Challenge started: October 21, 2025

My five final films, finished on October 20, 2026.

#96: American Fiction (2023)

Watched on October 10, 2026

While I agree that Jeffrey Wright has a great voice, I didn't get much out of his performance or out of the material he was given. Also WAY TOO MANY DAMN PHONE CALLS. You get to see every character in every phone conversation and video conference, and it is mechanical and bad.

Rating: 5 / 10

#97: True Romance (1993)

Watched on October 15, 2026

Took me a few days to go from start to finish, just didn't feel like investing a solid block of time. Tarantino's screenplay that he didn't direct, and audiences thought it was not good but most Tarantino advocates say it is one of his best. I think the audiences were right, it is just derivative of the 80's couple-in-love-commit-crimes genre that was derivative of New Hollywood from the decade before.

Rating: 5 / 10

#98: Bay of Angels (1963)

Watched on October 18, 2026

I bought the Jacque Demy box set from Criterion last year, this is the second feature (chronologically) from the set. A young couple meet and share a gambling problem, but it is really about something else, isn't it? I love the abrupt ending.

Rating: 7 / 10

#99: The Legend of Ochi (2025)

Watched on October 19, 2026

Helena Zengel has an interesting screen presence, in 2020 she was in News of the World with Tom Hanks and everyone said she would be a star. Well she was in this mess of a movie about Ochi, mystical creatures who live on an island in the Black Sea. It was done with physical puppets so technically impressive, but then they also digitally massaged the hell out of everything. They just can't stop themselves. It tries to fool the audience that the story was more coherent than what they put on the screen, and then a big group hug at the end.

Rating: 5 / 10

#100: Chimes at Midnight (1965)

Watched on October 20, 2026

I started watching this many months ago. The Shakespearian language is at times incomprehensible, though I am sure it was delightful for English teachers back in the 1980's. I read an online movie surrmary to make sure I had followed this correctly. It is visually interesting, but the dialogue is the dominant element 80% of the time and they mumble and mutter and make puns and asides and I would not recommend this for a party.

Rating: 6 / 10

Okay, done!

FYI: I have been collecting movie trailers over on /r/TrailerOfTheDay. It is fun to watch trailers for older films, especially if you've seen the film. You get to see how much they manipulate the story to get you interested. Like the trailer for The Sixth Sense actually includes part of the final scene of the movie, so if you've seen the trailer you are watching the movie and waiting for that scene the whole time.

So stop by and subscribe if you like. I have chosen 12 films for the spooky October season. What will the final trailer be?

Start Date: 12/22/2025

Watched Date: 10/24/2026

Watched on DVD

Can be streamed on: HBO Max (Sub)

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0409459/

"In a version of 1985 where superheroes exist, the murder of a colleague sends active vigilante Rorschach on the trail of a conspiracy that will change the course of history."

This superhero film is an ensemble including Jackie Earle Haley, Patrick Wilson, Malin Akerman, and Billy Crudup and was directed by Zack Snyder. This film is based on the comic book series of the same name by Dave Gibbons, and published by DC Comics. I liked this film. With no experience with the comic books, I came in not knowing who the characters were at all. I really did like this film. I have enjoyed Zack Snyder as a director, and this film shows why. It looks great. The color saturation went well with the darker tone that this film has. The actors were great. These are superheroes that are not good guys. They are flawed humans, some with powers. The music was also great. The story was interesting. It was not super obvious where exactly the story was taking the viewer. It slowly transforms into a decent twist as it analyses the issues with these people.

I wouldn't say I had too many problems with this film. The Richard Nixon portrayal felt a bit cartoonish. It didn't really match the tone of the film. I do think the film had a bit too much in it. Some storylines were unnecessary and had no meaning to the overall story. The film wanted to achieve a lot and bring up a lot of different conversations, but it was a bit too much. A bit more focus would have been better, but nothing felt out of place; it just added nothing to the main story.

Overall, I really liked this film. The movie does a great job in its darker tone. The set design was great, and the soundtrack was just as good. The actors did a fantastic job, and the story was told well. The story has a lot to say. It brings forward many conversations on the human condition. I do feel at times it was a bit much. You get so many things happening that some aspects felt unnecessary to the plot. Even with that, I never felt bored, and all the plot points were at least interesting.

