🎬 Short Movie Reviews 🍿

Only watched this once but really enjoyed it. Very ambitious for something that just looked like a slasher!

Flow (Latvian: Straume) is a 2024 independent animated dystopian adventure film directed by Gints Zilbalodis, written and produced by Zilbalodis and Matīss Kaža. A Latvian, French, and Belgian co-production, it features no dialogue and follows a cat trying to survive along with other animals in a seemingly post-apocalyptic world as the water level dramatically rises. FLOW (🇱🇻🇧🇪🇫🇷 2024) Absolutely mad-looking Playstation 2 era graphics. Mesmerising in parts, with long and exciting "single take" chase & scenes, but overall it felt more like something you'd see in an art gallery over a cinema. Creative visuals, gorgeous scenery, and fable-type wander. Captivating and trippy, but my interest drifted off a little in the last half hour. SCORE: 6/10

FLOW (🇱🇻🇧🇪🇫🇷 2024) Absolutely mad PS2 era graphics. Mesmerising in parts, with long and exciting "single take" chase & scenes, but overall it felt more like something you'd see in an art gallery over a cinema. Captivating and trippy, but my interest drifted off a little in the last 30 mins

SCORE: 6/10

Bambi: The Reckoning is a 2025 British independent horror film directed by Dan Allen, and written by Rhys Warrington. It is the fourth installment in The Twisted Childhood Universe (TCU) and is a horror retelling of the 1923 novel Bambi, a Life in the Woods. The film stars Roxanne McKee, Tom Mulheron, Nicola Wright, Samira Mighty, Alex Cooke, Russell Geoffrey Banks, and Joseph Greenwood. It follows a mother and her son who become hunted by Bambi after his own mother's death. BAMBI: THE RECKONING (🇬🇧 GB 2025) Very dark (poorly lit) and difficult to see what's going on for most of this. The CGI rampaging deer looks awful, but some of the physical gore FX are decent. Too serious and it doesn't really lean into the source material as well as the Pooh films did - unfulfilled potential! SCORE: 3/10 B-MOVIE: 5/10

BAMBI: THE RECKONING (🇬🇧 GB 2025) Very dark (poorly lit) and difficult to see what's going on. The CGI deer looks awful, but some of the physical gore FX are decent. Too serious, doesn't lean into the source material as well as the Pooh films did - unfulfilled potential!

SCORE: 3/10
B-MOVIE: 5/10

Miracle Mile is a 1988 American apocalyptic thriller film written and directed by Steve De Jarnatt.[4] The film stars Anthony Edwards and Mare Winningham. Its plot depicts the panic surrounding a supposed doomsday brought on by a sudden outbreak of war and its oncoming nuclear holocaust, taking place in a single day and mostly in real-time. The title is named after the Miracle Mile neighborhood of Los Angeles where most of the events take place. MIRACLE MILE (🇺🇸 US 1988) A fairly brave and no-fucks-given anti-blockbuster that would never get made today. It's surprisingly well-shot, and the practical sets & effects are impressive - especially in the final third. Enjoyed how different and nihilistic this felt - a true anomaly. SCORE: 7/10

MIRACLE MILE (🇺🇸 US 1988) A fairly brave and no-fucks-given anti-blockbuster that would never get made today. It's surprisingly well-shot, and the practical sets & effects are impressive - especially in the final third. Enjoyed how different and nihilistic this felt - a true anomaly.

SCORE: 7/10

In feudal Japan, the notorious Fuma ninjas clash with elite Yagyu samurai while abducting women for the shogun's harem, reigniting an ancient rivalry between the two warrior clans. Directed by Power Rangers lad. SHOGUN'S NINJA (🇯🇵 JP 2025) a fairly standard historical shogun / honour type film, but with an annoyingly genki/UWU post-Baby-Assassins modern slant. It's never going to win awards, but the action is plentiful, and solid enough to keep you watching. SCORE: 6/10

SHOGUN'S NINJA (🇯🇵 JP 2025) a fairly standard historical shogun / honour type film, but with an annoyingly genki/UWU post-Baby-Assassins modern slant. It's never going to win awards, but the action is plentiful, and solid enough to keep you watching.

