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Concluding a series is difficult enough let alone wrapping up Hollywood’s greatest action franchise— a vanity project turned love letter to blockbuster filmmaking that’s dazzled audiences for nearly three decades.

I’ve been vocal on this app for years about my love of this series. In an age of reboots and endless brands, the Mission: Impossible franchise has stood tall as an enduring bastion of action cinema, emphasizing the theatrical experience and the thrill of seeing something truly spectacular unfold on the big screen.

And yet, even a series that has consistently succeeded where so many others falter isn’t immune to the common pitfalls of a finale.

This entry is by far the most self-referential in the franchise. Throughout the film, there are numerous callbacks featuring actual footage from prior installments, often clumsily inserted. While some may chalk this up to the same key-jingling fan service that plagues other franchises, I think what earns this series a modest is the earnest melodrama Christopher McQuarrie has infused into it. These moments never feel like hollow nostalgia grabs. Instead, they come across as a culmination of choices, a culmination of character, and a mata-commentary of a career

McQuarrie’s take on this world is one of sincerity. These films' dialogue are often compromised of lengthy expositional planning sequences and monologues about purpose, trust, and duty. For the guy who wrote the line “He is the the living manifestation of destiny,” it’s clear McQuarrie isn’t afraid of leaning into the melodrama of it all.

Yes, it might be a tad self-indulgent. But unfortunately, I am squarely in the intended demographic for that indulgence. Some of the emotional beats land better than others, but I found myself consistently won over by the sincerity at its core.

Where the previous films have succeeded by maintaining a constant escalation, this final chapter adopts a slightly more foreboding tone. The consequences of Ethan’s actions have never felt more severe, with the fate of the human race hanging in the balance. One of the film’s core themes revolves around choices and the inescapability of their consequences, especially for Ethan Hunt. There's a long-running gag in the franchise about government officials constantly doubting him, despite the fact that he's saved the world multiple times.

That said, a considerable portion of this movie involves people gathered around tables discussing plans. While that's always been a trope in the franchise, the amount of screen time devoted to it here is noticeable even by Mission standards.

As a result, the first act doesn’t feel as explosive or dynamic as previous entries. But rest assured, the second and third acts more than make up for it. The biplane chase, heavily featured in marketing, is absolutely death-defying and awe-inspiring. But as with every Mission film, there’s always one less-publicized sequence that sneaks up and nearly steals the show. This time, it's a key (no pun intended) sequence aboard a submarine. It’s a stunning set piece and a technological marvel. It melted my brain trying to imagine how anyone could possibly shoot it.

This movie blurs the line between movie star and character more than ever. Tom Cruise *is* Ethan Hunt, and vice versa. Both are defined by their unwavering dedication and refusal to give up. The guy is 62. Cruise’s tenacity in pulling off these stunts has always been central to the franchise, and never has that drive felt more dangerous or more impressive as he tackles both sea and air.

“I need you to trust me one last time” isn’t just a great tag for the trailer it’s practically Cruise’s mission statement. A final plea from a movie star who has spent decades entertaining audiences, not just through this franchise, but through blockbuster cinema as a whole.

Maybe I’m just feeling sentimental. This franchise has been a part of my life since I was a kid. I vividly seeing Ghost Protocol in theaters, my first-ever IMAX experience. And all these years later, to be watching what might be my last Mission film in IMAX again I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by just how much this series has meant to me.

This series has long been home to some of the most spectacular action ever captured on film. It’s delivered several of the greatest action movies of all time and has remained unmatched in its relentless pursuit to top itself, constantly raising the bar. And while this final chapter may not quite reach the highs of some previous entries, its earnest plea for humanity and authenticity is impossible not to be moved by.

"Barry was clever enough at gaining a fortune, but much less capable of keeping one. For the qualities and energies which lead a man to achieve the first are, too often, the very cause of his ruin in the latter case,"

A story about a man so detestable that two separate families attempt to pay him to simply go away. Barry Lyndon is a tragic yet somehow hilarious odyssey about the erosion of one man’s spirit in exchange for wealth and the illusion of power. Kubrick revels in exposing the absurdity of European aristocracy, portraying them as pathetic, inbred creeps desperate for validation.

The film’s reputation as a visual marvel precedes it and for good reason. It’s impossible to overstate just how exquisite this film is to look at. Kubrick’s elegant mise en scène creates dreamy, layered compositions straight out of a Monet painting. Three hours long and not a single subpar image throughout its runtime. A truly staggering achievement and an all-time entry into "guys who suck" cinema. I'm thrilled I got to see it in a theater for my first viewing.

Completely sold out crowd at a 10am showing on a Wednesday for a movie that came out over a month ago. What a special film.

Watched on Tuesday May 20, 2025.

I vividly seeing this for the first time. Watched it alone at night. I rented it from the video store! It also creeped me the hell out! Thirteen years later (excuse me?) and it's still just as effective. It works both as a horror film and a moralistic fable about greed and exploitation. The Super 8 sequences are haunting. Wonderfully dingy, with a droning, chilling soundscape. Ethan Hawke looks so cozy! A great haunted house flick.

What impresses me most about the Philippe brothers' sophomore feature is how they're able to extract such extraordinary performances from their cast, most of whom are quite young yet still manage to deliver the weighty emotion this material demands. The same could be said for their debut, Talk to Me, which firmly established them as rising voices in horror and ones to keep an eye on.

