Stuff I watched in...February, 2026

Blue Moon

Whenever I'm asked who my favorite directors are, Richard Linklater is never top of mind. However, if I look at all the movies he's made, there are SO MANY that I adore (Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, Bernie, School of Rock, Dazed and Confused, Everybody Wants Some!!!). He's the king of "hang-out movies" where people just hang out and shoot the shit. And his explorations of friendships and relationships are just delightful to watch. His movies always have a good heart.

Blue Moon is another winner from Linklater. Filmed like a stage play, it focuses on one night in the life of lyricist Lorenz Hart (Ethan Hawke). You've heard of Rodgers and Hammerstein? Well, it used to be Rodgers and Hart. And then Rodgers started working with Hammerstein, and Hart, well, died. If you've heard the songs "My Funny Valentine", "The Lady is a Tramp", and the titular "Blue Moon", then you are familiar with Hart's lyrics. 

Blue Moon is set on March 31st, 1943--the opening night of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! Hart, resentful of being kicked to the curb (and least, that's how he sees it) by Richard Rodgers (Andrew Scott), slips out of the show and heads to a bar, Sardi's, where he is a regular. He proceeds to talk the ear off of the bartender, Eddie (Bobby Cannavale), the piano player, Morty (Jonah Lees), writer E.B. White (Patrick Kennedy), who just so happens to be drinking at Sardi's that night, and others. He is waiting for Elizabeth (Margaret Qualley) to show up--Elizabeth is a 20-year-old college girl and the daughter of a Broadway donor. Even though Hart is very much into men, he's also in love with Elizabeth. And it's a love he knows will always be unrequited. 

Ethan Hawke is the master at keeping his characters right on the line between "charming" and "creepy". Hart is a sad, pathetic man with a severe drinking problem that will eventually lead to his death, but he's also funny, intelligent, and very talented. In the hands of a lesser actor, Hart would come off as incredibly annoying and desperate. Hawke reveals how all of Hart's irritating characteristics hide the deep loneliness of a queer romantic underneath. It's not so much that you come away from Blue Moon charmed by Hart, but rather with a sad smile and the thought, "there, but for the grace of God, go any of us". Anyone who has been addicted to, well, anything really, will empathize with the painful pull certain substances have on intelligent people with big feelings.

I think a lot of folks may find Blue Moon cringy and annoying, as it really is just Ethan Hawke spouting one-liners and talking a mile a minute to anyone with ears, but I found it captivating, hilarious, sad, and sweet.

Grade: A

***

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple

(spoiler warning...hard to review this movie without describing the plot)

Nia DaCosta's The Bone Temple is a hard film to pin down. It's the middle film in a trilogy that is also a sequel, which means that it has the burden of tying up loose strings from last year's 28 Years Later (which was excellent) and also setting the stage for the final film in the trilogy, which doesn't have a title or release date yet.

This means that The Bone Temple is a bit chaotic and directionless. It's still very entertaining and the funniest film in the "28 _ Later" series, but it didn't really move me the way 28 Days Later or 28 Years Later did (and the other film, 28 Weeks Later, is straight up garbage).

The film picks up where the last one left off: Spike (Alfie Williams) has a run in with a gang called "The Fingers", overseen by Jimmy Crystal (Jack O'Connell) who styles himself after Jimmy Savile. If you're not British, you might not even know who Savile is. He's basically a famous British guy who sexually abused like...hundreds of people. You don't need to know anything about Savile to understand the movie. But like Savile, Jimmy Crystal is a very terrifying and horrible person. He forces Spike to fight one member of the Fingers to the death and when Spike is successful, he gets to join the gang, where he's forced to wear a blonde wig and go by the name "Jimmy" (as all the Fingers do) and go around torturing and killing people. Yay?

Meanwhile, Dr. Ian Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) is still building his ossuary (the "Bone Temple" of the title) and also hanging out with Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry), the alpha male zombie from 28 Years Later that you may remember for having an enormous penis. Kelson uses a blowdart to shoot morphine-tipped darts into Samson to keep him docile, but then Samson becomes addicted to the morphine and just starts showing up to get blow-darted. Eventually, Kelson starts shooting up alongside Samson and the two just vibe and hang out.

Are you following? It's ok if you're not. The Bone Temple is really more of a vibes movie than anything else. Eventually, the Fingers meet Kelson, and assume that Kelson is Satan because his skin is stained red with iodine and he hangs out in a friggin' bone temple. Jimmy Crystal is invested in propping up this belief that Kelson is Satan in order to exert more control over his little cult, so he forces Kelson to play along with the charade. And boy, does Kelson lean into it. When Ralph Fiennes is wearing black eyeliner and rocking out to Iron Maiden's "The Number of the Beast" while a bunch of kids in blonde wigs watch him while under the influence of hallucinogens, you know you're watching one weird fuckin' movie. 

And although the scene with Kelson pretending to be "Old Nick" himself rocks hard, The Bone Temple as a whole was just ok. I think DaCosta is a great director (she directed 2021's Candyman, which I really liked) and made a great film from a wildly chaotic and weird script, but overall I'm going to say that this one was just ok.

Grade: B

***

If I Had Legs I'd Kick You

Mary Bronstein's If I Had Legs I'd Kick You is one of the most unpleasant film-watching experiences I've had. I've watched a lot of nasty films, including movies that are often considered deeply disturbing (Gaspar Noe's Irreversible, Pasolini's Salo, or the 120 of Sodom; and Gregg Araki's Mysterious Skin among others)...but, damn. This one got me.

There's something about movies like If I Had Legs I'd Kick You that make me want to crawl out of my skin. The movie is about a woman, Linda (Rose Byrne), whose life is falling apart around her and no one is willing to help. Her husband is a cruise boat captain, so he's away for work (and an uncaring jerk to her on the phone). She is the sole caregiver for a child with a condition (likely AFRID) that requires constant tube-feeding, therapy, and care. She's a therapist whose own therapist (played brilliantly by Conan O'Brien) is a total asshole. And the cherry on top of the shit cake is that her ceiling caves in due to water damage, so she has to move with her daughter to a motel. 

The film, which let me be clear is excellent, by the way, is shot almost entirely in claustrophobic close-ups. Rose Byrne delivers an Oscar-worthy performance as Linda, a woman stretched to her absolute limit and far, far beyond. I appreciated that Linda looks like shit. Byrne is, of course, a gorgeous woman. But we see a mess of dark under-eye circles, unwashed hair, and wrinkles from god knows how many years of stress.

Aren't you just SO ready to watch this movie?? I'm serious, it's a fucking nightmare. We never see a full shot of the daughter in the movie, but we hear her and the child actress who plays her (Delaney Quinn) deserves an award for "child you most want to strangle" because this kid is something else. Remember the kid in The Babadook? This kid is worse. I loved how If I Had Legs I'd Kick You isn't afraid to make a child with a very serious illness unlikeable. 

If I Had Legs I'd Kick You is anxiety-inducing and incredibly dread-inducing. It's also really funny and the acting is top-notch. I appreciate it as a feminist work of art about how impossibly draining and identity-obliterating motherhood can be, especially for parents of sick children and ESPECIALLY for single parents with sick children. If you're someone who is upset at the idea that motherhood isn't all rainbows and unicorns all the time, you'll hate this movie. If you're someone who sympathizes with mothers (and parents) because you know, either from experience or from having empathy, it can be so hard, you'll probably still hate the movie but at least you'll appreciate it. It's definitely a film to appreciate rather than enjoy.

