Embedded Files
5/10/24 "Shutter Island" 2010
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Which would be worse - to live as a monster, or to die as a good man?" Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
I would've never Scorsese to direct this film. He hasn't really directed many thrillers like this, he's directed his share of mafia films and neo-noir, but never thriller to this caliber. This is pretty famous for having a great twist, I sort of put the pieces together halfway through, but it's still a really great thriller. The atmosphere and pacing of this film are simply amazing and though the twist (without spoiling it) isn't that spectacular in my opinion, this is still a fantastic film. Seems more like a Nolan than a Scorsese.
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Which would be worse - to live as a monster, or to die as a good man?" Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
I would've never Scorsese to direct this film. He hasn't really directed many thrillers like this, he's directed his share of mafia films and neo-noir, but never thriller to this caliber. This is pretty famous for having a great twist, I sort of put the pieces together halfway through, but it's still a really great thriller. The atmosphere and pacing of this film are simply amazing and though the twist (without spoiling it) isn't that spectacular in my opinion, this is still a fantastic film. Seems more like a Nolan than a Scorsese.
10/31/24 "In A Better World" 2010
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Sometimes it feels like there is a veil between you and death" Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
This was a really interesting film that has an odd flaw to it. We follow two troubled boys, Christian and Elias, as they become friends after Christian moves to town. Christian's mom died recently and Elias' parents are getting a divorce. Christian uses his anger to get revenge on those who wrong him, starting with the school bully who's always been harping on Elias. Christian gets in the way, so the Bully throws a basketball at his nose. He retaliates by beating him up with a bicycle pump. It's a really interesting movie, but they keep cutting to Elias' dad treating people in Africa, which doesn't add a lot. I understand every now and then, but it's almost like a whole other plot. It was a really interesting movie that kept me engaged.
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Sometimes it feels like there is a veil between you and death" Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
This was a really interesting film that has an odd flaw to it. We follow two troubled boys, Christian and Elias, as they become friends after Christian moves to town. Christian's mom died recently and Elias' parents are getting a divorce. Christian uses his anger to get revenge on those who wrong him, starting with the school bully who's always been harping on Elias. Christian gets in the way, so the Bully throws a basketball at his nose. He retaliates by beating him up with a bicycle pump. It's a really interesting movie, but they keep cutting to Elias' dad treating people in Africa, which doesn't add a lot. I understand every now and then, but it's almost like a whole other plot. It was a really interesting movie that kept me engaged.
9/29/23 "Black Swan" 2010
9/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "It was perfect" Do they say the title of the movie: Yes!
Darren Aronofsky... a man obsessed with obsession. If you notice, a lot of his films deal with someone who's obsessed to the point of addiction whether it's drugs, food, fighting, or (in this case) dancing. It's interesting in this film how he turns ballet, something so beautiful and full of grace, and turns it into something dark and demented. It's about a young woman (Natalie Portman) who's obsessed with playing the titular Swan Queen from the Swan Queen. While auditioning she meets another girl (Mila Kunis) who becomes her rival for the role. Throughout the rehearsals of the show, she slowly starts losing her grip on reality as she falls farther and farther into insanity. The characters are written so well, that you can totally see this happening. I also love the way they portray her mom in this film. They make the mom almost as obsessed as she is, so we can understand how someone can get to this breaking point. I honestly can't believe this lost to "The King's Speech" at the Oscars of all things.
9/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "It was perfect" Do they say the title of the movie: Yes!
Darren Aronofsky... a man obsessed with obsession. If you notice, a lot of his films deal with someone who's obsessed to the point of addiction whether it's drugs, food, fighting, or (in this case) dancing. It's interesting in this film how he turns ballet, something so beautiful and full of grace, and turns it into something dark and demented. It's about a young woman (Natalie Portman) who's obsessed with playing the titular Swan Queen from the Swan Queen. While auditioning she meets another girl (Mila Kunis) who becomes her rival for the role. Throughout the rehearsals of the show, she slowly starts losing her grip on reality as she falls farther and farther into insanity. The characters are written so well, that you can totally see this happening. I also love the way they portray her mom in this film. They make the mom almost as obsessed as she is, so we can understand how someone can get to this breaking point. I honestly can't believe this lost to "The King's Speech" at the Oscars of all things.
12/17/22 "The King's Speech" 2010
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "Timing isn't my strong suit."
Yet another Oscar-winning movie, but this one is controversial in the Oscars community. Everyone often calls this a misfire since this was the same year as Toy Story 3, Inception, Black Swan, and the most controversial Social Network. Everybody thought that Social Network was going to win. The story can come to a screeching pace at times, but the characters, camera angles, and writing make this an enjoyable film that I couldn't believe actually happened. A beautiful film, but not the best of the year
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "Timing isn't my strong suit."
Yet another Oscar-winning movie, but this one is controversial in the Oscars community. Everyone often calls this a misfire since this was the same year as Toy Story 3, Inception, Black Swan, and the most controversial Social Network. Everybody thought that Social Network was going to win. The story can come to a screeching pace at times, but the characters, camera angles, and writing make this an enjoyable film that I couldn't believe actually happened. A beautiful film, but not the best of the year
3/23/22 "True Grit" 2010
6/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "I thought you were gonna say that the sun was in your eyes. This is who is gonna say, your eye"
I can see what the Coen Brothers were trying to do. This is a remake of an old John Wayne movie of the same name. I haven't seen the older one but I can guess that it is pretty different from this remake. My problem with this film is that it has "Age of Ultron" disease. That's my diagnosis for a film that has the incessant need to quip at the most dramatic moments. When we first meet the villain, it's a very dramatic moment, but he has the need to tell a Groucho Marx-styled joke. I loved the ending of this movie because they actually took themselves seriously and didn't crack jokes throughout. You can kind of tell that this is an old movie that got a Coen Brothers glow-up. The Coen Brothers' style worked better in other movies. "The Man Who Wasn't There" had jokes, but it was serious as well. Heck, "No Country For Old Men" barely had any jokes and it still feels like a Coen Brother movie. Not their best, but not the worst western out there.
6/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "I thought you were gonna say that the sun was in your eyes. This is who is gonna say, your eye"
I can see what the Coen Brothers were trying to do. This is a remake of an old John Wayne movie of the same name. I haven't seen the older one but I can guess that it is pretty different from this remake. My problem with this film is that it has "Age of Ultron" disease. That's my diagnosis for a film that has the incessant need to quip at the most dramatic moments. When we first meet the villain, it's a very dramatic moment, but he has the need to tell a Groucho Marx-styled joke. I loved the ending of this movie because they actually took themselves seriously and didn't crack jokes throughout. You can kind of tell that this is an old movie that got a Coen Brothers glow-up. The Coen Brothers' style worked better in other movies. "The Man Who Wasn't There" had jokes, but it was serious as well. Heck, "No Country For Old Men" barely had any jokes and it still feels like a Coen Brother movie. Not their best, but not the worst western out there.
6/23/22 "A Seperation" 2011
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "I know he's my father!"
This was a pretty interesting movie. It's an Iranian drama that won the best foreign film of 2011. This is also ranked on the letterbox top 250 at number 122. I feel like this definitely has a lot of depth and great acting moments but I feel like it goes all over the place. There are 4 plots going on at once and it feels like it's hard to follow all of the plots. The plots seem like they all can be their own movies. I love how this movie focuses on morality and the question of what's right. This is an interesting film that I'm glad that I checked out
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "I know he's my father!"
This was a pretty interesting movie. It's an Iranian drama that won the best foreign film of 2011. This is also ranked on the letterbox top 250 at number 122. I feel like this definitely has a lot of depth and great acting moments but I feel like it goes all over the place. There are 4 plots going on at once and it feels like it's hard to follow all of the plots. The plots seem like they all can be their own movies. I love how this movie focuses on morality and the question of what's right. This is an interesting film that I'm glad that I checked out
11/7/24 "Suicide Room" 2011
2/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "They know nothing." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
This is such a shallow movie that thinks it's better than it is. This is like the writers stepping into a hot topic once and writing this film in an hour. They want this film to be the edgiest film out there, but there's no substance behind it, so that leaves it being edgy to be edgy. We follow a high school, emo boy who kissed a guy at a party to try it and sort of liked it. After, he had an embarrassing moment with the guy who didn't feel the same. This becomes a viral moment online and people make fun of the kid. So to avoid people making fun of him online, he locks himself in his room and goes... online? He spends ten days locked in his room falling in love with a girl on a video game. For the record, this video game makes absolutely no sense and wouldn't work at all as a video game. This movie shows suicide and mental health at its most basic, lacking any reality. There's a scene where the girl has the guy bring a gun to school (which is insane for the record), but he doesn't use it at all. I obviously didn't want him to use said gun, but like... why was that there besides for edginess sake? This film aged like milk, and luckily the depictions of these serious issues were treated seriously and not like your 13-year-old cousin who likes Radiohead's Wattpad page.
2/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "They know nothing." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
This is such a shallow movie that thinks it's better than it is. This is like the writers stepping into a hot topic once and writing this film in an hour. They want this film to be the edgiest film out there, but there's no substance behind it, so that leaves it being edgy to be edgy. We follow a high school, emo boy who kissed a guy at a party to try it and sort of liked it. After, he had an embarrassing moment with the guy who didn't feel the same. This becomes a viral moment online and people make fun of the kid. So to avoid people making fun of him online, he locks himself in his room and goes... online? He spends ten days locked in his room falling in love with a girl on a video game. For the record, this video game makes absolutely no sense and wouldn't work at all as a video game. This movie shows suicide and mental health at its most basic, lacking any reality. There's a scene where the girl has the guy bring a gun to school (which is insane for the record), but he doesn't use it at all. I obviously didn't want him to use said gun, but like... why was that there besides for edginess sake? This film aged like milk, and luckily the depictions of these serious issues were treated seriously and not like your 13-year-old cousin who likes Radiohead's Wattpad page.
8/2/22 "Midnight In Paris" 2011
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "We all fear death and question our place in the universe. The artist's job is not to succumb to despair, but to find an antidote for the emptiness of existence."
Can we skip the Woody Allen rant for this review, I'm pretty sure most of you guys know that Woody Allen is an awful guy but he makes good movies. This movie was really good! It's all about a writer who loves nostalgia and living in a time he wasn't in going to Paris and finding that there's a car that shows up every night at midnight to take him to Paris in the 1920s. He uses this opportunity to speak with the best writers and artists of the time to try to help him with his book. I love all the little references to the time period like Owen Wilson's character trying to pitch "The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie" to the director Bunuel and he just doesn't get it because he's not at that point in his life yet. I love what this movie has to say about nostalgia and living in the past. It really makes it a deep film. Owen Wilson is really great in this movie, although he does fall into the "Woody Allen Archetype" of characters Woody Allen would've played if he wasn't so old. It's a little weird watching it because these lines seem like they were written for Woody Allen specifically with the same style of overthinking and being a little neurotic. Overall this was a great movie with great performances
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "We all fear death and question our place in the universe. The artist's job is not to succumb to despair, but to find an antidote for the emptiness of existence."
Can we skip the Woody Allen rant for this review, I'm pretty sure most of you guys know that Woody Allen is an awful guy but he makes good movies. This movie was really good! It's all about a writer who loves nostalgia and living in a time he wasn't in going to Paris and finding that there's a car that shows up every night at midnight to take him to Paris in the 1920s. He uses this opportunity to speak with the best writers and artists of the time to try to help him with his book. I love all the little references to the time period like Owen Wilson's character trying to pitch "The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie" to the director Bunuel and he just doesn't get it because he's not at that point in his life yet. I love what this movie has to say about nostalgia and living in the past. It really makes it a deep film. Owen Wilson is really great in this movie, although he does fall into the "Woody Allen Archetype" of characters Woody Allen would've played if he wasn't so old. It's a little weird watching it because these lines seem like they were written for Woody Allen specifically with the same style of overthinking and being a little neurotic. Overall this was a great movie with great performances
7/21/22 "The Artist" 2011
7/10 Stars, Favorite Scene: The Ending
Many would call this movie "Oscar Bait", which it is. The problem with this statement is the negative connotation of the term. There's such a thing as a good Oscar bait movie, like this one. The whole thing with this movie is telling the story of a silent actor adapting to film (ala Singin' in the Rain and Sunset Blvd) the main thing though is this film is a silent film, which really heightens the storytelling. It must've been so difficult to tell this much of a story through this type of presentation. Something I love about this movie is how sparingly they use the text screen. They barely use it, instead, they tell it through pantomime making the story a lot more entertaining. The lead actor won an Oscar for this role, but I feel like the Oscar should've gone to the dog. That dog was so good in the movie, he was actually showing genuine human emotions during some scenes which were crazy. Overall this was a very charming film with an extremely satisfying ending
7/10 Stars, Favorite Scene: The Ending
Many would call this movie "Oscar Bait", which it is. The problem with this statement is the negative connotation of the term. There's such a thing as a good Oscar bait movie, like this one. The whole thing with this movie is telling the story of a silent actor adapting to film (ala Singin' in the Rain and Sunset Blvd) the main thing though is this film is a silent film, which really heightens the storytelling. It must've been so difficult to tell this much of a story through this type of presentation. Something I love about this movie is how sparingly they use the text screen. They barely use it, instead, they tell it through pantomime making the story a lot more entertaining. The lead actor won an Oscar for this role, but I feel like the Oscar should've gone to the dog. That dog was so good in the movie, he was actually showing genuine human emotions during some scenes which were crazy. Overall this was a very charming film with an extremely satisfying ending
7/23/24 "The Tree Of Life" 2011
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Help each other. Love everyone. Every leaf. Every ray of light. Forgive." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
I'm going to be honest, I feel like I didn't 100% get this film, but from what I saw it was pretty good! It's a very experimental film that follows a man trying to deal with the difficult emotions brought on by his childhood. This film examines personal-level problems as well as existential problems. This is my favorite Terrence Malick film, but it falls in his similar pitfalls of lacking a story for interesting shots. There are some amazing shots in play, but the story isn't as great. It's better of his filmography and definitely works in this film, but alone it's not too interesting. It's a great showcase of cinematography and experiments in story structure, but it's not a movie I can see myself revisiting.
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Help each other. Love everyone. Every leaf. Every ray of light. Forgive." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
I'm going to be honest, I feel like I didn't 100% get this film, but from what I saw it was pretty good! It's a very experimental film that follows a man trying to deal with the difficult emotions brought on by his childhood. This film examines personal-level problems as well as existential problems. This is my favorite Terrence Malick film, but it falls in his similar pitfalls of lacking a story for interesting shots. There are some amazing shots in play, but the story isn't as great. It's better of his filmography and definitely works in this film, but alone it's not too interesting. It's a great showcase of cinematography and experiments in story structure, but it's not a movie I can see myself revisiting.
2/16/23 "Intouchables" 2011
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "My true disability is not having to be in a wheelchair. It's having to be without her." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
It's crazy how wrong "The Upside" got this film. I first saw "The Upside" and thought it was a desperate attempt to win an Oscar. The film felt so hollow and flat that I honestly forgot about most of the details, years later I found out that it was a remake of this film and I was so intrigued to see it. I understand the hype completely. The chemistry between Omar Sy and Francois Cluzet needs to be studied in a class it's so great. They both feel very organic and realistic in their portrayals. "The Upside" treated Bryan Cranson and Kevin Hart like over-the-top caricatures of the characters whereas Francois Cluzet and Omar Sy feel like real people. The dialogue is also very witty and leads to the characters having great moments together. If you're going to see "The Upside" just watch this film instead.
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "My true disability is not having to be in a wheelchair. It's having to be without her." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
It's crazy how wrong "The Upside" got this film. I first saw "The Upside" and thought it was a desperate attempt to win an Oscar. The film felt so hollow and flat that I honestly forgot about most of the details, years later I found out that it was a remake of this film and I was so intrigued to see it. I understand the hype completely. The chemistry between Omar Sy and Francois Cluzet needs to be studied in a class it's so great. They both feel very organic and realistic in their portrayals. "The Upside" treated Bryan Cranson and Kevin Hart like over-the-top caricatures of the characters whereas Francois Cluzet and Omar Sy feel like real people. The dialogue is also very witty and leads to the characters having great moments together. If you're going to see "The Upside" just watch this film instead.
