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Giving this movie anything but a full mark is just illegal. I briefly considered giving it a 4.5, but the mere thought made me feel like the entire police force was waiting outside my house. Seriously though—it’s Kurosawa. And if there’s one thing every moviegoer knows, it’s that you just can’t go wrong with a Kurosawa.

High and Low is remarkable in every aspect, constantly firing on all cylinders from start to finish. The first half plays like a tightly wound kidnapping drama, as tense as it is morally disorienting. Immaculate blocking and a sharp script, along with Kurosawa’s masterful direction, make it utterly gripping. And just when you think you’ve settled into that rhythm, the second half kicks in and transforms the film into a procedural. Still tension-filled, still high-stakes, but now with a more investigative, almost noirish edge. Mifune and Nakadai are a delight to watch, especially without their usual samurai attire.

But beyond its genre thrills, the film also offers a striking, still-relevant commentary on class. The title couldn’t be more direct: High and Low isn’t just a catchy name—it’s a thematic blueprint. And the way that theme plays out across the film’s structure and visual design is nothing short of brilliance. One of the best films I’ve ever seen. That #6 spot is fully earned.

Watched on Friday June 6, 2025.

Watched on Friday June 6, 2025.

Absolutely gut-wrenching. I liked Talk to Me a lot, but this one sures it in ways I didn't see coming. What makes the Philippou brothers’ style so effective is how visceral and unflinching it feels—there’s no safety net, no flinch. Once again, they dive into familial trauma, grief, loss, and the strange comfort of denial, juggling all of it with such confidence you'd never guess this is only their sophomore feature.

Sally Hawkins is phenomenal, as always, but here she’s doing something radically different. She’s terrifying, cold, menacing. The film leans heavily on her presence, and she carries it like she’s dragging the whole house with her.

It gets bleak. Like, really bleak. But what sets Bring Her Back apart from the usual misery-core horror is how "earned" it all feels. There's real emotional weight behind every cruel turn, and I ire that restraint. It’s not just horror for horror’s sake—it’s horror that cuts deep and means something.

And the gore? Perfect. I winced so hard at one point I think my seat nearly shattered. Incredible sound design helps too.

An objectively great horror film. Easily one of the best releases of 2025. The Philippous are two-for-two, and I can’t wait to see what kind of nightmare they conjure next.

Watched on Wednesday June 4, 2025.

Watched on Tuesday June 3, 2025.

Watched on Monday June 2, 2025.

Watched on Sunday June 1, 2025.

Watched on Saturday May 31, 2025.

Equivalent to having your heart pulverized by a hydraulic press. I've seen my fair share of feel-bad cinema, but this one doesn’t just take the crown—it drags it to the bottom of the void and leaves it there. It's that unforgiving. I still need to see more of Von Trier’s work before drawing any real conclusions, but after this, I can’t help but wonder: does he hate women?

Dancer is so gripping that even as horrible things unfold, I couldn’t look away. Björk gives maybe one of the most haunting, mesmerizing performances I’ve ever seen, and this was her first major acting role.

The film radiates an ominous, suffocating bleakness that never lets up. The handheld camerawork adds to the unease, and the surprise musical numbers? Somehow, they make everything feel even more hopeless—like brief gasps of air that turn out to be poison.

All in all, I'd rather get pancaked by a bulldozer than sit through this again. Great movie though! Bye!

Theatrical Cut

A little bit disappointed that I don’t find myself absolutely enamored with Amadeus the way its ratings suggest. A 4.3 is a strong number. I like it a lot. From a technical standpoint, it’s marvelous. I’m sure it was considered groundbreaking storytelling when it came out, but seeing it in 2025, after years of true-to-formula biopics, the effect feels a bit diluted.

That said, I was gripped throughout—hit by shrapnel of emotions amid the spectacle. The direction, the sheer scale, and F. Murray Abraham’s stellar performance kept me hooked. Surprisingly funny too. I just wish I loved it more. Not something I’d rewatch soon, but would I recommend it? In a heartbeat.

Watched on Wednesday May 28, 2025.

Exactly what I needed on a rainy day.

