Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning - So, as I've said on this blog in my Mission:

Impossible marathon - Dead Reckoning (formally Dead Reckoning Part 1) is very controversially at the top of my M:I rankings. I just had a lot of fun with it and I loved the entire arc with Vanessa Kirby & Hayley Atwell. And I loved the addition of Pom Klementieff. The women just really shined. And the big action spectacles were, in fact, spectacular. I was looking forward to this, and very disappointed that it received mostly middling reviews (especially by fans of the franchise). I think the biggest, most glaring problem with this one, is that it follows in the same footsteps of other M:I films that over-explain the plot. It has "explain it to me like I'm five" energy. I was practically screaming at the screen "WE UNDERSTAND THE PLOT! MOVE ON!". It's fascinating how dumb this franchise thinks its audience is. I appreciate that it goes through the M:I history, but it also makes the movie feel sooooo bloated. It's almost 3 hours long - and clips from previous films takes up like 1/2 of the movie. There is stuff that I like - they continue Atwell's storyline. They give Pom even more to do. And I like that they give us a satisfying conclusion (although, I'm sure there is already a reboot planned - in which case I nominate Taron Egerton in the Ethan Hunt role. I don't usually push for him in big Blockbusters - Wolverine? NO THANKS! Bond? GET OUT OF HERE! But I can totally see him taking this franchise and making it his own, AND he can do the Tom Cruise run, which is essential - watch Carry On for proof. They'll probably pick someone lame, though. Like Glen Powell. Mark my words.). Anyway, I just think this is a frustrating watch, and it feels like an eternity, instead of being a fun, fast-paced, action film. And I'm really mad at who they kill off. So unnecessary!

2. The Hand that Rocks the Cradle (2025) - I remember liking the original (I think it was Rebecca De Mornay? I don't remember who played the other woman, though? Whatever happened to De Mornay, though? She was great in those 90s thrillers.). But I was really excited by the casting of this - Maika Monroe AND Mary Elizabeth Winstead??? I'M IN! But then I quickly realized that the casting is kind of off or maybe it's just the character development, because they make it seem like Monroe is supposed to be in her 20s and Winstead is mid-40s but they are only 8 years apart in real life? It just doesn't work for me. I think they just make Monroe's character a little too immature. And the whole movie is a mess. I paused it when there was only 40 minutes left, only to realize that absolutely NOTHING has happened yet. It's all lead-up, and the payoff is not worth it at all. Winstead is the highlight, as this woman who is being gaslit and made to look like a crazy Karen type middle-aged white woman. It's frustrating that her husband doesn't take her seriously, but they do preface it with her having a previous mental episode. But when it comes to the person that is caring for your kids, you should trust your wife's instinct. Period. The ending of this goes really off-the-rails too - there is absolutely no reason why her friend would invite this psycho woman to his home to confront her. It's just stupid. This whole exercise seems pointless. I don't remember the original enough to know what's changed, but this didn't feel like it's modernized for today's audience at all. 

3. A House of Dynamite - This is a very good film, despite a very unsatisfying ending. I think it's a distant entry into Kathryn Bigelow films, though. Like, this would be at the bottom of my ranking. But that's because her two most recent films are practically masterpieces. And I actually prefer The Hurt Locker over Zero Dark Thirty, which might be a minority opinion (although it is the won she won the Oscar for, so I'm right!). The Hurt Locker is probably among my favorite films of this century. The fact that this film is a STREAMING Netflix movie instead of being released in a theater is MIND-BLOWING. Cinema really has changed. If you told me six years ago that an Oscar-winning director's new film was going straight to streaming and that's completely normal, I would not have believed you. The cast for this is also MIND-BLOWING, and I don't feel like that's advertised at all. I only knew that Idris Elba and Rebecca Ferguson were in it, and I was under the impression that they were the "stars" of the film. But that's not the case at all. They are both only included in a part of the film (separately). It also stars Anthony Ramos (love him!), Jared Harris, Jason Clarke, Willa Fitzgerald and several others who have such tiny roles, I would even consider cameos (like Greta Lee, Kyle Allen, Kaitlyn Dever and ONCE AGAIN the guy who played Prince Eric in the live-action Little Mermaid. I might have to learn his name if he keeps being in stuff. UGH.). Anyway, I think the beginning and the middle of this film is super strong - lots of tension, life-or-death situations, impossible choices to make, etc., but I got tired of seeing the same story told over and over again. This kind of does the whole different perspective of the same thing storytelling, but it wears thin by the end. And then it just ends. I get it, it's not supposed to be a disaster film. But there are other ways to end it. I also wish I got to know certain characters a bit more - I need depth and it's all surface. 