6/19/24 "The Ides Of March" 2011
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "If you want to be president, you can start a war, you can lie, you can cheat, you can bankrupt the country, but you can't sleep with the interns. They'll get you for that." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
I feel like there's a reason why George Clooney isn't listed as an important director. Most of his films feel like self-inserts. It's a shame because this is a pretty good film, it just isn't necessarily memorable. It's about an ambitious press manager (Ryan Gosling) trying to fight for what he believes in against Mike Morris (George Clooney), his boss who's trying to win the presidency. As a whole, the film has great satirical moments, but I can see why not a lot of people talk about it.
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "If you want to be president, you can start a war, you can lie, you can cheat, you can bankrupt the country, but you can't sleep with the interns. They'll get you for that." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
I feel like there's a reason why George Clooney isn't listed as an important director. Most of his films feel like self-inserts. It's a shame because this is a pretty good film, it just isn't necessarily memorable. It's about an ambitious press manager (Ryan Gosling) trying to fight for what he believes in against Mike Morris (George Clooney), his boss who's trying to win the presidency. As a whole, the film has great satirical moments, but I can see why not a lot of people talk about it.
8/21/24 "My Week With Marilyn" 2011
5/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Little girls should be told how pretty they are. They should grow up knowing how much their mother loves them." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
It's odd in the film about Marilyn we focus on another character. The original book for this film came from the first accounts of Colin Clark, an assistant director for the Laurence Olivier film "The Prince and the Showgirl". This leaves Marilyn feeling sort of flat because the portrayal of Marilyn sort of stays in the stereotype that we know. We aren't challenged by this Marilyn, rather our preconceived notions are confirmed. It's a shame because Michelle Williams does a tremendous job playing the character playing her. If there were to be a film on the production of one of Marilyn's movies, I would've personally gone with Some Like It Hot vs. The Prince and the Show Girl.
5/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Little girls should be told how pretty they are. They should grow up knowing how much their mother loves them." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
It's odd in the film about Marilyn we focus on another character. The original book for this film came from the first accounts of Colin Clark, an assistant director for the Laurence Olivier film "The Prince and the Showgirl". This leaves Marilyn feeling sort of flat because the portrayal of Marilyn sort of stays in the stereotype that we know. We aren't challenged by this Marilyn, rather our preconceived notions are confirmed. It's a shame because Michelle Williams does a tremendous job playing the character playing her. If there were to be a film on the production of one of Marilyn's movies, I would've personally gone with Some Like It Hot vs. The Prince and the Show Girl.
3/30/22 "Moonrise Kingdom" 2012
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "Jiminy Cricket, he flew the coop!"
Wes Anderson, my beloved. I love Wes Anderson so much. This story is so simple but shot so beautifully which can really be said about any Wes Anderson movie. A very underrated element of Wes Anderson is his writing style. It's extremely dry yet fits so well. This has a few Wes Anderson all-stars (Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Jason Schwartzman, Tilda Swinton, and Bob Balaban) This movie is just very wholesome and a lot of fun to watch. It's all about two kids running away from home as everyone is out trying to find them. It's so simple but done very well.
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "Jiminy Cricket, he flew the coop!"
Wes Anderson, my beloved. I love Wes Anderson so much. This story is so simple but shot so beautifully which can really be said about any Wes Anderson movie. A very underrated element of Wes Anderson is his writing style. It's extremely dry yet fits so well. This has a few Wes Anderson all-stars (Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Jason Schwartzman, Tilda Swinton, and Bob Balaban) This movie is just very wholesome and a lot of fun to watch. It's all about two kids running away from home as everyone is out trying to find them. It's so simple but done very well.
9/2/22 "Argo" 2012
9/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "If he could act he wouldn't be a minotaur"
Another Oscar-winning movie, this one won the 2012 best picture. This was directed, produced, and led by Ben Affleck. This movie’s about Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck), a CIA agent, who starts an operation to rescue six Americans in Tehran during the U.S. hostage crisis in Iran by pretending to be a Hollywood producer scouting a location for a science fiction film that doesn’t exist. The effort put into the fake movie is great with a lot of effort put into the fake costumes, storyboards, and fake plot. I like the opening being shot like storyboards for a movie. The transition between the storyboard and real life was really effective, maybe symbolizing how the lines between reality and fiction get blurred. This movie has a lot of great suspenseful scenes, like the Bazaar, the picture, and the airport scene. This movie has a Hitchcockian heartbeat to it where it started off slow but it’s all worth it for the incredible climax. Whenever an actor speaks in Farsi there are no subtitles, meaning that we never know what they’ll do next. The way how they portray both countries feels really honest and not sugarcoated at all. The actors all do great jobs with their characters, special shoutout to Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman, and Alan Arkin for all being great. I also like how this movie is written. They do have some quips but it makes sense for the characters and is at appropriate times. This movie also has some great editing moments (like the montage between the American news, the Iranian news, and the script reading). This movie also has a great soundtrack, both song-wise and score-wise, they always complement the scene and enhance the movie. Although I feel Django and Life of Pi deserved the Oscar a little more, this is a great pick as well that should go down as a great Best Picture win.
9/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "If he could act he wouldn't be a minotaur"
Another Oscar-winning movie, this one won the 2012 best picture. This was directed, produced, and led by Ben Affleck. This movie’s about Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck), a CIA agent, who starts an operation to rescue six Americans in Tehran during the U.S. hostage crisis in Iran by pretending to be a Hollywood producer scouting a location for a science fiction film that doesn’t exist. The effort put into the fake movie is great with a lot of effort put into the fake costumes, storyboards, and fake plot. I like the opening being shot like storyboards for a movie. The transition between the storyboard and real life was really effective, maybe symbolizing how the lines between reality and fiction get blurred. This movie has a lot of great suspenseful scenes, like the Bazaar, the picture, and the airport scene. This movie has a Hitchcockian heartbeat to it where it started off slow but it’s all worth it for the incredible climax. Whenever an actor speaks in Farsi there are no subtitles, meaning that we never know what they’ll do next. The way how they portray both countries feels really honest and not sugarcoated at all. The actors all do great jobs with their characters, special shoutout to Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman, and Alan Arkin for all being great. I also like how this movie is written. They do have some quips but it makes sense for the characters and is at appropriate times. This movie also has some great editing moments (like the montage between the American news, the Iranian news, and the script reading). This movie also has a great soundtrack, both song-wise and score-wise, they always complement the scene and enhance the movie. Although I feel Django and Life of Pi deserved the Oscar a little more, this is a great pick as well that should go down as a great Best Picture win.
8/22/24 "The Master" 2012
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "When we're in love we experience pleasure, and extreme pain" Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
This Paul Thomas Anderson film might be his most underrated work. It's his commentary on the state of Scientology and how it preys on lonely and confused people. We follow a post-world War 2 soldier (Joaquin Phoenix) feeling lost after the war, but this changes when he accidentally stumbles on a boat where he meets Lancaster Dodd (Phillip Seymour Hoffman), a leader for a new religion called The Cause which'll answer all of his problems. It's really well-written, having a sort of slow burn to it. Phillip Seymour Hoffman does a great job selling his character, it's a hard road to walk to play a horrible character that's still somehow likable.
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "When we're in love we experience pleasure, and extreme pain" Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
This Paul Thomas Anderson film might be his most underrated work. It's his commentary on the state of Scientology and how it preys on lonely and confused people. We follow a post-world War 2 soldier (Joaquin Phoenix) feeling lost after the war, but this changes when he accidentally stumbles on a boat where he meets Lancaster Dodd (Phillip Seymour Hoffman), a leader for a new religion called The Cause which'll answer all of his problems. It's really well-written, having a sort of slow burn to it. Phillip Seymour Hoffman does a great job selling his character, it's a hard road to walk to play a horrible character that's still somehow likable.
9/11/23 "The Perks Of Being a Wallflower" 2012
10/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "We accept the love we think we deserve." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
This just might be the most realistic high school movie. The screenplay is insanely well written, which could be attributed to the writer of the original book also writing the screenplay. He also directed the film, which he does an incredible job at too. The story is about Charlie (Logan Lermsn) a shy freshman who has a rough time fitting in since it's his first day at school, and he's just been discharged from a mental health care institution because he has clinical depression. On his first week there, he meets Patrick (Ezra Miller). a senior who's a fellow outcast and Patrick introduces him to his step-sister Sam (Emma Watson) and they help him fit in. The film has a bitter-sweet tone to it throughout since you know from the start that they're going to leave him since he's a freshman and they are seniors. The main three do a great job, even Ezra Miller (which is so angering that he's such a bad person but such a good actor in this film). What I love is how true to high school all of their performances are, they all seem like things that I would've seen in high school. A truly incredible film.
10/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "We accept the love we think we deserve." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
This just might be the most realistic high school movie. The screenplay is insanely well written, which could be attributed to the writer of the original book also writing the screenplay. He also directed the film, which he does an incredible job at too. The story is about Charlie (Logan Lermsn) a shy freshman who has a rough time fitting in since it's his first day at school, and he's just been discharged from a mental health care institution because he has clinical depression. On his first week there, he meets Patrick (Ezra Miller). a senior who's a fellow outcast and Patrick introduces him to his step-sister Sam (Emma Watson) and they help him fit in. The film has a bitter-sweet tone to it throughout since you know from the start that they're going to leave him since he's a freshman and they are seniors. The main three do a great job, even Ezra Miller (which is so angering that he's such a bad person but such a good actor in this film). What I love is how true to high school all of their performances are, they all seem like things that I would've seen in high school. A truly incredible film.
2/23/24 "Inside Llewyn Davis" 2013
6/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "If it was never new, and it never gets old, then it's a folk song." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes!
I had really high hopes for this film, but it just was lacking. We follow Llewyn Davis, a folk singer in 1961 trying to make his big break. It doesn't have much of a plot, rather it focuses on the character of Llewyn Davis. He must be a pretty interesting character to fill the entire film right? Not really. There are some interesting ideas, but there aren't enough reasons to care about Llewyn. The cinematography's really great, having great tracking shots and close-ups, but the screenplay is kind of all over the place. Is it dramatic? Sort of. There are some interesting moments, but other than those are few and far between. Is it funny? Not necessarily. There are some funny moments (and there's a really fun cameo at the end). The actors do a great job and the soundtrack is great, but the soundtrack feels like a retread of "Oh Brother Where Art Thou". A weaker Coen Brothers effort, but still a solid entry to a great filmography
6/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "If it was never new, and it never gets old, then it's a folk song." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes!
I had really high hopes for this film, but it just was lacking. We follow Llewyn Davis, a folk singer in 1961 trying to make his big break. It doesn't have much of a plot, rather it focuses on the character of Llewyn Davis. He must be a pretty interesting character to fill the entire film right? Not really. There are some interesting ideas, but there aren't enough reasons to care about Llewyn. The cinematography's really great, having great tracking shots and close-ups, but the screenplay is kind of all over the place. Is it dramatic? Sort of. There are some interesting moments, but other than those are few and far between. Is it funny? Not necessarily. There are some funny moments (and there's a really fun cameo at the end). The actors do a great job and the soundtrack is great, but the soundtrack feels like a retread of "Oh Brother Where Art Thou". A weaker Coen Brothers effort, but still a solid entry to a great filmography
12/23/22 "The Hangover Part 3" 2013
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "Mother! Oreo smoothie, now!"
This is an unpopular opinion, but this was way better than the second one. Although many people don't like that they went away from the usual "We forgot what happened last night" plot, I feel like it was time to let that go. The second one did the same thing as the first one, and I feel like it just felt like the same thing as the first one. This film has a strangely good amount of world-building. This feels more like a sequel to the original than a remake. The jokes were really solid and it bookended the whole trilogy really well. To see the growth of these characters is something that I wasn't expecting since this was so hated by people. If you're a fan of the first movie, check this one out, but you can probably skip the second one which barely gets mentioned in this one. This feels more like the Hangover Part 2 than the actual one does
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "Mother! Oreo smoothie, now!"
This is an unpopular opinion, but this was way better than the second one. Although many people don't like that they went away from the usual "We forgot what happened last night" plot, I feel like it was time to let that go. The second one did the same thing as the first one, and I feel like it just felt like the same thing as the first one. This film has a strangely good amount of world-building. This feels more like a sequel to the original than a remake. The jokes were really solid and it bookended the whole trilogy really well. To see the growth of these characters is something that I wasn't expecting since this was so hated by people. If you're a fan of the first movie, check this one out, but you can probably skip the second one which barely gets mentioned in this one. This feels more like the Hangover Part 2 than the actual one does
12/31/24 "The Great Beauty" 2013
6/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "After all... it's just a trick. Yes, it's just a trick." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
You can see the clear influence of Italian Neorealism in this movie, but it still doesn't quite amount to that great of a movie. We follow an aging writer who's spent most of his life clubbing. He soon finds that he's too old for club life and begins to take in Rome for its beauty. The film is certainly shot well and the characters are pretty interesting, but the film feels like it's missing something to make it truly special.
6/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "After all... it's just a trick. Yes, it's just a trick." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
You can see the clear influence of Italian Neorealism in this movie, but it still doesn't quite amount to that great of a movie. We follow an aging writer who's spent most of his life clubbing. He soon finds that he's too old for club life and begins to take in Rome for its beauty. The film is certainly shot well and the characters are pretty interesting, but the film feels like it's missing something to make it truly special.
5/21/24 "All Is Lost" 2013
2/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "I'm sorry. I know that means little at this point, but I am." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: yes
What was the point? That was my first thought when finishing the movie. It's essentially two hours of Robert Redford going through various shipwrecks. There's barely any dialogue, just 2 hours of struggle. It's very pretentious and wasn't worth the length at all. Robert Redford does give a good performance with what little he has. This just wasn't an enjoyable film in the slightest.
2/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "I'm sorry. I know that means little at this point, but I am." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: yes
What was the point? That was my first thought when finishing the movie. It's essentially two hours of Robert Redford going through various shipwrecks. There's barely any dialogue, just 2 hours of struggle. It's very pretentious and wasn't worth the length at all. Robert Redford does give a good performance with what little he has. This just wasn't an enjoyable film in the slightest.
12/30/25 "Nebraska" 2013
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "He just believes what people tell him." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
I love how chill this movie is. It can be a little slow, but it's worth it for the clever writing. We follow an old father (Bruce Dern) who goes with his son (Will Forte) to Nebraska to claim a million-dollar prize. The film is directed by Alexander Payne, which makes sense because it has that Holdovers vibe. Can I just say, Will Forte needs to do more dramatic movies; he's really quite a good actor. I can see how this could get nominated for a ton of awards, but also how it lost out.
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "He just believes what people tell him." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
I love how chill this movie is. It can be a little slow, but it's worth it for the clever writing. We follow an old father (Bruce Dern) who goes with his son (Will Forte) to Nebraska to claim a million-dollar prize. The film is directed by Alexander Payne, which makes sense because it has that Holdovers vibe. Can I just say, Will Forte needs to do more dramatic movies; he's really quite a good actor. I can see how this could get nominated for a ton of awards, but also how it lost out.
5/6/22 "Only Lovers Left Alive" 2013
1/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "(*Leans In*) NOT WHAT I NEED."
Oompha this was a bad movie. Another Jarmusch Joint that didn't fair too well. He did it! He did the impossible and made Tom Hiddleston not charming. So it's about two vampires "Adam and Eve" (this adds nothing to the plot) and they are vampires. They aren't the fun vampires, they are the edgy vampires that barely use their powers because budget! I'm going to be comparing this to the other 2014 Indie Movie about vampires "What We Do In The Shadows". In What We Do In The Shadows, the first 15 minutes sets everything up perfectly and naturally. Not only do we learn about the characters but we also learn about their powers, weaknesses, and the wants they all have. This movie does none of that. They have powers... sometimes! Also this movie doesn't know what blood is to the vampires. In some scenes it's a heavy drug that sends them into ecstasy, while the other scenes blood is "Mmmm! Yummy popsicle for a little midnight snacky!". A little tid-bit is whenever Adam goes to get the blood from the hospital, he uses the worst fake names for a vampire. His fake names were "Faust" and "Caligari" who are both famous murders. Also, when he was getting the blood handed to him, there was a line that really made me mad for no reason. During one scene when Adam is stealing blood the doctor tells him "Look out Dr. Strangelove!". What? What does Dr. Strangelove have anything to do with vampires. Later on in the movie when Adam began growing a beard, sometimes when I got a quick glance at him I thought he was Morbius and that scared me. Adam has a wall of influences which make no sense. He has people like Einstein and Galileo, but he also has Buster Keaton and Buddy Hackett Another shoutout to that one scene where the writers are like "Jack White's House... Fricken Sick!", that goes on for like 6 minutes. Also, a character in the movie is straight up Christopher Marlow, the rival to Shakespeare from the day. Overall I feel like this one was trying way to hard to be edgy, like Adam asking for a wooden bullet to kill himself and then that just leads to nowhere.
