Fun fact about me, Iām a sucker for a good Letterboxd review. Both reading and writing reviews for movies I watched is a form of self expression that feels like bullet journaling, without any of the stress that comes from bullet journaling. Now, before I tell you about my favorite movies, I do need to preface that though I may be a film and television major, I am NOT a āfilm broā. Not that there is anything wrong with being a āfilm broā, I just donāt claim that energy, so please do not hate on me when I tell you that my favorite movie is in fact a Netflix original from 2020.Ā
Speaking of my favorite movies, letās talk about my top four Letterboxd films. I believe that the top four films are rotational, like swapping your wardrobe out from Summer to Fall. I know that some people use this list as a forever explanation, but I think that keeping an open mind is important. The first movie, what I consider my favorite move, is The Half of It directed by Alice Wu. This is the aforementioned 2020 movie. Had this movie come out way before or way after a global pandemic, I believe the mainstream queer community would have DEVOURED this movie.Ā Ellie Chu is a senior in high school in a small town where the football team hasnāt scored a touchdown in 15 years. Ellie is a straight-A, straight edge student who is not quite the straightest. It isnāt until she meets Paul Munsky, the tight-end for the schoolās football team. He begs Ellie to help him write a love letter to Aster Flores, one of the most popular yet humble girls in school. Despite her significant push back, Ellie says yes, not because she wants to write Aster a love letter, becauseā¦ Well thatās for you to decide. This movie is incredible. Alice Wu manages to make me care about a meat-head jock and his attempts at love, while also perfectly depicting the friendship betweenĀ very queer women and their oblivious straight man.
Next on the list is Wake Up Dead Man directed by Rian Johnson. The third installment of the Knives Out series, Wake Up Dead Man takes a dramatic left turn compared to its series siblings. Benoit Blanc is back at it again, only this time he is faced with a divine deception unlike anything heās seen before. The story is set in a small town parish, āOur Lady of Perpetual Fortitudeā, with an aggressive priest named Monsignor Jefferson Wicks. Father Jud (Josh OāConnor), comes to the church as an assistant priest for Monsignor Wicks. As tensions between the priests and regular church-goers rises, in classic Knives Out fashion, there is a murder. One of the things I love most about this movie is that Benoit Blanc, played by Daniel Craig, doesnāt come into frame until 40 minutes into the film. Had you known nothing about the Knives Out movies, you wouldāve believed this to be a random holy mystery, but as soon as Benoit Blanc arrives, you know that things are about to get better. I say better because the first part of the movie is not bad by any means. In fact, I like the first 40 minutes of the movie are beautiful, both in their story telling and visual composition. Once Benoit arrives, the investigation is underway, with Father Jud as the main suspect, but also lead detective. If there is any take away from this article, I hope it is the desire to watch this movie. I genuinely cannot express how much this movie makes me feel. I laugh, cry and gasp every single time I watch it and Iāve seen it four times. You truly cannot go wrong with Daniel Craigās southern accent.
The next two films on my top four are typically the ones that change with the seasons. Currently I have Spider-Man: Brand New Day directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and Sleeping Beauty directed by Clyde Geronimi. If you have yet to see Spider-Man: Brand New Day, I highly recommend finding the time to see it. I am by no means a superhero movie person. As embarrassing as it is, I donāt always know the difference between DC superheroes and Marvel superheroes. My brain is simply not orientated for that information. Despite this, I had seen videos about the end of No Way Home and was very interested. Brand New Day is the best superhero movie Iāve ever seen, because it doesnāt feel like a dopey action movie. There is emotional depth and vulnerability that makes me want to roll away. As for Sleeping Beauty, Princess Aurora is the prettiest princess. And that means a lot in my book. I also think there is a deeper essay to be written about the feminist nature of the story being centered around three middle aged women that take care of a single baby, but I am not writing that essay right now.Ā
I could sit here and yap about my favorite movies for days, but no one wants that, so I shall limit myself to an article! If there is anything to take away from this, let it be that my top four favorite movies are by no means the best movies ever made, that title is reserved for my first feature film!