What’s Been Watched This Month – August 2018

I do like a list, hope you do too! Here’s what has been watched in August 2018.

Better Call Saul season 3 is back on Netflix. Absolutely love this series, dare I say I even prefer it to Breaking Bad? Yes a good down the pub discussion.

I’m working my way through the epic saga of Battlestar Galactica for the second time. It had been long enough to not remember everything. I’m on the final season jaunt now and then a few TV movie to complete the space odyssey.

Who Is America? Goodness gracious me, Sacha Baron Cohen ramped up his pranks tenfold. I still haven’t got over the final episode. Jaw dropping hilariousness fused insanity.

That’s the TV, here’s the movies

Wolfman’s Rating System Explained – We All Have A System Don’t We?

22 films this month and a total of 160 this year
425 since the start of the blog in January 2017.

The Third Secret (1964) – Wolfman Rating 9 – IMDB Rating 6.9
I absolutely loved this British mystery thriller, see why over at Wolfie write up here.

Being John Malkovich (1999) – Wolfman Rating 9 – IMDB Rating 7.8
Inside the head of Spike Jonze and Charlie Kaufman for another about of crazy. Introduced this surreal comedy drama fantasy to my daughter. Hehe not sure she liked it it as much I thought she would. Though I do believe she will most probably see it again one day.

Jaws (1975) – Wolfman Rating 9 – IMDB Rating 8
Steven Spielberg shark classic had to be introduced to my two children Nyah and Kofi. For the ultimate experience, how could I set up the screening? It’s all documented here if you are at all interested? Wolfie write up here.

Ready Player One (2018) – Wolfman Rating 7.5 – IMDB Rating 7.6
From one early Spielberg to one brand new. You know what, I thought I was going to hate this but once you get into it, it’s really most excellent fun. Great family time. Ps The Shining bit!

Crashout (1955) – Wolfman Rating 7.5 – IMDB Rating 7.1
William Bendix and The Hitch-Hiker‘s William Talman are amongst the tough running escaping prisoners in this fast-paced noir thriller.

Red Dawn (1984) – Wolfman Rating 6 – IMDB Rating 6.4
Saw this John Milius directed kids take on invading Soviet forces movie on VHS as a teenager. A hungover rainy weekend felt the right time to watch it again. Hehe it’s even more cheesy than I remembered but actually enjoyed it. Totally forgot Powers Boothe was in it!

Spacewalk (2017) – Wolfman Rating 8 – IMDB Rating 7.3
Original title is Vremya Pervykh. Superb Cold War space race historical drama about the Russian attempted to be first to walk in space. Fits in nicely as the Neil Armstrong story First Man is coming to the cinema this week. I’m always excited to see the Russian perspective of the space program. Their drive, passion and heart shows throughout this excellent melodrama. It was recommended by indiescifi451.wordpress.com definitely check out his fantastic blog if you can.

The Hidden (1987) – Wolfman Rating 7.5 – IMDB Rating 7
Super classic cult action non-stop fun on this VHS movie memory. Part of a series of movie reviews from 4 film geeks going under the name of Video Store Action Heroes. This was our first outing together. Wolfie write up here.

Caged (1950) – Wolfman Rating 8.5 – IMDB Rating 7.7
Oscar nominated female prison movie with a deep jab at the prison system. Have a look at Wolfie write up here.

The Equalizer (2014) – Wolfman Rating 7.5 – IMDB Rating 7.2
Introduced Denzel Washington’s Equalizer to my son, what with the second film coming out soon. Forgot how violent it can be. Denzel is great as always. Good father son film.

Touch of Evil (1958) – Wolfman Rating 10 – IMDB Rating 8.1
Charlton Heston looking super cool as a Mexican narcotics cop and Orson Welles delivering one helluva of a movie. It has to be 10/10 right? Wolfie write up here.

The Stranger (1946) – Wolfman Rating 7.5 – IMDB Rating 7.4
Working my through Orson’s works. Don’t get me wrong I thought this was excellent but I kinda felt it lacked something! I did really enjoy mind. My favourite character by far was the checkers playing shopkeeper who never gets off his arse.

Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) – Wolfman Rating 8 – IMDB Rating 7.4
When the girls are away the boys go out to play. Me and Kofi cinema and KFC.  Another fine Marvel film, the Ant-man films are so much fun and don’t take themselves to serious. What more can you ask, giggles and superhero stuff on the big screen.

T-Men (1947) – Wolfman Rating 7.5 – IMDB Rating 7
After watching Anthony Mann’s Raw Deal it was time for another crime film noir. T-Men stands for the Treasury agents, two tough guys infiltrating a counterfeiting gang. It’s another of those semi-doc style dramas which are more like police propaganda films and brilliant fun with it.

Odds Against Tomorrow (1959) – Wolfman Rating 9 – IMDB Rating 7.4
Harry Belafonte, Robert Ryan and Ed Begley star in this dark, moving and explosive crime thriller. Check my Wolfie write up here.

Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018) – Wolfman Rating 5.5 – IMDB Rating 6.3
The first Maze Runner film was so great. Loved the exciting creative premise. The second part was ok, started well and fell apart near the end. Unfortunately this final part of the trilogy was just flat. It was OK for a family pizza Tuesday and a Blu-ray.

Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018) – Wolfman Rating 5.5 – IMDB Rating 5.7
Same as above, served as a good family film with a Dominos pizza. I wasn’t bowled over by the first one but man this one was diabolical!

Body and Soul (1947) – Wolfman Rating 8 – IMDB Rating 7.8
I’d been waiting for the perfect time to watch this John Garfield boxing film for ages. I really enjoyed it though I did expect more boxing. As a melodrama on the sport, it did excell. Hazel Brooks and Lilli Palmer were divine.

The World the Flesh and the Devil (1959) – Wolfman Rating 8.5 – IMDB Rating 7
Harry Belafonte in a post-apocalyptic film, I never knew! If they had been a bit braver this might of hit the wolfie top spot. See what I thought on Wolfie write up here.

The Heroic Trio (1993) – Wolfman Rating 7 – IMDB Rating 6.6
Three super hot Hong Kong heroes kicking ass, yep it had to have a Wolfie write up here.

Upgrade (2018) – Wolfman Rating 8.5 – IMDB Rating 7.6
The baby of Tom Hardy and Matthew Mcconaughey aka Logan Marshall-Green (who was superb in Quarry that stupidly got cancelled) stars in this absolutely brilliant fast paced action lowish budget sci-fi. Like Universal Soldier meets Ex Machina. It’s hardcore in places, exciting in others and even manages to throw in some big laugh out loud moments. Very recommended.

Lucky (2017) – Wolfman Rating 9 – IMDB Rating 7.4
As swan songs go, this is a perfect send off for the big daddy of film, the wonderful, irreplaceable Harry Dean Stanton. If you’re a fan of his and you haven’t seen this yet, I can’t recommend it enough. I cried twice! It’s beautiful. The bar scenes are great, old people just talking. It ponders on that age old fact which we all can’t escape from. Harry Dean Stanton is just perfect as always, puffing away on his beloved cigarettes. Go see it.

It was yet another fun month, any goodies in there you have seen and liked? Thoughts, recommends etc always welcome.

Keep watching the screens. Thanks for having a gander. Michael Wolfster