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you f***ing held her hand and you let her die

a film about a hole, something you’d think was uninteresting and mundane, turned into a fascinatingly convoluted and engaging story. the hole follows a small group of british, private school teens, who spend a few days in a bunker in order to avoid a school trip. however their plans may not be as concrete as they first thought…

i had no prior knowledge that this film even existed. i believe one of the reasons i added it to my watchlist was that one of my friends on here had also seen it, and it intrigued me. i was in the mood for a crime/thriller, as i usually am, and i decided on this one! i basically went in blind, not having a single clue what would happen or anything else about it other than the casting of thora birch and keira knightley..which in and of itself was reason for me to watch it!

as i said before, the casting was reason enough to put the film on. it was very fun to see thora birch with a british accent, and fun to see her in general. i believe she is a very talented actress and pulls off basically every role that i’ve seen her in, this film being no different. though some of her dramatics could’ve been a little more gutsy, i still think she took the role and added her own twists to it! keira steals the show (as usual) and her character did its job. though i know that every character in this movie is fairly stereotypical, and there’s not much uniqueness or depth to them, i cannot say that i didn’t enjoy each portrayal. i did find myself confused about mike, played by desmond harrington who i knew from wrong turn, and his background. at some points i could somewhat sense a british accent, but then it would be weak…and in most cases there wasn’t one at all! just a silly detail i thought too much about lol.

i absolutely love that way the plot unfolds, even if it may not be as smooth and easy to understand as it could’ve been, and that’s what i love about it! unreliable narrators are totally intriguing to me, and i heavily enjoyed the two stories and the idea that maybe there is even another story…even if there wasn’t. the film spends the first chunk creating this first story that is easy to believe, and the viewer has no problem with; but what could possibly be wrong with it with so much time left in the movie to fill? that is where the second story comes in. thrillers like this are some of my favorite things to watch, and this was no different! seeing thora birch slowly become less and less sane was so intriguing, and i spent a long time trying to figure out what was really up—and movies that keep you guessing are some of the best in my opinion!

2000s movies by themselves are a personal favorite of mine, however early 2000s crime thrillers have to be at the top of that list. i absolutely love the dark aura of this movie and the comical elements that the characters themselves bring in. though they might be hard to watch on more gruesome points, the other parts really tie it all together for an enjoyable experience. i love deep diving into characters i feel strongly about (liz and mike) so this is such a great one for that alone! justice for martyn btw !!

what’s it gonna take to convince you? me in a body bag?

 unlawful entry is a psych-thriller with a star-studded cast and pretty average story. a couple gets personally involved with a cop, one who previously helped them after a break-in, and things start to get infuriating. a pretty cookie cutter stalker story that fails to do anything new and captures your attention only to be let down by a lackluster and predictable ending.

i had came across this film many times, scrolling through xfinity with my mom. she had seen it many years ago, and attributed good reviews to it as well. so, i wanted to see it! im generally a fan of break-in movies, which i figured was the theme of the film, only to be sorely mistaken and disappointed by what i was actually given by the film. i have seen stalker movies before, and i can’t say they’re some of my favorites!

kurt russell is always a stand out in his films. along with madeline stowe, they portray a couple that i found myself not caring too much about. their chemistry was lacking, and it was clear that there were many trust issues with the couple. their lack of communication was frustrating, most of their conversations having one or the other raising their voice, or not explaining things and proving the absence of trust within their relationship. ray liotta as said stalker is threatening. i can’t say that im a big fan of his, but i can say that he was a very talented actor. his character was the signature two faced psycho, one that everyone loves and only one person knows the truth about. but this trope…always falls flat for me, even if it successfully makes me hate the character.

during the runtime there is tension alongside with a sense of danger. i think that it wasn’t done too successfully, considering the fact that though i was captivated, i was mainly just waiting for it to be over. the fact that the reasoning behind liotta’s characters’ behavior is to get closer to russell’s wife really makes me roll my eyes. we’ve seen this! it just seems so plain to me, and this trope is tired, even for ‘94. he stops at nothing to ruin russell’s life, but there are seemingly no consequences for doing such, as russell replies with yelling and violence and even his wife doesn’t believe what he says. we are almost led to believe that she might even leave him! this strain on their relationship does little to nothing for the story in my opinion, and it just seems like it was thrown together.

ray liotta’s character is very menacing, which i do commend. however, in order to show us this, he leaves a woman on the side of the road after having a very unnecessary and uncomfortable sex scene…as if we didn’t know that he would do something like that! i think this was a very lazy way to prove his creepiness. but the miscommunication between the main couple just frustrated me! it only happens mainly toward the end when liotta is literally in her house that she believes his psychosis. with this comes one of the most unnecessary scenes in the entire movie: a short but disgustingly needless rape scene. the film actually shows what liotta is doing to stowe, and then zooms on her face! anything to do with this subject in my opinion, just has no business being explicitly shown to a viewer. implied, yes, it can be impactful. if they only did this offscreen it would’ve had more significance to me! however, seeing it…it will instantly drag my score down.

though the thriller title is definitely true, i cannot help but wish that it was more of a break-in story. the acting was very good, but the writing was nothing special and the directing had nothing standout to say about it! i feel like i could’ve spent my whole life without watching this, and i could’ve told someone the plot. despite my usual acceptance of overused tropes, i simply cannot connect with this sort of film. if that is your kind of thing, then you will love this movie! but for me, i cannot help but cringe at the thought.

