What’s Your Favorite Movie of the Year So Far?
I love when you walk out of the theater after seeing a really good movie and everything just feels crisper. Then, you google everyone involved, get excited to chat with anyone who’s seen the movie in question, and find yourself still thinking about it weeks later. Here’s one movie from this year that did it for me…
Sorry, Baby bowled me over. Eva Victor’s directorial debut, which they also wrote and starred in, follows Agnes through a few years of her life, sequenced out of order. There’s “The Year With The Baby” and “The Year With The Really Good Sandwich,” but also “The Year With The Bad Thing.” When Eva shared the movie poster on Instagram, they confirmed that “nothing bad happens to the cat.”
Instead, it is Agnes to whom the bad thing happens. “I wrote this film because there’s a part of my experience of trauma that I haven’t seen on-screen often: the part where you’re confused,” Eva said during a Sundance interview. “I spent years floating, just trying to accept that I went through something bad.” The movie “honors those years lost,” as they put it. To write the script, Eva holed up in Maine one winter with their cat and many cans of split pea soup.
The warm friendship between Agnes and Lydie (Naomi Ackie) is the central love story animating the movie. But, as Lydie’s life carries her away from the small town where they met during grad school, Agnes feels stuck. Getting an impressive teaching job at the university means staying in a place marred by a devastating experience during her time as a student. “Bad thing” is a euphemism, but also, with its childlike clarity, a perfect description.
Offering a really moving portrait of trauma’s reverberations and one person’s recovery, Sorry, Baby is also very funny. In the theater, I laughed a lot and cried a little. I loved Agnes and would’ve been happy to spend a hundred years with her. Of the movie’s reception, Eva recently told the L.A. Times, “I keep hearing, ‘Oh, Agnes is so awkward.’ I’m like, ‘What the hell?’ I’m very humbled by people’s reactions to how bizarre they think that character is because I’m like: ‘Oh, I thought she was acting legitimately normal, but okay.’”
What’s been your favorite movie so far this year? If you saw Sorry, Baby, I’d love to know what you thought.
P.S. What are your top three movies of all time, and what movie can you watch over and over?
(Movie stills and poster from A24. Gif from Tumblr.)
Tags: movies
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164 commentsThe room next door & Anora!
The Life of Chuck (based on a Stephen King novella). My friend loved it too.
because I follow Kevin Bacon on IG, I have on his (and Kyra) gone back to the movie theater where I fell in love all over again. Anyway, I chose Mr. Blake at Your Service. Was spellbound from start to finish. Not a cliffhanger or deep content, but I felt as though I hung out with John Malkovich in the best way. Music, scenery, actors….all there waiting for you should you need an adjustment. Oh, also learned Mr Blake is a 2023 movie, I consider that an undiscovered Christmas gift.
The Life of Chuck. Stephen King at his best.
I saw Sorry, Baby and can’t stop thinking about the jury duty scene.
I can’t agree more with your review of Sorry, Baby! Definitely one of the best films I’ve seen this year. Cried, laughed a lot, and kept thinking about it days after. I also enjoyed Sinners! The music montage scene was so cool to me! My wife and I have been on a real kick lately of older movies. We’ve watched a lot of Alfred Hitchcock and recently watched Dial M for Murder, which was fantastic! We’ve been trying to pick movies from every decade.
I recognize the actress in the header photo from Thursday Murder Club movie. Thought she did an admirable job with a bland, boring adapted script. Sigh. Did they even read the book?!? What a waste of a talented cast and lovely location.
“bland, boring adapted script..Did they even read the book?!?” … yes, strong agree!!! And I was so looking forward to it after having read and loved the books :'( I was grumpy all last weekend whenever i remembered what they did to the story (exaggerating a bit :D )
1,000% such a waste of great material :(
‘Parachute’ directed by Brittany Snow about eating disorders/life disorders, I haven’t stopped thinking about it ……And it stars the actress that is young Lotte in Yellowjackets. Watched on Amazon Prime
Made me laugh so hard: MEGHAN 2.0 Not great, but good: MATERIALISTS Want to see, but scared: SINNERS
Meghan + Kate Bush + Allison Williams’s deadpan SENT me. She took us to the bridge.