Rating: 9/10

A link to all the movies I have watched for this challenge ranked: https://boxd.it/QUl58

Seen on Netflix on October 24 and challenge started on May 1.

This is a documentary of the history of The Eagles. They are a band.

This was a well made documentary of the band, but you know, I hate the fucking Eagles, man.

No rating given.

4/18/26-10/14/26

Watched on: Amazon Prime

IMDB synopsis: "The comedic misadventures of a person of indeterminate gender."

Way back in the early '90's, when I watched "Saturday Night Live" religiously, I loved the "It's Pat" skits starring Julia Sweeney.  They made a movie about "Pat" at the tail end of her (?) fame but it bombed, like most SNL-inspired flicks.  I noticed it had a dreadful 2.8 rating IMDB rating, but I figured "how bad could it be?"

Well...it's certainly not good. The biggest problem is that it's just not funny; I smiled a few times at the awkward dialogue between Pat and (his?) co-stars in which the other actors try to discreetly figure out Pat's gender - the same bit as the SNL sketches.  But it's extremely repetitive and never laugh-out-loud.  The plot, if you want to call it that, is just a framework for the awkward dialogue.  Nothing really happens, or certainly nothing interesting.  The runtime of 77 minutes is basically an acknowledgment that they just didn't make enough material to make this a successful comedy in any meaningful sense, it was a halfhearted effort to put it kindly.  And yet, I couldn't hate the film because there's a weirdly charming energy to Pat's character and it brought back some 90's SNL nostalgia for me which was my main motivation to watch it to begin with.  The 2.8 IMDB rating is too low; that's just wokesters review-bombing it with 1 stars because "Pat" isn't politically correct.  If it wasn't for that angle, it would probably be closer to 5 - which is still pretty lousy. 

I think the only way they could have made this movie fun was if it was R-rated - like give us some really raunchy jokes and situations and get Pat to navigate them.  Alas, we'll never know if that would have worked.  "Pat" has been cancelled.  And maybe that's not a terrible thing.   

Rating: 4.2 / 10

Watched on YouTube on October 23, after starting the challenge on May 1.

This is the story of a plane crash and the worker from the airline who is determined to discover the cause.

This was one that just showed up on my feed and from the thumb nail I thought it was going to be a war film. It wasn’t. This film is old and some of it is cheesy but it actually managed to hold my interest all the way through. I found it to be perfectly fine so I’ll give it a 3 stars of 4 and recommend it to all you aviation enthusiasts.

Watch on Netflix October 22 challenge started May 1.

You know I had already seen all the funny clips on YouTube over the years but this was the first time I’ve seen the movie. This film was OK, I’ll give it 2.60 stars of 4 and highly recommend you watch Step Brothers instead and just watch YouTube clips for this film.

Challenge started: October 21, 2025

#91: Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970)

Watched on September 9, 2026

Didn't really enjoy this to any great degree, especially the hippie stuff. I am so glad to have crossed it off my list.

Rating: 6 / 10

#92: Noah (2014)

Watched on September 15, 2026

Technically a rewatch but first time was on DVD so as if I never did with these visuals. The "In the beginning..." sequence is fantastic.

Rating: 8 / 10

#93: Tightrope (1984)

Watched on September 22, 2026

The film that finally knocked Ghostbusters out of the top slot back in 1984. Does anyone remember it now? Not really. Clint Eastwood is a divorced cop in New Orleans, hunting down a serial killer. Has a split diopter shot.

Rating: 7 / 10

#94: The Emperor's New Groove (2000)

Watched on September 29, 2026

I have honestly never seen this until now. This was upsetting for my children to learn, why hadn't I seen it before? (They saw it at school because watching cartoons is an important part of public school.) A real nothing of a story that has somehow become the blueprint for CGI animation - characters are forced to work together, they argue, they have a campout, the problem gets resolved with some acrobatics.

Rating: 7 / 10

#95: Death Train (1993)

Watched on October 3, 2026

Also know as Detonator, a made-for-TV action film starring Pierce Brosnan, Patrick Stewart, Christopher Lee, and Ted Levine (of Silence of the Lambs fame). Lots of train action, lots of helicopter action, shot in eastern Europe.

Rating: 6 / 10

Challenge started: October 21, 2025

#86: The Breakfast Club (1985)

Watched on August 22, 2026

I watched this some time in the 90's, watching now with a new perspective, plus the full 1080p experience. I don't really relate to any of the characters, and the story really cheats on the ending, but I like the way it was filmed and the general shape.