1/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "(*Leans In*) NOT WHAT I NEED."
Oompha this was a bad movie. Another Jarmusch Joint that didn't fair too well. He did it! He did the impossible and made Tom Hiddleston not charming. So it's about two vampires "Adam and Eve" (this adds nothing to the plot) and they are vampires. They aren't the fun vampires, they are the edgy vampires that barely use their powers because budget! I'm going to be comparing this to the other 2014 Indie Movie about vampires "What We Do In The Shadows". In What We Do In The Shadows, the first 15 minutes sets everything up perfectly and naturally. Not only do we learn about the characters but we also learn about their powers, weaknesses, and the wants they all have. This movie does none of that. They have powers... sometimes! Also this movie doesn't know what blood is to the vampires. In some scenes it's a heavy drug that sends them into ecstasy, while the other scenes blood is "Mmmm! Yummy popsicle for a little midnight snacky!". A little tid-bit is whenever Adam goes to get the blood from the hospital, he uses the worst fake names for a vampire. His fake names were "Faust" and "Caligari" who are both famous murders. Also, when he was getting the blood handed to him, there was a line that really made me mad for no reason. During one scene when Adam is stealing blood the doctor tells him "Look out Dr. Strangelove!". What? What does Dr. Strangelove have anything to do with vampires. Later on in the movie when Adam began growing a beard, sometimes when I got a quick glance at him I thought he was Morbius and that scared me. Adam has a wall of influences which make no sense. He has people like Einstein and Galileo, but he also has Buster Keaton and Buddy Hackett Another shoutout to that one scene where the writers are like "Jack White's House... Fricken Sick!", that goes on for like 6 minutes. Also, a character in the movie is straight up Christopher Marlow, the rival to Shakespeare from the day. Overall I feel like this one was trying way to hard to be edgy, like Adam asking for a wooden bullet to kill himself and then that just leads to nowhere.
5/29/24 "Blue Jasmine" 2013
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Can you please not fight in here? I don't think I can take it. For some reason, my Xanax isn't kicking in." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
This often gets listed as one of Woody Allen's better later films, and I agree. We follow Jasmine (Cate Blanchett) moving to San Fransisco after a messy divorce with her husband (Alec Baldwin). She crashes at her sister (Sally Hawkin)'s house. Cate Blanchett does a great job of portraying Jasmine, she plays it equally comedically and dramatically. Some of the situations she gets in are equally sad as they are funny, like her babysitting two kids and getting drunk and spilling her life to these young tweens. The writing is very sharp and can lead to some really melodramatic moments. It might be as memorable as his other works, but this was a really solid film.
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Can you please not fight in here? I don't think I can take it. For some reason, my Xanax isn't kicking in." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
This often gets listed as one of Woody Allen's better later films, and I agree. We follow Jasmine (Cate Blanchett) moving to San Fransisco after a messy divorce with her husband (Alec Baldwin). She crashes at her sister (Sally Hawkin)'s house. Cate Blanchett does a great job of portraying Jasmine, she plays it equally comedically and dramatically. Some of the situations she gets in are equally sad as they are funny, like her babysitting two kids and getting drunk and spilling her life to these young tweens. The writing is very sharp and can lead to some really melodramatic moments. It might be as memorable as his other works, but this was a really solid film.
1/24/24 "Gravity" 2013
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "There is nothing to carry sound. No air pressure. No oxygen. Life in space is impossible." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
I feel like this is to space what Jaws was to sharks. The suspense of this film is such a treat. This film's about two astronauts, one on their first mission (Sandra Bullock) and one on their last mission (George Clooney), having to survive in space after being hit by debris. It realistically portrays the environment of space. It's not a glamourous landscape for us to frolic through, rather it's an incredibly dangerous place that we know frighteningly little about. The use of silence throughout this film is such a great reminder of that fact. Instead of overloading the film with loud explosions or a tense score, they bring the suspense by cutting all the audio and just leaving the audience in pure silence. The visual effects are also insanely well done. Why are the effects in this ten-year-old film better than a modern-day Marvel film? The character could've been a little more fleshed out, but they get the job done. The acting is very strong from Bullock and Clooney and they do their best with pretty bare-bones characters. As a whole, this is a pretty good film that's really close to being great if they just made the character more interesting.
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "There is nothing to carry sound. No air pressure. No oxygen. Life in space is impossible." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
I feel like this is to space what Jaws was to sharks. The suspense of this film is such a treat. This film's about two astronauts, one on their first mission (Sandra Bullock) and one on their last mission (George Clooney), having to survive in space after being hit by debris. It realistically portrays the environment of space. It's not a glamourous landscape for us to frolic through, rather it's an incredibly dangerous place that we know frighteningly little about. The use of silence throughout this film is such a great reminder of that fact. Instead of overloading the film with loud explosions or a tense score, they bring the suspense by cutting all the audio and just leaving the audience in pure silence. The visual effects are also insanely well done. Why are the effects in this ten-year-old film better than a modern-day Marvel film? The character could've been a little more fleshed out, but they get the job done. The acting is very strong from Bullock and Clooney and they do their best with pretty bare-bones characters. As a whole, this is a pretty good film that's really close to being great if they just made the character more interesting.
6/29/24 "Under The Skin" 2013
5/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Do you want to look at me?" Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
I can see what this film was trying to do, but it didn't really do it too well. It's about an alien (Scarlett Johansson) who dresses up as a woman and lures men into her van to send them to another dimension to eat them. I can see how this film satirizes how men treat women, but this just felt vapid. I feel like this is a weaker "Promising Young Woman"
5/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Do you want to look at me?" Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
I can see what this film was trying to do, but it didn't really do it too well. It's about an alien (Scarlett Johansson) who dresses up as a woman and lures men into her van to send them to another dimension to eat them. I can see how this film satirizes how men treat women, but this just felt vapid. I feel like this is a weaker "Promising Young Woman"
1/29/23 "12 Years a Slave" 2013
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "I don't want to survive, I want to live", Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: no
This was a really powerful film that didn't hold anything back when it came to the brutality of slavery. It was about an African American gentleman being taken from the North and shoved in the South and spending 12 years as a slave. This movie is brutal, but it absolutely needs to be. We need to see how horrible slaves were treated because it's a part of American history we can't erase. These things DID happen and they were horrible. The performances were stellar, not a bad one in the bunch. One gripe with the film was how it ended with Brad Pitt sort of saving the day. He appears for a total of 5 minutes but ends up saving the day by delivering the letter needed to send Northrup home. Also, I feel like the shots were just fine. I feel like good cinematography stands out and uses creative shots to tell its story, this doesn't have that. Overall, this is a really good best picture win
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "I don't want to survive, I want to live", Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: no
This was a really powerful film that didn't hold anything back when it came to the brutality of slavery. It was about an African American gentleman being taken from the North and shoved in the South and spending 12 years as a slave. This movie is brutal, but it absolutely needs to be. We need to see how horrible slaves were treated because it's a part of American history we can't erase. These things DID happen and they were horrible. The performances were stellar, not a bad one in the bunch. One gripe with the film was how it ended with Brad Pitt sort of saving the day. He appears for a total of 5 minutes but ends up saving the day by delivering the letter needed to send Northrup home. Also, I feel like the shots were just fine. I feel like good cinematography stands out and uses creative shots to tell its story, this doesn't have that. Overall, this is a really good best picture win
6/3/24 "The Double" 2013
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "I'm like Pinocchio, a wooden boy. Not a real boy. And it kills me." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
I didn't know that Richard Ayoade was a director, but he did a great job in this film. It follows a nervous man named Simon (Jesse Eisenberg) who's a relatively small worker at his job, this all changes when one day a new employee is hired named James (Jesse Eisenberg) who looks exactly like Simon, but only Simon really notices this. Simon starts to get really jealous of James when he starts getting everything Simon ever wanted. It reminds me a lot of Brazil and Terry Gilliam's filmography because it's such an absurd premise that leads to a very interesting film.
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "I'm like Pinocchio, a wooden boy. Not a real boy. And it kills me." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
I didn't know that Richard Ayoade was a director, but he did a great job in this film. It follows a nervous man named Simon (Jesse Eisenberg) who's a relatively small worker at his job, this all changes when one day a new employee is hired named James (Jesse Eisenberg) who looks exactly like Simon, but only Simon really notices this. Simon starts to get really jealous of James when he starts getting everything Simon ever wanted. It reminds me a lot of Brazil and Terry Gilliam's filmography because it's such an absurd premise that leads to a very interesting film.
1/23/22 "Escape From Tomorrow" 2013
1/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "Taking pictures by the castle? [Uncomfortably long pause] let's do this!"
Wow. This was one of the worst movies I've ever seen. This "Horror Movie" was all shot at Disneyland/Disney world, which I'm surprised they didn't take legal action. It's funny, because they didn't have the rights to play any of the Disney songs, so they had cheap knock-offs. It's not good watching as a Disney fan, since they shot at both parks. It takes place in Disney world... but Mr. Toad's is in the background. Also theres a shot where the nemo ride is right next to toon town, which is just wrong. Nothing is explained in this movie, they have 5 horror trope stories going on at the same time and yet they don't follow through with any of it. Their idea of "horror" is people's faces turning mad, like on small world. Clearly they understand Chekov's Gun, a little too well because they set everything up in such an obvious and stupid way. Also, not a single character is likeable, all of them are sociopaths. The dad is a drunk pedophile who simps over 13 year old women, the mom's over controlling and mean, and the son just didn't get that thing called feelings. This whole movie feels like a film student who tries to be the next Hitchcock. Awful... but HILAROUS to watch with friends. My gut hurts from laughing at how awful the movie was.
1/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "Taking pictures by the castle? [Uncomfortably long pause] let's do this!"
Wow. This was one of the worst movies I've ever seen. This "Horror Movie" was all shot at Disneyland/Disney world, which I'm surprised they didn't take legal action. It's funny, because they didn't have the rights to play any of the Disney songs, so they had cheap knock-offs. It's not good watching as a Disney fan, since they shot at both parks. It takes place in Disney world... but Mr. Toad's is in the background. Also theres a shot where the nemo ride is right next to toon town, which is just wrong. Nothing is explained in this movie, they have 5 horror trope stories going on at the same time and yet they don't follow through with any of it. Their idea of "horror" is people's faces turning mad, like on small world. Clearly they understand Chekov's Gun, a little too well because they set everything up in such an obvious and stupid way. Also, not a single character is likeable, all of them are sociopaths. The dad is a drunk pedophile who simps over 13 year old women, the mom's over controlling and mean, and the son just didn't get that thing called feelings. This whole movie feels like a film student who tries to be the next Hitchcock. Awful... but HILAROUS to watch with friends. My gut hurts from laughing at how awful the movie was.
11/18/24 "Her" 2013
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Sometimes I think I have felt everything I'm ever gonna feel. And from here on out, I'm not gonna feel anything new. Just lesser versions of what I've already felt." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
I'm glad I finally watched this because I've been meaning to for a while. This is one of those movies with such a lonely tone to it. We follow Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix), a recently divorced man, who starts falling in love with an A.I. operating system named Samantha (Scarlett Johansson). It's sad for both people because you really start to feel for Samantha as she tries to grapple with her insecurities about not being human. This was a really good story that I completely get the hype behind.
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Sometimes I think I have felt everything I'm ever gonna feel. And from here on out, I'm not gonna feel anything new. Just lesser versions of what I've already felt." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
I'm glad I finally watched this because I've been meaning to for a while. This is one of those movies with such a lonely tone to it. We follow Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix), a recently divorced man, who starts falling in love with an A.I. operating system named Samantha (Scarlett Johansson). It's sad for both people because you really start to feel for Samantha as she tries to grapple with her insecurities about not being human. This was a really good story that I completely get the hype behind.
8/11/22 "American Hustle" 2013
6/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "Don't repeat that... but yes"
I feel like I've seen this movie many times before. This doesn't seem too original to me, it just seems like Hollywood was trying to revive two dying genres (the gangster movie and the con movie) so they mixed the two together. I feel like as a whole this movie took a lot from Goodfellas. With the multiple points of narration, the story layout, and the flashbacks, I can easily see the influence. The actors were all great, but I just feel like I was never invested in this.
6/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "Don't repeat that... but yes"
I feel like I've seen this movie many times before. This doesn't seem too original to me, it just seems like Hollywood was trying to revive two dying genres (the gangster movie and the con movie) so they mixed the two together. I feel like as a whole this movie took a lot from Goodfellas. With the multiple points of narration, the story layout, and the flashbacks, I can easily see the influence. The actors were all great, but I just feel like I was never invested in this.
1/2/22 "What we do in the shadows" 2014
9/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "We're Werewolves, not Swearwolves"
This movie is HILARIOUS. It's a mockumentary about three vampires trying to live in New Zealand. They make the subject of Vampires seem so real and mundane, which is why the humor is so great in this movie. It honestly feels like Monty Python levels of absurdist humor with a cast that can deliver lines as dry as Leslie Nielson. Easily one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. Its nonstop fun
9/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "We're Werewolves, not Swearwolves"
This movie is HILARIOUS. It's a mockumentary about three vampires trying to live in New Zealand. They make the subject of Vampires seem so real and mundane, which is why the humor is so great in this movie. It honestly feels like Monty Python levels of absurdist humor with a cast that can deliver lines as dry as Leslie Nielson. Easily one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. Its nonstop fun
3/6/25 "A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night" 2014
6/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Favorite Quote: "If there was a storm coming right now, a big storm, from behind those mountains, would it matter? Would it change anything?" Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
I had no idea what to expect with this film, but it was pretty interesting! We follow an Iranian town of Bad-city, where among the townsfolk lives a vampire. This vampire has the appearance of a young woman, and uses that to get back at men who disrespect women. It's a really well shot film with some interesting sequences, but I just thought the film didn't really live up to it's concept.
6/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Favorite Quote: "If there was a storm coming right now, a big storm, from behind those mountains, would it matter? Would it change anything?" Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
I had no idea what to expect with this film, but it was pretty interesting! We follow an Iranian town of Bad-city, where among the townsfolk lives a vampire. This vampire has the appearance of a young woman, and uses that to get back at men who disrespect women. It's a really well shot film with some interesting sequences, but I just thought the film didn't really live up to it's concept.
6/23/22 "The Grand Budapest Hotel" 2014
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "Where's Madame D?" "She's dead??? We're at her funeral right now discussing her will"
This feels like the quintessential Wes Anderson film. It's funny, it's dramatic, and it's beautiful to look at. It really is hypnotic looking at the screen because of its wonderful color palette, balanced compositions, and smooth camera movements. This film also has an incredible cast with the usual suspects of Wes Anderson movies which I'm all for with the welcomed addition of F. Murray Abraham (my beloved). I feel like this film has a great story that really fits Wes Anderson's style. I really liked this one.
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "Where's Madame D?" "She's dead??? We're at her funeral right now discussing her will"
This feels like the quintessential Wes Anderson film. It's funny, it's dramatic, and it's beautiful to look at. It really is hypnotic looking at the screen because of its wonderful color palette, balanced compositions, and smooth camera movements. This film also has an incredible cast with the usual suspects of Wes Anderson movies which I'm all for with the welcomed addition of F. Murray Abraham (my beloved). I feel like this film has a great story that really fits Wes Anderson's style. I really liked this one.
5/14/22 "Neighbors" 2014
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "I hate Mondays!!!... I love LASAGNA!!!"
I was expecting a more by-the-numbers Seth Rogen movie, but this strangely had a lot of heart to it. I love the relationship the couple had in this movie, it felt very realistic and they had a lot of great dialogue. I also enjoyed Zac Efron's performance, you can tell that he's really a nice guy in this movie with how he cares about the frat. This movie has great pacing with some great jokes, some of them lean too hard on shock humor, but that was expected. A good comedy
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "I hate Mondays!!!... I love LASAGNA!!!"
