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Woke up, opened Netflix, and had no idea that a new Fear Street project was even in the works. My brain hadn’t fully woken up to the fact, that if I hadn’t heard about it until its release, chances are it’s gonna be bad. 

While each film of Leigh Janiaks Fear Street trilogy had an identity, Fear Street: Prom Queen struggles to have one, beyond an EXTREMELY repetitive 80s soundtrack. Most of the kills are also uninspired, the characters are pretty bland and anything that came close to intriguing in the third act was tossed immediately. 

Netflix figured, if Hollywood can cash-grab, so can they.

When I saw that Mickey 17 was on HBO Max, it reminded me that I wanted to watch all of the films from Bong Joon Ho before seeing it. Then I only watched Memories Of Murder. Mother was definitely the one I was most excited for, after that. And while for a period of the first half, I wasn’t too sure how much the finale could stun me, but it continues to stick in my brain, and the more I think about it, the more I love it. 

Kim Hye-ja gives a mysteriously brilliant performance. Her character continues to get as layered as you could imagine, as it goes on, and she makes sure to keep the audiences patience intact. Which then makes the entire film experience more rewarding. The rest of the cast are great, truly exploiting the characteristics that seemed to be in the script. But it is undeniable that Kims performance is what was the most dependable and she really brought it.

The tone is extremely commendable. It’s able to have that wonder or even fear lingering around at all times, while having a few moments that are genuinely funny. Mostly in the beginning half, which is obviously preferred, but it’s more positive memorability to the film, where it could’ve easily been a flaw. And it’d be impossible to not mention the cinematography. So many shots further sunk me in my seat, if the story didn’t already do that enough. Then the editing is an amazing bonus, having some of the best usage of 'flashback shots' that I can .

A rewatch could really put this at the same levels or even higher than Memories Of Murder. For a first viewing, I wondered if the buildup in the first half was a bit slowed down. The final act really makes everything worth it, but going back, knowing the story, could further validate the entire pace.

I wanted to see this very badly when it came out. It felt like this took over the end of 2022. But when I hear in a Ryan Coogler interview that Puss In Boots: The Last Wish was a heavy inspiration for Sinners, I have to watch it almost immediately.

The constant hype might’ve suffered my overall first viewing. Especially because in the beginning half of the film, I really wasn’t as into it as I was hoping. There were some creative lines and the animation is consistently amazing. But, the opening exposition is in the very typical formula that we’ve seen from recent animated films and some of the sillier moments barely got a reaction out of me. The second half is where things start getting really good. The build-up for every character is very memorable, which makes the films adventure even more exciting. Then when it gets to the conclusion, it made me understand why this film brought a lot of emotional sentiment out of people. It was a great way to get Dreamworks even more prepared to do Shrek 5. And since I haven’t watched the first, The Last Wish is a film I could see holding up even better when I can hopefully binge the entire Shrek franchise again.

I had been wanting to watch this, before 28 Years Later came out. I knew that it had been way too long since I had watched 28 Days Later. The last time I watched it was when I freshly got the Blu-Ray, before the period where it became one of the most expensive pieces of physical media.

I expected to be creeped out on this rewatch, but I did not expect for this film to make my skin crawl as much as it did. Especially in the beginning half. Whether it was Cillian Murphy walking around an abandoned London or the exhilarating movement of the zombies instantly putting me in peril. Then when you notice that the cast includes actors that would become very dependable in Hollywood throughout the 21st century, it makes sense why they knock it out of the park. They really bring out a lot more to the emotional side of the story than I ed. They have moments when it really shows the side of grief that not most zombie films pay attention to. And I have to give huge props to the camera crew. The style could’ve been deemed too shaky or too cheap, but it adds a lot more realism and an extra level of terror when it’s required.

A common complaint I have seen for this film is corniness to the story. I wouldn’t deny that it could be noticeable, but that wasn’t a noticeable flaw to me. The only thing the really threw me off was some slowed down scenes in the second and third act. Especially with how compelling the opening act was, with hardly any dialogue, they could’ve gotten away with a few less conversations and we’d get the message. The second half of the film could tend to expose some of the corniness in either conversations or decisions made that are very 'movie-like'. But, the horrific nature surrounding the film makes plenty of things that could be corny, more engaging. To the point, where there was a scene in the third act where I stood up and clapped, like it was a Marvel movie. It could be deemed a complaint, but when it works, it works.

The only thing I really ed about this film before rewatching it, was the very memorable theme and the fact that it has Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris and Brendan Gleeson. While the things I ed remained very true, I didn’t give 28 Days Later enough credit for it being one of the most terrifying films of the 2000s. I have never seen 28 Weeks Later, so that’ll be interesting, but I can’t imagine it can top this. Hopefully, Danny Boyle and Alex Garland really pushed themselves for this summer.

My opinion has changed on every Mission: Impossible rewatch, so far. With me liking the second a little bit more and liking the first and third a little bit less. It does validate watching all of these before I see The Final Reckoning.

The stakes are what really keeps this film memorable along with what I like to call 'The PSH Cheat-Code'. Put him in your film and it’s already extra intriguing. I honestly wish we got some more scenes between him and Cruise, because it’s debatable on the best chemistry he has had with any villain in the franchise. The highlights still stick, but it was definitely not as consistent as I ed.

I had heard about this film a lot last year. I always had intrigue, but it took until it hit streaming for me to finally check it out. While I wished that I loved it a little more, this is still a pretty great thriller.

The entire cast are huge standouts. Especially the main 3, played by Jim Cummings, Jocelin Donahue and Richard Brake. Brake, especially, has a great presence on screen and its one of the best antagonist performances that I’ve seen throughout this decade. Then everyone else brings great quirks to their characters throughout, that would’ve made the film consistently entertaining if it had a bad script (which it does not). 

I’ll try to talk about this without spoiling the film, but what happens in the second act and beyond is what had me drop my rating, for now. It’s entertaining and pretty unpredictable, which I have to commend. But some decisions seemed a bit out of left field. It’ll probably get a little darker than you might anticipate and some of that I loved and there’s bits of it that I’m still elaborating on.

Especially for a directorial debut, this was a home run. It made the best out of its limited location, while bringing shades to some of the best from the most beloved directors. I most especially got vibes of Fargo and Twin Peaks throughout, with some sprinkles of Tarantino. I am very open to watching it again, and I hope it validates my opinion on the final act.

I also need to see the work from Jim Cummings. Because I’m ashamed this is the first thing I’ve seen him in.

The first Final Destination film I was able to see in theaters was the fifth. I was 14, freshly obsessed with the franchise, and I still that theater experience very vividly. It took another 14 years for a Final Destination film to be released and I was as excited as I could be. My friend and I recently binged the first 5 and I was very hopeful that it was going to make that previous marathon worth it. Not only was the film itself a blast, but choosing to see it in IMAX made the experience even more impactful. 

With the directors behind this, I was a little skeptical on how exactly Final Destination Bloodlines was going to go. Especially with the fact that this is clearly the longest film of the series. But with a pretty clever script, it manages to bring out multiple twists throughout, along with using some clever formulas to tell the typical Final Destination plot a little differently. Along with adding more comedy than any of the other films. I was very surprised with how many times this made me laugh. And, most importantly for Final Destination, the death scenes are entertaining as hell. All of them getting a reaction out of me, with multiple being serious contenders for the best of the franchise.

One thing that I’ve seen be brought up a lot, was the fantastic way this film used the late Tony Todd. And it surely is wonderful. It was clearly known on-set that this was going to be his last film, with even his character acknowledging that he doesn’t have much time left. He has been such a vital part to this franchise and I was so happy that he was able to go out in such an amazing way. 

I didn’t want my review to be this long, but it was expected with how much I enjoyed Bloodlines and with how much I love the Final Destination series itself. My friend and I discussed that it definitely felt more rewarding since we watched all 5 to really get in the mood. Which can excuse the occasional cheesy acting, over-the-top CGI gore and overall silliness. But that’s what’s to be expected with the franchise at this point, and you either love it or don’t. And I loved my theater experience for Final Destination Bloodlines. They could’ve kept it simplistic and had some fun deaths and they would’ve gotten away with it. But, they decided to have fun with it, tribute the franchise itself and get a little creative. It’s an awesome excuse to keep making more of these and I don’t have an issue with that whatsoever.

