Movies I have watched!

Snowpiercer

Status: Completed
Rating: 7

Watched this with my community! So I thought this movie was very cool. It is a very cool and interesting concept; humanity stuck on a train, frozen apocolyptic landscape outside. Although there are a lot of plot holes and it doesn't work too well when you think of it. Living in a train forever would be very hellish, like imagine having to walk through everything...There are also a lot of cars that are just skipped, and it made me think of did people live normally through these cars? There are also some very silly action sequences that don't really make sense - like trying to shoot each other from different cars of the train very far apart and also not caring about breaking the glass...However the action scenes were pretty fun and unique! Although I think the movie was overall very cool and well acted, you just have to ignore the parts that don't make sense (although it kind of kills the illusion). The end was very interesting, as you see how everything has built up to that point. It starts to make sense a little. But it was actually kind of funny when they revealed what happened to the kids...I didn't understand the ultimate conclusion at first, but now I do. I think it makes sense that it is better to live in a world being free if the world you have to live in is powered by something like that. Although the people who survived at the end were absolutely fucked with no hope for survival really - however I understand the message is that life did live on actually and that they were more free than they thought. The movie clearly deals with a lot of classcism, rich vs poor, revolution and people rising up, and then what those people who do rise up end up doing with their new power. Like, the cycle of tyranny almost continued! Overall I think it was a fun movie, silly in parts and doesn't make too much sense when you think about it though, and the conclusion is initially kind of unsatisfying like, what really that just happened? It ends there? I'm pretty interested in this world but it seems like everything else related to this is kind of shit...

Triangle of Sadness

Status: Completed
Rating: 7

This movie was on my watchlist for a while so I decided to just watch it one day. It's one of those "anti-capitalist" movies that's been popular lately. I think it was quite good, although I had a hard time understanding some things since I didn't have subtitles. I think what it was trying to say is pretty simplistic but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It was pretty funny at points with just how absurd the whole situation is. The ending though felt very sudden and incomplete to me. It leaves the conclusion unanswered so I'm not really sure what to take away from it. Maybe that is part of the point, but I feel it could have been executed better. I don't know what it means basically. I also don't know how the movie title exactly relates to the whole movie, I mean it's a line a character says near the beginning to refer to a point on the face inbetween the eyebrows but I don't really see how that relates to the rest of the movie. Maybe because there's kind of a love triangle? And everyone is sad?

Airplane

Status: Completed
Rating: 8

What can I say, this was a nice comedy movie. I'm not too much a fan of the comedy genre, I'm not the type to laugh out loud at jokes or to find pratical humour funny. A lot of the jokes here were clever and I recognized that but it was nothing I was going crazy over. There is also a lack of logic/continuity sometimes for the sake of a joke, which I suppose is normal, but not something I'm used to when I'm trying to follow the plot of a movie. Overall I thought the movie was still good and I can see why it is a classic, a lot of memorable moments. Although the plane never twists like in the poster...

The Notebook

Status: Completed
Rating: 10

I'm not crying you're crying!! Very beautiful, kind of fucked up, but a lot of scenes and lines that really made me cry, like they're so sweet. And that's pretty rare for me I feel. Idk why this movie was hated some years ago? I feel it's pretty well paced and interesting, at least I was really into it. It's cute! And it's a Ryan Gosling film so I mean come on you guys have to like this it's literally you...Anyways yeah a great romance definitely a classic!!

The Shawshank Redemption

Status: Completed
Rating: 10

Finally watched this on the train as I never really had an excuse to before. Well, it seems like there's a reason this is a classic. I watched it without english subtitles as they didn't have any and I was first worried about this, but it was pretty easy to understand with good sound mixing. But really this is a beautiful movie that was really easy to watch. The prison setting is really interesting and it presents prison in a digestible way, without seeming too dramatized or over the top or cheesy. The characters are great and it got my constantly thinking about how Andy is going to escape. It had great moments and moments that broke my heart, though I never cried (maybe I'm just more hardened now, since I know this movie is infamous for that). The movie was a little long and certain parts felt dragged out (for example, when he plays the music in the prison - I didn't really get that and he seemed so stubborn about it) but nothing that is like a big deal. I don't want to nitpick this movie too much because yeah it's just good from start to finish, a classic. Makes me wonder if this is an original screenplay or not? Either way, it's got a great message too. You either keep living or you keep dying. I think this movie could fill you with a lot of hope when you need it.

When Harry Met Sally

Status: Completed
Rating: 9.5

I really like this movie, its very funny and charming and romantic. The dialogue holds up really well, I was pleasantly surprised. I've already seen this movie before but it is still very fun on another time through. Something about these old movies is really comforting. It's very well paced and I like seeing the outfits and hairstyles from back then. Meg Ryan looks great in this she's so pretty!! Anyways, this is really one of the best romantic comedys of all time, with memorable and iconic scenes and one of the best speech scenes at the end of the movie. I remember crying during that when I first watched this, which is rare for me with movies! I think most people would enjoy this movie, if nothing else it's pretty short and goes by quickly and it's very sweet I don't think anyone could really hate this.