Like its predecessor, Bring Her Back is a cautionary tale about trauma and the lengths one will go to escape their grief and reconnect with departed loved ones. Thematically, it's a bit disappointing to see the brothers return to this well as it's one that’s been tapped dry in contemporary horror. But the welcome twist here is how that grief intersects with the experience of young people in the foster care system, and how that sense of loss can be compounded. A surprisingly sensitive film.

Tonally, they shake things up a bit. The film isn't as vigorous as Talk to Me, instead leaning into a more morose, anguished mood. The brothers still have an excellent eye. Every frame is well-crafted, and their knack for visual storytelling remains sharp. I'm definitely looking forward to what they do next, though I hope they push themselves to explore some new terrain.

Cannot overstate how much heavy lifting Harnett is doing here. Watching his big ass stomp around a plane, putting the hurt on some bad guys while spending most of the movie drunk or stoned on an assortment of pharmaceuticals was pretty charming!

The big standout is the hand-to-hand combat. Huge shoutout to stunt coordinator Brahim Chab, who previously worked on Monkey Man, and cinematographer Matt Flannery, who worked on The Raid. They bring such a visceral energy to the action, blending inventive set pieces with genuinely effective comedy. Chaos but never at the expense of itself.

The screenplay is... not great. That said, I was pleasantly surprised by its attempt to weave in a storyline about the very real issue of child slavery in cobalt mining for smartphones and technology. It is a noble effort, but very iffy in execution. There's a whole B-plot that grinds the film’s momentum to a screeching halt every time we cut back to it.

A bit of a mixed bag, but definitely worth a watch for fans of action cinema. So far, the best action movie of the year.

Several drinks deep at the function talking about how Mask of the Phantasm is actually the greatest Batman movie of all time.

It certainly is another Final Destination movie! Anyone looking for variety from the sixth entry should look elsewhere. It’s a franchise that mostly lives and dies by its set pieces. These films generally work as a kind of cinematic conveyor belt of carnage. By that metric, this one delivers more of the same with overly elaborate set pieces with a brutal punctuation mark at the end of each scene.

There’s a bit too much digital effects work for my taste. The whole movie has an artificial sheen that too many films today are guilty of. As for the characters, none are particularly worth getting attached to, nor are their stories. Folks try to outsmart death and cheat the supposed order of their demise. You know the drill. It’s not the worst of the lower-tier installments, but it doesn’t do much to stand out from its peers either. Bonus points for a bittersweet tribute to Tony Todd.

Twisted and unpredictable. A tense thriller with a wicked sense of humor, featuring beautiful cinematography which feels straight out of a Sergio Leone western. Scenic vistas contrasted against the depravity of man. It’s a film that feels coated in dirt and blood. Quite clever in how it weaves its metaphor of violence with the setting of the western frontier. What a score! (Featuring Damon Albarn of Blur and Gorillaz fame?) Leo McGarry what are you doing here?

One of the defining films of the rom-com canon. A hilarious and heartfelt story of integrity. What do we sacrifice of ourselves to succeed, both in our romantic or professional lives? It's impossible not to be immediately endeared to this cast, each of whom is tremendous, but Holly Hunter is just extraordinary. Robert Prosky's sweaters are unreal! Precise editing and elegant direction. Deserved every one of those seven Academy Award nominations. Terrific film.

Watched on Friday May 16, 2025.

A Mission Impossible movie directed by Brian De Palma seems like something I'd ask a genie for.

Statham plays his typical smartass, ass-kicker type, but this was a total slog. It tries to juggle a few different tones—a story of addiction and failure mixed with a tough guy crime movie, but it’s never once engaging. Statham punches some guys real good, so I'll call it an even two stars.

Had to revisit after the series finale of Andor. Firstly, in a media landscape filled to the brim with soulless corporate slop, I’m so thankful a series like Andor exists.

I must it, when the series was announced back in 2018, I was skeptical. An entire series dedicated to a ing character from a prequel spin-off seemed like the manifestation of the "Glup Shitto" meme. Little did I know the show would become a transgressive and thrilling piece of science fiction and one of the finest television series of the decade. We live in a time where, every day, our freedoms are stripped away, and the most vulnerable in our society are preyed upon. For a series to come along that serves as a searing examination of the rise of authoritarianism, how it slowly tightens its grip and erodes our spirit, and for it to exist, nevertheless, from the Walt Disney Company, is nothing short of a miracle.

The magic of this show (and all good Star Wars) is how it balances introspection with thrills with a harmonious blend of sci-fi fantasy goodness. Not only is its story consistently enthralling, but the craft of the series is just remarkable. I can’t even begin to describe how deeply my shit this show’s aesthetic is. Like Rogue One, it has a pitch-perfect grasp on Lucas’s analog and weathered technology. A show made for fans of sci-fi and toggles, switches, and knobs.

One last thing I want to gush about is how Andor takes such care in enriching and illustrating the depths of its characters and their actions, particularly the female characters. So many of the women in this series have become all-time favorites for me, and I couldn’t imagine this galaxy without them.

What a journey. The legacy of these two seasons will endure and stand among the greatest shows of the decade. It truly deserves all the praise it gets. I know the franchise is in a precarious place, Star Wars has always been this way, but I just feel grateful for the gift Tony Gilroy and the talented cast and crew have given us. As a lifelong Star Wars fan, I will cherish this for many years to come.