This was one of the 2000s comedies that a ton of my friends saw while growing up, but I just never felt like watching it. The plot itself was probably what threw me off, but I will say that The Ringer is way less offensive than you would imagine it’d be, by reading the plot alone. And the fact that it got approved by the Special Olympics before filming does let you know that they weren’t doing this for heartless reasons. A couple of moments made me laugh and Knoxville has moments of good chemistry with the other competitors. But the story itself is predictable as hell and all of those angles are simply not fun to watch. Especially the bland romance angle with Katherine Heigl.

It was funny to realize that the director of this film also directed Beyond The Mat. Which is one of the greatest pro-wrestling documentaries of all time. Hilarious that The Ringer was his following project. But makes sense as to why Terry Funk makes an appearance.

This film has been high on my watchlist. Especially since I got the Criterion for Christmas in what I believe was 2020. It had been long overdue, and while an extended wait could cause over-hype, I wasn’t let down whatsoever with Ghost Dog: The Way Of The Samurai. In fact, I was both given the kind of story I was expecting, yet delivered a tone and overall ambience throughout, that would keep me partially paralyzed in my seat. 

Forest Whitaker brought one of my favorite lead performances in recent memory. Not only was his delivery great, whether reading an excerpt from The Book Of Samurai or his terrific interactions with every character. But, his facial acting is outstanding. He was able to express so much and let the audience feel so many different types of emotions, without saying a word. I do have to go back to his chemistry with the cast, because it’s truly a standout of the film. Whether it’s his 'boss', a little girl talking about books or his best friend who only speaks French. The bonds that he has with those characters are a true anchor to the film, in very different ways. But I also can’t talk about chemistry in this film, without talking about the birds. Because whenever one would fly close to him, it’d make me damn emotional. 

This was my first film from Jim Jarmusch. From what I’ve looked at in his filmography, he seems to be a director that really likes to branch himself out. So while I don’t want to go into the mindset that any of his films could be similar to this, I am beyond excited to check out what else he has in store. A samurai themed story taking place in late 90s America could sound terrible. However, it is a brilliantly crafted story, from the editing, amazing cast (I forgot to shout the villains, but they were perfectly cast), to the amazing soundtrack from RZA. I didn’t know that he was the composer, going into this film, and since I’ve mentioned anchors previously, he was another one to Ghost Dog. I already want to watch this again, and I have good faith that this could be high on the favorite s list, as time goes on.

I also have to shout, that in the Criterion, they have a foldable booklet, containing excerpts from The Book
Of Samurai (Hagakure). It’s close to being my favorite thing they’ve added in any Criterion that I own, and reading through those during the movie was an extra cool experience to the viewing, as a whole.

This was the rewatch I was dreading the most. But, there was also a bit of excitement, because I genuinely had hope that this would be better than I previously ed. Luckily, that was the case, but the flaws are still noticeable.

The editing is insanely 2000s. Plenty of it feeling like a commercial, in a similar way that Charlie’s Angels (2000) did. But a lot of it is very fun. The only editing trope that would irk me was the slow motion. It makes a film that feels so out-of-tone from everything else in the franchise even more aware.

But the difference in tone is also what makes final act so damn entertaining. It truly mixes the egos of John Woo and Tom Cruise, and you can either be annoyed or entertained. At first, I was on the side of the former, while watching this time, I was leaning toward the latter. Plus, the stunts are genuinely awesome. Whether it’s the motorcycle chases or Tom Cruise hitting a pretty slick enzuigiri.

While still my least favorite Mission: Impossible film, it’s better than I previously gave it credit for. Maybe on further rewatches, this will continue to be more entertaining.

A booster was heavily needed after watching The Final Destination. Only one film left in the marathon, but the fourth really wanted to suck all of the fun out of my friend and I. Luckily, Final Destination 5 learned from the mistakes of the previous film (minus the 3D effects) and delivered a very bloody, shockingly grounded and very entertaining thrill ride. 

These films have occasionally sprinkled some humanity to the ensemble, but none in the way this does. It takes time to make you really enjoy most of these characters, and the ones you aren’t supposed to like are written in the fun way we’re used to in these. Then the death scenes are brutal as hell. One in particular, is hands down, the most audibly shocking of the entire franchise, and if you’ve seen it, you’ve guessed correctly. And my friend was lucky to not know the ending going in, and his reaction solidified just how awesome it is. It justified to me why 5 was the sequel I was most excited for, going into this marathon.

Now, this portion is a review for the marathon/Final Destination franchise itself. Every single one of them, besides 4, are really good movies, yet in very different ways. Which is very rare to say for the horror genre, let alone one that carries the same plot each time. And the 1st and 3rd especially are perfect films to represent the years they were released in. While none of them are perfect, I have always been a huge fan of them since I was first introduced, as a kid. It was a blast going back through each one. Except the fourth, that was pretty irritating. I cannot wait to see what Bloodlines has in store!

This may not be as high on my 'Worst Films Of All Time' list as I ed. But it’s like comparing violently vomiting my guts out to taking a tsunami shit. Regardless, a horrible experience.

This was much more of a pleasant rewatch than I had ever imagined, going into this marathon. The CGI gore isn’t as bad as I ed and any other flaws that remained in memory were easy to be entertained by and not have it drain the experience. I also didn’t give this film credit for its story/character work. It’s not masterclass storytelling or anything, but more than enough to keep an audience invested. And has a serious contender for the best post-premonition death in the series.

But this film did make me and my friend pause for the first time, because we could not contain ourselves with the fact that they made a photoshopped picture of the Twin Towers for the sake of a Final Destination storyline. Unreal.

This review may contain spoilers.

It felt pretty fucked up watching a son get killed by a giant pane of glass, in front of his mom, on Mother’s Day…

But, why was I such a 'Negative Nancy' on this over the years? This does contain some of, if not the most iconic death scenes in the entire franchise and it has enough turns on the story for a sequel to keep it interesting. Plus, this was the first time where I was really won over by the entire cast. 

I finally get why this is so many peoples favorite. This slaps!

The beginning of a Final Destination marathon today. And I honestly could never get sick of the original. Such a great capsule for the year 2000, some of the deaths are more brutal than I ed and it has the perfect kind of corniness for this kind of story. It makes sense why Devon Sawa became so iconic to horror after this, because he clearly remains the best protagonist they’ve ever had.

If you haven’t watched any behind-the-scenes footage for this film, it’s really enjoyable watching the process of how they changed the original ending (which is amazing that they changed it). It really made me wonder if there even would’ve been other Final Destination movies after this.

This always pops up on my home page for Max when I have opened it, for at least a month and a half now. I almost always debate for a second, if I should watch it or not, but would never be too convinced. Now after watching it, I could see why I was skeptical. 

Heretic is pretty promising in the beginning. Hugh Grant delivers a very entertaining performance. Getting moments where he’s pretty chilling or straight-up hilarious. Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East are fine for what they’re given, with at least one scene where they can each have their own highlight. The first half had me pretty convinced, but if they had just rushed the second half a bit, it would’ve really saved this project. It felt like the directors were thinking the build up was groundbreaking where it really slowed the film down, because I more than understood the films message at that point.

A solid film, but the final half severely harmed it from being more memorable. Maybe they should’ve utilized the fact that they had Topher Grace a little more.

This review may contain spoilers.

This film contains many hilariously badass moments. But my favorite part of RoboCop is when he’s saving a woman from being assaulted and he shoots a hole through her skirt to shoot one of the attackers in the dick. I verbally said out loud, “These are the cops we need”. 

Fully 80s. Fully gory. Fully intelligent messaging from Verhoeven. But most importantly, fully fun.

I only had a guess that this would be a pretty crazy romantic comedy. The first half of Something Wild definitely delivers that. With Jeff Daniels bringing some hilarious mannerisms, Melanie Griffith bringing such great mystery to her character and their chemistry bloomed very well throughout. Then when you get introduced to Ray Liotta in the second half, the film takes a darker turn. But, it is always entertaining and intriguing.

What’s very commendable about Something Wild is that the tonal shift doesn’t make it feel like two films. Just the built up craziness is in much different ways during each half. Jonathan Demme really did a great job in the directors chair. Even when he used formulas that we have seen in plenty of films, there’s still something else going on that makes it feel like its own. The comedy also never fades away. It’s definitely not as consistent as the first half, but when they come in, they almost always land a chuckle or full-blown laugh.