The Tearsmith

Status: Completed
Rating: 2

Okay this movie was kind of funny in a bad way. It's this teen romance novel adapted to a movie. The main characters are orphans of course. And they've been in love since they were children apparently. But the boy is just so edgy and has to stay away from her and tries to make her hate him because oohhhh you just caaan't be with meee i'm so terrribble. Yeah that kind of thing. They get adopted together and become pseudo siblings. Of course there is immediate tension between them. This movie is rated M and so promised to be a little spicy, these were the scenes I was really waiting for tbh. But it never gets that spicy! At most there is some top nudity and some licking and kissing but eh...I was hoping for more. For a guy described as a wolf you know, it was pretty tame...The romance honestly doesn't make too much sense I don't get why they like each other so much...There's some funny NTR like scenes though when this other guy tries to romance the girl. Also, the end turns into a sudden court drama?? But not really cuz its so short?? And of course the main girl has to explain out lout to the audience why the main boy is so edgyyy uuuu. Man I love exposition!! Anyways this is a whatever movie but I watched it with my community while kinda drunk so it was pretty bearable for me, probably not bearable for most people tbh.

Willard

Status: Completed
Rating: 7

Weird rat movie. But, it was better than I thought it'd be. Has surprisingly deep-ish levels of like sociatel commentary and such. It's all a rat race...Willard is just a poor autistic guy who was dealt a shitty hand. It's funny how crazy it gets with the rats but it also deals with having like a shitty boss and a dad who killed himself and a mom who is dying, how do you deal with that? I'm sure it must be hard for even any "normal" person. Anyways yeah the rats are cool and they're fucking demonic and powerful too. It's kind of impressive how well any cgi was hidden with this as I didn't even notice. Pretty interesting movie! Also FUCK Ben hmph...

The Sound of Music

Status: Completed
Rating: 8.5

Pretty good movie! The songs were quite goood and very fun, even if they feel a bit "old timey", like theyre not these banger bops that'll be in your head for weeks but just subtle little sweet songs. I was actually surprised how much this movie tied into WW2 but it's technically some historical film because of that. It was interesting to see and learn about the family and how they worked, and the relationship warming over time between the two leads was pretty natural and sweet. It's nice going to these old movies and seeing all the real locations and great costume work, it's a very aesthetically pleasing film that is beautifully shot I think, and really well sung. One of the best movie musicals probably.

Dune Part 2

Status: Completed
Rating: 8.5

I really liked this movie! It was a great experience. Despite how long it is, the movie just flew by and I barely noticed it. The pacing is tight and it is full of important moments. So much so that they had to cut a LOT of material from the book for this movie - making every scene here very crucial and pivotal. So I guess I'll start with that. I think what they cut made sense and still resulted in a good product, they included everything that they NEEDED to at least. But it is still a bit disappointing. What they cut kind of changes what the ultimate outcome will be I think as well...The timeline will be quite different here than what is canonical in the books, and it makes me wonder what more they might change in future installments (if there are more movies). As a fan of course I want to see a FULL adaptation and it's just a bit sad how that has never happened and likely never will due to the sheer size of these books. But anyways. The ending is a bit different from the book due to these changes and personally I think it ends on a really weird note? It's the same as Part 1 where it ends on a weird cliffhanger. The Dune book itself actually ends on a cliffhanger too but they add in this weird extra drama with Chani here...Anyways, on that note, let's talk about the performances. I think they were pretty good for the most part! I like how they portrayed the Harkonnens...just a buncha baldies...The artistic choice to portray Geidi Prime as a black and white planet was interesting as well (though I kind of wonder if it was just some pretentious decision to make the film look more artsy...) The Fremen culture seeemed a bit lacking and generic imo. But it was fine, good enough. Some aspects of the Fremen culture might be considered offensive to modern movie-goers I guess? Timothee carries as usual as Paul, he is quite good. However I think there was a bit of a lack of chemistry between him and Zendaya (Chani). The romance scenes were better than I expected they would be, but still overall kind of awkward and fastly progressing. I won't really fault the movie too much for this though because even in the books, the source material, I've always found the romance lacking. I don't think Frank Herbert really wrote any of the romance too well. But I digress...Paul was cool here and I think it's a great depiction of him. Chani could've been better, she was quite a diva in this. Jessica was pretty great and I think she was portrayed really accurately and well! But I wish they went more into her motivations and the Bene Gesserit teachings that shape the way that she's acting. It might seem a bit out of place or random to an average viewer. Stilgar was funny with his messiah talk but I remember him being more skeptical in the beginning, instead of immediately believing in Paul. Feyd Rautha was pretty cool too, though a bit edgy. I feel they made him more important in this (hyping him up as a villain sort of character) but similar to the books, it ends up being a bit...underwhelming...due to this fate...Overall though the characters were quite good but I don't think anyone will get an Oscar or anything for these performances tbh. Okay so now to talk about things I found cool...the worm riding was very cool for sure. It felt very realistic and impactful, the way the worm kicks up the sand, the rush of the sand and the wind and all that felt like yeah, that's how it would be...although a lot of it was obscured tbh. Which maybe is realistic but you couldn't see much. But the effects were really well done so it wasn't so obvious that things were fake or being obfuscated for the sake of the movie. It's cool to see all the devices and such from the books in these movies (for example, the water of life), because it is never actually described in too much detail what these things look like in the book. You have to use your imagination. So it is cool to see the director's interpretation for how these things work, and if it makes sense then that can then change the way you see things in the series and make things clearer. Overall, I don't have tooo much to say about this movie. Nothing egregious or bad, but nothing standing out too much either that makes me go "omg this is so amazing I have to nerd out about this". But it was definitely better than the first movie. I mean putting aside the content, the visuals, the sounds, the costumes, all pretty great. Just a good viewing experience! It was good seeing it in a theatre but tbh I don't think it is too necessary, despite the cool visuals and stuff this movie is mostly about the story content (although everything around it is a great treat too).