SCORE: 6/10

Grand Theft Hamlet is a 2024 British documentary film directed by Sam Crane and Pinny Grylls.[5] The film is about the staging of a production of Hamlet in the video game Grand Theft Auto Online during one of the UK's COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns in 2021 GRAND THEFT HAMLET (🇬🇧🇺🇸 2024) a cool idea and admirable execution, but as someone that's WASTED thousands of hours playing GTA growing up, all it did was really make me want to load up the game. Twice as long as it needed to be, some funny moments. SCORE: 5/10

GRAND THEFT HAMLET (🇬🇧🇺🇸 2024) a cool idea and admirable execution, but as someone that's WASTED thousands of hours playing GTA growing up, all it did was really make me want to load up the game. Twice as long as it needed to be, some funny moments.

SCORE: 5/10

LA HAINE (🇫🇷 FR 1995) one of the most visual and intentionally-directed films I can remember watching. A trick 'mirror shot' is just one of a dozen shots that knock your socks off - some mad dolly's and unexplainable arial shots thrown in too. The story & themes are evergreen, black and white makes everything more intense, performances are great. Despite hugely unlikable characters this is a feast for the eyes. SCORE: 8.5/10 La Haine (French pronunciation: [la ɛn], lit. 'Hatred'; released in the United States as Hate) is a 1995 French social thriller film written, co-edited, and directed by Mathieu Kassovitz.[2] Starring Vincent Cassel, Hubert Koundé and Saïd Taghmaoui, the film chronicles a day and night in the lives of three friends from a poor immigrant neighbourhood in the suburbs of Paris. The title derives from a line spoken by one of them, Hubert: "La haine attire la haine!", "hatred breeds hatred". Kassovitz was awarded the Best Director prize at the 1995 Cannes Film Festival

LA HAINE (🇫🇷 FR 1995) one of the most intentionally-directed films I've seen. A trick 'mirror shot' is just one of a dozen shots that knock your socks off. The story & themes are evergreen, black and white makes everything more intense, performances are great. A feast for the eyes.

SCORE: 8.5/10

WAR 2 (🇮🇳 IN 2025) 📢 Calling all action-heads. The maddest punch-em-up film of the year is here 📢 Silly beyond belief, we're talking laugh-out-loud ridiculous at times - WAR 2 gleefully serves up scene after scene after scene of overclocked super-crazy CGI action like you've never seen before. The fights are so big, so crazy, and so entertaining they'd make Michael Bay blush. As a story/film, it's marginally worse than the first movie - but it's still nationalistic AF, still homoerotic AF and still packs some huge dance numbers. Great fun, and I'm already looking forward to WAR 3. SCORE: 7.5/10 War 2 is a 2025 Indian Hindi-language action-thriller film directed by Ayan Mukerji and produced by Aditya Chopra under Yash Raj Films. Based on a script written by Shridhar Raghavan and Abbas Tyrewala, from an original story by Chopra, it is the sixth instalment in the YRF Spy Universe and sequel to the 2019 film War. The film stars Hrithik Roshan, N. T. Rama Rao Jr. (in his Hindi film debut) and Kiara Advani in the lead roles, alongside Ashutosh Rana and Anil Kapoor in pivotal roles. It follows Kabir Dhaliwal, a former RAW agent, who, after going rogue, becomes a major threat to national security, and a special units officer, Vikram Chelapathi, is assigned to neutralize him.

WAR 2 (🇮🇳 IN 2025) Silly beyond belief, this serves up scene after scene of overclocked super-crazy CGI action. The fights are so big, crazy, & stupid, they'd make Michael Bay blush. Marginally worse than the first movie, but still great fun, and I'm already looking forward to WAR 3.