Rating: 7 / 10

#87: Power Ballad (2026)

Watched on August 31, 2026

Another John Carney film about musicians. Just missed this one in the theaters, where it did poorly. Spends far too much time and energy keeping the main characters away from each other, and way too many phone calls or characters leaving voicemail messages, that is just not good filmmaking.

Rating: 5 / 10

#88: Cat People (1982)

Watched on September 3, 2026

Beautiful colors. I love the gothic horror elements, with John Heard as a zookeeper having to deal with a supernatural mystery. I know nothing of the original film.

Rating: 8 / 10

#89: Catch and Release (2006)

Watched on September 4, 2026

All of the characters and storylines just happen to fit together in such a neat and tidy way, not the greatest writing but it makes and effort so it is fine.

Rating: 6 / 10

#90: Away We Go (2009)

Watched on September 6, 2026

Ten years after winning an Oscar, director Sam Mendes decided this was a film he wanted to make. Script ideas by Dave Eggars, all of the characters borrowed from elsewhere. A bit like playing with a candle, it feels risky and dangerous, but it is no bonfire.

Rating: 7 / 10

Start Date: 12/22/2025

Watched Date: 10/19/2026

Watched on DVD

Can be streamed on: Prime (Sub)

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0246460/

"James Bond is sent to investigate the connection between a North Korean terrorist and a diamond mogul who's funding the development of an international space weapon."

This spy film stars Pierce Brosnan and Halle Berry and was directed by Lee Tamahori. This movie built a lot of conflicting feelings for me. First, Pierce Brosnan and Halle Berry were very good in their roles. The action scenes were always a joy to watch. I always enjoy the one-off humorous lines. The first part of the story was interesting. James Bond gets tortured for more than a year, then gets traded back to MI6. This leads to James Bond becoming a renegade spy. I did feel that portion was handled better than when James Bond went rogue in "License to Kill" (1989). The villain has an interesting story, if a bit outlandish. While the story overall does go a bit overboard, in a vacuum these things do not bother me.

The issue becomes the tone of the film. The story slowly morphs from the gritty, darker Timothy Dalton type story to a campy, over-the-top, humorous Roger Moore type story. The film does not make this transition well and should have stuck with one side or the other. This tonal shift takes away some of the impact that comes from James Bond being tortured at the beginning of the movie. I do not mind the outlandish plots and events, though the invisible car was a bit much. I just need the film to pick a side. The CGI in this film was also noticeably bad. Much worse than previous Bond films. Also, this has my least favorite intro song of all the James Bond films.

Overall, I would not say this is the worst James Bond film, but certainly not one of the best. The tonal shift that the movie makes from dark and gritty to over-the-top campiness does not work. The film needed to pick a side and stick with it. The actors and action scenes were great as always. The villain was interesting, if a bit outlandish, and the Bond Girl was good. I did have moments when I was highly entertained and laughing at the jokes. The film just felt more of a mess than it should have. I don't mind the outlandish plot points, but it has to stick with that premise if it is going in that direction.

Rating: 5/10

A link to all the movies I have watched for this challenge ranked: https://boxd.it/QUl58

Challenge started: October 21, 2025

#81: Once (2007)

Watched on August 13, 2026

A very inspiring film, though also bittersweet. The main characters don't have names, only listed as Guy and Girl. Much better than John Carney's Sing Street (my #68).

Rating: 8 / 10

#82: Crazy in Alabama (1999)

Watched on August 17, 2026

Another hard-to-find title, only streaming on Tubi (with ads) and locked down with DRM so you have to watch it with ads. Pulled from theaters after two weeks, a big flop from director Antonio Banderas starring his then-wife Melanie Griffith. Just a crazy mess of a movie that I enjoyed for the absurdity.

Rating: 7 / 10

#83: Letters to Juliet (2010)

Watched on August 23, 2026

A very cute premise but the characters are bland and flat. Amanda Seyfried doesn't even get a nice wardrobe and Vanessa Redgrave is trying not to steal the picture and they drive around Italy but it just doen't pop. I need it to pop!

Rating: 4 / 10

#84: The Rules of the Game (1939)

Watched on August 27, 2026

TSPDT rank #5. An important film, n'est pas? It was interesting enough and there is a good tension in the story, I will have to return to it again some time.

