Groundhog Day

Posted on September 22, 2021 by jaycluitt

Irascible, anti-social weather reporter Phil Connors (Bill Murray) heads to the small town of Punxutawney, Philadelphia with his cameraman Larry (Chris Elliott) and new producer Rita (Andi MacDowell) to cover the Groundhog Day festival ceremony, wherein a prominently dentured rodent allegedly predicts the weather. It’s an annual occurrence Phil despises, and one from which he cannot wait to get away, but unfortunately for him he’s stuck there, reliving the same day over and over again, potentially forever more.

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Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Posted on February 23, 2021 by jaycluitt

An aging Admiral James T. Kirk (William Shatner) no longer captains a starship, instead overseeing training simulations for upcoming recruits. On one such exercise, Kirk takes over command of his beloved Enterprise when Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalban), a genetically engineered superhuman Kirk has run into before, attacks a space station containing a terraforming device.

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American Graffiti

Posted on February 4, 2021 by jaycluitt

It’s the last day of the summer vacation in 1962. Tomorrow, Curt (Richard Dreyfuss) and Steve (Ron Howard) are heading off to university, leaving behind their two friends Terry (Charles Martin Smith) and John (Paul Le Mat), as well as Steve’s girlfriend and Curt’s younger sister Laurie (Cindy Williams). Over the course of this night spent on their local driving strip, these four friends will undergo various adventures that may change their lives forever.

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Disclosure

Posted on January 18, 2021 by jaycluitt

Tom (Michael Douglas), a devoted husband and father, has spent years working his way up the corporate ladder at a technology company, and is expecting to be promoted as part of an upcoming merger. However, instead his boss Bob (Donald Sutherland) brings in new blood for the role, in the form of Tom’s ex-girlfriend Meredith (Demi Moore). Meredith summons Tom for a suspicious evening meeting accompanied by wine and shoulder massages, during which she attempts to seduce him. After initially reciprocating, Tom eventually turns her down and flees, telling no-one and hiding the scratches on his torso. Upon arriving at work the next day Tom discovers Meredith has vengefully accused him of sexual harassment, and Tom must either prove his innocence or be forced out of the company.

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The Best Years Of Our Lives

Posted on January 10, 2021 by jaycluitt

After the end of World War II, three American veterans from different military branches and different social backgrounds return home to try and reacclimatise themselves back into society, but the world back home isn’t quite how they remembered it.

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Little Women (2019)

Posted on January 4, 2021 by jaycluitt

In 1860s Massachusetts, the March family has four daughters, all with different artistic aspirations. Meg (Emma Watson) is an actress who is happy complying to society’s ideals of feminity, Jo (Saoirse Ronan) is an aspiring writer with intentions to make it on her own, cherubic Beth (Eliza Scanlen) is a musician, favouring the piano, and Amy (Florence Pugh) a painter who sometimes feels put out as the youngest child (although it was only in researching for this post that I discovered she was supposed to be the youngest, as it felt like Beth far more filled out that role). Their mother Marmee (Laura Dern) tries to mould them into good, charitable adults whilst their father is fighting in the American Civil War, and over the seven year period of the film, they all have varying dalliances with their wealthy neighbour’s grandson Laurie (Timothee Chalamet).

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The Thin Man

Posted on January 2, 2021 by jaycluitt

Dorothy Wynant (Maureen O’Sullivan) is in distress. Her inventor father Clyde (Edward Ellis) has disappeared, after taking $1,000 from his lawyer (Porter Hall) and heading to a secret location, not returning in time for Dorothy’s wedding. Fortunately Nick Charles (William Powell) is in town for the holidays with his wife Nora (Myrna Loy) and their dog Asta (Skippy). Nick is a retired detective who was once hired by Clyde, and after some initial trepidations, Nick is soon on the hunt for the missing man.

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Blackbird

Posted on November 28, 2020 by jaycluitt

This review was originally written for Blueprint: Review. It was written because Kate Winslet appears in the film and one of the missions of this site is to review every Kate Winslet film. The other Kate Winslet reviews can be found here.

There’s all kinds of films in the world. Films to cheer you up, films to terrify you and get your blood pumping, even dramatic weepies designed to emotionally rip you apart, rendering you unable to function for the rest of the day. There’s a time and place for each of these films, and given just how unprecedented the times we’re living in are, and how these days every waking moment can feel like a never-ending naked slide down the spiralling razor blade of life, I for one am trying to limit my exposure to the more emotionally draining films.

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Her

Posted on May 13, 2020 by jaycluitt

In an undisclosed future date, Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) doesn’t have much in life. He lives alone, almost divorced from his wife Catherine (Rooney Mara), with his only intimate moments taking place with strangers over the phone. For work he writes personal messages to and from people he’s never met, and he spends his spare time playing video games featuring a verbally abusive child-like being. That is until Theodore meets Samantha (Scarlett Johansson). She understands him. She spends all her time with him. They make each other laugh and have stimulating conversations. Oh, and she’s the operating system on his new phone.
Her Joaquin Phoenix phone
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Rio Grande

Posted on May 1, 2020 by jaycluitt

This review was originally written for Blueprint: Review.

Tasked with defending settlers in 1879 Texas from attacking Apaches, Lt. Col. Kirby Yorke (Wayne) has an already difficult job complicated when his undermanned regiment is joined by a new recruit in the form of Yorke’s underage son Jeff (Jarman Jr.), whom the Lt. Col. hasn’t seen in a year. Hot on Jeff’s heels is his mother, and Yorke’s wife, Kathleen (O’Hara), eager to retrieve her son, but neither he nor his father is willing to allow that to happen. Elsewhere, an Apache attack on their fort and another enlisted man being wanted for manslaughter further add to Yorke’s plight.

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