SCORE: 7.5/10

PARIS IS BURNING (🇺🇸 US 1990) Loads of wild footage that comprehensively documents a unique scene and community, that feels way ahead of it's time (the people, not this movie) Some great imagery, fiery characters, and quotes that go HARD... but I feel way too straight to even begin to appreciate or enjoy this. As a historical piece, valuable. As a film/documentary... Nah, feels closer to a long news report. SCORE: 4/10 Paris Is Burning is a 1990 American documentary film directed by Jennie Livingston.[2] Filmed in the mid-to-late 1980s, it chronicles the ball culture of New York City and the African-American, Latino, gay and transgender communities involved in it.[3] Starring Dorian Corey Pepper LaBeija Venus Xtravaganza Octavia St. Laurent Willi Ninja Angie Xtravaganza Freddie Pendavis Junior Labeija

PARIS IS BURNING (🇺🇸 US 1990) Wild footage that documents a unique scene & community, feels way ahead of it's time (the people, not this movie) Some great imagery, fiery characters, & quotes that go HARD... As a historical piece, valuable. Feels closer to a long news report than a docu.

SCORE: 4/10

L.A. TAKEDOWN (🇺🇸 1989) Being the film that was re-made as HEAT I'm surprised how fully formed the story was from the first attempt. Made for TV, it's not very cinematic but the plot is gripping enough to make up for that (Boom mics in shot at one point, and I'm pretty sure the Nakatomi plaza makes an appearance) White guy face blindness at times. If you love Heat this is a fascinating watch. SCORE: 7/10 L.A. Takedown, also called L.A. Crimewave and Made in L.A.,[1] is a 1989 American crime action film written and directed by Michael Mann. Originally filmed as a pilot for an NBC television series, the project was reworked and aired as a stand-alone TV film after the series was not picked up. The film was later released on VHS and, in Region 2, on DVD. Starring Scott Plank Michael Rooker Ely Pouget Vincent Guastaferro Richard Chaves Victor Rivers

L.A. TAKEDOWN (🇺🇸 1989) Being the film that was re-made as HEAT I'm surprised how fully formed the story was from the first attempt. Made for TV, it's not very cinematic but the plot is gripping enough to make up for that. If you love Heat this is a fascinating watch.

SCORE: 7/10

TUCKER & DALE VS EVIL (🇨🇦🇺🇸 2010) Incredibly funny, even on a re-watch - the beer running gags in particular got me every time. Fantastic kills and top-drawer practical splatter & gore effects. Perfect casting, especially the loveable hillbillies. Well made, and with an engaging story to hang the film on. An all-timer horror B-movie for me. SCORE: 8/10 B-MOVIE: 9/10 Tucker & Dale vs. Evil is a 2010 comedy horror film directed by Eli Craig and written by Craig and Morgan Jurgenson. It stars Tyler Labine, Alan Tudyk, Katrina Bowden, Brandon Jay McLaren, Jesse Moss, and Chelan Simmons. Labine and Tudyk play a pair of well-meaning hillbillies who are mistaken for killers by a group of clueless college students. The film premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival and received a limited release in the United States.

TUCKER & DALE VS EVIL (🇨🇦🇺🇸 2010) Incredibly funny, even on a re-watch. Fantastic kills & top-drawer practical splatter / gore effects. Perfect casting, especially the hillbillies. Well made, and with an engaging story to hang the film on. An all-timer horror B-movie for me.