As for Rogue One, it has always been a mixed bag for me. As mentioned, the craft and aesthetic of the film are superb. Many sequences, especially in the final act, are as jaw-dropping as the day I first saw them in theaters. As for the rest of the film, it has always felt a bit awkward to me. A heist thriller in Star Wars is a genius idea, but the film is composed of two acts and is populated by thinly drawn characters. With the benefit of Andor, it now almost feels like an epic series finale, but it’s not nearly as soulful or reflective.

However, what I’ve always enjoyed about the film is its emphasis on hope and sacrifice. Like the series, the film is about rebellion and how no member or act of rebellion is too small. As Nemik said:
“ that the frontier of the Rebellion is everywhere. And even the smallest act of insurrection pushes our lines forward... And know this: the day will come when all these skirmishes and battles, these moments of defiance, will have flooded the banks of the Empire’s authority, and then there will be one too many. One single thing will break the siege. this. Try.”

More like Until Yawn

A sun-bleached Ozploitation existential acid trip about masculinity and destiny. Lorcan Finnegan’s previous film, Vivarium, was a bit of a mixed bag, but I love the nightmare logic of the bottleneck thrillers he creates. It wipes out a bit towards the end, but it's hard not to ire the verisimilitude of Cage’s performance, grounding the film while injecting the kind of energy only he can deliver. It needs some refining and seems a bit too proud of its own cleverness, but it's a good time. Check it out or hang ten or whatever.

Among the great action films of the '80s. A brilliant satire of media and the militarization of the police, all upheld by corporate interests. Features excellent special effects. A glorious flurry of bullets and carnage, and a master class in squibs and explosions. Verhoeven's sci-fi work is unparalleled. Such a generational run. This, then Total Recall, and later Starship Troopers. What a legend. An endlessly rewatchable film.

Junk food cinema. Edwards is a student from the school of excess, no doubt a fan of his forebears Michael Bay and John Woo. Tom Hardy got a few laughs out of me as a cliche dirtbag cop, stomping around what might as well be Gotham City, wearing a puffer vest and screaming in everyone's face, "I'M A COP!" Every car chase looks like a cinematic trailer for a PlayStation 4 game. It's mostly nonsense, but it certainly lives up to its title. It's abrasive and kinda ugly, but I would be lying if I said I didn't have a smile on my face throughout a lot of it. One dumbass movie. (Complimentary)

Watching this with a crowd of people on their feet, dancing throughout the entire runtime, was nothing short of sublime. I danced so hard I broke into a full on sweat. Perhaps David Byrne is the key. He will unite us all.

"Love has no borders, nationalities, or genders!"

GUITAR WOLF SAID TRANS RIGHTS!!

A rock and roll Japanese biker gang faces off against gangsters, aliens, and zombies. If that description alone doesn't make you to add this to your watchlist, we might not have much in common.

An essential piece of 1970s cinema, showcasing the decade's grit and cynicism. It’s a unique blend of comedy, heist movie, and a rightfully pissed off middle finger from the working class. The three leads are excellent. Wonderfully sleazy. Smokey gets slightly less development than the other two, but it’s always a pleasure to see Yaphet Kotto. Parker from Alien would get along with Smokey just fine. That paint scene in particular is brutal and poetic in equal measure.

There's powerful recurring image throughout the film, which shows the number of cars produced by Goodyear, with the counter ticking upward by the second. The sign looms over our protagonists, a constant reminder of their exploitation and the power of their adversary. The capitalist machine must keep running, churning through workers, sowing distrust, while we toil away betraying our own best interests. Excellent film.

Watched on Thursday May 8, 2025.

Certainly isn't going to win over anyone who doesn't find Tim Robinson's particular brand of humor to be their cup of tea. As for the rest of us, this was great. Hilarious and unexpectedly sensitive, telling a story about the horrors of trying to make friends as an adult. All-time drug trip sequence.

A furious outcry, yet still remains more playful and borderline camp than some of Spike's other work, which lends itself well to the film's unique musical quality. The use of verse and dialogue is interesting. Talents like Angela Bassett, Teyonah Parris, and Samuel L. Jackson rise to the occasion, giving these words gravity. Others (sorry Nick Cannon) are less successful.

A rock-solid mystery haunted house story anchored by the ever reliable George C. Scott. It has such a fundamental understanding and execution of fear and paranoia. Things that are universally scary— isolation, betrayal, death, and the unknown. It’s the classic 'things go bump in the night, so let's go to the library to figure out why' kind of movie. You know the type.

Why do we even bother making movies about grief anymore when we have this masterpiece? A beautiful film about purpose and the transcendental bond between memory and food. Such an affecting, inspiring film with an all-time performance from Cage. One pep talk over a meal with Robin would fix me. One of my favorites of the decade.

When Robert Zemeckis locks tf in and makes something that isn't a proof of concept tech demo, he can make truly exhilarating movies.

To the French New Wave what La La Land was to '50s MGM musicals, except with the shortcomings of a late-2000s debut mumblecore film. But hey, I guess Chazelle had to walk before he could run with Babylon. One thing's for sure, the dude loves his jazz.

Watched on Tuesday May 6, 2025.

"Soon, your brain will turn you into metal. Let me show you something different. A new world."

Not much else out there like this. Bits of Eraserhead, anime, slapstick, and Cronenberg all thrown into a blender resulting in a hedonistic, ludicrous piece of punk rock satire. An aggressive movie. A prophetic and impressionistic tale about our metamorphosis alongside machinery and how our bodies and minds have become inseparably intertwined with technology. A truly singular experience.