This was one of the most interesting romantic comedies that I have ever seen. With some great directing, memorable laughs, some shockingly great intensity and a knock-out lead cast. I recommend doing little research because it was fun not knowing too much. Plus, it leaves a lot more intrigue for a rewatch once it’s over.

I had heard for many years, how disturbing Bad Lieutenant was. I had my guesses as to why, from seeing other films directed by Abel Ferrara. But it still couldn’t have prepared me for just how much of an unsettling nature lingered and further consumed everything around it. 

Beyond the horrible events written in the script (really emphasizing the plural), Harvey Keitels performance is what puts a lot of the films ugliness on-screen. He gave it his all to be as horrendous as he possibly could. Then the further downward spiral his character dives to (although wording that is putting it lightly), reminded me a lot of Adam Sandlers performance in Uncut Gems. Keitels LT and Sandlers Howard Ratner exploit their addictions and examples of being horrible people in completely different ways, but both were able to consistently remain as insufferable characters, yet you couldn’t help but keep watching them. 

While I have this film at a higher rating, I can definitely say Bad Lieutenant isn’t a film I would recommend for everyone, because it is unsettling as hell. It truly shows some of the most hideous actions of humanity, further losing hope for any character you see (or even those that you don’t). And the film doesn’t let you get away from it. Because you’re following a horrible person, who’s a cop, that’s further damaging himself, investigating a case involving people that have their horrible actions further damage others more than themselves. With so many great monologues either from Keitel or the nun, played by Frankie Thorn, that forces the audience to further make the anger from the films action turn into total despair.

I had seen the sequel with Nicolas Cage a long time ago, and I probably didn’t fully know that it was a sequel while watching it. Now that they’ve announced another one being in production and Takashi Miike being the director, it definitely made me want to watch this as soon as I could. An anthology trilogy of a drunken gambling addict police officer isn’t something I would have in mind, but I can’t say that I’m not down for it.

This was one of the most uncomfortable viewings I’ve had in a long time. One scene in particular had my skin crawling for every second and I’m guessing you know what scene it is, if you’ve seen it. But when it’s this well made, you can’t help but respect what the cast and crew achieved. Harvey Keitel truly gives an all time performance in this, that had me stunned, yet verbally upset throughout. And Ferrara really isn’t afraid to take horrific risks and put it in the audiences face as much as possible. But it never seemed like he had any of those uncomfortable scenes with no purpose.

Isn’t better than I was hoping for a second viewing, but it’s still an undeniably entertaining experience. With a big plus going to the cast, because they could’ve lassoed the creativity this film had and sunk it, but they really make the experience overall better. 

What really doesn’t make this land in the higher level is the consistency in entertainment can drain in the second half. It still leaves the wonder, but a bit less of the constant charismatic entertainment that we were getting previously. The final 20 minutes really save the positive portions from simmering and the crazy editing still leaves the intrigue.

This film has been on my radar for a while. I didn’t realize that the lead character 'Philip Marlowe', was an iconic on-screen detective, played by many different actors. The Big Sleep is another one that has been on my watchlist for years.

I only heard a small portion of the plot and a ton of high reception on Letterboxd before putting it on. And this film really did have a great aura to it, along with one of my newest favorite lead performance from Elliot Gould. I hadn’t seen the kind of roles from him that would prepare me for how cool he is in this. Him spewing out sarcastic comments, with a cigarette in his mouth was something I could never get sick of. But as much as he makes me laugh throughout, his seriousness toward the third act just makes him look badass. 

I have been bringing up a lot of films from the 21st century, delivering terrific vibes to Los Angeles. Most especially, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood and Under The Silver Lake. The Long Goodbye is definitely one of the films that inspired those kind of atmospheres. Letting the buildup to the films mystery leave you confused, but not enough to throw you off from the entire story. Yet, it’s not a typical story of a detective solving a case. Plenty of things just keep getting his way and the culmination of everything becomes almost accidental. Then gets surrounded with some fantastic music from John Williams and consistently perfect locations. I am very excited to watch this again, and am likely going to notice a few things that I got too distracted from, by laughing at some sarcastic remark from Gould.

I planned to watch Maniac Cop 2 within the week after seeing the first one, and ended up forgetting to do it. I wasn’t too sure on what to expect, but it has some pretty cool moments for this kind of a sequel. Like the original, clearly not perfect, but not flawed enough to take away a good time.

Some of the stunts in the second half are insanely commendable. They used the higher budget to their advantage. Which makes sense, with the fact that if you give William Lustig more money for a movie, he’ll just attempt to do even more dangerous shit. 

Another thing I appreciate is that they seemed to actually care about the story and wanted to make it interesting. This could’ve been an extremely generic sequel, but it takes risks, adds a couple of plot elements and clearly has fun with it. I honestly got some shades of Halloween Ends in the second half, so that’s always an advantage.

I was slightly afraid to watch First Reformed again, for many different reasons. One of the main ones, was that I was afraid it wouldn’t hold up as well. I hadn’t watched this in years, but my memories of it have remained pretty fresh. But I was also terrified that this film would further engulf me in guilt, because the films message remains even more harmfully true now. And I can sadly say that there were periods in the 2020s where I was much less protective of the environment than I was in 2018. Paul Schrader is really calling the world out. More-so in this films case, the American population. But it’d be a backwards way to look at the film, if you can’t commend a films ability to make people think a bit more.

It’s still weird to say that a film like First Reformed can continue to leave vital impacts, because of real-life decisions made on our planet. But it’s not the only reason. Schraders script is one of the best from the past 20 years. From the narration being a perfect blend into the protagonists crumbling psyche, the disdainful moments from people truly exploiting the further loss of hope, to its built-up weirder moments telling so much on screen, while making my skin crawl. It’s also a damn shame that Ethan Hawke didn’t get as much award attention, because this is definitely his best performance. He remains shockingly calmer than you would expect a character in his situation to be, which makes his expressions throughout the film, even more unnerving. 

I was reading that Schrader had a lot of inspirations for First Reformed, from filmmakers such as Ingmar Bergman and Robert Bresson. I still need to see a lot more of Bressons work (though L’Argent is one of my all timers), but I definitely saw shades of Bergman throughout the second and third act. Then Schrader wanted to end the film with the same song that traumatized me from The Night Of The Hunter, so it’s always great to get more reasons to be terrified from a song. The beginning has classic Schrader technique, with riveting dialogue interaction, bringing out so much in each shot and knowing how to slowly shock an audience. This is definitely one of the most important 'moral dilemma' films of the past 20 years, and down the line could become even more valuable (or it became too late). Then the film leaves you no choice, but to force you think about what you would do in this situation, or what you’re even doing about it, currently. Whether you’re on the side of taking action or slowly simmering into the cosmos, that fear will remain lingering.

It didn’t take too long for my ass to be back in a theater seat for Sinners. And it definitely holds up even better the second time. There were a lot more 'easter eggs' that I noticed and everything from the story hit me a lot deeper. I was crying at the end of the film, and I wasn’t like that at all the first time. Previously, I was just stunned from how well it was written, but this viewing let me give the film a different kind of attention. Whether it was the bond from specific characters or the music further tugging at my heartstrings, I could not handle myself. 

What still holds me back from giving it a 5, is how much more I adore the first half, and loved it even more, this time around. I don’t want that to discredit the second half though, because it’s a fucking blast. But I’m still unsure if some of the genre blends made it feel a bit too separated to call it perfect. But there’s no doubt that I’ll be watching this again sooner than later, so there’s always the possibility where this ends up on my favorites list.

I can still confidently say that this is the best theater experience of the year. And even if I have a better one later in 2025, it’s not going to compare to what I got from Sinners each time. From Coogler’s brilliance behind the camera, telling so much in each shot (especially on a rewatch), the entire cast knocking it out of the park, Ludwig Görannsons beastly soundtrack, or having almost every emotion imaginable throughout the runtime. And I am STILL not over that scene I was raving about in my previous review.

For the eternity of comedy, not a lot will make me laugh as much as Charles Grodin being absolutely annoyed with Martin Short. Their different types of insanity blend in the most stupidly hilarious ways.

What a dumb, bat-shit, glorious time this is!

This review may contain spoilers.

Whenever I fear for the pain that life has to offer, I’ll just watch Danger Ehren get his nuts destroyed by a pogo stick, and it could always be worse.