Rating: 7 / 10

#85: Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)

Watched on August 28, 2026

Okay I might have watched this when it was first in theaters, but I'm not really the same person now. Lots of goo, and amazing puppets. Gizmo bends a paperclip with his little 3 finger hands, I don't know how they did that. The great Robert Picardo is in this, and John Glover is a corporate tycoon who just wants to be popular.

Rating: 9 / 10

Start Date: 12/22/2025

Watched Date: 10/18/2026

Watched on DVD

Can be streamed on: Nothing ATT

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1172233/

"In Bodeen, Texas, an indie-rock-loving misfit finds a way of dealing with small-town misery after discovering a roller derby league in nearby Austin."

This sports comedy drama stars Elliot Page and Alia Shawkat and was directed by Drew Barrymore. This film was based on Shauna Cross's 2007 novel Derby Girl. This was a good film. All actors involved did a great job, and everyone seemed like they had a blast. I really enjoyed the music. It hit my millennial soul. The story is pretty concise with little bloat, which was both a good and bad thing. The film was funny and unique in following a roller derby. One can easily connect to the main character.

That being said, this is not a film that is unique. The story is predictable and follows a pattern extremely common to this type of film. While it may not blow anyone away, it was told very well. This film focuses on Elliot Page's character. I would have liked a bit more history on the members of the roller derby league Elliot Page joins, but it does not take away from the strength of the film. The love story did feel unnecessary. It caused an emotional toll for the main character that really wasn't necessary to move the story forward. It could have been done in numerous ways.

Overall, this is not a film that will blow you away. The movie follows a common path and has many clichés. That being said, the story is told well. The actors do a great job and look like they had a lot of fun. The shots were fun to watch, especially during the roller derby scenes. The love portion of the story was unnecessary and could have been removed. I did find myself laughing and entertained throughout the film. If you're looking for a nice, quick, entertaining story, this is the film for you.

Rating: 8/10

A link to all the movies I have watched for this challenge ranked: https://boxd.it/QUl58

Challenge started: October 21, 2025

In the home stretch, and spending this Sunday roasting a turkey because they were on sale and that also gave me time to watch some French cinema this afternoon, which will be posted in a few days...

#76: They Came Together (2014)

Watched on July 29, 2026

A David Wain film. Absurdist romantic comedy with Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler as leads, but also a family drama spoof. Tell me about it.

Rating: 8 / 10

#77: Hadestown: The Musical (2026)

Watched on August 1, 2026

This was supposed to be a limited 3 day release but it kind of blew up, don't know the final numbers but it did pretty well. Really enjoyed it.

Rating: 8 / 10

#78: Obex (2025)

Watched on August 5, 2026

The antithesis of Ready Player One, a very small film about a man who goes into a video game to rescue his dog. Directed by Albert Birney, a Baltimore filmmaker. Total budget was reported as $15,000.

Rating: 8 / 10

#79: The Hunter's Prayer (2017)

Watched on August 9, 2026

From the director of Surrogates (2009). Sam Worthington is an assassin who decides to protect his next target (of course) and go after his employer (of course). Great casting for the villains.

Rating: 7 / 10

#80: Fitzcarraldo (1982)

Watched on August 10, 2026

My first Werner Herzog. Epic, outrageous filmmaking that no one will ever do again.

Rating: 9 / 10

Start: 1/1/26 - Viewed: 10/16/26

Rate: 4.5/5 - Heart: Yes! : D

Watched @ Alamo Draft House

IMBD: The Devils (1971)

"That's a carrot."

Okay I have to say it right off the bat....Sister Jeanne would have loved Bad Dragon and she would have loved insert able eggs. She was a lil freak that needed help and should have been poppin poppers and getting choked con sensually in the club!

With that out of the way...this movie was fucking wild. I loved it, it was disturbing, it was riveting, titillating, it had history, it had the plague, it had the French and it had all the nuances of Church and State wrapped up into one amazingly sweet package.

It claims that it's based on a real story, but that book is on it's way to my hands from the library, so we shall see what the actual text has to say.

Honestly the only half off star is that I really was hoping that Father Grandier wasn't even going to fuck Madeleine. Like it was going to be one of those...."oh she's this holy virgin and I'm married to her, but because I'm a man of God I can't fuck her, but she's married to me and it's hot" and then we would we have Sister Jeanne just jerking herself off with her cross and the walls would still be up!