Sinners was a little scary, but only for very short periods . It’s super good and worth the few jump scares
So, after your post I went to see Sorry, baby! I think it is so well written, and overall brilliant. My favorite part was the classroil moment: as a professor I feel they always get it wrong in movies and there it sounded just right. I liked that Agnès is so clear and shining when she teaches and darker and confused in everyday life. I feel like that, teaching is the better me. Thank you so much for writing so precisely about this movie. Loved it, the subject is tough but the way it is worked is so efficient and clever. Like Lolita… love from Paris
I really loved Last Showgirl with Pamela Anderson, not least because I loved seeing Pamela show the world what she really can do as an artist.
I looked up the movie Sinners and was so surprised that it’s a horror film! Everyone here is talking about how meaningful it was and that’s just not something I think of when I think of horror movies. Am I somehow looking up the wrong movie?
Nope, its a horror movie! There’s a lot of high quality horror going on in books and movies these days and I love it!
Not at all. The writing/spoken word in any medium has wide room for understanding and reflection. Thank goodness for that. The discussion it generates is so interesting.
On Becoming A Guinea Fowl! I would love more attention for this film! It’s “A subtle, absorbing exploration of child sexual abuse within a deeply misogynistic family and the culture that surrounds it” that is also clever and just drips with cool (I think about the opening scene A LOT. Visually stunning)
I haven’t seen this movie, but now I very much want to. And wow. I haven’t experienced the kind of trauma depicted here, but the psychological recovery period I had after a very bad car accident (and the aftermath … insurance claim, being a witness at a court case, etc) took YEARS and very much affected my cognition, resilience and abilities on all fronts … indirect losses included my very hard-won career, friends I thought I’d have for life, and community, etc. I often grieve these ‘lost years’ and losses that no-one else outside my immediate family can see and at the same time critique myself for them. It’s so heartening to see these depicted here.
Sinners and K-Pop Demon Hunters. :) I realize that those are two very different genres but those were the two that have stuck with me the most so far.
I came here to comment the exact same thing!! Loved both of them and their incredible music
HA! Agreed. And I love that both were suggested by my son who watched them while he was away for his first year of uni in the UK. So fun when your kids grow up to have great taste.
I loved loved loved “Sorry, Baby”. I can’t stop thinking about it. Here’s a lovely interview with Eva Victor and Celine Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKh6juImeug
I just saw Mistress Dispeller at the NZ International Film Fest. An incredible Chinese documentary that is really sympathetic to the characters. I couldn’t BELIEVE the footage they’d managed to get. Raw and intimate and compelling.
Sinners, as many have said! Stunning all around and incredibly meaningful! I also really enjoyed Weapons – I laughed a lot and had one of those big goofy smiles on my face through much of it, despite the creepy elements – it was a fun mix of genres that kept it thrilling and funny.
Ballad of Wallis Island was so sweet and offbeat. Amazing music and boatloads of British charm, can not recommend enough. It’s the best movie I’ve seen all year.
I came to recommend the same! I loved this movie! Heartwarming and offbeat British humor for the win!
Following all the reccos here I watched it today. Twice! No regrets. Amazingly heartwarming.
I loved SINNERS, and I also thought it was a bit of a hot mess (complimentary)! You could drive a buggy through some of the plot holes and the vampire lore didn’t all add up (I’m a pedantic former goth, Spooky Rules are my everything), but I appreciated Ryan Coogler’s maximalism, and I would like to see a movie about the Native vampire hunters, please.
Second the request for more Native vampire hunters. The movie ended and we were like “wait … what happened to them?!”
I haven’t seen this movie, but everyone should read Sad Tiger by Neige Sinno! An incredible book that has done more for how I think about sexual assault/trauma than any movie.
Sinners! And I’m loving all the recommendations in the comments here – I plan to spend winter snuggled up watching many of the movies and shows listed here. Thank you everyone!
I recently came across “Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom”, a Bhutanese film, and really enjoyed its calm, gentle pacing and universal theme of finding beauty in the simplest. I also eagerly await Park Chan-wook’s “No other choice”, touted as the next “Parasite”.
