Film #102: Climax

Gaspar Noe's latest film is an absolute ride with a great soundtrack and really bizarre camerawork.

A party goes downhill when someone adds LSD to the sangria. A perfect family movie for Christmas.

Film #101: A Simple Favour

Anna Kendrick raps Ante Up and Blake Lively has the best answerphone message. 

Vlogger Kendrick befriends a rather shifty Lively and then searches for her after she goes missing.

One of the better films I've seen this year. Really good writing, especially for Blake's character. 

Film 100: The House with a Clock in the Walls

The House With a Clock in its Walls: Avoid comparisons with Harry Potter by making a film based on a book about a socially inept young boy with glasses who loses his parents and is adopted by his uncle moving to a new residence, full of magical creatures where he learns magic from a large bearded man and kills an evil guy who wants to destroy everyone.

Fortunately it won't have any sequels.

Film #99: Dünyayı Kurtaran Adam

A film that I've been wanting to see for a long long time (see what I did there) but have not been able to find a good copy. A group of guys had the same challenge so decided to restore it using a salvaged 35mm reel and versions uploaded to the internet. It's not perfect but they've done a bloody good job.

The film also known as Turkish Star Wars is so named because the director shamelessly stole footage and soundtrack from a bunch of 80s films.

The story doesn't make much sense, something about the planet earth being destroyed but being held together by the willpower of the human race, and 2 of the finest Turkish spacemen are sent to kill The Wizard who leads the enemy race. 

Filmed in Cappadocia, the effects seem to stretch to really bad furry costumes and lots of running through the caverns. For inexplicable reasons there's a scene advocating Islam as the way forward.

Totally bonkers, but entertaining and another fun crowd in the cinema too.

Film #98: Real Life

Tonight's Mystery Film showing at the PCC was this really good film that I'd never heard of. It's slightly meta in the same way Spinal Tap was, in fact some of those guys feature in this. Albert Brooks, who I know for The Simpsons, directs and plays the director of a film documenting the average American family. As is ever the case in these sort of films the best intentions gradually become a car crash.

Another excellent selection from the PCC programmers.

Film #97: American Animals

4 bored students with a love of Reservoir Dogs and the Beastie Boys Sabotage video plan to rob a library. Was not aware it was a documentary of real events but it's a very well put together documentary.

Film #96: John Wick Chapter 2

The second John Wick movie has Keanu with a new dog and a destroyed car having to repay a debt from another hitman which results in an obvious double-cross and him upsetting the hitman fraternity.

A lot more CQC, and that's not a bad thing...and an interesting lead-in to the next chapter.

Film #95: John Wick

Part of a double-bill starting with the first one in which some bad guys make a big mistake in taking Keanu from his mourning by stealing his car and killing his dog.

Lots of CQC, and that's not a bad thing.

Event: Bug X @ Greenwich Comedy Festival

A second chance to see the 10-year anniversary show of Adam Buxton's Bug show which is currently on a hiatus from its usual BFI gig. With it being part of the comedy festival the content was more on the humour than the videos but the selection was still on point and the crowd had a great time.

Please come back next year!

Film #94: Bleach

A film based on the Manga, which I've not read and know nothing about. I'm not sure I'm much the wiser after watching it. Some guy is pulled into a world of demon killing and transfers into the world through some sort of out-of-body experience, which I liked. The demons can only be seen in this realm and they're pretty cool. 

So good effects but I guess the story being as condensed as it must have been isn't that clear.

Film #93: Hard Ticket to Hawaii

Tonight's Crap Film Club showing was one of Andy Sidaris's classic movies featuring Playboy models in next to nothing acting like James Bond. It's famous for having 2 "wow" scenes. One featuring a skateboard riding assassin hiding behind a blow up doll, and a henchman with a penchant for frisbee. A suitably bonkers choice for the event.

Gigs #75-78: Futurecop & Friends @ Underworld

A second attempt to see FutureCop who no-showed a synthwave event earlier in the year. Would he show up this time? The night was a synthwave themed event which I'm starting to get into. I'm not quite sure of the demographic it's pulling yet but the music is really good.

Crimer were up first. A band surrounding a bit of a showman lead singer. The venue was really empty for their set but they did a good job working the small crowd that was there.

Knight$ were similar with a lead singer dressed like Don Johnson in Miami Vice. The music again was really good and the crowd started to fill up.

Support act was Anoraak, a couple of French guys who have tapped into the same X-factor that works for Daft Punk and they were excellent, really really good.

and for the main event FutureCop did show up. One chap behind a desk of synths and he smashed it. His visuals were particularly good with loops of so much 80s stuff from Breakfast Club, Ghibli, Star Wars and so much other great footage. I did find it quite amusing that the cheering of "FutureCop, FutureCop" sounded uncannily like "You Showed Up, You Showed Up". A shout of one more tune was met after he got the OK from the production guys, so thank you for allowing that!

Film #92: Blackkklansman

Spike Lee occasionally hits the mark, and a lot of the time misses it completely. 

He's back on track with this one telling the true story of a black cop who infiltrated the KKK. 

The ending, which I'm not sure was intentional, hits us hard.

Film #91: Upgrade

Quadraplegic mechanic gets an implant from a tech-womble that turns him into John Wick with a Knight Rider KITT internal dialogue and the walk of 80's Robocop. Black Mirror meets Loony Tunes.

Film #90: Killing Gunther

A Netflix film that features a group of assassins getting together to make a documentary to capture the assassination of the best assassin, a mystery guy called Gunther. 

It's not very good.