The wonderfully dodgy effects are balanced by impeccable sound design. I watched it with headphones, and it’s a full-blown assault on the senses. By the end, it feels like your brain has melted and been fused with the film itself. Enjoyed it more on a rewatch in a deeply unpleasant sort of way.

Oh yeah. The good stuff. A superb weaponization of Tom Cruise's intensity. I love the way Michael Mann captures his physicality. Like a shark with legs.

Tense as hell and doubles as an existential meditation on finding purpose, cyphering through the chaos to derive meaning. I've lived in LA for a couple years now, and I can confirm; Michael Mann nails the feeling of driving through empty the streets at night, the teal and orange glow of the city, and the occasional encounter with a coyote crossing the road.

Impeccable vibes. A perfect thriller. What a film.

An essential watch for the Marastathon (he's in the movie for like 10 seconds, but it counts!)

Is Marvel back, or are we just so down bad that even the smallest ounce of competency feels like a breath of fresh air? There are a handful of well-crafted sequences, but the script is mostly mediocre filled with abysmal dialogue and an under-baked story about mental health, trauma, and failure. It reaches for the tone of the Guardians movies but falls flat comedically, big time. These movies really need to stop making EVERY character the "quippy" one. Almost 20 years of this, and it's grading as hell. For an ensemble piece, it's surprising how laser-focused it is on Florence Pugh. Not that I blame them, she’s the clear standout. Meanwhile, Sebastian Stan is practically asleep. Overheard some folks in the lobby debating whether this or Sinners was better. We’re so cooked.

Nostalgic for this kind of lean, no-frills, 90-minute thriller that doesn’t overstay its welcome (Even if it borrows too much from Red Eye). Predictable, but solid performances from the two leads hold it all together.

A24’s first foray into PG kid-appropriate cinema. I’m not sure how it will do with the kiddos as even my own attention started to ebb and flow. It’s heavy on vibes but light on adventure. Quite a serious film! There’s an intentional artifice to the movie that makes it feel like a dreamy fairytale. Unfortunately, some green screen effects during the third act are less attractive. Otherwise, the imagery is beautiful. Vast, fog-laden landscapes bathed in glowing sunlight, with a strong emphasis on chromatic aberration. The puppetry for the titular Ochi is wonderfully crafted. At its core, it’s a very simple story about man, nature, and harmony. Pretty good stuff!

Always a delight. A film about how sharing a good meal while laughing, crying (or sometimes both) with a friend is like offering a piece of your soul. It intimately explores our relationship with the food we eat, told with wit and whimsy. A simple two dollar bowl of noodles is a shared piece of heritage, a sacred recipe crafted to balance every ingredient in harmony. Just like that bowl, our lives are the sum of our choices like recipes we build day by day. To improve that recipe, to better ourselves, takes courage, persistence, and the willingness to let others in. Only then, with open hearts and empty stomach, are we truly ready to eat.

Side note: Watched this with my partner, and we ordered ramen to pair with the film. Phenomenal choice. It felt like I was experiencing the film through all of my senses.

I wasn’t familiar with Strickland’s work prior to this and was totally unprepared for the bizarro, Lanthimos-ian world this movie resides in. It’s a deconstruction of the creative process, presented as a clever, self-deprecating satire about artists and the work they produce. There’s an odd sincerity that I really appreciated. Strange that this is labeled as a horror movie. Didn’t move the needle for me in that regard. Instead, it plays more like an offbeat, surprisingly heartfelt comedy. Tonally, it’s a tricky wire act to walk, and Strickland is mostly up to the task. I just wish I felt more affected by the actual art this fictional collective creates—a chorus of blending, sizzling, and sloshing layered with electronic synths, mixing food and machinery. I love it conceptually and how it reinforces the film’s themes of the body as both artwork and machine, but sonically, something felt missing. I can’t quite put my finger on it. Weird flick. Gonna seek out more of Strickland's stuff!

Can’t believe I let y’all convince me PTA missed with this one. As soon as that Can needle drop hit, I should’ve known. Inherent Vice is a sun-soaked time capsule of late ’60s America, about literally trying to find love in a world of corruption and deception. It perfectly captures the era’s intersection of drugs, sex, and counterculture raging against a corrupt establishment sending its youth off to die in a pointless war while simultaneously deliberately funneling drugs into communities all in the name of capital gain and gentrification. It’s the foundation for the hyper-capitalist, white supremacist, neo-liberal political landscape we’re still stuck in today.

Sounds bleak, but rest assured, Anderson distills all this with the best qualities of noir classics like The Long Goodbye, Chinatown, and even The Big Lebowski, resulting in a hazy, hangout stoner comedy set in a beachside town. Ambitious, albeit a bit messy, which honestly feels intentional.

Doesn’t get nearly enough credit as Anderson’s funniest film. Tonally, it’s the perfect follow-up to the imposing The Master. Complimented by a killer soundtrack and a superb score from Jonny Greenwood. Some of Joaquin Phoenix’s best work. A dizzying film, and certainly not Anderson’s best outing, but for a guy who’s made several masterpieces, who cares? Never doubting PTA again.

There’s a beautiful harmony between the film’s gloomy story, macabre imagery, and haunting setting, all captured in a romantic, painterly composition. It beautifully uses shadows and fog to cast everything in a dreamy ambience, with vast, open sets filled with tons of naked extras writhing in anguish. Some of the special effects are miraculous for the time. Need to rewatch this with the Tangerine Dream companion album asap.

"So full of mystery, contradictions, and chaos... Yes, it's chaos, clocks and watermelons. It's everything.