4. Jurassic World: Rebirth - What the fuck is this? Is this the worst Jurassic Park movie of ALL TIME??? It just might be. The more I think about it, the more I HATE it. It's just so stupid from beginning to end. And ScarJo has never been worse. And that's saying a lot, especially if you've seen 1/2 of the Avengers movies. I wish Jonathan Bailey wasn't in this because I want to love him, but between this and Wicked, he's turned me sour on him very quickly. Mahershala Ali is the only innocent one here. There is also an entire family that takes up 1/2 of the story that is not advertised at all. And almost feels added in to make the audience care about...someone. Because we certainly don't care about any of the main characters. They're all assholes. Definitely rooting for the dinosaurs, but of course, they only kill the side characters that have like 3 lines, until the end, and even then, they only kill the "bad guy". I can appreciate that they bring back a beloved scene from the novel (I haven't read it), which is the river raft scene. I remember being confused as a kid because the Jurassic Park ride at Universal Studios - which was THE BEST RIDE EVER - was a rafting ride in a big yellow raft and then at the end the T-Rex jumps out at you and you fall down a waterfall. It was a BLAST....but there was no river raft scene in the movie (it was cut from the original). So, when the girl sees the raft, I was like "YES!!! That's COOOOOOL! LET'S GO!" But the scene is so fucking stupid. The T-Rex would DESTROY that raft in a millisecond. Let's be real. And the ending is so dumb - obviously setting up for sequels, but also they cure Cancer. Apparently. That's what the whole plot is. Genetic samples from dinosaurs cure cancer. Sure. 

5. Hedda - I wanted to love this. Truly. As a big fan of the Ibsen play Hedda Gabler, I thought this would be in my top 10 of the year. It STARS Tessa Thompson! Should be a 4 star film, minimum! Instead, it's fine - 3 stars, but that's very generous. I like some aspects - the sound design is great (aside from the heavy breathing beats, which were annoying. But the percussion sound that follows Eileen around as she's searching for her manuscript is topnotch!), it looks gorgeous (it's like they took the decadent style of The Great Gatsby and combined it with a Shakespearian story), and some scenes are GREAT. But, I can't get past Tessa's accent. I think it's supposed to be, like, posh or something but it sound SO FAKE and like she's trying so hard, it's almost unbearable to listen to. I liked her performance otherwise. The costumes are SO UGLY, which is a big disappointment, because a lot of times when period pieces bore me, I can at least focus on the wardrobe, but literally every single one of these dresses are ugly and look terrible on the actress instead of flattering. There's some bad lighting decisions too - which is interesting because black people are often not lit properly in film and photography, which is why it's important to have diversity among the crew. This is directed by a black woman, Nia DaCosta, and it's still...bad? There are scene in which Thompson absolutely GLOWED, but then in the next scene she'll look like a background character because she's not lit. It's weird. It's too obvious to not be intentional, but I think your star, especially if the star is playing someone as iconic as Hedda Gabler, should shine the whole time. I also don't like the ending. The play is one of the most shocking endings of a stage play...ever. KEEP IT! IT'S GOOD! Not every ending has to be ambiguous for fuck sake! 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. The Thursday Murder Club - I rated this 2 stars, and that is very generous. I just can't give a film starring these legends, directed by Chris Columbus, less than 2 stars - my conscience won't allow me. But, it's a bad movie. It also feels like it's trying to remind us all that all these great actors are going to die soon and that's just...not fun. Helen Mirren is 80! Pierce Brosnan 72! Celia Imrie 73! Jonathan Pryce 78! And Ben Kingsley is 82!!! I hope they all live to 100! But they're all in a retirement home being old in this and I found it very depressing. And I can't seem to get away from Naomi Ackie?! Why is she in everything? She has such a dumb, blank look on her face in everything I've seen her in (and she's been in A LOT over the last 2 years). Anyway, this whole movie could have used a LOT more humor to make it more watchable. I laughed a few times (when they tell Helen Mirren "you look like the queen" LOL and when she drew the guy's privates in her drawing class). The whole mystery is also just really dumb and uninteresting. I figured that there would be a connection to the original murder case that they talk about in the beginning. I think everyone is trying to jump on the success of Knives Out, but they forgot that they mystery needs to be clever for it to be successful. I think it's hilarious that they ended it with the hope for sequels??? I mean, I can see Netflix greenlighting sequels. I just don't think it did very well? I only saw a few bad reviews when it was first released and then I haven't seen anyone mention it since. 