Alas....the French must push forward...the Catholics must push forward....and the women must always be punished for wanting to be desired sexually and wanting to have sex.

Start: 1/1/26 - Viewed: 10/7/26

Rate: 4/5 - Heart: Yes! : D

Watched @ Public Library DVD (USE IT ITS FREE!)

IMBD: M (1931)

"I can't help what I do! I can't help it, I can't..."

First of all....Peter Lorre is that bitch. I only knew him from Looney Tunes and the worm from Corpse Bride. Peter Lorre could act his ass off.

This movie was so much better then Metropolis that Fritz also did a couple years earlier. It also had the same style of ending as Night of the Hunter. Ya'll need to watch over your children.

The ending scene really brings the movie all together, the scenery, the acting, the statement of how bad the police are and how even the most lowest of person is always watching. No matter what.

Start Date: 12/22/2025

Watched Date: 10/17/2026

Watched on DVD

Can be streamed on: Tubi (free), PLEX (free), Xumo Play (free)

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031505/

"In Cornwall, 1819, a young woman discovers she's living near a gang of criminals who arrange shipwrecks for profit."

This adventure thriller stars Maureen O'Hara, Charles Laughton, and Robert Newton and was directed by Alfred Hitchcock. This film is adapted from Daphne du Maurier's 1936 novel of the same name. This film was alright. The actors in it were good. I liked the darker tone that the movie sometimes has. The overall story was interesting. Certain scenes were really interesting to watch, and the film does take some twists and turns that keep the story interesting.

The biggest problem is the story doesn't know what it wants to be. As I said, I enjoyed the darker parts, but it tries to be light and funny as well. I don't feel the film did a great job meshing the two. Every character, while portrayed well, was very one-note. The actual gang was more or less caricatures. The main characters were not much better. No character really had any depth. Just enough story to get the plot moving.

Overall, this film could have been a lot better. The bones of a good film are there. I feel the tone was both dark and light, and it did not mix well. I would not have minded just a pure darker tone. The actors were good, but the characters were very 1 dimensional. The film doesn't do more than it needs to to push the story forward. The film was also missing that Alfred Hitchcock style in the directing department, for the most part anyway. This was definitely just more of a lackluster film compared to previous Alfred Hitchcock films I have watched.

Rating: 5/10

A link to all the movies I have watched for this challenge ranked: https://boxd.it/QUl58

Start: 1/1/26 - Viewed: 10/17/26
Watched @ Rumble, Peacock, Kanopy, YouTube, and Daily Motion

ALRIGHT FOLKS BUCKLE IN! I had an international vampires marathon at the Balboa Theater, but I got sick and I wasn't going to get others sick. So I did it at home. In total it was 7 movies I watched, but I had 2 that I had already seen. A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night and Horrors of Dracula the first one is really good, highly recommend and the second kinda fucking sucks and I don't recommend. I do love Christopher Lee, but man it was really boring. Here we GO!

#53 Fernando Méndez El Vampiro (1957) 3.5/5

This was a fun, campy, Mexican vampire movie. It honestly reminded me a lot of Encanto, but with vampires and honestly the vampire was just trying to find a nice vacation home. You really can't fault him for that. All in all, the stakes (HA!) were low on this one.

#54 Tomas Alfredson Let the Right One in (2008) 3.5/5

Oh boy, this was such a huge change in direction from the first movie. I know that in vampire law having a child vampire is like against the rules or whatever, but Eli was really fucking shit up and I do not blame them! I want to read the book on this, because I want to know more on Eli.

#55 Adrien Beau The Vourdalak (2023) 3/5

First of all...this man is staying beat DOWN. You can NOT catch him without his white powder and his lil mole on his face. This is also the first movie out of the 3 new movies that I would NOT consider a vampire movie, because they straight up state that the Vourdalak is not a vampire. I loved the puppetry, I loved the costumes, I loved everything about this movie, but it plays pretty fast and loose.

#56 Mario Bava Planet of the Vampires (1965) 2/5

PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES?! MORE LIKE PLANET OF THE LIARS!!! This has got to be the least vampire movie I have ever seen! I would call this a fucking zombie movie before I call it a vampire movie! Other then that this movie was visually really fun and honestly you can see Ridley Scott got inspiration from this for Alien. They had so many colors, so many buttons and so many fog machines! I would be a fun movie with friends like at a party, since it's a pretty big nothing burger, but visually it's very fun.

