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Rewatched this after finally finishing Andor. It cannot be overstated how well the show-runners and Disney did with this particular story. , whether you liked it or not, the Death Star was a done deal.  Sure the exhaust pipe maybe wasn’t the best weak link when you consider how the Empire ran, but for an explanation in a 70’s sci fi movie? I’ve seen worse contrivances.

But, Disney not only built upon a slight throwaway line into a phenomenal movie (atleast one that is, I think better than most of their newer movies) and an even better TV show with Andor… but they did it with completely new characters, separate lore and giving it a more darker and grittier feel than any Star Wars property we’ve seen in a long time.

Please, More Andors and Rogue Ones and less Rise of Skywalkers.

I guess I’m doing one of these cause a documentary I watched is not on here. 

‘Saving Mini’: inside the global network torturing baby monkeys was a deeply disturbing dive into something that I, even after finishing cannot even really begin to comprehend. I’m genuinely shocked this community of abhorrent people exists and has existed since the 2010’s. I think people like to live in a sort of blissful ignorance, where we think the worst of the worst is happening thousands of miles away, but I hate to inform you that one of these groups had hundreds of Americans in them. There is no place in society for people like this.

I really enjoyed the somewhat happy conclusion of the doc with the BBC working with animal rights groups to actually save Mimi, but the truth is in my own personal deep dive this sort of stuff doesn’t go away. The communities just get smaller, more paranoid and downright evil. You could even say that the eventual conclusion of these types of zoosadist groups are the now FBI designated online terror network “764”, of which now people are taking seriously after children have died and been seriously injured. 

I’m happy to report that just last Friday the DOJ has indicted 11 more monkey torturers, all Americans. Many Video Operators from third world countries, like the ones shown in the documentary are paid by Americans for these custom videos. Some will even travel to meet with these video operators and take part in the videos themselves. The documentary really doesn’t touch upon the whole story, especially in regards to the of the group. I was shocked to learn these sickos come from all walks of life — teachers, nurses, blue collar workers, hairdressers and more, even including a well off Iowa Lawyer who killed himself after he posted bail. Most of them were doxxed on a website in a matter of minutes, which goes to show you how stupid these people are, but the BBC focuses on one monkey and only two actual criminals. I think this is because probably the website that this whole expose was first dropped is not the type you’d credit in a documentary, so they attempted to do their own research into the group and came away with an incomplete picture.

Burn in hell Colt Moss. Rot in prison Drexel Venero and Michael “Torture King” McCartney. You two enjoyed it just as much as anybody and nobody believes that you two were infiltrating to “gain information”. And to the rest of the hundreds of Americans who have been doxxed on that website? There will be a knock on your door eventually. I hope it comes soon.

“The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance
in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far. The sciences, each straining in its own direction, have hitherto
harmed us little; but some day the piecing together of dissociated knowledge will open up such terrifying vistas of reality, and of our frightful position therein, that we shall either go mad from the revelation or flee from the deadly light into the peace and safety of a new dark age”

- H.P Lovecraft

My grandfather has a best friend who he lovingly calls ‘Frenchie’. A man who, might be dead now I can’t exactly , but who always seemed to get into trouble. Now, my grandfather was also one to get into trouble, but by the time Vietnam rolled around he had kinda tapered off — married, got my grandmother pregnant (with my aunt, who has Down syndrome) and unfortunately got drafted. ‘Frenchie’, in probably the most selfless act he had done in his life and why my grandfather considers him his best friend, snuck back into the army doctor’s office where they both got their physical done, and moved my grandfathers file all the way to the back of the cabinet. By the time the army got to my grandfather, he had already had my auntie Missy and wasn’t asked to go. 

I cannot imagine the trauma that the Vietnam war inflicted on the veterans of it, and I can’t really imagine the sort of shock that came over them arriving back home. Major Rane (played by William Devane) and Master Sgt Vohden (played by a young Tommy Lee Jones, who is just masterful here) have it even worse; not only suffering through combat but also suffering seven years in a POW camp in Hanoi. Surprisingly, the film doesn’t touch on any anti war sentiments (besides a lowball question by a reporter during the soldiers homecoming). I really loved how this movie played with subtle nods to the changing culture and uncomfortability of the two men. In the dialogue with Rane’s wife at the beginning, and the conversation at Vohden’s house in the end, we can just see how awkward these men are to be back in civilian life.

