For many years, I have written down all the movies that I have watched – mostly so that I can keep up with my obsession. I don’t know how many times I’ve sat down to watch an Italian giallo movie – something like The Case of the Bloody Iris or The Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion or The Perfume of the Lady in Black – and said to myself, “I’ve seen this before!”

So, for a movie enthusiast like me it’s helpful to have a guide. And since I’ve wasted so many years of my life dredging through the weirdest corners of cinema, why not share the love?

Here are my one-sentence reviews from a lifelong obsession, in the style of Leslie Halliwell and Leonard Maltin, but far less bitchy. I realise you can’t review a film in one sentence without coming across as dismissive and shallow – let’s just say this is more of a memory jog. And while you won’t find a review of Gone with the Wind here, you will find many covering cult, exploitation and genre movies – especially crime flicks, horror, sci-fi, and thrillers from days gone by.

All my reviews can be found on Letterboxd. Explore my lists in the links below. Can’t find what you’re looking for? Check out my tags for my go-to genre favourites.

MATTHEW MAWKES