Am I Ok? open_in_new

Directors: Stephanie Allynne & Tig Notaro

Genre: Romance/Comedy | Length: 1h 26m

Date Watched: June 28, 2024

Summary: Lucy and Jane have been best friends for most of their lives and think they know everything there is to know about each other. But when Jane announces she's moving to London, Lucy reveals a long-held secret. As Jane tries to help Lucy, their friendship is thrown into chaos.

My Thoughts: This was (obviously) my favorite rom-com of the year. It's more of a coming-of-age rom-com than an Anyone But You-rom-com, but the tender subject matter and hilarious writing make this movie a gem. When the film's title is said in the movie, that was one of the hardest times I've laughed all year. I love movies about cool women falling in love, and I love Dakota Johnson, so this was a pretty easy sell for me.

Immaculate open_in_new

Director: Michael Mohan

Genre: Horror/Mystery | Length: 1h 29m

Date Watched: June 20, 2024

Summary: An American nun embarks on a new journey when she joins a remote convent in the Italian countryside. However, her warm welcome quickly turns into a living nightmare when she discovers her new home harbors a sinister secret and unspeakable horrors.

My Thoughts: Now that I've built my own website from scratch, I can do cool stuff like this new spoiler feature below! Anywho, if you've seen the movie, check this out; otherwise, don't read unless you don't care about spoilers.

Spoilers: Oh my god, I will forever love this movie simply because of the 'Jurassic Park but with Jesus' storyline. There's a great story about how Sydney Sweeney read this script years ago and always wanted to do it, but the movie fell through. But then, when she became Sydney Sweeney, she dug this project up, produced the shit out of it, and got it made. God bless her for doing the lord's work. Also, the last scene is elite.

It Ends With Us open_in_new

Director: Justin Baldoni

Genre: Romance/Drama | Length: 2h 10m

Date Watched: December 22, 2024

Summary: Lily Bloom moves to Boston to chase her lifelong dream of opening her own business. A chance meeting with charming neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid soon sparks an intense connection, but as the two fall deeply in love, she begins to see sides of Ryle that remind her of her parents' relationship.

My Thoughts: This year's Don't Worry Darling—an excellent movie completely overshadowed by the "off the court" drama. The details get uglier by the day, so I'm not making light of the situation. I just thought this movie was excellent, and it's kind of weird that it's received some terrible reviews. In another universe, I feel like this movie would've been put up there with the greats like The Notebook, and maybe it will in the long run. But woo wee, it sure doesn't look like it at this point in time.

Smile 2 open_in_new

Director: Parker Finn

Genre: Horror/Mystery | Length: 2h 12m

Date Watched: October 18, 2024

Summary: About to embark on a new world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley begins to experience increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and pressures of fame, she must face her dark past to regain control of her life before it spirals out of control.

My Thoughts: Smile is one of my favorite movies ever made, and while the sequel isn't better than the original, there is so much more good stuff in this movie than bad stuff. The performance by Naomi Scott is an all-timer and the best in a horror film since Toni Collette in Hereditary. My greatest fear is these movies will be remembered for the whole smile gimmick, propagated mostly by people who have never seen either film, and the whole mental health allegory gets lost. I imagine there will be at least one more of these, and considering the epic, holy-fucking-shit ending of this one, I'm hoping for an inspired finale to this delightful little series.

The Last Stop in Yuma County open_in_new

Director: Francis Galluppi

Genre: Thriller/Crime | Length: 1h 30m

Date Watched: June 1, 2024

Summary: Stranded at an Arizona rest stop, a traveling knife salesman gets thrust into a high-stakes hostage situation by the arrival of two bank robbers who will stop at nothing to protect their ill-begotten fortune.