SCORE: 8/10
B-MOVIE: 9/10

THE PROTECTOR (🇹🇭 TH 2005) The fights and stunts are truly insane: huge hits and jaw-dropping choreography - nobody else can move like this. Tony Jaa's attempt at Rumble in the Bronx. The warehouse fight against the X-games bros and the nightclub single take are phenomenal - plus a handful of 'lesser' fights that would be the finalé of most other action films. The editing is bonkers, the plot is mad, and most of the acting is sub-par, but by god the fights are brilliant. SCORE: 7.5/10 Tom-Yum-Goong (Thai: ต้มยำกุ้ง, IPA: [tôm jam kûŋ]) is a 2005 Thai martial arts film directed by Prachya Pinkaew and stars Tony Jaa in the lead role. Pinkaew also directed Jaa's prior breakout film Ong-Bak. As with Ong-Bak, the fights were choreographed by Jaa and his mentor Panna Rittikrai.

THE PROTECTOR (🇹🇭 TH 2005) The fights & stunts are insane: huge hits and jaw-dropping choreography, nobody else moves like this. Tony Jaa's attempt at Rumble in the Bronx. The editing is bonkers, the plot is mad, and most of the acting is sub-par, but by god the fights are brilliant.

SCORE: 7.5/10

CAFE FLESH (🇺🇸 US 1982) Within 5 mins this was clearly going to be as notorious as the "post-apocalyptic cult pornographic science fiction" Wikipedia description implied. Tons of vintage bush on show as women pleasure lads dressed as rats, pencils, telephones, and vampires. Probably the most artistic way you could conceivably film hardcore fugging. Has to be seen to be believed. NO SCORE Café Flesh is a 1982 post-apocalyptic cult pornographic science fiction film designed and directed by Stephen Sayadian (under the pseudonym "Rinse Dream") and co-written by Sayadian and Jerry Stahl (credited as "Herbert W. Day"). Music was composed and produced by noted music producer Mitchell Froom (and later appeared in his album, Key of Cool).

CAFE FLESH (🇺🇸 US 1982) Every bit as notorious as the "post-apocalyptic cult pornographic science fiction" description implies. Tons of vintage bush on show as women pleasure lads dressed as rats, pencils, telephones, and vampires. Has to be seen to be believed.

NO SCORE

ONLY "OLD MEN" ARE GOING TO BATTLE (🇷🇺 RU 1973) A squad of pilots and part time musicians from all over the Soviet Union come together to fight off the Luftwaffe. Lots of big acting moments and monologues, some real WWII footage is thrown in the mix. Mostly a soft and poetic look at war, that's clearly aiming to unite the Soviet Bloc at the time of production. SCORE: 5/10 Only "Old Men" Are Going Into Battle (Russian: «В бой идут одни "старики"», romanized: V boy idut odni "stariki"; Ukrainian: «У бій йдуть одні "старі"»[a]) is an iconic 1973 Soviet war comedy-drama black-and-white film produced in the USSR about World War II fighter pilots, written and directed by Leonid Bykov, who also played the lead role as the squadron commander.

ONLY "OLD MEN" ARE GOING TO BATTLE (🇷🇺 RU 1973) A squad of pilots and part time musicians from all over the Soviet Union come together to fight off the Luftwaffe. Lots of big acting moments and monologues, some real WWII footage is thrown in the mix. Clearly ains to unite the Soviet Bloc

SCORE: 5/10

BRIDESMAIDS (🇺🇸 US 2011) Non-stop laughs, especially in the first hour, before the story has to resolve itself and take center stage. Stacked comedy cast and sharp editing sell the gags magnificently. 3rd or 4th watch of this and it only gets better, and funnier, each time. Top 10 all time comedy for me. SCORE: 8.5/10 Bridesmaids is a 2011 American comedy film directed by Paul Feig from a screenplay by Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig. It stars Wiig as a woman who experiences a series of misfortunes after being asked to serve as maid of honor for her best friend, played by Maya Rudolph. The ensemble cast also features Rose Byrne, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ellie Kemper, Melissa McCarthy and Chris O'Dowd.

BRIDESMAIDS (🇺🇸 US 2011) Non-stop laughs, especially in the first hour, before the story has to resolve itself. Stacked comedy cast and sharp editing sell the gags magnificently. 3rd or 4th watch of this and it only gets better, and funnier, each time. Top 10 all time comedy for me.

