National Lampoon's European Vacation

1985

★½ Watched

I did not like this. :(

Vamps

2012

★★½ Watched

Wallace Shawn plays Dr. Van Helsing. There are SEVERAL significant similarities to the Twilight Universe. What more do you need to know?

How to Train Your Dragon

2010

★★★★½ Liked Rewatched

You just gestured to all of me.

It’s fascinating because you can certainly see some of the budgetary limitations (most notably the heavy use of fog so that backgrounds can remain on the shallower end), but now that we have a live action comparison, it becomes all the more obvious how exceptional a film this is. The use of animation allows for more exaggerated expressions, character designs, and movement and that only adds to the wondrous qualities of the work.…

How to Train Your Dragon

2025

★★½ 6

It’s not just that these type of films devalue animation (which they do, despite also relying on it heavily), it’s that they’re also actively devaluing the experiences that audiences deserve. Recycling the same stories over and over and over again puts us in a cultural loop where the deeper political themes of the art we engage with grows increasingly stale and pushed to the background. Studios don’t need to continue to push the boundaries of storytelling when they can…

I Could Never Be Your Woman

2007

★★★ Watched

The commentary on how women are treated in the industry probably would have landed a lot better if it weren’t for the fact the film also spends a lot of time encouraging unhealthy body image standards in its youngest female character. Pfeiffer and Ronan are a wonderfully engaging pair as mother and daughter and they have delightful back and forth. Or they do until the focus turns towards men and women’s bodies and you can see the cycle continuing without…

Emma

1996

★★★ 2

Emma is an ultimately lackluster version of this story despite its exceptional cast because it prioritizes the romance so much that all else is squandered. Rather ironic a problem to carry in a film about a young woman so obsessed with finding love for others that she unseeingly causes harm repeatedly. Also… How do you make an Emma adaptation and not include one of the most romantic lines in the world? Bizarre choices. Still had a good deal of fun,…

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

2016

★★★★½ Liked 2

I burn my life to make a sunrise that I know I’ll never see.

The novelization made Jyn’s sacrifices heavier. Andor made Cassian’s even more so. Genuinely gut-wrenching work. Not a single inch of victory is made possible without the sacrifice of countless people, some we know and love greatly, even more that we will never know the names of. Their willingness to risk it all for our tomorrow is something that must be treasured and acknowledged every day that we get to carry forward.

Bridesmaids

2011

★★★★ Liked 1

I hope I never ever forget the sound of my mom laughing so hard she can’t breathe as Melissa McCarthy shits in a sink. Can properly confirm my previous belief that this movie is way better when I’m watching with her and my sisters. She loves it so much and that makes it way more fun :)

Sully

2016

★★★½ 4

For some unknowable reason, I had the song “Bring Me to Life” by Evanescence stuck in my head? Really strange, but the chorus kind of fits perfectly in the stretch of silence right before Sully asks his first officer if he has any ideas… Would be pretty awesome if someone (a comedian perhaps?) did an extensive investigation into Sully’s life and why that song fits so precisely in that crucial moment. 

Watched with my whole fam. Big hit with everyone.…

Silkwood

1983

★★★½ Watched

Manages to evoke some really deep-rooted feelings of grief and fear. The gradual decline of Karen Silkwood’s health, community, and stability hits so hard thanks to Streep’s phenomenal performance. Lots of little mannerisms she incorporates as the film progresses that convey so clearly where Karen was at mentally and physically. The Karen at the beginning of the film is essentially a different person than who we see at the end after alls been said and done and that makes the…

The Grand Budapest Hotel

2014

★★★★★ Liked 13

Times have changed.” 

Monsieur Gustave physically fights fascists without a moment’s hesitation in order to protect his beloved lobby boy. We should all be more like Monsieur Gustave.

Had seen this in over a decade and I’d begun to suspect my affection for it was purely nostalgic in nature. Nope. This is just wonderful. Anderson’s love of writers, and service people, shines and astounds and captures the heart almost instantly. Perfect movie to begin my 29th year with :)

Animal Crossing: The Movie

2006

★★★★ Liked 4

Captures the quiet charm of the early Animal Crossing games, showcasing the beauty of the slow but steady age of time as the seasons slip by one after the other with a disarming sort of ease. Life is full of little moments that leave us laughing and crying and marveling at the world with the people we love. It’s all about community. So special, so sweet. Missed all these old songs, missed the personalities of all these OG neighbors, missed…