“i catch you gropin my daughter, i’ll use that shotgun on you”

 alright, i’m choosing to review this one out of the 4th, 5th, and 6th, because it’s the best one in my opinion, but i did watch those other two. halloween 4: the return of michael myers shows the..well..return of michael myers. though it doesn’t contain jamie lee curtis as the main character, i think this is a worthy addition to the franchise. way better than the third that’s for sure…

 i wanted to get to h20 because it’s a post-scream addition, so i chose to watch up until then first! since i was NOT impressed with the 5th or 6th, i’m writing about this one. i watched these all with my parents, and they had the same opinion. especially that the 6th was the WORST.

 i have to say that i am not familiar with this cast, but i became fond of them throughout the runtime! jamie’s actress however, did fantastic! i recognized danielle harris from urban legend, but i had no idea she started acting so young. her performance here is truly terrifying, and brilliant i must say. my opinions on child acting in horror movies are ittedly negative, but i have to say that despite that, she did a great job. her character is also tied into the story well, but i would’ve liked some more elaboration that we did not get!

 as for the plot, it is definitely leaning more toward the meaningless kills type of slasher, but it was still fun enough that i enjoyed it. michael myers as a killer is definitely losing his “scary” factor as well, and dr. loomis is proving to be more and more useless as time goes on but i don’t mind in this movie. though i definitely would have preferred for more things to be explained, and for more character development, i cannot complain for what kind of film this is haha. but i have to say that i really did enjoy rachel and jamie’s relationship!

 all in all, stop at this one. don’t watch the 5th or 6th! they do nothing for the story.

“turn it off!!”

 okay, why is this a part of the franchise? just because it centers around halloween and includes the original in it? anyways, i think that’s stupid. this is not connected to michael, and without him, to me it’s not halloween. so even though i tried to separate it from the franchise, i still can’t get it out of my mind.

 i’ve been watching the halloween franchise in accordance with the days of october with my family, so this was next in line! i haven’t been really interested in watching all of the halloween films, but i figured that i would get them over with. 

 as for the cast, i have no clue who any of these people are. i would also have to say that i don’t want to. i was not impressed with the performances here, even by the older crowd. i guess that i enjoyed the performance of the main character, however i was very uncomfortable with his relationship with a much younger woman. the antagonist was played well, but there was a significant lack of his screen time and zero backstory to his character.

 i have to say that this plot had to have been conceived in a fever dream. there was little that made sense to me. no motivations, which can occasionally be done well but sadly not here, insane explanations, and pointless relationships are the main problems i have with this. the ambiguous ending leaves me wondering if everyone in america simply dies because of the commercial. if this is the case, what an idiotic movie! i really hated the addition of body horror rather than the usual stabbing. i also found the insects and snakes to be very disturbing, them being one of my top 5 fears and all. the mystery did start out very interesting to me, but it got lost which i find very disappointing.

 overall, this is not a highlight of the franchise. though i have only seen up to this film, the first and second are masterpieces in comparison. and i’m saying that as not a very big fan of either! sadly, i couldn’t connect with this movie as much as i wanted to. the best part was the silver shamrock jingle!

“let me see…the call’s coming from INSIDE THE HOUSE?!? could it be an urban legend??!!”

it’s october!! finally time for slashers and horror flicks. urban legend has got to be one of the best ones that i have ever seen. i expect to return to it multiple times this month, alongside others of the genre, to celebrate one of my favorite holidays!! i have waited all year for halloween season, so here we go!

i had to start the month with my favorite, even though it’s the second..still! this movie just has some of the best vibes. i watched initially as something in the background of my stats homework, but i found myself more tuned in than i expected..oh well! this is one of my favorites and i have a right to it.

jared leto is in this movie. that is the real horror. however, i have to it that i do enjoy his character quite a lot. alicia witt is a joy to watch and of course, rebecca gayheart plays her role to perfection! everyone performs well, and they really brings the friendly vibe. as always, i love to feel at home in the films i watch, and these people just bring a lovely chemistry to it, and they have one with one another too! joshua jackson, aka one of my favorite 90s actors just for the fun of it, is apart of this movie! even if for only a few minutes, i still love every second of his screen time. he is such an actor and i can’t help but love him.

the post-scream era of slashers gets a bad rap, but i love it. urban legend falls into this category, and though it is not generally well received, i think the concept is enough to keep the viewers interest. or at least…my interest. the creative kills based on urban legends is a great idea to me, and each one is better than the last. though my favorite part of the slasher genre has got to be the stupid but lovable characters. sometimes i hate them, as you're meant to, but i love to hate them. however, in this film, i love all the main characters! they are so entertaining and comfortable with one another, it helps immensely with the immersion. also, the reveal scene of the killer is fantastic, and the killer is one of my favorites in this genre; well fleshed out and fun to watch.

i’ve been meaning to watch + review this movie since i got letterboxd, and so my chance finally came. urban legend just means a lot to me and i adore it to bits. the campy and cheesy slasher elements are some of the best and most fun parts of film, especially showcased in this one. i think i this movie is so underrated and underappreciated! i really hope this review can convince someone to watch it, because it is just so perfect to me.

“i think i have two left hands”

 oh wow. there is so much to unpack with this one! though i did plan on watching the original first, i was not in the mood for subtitles and considering it is basically shot by shot accurate, i figured i would give this version a shot. i am SO glad i did. i was captivated the entire runtime of this film, and though the reviews that i have seen definitely overexaggerate the fear factor, i would say that it is still a worthy addition to the horror library.

 though this film has been on my radar for a long time, i would have to say that i was pretty nervous to watch it. looking back now that was ridiculous! but i do seeing all of the reviews explaining its high fear factor, and home invasion movies have to be the ones that scare me the most. this was a very impulsive watch, and i used my free period to do so.

 i found the casting to be fantastic, of course considering that i haven’t seen the original and don’t exactly know how the other cast portrayed the characters. pitt and corbet were charismatic, and their nonchalance did add to the eerie vibe of the film in general. they both seemed to be great friends, the characters being friends and all, and i have to say that paul and peter were very funny. though the material, if applied to real life, is very disturbing, in movie form i found their performances to be comical, and i laughing multiple times throughout. pitt was a perfect choice for paul, and he performs the satirical aspects perfectly. the family and their casting was also amazing. watts always brings her best, and her portrayal of ann was believable and powerful. all around, the acting was on point in this one.