I loved Yak in the classroom. Really loved it
Look, I don’t know if any of these qualify as “great cinema.” I’m not even sure they qualify as “good cinema.” However, we watched four movies over Labor Day weekend and the only criterion was “I don’t want it to make me sad.” These delivered! – The Thursday Murder Club: A crew of intrepid retirees solve a murder. Who doesn’t love Helen Mirren? – Jurassic World Rebirth: There’s dinosaurs and the bad guy gets eaten. Perfect. No notes. – Nonnas: A guy opens a restaurant where Italian grandmothers are the chefs. Cute. – K-Pop Demon Hunters: An unexpected delight. The songs are so catchy!
I was sadly so disappointed with TMC. SPOILERS AHEAD KIND OF!!! Of course they can’t fit in all the nuance and red herrings of the book, but it would be nice if they had fit in like any of it. They cut the priest’s storyline entirely and made the killer different than the book. Plus, Pierce Brosnan was a total miscast for me. He’s way too handsome and posh to be playing a rough & tumble retired union activist. Honestly, they spent soooo much time and money on those sets, which is absurd because you cannot have such a customized apartment in a retirement community. I wish they had taken some of that time and money and put it into the script instead.
Agreed, Cara. TMC fell so flat. It felt like all those big name actors showed up and did a very competent professional job but there was zero spark or chemistry between any of them. Helen Mirren in particular felt like she was reading her lines from an autocue. Pierce Brosnan has never been good at accents and was totally miscast. And the script certainly didn’t do them any favours. Such a waste of all that talent and all that budget – and of a great source text.
To me TMC was a perfect sick day watch. Just engaging enough to keep you interested, but not requiring any real energy or attention.
Cara, Emma O, before I watched TMC, I read a review where the reviewer suggested that Ray Winstone would have made a much better Ron. I watched the entire film thinking – if only it was Ray! Celia Imrie was great and David Tennant looked like he was having a blast, but the film as a whole just wasn’t quite there.
The new Naked Gun! It was so much fun to sit in a theater full of people laughing just as hard as I was (even if my kids made fun of me)
That scene in the doorway where they talked about roasting turkey had me ugly laughing!
Agreed!!! I cry laughed and it was glorious.
Went to see this on a whim.. and i can’t remember the last time i laughed as much and as often at a movie!! It put me in a great mood for the rest of that weekend.
I was waiting for someone to say this movie!! I laughed and laughed! I felt high! That is how a comedy should make you feel.
Yes! As a fan of Police Squad and the old movies, I can’t believe how true to the spirit of the old movies they kept it. I have no explaination for it, but I was crying laughing at the line “I’VE MET HIM!”
Thunderbolts* was a surprisingly good exploration of mental health and facing one’s failures and demons (Florence Pugh as the lead doesn’t hurt, honestly); Sinners and K-Pop Demon Hunters are both about singing against the darkness, both inner and outer; Superman’s about the choices we make, and weirdly, so is Materialists (even though they’re very different movies). It feels like I have a theme going here…
This might be a controversial response, but I’m going to say 28 Years Later. I loved the original so was excited to see this one…it was beautifully shot and thrilling from beginning to end. It also made me so frustrated and I’m convinced the story is about parenting and childrearing. Without spoiling anything, I spoke to everyone I could in the days and weeks after I saw it about the little boy and his parents at the heart of the story. Highly recommend! Also, for something more light hearted – Freakier Friday! I’m in my mid 30s and this was pure nostalgia for me. Haven’t laughed that hard at the movies in ages!
Oh I totally agree, Caitlin! I love horror movies and Danny Boyle, and even so, I was bracing myself for a certain kind of movie – and the direction he actually took surprised and delighted me. When the scene depicted in the posters came around, I cried. I was reminded a bit of the way parenting and family themes unfold in A QUIET PLACE PART II?
I loved Sinners, and I loved Weapons, although I am a scary movie fan, so be warned it’s very scary. My husband had a random Tuesday free so we did a matinee for like…$15. I’ve also taken my kids to the movie theatre so much this year. I guess I just feel like a theatre screen is better than an iPad? I want to show them I’m interested in what they’re into. My daughter’s choice is Hamilton rerelease this weekend for the 10 year anniversary. My son is coming, too. We saw Dogman, Minecraft, Wicked, probably a few more I’m forgetting.