This is my first Reichardt film, and I’ve got to say, I’m definitely on the wavelength. Simple, clean, essential filmmaking at its finest. Structurally, it’s barebones and skeletal, but that’s probably what makes it so affecting. It’s slow, tranquil, uneventful, but that only deepens its charm. Michelle Williams, as the drifter out looking for her dog, is absolutely great—quietly devastating and full of nuance in a way few performances ever are.

Wendy and Lucy is one of American indie cinema’s quiet gems, the kind of film that deserves to be talked about a lot more—because achieving this much with so little is anything but easy.

As a dog owner, there's truly nothing more magical than knowing she exists.

Watched on Monday May 26, 2025.

Watched on Sunday May 25, 2025.

Watched on Saturday May 24, 2025.

Bafflingly bad. It has all the right ingredients for a lean, time-killing slasher, but the result is nothing short of underwhelming. For a 90-minute film, the time it takes to become interesting—or rather, it never does—is painfully prolonged. Dull kills, disposable characters, crummy execution. A major nothingburger of a slasher. If it’s good at anything, it’s being a modern cautionary tale on how not to make a pastiche.

Watched on Saturday May 24, 2025.

So much fun.

I went in bracing myself, reminding my brain it’s all movie magic—but still ended up covering my eyes every time someone was about to go out.

Seeing a Final Destination movie in theaters felt surreal. For my generation, it was almost mythical—something we thought we’d only catch on old DVDs or YouTube kill compilations. But Bloodlines delivers. And yeah, it’s the best one yet.

What surprised me most is how fun it is. It proves the series doesn’t have to be all grim, gore-soaked dread. This one’s laced with dark humor, familial poignancy, and a self-awareness that breathes new life into the formula. The hospital scene had me so anxious I nearly floated out of my seat. The deaths are inventive, even if the CGI sometimes pulls you out of it. But the setups? Gold.

Such a gory good time. Just wish I’d seen it with a full crowd.

Watched on Thursday May 22, 2025.

Watched on Wednesday May 21, 2025.

Watched on Tuesday May 20, 2025.

That final 10 minutes had me physically recoiling. I think I even yelled ‘oh my god!’ out loud, which was strange because I never do that.

This probably won't crack my top-of-the-year list, but I had a weirdly good time. The Ugly Stepsister is a devilishly twisted spin on the Cinderella mythos—equal parts nasty, stylish, and morbidly funny. It sinks its heels into societal beauty standards with grisly practical effects and a delightfully mean streak. The gore is impressively done, and the imagery sticks. By the end, it was all kind of a blur, but if you're into fairy tales that bleed, this one definitely delivers a good, grotesque time.

Watched on Sunday May 18, 2025.

It’s still good.

I can definitely see it getting demoted to a 3.5 on rewatch, but thanks to the theatrical experience, it’s a hard 4 for now. Easily the weakest entry of the McQuarrie era of pure spycraft hijinks. The first hour was a lot to get through—still very entertaining, but definitely could’ve used trimming.

Then came the submarine sequence, and it was relentlessly exhilarating from there on out.

That—and the biplane sequence—will go down as some of the most daringly heart-pounding set pieces this series has ever pulled off. Especially the latter, where my hands were basically clawing the seat the entire time. How they managed to film that, I’ll never believe.

Still, it’s a bummer that the film never reaches the heights of its previous installments. Endless exposition and its self-important attempt to tie together the prior films hamstring it from true greatness. That is to say, I’m glad the film was made and delivered to the big screen. It remains a true crowd-pleasing M:I entry, the kind we’ve come to know and love. And honestly, I wouldn’t hold it against them if they kept making more.

Watched on Saturday May 17, 2025.

Was a 4.5

Third time seeing it, this time in prep for tomorrow’s TFR screening. The set pieces—especially the train sequence—are still wildly tense and meticulously crafted. But the cracks showed more clearly this round. As many have pointed out, the franchise has grown increasingly reliant on Cruise’s daredevil feats, with the plot starting to wrap itself around the stunts rather than pushing things forward.