Wonka

Status: Completed
Rating: 6

I love me some Timothee Chalamet...He was really fun in this film! Kind of the main reason I watched this but I also heard it's a musical and I have a soft spot for those...This was also directed by the Paddington 2 director which I remember liking. So I expected this to just be some wholesome fun, which it pretty much was. It definitely comes across as a "kid" movie, nothing too amazing here really. A lot of random Hollywood actors which kinda makes you raise your brow like, wtf are they doing here. Must've been paid a lot to do this. Regardless, it's a pretty fun mindless movie, I feel it gets weaker over time tbh, maybe that's just general wear after some time. Like, the whimsy effect started to wear off. The main conflict is kinda stupid but it makes sense I guess. I don't know why it had to focus so much on this orphan though. It's not as crazy as you would think a Willy Wonka origin story would be, like I would've wanted to see more of like where tf this chocolate comes from, how he started the factory, and got into a pact with all the oompa loompas (who were BARELY in this movie and just served as a deus ex machina near the end)...like this was kind of one of the most boring parts of his life you could depict perhaps haha. Regardless, it was a fine movie. Better than a lot of other stuff for kids. One of my favourite little fun facts of this movie is that the guy who plays Stilgar in the new Dune movies apparently watched this film 3 times in the theatre...he loved it that much. So it definitely has a weird little cult following. It is clever at points but ultimately don't expect too much of this movie I think, you get what you see pretty much. Timmy definitely carried this imo his scenes are always the best, he really has such a good range and he pulled it off well imo. Though his singing kinda felt really autotuned and weird...but whatever. Yeah I wish the songs were better in this too. At least there's a sick big group dance number at some point!

Dune Part 1

Status: Completed
Rating: 7

I think it's a good movie, but despite being a Dune fan, it is still flawed...I don't think it is something I would want to rewatch over and over. This movie is basically a whooole exposition for the rest of the...book? next movie? series? So when I already know all of this it's not actually that cool. And there are a lot of "cool" establishing shots but I feel that they go on a biiit too long. I also don't really like all the vision scenes in this actually. It also just adds more to the film without really actually adding anything. Like it goes on too loooong...We get the whole Chani vision thing already y'know? And they spam a certain song in the soundtrack a bit much imo. Finally, the ending is kinda objectively underwhelming. While this is uninevitable, since this is only covering half of the first real Dune book, it's not just simply something everyone will forgive. The climax isn't too exciting or interesting and also ends with little fanfare...I know I'm being harsh on this film but its not like I HATE it...The actors are good, the sets and effects are reeaaallyy good, but it doesn't really hold up too well on rewatches/once you know the series. Hoping for more for Dune part 2!!

The French Dispatch

Status: Completed
Rating: 8.5

I enjoyed this movie quite a lot, though in short, I think it is a *bit* too pretentious and artsy for my tastes. Regardless, this is a relatively fast paced movie with some great acting and sound/music which makes it pretty easy to watch even with how confusing it can get. I found this movie's premise to be interesting. It is essentially about this one eccentric kinda rich dude back in the 20th century who made their own little section of a popular newspaper in some bumfuck nowhere in America. They hire all these writers and fund them to write articles related to stuff happening in France (specifically the city of Ennui, apparently). So the movie shows the stories of a few of these articles, centered around the death of this guy. All the writers he hired are these really eccentric and interesting people covering really weird stories, and you learn to appreciate this guy and what he did for them by "saving" them with his newspaper. I initially only wanted to watch this movie because it has Timothee Chalamet in it. But actually, he is only a small part of the film. Nevertheless I liked it anyways and I got quite hooked to a few of the stories. The non-linear storytelling and change in visual styles is different from what you'll see in most films and is pretty emblematic of Wes Anderson. So if you know him, you probably know what to expect here. It can be quite refreshing but also a bit too much at times. Anyways, I don't know what else to say sooo...

Saltburn

Status: Completed
Rating: 8.5

I love British Oxford Gay(?) Psycho :D I did find it a pretty good movie though, looks great and sounds great. Not sure why it was in a weird square resolution, idk what it really added to the movie and the message other than just being there because it's ~artsy~. It was a bit slow at times and hard to keep up with but it picked up and became pretty gripping! I love these kinda stories, love thrillers, always thinking "okay what is he gonna do next"...Anyway I think I'd watch it again just to fully piece everything together...Oh yeah, this movie is pretty degenerate btw (tho I wish it went a bit harder sometimes and really leaned into it)...I mean they're all PSYCHOs tbh...I wonder if it's trying to say something about that? Like we see the rich ppl as assholes but turns out *he* was an asshole/psycho the whole time so...? I guess we all suck :)

The Revenant

Status: Completed
Rating: 6.5

Watched this as part of a community watchalong night. I did like the movie, it had some great acting and cinematic shots. This looks like it was all filmed on location which is pretty cool if true, I always appreciate that stuff. However it did drag at points. It is a long movie and it feels like it definitely didn't need to be, could have cut some parts. Specifically all of the "weird native american" things felt like it was unnecessary? I mean like the moments where Leo is like tripping out or something and hallucinating things, kinda weird. But speaking of Native Americans, it was nice to see some "diversity" in that respect? Like you don't see it often and it is true that they faced a lot of abuse back then, so being reminded of that/seeing that conveyed is pretty cool I guess. The movie is definitely trying to be very realistic and authentic. Oh, but the Oscar bait scenes were a bit eye roley haha. Like when Leo went into that horse?? Did he really have to?? Does he even care about this movie or did he just really want some excuse or way to get an Oscar finally? I don't know and I don't know if it really makes the movie better, but well yeah. Tom Hardy was funny though.