 the plot is simple; simple but impactful. home invasion films can feel the most real, thus being some of the most terrifying. however knowing that, i wouldn’t say that this is a very scary film. the satirical elements are the ones that stood out the most to me, and i found it to be witty and at some times hilarious. paul and peter are so menacingly funny, beig able to take down a whole family with no resources and no motive. it wouldn’t be a funny games review if i didn’t talk about the 4th wall breaks, and i am SO glad to be talking about them. the commentary on watching horror/torture is so thought provoking. if we are on the family’s side, why are we watching the antagonists continuously torture them? do we believe they will survive? paul himself asks the viewer this, even more so provoking the question. the immersion being used in funny games is so intriguing to me, and haneke’s style is very unique. the idea of simply watching, and not doing anything to stop them or even help the family, really draws my attention. movies are not usually known for doing such a thing, and i believe it to be a bold and powerful choice.

 i haven’t stopping thinking about this film since i watched it. it is THAT impactful! this is one that stays with you for a long time after watching it. even the fact that haneke decided to create it is so interesting to me. a remake of his own film, shot by shot? how fascinating! i cannot say that i felt particularly scared while watching, but i would say that thinking about it in depth is what’s most frightening about it. having little to no reason to do something so sadistic is such a horrifying thing to picture. how it’s portrayed in this film (and the original) is ittedly eerie, and considering the lack of visual horror, i believe that it only amplifies that. leaving those sorts of scenes open to imagination in general is the most frightening thing in horror films, most notably including wait until dark as that was the scariest movie that i have ever seen. i am so glad to have given this a chance, and it should be more in the public eye, as before letterboxd i hadn’t even heard of it before! please give it the recognition it deserves!

“we don’t take anything seriously, unless it’s on a hard drive.”

 okay, maybe old and outdated thrillers are my guilty pleasure, sue me. i went into this expecting nothing but left feeling very impressed! i do it that it’s a low bar, and considering the 2.8 average, it’s a VERY low bar. that saying, i had a bunch of fun watching this and it definitely lifted my spirits from being sick all weekend!

 i had no idea this film even existed until today while i was looking through ryan phillippe’s filmography…thus i would call it quite an impulsive watch. i got my parents to watch it alongside me, and neither had seen it either!

 when i saw the cast, my jaw dropped! ryan, rachel, claire, and tim?! how they got one of the stars from the shawshank redemption in a film like this, i don’t know. that being said, he did very well in his bill gates esque persona. and because everyone is talking about it on here, he ate pringles very very hilariously and i commend it. though the reason i watched was for ryan, and personally i believe he was fun and interesting to watch, i don’t think that computer nerds usually look like that. coming from a nerd, i definitely don’t look like that. and for that, i have to say that he was probably not the right choice for the title role. i would almost say that his character’s best friend teddy would have been a better pick for the title role! he did have that computer geek look, and for that, i absolutely loved him! as for claire and rachel, they were sadly underused (of course, being women in a film like this). but i do have to say that claire came to play!

 antitrust is outdated, we know this. however, if you allow yourself to be enough immersed into the story and time period, you can better your enjoyment! coming from an 07 baby, i never experienced this time period and technology has always been more advanced than this in my lifetime. that being said, i still had a great time! the plot is captivating and anyone who says that it’s boring wasn’t paying enough attention! there were countless twists and turns and my adrenaline was high during most of the duration. maybe this is because of ryan’s face giving me more reason to watch and pay attention, but not considering that, i do believe that antitrust is a very fun 00s thriller.

 what started with a thirst watch, came a very surprising good time. i would recommend antitrust especially considering its place on max as i’m writing this. anyone else who loves slightly below average thrillers from one of my favorite time periods would have a great time with this one, and i would have to encourage giving it a watch.

“i could be getting paid?”

 one of my absolute favorites! though the first time i saw it was only last year, i had wanted to see it for years before i finally did. obviously i knew what i was missing, and this easily fell into my list of favorites.

 i’m writing this in my spanish class, so maybe i should use some spanish..? kidding, pero solo quería ver esta película ahorita, entonces… ¡estoy aquí! it’s been a while since my last watch, but i am SOOO back! 

 adrian grenier IS chase hammond. i don’t think anyone else could’ve captured the vibe like he did. building off of that, i absolutely love chase. he is a wonderful and hilarious character, as are all the rest! nicole, played by the LOVELY melissa joan hart, is also a joy to watch. every character is so witty and i love them all! most notably, chase’s friends are so welcoming that i totally wish i could be their friend. the whole friend group seem extremely fun to be around, and this simply makes the film homey and a friendly experience for lack of a better word.

 no, i do not care that the plot is overdone; i still adore it. fake dating is amazing and no one will ever be able to convince me otherwise. i think drive me crazy does a fantastic job at it too, and the 90s charm only adds to its appeal. alongside the main plot, the plot lines include backstory of the loss of parental figures of the leads, and though they could have been way more fleshed out, i think the attempt is commendable. i do not think that these side plots are bad AT ALL. i especially love dave’s side plots including his journey of self discovery and his pursuit of an online girl. just nothing but love for the story here.

 all i can say is just how much fun this is to watch. though i definitely raised my rating over time to a five, i have just become attached to it. i think it takes a few time sot sink in, but that’s what i love about it. give it more chances! you won’t regret it just as i don’t regret it.

“how was west palm beach?”

yes, i watched this earlier this year and i have to it i became slightly obsessed.. of course i had to show my parents (my dad saw it when it came out but he didn’t it) and get their inputs about the twists! i fear that this movie is overlooked due to how little reviews/views this one has on here, and despite the fact i wouldn’t call it oscar worthy, it’s still a great thought-provoking thriller/drama.

another film on the outside projector! i’ve been meaning to share this one with my family for a while. considering our recent i know binge, i thought the curve would be a good follow up! even though i wouldn’t call this a horror flick, it does have that sort of vibe. i guess that would fall into the thriller category, and i strongly agree with that, thus my decision to pick this for the “beginning” of the autumn season!