Grade: A-

***

Materialists

Directed by Celine Song, Materialists is a pretty movie with pretty actors and a clever script that left me feeling empty, hollow, and kind of mad. It cemented for me the sad fact that Dakota Johnson is just not a very good actor. This is a meaty role for her and while I don't think she's "bad" in it, she just comes off as flat, even when the role calls for emotion.

Johnson plays Lucy Mason, a matchmaker for rich people in New York City (at one point, Lucy reveals how much she makes: 80 grand...which is NOTHING in New York City. Especially since she has to wear nice clothes and maintain her appearance as part of her job. I couldn't believe it). Lucy believes that the dating market is indeed a market--everyone has a specific value based on money, looks, and education. If the math don't add up, you'll never make it as a couple. She previously dated John Pitts (Chris Evans), a broke caterer trying to make it as an actor, but she couldn't be with a poor man. She meets the very wealthy and very handsome Harry Castillo (Pedro Pascal) at the wedding of the woman she matched with Harry's brother. Harry is taken with Lucy and Lucy spends a significant chunk of the movie trying to convince Harry that "the math" between them will never work.

If you're asking yourself, "Why should I watch this movie about a shallow character who hates herself?", my answer is: beats me. Materialists is a fucking bummer. Materialists is a movie about how wealth makes you mentally ill. Whether it's owning the riches yourself, being in close proximity to rich people, or desiring riches, too much money fucks with your mind and steals your soul. It makes you start to see everything as a commodity: happiness, hobbies, and even people. Lucy Mason's job and proximity to wealth has tricked her into buying into the belief that people don't have innate worth because they're people. Their worth comes from money they were likely born into and looks they were also born into (and maintain with the help of said money they were born into). 

During the many conversations Lucy has with her clients, things like sense of humor or similar interests never come up. It's always "I want a man who is over 6 feet tall and makes over 500k" and "I want a woman who is a size 2 and 20 year younger than me." Some people say that these are simply "harsh truths", but I see ugly-ass, broke-ass people in love all the time...and beautiful, rich people who seem so alone and unhappy. Is "sexual market value" a "harsh truth", or is it a story people tell themselves to feel a sense of control (or to have something to blame) when it comes to love? 

I couldn't put my finger on whether or not Celine Song actually believes in this kind of thing or not. On the one hand, the ending of the movie suggests that "love, not money, wins" (Lucy ends up with John, an ending that feels phony and un-earned). But the conversations the characters have about "value" in relationships just feel too sincere to me to believe that the director rejects the concept of "sexual market value". And it's just so weird to me because her last movie, Past Lives, was such a beautiful and complex exploration of love. If I hadn't seen Past Lives, I don't think I would be as disappointed in Materialists. Hopefully Song's next film rings more true. 

Grade: C+

***

The End of the Affair

Directed by Neil Jordan and based on the novel by Graham Greene, I was extremely into The End of the Affair as a young teenager. The film strikes the perfect balance of being deeply romantic and explicitly sexual, which was exactly to kind of media I sought out as a curious 14 year old. It taught me that the best kind of men are the ones who are passionate lovers who will chase you through the rain, yelling your name, and who also have the butt of a Greek sculpture (young Ralph Fiennes can get it). 

I watched this movie a lot back in the early aughts and I loved the soundtrack, which I have on CD! But years went by and I didn't rewatch it for a long time. I saw that it was on the Criterion Channel and gave it a watch and was delighted to find that it really holds up. Even with maturity and certain level of jadedness, The End of the Affair still has the ability to produce butterflies and goosebumps, as well as tears. The story of Maurice Bendrix (Fiennes) and Sarah Miles (Julianne Moore) is a doomed one. After all, the title is "The End of the Affair", not "The Continuation of the Affair".

Sarah is married to colossal bore Henry (Stephen Rea, almost too good as the passionless husband) and begins an affair almost immediately with Maurice, a writer who moves down the street from Henry and Sarah in 1939. The film takes place in Britain during the Blitz, so Maurice and Sarah are literally fucking with bombs dropping around them. The war seems to turn the temperature up on their desire, as life and death situations often do, and the fact that Sarah's husband is a civil servant means that he's never home. After a bout of afternoon lovemaking, a bomb goes off that destroys part of Maurice's house and sends him crashing down some stairs. When he doesn't wake up, Sarah prays desperately to God and vows to stop seeing Maurice if God will let him live. She is astonished when he walks up the stairs not one minute later, perfectly fine except for a few cuts and bruises. 

Faith and fate are a big part of this film. Although Sarah never believed in God, the moment she sees her lover miraculously rise from death, she "catches belief". She also knows that she'll be held to a promise she won't be able to keep. She says "you were alive, but that meant that I was now dead", which has a double meaning. Sarah can't bear to live without Maurice, and she also knows that she'll pay the price when she eventually breaks her promise...and she does. 

The End of the Affair has this really classic feel. The story is simple and the emotions are huge. Julianne Moore and Ralph Fiennes have incredible chemistry, which keeps the movie from being overly cheesy or sentimental--you really believe in their love and you believe they would give up everything to be together. Young Jenny had great taste and I'm glad I got to experience this wonderful film through both the eyes of a girl and the eyes of a woman.

Grade: A 

Pillion

(Spoiler warning--I'm going to run through the entire plot in this review)

Directed by Harry Lighton and based on the novel Box Hill by Adam Mars-Jones, Pillion was my most-anticipated film of 2026. And I'm literally so happy that it lived up to--and exceeded--my expectations.

The film, which I would refer to as "the gay BDSM biker film with Alexander Skarsgard", is actually not about Skarsgard's character. It focuses on Colin (Harry Melling), a shy and very sweet man who lives with his parents who are very supportive of the fact that he's gay. They go so far as to set him up with "nice boys" and drive him to dates.

But it turns out that Colin doesn't want a nice boy.

Colin meets Ray (Skarsgard), an intimidatingly handsome biker, at a bar where Colin performs in a barbershop quartet. Ray gives Colin a note with a time and place and when Colin shows up, Ray ushers him to an alley and throat-fucks him, looking mildly annoyed at Colin's lack of ability in the deep-throating arena. When Colin shyly wonders if he might be able to "practice" the skill on Ray, Ray says that he's not around much and leaves. What a lovely first date!

Ray must see something in Colin because not long after, he tells him to pack a bag and picks him up at his parents house (it's a very hilarious scene) and whisks him away to a BDSM playground where...he tells Colin to cook him dinner and then tells Colin to sleep on the rug at the foot of the bed. No sex, no conversation, nothing. While this sort of thing would probably be a nightmare for most people, Colin seems pretty determined and before long, Colin's head is shaved, he's wearing a steel lock around his neck (while Ray wears the key), and he has joined Ray's motorcycle gang of kinksters as one of the subby boys who live to serve their dominant biker masters (fun fact, one of the other subs, Kevin, is played by Jake Shears of the band Scissor Sisters!)

Harry Melling, who plays Colin, makes this movie. He has these beautiful, expressive eyes and whenever Ray treats him roughly, you can see the wonder--the rapture--in his eyes. Melling is the line between Pillion being a joyful film of sexual exploration and Pillion being a sad movie about a man in a borderline abusive relationship. While we never learn Colin's age, it's safe to assume he's in his late 20s or early 30s, which adds some comfort for the audience because even though he's shy and inexperienced, he's not naive or easily manipulated--a fact I think is absolutely critical to this movie. And although Ray is cold, withholding, and intimidating, he isn't violent and he isn't even cruel. He's just offering Colin the only thing he can give, which is a loveless Dom/sub relationship. But it turns out that Colin wants love, in addition to orders, demands, and degradation. 

