Official last movie you saw thread

I'm Not a Robot (2023)

Dutch-Belgian science fiction short film. It's about a woman who, after failing multiple CAPTCHA tests, starts to believe that she's actually a robot. It's very good and thought-provoking and it definitely feels like a short I would've watched anyway. Can recommend.

This is nominated for Best Live Action Short Film at the Oscars. I've only seen one other nominee (The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent), which I'd pick from the two I've seen now, but there are still three more to watch, so I can't really guess what's gonna win.

Annihilation (2018)

Going undercover on most places, this is a not-so-hidden gem. It's based in a book trilogy called "The Southern Reach", and it's about a strange area where people enters, but doesn't get out. In this case, the movie follows a team of scientist women, each with different reasons, entering the area to try to understand what's going on. When I first saw it, I loved it, it disturbed me, I thought it was amazing. Then past year I saw two fiilm versions of "The Color out of Space" by H.P. Lovecraft, and yes, the seed of the idea is there, tho the author seems to have been inspired by other works. Coincidence? Good ideas just resurface, if the author actually didn't know about that Lovecraft movie. Remember, Alien was also sued for plagiarizing an old B series movie (which, well, the basic idea is similar, but how many movies have a similar basic idea and are totally unrelated?)

I've not rewatched Annihilation until yesterday because yes, it disturbed me. There was something there that made uncomfortable, that I didn't get to understand. Being more conscious on Lem's works has helped me understand better than I would have done before many books and movies. This includes Annihilation, which was again a pleasure to see, visually amazing, with nice interesting characters, simple yet interesting twists, and still disturbing. It's not an horror movie but there are real fear moments. It's a sci-fi movie, but I can't say much more without spoiling it. So if you like interesting movies were the danger comes from outside and inside, give it a try. If you like sci-fi, specially mysterious, enigmatic sci-fi, go for it.

The bad is that you'd need to read the source material to understand some side things that don't make sense, such as the behaviour of the [some creature] which is not in the movie what naturally is in the wild. It was this last week when I learned it was based in a book trilogy, but I can't find it here. I can easily find the first book, the second only in one place, and no traces of the third. Too bad, it had great reviews and recommendations. But we can do as with Alien/Prometheus, look for documentaries in YouTube where people explains the things we don't get the first or the tenth time.

Inside Out (2015)

American animated coming-of-age comedy drama family film. It's about the inner workings of the mind of a young girl who adapts to her family's relocation. For me this was kind of a miss. Especially because over the last 10 years it got so much praise, so much "this is one of the best animated movies ever" but I don't really see it. It's definitely a good movie and can teach great things to kids who are around the age of the main character, but that's about it. So personally this won't be one I'll ever rewatch (only watched it because the sequel is nominated for an Oscar anyway), but for its target demographic I can recommend it.

Riley's First Date? (2015)

American animated romantic comedy short film. It's about Riley's parents and their emotions, suspecting that Riley is going out on a date with a boy. This is basically just a silly little short with a few gags and that's it. The dad forming a bond with the boy over AC/DC is quite fun, but nothing spectacular. But as a completionist of course I had to watch that one, too. Can recommend.

Inside Out 2 (2024)

American animated coming-of-age comedy drama family film. It's about the inner workings of the mind of a young teenage girl who starts to feel more complex emotions as she enters puberty. If you liked the first one you'll enjoy this one, too. It's basically just more of the same (which, again, you'll enjoy if you liked the first one) and because the original was so well received I'm not surprised that this is, too. I may not have expected it to become the highest-grossing animated film of all time, but who would've? Overall I can recommend it for people who liked the first one.

This is nominated for Best Animated Feature Film at the Oscars. I watched almost everything in that category now apart from Flow and currently I'm rooting for Memoir of a Snail.

Black Box Diaries (2024)

Japanese-British-American documentary film. It's about a journalist who investigates her own sexual assault, seeking to prosecute the high-profile offender. I think it's really brave to make a documentary about your own sexual assault, but if she wouldn't do it, who would? This is hard to watch but powerful. Overall I can recommend it.

This is nominated for Best Documentary Feature Film at the Oscars. I still have yet to see three of the nominees though, so I can't really judge its winning chances.