matthew lillard is a star. that’s ALL i have to say! he was making history with his roles in the 90s and this was no different. he has multiple monologues and they are beautifully executed. he completely embodies tim. no one else could have playing that character like he did. moving away from him, despite each character being pretty unlikeable, they are all played well! i cannot say i am a fan of michael vartan, as his perverted character in never been kissed is the only thing i can see, but he does well here! chris, as played by vartan, is the most likeable character, even though i do find the dark humor throughout this film very fun and i love to hate these people. finally i have to talk about randall batinkoff who happens to be the finest and a seriously underrated actor in my opinion! his performance is daunting and memorable despite his limited screen time. i really wish he would get more recognition, especially for his projects in the 90s!

okay, yes this movie has a 0% rating on rotten tomatoes and no i do not agree with that! maybe twists and interpretations are just more fun to me than critics, but i think that this film CAN pull them off and DOES. the script includes enough humor to make it pretty unserious but enough thought provoking dialogue for me to take it (somewhat) seriously! i will it that there are often uncomfortable moments, but i can’t help but overlook them when looking at the whole picture. i love the plot, and i think it’s perfect 90s trash. i hate the characters, i do, but i enjoy hating them. it only adds to the fun of this film. maybe that doesn’t make sense, but i’m sure someone else understands! i could spend hours talking about the twists and my own theories/expansions on this movie, i just think it’s neat.

wow i’m looking back and i wrote a lot about this haha! i just can’t help but feel strongly about it. the directing is very interesting to me, namely a monologue being emphasized by dimming the lights and cutting out the background noise. there are so many aspects to address about this one. i can’t help but recommend it 100x over! even if it is simply a stan watch for matthew lillard, the curve is one to check out!

“great! cancer in a box”

watched this on a hot night on my outdoor projector! so grateful to have the ability to do that. it is truly wonderful (especially for movie lovers) and i would totally recommend doing it if that’s available to you!

of course i had to watch this one after the first one! can’t believe i hadn’t ever seen it before as well…but my parents really wanted us all to see it so we did! with popcorn and everything, i had high hopes for this night.

my jaw dropped at this cast. with not only jennifer and freddie returning, but adding brandy!? and even jack black?! what?! of course, freddie barely had any screen time, and i was very disappointed. his character is wonderful and he is obviously a treat to watch, call it eye candy! i will say that jennifer’s character is better in this film, and i think the extra depth to her makes it better! even with the cheesy material, the performances are pretty good. i found myself liking brandy’s character quite a lot and i thought she was a great new addition! i will say, i missed the old cast and core four of the first movie. they were unmatched! but this cast did their best and i commend it.

i was not expecting some of the twists here! the whole bahamas vibe was something i was here for and i loved it. the intense scenes were pretty lackluster, and i it i laughed at the gore on occasions, just due to how fake it looked. other than that, the plot twist was not something i predicted. of course i had my suspicions, but nothing could’ve prepared me for the reveal scene! i really liked it! despite the “hero” emphasis on ray again, i still thought it was a good conclusion!

to wrap it up i had a great time! anything to do with the “i know” franchise has to be campy and fun! though these might not be the best movies objectively, they are masterpieces to me. the slasher aura will never lose its touch for me. 90s slashers i love you!

“julie, get your white-as-death, chalky-ass corpse in the car—now”

i’m back! I took the summer off of lb but I missed writing these so here i am. of course I had to come back with a slasher, one of my favorite slashers at that! i know what you did last summer has the best vibe and it means so much to me despite my low watch count, which i of course wish to raise over this spooky season.

september marks the beginning of the autumn season for me, despite it still being summer (im so over summer). considering the setting of this film, taking place on july 4th, i think it’s a great time to watch it! it’s september, thus having the more autumnal feel, but it’s summer still  and the weather ties in with the weather right now in real life. my mom has been wanting to watch it with me all summer anyway, and so this was perfect!

there aren’t words to explain the mere IMPORTANCE of this cast. they are unstoppable! i know many of the reviews on here are about how the core four are all extremely attractive, and i would have to agree. the star power in this film alone is enough to put someone into a coma. freddie prinze jr  has got to be one of my favorite 90s actors, my favorite roles being fred jones from the live action scooby-doo and zach siler from she’s all that. leading into sarah michelle gellar, their relationship in real life is the cutest! and she is extraordinary in her own right, bringing buttloads of talent with her to each of her roles. ryan phillippe of course is gorgeous and cruel intentions was also a great role of his. i love to hate his character in this and in the other film i mentioned. jennifer love hewitt as well, is a joy. this and heartbreakers are my favorite of hers, but she has such an optimistic aura wherever she goes!

the plot of this film i will say, is a typical slasher. the original novel is one i hope to read, but i have read that the author was disappointed to see it made into a slasher. going off of that, i think the idea is great! four friends accidentally run over someone, and make a pact to take it to their graves. seems mysterious enough! i love this idea, and because of that i can’t help but love the plot of this. the death scenes are lengthy and memorable, but not excessively gory which i appreciate. the climax is very dramatic and the reveal is also pretty shocking and memorable itself. i can’t help but love the cheesy slasher aspects of the plot, and though the attempts at relationship drama between the character (romantic or platonic) are lackluster, i enjoy filling them in myself with headcanons :)

overall, i know what you did last summer isn’t objectively great, or good even, but it is still one of my favorites. with the powerful cast and funny dialogue, it really speaks to me in that 90s slasher way. don’t watch this one for serious drama, but watch it because of the characters you love to hate and the mystery reveal at the end. there is a fair amount of suspense in my opinion, and that is what gives the film the chilling vibe i love to see. if you haven’t already, give this one a watch!