I had a decent amount of intrigue for Sinners at the beginning of the year, but the extremely positive reception that I kept consistently seeing on Letterboxd made this one I had to to check out in theaters, as soon as I had the chance. I was lucky enough to avoid trailers and know very little about the plot. I didn’t even know that Michael B. Jordan was going to play 2 roles. So while everything in this film isn’t something I could say was perfect, but is one of the best theater experiences I’ve had in years. 

Ryan Coogler has already solidified his stature with Sinners only being his 5th feature film. And this is clearly the best showcase of his vision behind the camera. There are a ton of amazing shots, but it’s the sequences that truly blow me away. A lot of reviews will mention one particular scene that’s the stand-out, and those people would be correct. I was stunned with what I was looking at, from how the messages were supposed to come across, to simply how breathtaking the filmmaking was. That scene alone is what made me know I couldn’t give this film a rating lower than what I already have. 

Michael B. Jordan has consistently showed off his amazing talents. Including every film that Coogler has directed. But his performance as both roles solidifies that he is a leading man for the long haul. With every emotion or attitude he had to portray, he nailed it. And it’s a performance that will keep getting better, the more you think about it. Miles Caton was fantastic in his first ever film role. His delivery was always top notch, and the musical part to his performance was wonderful. The entire cast genuinely work very well together. Hailee Steinfeld did great use with her character work, Wunmi Mosaku shined whenever she was on screen and Jack O'Connell was really good as the main antagonist. Plus, if every film can cast Delroy Lindo from now on, the world would be a better place. 

One thing I will mention as my only true flaw of the film, and that is some portions of the second half. The introductory to the characters and the buildup to the cathartics that would happen later on, was practically perfect. From how it was shot, how incredible the music was and the genuine amazing dialogue interactions in its screenplay, mixed with the amazing charisma of the cast. Then when it gets to the vampire side, it can get to levels that I can totally understand would throw people off. There are sides to it that could’ve gotten edgier and some lines or interactions that could throw you off tone. Personally, I didn’t really care. It’s always undeniably entertaining, it was always getting a reaction out of me, and the film showed its audience to be patient, because everything built up works out in a very creative way, just maybe not in the way some would expect.

I am going to be seeing this again sometime this weekend, so I can give an extra validation to my opinion when that time comes around. But Sinners is a fantastic piece of original filmmaking from Ryan Coogler, that also shows its clear inspirations. The first act could end up being my favorite out of any film all year, and the second half is insanely entertaining, never slowing down. Even if you end up not being as big of a fan of this film as others, it’s one that’s undeniably refreshing to see in theaters right now. With some scenes that I won’t be forgetting for a long time.

My dad had been consistently recommending Friday Night Lights, the past couple of months. When we finally watched it, he was giving almost clichéd dad reaction you could possibly imagine. That was starting to become more of a highlight than anything in the film. 

Friday Night Lights is a really good sports film, that clearly doesn’t get everything right, but the moments that work are heavily memorable. Especially the side-story that they have with one of their top players getting injured. It’s a very common storyline in sports films, but no other part of the film made me have that kind of emotional connection. Then we get common tropes like the town hating the coach and one father being a drunken/abusive asshole, while stuck in his glory days. They got reactions out of me, but I’ve seen those storylines way too much and they could’ve been written with better dialogue every now and then.

One thing I almost forgot to praise was the sports choreography. With the films camera style, it could’ve been super shaky, to the point where we could hardly tell what was happening. But there was clear dedication to every part of a game, and the editing kept it very intense and easy to follow. I can’t say that this is one of my favorite sports films, but I can’t deny the impact it made. Am I going to watch the TV show after this? Probably not. But this film was getting close to convincing me, so maybe one day.

Civil War was probably the best theater experience I had last year, strictly from an audio perspective. So when I walked into Warfare, I was hoping for some more terrific sound work, if not better. And while I wasn’t as invested in the story as much I would’ve hoped, this is without a doubt going to be the best sounding film out of any release this year. The surrounding sounds, or even faint ones in the background were so crisp in my ears. Which made any of the louder scenes even more anxiety driven.

The cast works pretty well together, but I guess I never felt the true bond between them, like I have in some other war films. It was the devastation of what was happening that kept the film more riveting, along with the incredible work in post production. The violence is disturbing as all hell, and it makes Warfare truly stand out. Showcasing that this is nowhere near a propaganda film, and lets the horrific events be more-so presented as pure horror.

Some films I feel like I was destined to watch at that particular moment in time. Miracle Mile is one of the most pivotal first viewings throughout my 20s. Both from a filmmaking perspective and for the perspective of where I’m at, internally, in life. 

So many things from this film are beyond commendable. A lot of them I didn’t fully elaborate until minutes or hours after watching, which would make me love this film even more. In a lot of my latest reviews, I have tended to go through the pros and cons of films that heavily blend genres, and Miracle Mile has almost every genre you could imagine, while being less than 90 minutes. It was a gigantic risk, that could’ve easily failed, but everything comes together perfectly. And I guess would make sense that if there was an hour left to live, everyone would want to live a bit of everything. And with this films case, in a very 80s way. 

The romance with Anthony Edwards and Mare Winningham is instantaneously attachable. So when the film quickly turns into apocalyptic mayhem, the concern for the 2 leads will always keep that same intrigue, no matter how different the tone changes. The chaotic nature is brilliant. At first, it gives the kind of constant anxiety that I oddly love. The kind from some of my other favorite films like After Hours or Good Time. But the difference that Miracle Mile has, is that the stakes have a lot more of a serious risk. Not to say that those others aren’t, but they have a bit more of a ridiculous nature to them. Along with an amazing ensemble, that combined their talents with the wonderful script, to give terrific layers to their characters, in very little time.

Then the chaos slowly becomes more dark and extremely unsettling. Plenty of films that do this, could throw me off, but it can always work when it’s done right. And Steve Da Jarnatt took every bit of his creativity, ion, and what I would guess, some personal experiences, and poured as much as he could, out on camera. With every intense portion having me sinking in my seat, along with the peaks of romance (beyond Edwards and Winningham) making me a lot more emotional than I would have imagined. 

But what really gave this film the perfect rating, was the ending. Before it occurred, I was silently fearing for a predictable route, and it would’ve slightly drained the overall experience. But they do everything they can to add even more meaning to every other previous minute. I could only really call it beautiful, because that could mean so many different things, if you haven’t seen this. But I was jaw dropped, while at the same time, silently weeping. That alone, solidified this as my favorite first viewing of 2025, so far.

Lately, I have honestly not been too sure on where my life will be going. And this film really made me think of what I would be feeling if I was in this films situation, while being consistently enthralled from each piece and acknowledging so many depths, verbally. It brought some peace, motivation, and of course, a little bit more fear. I can’t wait to keep diving further into this film, throughout some more (hopefully) great chapters in my life.

Another film that I have only been aware of, from Bravo’s "100 Scariest Movie Moments” special. After seeing Pacific Heights, it is unfathomable that they placed this higher than films like 28 Days Later and Jurassic Park. 

Pacific Heights is a pretty decent thriller, that have some memorable performances, but nothing from the story to have this stick out, compared to any other thriller in the late 80s or early 90s. The real highlight is just how much Michael Keaton pisses off Matthew Modine. Any time Modine had a meltdown, I’d start laughing. But I can’t confidently say that was the films intention. Keaton is a good villain and Melanie Griffith only really gets something to do in the final act (and kills it), but nothing seemed to flow in the right way. It was either predictable, or honestly a little too silly. Goofiness isn’t always a problem for me, but Pacific Heights seemed unable to validate what tone it really wanted. Besides letting people know they shouldn’t be landlords.

For a split second, I was afraid that this wasn’t going to remain as high on my favorites list as it is, but once I got past the 90 minute mark, I knew I was in the clear, because all I had left was one of the greatest final acts of all time. 

Such a brilliant film that also tributes one of the most difficult parts of filmmaking, at that time. While De Palma shows off his skills better than any other project, with consistent mind-blowing shots and his dedication to the pace of the story, which makes each act as riveting as they are, with the only kind of mirroring be in a storytelling perspective. And it really should be discussed more on how good John Travolta is in this film. It’s his best performance, without a shadow of a doubt. His commitment made the conspiracy driven story even more tempting.

