The Irishman (2019): It wasn’t easy to get 3.5 hours together to watch Scorsese’s latest in one sitting, but I guess that’s what the holidays are for. The captivating tale of Jimmy Hoffa’s demise is worth the runtime – that’s if it wasn’t enough for you to watch De Niro, Pacino and Pesci regardless of subject matter. The project’s sheer ambition is impressive and it amounts to a skillfully crafted showcase for what Scorsese does best, even if I didn’t feel that it broke any new ground. What bugged me a little was that its leads are at least a decade too old for their roles and no matter how much you deage them, you just know as a viewer that these guys are in their mid to late 70s. Other than that, a solid mob story. 8/10
Memory: The Origins of Alien (2019): On the film’s 40th anniversary (cray!), a new documentary on the making of Alien, focusing on some of the key elements and scenes was released. If you’re as obsessed about the Alien franchise as I am, this latest refresh brings little to the table, compared to e.g. Alien Evolution (released alongside the Anthology pack) or Jodorowsky’s Dune (which discusses unexpected connections between Jodorowsky, O’Bannon, Giger and the Alien universe). However, it’s a tight package that proves capable of explaining why Alien still stands tall forty years later – a movie made with Ridley Scott’s genius touch, benefiting from an excellent cast and visuals that go a long way towards telling a compelling story. 7/10
Dolemite is My Name (2019): I had no idea what I was going to watch, beyond a supposedly remarkable performance by Eddie Murphy. To my surprise, Dolemite proved to be a story about movie-making, a kind of Ed Wood/The Disaster Artist whose lead gets a lot more respect. The larger than life character of Rudy Ray Moore fits Murphy like a glove, but he’s not alone with a bunch of strong and likable side characters to keep Dolemite entertaining at all times. Unless you become molecularly enraged at the American platitude of “you can be whatever you want to be” which then romanticizes any shortcomings that don’t fit the bill, there is no reason not to enjoy this flick. 8/10
Cocktail (1988): In my attempt to not leave any stone touched by Tom Cruise unturned, it was finally time to dig deep and go for broke with one of the man’s worst reviewed movies. Cocktail turned out to be a watchable affair, in spite of itself, its bland characters, its ridiculous plot, its inane climax and conclusion. It mostly runs on the charm of its leads, Cruise, Bryan Brown and Elisabeth Shue, which is why I don’t feel the need to skewer it. Heck, enough people have done that already, so just try and enjoy the 80s in all their glory. 4/10
Snatchers (2019): This little horror-comedy has people conflicted – is it the worst movie they ever saw or is it just a perfectly pitched genre picture? You can probably guess I find myself in the latter category. On the premise that a girl becomes pregnant after having sex for the first time and gives birth to…something a day later, Snatchers decides to have a lot of fun with its subject matter and manages to do so thanks to the good vibes of its two leads, played by Mary Nepi and Gabrielle Elyse. Like its rom-com equivalents, hor-com movies come down to good chemistry…and how they execute the visuals effects. While I’d have wanted a little more Edgar Wright-ish wit to go with it, there’s no doubt in my mind that Snatchers is worth the time for genre enthusiasts. 6/10
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