I have gotten super into watching movies lately. My New Year’s resolution last year was to start watching at least ten movies a month, and I completely fell off it until Halloween came around and I had horror to watch every day. As some may know about me, I am a total horror movie girly. They are my favorite type of literature to enjoy in my free time, and analyzing the ways films are made is something I find myself always fascinated by. I have been on a total kick since October of 2023, and I have even written some articles about my findings (read more of my work here)! Since becoming a Letterboxd user in October for Five Nights at Freddy’s and Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour Movie, I have logged and watched over 200 movies. Holy sh*t! I already have 30 logged for this year, meaning that’s nearly one for every day of the month. Woohoo! Here is where you can follow me on Letterboxd to keep up with what I am watching/reviewing in real time.
For the month of January, I watched 19 new movies; “new” meaning my first watch, not released in 2023/2024. Out of these new movies, I really liked three of them that I wrote reviews for: The Blackcoat’s Daughter, SLC Punk, and The Passenger. The first two are not new releases, with The Blackcoat’s Daughter being released in 2015 and SLC Punk released in 1998, but The Passenger was just released this past year in August. All of these movies interested me in individual ways, and I thought that each of them was beyond captivating.
The following movies and reviews may contain triggering material for some viewers & readers. Please be cautious, always take care of yourself, and enjoy media safely.
The Blackcoat’s Daughter (2017)
“In the dead of winter, Kat and Rose, two very different girls, find themselves spending winter break at their prestigious prep school. What they don’t know is that Kat is being stalked by an evil entity, and their lives are about to change forever. Meanwhile, Joan, a young, troubled woman, makes her way across a frozen landscape towards the school. But why?”
My initial review, on Letterboxd: “This movie is really nice to look at. Kiernan Shipka is a horror queen and I won’t have y’all saying otherwise. We been knew Emma Roberts can carry a horror film. The mystery regarding her character was long-awaited, but fun. A24 always kills it, what can I say? The way this movie uses silence as a tool not only to keep audience members captivated, but to tell the story purely through visual cues was super fun for this aesthetic.”
Thinking more about this film, it is definitely due for a rewatch. If you have seen The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina on Netflix, this film is worth it purely just to see how Kiernan Shipka asserts herself in this horror environment, especially in the finale of the film. I remember thinking “Oh, that’s why she’s Sabrina” during the credits of this film. No, that doesn’t spoil anything! The aesthetic of this film was so beautiful; I found myself glued to the screen. The snow in this film made it very timely for a January viewing, but the film does take place during a Winter Break (in case that changes anything for you).
TW: mental health institutions, stalking
SLC Punk (1998)
“SLC Punk tells the story of two youths who embrace the punk scene in the religiously conservative Mormon-run Salt Lake City in 1985. Filled with drug use, sex, and violence, the two punks decide what to do with their lives.”
My initial review, on Letterboxd: “Happy birthday, Matthew Lillard! My Aquarius Leo king! This bro can act! What a story. The cinematography: wow. Happy birthday, Matthew. After further thinking: Oh my f*cking god. This is one of the best movies ever. I can’t stop thinking about the ending. I relate a lot to Bob. Stevo’s younger casting was so cute and accurate it made me laugh while I was crying; and that his character played D&D– so perfect. What a full-circle film. Cinema, b*tches.”
The story in this film is worth the watch, alongside the characterization and acting. I think the gritty nature of this film really added to how immersed I was while watching it, and I felt connected to the struggles the characters were enduring. I am a huge Matthew Lillard fan and put this movie on to celebrate his birthday; I am so glad I have finally seen this film. His blue hair is so iconic, and I have a personal connection to a lot of the material present in this film.
TW: drugs, addiction, violence
The Passenger (2023)
“A man is forced to face his fears and confront his troubled past. He must find a way to survive when his co-worker snaps and goes on a violent killing spree.”
My initial review, on Letterboxd: “I liked this one, even when it felt slow. The acting was really good and anxiety-inducing. I love a good blood-splattery movie. As a teacher, this hit a little close to home, too. It was so sweet that she still cared about him and knew that he must have struggled, too. That part was really meaningful for me.”
This newer release is redeeming in horror. While some movies have resorted to using typical horror tropes, the journey that this movie takes its viewers on is a refreshing take on being out of control. Additionally, I think the layers of social commentary in this film through the dialogue/actions of the characters are another compelling piece of this one. The acting was so good.
TW: bullying, abandonment, schooling