The Cable Guy

And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Cable Guy!

Original image located here. Accessed 30th January 2026

I remember when this movie came out. At the time, Jim Carrey was making a name for himself for his brand of manic comedy and scoring hit after hit. So this took a lot of people by surprise: In this Jim was less funny and more strange & even threatening. Similarly, I recall some confusion as to whether or not it was a comedy at all. 
But it seems that this movie has recently enjoyed some of a reassessment: As often the case, people have come around to it, citing it's the best performance of Carrey's career and first indication that he can do more than comedy - and the man himself seems quite proud of it. In any case, it sounds like a challenge to me. 

From the outset, there are some amusing moments and some overlooked social commentary (more on that later). And whilst Carrey does provide his usual goofball shtick here he certainly comes across as both weird and sinister. 
However it doesn't take long before the criticisms about this movie start rearing their head: It's too weird, it's too dark and Carrey is unsettling in more ways than one. Certainly such criticisms are difficult to miss so the question: was this really a comedy?
I will admit that certainly the setup works as a comedy: Some guy forces their way into another guy's life and disrupts it entirely. And the titular Cable Guy is shown to be obsessed with TV, is of a very strange disposition and clearly has no sense of boundaries. Sure that sounds no different to today where we have countless people spending far too long on the internet and far too little working on one's social skills but did it hit differently back in 1996? Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if someone made the case that Carrey' character is on the ASD.
But that above question still persists: Is it a comedy at all? Sure there is some potential in the setup that the socially maladjusted guy you know could do something like this but, as the movie proves, it can easily head into thriller territory. And this movie, particularly in the second half, proves quite effective as a thriller. 

But whatever this movie is, it exists on it's own terms. It may not always work but when it does, it does it well. 

From Up on Poppy Hill

And this week's Friday night movie has been... From Up on Poppy Hill!

Original image located here. Accessed 23rd January 2026

I will admit: I have putting this one off. Because like any Ghibli enthusiast, any title that comes attached with a name that isn't Hayao Miyazaki or Isao Takahata is going to have a tough time.
Yes that sounds cruel given the nature of this fiendishly talented studio, but the question of whether this studio can last beyond it's two creators has been floating around for years - And whether or not someone can rise up to the challenge posed by Ghibli's illustrious catalogue is indeed a monumental one.
And it would seem the public would agree as this marks the second effort from Miyazaki's son Goro - he who made the unlikely leap from gardener to director. And if that move wasn't baffling enough, his first movie, Tales of Earthsea, was greeted with a frosty reception. But this time around Goro has an ace up his sleeve: he's working off of a script provided by his father. 
Some might think that this may be counter-productive given the afore-mentioned uncertainty of Ghibli's future, but maybe there's something worth taking a look at...?

I have previously mentioned that even though Ghibli have become synonymous with their fantasy/whimsical movie, the fact that they can do more realistic-based works should not be overlooked. And From Up on Poppy Hill does indeed join that batch with ease. There are some high quality animation, packed with little details and some accurate representations of daily life. Certainly this movie may be leaning hard into the whole 'small-scale depiction of historical events' but hey, stick to one's strengths. 
So yeah, a pretty good movie and proof one needs to keep an eye on the quiet ones....

The Misfits

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

Original image located here. Accessed 16th January 2026

It is impossible to discuss this film without mentioning the fates of it's three stars: Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe and Montgomery Clift. 
For Gable this was his final film: he would suffer a heart attack shortly after completion. Prior to that the one time King of Hollywood had a string of failures and was looking washed up. Similarly, this was also the final film for Monroe as she was in the middle of drug abuse during filming. And Clift would eventually suffer a car accident that ruined his good looks, derailed his career and led to five years of drug and alcohol abuse before his own passing. 
Because of this, I was reluctant to tackle this film: Sure nothing sells like a story to go with the product but would the tragedies surrounding the stars dwarf the film itself? I mean, it's right there in the title....

There's no way around this: This movie is bleak. Sure the three leads are at the top of their game here but this movie is effectively a musing on the collapse of both the American Dream and the Old West. 
Ultimately however I did find this movie somewhat directionless, as I was somewhat stumped as to where it was going and why I should care.
Granted the three stars are compelling to watch but perhaps there's a reason as to why their real-life fates seem more important than the movie itself. 

Rental Family

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

Original image located here. Accessed 9th January 2026

Well, Kiera wanted to see this so, as always, she dragged me along.

So what we have here is the story of an American actor who has been stuck in Japan for seven years. He manages to find work by being part of a rental service where he provides friendship to paying customers (and I have been reassured that this type of thing does indeed exist in Japan).
Of course this description doesn't really do any justice to the film itself: While this is an effective showcase for the Japanese cast and locales, the real meat here is seeing this movie as a meditation of needing connection, how it is found and what one will do to get it. And to that end, this movie is quite the touching one and a delight to see. 

Given that Brendan Fraser is credited as Executive Producer this is clearly something that he genuinely believed in and wanted to see through. Good for him but I have to wonder if this is a bid for the Best Picture Oscar....