Still, McQuarrie keeps it slick, balanced, and surprisingly digestible. Hayley Atwell’s character also landed better for me this time; her presence feels more natural on rewatch. I’ve been a bit wary about Part Two (yeah, why not) after early reviews, but as someone who’s pretty easy to please, I’m still hopeful.

Watched on Friday May 16, 2025.

I’m a sucker for stories like this—where someone sticks their neck into a world they clearly don’t belong to and gets knocked around for it. The Landlord hooked me, even though I’m not deeply familiar with Black culture or its nuances. Ashby’s direction is raw and unvarnished, giving the film this loose, lived-in texture that feels totally natural.

Beau Bridges is perfect as the clueless, privileged bourgeois stumbling through unfamiliar territory. He’s not likable in a traditional sense, but he’s fascinating to watch. And Lee Grant? She doesn’t even need much screen time. She just shows up and owns the room. There’s something magnetic about her presence, like she knows exactly how to shape every second she’s given.

The themes about racial tension and gentrification definitely feel important, even if some of it went over my head. It's not always neat or easy to pin down, which I kind of liked. Honestly, The Landlord feels like one of those weird little movies that slips through the cracks but sticks with you anyway. It’s awkward, funny, a little sad, and totally its own thing.

It’d been ages since I last watched this, even though I ed how high-octane it was. Credit where it’s due: J.J. Abrams didn’t just revive what was becoming a generic spy series—he injected it with sleek, stylized modern espionage. PSH is terrific as the villain, might even be the best in the whole franchise. The action set pieces are pure high-stakes frenzy. It’s still somewhere in the bottom half of the series for me, personally, but there’s no denying this one paved the way for what the later films have become.

Watched on Tuesday May 13, 2025.

Watched on Monday May 12, 2025.

Called in sick today because I've had a high fever. Instead of lying in bed like a paralyzed cabbage, I decided to watch something good. I put on The Princess Bride. I'm happy again.

It's amazing how, after nearly 40 years, there's still not a single fantasy film that can compete with this. Reiner and Goldman really conjured up something special. It's like a bowl of tomato soup that not only heals your soul but also magically rejuvenates.

The seamless blend of adventure, comedy, and romance here should be studied. Endlessly enjoyable and flying by like a jetpack unicorn, The Princess Bride is a supreme-class piece of art I'd love to show my loved ones every Sunday afternoon.

Watched on Thursday May 8, 2025.

I’ll it, by the third act, the twists go from juicy to flat-out ludicrous, but I’ll be damned if it wasn’t a wildly entertaining ride. This is 90s-coded psychosexual neo-noir at its sweatiest—all hormones, schemes, and swamp heat. Denise Richards felt like a whole other species. The random alligator shots, though, threw me off every time. Come on. I need to tread more carefully with Florida-set films because these things give me nightmares.

Not as tense as I hoped, but dread and ominousness saturate the air, giving this film a uniquely uneasy vibe. Part occult horror, part giallo, part psychedelic fever dream—and it’s all pretty sturdy.

I don’t think I’ve seen Edwige Fenech in anything before, but wow. She is STUNNING in this. Now that I know she’s a giallo regular, I’ll be working through her filmography like my life depends on it.

The hand stomping was wildly unnecessary and kind of hilarious. And any movie with even one ragdoll moment is automatically all right in my book.

A cool, rain-soaked, hurricane-set chamber piece that feels very much of its time—in a good way. Not my favorite noir, but it’s got some solid tension and a few scenes that really crank up the heat. Bogie and Bacall are more low-key here, but it’s always a treat seeing them share the screen. The boat climax is short, sharp, and claustrophobic. Overall, a moody, well-contained thriller that does more with less.

Watched on Sunday May 4, 2025.

Watched on Sunday May 4, 2025.

There’s a lot to unpack here. Boyhood is a transcendent, life-affirming journey—one that quietly sneaks up on you. While I still see the Before Trilogy as Linklater’s peak, this film reaffirms that when he zooms in on the ordinary, he captures something extraordinary. The age of time here feels so natural, so fluid, that I occasionally forgot I was watching fiction. Patricia Arquette vanishes into her role, delivering a performance that’s heartbreakingly grounded and deeply familiar. Boyhood isn’t just a film about growing up; it’s a reminder of how quickly it slips away.