Yes, Weapons! Most movies are so predictable, and I really need something to wow me. This really did. Unexpected plot, scary but also humorous… I already wanted to see it again as I walked out of the theatre.
I go see a movie once a week or more and haven’t seen this one yet but I am now convinced! I think I need to write about the movies i see because I find it difficult to answer! I was very impressed by The Brutalist…
The Brutalist was so good! I adore Adrien Brody’s body of work. Have you seen his 2010 film, Wrecked?
No I haven’t, Hillary, thanks I will look for it. I love this actor. Love from Paris
My pleasure, AGNÈS.
Agreed! The Brutalist is my best this year too. (Okay, it came out last year, but I only saw it early this year!) It was phenomenal, every aspect. Brody’s Oscar was completely deserved; I wish they’d won Best Picture as well.
Sinners by far was the movie of the year for me. I went and watched FOUR TIMES. That’s how much I loved it. I recenly watched Sorry, Baby and it was such a lovelingly funny and touching movie. My husband and I just kind of sat there for a bit after the credits rolled soaking it in. Then Superman! Gosh, I grew up watching Justice League an the more recent DC movies just felt too grungy and not cohesive at all. I also didn’t like the casting of Henry Cavill (but that’s a story for another time). BUT THIS SUPERMAN, my gosh I left the the theater floating on air! It was so hopeful and so colorful. Exactly what was needed during this time. I recently also watched “They Cloned Tyrone” on Netflix and I can’t believe how under the radar this movie went. It’s brilliant and so funny!
Agreed re: superman!!! And that ending?! My goodness. Talk about a balm for the heart. (I am not a DC fan at all, I was just coerced into going with my pals and was delighted about how lovely it all was) I certainly wish we had a superman for all the countries and innocents that sorely need it right now. I hope we can all remember our own inner superpowers!
I agree, Sorry Baby was such a beautiful moving film. So refreshing to see female friendship, support ,trama and strength showed with beauty and hope. So many wonderful lines that still run through my head. We watch such bad movies on streaming – this film reminded me good movies stick with you not just just fill space.
Nosferatu. Hands down. I saw it thee times in the theatre.
Aside from Sinners in the theater, I really loved “I Lost My Body” it’s this really thoughtful, beautiful animated French film about the life of a young man and centers themes of loss and regret but also hope, transformation and possibility. You can stream it on Netflix.
I haven’t been to the movies much this year but i LOVED Life of Chuck. A perfect Stephen King adaptation imo!
The dance/drum scene could have lasted forever! Lovely.
I also loved Life of Chuck. I dragged my friend along to see it. She loved it too!
K pop demon hunters! Every time my 8 year old daughter had screen time, she’d watch this movie. Intrigued, I sat down with her to watch the beginning and was instantly hooked. Dance sequences, catchy lyrics and characters who had flaws…this movie was SO GOOD. So much so, even though we have Netflix, when they played this movie in theaters for one week-end, we paid to go sing-a-long with other random strangers. Highly recommend!
Loved this movie! My husband and I have pretty different tastes, but we were both cracking up as we watched this. The songs are great too.
Same! I watched out of curiosity and thought it was great.
Also watched this because my daughter was into it and I’m a certified fan now, too. The themes are amazing, the songs SLAP, the animation is tops, and it’s also hilarious?! The cat with the flower pot had me screaming.
Agreed! Love the songs!! Felt all the emotions- I even shed a tear
Wow do I feel out of it….the last movie I saw this year was A Great Unknown….which I LOVED…the folk music speaks to me! But that was a 2024 movie. I used to go to movies all the time…!
Soooo many good recs in these comments (loving the love for Jane Austen Wrecked My Life and The Ballad of Wallis Island here!) and want to throw in a rec for The Life of Chuck. It’s quirkier than the trailer makes it look, but so charming and lovely.