Deadstream!!!!
really fun, a must watch really
mix between horror and comedy.

Aqua (2012)

Latvian animated adventure short film. It's about a cat overcoming its fear of the ocean. The animation is very good and the story is, too. Overall it's a very good short film. Can recommend.

Flow (2024)

Latvian-French-Belgian animated fantasy adventure film. It's about a cat who, as its home is devastated by a great flood, finds refuge on a boat populated by various species that will have to team up despite their differences. This is based on the short film that I watched before. It very much expands on the short film and is all around better than it. I think it's a very good animated movie, definitely one of the best of the year. But... as a kids movie it might be a bit too unconventional with the whole "no talking" thing. I understand that it's kind of the director's thing (his previous feature was also basically silent), but depending on the age of the viewer they might get bored by that or not get most of the subtext that adults just understand without words. On the other hand it also feels a bit too Disney with all the animals just becoming friends and working together like they definitely wouldn't in nature. The animation is great though and overall I can recommend this one.

This is nominated for Best Animated Feature Film and Best International Feature Film at the Oscars. I still need to watch The Girl with the Needle, I'm Still Here and The Seed of the Sacred Fig for International and I've seen a lot of praise for those three, so I feel like Flow won't take that category. And I've completed Animated Feature now, so I can share an informed opinion. I think Memoir of a Snail is gonna take it. Maybe The Wild Robot.

Anuja (2024)

American drama short film. It's about a gifted nine-year-old girl who works in a garment factory, who is offered a once-in-a-lifetime chance to attend school and now she is forced to make a heart-wrenching decision that will determine her and her sister's fate. This is very good, but I think I would've enjoyed it more as a feature. Can recommend.

This is nominated for Best Live Action Short Film at the Oscars. I still need to watch A Lien and The Last Ranger but I'm still sticking with the one I watched first, The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent.

Gangster Squad 👍🏻

The Girl with the Needle (2024)

Danish-Polish-Swedish historical psychological horror film. It's about a young woman who begins working as a wet nurse at a secretive adoption agency for disadvantaged mothers, but who grows suspicious of the woman who runs the operation. This is very much not for the faint-hearted. It's loosely based on Dagmar Overbye, a Danish serial killer who, between 1913 and 1920, murdered between 9 and 25 children, including one of her own. So if you thought The Substance might be the most fucked up movie in this year's Oscar race, you're wrong. Overall I think this is great for what it is and I can highly recommend it, but beware that this is definitely not an easy watch.

This is nominated for Best International Feature Film at the Oscars. I still need to watch I'm Still Here and The Seed of the Sacred Fig but so far this one's my favourite. I feel like it could've also gotten some cinematography, editing and makeup recognition, though.

Companion (2025)

American science fiction dark comedy thriller film. It's about a couple on a weekend getaway with friends at a remote cabin, which unravels into chaos after a revelation that one of the guests is not who they say they are. Watched this at the cinema yesterday. Good cast (Sophie Thatcher, Jack Quaid, Lukas Gage, Harvey Guillén, Rupert Friend and more) delivering very good performances. If you haven't seen the trailer this actually has a very surprising twist. Well, a few actually. Maybe not as surprising as the twist in Barbarian (2022), which was made by the same people, but still. But above all, it's fun. Good script on the more original side, a budget of reportedly around $10 million... I'd happily take 10 movies like this over another $100 million blockbuster or remake that nobody needs. So I say: Go and watch this movie so they make more like it. But do go in blindly, because of course the trailer spoils too much. Can recommend!

Better Man (2024)

Australian-American biographical musical film. It's about the life of English singer Robbie Williams. First off, the chimp thing. It doesn't take long and you don't even really notice it anymore. The movie itself is very good. But keep in mind, this is coming from someone who knows about Robbie Williams. Being born in the early 90s, I was too young to have cared about Take That, but Robbie Williams as a standalone act was extremely popular when I was growing up. So hearing some of his songs in this was a nice little hit of nostalgia. Overall I'd say this is better than I expected. Can recommend.

This is nominated for Best Visual Effects at the Oscars. This was also the last nominee I had to watch in that category so I'll be able to share my thoughts on who should win. It's hard because it's a very competitive category, but I'd go for Dune: Part Two because this might be the only category it'll win at this year's Oscars.