“when you give up your dream, you die.”

 flashdance is a movie about..well..dance. alex owens works hard to earn a living and practice dancing in her spare time, whilst also working as a performer at a bar. she s her friends and fosters a romance during this time, and eventually works to get an audition for a dancing school.

i mean, it’s flashdance, of course i wanted to watch it! my mom has always wanted to watch it with me, and i’m so glad i got to experience it with her! over the years, the famous water scene has always been in the back of my mind, and finally i can say i’ve seen the film where it’s from. dance hasn’t always been on my radar, but in the last few years it has really taken “center stage” for me. even though i don’t dance, i love to watch it and i find it to be one of the most powerful things someone can do.

i don’t have much to say about the cast, except that it took the whole film for me to realize that lee ving was in it, and i know him from clue. jennifer beals did fantastic as alex, and her dancing double’s (marine jahan) performances were very emotional and a joy to watch. though, the male lead was not a joy to watch. he did well with the character, but i didn’t like the character ugh, finding him bland and boring.

there is not much plot here. the plot that was here was pretty solid, but i definitely came for the dance sequences and the surprising figure skating. the romance with alex and nick made me very uncomfortable, considering she was 18 and he had a failed marriage. it was also off when her friend went to the other club, and it was hard to watch. despite all of this, the final scene was amazing. that was definitely the best scene for me, as it is the famous dance scene, not including water.

this film is not something to watch for a great plot, but one to watch for a great soundtrack and powerful dance sequences. when i love rock and roll started playing, that was one of the highlights! though, you can tell this was directed by a man, and some of the shots were over-sexualized. that was obviously not ideal, but i think that the choreography makes up for it, and it was a good time.

“and his muse, the lovely chlamydia!”

 this might not be everyone's movie, but i claim this as MY movie. it’s a boy girl thing is a raunchy teen sex comedy about body swapping. this trope happens to be one of my favorites, ever since i was a kid. we see nell and woody, neighbors and rivals, swap bodies and try to complete their goals as one another. a wonderful ride in the short 95 minute runtime.

 i watch this all the time. it is one of those movies i just put on when i don’t know what to watch. i am familiar with all the scenes, but they still make me laugh and the serious scenes touch my heart. i always revisit this one, and even though it’s incredibly raunchy (and the one on youtube that i watch is NOT the pg-13 it says) i still can’t help but love it.

 like i said before, the body swap trope has always been one of my favorites. i watching the swap on disney channel back when it came out and loving it! well, this is basically that movie but aged up for an older audience. the main actors do a fantastic job at their roles, and playing the reversed person, and i totally respect it. each captures the other’s personality and gives an amazing performance throughout the film. sharon osborne makes an appearance, weirdly enough, as the lead’s mother, and she is another standout for me because of her comedic delivery. another thing i find funny about the crew of this film i that elton john produced it! just makes me love it even more, i think.

 this movie is so quotable, and the one liners never leave my head. as i said above, the touching moments are really great, and i believe they incorporate the romance element perfectly! i love how funny, romantic, and touching this film can get. the comedic delivery as well as the acting in the more dramatic scenes is great, and they make it very believable within the entire runtime. though the plot isn’t entirely explained, that doesn’t bother me too much considering the lore isn’t the main focus. the soundtrack is fun and the directing is immersive. i haven’t connected with a film like i have with this one in a LONG time.

 don’t watch this if you’re looking for something serious with lots of lore and exposition. watch this because it feels like a roller coaster of emotions and humor. this film is a crazy ride throughout and despite its bad reviews, it is a load of fun. don’t go in expecting something high brow and interesting, because you won’t find it. this is just a raunchy comedy with a compelling romance (for the standards) and great quotablility. just trust me on this one!

“even her underwear is skankville..”

LOL is the definition of 2012. we follow miley cyrus of all people on her life with demi moore as a mother. she gets out of relationships and into them, and goes through her life as a teenager with lots of friends.

i thought that this would be a lighthearted comedy to put on in the background. something cheesy and straight out of tumblr. however to my surprise it was quite dramatic and was way less funny than i had expected in the first place. i went in thinking it was a teen comedy, and left comparing it to lady bird.

though i have little clue who most of the cast is, other than cyrus and moore, i think they did a decent job. lots of the lines were very cheesy, and i think (and hope) that that was the reason the delivery of them was sort of uncomfortable at times. with that, cyrus does do a pretty good job at being the dream tumblr girl of 2012. and as for moore, i i would say the same.

i have to say that i was very uncomfy at some points of this film. from the whole family bathing together to multiple teens getting hit by their parents, the whole vibe felt very off. this is obviously coming from me, and different people might have different interpretations, but i was definitely put off by some of the scenes here. a young girl pursuing her teacher is shown here, which isn’t “abnormal,” however they cross some borderline creepy behavior here. though the teacher does not try to entertain her, at some points it just gets a little weird.

i cannot say that i didn’t have some fun with this film, because i did. it felt like traveling to a time that i was too young to experience and dive into the culture at the time. i also got to hear one of my favorite songs somewhere only we know twice! there are definite flaws here, but it was enough to enjoy and keep my attention during its runtime. would i actively recommend it? absolutely not. but on that note, i don’t think that it was a total waste of my time.

“im gonna blame the movies”

  (spoilers)

the scream franchise is one i’ve visited time and time again as one of my favorite horror franchises. though this is limited to the first three, they still take up much space in my mind throughout the year. scream 2 continues the story with new ghostfaces, characters, and deaths. we see sidney in her college life and watch as her past follows closely behind.

i watched the first one with my friend a few months ago and we have been meaning to watch this one since then. tonight we finally got the chance to do so, and i was so glad that they liked it! showing movies to my favorite people is something that brings me great joy. i really love doing it. it was so fulfilling to see their reactions and guesses on who was the masked killer!

this film was my introduction to timothy olyphant, and maybe that wasn’t such a good thing. it spawned a long running obsession that has stayed with me, though getting put aside at some points, since i first watched this movie years ago. mickey altieri completely changed my brain chemistry, and i am forever salty about his lack of screen time! for how little olyphant had done before this, he takes mickey and injects so much ion and craze into him that he quickly became my favorite character in the film. his reveal scene with sid is quite possibly a highlight of the franchise for me, and i love it. despite the bone i have to pick about him being ghostface, considering his lack of screen time, i still think his character makes it pretty clear that he is the killer, and i can’t say i hate that.

moving on to other characters, i have to talk about my two other favorites. dewey has to be one of my comfort characters, and he is just a sweet person, especially in this film. when i first watched it, i was devastated to see that he got attacked, especially since him and gale had shown some development in their relationship. i think he really brings out the best in gale, and i love that about him, and about these movies. gewey (gale and dewey) have to be one of my favorite ships in any horror franchise, and when i saw that he was still alive, that scene really stuck with me. though gale isn’t one of the best characters, i think it is sweet how she cares about dewey deep down and shows it in her own way.

