Watching - September 2026

Deadpool 2 (2018)

More violent fun. Although the meta-ness is always funny (the asides to camera, etc) I found myself wishing there was a little less of it, as it does actually detract from the immersive-ness to an extent. But maybe that's the point - although I think it's a bit more of a way to take the piss out of itself before anyone else does. Also, incredibly, there was a PG rated version of this - I mean, how? - which, brilliantly, starred an adult Fred Savage reprising his role in The Princess Bride. I don't think the full thing is available to watch anywhere but you can see Fred's scenes here - well worth it!

The Princess Bride (1987)

Well, I had to watch this now! Slap bang in the middle of one of the greatest directorial streaks in history (Rob Reiner's first seven films - just amazing), a wonderful film full of memorable moments.

Onward (2020)

Not usually cited as a Pixar classic but a solid entry in the canon, no question. I hadn't seen it since we originally watched it and I enjoyed the mix of fantasy and mundanity. The moral at the end was a little less "smack you round the head" than usual, too (obviously that's a relative statement, it's still a Pixar film).

Toy Story (1995)

I hadn't seen this in ages! The animation definitely shows its age but the story is great, the voices are brilliant and the whole thing just very well put together. Good fun to watch again.

Airplane (1980)

There's a great oral history of Airplane that suggests that one of the reasons it stands up so well is that it's a funny script but played straight, by actors rather than comedians (or certainly not actors known for comedy). There are a couple of gags that are very much of their time (the jive talking would almost certainly not make the cut these days), but the scenes that age least well are those with Stephen Stucker, a comedian who was allowed to improvise his lines - they seem to be from a different film.

Le Mans '66 (2019)

I've watched this several times now and it's still a great story, told well. And the racing scenes are brilliantly filmed.

Toy Story 2 (1999)

I remember watching this in the old Odeon in Edinburgh (now sadly no more) with my brother-in-law. It really grabbed us - two grown (albeit still quite young) men - and it still does, getting on for thirty years later (ugh, really??). The section where Jessie explains her backstory via Sarah McLachlan's beautiful "When She Loved Me" is genuinely one of the most moving few minutes of any film, animated or not.

Toy Story 3 (2010)

Another superb sequel, full of laugh-out-loud comedy as well as touching moments, and a brilliant new character in Ken. Those Pixar people definitely knew how to make a film!

Toy Story 4 (2019)

Only the second time I've seen this but it's a worthy part of the Toy Story series and an enjoyable story, even if there are elements now that feel a little over-familiar. You can't fault the animation though, which is incredible.

9 to 5 (1980)

The surface trappings of a wacky screwball comedy are all in place, and some of the sillier flights of fancy could convince you that this is just a lightweight period piece from the early 80s. But it's obviously making serious points about women's rights in a deliberately light way, and those points are still valid (and needed) today, sadly. That doesn't stop the film being good fun to watch though.

Still Working 9 to 5 (2022)

I found this documentary online straight after watching the previous film. It's a part "making of" and part setting the film in its social context. I was surprised to learn that 9 to 5 was very specifically created out of the women's movement and groups that Jane Fonda was a part of, rather than just being a reaction to it. It was also interesting to learn that the three main roles were cast before a script was even written - unusual then and now. But the main point of the documentary was to highlight what a lightning rod for discussion the film was, and can still be, through its main incarnations - and how disappointing it is to find that the discussion is still needed.

Great Expectations (1998)

There are some good scenes and memorable cinematography in this, and Gwyneth Paltrow is perhaps perfectly cast as Estella. But overall this is a fudged retelling of the Dickens classic, with the ending in particular feeling a bit sudden, like someone couldn't be bothered (although in fairness, my vague memory of the novel is that it ends a bit like this too.)

Sneakers (1992)

We had this years - decades! - ago on VHS and I'm pleased to discover that it's just as entertaining as I remember. Not sure why Ben Kingsley was needed doing an American accent, but other than that, everyone is very good. What's really striking now though is how, even though this is pre-internet, it anticipates some of the concerns of the next few decades.

L.A. Story (1991)

Uneven but charming.