Society of the Snow

Status: Completed
Rating: 9.5

Amazing movie. It's captivating, horrifying, it fills you with dread and hope and you really feel the soul of the story here, it's so immersive. I didn't know this was based on a true story when I was watching, but it makes it even more insane. I like that it's a Spanish film as well, adds a level of authenticity to it than if it were some hollywood english blockbuster. The effects were also really well done in this film,it's really impressive, and the makeup is insane they actually look like they're dying...This kind of story makes me appreciate my life even more, at least it hasn't been as bad as this. I'm still thinking about this movie and story, it's so thought provoking! I don't want to say too much so that I don't spoil the experience so please watch it okay it's great! If only a BIT slow at times but it sets the mood and atmosphere well! I hope Netflix still makes good shit like this (even though we all know it'll mostly be slop anyways...)

The Boy and the Heron

Status: Completed
Rating: 8.5

Really great new Miyazaki film, he's so back...The landscapes and music in this film are just GORGEOUS. The characters and great and feel like real people (I do think a lot of Ghibli films, they don't really spend time on the characters much). The film is very weird and interesting, with things changing and warping a lot with a lot of style to it. Oh and I LOVED the warawara they are soooo cute ahhh...My only issue with the film really is it definitely drags at times, especially near the beginning. It is kind of a long movie with a lot of scenes/shots of people kinda sitting around. I know it's meant to be atmospheric but it goes a little long. Some of the character designs were also kinda gross, but...I guess that's the point...Also, the plot itself is pretty confusing? Like the reason why things are happening...I can grasp it but it's pretty abstract. Anyways, this movie made me tear up as always with Ghibli so good job on that!! Yeah I liked this okay.

It's a Wonderful Life

Status: Completed
Rating: 9.5

Great great movie. What can I say? It holds up so well, I imagine this being timeless. I watched it in color, I'm curious to rewatch it in the original B/W. Anyways, even without the Christmas part, it's a great movie, and all the Christmas stuff just adds to it. Like it's everything I want in a Christmas movie. It's just Christmas enough to feel like it's Christmas, but it also has its own interesting plot and characters (and romance even!!), with a good amount of tasteful humour. GOOD STUFF WHAT ELSE CAN I SAY JUST WATCH IT!!

Love Actually

Status: Completed
Rating: 8

Okay I actually loved this movie I think. It was so crazy! It was neat following all these little storylines, although they never really "came together" in the end. I guess the point was to just show all these different perspectives and versions of "love"? Certain storylines I definitely liked more than others though, I found myself getting a bit bored and annoyed in some sections. But overally it was pretty well paced despite being quite a long movie. It gets silly and funny and has some fucked up moments, and I love it for it. It wasn't quite the Christmas romance film I expected, though that stuff is certainly there too. Like it's definitely more of a COMEDY! I guess it can be hard keeping up with all the couples and the names but, overall it wasn't a big deal. A film any Christmas lover should see at least once!! Though it actually wasn't really that Christmas-like.

Tangerine

Status: Completed
Rating: 8.5

This movie is insane as well. I found it quite funny (thought not to say it shouldn't be taken seriously). The hijinks just go crazy here...You have to see it to understand but basically, it's some ratchet shit, involving prostitutes doing prostitute things I guess, so stay away if you're not comfortable with that. I think it handles everything well though and nothing is sexualized actually. I find this stuff really fascinating personally. It also leans more heavily into the Christmas theming. The film is basically about all these outcasts of society being alone on Christmas cuz no one understands them really, except the friendship of these two prostitutes is able to endure evrything they go through during the movie basically, it's a good show of comraderie. I will mention too this movie goes HEAVILY into trans culture I guess. Bit of a touchy subject, I just viewed it as any other movie though. It's simply a fact of these characters and informs some of the struggles they go through. Oh, and apparent fun fact about this movie; it was apparently shot only on an iPhone. It looks amazing so props to the director. I do wonder if it was filmed with just some guy holding an iPhone walking around haha, like as opposed to a traditional camera man. How did he keep his hands still? Maybe they used some other method to film? Very interesting though, makes me wonder if it was some artistic choice, or if they just had low budget and Apple sponsored this or something. ANYWAYS it's a heartfelt funny movie and if you don't mind that it's heavily centered around this trans prostitution scene, you should watch it (on Christmas).

Serendipity

Status: Completed
Rating: 7.5

I liked this one, but it does have issues. First of all the main premise is pretty fucked. It's basically encouraging cheating on someone you love because you've found someone "better", I guess?? It's not something you see often, and I sort of appreciate it for that. It's a facet of love and relationships that you just don't see portrayed. It's true that sometimes you'll find people that you just get along so well with, but you're both already taken (or at least one person is). Do you drop everything to be with them? Do you continue on in your relationship but continue dreaming about this other person you actually like better? It's a fucked up situation and I honestly don't know the right answer. But in the end, it seems the couple here are happy with each other and they are happy leaving their partners, although I do feel bad for the partners, perhaps it was for the best. You should be with someone who truly loves you and will always pick you, right? Anyways, I might have kinda spoiled the whole movie, but well the plot synoposis does that anyways it's not hard to tell okay? Regardless of all that, for the most part the movie was pretty entertaining and well paced, but some parts might really annoying people, such as all the near misses that happen and the general plot being crazy.