Folks who aren't in or adjacent to or at least knowledgeable about BDSM and the kink scene may truly struggle with Pillion because it's hard to understand why anyone would want the treatment Colin gets from Ray. Even people into BDSM might not want the treatment Colin gets, but at least we understand the pull of power dynamics. Colin writes a poem to Ray at one point:

Roses are red, violets are blue
Each day at your heel brings me closer to you
Your hand on the throttle, your leathers so tight
I crave your command from morning to night
Your grip is a promise, your gaze a hot flame
Next to you I am nothing, but I'm yours all the same
The pleasure you give, the pain that you bring
I'll take it all, Ray, for you are my king. 

Colin is a romantic. He wants intimacy and love just as much as he wants to be forced to knuckle under and follow instructions to the letter. And the wonderful thing is--he can have both. Just not with Ray, sadly.

Colin's mom, Peggy (played beautifully by Lesley Sharp), is dying of cancer. She's a wonderful mother, despite being a bit overbearing, and she insists that Ray come to Sunday dinner. She ends up challenging Ray, saying "I don't like the way you speak to my son" and Ray challenges her right back, saying "It's not for you to like". This was such an amazing scene because Ray isn't wrong. He points out that even if his and Colin's relationship makes Peggy uncomfortable, it's not for her to tell her son what should make him happy. However, Ray simply cannot read the room. He cannot adjust based on his audience. And he deserves to be pushed back on. Because all of this leads to Colin exerting his own needs more.

After Colin's mom passes away, he has a breakdown while cooking Ray dinner (yes, Ray makes him cook dinner on the day of his mother's funeral...we're starting to see the cracks show in the relationship at this point). In addition to giving in and ordering pizza, Ray invites him to sleep in his bed that night (some girls in my theatre started clapping at this). The problem is that when Colin asks if this can be a more regular thing and perhaps they can even "take a day off" every once in a while, Ray denies him. Colin responds by pushing him, harder and harder. 

After a, frankly, very frightening scene where Colin steals Ray's bike and rides it WITHOUT A HELMET (!!!), Ray relents and gives Colin a day off, where they just hang out like boyfriends, ending with a kiss in the park (Ray NEVER kisses Colin during the entirety of their relationship). Oh, but it's so cruel. We think the men are headed for a happy ending where they find a balance between domination and affection. But it's not to be...because Ray just can't be that guy. What happens is that Ray changes his number and moves without telling Colin--leaving Colin to knock at the door of Ray's empty apartment and talk to the bikers in Ray's gang, who also don't know where he went. 

For all his intimidating airs, Ray proves himself a coward. It's one thing to end a relationship. It's quite another to completely ghost your submissive lover. Ray may be dominant, but he's emotionally weak. But Colin proves himself to be brave at every single turn of the movie. This is a man who sings in public, advocates for what he wants, is not afraid to hop on the back of a motorcycle, and who loves deeply and without reservation. This is a man who is emotionally strong and able to grow.

So, does Colin give up his love of submission after being burned by Ray? ABSOLUTELY FUCKING NOT! The end of the film finds him filling out a dating/BDSM profile stating his limits ("I won't cut my hair for anyone") and his desires. He meets a handsome football player on a date, which begins with Colin realizing his date's shoe is untied and dropping to the ground to tie it for him. OH MY GOD I'M NOT CRYING, YOU'RE CRYING. 

Pillion enters that pantheon of BDSM movies that are actually good, alongside Secretary, Duke of Burgundy, and Sanctuary. These movies are "good" because they show that BDSM and kink aren't just about whips and chains, but about the mutually consensual give and take of power. And they also show the importance of negotiation. Duke of Burgundy is a particularly good example of this because in that movie, the sub is the one calling the shots and the Dom needs to advocate for her feelings too. 

AND THEY ALL HAVE HAPPY ENDINGS!!! A happy ending to a movie about kink does not involve people giving up their proclivities and becoming "normal", it involves them learning more about who they are and what they need. While we don't find out what happens with Colin and handsome football boy, we do know that Colin's gonna be ok. His relationship with Ray didn't end in trauma--it ended in growth. 

What an absolutely lovely film, and an important film at that. Representation is crucial, and BDSM isn't abuse, nor is it just some silly slap n' tickle. It's a sexual orientation, and one that is often willfully misunderstood, mocked, or met with ignorant "concern". The powers that be in the United States are pushing us towards sexual regression and repression--attacking queer and trans people at every turn. The irony is that BDSM is all about power too, but it's about power freely given. And that terrifies conservatives and fundie Christians because all they can understand is power taken by force. If power can be negotiated by two consenting adults, if women can have that power over men, if queer people can enjoy that power exchange...where does that leave the misogynist men in charge who want to control women completely, taking away their ability to consent and any freedom or pleasure they might experience? Where does that leave homophobic wretches who want to obliterate queerness from the earth? 

When you have a movie like Pillion, which is a shout of joy and freedom in the face ignorance and hate, you have something very special and very beautiful. 

Grade: A+ 

Wuthering Heights

Take with me, if you will, a trip back to 2023. It was the summer of "Barbenheimer". I was so excited for the release of Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer (which went on to win Best Picture) and Greta Gerwig's Barbie. I was also extremely excited for the long-awaited Martin Scorsese adaptation of Killers of the Flower Moon, which was to be released later that summer. 

I saw all three movies and my response to each one was "that's it??" Now, don't get me wrong--these are all perfectly fine films (although none of them are my favorites from each respective director). But the build up, hype, and orgasmic response (particularly for Oppenheimer and Barbie) simply did not match my response to these films. 

Then, I randomly decided to see some movie called Saltburn. I was grinning like an idiot during this film. The AUDACITY. The PERVERSION. The EXCESS. Was the movie "as good as" the above three mentioned? Not according to traditional film criticism standards. Saltburn is, frankly, ridiculous. But it was FUN. You might think Barbie is fun, but it's not fun in the same way as watching Barry Keoghan drink Jacob Elordi's bathwater. 

Why am I talking about Saltburn? Well, the director, Emerald Fennell, has come out with a new ridiculous film: her interpretation of Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights. I read Wuthering Heights as a senior in high school, which was 22 years ago. I remember almost nothing about it, except liking the character of Hareton--a character completely cut out of this film adaptation. From talking to people, it seems like most people who have read it don't like this book, particularly because it's about two very unlikeable people who torture each other and themselves until they die. 

Which is, uh, why Fennell's Wuthering Heights is kind of the perfect adaptation? The film is Wuthering Heights fanfic ok? And if you want to enjoy the movie, you have to go in knowing that. 

Fennell has faced criticism for white-washing Heathcliff. In the book, Heathcliff's race is ambiguous. He is described as having darker skin. But "darker" in 1847 could literally mean he was of Irish descent. He is described as "like a gipsy". Some scholars think that he could be Spanish, or Arab, or Indian. Fennell cast Jacob Elordi, who is Australian and Basque. Interestingly, she also cast Hong Chau, who is Vietnamese, as Nelly, Cathy Earnshaw's companion, and Shazad Latif, who is Pakistani, as Edgar Linton, Cathy's eventual husband. So...technically there was race-blind casting. However, I don't really think that's enough to make up for white-washing the main character of the story, especially given the fact that Heathcliff's race is one factor in why he and Cathy can never be together.