I think while this movie tries to have the love interest dynamic with Linda, its attempt at keeping the ‘PTSD ridden emotionally numb’ makes that whole period of the film feel like a waste. Even with their conclusion, and him leaving her silently in the middle of the night I felt that I wanted them to go a little further with it or cut it shorter. I also feel that they really kinda rushed Cliff’s whole manhunt for Rane and his death felt so fast. I don’t really care though cause that guy is such a prick and he deserved that death.

But really, why I started this review with the story of my grandpa and his best friend (not only is it because it tied to Vietnam) but because the parts in which this movie feels the strongest is with the dynamic between Rane and Vohden. Not only are they both fantastic actors, but the movie had me wishing I could have more of them. Honestly, I feel like I’d even rewrite Linda out and replace her character with Vohden. Their relationship was really great, but felt underdeveloped because they didn’t have many scenes together. There were so many neat shots too that I felt when the movie opted for a less stylistic framing really killed my mood. I wanted to see Rane do more with the prosthetic hand too.

That picking up cigarette montage though felt such like an influence on that one part in Metal Gear Solid 5.

When Unfriended hit theaters I really wasn’t interested in it. Searching was a little better, but I still felt that these “screen life” movies missed showcasing key elements of online culture that made them seem like a bunch of old people in a boardroom trying to deliver on a young person’s life in a digital age. 

Spree, recommended to me by one of my online friends, feels like a documentary with how realistic the director portrays the online space. I think it helped that all the actors sounded young (whoever wrote the dialogue, as well as all the comments and posts did an excellent job) and the main actor being Joe Keery, who I’ve always enjoyed every piece of his creative endeavors, and who also has been kinda vocal in the zeitgeist surrounding young actors and the influence of social media. I also think that the editing and ‘faux social media’ graphics they had were extremely well done and sucked me right into the film. I was hooked right from the start.

This works very well as a black comedy, although I do think it could have stayed a bit more consistently funny? Maybe it’s just me but I felt that the movie devolved into absurd event after absurd event, which mostly just made me cringe or a bit uncomfortable while watching (in a good way!). I also loved how the film played with angles and showing the scenes from different positions, as sometimes with found footage films they can be very static. And that ending 4chan/reddit montage was scarily accurate— I’m not gonna sugarcoat it, as someone who had (stupidly, don’t do this to your kids) unrestricted internet access since 2010ish that is legit how those places act and how anonymous people post. This movie works because I think it holds a mirror up to our social media filled lives and shows us sometimes how bad things can really get.

Before I went into college in 2020, I witnessed 3 separate live-streamed mass murders on the internet. The fact one even was allowed to happen, and that people saw it, is a problem.

This review may contain spoilers.

Despite, in my opinion, westerns as a genre being pretty much an open canvas — I feel as if most fall into similar tropes, characters and plot lines. It’s why I tend to stick to not only Eastwood’s westerns but also the somewhat dark, even gritty revisionist westerns that peppered the 60’s and 70’s. 

Two mules for Sister Sara feels like a revisionist western without the edge of say a Leone film. The characters are complex, but none of them completely feel like that anti-hero archetype. Moreover, this movie deals more with a battle of words than guns, as the dialogue between MacLaine and Eastwood was enough to keep me enraptured in the story. That isn’t to say the movie has no action, the last 10 or so minutes has this brilliant night battle that feels gorgeously authentic (as most Eastwood films do). The cinematography was equally gorgeous and with that unique vibrancy that only Technicolor can bring, it made me forget when those horse riding scenes went on for longer than I think they should have.

It’s interesting reading the Wikipedia page and finding that Shirley McLaine’s character of Sister Sara was described by the original screenwriter Budd Boetticher as “Bawdy” and not resembling a nun. In watching it I not only felt that she took to the part well and was convincing, but I also felt that Shirley had these really nice micro expressions that foreshadowed the ending reveal of her being a prostitute. I certainly was surprised at the end, and did not see it coming (although I felt that some of the dialogue was a tad ham-fisted with its double meanings.) 

Oh, and probably one of my favorite Morricone score. The way the Latin choir comes in really set both the tone and atmosphere while keeping the tension up consistently throughout the whole movie. We might have not seen the danger that followed Hogan and Sara, but we sure as hell could feel it with those drums. The beginning with his music really sets the mood for the rest of the film.

Besides some odd things that some might find offensive (although are likely put into amp up the 'dark comedy' aspects... and its from the 70's), this was really great. I think that while the short length works well for the pacing, I wish I had more with the side characters (Boyle, Young, the Sheriff) so that the eventual conclusion of each of their stories was more impactful. Surprisingly, the cinematography was real underrated (and not because it showed off some nice ladies within the first 3 minutes of the movie). The scene with the bank president and manager and when the manager committed suicide had great framing... you just might need some sunglasses for those sun glares.

