MFC9

Among the greatest films of all time, James Cameron's follow up to 1984's The Terminator manages to surpass the original, and by a fair margin. Similar to Aliens, Cameron invests more cash in a more interesting plot, complemented by revolutionary CGI.

Arnold has never been better, as he flips the T800 into a good guy, protecting John Connor from the sleek and lethal T1000 played by Robert Patrick. Hamilton's Sarah is a victim no more, as she proceeds to belt, shoot, manhandle and crucify anyone who looks at her funny.

T2 was a hype machine that more than exceeded expectations. It was event cinema that solidified Cameron among Hollywood royalty. Magnificent 10/10.

1991 was peak Nolte, with the terrifying Cape Fear and this little gem released in the same year. It's easy to forget he was a very capable leading man for a brief period, even making us believe that Barbara Streisand would be putty in his hands.

Streisand directs and stars as Psychologist Susan Lowenstein, Nolte's twin sister's shrink trying to get to the bottom of her suicide attempt. There is comedy, drama and romance as doctor and patient inevitably heal each other's relative traumas and fall in love. The material is heavy handed at times, particularly when addressing Nolte's miserable childhood experiences, and can be extremely upsetting.

Streisand is as sensational as ever, while Nolte brings his usual manic energy and sporadic outbursts, but also a surprisingly tender performance. It's not perfect by any stretch, but very well made, acted and shot. 8/10.

The overriding reaction for most of the film was oh dear. They are setting the scene for a family friendly franchise, while pandering to fanboys in an avalanche of desperate in-jokes.

The first film was nowhere near a kid's movie, which is why we all loved it. Everything since has been an increasingly colourful toy commercial. Frozen Empire is superior to Feig's 2016 abomination, but still disappointing.

Rudd is always good, while the rest of the Afterlife crew probably should have been the focus. We're done with Murray and Aykroyd now, while Annie Potts annoyingly pretends she has always ghost-busted. And Walter Peck looks like a ghost himself. 5/10.

Quentin's ode to kung fu films is a visual and cinematic masterpiece. We'd never seen anything like it in the cinema, and I remember being completely blown away, similar to Pulp Fiction and The Dark Knight.

Thurman stars as The Bride, a deadly assassin left for dead at her wedding by the titular Bill and his Deadly Viper Assassination Squad. Part 1 shows The Bride emerging from a coma and exacting revenge on the first two Vipers, Fox and Liu.

Liu in particular is utterly awesome as O-Ren Ishii, a lethal Yakuza leader surrounded by her own crew of psychos for the Bride to cut through. Prepare yourself for gallons of blood, the usual Quentin dialogue, and a stylistically unbelievable film. 9/10.

Due to the disastrous reviews of Madam Web and Argylle, we thought we'd give this little romcom a go, and we were pleasantly surprised. It isn't groundbreaking, has a few laughs and is relatively inoffensive, but Anyone But You is a reasonable way to spend 2 hours.

I wasn't convinced by Sweeney's 'It Girl' status until this film, but she ups the sex appeal and charisma to almost unbearable levels opposite Top Gun Maverick's Powell, who has the potential to launch into superstar status himself.

The supporting cast is serviceable, with little nods to 90s romcoms everywhere; even Dermot Mulroney is dragged along the Australian beaches after his role in Scream 6 last year. But this Sweeney's film, and she is indeed the real deal. Enjoyable twaddle. 7/10.

The just don't make movies like this anymore. The Fabelmans harks back to filmmaking pre-capes and CGI, with a collection of excellent character studies, even better acting, and Spielberg showing us how he became the master.

Sammy Fabelman is the pre-Jaws Spielberg, a young filmmaker going through family crisis, anti-semitism, and puberty blues in Arizona and then California. We are provided millions of delicious Easter Eggs from Spielberg's filmography; with each subplot a self-contained little story that ultimately contributes to the whole.

Dano is a generational talent, with Williams more than holding her own, and LaBelle brilliant as the teenage filmmaker. The Fabelmans has everything; humour, pathos, darkness and drama, all working together to create a sensational film. 9/10.

One of the all-time great rewatchable films, The 'Burbs is still ridiculous, funny and entertaining all these years later. Lord knows how this film was even green lit, but thankfully, in those days these types of films were released every week.

