MERRY CHRISTMAS!

wishing you a joyous and safe holiday season! I'll be taking a well deserved break and will return to the site on the 6th of January. Hope you have a great Christmas and new year, I'll see you all in 2025!

- ODie63.

BEST FILMS I SAW IN 2024

 LIST WEEK RULES  RECAP:

- It doesn't matter what year the film was made as long as I saw it for the first time in 2024.

- I have to watch the film in it's entirety for it to make a list

Now it's time for the main event, THE LIST YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR! The BEST films I saw in 2024. I absolutely loved these films that appear on this list and I can't recommend them enough, hopefully if you haven't seen them you give them a chance! Let's begin!!!

20. I LOST MY BODY (2019)

A captivating and tragically beautiful film go and watch it if you haven't already.

19. MARGIN CALL (2011)

A stock market drama that is intense and bleak, the ending wraps this film up nicely.

18. THE BEEKEEPER (2024)

This was an awesome popcorn flick full of action, definitely a fun hour and a half. 

17. A QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE (2024)

My first experience with the Quiet Place franchise and it was great.

16. DANTE'S INFERNO (2007)

I absolutely love animated films that are aimed at adults and the older demographic, This film in particular is so unique, set out as a puppet show this film was so entertaining it has a lot of charm.

15. BOY KILLS WORLD (2023)

A bonkers film full of action and gore this movie is a great piece of cinema to turn your brain off too.

14. GEORGE WASHINGTON (2000)

A coming of age drama that reminds me of the film "Stand By Me", There is a certain kind of innocence that comes with this film that slowly dismantles itself, leaving you not knowing how to feel when it's all said and done. Incredibly powerful.

13. DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE (2024)

The team up that everyone wanted and it delivered on everything it said it would be. Deadpool's MCU debut was a complete success.

12. ABIGAIL (2024)

I went to go and see this film thinking it was going to be a forgettable horror film and it ended up blowing me away with how good it actually was, can't recommend it enough.

11. ALL DOGS GO TO HEAVEN (1989)

Really loved this movie, it was a heart warming story full of emotion.

10. GLADIATOR II (2024)

This movie was a blood and soaked spectacle and I expected nothing less, ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!?! yes, yes I was.

9.  ALIEN: ROMULUS (2024)

This film was a real return to form for the Alien franchise and I can't recommend it to you enough. 

8. THE APPRENTICE (2024)

A well acted, all round gripping film Sebastian Stans performance is a real highlight as he doesn't try to over do it.

7. THE SADNESS (2021)

Hands down the best zombie film I saw this year, the amount of over the top blood shed was so satisfying.

 6. BEAU IS AFRAID (2023)

I can't do any justice as to how bonkers this film actually is, please go and watch this for yourself.

5. TRANSFORMERS ONE (2024)

The people who made this film are clearly huge fans of the Transformers franchise. Transformers One is full of heart and big on the emotional impact. the script, voice acting, animation etc. is just perfect. Transformers One is a movie for young and old alike.

4. NEFARIOUS (2023)

I thought this was going to be a B movie and when I sat down to watch it I was completely blown away. Sean Patrick Flannery stole the show as the big bad and carries this movie on his back.

3. BONES AND ALL (2022)

This movie draws you in and holds you there and in a way it's mesmerizing. The chemistry between our two leads made it feel like you were actually there in the moment with them. It fills you full of emotion right up until the soul crushing end.

2. ROBOT DREAMS (2023)

This film builds you up and breaks you down. There are life lessons in this film that everyone should learn, the animation was fantastic and worked so well with the story they were trying to tell. Loved it and definitely recommend.

1. THE WILD ROBOT (2024)

I put off watching this film when it came to cinemas for so long. I eventually caved and in the final weeks of its theatrical run got myself a ticket. I knew I wouldn't like the movie going into it. I had never been so wrong about a film in all my life. It pulled on the heartstrings hard and was fantastic so fantastic that it takes out the top spot on my best films list PLEASE go and see this film it's worth your time and you won't be disappointed.