I can understand why the second act wouldn’t be as intriguing for people, since John Lithgows character can start to take the film a bit out of its tone, but his intimidating presence and clear insanity does make the final chase more intense, which is an extra piece as to why the ending is one of my favorites of all time. So it all around is a perfect thriller experience in my book. And since I’m a big fan of slashers, I ate every Lithgow scene up, and was very ironic with Travoltas character doing audio for a slasher flick. But what really impacted me the most from this viewing, was the realization I had of just how painfully brilliant the ending is.

HOLY. SWEARING. CUSS.

There are some films that are perfect to watch on a beautiful morning, and you need some joy rejuvenated in your system. Fantastic Mr. Fox might be the best example out of any film in the 21st century.

I always believed that this was my favorite Wes Anderson film, but I’m finally able to it this is Andersons masterpiece. Not just with the amazing craftsmanship, but everything in the story, and in typical Anderson fashion, a knockout cast. The script perfectly blends some very relatable situations, with very fun heist sequences and some of the best ensemble character progression that I’ve ever watched. And the animation just adds the best kind of quirk imaginable for this story. Yet, everything was done so organically, that I could sometimes forget I’m not watching any bit of live-action. 

Before I even had this film at a perfect rating, I always said not many films can put me in such a joyful mood as this one. The music, voice actors, atmosphere, everything swoons me. Which then makes any of the emotional subtly, hit me even worse.

7 years ago, I binged all of the Mission: Impossible films, at the time, before I went to see Fallout in theaters. I haven’t watched any of the previous films since then. And since the next film will be its last, it truly is now or never to slowly marathon every single one before The Final Reckoning (pun intended). 

The first film remains a good time, but it stands as to why they have continued to make more. Usually in any franchise, the sequels never match the original. But almost every sequel continued to up the ante, and this is still one of the most memorable blockbusters of the 90s. Especially the heist in the film that has continued to be replayed ever since. It combines the thrills that we’ve come to love in the franchise, along with some terrific camerawork that could’ve only been done by Brian De Palma. 

What really didn’t hold up as well was the final act. The twist was a lot easier to predict than turns in the other films, and while the events in these films have been known to be crazy, this film has the most over-the-top out of them all. It started to jump the shark a little bit, and especially when you have a top tier intense scene earlier on, it makes what I just said, even more obvious. The positives about this film speaks for itself though, and was a great way to begin what would become an 8 film hunt for Ethan (again, pun intended).

There are a few films from John Carpenter that aren’t apart of the horror genre. But Starman has the most different tone out of any of his films that I’ve seen. It’s mainly by how the film is shot, that makes me know it’s Carpenter behind the camera, which is definitely a compliment. In a way, it felt like Carpenter trying to make a Spielberg film. Especially with the fact that this came out 2 years after E.T. But Carpenter definitely has his own spin on the classic 80s sci-fi story, of the government chasing down an extra-terrestrial being, that becomes instantaneously attachable to audiences.

Another thing that helps Starman remain memorable are the 2 lead performances. Jeff Bridges and Karen Allen work very well together, with both giving different kinds of good performances. Reading the plot, I was thinking the romance would be similar to Ghost, but it’s much different than that. Jeff Bridges takes a role that could’ve been hilariously awful, but really makes it work. Whenever he makes me laugh, it was the intention, he further makes his presence more mandatory to the film and his quirks make any of the soothing moments with him even more memorable. Karen Allen does a really good job making the progression of what her character is thinking believable. Her character is meant to have a lot of empathy from the audience and her delivery discussing her exposition is very helpful. I’m also glad that the antagonists aren’t overtly evil, like in most stories similar to Starman. They’re written to be easy to laugh at, they’re not meant to be taken too seriously, and it’s only events in the final 20 minutes that are unnecessarily chaotic. 

From a filmmaking perspective, the film remains very commendable. The effects are very 80s, but more than impressive for its time. Even if you could acknowledge how obvious the visual effects are, it’s never distracting. The score is amazing and it’s always known to be a classic score, when I’ve heard pieces of it in other films or television shows. Its biggest issue, is that the second half could stay in the same lane and not be eventful enough to justify its pace. Starman still remains a great sci-fi experience, with the main characters bringing a lot more of goofy and whole-hearted approach to the entire idea, which makes it that more easy to go back and rewatch.

When Gene Hackman ed away, I ended up talking with my dad about a lot of his movies, including the ones that I haven’t seen. Hoosiers was the film he wanted to show me the most, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’m a fan of sports films, but I can’t say that there are a ton in my ‘favorites of all time' list. In the first half, I was really digging this film. And while the second half remained pretty good, nothing kept me as captivated as the opening build. 

The lead cast are really good all around. Gene Hackman has a great presence with this role, and his moments of motivation, along with his angry banters at referees, are all highlights of the film. Barbara Hershey is a bit underutilized in the film. She brought out the most humanity in such a small-town atmosphere and her scenes with Hackman in the beginning could’ve been boring, but they’re almost always very intriguing. Dennis Hopper got his second and final Oscar nomination for this film, and it was very warranted. He is also underutilized, being the character I’m most invested in, every time he is on screen. His dramatics are also very hard-hitting. Only a few characters from the basketball team get a story, and while they’re never the focal point, they portray them well enough. 

The real downside to the film is the second half. It began with some compelling character stories, then relied on a lot of montages through different basketball games in the second half. Then in that portion, when it goes back to any story with the lead characters, it feels a bit rushed to get back into the games. The basketball sequences are fine, but could’ve used more effort to make it as captivating as Dennis Hoppers character trying to maintain sobriety. I also wish it had a bit more into its ending, because the way it’s put together felt a bit too abrupt. Hoosiers is still a really good sports film, with a great cast and its highlights are when they embrace the humanity and not as much the sport. Or at the very least, the basketball portion felt a bit too separated.

I have been familiar with this film since it came out. And the plot always had some intrigue, more-so in the style of a guilty pleasure. I ended up being pleasantly surprised with how layered the story was. Even when it didn’t benefit the pace, it was never in a terrible approach. Then by the end, I was definitely satisfied with this less than 90 minute experience.

Megan Fox does a decent enough job and the ing cast all give enough with their performances to establish their character. A lot of decisions in this story are pretty fun, and especially makes the last half more eventful. But it made the first half a lot more slower, making some turns to the story less shocking, because I had more time to elaborate than they would have hoped. But the thrills are pretty memorable, and there’s some shockingly great shots.

I think every boomer relative that I have ever met, has told me to watch Smokey and the Bandit for the majority of my life. It took a while for me to cave, and while I really wasn’t expecting much, this was a pretty fun time. It’s not one of my all-time classics, but I can definitely see why this film was so successful in the late 70s.

Burt Reynolds is very charismatic, and he had a lot more charm than I imagined. But that is heavily credited to Sally Field. Who honestly steals this entire film. She is such a gem throughout, with such delightful delivery and is the perfect opposite to Reynolds. The ing cast is also pretty good, with Jackie Gleason being the most memorable. Since I haven’t watched The Honeymooners or many of his comedies, I forget how funny his delivery is.

The chases are a lot of fun, with the comedy being a lot more elevated to it than I was anticipating. But, it was a very welcome surprise. Whether it’s simple banter, or the hilarious fact that everyone knows Burts character so well, in every state. The pace is a bit inconsistent, then some of the dialogue and the confederate flag on the front of the iconic Trans-Am don’t hold up too well. But, this was a fun ride, with good comedy and a really fun romance with Reynolds and Field.

Even with this film getting a majority of negative reviews, I was still interested in seeing Y2K. I think Kyle Mooney is funny and being someone born in the late 90s, this era is instantaneously nostalgic. I spent most of the film wanting to like it, and when I’d get a glimmer of hope, that would dim pretty quickly.

The cast do a fine enough job, but I can tell that it would be a lot more fun to be on the set of this film as opposed to watching it. It’s a shame, because the story has some creative tools, but they’re never taken out of the shed. The dialogue stays pretty corny, any interesting part to the story is overshadowed by a joke or a late 90s reference and it always left me hoping for more, but would hardly ever get it. That Fred Durst cameo is pretty entertaining though.