I was expecting a more by-the-numbers Seth Rogen movie, but this strangely had a lot of heart to it. I love the relationship the couple had in this movie, it felt very realistic and they had a lot of great dialogue. I also enjoyed Zac Efron's performance, you can tell that he's really a nice guy in this movie with how he cares about the frat. This movie has great pacing with some great jokes, some of them lean too hard on shock humor, but that was expected. A good comedy
8/04/23 "Interstellar" 2014
10/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "Once you're a parent, you're the ghost of your children's future." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes!
What can I even say about this film that hasn't already been said? I've always wanted to see this film and it did not disappoint. I was going to pick this movie up at my local library about a year ago, but my brother said it was a mid-film (he thought it was gravity, so whoops!). This is one of the saddest films I've seen. Matthew McConaughey gives one of the best performances ever. Seriously, I always just thought of him as the silly "alright, alright, alright" guy, but wow does he give it his all in this film! Pair this with impeccable writing and directing by Christopher Nolan and you got yourself quite a film. I can see why so many people list this as the best Christopher Nolan film because it just is. A must watch
10/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "Once you're a parent, you're the ghost of your children's future." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes!
What can I even say about this film that hasn't already been said? I've always wanted to see this film and it did not disappoint. I was going to pick this movie up at my local library about a year ago, but my brother said it was a mid-film (he thought it was gravity, so whoops!). This is one of the saddest films I've seen. Matthew McConaughey gives one of the best performances ever. Seriously, I always just thought of him as the silly "alright, alright, alright" guy, but wow does he give it his all in this film! Pair this with impeccable writing and directing by Christopher Nolan and you got yourself quite a film. I can see why so many people list this as the best Christopher Nolan film because it just is. A must watch
8/21/22 "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" 2014
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "WHAAAAAT???"
This is easily the most over-hated superhero movie of all time. I feel like this has its flaws, but it's still a good movie. The biggest problem with this film is the villains. As Hitchcock says "The more successful the villain, the more successful the picture." Jamie Foxx did a good job of what he's given, but I feel like he doesn't have enough screen time to execute it. Also, his design is a complete eyesore. Why is he blue? He could've been colored green or yellow but they chose blue? The Green Goblin was the worst actor in this movie and we spend all the time trying to speed-run the Harry arc with him. The problem is the Harry arc is a long story that needs a lot of setups, like how the Raimi films do it justice. The Rhino exists... just that... he exists. Everyone else is great though, especially Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone. This has such a great ending (which has been spoiled to me since the film was released). Overall, not the best Spider-man movie but not the worst.
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "WHAAAAAT???"
This is easily the most over-hated superhero movie of all time. I feel like this has its flaws, but it's still a good movie. The biggest problem with this film is the villains. As Hitchcock says "The more successful the villain, the more successful the picture." Jamie Foxx did a good job of what he's given, but I feel like he doesn't have enough screen time to execute it. Also, his design is a complete eyesore. Why is he blue? He could've been colored green or yellow but they chose blue? The Green Goblin was the worst actor in this movie and we spend all the time trying to speed-run the Harry arc with him. The problem is the Harry arc is a long story that needs a lot of setups, like how the Raimi films do it justice. The Rhino exists... just that... he exists. Everyone else is great though, especially Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone. This has such a great ending (which has been spoiled to me since the film was released). Overall, not the best Spider-man movie but not the worst.
5/20/22 "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)" 2014
9/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "People, they love blood. They love action. Not this talky, depressing, philosophical stuff"
This movie had no idea what was coming up in the cinema landscape. It's all about a faded superhero star who's trying to put on a play to prove to the world that he's a good actor. It's ironic how this story is all about faded superheroes and we have some serious superhero alumni here. This must've been very personal for Michael Keaton since he was Batman in the '90s. He does an amazing job in this film and really brings such a complex depth to this character. Emma Stone does a great job too. It's funny because her hair was still dyed blonde from playing Gwen Stacy in The Amazing Spider-man 2. Edward Norton, everyone's 4th favorite Hulk, is in this and does spectacularly. This whole film feels like it's shot in one continuous take which really adds a lot to the film. I would love it if it was cut normally, but this adds a whole new level of expertise to this film. This is one of the only Oscar-winning movies to have comedy (in some form, it's a dramedy) and it definitely earns its place in the Oscar pantheon
9/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "People, they love blood. They love action. Not this talky, depressing, philosophical stuff"
This movie had no idea what was coming up in the cinema landscape. It's all about a faded superhero star who's trying to put on a play to prove to the world that he's a good actor. It's ironic how this story is all about faded superheroes and we have some serious superhero alumni here. This must've been very personal for Michael Keaton since he was Batman in the '90s. He does an amazing job in this film and really brings such a complex depth to this character. Emma Stone does a great job too. It's funny because her hair was still dyed blonde from playing Gwen Stacy in The Amazing Spider-man 2. Edward Norton, everyone's 4th favorite Hulk, is in this and does spectacularly. This whole film feels like it's shot in one continuous take which really adds a lot to the film. I would love it if it was cut normally, but this adds a whole new level of expertise to this film. This is one of the only Oscar-winning movies to have comedy (in some form, it's a dramedy) and it definitely earns its place in the Oscar pantheon
12/24/25 "The Imitation Game" 2014
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Sometimes it's the very people who no one imagines anything of who do the things no one can imagine." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
This is such a thrilling yet devestating look at the life of Alan Turing (played perfectly by Benedict Cumberbatch). The film follows a group scientists during the second world war who try to use computers to decode messages sent from the Germans. All of this secrecy also balances with Turing secret homosexual relationship, which if they get out, he will never work again. The film is so tightly written and has so many great moments throughout. The actors all elevate these lines with truly top notch acting. As a whole, this is one you don't want to skip.
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Sometimes it's the very people who no one imagines anything of who do the things no one can imagine." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
This is such a thrilling yet devestating look at the life of Alan Turing (played perfectly by Benedict Cumberbatch). The film follows a group scientists during the second world war who try to use computers to decode messages sent from the Germans. All of this secrecy also balances with Turing secret homosexual relationship, which if they get out, he will never work again. The film is so tightly written and has so many great moments throughout. The actors all elevate these lines with truly top notch acting. As a whole, this is one you don't want to skip.
6/1/22 "Big Eyes" 2014
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "yeah, you're living in a fairyland. People don't get to discover anything. They buy art because it's in the right place at the right time."
This was surprisingly good. Being directed by Tim Burton there are some thriller aspects and fun imagery (like the opening being an homage to Edward Scissorhands with the look of the cul-de-sac. It's such a thrilling movie with that chilling performance from Christoph Waltz whose character can be so overly charming that it wraps around to being creepy (which was intended for the character). I also love how Amy Adams portrays her role, she plays it very honestly. I would highly suggest
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "yeah, you're living in a fairyland. People don't get to discover anything. They buy art because it's in the right place at the right time."
This was surprisingly good. Being directed by Tim Burton there are some thriller aspects and fun imagery (like the opening being an homage to Edward Scissorhands with the look of the cul-de-sac. It's such a thrilling movie with that chilling performance from Christoph Waltz whose character can be so overly charming that it wraps around to being creepy (which was intended for the character). I also love how Amy Adams portrays her role, she plays it very honestly. I would highly suggest
4/20/22 "Ex Machina" 2014
9/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "Isn't it strange, to create something that hates you?"
This is what Black Mirror should've been. I used to watch Black Mirror, but the problem is how the episodes always come off as preachy and outdated. This feels like a very timeless story that's become more relevant than ever. This has a Hitchcockian heartbeat to it where it starts sort of slow but picks up speed as the movie goes on. There are some problems I have with the film, but it'll be a spoiler. I really liked this movie.
9/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "Isn't it strange, to create something that hates you?"
This is what Black Mirror should've been. I used to watch Black Mirror, but the problem is how the episodes always come off as preachy and outdated. This feels like a very timeless story that's become more relevant than ever. This has a Hitchcockian heartbeat to it where it starts sort of slow but picks up speed as the movie goes on. There are some problems I have with the film, but it'll be a spoiler. I really liked this movie.
10/26/23 "The Witch" 2015
3/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Wouldst thou like to live deliciously?", Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
I feel like I understand what this film was going for. The tagline of this film is "A New England Folktale" and I can definitely see the inspiration of old folklore in this tale of witchcraft and possession, but it just didn't work for me. I didn't really care about the characters nor did I really find the story engaging. Some of the aspects of this film were done quite well, the direction was obviously good and Anna-Taylor Joy was a great actress (even at that young age) but as a whole, I feel like this wasn't the best film.
3/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Wouldst thou like to live deliciously?", Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
I feel like I understand what this film was going for. The tagline of this film is "A New England Folktale" and I can definitely see the inspiration of old folklore in this tale of witchcraft and possession, but it just didn't work for me. I didn't really care about the characters nor did I really find the story engaging. Some of the aspects of this film were done quite well, the direction was obviously good and Anna-Taylor Joy was a great actress (even at that young age) but as a whole, I feel like this wasn't the best film.
5/11/22 "Woman In Gold" 2015
6/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "My daughter's always wanted to go to Austria! She loves kangaroos!"
This is a very sweet movie about a lawyer trying to help an Austrian woman get a famous Gustav Klimt painting back since it was a painting of her aunt. This is a true story by the way. This court case caused the painting "Woman in Gold" to return to its original name before the Nazis tried to erase her aunt from history, "Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I". I thought this film was pretty good. It's exactly what I expected of it though and it didn't really shock me. it was a pretty by-the-books movie.
6/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "My daughter's always wanted to go to Austria! She loves kangaroos!"
This is a very sweet movie about a lawyer trying to help an Austrian woman get a famous Gustav Klimt painting back since it was a painting of her aunt. This is a true story by the way. This court case caused the painting "Woman in Gold" to return to its original name before the Nazis tried to erase her aunt from history, "Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I". I thought this film was pretty good. It's exactly what I expected of it though and it didn't really shock me. it was a pretty by-the-books movie.
8/25/24 "Trainwreck" 2015
3/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Best way to grieve: don't do it." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
This makes it clear that Amy Schumer isn't really that strong of a film writer. This is a pretty forced film about Amy being a complete mess. That's basically the whole film, seeing how much she drinks, smokes, and has sex. She does a report on Aaron Conners (Bill Hader) who's an extremely put-together guy. He and Lebron James are the best part of the movie. This film feels like someone took every 2000s comedy and put it in the blend. "Swearing = funny" jokes, check. Line-a-rama sequences, check. Drugs, booze, and sex check. It all just feels so done by this point. There isn't really a strong plot that lines all these scenes together. Scenes just happen because they happen. This is a weaker Apatow offering and sort of ushered the end of the mid-budget, raunchy comedy.
3/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Best way to grieve: don't do it." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
This makes it clear that Amy Schumer isn't really that strong of a film writer. This is a pretty forced film about Amy being a complete mess. That's basically the whole film, seeing how much she drinks, smokes, and has sex. She does a report on Aaron Conners (Bill Hader) who's an extremely put-together guy. He and Lebron James are the best part of the movie. This film feels like someone took every 2000s comedy and put it in the blend. "Swearing = funny" jokes, check. Line-a-rama sequences, check. Drugs, booze, and sex check. It all just feels so done by this point. There isn't really a strong plot that lines all these scenes together. Scenes just happen because they happen. This is a weaker Apatow offering and sort of ushered the end of the mid-budget, raunchy comedy.
6/16/22 "Spotlight" 2015
6/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "Which one of these stories do you want to see?"
Another movie on my Oscar grind, I changed my goal to try to see all of them before the next Oscar Ceremony which gives me 269 days to see these 56 movies. This movie was pretty good. It's about a newspaper in Boston trying to uncover the truth about the Catholic church and what they're doing to the kids. It gets really intense and having it all be based on a true story is what's really crazy. Although it sort of felt like the team watched a documentary on the events and made a film out of it. They have a lot of lines where one of the characters would say something along the lines of "You mean to tell me..." or "So you're saying that..." followed by exposition we already know. It feels like they just did this so they can make sure the audience was up to speed. Mark Ruffalo gave a surprisingly good performance and so did everyone in the main 5 (hint, they are all on the poster). The scene when one of them found out that one of the priests lived in their neighborhood was such a shock. This movie is a slow movie though with pacing that goes as fast as a tortoise. Whenever I talk about an oscar winning movie, I always have to bring up what lost against it and whether I feel like it deserved the win. Honestly, this seems like it was on the same level as all the other nominated movies. I haven't seen any of the other movies (though I think I saw Mad Max Fury Road or I was downstairs when my parents watched it). This wasn't the best oscar winning movie, but definitely not a bad one.
6/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "Which one of these stories do you want to see?"
Another movie on my Oscar grind, I changed my goal to try to see all of them before the next Oscar Ceremony which gives me 269 days to see these 56 movies. This movie was pretty good. It's about a newspaper in Boston trying to uncover the truth about the Catholic church and what they're doing to the kids. It gets really intense and having it all be based on a true story is what's really crazy. Although it sort of felt like the team watched a documentary on the events and made a film out of it. They have a lot of lines where one of the characters would say something along the lines of "You mean to tell me..." or "So you're saying that..." followed by exposition we already know. It feels like they just did this so they can make sure the audience was up to speed. Mark Ruffalo gave a surprisingly good performance and so did everyone in the main 5 (hint, they are all on the poster). The scene when one of them found out that one of the priests lived in their neighborhood was such a shock. This movie is a slow movie though with pacing that goes as fast as a tortoise. Whenever I talk about an oscar winning movie, I always have to bring up what lost against it and whether I feel like it deserved the win. Honestly, this seems like it was on the same level as all the other nominated movies. I haven't seen any of the other movies (though I think I saw Mad Max Fury Road or I was downstairs when my parents watched it). This wasn't the best oscar winning movie, but definitely not a bad one.
11/4/22 "Trumbo" 2015
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "If you're gonna talk about World War II as if you personally won it, let's be clear where you were stationed - on a film set, shooting blanks, wearing makeup, and if you're going to hit me, I'd like to take off my glasses."
This was a great biopic all about Dalton Trumbo which is a great subject for a movie. What I love about this biopic is how they told a very specific part of his life instead of trying to sum everything up in 2 hours. If you don't know who Trumbo is, he's a very famous screenwriter and I suggest that you don't look up what movies he wrote since it makes it more surprising to see what he wrote. This movie's better the less you know about it, but all the actors do a great job. David James Elliott as John Wayne was an acting choice I didn't think would work so well. When I first saw him, I rolled my eyes thinking that he didn't look like John Wayne but his voice and mannerisms worked. Definitely an underrated movie
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "If you're gonna talk about World War II as if you personally won it, let's be clear where you were stationed - on a film set, shooting blanks, wearing makeup, and if you're going to hit me, I'd like to take off my glasses."
This was a great biopic all about Dalton Trumbo which is a great subject for a movie. What I love about this biopic is how they told a very specific part of his life instead of trying to sum everything up in 2 hours. If you don't know who Trumbo is, he's a very famous screenwriter and I suggest that you don't look up what movies he wrote since it makes it more surprising to see what he wrote. This movie's better the less you know about it, but all the actors do a great job. David James Elliott as John Wayne was an acting choice I didn't think would work so well. When I first saw him, I rolled my eyes thinking that he didn't look like John Wayne but his voice and mannerisms worked. Definitely an underrated movie
7/22/25 "The Big Short" 2015
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "They're bragging." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
I was very conflicted about this film, purely because it took a swing that I couldn't get a read of. The film follows a handful of guys in 2006 who found out that the housing market is going to crash. The film has this added touch where the characters would break the fourth wall and discuss what's currently happening in the movie. It sometimes could lead to interesting character moments where the actors talk about how things really happened or didn't happen. There were some that sort of felt like family guy cut aways, where they would get celebrities to cameo to explain economic terms. I feel like some aspects of the film were well-written, while others kind of felt like a cop-out where the characters explicitly say what they're thinking. As a whole, this has some great drama, but some choices that didn't land.
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "They're bragging." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
I was very conflicted about this film, purely because it took a swing that I couldn't get a read of. The film follows a handful of guys in 2006 who found out that the housing market is going to crash. The film has this added touch where the characters would break the fourth wall and discuss what's currently happening in the movie. It sometimes could lead to interesting character moments where the actors talk about how things really happened or didn't happen. There were some that sort of felt like family guy cut aways, where they would get celebrities to cameo to explain economic terms. I feel like some aspects of the film were well-written, while others kind of felt like a cop-out where the characters explicitly say what they're thinking. As a whole, this has some great drama, but some choices that didn't land.