An esoteric glimpse into Bob Dylan. A scattered yet refreshingly playful portrait of one of our most essential artists. Less a chronicle of his life and more an abstruse musical and philosophical experience like shuffling through his discography at random, hopping from one era to another. Fitting given the elusive nature of its subject. It's not as commercially viable as the copy and paste dreck we so often get from the worst genre of all— the music biopic. But if those films had even an ounce of the bold ambition this one does, we'd all be better off. By no means a perfect film, but I'm Not There sets a standard for the genre as far as I’m concerned

Daft Punk wouldn't exist without Phantom of the Paradise. It's true! Look it up!

I had to rewatch—nay, I GOT to rewatch this for a podcast.

Contractually obligated to watch this as a card-carrying member of the Lily Gladstone and Kelly Marie Tran fan club

This review may contain spoilers.

Hilarious to me how the movie is like, "You're not a killer. How are you going to live with yourself with blood on your hands?" And then Rami Malek kills a bunch of people, gets revenge on everyone, doesn't kill ONE dude, and is like, "I'm fine actually! Revenge was great for me!" Then the movie ends with him smiling, flying away on a plane towards the sunset. No notes.

Sounded good

Though inevitable comparisons to The Substance are likely to follow, (despite this probably being in production far before it's release) perhaps it's rather a testament to the timelessness of a tale like this that allows its power to endure. It's more in line with what the Brothers Grimm envisioned the Cinderella story to be, but still offers a fresh spin on such a familiar tale. One that so effectively provokes both empathy and disgust.

This is one of the rare instances where I saw the tired "someone saw this at a film festival and puked" headline, watched the movie, and thought, "Alright, that's understandable." Top notch SFX and sound design. Thrilled I was able to catch this in the theater. Loved hearing the audience squirm in their seats. Another W for Shudder. What a debut for Emilie Blichfeldt! I can't wait to see what she does next.

(Intentional Gummo reference??? Iykyk 🍝🛁)

Such a gem. Completely manic, with a satirical look at the seedy underbelly of children's TV. DeVito is cookin’ behind the camera, with tons of bold angles and a dynamic energy. Loved it's blending of genres and tones. Goddamn, I miss Robin Williams.

I wish I could confidently be a The Keep truther, but unfortunately, the reported two hours cut from the film per studio mandate are pretty noticeable. Still, there’s enough dreamy visuals, an ethereal score from Tangerine Dream, an entirely committed Ian McKellen, an obscene amount of fog, and some Nazi heads popping to make it watchable enough. Easily Michael Mann’s worst film, but given the context, who can blame him?

A movie about how you shouldn't rush to grow up. The world is full of greedy, selfish people, but if you're kind, have courage, and help others, maybe things will turn out okay. A story of identity amidst a world of commodification. Joe Hisaishi's score is sublime. Simply one of the most imaginative and wondrous animated films and dare I say, one of the most magical movies, period.

1. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
2. Mission: Impossible – Fallout
3. Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
4. Mission: Impossible II
5. Mission: Impossible III
6. Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
7. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning
8. Mission: Impossible

1. Sinners
2. Black Bag
3. Friendship
4. Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
5. Hard Truths
6. Dead Talents Society
7. The Ugly Stepsister
8. Mickey 17
9. The Surfer
10. Bring Her Back

...plus 21 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

Light the fuse 🔥

1. Mission: Impossible – Fallout
2. Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
3. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning
4. Mission: Impossible
5. Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
6. Mission: Impossible III
7. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
8. Mission: Impossible II

A cinematic mood board of ✨me✨ filled with recently discovered gems, stone cold masterpieces, and nostalgic classics. The top 10 is in order. The rest is not. That's impossible.

• The Empire Strikes Back
• Sing Street
• The Thing
• Alien
• Jaws
• Beetlejuice
• Heat
• Phantom of the Paradise
• Rear Window
• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

...plus 201 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

Unique movies that I would bill together for a double feature. (1&2, 3&4, etc)

• Seconds
• The Substance
• The Wizard of Oz
• Midsommar
• Annihilation
• Stalker
• Häxan
• The Witch
• Raising Arizona
• Wild at Heart

...plus 60 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. Eyes Wide Shut
2. 2001: A Space Odyssey
3. Paths of Glory
4. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
5. The Shining
6. Barry Lyndon
7. A Clockwork Orange
8. The Killing
9. Full Metal Jacket

The Cinemarathon is an annual movie-watching challenge where my friends and I compile a list of 52 films, each tied to a unique category, with the rule that every film must be a first-time watch for all of us. Here’s my ranking of this year’s selections!