Watched on Thursday May 1, 2025.

I’d lost faith (and interest) in superhero films for a while, especially the MCU. Their output has been all over the place: inconsistent, bloated, and, honestly, exhausting. I didn’t even bother keeping up with the Disney+ stuff. There’s just too much, and from what I’ve heard, most of it’s just able.

Still, when I saw Thunderbolts* was having an early screening today, I took the shot.

Ten minutes in, I knew it was going to be good. I can’t quite pin what did it—Jake Schreier’s direction, a vision shift on Feige’s part, the script, or all of it mashed together—but the film has a distinctly different flavor. A refreshing one. The team chemistry is spectacular. Every character gets a moment to shine, and their banter feels alive, not manufactured. It also tackles a surprisingly dark subject: the emotional toll these characters carry just by existing in a world like theirs. Schreier juggles it all with a sharp sense of balance, delivering a well-rounded, appetizing experience the MCU hasn’t had in years.

I don’t see myself watching it again anytime soon, but I do think it’ll reignite a lot of people’s love for superhero movies—even if just a little.

Watched on Tuesday April 29, 2025.

Watched on Sunday April 27, 2025.

I went in thinking it's a movie about someone with lots of dandruff. Therefore, Shampoo. I was bummed to learn that there isn't even a single bottle of shampoo in the entire film.

Hal Ashby might be one of the greatest unsung American filmmakers. Every film of his I’ve seen has this strange, consistent brilliance. Shampoo is no exception. I love how it unpacks sexual politics under the looming shadow of a presidential election—like everyone’s too busy sleeping around to notice the country falling apart. The senatorial party scene is one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen. It’s a well-structured hullabaloo. At one point, I completely forgot what the film was about and gave up trying to make thematic sense of it. Classic ‘70s formula, pulled off with style. A lot of fun.

Also, the cast is immensely attractive, especially the women. Lee Grant is delightfully electric. Her scene-stealing presence zhuzhes the whole thing up in a way I didn’t expect.

Still, I’d have liked a shampoo cameo.

The Killing Fields took me days to finish, not because it wasn’t compelling, but because of its emotional weight. This harrowing film, rooted in the brutal truth of the Khmer Rouge regime, is devastating in its raw honesty. Haing S. Ngor’s performance is outstanding; deeply moving and utterly human, carrying much of the film’s emotional depth. While it occasionally dramatizes the story, it never loses sight of the real lives at stake. It’s not an easy watch, but it’s an essential one, offering a powerful, poignant exploration of survival and friendship in the face of unimaginable horrors.

Watched on Tuesday April 22, 2025.

It’s such a conflicted, yet satisfying feeling I had when I finished this. The film is incredible. It gives off a warm, almost carefree vibe, but it’s wrapped in this lingering sense of obsession and emotional inertia. John Heard’s character really left me torn. You’re drawn into his perspective, rooting for him at times, but also deeply aware of how flawed and, at moments, unsettling he is. It’s a risky move to place us so firmly in his point of view, but it works. You’re not just watching his spiral—you’re in it. One of the most quietly affecting dramedies I’ve seen. The characters feel so raw, so painstakingly real. And honestly, Chilly Scenes of Winter might be one of the most fitting titles I’ve ever come across.

Ultra-tender in every aspect, A Sunday in the Country initially struck me as one of those Merchant Ivory, garden-esque dramas: soft, delicate, and drenched in nostalgia. The real picture isn’t quite that cozy, but it’s not far off either. There's a gentle, wistful quality to it that reminds me of the backyard garden I used to play in as a child, running and laughing, basking in a kind of innocent warmth.

Even though it didn’t fully land with me emotionally, the fact that it stirred those memories and captured that exact feeling makes it deeply comforting in its own way. Beneath the softness, there’s a subtle undercurrent of tension, something strained and unresolved, that gives the experience more depth than it initially lets on.

Such a quiet, poignant little family drama. One that seems to have slipped under the radar but really deserves more eyes on it.

Watched on Thursday April 17, 2025.