it wouldn’t be a scream review if i didn’t talk about randy! randy is the character that i feel the most seen with. he was my favorite in the first film, and he continues this into the second. kennedy does great with this role, and his jumpy and geeky nature is so fun to watch. him and sidney’s “relationship” is something i mourn on a daily basis! i really wished that they would’ve gotten together romantically, however i also love the close bond they have especially after the events of the first film. i was devastated when he died. end of story. i think that of all the deaths, that one always hurts the most. this paired with sidney’s reaction totally break me into pieces! sid throughout the film is so strong, and she is such a resilient character. i love her, especially in this film! 

though the wretched cafeteria scene and disturbing theater scene are present in this one, i still have to express my love for the plot of this one. scream 2 has a mysterious vibe, but it also pairs with the joyful nature of the college setting, and i adore it. some of the scenes (not featuring ghostface) are some of my favorite in the whole franchise. distinctly the film class sequel debate is one that stand out to me. featuring a cameo from joshua jackson (who is featured in some of my favorite 90s movies!) and sarah michelle gellar (of the same status) this scene is absolutely a blast to watch. it is very immersive, as is the rest of the film, and i always feel as though i’m in the class myself!

i don’t know who i would be without scream 2. if you’re looking for a fantastic and fun-loving sequel, it’s this. this film does such a great job at continuing the scream franchise, and i don’t understand the hate i see! maybe it can get a little cheesy at some points, but i think it balances that with the suspense of a horror film perfectly! i will never stop loving this movie, and you better believe i’m coming back to this during october!

“you’d think they’d never seen a girl and a cat on a broom before.”

upon watching this film i can’t say i was paying full attention. i watched it within small increments at school lunch, and only just now finished it after a few weeks of being out of school. kiki’s delivery service is a cute tale about a young witch who spends her days finding new friends and delivering goods to those around town. she meets a young boy and becomes somewhat friends with, to which she gives particular help to toward the film’s end.

this year i decided to watch most of the studio ghibli movies, and that i did. this one however, i left out of my rotation because my friend wanted to see it with me. after a long time procrastinating, we finally put it on and only tonight finished. it was a long time coming, and i’m glad i had that experience to share with her! saying that though, she watched for the cat character jiji and i watched because a young matthew lawrence provided his voice for one of the characters in the english dub, and to finish my ghibli marathon of course.

speaking on the characters, i didn’t really connect with the young witch kiki. kirsten dunst did a great job with her voice as i didn’t recognize her at first. that being said, i did not like her character as much as you are meant to. kiki’s design got boring as the film went on despite her iconic look. as for her friend tombo, i thought that he was a fun character that we didn’t spend enough time with! there were no conflicting characters, which was sort of off to me. i think all of the voice acting was great, but i don’t think the dialogue was enough to keep me interested in the people they were voicing. jiji, the cat, was my favorite character!

i don’t think there is a lot to say plot wise. nothing stood out to me and i couldn’t tell you what was happening most of the time. just a lackluster plot with nothing to write home about. i cannot say that i was entertained by the story, and i felt myself critiquing what was happening on screen constantly. there was nothing spectacular about the plot, especially considering we do not spend enough time with side characters to even get to know them very well. i found myself getting lost in the visuals rather than story, despite the constant view of kiki’s bloomers for some reason. this alongside a comment about her possibly posing naked, i felt kind of uncomfortable surrounding that throughout the film.

despite its magical nature, kiki’s delivery service loses itself in poor side character development and little explanation of specifics throughout the runtime. i was left with questions every time i put this on, and my friend agreed with every one. i would not recommend this to people who have not seen other ghibli projects, but i guess it is a must watch if you have! anime is not my thing, and i did not really enjoy this film, but i can see where people are coming from. it is lighthearted and very gorgeous to look at. i just wish i liked this better!

“what a fabulous window treatment!”

i have to preface this by saying happy pride month! in & out is a campy piece about a small town teacher who is “mistaken” as gay by a previous student giving an oscar speech. as the runtime continues, we see him deal with the accusation and come to with himself in the few days before his wedding.

this was quite an impulsive watch. me and my mom were in the mood for something funny, and i wanted something campy, so i’m glad we stumbled across this gem! there were so many funny scenes alongside nicer and more serious ones, and the balance was perfect. i hope to make this an annual watch for the future, as i was pleasantly surprised with this one!

the cast did a fantastic job, featuring kevin kline in the title role. he was really at his best here, as his comedic style fit the film perfectly. his bride, played by the lovely joan cusack, was also amazingly executed. i would have to say that she was my favorite, and her lines were some of the funniest. another person who stood out to me was matt dillon’s character, as i didn’t even recognize him at first. i think that the cast harmony was on point, and matched with the script, it was a great film for some lighthearted fun!

though there were some outdated jokes, as expected of course, i think other than that the rest of the film held up pretty well. i think it explored the topics in the best way it could for 1997.

i had a great time watching this and i plan to rewatch it in the future. if you want something with great performances and very comedic, watch this! take it for what it is and enjoy that. i have to say that i am surprised there are so little reviews of this one, as i think there should be way more! other than the story, the setting is gorgeous. the small town is so quaint and lovable alongside the wedding reception’s stunning decoration. the one liners presented here are so quotable! i loved watching this!