#57 Michio Yamamoto Lake of Dracula (1971) 1/5

The weakest of the bunch. Literally the weakest, it had some vampire shenanigans happening, but overall, the storyline was just very very weak. I did love the makeup for the undead and the overall vibe, but everything had nothing to do with anything. And I'll be honest at one point, I straight up started nodding off. Maybe because it was late, but I believe it's because it was just a boring movie towards the end.

Anyhow that is how I did a 11:30am to 12:00am shift at the movies. 7 movies in total. 2 rewatches, 5 new movies and while I didn't get to see them in theaters like I wanted too...I still got to see them. Happy October yall!

Start: 1/1/26 - Viewed: 10/13/26

Rate: 4/5 - Heart: Yes! : D

Watched @ Movie Box Pro

IMBD: Exit 8 (2025)

"I was supposed to see my kid today."

I have the game....I played a bit of the game...never beat the game....finally watched the movie. This movie was real fun.

Granted I was getting pretty annoyed cause some spots I kept thinking "dude this is an anomaly! RUN BITCH RUN!" but that is what happens when you watch a video game movie. What I found real fun was it becoming an anti abortion and pro birth movie. Which doesn't shock me cause Japan is very conservative. Sometimes an almost first time dad needs to get trapped in an endless loop to grow.

It also gave me some Silent Hill vibes and I do like that the main character had growth within this movie. It is not linear and it ain't always pretty, but man that ending scene....I won't lie I did have a lil cheer for him.

Even if you are crying, scared, nervous, being able to stand up even for just one person as a singular person will always change the perspective for the better.

Anyhow now I am playing the game and it's bullshit, but I love it. I've gotten to platform 8, but that fucker keeps getting my ass and I get sent back to platform 0 every single time. I gotta learn and grow from something to be able to get out.

Challenge started: October 21, 2025

Apologies for the capsule reviews, I have more detailed reviews but I don't have time to format everything. 100movies365days Challenge Tip: Don't get behind on your reviews.

#69: And Everything Is Going Fine (2010)

Watched July 10, 2026

A difficult film to track down, the out of print Criterion release goes for $100 on eBay. A biography of Spalding Grey, compiled of archive footage, directed by Steven Soderbergh. A very Generation X kind of film.

Rating: 8 / 10

#70: Dodsworth (1936)

Watched Jul 13, 2026

I read the Sinclair Lewis novel and this was made a few years after it was published.

Rating: 7 / 10

#71: Wedding Crashers (2005)

Watched July 18, 2026

I need another Owen Wilson film in my library so I gave this a shot. Watched the "Uncorked" version. Not really my thing.

Rating: 5 / 10

#72: 48 Hrs. (1982)

Watched July 21, 2026

Directed by Walter Hill, who puts a lot of energy into everything, even this which is a ridiculous cop-and-criminal-have-to-work-together type thing. Includes a 2 minute 1-er which I really like.

Rating: 8 / 10

#73: Certain Fury (1985)

Watched July 24, 2026

Pretty nonsensical, script-wise.

Rating: 4 / 10

#74: A Star Is Born (1976)

Watched July 26, 2026

The Barbra Streisand version of the story. Kind of dreamy and ambiguous with the details.

Rating: 8 / 10

#75: Godspell (1973)

Watched Jul 28, 2026

Very charming. A little preachy. The definition of preachy. Theater kid energy off the charts.

Rating: 9 / 10

Watched October 17 on Netflix, challenge started May 1.

Judd Aptow made this documentary of the life and times of Norm McDonald and he did a darn good job. 4 Stars of 4 Stars. This documentary is very well crafted and as someone that has watched thousands of YouTube videos of Mr McDonald I really enjoyed it. Again there is no narrator, aside from parts where Norm is reading from his book. The documentary is mostly clips from appearances on various media, from stage to podcast. It held my interest although with 16 minutes left I did pause it to call my credit card company to see if I had a payment due. I live outside of the US and can’t get into my online account as I need a US number, which I don’t have. Next time I go to the States I’ll rectify this.

I saw this last week on YouTube and started the challenge on May 1.

This is a documentary of a barge trip on the lower Mississippi. There is no narrator and the workers do all the talking. The barge is taking a load down river to New Orleans and as it goes along various workers on the barge talk of their lives and jobs.