Christmas Vacation

Status: Completed
Rating: 6

Basically a slapstick comedy themed around Christmas. It's a well beloved classic, but honestly I just found it kind of okay? I'm not a big comedy person, and all the jokes were either just gross or some physical comedy which does nothing for me. But it's got a lot of that Christmas spirit. Not something I'd watch if it wasn't Christmas though. This movie encapsulates the annoyances of being around family and I guess I'm glad I don't have to deal with that. But I'm also kind of envious of that big family vibe. It's also got all the Christmas tropes and things that you expect American families to do these days. Christmas vibes pretty okay with this one.

The Wolf of Wall Street

Status: Completed
Rating: 7

Wtf is this movie. It's insane. So fucking insane. I mean it's good, and entertaining pretty much throughout. Although I do feel some scenes definitely dragged on too long and were quite annoying. This movie is almost 3 hours long, movies this long have to do a lot to not wear on my patience and well, not even this movie could escape that. But I do understand, there was a lot to cover in this movie, but it could have been tighter by cutting some of the dumb scenes. Like, these stupid joke scenes that just went on too long and weren't really funny (like yeah okay I get the joke please move on!!). This movie is full debauchery, depravity and perversion. And I feel it leans into it a bit too much to the point it gets a bit uncomfortable. Characters always obsessing about drugs, sex, prostitutes...I know that's the point but still, it makes it harder to take this movie seriously. Leonardio DiCaprio definitely had a great performance here but perhaps the reason he didn't win the Oscar is that the movie can feel even a bit juvenile - and while it's true he portrayed that type of character as you would except, and it was really believable, the character himself is such an unlikeable immature douchebag. I feel a bit sad honestly that probably many men genuinely look up to this guy...I also really wonder if this movie had any effect on the real stock market, stock brokers in the real world, etc. I also wonder if its realistic at all? I mean it's supposed based on a book made by the real guy...is this really what people do...Also wtf this movie came out on Christmas day apparently kekw does it count as a Christmas movie then??

Borat

Status: Completed (community watchalong)
Rating: 6

Interesting movie. Fun, fast paced, enjoyable. I didn't mind the humour. But not all of it landed for me. It definitely feels a bit "dated" but it's not bad right now. Kind of cringe, kind of edgy, but doesn't go too far that it's so eyerolley. Some parts feel like its definitely just trying to be offensive and stupid for the sake of it. There's also quite a lot of plotholes and it really doesn't make sense if you think about it...Also I did not expect them to show fcking real genetelia WTF AHHHHH GROOSSS

Starship Troopers

Status: Completed
Rating: 7

This movie feels so 90s, which I guess makes sense (it was made in the 90s). It almost feels like a Disney Channel Movie except it's rated R. I expected this movie to be about sci fi space fighting and all war stuff, which it KINDA IS, but it starts out with some high school drama shit. I didn't hate it though. It was enjoyable in a turn your brain off type of way. Some of the interactions between these characters were pretty funny. Getting more into the rest of the movie, I really enjoyed the sci fi elements. The little bits of lore, about the settings and the bugs, were actually interesting to me. I loved the sections in the movie where it would transition to these "Would you like to know more?" computer segments, I found them super creative and fun and interesting. The fighting and military stuff, I didn't care for at all of course. Many of the characters seem kind of dumb too in their actions, but only if you really think about it for too long. But I will say that overall this movie feels too long. It's about 2 hours and feels like it really could have been more concise. But I do understand, there is a lot of story to cover. But maybe that's just the inherent flaw that will be in these movies that try to adapt these long stories. The ending happened pretty quickly and suddenly for example. On further reflection, I do like how this movie was actually going for an anti-war message pretty much. But it just makes me think of how stupid the military is to a point that it just annoys me. The characters are just forced to through all this basically; the movie doesn't present a solution or anything to this problem, of war or whatever. This movie also actually looks better than you'd expect for 90s sci fi, with good effects. Anyways, there are a lot of cool concepts in this movie and I appreciate what it was going for, but it is way too cheesy and boring at times, and even without having read the source material I can tell it must be a pretty poor adaptation. But nonetheless it was an okay viewing experience and it was worth it I think, if nothing else for the meme potential it has.

Talk to Me

Status: Completed
Rating: 8

Neat fast paced movie that keeps you interested. It was a bit annoying in the beginning, watching these characters just kind of mess around with some stupid ass rap music playing in the background, although I understand the kind of vibes they were going for. This is basically a modern "dumb teenagers doing dumb shit messing with spirits" kind of movie. It is well known though, all aspects of the production and the acting. It's hard to like the characters though. They all seem either dumb, stupid, or just assholes. While it is definitely a horror movie, it isn't quite too scary for me. There's no jumpscares or anything really, but it is creepy and a freaky concept. It was interesting to actually watch the main character lose their mind and go all schizo, and the movie really goes full circle. Overall this was quite enjoyable!