I’m such a TV girl (though i did love Sinners – wow, what a sexy movie!), so I’m going off script and gonna give a huge shout out to Dying For Sex (sob) and Too Much. I savored Too Much and loved all the romantic subplots. My favorite line is when Jess’ mother is asking what this new guy does and Jess is like “why does that matter? why don’t you ask me if he is a good person or if our values align” and I am so here for that.
omg Too Much was PERFECT, I enjoyed it IMMENSELY. I read an article (vogue? Refinery29? CoJ?) about Megan Stalter, and was like, who is this? The first 1-2 episodes weren’t the ‘catch’ I thought they might be, but let me tell you, I fell hard and fast beyond that. What a true DELIGHT it was to watch. I was SAD when it was over. It had everything I could want from a series and I felt so invested in the characters. Wish I could see it for the first time again!
So far, Sinners and The Naked Gun are tied for my favorite movie experiences this year. BUT, my favorite new to me film not from 2025 was Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. Rachel McAdams played the mom with so much empathy and patience, I was bawling.
Are You There God is totally a new fave and definitely added to my forever ‘comfort watch’ list! So sweet and yes I sobbed during Rachel McAdams’ scenes!
I saw “Margaret” when it came out and I STILL think about Rachel McAdams’s performance in that!!
I loved that movie too!
I don’t go to nearly enough movies anymore but I saw “The Materialists” on my birthday (mid-July) and I loved it.
OMG YES to Sorry, Baby. I’d heard how it was about the “bad thing,” so I expected it to be super intense/sad, and it was at some points, but I was surprised and delighted at how FUNNY it was. I laughed the whole way through. And I was so touched by how they chose not to show any part of the violence, but Agnes relived it verbally in that intimate moment right after with Lydie. It felt like we got to see the emotional impact and processing and the minute specifics that come with that sort of trauma in such a thoughtful, vulnerable way. 10/10.
I was bracing myself for the inevitable scene, and then I really loved that Victor declined to show it. The experience of watching from across the street as night fell was so unsettling. I really liked this bit in the New Yorker profile on that scene and the ones after: When she emerges, the camera stays close to the back of her head as she walks to her car, and her face remains obscured and shadowy until she gets home. Lydie is there, and she questions Agnes, at which point the camera reveals Agnes, in closeup, for the first time. “That’s a real journey of trying to give the audience the same experience as Agnes, trying to make sense of what happened, but not being seen until Lydie sees her,” Victor said. “The reason we’re given full access is because Lydie is there and is a witness, and Agnes is safe, finally.” https://www.newyorker.com/culture/persons-of-interest/how-eva-victor-reimagined-the-trauma-plot
Like many others, Sinners really blew me away, I went in pretty much blind. Weapons was a lot of fun too; though it tackles some heavy subject matter, the darkly-comedic moments were really really well done.
I watched “One of Them Days” on a flight recently and laughed out loud… I haven’t laughed this much in a while. I kept thinking about this movie and laughing even later …
The perfect airplane movie!
The Penguin Lessons on Netflix!! One of the most delightful movies I’ve seen in a long time. It’s set in 1976 fascist Argentina and certainly has those themes throughout. But I swear, despite that (and despite that it feels like the US is spiraling), it’s SO JOYFUL! Penguins!!!
My favorite movie (almost) this year is Wallace and Gromit Vengeance Most Fowl as my whole family could watch it together – there is something in it for everyone 8 and over. It is not that easy having older teens and young adult watch movies with their parents!
Adolescence, Netflix. As difficult as the subject is, the film, actors, relationship dynamic was hard to forget.
I’ll be honest, the only movie that I, a 41-year-old woman with no kids, watched this year was K-Pop Demon Hunters. (It was amazing.)
Honey Don’t was my favorite so far! Amazing cast, several scenes you won’t forget. Gave me this nostalgia feeling for old towns in California. Somehow the filming makes you see a pair of shoes or a coffee cup in a different way.
Sinners. Best movie I’ve seen this year. Best movie I’ve seen in MANY years. Coogler and MBJ. What a combination!
