Matt Vaughan
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mattvaughan.bsky.social
Matt Vaughan
@mattvaughan.bsky.social
Halifornia dreamin’
Dredd (2012). Is it my favourite sci-fi movie featuring a futuristic drug with some fun action sequences released in September 2012? Somehow, no. (Looper is, for the record.)
(Review: letterboxd.com/mpvaughan/fi...)
A ★★★★ review of Dredd (2012)
When Evil Judges come after Dredd and Anderson, I wasn’t sure how I was intended to tell apart the scowly-jawed men in their big helmets. But it’s still fun!
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November 26, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Inside Llewyn Davis (rewatch). It’s impressive that A Complete Unknown can be a companion piece to this, even with the different tones.
(Review: letterboxd.com/mpvaughan/fi...)
A ★★★★½ review of Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)
Should I feel bad about how enjoyable it is to watch Oscar Isaac suffer and fail?
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November 22, 2025 at 2:47 PM
The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976). Don’t bother with this, just look at the poster and imagine it’s that cool. (It’s not.)
(Review: letterboxd.com/mpvaughan/fi...)
A ★½ review of The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976)
An amateurish, often embarrassing movie that has brief moments that point to far better slasher movies. It feels like the first cut of this was 75 minutes long and the director started sweating, then ...
letterboxd.com
November 6, 2025 at 12:31 AM
A House of Dynamite. It’s funny that we seek out this kind of tension as a source of entertainment.
(Review: letterboxd.com/mpvaughan/fi...)
A ★★★½ review of A House of Dynamite (2025)
I was always going to like this given the cast, director, and the dark-yet-realistic subject, but a few changes to the structure of this probably would have made it sing. I liked it, but I totally und...
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November 5, 2025 at 8:12 PM
The Wolverine (rewatch). In movies, people say “just trust me” a lot, and it takes me out. No one would accept that in real life!
(Review: letterboxd.com/mpvaughan/fi...)
A ★★★ review of The Wolverine (2013)
Every time I watch this, I start off loving it. He’s in Canada! He’s in nature! Now he’s in Japan, cool! But the wheels come off for me when Mariko gets taken, and it’s just okay. The Silver Samurai s...
letterboxd.com
November 5, 2025 at 7:56 PM
True Grit (rewatch). Did every little town have an undertaker back in the day?
(Review: letterboxd.com/mpvaughan/fi...)
A ★★★½ review of True Grit (2010)
This set a new bar for girldads: will my daughter ably avenge my death, including bartering goods and hiring bounty hunters? I’ve got my work cut out for me.
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November 5, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Elevation. I feel like I could have written this (derogatory).
(Review: letterboxd.com/mpvaughan/fi...)
A ★★ review of Elevation (2024)
One of the first-draftiest movies I’ve seen in ages. There are some decent bones in here, even if it is fully re-heating A Quiet Place’s nachos. I like a mountain town, I like post-apocalyptic setting...
letterboxd.com
October 11, 2025 at 1:50 PM
One Battle After Another. The Bedford Forrest medal, I see what you did there, PTA.
(Review: letterboxd.com/mpvaughan/fi...)
A ★★★★ review of One Battle After Another (2025)
Works well when it’s satire, works well when it’s a pumping action movie, works well when Sean Penn is walking like a lunatic.
letterboxd.com
October 5, 2025 at 1:09 AM
No Country For Old Men (rewatch). Kelly Macdonald deserved an Oscar for accent work.
(Review: letterboxd.com/mpvaughan/fi...)
A ★★★★★ review of No Country for Old Men (2007)
On this viewing, I was struck by the ways Moss and Chigurh mirror each other, and I think my understanding of darkness and evil in this is better fleshed out. Pretty incredible flick.
letterboxd.com
October 5, 2025 at 12:17 AM
Miller’s Crossing. I always enjoy a vague setting, like Coen-y Mob city here.
(Review: letterboxd.com/mpvaughan/fi...)
A ★★★½ review of Miller's Crossing (1990)
It’s fairly slow for me in parts, but other moments totally sing. Might just not be for me.
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October 4, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Disturbia. I didn’t see this when it came out, but it feels like high school, and that’s good enough.
(Review: letterboxd.com/mpvaughan/fi...)
A ★★★★ review of Disturbia (2007)
One of my favourite home movie watching experiences was showing a bunch of friends ‘Rear Window’, which still works so well. This is not as good (duh) BUT it has a heaping helping of my youth distille...
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October 4, 2025 at 1:43 PM
O Brother, Where Art Thou? (rewatch). The song is still good.
(Review: letterboxd.com/mpvaughan/fi...)
A ★★★★ review of O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
I’m looking forward to doing a double feature with this and The Odyssey. Maybe I’ll make gyros and something Depression-appropriate… catfish? Rabbit? Squirrel?
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October 4, 2025 at 1:22 PM
The Big Lebowski (rewatch). There’s no way to prove LA in the 90s wasn’t exactly like this, so I’m gonna believe this is true to life.
(Review: letterboxd.com/mpvaughan/fi...)
A ★★★★ review of The Big Lebowski (1998)
I was just telling a friend that movies about hippies don’t work for me, and he immediately countered with this. Fair enough! This is the exception.
letterboxd.com
October 4, 2025 at 1:43 AM
The Big Lebowski (rewatch). There’s no way to prove LA in the 90s wasn’t exactly like this, so I’m gonna believe this is true to life.
(Review: letterboxd.com/mpvaughan/fi...)
A ★★★★ review of The Big Lebowski (1998)
I was just telling a friend that movies about hippies don’t work for me, and he immediately countered with this. Fair enough! This is the exception.
letterboxd.com
October 4, 2025 at 1:42 AM
Fargo (rewatch). I was so baffled by the Mike Yanagita scene on my first viewing, but now it’s one of my favourite scenes.
(Review: letterboxd.com/mpvaughan/fi...)
A ★★★★ review of Fargo (1996)
If there’s an award for Most Pathetic In A Movie, William H. Macy must be crowned for this.
letterboxd.com
September 17, 2025 at 7:33 PM