1/26/24 "The Revenant" 2015
4/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "As long as you can still grab a breath, you fight. You breathe... keep breathing." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
This film feels like Leonardo DiCaprio stormed into Alejandro González Iñárritu's office and yelled "MAKE ME AN OSCAR-WINNING FILM! I WANT TO BE IN AN OSCAR-WINNING FILM!" and then they made this. It makes so much sense that this is the film that DiCaprio got his Oscar for because it's all method and very little actual acting. Sure he bites the head off of a fish, learned an entire language, and slept inside an animal carcass, but that doesn't mean he performed well. I feel like Bryan Cranston performed better as Trumbo in Trumbo than DiCaprio. I also just wasn't a fan of the story. It just felt so by the numbers. Iñárritu's direction was pretty clear and led to some really beautiful shots, but it felt very derivative of Terrence Malick's style of "let's just film random shots of nature and stick 'em in there somewhere". This is easily Iñárritu's weakest film because it just felt forced. Amores Perros felt so genuine and groundbreaking and Birdman was an achievement in cinematography as well as having an amazing story. This film just felt like Iñárritu making an Oscar-bait film. A very disappointing film.
4/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "As long as you can still grab a breath, you fight. You breathe... keep breathing." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
This film feels like Leonardo DiCaprio stormed into Alejandro González Iñárritu's office and yelled "MAKE ME AN OSCAR-WINNING FILM! I WANT TO BE IN AN OSCAR-WINNING FILM!" and then they made this. It makes so much sense that this is the film that DiCaprio got his Oscar for because it's all method and very little actual acting. Sure he bites the head off of a fish, learned an entire language, and slept inside an animal carcass, but that doesn't mean he performed well. I feel like Bryan Cranston performed better as Trumbo in Trumbo than DiCaprio. I also just wasn't a fan of the story. It just felt so by the numbers. Iñárritu's direction was pretty clear and led to some really beautiful shots, but it felt very derivative of Terrence Malick's style of "let's just film random shots of nature and stick 'em in there somewhere". This is easily Iñárritu's weakest film because it just felt forced. Amores Perros felt so genuine and groundbreaking and Birdman was an achievement in cinematography as well as having an amazing story. This film just felt like Iñárritu making an Oscar-bait film. A very disappointing film.
6/2/24 "Swiss Army Man" 2016
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Girls must be so nice if they let guys do all these things to them." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
This is a really old film, but very well done. The film is about a stranded man who uses a dead body to escape a desert island. Finally making his way to the mainland, he brings along the dead body to survive and he starts to imagine that he's alive. Some of the jokes fall a little flat, but the drama is what keeps this film together. Daniel Radcliffe gives such a wonderful performance in this film. You truly can't tell whether he's a dummy or acting really well (this normally is an insult, but he does such a great job). I really enjoyed the minimalistic soundtrack, because it sounds like something someone would make on an island. A really interesting film.
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Girls must be so nice if they let guys do all these things to them." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
This is a really old film, but very well done. The film is about a stranded man who uses a dead body to escape a desert island. Finally making his way to the mainland, he brings along the dead body to survive and he starts to imagine that he's alive. Some of the jokes fall a little flat, but the drama is what keeps this film together. Daniel Radcliffe gives such a wonderful performance in this film. You truly can't tell whether he's a dummy or acting really well (this normally is an insult, but he does such a great job). I really enjoyed the minimalistic soundtrack, because it sounds like something someone would make on an island. A really interesting film.
10/7/25 "Under The Shadow" 2016
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "What evil lurks in the hearts of men, for you have seen that evil in your own heart." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
This was quite a bleak horror movie. It takes place during the Iran-Iraq war, where a woman's apartment building gets hit by a missile. If the missile wasn't bad enough, one of her superstitious neighbors believed that the missile had evil spirits connected to it. This causes the woman to protect her daughter from these spirits. I love the color palette of this movie, and the effects are well done. I really liked the connection between the mother and daughter, although the daughter can get on your nerves quickly.
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "What evil lurks in the hearts of men, for you have seen that evil in your own heart." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
This was quite a bleak horror movie. It takes place during the Iran-Iraq war, where a woman's apartment building gets hit by a missile. If the missile wasn't bad enough, one of her superstitious neighbors believed that the missile had evil spirits connected to it. This causes the woman to protect her daughter from these spirits. I love the color palette of this movie, and the effects are well done. I really liked the connection between the mother and daughter, although the daughter can get on your nerves quickly.
1/24/25 "Manchester By The Sea" 2016
6/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "I can't beat it. I can't beat it. I'm sorry." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: yes
I was a little let down by this movie. It isn't a bad movie in any way, but the way some people talked about this film made me think it was going to be a top 10 film of mine, but something just didn't click for me. We follow a man named Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck), who has to go back to his hometown after the tragic death of his brother. While there, he's reminded of his past as he has to raise his nephew. It's a really interesting film, but some aspects fell flat for me.
6/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "I can't beat it. I can't beat it. I'm sorry." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: yes
I was a little let down by this movie. It isn't a bad movie in any way, but the way some people talked about this film made me think it was going to be a top 10 film of mine, but something just didn't click for me. We follow a man named Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck), who has to go back to his hometown after the tragic death of his brother. While there, he's reminded of his past as he has to raise his nephew. It's a really interesting film, but some aspects fell flat for me.
10/6/24 "The Love Witch" 2016
4/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "According to the experts, men are very fragile. They can get crushed down if you assert yourself in any way.", Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
"I can't believe this was made in 2016", I thought to myself as I watched this time capsule to the 1960's. The film was shot on 35mm and uses a very technicolor palette. This causes the film to have the exact vibe of an old horror movie but without the censorship of the day. The film follows a Witch who uses her powers to make people fall in love with her, or else. While the visuals are great, the acting can be a little rough at times. It makes sense because this is an indie film, but it could be a little distracting. The editing is done really well along with the old-timey transitions and effects. It's a little long, and since it's so long, the novelty of the visuals sort of runs out. It has a lot to say about feminism and the dating world which was a nice touch, but overall, I sort of wish it had a tighter screenplay. It's a shame because I've been meaning to see this film, and finally watching it, it was sort of disappointing. By all accounts, it's beautifully shot, but not so beautifully written.
4/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "According to the experts, men are very fragile. They can get crushed down if you assert yourself in any way.", Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
"I can't believe this was made in 2016", I thought to myself as I watched this time capsule to the 1960's. The film was shot on 35mm and uses a very technicolor palette. This causes the film to have the exact vibe of an old horror movie but without the censorship of the day. The film follows a Witch who uses her powers to make people fall in love with her, or else. While the visuals are great, the acting can be a little rough at times. It makes sense because this is an indie film, but it could be a little distracting. The editing is done really well along with the old-timey transitions and effects. It's a little long, and since it's so long, the novelty of the visuals sort of runs out. It has a lot to say about feminism and the dating world which was a nice touch, but overall, I sort of wish it had a tighter screenplay. It's a shame because I've been meaning to see this film, and finally watching it, it was sort of disappointing. By all accounts, it's beautifully shot, but not so beautifully written.
7/23/22 "Hail, Caesar!" 2016
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "Baird, go out there and be a star."
I love the Coen Brothers, I also love classic films, this movie is a combination of the two, how could I not like it? This film is a screwball comedy about a lead actor (George Clooney) getting kidnapped while making the biggest movie of 1951 "Hail, Caesar!" so it's up to Josh Brolin to go from set to set to find out if any of the actors know where he is. An aspect of the film that's great is how closely they can copy the style of a classic film genre without straight up stealing it. They have little clips from the movies that the actors are working on and everything about it is so accurate. The best one is the Channing Tatum tap scene which seems like a loving tribute to "On The Town" and "Anchors Aweigh" and other Gene Kelly films. The love in this film can really be seen from the coloring of the classic film sections to reflect the technicolor limits of the time and even down to the screwball comedy nature of the film, the main genre from back in the day which basically died out. This should've won the Oscar that year I feel. What it says about the movie industry is such a great message about how phony the whole medium is. How writers never get the credit for their films and how all the credit goes to the actors who are either extremely self-centered or not fit for the roles they play. Great Film
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "Baird, go out there and be a star."
I love the Coen Brothers, I also love classic films, this movie is a combination of the two, how could I not like it? This film is a screwball comedy about a lead actor (George Clooney) getting kidnapped while making the biggest movie of 1951 "Hail, Caesar!" so it's up to Josh Brolin to go from set to set to find out if any of the actors know where he is. An aspect of the film that's great is how closely they can copy the style of a classic film genre without straight up stealing it. They have little clips from the movies that the actors are working on and everything about it is so accurate. The best one is the Channing Tatum tap scene which seems like a loving tribute to "On The Town" and "Anchors Aweigh" and other Gene Kelly films. The love in this film can really be seen from the coloring of the classic film sections to reflect the technicolor limits of the time and even down to the screwball comedy nature of the film, the main genre from back in the day which basically died out. This should've won the Oscar that year I feel. What it says about the movie industry is such a great message about how phony the whole medium is. How writers never get the credit for their films and how all the credit goes to the actors who are either extremely self-centered or not fit for the roles they play. Great Film
8/10/22 "Don't Breathe" 2016
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "Now you're gonna see what I see."
This is just a quiet place but done better. This is about 3 robbers coming into a blind man's house to steal his money. The thing is, the blind man is an ex-veteran who's ready to kill all of them. It makes way more sense than a quiet place and I feel like it has more suspenseful moments. I love how both parties aren't good guys, but one is way worse.
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "Now you're gonna see what I see."
This is just a quiet place but done better. This is about 3 robbers coming into a blind man's house to steal his money. The thing is, the blind man is an ex-veteran who's ready to kill all of them. It makes way more sense than a quiet place and I feel like it has more suspenseful moments. I love how both parties aren't good guys, but one is way worse.
10/6/25 "Train To Busan" 2016
9/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Why is your ringtone so tacky?" Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
I don't think I've seen a zombie movie that has this emotional connection to the characters. We follow a dad and a daughter who go on a train to see her mother. The dad and daughter have an odd relationship that gets challenged when a zombie outbreak happens, and everyone on the train tries to survive. The film was shot really well and had some really well-done effects. One of the most underrated elements of this film is the scoring. It does such a great job setting the tone of the movie.
9/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Why is your ringtone so tacky?" Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
I don't think I've seen a zombie movie that has this emotional connection to the characters. We follow a dad and a daughter who go on a train to see her mother. The dad and daughter have an odd relationship that gets challenged when a zombie outbreak happens, and everyone on the train tries to survive. The film was shot really well and had some really well-done effects. One of the most underrated elements of this film is the scoring. It does such a great job setting the tone of the movie.
5/11/24 "Your Name." 2016
9/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Treasure the experience. Dreams fade away after you wake up." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
I haven't really seen a lot of anime, so this was a new experience watching it for me. I saw that this was one of the highest movies on both IMDB and Letterboxd, so I decided to give it a shot. Man, am I happy that I did. This was such an incredible film. It's about two teenage strangers (one boy living in Tokyo and one girl living in a small town nearby) waking up one morning to find that they've switched bodies. They think it's a dream at first because the next morning they switch back. Then it happens again another day and they find notes asking them who they are. The two begin communicating through each other's swapped bodies to find out who they are and what their ground rules are. They try to meet up in person, but for some reason, something always goes wrong. The story gets more interesting, but for the sake of spoilers, I won't say the rest of the story. This film has beautiful animation and really makes you feel for these two characters. It feels like they're doomed to never meet. I can't believe that this wasn't even nominated for Best Animated Picture, just an incredible film.
9/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Treasure the experience. Dreams fade away after you wake up." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
I haven't really seen a lot of anime, so this was a new experience watching it for me. I saw that this was one of the highest movies on both IMDB and Letterboxd, so I decided to give it a shot. Man, am I happy that I did. This was such an incredible film. It's about two teenage strangers (one boy living in Tokyo and one girl living in a small town nearby) waking up one morning to find that they've switched bodies. They think it's a dream at first because the next morning they switch back. Then it happens again another day and they find notes asking them who they are. The two begin communicating through each other's swapped bodies to find out who they are and what their ground rules are. They try to meet up in person, but for some reason, something always goes wrong. The story gets more interesting, but for the sake of spoilers, I won't say the rest of the story. This film has beautiful animation and really makes you feel for these two characters. It feels like they're doomed to never meet. I can't believe that this wasn't even nominated for Best Animated Picture, just an incredible film.
6/23/24 "War Dogs" 2016
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Sorry. Don't worry, I have to go first, I'm American." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
It's funny to see in Todd Phillip's filmography, how his film career changed after the failure of Hangover 3. Before the third Hangover, he made the Hangover films as well as Road Trip and Due Date. After Hangover 3 however (which I thought was pretty alright and didn't deserve the hate), he thought to himself "I'm going to be Scorsese", so since then he's just been trying to emulate him. I've got to say though, he's not horrible at it. War Dogs is a really interesting true story about two men (Jonah Hill and Miles Teller) becoming internal arms dealers for the Iraq war through a loophole. It has a very Scorsese-like story structure and execution. For instance, the film uses the voice of the main character as a narrator (very "As far back as I can remember...")and has random freeze frames that they slowly zoom in on. The cast does a great job bouncing off of each other, especially Jonah Hill who gives one of his best performances in this film. Overall, this is a pretty great film that seems like it flew under the radar.
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Sorry. Don't worry, I have to go first, I'm American." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
It's funny to see in Todd Phillip's filmography, how his film career changed after the failure of Hangover 3. Before the third Hangover, he made the Hangover films as well as Road Trip and Due Date. After Hangover 3 however (which I thought was pretty alright and didn't deserve the hate), he thought to himself "I'm going to be Scorsese", so since then he's just been trying to emulate him. I've got to say though, he's not horrible at it. War Dogs is a really interesting true story about two men (Jonah Hill and Miles Teller) becoming internal arms dealers for the Iraq war through a loophole. It has a very Scorsese-like story structure and execution. For instance, the film uses the voice of the main character as a narrator (very "As far back as I can remember...")and has random freeze frames that they slowly zoom in on. The cast does a great job bouncing off of each other, especially Jonah Hill who gives one of his best performances in this film. Overall, this is a pretty great film that seems like it flew under the radar.
7/23/22 "Moonlight" 2016
4/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "Ok. Let your head rest in my hand. Relax. I got you. I promise. I won't let you go. Hey man. I got you. There you go. Ten Seconds. Right there. You in the middle of the world."
Yeesh. This wasn't as good as everyone says it is. This is another Oscar-winning movie that is famous because of how it was announced (the mistake of saying that the best picture was La La Land). I feel like maybe La La Land should've won. This movie is SLOW, like if this was released in the '40s it would be seen as slow. They have these long unnecessary pauses that are supposed to be A C T I N G but they happen almost all the time. This film also doesn't have any plot. This feels like Catcher in the Rye in the way that nothing really happens. People would brush this off as an Indie movie trend, but this isn't like other A24 films, Ladybird was a little slow but still had a plot, Ex Machina still had a wonderful plot, and Hereditary??? Your telling me out of all of these films Moonlight is the best one? There are some creative shots but I feel like most of the filming in this movie is a filming style that I call "Getting the job done". It's not artistic, but it gets the job done. Like the crazy shots where it's two people talking to each other, so they are both in the frame... mind-blowing. I just feel like this film sticks out like a sore thumb when compared to the other oscar winning movies. Not for me.
4/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "Ok. Let your head rest in my hand. Relax. I got you. I promise. I won't let you go. Hey man. I got you. There you go. Ten Seconds. Right there. You in the middle of the world."
