Revenge Artist (M.F.A.)!

Original image located here. Accessed 19th September 2025

I may have said some less than favourable things about Promising Young Woman but if it wasn't for that movie, I wouldn't have heard about this one: Some have claimed that this 2017 movie addressed the same themes as Promising Young Woman and did it better. Sounds like a challenge to me: I'm in!

Of course getting a hold of this movie was one thing, sitting down and watching it was another. I will admit that the similarities to Promising Young Woman are evident but this comes across as the cheaper and nastier cousin.
And that is the strength of this movie: It's honest. It is uncomfortable, it doesn't shy away from the SA scenes, it addresses the effects of SA, it calls out ignorance and inaction, and it is focused. It also helps it has a compelling lead in Francesca Eastwood, who clearly takes after her dad. 

It wasn't an easy watch but it certainly was compelling. 

North by Northwest

 And this week's Friday night movie has been... North By Northwest!

Original image located here. Accessed 12th September 2025

It seems to me that the most famous movies of Alfred Hitchcock are Psycho and The Birds. So who has to take up the somewhat unfortunate role of being no.3? One would think it would be this: Widely regarded as one of The Master's masterworks but, somehow at the same time, not as widely recognised by the outsider.

But what does it matter? This is superb stuff.
Ever seen those thrillers where some hapless guy is mistaken for someone else and has his life disrupted as they are dragged further and further into extraordinary circumstances? Well you can blame this movie for that scenario: For this is pretty much the wellspring that inspired countless other movies. And yet this is still gripping stuff and shows a level of suspense that it's disciples still can't match.

K-Pop Demon Hunters

 And this week's Friday night movie has been... K-Pop Demon Hunters!

Original image located here. Accessed 5th September 2025

Yep, it's this movie. I have a lot of things to say about it so lets resort to dot points:

• Hasn't this been a hit? It's generated a passionate fanbase, scored hits with it's soundtrack and made a lot of interest in K-pop. And all from a an idea that seems absurd on paper.
• Personally I knew what I was getting myself in for due to an interest in Asian pop (started with anime, expanded upon by Kiera). 
• Oh who am I kidding? This was a lot of fun to watch. And there is plenty to latch onto here: Creative animation, jokes coming out at a machine-gun rate, snappy songs, great action scenes and real love for K-pop itself. 
• Special mention must go to what is some razor sharp writing with it's themes and compelling characters - which I hope other writers take note of. 
• Also of note is some surprisingly poignant musings on identity and self-worth.
• I noted Netflix has a Singalong version - which suggests that there are people who CAN hit those high notes in Golden (and make the guy in A-Ha jealous) 
• I wonder if this is going to set a new benchmark for populist entertainment that will have others falling over themselves to meet? If so, I'm all for it :)
• Ultimately, this movie has more personality than ever thought possible. Remarkable. 

Soul

  And this week's Friday night movie has been... Soul!

Original image located here. Accessed 29th August 2025

Like every man and his dog, I do love me some Pixar: They tell great stories, have stunning animation, have boundless imagination, and can inspire both laughter & tears in equal measure. We all know what to expect from this fiendishly talented studio and yet we don't complain. As such, they have had hit after hit.
That being said, with such a success rate, it makes the weaker films easier to forgive and forget. And that makes an interesting question: Never mind which is the greatest Pixar movie; what is the least Pixar movie?

But even if Pixar may be running on successful formula, the greatest achievement is that the formula doesn't get old. And Soul may be running on said formula but it still works.
All of the above is, of course, a long-winded way of saying that this is a Pixar movie so we can't expect the usual high standard of animation, imagination, laughter and tears. Which is what we all signed up for.
What is particularly noteworthy about Soul however is it's strength of ideas: It is indeed a bold move to bring up existential themes in a children's movie (Never-Ending Story anyone?) but they still resonate deeply as an adult: The concerns of whether you've lived a meaningful life and whether you are prepared to live. And that really speaks to someone like myself who has struggled with self-worth - and no matter how many movies I see related to this topic it still resonates.

And that epiphany scene is truly something astonishing. 

Also: Wait, Nine Inch Nails did the music to this?!