We’re All Going to the World’s Fair

Status: Completed
Rating: 6.5

This was an interesting movie to say the least. It's not that I dislike it, but it feels like not much really happened. It is one of those indie, artsy, weird films. I can tell it's trying to speak to a very specific type of person. And I do really get it in a way. I relate a lot to the protagonist, as I was once a lonely teenage girl on the Internet doing dumb shit. It had some cool scenes and a neat format but a lot of the scenes do feel like they dragged on too much. I was also hoping this would be scarier, or lean into the horror creepypasta shit more. A lot of it was creepy, for sure, but not unsettling to my core or anything. I'm glad I watched it though and it's definitely a neat experience. Anyone who grew up on the Internet, especially around Internet horror or creepypasta spaces would appreciate this to some extent. The whole groomnig shit was a bit weird but, I guess that's part of the whole point too. And I will commend the acting of the lead actress, who had her acting debut here. The film also had a very cozy and comfy vibe at points - the whole kind of North American east coast fall/winter vibes. Even has an ASMR scene at one point.

Alien

Status: Completed
Rating: 9

I really liked this. This movie feels so immersive; I love the setting of the ship, and when they get onto the planet even that feels cool and "realistic". It's well acted with likeable characters and an interesting universe. However I do feel like there was a lot of plotholes in this movie, times when the characters acted a bit weird or stupid. Especially the ending sequence when they're trying to escape. Regardless, the Alien was really interesting - these kind of otherwordly beings are always fascinating. I imagine more lore on them comes in later movies. It also looked really good for its age, any practical effects were hard to notice and the visual effects that were present have aged pretty well. The movie felt suspenseful and overall I was more scared during this than some other movies on this list - but it was still pretty weak in the "horror" deparment in my opinion. It is however just scary as a concept, being stuck on a ship with this crazy killer Alien. At least in The Thing, the thing you're stuck with looks human and isn't particularly terrifying on its own. The vibes of these old movies as always is immaculate, it's allowed to breathe and it has nice shots with not a lot of cuts. Anyways, this was good and I think I'll watch the sequel at some point.

The Thing

Status: Completed
Rating: 8.5

Really well made movie. Great, subtle soundtrack. The mystery and slow build up at the start was nice, and the characters were actually pretty competent and smart (for the most part). However I didn't find The Thing or the concept of it too scary - I feel like there were easier/better ways to deal with it. It can't work in groups for example, and while I suppose multiple people could be "Things", I don't think that ever actually happened. The open ended ending was nice, there's several possibilities that could have happened, and it's nice to theorize about. ALl of the practical effects were really cool, but, sometimes looked a bit goofy and took me out it a bit, as if I could tell "yeah this is just some prop" or something. That also kind of decreased the scare factor for me. While I didn't find the movie too scary, I do like how subtle it was throughout and not in-your-face as a lot of modern horror is. The snowy setting was nice as well and felt nostalgic to me. It's a good solid story. However I must say Among Us has probably fucking ruined this movie I couldn't stop thinking of how that game references this movie and how similar they are and it really just takes you out of it you know?

Rec

Status: Completed
Rating: 7.5

Said to be one of the best movies in the found footage horror genre. Something about this genre indeed feels very authentic, genuine, and immersive. It uses the medium of found footage well to create a sense of space. I admittedly found many aspects of this movie funny, and as kind of expected of this genre, the characters are let's say less than smart...It's not too bad but sometimes it is a bit eye roley. Overall this was a fun movie though. Certain parts did feel a bit drawn out, and I was often just waiting for something to happen. The movie itself is pretty short so maybe they just needed to draw it out? (I say this, but it really isn't so bad. Once the movie gets going, it really gets going). Anyways, scare wise it wasn't too bad. Not really too scary or horrific, some jumpscares here and there but nothing too bad (at least in my opinion). The ending sequence though, that was quite spooky and chilling. Overall this is a nice horror movie that is pretty easy to watch, I'd recommend it I think, just be aware of gore and such.

Dune (1984)

Status: Completed
Rating: 7

This movie is insane. It's not "good", and it's a pretty bad adaptation of Dune, but it's so crazy. 80s sci fi was weird man. The fucking shield scene at the beginning of the movie made me lose it. The jank special effects are very endearing and it veers into the "so bad it's good" territory. This movie made me really want to know what the people who saw this when it came out originally though. Like was this ever considered good?? Anyways I wouldn't mind rewatching this just for the fun of all the jank 80s-isms, and it's still a story I enjoy. Even if it does some weird things with the source material, it is still Dune. Being familiar with it makes it feel comfy in a way. It is cute and silly but I prefer most things from the 2021 Dune.

Erin Brockovitch

Status: Completed
Rating: 5

Watched this movie cuz it was leaving Netflix and looked like the kinda vibes I like in a movie. It was alright, not too interesting though. The title alone should let you know that this movie is pretty much just a character study. Single mother basically solving some lawyer case...It had cute moments for sure and overall nice messages but like. Just felt very generic I guess. Can't see myself coming back to this. Great acting on the lead actress's part though. It's always nice seeing movies that still feel like movies, without all the stupid stuff that modern Hollywood brings.