Listers!! Subtitle: A Glimpse Into Extreme Birdwatching. Two brothers decide to take on a “Big Year,” trying to see as many birds in the lower 48 states as possible. They cram cots in a van and take off. They don’t know much about identifying birds. It’s a steady stream of brother banter (and beautiful footage!). They do some really clever low-tech visual stuff that is charming. I also love the switch between camcorder footage and beautiful high-res bird shots. It feels like what I hoped the whole “everyone has a camera in their pocket!” age would spawn. Clearly, the brothers are very good at this, I’m not saying it’s cobbled together. But it has people-like-you-could-make-this kind of thing energy. It’s self-distributed via Youtube. I love that they made it, I love that it’s free on their terms, I was totally engrossed the whole time. Watch here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zl-wAqplQAo
Thanks so much for this recommendation. It’s not something I would find on my own but it sounds so good.
thanks! will watch tonight – the comments are very encouraging and what a coo, creative, brave way to make and release a movie!
This reminds me of one of my favorite not well-known nonfiction books, Life List by Olivia Gentile, about a woman who essentially abandoned her family to become one of the top birders–not judging but it was unconventional at the time (it may be out of print but is worth tracking down a copy if the topic interests you).
“Sorry, Baby” is my pick too!!! And for documentary, I was blown away by the Billy Joel one, both parts. I learned so much about someone who was such a huge part of my life, but knew nothing about really. The songs all have different meanings now.
For those of you thinking, “where have I seen them before?!”, it was in Billions! Cant wait to see this film.
Loved Sorry, Baby and thought about it for a long time after seeing it. I also saw A Little Prayer this weekend. It’s quiet and contemplative but if you liked Sorry, Baby, I’d suggest this one too. I hadn’t heard of Jane Austin Wrecked My Life but see you can rent it on demand and I have subsequently watched the trailer and added to my list! Looking forward to also seeing Twinless and A Big Bold Beautiful Journey this month!
I don’t get out to theaters much anymore, but I did get to see Sinners and it was so epic and beautiful and funny and sorrowful. I feel so lucky I got to have that immersive experience with such a wonderful piece of art. In opposite atmosphere I watched The Outrun on an airplane. It was so good I think I need to see it again with some better sound quality, I was sobbing (in the best way) by the end. Love the meshed timelines and slow relationship evolutions in the story. I could watch Saorise Ronan’s face endlessly.
Ray, I also watched The Outrun on a flight and came home to watch it again so that I could truly appreciate the film. Ronan is extraordinary!
I watched the Outrun on the plane too, (14 hour flight so figured why not) i had no expectations, and enjoyed it! I loved sinners, saw it twice! and really, really wish I had a chance to see it in IMAX.
I hadn’t heard of this, it sounds great! I saw Caught Stealing over the long weekend and it was so much fun.
Sinners. Walked in the theater knowing nothing about it, and it blew my mind.
I really enjoyed Sorry, Baby. It felt so true to real life. I was most impressed with the very limited material given to Lydie’s partner and how incredibly realistic and palpable their performance was. I could FEEEEEL the tension between them and Agnes.
I know! It was so palpable. There’s some fun stuff in this interview Eva Victor did with Lucy Dacus about Fran (Lydie’s partner) “I wanted Agnes looking at a more evolved, grounded, knowing version of themself, the most triggering possible person for their best friend to be with forever.” https://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/eva-victor-tells-lucy-dacus-how-making-sorry-baby-made-her-whole
A Little Prayer, My Mom Jayne, Come See Me in the Good Light, and Between the Mountain and the Sky
Thank you for giving Between the Mountain and the Sky some love :)
My best movie *experience* this year has absolutely been been the Minecraft movie! We went to our locally owned theater, which was PACKED with the liveliest crowd. It was such a joyful, communal experience of yelling, cheering, (not throwing popcorn), and laughing. It was amazing. It also helps that the movie is a sane length! I’m not much of a movie person because they are so freaking long these days. I’m content up to 90 minutes, but then I want to claw my way out of the theater (or couch).
I totally agree! I took my son and his friends to see Minecraft for his birthday and it was so unexpectedly weird and fun! I love that the movie celebrates being an outsider, and the joy of finding friends who get you … as an adult! So cool. Such a sweet movie. Great music too.
I like shorter movies, too!