So many films could be called influential. Whether the plot inspired a ton of ripoffs for the rest of time, or a simple moment in a film being referenced in dozens of others. When it comes to Terminator 2: Judgement Day, I would say that this is the most influential film for all of Hollywood throughout the entire 21st century. While watching T2, you can see the inspiration it gave to the action, sci-fi, or even any other genre, for that matter (check out the M3GAN 2.0 trailer, because it’s now the best example). Especially when it comes to the modern blockbuster. Marvel being a prime example. But it gave Hollywood even more hope for the success of a sequel. Whether I think T2 isn’t one of the greatest films of all time (although I do), the money that this film made stands for itself. And it was technically a risk, since this film had an extra 95 million dollar budget, compared to its predecessor. 

It also gave franchises more opportunities to let characters have a complete 180. Not that T2 created it, but it definitely helped get that arc more popularized. And you get 2 incredible examples with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton. With Arnie being a good guy this time, it makes his action scenes more adrenaline pumping, it let out his comedic side more and would make the audience cry over a god-damn Terminator. Then Sarah Connor becomes the woman being chased, to one people are afraid of. She is such a badass in this film, while never letting you feel like you’re watching a different character, just a much more traumatized and evolved version of that character. Then Edward Furlong and Robert Patrick are the 2 best ing picks you could’ve imagined for this film. Furlong mixes everything terrifically for John Connor. His toughness and vulnerability are perfectly combined, because the character has to go through so much, that you can forget the character is only 10. Once you have that realization, the concern for his characters safety becomes that more important. Then it becomes more important, when you have one of the most intimidating villains in Robert Patrick as the T-1000. Even if his effects were shitty, it wouldn’t take away how much of a scary presence he has. You believe, instantaneously, that nothing can stop him, and it’s always more nerve-wracking when he’s on screen.

Growing up, I always had T2 as my favorite of them all. But I was a bit skeptical on how much I would favor it as an adult. And especially after watching the original again, after 20 years of letting my slasher fandom continue to grow. But I can always praise "blockbuster-cinema" when it’s great. And you really can’t get any better than T2. The effects are insanely creative, the chases are immaculate, the characters are continuously attachable, and it shows why it is praised as the greatest sequel of all time. Before Sunset still takes that throne for me, but I can’t really argue with anyone that would say it’s this. The stakes are raised as high as you could imagine, the differences in genre doesn’t change the story whatsoever, with any type of change, simply making it that more unique. This is one of those films that I really can’t imagine the same type of magic being captured again. James Cameron had all the right tools for this film, and even if he isn’t one of my favorite filmmakers, it’s undeniable that he knocked it out of the park with this sequel.

Modern film releases have been filled with remakes or sequels, so it may seem weird recommending another one. But, I think April Fool’s Day could get an awesome remake from this era. There could be a lot of creative plays to question the audience on what is real and what is a joke. And if they get a cast that have a blast with each other, like this film seemed to have, then you’d have one of the most successful horror-comedies of the decade.

Walk into April Fool’s Day completely blind, be patient with it, and really commend how creative this was for its era. And its end credits song is oddly hilarious.

I think in the prime of Vine, I saw a few viral clips with one specific clip from this film. Which was the line “Hey, Day-Day! That crazy bitch out there again!”. Once that popped up, it immediately flashed me back.

I hadn’t seen a ton of praise for the Friday sequels, but I figured they couldn’t be that bad. Next Friday is definitely a funny film, but it’s nowhere near as good as the original. I think the biggest problem was that the production seemed to be rushed. While plenty of jokes or lines got some chuckles out of me, it never had the kind of consistency that the original had. 

Ice Cube is pretty good, but there were times where it really didn’t feel like he was playing the same character. Mike Epps is definitely the best addition to the newer cast, and I really want to see what he brought to the 3rd film, because I don’t think he got enough time to keep up the way Chris Tucker did. Then any of the other returning cast have their decent moments, but could feel like half-assed renditions of their characteristics in the first. This has its moments, but lacked a lot more direction.

After watching this film last night, I woke up to the horrible news that Val Kilmer had ed away. Especially after watching his documentary, his ion for the industry was so pure and his range left him with a legacy of characters that couldn’t be replicated. Even with him not fully being on screen during True Romance, his presence was felt as soon as he spoke. Thank you Val Kilmer for everything you did to entertain. You will forever be missed. 

It feels really weird to dive into a full-fledged review after that. But I had been trying to see this for a long time, and I would still like to express what I thought about it. I only knew that True Romance was directed by Tony Scott, but I had no idea that it was written by Quentin Tarantino. Along with how STACKED this cast is. But once I knew everything, the carnage and foul-mouthed insanity that came to be, made so much sense. Tarantino is a really fucked up writer, and his craft really messes with my brain. His weird obsession with the N word has always been my least favorite trait of his. And there’s one scene between Dennis Hopper and Christopher Walken, where the word is used A LOT. It’s uncomfortable, but at the same time, that interaction between them is one of the most enticing parts of the entire film. So it left me completely speechless by the time that scene was done. 

If there’s anything that Tony Scott really added to the film, it was the romance (no pun intended). Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette work very well together and they brilliantly act out that the only thing they have fully recollected, is their love for each other throughout the entire film. Which makes the chemistry more entertaining, and their stupid decisions more chaotic. And the direction from Scott, combined with the very bloody violence and gruesome shoot-outs that Tarantino is used to writing, it makes one hell of a fun experience. With every known actor in the cast getting their time to shine. Many I wished got even more screen-time. A rewatch will likely help any issues I had for the first viewing, but I can’t deny that I had a blast with this film.

It had been a while since I had watched any Terminator film (I haven’t seen Dark Fate either). I forgot on how minimal of a budget the original had. Not only with how successful this film and franchise became, but with the high-budget films that we’ve come to be used to from James Cameron.

Another thing that people could forget about the original (but is still praised by hardcore fans), is that the film is practically in the style of a slasher. And the grittier tone really makes this film stand out, beyond the effects and catch-phrases. Plus, the chases have a much different kind of edge than I ed. The more the film kept going, the more I thought my memory of the franchise was a majority of T2.

Linda Hamilton does great job and her scenes with Michael Biehn might’ve been the thing I forgot the most out of anything. But it’s one of the most intriguing factors to the film. But Arnie is the true intimidation of the project. Credit to what makes him such a formidable presence is also due to the writing and even editing, but his delivery and dedication is what really made this role the most iconic of his career. 

I’m aiming to watch the second one again soon, and I’m really curious on which one I’m going to favor after watching them at a later age. I can definitely say that I didn’t have enough appreciation for the film that started it all. The Terminator is a very creative and extremely gripping thriller, that’s a hidden piece to the slasher genre. And similar to classics like Halloween, it took a lower budget, let the craftsmanship speak for itself, and become one of the most money-making franchises of all time.

It is a damn shame with the lawsuits I’ve heard with the idea of this film being heavily ripped off. But with my lower opinion on the ethics of James Cameron, I guess I’m not too surprised.

I would always see this film when I’d look at Macaulay Culkins filmography, and would always be curious on what Party Monster actually was. So it really caught me by surprise when I discovered that this was based on a true story, and I knew very little about the 'Club Kids’ era as well. 

One thing’s for sure, this is a very weird movie. Whether it’s the camera quality, the charismatic line delivery or the chaos that’s simply on-screen. But that’s also what I really liked about this. While being over-the-top, Macaulay Culkin and Seth Green were very dedicated, and seemed to do a lot of research about the people they were portraying. The film also sneaks up on you, with its tone. The true story tackles a couple of dark events, and once that comes into play, they blend the insane energy that we got used to, yet making it pretty chilling when it needed to be. I have seen a couple of comparisons from Party Monster to a Harmony Korine film, and while I have only seen a few films of his, I don’t think that’s far off. 

The pacing was both good, yet a little off. It might be due to the fact that I was a bit tired when I watched this, but with it being a little more than 90 minutes, some scenes felt like it was starting to drag the film for a second. And some choices, while creative, I can’t fully recollect if I was more entertained or thrown off. 

Party Monster is one of those films that I instantaneously wanted to recommend to friends as soon as it was over. Even if you don’t like it, it’s not going to be able to leave your brain for a while. The oddity of it all made me want to keep watching, and I’m really curious on how my opinion advances on further rewatches. This will get added to the list of films that I would screen for a Midnight Matinee if I ever owned a movie theater.

Jason Statham has the kind of luck that any action star dreams to have. He can make, practically, the same movie, repeatedly, yet I’m almost always going to the theater to see it. Especially with the fact that David Ayer was behind the camera again, and The Beekeeper is one of the most slept-on action films of the decade. 