LOVING VINCENT (2017) REVIEW

 A film that is as tragic as it is beautiful. Douglas Booth reminds me of a young Johnny Depp.

4 out of 5 STARS.

WORST FILMS I SAW IN 2024

LIST WEEK RULES  RECAP:

- It doesn't matter what year the film was made as long as I saw it for the first time in 2024.

- I have to watch the film in it's entirety for it to make a list

As 2024 comes to a close I reflect on all the wonderful cinematic experiences I've had, sadly this list is the complete opposite, here are the 10 worst films I saw this year.

10. TAKING LIVES (2004)

This film wants to be se7en so bad that it comes across as a knockoff. Angelina Jolie is miscast and the film as a whole is seriously farfetched.

9. NO HOLDS BARRED (1989)

Now here is an example of a terrible movie that I actually enjoyed a lot. This is not a good movie by any means. horrible acting, a dismal plot that is all over place. The reason why I enjoyed this film so much is because it's so bad. "DOOOKIIIEEEE" 

8. TRAP (2024)

Even by M. Night Shyamalan standards this movie was terrible. I paid for a ticket to go see this film and couldn't believe how bad it was, Shyamalan clearly made this film to show off his daughters singing talents but unfortunately she has no acting talents. Shyamalan can be hit or miss and oh boy this was a swing and a miss.

7. SCOOB! (2020)

Such a let down, this was not a Scooby Doo film! This was Warner Bros horrible attempt at creating a cinematic universe and it leads me to ask this question... why does everything NEED to be a cinematic universe?

6. THE DELIVERANCE (2024)

This movie sucks, full of unlikeable characters that stayed unlikeable to the very end, can some please tell me what the hell Glenn Close thought she was doing?!?! this film dragged on and on. do not, I repeat DO NOT lower yourself to watching this like I did.

5. NIGHT SWIM (2024)

A film where they say swimming pool every few sentences, I actually paid for a ticket to go and see this and in hindsight I should of known better, it's hard to make something like a swimming pool scary.     This film tried to swim a limp doggy paddle and sank instead.

4. JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX (2024)

Chain smoking the musical is how I sum this horrible film up, with a 2 hour and 20 minute runtime nothing happens that is remotely interesting. This is a sad way for Joaquin Phoenix's Joker to go out. He won an Oscar for the first film and I'm more than certain he'll win Razzies for the second.

3. MADAME WEB (2024)

I jokingly gave this film a 5 star review but in all seriousness this film was complete ass (pardon my expression). This film was always destined to fail as you can't have a spiderman cinematic universe without the man in question but nobody could prepare my brother and I with how terrible this movie actually was.

2. VULGAR (2000)

Vulgar is the right name for this movie as it was just gross and not in a smart or entertaining way. Whoever directed this film tried to make a Kevin Smith movie with none of the charm. Horrible movie and I wouldn't give it the time of day for a second time. 

1. THE ADVENTURES OF PLUTO NASH (2002)

Now this is a last minute addition to this list and it's only fitting it takes out the top spot. What on earth did I sit through? The whole crime caper in out of space could of been great in theory, so can someone explain how they got it so wrong? I couldn't stand the acting, Eddie Murphy was cringeworthy and his robot bodyguard was so annoying that I came close to turning this film off at least twice. I soldiered through to the very end because I knew this film was going to end up at number one on this list. Oh boy I heard stories about this film being terrible but I still thought I'd give it a chance, I wish I hadn't.

 

CLEANER (2007) REVIEW

 

An entertaining little crime film and as someone who works in the funeral profession I found the opening scene funny as all hell.

3.5 out of 5 STARS.

THE ADVENTURES OF PLUTO NASH (2002) REVIEW

 

Yeah this movie is terrible, I don't know how a film like this could be so bland and forgettable but "The Adventures Of Pluto Nash" pulled it off. Complete trash. The performances by the cast are truly dismal. Don't waste the hour and a half of your life watching this tripe, go and watch something good or at least halfway decent.