Agreed!! It was by far the most fun I’ve had watching a movie in theaters in a long time.
No movie needs to be longer than 90 minutes except for the Titanic, IMO.
“The part where you’re confused…years floating…years lost.” This times a million.
A Nice Indian Boy was a lovely romcom!
Seconded! The mom’s monologue had in me in tears!
Sinners! I went into the theater knowing almost nothing about the plot and it blew me away. So so good. And how can you not love a movie that gives us the gift of not one but TWO characters played to perfection by the incredible Michael B. Jordan?
Okay, everyone is talking about Sinners in the comments. You all have convinced me!
If you haven’t seen Sinners, watch it! I’ve seen it twice, and baby, it is sexy!!
I saw Weapons and I really, really liked it. Super weird and fucked up – you don’t really know where the story is going until everything clicks together in the last 20-30 minutes of the movie. A fun ride. It’s directed and written by the same guy (Zach Cregger) that wrote and directed Barbarian.
I am not a horror movie person, but I like to go in blind once every year or so and just experience it. I chose Weapons this year and it definitely delivered!!!
Loved Weappns as well
I think WEAPONS might be my favorite this year so far! I don’t want to get into spoilers, but I thought it was a wildly imaginative way to explore the agony of being a [certain kind of character] burdened with something you feel you can’t share. Horror at its best creates space to explore moviegoer-sized issues on a grand stage with suspended disbelief, kind of like how we work through our waking concerns with subconscious logic in our dreams, and I thought Cregger & co. did that beautifully.
I saw it in the theater yesterday and agree, really fun and well done! Also loved Barbarian.
Would those who loved Weapons recommend it to a scaredy cat like myself? I’m not into horror, but my husband is, so I usually cave once a year around Halloween and watch something that is an excellent film and not completely nightmare-inducing. In the past, I’ve seen the Babadook, Get Out, Nope etc. We already saw Sinners, and I didn’t find it scary. Appreciate any insight!
Of the movies you mentioned, Bella, I’d say this one shares the most DNA with THE BABADOOK, and that was much more harrowing for me. You could almost argue that WEAPONS is a thriller with horror elements? Not a lot of jump scares, and the revelations/resolution are very satisfying. I think it might work for you!
Thanks Lauren! The Babadook did scare me more than I like, but was ultimately worth it story/filmmaking wise. I think you’ve convinced me to give Weapons a try!
Bella, I still can’t believe that there was a limited-edition version of the book in THE BABADOOK available for purchase. https://www.paperspecs.com/gallery/publications/babadook-pop-up-book/ I am not a very superstitious person and have immersed myself in enough horror to get over being an EXTREMELY easily-spooked child (though I do close my closet door firmly before turning in at night, thank you very much), but WHO WOULD BRING THAT INTO THEIR HOME ON PURPOSE?!
Haha love that they gave the early warning that nothing bad happens to the cat. Legit a concern! I’m actually not a movie person. They’ve always made me feel deeply, I don’t know, nostalgic? Like, I used to get a pain when I left a movie theater as a kid. I think because the world that was built in front of my eyes for the past hour and a half was suddenly swept away from me, leaving me blinking in the hot-white light of real life. I don’t get that same pain when completing a book, maybe because I’m responsible for how the world looks and feels while I’m experiencing it. Give me a three-part documentary about white-collar crime, though, and I’m in. Karma is the guy with the scheme, coming straight home to me.
You are a beautiful writer. The language of this comment is gorgeous
Yes. I keep re-reading this comment. Extraordinary.
I feel this so deeply. I’ve never heard anyone else explain their experience of nostalgia as a physical pain the way you did. Thank you for sharing.
Omigosh, @Katie—yes, this! What an extraordinary “word picture” you painted in your second paragraph ❤️
You just articulated something I have always felt but never thought to put words to. Thank you!
Just seen “The Roses” and absolutely loved it! Olivia Colman, forever in my heart.
That movie looks like such a blast!! Great news that you liked it
Yay! I can’t wait to see it this weekend.
The Roses was fantastic!
I saw it this weekend and am dying to talk about it!