SCORE: 8.5/10

2027 will be our year 🤝

Letterboxd stats for January showing the most-watched director as Uwe Boll. Why am I like this??

ME: I'm going to watch so many great films in 2026.

ALSO ME:

Maniac Nurses find Ecstasy (2000) ⭐ 2.8 | Action, Comedy, Horror 1h 15m

Holy shit! This is one of the worst films I've ever seen and I'm pretty sure it's multiple awful films cut together... 2.8/10 😂

m.imdb.com/title/tt0165...

THE FENCE (🇬🇧 GB 2022) the period detail is fantastic: from the clothes, cars, & locations down to insanely specific British culture like the hardest kids in school fight, "went to see a man about a dog", car atlas... Although the story was all over the place, it looked great and I enjoyed every minute spent in this setting. SCORE: 6.5/10 Motorbikes, fast cars, punch-ups and 80's music. Set on the streets of 1980s Bristol (UK), this retro flick follows a council estate kid out to settle the score with local thieves. David Perkins Steven Knight Eugene Simon Andrew Knight Sally Phillips Sharon Knight Jayde Adams Miss Bourne Lee Armstrong Ricky Picket Alexander Lincoln Wayne Pickett Joe Sims Mr. Arnold Neil Berrett Mr. Knight Marc Bessant Policeman #1 Tyler Brooks Gary Tomas Budin Kevin Jenkins (Candles) Paul Cooper Gibsy Marc Danbury PC Filer

THE FENCE (🇬🇧 GB 2022) the period detail is fantastic: from the clothes, cars, & locations down to insanely specific British culture like the school fights, car atlas... Although the story was all over the place, it looked great and I enjoyed every minute spent in this setting.

SCORE: 6.5/10

THE TANK (🇩🇪 DE 2025) Some intense battle & action scenes, and it dives into 'following orders' & Third Reich atrocities. The bridge, minefield, tank battles & water scenes are fantastic - Das Boot levels of creaky tension. Well directed, lots of great show-don't-tell - but the conclusion is an absolute shitshow. SCORE: 7/10 The five-man crew of a German Tiger tank is sent on a secret mission far behind the fiercely contested front line. Fueled by the Wehrmacht's methamphetamine, their mission increasingly becomes a journey into the heart of darkness.

THE TANK (🇩🇪 DE 2025) Some intense battle & action scenes, and it dives into 'following orders' & Third Reich atrocities. The bridge, minefield, tank battles & water scenes are fantastic - Das Boot levels of creaky tension. Well directed, but the conclusion is an absolute shitshow.

SCORE: 7/10

Absolutely worth checking out - Gonzo / Mondo / Arthouse. Absolutely wild.

You've sold it to me!

KILLER SOFA (🇳🇿 NZ 2019) Despite being 80 mins long this takes over half an hour to get to the first kill. Very little gore, no nudity, even swearing - unforgivable for something sold as a schlocky B-movie! For a film about a murderous sofa, it makes the ultimate sin of being boring and serious. The promising premise makes a good poster & trailer - and although this isn't a terrible film, it was a slog to finish. Cool sofa design though! SCORE: 3/10 B-MOVIE: 1/10 Killer Sofa is a 2019 New Zealand low-budget direct-to-DVD comedy horror film written and directed by Bernie Rao. Starring Piimio Mei, Nathalie Morris, Harley Neville, Stacey King, Jed Brophy, Jim Baltaxe, and Grant Kereama, the film follows a living recliner that commits crimes in the name of passion for its new owner. The film was released on DVD by American distributor High Octane Pictures on 1 October 2019 and received mixed reviews from critics, though its humour was generally positively received

KILLER SOFA (🇳🇿 NZ 2019) Minimal gore, no nudity, even swearing - unforgivable for something sold as a schlocky B-movie! For a film about a murderous sofa, it makes the ultimate sin of being boring & serious. The promising premise makes a good poster & trailer, that's it!