The Working Man doesn’t get close to capturing the same kind of energy as Beekeeper, but it still manages to leave out some memorable moments. Statham is as fun as always, but he’s the only true highlight, when it comes to the cast. That doesn’t fall on the ing actors, they just weren’t written well enough. Especially when I think back to Beekeeper and how fun the villain was, the antagonists are extremely generic in this film. With a couple of them over-acting way too damn much. It could’ve been purposefully corny, but some of the dialogue is to the extremes with its ridiculousness. 

In the beginning, I was afraid I was going to end up hating it, but the final act is a pretty good payoff. It delivers the most fun action sequences, the setting is fun and a couple of times, the theater rounded with applause after some villains got wiped, and those are the kind of moments that I won’t forget in a theater.

Speaking of theaters, I’m glad I saw it there, because it was the best way to look at the better things this film offers. I can’t say that I’d be interested in seeing this again, unless it was apart of a Statham Movie Marathon. But they did open opportunities for a sequel, so we’ll see how that goes.

Earlier in the day, I had to catch a mouse. So it seemed fitting that the film choice, later that day, is one of the best on-screen game of cat-and-mouse in recent years. 

The rewatch definitely helped with Trap. It had my attention on so many different things, and it never seized to impress me. With a lot of the details bringing a lot more depth to the film than you might’ve imagined on a first watch. The consistent hijinks they deliver, is entertaining as hell. I’ll it, it’s probably easier to fall into everything with ease, if you’re a Shyamalan fan. But whether I was legitimately enthralled or simply laughing my ass off from the sheer insanity, it’s undeniably one of the most engaging thrillers of the decade. The typical complaint is the second half, but I had even more fun with that half than I did my first viewing. But I also can’t deny that Josh Hartnett is an extra saving grace to this film. He truly dedicated himself to this film, and even when it’s funny, it never felt unintentional. 

Trap really brings out everything that is either praised or hated with M. Night Shyamalan. I can’t say that I have loved everything that he has made, but when he gets it right, it’s one of the most memorable films in any year. And this could even be my favorite film of his. It’s a well-known trivia fact, that he made Trap, specifically to have a concert film for his daughter. That could’ve given him the opportunity to let go a little bit, which oddly brought out some of his best craftsmanship with thrills, behind the camera, and the hilariously awkward dialogue that he puts on the page. And the Lady Raven songs are still bops.

If you’re making a film, and you’d want me to watch it. Just cast Dave Bautista as the lead, and you know I won’t be able to resist. 

I can’t confidently say that The Killer’s Game is a good film, but I also can’t say that I wasn’t entertained. Bautista and Sofia Boutella have way better chemistry than I would’ve imagined, the ing cast can be fun, has some occasionally impressive edits and the peak of its action is extremely entertaining. I do wish we saw a bit more action though. I respect the slower build they were trying to do, but it lacked the creativity to keep it investing. Then the great action would get harmed by the awful CGI blood. It would throw me off whenever I saw it, and if they didn’t depend on it, the action scenes could’ve been more memorable. 

This is my second film from J.J. Perry, and while it’s slightly better than his last project, The Killer’s Game mainly showed off baby steps of his improvements. He knows how to make a good action scene though, so he needs to get a really good script with it.

Also, for fellow wrestling fans. If you’re hoping for a lot of great moments with Drew McIntyre, I’m sad to say that he is criminally underutilized in this film. But the one fight scene we get with him and Batista is pretty great to watch.

Long Live The Singing Telegram Girl!

And this entire cast, honestly.

Last week, Heart Of Glass by Blondie started playing on the radio, when I was at the gym. Anytime I hear that song, I think of the opening of Anger Managment. Probably from me watching it a lot as a kid, whether on DVD, or it being on FX almost weekly for a good chunk of the 2000s.

The visual of Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson, side by side, is funny in of itself. While they could’ve utilized it a lot more, it could be a lot worse. It’s nowhere near fantastic, but I can’t deny that I have a soft spot for this film.

January- 25
February- 20
March- 29
April- 23
May- 20

Films I Watched More Than Once
Sinners (2)

• Nobody's Fool
• Nosferatu
• Daddy Day Care
• Grumpier Old Men
• Conclave
• Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
• Shin Kamen Rider
• I Love You, Man
• Babygirl
• Saturday Night

...plus 108 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. The Irishman
2. I'm Thinking of Ending Things
3. Marriage Story
4. Midnight Mass
5. 13th
6. Bo Burnham: Inside
7. May December
8. Klaus
9. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
10. Da 5 Bloods

...plus 73 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. Shrek 2
2. Kung Fu Panda
3. How to Train Your Dragon
4. The Prince of Egypt
5. Shrek
6. Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
7. Kung Fu Panda 2
8. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
9. How to Train Your Dragon 2
10. The Bad Guys

...plus 15 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. 28 Days Later
2. Shallow Grave
3. Trainspotting
4. Steve Jobs
5. 127 Hours
6. Slumdog Millionaire

Ones I Saw In Theaters More Than Once

Inception (7)
The Perks Of Being A Wallflower (6)
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (4)
Bridge To Terabithia (3)
The Dark Knight (3)
Drive (3)
Get Out (3)
Gone Girl (3)
Halloween (1978) (3)
It’s A Wonderful Life (3)
Prisoners (3)
Room (3)
Ted (3)
Uncut Gems (3)
Whiplash (3)
21 Jump Street (2)
22 Jump Street (2)
The Batman (2)
Boyhood (2)
The Cabin In The Woods (2)
Call Me By Your Name (2)
Carol (2)
Challengers (2)
Cool Hand Luke (2)
The Dark Knight Rises (2)
Dunkirk (2)
The Florida Project (2)
Foxcatcher (2)
The Gift (2)
Good Time (2)
Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone (2)
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part II (2)
Indiana Jones: The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull (2)
It (2)
It Follows (2)
Jackass Forever (2)
Jaws (2)
John Wick: Chapter 4- Baba Yaga (2)
Moonlight (2)
The Neon Demon (2)
Nope (2)
The Northman (2)
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2)
Phantom Thread (2)
Portrait Of A Lady On Fire (2)
The Purge: Anarchy (2)
The Simpsons Movie (2)
Sinners (2)
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse (2)
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2)
Spy Kids (2)
Swiss Army Man (2)
This Is The End (2)
Toy Story 3 (2)

• 10 Cloverfield Lane
• 127 Hours
• 12 Angry Men
• 12 Years a Slave
• 13 Going on 30
• 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi
• 1408
• 17 Again
• 1917
• 2001: A Space Odyssey

...plus 845 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. Final Destination 2
2. Final Destination Bloodlines
3. Final Destination
4. Final Destination 5
5. Final Destination 3
6. The Final Destination

1. Uncut Gems
2. Good Time
3. Swiss Army Man
4. Moonlight
5. Enemy
6. The Witch
7. First Reformed
8. Hereditary
9. Under the Silver Lake
10. Aftersun

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

This list is going to change a lot. Hell, for months, this list was just in alphabetical order.