The Cabin in the Woods

Status: Completed
Rating: 7

I liked this movie overall. I kind of didn't expect it to be a typical horror film, which I'm guess I'm glad of. I didn't find it scary, just fun. This movie is entertaining but personally I don't think it has much substance. It is clearly a movie for horror fans. It is a bit of a parody of the horror movie genre and is very meta. The whole thing at the end is a big "oohhh" moment but I personally found it a bit eye roley too. I'm not a big fan of the whole meta commentary thing, I remember this was a big trend for a while. Like sure you can point of how all these things are tropes and how common they are but when you're just doing it yourself too, what's really the point? Still it was enjoyable and interesting. If you're a fan of horror movies then give this a shot, if you're not, maybe this could be an okay introduction, it's not really scary.

Good Will Hunting

Status: Completed (community watchalong)
Rating: 8.5

Very comfy movie, makes you think a lot about stuff. Kind of vulgar though. It was very trippy to see young Matt Damon and Ben Affleck but they were good here still. Robin Williams was great as always. My favourite part was when Will Gooded all over them and they were all like, man that was a Good Will Hunting! I really enjoyed Will as a character, and the movie allowed me to reflect on my own life a lot. I love these coming of age films as I feel like I've been trying to find myself, I've been in that period of life for the longest time, and I'm still not out of it. I'm not exactly using movies to guide me or tell me the answers, but it helps knowing how I might approach things in life.

Lala Land

Status: Completed x3
Rating: 10

I love this movie so much. I've watched it a few times now. It evokes such a comfy for me. I really enjoy bittersweet romance movies so this one just hits. I love musicals too, and this one is quite good in that department. There's something so magical about this movie. I also relate to it a lot in the sense of the struggle in the entertainment industry. While I do find it a bit tongue in cheek for a major Hollywood blockbuster film to be talking about how hard it is in Hollywood (or entertainment in general, Seb is just a piano jazz player), it is easy to work. The song near the end of the movie that Mia sings made me cry so much first listening to it. So many people have all these hopes and dreams that will never get realized, and yet they keep hoping and dreaming. Because we need people like that, that's how we get the ones who do succeed and make such great and moving art that entertains thousands. As a streamer, I feel that sense of just continuing to go no matter what, having that dream, hoping that someday the right person will find you and see you for who you are - a talented person. While I kind of dislike the ending, I think it delivers a nice message nonetheless. I will continue to daydream and imagine the things that could be :)

Bones and All

Status: Completed
Rating: 7.5

I wanted to watch this movie pretty much for two reasons: 1) Timothee Chalamet 2) I am fascinated by body horror. On the 2nd point, this movie is actually pretty tame with that. It's not really much of a horror movie, though the main "antagonist" Sully is definitely quite terrifying. Great acting on his part. I enjoyed watching Timothee in this movie though I didn't quite buy the romance between him and the lead. That aside, this movie is mainly about cannibalism. It's interesting seeing how our protagonist literally cannot help themselves. It's clearly, imo, a metaphor for addiction. Addictions being passed down to our children through our habits, how we raise them...cycles of abuse and trauma, all of that you know. I'm not sure what to make of the ending, like she had to go back to her "addiction"...perhaps it's hard to truly let go of that stuff. But I believe there could've been a way forward. They clearly were trying. I suppose it's just tragic. This movie also very much has the vibe of a road trip film, which I did not expect going into this, but they basically go all around the US. If you're into that, you may like this too, it has some edge to it though of course.

Gone Girl

Status: Completed
Rating: 8

I was initially a bit skeptical to watch this. Ben Affleck has become a bit of meme, at least for me personally, but it didn't actually bother me too much in this movie. He was just a bit goofy sometimes. I remembered this movie/book being quite popular on Tumblr back in the day but I never got into it. Just thought it was one of those girly tumberlism books that probably wasn't that good anyways. I also had the impression that it was this very mysterious girlboss kinda movie where everyone self inserts themselves into?? After having watched it, I'd be quite surprised if girls genuinely wanted to be like Amy haha. These kind of toxic relationships on screen are very interesting to watch I think. But I think they can also be dangerous in some way, like they're glorifying the messed up kind of love these people have, and sending some kind of message of "this is how things should be/actually are". Like, don't actually kill people okay guys? It's nice to say that's all "love" but much simpler and kinder things can count too. You don't have to always be hurting each other to be in love too. And you don't have to expect that your relationship will go in the shitter once you get married. Anyways, looking past all that, and taking the movie for what it is, I did enjoy it. It was a bit more simple and "surface level" than I expected; I thought the mystery of where Amy went would be the focus of the whole movie but then we "find" her like half way through (maybe even earlier). What I found interesting is that once we do "find" Amy, the movie at that point has set up Nick to be quite unlikeable, suspicious, and we're primed to just be on Amy's side automatically. But that's exactly what's happening to people in the movie as well; Nick is blamed for everything, everything she has said is believed, Amy is forgiven because she's a poor abused woman. Quite soon we find out that she's actually not that great and is genuinely psychotic and toxic herself. She's built this worldview that suits her own needs. For example, when she meets the trailerpark couple, she automatically assumes the man in that relationship was making the woman do bad things (robbing Amy), because she assumes that men in relationships must just be the controlling ones or that the women in relationships change themselves to fit the other person. But, then the woman reveals that no it was HER idea. Ultimately I'm not sure Amy learned much from that interaction though. Our opinion of Amy switches quite a bit, and we end up seeing her truly a crazy person, while Nick seems much more sensible - perhaps again a reflection of what the news/media in the movie themselves is thinking. You sort of realize how ridiculous the movie is when Amy gets away with all this stuff by the end of it, but it's ultimately easy to overlook. Anyways, I really enjoy this one, I'm just cautious of what it is trying to say. Is it just a pure depiction of a toxic, psychotic relationship? I'm not sure if it's even chastising these kind of relationships, or encouraging them. I'd like to believe love is much more, well better than this haha. It was a well made film though.