Elio

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

Original image located here. Accessed 2nd January 2026

Happy new year! Here's to the next twelve months of watching movies - and what better way to begin than with a movie that was tossed out into the world with little to no faith in it.

Once upon a time, there was a little boy who had a keen interest in space exploration. He devoured every book he had on the subject and was very excited when the Voyager 2 probe reached Neptune. He was very keen on UFOs and dreamed of making contact with aliens. And despite his imagination, he was neurodivergent (although he didn't know it at the time) and he had trouble fitting in.

I think this movie was custom made for me. 

Last year I pondered on what could be the least of Pixar's impressive track record and one could make the case that this could be it. Even I will admit that some of the complaints of this movie - it's looking formulaic, has less heart and more manipulation when compared to it's brethren  - may have some legitimacy behind them. 

But what does it matter? This movie spoke to me and still has the sense of child-like wonder that Pixar does so well. Indeed, one look at this, you wouldn't think that this was the result of a troubled production and a poor marketing effort. But in the end, it's the idea of finding somewhere where we all belong that brings it home. 

Truly a superb movie. 

Superman (2025)

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Superman (2025)!

Original image located here. Accessed 26th December 2025

When I was a boy I saw the original Superman movie with Christopher Reeve. I did enjoy it but in retrospect that was the starting point for super-hero movies, proving they can work and draw in the numbers with people both inside and outside of comic book fandoms. 
However in years since, Superman has become a difficult character to get right, with subsequent movies being dour affairs (Henry Cavill) or good ideas weighed down with lousy ones (Brandon Routh).
So can James Gunn, surely the patron saint of taking lesser known/tainted material and doing something grand with it?

I will say this: This movie does learn from the mistakes of it's predecessors. There is plenty of colour, it ditches the desaturation of Cavill's era and has an effective leading man in David Corenswet. But perhaps the most striking thing about this movie is that it truly understand how a Superman movie is supposed to work: Gigantic set pieces, Superman's powers being utilised in fun and inventive methods, the realisation that Superman is meant to serve as an example and some true heart. And no Jon Peters for miles. 

And with that, this blog comes to a close for the year. This year has been a journey and a half and I hope you all enjoyed going with me with every step.
And I hope to speak to you all again in the new year when there's more movies to discover...

The Nativity Story

And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Nativity Story!

Original image located here. Accessed 19th December 2025

Here's a curve ball for you all: The tackling of a religious-themed film.
I have been wanting to see this for quite some time but I've always held it off - this is because I have been on the internet long enough to know that talking about religion is asking for trouble. 
But seeing as it's that time of the year.....

To adapt a story from the Bible is similar to adapting Shakespeare: The material has been done countless times before so the challenge lies in finding a new angle. So what does this movie do?
What I find interesting is that the director is one Catherine Hardwick: Future director of the first Twilight movie. And while her interest in desaturated colours is present here and her approach may be heavy-handed (A choral version of Silent Night playing at the end? Seriously?), there are some striking visuals at play here. I also admire the realistic approach this movie takes. I am also impressed to see a pre-fame Oscar Isaacs giving a compelling performance as Joseph. And the sci-fi nerd in me finds it amusing to see Alexander Siddig playing the Angel Gabriel. 

But what really makes this movie works is that it tells the story of a couple going on a journey and facing various trials and tribulations before before and during. And that's where the movie really shines, being gripping and finding a strength in both it's simplicity and sensitivity. 

So may I conclude this post by wishing you all a Merry Christmas. 

The Elephant Man

And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Elephant Man!

Original image located here. Accessed 12th December 2025

Earlier in the year, I watched The Straight Story as it was one I had been meaning to do for some time - and the passing of David Lynch was as good as any reason to get off my lazy arse and watch it. And here, we have a similar situation: This one has gone down as one of David Lynch's finest works, proving that, beyond the veil of his surrealist impulses, lies a deep interest in humanism.

And this is indeed a remarkable film: It's not just the humanist message throughout - keep in mind this was the first time it emerged in Lynch's filmography so many would think he didn't have it in him - but how Lynch coaxed compelling performances out of his leads. Anthony Hopkins is his reliable self but John Hurt does wonders - which is impressive given he's hiding behind a mountain of makeup and effects. Through in some truly staggering black and white imagery and its easy to see why this has gone down as one of Lynch's best. 

And speaking from an autistic perspective, the films most famous line - "I am not an animal! I am a human being!!" does indeed resonate.

Senior Year

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

Original image located here. Accessed 5th December 2025

Sometimes a film appears on your watch list and it stays there for so long that you forget why you put it there in the first place. But in this case, I think I know why: My first point of contact with this movie was seeing saw that scene where the cheerleader is thrown up but doesn't get caught and is subsequently knocked out. Nothing like some mindless violence to get one interested.

What I got however was a movie that seems to be at odds with itself: On one hand it could have gone and said something about arrested development and being a teen in an adult's body but it did not (did it see Young Adult and get cold feet?). And on the other it could have gone and said something about the current youth being disrupted out of lifelessness by an older person - and while it does do that it comes across as forced. So what does that make this movie?