1. Cool Hand Luke
2. Scream
3. Drive
4. It's a Wonderful Life
5. Heat
6. Do the Right Thing
7. Twin Peaks: The Return
8. 2001: A Space Odyssey
9. Come and See
10. Vertigo

...plus 198 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

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

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

1. Halloween
2. The Thing
3. Prince of Darkness
4. They Live
5. The Fog
6. Escape from New York
7. In the Mouth of Madness
8. Christine
9. Starman
10. Big Trouble in Little China

...plus 5 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. Terminator 2: Judgment Day
2. The Abyss
3. The Terminator
4. Aliens
5. Titanic
6. True Lies
7. Avatar: The Way of Water
8. Avatar

Honorable Mentions (other releases I wanted to shout)
Juror #2
Dìdi
Inside Out 2
Thelma
Wicked 
Deadpool & Wolverine
Civil War
Nosferatu
Monkey Man
My Old Ass
The First Omen
Kinds Of Kindness
Smile 2
Alien: Romulus

1. Red Rooms
2. Challengers
3. Dune: Part Two
4. The Substance
5. Look Back
6. Love Lies Bleeding
7. Sing Sing
8. Trap
9. A Different Man
10. Anora

...plus 14 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. Déjà Vu
2. Top Gun
3. Man on Fire
4. Crimson Tide
5. True Romance
6. The Hunger
7. Unstoppable
8. Days of Thunder
9. Spy Game
10. The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3

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

1. Unforgiven
2. Changeling
3. The Mule
4. Million Dollar Baby
5. Mystic River
6. Juror #2
7. Play Misty for Me
8. Gran Torino
9. Sully
10. Invictus

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

Honorable Mentions (Other Films That Got Four Stars)
- Society Of The Snow
- Talk To Me
- Suzume
- Knock At The Cabin
- How To Blow Up A Pipeline
- Dream Scenario

1. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
2. Killers of the Flower Moon
3. Past Lives
4. Oppenheimer
5. John Wick: Chapter 4
6. The Boy and the Heron
7. Godzilla Minus One
8. Anatomy of a Fall
9. May December
10. Rye Lane

...plus 14 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. The Exorcist
2. Sorcerer
3. Cruising
4. To Live and Die in L.A.
5. Bug
6. The French Connection
7. Killer Joe

1. sex, lies, and videotape
2. Traffic
3. Haywire
4. Ocean's Eleven
5. High Flying Bird
6. Black Bag
7. Logan Lucky
8. Contagion
9. No Sudden Move
10. Magic Mike

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

1. Avengers: Endgame
2. Spider-Man: No Way Home
3. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
4. Thor: Ragnarok
5. Guardians of the Galaxy
6. Avengers: Infinity War
7. Black Panther
8. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
9. The Avengers
10. Spider-Man: Homecoming

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

1. RRR
2. Nope
3. Aftersun
4. Everything Everywhere All at Once
5. Halloween Ends
6. Vortex
7. Top Gun: Maverick
8. Pearl
9. The Banshees of Inisherin
10. The Batman

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

1. Rye Lane
2. On the Count of Three
3. Palm Springs
4. Nomadland
5. The Amazing Johnathan Documentary
6. Prey
7. The Act
8. Run
9. Under the Bridge
10. Fresh

...plus 6 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. Jaws
2. A.I. Artificial Intelligence
3. Schindler's List
4. Raiders of the Lost Ark
5. Jurassic Park
6. Munich
7. Saving Private Ryan
8. Minority Report
9. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
10. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

...plus 20 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. The Wrestler
2. Requiem for a Dream
3. Black Swan
4. Pi
5. mother!
6. Noah

1. Twin Peaks: The Return
2. Blue Velvet
3. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me
4. Eraserhead
5. Inland Empire
6. Mulholland Drive
7. Wild at Heart
8. The Straight Story
9. The Elephant Man
10. The Alphabet

...plus 6 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

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

...plus 5 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. Before Sunset
2. Before Sunrise
3. Waking Life
4. Before Midnight
5. School of Rock
6. Dazed and Confused
7. Everybody Wants Some!!
8. Boyhood
9. Slacker
10. Hit Man

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

1. Do the Right Thing
2. 25th Hour
3. Malcolm X
4. BlacKkKlansman
5. Da 5 Bloods
6. She's Gotta Have It
7. He Got Game
8. Inside Man
9. Oldboy

1. Blood Simple
2. No Country for Old Men
3. Fargo
4. Raising Arizona
5. Inside Llewyn Davis
6. The Big Lebowski
7. A Serious Man
8. Burn After Reading
9. True Grit
10. The Hudsucker Proxy

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

1. Zodiac
2. Se7en
3. Gone Girl
4. The Social Network
5. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
6. Fight Club
7. The Killer
8. The Game
9. Panic Room
10. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

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

1. Toy Story
2. WALL·E
3. Toy Story 2
4. Monsters, Inc.
5. Coco
6. The Incredibles
7. Finding Nemo
8. Toy Story 3
9. Inside Out
10. Up

...plus 16 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

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

1. Suspiria
2. Opera
3. Tenebre
4. Deep Red
5. Phenomena
6. The Bird with the Crystal Plumage
7. Dark Glasses

January- 17
February- 14
March- 16
April- 14
May- 16
June- 20
July- 17
August- 23
September- 23
October- 18
November- 14
December- 24

Films I Watched More Than Once
Challengers - (2)
Hit Man - (2)
Past Lives - (2)

• Ferrari
• Dumb Money
• Past Lives
• Spy Kids
• Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams
• The Boy and the Heron
• Self Reliance
• Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters
• The Beekeeper
• Army of Shadows

...plus 207 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. Perfect Blue
2. Paprika
3. Millennium Actress
4. Tokyo Godfathers

• Perfect Blue
• The Truman Show
• Eyes Wide Shut
• In the Mood for Love
• Spirited Away
• Punch-Drunk Love
• The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
• Before Sunset
• Brick
• Inland Empire

...plus 18 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. The Goonies
2. Lethal Weapon 2
3. The Omen
4. Lethal Weapon
5. Scrooged
6. Superman
7. Lethal Weapon 4
8. Lethal Weapon 3
9. The Toy

1. Blade Runner 2049
2. Dune
3. Enemy
4. Dune: Part Two
5. Incendies
6. Sicario
7. Prisoners
8. Arrival
9. Polytechnique
10. Next Floor

1. Halloween
2. Halloween Ends
3. Halloween II
4. Halloween III: Season of the Witch
5. Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers
6. Halloween II
7. Halloween
8. Halloween
9. Halloween Kills
10. Halloween H20: 20 Years Later

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

1. Videodrome
2. The Fly
3. The Brood
4. Scanners
5. The Dead Zone
6. Crimes of the Future
7. A History of Violence
8. Rabid

1. Scream
2. A Nightmare on Elm Street
3. Scream 2
4. New Nightmare
5. The People Under the Stairs
6. Scream 4
7. Red Eye
8. The Hills Have Eyes
9. The Serpent and the Rainbow
10. Shocker

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

1. The Godfather
2. Apocalypse Now
3. The Godfather Part II
4. Rumble Fish
5. Bram Stoker's Dracula
6. The Conversation
7. Peggy Sue Got Married
8. The Rainmaker
9. Megalopolis
10. The Outsiders

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

1. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
2. Spirited Away
3. Ponyo
4. The Wind Rises
5. Kiki's Delivery Service
6. Princess Mononoke
7. Howl's Moving Castle
8. My Neighbor Totoro
9. Castle in the Sky
10. The Boy and the Heron

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

Part of me wanted to just make this a Top 100, because there were so many films I wish I could’ve put on here, so I’m also gonna list here some of my other favorite 80s gems!

The Changeling
E.T. The Extra Terrestrial
Escape From New York
Fist Of The North Star
Halloween III: Season Of The Witch
Halloween 4: The Return Of Michael Myers
Honey, I Shrunk The Kids
Ghostbusters
Gremlins
Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade
Lethal Weapon 2
The Monster Squad
Predator
The Princess Bride
Re-Animator
Scarface
Silent Night, Deadly Night
Uncle Buck

1. Do the Right Thing
2. Come and See
3. Blow Out
4. Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters
5. The Thing
6. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
7. The Shining
8. Die Hard
9. Possession
10. Prince of Darkness

...plus 70 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. Basic Instinct
2. Showgirls
3. RoboCop
4. Starship Troopers
5. Benedetta
6. Elle
7. Total Recall

1. Beetlejuice
2. Big Fish
3. Batman
4. Sleepy Hollow
5. Edward Scissorhands
6. Corpse Bride
7. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
8. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
9. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
10. Big Eyes

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

Funny enough, the only Grisham novel I have read is Skipping Christmas and I was in elementary school.

1. The Client
2. The Firm
3. The Rainmaker
4. A Time to Kill
5. The Pelican Brief
6. Christmas with the Kranks

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

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

Basically showing the order of movies. But I guess they’re doing another one so let’s see if that’s even worse than The Sandy Cheeks Movie 

• The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie
• The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water
• The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run
• Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie

1. Logan
2. X2
3. Deadpool
4. Deadpool & Wolverine
5. X-Men: Days of Future Past
6. X-Men: First Class
7. X-Men
8. Deadpool 2
9. The Wolverine
10. X-Men: Apocalypse

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

1. Deadpool & Wolverine
2. Night at the Museum
3. Big Fat Liar
4. Real Steel
5. This Is Where I Leave You
6. Date Night
7. Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
8. The Adam Project
9. Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb
10. The Pink Panther

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