Hanks plays Ray Peterson, a beige suburbanite who lives in a court full of eccentrics, none moreso than the Klopeks, who have moved into Herman Munster's house next door. His other neighbours are obsessed with the new tenants, and when an elderly neighbour at the end of the cul-de-saq vanishes, all hell breaks loose.

The casting is superb, with Hollywood royalty Hanks, Fisher and Dern joined by Joe Dante's usual crew of talent, and even Corey Feldman thrown into the mix. Masterful idiocy across the board. 9/10.

Highly amusing meta buddy cop comedy based on the 80s TV show, with laugh out loud moments throughout. Has no right to be as smart and funny as it is, but against all odds, this film is a winner.

Tatum and Hill are Jenko and Schmidt, undercover at the local high school to 'infiltrate the dealers and find the supplier', as directed by Captain Ice Cube. Ice Cube leads an impressive supporting cast including a young Brie Larson and Dave Franco.

The two leads are fantastic with easy chemistry and some very funny scenes. It's a shame they only made the one sequel, as this franchise could have been huge. A different kind of comedy than ones from the Apatow factory, but terrific all the same. 8/10.

Bateman and McAdams star in the one of the last good comedies before Hollywood seemingly stopped making them. Game Night is an inoffensive, well cast and very funny film with plenty of laughs and plot twists throughout.

The Game Night in question is an elaborate murder mystery set up by Bateman's jerk brother, where nothing is really what it seems, and every twist and turn is completely unpredictable.

Bateman and McAdams are always reliable, while the supporting cast, led by a brilliantly creepy Jesse Plemmons, more than hold their own. This film signified the end of an era, when great comedies seemed to be released weekly. Unfortunately, the glory days of Apatow/Ferrell/Frat Pack seem to be over. 8/10.

Finally a deserved Oscar winner from the early 1990s! Among so many best picture mistakes, the Academy got it right in 1992, as Jonathan Demme's borderline-horror masterpiece still manages to terrify and unsettle more than 30 years after being awarded Best Picture.

The performances of Hopkins and Foster have become legend, particularly Hopkins as Hannibal 'The Cannibal' Lector; he charms and manipulates his way through the film so brilliantly we actually end up rooting for him.

Foster's Clarice Starling is an FBI cadet trying to find serial killer Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine, way too convincing as this sick maniac) who is skinning his victims. Only Lecter can help Clarice solve the case, but can she get him to cooperate before Bill kills again? Brilliant thriller 9/10.

Frightening look at post-racial America, with Kaluuya visiting new girlfriend Williams' parents' modern plantation along with a gaggle of peculiar but seemingly normal liberals. Things get real weird real quickly, as their behaviour is far from normal.

Jordan Peele directs this new take on racism in America, as the civility and benevolence of the guests is far more upsetting than the usual redneck stereotypes we've seen a million versions of.

Peele is a rare talent, as Get Out is a layered and intelligent think piece, funny at times, and horror-movie scary at others. Fairly upsetting stuff that asks more than a few questions of the viewer. 8/10.

In the conversation with The Godfather and The Godfather II, Goodfellas is a ridiculously great film that inexplicably lost the Best Picture Oscar to Dances With Wolves (!?). Marty Scorsese takes us on a gritty journey through the dizzying highs and devastating lows of life in a mafia family.

The cast is supreme, with DeNiro and Pesci spectacular, and Bracco and Liotta more than keeping up with their star power. Liotta plays Henry Hill, the mob lacky who quickly rises through the ranks before his inevitable drug-addled fall.

This is Marty's best film, with the editing, soundtrack and breakneck pace changing how movies were made in the 1990s. He would emulate this style with Casino and Wolf of Wall Street, but this mob masterpiece is the original and the best, and arguably in the Top 5 films of all time. 10/10.

When I heard Woody Harrelson was slated to play LBJ, I feared the worst. Surely the son of discredited JFK would-be-assassin Charles Harrelson couldn't play the man some mistakenly believe was behind a conspiracy to put himself in the White House? Much less directed by Rob Reiner, whose unwavering belief in a JFK conspiracy was laid out in his podcast this year?

As murky as the background to this film is, Reiner and Woody have delivered a sympathetic portrayal of Johnson, a President thrown into the role after the Kennedy shooting in Dallas. Woody delivers a surprising level of pathos, as LBJ feels unloved and unwanted in his early days as President, while also effectively navigating Johnson's approach to Civil Rights.

