What’s Been Watched This Month – January & February 2022 (Yep both are very late!)

Here’s what square eyed Mikey Wolfman been watching throughout January & February 2022.

OK if you like the monthly list tally I’m very sorry for it’s crazy lateness. Truth be told I didn’t watch many films in Jan and went off on a “make the most of my monthly subscription fees” and smash through a few TV shows. One made me so happy I had to watch it twice.

The TV

After Life – Ricky Gervais came back with a third and final series of his coming to terms with death, loss and trying to get on with normal life, comedy. He was back with his usual pulling of the heartstrings. I’d seen the first series when it aired but watched season 2 and 3 together. 1 and 2 are amazing and whereas the final series is very good it didn’t quite grab you like the others. Plus it felt weird just dropping Sandy (Mandeep Dhillon) out the cast with no explanation. Would of been funny to casually drop in she left the Tambury Gazette to randomly become a Crime Scene Investigator in Vegas. The last episode wraps things up nice and his walk off scene was very moving. Be interesting to see what he comes up with next.

The House – 3 x 30 minute different stories centered around a different occupants living in the same house over very differing eras. Each episode uses different stop-motion animation and a mix of voice actors ranging from Jarvis Cocker, Stephanie Cole, Miranda Richardson and the brilliant Mark Heap, to name a few. The first episode is the best, imho, but be warned it’s really dark and eerie as fukc! The second is freaky and the third has an air of depression and sadness. LOL I’m not selling it am I? I really enjoyed all three but I do adore stop motion and experimental, taking a chance, storytelling. It’s on Netflix

Reacher – I was pretty excited when Amazon released Reacher, the character created on the books of Lee Childs. Alan Ritchson makes a more believable Reacher than Tom Cruise did in the two films that’s for sure. The reviews are sky high for series but was I missing something? It really wasn’t very good? It started well but just got silly I thought. The script wasn’t great, the situation’s became more and more unbelievable. Yet, I started it so I went ahead and finished it. It filled some brain shut off time.

Peacemaker – Now this is where it’s at. OH MY DAYS did I enjoy this series. Yes sirree, so much so I just had to watch it twice. James Gunn created this fantastic big fun spin-off from his Suicide Squad (2021) take. John Cena plays Christopher Smith aka Peacemaker to absolute perfection. He’s so stupid and silly but he’s got a massive heart the size of his helmet! You just can’t help but love him as his character’s very emotional backstory is revealed. He’s joined by the usual gang of misfits but these are made more the fun that none have superpowers and just smash their way through the carnage and mayhem. Vigilante played by Freddie Stroma has many scene stealing moments but nothing can take away Peacemaker and his side kick, his pet Bald Eagle called Eagly. They have some choice scenes. One with Eagly riding shotgun in Peacemaker’s Mercury Comet. And another that will certainly have the old tear ducts welling up with deep joy but I’ll let you enjoy that scene. The silly humour running throughout the whole series is pitch perfect (well for me) so if you like non-stop gags, action and generally beautifully scripted interactions between characters and like a completely outrageous TV show? Then strap in as this is the one for you. You know what! I’m gonna have to watch it all again. Plus it has one of the best intro scenes you won’t be able to skip, brings a smile to my face every time. Peacemaker Intro Scene.

The Films

14 films this month and a total of 14 this year
1113 since the start of the blog in January 2017.

Don’t Look Up (2021) – Wolfman Rating 8 – IMDB Rating 7.3
A pitch perfect satire that reflected on the messed up world we have found ourselves in thanks to the many warped and twisted minds of the world. When two astronomers discover a comet on it’s way to destroy planet Earth! Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence along with Rob Morgan have to somehow convince an unbelieving political world that a real danger is approaching. I heard it wasn’t getting great reviews but enjoyed it very much. Lots of laugh out loud moments.

The Clouded Yellow (1950) – Wolfman Rating 7 – IMDB Rating 6.9
A former British agent, Trevor Howard, gets to semi retire at country estate where he takes it easy working for his employer Barry Jones to collect and collate different species of butterflies. His bosses niece, a weird and troubled girl, Jean Simmons, wanders around the estate. With a shock murder, Trevor’s chill time is put on hold. This is a good, though slow moving, drama which I was drawn to because I’m ticking off the work of writer Janet Green.

Big Jake (1971) – Wolfman Rating 8 – IMDB Rating 7.1
I really enjoyed this John Wayne adventure that I’d never seen before. Even managed a review here.

