Kind: Watches

watching a movie, television show, online video, play or other visual-based event
Watched Upgrade (2018) by an author from letterboxd.com
A brutal mugging leaves Grey Trace paralyzed in the hospital and his beloved wife dead. A billionaire inventor soon offers Trace a cure — an artificial intelligence implant called STEM that will enhance his body. Now able to walk, Grey finds that he also has superhuman strength and agility — skills he uses to seek revenge against the thugs who destroyed his life.

Must be weird being LMG. Need someone to play a total asshole but not completely alienate the audience? He’s your guy.

Neat story but was never in much doubt as to where it was heading.

★★★

My review

Watched Bliss (2019) by an author from letterboxd.com
In need of creative inspiration, a professionally stagnant and hard-partying Los Angeles artist recklessly indulges in a series of drug binges. As the narcotics fly out of control, so does her newfound and inexplicable, yet unquenchable, craving for blood.

Jarringly naff in tiny parts but extraordinary in many others. Drugs are the quintessential unreliable narrator.

★★★½

My review

Watched Fear Street: 1994 (2021) by an author from letterboxd.com
After a series of brutal slayings, a teen and her friends take on an evil force that's plagued their notorious town for centuries.

On this watch through I’ve become pretty convinced that this is six ~1 hour episodes condensed into 3 movies. Apparently the writer/director describes the format as a “hybrid of traditional television content and movies.” Hmmm…

For me, I think it works way better as a mini-series. It’s the only thing that explains the severe lulls in the tempo as we pad out some backstory. This is entirely forgiven in TV shows but absolutely skewered in movies.

Since my first watches, I have grown to love the little world and lore set-up here. I think the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Also, it’s got a feminist streak a mile-wide, which I am here for.

★★★½

My review

Watched Holes (2003) by an author from letterboxd.com
After being wrongfully convicted for stealing a pair of shoes, Stanley Yelnats is sent away to Camp Green Lake, a boys detention facility where inmates are forced to dig holes all day in the hot desert sun as a form of character building. As he endures the brutal routine, Stanley begins to uncover a hidden truth behind the camp—one that connects to a dangerous secret and his family’s history.

I assume what makes most of this great is the source material but it was still a lot of fun, especially the adult roles!

★★★½

My review

Watched Dante's Peak (1997) by an author from letterboxd.com
Volcanologist Harry Dalton comes to the sleepy town of Dante's Peak to investigate the recent rumblings of the dormant volcano the burg is named for. Before long, his worst fears are realized when a massive eruption hits, and immediately, Harry, the mayor and the townspeople find themselves fighting for their lives amid a catastrophic nightmare.

This review may contain spoilers.

Watched it with the kids (11/14). Had to preface that the dog doesn’t die but Grandma does. Aside from the close up on the gnarly compound fracture, all good!

★★★ (contains spoilers)

My review

Watched The Night of the Hunter (1955) by an author from letterboxd.com
In Depression-era West Virginia, a serial-killing preacher hunts two young children who know the whereabouts of a stash of money.

Perhaps we could all try to be a bit more Mrs Cooper and bit less Harry Powell?

★★★★

My review

Watched Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989) by an author from letterboxd.com
The scientist father of a teenage girl and boy accidentally shrinks his and two other neighborhood teens to the size of insects. Now the teens must fight diminutive dangers as the father searches for them.

Watched on Saturday May 30, 2026.

★★★

My review

Watched Poseidon (2006) by an author from letterboxd.com
A packed cruise ship traveling the Atlantic is hit and overturned by a massive wave, compelling the passengers to begin a dramatic fight for their lives.

Still fun!

★★★★

My review

Watched Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) by an author from letterboxd.com
Thirty years after defeating the Galactic Empire, Han Solo and his allies face a new threat from the evil Kylo Ren and his army of Stormtroopers.

I still think that, comparatively, this is one of the better films outside the original trilogy but it’s still pretty bad.

This time I was struck by the scene in which Han and Leia explain their relationship to each other…

★★★

My review

Watched Turning Red (2022) by an author from letterboxd.com
Thirteen-year-old Mei is experiencing the awkwardness of being a teenager with a twist – when she gets too excited, she transforms into a giant red panda.

This review may contain spoilers.

I watched this with my 11 year old daughter and, as an armchair feminist, I was so confused…

[Some spoilers ahead]

The panda as a metaphor for hormones, coming-of-age and finding your true self – works 100% for me. Big thumbs up, I liked it. I liked Mei and her weird friends a lot. The fact that Mom suspects first period, when panda first appears, is also quite funny and sweet and positive. In fact, not mentioning it, given the circumstances, would feel like an omission. So, that’s really great.

However, during Mom’s subsequent stalking, presumably prompted by concern regarding panda, she bizarrely decides to use first period as a cover story. This weirdly entangles the two themes, resulting in both appearing as a potential source of embarrasment and shame AND then later something to be trapped, controlled and hidden. So, that all felt really negative.

But, I can’t tell if that entanglement was entirely unintended. Maybe that’s an intended reflection of societal attitudes: little girls, stay in your box and keep your feminity hidden?

[Major spoilers ahead]

If that’s the case, I don’t feel like the movie goes on to challenge that. If anything, it leans into it. At the end, I found myself hoping that all the women would keep their “panda” and celebrate it.

Ultimately, I’m not sure what an 11 y/o girl takes away from this.

★★★½ (contains spoilers)

My review