I Am Sam – I think we found a movie that is too sweet for even a Disney kid. This movie is just drowning in saccharine, pushing you to root for a certain outcome that may not actually be the best one. One top of that, it was unnecessarily frenetic rivaling Uncut Gems with how anxiety inducing it was having people loudly talking over each other. I should love this movie. It’s a really good story with a fantastic cast, it just isn’t coherent.
Run Lola Run – On the flip side, here’s a movie where its frenetic pace was its greatest strength. This movie is so cool and stylish. Absolutely gorgeous to watch while it gets the blood pumping. I’d also recommend this as a gateway foreign film. I know that subtitles can be a struggle for some, but the dialog here is minimal. The visuals are what carry the story and what incredible visuals they are.
The Haunted Mansion – I only liked it because I’m a Disney kid and I’ve been on the haunted mansion ride countless times. I spent the whole movie looking for Easter eggs (or hidden Mickeys), identifying references to bits of the Disneyland attraction. Take that element out, and it’s kinda dull. To be fair, there aren’t a lot of kiddie horror movies, so it absolutely gets points for trying, but it’s not worth your time without the Disney knowledge
Seabiscuit – This is one that’d I’d put off for a long time because what do I care about horse racing? But it’s on the poster and it was two bucks at BookMonster. So I watched it, and enjoyed it in the moment, because everyone loves a good underdog sports movies. However, I’m sure I’ll quickly forget about it because, what do I care about horse racing?
Mr and Mrs Smith – This has to be one of the sexiest movies ever made. Palpable chemistry between two of the most gorgeous humans on the planet. But for me, the sexiness goes deeper than that. It’s in the playfulness of it all. The movie isn’t lewd or overtly talking about sex (for the most part). It’s the way they tease each other, stimulating each other’s minds more than each other’s, well you know. That’s what’s truly sexy to me.
Little Giants – This was a childhood favorite, and it explains so much about some of my screwier outlooks on life. I’ve always been a tomboy, but watching Icebox hit it off with itty bitty Devon Sawa made me really lean into that identity as a tween. Surely every pretty boy wants a girl who’s just one of the guys, yeah? That might not have quite worked out for me, but maybe it’s better that I was myself instead of trying to be one of the hottie type girls. Lord knows that would not have worked out well for me either.