The music was fine, nothing necessarily stood out to me. It played with silence well, and the score only came in when the scenes needed it. I liked the ending. The whole plot was very clever (if a bit short), and Charley Varrick felt well written. The hitman and his silent hunt of Varrick reminded me alot of No Country For Old Men, and it would not surprise me if this was an influence on that film. Not much action, and I think in a way you may have to suspend your disbelief on how they haven't been caught quicker--- but still was very solid. I will watch again.

Easily the funniest movie I have seen in a bit. I watched it over discord with two buddies and we were nonstop laughing. With comedy movies it can sometimes feel like it’s just bit after bit (which sometimes that can work, like in Airplane!) but this has a pretty consistent plot that carries our characters. For example, even though it’s a comedy and the stakes fly out the window, I still found myself engaged in the story and wondering where they would take the film next. Not only were the gags funny, but they also had great timing and were complex. The underwater fight gag is an all time great, I will be rewatching this many times.

This movie genuinely feels like a different one on rewatch. I haven’t seen this in years, so long ago in fact that I don’t even have it logged here. If I my rating, I would say it probably would be around the same.

I have always felt the cut to the future was a bit jarring, and while I ed thinking I wanted more with Luke Glanton, this time around I really liked the latter half of the film. While I hadn’t seen this one in a bit, I did alot of the plot points, so I was able to focus more on the way the movie is structured. I noticed it really does parallels well, not only in the story but in scenes as well. Luke’s last robbery and the chase, when we are first introduced to Avery mirror’s the scene when Luke was riding in the Pines. The dialogue is a real standout, especially in the relationship aspect of the characters. The movie did so well setting up the ideals and goals of Ryan Gosling’s characters at the beginning that even when he’s chaotic and going off the rails with the robberies, you can’t help but root for him and feel yourself get sad when he falls out the window. 

I can definitely see how this movie can be divisive, but I think if you may have not liked it the first time around, try it again. It’s solid.

Watched on Saturday March 22, 2025.

While this doesn’t necessarily do anything special with the old “Monster or group of monsters hunting down a group of soldiers” however, with its mid budget it surprisingly was very enjoyable. It didn’t have a lot of variety in music, but I think the cinematography, acting and pacing were spot on for what it was. The twist actually was something that I didn’t really expect? But when it happened it was real obvious. 

The lighting and especially the scenes looking through the werewolves eyes were nice touch, and anything that has cool little visuals like that will always get a plus from me. You kinda do have to suspend your disbelief probably during the later half of the film, because they certainly should have ran out of ammo way before the farmhouse, but it’s a movie. I enjoyed also the creative ways they kept the werewolves at bay, and the sound, blood and explosions are fine, if a bit early 2000’s. I will definitely watch this one again.

Watched on Thursday February 27, 2025.

A lot of this was really neat! The cinematography and scoring was well done, and set the tone for the film as this Blair Witch type story. I like the documentary aspects, and the imagery hidden within the frames are surprisingly grotesque, and sold the idea of this film being cursed. I can see the roots of old creepypasta themes and it seems like it’s derivative of many “cursed” films that came before it, but I still enjoyed the ride.

The big knock for me is the acting. Like I said the documentary part is alright, but the child and girl are really insufferable at parts and I wasn’t convinced of their relationship at all. The twist was lame, but I liked the weird flashback sequence, but the kid was not good. Made it a slog to get through in the middle.

Watched on Thursday February 13, 2025.

This was really well done! A pretty simple noir that runs at a relatively speedy pace. I wasn’t bored throughout the runtime, although I do wish it had slowed down a tad in the middle. I wish it let the audience sit with the implication a little bit more and piece together who knew what within the town. I also really enjoyed the feel of this film, as unlike other westerns this one takes place around 1945. The town sports a train and a few cars instead of the horses one usually sees. The character of Mcready had some really great lines towards the end, and although there was little action, the eventual conclusion was still fun to see play out.

I kinda wish he didn’t give the medal to Doc at the end? I don’t know, maybe it’s just me but I think everyone in that town is bad.

Sometimes the shuffle sends me a curveball. I can’t say I really disliked this, but I feel like I didn’t understand it enough to fully enjoy it? Maybe a rewatch will suit me better, but man this just felt like pretentious drivel.