SCORE: 3/10
B-MOVIE: 1/10

INTERVIEW (🇮🇳 1971) Experimental, meta, and political Indian film with a rating of 4.0 - had to be watched! Very cinematic, loads of striking imagery and bold editing choices: feels closer to something French or Czech. The plot and messaging definitely feels like a "first film", but there's plenty memorable and interesting moments in here. SCORE: 7/10 Interview is a 1971 Bengali film directed by noted Indian art film director Mrinal Sen.[1] It was the debut film of Ranjit Mallick. Although it was a film on the colonial hangover, it touched on diverse issues like anti-establishment, middle class cowardice, and unemployment.

INTERVIEW (🇮🇳 1971) Experimental, meta, and political Indian film with a high rating. Very cinematic, loads of striking imagery & bold editing: feels closer to French or Czech. The messaging definitely feels like a "first film", but there's plenty of memorable moments in here.

SCORE: 7/10

DEATH BY LIGHTNING (🇺🇸 S1) tries to cram too much into four episodes. Strong cast, a decent script, but the humour / fun aspect was very hit and miss. Does a good job of shining a light on a little known (at least outside of America) and quite interesting part of American history. SCORE: 6/10 Death By Lightning is an American historical drama miniseries created by Mike Makowsky and based on the 2011 book Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard. It stars Michael Shannon as United States President James A. Garfield and Matthew Macfadyen as his assassin Charles J. Guiteau. The four-episode series premiered on November 6, 2025, on Netflix. It received widespread acclaim from critics, with particular praise for the performances, and was named one of the best television programs of the year by the American Film Institute.

DEATH BY LIGHTNING (🇺🇸 S1) tries to cram too much into four episodes. Strong cast, a decent script, but the humour / fun aspect was very hit and miss. Does a good job of shining a light on a little known (at least outside of America) and quite interesting part of American history.

SCORE: 6/10

POLICE STORY: LOCKDOWN (🇭🇰🇨🇳 2013) Ripe dialogue and a nihilistic tone that's miles off of the original films. None of the playful energy or flowing action. Too serious, too wordy, too generic, and too boring. When you see the CCP production logo up top you know you're in for a state-sanctioned lesson in 'morality'. SCORE: 3/10 Police Story 2013 (also known as Police Story: Lockdown) is a 2013 neo-noir action thriller film directed and written by Ding Sheng. A Chinese-Hong Kong co-production, it stars Jackie Chan in another reboot of the Police Story film series. The film is directed by Ding Sheng, who previously helmed Chan's Little Big Soldier. Unlike the previous Police Story films where he portrays a Hong Kong cop, Chan instead portrays a mainland Chinese officer.

POLICE STORY: LOCKDOWN (🇭🇰🇨🇳 2013) Ripe dialogue and grim tone that's miles off the original films. None of the playful energy or action. Too serious, wordy, generic, & too boring. When you see the CCP production logo up top you know you're in for a state-sanctioned lesson in 'morality'.

SCORE: 3/10

D13 / DISTRICT B13 (🇫🇷 FR 2004) A funny reminder of insane "Max Power" car and lad culture of the time - monstrous cars, machismo, swagger, guns, and drugs. Being centered around parkour, this has some of the best and most breathless stunts going. Packed with action & social commentary - and clocking in at 80 mins - this is a lovely wee French treat. SCORE: 7/10 District B13 (French title Banlieue 13 or B13), is a 2004 French action film directed by Pierre Morel, produced by Luc Besson, and written by Besson and Bibi Naceri.[5] It depicts parkour in several action sequences, which was completed without wires or CGI, leading critics to draw comparisons to the Thai film Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior.[6][7][8] David Belle plays Leïto, the story's main character. This is the final film of Tony D'Amario, who plays K2, before his death in 2005.