Much like the man himself, LBJ is flawed, but essentially a good film with a surprisingly good performance from Woody. Reiner perhaps plays it safe (no Warren Commission, no mention of over turning of JFK's Vietnam withdrawal) but this is an enjoyable historical biography about a man in an extremely difficult position. 7/10.

I've always been a closet magic fan, with David Copperfield and David Blaine never failing to amaze. While this film never quite reaches the authentic genius of these two, it is still very entertaining.

Harrelson, Eisenberg, Fisher and Franco play the 4 Horseman, magicians who are united by a mysterious benefactor to pull off a series of heists live on stage. Caine, Ruffalo and Freeman round out the all star cast in a film that feels like Christopher Nolan, but not quite.

Feels a bit like a lost opportunity due to ludicrous plot twists and some flat spots, but the magic scenes are brilliant, and the horsemen perfectly cast. A clever idea not quite fully realised, but definitely worth watching all the same. 7/10.

Every true crime fan's idea of heaven, as Fincher explores the unsolved Zodiac murders of the late sixties. The recreation of the era is sensational and casting top notch, with Gyllenhaal and Ruffalo outstanding. Downey provides his usual Downey tics and idiosyncrasies pre-Iron Man, while the A grade support cast expertly wanders around in the background.

The police and newspapers are baffled as the Zodiac killer is sending cryptic letters and complicated cyphers to both confuse and taunt the cops. After the letters stop and the case seemingly goes cold, cartoonist Gyllenhaal decides to solve the mystery himself.

Fincher clearly believes the prime suspect here was the killer, but the film is so good, it almost doesn't matter. This is a masterclass in filmmaking from the master himself. Will have you googling about Zodiac for weeks. 9/10.

The money making Hunger Games machine continues to rattle along in this impressive prequel set 65 years before Katniss and Peeeeetah mope their way through the original. This is Hunger Games #10, with future President Snow assigned as mentor to a new tribute as some kind of high school graduation Dux program. The winning mentor is awarded a prized scholarship, so young Snow gets immediately to work.

The tribute in question is the ludicrously gorgeous Rachel Zegler, a feisty songbird who has ensured a direct path to the Games by upsetting the Mayor's daughter. Of course Snow is utterly besotted, and must make some unpleasant choices along the way; as those familiar with Panem know, the odds are not really in your favour.

Along with Zegler, Tom Blyth is a promising newcomer as Snow, but it is the senior brigade of Davis, Dinklage and Schwartzman who dominate proceedings. It isn't really difficult to top the two Mockingjay disappointments, but this is a more than worthy addition to the franchise. 8/10.

Limited cinema release is always a worry, particularly when we are talking about one of the best directors of all time. So it is on the small screen that most of us watched David Fincher's The Killer. And the results are mixed. Reviews are either an over the top 10 or an immature 1. My review is somewhere in the middle.

Michael Fassbender plays the titular Killer as an icy reptile, obsessed with his process and set of guidelines like some kind of advanced Dexter Morgan. His latest assignment has gone wrong, and apparently his superiors aren't happy.

Fincher's artistic attempt at a John Wick/Kill Bill style caper has moments of genius, flashes of mastery and stretches of boredom. The Killer is not for everyone, and maybe not even for every Fincher disciple. I liked it, but it's not worthy of the wider Fincher library. 7/10.

It didn't obliterate the box office by accident. Avatar is an indescribable cinema experience that was a sensation back in 2009. The story is simple, the world building phenomenal.

Worthington plays a disabled marine assigned to infiltrate the indigenous race via an organic 'avatar' that enables him to walk, run and generally ingratiate himself to the local tribe. But of course, there are deeper themes and politics behind the scenes, and soon our hero is in too deep....

James Cameron is either a genius, lunatic, or both, but this film is as good as films get. Not often I've been absolutely amazed at the movies, but this was one of those times. 10/10.

As we all are, I am an unashamed Driver fan. Love him in everything from Girls to Kylo Ren to Marriage Story and now 65. He is fast becoming a generational talent, but with the looming Ferrari disaster and the box office failure of this film, he needs a hit. And fast.

He is too good for this type of sci-fi silliness, and manages to lift the material from mediocre into watchable. Driver is stuck on a mysterious planet after his ship is hit by asteroids, and must find a way to escape before being eaten or incinerated.