My Thoughts: This is a badass little indie thriller in the style of Reservoir Dogs and Blood Simple, starring some of this era's independent film legends: Jocelin Donahue, Jim Cummings, Richard Brake, Barbara Crampton, and shockingly, even more. The movie was financed by Local Boogeyman, who makes really cool shirts on the internet. There's a documentary about how he sold his house to get this movie made. Usually, that ends in disaster, but he made one of the best movies of the year. The whole thing is a feel-good independent success story that may never happen at this scale ever again. This was also the movie that got me back into watching movies, so it will always have a special little place in my heart.

I Saw the TV Glow open_in_new

Director: Jane Schoenbrun

Genre: Horror/Fantasy | Length: 1h 40m

Date Watched: August 16, 2024

Summary: A classmate introduces teenage Owen to a mysterious late-night TV show—a vision of a supernatural world beneath their own. In the pale glow of the television, Owen's view of reality begins to crack.

My Thoughts: Jane Schoenbrun is operating at a different level. The way they can convey fear and dread through such a different lens and palette makes them one of the most unique filmmakers working today, even though they've only made two movies. The use of media and a pretty crummy-looking TV show throughout this film is so intensely fascinating and haunting; I have no idea why no one has ever done that before. This movie is certainly not for everyone, but I'm glad it's for me, and it's encouraging how many Top 10 lists it made this year.

I Used to Be Funny open_in_new

Director: Ally Pankiw

Genre: Comedy/Drama | Length: 1h 45m

Date Watched: June 25, 2024

Summary: The film stars Rachel Sennott as Sam, a stand-up comedian living in Toronto who is struggling with depression and PTSD after a workplace sexual assault that has impacted her career.

My Thoughts: I watched every Rachel Sennott movie this year, and hoo BOY, this movie is pretty heavy compared to her others, but man, it's such a good movie. It's mopey and dreary, but holy moly, I related to this movie and felt a truly rewarding catharsis watching it. I've never experienced anything remotely as horrifying as sexual assault, but I went through four awful years of major depression. It murdered my creativity and joy for life, which, in turn, killed who I am. It sucked. This movie captures that experience perfectly. I'm thankful to everyone who made it.

Longlegs open_in_new

Director: Osgood Perkins

Genre: Horror/Crime | Length: 1h 41m

Date Watched: October 23, 2024

Summary: FBI Agent Lee Harker is assigned to an unsolved serial killer case that takes an unexpected turn, revealing evidence of the occult. Harker discovers a personal connection to the killer and must stop him before he strikes again.

My Thoughts: God damn, this movie is grim. It's like Prisoners but more of a bummer and with an intense dosage of hardcore Satanism. My God, I loved it. I loved the weird silver ball thing. I loved the way they promoted this movie and that it was such a hit. I feel like NEON really snuck one past the goalie there. I love that I held out on seeing what Nic Cage's character looked like until I watched the movie. And most of all—I love that the movie is worthy of that poster. That's not easy to do, but ol' Ozzy Perkins did it. This movie rules. Hail Satan.

Blink Twice open_in_new

Director: Zoë Kravitz

Genre: Thriller/Suspense | Length: 1h 42m

Date Watched: December 3, 2024

Summary: It tells the story of a group of people invited to the private island of a billionaire tech mogul as something strange happens with the attendees.

My Thoughts: Man, this movie is a firecracker. Holy cow. The first hour is second to none—almost perfect. The trigger warning is more than warranted. I had a hard time watching a lot of the "violent" scenes in this movie. But then it started to "have fun" with the story/topic, and I really didn't know how I felt about that while watching. I felt like I was on a crashing plane. Nope. It was a roller coaster, and at the last possible second, it lifted back up for another loop and landed snugly in place at the end. What a banger of a movie. I can't wait to see what Zoë does next.

My Old Ass open_in_new

Director: Megan Park

Genre: Comedy/Drama | Length: 1h 29m

Date Watched: December 12, 2024

Summary: An 18th-birthday mushroom trip brings Elliott face-to-face with her wisecracking 39-year-old self. When the older Elliott starts handing out warnings about what her younger self should and shouldn't do, she realizes she has to rethink everything about family, love, and what's becoming a transformative summer.