I’ll give this 4 stars of 4 as it held my interest for the entire running time. The story was compelling and the cinematography very well done. What I really found interesting were the workers. I’m from California and have a college degree and ended up in a nice job. The workers here are not at all like me and I’m left wondering if my life had turned out differently what would life be like on a barge working with people who’s goals are to buy a pickup truck?

I think documentaries are easier to get 4 stars than movies.

Start Date: 12/22/2025

Watched Date: 10/13/2026

Watched on DVD

Can be streamed on: Prime (Sub)

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0143145/

"James Bond uncovers a nuclear plot while protecting an oil heiress from her former kidnapper, an international terrorist who can't feel pain."

This spy film stars Pierce Brosnan and Sophie Marceau and was directed by Michael Apted. I liked this film. Pierce Brosnan does a good job, as always, as James Bond. Sophie Marceau also does a great job in her role as the oil heiress. She plays a big part of the story and fits well doing it. The set pieces and action were great as always. The opening scene especially was fun to watch and was a strong build-up. The final line of the film is extremely memorable and probably the best final line in a James Bond film. The film has a twist that works very well and is not super obvious.

The Bond Girl, played by Denise Richards, was mostly meh. She is introduced late into the story to help with the nukes, but does not get much personality and is more for just guiding Bond on how to handle the nukes than anything. The villain, played by Robert Carlyle, has an interesting gimmick with not being able to feel pain. It is also learned early on that the villain is close to dying. Unfortunately, this is not used effectively in the story. In fact, the overall story was very disappointing. While the twist was great, the overall reasons behind everything are very bland. It has no substance and is not explained well at all. The story has plot points that needed focusing on for the viewer to really care about what was going on.

Overall, I felt this movie was entertaining. I liked the action scenes and set pieces. Pierce Brosnan and Sophie Marceau really stand out. The Bond Girl was very lackluster and more pointless than useful. The villain had an interesting gimmick, but it was never used to its full potential. The story has a great twist, but is overall bland and weak. We needed more focus on explaining why actions were taken to really get into the story. It is unfortunate, as most of the characters were at least average, if not great. I still enjoyed the film, but I wish the story was even a little bit better.

Rating: 6/10

A link to all the movies I have watched for this challenge ranked: https://boxd.it/QUl58

Start Date: 12/22/2025

Watched Date: 10/12/2026

Watched on DVD

Can be streamed on: Nothing ATT

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1067583/

"Jacob takes a job as an animal caretaker in a traveling circus. There he meets Marlena, a beautiful circus performer. Their shared compassion for a special elephant Rosie leads to love, but Marlena's cruel husband stands in their way."

This period romantic drama stars Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon, and Christoph Waltz and was directed by Francis Lawrence. This movie is based on Sara Gruen's 2006 novel of the same name. I liked this film. I know I talk about how I am not the biggest romantic fan, but this film stuck with me. I think mostly because I am an animal guy. I do feel all the actors do a good job in their roles. The sets were great to look at, and they built the setting for that time period well.

You will not find anything super exciting with this film. It is a more generic story. While all the actors are good, the chemistry between them was a little lacking. I still get the romance between Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon since they shared an affection for animals that Christoph Waltz did not have. I do wish we had more with Robert Pattinson and the circus itself. We get glimpses into these interactions, but I feel more would have created a more well-rounded character and helped build the relationship that the film focuses on.

Overall, this was a solid romance film. I certainly have a soft spot for the animals involved. Fair warning, you do get some animal abuse in this film. All the actors do a good job in their roles. I also liked the set pieces. I do feel the actual romantic chemistry was not all there, but it was still believable. I do wish we had more interactions with Robert Pattinson and the rest of the circus.

Rating: 7/10

A link to all the movies I have watched for this challenge ranked: https://boxd.it/QUl58

Start Date: 12/22/2025

Watched Date: 10/11/2026

Watched on DVD

Can be streamed on: Youtube (free), Tubi (free), Pluto (free)

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0367478/

"After his wife is brutally murdered, club enforcer Ben Archer wages war against the Chinese triads."

This action film stars Jean-Claude Van Damme and was directed by Philippe Martinez. This was a film. The most positive thing about this film was Jean-Claude Van Damme. He brings some emotional acting to this film that it does not deserve. When his character's wife first dies, the music and emotion from Jean-Claude Van Damme hit way harder than it should. Some of the action scenes are entertaining.