I agree that Fennell fucked up in this regard. I love Jacob Elordi, but it feels that his casting had more to do with the fact that he is a giant, hot man. There is a scene where he lifts Cathy using one hand by her corset strings and it was very much a panty-dropping moment. There is a satisfying primal instinct when you're attracted to men (as I am, for better or worse) when you see BIG TALL MAN pick up a woman (or another man, for that matter) as if they're nothing more than a ragdoll. It's clear that this is why Fennell cast Elordi. 

And that really is what is at the heart of Fennell's Wuthering Heights: BIG STRONG HOT MAN FUCKS PRETTY LADY. Me Tarzan, you Jane. This is a film for the nether regions, not the brain.

In addition to the 1980s bodice-ripper inspired "romance" (it's not a romance, it's a car wreck), Wuthering Heights is stupidly gorgeous. The set design is something else. The costumes are as historically inaccurate and silly as the ones on Bridgerton. Moreso, in fact, since Cathy wears gowns that appear to be made of see-through plastic material that certainly did not exist in the early 19th century. Anyone who is familiar with historical fashion knows that women did not wear corsets against their bare skin, and that corsets were not meant to be uncomfortable--yet, here is Cathy saying "tighter" and gritting her teeth as she is laced into her wedding corset (which rests against her bare skin) because she wants to punish herself for marrying Edgar Linton.

There are a few scenes where the cinematography almost looks...smokey? 

Look at this image:

And compare it to this image from Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon

To me, the set design is one of the main reasons to see Wuthering Heights--particularly on a big screen. It's gorgeous and extravagant, but in a ridiculous way. There's a visual gag during an otherwise serious, sad scene that had me laughing and saying "What??" in the theatre. 

I also have to call out the soundtrack, which is excellent. It features a mix of original scoring from Anthony Willis and lush and haunting songs from Charli XCX. 

Wuthering Heights falters in the final third, and especially the last 20 minutes or so. Cathy and Heathcliff's relationship hinges on unfulfilled desire and mutual anger and hatred. The novel carries these emotions out to the very end and even after Cathy and Heathcliff die. The characters never have sex (1847 novel, remember?) and only find peace after death, when they have their gravestones next to one another. 

In the movie, of course, they totally fuck. Heathcliff overhears Cathy saying that she has accepted Edgar Linton's marriage proposal and she can't marry Heathcliff because it would "degrade" her. He runs off into the night and returns 5 years late, mysteriously wealthy and well-groomed. He and Cathy have an affair, but when Cathy finally breaks it off (she's also pregnant with Edgar's child), Heathcliff takes revenge by marrying Isabella Linton (Alison Oliver, providing much-needed comedic relief in the role) and being cruel to her. Isabella is Edgar's ward, and like a younger sister to Cathy. The film tries to make Isabella and Heathcliff's relationship into a (somewhat?) consensual BDSM situation, designed to enrage Cathy...but the film doesn't really feel committed to this silliness. 

Anyway, it's too late. Cathy miscarries and becomes septic. She dies before Heathcliff can ride the 5 miles from Wuthering Heights to Thrushcross Grange to see her and he weeps over her dead body. Fin.

A random thing I found annoying about this film is how inaccurately time is portrayed. We find out that Cathy is pregnant before Heathcliff returns (so we all know it's Edgar's baby). Then, Cathy and Heathcliff go from hating each other, to a passionate affair, to Heathcliff marrying Isabella and writing Cathy every day, to Cathy dying...all without ever seeing a hint of a baby bump. So, this entire section of the film covers, what, 4 months? 5? But it's treated as if it's a long, drawn out affair. 

And then, yeah, Heathcliff gets word that Cathy is dying and can't make it in time to see her before she dies even though it's probably 20 minutes on horseback? And it's cross-cut with scenes of Cathy sick, but alive. Eh, it just felt dumb.

I'm coming to the end of all the words I can possibly spill about Emerald Fennell's Wuthering Heights. If you go into the film expecting a faithful adaptation, or a film with dignity and restraint, you will be sorely disappointed or even pissed off. If you go into it knowing that it is ridiculous and trashy, expecting to probably hate the characters, you will likely enjoy yourself and enjoy the film for what it is: Wuthering Heights fan fiction. 

Grade: B+

Send Help

Sam Raimi has such an interesting body of work. The guy was at the helm of one of the most celebrated horror franchises (Evil Dead) and also some of the most beloved Marvel films (the Tobey Maguire Spiderman films). Additionally, he's directed an excellent psychological thriller (A Simple Plan), a family-friendly sports film (For Love of the Game), and a Western (The Quick and the Dead). The man has range.

But when I hear the name "Sam Raimi", I think "gross-out horror". And after a break from horror for over a decade, he's back with Send Help, a survival/horror/comedy starring Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien. And yes, this movie has the Raimi Special: gross things going into people's mouths (if you've seen Drag Me to Hell, you know what I'm talking about).

McAdams plays the awkward, socially inept Linda Liddle, a corporate strategist at a large...business (what they do is unclear, since that's not the point of the movie). She has been promised a promotion to VP by the previous CEO who passed away, leaving the company to his son, Bradley (Dylan O'Brien). O'Brien plays a corporate asshole bro so beautifully. He immediately gives Linda's promotion to his frat brother and when Linda comes to his office upset, he tells her 1) that she don't got it and 2) she smells bad. However, he begrudgingly allows her to come on a corporate trip to Bangkok since the fact is the company can't survive without her ability to number-crunch.

Well, the plan crashes into the ocean on the way to Bangkok and Linda and Bradley are the only two survivors. The film establishes early on that Linda loves Survivor and even sent in an audition tape. She has read numerous books on bushcraft, knots, hunting, etc. We all know where this is going.

Send Help borrows (steals?) heavily from many, many other films: Cast Away, Triangle of Sadness, Swept Away...and even the show Yellowjackets (Misty Quigley and Linda Liddle are two of a kind--right down to the fact that they both have pet birds). The film is not original and hits many familiar beats. That said, it's still fun as hell. 

There's a lot of unrealistic stuff that happens, but perhaps the most unrealistic is how Bradley continues to be an arrogant asshole in the face of his own weakness. He ends up with a severe wound from the crash and Linda saves his life. What's the first thing he does when he comes to? Starts bossing Linda around, that's what. I can buy that Bradley is an entitled jerk, but it was hard to buy that he was that much of an idiot. Shouldn't a guy running a multi-million dollar corporation be better able to read the room and his own position within it?

In any case, he attempts to establish dominance and Linda just...leaves him lying there until he is nearly dying of thirst and sunburn. Then she returns and he begs for help. It's so nice when pretty men beg, isn't it? We get a decent amount of that in this film. 

But alas, Bradley must learn the lesson that help isn't coming and Linda is far and away his superior on this island over and over and over. But at the same time, the audience gets to see that Linda is not the benevolent beach goddess she presents herself as...she has a much darker side, and if Bradley gets on the wrong end of it, he's going to regret it.

Even though there weren't a ton of surprises in Send Help (although there was one that definitely got me), there is enough tension in the film about who is more dangerous--Linda or Bradley--that it kept me guessing and intrigued. We find out that Bradley and Linda are both very good liars and the power dynamics keep shifting. Even though Bradley begins their island adventure in a very weak position, as his injury heals and he learns survival tactics from Linda, he is able to take some power back...which Linda doesn't like very much.