2. Honey Don't! - Well, I fucking hated Drive Away Dolls, so I really hoped this would be a lot better. It's...fine. Definitely not as grating as Dolls, but still not a good movie. I love both Aubrey Plaza and Margaret Qualley, but neither are consistently good actresses. I mean, I thought Qualley was wildly miscast in Dolls, but I think she's great in this. I would watch more stories based on her character, and it's also her singing on the soundtrack and she has a beautiful voice (when she's not trying to do a weird accent). Plus, her hair is spectacular! Plaza, on the other hand, is the one miscast. She does not do crazy well (I know everyone praised her performance in Legion, but I thought she overacted by a mile). She ruins the ending (it's a dumb ending anyway, but her over-acting really hurts it). AND Chris Evans is in this too??? Fucking kill me. I think the main story is good - investigating a Scientology type cult and their involvement in a possible murder, but it gets muddled by the disappearance of her niece. And it does become a little boring - I actually fell asleep for a few minutes but conveniently woke up right before the sex scene between Qualley and Plaza. Overall, it's a 2.5 star movie, which is miles better than I was expecting. Oh and the opening credits are great! 

3. The Naked Gun (2025) - This is a weird movie to reboot considering what a classic it's become and how iconic Leslie Nielsen is. But, I think casting Liam Neeson is actually spectacular choice - he has the same dry humor/sarcasm/straight-faced gullibility that Neilsen had perfected. And I'm delighted that he met Pamela Anderson during filming this and they are now in a relationship. I've always seen this sadness in Neeson's face since the tragic & unexpected death of his wife (Natasha Richardson), but she died over 15 years ago, and I think Neeson is finally allowing himself some happiness. I'm really hoping he has a happily ever after. And Anderson is so funny in this - her scatting is one of the best scenes of the year. Overall, I enjoyed this very much. I laughed quite hard at more than a few scenes - the "let's get retarded in here" line destroyed me. I cried laughing and needed to pause the movie to recover. Such an unexpected line and the delivery is absolutely perfect. I also enjoy that it's the plot of Kingsman, which is a spoof in and of itself (of Bond films). It's just a lot of fun, and a spoof movie that's done right - it's very silly, but also hilarious. I hope they make at least 3 more. My only criticism is that they under-use Paul Walter Hauser a bit. He's very funny and I think he could have been in the forefront of scenes more often. 

4. Weapons - I really liked this. I really liked Barbarian too (same director), so I had high hopes for this and I went in really cold. I knew nothing about the story just that it's about kids disappearing. I didn't even realize Julia Garner is in this (and I don't like her, in case you're new here). I do, however, LOVE, Alden Ehrenreich and Josh Brolin. But the highlight performance is Amy Madigan as Gladys - a character that will go down in history as a legendary character in horror. She's SO GOOD - I am talking Oscar nomination worthy. I doubt it will happen (because, you know, horror), but she's THAT good. I wasn't fully sold on the movie in the beginning - it's a little boring, and I hate when films show the same scene over and over again. This takes you through the different character perspectives, but it doesn't really show you anything different with each perspective. I think if it were cut down to 90 minutes it would have been a lot more effective. But, I started to really appreciate what it has to say - there's a clear allegory about school shootings. How parents send their kids to school and then never see them again. But, I think the idea that we, as a society, use children as weapons, especially within social issues, is more prevalent and interesting (there are a lot of "but the kids!" when discussing trans and gay issues, they are banning books that deal with racism, etc. all because of "the kids!" but the true danger for children is guns). I like that this film is DIFFERENT and ORIGINAL! And it has something to say!! It has a strong ending, too - the kids running at the end is HILARIOUS. I started to look into the director, Zach Cregger, more and I had no idea he is the guy from The Whitest Kids You Know!! That's so funny! And he's married to Sara Paxton! I love her and just as I thought "where the Hell has she been, I don't think I've seen her since Shark Night", she shows up in this! Overall, I think it's a solid horror movie. I liked Barbarian slightly more, but this is good! 