Barbie's Ariana Greenblatt proves highly serviceable as his sidekick survivor, as the duo escape one scrape after another in a sometimes lazy Aliens/Jurassic Park/The Martian template. Mercifully, the film is a short and sharp 90 minutes. 6/10.

This is indeed peak Seagal. A good script, exceptional villains and engaging story ensure this early 90s gem is a winner. It is utterly ludicrous and brilliantly violent, with highly amusing performances from Busey and Jones.

Seagal plays Casey Ryback, a navy cook aboard the USS Missouri that has been hijacked by lunatic ex-CIA Jones with the help of XO Busey. Of course Seagal has a particular set of skills that become more apparent as he cuts down wave after wave of inefficient terrorists.

Busey and Jones are the real stars here, although Seagal actually does a reasonable acting job against the two seasoned heavyweights. Erika Eleniak tries valiantly to look interested, and has a couple of good moments, but she's basically window dressing at a relentless sausage sizzle. It's yet another Die Hard ripoff, but a pretty damn good one. 8/10.

Al launches his second career renaissance with the original Basic Instinct template, a truckload of cigarettes and a few billion litres of alcohol. Pacino plays Frank Keller, a seedy looking cop who is investigating a female serial killer using the personal ads to hunt her victims.

Barkin plays the femme fatale in the mould of a Kathleen Turner/Sharon Stone hybrid, and successfully goes toe to toe with Al in a raunchy method acting face off. Goodman plays the comic cop sidekick we've seen a million versions of now, but successfully holds his own among the acting talent assembled here.

It is a grimy, very late 80s style New York film, and Al delivers his usual tics and peculiar outbursts in another excellent role. But it's the red hot Barkin who owns the film in a powerhouse performance. 7/10.

A couple of 'bests' for this film; the best King adaptation ahead of Misery and Stand by Me, and in the conversation for one of the best films of all time.

Shawshank has stood the test of time since the sacrilegious Oscars debacle of 1995. Two films should have beaten Forrest and it is line ball between Pulp Fiction and Andy Dufresne's epic prison sentence.

Robbins and Freeman have never been better as Andy and Red, whose non-sexual love story is the unique difference that sets the film apart from the usual prison movie cliches.

It can be hokey, too long by 30 minutes, and perhaps even a bit preachy. But it is incredibly well made, and very entertaining. 9/10.

Absolutely ludicrous romantic comedy that was supposed to be the star vehicle to launch Anne Heche's career. Harrison wanders around paradise looking sensational for his age, albeit completely befuddled, again proving great movie stars aren't necessarily great actors. Heche tries her heart out, but doesn't quite cut it as a leading lady, particularly in the shadow of the Ford charisma. Schwimmer is probably the most shameless of the cast, as he simply inserts Ross Gellar into a tropical holiday. The script is lazy, action sequences inept, and CGI laughable. Silly, mindless twaddle that embarrasses everyone involved 5/10.

So Oppenheimer didn't disappoint. Prepare for a relentlessly tense three hour investment with ample exposition and borderline horror tropes. Also prepare for a Titanic-style treasure trove of Oscars come award season. Cillian already has one hand on his statue, while Nolan will surely take home Best Film and Director. Downey might also sneak a Best Supporting. But the true master here is Ludwig Goransson, whose score ensures the exposition is never boring, amping up the tension to unbearable levels of dread. Couldn't believe it wasn't Hans Zimmer when I looked it up. Add the unbelievable sound mix and Oppenheimer is terrifyingly unsettling. It has all the hallmarks of classic docudramas like JFK and 13 Days, with MTV editing and time jumps, but is a superior film that must be seen on a big screen, preferably IMAX. Awesome 10/10.

Didn't really know what to expect from this, but this is one of the best films of the year. Laugh-out-loud funny and heartfelt, Margot and Ryan Gosling throw themselves head first into Barbie and Ken like some kind of Zoolander/Legally Blonde/Lego Movie hybrid, but far more intelligently written.

Jam packed with in-jokes, sly references and even a Mattel-censored F-bomb, Barbie is relentlessly entertaining from start to finish. Most of the satire will fly over kids' heads, as we had a theatre-full of Belgrave's finest letting their vile offspring literally run riot under the screen.

Luckily, the movie was so good we kept our teacher voices to ourselves. Over to Oppenheimer on Sunday. 9/10.