Certainly there are some good jokes and Angourie Rice does an AMAZING job of channelling Rebel Wilson but the rest of the time? Just too much cringe for my liking. Damn...

Wicked: For Good

 And this week's Friday night movie has been... Wicked: For Good!

Original image located here. Accessed 28th November 2025

Well I said I will watch the follow up to the first movie so here we are. 

I have a strange relationship with the Wizard of Oz IP: Unlike a lot of other people, I never saw the 1939 movie as a kid. I did eventually see it when I was well into my adult years but for me, the Wizard of Oz that I saw when I was a kid, and the one which indeed resonated the most, was the anime series that was on TV at the time. 
Mind you, in the years since, the afore-mentioned movie has been elevated to that rare, and indeed enviable, position of an adaptation that has become the centre of that particular universe (see also: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, How to Train Your Dragon and Shrek). 

Given that this is an adaptation of a very successful musical I have to wonder: How much of the musical's success rests on the shoulders of Defying Gravity? Yes it's the best known song, yes even people who don't know Wicked are aware of it and yes it closes the first half, but given that song's renown does anyone really know what happens in the second half? More to the point, does anyone care?

And therein lies the problem: The first movie/half was enjoyable to the point that the second movie/half seems pale by comparison. Yes the visuals and art direction are pleasing, yes this movie has a lot more time to develop it's ideas when compared to the musical,  and yes the cast are giving their all but it all seems underwhelming when compared to the first half. I have been informed that it is the same case for the musical - and this adaptation DID go some way in addressing some of the weaker moments of said musical - but, as is often the case, not every adaptation can't escape the weaknesses of the source. Matters aren't helped with one getting the feeling that this movie seems so intent on taking an axe to the source material: Dorothy has a face that is hidden, and the backgrounds of her companions (Scarecrow, the Tin-Woodsman and the Cowardly Lion) seem ludicrous. 

Is that the fault of the book/musical as opposed to the movie? I will give it that but it still leaves a nasty taste in the mouth. And the same problem the musical faced still haunts the movie: Great first half, weak second half. Still they did try to overcome said problem so 'A' for effort... 

Hercules Returns

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

Original image located here. Accessed 21st November 2025

Here's another movie that has been on my radar for years but is only now being addressed. It's an Australian movie form the early nineties that has now been forgotten. But I have been meaning to watch this due to it having been written by one Des Mangan (the one-time host of the SBS Cult Movie and who made dry-wit into an art form). 

So what this movie tells is the story of a guy who takes over a run-down theatre with plans to open it back up. He obtains a movie to screen as a movie but finds it's all in Italian. So he, along with his staff, dub over it. So what this movie is is twenty minutes of original footage and one hour of footage from an Italian movie called Samson and His Mighty Challenge accompanied by funny voices. 

In short, this movie is it's own Abridged series. 

And who am I kidding? It's hilarious to watch with lots of gags and lunacy coming from the most mismatched visuals and dialogue. There's some great lines and some genuinely-laugh-out-loud moments. Furthermore, this is clearly the vision of someone who has a passion for cinema and a substantial knowledge of lesser known movies. 
All in all, a fun watch. 

The Guns of Navarone

And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Guns of Navarone!

Original image located here. Accessed 14th November 2025

As is often the case, this has been sitting on my watchlist for a considerable amount of time - well over two decades to be precise. And I have only gotten around to see it through the accessibility that streaming provides. 

I was led to this movie on the impression that this is one of the best war movies ever made. Some may disagree on that one but what I got from this movie is that it is a great example of a genre crossbreed: war and adventure. 
In this case, a group of soldiers, of varying backgrounds and unique talents, go through enemy territory to complete an objective. Sure that set-up may seem tried and tested but it is for a reason: it works. 
And this movie does deliver on it's premise: Exotic locales (Greece), high stakes, great set pieces, gripping tension and a cast giving committed performances. Gregory Peck is in fine form but somehow David Niven steals the show.
I was worried that a two and a half hour runtime may be a slog to get through but, against the odds, this was anything but a dull watch.

Anora

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

Original image located here. Accessed 7th November 2025

Best Picture Oscar winner no.: 97 (2024) 
(clearly old habits die hard)

Funny thing: If this had never won Best Picture at the Oscars I wouldn't have given this the time of day - call it a case of it slipping under my radar. But I think I am, by now, well-versed enough in Best Picture Oscar winners to give this a look. Maybe, like numerous times before, I will be surprised?

Turns out, I was: Firstly, I will give the Academy credit as this has to be one of the times they show a spine and give the top prize to the most unconventional of candidates. I call this unconventional due to the subject matter and large amounts of swearing.
Secondly, it seems the reign of the 'small-scale-low-budget' trend of winners (that commenced with The Hurt Locker) shows no sign of stopping - Not that I'm complaining. 
Thirdly, this is both funny and sad in equal measure. In fact, I do agree with the observation that this movie owes more to the screwball films of the 1930s than would first appear. Certainly it comes with a coating of over nine decades of change but it's there. And, with said coating, fascinating to see.
Finally, Mikey Madison is indeed a force to be reckoned with.

So yeah, a well deserved winner of Best Picture on all accounts.