5. I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) - Okay, so between the years of 1996-2002, I was obsessed with Ryan Phillippe. Like, obsessed. Like, how I am now with Taron Egerton, but this was high school/college teenage girl obsessed, so there were posters on my wall, in my locker, my school books were covered with his picture, and I watched every single movie he was in at least a dozen times (yes, even movies you've never heard of like Little Boy Blue and Homegrown). But the film I watched THE MOST was I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997). It was one of my favorite movies when I was 16 years old. I thought of rewatching it before watching this remake, but it's one of those movies that I'm terrified is actually bad and I don't want to face that realization. I was expecting this remake to be terrible, but I actually thought it was decent! Certainly flawed, but I was entertained and I like this group of young actors - especially Madelyn Cline. I like Chase Sui Wonders too, but the wig they make her wear in this does her NO favors. I'm not the biggest fan of the guy who plays Prince Eric in the live action Little Mermaid and the actress from the plane is horrific (I don't know who she is, but the first thing I saw when I googled her is that she's engaged to Matt Healy and that tells me everything I need to know about her). Plus they bring back original cast members JLH, SMG & Freddie Prince Jr.!! Obviously, SMG's character is dead so I assumed it was a flashback or something, but her scene is SO GOOD. I remember a lot of the sequel (Brandy!!), but I don't remember watching a 3rd one (it was a direct-to-video version that was unrelated to the original, so that's probably why I skipped it). But I couldn't really remember what happened to Freddie's character so I made the terrible mistake of looking it up while I was watching this. *MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD* I was like "WAIT he becomes a KILLER???" I don't remember that happening in the sequel, THAT'S BATSHIT! And then I realized that he becomes a killer IN THIS ONE. So, I spoiled myself on the ending (*note to self: STOP GOOGLING while watching movies!!). I realized quickly that if it was him, then the girl that works with him is also involved (she seemed shady from the beginning so I probably would have guessed it was her). I sort of love that they took a BIG SWING with this, because the original took some pretty big swings - they actually kill TWO of the main characters. It felt more dangerous and intense! I think that's the mistake in this one - there's a whole hour and nobody important dies. There's also a whole lot that doesn't make sense (like how the original murders have been "scrubbed" from the internet, but some random podcaster knows about it. And obviously they wouldn't let Cline's character back in the house - it's a CRIME SCENE. LOL.). I also don't like that they made them older. This was a teen horror film. They had just graduated from high school - so 17/18, but these friends are supposed to be in their mid-20s. I just think teen horror has gone by the wayside and that's a shame. I remember so many good horror movies about teens when I was a teen (Scream, obviously, but also Disturbing Behavior, Urban Legends, The Faculty, Final Destination). Anyway, I was entertained though - it's probably a 2 star film if not for the nostalgia of the first. BUT - and this is a big, all capitals BUT - they have JLH say THE iconic line "What are you waiting for??!!!" and that's an instant 1/2 star upgrade and then *another spoiler* BRANDY shows up at during the after credits scene!!! HOLY SHIT! Another 1/2 star! Making it a 3 star movie! Nostalgia for the win!

