Notes from Curtis...

Movies

2026-02-21

I’ve watched a lot of movies and definitely not kept track of what I’ve seen or what I liked. I’m trying to keep better track of that now so I can go back to old favorites or give solid recommendations to friends. Rating is out of five with five being the highest, no halves or quarters, that’s for chumps.

Title Rating Date Genre Watched Notes
The Third Murder 2 2017 Drama 2026-06-21 A little to translucent from the start. Seemed like the movie was trying to be too clever.
Toy Story 5 4 2026 Animation 2026-06-20 Went toa rented out movie theater for a friends birthday party and it was Norris's first time at a movie theater. He did great, as did the other kids. All the familiar cast members and they take on the modern day evil of social media. Apropos for our current time and a good lesson for kids.
Better Off Dead... 2 1985 Comedy 2026-05-08 Full of 80's tropes, but a few good laughs throughout.
Once Upon a Time in the West 4 1968 Western 2026-04-12 Some great long single takes and good music. A classic from Sergio Leone.
Maborosi (幻の光) 3 1995 Drama 2026-04-04 Sad, confusing and lots of room to breath in the long cuts
And Then There Were None 3 1945 Crime 2026-03-30 A fun mystery, bordering on thriller.
One Week 3 1920 Comedy 2026-03-28 There are some great, and risky, stunts. Overall a nice simple short film.
I Wish (奇跡) 4 2011 Drama 2026-03-22 A slow paced kids adventure. I like the nostalgic 'natsukashii' feeling of it. It doesn't move too fast or too slow.
Beverly Hills Cop 4 1984 Comedy 2026-03-19 Feels like a standard Eddie Murphy movie that uses only a single 80's song motif throughout the whole movie.
Samsara 3 2011 Documentary 2026-03-16 Beautiful visuals, but I think it was too long.
Sinners 3 2025 Horror 2026-03-15 I liked the music and the setting, but I'm not sure I liked the spin.
Eating Up Easter 3 2019 Documentary 2026-03-13 Nice to see a documentary produced by a native Rapa Nui rather than another episode of Ancient Aliens. Leaves you more depressed than hopeful.
The Golden Child 3 1986 Action 2026-03-13 Comedy, action and adventure all mixed to some 80's music. Not a serious movie.
The Wild Robot 3 2024 Animation 2026-03-10 Cliche story, but a pleasing animation style.
The Last Emperor 4 1987 Drama 2026-03-09 I wish it wasn't shot in English as it took away from the immersion, but good overall. A classic three act structure.
Kids 4 1995 Drama 2026-02-26 Uncomfortable, but it seems like it set out to do that by 'documenting' kids growing up on the streets in the 90's
Short Circuit 2 1986 Science Fiction 2026-02-22 The robot is the best actor, Norris was enthralled though.
Bottle Rocket 3 1996 Comedy 2026-01-01 Not my favorite Wes Anderson movie. Nice to see young versions of the Wilson brothers.
F1 3 2025 Action 2026-01-01 Some interesting shots, but a lame story line. I'm also an F1 fan so can't help seeing the inaccuracies.
Akira 4 1988 Animation 2025-01-01 Dark and gotham like with questions remaining at the end.
Big Trouble in Little China 3 1986 Action 2025-01-01 So cheezy and of it's time. I had no problem getting thru it, but will be fine to never watch it again.
Earwig and the Witch 2 2021 Animation 2025-01-01 Ghibli does 3D animation and it doesn't work for me
A Fistful of Dollars 5 1964 Western ? The first of the Dollar trilogy and I think my favorite. The pacing is good.
A River Runs Through It 5 1992 Drama ? One of my top three movies of all time. I saw it as a teenager in the prime of my fly fishing years.
Annihilation 4 2018 Science Fiction ? I enjoyed the mystery and visuals. It was nothing like I was expecting.
Battle Royale 5 2000 Drama ? Before Hunger Games and Squid Game there was Battle Royale. One of the first Japanese movies I remember seeing as a teenager. Gruesome, toilsome, campy and excellent.
Castle in the Sky 3 1986 Adventure ? Falls squarely in the Miyazaki warehouse, but it just didn't have as much an impact on me.
Chungking Express 4 1994 Drama ? A transportative Wong Kar Wai movie. Struggles with love amongst the day to day life in Hong Kong. Beautiful visuals.
Cool Hand Luke 4 1967 Drama ? Paul Newman cool as hell as a bull headed prisoner.
Dawn of the Dead 3 1978 Horror ? The origin of the modern zombie.
Escape from New York 3 1981 Science Fiction ? A nice gritty dystopian future. Quick pacing and simple plot that moves right along.
Evil Dead II 2 1987 Horror ? The first one was shocking, but this one just fell flat.
For a Few Dollars More 3 1965 Western ? The pacing was a bit slower and I lost interest a few times.
Grave of the Fireflies 5 1992 Drama ? One of my top three movies of all time. I remember on one of trips to Japan watching it with Tram and both of use just crying in the hotel room.
Jurassic Park 5 1993 Adventure ? One of my top three movies of all time. What can I say I was 5 when it came out.
