My observation: One of the themes that’s running throughout this and previous entries is that a lot of so-called “classics” from long time ago, often fail to still impress/wow me, now that I watch them again (or for the first time).

In some cases, I can explain that: A particualar film may have been the first with a certain topic or effect or whatever, which was a new and fresh approach back then, but 10 to 30 years later, we usually had a lot of similar content in one form or the other, so that the original material doesn’t seem to be that great or innovative anymore, while from an objective point of view, it’s still a great piece of work (let’s call it the “Citizen Kane effect”).

On the other hand, I also (re)discover older films and shows once in a while, which I didn’t appreciate enough in the past, or did not even registered back than, at all, which pleasantly surprise me nowadays.

Film

Mars Attacks (1996)

Rewatch – It’s been a quite some time since I saw it for the last time, so couldn’t remember too much of it anymore. But I do recall that I wasn’t overwhelmed back in the days, and that hasn’t changed now.

Supplemental: Funnily, a few weeks after me, RedLetterMedia also viewed this movie again. And I would have bet money on it that they would love it – but right at the start, they make it clear that this is not an episode of “Re:View”, but the new format “Re:Visit”; and during this examination, it’s obvous that they also have problems with it (and can, of course, express it better than me).
★★☆☆☆ 2/5 stars

The Menu (2022)

It’s good – but beware: only for a one time view! I don’t think it has any rewatch value. (Yes, yes, good actors all around, but I take that as a given.)
★★★★☆ 4/5 stars

Whiplash (2014)

Rewatch – On the one hand, it’s an interesting character study on obsessions, sacrifices and power-dynamics, but on the other hand, I simultaneously also find it lacking a certain depth in all those regards. The story might have worked better as a limited(!) mini-series, I think. Or as a longer film.

I’m really not sure, but my gut feeling is that I would have liked it more with a bit more space and time for the characters and plot to unfold. This actual version leaves me a bit unfullfilled.
★★★☆☆ 3/5 stars

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)

Rewatch – I remember that I didn’t like it very much when I I first watched this movie years ago. But over the years, I read and heard some positive remarks that worked on me, and since I had forgotten pretty much all about it, I now tried my luck with it again, on Netflix. Ah, well, it was still disappointing.
★★☆☆☆ 2/5 stars

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015)

Rewatch – Also a movie that I had watched once before, and found it “just good” back then, not great. Since it’s been a while, and it was also now available on Netflix, I viewed it again and found it still to be mostly OK. I don’t think that I’ll ever need to watch it (consciously) for a third time, but it’s good enough to be rated as kind of “average/mediocre good”… *shrug*.
★★★☆☆ 3/5 stars

3:10 to Yuma (2007)

Rewatch – My memory of this is similar to the previous two movies: Only OK. As with Master and Commander, I noticed over the years, that it was mentioned rather positively, especially when listing the works of its director, James Mangold.

I could not really relate to that, because I also watched this film only once up until now, many years ago, without any deep or lasting impact. After viewing it now again, for a second time, I stand by that judgement: Not bad, but I had hopes for (much) more.
★★★☆☆ 3/5 stars

Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

It’s always hard to judge an old film from a different era: It was a different time then, with a different society. And while I wouldn’t put it in my personal hall of fame, I will recommend it.
★★★★☆ 4/5 stars

Darkman (1990)

Rewatch – I’ve seen this already (probably multiple times, as far as I can remember), on local TV stations, but that was a long, long time ago. I was recalled to it a while ago, and got me the Blu-ray disc. Well, it surely is a Sam Raimi film, one can see that very clearly, and also an entertaining one – but, I somehow expected a bit… more. Something somehow even more special, I was missing a certain “je ne sais quoi”.
The way it turned out, I’d give it 3.5 stars, but since I don’t hand out half-star ratings, it will stay at the lower one.
★★★☆☆ 3/5 stars

Rush Hour (1998)

I liked a few scenes in it, but overall not really my cup of tea.
(I even took a peek into “Rush Hour 2”, but lost interest after 30min or so…)
★★☆☆☆ 2/5 stars

The Nest (2020)

Expected a well-made family drama, but instead, I just got a tepid tease of such a thing.
★★☆☆☆ 2/5 stars

The Dark Crystal (1982)

A rather grim fantasy flick from 1982, but with puppets! I knew about it, but I’ve never watched it before, IIRC (I remember that the fact alone that it was mostly done with animatronics put me off as a kid and teenager; and later, I simply forgot about it).