Thoughts on 5 New TV Shows

1. The House of Guinness - Touted as "the next Peaky Blinders" (same creator), it's unfortunately extremely boring and dull. I went to the Guinness factory when I was in Ireland (2011, I think? Around there). It's cool! You get to enjoy a Guinness with a view of Dublin at the top of the factory. Anyway, I think I just expected more because Peaky Blinders had me hooked from the very first episode. I think a big problem is the cast. I don't really like any of them. I recognize James Norton from stuff, but I can't think of anything specific. But, I would not cast him in a role that is clearly supposed to be intimidating and terrifying. Plus some of those accents are off, but I'm no expert. I just think you can tell who is actually Irish and who is not. It's also trying way too hard to be cool - like the big fight scene that is done with modern rave music in the background LOL. I admit it makes it very watchable - I couldn't take my eyes off of this scene, but that's not necessarily a good thing. More like watching a car crash. They also use the song "Starburster" by Fontaines D.C, which might be the most overused song of the moment. I LOVE the song, but it's the opening song for MobLand and it's in a few other shows (it was also recently in Black Rabbit, which I'll write about below). Anyway, I'm about half-way through the series, so maybe it will get better and the characters will become more interesting, but I have my doubts. 

2. The Hunting Wives - This was recommended to me as a new trashy drama and it definitely HITS. It's like Desperate Housewives but gayer and with more guns. I wasn't actually going to watch it, but I saw that Brittany Snow was in it and I changed my mind! I adore her. And even though Malin Ackerman can't act if her life depended on it, I still like her too. I also like the woman from Scandal. And Jamie Ray Newman (most know her from Grimm, The Punisher, etc., but I know her as Kristina Cassadine from General Hospital!). I'm only a few episodes in, but I'm enjoying it. There's a little bit of mystery, it's very funny, and it's full-on batshit CRAZY! I miss crazy shows - these plotlines are a MESS and I love it. I am wondering why they make Malin wear this insanely bad wig? Is it going to be part of the plot? Is she going to rip it off ala Kimberly on Melrose Place? Also, are they going to give the black woman a plot? Because it's kind of weird that she's part of the group but all the others have side stories except her? It also feels a little immature at times - 40 year olds doing body shots? I don't think I've done a body shot since I was 22. Anyway, I'm looking forward to where this goes, and I can see it thriving for multiple seasons. 

3. Monster: The Ed Gein Story - Okay, so I wrote a LOT of notes while watching this show - and that's both good and bad. I watched this on my flight home from my Australia/New Zealand/Fiji trip and I was exhausted (and sick), but it held my attention for sure. I like certain true crime stories, but I'm not someone who is obsessed with them like a large faction of the media watching culture. I don't really understand the appeal. But I love a good, solidly written story that has different perspectives that might change our own perspectives. And I think Ryan Murphy and team have done this well in the past - The People vs O.J. Simpson and The Assassination of Gianni Versace were both INCREDIBLE shows. But now the focus with this Monster series is on serial killers and I understand why some are offended by it, but I don't understand why everyone blames Murphy for sensationalizing violent crime when it's been happening for LITERAL decades, as shown in this series. I think it's interesting to show the connection between Ed Gein and the effect it had on multiple (very famous) movies. He was not only the inspiration behind Psycho's Norman Bates but also The Texas Chainsaw Massacre - which are two very different projects. I think the connections that this show make are very interesting, and I think it's Murphy's direct response to the criticism about exploiting victims of violent crime (Hitchcock started it!!). If you can get past Charlie Hunnam's Barney voice and awful American accent (he was on Sons of Anarchy for 8 seasons and still can't do an American accent HAHA!), his acting is actually really incredible. It took me a few episodes to get over my initial frustrations, but he definitely gives this role his whole body and mind and I respect it. Suzanna Son is also GREAT. My biggest problem with the show is the whole part that focuses on Hitch and Norman Bates. It connects threads that don't need to be connected - like I don't think Anthony Perkins being secretly gay has anything to do with this story. All of this is unnecessary. Although, on a side-note, this is how I learned that Osgood Perkins is Anthony Perkins son (I saw a headline of him denouncing the show and the portrayal of his father and was like WAIT WHAT???!!), and that google search led me to also learn that his mom died in the World Trade Center (I saw that her death was listed as 9/11/2001 and thought wow it would be weird to die on that date unrelated to the trade center and then saw that she actually did die in the terror attack). I also think the actor they got to play Perkins is wildly out of his depths (Andrew Garfield or bust!). And Tom Hollander as Hitchcock??? Fuck off with that nonsense. He was AWFUL. There's a lot more that I hated - the ending is pure trash. The old man makeup is terrible. The Mindhunter wannabe connection is laughable. Ditto for trying to connect Gein to Ted Bundy. But, overall, it's a very watchable - dare I say, thrilling series. It definitely got under my skin and I think it has a lot to say (almost too much).  