Original post by Cinemonster here

Hello everyone who stumbles upon my little corner here. It's my first time ing the bandwagon! I've been doing my own October horror marathon myself for years now, but this Hooptober will be the first time for me to comply with preset rules. My picks may be a bit loose with the criteria but I'll try my best! I'm here to have fun!!

Starting on September 15th!

P.S. I may not be able to finish all of these though, due to increasing burdens in life, but again, I'll try my best!

QUICK EASY RULES:

There must be 31 horror films
6 countries = USA, India, Italy, , Sweden, Thailand
8 decades = 20s, 40s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 2000s, 2010s
ALL of the films from a horror franchise with at least 4 entries = Critters series (5 entries)
1 film by Wes Craven = Shocker
1 film caused by/worsened by weather = The Shining
1 film starring a Black woman = Vampire in Brooklyn
1 Donald Sutherland film = Buffy the Vampire Slayer
3 films from New World Pictures. = C.H.U.D., Warlock, Elvira: Mistress of the Dark
2 Indian films = Tumbbad, Bulbbul
4 Italian films = Cemetery Man, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, Torso, Black Sunday
2 Horror comedies = An American Werewolf in London, Evil Dead II
2 films made primarily or entirely in Texas = TCM, Piranha
1 film that exists in at least 2 available cuts = Halloween '07
1 Robert Wiene film = The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
1 Michele Soavi film = Cemetery Man
1 film from 2011 = The Thing
1 film from 1984 = Sole Survivor

And 1 Tobe Hooper Film (There must ALWAYS be a Hooper film) = TCM

:p

• An American Werewolf in London

  horror comedies 1/2

• Evil Dead II

  horror comedies 2/2

• Critters

  4+ entries horror franchise 1/5

• Critters 2

  4+ entries horror franchise 2/5

• Critters 3

  4+ entries horror franchise 3/5

• Critters 4

  4+ entries horror franchise 4/5

• Critters Attack!

  4+ entries horror franchise 5/5

• The Shining

  weather 1/1

• Shocker

  wes craven 1/1

• Vampire in Brooklyn

  black woman starred 1/1

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

- feature films only
- score and ranking are irrelevant

1. The Holdovers
2. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
3. Killers of the Flower Moon
4. Past Lives
5. Oppenheimer
6. Monster
7. All of Us Strangers
8. The Iron Claw
9. John Wick: Chapter 4
10. Godzilla Minus One

...plus 10 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

🎃 Goals 🎃
- 20 films minimum ✅
- Complete the Final Destination films ✅ 
- Complete the rest of the Nightmare films I have not seen ✅
- 2 Asian horrors ✅
- 2 gialli ✅
- 2 gothic horrors ✅
- Enjoy myself! (priority!!!!) ✅

• Final Destination

  checked

• Final Destination 2

  checked

• Final Destination 3

  checked

• The Final Destination

  checked

• Final Destination 5

  checked

• Deep Red

  checked

• Ginger Snaps

  checked

• Sleepaway Camp

  checked

• The Burning

  checked

• Incantation

  checked

...plus 22 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

top 20 ranking of movies released in 2022.

1. Top Gun: Maverick
2. The Fabelmans
3. Everything Everywhere All at Once
4. Babylon
5. Nope
6. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
7. Aftersun
8. The Banshees of Inisherin
9. TÁR
10. Pearl

...plus 10 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

My personal annual Halloween watch. (2022)
Started on Sep 15.

Main objectives
- Going through the Saw franchise. (done!)
- Completing the rest of Friday the 13th films. (completed!)
- At least 1 film/day. (failed, but it's okay :))

• A Nightmare on Elm Street

  seen

• Diabolique

  seen

• Possession

  seen

• Saw

  seen

• Saw II

  seen

• Saw III

  seen

• Saw IV

  seen

• Saw V

  seen

• Saw VI

  seen

• Saw 3D

  seen

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

My annual Halloween watch. (2021)

• The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
• Audition
• Suspiria
• Halloween
• Christine
• A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors
• The Medium
• Prince of Darkness
• Titane
• Black Christmas

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