Yeesh. This wasn't as good as everyone says it is. This is another Oscar-winning movie that is famous because of how it was announced (the mistake of saying that the best picture was La La Land). I feel like maybe La La Land should've won. This movie is SLOW, like if this was released in the '40s it would be seen as slow. They have these long unnecessary pauses that are supposed to be A C T I N G but they happen almost all the time. This film also doesn't have any plot. This feels like Catcher in the Rye in the way that nothing really happens. People would brush this off as an Indie movie trend, but this isn't like other A24 films, Ladybird was a little slow but still had a plot, Ex Machina still had a wonderful plot, and Hereditary??? Your telling me out of all of these films Moonlight is the best one? There are some creative shots but I feel like most of the filming in this movie is a filming style that I call "Getting the job done". It's not artistic, but it gets the job done. Like the crazy shots where it's two people talking to each other, so they are both in the frame... mind-blowing. I just feel like this film sticks out like a sore thumb when compared to the other oscar winning movies. Not for me.
4/2/25 "David Lynch: The Art Life" 2016
6/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "That idea stuck in my head. A moving painting." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: sort of
This was a pretty interesting documentary, because of how low-key it was. It was just a sit-down conversation with David Lynch as he talked about his early life and how he got to where he was. It was really nice to hear it right from the source, but its simplicity is almost its downfall because it's definitely on the slower side. It's really nice that this documentary exists, I'm just not really going to look back at this as much.
6/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "That idea stuck in my head. A moving painting." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: sort of
This was a pretty interesting documentary, because of how low-key it was. It was just a sit-down conversation with David Lynch as he talked about his early life and how he got to where he was. It was really nice to hear it right from the source, but its simplicity is almost its downfall because it's definitely on the slower side. It's really nice that this documentary exists, I'm just not really going to look back at this as much.
1/10/25 "Jackie" 2016
9/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Pretty soon, he'll just be another oil portrait lining these hallways." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
Tell me why I jumped when they started playing "Camelot." It makes sense because the Kennedy years were called the "Camelot era" due to the play coming out in 1960, and John F. Kennedy's fondness for the idealistic nature of the last line of the show. Sorry, Lerner and Loewe's aside, this movie was really well done. Natalie Portman delivers a really powerful performance as the first-lady, Jackie Kennedy. Honestly, I believe she deserved the Oscar more than Emma Stone for La La Land. She really gives such a well-rounded performance, exceeding with every emotion she presents. What's so smart about this movie is the presence of JFK, even though he had just been assassinated. Even though he's not in most of the movie, you can still feel him there through the characters. There was such an interesting scene where Bobby and Jackie were discussing the legacy of the Kennedys and whether they did enough in office. One detail I can't get over in this film is how they made so much of the footage look like 60s TV or filmed reels. Most of the time, when movies do it, it feels very cheap or hokey. In this movie, however, it feels so realistic and era-appropriate.
9/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Pretty soon, he'll just be another oil portrait lining these hallways." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
Tell me why I jumped when they started playing "Camelot." It makes sense because the Kennedy years were called the "Camelot era" due to the play coming out in 1960, and John F. Kennedy's fondness for the idealistic nature of the last line of the show. Sorry, Lerner and Loewe's aside, this movie was really well done. Natalie Portman delivers a really powerful performance as the first-lady, Jackie Kennedy. Honestly, I believe she deserved the Oscar more than Emma Stone for La La Land. She really gives such a well-rounded performance, exceeding with every emotion she presents. What's so smart about this movie is the presence of JFK, even though he had just been assassinated. Even though he's not in most of the movie, you can still feel him there through the characters. There was such an interesting scene where Bobby and Jackie were discussing the legacy of the Kennedys and whether they did enough in office. One detail I can't get over in this film is how they made so much of the footage look like 60s TV or filmed reels. Most of the time, when movies do it, it feels very cheap or hokey. In this movie, however, it feels so realistic and era-appropriate.
6/26/25 "Terrifier" 2016
4/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "I thought you were watching your cholesterol?" "I am, I'm watching it go up" Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
I feel bad giving this a bad score due to its tiny budget, but it's not like this one review is going to sink the franchise. The cinematography and effects were well done; it's just a problem with the screenplay. The film kind of has no plot. It's just Art the clown killing various different people. Normally, slasher movies would have strong characters, but the only character that has a personality really is Art the clown. The movie hinges on gore to get through its runtime. David Howard Thornton gives a good performance as Art, channeling a lot of Chaplin into the role, but other than that, this film kind of falls flat.
4/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "I thought you were watching your cholesterol?" "I am, I'm watching it go up" Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
I feel bad giving this a bad score due to its tiny budget, but it's not like this one review is going to sink the franchise. The cinematography and effects were well done; it's just a problem with the screenplay. The film kind of has no plot. It's just Art the clown killing various different people. Normally, slasher movies would have strong characters, but the only character that has a personality really is Art the clown. The movie hinges on gore to get through its runtime. David Howard Thornton gives a good performance as Art, channeling a lot of Chaplin into the role, but other than that, this film kind of falls flat.
1/5/26 "Call Me By Your Name" 2017
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Our hearts and our bodies are given to us only once, and before you know it, your heart's worn out; and, as for your body, there comes a point when no one looks at it, much less wants to come near it." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
I didn't really get the hype of this film at first, but it was just kind of a slow build. I can easily understand why so many people love this film so much, because it really is such a heartbreaking look at love. We follow the young Elio (Timothee Chalamet) in the 80s as his dad (Michael Stuhlbarg) brings home one of his students, Oliver (Armie Hammer) to assist him in his Greco-Roman studies. Elio and Oliver soon start to bond and get to know each other. The film really lets these two slowly start to know each other instead of rushing it, which makes it really feel realistic and earned. The film is shot beautifully, really taking advantage of its Roman setting. Also, Chalamet delivers what I would consider one of his best roles. As a whole, I can see how the Oscars and the audience, fell in love with this movie.
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Our hearts and our bodies are given to us only once, and before you know it, your heart's worn out; and, as for your body, there comes a point when no one looks at it, much less wants to come near it." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
I didn't really get the hype of this film at first, but it was just kind of a slow build. I can easily understand why so many people love this film so much, because it really is such a heartbreaking look at love. We follow the young Elio (Timothee Chalamet) in the 80s as his dad (Michael Stuhlbarg) brings home one of his students, Oliver (Armie Hammer) to assist him in his Greco-Roman studies. Elio and Oliver soon start to bond and get to know each other. The film really lets these two slowly start to know each other instead of rushing it, which makes it really feel realistic and earned. The film is shot beautifully, really taking advantage of its Roman setting. Also, Chalamet delivers what I would consider one of his best roles. As a whole, I can see how the Oscars and the audience, fell in love with this movie.
12/14/22 "Brigsby Bear" 2017
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "I've been an outlaw ever since I came into this world."
This is a movie I didn't expect to get so dramatic. It's about James (Kyle Mooney) being freed from his life in an underground bunker, which he's been in as a child. James realizes the only TV show he's ever seen in his life, Brigsby Bear, was only shown to him since his kidnapper made it himself specifically for James to teach him about math and other topics. When he reunites with his family, he wants to finally finish Brigsby Bear and take things into his own hands. I was expecting this to be more of an offbeat comedy, but this movie was more of a drama with some pretty sad scenes. This is not for everyone, but it has that indie vibe and really is a weird concept that I think they do really well.
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "I've been an outlaw ever since I came into this world."
This is a movie I didn't expect to get so dramatic. It's about James (Kyle Mooney) being freed from his life in an underground bunker, which he's been in as a child. James realizes the only TV show he's ever seen in his life, Brigsby Bear, was only shown to him since his kidnapper made it himself specifically for James to teach him about math and other topics. When he reunites with his family, he wants to finally finish Brigsby Bear and take things into his own hands. I was expecting this to be more of an offbeat comedy, but this movie was more of a drama with some pretty sad scenes. This is not for everyone, but it has that indie vibe and really is a weird concept that I think they do really well.
3/12/24 "The Disaster Artist" 2017
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "I did not hit her. I did not. Oh, hi Mark." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
This is a loving tribute to one of the worst movies ever made. It explores the relationship between Tommy Wiseau and Greg Sestero as they create their own film to try to break into the film industry. I love how they make Tommy a complete enigma. No one knows where he's from, how old he is, nor how he got all the money to make "The Room". You get so invested in the relationship between Tommy and Greg and how they both add something to each other. Tommy is the dreamer while Greg is the realist. They wouldn't get to where they are without each other, despite the fights it causes. The Franco bros do great portraying the two. The whole cast does an incredible job recreating the film. The ending was a complete treat because you can totally see how much they loved the film and how lovingly they recreated it. I would highly suggest doing a double feature of this film and "The Room" much like I did. It makes you appreciate this film a lot more.
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "I did not hit her. I did not. Oh, hi Mark." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
This is a loving tribute to one of the worst movies ever made. It explores the relationship between Tommy Wiseau and Greg Sestero as they create their own film to try to break into the film industry. I love how they make Tommy a complete enigma. No one knows where he's from, how old he is, nor how he got all the money to make "The Room". You get so invested in the relationship between Tommy and Greg and how they both add something to each other. Tommy is the dreamer while Greg is the realist. They wouldn't get to where they are without each other, despite the fights it causes. The Franco bros do great portraying the two. The whole cast does an incredible job recreating the film. The ending was a complete treat because you can totally see how much they loved the film and how lovingly they recreated it. I would highly suggest doing a double feature of this film and "The Room" much like I did. It makes you appreciate this film a lot more.
2/23/24 "Good Time" 2017
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "Don't be confused, it's just gonna make it worse for me." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes!
This feels like a remake of After Hours, but they changed some of the details as time went on. It's about two brothers Connie and Nick (Robert Pattinson and Benny Safdie) attempting a bank robbery. On the way out of pursuit by the cops, Nick gets taken from the police as Connie runs away. Connie gets nervous about the police having his brother because Nick has a cognitive and social impairment. The whole film takes place over one night as Connie tries various ways to break Nick out. There are some really great thrills during this film with all the close calls and bad situations Connie gets himself into. It's also nice knowing that all of the things he does in this movie are for his brother. He does some pretty messed up things throughout the film, but it always feels justified because we know he would do anything to make sure Nick is okay. It can drag from time to time, but it is a really solid film that puts the audience on edge.
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "Don't be confused, it's just gonna make it worse for me." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes!
This feels like a remake of After Hours, but they changed some of the details as time went on. It's about two brothers Connie and Nick (Robert Pattinson and Benny Safdie) attempting a bank robbery. On the way out of pursuit by the cops, Nick gets taken from the police as Connie runs away. Connie gets nervous about the police having his brother because Nick has a cognitive and social impairment. The whole film takes place over one night as Connie tries various ways to break Nick out. There are some really great thrills during this film with all the close calls and bad situations Connie gets himself into. It's also nice knowing that all of the things he does in this movie are for his brother. He does some pretty messed up things throughout the film, but it always feels justified because we know he would do anything to make sure Nick is okay. It can drag from time to time, but it is a really solid film that puts the audience on edge.
5/18/22 "Loving Vincent" 2017
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "What am I in the eyes of most people - a nonentity, an eccentric, or an unpleasant person - somebody who has no position in society and will never have; in short, the lowest of the low. All right, then - even if that were absolutely true, then I should one day like to show by my work what such an eccentric, such a nobody, has in his heart."
Wow. This was such a beautiful film. For those who don't know this film is an animated movie where every frame was individually painted in the style of Van Gogh to tell his story. Every character in this movie is a person who he painted. The movie has a Citizen Kane vibe with one man trying to track down what happened to Vincent when he committed suicide. This is a lot more engaging than Citizen Kane in my opinion since the subject of Vincent Van Gogh is such a sad one. It's funny to think how this movie was nominated the same year as Boss Baby. Apparently, this one is fun for the whole family since according to the Oscars "AnImAtIoN iS fOr KiDs!" This film is a great one to check out if you love animation, painting, or Vincent Van Gogh
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "What am I in the eyes of most people - a nonentity, an eccentric, or an unpleasant person - somebody who has no position in society and will never have; in short, the lowest of the low. All right, then - even if that were absolutely true, then I should one day like to show by my work what such an eccentric, such a nobody, has in his heart."
Wow. This was such a beautiful film. For those who don't know this film is an animated movie where every frame was individually painted in the style of Van Gogh to tell his story. Every character in this movie is a person who he painted. The movie has a Citizen Kane vibe with one man trying to track down what happened to Vincent when he committed suicide. This is a lot more engaging than Citizen Kane in my opinion since the subject of Vincent Van Gogh is such a sad one. It's funny to think how this movie was nominated the same year as Boss Baby. Apparently, this one is fun for the whole family since according to the Oscars "AnImAtIoN iS fOr KiDs!" This film is a great one to check out if you love animation, painting, or Vincent Van Gogh
2/11/23 "The House" 2017
6/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "Are you guys familiar with the cliché, "It's a cliché because it's true"? Well, that cliché about clichés being true has never more true than right now with the cliché, "The house always wins." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
Many people give this film a low rating and I feel it doesn't deserve the hate. It basically falls into the category of "This film comedy! Bad film!". Is it a great film, not really but it's not horrible? It's no "Goodfellas" but it's good for some laughs. Speaking of Goodfellas, you can tell how much that movie had an influence on this film. The plot is pretty Scorsese-ish and they use a lot of the same songs ("Life is But a Dream" and "Rags to Riches"). The plot of this film is that a couple starts an underground Casino after the town loses funding for their daughter's college fund. This sounds like an interesting plot, and it is, but it feels like you're watching two different movies. You have a Will Ferrell comedy and a Scorsese crime film. Instead of these two blending, the film ends up feeling a little disjointed. This film is a little forgettable except for Nick Kroll who gives a great performance.
6/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "Are you guys familiar with the cliché, "It's a cliché because it's true"? Well, that cliché about clichés being true has never more true than right now with the cliché, "The house always wins." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
Many people give this film a low rating and I feel it doesn't deserve the hate. It basically falls into the category of "This film comedy! Bad film!". Is it a great film, not really but it's not horrible? It's no "Goodfellas" but it's good for some laughs. Speaking of Goodfellas, you can tell how much that movie had an influence on this film. The plot is pretty Scorsese-ish and they use a lot of the same songs ("Life is But a Dream" and "Rags to Riches"). The plot of this film is that a couple starts an underground Casino after the town loses funding for their daughter's college fund. This sounds like an interesting plot, and it is, but it feels like you're watching two different movies. You have a Will Ferrell comedy and a Scorsese crime film. Instead of these two blending, the film ends up feeling a little disjointed. This film is a little forgettable except for Nick Kroll who gives a great performance.
8/26/23 "Dunkirk" 2017
6/10 Stars, Favorite Quotes "That's enough." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Of course
I'm going to be honest, this film is pretty overrated. I feel like this film shouldn't have used the Nolan time cliche to describe the war. It just ends up getting a little confusing and all over the place. The characters just don't have much of a personality, which makes it hard to really care for them. The ending is really great, and so are the shots. Overall, this is one of Christopher Nolan's more forgettable outings in my opinion. It's just lacking that Nolan edge.
6/10 Stars, Favorite Quotes "That's enough." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Of course
I'm going to be honest, this film is pretty overrated. I feel like this film shouldn't have used the Nolan time cliche to describe the war. It just ends up getting a little confusing and all over the place. The characters just don't have much of a personality, which makes it hard to really care for them. The ending is really great, and so are the shots. Overall, this is one of Christopher Nolan's more forgettable outings in my opinion. It's just lacking that Nolan edge.
12/20/22 "A Bad Mom's Christmas" 2017
2/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "It's not a flute"
It's so crazy to think this is written by the same guys who wrote "The Hangover" and "Four Christmases" because those movies were actually good. My family and I watched the first Bad Moms a long time ago and we all unanimously hated it. It just felt like raunchy humor for the sole purpose of being raunchy. But what's more idiotic, the movie itself for being worse than the original, or me thinking this movie would be better? This is basically just the first one but with more MOMS! They take 3 more funny actresses and ruin them with truly awful writing and jokes. This movie also has an extremely tired plot. Moms come to town and they CAUSE TROUBLE! They try to be sweet in some scenes, but it just doesn't work because they are following some of the most moronic sequences. Speaking of which, I swear this movie is 90% montage. There are so many montages in this film, enough to make Sergei Eisenstein roll in his grave. Also, yes... it ends in a Dreamworks dance party. This isn't fun-bad, just bad-bad
2/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "It's not a flute"
It's so crazy to think this is written by the same guys who wrote "The Hangover" and "Four Christmases" because those movies were actually good. My family and I watched the first Bad Moms a long time ago and we all unanimously hated it. It just felt like raunchy humor for the sole purpose of being raunchy. But what's more idiotic, the movie itself for being worse than the original, or me thinking this movie would be better? This is basically just the first one but with more MOMS! They take 3 more funny actresses and ruin them with truly awful writing and jokes. This movie also has an extremely tired plot. Moms come to town and they CAUSE TROUBLE! They try to be sweet in some scenes, but it just doesn't work because they are following some of the most moronic sequences. Speaking of which, I swear this movie is 90% montage. There are so many montages in this film, enough to make Sergei Eisenstein roll in his grave. Also, yes... it ends in a Dreamworks dance party. This isn't fun-bad, just bad-bad
1/16/23 "The Shape of Water" 2017
9/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "If we do nothing, neither are we", Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
This is what an oscar winning movie should look like. This film is gorgeous. Guillermo Del Toro does such an amazing job with this film. It's such a beautiful film with its light green color palette and perfect editing. The story is also very well written (Del Toro wrote it as well). The story is always moving forward and there are so many interesting plot lines that it's impossible to forget this movie. This movie also touches upon such great themes of what it means to be different from society. Michael Shannon does an incredible job in this film, he's so intimidating. Everyone does an incredible job in this film acting-wise. Although this film is spectacular, Get Out still deserved the Oscar more. If Get Out was any other year this would've been a perfect win.