Midsommar 4 2019 Horror ? Horrifying and aesthetically pleasing all in one.
Rashomon 4 1950 Crime ? A good early look at interesting storytelling an interesting storytelling technique. Maybe a little slow moving at times.
The Evil Dead 3 1981 Horror ? Campy, group of friends in a cabin in the woods.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly 4 1966 Western ? Great music, pacing was good, but a very long movie.
Tokyo Drifter 4 1966 Thriller ? A really good old school yakuza movie.
1917 2019 War
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea 1916 Adventure
2001: A Space Odyssey 1968 Science Fiction
30 Days of Night 2007 Horror
A Clockwork Orange 1971 Science Fiction
A Quiet Life 1995 Drama
A Spell to Ward Off the Darkness 2013 Documentary
A Taxing Woman 1987 Comedy
A Taxing Woman's Return 1988 Comedy
After Life 1999 Fantasy
American Me 1992 Crime
Ancient Forests: Rage Over Trees 1989 Documentary
And Then There Were None 1945 Crime
Apocalypse Now 1979 War Watch the extended cut
Armour of God 1986 Adventure
Army of Darkness 1992 Fantasy
As Tears Go By 1988 Drama
Asteroid City 2023 Comedy
At the Earth's Core 1976 Adventure
Audition 2000 Horror
Babette's Feast 1987 Drama
Baraka 1992 Documentary
Barry Lyndon 1975 Drama
Barry Lyndon 1975 Drama
Big Night 1996 Drama
Blow-Up 1966 Drama
Bonnie and Clyde 1967 Crime
Branded to Kill 1967 Thriller
Breaking Away 1979 Drama
Certain Women 2016 Drama
Chinatown 1974 Crime
Clash of the Titans 1981 Adventure
Close Encounters of the Third Kind 1977 Science Fiction
Cocktail 1988 Romance
Color Out of Space 2020 Horror
Commando Duck 1944 Animation
Day of the Dead 1985 Horror
Daylight 1996 Action
Days of Heaven 1978 Drama
Departures 2008 Drama
Dersu Uzala 1975 Adventure
Diary of the Dead 2007 Horror
Die Hard 1988 Action
Dog Day Afternoon 1975 Crime
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb 1964 Comedy
Drunken Angel 1948 Drama
Emperor 2012 Drama
Encino Man 1992 Comedy
Event Horizon 1997 Horror
Evil Dead 2013 Horror
Evil Dead Rise 2023 Horror
Exit 8 2025 Horror
Explorers 1985 Science Fiction
Fargo 1996 Crime
Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion 1972 Crime
Female Prisoner Scorpion: #701's Grudge Song 1973 Drama
Female Prisoner Scorpion: Beast Stable 1973 Drama
Female Prisoner Scorpion: Jailhouse 41 1972 Action
Ferris Bueller's Day Off 1986 Comedy
Filibus 1915 Crime
Fire in the Sky 1993 Science Fiction
Fireworks 1997 Crime
Floating Weeds 1959 Drama
Freaks 1932 Drama
From Up on Poppy Hill 2011 Animation
Gandhi 1982 Drama
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai 1999 Crime
Grassroots 2012 Comedy
Grizzly! 1967 Documentary
Grosse Pointe Blank 1997 Action
Hard Target 1993 Action
Harvey 1950 Comedy
Heat 1995 Crime
High and Low 1963 Drama
Home Alone 1990 Comedy
Hook 1991 Adventure
Horse 1941 Drama
Hotel Chevalier 2007 Drama
House 1977 Comedy
Howl's Moving Castle 2004 Fantasy
Ikiru 1952 Drama
In Search of the Castaways 1962 Adventure
In the Mood for Love 2000 Drama
Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages 1916 Drama
Isoroku Yamamoto, the Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Fleet 2011 History
Jarhead 2005 Drama
Jason and the Argonauts 1963 Adventure
Journey to the Center of the Earth 1959 Adventure
Jumanji 1995 Adventure
Juno 2007 Comedy
Jurassic Park III 2001 Adventure
Jurassic World 2015 Action
Jurassic World Dominion 2022 Adventure
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 2018 Action
Kiki's Delivery Service 1989 Animation
Kikujiro 1999 Comedy
Killers of the Flower Moon 2023 Crime
King Kong 1933 Adventure
Knives Out 2019 Comedy
Kokuho 2025 Drama
La La Land 2016 Comedy
Labyrinth 1986 Adventure
Land of the Dead 2005 Horror
Late Spring 1949 Drama
Lawrence of Arabia 1962 Adventure
Le Samouraï 1967 Crime
Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx 1972 Action
Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in Peril 1972 Action
Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in the Land of Demons 1973 Action
Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart to Hades 1972 Drama
Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance 1972 Drama
Lone Wolf and Cub: White Heaven in Hell 1974 Action