D13 / DISTRICT B13 (🇫🇷 FR 2004) A funny reminder of insane "Max Power" car & lad culture of the time. Being based on parkour, this has some of the best & most breathless stunts going. Packed with action & social commentary - and clocking in at 80 mins - this is a lovely wee French treat.

SCORE: 7/10

Very weird ending, especially with the poisoning bit. Absolutely chickened out on that!

HIJACK (🇬🇧 S1) tense, gripping, and moreish cranked-up drama. The premise and motives are slowly revealed and every moment is wrung for maximum tension. As with most shows the final episode becomes ridiculous and asks you to suspend a lot of disbelief. SCORE: 7/10 Hijack (stylised as H/JACK) is a thriller television series created by George Kay and Jim Field Smith, with Idris Elba starring in the lead role. It premiered on 28 June 2023 on Apple TV+. In January 2024, it was renewed for a second series, which premiered on 14 January 2026 Idris Elba as Sam Nelson, a lawyer and corporate business negotiator Christine Adams as Marsha Smith-Nelson, Sam's estranged wife, a physics professor Max Beesley as DI Daniel O'Farrel, Marsha's boyfriend, a Metropolitan Police officer Archie Panjabi as DCI Zahra Gahfoor, O'Farrel's former partner and a member of SO15 Neil Maskell as Stuart Atterton / Gerald Taylor, Lewis' elder brother and the leader of the hijackers Ben Miles as Captain Robin Allen, the pilot of Kingdom Airlines Flight 29 Kaisa Hammarlund as Anna Kovacs, the first officer of Kingdom Airlines Flight 29 Zora Bishop as Deevia Khan, the lead flight attendant Jeremy Ang Jones as Arthur, a flight attendant Kate Phillips as Collette Fisher, a flight attendant who is having an affair with Robin Jasper Britton as Terry Reid / Marcus Sutton, one of the hijackers Jack McMullen as Lewis Atterton / Ryan Cunningham, Stuart's younger brother and one of the hijackers Aimée Kelly as Jamie Constantinou / Bella Cunningham, one of the hijackers Mohamed Elsandel as Jaden Dahir / Alexander Kier, one of the hijackers Eve Myles as Alice Sinclair, an air traffic controller Hattie Morahan as Louise Aitchison, the British Foreign Secretary Neil Stuke as Neil Walsh, the British Home Secretary Simon McBurney as Edgar Janssen, the leader of a powerful crime syndicate

HIJACK (🇬🇧 S1) tense, gripping, and moreish cranked-up drama. The premise & motives are slowly revealed and every moment is wrung for maximum tension. As with most shows the final episode becomes ridiculous and asks you to suspend a lot of disbelief. Neil Maskell is a national treasure.

SCORE: 7/10

LOOK BACK (🇯🇵 JP 2024) hour long animé. Structure is odd - one or two scenes of plot/dialogue that cues up a soppily-scored montage engineered to manipulate your feelings. It's fine, but is definitely aimed at the weebs and a younger "OMG this is so me" crowd. SCORE: 6/10 Look Back (Japanese: ルックバック, Hepburn: Rukku Bakku) is a 2024 Japanese animated coming-of-age drama film based on the one-shot web manga of the same name by Tatsuki Fujimoto. The film is directed by Kiyotaka Oshiyama [ja], who also wrote the screenplay and served as a character designer, and produced by Studio Durian. It stars Yuumi Kawai and Mizuki Yoshida as two girls with a passion for drawing—the outgoing Fujino (Kawai) and the truant recluse Kyomoto (Yoshida), the latter of whose artistic ability inspires a competitive fervor in Fujino that soon develops into a partnership.

LOOK BACK (🇯🇵 JP 2024) hour long animé. Structure is odd - one or two scenes of plot/dialogue that cues up a soppily-scored montage engineered to manipulate your feelings - rinse and repeat. It's fine, but is definitely aimed at the weebs and a younger "OMG this is so me" crowd.

SCORE: 6/10