The Thing (1982) - John Carpenter directed sci fi/horror starting Kurt Russell telling the story of a group of American researchers in Antarctica who encounter the eponymous "Thing", a parasitic extraterrestrial life-form that assimilates, then imitates other organisms. The special effects are pretty crap but the acting isn't as bad but it simply isn't scary. Poor yet fluff
The Grand Budapest Hotel - written & directed by Wes Anderson starring Ralph Fiennes and a ensemble cameo cast. it tells the story of two people: Monsieur Gustave H. a concierge & Zero ( a lobby boy) and the friendship they form as they team up for several misadventures while trying to prove Gustave's innocence after he was framed for murder. Won 4 Oscars. I really liked it. it is very well shot and put together visually and strangely thought provoking and darkly humours. It has a lot of (almost) Marx brothersesque stuff going on.
Bobby Robson: More Than a Manager - A very warm, generous & heartfelt biography of the former England manager directed and narrated by Gabriel Clarke. Very good and quite emotional.
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol - fourth installment in the Mission: Impossible film series. You know the score. Crusie saves the world. Exciting action scenes, clever gadgets, explosive, energetic, silly and preposterous. Easily watchable.
Mad Max 2 - Gibson returns and without much enthusiasm helps a community of settlers to defend themselves against a roving band of marauders. Basically a post apocalyptic western where the hardened, embittered, loner rediscovers his humanity. It is brutal and desolate and better than the first. It might have set the tone for all dystopian future films that came after.
Syriana - 2005 American geopolitical thriller film written and directed by Stephen Gaghan, and executive produced by and staring George Clooney and an ensemble cast. The film focuses on petroleum politics and the global influence of the oil industry, whose political, economic, legal, and social effects seen form 4 or 5 angles. Clooney won an Oscar and is really good but many people find it confusing because of the numerous angles intertwined in telling the story. Personally I think it is very clever film because the confusion the audience feel is the central point of the story. Needs thinking about and concentrating on.
Bumblebee - the sixth installment of the live-action Transformers film series and the first one not directed by Michael Bay and it benefits from that! A superb recreation of the 1980's, spot on sound track and much more character focused than the other transformers films. Therefore it is less silly. It is not a clever film and it isn't a very original film but it works and is much better than the other transformers films
The Terminator - 1984 American science fiction film directed by James Cameron. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator, a cyborg assassin sent back in time from 2029 to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor. I have always liked this film. Arnie is perfectly cast both physically and script wise. It has lots of violence, chase scenes, gun fights and clever effects. Launched Arnie and James Cameron and may be ( with Alien) the quintessential 80's sci fi film.
First of the few - 1942 British black-and-white biographical film produced, directed and starring Leslie Howard as R. J. Mitchell, the designer of the Supermarine Spitfire fighter aircraft. David Niven co-stars as a composite Royal Air Force officer and test pilot. The film depicts Mitchell's strong work ethic in designing the Spitfire and his death. Full on bank holiday favorite if not massively historically accurate & designed to inspire similar personal sacrifice in British audiences during the war.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Set in 1946, the plot follows a London-based writer who begins exchanging letters with a resident on the island of Guernsey, which was under German occupation during World War II, a some dark secrets within that community. Gentle, likable, straightforward, tearjerker which is perfectly enjoyable. Decent supporting cast and a strong lead from Lilly James.
Wipers Times - BBC dramatisation of the true story of Cpt. Fred Roberts ( played by ben Chaplin) who published the satirical newspaper of the same name during the First World War. It is heart-rending and thought-provoking with a strong sub-text about the courage and suffering and gallows humour displayed by officers and men, month after month. I found it very good.
Entebbe - The film recounts the story of Operation Entebbe, a 1976 counter-terrorist hostage-rescue operation by Israeli special forces after two Palestinian & two German terrorists hijacked Air France Flight 139 en route from Tel Aviv to Paris and took it to Uganda. I am not sure about this one. It is clearly very worthy but i just don't think it is any good despite the exciting story and there seems to be a strange underlying anti Israeli story. Disappointing.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day - 1991 sequel co-written, produced, and directed by James Cameron. This time Arnie is the good guy sent back to protect John Connor from the liquid metal man played by Robert Patrick. Won 4 Oscars and showed ground breaking special effects. Better than the first ( which is very good) and one of the best action films made.
Buffalo Soldiers - 2001 satire following the rogue/criminal activities of a group of US soldiers based in West Germany during 1989 when the fall of the Berlin Wall is imminent. I bet the Yanks hate it and consider it deeply unpatriotic but it is darkly funny. It might be overlooked because it came out 2 days before 9/11.
Sully - 2016 American biographical drama film directed by Clint Eastwood and stars Tom Hanks as Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger. The film follows Sullenberger's January 2009 emergency landing of US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River, in which all 155 passengers and crew survived with only minor injuries, and the subsequent publicity and investigation. Hanks does his thing and turns in a usual high quality performance. it is slow and detailed and tells a good story of a man doing his job very well and not thinking anything of it! Apparently the NTSB were not happy about how they and their investigators were shown.