Rachel McAdams is absolutely the star of the show here. She is hilarious and unhinged. I keep forgetting how much I love her as an actress until I see a movie like Red Eye or Game Night and remember that she is much, much more than Regina George (though she's excellent in that role as well). The woman, like Raimi, has incredible range. 

As for O'Brien...man, I am glad I saw him in Twinless before this movie because he is so sensitive and vulnerable in the former film. He's so good at playing an asshole in Send Help that if I had only seen him in this movie, I might have just written him off as only good at playing bullies. But having seen him in Twinless, I can say that he, too, has incredible range...and I'll be keeping an eye out for him in future films.

Overall, Send Help is a very fun and satisfying popcorn thriller. It's pretty gross as is, but it definitely could have been nastier. I think Raimi pulled some punches to make the film more palatable to the average movie-goer, but I would have liked the film to be darker, funnier, and more sadistic. But that's just me (I liked fucked up movies, if you didn't already know). 

Grade: B+

Stuff I watched in...January, 2026

Heated Rivalry

Heated Rivalry is the show of 2026 (or, I guess, 2025...but what even is time?). Based on the Game Changers series by Rachel Reid, the show follows two hockey players at the top of their game over a decade who have an intense attraction to one another despite being very public rivals. What begins as clandestine sex in hotels turns into something much more. 

I'm not a huge fan of the "enemies-to-lovers" trope, but the chemistry between Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie) is absolutely undeniable. The sex scenes are among the most explicit I've scene in a TV show (including shows on HBO) and I love that the intimacy coordinator for the show, Chala Hunter, is getting recognition--especially since Heated Rivalry proves that sex scenes done with intimacy coordination can still be brutally hot. Perhaps even hotter than scenes without intimacy coordination since the point of intimacy coordination is to make sure the actors are comfortable. 

I was on the fence about Heated Rivalry until the third episode, which focuses on a different couple: Scott Hunter (Francois Arnaud) and Kip Grady (Robbie G.K.). I LOVED "SKIP". Oh my god, it was so refreshing to see two guys who LIKE each other from the get-go and are nice to each other. The main conflict between the two is Scott's fear about coming out as gay, despite the growing seriousness of his and Kip's relationship. But Scott is never an asshole and, of course, there is a beautiful payoff in a later episode (the end of episode five, which is the peak of the entire show). 

When the focus returns to "Hollanov" in episode four, things clicked more into place with me. We learn more about Ilya's background and why he's such a asshole. Episode five is excellent and the end of the season is satisfying. It's been a couple weeks since I finished Heated Rivalry and I'm still thinking about it and bopping to the soundtrack, especially this track. It's absolutely worth watching...just be warned that the sex scenes are plentiful and explicit. 

Grade: A-

***

Sorry, Baby

Written by, directed by, and starring Eva Victor (in an astounding debut), Sorry, Baby is a dramedy about a woman, Agnes, reeling from a very bad experience she had with her literature professor in graduate school. 

Stop reading if you don't want to be spoiled. 

This film received rapturous reviews when it came out and I agree that it's an excellent and honest depiction of the immediate aftermath of rape. Victor does not show the assault, but we see her driving home in a daze afterward and then describing what happened to a friend. I really appreciated that Victor shows the confusing emotions one can experience after being the victim of rape. Agnes is mostly dazed and confused in the immediate aftermath, trying to make sense of what happened. When she goes for a medical exam, she's almost joky and casual about it. She has PTSD and intense fear for years afterward, but she also chooses to work at the very university where the event occured. 

The fact is, our fucked and misogynist society doesn't understand how people process rape. The also don't understand what rape even is. Sorry, Baby shows the complex and conflicting emotions people (let's face it--mostly women) experience after being the victim of a rapist. 

There were a few things I didn't like about Sorry, Baby. Namely, there is a character, Nastasha, who is almost comically bitchy. The way this character is written felt wildly out of place in a movie with very realistic performances and characters (including the rapist!). I hated every minute Natasha was on screen, which thankfully, wasn't too often. Also, some of the humor felt off. Like, this is a very realistic film but then some of the jokes felt like they were transplanted from an entirely different film. It just took me out of the story. 

Despite those grumblings, Sorry, Baby is a sensitive, honest, and much-needed film about a difficult and scary topic. 

Grade: B+

***

Twinless

Written by, directed by, and starring James Sweeney, Twinless is one of the most unique films I've seen in a while, both in premise and tone.

The one sentence summary is: two men meet in a support group for people who have lost a twin. That alone is enough to get me in the door because what an interesting concept!

Oh, but the movie is SO MUCH MORE. Stop reading if you don't want to be spoiled. 

Dylan O'Brien has a dual role playing twins Roman and Rocky. James Sweeney plays Dennis. Dennis and Roman meet at a support group for people who have lost a twin to death. The two men begin spending time together because both of them are so used to being with their twin that it feels painful to spend so much time alone.

Or, at least, that's what Roman thinks is happening. 

In a flashback, we see Dennis meeting Rocky, hitting it off, and going home to have sex. Dennis is really into twins and asks Rocky a bunch of questions about his twin, Roman, and their relationship while they have sex. 

A few days later, after not receiving any text responses from Rocky, Dennis begins lightly stalking him and confronts him on the street. During the confrontation Rocky is hit by a car and killed. Later, Dennis sees Roman walking to the twin loss support group and follows him in, pretending to have also lost a twin.

Now, Roman ain't that bright...but at some point he's going to figure out that Dennis is a bullshitter who is trying to get close to him because...reasons unclear? Dennis feels guilty, traumatized, but also attracted to Roman since he was attracted to Rocky (plus, the whole twin fetish thing). I was biting my nails waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Despite the fact that Dennis is...clearly not mentally well...Twinless isn't a horror movie in the vein of Single White Female. It's really more of an exploration of grief and guilt. While Dennis is a very off-putting character (and an arrogant asshole to boot), it's hard to hate him. But the real MVP here is Dylan O'Brien who is fantastic as Roman and as Rocky (in the few scenes before his untimely death). There is a scene where he cries in front of Dennis and it's just heartbreaking. 

Twinless is a weird fucking film, and it's also charming, funny, cringey, and surprising. It's an absolute delight and I'm excited to see what kind of crazy shit James Sweeney will come up with next.

Grade: A

***

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent

The premise of this film is pretty genius: Nic Cage plays Nic Cage in a Nic Cage-esque film. The actual product is...ok! It gave us that great meme of Pedro Pascal smiling while tripping on LSD.

In The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, Cage actually plays a fictionalized version of himself. He has an ex-wife, Olivia (Sharon Horgan) and a daughter, Addy (Lily Mo Sheen). In real life, Cage has *checks notes* four ex-wives, a current wife, and 3 kids (none named Addy). 

This version of Nic is a workaholic who neglects his daughter (probably accurate). After nearly missing Addy's 16th birthday party and then showing up and making the party about him, he decides to retire from acting. However, he accepts a well-paying gig to attend the birthday party of Javi Gutierrez (Pascal), a Spanish billionaire who is obsessed with Nic. Although initially Nic is not looking forward to this gig, he hits it off with Javi who is as obsessed with movies as Nic is. The two men bond in a beautiful, non-toxic, masculine way...

...until two CIA agents (played by Tiffany Haddish and Ike Barinholtz) grab Nic off the streets of Mallorca and let him know that Javi is a dangerous drug lord who has kidnapped the daughter of a politician who is tough on crime. The CIA persuades Nic to continue staying at Javi's and gather evidence that the girl is being held on the property. So Nic Cage is essentially in a Nic Cage film...but instead of stealing the Declaration of Independence, he's stealing data from the security cameras at Javi's villa. 