So, just 40 years later, I finally watched it, thanks to Netflix. And what’s my verdict now? (Mind you, I’m probably no longer the originally intended target audience; nor stood the world still in the meantime, neither for me nor for films in general.) Well, it was actually a bit better than what I expected or feared, but also far from being a classic masterpiece. And I think I would also had the same opinion about it decades ago. Some scenes would have probably left a bigger imprint on my as a kid, but that’s it, I think.
★★★☆☆ 3/5 stars

Galaxy Quest (1999)

Rewatch – Haven’t seen this in decades. It too was mentioned positively on several review sites and shows in recent weeks, so I gave it a go again. Well, it was entertaining and as a “Trekker”, I could relate to the initial setup. Still, also this second viewing, years later, hasn’t turned me into a big fan of this film. Quite alright, but not outstanding in my world.
★★★☆☆ 3/5 stars

The Cursed (2021)

(also known as “Eight For Silver”) Well, that was a disappointment. The atmosphere was nice, it’s just that that and a spooky mood alone are not enough to carry a movie.
★☆☆☆☆ 1/5 stars

Free Fire (2016)

An mildly entertaining shooter, set in a confined space; won’t linger in your memory after the end credits.
★★☆☆☆ 2/5 stars

Riders of Justice (Retfærdighedens ryttere) (2020)

Even better than I expected. But I was also emotionally in a special phase in my life, which had an influence on my judgement. Nevertheless, writer/director Anders Thomas Jensen usually knows what he’s doing.
★★★★★ 5/5 stars

All Quiet on the Western Front (Im Westen nichts Neues) (2022)

Fittingly, the literal translation of the original german title (“nothing new in the west”) describes my issue with this rather good: It’s all very well made and impressively shot – but tells nothing new or shows anything that hasn’t been shown before.

Now, I haven’t read the book or seen the previous films (as far as I can remember), and I do understand the need to update some movies for younger folks, to keep certain topics fresh in the minds of newer generations.

But (a) from what I’ve read/heard about this new film, it allegedly deviates (or skips) rather important key points (mob mentality, etc.), and (b) while it certainly shows war as an ugly, dirty and cruel affair, I somehow felt as if it had an inept, uncanny “sheen” over it, unlike other films like Platoon, or Saving Private Ryan for example – but the latter is just an personal impression of mine.
★★★☆☆ 3/5 stars

Jurassic Park (1993)

Rewatch – Yeah, it was impressive when the CGI dinosaurs appeared for the very first time on a screen back in 1993, and the film still has all the classic spielbergian qualities nowadays; it’s just not my favourite film of his, especially on repeated viewings.
★★★☆☆ 3/5 stars

Ocean’s Eleven (2001)

Rewatch – Only watched this once before and couldn’t remember much of it. Hopened for a fun second-time-viewing but was bitterly disappointed: The cast is too vast and the actual heist is not nearly as clever or elaborate as I had wished/imagined it to be.
★★☆☆☆ 2/5 stars

Knock at the Cabin (2023)

The premise sounds interesting, the cast also, but on the other hand there is the involvement of M. Night Shyamalan as director and co-writer – and that’s probably why it failed to work for me: Nothing noteworthy happens here.
★☆☆☆☆ 1/5 stars

Clockwise (1986)

Rewatch – Not really a new insight, but worth repeating: “Nostalgia is a seductive liar”.
I’ve seen this one as a young kid, together my my dear mum, and we both very much had to laugh a lot back then.

Years and years ago, I got the DVD of it for cheap, but never came around to watch it again. Some weeks ago I finally did – and it was way less funny or sparkly than I remembered it to be.
★★☆☆☆ 2/5 stars

Fire and Ice (1983)

Have I seen it before, as a kid, or not? Couldn’t recall any of the plot or any scene… Given the age of the film and my own, I’d say it’s not the best combination for a initial viewing. It’s an interesting time capsule, but not really a good film.
★★☆☆☆ 2/5 stars

Wicked City (1987)

This films has a certain reputation, and if I had seen it in my more formative years, as a teenager, it probably would have left an big impact on my suggestible mind. But now, it’s just… not very good.
★☆☆☆☆ 1/5 stars

Urotsukidoji: Legend of the Overfiend (1989)

Same conclusion as with ‘Wicked City’ above.
★☆☆☆☆ 1/5 stars

Ad Astra (2019)

Hm, it started out not too uninterestingly (wow, what a praise, right?), but soon developed to a slog with almost nothing noteworty. Came across like a kind of tame and cheap knock-off “Interstellar” (which I also didn’t like much).

