June 30 - July 6 2025
Child's Play, KPop Demon Hunters, American History X, Rear Window, Warfare
- Child’s Play [1988] - 63
1988’s Child’s Play is considered something of a landmark film among the horror world, and for good reason. Though the plot is thin and silly here in 2025, the effects and fun still hold up well enough. With clear through-lines to things like Terrifier, I think there’s a lot of modern horror films that wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for Chucky and his scuttling little feet. Overall I found this to be pretty lacking in any sort of intrigue or purpose, but slashers aren’t really my thing in general, so that isn’t too surprising and I can still recognize what Child’s Play has done for the genre at large.
- KPop Demon Hunters [2025] - 85
Well… This movie was far better than it should’ve been. With a menagerie of songs — all of which are guaranteed to be stuck in your head [one of which is being submitted for an Oscar nom] —, a meaningful story, and a level of self-awareness that carries it far beyond its own genre tropes, KPop Demon Hunters is surely going to land somewhere in my top 50 on the year, if not top 20. Something like a Barq's root beer compared to a local craft brand, KPop Demon Hunters is a slightly glossier, slightly less polished, and slightly easier version of 2022’s very important Turning Red… But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Where KPop’s animation falters some in more intimate moments, it more than makes up for during it’s larger action set pieces and sardonic comedy. Thought a criticism, I also think it’s a bit of a compliment to say that what I wanted most from KPop Demon Hunters was simply… more. More depth [though it is plenty deep], more songs [because they’re all so good], and more attention to little details during smaller scenes [to stay in step with the grandeur of the larger ones]. All said and done, KPop Demon Hunters is a film well worth your time and has a soundtrack that puts 2025’s Eurovision finals to absolute and total shame.
- American History X [1998] - 87
This is a film that’s been on my list for a really long time and I’ve just never gotten around to for… basically no reason. I’ve remedied that now and… I’m sort of glad I waited. American History X is a film that shouldn’t be relevant here in 2025 [or even really in 1998]… but is… and in a very frightening and large way. I had moments of total disbelief watching this as almost whole conversations felt ripped straight from our current headlines, talk shows, and internet “debates”. The ideals first touted, then decried, by this film are somehow more alive than ever… and I simply don’t understand how we’ve failed so hard as a species. If you haven’t, I highly recommend putting this one on and, if you’re someone who believes all the rhetoric, propaganda, and hate slewn around in the media… I hope you find a way out before you fall to the same fates as Derek and Danny.
- Rear Window [1954] - 79
Not only is Hitchcock’s Rear Window a good movie for 1954, it’s a pretty good one for 2025. A simple plot and a small set, Rear Window manages to do quite a lot with quite a little. Though not perfect [lots of 50’s ideas about women and a general sense of slowness from the storytelling], there really is quite a lot to like about this film, and I’m sure that snobs and doctorates would find plenty to scoff about when looking at my rating of 79. I’d seen this before, decades ago, and figured it was time to re-up. I’m glad I did and I don’t think this is a film that could really be recreated [though a handful have tried], which makes it stand out as something interesting to experience if you haven’t.
- Warfare [2025] - 86
More of an anti-war film than a traditional “heroes and hand grenades” romp, Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland have created an extremely engaging, intriguing, and sobering look at human conflict. Why do we fight? What do we gain? Who are the winners and losers? There’s a quote from a book I’m reading [Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson]: “People can be wonderful or terrible. An enemy though… Can only be something to fight,” and I think that perfectly encapsulates the experience Warfare sets out to embody. While it’s partially designed as a faithful recreation of the real-world experiences of those shown on screen, the barebones writing and lack of vilification of “the bad guys” is an entire narrative all its own. You’re very muchso left to decide who you think is right or wrong, if you think there’s a right or wrong, and you’re never fed any macho bullshit about purpose or heroism from an ideology perspective. While I do wish there was a little more context granted to the audience, and think the whole thing would have been more impactful if shot as a oner, Warfare has a lot to say… And I can only hope that the right people are listening
