April was a pretty good month – nine films in total. Five re-watches and four virgin sacrifices viewings. And I still managed to watch every episode of The Chase (including the celebrity re-runs on ITV4).
So I started off the month with Borat (2006). My brother came over for dinner and we planned to watch something quite constructive and solid. Buuuuut ten custard donuts later we thought fuck that shit, let’s watch Borat. And it was a great decision. Very nice!
A week later it was Friday again and I had no plans and didn’t want to spend another evening half watching TV, half playing games on my phone, half stoned and half bored. So I decided to watch An Old Favourite. And that An Old Favourite ended up being The Football Factory (2004), which I LOVE. I could never get fed up of watching it.
Something slightly more revered now – The Imitation Game (2014) the true story of Alan Turing and the Bletchley Park code breaking during WW2. I must confess I only watched this because my boyfriend wanted to watch it (and you know, I’d rather be watching stuff like Borat or The Football Factory). He loves all that kind of thing – coding, science, computers, where exactly the International Space Station is every minute of the day…
Yeah, he has to put up with that level of maturity from me pretty much all the time…
As is often the case with films you don’t choose to watch – I really enjoyed it. It was fascinating, heartbreaking and I thought Benedict Cucumberbunnypatch was SO good in it.
Despite his popularity I hadn’t really seen him in a starring role before but I definitely now get the hype. I don’t fancy him though.
So Husk (2011) was just a low rent horror movie, which I tend to enjoy. Kind of a rubbish Evil Dead meets scarecrows and corn fields. Rated 18, I expected a bit more gore (boo!) but it was entertaining and kind of creepy in places. Absolutely typical set up including a road trip, a group of friends, a girlfriend who kinda wasn’t invited but her boyfriend brought her anyway and the other guys are pissed off about it. You know.
Now You See Me (2013) was a film I wanted to see since its release so I made a point of watching it when it showed on TV. It started really well, I loved the introduction to the four magicians but it began tailing off pretty quickly after that. It was fairly entertaining but could have been a better film. I thought the CGI was naff, it cheapened the tricks and just made them seem impossible – which some of them were. And the twist at the end was ludicrous! There’s a fine line between ‘surprising the audience’ and actually being in cloud cuckoo land.
And does Jesse Eisenberg actually have “I must play an arrogant, smug dick at all times” written into his contract?
Now for something we hope you’ll really like – Planet Terror & Death Proof aka Grindhouse (2007) – which I watched mainly because I reviewed the Death Proof soundtrack (here).
Both films are great. I think Death Proof has more re-watch-ability than Planet Terror but the latter is more my kind of mad, insane movie (plus Bruce Willis is in it – legend). Because I’ve droned on like a good’un about both films before let’s skip all that and just click here to watch the awesome fake trailers. My favourite is ‘Don’t’ because it stars loads of British actors – Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Mark Gatiss, Lee Inglby, Rafe Spall etc etc. No surprises its directed by Edgar Wright!
Now I’m such a loser I didn’t even know they’d made another American Pie movie called American Reunion. An actual proper American Pie movie, not one of those silly cash-in ones that didn’t star any of the original cast.
I’m not really a huge fan of the American Pie movies, apart from Stifler and maybe the one who shags his mum, I don’t find the characters memorable and as comedy franchises go, they’re hardly the best. But they are ‘feel good’ and as Darren and I were saying the other day, they’re films from our youth and nostalgia can go a looooong way.
The ‘Reunion’ wasn’t anything special, at all. The usual spiel with ‘sexy’ scenes and embarrassing situations but this time they were old, awww. But it was okay to watch once and I do have a soft spot for The Stifmeister (and Willow from Buffy obvs).
And last but never least I watched Pulp Fiction (1994) – again! It was on TV (again) and guess what – I bloody enjoyed it again.
emmakwall (explains it all) 
Great list of movies you have on here Emmy. It’s hard for me to say what movie in Grindhouse I like more. I think they are both great, but Death Proof does have a better soundtrack. I agree with you about Now You See Me’s ending. That shit was ludicrous and I dont mean the rapper. The Intimation Game was fascinating but it’s not one I would rewatch anytime soon. Points for watching Pulp Fiction Again
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Haha! Every time I use the word ‘ludicrous’ I think of the rapper too! 🙂 Thanks very much Verny. I think in my heart I prefer Planet Terror but Death Proof is so good!!! They both have good soundtracks really, Cherry’s Dance of Death is SUCH a great score but I agree Death Proof is better 🙂 I totally agree about The Imitation Game, I might never watch it again to be honest, but so glad I did!!! 🙂
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You should see Sherlock. I liked Now you see me but I was in the minority for sure. Don’t read my review of it haha. Was it five doughnuts each?
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Five doughnuts each 🙂
I think I’ve missed the Sherlock boat now, but it does look good and I like Tim from The Office!!!! I’ll find your review 🙂 I found it entertaining enough, but very silly.
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Emma, you’re so funny! I feel like I’ve just absorbed your thoughts stream-of-consciousness-style! I’ve never seen Borat, but I’m not mad on Cohen’s characters so it doesn’t really appeal. It makes me fully laugh to know that you take so much pleasure from Football Factory. What. The. Hell?!
I didn’t like the Imitation Game all that much. It’s a fascinating topic, but it just left me wishing I’d watched a documentary instead of a fictionalised account.
As for Now You See Me…? That film can go and fuck itself. So boring. So stupid. Such a pointless plot and terrible ‘twist’. And Jesse Smuggenberg can just piss right off. I mean, why does he even exist? Urgh!
Planet Terror is great fun. I always thought Death Proof was unfairly maligned, but having watching it again recently, I think the negative reviews were fair.