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is a gimmick film, but it's a fun one. Any movie with Pedro Pascal is going to be at least somewhat enjoyable. Nic Cage is actually not super "Nic Cage-y" in this film...he only does the Nic Cage freak-out thing a couple times near the end. That said, I suppose part of the reason why Nic Cage appeals to so many people is because he actually has quite a range: he is known best for his freak-outs, but he can also play subtle as well. 

Grade: B

***

Children of Men

I first watched Alfonso Cuaron's masterpiece (which is based on the novel by P.D. James) in college and was incredibly impressed by it. It's haunting to watch it again, 20 years later and see just how much the film parallels our current reality. 

Children of Men takes place in the United Kingdom in 2027. To say there has been a fertility crisis is an understatement: no babies have been born and survived in 18 years (like, in the entire world). Despite the population crisis, refugees in the UK are treated with cruelty--sent to camps and ghettos, where they face deportation or worse. Sound familiar?

Clive Owen plays Theo, a former activist now just trying to survive in dystopia. He is kidnapped by a militant leftist group led by his ex-wife, Julian (Julianne Moore). This group, the Fishes, need Theo because he has the ability to get transit papers through his connections. Although he is only asked to get the transit papers for a refugee, Kee (Clare-Hope Ashitey), he ends up having to escort the young woman to a ship that will take her to The Human Project (a group trying to solve the fertility crisis). You see, Kee is 8 months pregnant. But the Fishes are not altruistic. They want to use Kee for their own political gain. 

Children of Men is a beautifully crafted dystopian film that shows what a world without hope looks like. If there are no people being born, then why carry on? The film also juxtaposes the personal and political: Kee only cares for the safety of her baby, and Theo, although initially reluctant, bonds to Kee because he lost his own child years before. The Fishes also care about people--their goal is to topple the authoritarian government and make the world safe again for immigrants and refugees...but they don't see Kee and her baby as individuals, but as pawns in a game of chess. 

Children of Men is a deeply emotional, thematically complex masterpiece of a film and should be on everyone's watch list, especially now. 

Grade: A+

***

Bone Lake

I went into this horror film with very low expectations and was very pleasantly surprised to have those expectations exceeded! Bone Lake is actually more of an erotic thriller than straight-up horror, but it's tense as hell and fun as hell.

Couple Sage (Maddie Hasson) and Diego (Marco Pigossi) rent out a large house for a romantic weekend away, but are surprised when another couple, Will (Alex Roe) and Cin (Andra Nechita), show up and say that they've also booked the home for the weekend. Will and Cin convince Sage and Diego to share the house with them for the weekend--their logic is that the house is huge, so there are plenty of bedrooms, and they're almost certainly going to get a refund so...free weekend in a huge house! Sage and Diego reluctantly agree.

Spoilers!

At first, things seem mostly fine. It's clear that Will and Cin are a more extroverted "party couple" than the reserved Sage and Diego, but Will is a great cook and Cin has connections to the publishing world and offers to show some of Diego's writing (he's an aspiring novelist) to a renowned author she knows. 

But yeah, the fun ends very soon. Will and Cin work in tandem to destroy the trust between Sage and Diego--who are already struggling as a couple. I think my main issue with the film is how obvious they are in their manipulations. You have to suspend your disbelief that Diego and Sage would accept some of the bullshit pulled by Will and Cin. However, it's a horror movie, so you're already suspending your disbelief. 

It turns out that this is all an elaborate game for Will and Cin, who, yes, own the house. They post the house online for rentals and then pretend to be another couple that has double-booked the house. Then, they isolate, manipulate, and seduce each half of the other couple staying with them. If the couple remains faithful to one another, they win. If they don't, they lose. And the penalty for losing is...you guessed it, death. 

But it turns out that the seemingly mild-mannered Diego and Sage are made of stronger stuff than Will and Cin anticipated. And even though they have relationship problems they are able to trust and help each other once they realize that they are trapped by two sadistic nutcases. Fighting for survival brings back that much needed spark to their relationship, and isn't that sweet? 

Bone Lake was super fun and exceeded my expectations. I'm glad I checked it out!

Grade: B+

***

Step Brothers

I first watched Adam McKay's Stepbrothers in graduate school and thought it was the dumbest shit I've ever seen. Two grown-ass men, Brennan (Will Ferrell) and Dale (John C. Reilly), who each live with a single parent (Mary Steenburgen is Nancy, Brennan's mom, and Richard Jenkins is Robert, Dale's dad), are forced to move in together when the parents meet, fall in love, and get married.

Brennan and Dale are 39 and 40, respectively, and don't have jobs. They rely on their parents to feed and shelter them. When they move in together, they act like 8 year olds. That's the joke! Again, when I first saw this movie my eyes rolled so hard you could see the whites.

But upon revisiting the film 15 years later, I regret to report that Step Brothers is funny as fuck. I was laughing so hard I was wheezing. I'm not the biggest Will Ferrell fan, but I LOVE John C. Reilly. I also love Adam Scott, who plays Derek, Brennan's dickhead brother. The caliber of the acting, even when it involves extended fart jokes, really elevates the film. In fact, upon viewing the film in 2026, I'd say it was ahead of its time--it embraces surrealism in a way that feels more common now (see Bottoms as an example of a recent surreal-ish comedy). Or, maybe it's another film that I had to grow into. In the case of Step Brothers, I was "too mature" for its humor 15 years ago in my early 20s when I had more of a stick up my ass about movies. Now, I can embrace the stupidity for what it is and admit that this movie is gottdamn funny. 

Grade: A-

No Other Choice

General spoiler warning for the entire review

I need to see more of Korean director Park Chan-wook's films. In addition to his latest, No Other Choice, I've only seen three other films by him: The Handmaiden, Oldboy, and the English-language film Stoker. Although I don't always jibe with his films, they never bore me and they're always visually stunning.

No Other Choice is no different in that regard. The film follows the increasingly desperate measures taken by You Man-su (Lee Byung-hun) after he is laid off of his job at a paper factory. A husband and father of two human children and two dogs, Man-su is frantic to find work so that he doesn't have to sell his home, give his dogs to his in-laws, and end cello lessons for his musical prodigy daughter. But competition is so fierce in the paper industry! What's a hard-working man to do?

Perhaps...eliminate...the competition? 

Going into this film, I was expecting it to be very different than the film I watched. I assumed it would be "guy goes on killing spree to kill off his competitors"...and it isn't that, exactly. There's a LOT more going on in No Other Choice than I was prepared for. The thing is, Man-su isn't a natural born killer. He's more of a lover than a fighter, if the many references his wife, Mi-ri (Son Ye-jin), makes about their sex life. And when he starts researching the men who would be his biggest competitors (other guys laid of by paper companies), he realizes that they, rather inconveniently, are humans with good qualities, making it hard to kill them in cold blood.

I think my biggest complaint about this film is that it feels very scattered and chaotic at times. The pacing feels very weird--spending a lot of time on one particular plot point and then rushing through others. We follow one target of Man-su's, a guy named Goo Beom-mo (Lee Sung-min), for like 40 minutes of the movie and another target for about 10 minutes. And Man-su goes from very reluctant killer to not-so-reluctant killer to kind-of-enjoys-it killer so quickly that it doesn't feel realistic or earned. The tone is wildly all over the place, veering from feel-good to sadistic and back again. That worked in the movie's favor sometimes and other times just felt like whiplash. 