“people don’t commit murder on credit”

 i am writing this right after watching, at 1am mind you, and i am finding it hard to review. though dial M for murder is a witty piece with a twisty plot, i cannot say that i was in the mood for it. this film is based around a tennis player, ironic i would say as i saw challengers just yesterday, and his ideas about wanting to murder his wife. as we see early on, this man’s wife was cheating, and he had found out. as the film goes along, we see what he does to execute this plan he had concocted.

 this film has been on my radar for quite a while, alongside my mother and grandmother’s. tonight we decided to watch it, as we meant to last night but didn’t get the chance. i have seen some of hitchcock before but cannot say that i have been impressed yet. the birds was heavily disappointing for me but i have never thought about giving up on his works yet. so, we all decided to give this one a chance.

 i think that the characterization was quite interesting, and that most within the film were very intelligent. the main man, played well by ray milland, clearly had everything thought out and found it easy to twist his plan to save himself. his wife as played by grace kelly was also very charming, and despite flaws was easy to sympathize with. despite all of this however, i was never on anyone’s side throughout the 105 minute runtime. at times i found myself interested to see if the husband’s plan would succeed, and i would have been okay with that, but at times i found myself feeling sorry for the wife. i cannot say that i was particularly fond with any of the characters, which is quite a dealbreaker for me when it comes to my films.

 the way the plot unravels is quite entertaining to watch, however it’s not enough to leave me thinking about it for hours after. though i do find the twists and turns adequate, i am just not left too satisfied. nothing was particularly groundbreaking to me. the plot is witty and well thought out, and i do appreciate that, but it didn’t stand out to me. all in all, i wish that i liked it more, and i’m kind of disappointed.

“you want me to come tuck you in?”

 challengers is an intense ride of a film. everything is tennis. even if the viewer thinks that it’s not about tennis, it is. we follow art and patrick as their lives intertwine with that of tashi duncan’s. as time goes on, she bounces back and forth between their courts, in every way possible.

this was a film i planned on skipping. i had no previous interest in seeing it, especially because i despise tennis in general. alongside this, i have no connection with any of the actors featured here. so why did i watch it? i’ll chalk it up to curiosity. i wanted to see what the hype was about, considering most reviews that i have seen have been 4 stars and higher. so, i put it on.

despite my open mind going in, i still was very skeptical that it would measure up to the hype it has gotten since the release. sadly, it didn’t quite meet the mark. though its intensity was something i wasn’t expecting, there was little drawing me closer or willing me to watch. the dialogue was sharp, but i found myself getting sort of bored at the lengthened shots and large gaps of dialogue. 

as for the characters, i was not impressed to say the least. i found patrick and art’s scenes together to be the most interesting, but the ones including tashi were just not doing it for me. tashi’s character as whole was just awful in my opinion, and i found her scenes hard to watch. though zendaya did great, i just thought that the way the character was written was not someone that i could enjoy watching. something i couldn’t get out of my head as i watched patrick was the fact that he looked like raoul from a monster in paris. that sort of changed the way i continued the film, as i found it funnier despite the drama. of the characters, art was my favorite. now i don’t say this because i find mike faist to be attractive, as i only saw him like that in certain scenes, but he was seemingly the nicest character. i felt bad for him throughout the runtime, especially at the end, and he was the only standout character to me.

the plot was sort of confusing to me, and it was hard to keep up with all the time skips. though i did like the ending, it was a rough ride to get there. i had to see it in three sittings, as it was difficult to get through. maybe if i saw it in one, i would like it better, however i don’t believe this to be true. i was often annoyed at the length of each shot and the strange zooms were awkward to get through.

the hype around this film is still something i do not understand. i have not stopped hearing about it since its release, and even after watching i would like it to be explained to me. why is everyone obsessed with this film? i can not tell you, but i am not going to actively discourage giving this a watch.

“maybe this is what happens when you grow up. you feel less joy”

 inside out 2 is the sequel of inside out from 2015. this sequel follows the main 5 emotions on their journey to help riley find herself again after the new emotions, specifically anxiety, that were brought alongside puberty try to prepare her for high school. all of this happens at a hockey camp to get her ready for the high school team.

i seeing the first film in theaters when i was around 8, and it stuck with me up until now. i was pretty confused when a sequel was announced, but i figured i’d check it out anyway. so i got pretty excited over time to see where riley was and how she grew up, as well as what would be added with the new installment. i chose to go with my parents, and one of my best friends, and it was overall a great night!
 
 the voice acting was great, as it was in the first film. it’s always fun to hear phyllis from the office as sadness or amy poehler as joy. i do believe that maya hawke was a great choice for anxiety, as her voice was perfect for the “anxious” edge the character needed. of course everyone else alongside the main cast was great as well, and it was nice to see and hear some of riley’s friends outside of the mind unlike the main focus of the emotions in the first installment.

i think that this was a decent addition to the franchise. of course, i don’t believe a sequel was needed, and the updated graphics were sort of jarring, being so used to seeing the original’s animation and all. though the first one is always capable of making me cry, this one only got close. i think that there were very touching and real moments, especially considering i was 13 when COVID hit and so it was a strange year for me and i was also greeted with anxiety. the relatability was really close to my heart, and i almost teared up, but overall the story was sort of flat to me. nothing really stuck out, and it sort of felt like it was going through the motions at some points. i wasn’t disappointed, as i didn’t expect much, i was just fine with its adequecy.

inside out 2 is not a particularly requested film, but it is a good and wholesome watch. as the first one does, it is sufficient at tugging the heartstrings. this film definitely makes you think, especially as a teenager like myself. though it is likely entertaining for kids, i don’t think that all of it can be truly appreciated until an older age, such as 13 and up. i also believe this about the first installment. though i didn’t expect much, this was a fun and fulfilling watch and i am grateful to have had this experience with people i love.

“brothers don’t get divorced”

 neighbors is a raunchy comedy featuring a story of two parents and their noisy new neighbors, which take the shape of a frat house. the film follows these parents and their mission to get the fraternity out of the neighborhood.

 even though i enjoy raunchy films to a certain extent, this one was very unimpressive to me. most of the jokes were dirty or some other form of that, which i am not opposed to in moderation. i will say that i am a thirst watcher at heart, and essentially i watched for zac efron and dave franco, but it was fun to see mclovin there too!

 i cannot say that i am a seth rogan fan, and going in i didn’t even know he was the title role, which is sorta embarrassing. i find his comedic style to be subjectively not my cup of tea. on the other hand, rose byrne was a good person for the opposite role, even though i pity her (she had to be near seth lmao). as i mentioned earlier, i watched mainly for the frat boys, specifically zac and dave. their looks did not disappoint, however i was often uncomfortable during the party scenes, or just the scenes containing the raunchy frat house.

 something i must it that i was impressed with us the soundtrack. containing missy elliot and fergie. i was very excited when london bridge started playing, and it was definitely a highlight of the film for me. this is especially considering the party scene it followed, which again, i was not impressed with.

 while i might consider watching this again in the distant future, i don’t think that the cast or soundtrack are enough for me to recommend it. though there were some touching moments which i appreciated, the raunchy nature of this film were enough to deter me away from enjoying it throughly.