The categories:
Black and White: I Am Cuba
Early Film For Actress/Actor (Susan Sarandon): Joe
Robbie-Core: Norma Rae
Relatable: Monrovia, Indiana
Anime: Memories
Apocalypse: The Sacrifice
Family: Being There
Sports Film: Black Sunday
Nightmare Comedy: Happiness
Coming of A Certain: Taipei Story
Controversial Film (Watch alone!): Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom
Heist: Sexy Beast
Surreal: Four Daughters
Los Angeles: Deep Cover
Just Say No: Ghost Dog (Way of the Samurai)
Banned Film: Punishment Park
Set in a Country You Want to Visit: Tokyo Drifter
About a Famous Person: Marie Antoinette
First Film from a Famous Director: Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench
Be Kind, Rewind: Wild Zero
Wildcard: Broadcast News
Features an Illness: The Face of Another
Queer Cinema: Querelle
Adapted from a Play: Harvey
25th Anniversary: Traffic
Musical: True Stories
Underseen Gem: A Bigger Splash
Ensemble: The Ladykillers
Set in a College: Breaking Away
Child Actors: Where is the Friend's House
Takes Place Before 1900: The Piano
Ka-POW!: Ong-Bak
Time Travel: Predestination
Kyle-Core: Of God's and Men
Famous Director's Cut: Kingdom of Heaven
Alien Invasion: On the Silver Globe
American Dream: Dinner in America
Vroom Vroom: Grand Prix
Produced by Roger Corman: The Masque of the Red Death
Religious Horror: The Day of the Beast
Buckets of Blood: Pieces
Satire: Sick of Myself
Cinematography Porn: El Conde
Animated: Whisper of the Heart
Based Around A Religion: Bringing Out the Dead
A Holiday Movie: The Daytrippers
Best Cinematography: Barry Lyndon
New York City: Panic in Needle Park
Overruled: Saint Omer
50th Anniversary: Jeanne Dielman, 23 Commerce Quay, 1080 Brussels
Garrett-Core: Something Wild
Best Picture Winner: Ordinary People

1. I Am Cuba
2. Barry Lyndon
3. Broadcast News
4. Deep Cover
5. Taipei Story
6. Four Daughters
7. Happiness
8. Sexy Beast
9. Marie Antoinette
10. Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai

...plus 11 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

The 52 Week Movie Challenge is an annual cinematic endurance test/scavenger hunt. Some college buddies and I compile a list of 52 movies, each corresponding to a unique category. Every movie must be a first-time watch for all three of us. Here's my ranking of the films we selected this year!

NOAH'S RANKING

The categories:
Spy Movie: Spy Game
Famous Directors Cut: Blackhat
Heist: Sexy Beast
Alien Invasion: The Day the Earth Stood Still
Features an Illness: Opening Night
Guys Who Suck: Barton Fink
Shyamalan Twist: Identity
Sequel: In the Line of Duty Part IV
Anime: The Night is Short, Walk on Girl
New York: Lucky Number Slevin
American Dream: The Last Picture Show
Ensemble Cast: Gosford Park
Jeopardy: They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
Takes Place Before 1900: Ravenous
Overruled!: The Verdict
Child Actors: Empire of the Sun
Underseen Gem: Death to Smoochy
Biopic: I'm Not There
Time Travel:
Class Warfare: Blue Collar
Nihilism: Safe
Religious Horror: The Devil's Advocate
Mockumentary: Real Life
Nightmare Comedy: Lost in America
25th Anniversary: Billy Elliot
Musical: True Stories
Just Say No: Gia
Surreal: The Holy Mountain
Noah Core: Primer
Song Title: Starman
Satire: Ace in the Hole
Coming of Age: Dinner in America
One Man Band: Upstream Color
Set in Your Location/Region: The Driver
Fantasy: Tideland
Memorable Villains: Fatal Attraction
Favorite Time Period: Harold and Maude
Queer Cinema: Mysterious Skin
Based Around a Religion: The Prophecy
Buckets of Blood: Feast
Camp: Jawbreaker
One Crazy Night: Victoria
Wild Card: Road Games
Titular Role: Margaret
Apocalypse: The Invasion
Book Adaptation: Naked Lunch
Junk Sci-fi: Timecop
Animated: April and the Extraordinary World
Bailey Core: Being There
50th Anniversary: Barry Lyndon
Garrett Core: Repo Man
Best Picture Winner: Ordinary People

1. Safe
2. Barry Lyndon
3. Barton Fink
4. They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
5. Opening Night
6. The Verdict
7. Blue Collar
8. Sexy Beast
9. The Last Picture Show
10. Blackhat

...plus 12 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

A random assortment of my favorite films I watched for the first time this year (excluding new releases)

• Barton Fink
• Lost Highway
• I Am Cuba
• Magnolia
• eXistenZ
• Beau Travail
• Blackhat
• Boyz n the Hood
• Southland Tales
• The Straight Story

...plus 52 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• All Quiet on the Western Front
• Dracula
• Frankenstein
• The Mummy
• The Invisible Man
• It Happened One Night
• Bride of Frankenstein
• Bringing Up Baby
• The Wizard of Oz
• Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

...plus 1212 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

A ranking of all of the films that I have seen from A24!

1. Hereditary
2. Moonlight
3. Past Lives
4. The Lighthouse
5. Aftersun
6. Midsommar
7. Lady Bird
8. I Saw the TV Glow
9. The Zone of Interest
10. Everything Everywhere All at Once

...plus 105 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• Final Destination 3
• Final Destination 5
• Final Destination 2
• Final Destination
• Final Destination Bloodlines
• The Final Destination

Sorted from shortest to longest because he falls asleep

• Run Lola Run
• Dead End
• Mad God
• Blood Diner
• Duel
• The Ruins
• Eaten Alive
• Django
• The Night of the Hunter
• The Old Man & the Gun

...plus 59 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

Go into these movies knowing as little as possible.
(Alphabetical order)

• 10 Cloverfield Lane
• 127 Hours
• Abigail
• A.I. Artificial Intelligence
• Angel
• Annihilation
• The Art of Self-Defense
• Audition
• Barbarian
• Battle Royale

...plus 157 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

Every Criterion film I own. Organized by spine number.