The very end was also a bit muddy (which was more related to my state of mind while watching it, I think) and left me with indecisive opinion about this movie: I can’t decide on how bad I really think this film is; just that I think that it is bad (as in: not good)…

For that reason alone it gets this generous rating from me.
★★☆☆☆ 2/5 stars

Eastern Promises (2007)

Rewatch – On my first watch of this, I was pretty disappointed by it. Now, on a second viewing, years later, I can appreciate a few things of the storytelling more than before. But still, it felt very unfinished at the end, as if it was just a (good) first episode of gangster TV series; too bad that it is just this one movie.
★★★☆☆ 3/5 stars

The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)

Maybe I need to watch it for a second time before giving it a half-decent rating, but then again: This is not exactly a movie that I instantly want so see again.

I generally like the material of writer/director Martin McDonagh, but not all, and not all equally (the same attitude that I have towards the ‘Coen brothers’).
And while I appreciate this film, its motives and I do like certain aspects of it, it will not make it in my “all-time classics hall of fame”.
★★★☆☆ 3/5 stars

Guest House Paradiso (1999)

Rewatch – I do remember that I liked this whacky comedy back as a teenager; and now, watching it again, I still find it excellently entertaining (but not without flaws: The story is thin and the ending is abrupt; but after watching a few interviews/essays etc. on YouTube, I can understand it).

However that may me: If you like this kind of over-the-top, cartoony humor (not everyone’s taste and maybe one needs to be in a special mood for it on that day…), I highly recommend this weird as fuck nonsense 😂
★★★★★ 5/5 stars

Goodfellas (1990)

Rewatch – Still a very impressive piece, but…

1. I’m not the biggest fan of mafia epics in general.
2. I’m not the biggest fan of director Martin Scorsese in general.
3. This film is so famous for being one of the (if not the) quintessential “Martin Scorsese mafia movie(s)”, that it’s hard to judge it unbiased after 30+ years.

That’s why I’ll just give it such a brazen low rating. But note: If you haven’t seen it before, or if the items listed above don’t touch you, I definitely recommend it!
★★★☆☆ 3/5 stars

Captive State (2019)

Wow, that was boring.
★☆☆☆☆ 1/5 stars

TV

Lost In Space — Season 1-3

Not a milestone, but quite entertaining. Since I expected nothing from it, it was a positive suprise.

Definitely more a family-friendly/-oriented show, that caters more to a young adult audience; but I liked the actors and the banter between them. The plot is not the best in the world (quite the opposite) and sadly, I think that each season gets a little bit worse than the one before…
Season 1: ★★★★☆ 4/5 stars
Season 2: ★★★☆☆ 3/5 stars
Season 3: ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 stars

Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banque — Season 3

Still like it very much! The only reason it went slightly down in my rating this time was because I might have grown accustomed to it a bit by now and it was also missing an exceptional good episode this season. But that is all just a minor variance in the grand scheme of things (for now).
★★★★☆ 4/5 stars

Brooklyn Nine-Nine — Season 8

Well, the final season; and my feeling and interest for this show was already on the decline for a couple of seasons. These last episodes now didn’t suddenly drop a lot of levels of quality, compared to the previous series, but they did slightly, constantly and noticeably over time. So, good riddance and thanks for the fun you gave me (at least in the early seasons).
★★☆☆☆ 2/5 stars

Barry — Season 1

So, this show doesn’t seem to get a lot of hype (at least not here in Germany), but everytime I did hear it being mentioned, it was always very positive. So I tested the water, and while it took me a few episodes to get hooked, I can only attest all the good reviews.

Again, I would give it rather a 3.5 star rating, but on the other hand, it is a very good and intriguing start to a new show, so let’s round it up.
★★★★☆ 4/5 stars