That’s just my two pence though. You’re great!
Yours,
filmnerd aka Laura
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Miss Film Nerd I have missed you!!! Loads! Sometimes I read back what I’ve written and it sounds like I’m talking really fast lol. Thank you for the lovely compliments 🙂
I understand about Cohen, I’m not a fan of all of his movies, I only really like Borat and Bruno (though I do have a little crush on Cohen when he’s NOT in character!!) The Football Factory is just a brilliant movie! Great dialogue, great characters, it’s very funny and quotable. It is a bit random as I’m not really into football (or hooliganism haha!) but I’ve always loved it, definitely in my top 20!
There was actually a BBC documentary on Bletchley Park very recently (and I believe it was a repeat anyway). I watched it with my bf lol, I did lots of fake yawning noises…! We’re going to the Bletchley Park museum in the summer, it’s not far from us! Cue more hilarious ‘yawn noises’ maybe? 🙂
I think Death Proof is unfairly maligned (good phrase!), the dialogue is great and I love the groups of girls, particularly the first group. There’s a few weird scenes which maybe could have been omitted but on the whole I really like it. As a feature, Grindhouse is just superb!!
That twist in Now You See Me!!!!!!!! Honestly I was cracking up. So Ruffalo’s character JOINED the FBI just so he could do a magic trick? That is pretty much it!!! And Jesse Eisenberg is just SO smug lol.
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I miss you too! I need to come around here more often. Twitter’s usually about all I can manage these days. Maybe at some point.
Jesse Eisenberg just needs to not exist, and that’s all I’ve got to say about him.
I think I had a bit of a Ruffalo crush at one point but I’m not sure why now.
I’d be so up for going to Bletchley Park! I saw a poster on a bus the other day for a day trip to Bletchley Park, but it was out of date. Did you watch The Bletchley Circle on ITV? I really liked it, even though ITV is almost always shit.
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Aww!! That’s okay, always nice to catch up wherever we are! I’m pretty sure you can go to Bletchely Park whenever you like really though I know coach parties do go on trips! https://www.bletchleypark.org.uk/ that’s the link 🙂
I didn’t see The Bletchley Circle, no! Was it a drama? Sounds like one and if it’s ITV can’t imagine it being a documentary (unless Trevor McDonald is involved haha!)
I understand the Ruffalo crush! Ever since 13 going on 30…!
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Ruffalo’s a bit middle-aged now but I still might.
Bletchley Circle was very much a drama, but good fun with some great female characters. Nothing earth-shattering but worth a watch if you happen upon it.
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It must have been an amazing month if you could watch 9 movies, I’m both proud and jealous! 😊
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Thank you Renate!!! It was indeed lol 🙂
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Cucumberbunnypatch??!!! Hahaha! I essentially just shit my jockeys on that one. 😉
Also, I’m really relieved to see someone else take issue with the ridonkulous plot twist in Now You See Me. At the time it really kinda pissed me off, but over time I’ve actually come back around on that film. It’s just a fun outing, nothing anyone should really give themselves an aneurysm over, but man there was still a lot of bullshit you had to accept. I think I might still have to give the sequel a go.
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Love the gifs Ems! But you don’t fancy Benedict Cucumberbunnypatch?! This may be the end of our friendship! Ha! NOT!
#teehee
#sassysisters
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Haha! I think he’s very cool and talented by not my cup of tea lol lol 🙂
NEVER the end of our friendship miss!!! #sassysisters #forever
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It’s okay bestie! We agree on so many other things!
#youknowit
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Who is he friends with? I’m just thinking of double dating purposes….! (shhh, don’t tell Scott or Tom of course!)
🙂 #iknowit #forever
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Haha! Hmm. I’m not sure. I’ll have to do some research.
#sassysisterssecrets
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#sassysisters!
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#besties
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#forever!
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🙋🏻💕
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Yay! #kindred spirits #besties #sassysisters
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Nice use of gifs. I’ll have to check out The Football Factory. The American Poe series will always have a special place in my heart even No.4.
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Thanks Lloyd 🙂 which is your favourite out of the American Pie series?
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I think the second is more laugh out loud funny but there’s more structure and heart to the first. The third I like and the fourth I enjoyed too but there is an aspect of diminishing returns and I would have preferred the female characters to not be increasingly sidelined as the series went on though I will allow it was always centred on the boys to begin with.
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Nice list still missing a certain Turbo Kid though, i still have only seen Pulp Fiction once
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Hand on heart that will be in May’s post, promise 🙂 🙂 🙂
That’s okay! I’ve seen it twice on TV this year, if I hadn’t watched it on TV, I wouldn’t necessarily have watched it at all 🙂
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Gnome stick
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gnome stick indeed 🙂
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I could watch Pulp Fiction a lot, and still get something from it. I enjoyed Death Proof and Planet Terror, but I’m not rushing to see them again. I surprised myself by actually enjoying Now You See Me; not that it’s really any good, but it’s a nice lazy watch on TV.
Football Factory. You’ve just got to love the lads in that. All London, all the way.
I got a copy of Borat for a 55th birthday present. It was a special-edition, complete with a free lime-green mankini. I put it on (the mankini that is) in the hotel room during a stay in Ghent for my birthday, Julie laughed so much at the sight of me in it, and she was still laughing on the train home two days later…(I will spare you the gory details)
I haven’t seen the others, but if you like Cumberbatch, he’s fabulous as Richard III in the wonderful BBC series The Hollow Crown.
Nice roundup as usual, Em.
As ever, Pete. XXX
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Sacrifices!? You said it, we have evidence!
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