My Thoughts: I have this rule: if Aubrey Plaza is in an indie movie, I watch it ASAP because they are always great. The rule is there for a reason because OMG, I love this movie. It's absolutely hilarious, the teenagers look and act like teenagers, the drug use is shown in a positive way, and it's just a brilliant little Groundhog Day-like fantasy premise. But be warned, fam, I don't want to spoil anything, but it's worth mentioning this movie made me cry the hardest of any movie released this year. It was a good ugly cry that only a fucking great movie can provide. Highly recommend.

It's What's Inside open_in_new

Director: Greg Jardin

Genre: Horror/Sci-Fi | Length: 1h 43m

Date Watched: December 17, 2024

Summary: A pre-wedding reunion descends into a psychological nightmare for a group of college friends when a surprise guest arrives with a mysterious suitcase that starts to tear the group apart.

My Thoughts: This movie is a blast. The less you know about it, the better. It has a wacky vibe. The first 20 minutes, I wasn't feeling it, but that's how I felt with The Babysitter and the first Fear Street movie, and I loved all of those. Honestly, Netflix has a knack for these neon-infused comedy-horror films. Lo and behold, I loved this movie. I can't wait to watch it again with a legal pad, sticky notes, and red yarn. LFG!

Anora open_in_new

Director: Sean Baker

Genre: Comedy/Romance | Length: 2h 19m

Date Watched: December 30, 2024

Summary: Anora, a sex worker from Brooklyn, gets her chance at a Cinderella story when she meets and marries the son of an oligarch. Once the news reaches Russia, her fairytale is threatened as the parents set out for New York to get the marriage annulled.

My Thoughts: I watched every Sean Baker movie this year, and this was a delightful way to cap it off. As a lot of people say, all of his movies are essentially the same thing - nearly perfect - and I hope he makes 30 more. Just like his others, Anora is hilarious and charming, and you just love hanging out with these lovable yet sometimes awful human beings. And then, just when everything's wrapping up, the movie whallops you in the face with some gut-wrenching ending that you will think about for weeks after. Watch this movie with your grandparents.

Love Lies Bleeding open_in_new

Director: Rose Glass

Genre: Thriller/Crime | Length: 1h 44m

Date Watched: June 18, 2024

Summary: Lou is a reclusive gym manager who falls hard for Jackie, an ambitious bodybuilder who's heading to Las Vegas to pursue her dream. Their love soon leads to violence as they get pulled deep into the web of Lou's criminal family.

My Thoughts: Ah man, this is a magical movie. I mean, it's super tough and gritty with lots of bullets, blood, and other fluids, but at its core, it is a beautiful love story told in the coolest way. There needs to be more movies about bodybuilders—preferably female bodybuilders who commit crimes.

The Substance open_in_new

Director: Coralie Fargeat

Genre: Horror/Sci-Fi | Length: 2h 20m

Date Watched: November 21, 2024

Summary: Elisabeth Sparkle, renowned for an aerobics show, faces a devastating blow on her 50th birthday as her boss fires her. Amid her distress, a laboratory offers her a substance that promises to transform her into an enhanced version of herself.

My Thoughts: I can't tell you how many people reached out to me and asked if I saw The Substance. Like, friends and family I haven't spoken to in years. It wasn't like I didn't want to see it or something; Annie and I saw some kind of premiere of Revenge at a film festival and loved it. But finally, my mom was like, "God damnit, watch this fucking thing tomorrow! I'm serious!" So I did, and JFC. I swear to God this movie was made for me. Very frequently, I get bummed out that I don't make movies anymore, but then I see movies like The Substance—masterpieces that I couldn't make in my wildest dreams—and it makes me feel so much better. I mean, Coralie had someone design the font used throughout the movie (and the poster), and it not only looks dope but is thematically designed to fit the film! We're talking about fonts, people! This movie is just absolutely perfect. 10 out of 10. No notes.