I love consuming media in all forms, whether it’s books, TV shows, YouTube videos or movies. I’m always in an “era,” as I like to call it, and this summer I fell back into my movie era. Ever since I downloaded Letterboxd last year, watching movies has become much more regular for me. I appreciate the opportunity to log it and write a review — it’s like a reward in my mind, and I can look back at what I’ve been watching (as someone with a goldfish brain, this is perfection because I forget everything). Over the summer, I spent my time in North Carolina, and the town I was living in had a Cinemark movie theatre. I grew up thinking of the movies as a luxury. We didn’t go very often because even if you don’t buy snacks or a drink, the tickets themselves can run you $15 a person, which was not in the cards for my family. I discovered that Cinemark does $5 movie Tuesdays, and I declared that I would be living at the movies over the summer. In the end, I actually only went three times, but still, movies carried me through my four months off from school, and my Letterboxd was alive and well.
THe life list: 3/5 stars
Looking back to write this, I completely forgot I watched this movie, and honestly, that brought my rating down because it was such a forgettable movie. Now that I do remember it, I wasn’t that impressed. It stars Sofia Carson (who I’m pretty sure Netflix has locked in their basement the way she’s making movies with them — and yeah, I have seen all of them. I love a shitty rom-com, what can I say?) whose character’s, Alex, mom ends up passing away at the start of the movie. They were extremely close, and it turns out her mom left her a series of tasks to complete in order to get her part of the will. Something I’ve realized about Sofia Carson is that she basically plays the same character in every movie she’s in, which is just boring. There are also some hints of cheating in the movie, which (call me toxic) doesn’t always bother me, but I just didn’t care about the characters and their romance to be moved by this “act of passion.” I think the movie would’ve been better had the main romance not happened. It was half-baked and felt inevitable, but it also felt like they only got together because they had to for the movie to work. Also, the love interest and lawyer of Alex and her family was named Carl, which is not an attractive name at all, I’m sorry!
thunderbolts: 5/5 Stars
This movie was made for me, truly. I’m a huge Marvel fan (one good thing COVID did for me), and the cast was absolutely stacked in my favor. I mean, Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan and Lewis Pullman in one movie? I was gagged.
Marvel has been in this weird space after Endgame. Fans have been waiting for the movie that felt like Marvel again, and this was it. I loved so much about this movie, especially the talk around mental health, which was so unexpected but so impactful. Bob’s character was devastating. The message was about fighting your demons with the people around you, but also on your own. I didn’t know I was there for a therapy session. The rag-tag, underdog group that is the Thunderbolts was so wholesome because they shouldn’t work together — and I mean, they don’t — but they do in a way that is nothing like the original Avengers. I’m so excited for what’s to come with Marvel, and as long as Sebastian’s employed, I’m sat.
materialists: 3.5/5 stars
Oh, Chris Evans, you’ll always be famous. This was one of the most disappointing movies I watched over the summer. I went in so excited for a cute rom-com with a little bit of a love triangle set in New York City, but this was not that. My main problem with this movie is that it wasn’t very rom-com to me. It felt a lot heavier, and that’s not what I was expecting at all. The conversations on a person’s value and the life money can give you were not what I signed up for from the trailers. Maybe I’m just used to trashy teen romances that have drama and cheesy scenes, but this felt much more adult, and it wasn’t for me. The gag of the century, though, was when it was revealed that Pedro Pascal’s character, Harry, got height surgery. I was in my seat, mouth AGAPE.
kingsman: The Secret service & Kingsman: The golden circle: 3/5 stars
Ok, if you’re like me and have never heard of the Kingsman movies, you’re missing out. My brother had my mom and I watch them, and they are absolutely insane. I don’t even know how to explain what happens other than they are egregiously violent and bloody, but at the same time hilarious. They’re the kind of movies that you watch and then think to yourself when it’s over: “What the hell did I just watch?” Do with that what you will. Also, Pedro Pascal shows up in the second one, so there’s that too.
superman: 5/5 stars
I’m going to speak my truth. I loved Man of Steel with Henry Cavill. I thought it was good, and I enjoyed looking at Henry, but this version of Superman was just so perfect to me. We’re dropped right into the story, instead of spending time learning about a character we’re already so familiar with. This movie just made me so happy. We get to see a superhero be a good person and show vulnerability. David Corenswet did such an amazing job, and James Gunn understood the assignment! What can I say, I love woke Superman. I’m already so sat for the Supergirl movie because I need more Milly Alcock and Krypto immediately.
I know what you did last summer: 2.5/5 stars
This is a messy movie that I only watched for the cast. I’ve never seen the original and knew this would probably be a miss, which it was. The writing with all the Gen Z language was my favorite part, truly, because what do you mean this is a horror? I’m laughing every time Madelyn Cline opens her mouth. But hey, the divas are up!
my oxford year:2.5/5 stars
Before watching this movie, all I knew was that it was an adaptation from the audiobook narrating queen herself, Julia Whelan. Then Twitter (X) was going crazy saying they cried, and I was scared because the trailer did not give me that information. Sofia Carson also stars in this movie alongside King George himself, Corey Mylchreest. The movie was honestly boring. The pacing was off, and we never really got to live in or get invested in the relationship between Ana and Jamie. They get off on the wrong foot, we speed through a montage of them hanging out and kissing all over the school, and then we go straight into the drama and tragedy of it all. Sofia’s acting, as well, was just not there; it was very stale and again felt like a repeat of every other character she played in these Netflix romances. With all of that, I found there was no emotional payoff. By the end of the movie, I didn’t care about what happened or the new path Ana took — I was just glad it was over.
As the fall season approaches, I have my eye on a few new releases, including Good Boy and The Long Walk. I’m planning to make time during the semester to get out and see them. I also have a sudden itch to get into documentaries and docuseries after falling down TikTok rabbit holes full of recommendations. That’s a genre I haven’t really tapped into yet, and as someone who will pretty much watch anything and everything, who knows? The rest of my 2025 may be spent consuming true crime and sports stories; only time will tell.