In Bruges

Status: Completed
Rating: 7/10 I liked it okay

An enjoyable movie. Well paced, good acting, score, and cinematography - everything you would want really. The locations are beautiful, I really love Europe but Bruges really is like a fairytale place. The humour is quite dark and "british", so that may not be for everyone. I'm not a big fan of comedy or action movies, but there was still something here for me. It's not exactly a comedy movie, it's quite depressing at times and definitely something to actually take seriously - like you shouldn't just turn your brain off. This movie has actual things to say. I'm unsure about the ambiguous ending but it's not really a big deal. I'm not sure the point of the movie is to know what happens there - it perhaps just ties into the meaning of it all, which I don't exactly want to spoil. The religious metaphors hold up well. All in all, I'm not sure if it'd be good or bad to watch this while you're suicidal. Also this makes me really want to go to Bruges lol

Call Me By Your Name

Status: Completed
Rating:9.5

I love this movie. I've seen it twice already. It is one of the most atmosphere movies I've seen; you really feel like you're in Italy. The sounds, the colours, you can almost taste everything on screen. It flys by just as summer does. It is just the right type of bitersweet romance that I love. The greatest romance of all time? No, probably not even in recent years. It is quite sad. I did cry the first time I watched this. But I love the message and I love what it does. I think it's great that there's a genuinely good gay romance on screen that isn't about "being gay" while at the same time still subtly acknowledging the issues that gay people face. It's important in that way. It is just a good romance, it doesn't matter that it is gay, but the fact that it is gay is an important part of the story. Well, anyways, I liked the romance, and I like the message of following your heart and giving all of yourself, even though it hurts. You're given only one heart, and one body, and your body will one day give out, so don't neglect your heart. It's important to feel the hurt. Also, the whole age gap thing didn't bother me, I feel I should mention that. It's a special type of relationship that I'm sure many can relate to. But, you know, I've never figured out what the whole deal is with the "Call Me By Your Name" thing. Why is Oliver even into that. Kind of weird to call your own name while you're fcking orgasming or something but okay I guess they're into that.

Tar

Status: Completed
Rating:7/10

I didn't quite get this movie at first. Honestly, this felt hard to get through. I was close to just closing this movie early. The first half hour - hour are quite rough. Boring, you could say. I only didn't because I was on an airplane and didn't really have anything better to do. The long opening credits, the first scene with the interview which felt very technical to me - I didn't get it, I thought I was lost or something. Was I supposed to know about all this classical music stuff? It felt frustrating that the movie wasn't explaining this stuff to me. In the end, I knew it didn't really matter, but it was hard to get engaged and interested to begin with. In retrospect, I understand what they were doing. This movie is about the character Tar. It's about her performance, how she's directing (or...conducting??) the conversations, how tailored she is, not necessarily about what she's saying. The movie gets much more engaging as you go on. I like what it says about time, about powerful people and corruption, all of that. Music was great of course. It is definitely interesting to see a female villain/asshole character that is manipulating everyone. It almost doesn't feel as bad, which definitely says something (about our society). What can I say, it is a slow burn character study. Something something, lesbian Joker haha!! Watch this if you're a NERD or something.

Little Women

Status: Completed x2
Rating:9

I love this movie. I love the old setting, something about Victorian era shit gets me (even though I know this isn't exactly Victorian but still). This movie is comfy, it feels real, it is nostalgic...The acting is amazing from everyone, and it has such a star studded cast too. The way they present scenes out of order is really well done and makes for an engaging experience, as we get to see the effects of the passage of time more clearly. It is another kind of bittersweet romance, though more sweet than bitter. But I know that's not really the point, it's not really a romance movie. It is a coming of age through and through, for women. It is a feminist movie without being too annoying about it. It's saying important things. I only learned after that this was a book adaptation and that this has been adapted many times actually. But, I'm glad Greta Gerwig did her own take on it, I think it definitely deserves to exist and it's probably the best adaptation. I find this movie very relateable as a woman, and it probably has experiences many people can relate to. Not to diminish the movie just to that, something "relateable". It just depicts these periods of life, these experiences, so well. It puts words to feelings that you haven't been able to express before, and teaches important lessons. To be loved is not the same as loving. I want to rewatch it sometime for sure. I'm already rewatching certain scenes. Also damn I didn't know Timothee Chalamet was in this movie but I was so happy when I saw him haha.

Mean Girls

Status: Completed
Rating: 7

This movie is just straight up fun. It is very much 2000's coded and vibes. Great pacing, something is always happening. Has many iconic and classic lines and memes. It is a great parody of high school movies, very funny, great to laugh at and drink to (if you're into that). You may not always be in the mood for this though. I don't know what else to say to this really, it's not some cinematic masterpiece or something I'd want to rewatch once in a while, it just hits that very specific spot but it hits it well.

Mamma Mia

Status: Completed
Rating: fun ass movie it is silly it is musical

Haha gay dad go brrr. Also milfs, a lot of milfs. A movie for milfs and milf enjoyers and musical lovers. Beware the cringe singing though. Seriously though, this movie feels like going back to an older, simpler time. It is idealic and beautiful and a feel good summer movie.