Essentially, the film plays like Park had a ton of ideas and gags and satirical barbs that he wanted to cram into the film...and the ideas and gags and satirical barbs are all great--but it's just so much for one film. Imagine a gifted writer without an editor. 

Despite that pretty significant setback, No Other Choice is still an absolute hoot. The film employs a lot of physical comedy in addition to satire and pitch-black humor. There were some scenes that wouldn't have been out of place in The Three Stooges, such as when three characters wrestle for a gun in the most awkward configurations possible.

No Other Choice is definitely worth checking out. It's not my favorite Park Chan-wook film (that would be The Handmaiden), but even a mid film by Park is still heads and tails more interesting and well-made than many other films. 

Grade: B+

2025: The Best and the Rest

For a movie lover like myself, some years we eat good and some years we eat...less good. Last year, the trifecta of Challengers, The Substance, and I Saw the TV Glow blew my friggin' socks off. Challengers and The Substance in particular had my jaw practically hitting the floor by the end of each film. And in addition to those films, Strange Darling, Oddity, Dune: Part Two, Red Rooms, Love Lies Bleeding, and Late Night With the Devil were on my best of list and I still think about those movies a year later and probably will continue to think of them (and revisit them) for years to come. 2024 was simply an excellent year for movies that I personally jibed with.

2025? Not so much.

While I certainly did watch some good films this year, none of the films on my best of list made me feel anywhere close to how Challengers made me feel. And the list as a whole pales in comparison to last year's list. But that's ok! This is a pattern I've come to expect and I did see some really amazing movies (and TV) this year. In fact, I think this "Best and the Rest" blog post will be my longest one yet, with my top 12 from 2025, my favorite first-time watches not released in 2025, a couple notable rewatches, favorite TV, favorite books, and worst media of the year. 

So with all that said, let's dive in!

Top films released in 2025:

12. Eddington (3rd review down) -- This one almost didn't make the list, but despite being a chaotic mess, Ari Aster's social nightmare film is hard to forget. It's an interesting and, at times, very funny mess. I have to praise the audacity of Aster, a director who has never not entertained me. 

11. The Long Walk -- Remarkably, director Francis Lawrence was able to make a very compelling and heartbreaking film about a bunch of young men just...walking. Walking until they die. This Stephen King adaptation is brutal, but the performances by Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, Garrett Wareing, Charlie Plummer, Tut Nyuot, and Ben Wang keep it from feeling completely nihilistic. This gang of young men find friendship and meaning in a senseless, suicidal ritual. 

10. Frankenstein -- Guillermo del Toro's sumptuous, gothic adaptation of Mary Shelley's novel certainly isn't perfect, but between a moving performance by Jacob Elordi as the Creature, eye-popping visuals, and--of course--Oscar Isaac's slutty little gloves (which I couldn't stop mentioning in my review), the film has a lot going for it. I was lucky enough to catch the film in IMAX, which was the best possible way to watch it. 

9. Together -- I saw Together during the hottest part of summer, which feels appropriate because the movie just feels...sweaty. You know, the Bible says that God intended for man and wife to become "one flesh", but this is just ridiculous! With great performances by real-life couple Alison Brie and Dave Franco, Together is simultaneously gross, funny, and kind of sweet. But mostly gross. 

8. Companion -- Even with the perfect girlfriend, some men are never satisfied. Companion is about Josh (Jack Quaid) and his lovely, if a bit shy, girlfriend Iris (Sophie Thatcher). Josh brings Iris to a weekend getaway with his friends, but they all kind of subtly keep Iris at arm's length...and we find out why soon enough. As we continue to fuck ourselves as a species with less human interaction and more late-stage capitalism, films like Companion feel more relevant by the day.

7. 28 Years Later -- Directed by Danny Boyle and written by Alex Garland, 28 Years Later is the long-awaited sequel to 28 Days Later (we're just going to pretend 28 Weeks Later doesn't exist). And it was worth the wait. The film follows a group of survivors 28 years after the initial outbreak of the "rage virus" that turned so many people in the United Kingdom into mindless, violent monsters. A young kid, Spike (Alfie Williams), is just old enough to learn how to hunt the remaining monsters living just outside his isolated island. With one of the most tear-jerking scenes of the year, 28 Years Later was a wonderful surprise.

6. Weapons -- I'll be controversial right off the bat and say that I did not like Weapons as much as Zach Creggers' previous film, Barbarian. People went absolutely nuts about Weapons, but I still think Barbarian is the stronger film. However, Weapons is pretty damn entertaining. It's funny, it's surprising, and it's genuinely unsettling. Amy Madigan's performance as Aunt Gladys is one of the best performances of the year. Please, Zach Cregger--keep making batshit insane horror movies! 

5. Bugonia -- Speaking of batshit insane...Yorgos Lathimos does not miss. He is one of the most interesting directors working today and he makes movies that feel like field trips to Hell. Bugonia is a difficult watch, but damn is it good. It has the best cast of the year. The three central actors--Emma Stone, Jesse Plemmons, and newcomer Aidan Delbis--are all excellent individually. But together? Whew. The way they play off of each other was unreal. 

4. Sinners -- You didn't think I'd leave Ryan Coogler's magnum opus off the list, did you? Sinners has the curse of being an extremely well-liked, popular film which means that it's officially cool to hate on it. I kind of empathize with the haters because I didn't particularly like Barbie, which was the extremely popular and well-liked film of 2023. But Sinners is a different story because it really is that good. In particular, the music. Even my dad, who hates vampire movies, watched Sinners and agreed that the music kicked ass. Sinners is just a fucking fun movie. Is it my personal favorite of the year? No. But I've already watched it 3 times this year, which is more than I can say for any other movie on this list. This is the other movie besides Frankenstein that I saw in IMAX and it was absolutely worth it. The scene where Sammie sings "I Lied to You" is my pick for scene of the year and I felt absolutely goosebumpy watching it in a IMAX theatre. 

3. Hamnet -- These top three films could almost go in any order and I do feel a bit guilty putting the one directed by a women and about the female experience in third place. Marty Supreme and One Battle After Another are definitely more "fun" movies, and I tend to be very biased in favor of movies that leave me energetic and laughing. But Hamnet is something special. It's a beautifully shot, painfully earnest and raw film about motherhood, loss, and art. Jessie Buckley, in an astounding lead performance as Agnes, conveys love, grief, anger, and strength so precisely and without over-acting. I've seen criticism saying that Hamnet is "emotionally manipulative", but I didn't find anything about Hamnet to be manipulative--quite the opposite. I found it to be a sincere and simple film about grief and how we can process trauma through art.

2. Marty Supreme -- This one came in under the wire, but I figured it would make the list. Directed by Josh Safdie, Marty Supreme is as laugh-out-loud funny as it is nail-bitingly stressful. Starring Timothee Chalamet as Marty Mauser, an arrogant little twerp who believes that he is the greatest table tennis player in the world and is going to prove it, the movie is about 20% actual table tennis scenes and 80% Marty trying to lie, cheat, steal, and beg his way into enough money to travel to table tennis championships. It's a movie about a hustler--a very compelling one, who fucks married women and makes Holocaust jokes (he can do that--he's Jewish!). Obviously, many viewers will hate the film because they hate Marty, but if you simply accept this man's audacity, you're in for an outrageous and wildly entertaining ride. 