The Last Ranger (2024)

South African drama short film. It's about rhino poaching and conservation efforts in Amakhala Game Reserve, Eastern Cape, South Africa during the pandemic. It's very good for what it is and it looks amazing. Overall I can recommend it.

This is nominated for Best Live Action Short Film at the Oscars. I still need to watch A Lien for this category but I'm sticking with The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent.

Magic Candies (2024)

Japanese animated fantasy short film. It's about a lonely young boy who buys a bag of candies instead of the marbles he was actually looking for but soon he finds out those candies are special. This is very good. Great animation, I especially love how the speech was animated. When someone is saying something important, often the kanji are flying through the air, towards our main character. So yeah, this is really well made and all around amazing. It really feels like you ate one of those magic candies yourself to get to experience this. Highly recommended.

This is nominated for Best Animated Short Film at the Oscars. I still need to watch In the Shadow of the Cypress and Yuck! but so far I would go for this one out of the three I already watched.

I am Ready, Warden (2024)

American documentary short film. It's about the final days of a reformed Texas death row inmate. I'm not a big fan of this one, it feels kinda exploitative. Overall I can't really recommend this one.

This is nominated for Best Documentary Short Film at the Oscars. I still need to watch Death by Numbers but so far I'd go for Incident or The Only Girl in the Orchestra.

A Lien (2023)

American drama short film. It's about a young couple who have to face up to and deal with a dangerous immigration process. It's a very anxiety inducing 15 minutes. This is one of those movies that shouldn't have to exist, but sadly do. Overall I thought this was very good. Can recommend.

This is nominated for Best Live Action Short Film at the Oscars. And with this I finished that category. I'd still go with The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent, though. The first one of the bunch that I watched and still the best one.

Ninja Assassin (2009)

I haven't really completed it, but it was playing on my TV around 3AM yesterday.

Stayed up this late, not because I really wanted or wished, but because I felt petty for my cat that was sleeping on my lap and I didn't want to wake her up.

You see, once you wake up cats, it can be a nightmare: they'll turn into beggars (and that's the worst kind of person people despise in here: there's nothing worse than beggars, spammers and scammers trying to take advantage of other people's generosity).

That's it.

City That Never Sleeps IMBD 1953. Gig Young, Mala Powers, Edward Arnold, and William Talman star in this gritty noir set in Chicago in the 1050s.

Shockingly, $12 was a day's wage (and 3 laborers had lost a combined $36 in a back-alley dice game).

The One That Got Away 1957 IMDB

This is the true story of Oberleutnant Franz von Werra, the only German prisoner of war to escape from imprisonment in Britain during the Second World War.

This is a gripping war drama. 8/10

The Hawker Hurricane is a nice-looking plane

Deliver Us from Evil (2014)

A mainstream movie from 2014 that genuinely operates like some direct-to-dvd 2004 no budget debut you'd find hidden in a bargain bin. On an ironic level it's absolutely hilarious. It's pretty tone deaf and super cliched for a horror movie yet takes itself dead serious 90% of the time. Joel McHale looks like he's in a skit and Eric Bana is sleep-walking. An exorcism scene climax so hammy,it wouldn't even need parodying. But I will say there's a few decent jumpscares.

In the Shadow of the Cypress (2023)

Iranian animated drama short film. It's about a former captain with PTSD who lives with his daughter in an isolated seaside house. Gorgeous animation, very interesting story, all around a great animated short. Can definitely recommend.

This is nominated for Best Animated Short Film at the Oscars. I still need to watch Yuck!, but right now I'm not so sure that Magic Candies is my singular frontrunner any more. This one could also win.

Fast Charlie 🤙🏻

Suburra (S01) 👍🏻

Brightburn (2019)

American supernatural science fiction horror drama film. It's about a young boy of extraterrestrial origin but raised on Earth who discovers he has superpowers and he starts using them with dark intentions. Rewatched this yesterday. The first time I watched this (when it just came out) I thought it wasn't all that great. Now after the rewatch I feel like it's better than I gave it credit for. It's basically an evil Superman origin story, which of course is nothing new, but this is well done, so I can recommend it.