• Seven Samurai
• Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom
• Diabolique
• The Red Shoes
• Charade
• The Night Porter
• L'Avventura
• 8½
• The Royal Tenenbaums
• Ikiru

...plus 63 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

Be kind, rewind

• The Wizard of Oz
• The Wolf Man
• Forbidden Planet
• House on Haunted Hill
• Village of the Damned
• The Brain That Wouldn't Die
• The Birds
• The Haunting
• Seconds
• It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

...plus 57 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

Here ya go, Lauren.

• It Happened One Night
• Shadow of a Doubt
• Double Indemnity
• Key Largo
• Sunset Boulevard
• Seconds
• Wait Until Dark
• Z
• Joe
• Eaten Alive

...plus 82 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. Malcolm X
2. Do the Right Thing
3. BlacKkKlansman
4. Da 5 Bloods
5. Inside Man
6. She's Gotta Have It
7. Chi-Raq
8. Oldboy

1. Back to the Future
2. Death Becomes Her
3. Who Framed Roger Rabbit
4. Cast Away
6. Back to the Future Part II
7. Flight
8. Back to the Future Part III
9. The Walk
10. Allied

...plus 4 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

Here's a list of well-known or influential movies that I haven't seen yet. While there are many more on my watchlist, these are particularly noteworthy. Many of them remain unseen because I'd like to experience them for the first time in theaters.

• High and Low
• Ace in the Hole
• Barry Lyndon
• Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me
• The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
• The 400 Blows
• Naked
• All About My Mother
• Spartacus
• Metropolis

...plus 36 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• From Dusk Till Dawn
• Sin City
• Desperado
• The Faculty
• Planet Terror
• Machete
• Alita: Battle Angel
• El Mariachi
• Spy Kids
• Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams

...plus 2 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

Personal ranking of the various MCU projects.

1. Iron Man
2. Captain America: Civil War
3. Guardians of the Galaxy
4. Avengers: Endgame
5. Avengers: Infinity War
6. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
7. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
8. The Avengers
9. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
10. Black Panther

...plus 24 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. There Will Be Blood
2. Phantom Thread
3. Punch-Drunk Love
4. Magnolia
5. Boogie Nights
6. The Master
7. Inherent Vice
8. Licorice Pizza
9. Hard Eight

1. Princess Mononoke
2. Kiki's Delivery Service
3. Spirited Away
4. Ponyo
5. Howl's Moving Castle
6. My Neighbor Totoro
7. The Boy and the Heron

(Not ranked)

• Oppenheimer
• Aftersun
• Perfect Days
• Nope
• Decision to Leave
• Past Lives
• Poor Things
• Dune: Part Two
• The Worst Person in the World
• RRR

...plus 19 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. Phantom of the Paradise
2. Blow Out
3. Carrie
4. Mission: Impossible
5. Carlito's Way
6. Body Double
7. Snake Eyes
8. Scarface
9. The Untouchables
10. Dressed to Kill

...plus 1 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

*Blackhat (Director's Cut)

1. Heat
2. Collateral
3. Manhunter
4. Thief
5. The Insider
6. The Last of the Mohicans
7. Blackhat
8. Ali
9. Miami Vice
10. Public Enemies

...plus 2 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

A ranking of films written by Charlie Kaufman

1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
2. Being John Malkovich
3. Adaptation.
4. I'm Thinking of Ending Things
5. Synecdoche, New York
6. Anomalisa
7. Confessions of a Dangerous Mind

1. Sinners
2. Creed
3. Black Panther
4. Fruitvale Station
5. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

A ranking of all of the films that I've seen from Steven Spielberg

1. Jaws
2. Raiders of the Lost Ark
3. Jurassic Park
4. Munich
5. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
6. Catch Me If You Can
7. Minority Report
8. Close Encounters of the Third Kind
9. Schindler's List
10. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

...plus 17 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

A ranking of all the films that I've seen from Martin Scorsese

1. GoodFellas
2. Raging Bull
3. Taxi Driver
4. Casino
5. The Wolf of Wall Street
6. Killers of the Flower Moon
7. The Departed
8. The Color of Money
9. After Hours
10. Silence

...plus 8 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. The Fly
2. Crash
3. Videodrome
4. The Brood
5. Spider
6. Dead Ringers
7. A History of Violence
8. Eastern Promises
9. Rabid
10. eXistenZ

...plus 8 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. Marie Antoinette
2. The Virgin Suicides
3. Priscilla
4. Lost in Translation
5. The Bling Ring
6. On the Rocks

1. The Empire Strikes Back
2. Star Wars
3. Star Wars: The Last Jedi
4. Return of the Jedi
5. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
6. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
7. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
8. Solo: A Star Wars Story
9. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace
10. Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones

...plus 1 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

Movies that I've seen, but it's been a minute! While they may not all need a reappraisal, it's time to revisit them

• Citizen Kane
• Dial M for Murder
• The Night of the Hunter
• The Killing
• Sweet Smell of Success
• Some Like It Hot
• One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
• Videodrome
• Tombstone
• Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow

...plus 31 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. Ocean's Eleven
2. Out of Sight
3. Logan Lucky
4. Contagion
5. Black Bag
6. Magic Mike
7. Kimi
8. Ocean's Twelve
9. Unsane
10. Presence

...plus 2 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

Pope of Trash 🤌

1. Serial Mom
2. Cecil B. Demented
3. Female Trouble
4. Hairspray
5. Multiple Maniacs
6. Pink Flamingos

1. Wrath of Man
2. Snatch
3. Sherlock Holmes
4. The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
5. The Gentlemen
6. Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
7. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
8. RocknRolla
9. King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
10. Aladdin

Written and/or directed by Greta Gerwig

1. Lady Bird
2. s Ha
3. Little Women
4. Barbie

1. Parasite
2. Memories of Murder
3. Mother
4. Okja
5. Snowpiercer
6. Mickey 17
7. The Host

RIP to a legend 🚬 ☕

1. Wild at Heart
2. Blue Velvet
3. Mulholland Drive
4. Eraserhead
5. The Straight Story
6. Inland Empire
7. Lost Highway
8. The Elephant Man
9. Dune

1. Logan
2. Ford v Ferrari
3. 3:10 to Yuma
4. Girl, Interrupted
5. A Complete Unknown
6. The Wolverine
7. Walk the Line
8. Knight and Day
9. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
10. Identity

Don't yell at me about Perfect Days!

