Great start to the year

January had 31 days and I'm proud to say that I managed a very pleasing 26 films this month.  4 found footage horrors for my PhD, 3 watched on a plane to New York, 3 at preview screenings, 2 documentaries, only 4 in the cinema, 3 classics, 1 animated.  Stay tuned in the next few days for a more detailed breakdown.  For now, here's my best and worst of the month:


Best of the month:

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (Brad Bird, 2011)

Better than Bond, better than Bourne.  In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if Ethan Hunt could take out Batman and The Avengers after watching this.  After uninspiring efforts from De Palma, Woo and Abrams, finally this is an impossible mission to truly savour.  Cruise control is switched off as the foot is placed firmly on the gas for mad stunts, huge explosions, great gadgets and one of the biggest stars in the world hanging off the biggest building in the world.  Pegg, Renner and Patton are welcome additions, but Cruise and his super spy Hunt keep the most nail-biting and incredible set-pieces focused.  And Hunt is really off the chain this time.  Best action movie of 2011?  Mission Accomplished.

Worst of the month:

Monster (Erik Estenberg, 2007)

Dreadful, penniless attempt to re-create Cloverfield's thrills with no budget, even less story, passable acting and virtually no effects shots.  Something attacks Japan and two documentary makers stumble about the city not really filming anything of any importance or significance until they finally bumble into an anti-climactic ending.  Avoid like the plague.