4. Hostage - I liked this miniseries. It reminded me of The Diplomat but quicker and more dangerous. I usually love Julie Delpy, but I don't love her in this role, and I'm also not a fan of the other actress, but I like the rest of the cast - especially the Daisy Ridley lookalike and the guy that plays the kidnapped husband (sorry, don't feel like looking up names). It's a wildly implausible plot, but it moves really quickly and goes to unexpected places. *spoilers* He's rescued after 3 episodes and there's still 2 episodes left so when one of the characters says "This is NOT over", I yelled out "yeah, no shit!". But I definitely wasn't expecting the twist of a certain character, and I think they did a really great job setting up the explosion scene. I did NOT see it coming and I was surprised that they actually kill off main characters. It's one of those shows that you can't really think too much about - just turn your brain off and go along with it. It's definitely not as smart as it pretends to be. But, it was an easy watch on a long plane ride. And I laughed SO HARD at the end song lyrics "you messed with the wrong bitch". HAHAHAHA! Terrific stuff. 

5. Black Rabbit - I LOVED this show. It's incredible. And Jude Law and Jason Bateman are a great unexpected acting duo as brothers who just keep digging themselves into bigger and bigger holes. They look absolutely nothing alike and they don't even have the same accent, but I like their chemistry.  Actually Bateman steals most of the show - and I didn't expect that. Just INCREDIBLE acting; his best performance to date. And he directs some of the episodes too (at least the first one. I'm not sure if there were more, but I also noticed Laura Linney directed some episodes too! I love that they are still working together after Ozark). I'm rooting for him to get that Emmy (even if he'll possibly be up against Taron for Smoke. Bateman gives the better performance). The show is like if you took The Bear, set it in NY, and got the mob involved. But I feel like this show, as opposed to The Bear, actually earns the intensity because there are lives at stake and not just a restaurant. I like that every episode just goes from bad to worse. Like, just when you think, "well that's rock bottom, the only way to go is up" and the show is like "nope, we're going even lower". I saw some describe it as "slow burn", which makes sense because it's from the creators of other slow burn dramas like The Order, but I wouldn't describe this like that at all. Things happen in every episode. Shocking things! It has a fairly fast pace and there's also a lot of dark humor that keeps it moving quickly. And Jude Law is so fucking charming still! STILL! There's a great supporting cast too - Sope Dirisu, Odessa Young, Cleopatra Coleman, Chris Coy, Amaka Okafor, and the sneaky comedic relief, Forrest Weber. Also Troy Kotsur gives a bone-chilling performance as a mob boss. I kind of love that they wrote his deafness into the show and still made his character scary-as-fuck. It goes to show that casting should not have limitations - a great character depends on writing and performance, not that the actor checks off certain boxes. 

Film Retrospective Part IV: Thoughts on 10 Films (pre-1990)

1. The Amityville Horror (1979) - [blind spot] I've only seen the terrible remake starring good ol' Ryan Reynolds (LOL), and I've seen most of the Conjuring films which are about the Warren family, but I've never seen the film that started it all! And I have to say, it's a bit disappointing. I've never been big on the haunted house horror genre, though. I just don't believe the whole concept and I definitely think the Warrens are scam artists, gaslighters, and grifters. I think the flashbacks in the beginning of this are interesting, but the whole middle is very boring and it doesn't get interesting again until the end, but by then, I was barely paying attention. It's way too long - should have been 80 minutes tops. And what kind of grown woman wears pigtails like that?? Haha! I do love Margot Kidder though - she's one of the greats. 