This was awesome, but (and maybe this is cause I have read the book and seen both of Villenueve’s renditions) it feels unfinished. Even in the telling of the first events, things I felt were important and or needed were left out in favor of more… strange choices from the book? I honestly don’t know much about this version of Dune, only wanting to watch it with a friend to kick off mine (and maybe his) David Lynch watch through.

Unlike other movies but like other of Lynch’s work, I felt ascended to another world while watching this. The way he created was genuinely like nobody else and I don’t think we’ll get someone of the same understanding of Film and the human condition ever again. Rest in Peace.

Sadly missed the first half, but man does this movie hit every time. Not my favorite Tarantino, but I consider it one of his best.

Watched on Monday January 20, 2025.

I didn’t realize why I had this at four and a half stars but on a rewatch I actually found it to be the part where James is put into the hospital. I don’t know, I feel like it not only was a huge overreaction but also didn’t jive with the parents’ previous actions. I mean they had been searching for him for their whole life. The way Aubrey reacts in the beginning it’s clearly meant to imply the parents probably mention it all the time, and then they just send him away? I might have added a small scene of the parents visiting, especially cause the movie seems to jump forward in time frequently so it’s not clear how long he was in the hospital. Then again, a scene like that could prolong and otherwise pretty perfect movie.

I’m always surprised at how underrated I find this film is within circles of film friends. Very few heard of it and even fewer have seen it. Like my cousin Miles writes in his review, “This movie hits at the perfect place and at the perfect time like very few do.” I personally watching this, and the drive it gave me (and still gives me on rewatch) to create is unparalleled. Starting 2025 off right.

Also going to make a conscious effort to watch every movie that is recommended to me by a friend, as that’s somewhere I’ve been slacking. I keep a list and I just always add to it but never do anything with it, so if you also want to recommend me movies for the new year please comment down below.

Watched on Friday January 3, 2025.

For a hallmark movie, it’s better than most.

And it’s still a 2 and a half star movie.

Wow. I mean I can’t say what hasn’t been said already by countless people since this movie released. Some films are an experience that transports you to another world. The setting, set and costume design, cinematography, music, pacing, plot…. I could literally go on— but every piece of this movie is just transcendent to look at. And to top it off, it’s an adaptation of Shakespeare, so it has those complex human characters with emotional arcs. I would watch this again in a heartbeat.

Well hello Letterboxd. I know like three reviews ago— back in November? Yikes — I had maybe too eagerly claimed I would be able to watch a lot of movies at my job. That is going to be the case going forward, but production was kicking up and very shortly after one of the other guards had to take a leave and I covered first shift for her. Which, is during the day and my security duties becomes more active rather than ive. But, I’m here as I am working OT this holiday season while the building is empty, and then after I will be going back to second shift, so more reviews will be incoming.

Nonetheless, expect some spamming of likes as I try to catch up on what all my mutuals have been watching. I hope all of you have had and will continue to have a great holiday season.

In November of 2020, I had nine strangers show up to the backyard of my tiny little house in Massachusetts for a Fall cookout. I had seen maybe 3 of them, knew the names of 5 of them, and considered each of them some of my closest friends. You see, about a year and a half before this, I was putzing around the virtual planets of Bungie’s Destiny 2 game when I met a man 15 years my senior named Rich. Rich lead a collective, a group, a clan— whatever you’d like to call it— of people all across the country, and later the world, in which players would group together and run the missions of the game. I had ed at the right time, as they had been discussing where they would have their next clan meetup.

None of them had been to Boston, so I suggested maybe they do it up here in New England. Spend the weekend in the city, see some of the historical sights, and if they wanted to, have a cookout and spend the afternoon by the fire in the big backyard of my parents house. I had little hopes any of them actually would come, but to my surprise the whole council and a few agreed. My parents were not exactly thrilled with the idea, especially when I told them that a few of them I only knew by their online gamertags. 

But, they came. And even better, the ninth person wasn’t even part of the original planning, but when realizing where I lived, drove over as he had lived only 4 towns over from me. It might have been one of the best experiences I’ve ever had, as it was the first time I had met, in person, people who I had spent thousands of hours talking with during quarantine. We all got Covid because of it, which in my eyes was worth every day spent in bed. 

Six months later, and this clan doesn’t exist. Four of the s, three who came to my house, left due to infighting and cliqueness. I was promoted as an in their stead, but even I couldn’t stuff enough virtual gauze to stop the hemorrhaging of active players. And with a few bad decisions from Bungie the obsession with Destiny 2 slowly petered out despite some major updates and it seemed that Just4Kicks (the clan) was destined to be inactive. 