9/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "If we do nothing, neither are we", Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
This is what an oscar winning movie should look like. This film is gorgeous. Guillermo Del Toro does such an amazing job with this film. It's such a beautiful film with its light green color palette and perfect editing. The story is also very well written (Del Toro wrote it as well). The story is always moving forward and there are so many interesting plot lines that it's impossible to forget this movie. This movie also touches upon such great themes of what it means to be different from society. Michael Shannon does an incredible job in this film, he's so intimidating. Everyone does an incredible job in this film acting-wise. Although this film is spectacular, Get Out still deserved the Oscar more. If Get Out was any other year this would've been a perfect win.
8/28/24 "Mother!" 2017
6/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "You never loved me. You just loved how much I loved you." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
I've got to say, I was pretty disappointed in this film. I'm quite a fan of Darren Aronofsky, but this is one of his weaker outputs. It's about an expecting mother (Jennifer Lawrence) who moves into a house with her husband (Javier Bardem), when out of nowhere a couple just shows up and stays in the house (Ed Harris and Michelle Pfeiffer) followed by two brothers who are always at odds (Brian and Domhnaill Gleason). This story is supposed to be an allegory for the bible and certain characters fall into certain roles. I didn't really care much for this film. There were some really cool shots and moments, but as a whole it felt like a rehash of "Rosemary's Baby".
6/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "You never loved me. You just loved how much I loved you." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
I've got to say, I was pretty disappointed in this film. I'm quite a fan of Darren Aronofsky, but this is one of his weaker outputs. It's about an expecting mother (Jennifer Lawrence) who moves into a house with her husband (Javier Bardem), when out of nowhere a couple just shows up and stays in the house (Ed Harris and Michelle Pfeiffer) followed by two brothers who are always at odds (Brian and Domhnaill Gleason). This story is supposed to be an allegory for the bible and certain characters fall into certain roles. I didn't really care much for this film. There were some really cool shots and moments, but as a whole it felt like a rehash of "Rosemary's Baby".
12/27/23 "Blade Runner 2049" 2017
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "You look lonely. I can fix that." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
I must say, this is a sequel that's a lot better than the original. I mean, the original is great, and a classic, but this handles its theme better and really makes the story its own. Ryan Gosling is fantastic in this movie, he really portrays loneliness really well. The fact that the only friend his character has is his holographic girlfriend is really sad to see. We know she isn't real, and he knows she isn't, but he isn't ready to accept that. Ana De Armas does a great job in the role, and so does Harrison Ford reprising his role as Rick Decker. The effects of the Rachael cameo were insane to see since she really looked like she did in 1982. This has a pretty stacked cast... that is except Jared Leto who fits into the classic Leto archetype of either adding nothing or adding too much in a bad way. Luckily, he adds nothing to the film. I was so sad to learn that his character was envisioned to be played by David Bowie, but he died 6 months before shooting. I can see why people don't shut up about this movie. I especially loved the Las Vegas scene, it was such a cool idea that I can see Las Vegas using in the next couple of years.
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "You look lonely. I can fix that." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
I must say, this is a sequel that's a lot better than the original. I mean, the original is great, and a classic, but this handles its theme better and really makes the story its own. Ryan Gosling is fantastic in this movie, he really portrays loneliness really well. The fact that the only friend his character has is his holographic girlfriend is really sad to see. We know she isn't real, and he knows she isn't, but he isn't ready to accept that. Ana De Armas does a great job in the role, and so does Harrison Ford reprising his role as Rick Decker. The effects of the Rachael cameo were insane to see since she really looked like she did in 1982. This has a pretty stacked cast... that is except Jared Leto who fits into the classic Leto archetype of either adding nothing or adding too much in a bad way. Luckily, he adds nothing to the film. I was so sad to learn that his character was envisioned to be played by David Bowie, but he died 6 months before shooting. I can see why people don't shut up about this movie. I especially loved the Las Vegas scene, it was such a cool idea that I can see Las Vegas using in the next couple of years.
12/4/22 "Spielberg" 2017
6/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "It was not fun to be me in between ideas or projects"
Spielberg is one of the most influential directors, so a documentary about him is a no-brainer. My problem with this documentary is how involved he was in making this. Much of the information here seems a little biased, like how much he talked about Munich, a film no one talks about today. It's not his highest rated, not his most popular, and not even the highest earner. We get like 20 minutes on Munich while films like "Catch Me If You Can", "A.I.", and "The Terminal" barely get mentioned, but there's a lengthy section on "Empire in the Sun". Also, watching Spielberg talk about some of the things he used to do as a kid, he was a jerk. He would lock his sisters in his closet to try to scare them and wouldn't let them out even if they were screaming at the top of their lungs, yelled at his father and called him a "cry baby" for crying at the table and distancing himself from his dad because he thought that his dad was the one who wanted the divorce when in all actuality it was his mom. It was really cool seeing his rise to stardom, but the chronology was really odd. They did the normal numerical order, went to the new millennium, and then skipped to Munich, and then went back to the older movies. Taught me a lot about Spielberg, but not the best documentary
6/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "It was not fun to be me in between ideas or projects"
Spielberg is one of the most influential directors, so a documentary about him is a no-brainer. My problem with this documentary is how involved he was in making this. Much of the information here seems a little biased, like how much he talked about Munich, a film no one talks about today. It's not his highest rated, not his most popular, and not even the highest earner. We get like 20 minutes on Munich while films like "Catch Me If You Can", "A.I.", and "The Terminal" barely get mentioned, but there's a lengthy section on "Empire in the Sun". Also, watching Spielberg talk about some of the things he used to do as a kid, he was a jerk. He would lock his sisters in his closet to try to scare them and wouldn't let them out even if they were screaming at the top of their lungs, yelled at his father and called him a "cry baby" for crying at the table and distancing himself from his dad because he thought that his dad was the one who wanted the divorce when in all actuality it was his mom. It was really cool seeing his rise to stardom, but the chronology was really odd. They did the normal numerical order, went to the new millennium, and then skipped to Munich, and then went back to the older movies. Taught me a lot about Spielberg, but not the best documentary
3/27/25 "Phantom Thread" 2017
5/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "The tea is going out. The interruption is staying right here with me." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
I feel like this movie lacked the charm of Paul Thomas Anderson. Honestly, this felt more like an attempt to score an Oscar than an actual effort. Some aspects of this film really work, but it just seems so pretentious and not like PTA at all. Daniel-Day Lewis does a good job, but of course, he does. This isn't his best role by a long shot, especially compared to the last time he teamed up with PTA in "There Will Be Blood". As a whole, this film is very forgettable to me.
5/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "The tea is going out. The interruption is staying right here with me." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
I feel like this movie lacked the charm of Paul Thomas Anderson. Honestly, this felt more like an attempt to score an Oscar than an actual effort. Some aspects of this film really work, but it just seems so pretentious and not like PTA at all. Daniel-Day Lewis does a good job, but of course, he does. This isn't his best role by a long shot, especially compared to the last time he teamed up with PTA in "There Will Be Blood". As a whole, this film is very forgettable to me.
2/28/24 "Eighth Grade" 2017
4/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "If you could just see yourself the way I see you" Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes.
This is a pretty nothing film. I understand it's supposed to be a "day in the life" type film, but what's presented doesn't seem too astounding. We follow Kayla Day as she tries to become more confident before she leaves the Eighth Grade. The writing of this film isn't great. It's written by Bo Burnham, who has a knack for thinking that he's better than he is. To quote Peter Griffin this film "insists on itself". This film treats itself like it's the funniest and most dramatic film, but it really isn't. I do have to admit, some of the lines did remind me of middle school, like that one kid shouting "Lebron James" randomly and Kayla and her friend, Gabe talking about Rick and Morty. As a whole, this has some charm (especially with the strong performances) but as a whole, it's pretty forgettable and I don't see this standing the test of time.
4/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "If you could just see yourself the way I see you" Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes.
This is a pretty nothing film. I understand it's supposed to be a "day in the life" type film, but what's presented doesn't seem too astounding. We follow Kayla Day as she tries to become more confident before she leaves the Eighth Grade. The writing of this film isn't great. It's written by Bo Burnham, who has a knack for thinking that he's better than he is. To quote Peter Griffin this film "insists on itself". This film treats itself like it's the funniest and most dramatic film, but it really isn't. I do have to admit, some of the lines did remind me of middle school, like that one kid shouting "Lebron James" randomly and Kayla and her friend, Gabe talking about Rick and Morty. As a whole, this has some charm (especially with the strong performances) but as a whole, it's pretty forgettable and I don't see this standing the test of time.
6/25/22 "Hereditary" 2018
9/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "Of course it wasn't."
I don't have the words to describe this movie. The first hour of it is such a compelling drama, and then it takes such a turn into quite a frightening movie. It reminds me of The Shining in the way some of the shots are handled and the overall story (there were a few Kubrick shots that really stood out to me). The score was great, the lighting was perfect, and don't even get me started on the acting in this movie. Everyone does such a wonderful job with their roles and plays them very honestly and very realistically. No wonder nobody shuts up about this film, it's great
9/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "Of course it wasn't."
I don't have the words to describe this movie. The first hour of it is such a compelling drama, and then it takes such a turn into quite a frightening movie. It reminds me of The Shining in the way some of the shots are handled and the overall story (there were a few Kubrick shots that really stood out to me). The score was great, the lighting was perfect, and don't even get me started on the acting in this movie. Everyone does such a wonderful job with their roles and plays them very honestly and very realistically. No wonder nobody shuts up about this film, it's great
1/27/23 "Roma" 2018
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "I like being dead." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
This was a pretty good movie! It's about a nanny who goes on vacation with four kids and the mother on vacation in Mexico as the father is cheating on the mother and the nanny is pregnant. This takes place during the Corpus Christi Massacre in 1971, so this film also follows this aspect (but not much). I liked the characters in this film although the movie dragged a lot of its runtime. I don't have a lot to say about this one, just a solid film.
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "I like being dead." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
This was a pretty good movie! It's about a nanny who goes on vacation with four kids and the mother on vacation in Mexico as the father is cheating on the mother and the nanny is pregnant. This takes place during the Corpus Christi Massacre in 1971, so this film also follows this aspect (but not much). I liked the characters in this film although the movie dragged a lot of its runtime. I don't have a lot to say about this one, just a solid film.
1/16/23 "Green Book" 2018
6/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "It don't look fun being that smart" Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
This was an odd choice for best picture. I feel like the whole movie was okay but extremely forgettable. I heard no one talk about this movie before the Oscars of 2018 and I didn't hear anything about this movie after the Oscars. I feel like this movie just doesn't feel that genuine. The characters don't speak as people, they are just there as metaphors. Place-ins for other people. Most of this movie is just Viggo Mortensen saying "Hey! Italians have it hard too guys!" just for Mahershala Ali to say "Erm... no???". I feel like Don Shirley (Ali) has no personality in this film, his whole point is to teach a lesson to the audience whereas Tony Lipp (Mortensen) is the most cliche "AYYYEEEE IMMA WALKIN' HERE" type of Italian where he's a wise guy who's always hustling and getting in fights. What makes this movie worse is seeing all of the films that lost the Oscars. Did the Oscars really think this film was better than Blackkklansman? Arguably Spike Lee's best film that goes to places where Green Book is too afraid to go to. This was also the year where Black Panther, Bohemian Rhapsody, The Favorite, Roma, A Star Is Born, and Vice was nominated. Also in a year where Hereditary, Infinity War, and Game Night this is the movie that won? It's very obvious this film is going to most likely be forgotten
6/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "It don't look fun being that smart" Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
This was an odd choice for best picture. I feel like the whole movie was okay but extremely forgettable. I heard no one talk about this movie before the Oscars of 2018 and I didn't hear anything about this movie after the Oscars. I feel like this movie just doesn't feel that genuine. The characters don't speak as people, they are just there as metaphors. Place-ins for other people. Most of this movie is just Viggo Mortensen saying "Hey! Italians have it hard too guys!" just for Mahershala Ali to say "Erm... no???". I feel like Don Shirley (Ali) has no personality in this film, his whole point is to teach a lesson to the audience whereas Tony Lipp (Mortensen) is the most cliche "AYYYEEEE IMMA WALKIN' HERE" type of Italian where he's a wise guy who's always hustling and getting in fights. What makes this movie worse is seeing all of the films that lost the Oscars. Did the Oscars really think this film was better than Blackkklansman? Arguably Spike Lee's best film that goes to places where Green Book is too afraid to go to. This was also the year where Black Panther, Bohemian Rhapsody, The Favorite, Roma, A Star Is Born, and Vice was nominated. Also in a year where Hereditary, Infinity War, and Game Night this is the movie that won? It's very obvious this film is going to most likely be forgotten
12/3/23 "Stan and Ollie" 2018
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "You know, when you watch our movies, nobody else in the stories knows us, and we don't know anybody either. It was just the two of us. All we had was each other." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
This is such an incredible biopic. In this film, Steve Coogan and John C. Reily are simply magic as Laurel and Hardy, respectively. They have the mannerisms as well as the voices completely down. When hearing about this movie, I wasn't sure how great they would do since I've seen a lot of Coogan and Reily films, but I almost completely forgot it was them since they do such an incredible job with the characters. The movie centers around Laurel and Hardy putting on shows all throughout the United Kingdom while they're working on a new movie. The problem is that it's 1953 and they're past their hay-day. As the tour goes on, they slowly realize they're not as popular as they once were. I like how they avoid the cradle-to-grave type biopic. They have very clever ways of bringing back old Laurel and Hardy gags. For instance, though we never see the filming of their Oscar-winning short "The Music Box", there's a nice homage to it when they accidentally knock down their trunk suitcase and it falls down the stairs like the piano. They also naturally start doing their word-play gags like they used to do which feels very natural for them, especially with how many times they've had to do it. As a whole, this feels like a love letter to Laurel and Hardy and it really makes you appreciate their films more.
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "You know, when you watch our movies, nobody else in the stories knows us, and we don't know anybody either. It was just the two of us. All we had was each other." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
This is such an incredible biopic. In this film, Steve Coogan and John C. Reily are simply magic as Laurel and Hardy, respectively. They have the mannerisms as well as the voices completely down. When hearing about this movie, I wasn't sure how great they would do since I've seen a lot of Coogan and Reily films, but I almost completely forgot it was them since they do such an incredible job with the characters. The movie centers around Laurel and Hardy putting on shows all throughout the United Kingdom while they're working on a new movie. The problem is that it's 1953 and they're past their hay-day. As the tour goes on, they slowly realize they're not as popular as they once were. I like how they avoid the cradle-to-grave type biopic. They have very clever ways of bringing back old Laurel and Hardy gags. For instance, though we never see the filming of their Oscar-winning short "The Music Box", there's a nice homage to it when they accidentally knock down their trunk suitcase and it falls down the stairs like the piano. They also naturally start doing their word-play gags like they used to do which feels very natural for them, especially with how many times they've had to do it. As a whole, this feels like a love letter to Laurel and Hardy and it really makes you appreciate their films more.
6/19/22 "Captain Marvel" 2019
6/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "You know anything about a lady blowing up a Blockbuster? Witnesses say she was dressed for laser tag."