2. My Left Foot - [blind spot] I know, I know - how could it be that I haven't seen what is widely considered one of the best acting performances of all time??? I JUST HAVEN'T OKAY?! Geez! Anyway, obviously the accolades are well-deserved. If I didn't know that Daniel Day-Lewis did not have cerebral palsy, I would assume he did. It's not just the twitching and body contortions either - it's all in the eyes. The way he stares intently when there's something he's trying to convey. I know someone who suffers from brain damage from a car accident and it impedes his speech ability. And sometimes he gets this look in his eyes because he's trying to say something but he just can't get it out. It must be so frustrating. As far as the movie goes, though....it's fine? The performances definitely elevate it - I had no idea that Brenda Fricker also won an Oscar for this. I always thought of her as the pigeon lady from Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. Haha! Also, there's a young Fiona Shaw! It's very typical biopic style, though, and I'm not always the biggest fan of those. It feels like it could have been a made-for-television picture. And I don't need to see a close-up of his hairy-ass foot. EWWW. 

3. The War of the Worlds (1953) - [blind spot] I've seen the Spielberg version and I liked it (I think? I don't really remember, but I'm pretty sure). Well, I loved this! It's beautiful and some of the shots are SO good. I love all of the practical effects like the bomb exploding in the mountains. It won the Oscar for special effects and I can definitely see why. It's interesting to see how much technology has changed, but for the 50s this is just incredible. It's obviously based on the HG Wells story, but it feels a little Twilight Zone-ish, especially in the beginning. It's touted as "the original alien invasion" film, so it's interesting to see how it influenced so many sci-fi blockbusters (everything from Independence Day to Arrival). It's cool that it actually shows the aliens attacking the whole world. It's just really entertaining and suspenseful. It definitely makes me want to watch the remake again. 

4. 48 Hrs. - [blind spot] I was instantly intrigued when I realized that Walter Hill directed this! It's just one of those films that passed me by, but definitely considered a classic 80s film. It's also interesting that this has two actors from two of my favorite tv shows ever (James Remar aka Papa Morgan on Dexter and Jonathon Banks aka Mike on Breaking Bad). I also love old school Eddie Murphy - he used to be funny! He is absolutely charming and hilarious in this - when he laughs at the black Russian joke LOL. Also, his "I don't like white people, but I hate rednecks". I wish I could say that I enjoyed the rest of this, but I found it a little dull. The concept has been done to death (yes, I realize that this is an earlier take on the buddy cop movie), and I don't feel like it's as funny as it needs to be in order to hold my interest. I like how at the end, there's an apology for the racism ("it's part of the job"), but nobody apologizes for the misogyny. *rolls eyes* 

5. The Karate Kid - [rewatch] I'll be honest, I've never held The Karate Kid in high regards. I probably watched it once when I was like 10ish, and I thought it was boring and have never had any interest in rewatching or even watching the sequels (sequel? I'm not sure if there is more than just the one sequel). However, I know a lot of people (especially my age) really love it, so I figured I would give it another go. And...wow, I'm glad I did. It's FAR better than I remember. It's such a sweet movie! If you asked me to rate it from what I remember at 10, I would say it was a 2.5 star movie, but it's a solid 4 stars! And I definitely wasn't expecting that. Not only do I love the story of him being raised by a single working mom and finding this father figure in Mr. Miyagi, it's also an incredibly well-made film! I was struck by the beginning tracking shot with him walking through the apartment building - super cool! But there are actually a lot of stunning shots throughout, and the soundtrack is straight 80s FIRE. And it has a very brutal ending (HE FUCKING CHEATED! No wonder everyone gets so heated!). Also, obviously I love Elisabeth Shue. This was only 3 years before Adventures in Babysitting, but she looks so much younger here - she actually passes for a teenager. And Ralph Macchio looks like a BABY (and he was like 23 when this was filmed. LOL). They are both so good in this! I just absolutely fell in love with this...LOL...it only took me 40 years! 

6. Animal House - [rewatch, I assume?] I had to have seen this, but I don't remember much of it. Again, it's another beloved 80s classic that I just didn't get. But I'm always willing to give things another shot - maybe I'll love it as much as I loved The Karate Kid?! But...nah...it's...fine. For some reason, I thought this was stacked with 80s actors but I only recognize a handful of them (obviously Belushi, Tim Matheson, Karen Allen, Donald Sutherland, and a baby Kevin Bacon). I giggled a few times, but none of the jokes really land for me. It's obviously dated, but I'm usually fine with dated humor. It's just a bunch of loser, narcissistic frat bros thinking that they are hilarious, and that's what doesn't work for me. I think the best part is obviously the end with the text that tells you what happens to each character. It's the only time during the whole runtime that I actually laughed out loud. And there's an outstanding soundtrack. 