1. One Battle After Another -- This was the year of Paul Thomas Anderson for me. I rewatched Magnolia and Phantom Thread and PTA's immense talent really hit me in a new way. His latest, One Battle After Another, is one of his more "accessible" films in the sense that it's more conventionally funny (compared to the extremely dry humor of Phantom Thread) and the characters are easier to root for (compared to the psychopaths that inhabit There Will Be Blood and The Master). The film is about Bob Ferguson (Leonardo DiCaprio, in a "funny" role--his star shines the brightest when he's playing funny characters), a former leftist revolutionary who went into hiding with his infant daughter after his partner and daughter's mother, Perfida Beverly Hill (Teyana Taylor), informs on the leftist group The French 75 in order to avoid prison. 16 years after these events, Bob and his teenage daughter, Willa (Chase Infiniti in a powerful breakout role), must go on the run when an enemy from the past comes back to hunt both of them down. Watching One Battle After Another was the most electrifying experience I had in theatres this year. I was vibrating with energy while watching it and the film stayed with me long after seeing it. At its heart, it's a film about fatherhood and the lengths even a pot-smoking, lazy ex-revolutionary will go to protect his daughter. 

Honorable mention: Bring Her Back, The Rule of Jenny Pen

***

All following lists are ranked in no particular order!

Best films I watched in 2025 that were released before 2025:

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (3rd review down) -- I finally saw the ultimate "Dad movie" and I loved it! This is just a rollicking good adventure set on the high seas. "Oceans are now battlefields". 

Janet Planet -- A quiet film about an 11 year old girl and her weird, hippie mom, with whom she has a loving, but codependent relationship. 

The Best Years of Our Lives (5th review down) -- This film, which won Best Picture for the 1946, feels extremely progressive and empathetic for its time. It follows three veterans of WWII as they readjust to civilian life.

A Real Pain -- This film came out in 2024 and Kieran Culkin won Best Supporting Actor for it--and boy did he deserve it! The movie is about a pair of cousins who go on a Jewish heritage tour of Poland after their grandmother dies. A very funny and very emotionally honest film.

The Brutalist -- This film came out in 2024 and Adrien Brody won Best Actor for it--and I'm ok with that choice! Love him or hate him, Brody is a really powerful actor (although the real MVP of The Brutalist is Guy Pearce, in my humble opinion) and does a wonderful job in this sweeping epic and indictment of America's attitude towards immigrants. 

Past Lives -- A deeply empathetic exploration of what it means to take one path and leave another behind. Past Lives is bittersweet and handles the idea that we have many possible loves throughout our lives with a deft and gentle hand. 

Ghostlight -- Another bittersweet and empathetic film about the power of art (specifically, theatre) to heal. A man dealing with a crushing loss joins a community theatre group and learns how to forgive and let go. This movie would be an excellent pairing with Hamnet.

Gosford Park (2nd review down) -- Sparkling dialogue, intriguing drama, gorgeous costumes, and Britain's finest actors. Written by Julian Fellowes and directed by Robert Altman, Gosford Park is just delightful. Take the best episode of Downton Abbey and make it even better under Altman's excellent direction and you have this witty and wonderful film.

Honorable mentions: Babylon, The Girl with the Needle, First Cow, Queer, Strangers on a Train 

***

Most satisfying rewatches:

Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair -- While *technically* this was a first time watch for me since it is treated as its own separate thing from Kill Bill vol. 1 and Kill Bill vol. 2 (and it also has at least one additional scene that wasn't in the original films), I still count it as a rewatch because I've seen the Kill Bills. The Whole Bloody Affair combines the films into one 4.5 hour epic and boy was it worth the time and neck cramp from sitting in the front row of the theatre. I've never particularly liked Kill Bill vol. 2, but seeing the entire film at once gave me a greater appreciation of the emotional depth of the scenes where The Bride is reunited with her daughter. This film absolutely fucking slaps on every level.

LOTR trilogy -- Similarly to what I said above, this was a new experience for me since this was my first time watching the extended cuts of the trilogy, but whatever, I'm counting it as a rewatch. A much, much more deeply satisfying rewatch compared to my original viewing of the films in the theatre when they first came out. That's because I had to grow into LOTR. My immature young mind wasn't ready for them in the early aughts, but now that I've seen some shit...I get it. LOTR is the piece of media to watch during troubling times. The story is on another spiritual plane and it manages to convey the importance of fellowship, courage, integrity, and embracing your unique gifts without being cheesy or overly sentimental. The fact that Peter Jackson (and all involved) could take literature that means so much to so many people and make films worthy of that love is nothing short of a miracle. 

Best TV I watched this year

The Pitt, season 1 (5th review down) -- The new show that kicked off 2025 and that people who work in hospitals couldn't watch either because it wasn't accurate enough or because it was too accurate and, thus, panic attack inducing. A bounty of riveting TV for the rest of us!

Severance, season 2 -- Though not quite reaching the highs of season 1, the second season of Severance had its moments, particularly from actor Tramell Tillman as Seth Milchick and from actress Dichen Lachman as Ms. Casey. Season 2 gave us new insights into just what is going on in the basement of Lumon Industries.

The Gilded Age, seasons 1-3 -- I hate reality TV, especially of the "housewife" variety...but that doesn't mean I'm immune to the power of gossipy, rich women serving cunt from noon to midnight. Julian Fellowes didn't get me to stick with Downton Abbey, but The Gilded Age is a different story. I devoured all three seasons as fast as I could.

The White Lotus, season 3 (4th review down) -- This was honestly my favorite season of The White Lotus yet. Something about the mix of spirituality (and the limits of spiritual commitment by rich people in particular) and wild-ass shit (the, uh, journey the Ratliff brothers experience as well as Sam Rockwell's incredibly compelling monologue) really hit the spot for me. Season 1 didn't have enough depth for me and season 2 felt boring. Season 3 had both genuine depth and was never boring. 

***

Best books I read this year:

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

Annie Bot by Sierra Greer

Diavola by Jennifer Thorne

Mother Horse Eyes by some guy on Reddit

***

Worst media of the year

Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw -- There is nothing to say except that this is the worst book I have ever read. Now, I know some people like it and that's fine, but I hated this slim novel with the fire of a thousand suns. I found its prose laughable and its plot stupid. The one thing going for it is that it's only 125 pages long. Hey, I guess we all have to have the worst book we've ever read, so in a weird way, you are triumphant Cassandra Khaw.

The Handmaid's Tale, season 6 (10th review down) -- A terrible end to a show that long overstayed its welcome. It was sad to see a show where the first season was so strong and true to the novel become an absurd parody of itself. How many close-ups of Elisabeth Moss's face do we need? Over its run of 6 seasons, the show couldn't commit to its own internal logic. It also asks us to forgive characters who deserve to spend life in prison for war crimes. 

The Human Centipede (5th review down) -- Roger Ebert reviewed The Human Centipede when the film came out in 2010 and the final sentence of his review is this: "I am required to award stars to the movies I review. This time, I refuse to do it. The star rating system is unsuited to this film. Is the movie good? Is it bad? Does it matter? It is what it is and occupies a world where the stars don't shine." And to be honest, after seeing the movie myself, that review gives it too much credit. It implies that there is something different or special about The Human Centipede even if it's different or special in a bad way. Having seen the movie myself I can report that it's not special at all. It's boring. Very, very boring. The film is 92 minutes long and at least an hour of that runtime involves nothing or very little happening. There is very little violence. There is very little gore. There is very little action. The Human Centipede is a nothingburger and exists as little more than a meme.