“hey josie! how do you spell ugly?”

though anne of green gables is technically a miniseries, i’ve always seen it as a day experience. during the three hour runtime we follow anne shirley and her adventures on avonlea as an adopted orphan of many years. she finds friends, rivals, and family on the island, and it is a joy to watch and experience alongside her.

 as a longtime fan of the franchise, gaining lots of merch and collecting the book series as well as the movies, i will always return to this iteration. this is the first one that i saw, perhaps giving me a little bias, but i think it is the best nonetheless. it is definitely the most memorable, having seen the one from the 1930s and the recent netflix show. so as it stands now, this will always be the anne i return to in the future.

 as for casting, i believe that megan follows was born to play anne shirley. she perfectly captures her wide-eyed innocence that is seen throughout the source material, and i will always picture her as i read the novels. as for marilla and matthew, they are also played wonderfully and truly capture the essence. this goes especially for matthew, as his charming but shy nature always caught my eye, and it is always great to see on-screen. as gilbert blythe goes, the late jonathan crombie does a wonderful job with his character. though the cheeky side of him is ever present, he also brings the sense of warmth that gilbert in the novels can prove to have.

since this is a book to movie adaptation, i have to talk about its accuracy. though my last read through was quite a while ago, i have to say that it stays pretty true to its novel predecessor. though there are scenes i from the novel that i would have loved to see on the screen, more time dedicated to those would keep the runtime well over three hours. something i distinctly from the novels that wasn’t on screen was the true rivalry of anne and gilbert. throughout the novel, they butt heads many times over, which is sadly not represented in the film. in addition, a scene i would’ve liked to see was at valentine’s day when gilbert gives anne a candy heart, and she smashes it under her shoe. but that being said, it would take way longer to show their growth with the development in the novel, and so i am very happy with how it is represented in the film adaptation.

 all in all, i write this beside my crochet dolls of anne and gilbert, by my bedside of course, and i have to express my love for this miniseries. it really does mean the world to me, and anne and gilbert iterations have been my phone lock screen for well over two years. i truly don’t know who i would be without anne shirley. thank you lucy maud montgomery! <3

“i have a dick on my face, don’t i?” 

 10 things i hate about you, what a wonderful way to spend 97 minutes! the story of two sisters based around their romantic endeavors with a money backed plan by their pursuers proves to be a fascinating one. with the talent of the late heath ledger, julia stiles, and my personal favorite, joseph gordon-levitt, this film is a strong addition to the romcom catalog.

i seeing this for the first time a few years ago, and immediately connecting with it. being one of the first romcoms i saw, i was instantly enamored. all i can say now, after perhaps 10 watches: this film is perfect. the script is the perfect representation of how to incorporate the base material of shakespeare and modernize it into “modern” teen language. though it is 25 years old, it still holds up extremely well!

as i have said before, the cast is really the stand out here. heath takes his character and gives it his all. patrick verona is brooding but in the softest way possible. he is easy to love, especially as we get to know his character throughout the film. building off of that, patrick and kat’s relationship is a beautiful one. despite the lie it is clearly stemmed from, i cannot say that i am unhappy with the “bet-like” way of love. though it is often overused, i love when one of the characters is paid, or another way of “forcing” a relationship with insensitives, to take the other out. their relationship is very sweet, and i find myself swooning during the runtime.

as for the other side of the story, bianca and cameron’s relationship grows on you during the film. starting out rough, with bianca not being very pleasant toward cameron, bianca finds herself becoming more and more inclined to cameron as opposed to joey. i am a sucker for character growth, and especially as it comes to romance, this is something i have also grown to love. cameron’s character in all of this is extremely sweet and finds the good in most. being played by joseph gordon-levitt, one of my favorite actors, i am more inclined to loving any of his characters. despite this, cameron is delightfully funny and pleasant to watch.

of course, there are other parts of this film that i love. the one-liners, quotability, side characters + plots, and filming locations + setting really add to the whole experience of watching this film. it really means the world to me, and i will never stop recommending it to anyone who hasn’t seen it, and i will never stop rewatching it either. i’m still waiting for my cameron james!

“this town needs an enema 🥳”

first batman movie + my letterboxd debut! this film is a great example of superhero cheese. it has basically everything, fight sequences, a blonde love interest, and a twist. batman is about bruce wayne and his fight to protect gotham city, specifically from the joker. of course in the end, batman emerges triumphant and the audience is left likely satisfied with the end of the joker’s rampage.

despite the lovable cheese this film has, i cannot say that i was very impressed. though i have sat through all the marvel movies, dc has never been on my watchlist or even radar. it could very well be that time difference, as this was released in 1989, and marvel from 2008 (iron man) onwards, has something to do with it. but whatever the case is, i simply didn’t connect with the visuals or plot line very well.

as for the casting, i was very disappointed to see michael keaton. though i think he is a great actor, and he did what he could, he was not made for this movie. i found it hard to believe that he was bruce wayne, and he wasn’t brooding enough to pull it off. on the other hand, jack nicholson took the role of the joker and ran with it. every scene with the joker in it was a delight to watch. i almost found it hard to be opposed to the joker, considering his fun nature and very funny jokes. jack nicholson was perfect for the role, and the casting director did a great thing there, i guess to balance out the batman casting.

all in all, i think that this was a great pick for father’s day. jack nicholson makes the film very much worth a watch. i did have fun with this one, despite the gaps of boredom i found during the 2 hour runtime. i will continue the franchise in the future, and i hope to enjoy the other two better!