Watched The Goonies (1985) by an author from letterboxd.com
Young teen Mikey Walsh and his friends set off on a quest to find Pirate One-Eyed Willie's treasure in hopes of saving their homes from demolition.

My 10-year-old cites it as one of her favourites, so that’s saying something

★★★★

My review

Watched Zombieland (2009) by an author from letterboxd.com
Columbus has made a habit of running from what scares him. Tallahassee doesn't have fears. If he did, he'd kick their ever-living ass. In a world overrun by zombies, these two are perfectly evolved survivors. But now, they're about to stare down the most terrifying prospect of all: each other.

Watched on Tuesday August 5, 2025.

★★★★

My review

Watched House on Haunted Hill (1959) by an author from letterboxd.com
Frederick Loren has invited five strangers to a party of a lifetime. He is offering each of them $10,000 if they can stay the night in a house. But the house is no ordinary house. This house has a reputation for murder. Frederick offers them each a gun for protection. They all arrived in a hearse and will either leave in it $10,000 richer or leave in it dead!

Like an episode of Jonathan Creek… but I quite liked Jonathan Creek when I was kid.

Not really sure how this is running a 12 from the BBFC, though

★★★

My review

Watched Predators (2010) by an author from letterboxd.com
A group of cold-blooded killers find themselves trapped on an alien planet to be hunted by extraterrestrial Predators.

Although the set up feels like a video game (lazy stereotypes, paper-thin characters, array of personalised weapons) I quite like it.

One of the few things thing I don’t like (aside from Stans) is the part where two mines go up like a gas station, while seven hand grenades don’t even inflict a scratch 🤷‍♀️

★★★

My review

Watched Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning (2023) by an author from letterboxd.com
Ethan Hunt and his IMF team embark on their most dangerous mission yet: To track down a terrifying new weapon that threatens all of humanity before it falls into the wrong hands. With control of the future and the world's fate at stake and dark forces from Ethan's past closing in, a deadly race around the globe begins. Confronted by a mysterious, all-powerful enemy, Ethan must consider that nothing can matter more than his mission—not even the lives of those he cares about most.

I was honestly surprised when I nearly fell asleep watching the first hour of this. How is this 2h40 and doesn’t even conclude the story?

Unforgivably dull, not least in comparison to its predecessors.

★★

My review

Watched The Running Man (1987) by an author from letterboxd.com
By 2017, the global economy has collapsed and U.S. society has become a totalitarian police state, censoring all cultural activity. The government pacifies the populace by broadcasting a number of game shows in which convicted criminals fight for their lives, including the gladiator-style The Running Man, hosted by the ruthless Damon Killian, where “runners” attempt to evade “stalkers” and certain death for a chance to be pardoned and set free.

I used to think this was sub-bad. Now I realise it’s just plain bad.

★★

My review

Watched Heads of State (2025) by an author from letterboxd.com
The UK Prime Minister and US President have a public rivalry that risks their countries' alliance. But when they become targets of a powerful enemy, they're forced to rely on each other as they go on a wild, multinational run. Allied with Noel, a brilliant MI6 agent, they must find a way to thwart a conspiracy that threatens the free world.

Bizarrely, a thinly-veiled ad for NATO… but it ticked all the boxes, I think.

I dunno what Paddy Considine is doing here, though. Love the bloke but…

★★★

My review

Watched Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) by an author from letterboxd.com
Set during the Cold War, the Soviets—led by sword-wielding Irina Spalko—are in search of a crystal skull which has supernatural powers related to a mystical Lost City of Gold. Indy is coerced to head to Peru at the behest of a young man whose friend—and Indy's colleague—Professor Oxley has been captured for his knowledge of the skull's whereabouts.

My kids (13/10) seemed to like it. They took the “supernatural” parts of the plot completely in stride.

★★

My review

Watched The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) by an author from letterboxd.com
Against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel's First Family is forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, while defending Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer.

Never been a big FF fan so I’m sure a lot of stuff in the margins was wasted on me but, overall, mostly unremarkable. Vanessa Kirby was memorably fierce and I liked the retro production design. Suffers again from feeling more like a bridge to something (ostensibly) big and better.

The JD Vance cameo also took me completely by surprise.

★★★½

My review

Watched The Cabin in the Woods (2011) by an author from letterboxd.com
Five friends set out for a weekend at a remote cabin in the woods, expecting nothing more than fun and relaxation. As night falls, they discover that something far more unsettling is at work and that nothing about their getaway is what it seems.

Seems to be ageing quite well.

★★★★

My review