7. The Land Before Time - [rewatch] I'm pretty sure this was the first movie I saw in the movie theater. I remember seeing The Little Mermaid more clearly so I usually think of that as my first, but I vaguely remember my mom taking me and my cousin to this. I was 7 years old and I LOVED IT. I even got a very large stuffed Littlefoot plush toy that I carried around with me everywhere for, like, two years. I was OBSESSED. I watched it a lot as a kid, but I haven't seen it in probably 30 years. It's still great. Littlefoot is just about the cutest thing in the world and I love the way he curls up like a cat to take a nap. I love the little baby Pteradactyls. I love Ducky - the little "yep, yep, yep" and "nope, nope, nope" are the best (on a sidenote - while going down a google/wikipedia hole, I discovered that the child actress that voices Ducky was killed by her own father 4 months before this movie was released! How terrible!). I love that this was a really lovely story about creating your own family, while also teaching young children about racism and prejudices that exist in the world. It's also just a really gorgeous animated movie - the type of animation that just isn't done today, which is such a shame. I didn't realize that this was produced by Spielberg and Lucas! No wonder it's so good! I think my only criticism is that Cera is SO annoying and kind of an asshole. I don't think I thought that as a kid, but it's hard to root for her survival as an adult (haha!). I

8. How to Steal a Million - [rewatch] I know I've seen this, but it's, once again, not a film I remember well. Audrey is so good in this - and her wardrobe is spectacular. My favorite is the Givenchy lace face mask with matching dress (I want it! Can I pull that off on a regular day or can I only wear it on Halloween?). She has amazing chemistry with Peter O'Toole. And yes, she wears FULL eye makeup while sleeping, but I'll allow it because it's Audrey. I enjoyed this rewatch a lot - definitely top tier Audrey Hepburn film, but I do wish it were about 30 minutes shorter. It takes a whole hour to even get to the big heist! But, the heist is so great so it's worth it, but it just could have been a quicker, lighter, funnier movie if it picked up the pace and cut the parts that drag. 

9. Jaws 2 - [blind spot] Honestly, I've never had any interest in watching the sequels (I think there's another two more?). I've heard mixed things about this so I went into it with a fairly positive attitude and I liked it! Is it a 5 star perfect film like it's predecessor??? Well, obviously not. But it's still a good time and has some really fun shark carnage. I always see the meme about how "remember that the mayor from Jaws is still the mayor in Jaws 2" and that is kind of hilarious and a perfect metaphor for the Trump era. I was surprised at how good all the younger actors are - I genuinely could feel their terror out on the ocean being attacked by a shark. Especially the one that's with her boyfriend and she watches him die. What a fantastic performance. Like, it's not cheesy at all, and I was definitely expecting cheesy for this sequel. I also loved the scene with the shark attacking the helicopter LOL. I just love that animatronic shark. The scene when they're pulling Mark up on the boat and the shark swims by with his teeth showing brought back a flashback of Universal Studios. They used to do that scene during the tram tour (I think the helicopter scene too, maybe?). I wonder if they still do the tram tour?? It was THE BEST. Anyway, I also loved the ending - I was not expecting that! Haha! Oh and Brody's short shorts. LOL. 

10. Caddyshack - [rewatch] God, the way people go on about this movie - definitely one of those cult classic 80s comedies and I never liked it. It's another one that I thought I would give a shot as an adult and hope for the best, and once again, I think it's fine. I definitely laughed more at this than Animal House, but mostly the Rodney Dangerfield scenes. I'm a big fan, though. Remember Ladybugs? Yeah, I used to LOVE that movie (might have to add that to next year's retrospective when I add 90s movies! My favorite film decade!). The scene with him doing a whole stand-up special at the fancy dinner is hilarious. Unfortunately, I don't really like Bill Murray (never have, and probably never will!). And golf is SO boring. I was obviously rooting for the animatronic gopher the whole time.