0.5 out of 5 STARS.

HONORABLE MENTIONS 2024

 

LIST WEEK RULES  RECAP:

- It doesn't matter what year the film was made as long as I saw it for the first time in 2024.

- I have to watch the film in it's entirety for it to make a list

I watch a lot of films and unfortunately I can't put them all on my year end lists, here are 8 films in no particular order that I thoroughly enjoyed but missed out on the "Best Films I Saw In 2024" list.

JERSEY GIRL (2004)

I'm a huge fan of Kevin Smith and this was one of the few films in his filmography that I hadn't seen, this is one of his more restrained offerings and I loved it.

SMILE 2 (2024) 

This film was way better than it had any right to be and it JUST narrowly missed my end of year best films list.

DAY SHIFT (2022) 

         A fun popcorn flick that is a great time to be had, horror and comedy both done right.

ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK (1981)

A fun old school action flick from John Carpenter.

CHASING AMY (1997)

Another Kevin Smith film I saw for the first time in 2024, I loved it even though a few parts hadn't aged well, Kevin really seems to get the human side of things down to a tee.

LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL (2023)

An absolute bonkers film that was so worth the hour and a half, definitely recommend.

LONG LEGS (2024)

This is such an atmospheric film and Nicholas Cage is phenomenal. I saw this film in theatres and it was such an experience, the Nicholas Cage resurgence is very much real and I'm so for it.

 

DEAD MEN DON'T WEAR PLAID (1982)

This was such a hilarious film and I loved how it was made, if you can seek this one out please watch it as this was great and Steve Martin really made this his own.

THE TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE (2003) REVIEW

 

An interesting yet very odd animated film that is definitely not for everyone.

2.5 out of 5 STARS.

DISHONORABLE MENTIONS 2024

HERE IT IS THE FIRST EVER WATCHBOX LIST WEEK! Yes the time is finally upon us and as we close 2024 I've decided to kick things off by giving you my dishonorable mentions. These films were underwhelming but not bad enough to end up on my upcoming "Worst Films I Saw In 2024" list, but before we get into the meat and potatoes I'd like to go over some rules and guidelines I've set for myself.

LIST WEEK RULES:

- It doesn't matter what year the film was made as long as I saw it for the first time in 2024.

- I have to watch the film in it's entirety for it to make a list.

Now without further ado and in no particular order here are my dishonorable mentions for 2024.

EDMOND (2005)

This film was very intriguing, it comes across as a more grounded American Psycho in concept but falls flat in execution. 

THE LEGO NINJAGO MOVIE (2017)

Even Jackie Chan couldn't save this boring film, purely made for the cash in but the kids will enjoy it.

PRISONERS OF THE GHOSTLAND (2021)

A film with big budget ideas and small budget execution, could of been better.

THE EMOJI MOVIE (2017)

Even though I think this film is not as bad as people make it out to be, it's not great.

DADDY'S HEAD (2024)

Now this film was real bummer, I was absolutely keen to see this movie after watching the trailer for it as it looked terrifying, I paid for a shudder subscription and when I finally sat down to watch it I was very disappointed in what I saw, let me clarify this movie was not terrible it was just not as scary as it had promised to be.

HAROLD & KUMAR GO TO WHITECASTLE (2004) REVIEW

 One of those films that you watched 15 - 20 years ago and thought it was hilarious only to watch it again in the present day and realize that it's not as good as you remember.

2.5 out of 5 STARS.

HELLBOY: THE CROOKED MAN (2024) REVIEW

I expected a B movie and was pleasantly surprised. Sure it's of a lower budget, some of the special FX were iffy and the make up for Hellboy himself definitely looked like make up BUT I couldn't help but feel like it all worked in this films favour, now this movie wasn't shown at my local cinema but if it had been I would of bought a ticket and had no regrets about it afterwards. Was a fun time

3.5 out of 5 STARS.