Lord of the Flies 1963 Drama
Love & Pop 1998 Drama
M 1931 Drama
Madadayo 1993 Drama
Mannequin 1987 Comedy
Marty Supreme 2025 Drama
Master of the World 1961 Science Fiction
Matilda 1996 Comedy
Millennium Actress 2002 Drama
Minbo, or The Gentle Art of Japanese Extortion 1992 Comedy
Moonrise Kingdom 2012 Comedy
Muppet Treasure Island 1996 Family
My Darling Clementine 1946 Western
My Neighbor Totoro 1988 Fantasy
My Neighbors the Yamadas 1999 Animation
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind 1984 Adventure
News from Home 1977 Documentary
Next of Kin 1989 Action
Night of the Living Dead 1968 Horror
No Regrets for Our Youth 1946 Drama
Ocean Waves 1993 Animation
Only Yesterday 1991 Animation
Our Little Sister 2015 Drama
Paper Moon 1973 Comedy
Paprika 2006 Science Fiction
Perfect Blue 1998 Animation
Peter Pan 1924 Family
Pom Poko 1994 Adventure
Ponyo 2008 Animation
Poor Things 2023 Science Fiction
Porco Rosso 1992 Family
Princess Mononoke 1997 Adventure
Project A 1983 Action
Raiders of the Lost Ark 1981 Adventure
Ran 1985 Action
Remember Me 2010 Drama
Ride the Wild Surf 1964 Comedy
Romancing the Stone 1984 Romance
Rosemary's Baby 1968 Drama
Sanjuro 1962 Drama
Scandal 1950 Drama
Seven Samurai 1954 Action
Sherlock Jr. 1924 Action
Shoplifters 2018 Drama
Slap Shot 1977 Comedy
Sleeper 1973 Comedy
Sleepers 1996 Crime
Sonatine 1993 Action
Space Jam 1996 Comedy
Speed Zone 1989 Comedy
Spirited Away 2001 Animation
Steamboat Bill, Jr. 1928 Comedy
Stir of Echoes 1999 Horror
Supermarket Woman 1996 Comedy
Survival of the Dead 2010 Horror
Tales from Earthsea 2006 Animation
Tales of a Golden Geisha 1990 Drama
Tampopo 1985 Comedy
The 7th Voyage of Sinbad 1958 Action
The Air-Conditioned Eden 1996 Documentary
The Ballad of Narayama 1983 Drama
The Big Hit 1998 Action
The Big Lebowski 1998 Comedy
The Blues Brothers 1980 Music
The Boys and the Bees 2025 Documentary
The Bridge on the River Kwai 1957 Drama
The Cameraman 1928 Comedy
The Cat Returns 2002 Adventure
The Chaser 2008 Crime
The Darjeeling Limited 2007 Adventure
The Day After Trinity 1981 Documentary
The Eel 1997 Drama
The Eternal Zero 2013 War
The Four Musketeers 1974 Action
The Fourth Kind 2009 Mystery
The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun 2021 Drama
The Funeral 1984 Comedy
The General 1926 Action
The Gold Rush 1925 Adventure
The Goonies 1985 Adventure
The Grand Budapest Hotel 2014 Comedy
The Hidden Fortress 1958 Drama
The Idiot 1951 Drama
The Karate Kid 1984 Action
The Karate Kid Part II 1986 Adventure
The Land That Time Forgot 1974 Science Fiction
The Last Dance 1993 Drama
The Last Unicorn 1982 Fantasy
The Lost Boys 1987 Horror
The Lost World: Jurassic Park 1997 Adventure
The Menu 2022 Comedy
The Mighty Ducks 1992 Comedy
The Most Dangerous Game 1932 Thriller
The Parallax View 1974 Crime
The Princess Bride 1987 Adventure
The Quiet Duel 1949 Drama
The Red Turtle 2016 Animation
The Royal Tenenbaums 2001 Comedy
The Sandlot 1993 Family
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty 2013 Adventure
The Secret World of Arrietty 2010 Fantasy
The Spiders: Part 1 - The Golden Sea 1919 Adventure
The Spiders: Part 2 - The Diamond Ship 1920 Adventure
The Story of Yanagawa's Canals 1987 Documentary
The Tale of The Princess Kaguya 2013 Animation
The Taste of Things 2023 Romance
The Thin Red Line 1998 War
The Thing 1982 Horror
The Three Musketeers 1973 Action
The Time Machine 1960 Thriller
The Toy 1982 Comedy
The Trial 1962 Crime
The Valley of Gwangi 1969 Fantasy
The Void 2016 Mystery
The Wailing 2016 Horror
The Wild Bunch 1969 Western
The Wind Rises 2013 Drama
The Yellow Sea 2010 Drama
They Live 1988 Science Fiction
Three Days of the Condor 1975 Thriller
Throne of Blood 1957 Drama
Time Bandits 1981 Family
Tokyo Godfathers 2003 Animation
Tokyo Story 1953 Drama
Tora! Tora! Tora! 1970 War
Trainspotting 1996 Drama
Treasure Island 1990 Adventure
Two Years at Sea 2012 Documentary
Universal Soldier 1992 Thriller
Vanilla Sky 2001 Mystery
Waikiki 2023 Drama
WarGames 1983 Thriller
Warlords of Atlantis 1978 Adventure
When Marnie Was There 2014 Animation
Whisper of the Heart 1995 Animation
Woman in Witness Protection 1997 Drama
Yojimbo 1961 Drama