1. Dune: Part Two
2. I Saw the TV Glow
3. Perfect Days
4. The Substance
5. Challengers
6. Red Rooms
7. Evil Does Not Exist
8. The Seed of the Sacred Fig
9. Anora
10. The Taste of Things

...plus 97 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

The 52 Week Movie Challenge is an annual cinematic endurance test/scavenger hunt. Some college buddies and I compile a list of 52 movies, each corresponding to a unique category. Every movie must be a first-time watch for all three of us. Here's my ranking of the films we selected this year!

The categories:
Best Picture Winner: Amadeus
Classic: Multiple Maniacs
Low-Budget Big Office: Once
Film Starring Animals: Okja
Early Film of Famous Actor/Actress: Out of Sight
Subtitles: Mommy
Stop Motion: Mary & Max
Set During Historic War: Hero
Independent Film: Gummo
Family Friendly Movie: The Great Muppet Caper
Best Original Screenplay: Moonstruck
Controversial Film: Cruising
Television Tie-In: Westworld
True Story: Munich
B-Movie: Death Race 2000
Silent Film: He Who Gets Slapped
Animated: Paprika
Distant Future: Brazil
Class Warfare: Slumdog Millionaire
Favorite Time Period: Mikey & Nicky
Best Cinematography Winner: JFK
Musical: Dancer in the Dark
Takes Place Before 1900: Topsy Turvy
New Release: Hit Man
25th Anniversary This Year: Girl, Interrupted
Features an Illness: Melancholia
Strong Female Lead: Lady Snowblood
Set During the Decade You Were Born: The Place Beyond the Pines
Based Around a Sport: Slapshot
A Remake: Sorcerer (Remake of The Wages of Fear)
Film Festival Winner: Hundreds of Beavers
Black and White Film: Down by Law
Sequel: Police Story 3: Super Cop (Also just Supercop)
Set During the Great Depression: Miller's Crossing
Book Adaptation: Crash (The Cronenberg one)
Wild Card: Incendies
Natural Disaster: Deep Impact
Set in Your Location/Region: American Movie
About a Composer/Musician/Band/Group: Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Foreign Film: The Piano Teacher
Holiday Movie: Ghostwatch
First Film from a Famous Director: The Hunger
Set in a College: Wonder Boys
Best Original Score Winner: Fame
Adapted From a Play: My Own Private Idaho (Adaptation of Henry IV pt.1)
With Your Favorite Actor/Actress: October Sky
About a Famous Person: Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters
Set in a Country You Want to Visit: Opera
Based Around a Religion: Calvary
50th Anniversary This Year: Woman Under the Influence
Relatable: Mistress America
Released During the Decade You Were Born: The Game

Here's the link to my friends' lists:
Bailey's List: letterboxd.sitesdebloques.org/baileyjhunt/list/52-week-movie-challenge-ranked/

Noah's List:
letterboxd.sitesdebloques.org/noah_degorgeous/list/52-week-movie-challenge-best-to-worst/

1. A Woman Under the Influence
2. Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters
3. The Piano Teacher
4. Incendies
5. Sorcerer
6. American Movie
7. Brazil
8. Hedwig and the Angry Inch
9. Munich
10. Mikey and Nicky

...plus 42 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. Before Sunset
2. Before Sunrise
3. Everybody Wants Some!!
4. Before Midnight
5. School of Rock
6. Hit Man
7. Boyhood
8. Dazed and Confused
9. Bad News Bears
10. Last Flag Flying

1. The Sixth Sense
2. Signs
3. Unbreakable
4. Trap
5. Split
6. The Village
7. The Visit
8. Knock at the Cabin
9. The Happening
10. Old

...plus 3 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

A ranking of films I've seen from NEON

1. Parasite
2. Portrait of a Lady on Fire
3. Pig
4. Possessor
5. The Worst Person in the World
6. Memories of Murder
7. Perfect Days
8. Titane
9. Anora
10. La Chimera

...plus 34 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. No Country for Old Men
2. Inside Llewyn Davis
3. Raising Arizona
4. Barton Fink
5. Fargo
6. The Big Lebowski
7. O Brother, Where Art Thou?
8. True Grit
9. Burn After Reading
10. Miller's Crossing

...plus 1 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair
2. Inglourious Basterds
3. Django Unchained
4. Pulp Fiction
5. Jackie Brown
6. The Hateful Eight
7. Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood
8. Reservoir Dogs
9. Death Proof

A ranking of all of the films that I've seen from Christopher Nolan

1. Oppenheimer
2. The Prestige
3. Interstellar
4. Memento
5. Batman Begins
6. The Dark Knight
7. Inception
8. Dunkirk
9. Tenet
10. The Dark Knight Rises

...plus 2 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.