Today, I am part of a discord server filled with empty channels, bots who haven’t been given a command in a year, and numbered names who either don’t come online, or don’t play Destiny 2. But I am still friends with those 9 people. The way we met doesn’t even exist anymore, none of us even play the same games anymore and I rarely get to play games with any of these people anymore. People who aren’t engrossed into the world of online gaming might not view these sorts of friendships as real friendships, but despite the virtual barrier I would say that these friendships sometimes are even stronger than in person ones. This documentary showcases this through Mats Steen, a young man with Duchenne's who spent countless hours inside World of Warcraft. I’ve been wanting to see this one ever since I heard about it, but it was even better than I expected. I was slightly disappointed when it seemed that they didn’t talk a lot about the other people in Starlight, deciding instead to focus on three specific and their interactions with Mats. I also wish that they showed more of the messages from the community.

If you are someone who plays video games or has friends online, you should watch this. It’s real heartwarming, especially the ending, and has a great message. Rest in peace, Ibelin

This review may contain spoilers.

This was honestly really good. I kinda wish it was actually a bit more scary? The concept is frightening enough, and there are subtle moments of ‘fridge horror’ throughout where if you really think about the overall in-universe implications, is genuinely stomach-curdling. But I don’t know, I felt like I wanted more of that kinda cosmic body horror that the montage about midway through seemed to portray. I wish something like that was shown again.

The gore was very nice. The first thing that struck me in here was the colors, as well as the overt or maybe not so overt homages to his fathers work (or maybe it’s just the husky-voiced Jennifer Jason Leigh, who also was a favorite of mine in  D. Cronenberg’s ExistenZ). The set pieces were lovely, each place feeling unique and being a standout while also not being specifically placed in time. Sure, everyone is smoking vapes for that edgy, cyberpunk aesthetic and you got the innards of Zoothroo which feeds into the worst of humanities capitalistic surveillance proclivities, but other than that I feel like everything else could be placed anywhere in time. The later scenes as well, when Vasya  and her host were fighting for control, while confusing, end up make a bit more sense at the end, but are nonetheless really great. I loved the hazy yellow filter they applied over everything, as well as the body horror of the host reliving Vasya’s memories as he grasped control for a moment.

Visceral violence. Also, my job schedule slightly changed and I ended up working more mornings than nights, so that is why I have sadly not been able to keep up my horror movie a day thing I was doing. It’s also difficult to have both ions of mine compete, as my virtual crate-digging on YouTube, RYM, bandcamp and whatever else has resulted in a lot more music listening recently, which sadly I cannot listen to an album and watch a movie at the same time. Lots of great new metal releases

Watched on Tuesday October 8, 2024.

Rewatched this one for my birthday. Never gets old.

This review may contain spoilers.

Colonel Kane: “You’re convinced God is dead because there’s evil in the world?
Captain Cutshaw: “Correct.”
Colonel Kane: “Then why don’t you think He’s alive because of the goodness in the world?”

Philosophical horror and existential humor runs rampant, just like the patients within this castle asylum, through this film. A more complex Shutter Island, the dialogue as well as the satirical scenes make this film a thinker while keeping you engaged throughout. I mean, what other movie can you go from a patient attempting to write Shakespeare for Dogs to a deep spiritual conversation about the nature of humanity? 

While it might be disted, and I actually found myself wanting more with the patients (particular the painter), the overall philosophical throughline about death, fear and our lot in life is just fascinating. The way Blatty is able to weave a compelling narrative with a cast of characters who on one hand, play the nutcase perfectly, and on the other can spout off monologues that will likely keep me up long after I stop watching, is really great. 

There are also a few twists, one in particular which might have been spoilered by my comparison to Shutter Island, however I just love the way the recontextualize the beginning conversations with Kane and Cutshaw. Don’t go into this expecting your average horror— this is more like the type of horror where you’re just going to be staring at the credits wondering about everything you just heard and saw. I loved it.

Captain Cutshaw: “See the stars? So cold, so far, and so very lonely. Oh, so lonely. All that space… just… empty space. And so far from home. I’ve circled round and round this house, orbit after orbit. Sometime I wonder what it’d be like to never stop, and circle alone up there forever. And what if I got there - got to the moon - and couldn’t get back? Sure, everyone dies, but I’m afraid to die alone, so far from home. And if there’s no God, then that’s really, really alone.