list/discuss/rate - your recently watched movies

Tetsuo II: Body Hammer (1992) - While it certainly has its flaws in many departments, director's manic surreal visionary obsession carries the film. 

You, the Living (2007) - One of the better things I've seen since ages. More surrealism here and delightfully bleak yet humane comedy. 

Ratatouille (2007) - I watched this with my 8-year old and we both had excellent time. Superb animation and lots of action and fun. If you're into fine dining and French cuisine (I'm not), I'm sure there's still another level to enjoy. 

Frankenweenie (2012) - Watched this one with the kid, too, and with same results. Also superb animation, but in a different way. More references to old horror movies than you can count. 

Run . Just come onto Netflix. Fairly standard thriller set up and no great surprises but still manages to crank up a certain amount of tension. Won't say too much (spoilers) but Sarah Paulsen is good 'fun' as always. 7/10

the Dark Knight 2008 Directed by Christopher Nolan

I'm old enough to remember markets, models, conductors, computers, stars, glue and furry animals, so can't say I ever got super excited about the superhero genre. For me, a masked 'goodie' rescuing us from our own impotence in the face of overwhelming anomie is really just a firefighter for the cremation casket. That said, this is entertainment, not Bruce Wayne in therapy and in that regard it succeeds. Heath Ledger's posthumous Oscar for best supporting actor was clearly apropos but frankly baffling and has tended to overshadow some of the other more deserving performances on show re Gary Oldman's Police Commissioner Gordon as a brilliant and understated portrayal of a man who stands up to the prevailing corruption all around him with a quiet dignity that never descends into woke virtue signalling. In stark contrast, the easier role of Ledger's Joker (who never has to suspend disbelief and convince us he's real) is a Tom Waits intoning as Robert Smith with ADD toddler as makeup artist. This is a hugely engaging performance certainly but strictly panto villain theatrics under the corpse paint all told. Christian Bale's Bruce Wayne comes across as a smarmy playboy with a face like a David Beckham delivery i.e. begging to be attacked (and why does he disguise his voice 'in cossie' when speaking alone to people who already know he's Bruce Wayne?) Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman do what they both do in their well earned walking sleep as Batman's erm...batman and armorer respectively. Aaron Eckhart alas, fails to convince as either 'new broom' DA or hideously disfigured vengeful turncoat 'baddie' but his makeup is pretty cool in a nod to Sam Raimi's Evil Dead. Enjoyably silly, unashamedly escapist and brilliantly made, the Dark Knight is decent but hardly worthy of being described as 'one of the best films of the decade' or 'the best Superhero film of all time'.

A fantastic retelling of a late 60's court case with the Nixon administration vs the freedom of the people.

I was only 10 when this originally took place so I don't have any recollection of details about this case but certainly remember the era and what was 'generally' on the news at the time.