Vertigo

 And this week's Friday night movie has been... Vertigo!

Original image located here. Accessed 22nd August 2025

Here we go: One of Alfred Hitchcock's best known films - one in a filmography that is chock-full of them. Certainly I knew the name and I knew that the film was remade for a Faith No More video so let's take a look....

I find a lot to admire in this movie. There's some great visual tricks, there's some fantastic location footage that shows off San Francisco, the themes of obsession are handled well, Hitchcock's skill with suspense is in fine form and Bernard Hermann's score emerges as the MVP. 

However, as I watch this movie I can't help but think that of Hitchcock himself. For in recent years, Hitchcock has fallen out of favour as it has been made clear that he exhibited some questionable behaviour: Being nasty to actors and obsessing over the image of a particular blonde. As such, I can't help but think that Vertigo is The Master at his most confessional. After all, the title is Vertigo and it's funny how all sense of acrophobia disappears for a sizable chunk of the movie. 

So not bad but compared to to other Hitchcock movies I've seen this one did feel somewhat cold. 

Young Frankenstein

 And this week's Friday night movie has been... Young Frankenstein!

Original image located here. Accessed 15th August 2025

Seems that this is one of Gene Wilder's fondest remembered performances alongside Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. Being well aware of the other movie, this seems like a challenge.

But this is still a Mel Brooks movie, so expect some biting satire walking hand-in-hand with jokes that bounce from hilarious to the inane. And this one delivers: Right from the get-go this is clearly paying homage to the Frankenstein mythos, and not just the original movie. The mood is still the same and I recognised some scenes from the James Whale movie but this time it's loaded with jokes.
Jokes that range from the dumb to the side-splitting. 
So yeah, this was kinda dumb but still pretty funny. 

Straw Dogs

 And this week's Friday night movie has been... Straw Dogs!

Original image located here. Accessed 8th August 2025

This is another stab at the oeuvre of director Sam Peckinpah. I have had previous experiences with this guy and I admired his work - so lets go with his most controversial film: This British-made film that has been labelled as violent and misogynistic.
Looks like this will be a fun time.

Much has been written about this movie and what it was trying to get across: It's a fish-out-of-water story about a couple entering in a foreign environment. It is the clash between tradition and liberalism. It is both misogynistic and a criticism of misogynism. It is the story of a quiet, civilised man stepping up and becoming a violent monster. 
Valid criticisms to be sure but my main takeaway from this movie is just how soulless it is. It is just so dull and lifeless that watching it became a chore. Matters aren't helped with the nasty moments are difficult to sit through (granted that may be the point) and there is no catharsis whatsoever by the end. 

Am I missing something here? Sure fifty-plus years may have lessened the shock value it originally had - especially considering that many film-makers may have actively tried to top it since - but I know for a fact that Peckinpah can do better than this. 

Ikiru

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Ikiru!

Original image located here. Accessed 1st August 2025

This is my 500th post on this blog so here's something that I've been saving for a special occasion. 

Much has been said about this movie already: One of Akira Kurosawa's most famous movies. Kurosawa at his most human. Takashi Shimura giving the performance of his career. The Japanese Its a Wonderful Life. So what can I add to the pile?

What is there to say? This is the story of a boring man who, upon diagnosed with a terminal illness, decides to make his remaining time count. And yet such a description doesn't do the film justice: It isn't predictable and it never once makes our protagonist pathetic or a punchline. And that is some remarkable restraint. 

Certainly this movie touched me on a deep level. As I'm getting older, I do ponder on my mortality and wonder if I will get everything I want to do done. Certainly, it's not the first time I've made such ponderings - I recall doing as many outstanding things as possible back in 1999 - but it still makes for an effective motivator. So there's something to be said about someone using his time to go from a  boring, meaningless life into finding something substantial. 
And there is something universal in that message. And seeing it shown in a movie like this is something else: Certainly there may some who would write this off as insincere but hey, who hasn't been confronted with thoughts on their own mortality?

Truly a magnificent movie. 

And as I close out this five hundredth post, I realise: Maybe there is still more to do...