The Father (2020) – Wolfman Rating 8.5 – IMDB Rating 8.3
This is superb and very recommended. Though I do admit to going in expecting a more lighthearted tearjerker. It’s darker and deeper than I was ready for. Anthony Hopkins is brilliant once again, even in old age he can still pull out fantastic performances like this. Olivia Colman is her usual perfect, incredible actress self once again. Is she really in everything? Could be! It might only be set in a few rooms but all I’ll say is watch carefully.

The Protégé (2021) – Wolfman Rating 6 – IMDB Rating 6.1
Director Martin Campbell follows up the great but depressing Jackie Chan action-er The Foreigner (2017) with the beautiful Maggie Q going assassin crazy. Also stars Michael Keaton and Samuel L Jackson. It’s pretty average tbf but got that “weekend beers, food and brain box smasher fun” written all over it. It’s on Amazon.

Lucy, The Human Chimp (2021) – Wolfman Rating – IMDB Rating
This really should be called Janis Carter, the Human Chimp. She really is a remarkable woman. After two psychologist’s, stupidly raise a baby chimpanzee called Lucy as an experiment to see what will happen if she’s only taught life being a human daughter. When young student Janis replies to a job advert and is introduced into the family group it will change her life path forever.

The Frightened City (1961) – Wolfman Rating 7.5 – IMDB Rating 6.3
Sean Connery muscles around with the mob in London. I did a review here Bloodshed, Bruises, Broken Bones & Brass Knuckles.

Another Man’s Poison (1951) – Wolfman Rating 6.5 – IMDB Rating 6.8
A mystery writer, Bette Davis, becomes involved in a tangled web of murderous deception not unlike the plots of her novels. Gary Merrill brings some mystery to the story and Emlyn Williams playing a doctor can’t help but stick his nosey neighbour sniffer in the mix. I had high hopes for this one. It is good and has some fine moments but it just doesn’t quite hit. Always good to see Bette Davis but her acting is at times over the top.

The King’s Man (2021) – Wolfman Rating 6.5 – IMDB Rating 6.5
The third Kingsman film is a origin story for the set up of the elite secret service club. Ralph Fiennes stars alongside Gemma Arterton, Djimon Hounsou and Charles Dance to name a few. It’s alright. Lots of crazy set piece action scenes. The mystery man is so obvious but it did have one real shocker scene that will have you gasp!

Bunco Squad (1950) – Wolfman Rating 7 – IMDB Rating 6.1
A top recommendation came in from fellow movie fan Todd with a film called Bunco Squad. A cop crime thriller with a nice little twist. Check his review over at his excellent site Cinema Monolith here.

The Gentleman (2019) – Wolfman Rating 7.5 – IMDB Rating 7.2
My second time seeing this great Guy Richie flick. Staying away with Mrs Wolf in an airbnb we decided on watching it, she hadn’t seen it. She enjoyed it too. Everyone plays their part well with standouts from Hugh Grant and Colin Farrell.

Copshop (2021) – Wolfman Rating 6.5 – IMDB Rating 6.3
Perfect example to the “weekend beers, food and brain box smasher fun” label. Gerard Butler and Frank Grillo go head to head as fighting hitmen, conmen, thugs, assassins? Caught up in a police station the carnage starts to flow. It was ok, it is what it is. Though standout performance from the pretty Alexis Louder as the young police officer with balls of steel and a six shooter. On Amazon.

The Sea Shall Not Have Them (1954) – Wolfman Rating 7 – IMDB Rating 6.4
A WW2 film I’ve been wanting to watch for some time. It’s stars three favs, Michael Redgrave, Dirk Bogarde and Nigel Patrick. So I got to tick a few off their film lists. Also great to see New Yorker Bonar Colleano, he pops up so many times in these British war films but still tragically sad he lost his life at such a young age. The Sea Shall Not Have Them is about a rescue ship trying to locate the whereabouts of a downed Royal Air Force transport aircraft that holds important secrets along with it’s human cargo lost at sea. It’s very good but does tend to go for a few laughs but it was much fun seeing Nigel Patrick playing the tough sergeant shouting at everyone but really had a heart of gold.

Freaks (2018) – Wolfman Rating 7 – IMDB Rating 6.7
This was a great little gem of a film that had passed me by. Low budget sci-fi done extremely well out of Canada. It has similar themes to many superpower genre films but they are very original to the way they play it out. It also has a very dark undertone. The young girl, Lexy Kolker is excellent and really drives the film. Plus it was great to see Bruce Dern. Very recommended and on Netflix.

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Thanks for popping on by my humble little movie site. Please stay safe.

Any goodies in there you have seen and liked? Thoughts, recommends etc always welcome if you fancy too.

Keep watching the screens. Thanks for having a look to see what’s been watched. All the best……… The howling one, Mikey

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