Well, I thought it was two movies at once. I love Andy & Kate but this film would have been greater without the distracting friends. The actors playing the kids could have had larger parts. The Roses et al could have carried the entire movie.
Loved it! And also loved seeing Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman In interviews talking about what a blast it was to make the movie. It exceeded my hopes.
On my way to the theater to watch this right now, yay!
Joanna and I were just texting about The Roses. The trailer stressed me out, but I also love Olivia, so I will have to see it.
The Ballad of Wallis Island. Watch the trailer if you want, or just go to your local cinema and live another life for 2 hours. It’s kind, sensitive, ridiculous and not a standard „love the life you lead“ funny movie. With Tim Key, Carey Mulligan, Tom Basden and Sian Clifford (from Fleabag :)). I really hope you like it, too. xo
Yes!!!! Loved it SO MUCH!
agree wholeheartedly. TBOWI was an absolute gem.
Yes!!! Ditto!
YES! Loved it, so quirky and lovely!
My boyfriend and I saw that on a whim at the artsy theater downtown. We were both charmed and agreed that we didn’t want to tell anyone else to go see it out of fear they wouldn’t love it and they might ruin the magic for us. It’s just so slowly and subtly delightful that I know it’s not for everyone. I’m so glad to see someone here also loving it. (and yes the sister from Fleabag was so different here it took me forever to place her!)
Seconded! I didn’t know much about the film before seeing it, but thought it would be enjoyable and the scenery beautiful. It was such an enjoyable few hours. As you said, it felt like an immersive escape from the real world: the characters and scenery absorbed me. Beautifully done.
Yes, loved the Ballad of Wallis Island!
I, too, loved it. Then realized the two male leads wrote it, and loved it even more 🙂
So good!! Have been listening to the soundtrack a lot since, too
Loved this movie!!! So funny and tender and just… life affirming.
Hi Katie Sue, I totally get what you are saying :) I saw the trailer in January and immediately told my friends: I know this will be my most precious film this year. If you see it (before me, after me, with or without me) please be aware that this is precious to me and I don’t want to hear anything besides „this was good for my heart“ about it. They delivered :). I had to wait until June (it came out in the US first, then in Europe) to see it. I went to the film festival in Munich and at the premiere the 2 male actors and the director did a Q&A after the movie. It was hilarious and sweet and soft and so normal and everything. It feels good to me to have experienced something this year with so many other people that I know of: this is good for our hearts. xo
I would watch Carey Mulligan in anything! Everything! Brilliant!
It is wonderful!
I’ve thought about this movie so many times since watching it – I’m so glad to see it get some very much deserved love and attention.
K-pop Demon Hunters. My kids and I somehow missed this until a couple weeks ago. Now our whole family is OBSESSED and has watched it five times. My bro-y and generally very cis 6 year old son has declared that he MUST be Rumi for Halloween and we spent a very cozy day designing his costume yesterday.
Our family is also obsessed! Our five year old now demands that we play K-pop Demon Hunters music any time we drive somewhere and loudly protests if we try to put anything else on. It’s infectious (lol!): https://www.reddit.com/r/KpopDemonhunters/comments/1mcqlio/its_infectious_love_this_clip/
We watched K-Pop Demon Hunters with our almost five-year-old this weekend and it was SO FUN. He was absolutely stoked to be able to watch it finally because we told him all summer that he had to wait until he was six. The songs are so catchy.
YEP! I was delighted that I actually loved this movie. It was really sweet and the music is fantastic. I wish every kids movie was of this caliber.
My daughters, 5 and 3, are OBSESSED with “Takedown” (Their name for it. We can never call it anything else now). We have watched it at least 20 times and listen to the soundtrack every day. My husband said,”I like how our life has a different soundtrack at different times. The Bluey theme, Pink Panther theme, Frozen. And now Takedown. I’ll always think of best days of our lives when I hear those songs.”
Hands down best movie of the year!
My six-year-old is obsessed with “Cake Pop Demon Hundreds.” (She refuses to be corrected on the title.) She talks about it all the time even though she hadn’t seen it yet.
I just watched Relay in the theaters and it was fantastic! Edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next! Highly recommend.
Have you seen Riz Ahmed in the show The Night Of? It is excellent!