This was a movie that was always on my MCU watchlist, but I just couldn't keep up with the MCU to watch it. When I started my MCU binge, I watched it in the order that it was released and not in chronological order, and since Ms. Marvel is coming out. I watched it and I thought it was fine. I feel Brie Larson does an okay job as Ms. Marvel, I just feel like the writers tried to make her in the "Marvel Mold" where it's accomplished [insert hard job here] played by [insert A-lister here] who's really cocky and quips all the time who gets super powers and must learn to be more humble. The only problem with this is how at the end she ends off cockier than she started, they try to account for this by saying that "she wasn't confident at the beginning of the movie! She learned a lesson"... but she was already plenty confident in the start of the movie and that arc came out of nowhere. Also, many of Brie Larson's jokes fell pretty flat. This isn't all Brie Larson's fault (though some of her deliveries were pretty off) the actual dialogue seems a little forced. Like how it's set in the 90's for seemingly no reason. People will say lines like "Well, it beats watching FRESH PRINCE OF BEL AIR" Woah! That's a 90's show... and it's set in the '90s! Now I actually believe they are in the '90s. They address so lazily it feels like Aunty Donna: 1999 where the joke of the series is how lazily they bring up 90's references. I have to give this movie some credit with the CG-I de-aging of Samuel L. Jackson and Clark Gregg, they looked really good. Samuel L. Jackson in general really saved the movie. I mean, who doesn't like Samuel L. Jackson? I liked the running joke of his eye getting hurt but him being fine and not needing his eye patch. That was the one thing about this movie being set in the past I liked. Not the worst Marvel movie, just the most average.
6/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "You know anything about a lady blowing up a Blockbuster? Witnesses say she was dressed for laser tag."
This was a movie that was always on my MCU watchlist, but I just couldn't keep up with the MCU to watch it. When I started my MCU binge, I watched it in the order that it was released and not in chronological order, and since Ms. Marvel is coming out. I watched it and I thought it was fine. I feel Brie Larson does an okay job as Ms. Marvel, I just feel like the writers tried to make her in the "Marvel Mold" where it's accomplished [insert hard job here] played by [insert A-lister here] who's really cocky and quips all the time who gets super powers and must learn to be more humble. The only problem with this is how at the end she ends off cockier than she started, they try to account for this by saying that "she wasn't confident at the beginning of the movie! She learned a lesson"... but she was already plenty confident in the start of the movie and that arc came out of nowhere. Also, many of Brie Larson's jokes fell pretty flat. This isn't all Brie Larson's fault (though some of her deliveries were pretty off) the actual dialogue seems a little forced. Like how it's set in the 90's for seemingly no reason. People will say lines like "Well, it beats watching FRESH PRINCE OF BEL AIR" Woah! That's a 90's show... and it's set in the '90s! Now I actually believe they are in the '90s. They address so lazily it feels like Aunty Donna: 1999 where the joke of the series is how lazily they bring up 90's references. I have to give this movie some credit with the CG-I de-aging of Samuel L. Jackson and Clark Gregg, they looked really good. Samuel L. Jackson in general really saved the movie. I mean, who doesn't like Samuel L. Jackson? I liked the running joke of his eye getting hurt but him being fine and not needing his eye patch. That was the one thing about this movie being set in the past I liked. Not the worst Marvel movie, just the most average.
5/14/24 "Making Waves" 2019
6/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Music has a direct connection to emotion" Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
I had to watch this for a film class, and it was a pretty solid documentary. It focused on the often-overlooked world of sound design in film. It was really an all-star group and they had a lot of interesting stories when it came to the film they talked about. The only problem for me is that they would spend a long time on films that other documentaries have already talked in volume about that film. Citizen Kane? Check. Lawrence of Arabia? Check. Godfather? Check. Apocalypse Now? Check. Take a shot every time a film documentary talks about one of these movies, and you'll be black-out drunk before the first exam. As a whole, it's entertaining, but not something I'd remember years from now.
6/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Music has a direct connection to emotion" Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
I had to watch this for a film class, and it was a pretty solid documentary. It focused on the often-overlooked world of sound design in film. It was really an all-star group and they had a lot of interesting stories when it came to the film they talked about. The only problem for me is that they would spend a long time on films that other documentaries have already talked in volume about that film. Citizen Kane? Check. Lawrence of Arabia? Check. Godfather? Check. Apocalypse Now? Check. Take a shot every time a film documentary talks about one of these movies, and you'll be black-out drunk before the first exam. As a whole, it's entertaining, but not something I'd remember years from now.
10/15/24 "Les Misérables" 2019
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "You are entrusted weapons but you don't know how to use them." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
I had no idea that this movie existed until my European film class, so I was completely shocked when watching and finding how amazing it is. The story takes place in Montfermeil, a less than economically sound town in France where Victor Hugo wrote "Les Miserables" (this is where the title comes from). The story centers around a police officer joining a new squad with two unethical cops setting out to make the streets safe. What should've been a simple arrest goes completely out of hand and the whole town has to deal with the consequences of such a crime. This film is a great commentary on police violence as well as mob mentality. There's so much that happens in this film that I wouldn't want to spoil, but I would totally recommend checking this out.
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "You are entrusted weapons but you don't know how to use them." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
I had no idea that this movie existed until my European film class, so I was completely shocked when watching and finding how amazing it is. The story takes place in Montfermeil, a less than economically sound town in France where Victor Hugo wrote "Les Miserables" (this is where the title comes from). The story centers around a police officer joining a new squad with two unethical cops setting out to make the streets safe. What should've been a simple arrest goes completely out of hand and the whole town has to deal with the consequences of such a crime. This film is a great commentary on police violence as well as mob mentality. There's so much that happens in this film that I wouldn't want to spoil, but I would totally recommend checking this out.
10/27/23 "The Lighthouse" 2019
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "What."Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes!
Now I can really understand the Robert Eggers hype train. This film is leagues better than The Witch because it's much more concentrated and interesting. This film is about two sailors having to stay in a lighthouse together for 4 weeks, and that's it. The simplicity is what works so well in this film. Because the premise is so simple, Eggers can really do a lot more with the plot and characters. Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe are absolutely fantastic in this film, if they got two different actors this film might've fallen apart if it wasn't for their chemistry and how well they handle insanity. Overall, this is another win for A24
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "What."Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes!
Now I can really understand the Robert Eggers hype train. This film is leagues better than The Witch because it's much more concentrated and interesting. This film is about two sailors having to stay in a lighthouse together for 4 weeks, and that's it. The simplicity is what works so well in this film. Because the premise is so simple, Eggers can really do a lot more with the plot and characters. Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe are absolutely fantastic in this film, if they got two different actors this film might've fallen apart if it wasn't for their chemistry and how well they handle insanity. Overall, this is another win for A24
8/3/22 "Midsommar" 2019
6/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "Are we just going to ignore the bear?"
More like Midmovie! I feel like this movie was on the cusp of greatness. Great actors, great directing, and great visuals, it's just the plot and writing that drags it down. They have some MCU-style dialogue where they randomly have jokes in serious situations. Some of them landed... some of them didn't. They also use the mystic village as a crutch so many times in this movie. Whenever they use a drug they never explain what it is or what it does at all, they just shrug and say "Hey! It's mystic! You're not supposed to understand it!". This leads to them using it as a way to get out of plot holes and situations they put themselves in. They also rely on shock way too much. Hereditary had shock horror, don't get me wrong but that movie doesn't rely on it. Hereditary was mostly atmospheric and had a sense of dread throughout the whole movie. The pacing felt off for this movie. This doesn't feel like a story that should occupy a 2-hour and 22-minute story. It's not just because it's a long movie because Hereditary was nearly the same length, it's just Hereditary had a lot more story to tell. As a whole this movie isn't that bad... but it's not that good either. The true definition of Mid...sommar.
6/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "Are we just going to ignore the bear?"
More like Midmovie! I feel like this movie was on the cusp of greatness. Great actors, great directing, and great visuals, it's just the plot and writing that drags it down. They have some MCU-style dialogue where they randomly have jokes in serious situations. Some of them landed... some of them didn't. They also use the mystic village as a crutch so many times in this movie. Whenever they use a drug they never explain what it is or what it does at all, they just shrug and say "Hey! It's mystic! You're not supposed to understand it!". This leads to them using it as a way to get out of plot holes and situations they put themselves in. They also rely on shock way too much. Hereditary had shock horror, don't get me wrong but that movie doesn't rely on it. Hereditary was mostly atmospheric and had a sense of dread throughout the whole movie. The pacing felt off for this movie. This doesn't feel like a story that should occupy a 2-hour and 22-minute story. It's not just because it's a long movie because Hereditary was nearly the same length, it's just Hereditary had a lot more story to tell. As a whole this movie isn't that bad... but it's not that good either. The true definition of Mid...sommar.
8/25/22 "Straight Up" 2019
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "Stop. You had me at 'I'll pay you.'"
I saw this because my sister was in an Indie film class and she recommended this one to me. This film is shot like a Wes Anderson movie with the dialogue of a Woody Allen movie. It's about Todd, our main character, who's been gay for most of his life starting to think he might actually be straight. Something that I love about this movie is how they never really answer this question, we don't know if he's gay or not. In his search to find his identity, he finds Rory, a failed actress who's as in her head as he is. Something I love about this movie is how quick the dialogue is, it has the pacing of a 40s screwball comedy with how fast they talk. This is an underrated gem that has great characters and a great story.
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "Stop. You had me at 'I'll pay you.'"
I saw this because my sister was in an Indie film class and she recommended this one to me. This film is shot like a Wes Anderson movie with the dialogue of a Woody Allen movie. It's about Todd, our main character, who's been gay for most of his life starting to think he might actually be straight. Something that I love about this movie is how they never really answer this question, we don't know if he's gay or not. In his search to find his identity, he finds Rory, a failed actress who's as in her head as he is. Something I love about this movie is how quick the dialogue is, it has the pacing of a 40s screwball comedy with how fast they talk. This is an underrated gem that has great characters and a great story.
3/29/24 "Uncut Gems" 2019
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "This is me! This is how I win." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
I was really excited to see this one, but it didn't exactly live up to my expectations. It's still really good! Don't get me wrong, but I just didn't find it as brilliant as everyone else. Adam Sandler did a great job as Howie and really held his own. Also, the story was pretty interesting. The Safdie brothers do a great job raising the stakes and creating a really anxiety-filled film. The problem is, that not a lot really happens to support the length. It would be fine if we got to know more about Howie, but I feel like we never really do. It's a good film, but not a masterpiece.
7/10 Stars, Favorite Quote "This is me! This is how I win." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
I was really excited to see this one, but it didn't exactly live up to my expectations. It's still really good! Don't get me wrong, but I just didn't find it as brilliant as everyone else. Adam Sandler did a great job as Howie and really held his own. Also, the story was pretty interesting. The Safdie brothers do a great job raising the stakes and creating a really anxiety-filled film. The problem is, that not a lot really happens to support the length. It would be fine if we got to know more about Howie, but I feel like we never really do. It's a good film, but not a masterpiece.
10/8/25 "Saint Maud" 2019
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "You're here because you are alone." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
This film was a thinker. We follow a religious woman named Maud who uses her faith to be a nurse. She's assigned to a woman who's a very scandalous dancer. Tensions rise when Maud tries to "save her soul". It's such an interesting dynamic between the two and really explores the contrasting characters. There's also the interesting mystery of Maud, and how she got there. The movie gets really interesting with the effects and overall gloom that looms over it. The ending is really well-done, too.
8/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "You're here because you are alone." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
This film was a thinker. We follow a religious woman named Maud who uses her faith to be a nurse. She's assigned to a woman who's a very scandalous dancer. Tensions rise when Maud tries to "save her soul". It's such an interesting dynamic between the two and really explores the contrasting characters. There's also the interesting mystery of Maud, and how she got there. The movie gets really interesting with the effects and overall gloom that looms over it. The ending is really well-done, too.
6/25/24 "Jay and Silent Bob Reboot" 2019
4/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Hollywood doesn't make sequels anymore. They don't even make squeakquels, yo." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
I can understand what this film was trying to do, but it just did it in the worst way. This was written to be closer to the Viewaskew universe (the set of connected films by Kevin Smith) since he wrote this after his heart attack in 2018. The problem is, that the cameos felt very shoehorned in and had no weight. While it was nice to see how some of these films ended up (the Chasing Amy connection was the best), some felt very lazy (the Dogma one). A lot of the jokes in this film are "Hey! You are watching a movie!" the jokes get very tired and overdone after a while. They kind of have a sweet B-story line, which feels very personal for Kevin Smith but it just doesn't work in such a nonserious film. There was a role meant for Stan Lee, but when he died it got filled with Kevin Smith as himself which just doesn't work for me. They have jokes about Clerks being a film in-universe which just feels cheap. As a whole, I can understand how this seemed like a good idea, but it fell flat.
4/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Hollywood doesn't make sequels anymore. They don't even make squeakquels, yo." Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: No
I can understand what this film was trying to do, but it just did it in the worst way. This was written to be closer to the Viewaskew universe (the set of connected films by Kevin Smith) since he wrote this after his heart attack in 2018. The problem is, that the cameos felt very shoehorned in and had no weight. While it was nice to see how some of these films ended up (the Chasing Amy connection was the best), some felt very lazy (the Dogma one). A lot of the jokes in this film are "Hey! You are watching a movie!" the jokes get very tired and overdone after a while. They kind of have a sweet B-story line, which feels very personal for Kevin Smith but it just doesn't work in such a nonserious film. There was a role meant for Stan Lee, but when he died it got filled with Kevin Smith as himself which just doesn't work for me. They have jokes about Clerks being a film in-universe which just feels cheap. As a whole, I can understand how this seemed like a good idea, but it fell flat.
1/22/24 "Cats" 2019
1/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Nah! No milk! ...MILK!!!" Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
Everything you've heard about this movie is true. You're probably thinking "Well, it can't be as bad as everyone says it is." It is as bad as everyone says it is. The "movie" consists of a horrible CGI cat appearing, singing a song about their name and personality, and then leaving the movie for a new cat to show up, and the same cycle over again. The film's supposed plot is about a group of cats who every year pick one cat to give a second chance at life. The evil Macavity wants to win so he kidnaps his competition (after they sing their song of course). This film hinges on you caring about the cats that they only give a brief, surface-level introduction to. The cast isn't that great which is a shame because there are some talented people involved. Taylor Swift has a very shoddy British accent and proves that there's a difference between having a pop voice and a musical theater voice. She has a good pop voice, but she's way too breathy. Honestly, no one had a really good voice. Even Jennifer Hudson (who's been on Broadway several times before) isn't great. She goes way too over the top for "Memories" (the only good song in the original show) and it completely derails the number. One thing this film has going for it is "Beautiful Ghosts" (the only original song for the film) which is a pretty beautiful song if it wasn't sung by Francesca Hayward. She's a beautiful dancer but a lousy singer, unfortunately. I would avoid this film like The Plague, truly one of the worst movie musicals of all time.
1/10 Stars, Favorite Quote: "Nah! No milk! ...MILK!!!" Do they say the title of the movie within the movie: Yes
Everything you've heard about this movie is true. You're probably thinking "Well, it can't be as bad as everyone says it is." It is as bad as everyone says it is. The "movie" consists of a horrible CGI cat appearing, singing a song about their name and personality, and then leaving the movie for a new cat to show up, and the same cycle over again. The film's supposed plot is about a group of cats who every year pick one cat to give a second chance at life. The evil Macavity wants to win so he kidnaps his competition (after they sing their song of course). This film hinges on you caring about the cats that they only give a brief, surface-level introduction to. The cast isn't that great which is a shame because there are some talented people involved. Taylor Swift has a very shoddy British accent and proves that there's a difference between having a pop voice and a musical theater voice. She has a good pop voice, but she's way too breathy. Honestly, no one had a really good voice. Even Jennifer Hudson (who's been on Broadway several times before) isn't great. She goes way too over the top for "Memories" (the only good song in the original show) and it completely derails the number. One thing this film has going for it is "Beautiful Ghosts" (the only original song for the film) which is a pretty beautiful song if it wasn't sung by Francesca Hayward. She's a beautiful dancer but a lousy singer, unfortunately. I would avoid this film like The Plague, truly one of the worst movie musicals of all time.
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