TheRetroCritic

It's a shame that Bill Murray was ignored at the Oscars for his performance in St. Vincent , the 2014 film about an ageing, grumpy, chain-smoking slob who becomes the unlikely babysitter of his new neighbour's young son. While on paper it may sound like just another Gran Torino , that movie was much less clever and well acted than this comedy which doesn't sugar-coat anything but still manages to have some genuinely funny but also touching moments. As we see Vietnam war veteran Vincent (Murray), change from a moody, down-and-out alcoholic to a "Saint" of sorts, in the eyes of young Oliver (Jaeden Lieberher) at least, nothing is forced or random and the tearjerker ending is earned. As we learn more and more about Vincent's troubled past, we understand his daily frustrations better and sympathise with him, even when he's being unreasonable or rude. As for his neighbour Maggie Bronstein (Melissa McCarthy), the film paints her as a bit of a deadbeat mothe

Time once more to look back at another year and figure out what our favourite movies were!  2016 may have been the most disappointing cinematic year in a while but let's be positive... for now. Here are my Top 25 Best Films Of 2016 . Feel free to share your favourites in the comments! 25 THE HUNTSMAN: WINTER'S WAR While an inferior, extremely derivative sequel in which Snow White is mysteriously absent, The Huntsman: Winter's War was a fun blockbuster with lots of creative visual effects and a likeable cast. Completely unnecessary, somewhat messy yet enjoyable. 24 THE MONKEY KING 2 This sequel may not have starred Donnie Yen but fans of the timeless Journey To The West story should have had fun with The Monkey King 2 regardless. A refreshing alternative to Hollywood blockbusters, this one starred Gong Li as an evil witch and it was very entertaining. 23 DEADPOOL Certainly one of the most overrated films of 2016, Deadpoo

From the director of The Fugitive comes Collateral Damage , an action thriller from 2002 starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as a fireman who is out for revenge after his family is killed by terrorists. The film was a flop at the box-office and that's not too surprising seeing as it was released only under a year after 9/11 and it's unlikely that everyone was already in the mood for this kind of movie. That said, this was a very decent, action-packed flick with an Arnold Schwarzenegger on top form. After the underwhelming (and very wacky) The 6th Day , Collateral Damage was a welcome return to good old-fashioned over-the-top action films, even if audiences hardly flocked to it and critics didn't exactly praise it. Apart from a few dodgy CGI effects, the film looks great and it's just good to see Arnie going around punching people in the face, throwing people off cliffs, setting fire to everything and bursting into rooms shouting and wielding a baseball bat. There'

I play some M.C. Kids , the McDonald's game for the NES.

I finally talk about the much-lauded new movie musical La La Land .

In 1998, Warren Beatty directed and starred in Bulworth , a political satire about a Senator who snaps and starts telling (or "rapping") the truth to people. A lack of sleep somehow leads him to South Central where he is taken in by Halle Berry's young activist Nina after a wild night out clubbing. Through Senator Bulworth's out-of-control antics, Warren Beatty clearly tries to make a point about how neither Democrats or Republicans are honest to the people who elect them. As Bulworth's erratic behaviour shocks the media and the people in his inner circle, his popularity rises leaving his assistants confused and struggling to keep up with the changing tide. It's an interesting film to revisit especially after last year's US election as it brings up some interesting points still relevant today. The way in which those points are brought forward in the movie is messy, however, as we get to see Warren Beatty turn into the worst rapper in the world and emb

I try a healthy drink for once: thank you Mamma Chia !

I finally rant along and play some good old Cool Spot . The most refreshing game around.

Time to give the Beetlejuice NES game another chance. It's showtime!

After a year peppered with cinematic disappointments, the Academy quickly jumped on musical comedy La La Land  hailing it as an Oscar favourite when it was released in late 2016. The film swept the Golden Globes and it looks set to win many more awards. Emma Stone is Mia, an aspiring actress who spends her time working in a coffee shop and running to auditions. She meets jazz pianist Sebastian, whose dream it is to start his own jazz club, and they hit it off. As their respective dreams start going off track, so does their relationship. Director Damien Chazelle, who impressed a few years ago with the excellent, low-key drama  Whiplash , this time tries his hand at an old-fashioned Hollywood musical complete with romance, tap-dancing and fancy sets, charming the pants out of everyone effortlessly. This is a stylish, gorgeous-looking movie packed with fantastic music, great performances and snappy writing. Even the casting of Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling is inspired as their singing