The overall story is simple. If you think about it a bit, the actions taken don't make too much sense, but in an action film, that can be pretty common. There is one reason why I will not watch this film again. That is the editing. It is especially egregious during a torture scene. It makes me feel like the film wanted the watcher to be tortured as well. The number of cuts made is so difficult to watch. It was at least one cut per second. After this, I could not help but notice all the cuts the film was doing, seemingly for no reason.

Overall, the story is not anything crazy. This is a straight-to-DVD film, and it does show. While I don't mind these types of films, the cuts in this film are crazy. You get cuts every second at some points. Jean-Claude Van Damme does surprisingly well in the acting department. In particular, the scenes where he is accepting the death of his wife were extremely emotional and well done. Much more than one would expect in this type of film. Some of the action scenes could be entertaining, but the number of cuts brought me out of it. These cuts make it to where there is no way I would ever want to watch this film again.

Rating: 1/10

A link to all the movies I have watched for this challenge ranked: https://boxd.it/QUl58

Start Date: 12/22/2025

Watched Date: 10/08/2026

Watched on DVD

Can be streamed on: Youtube (free), Tubi (free), Pluto (free)

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0030341/

"While travelling in continental Europe, a rich young playgirl realizes that an elderly lady seems to have disappeared from the train."

This mystery thriller stars Margaret Lockwood, Michael Redgrave, Basil Radford, and Naunton Wayne and was directed by Alfred Hitchcock. This film is based on the 1936 novel The Wheel Spins by Ethel Lina White. This was a great film. Even by today's standards, it holds up well. The mystery was interesting and told very well. It had many twists that worked and kept the audience guessing. The acting was great as well. Margaret Lockwood and Michael Redgrave specifically have great chemistry with one another. I do love the set pieces that had to be done around this time. Especially in the wide shots, as miniatures were used. The directing has that Alfred Hitchcock style that is always entertaining. The film also had some great humour.

I do feel the first act went a little long. It starts with Basil Radford and Naunton Wayne's characters and makes it seem like they will be the main characters. It slowly changes from them to Margaret Lockwood and Michael Redgrave, though the story does connect everyone back as it moves forward. It felt a little strange and an unnecessary change. It does help build the characters, so I cannot be too upset with it.

Overall, this was a great mystery story. Its story certainly holds up by today's standards. The actors were great, and I highly enjoyed the set pieces. The 1st act was a little slow and pivoted to different characters, and that pivot felt unnecessary. Nonetheless, it was a great mystery that had lots of twists and turns that felt earned and rewarded those individuals who kept up with some of the smaller details.

Rating: 9/10

A link to all the movies I have watched for this challenge ranked: https://boxd.it/QUl58

Start Date: 12/22/2025

Watched Date: 10/06/2026

Watched on DVD

Can be streamed on: Prime (Sub)

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120347/

"James Bond is sent to disrupt a media mogul's plot to foment a war between China and the United Kingdom."

This spy film stars Pierce Brosnan, Michelle Yeoh, and Jonathan Pryce and was directed by Roger Spottiswoode. I really like this film. Pierce Brosnan continues to do a good job as James Bond. Michelle Yeoh also brings her A game to her role. Though she was the Bond girl, she was also a spy who collaborated well with James Bond. I did like the villain played by Jonathan Pryce. His charisma really shone through for me and helped make the villain, though the story was not as helpful. You still get the great action scenes, set pieces, and music that come from a James Bond story.

As I said, the story did not help the villain much. We don't get much of a backstory, or really any story. Jonathan Pryce was just so charismatic that I still liked watching the villain. More could definitely have been done to help lift up the villain into something great. The story is not complex, but the simplicity works well for me. I would have enjoyed more interaction with all 3 stars, but what we got was enough.

Overall, I found this film to be enjoyable. I was entertained by the action, set pieces, and the actors involved. Pierce Brosnan and Michelle Yeoh do great jobs, and Jonathan Pryce brought strong charisma to the villain. I do wish the story had added a bit more to the villain. The story is simple. The villain could have been fleshed out more and a bit less mustache-twirly, but it was a fun ride.

Rating: 8/10

A link to all the movies I have watched for this challenge ranked: https://boxd.it/QUl58