Over the last year, I have really got into watching movies on a Sunday afternoon. Nearly every Sunday like clockwork, straight after dinner; I turn on the TV and watch a movie. It’s pretty straightforward, but it’s been really enjoyable!
Originally I didn’t used to do this, but at the same time I didn’t really have a dedicated time to watch movies. Instead I watched them at random times whenever I was able to do so. So what changed? Well, on a random Sunday in March 2021, whilst probably doomscrolling through the Amazon Prime Fire Stick, I discovered a film I wanted to see at the cinema, but didn’t; because, well, you know… Anyway, I wanted to see it, so I decided to watch it after dinner, and enjoyed it. Then a few weeks later, I got hold of another film I didn’t get to see at the cinema because of the same reason why; so I watched that too, and then soon after I discovered that Sunday afternoons right after Sunday dinner was a good and enjoyable time to watch movies. So I just continued to do so nearly every week for the past 13-ish months.
It’s been really cool for many reasons, such as getting the TV to myself mostly, so there is no need to hold back on the content I watch. Plus, thanks to having the use of the Virgin Media box, Netflix, and Amazon Prime, there is a large selection of films to choose from. From recent releases, to classic films, many of which I may never have got to see. Many of these films have stood out as some of the best films I have seen all year, and so to celebrate these releases, I thought I would do a list of the ones I have enjoyed most.
Now, I am keeping this film solely focused onto my Sunday Watching films, so any I watched at other times (such as all the films I watched whilst off work with the un-referenced reason above), are not included. Also, due to the list’s restrictions, there are also those who are unlucky not to be featured in the Top 10; so for those other films of note, here they are for a quick moment in the spotlight:
Wonder Woman 1984, Sputnik, Outlander, The Fly, Edge of Tomorrow, Lords of Chaos, and Military Wives.
And so, without further ado; here are the Top 10 Films I Have Enjoyed Watching At Home On Sunday Afternoons Over The Last Year (2021-2022, just in case I do another list like this in a future year); Enjoy!
10. Scream For Me Sarajevo – An interesting film which documents the attempt by a U.N. Major to put on a concert featuring Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson in the war torn city of Sarajevo during the Bosnian War. The film highlights the struggles of those living in Bosnia in the early years of the civil war, to the later years as they come to live with it, and live life to the full. It’s a really interesting film which chooses not to go into the war itself, but focus on the lives of those who lived during it, and the hope and unity they found; by wanting above all else, to attend the concert!
9. Snowpiercer – To date, I have watched three episodes of the Snowpiercer TV Series, it’s not that I don’t think it’s any good, it’s just I haven’t got round to watching anymore of it yet. The film was a really cool experience. The set-designs were fantastic, and the story was well thought out, with some nice scenes of intense action, to some unique surprises which just change the whole dynamics of the film!
8. Now You See Me 2 – The Now You See Me films have become two of the most enjoyable films I have seen in the last year or so. Now You See Me 2 ditched the whole thing of the police searching for the magicians, and instead focused on the magicians; which is initially annoying as the focus has changed from one point of view to the other. However, all the other things that made the first one so enjoyable are still there, from ridiculously detailed heist planning and execution scenes, to sleight of hand story telling; which turns the film into not just a movie watching experience, but an experience that feels like you are actually witnessing a live magic show too!
7. Knives Out – A pretty cool new way of spicing up crime films, by re-introducing the classic whodunit. Featuring a stellar ensemble; Knives Out makes use of it’s huge cast right from the get-go, by making one of them a murderer. It then takes a spicy turn as the killer is revealed to the audience early on, and it becomes both a whodunit, and the story of one person trying desperately to cover it all up. It’s a really cool film which carries the hallmarks of the classic whodunnit’s, but blends it with a modern setting, and modern storytelling too!
6. Memories of Murder – Memories of Murder has been on my to-do-list ever since I watched The Host, but until last year, it was proving difficult to accomplish. It’s an interesting crime thriller, documenting South Korea’s first major serial killer. It has great character development, as it shows one brash cop looking for a quick solution, by pinning the crime on the nearest person to hand, and one cop who follows the book, but by the end of the film, the sides flip, as the first one begins to follow the rules, whilst the second becomes desperate for a result. It features twists, turns, and sinister surprises; leading to an un-shocking, but still rather interesting conclusion!
5. Transcendence – Transcendence got something of a mixed-negative result when it was released in 2014; but I rather liked it! The cinematography is rather nostalgic of films from the mid 1990’s, and this is rather cool given that the film on the whole is a pretty cool science fiction thriller, similar to the works of Michael Crichton. It’s a techno-thriller, with room for romantic drama, and the odd moment of action. It has a cool cast too, and whilst the ending is a bit rushed; if you are the kind of viewer who likes in-depth science fiction thrillers, there’s plenty of stuff to dig deep into with this interesting piece!
4. Olympus Has Fallen – Released in the same year as another film with the same idea; it’s a widely held belief that the other film is better than this one. I personally enjoyed this one more than the other though. Olympus Has Fallen was a real action treat, as it featured never ending action scenes, backed up with some real nice surprises, and featured a run-time-length to make the whole thing entirely worthwhile, and incredibly enjoyable!
3. The Prestige – A somewhat hidden title, behind all of the other more well known classics directed by Christopher Nolan; but by no means a dull film; it’s actually one of his best! An interesting film carrying all the hallmarks of a great Christopher Nolan film, helmed by a surprising, but still terrific cast, about two warring magicians. It’s an interesting film creating unforeseen twists, as well as scientific surprises, that delivers the magic of a magic show; but allows plenty of guessing time to go by, only choosing to wrap it all up by the film’s ultimate conclusion!
2. Zodiac – An interesting take on both psychological horror’s and crime stories. Based on the real life Zodiac Killer, a series of crime’s which to this day remain unsolved; the film initially follows the lives of reporter’s and a cop who are trying to solve the murder; but as the trail runs cold, focus more on one reporter’s desperation to find closure, and stare the killer in the face. It was a real attention grabbing film, with a great cast, and a genuine spine tingling level of horror too!
1. Greenland – The film that kickstarted my Sunday Afternoon entertainment! Greenland is an interesting film, as it takes an idea that has been done many times before, and then fills in the blanks. It takes the same ideas and tells a similar story to Deep Impact, but fills in the narrative plot holes, by showing the other side; such as riots and panic in the streets, to the notorious actions of the unlucky few who are not chosen to survive. It’s got some great visionary scenes that grab your attention such as the the huge array of aircraft flying through the sky, to the ultimate conclusion, as the heroes have just a few seconds left, until the end of the world. Basically, it’s a really good movie!
Things I Like 
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