Mulan: Rise of a Warrior

 And this week's Friday night movie has been... Mulan: Rise of a Warrior!

Original image located here. Accessed 25th July 2025

Here's something leftfield: A Chinese movie made about the legendary figure Hua Mulan. Now I've seen the Disney animated film - which I imagine is how a lot of other people became aware of this story - and thoroughly enjoyed it. So why not have a Chinese production take on the same source material? It is, after all, their story.

This is a movie that left me with a lot of mixed feelings: On one hand, the battle scenes are exciting and there is some great imagery throughout. But on the other hand, this is a slow movie. Some moments drag on and that is effectively the death blow to this movie. I have seen numerous epic movies based around a singular figure and I can tell you this is a genre that one has to go all out: It can't afford to be boring. And in this case, yes the second half may be thrilling but the first half was a slog to get through. 

It was engaging yes but somehow I felt the animated Mulan had a lot more personality. 

Josee, the Tiger and the Fish

  And this week's Friday night movie has been... Josee, the Tiger and the Fish!

Original image located here. Accessed 18th July 2025

Sometimes you go see a movie for the wrong reasons. And this is one of them.
Recently this movie has been generating disgust for it's plot: A guy is hired to be a carer for a woman confined to a wheelchair and they eventually both fall in love. Such disgust is based around the idea of fetishism. Or something.
Of course, such outrage could easily be written off as nonsense but it did make me aware of this movie so I decided to take a look at it for myself. 

So I watched with this with Kiera and we both enjoyed it. If anything, this is the story of two lost souls eventually finding each other. It's funny, charming and ultimately very touching. 
And whilst anime, as a genre, may be slammed for promoting unrealistic romantic expectations upon it's audience, what we have here are two people who have their own hopes and goals and how they inspire the other to pursue it. 
Throw in some great visual designs and we have a winner, 
Sometimes you go see a movie for the wrong reasons. And sometimes you can end up striking gold. 

How to Train Your Dragon (2025)

  And this week's Friday night movie has been... How to Train Your Dragon!

Original image located here. Accessed 11th July 2025

I will admit that I was something of a latecomer to the How to Train Your Dragon movies - but no matter: I still wound up adoring them. I equally enjoyed watching Race to the Edge. I even jumped  aboard the HMAS Hiccstrid. 

Of course, I had no plans to watch this - if the frosty reception of the Disney remakes is anything to go by - but Kiera had other plans and dragged me to it. Still, my cynicism remained: How can Live Action improve the animated splendour of the original?

I will say this: It's beautifully shot, the cast are all great, the designs are fantastic, the excitement is still there, there is a clear commitment being put into it and the strength of the source material still resonates. 
But there is still a slavish loyalty to the original: there is no need to make any improvements and there's nothing the animated original didn't do better. Furthermore, I think the original had more personality.

So yeah, it's a rollicking adventure movie but I still can't see what the point of it all was.
Mind you, if you told me that this was ploy to secure composer John Powell an Oscar then I'd believe you,
Can't wait for the Live Action remake of Shrek though...

Born on the Fourth of July

 And this week's Friday night movie has been... Born on the Fourth of July!

Original image located here. Accessed 4th July 2025

I couldn't resist.

Jokes aside, there is nothing funny about this: a biopic about Vietnam vet Ron Kovic, tracing his story from childhood to adulthood. We see him fighting in the conflict, becoming paralysed and confined to a wheelchair, coming home and struggling to readjust to a civilian life, pursuing hedonistic pleasures to zero satisfaction and eventually becoming an anti-war activist.

I have a feeling that if this movie was released today it would be written-off as Oscar Bait. It certainly ticks the boxes that are favoured by the Academy and it certainly goes a long way to humanise those who fought in a very unpopular war. But somehow, this movie still stands on it;s own feet purely through it's lead: Tom Cruise.
For a long time. Cruise was a punchline: so much so it is easy to forget that he was truly one of the finest actors of his day. And here he delivers quite possibly his best performance: He inhabits the role of Kovis delivering the fire and pathos necessary to effectively become Kovic. 

This story may sound like one told many times before - indeed Kovic's story is one that many Vietnam vets would have faced - but none could hit like this.