Adopted - A Tubi Original that had funny moments, but I felt like my expectations of a so bad it's good movie was not getting met. But then it picked up in the 2nd half, getting wilder and funnier. The ending sucked though! It's as if they ran out of money for the ending, hence it being so abrupt and like a cop-out. Now knowing there's a sequel, I assume it was made to finish where the first movie left off. Anyway, it's a decently entertaining bad movie. But it still deserves a 2/10.
Thanksgiving - Third time watching this movie, and my opinions on it remain the same. It's a decent slasher movie with some tremendous kills and practical FX. It's very meat-and-potatoes, though it stumbles in the third act, especially after the killer is revealed and they get nerfed and go silly. There's some nice dark humor and random hilarious bits such as the high school kid who wipes his tears by pulling his shirt up, revealing his abs! The final girl is a little stiff and most of the other young actors weren't very good. Still, the movie gets the job done. 7/10
What's Cooking? - This was a recent discovery. I'm guessing it was an under-the-radar film from 2000 boasting a huge ensemble cast, but most of the actors had long-running TV gigs or were supporting in big movies, such as Dennis Haybert and Alfre Woodard. The story covers 4 families having Thanksgiving dinner. The movie effectively bounces between the 4 families and their stories become increasingly dramatic. It starts off as light PG-13 comedy but builds so well. Many of the actors did a great job, the pacing is just right. This is also tremendous food porn! I got so hungry watching this. 8/10
Kristy - This was the third time viewing and I think I like it a little less. I was much more annoyed with the killers, believing they were a bunch of bitches. The dark web murder cult gimmick was so corny and dated. Most of the music used in this movie was very 2010s. The first leg of the movie is also a bit of a drag. Once it's the main character fighting against the murder cult, it gets really good for the most part. There was definitely one moment in the 2nd half of the movie that was completely unrealistic. Haley Bennett does a great job, Ashley Greene was nice. The movie's very thin on plot and even dialogue. This is a good thing because I would've gotten angry if I heard long monologues over this dark web murder cult. Fuck off with that. It also seemed like they wanted to do a sequel, but too bad. 7/10
The Ice Storm - I haven't seen this film in at least 10 years, and surprisingly, I remembered a few things about it. I remembered a tragic moment near the end of the movie, and the "key party." I also remembered some of the cast. Holy crap, what a stacked cast. Kevin Kline, Joan Allen, Sigourney Weaver, and very young Christina Ricci, Tobey Maguire, Katie Holmes, David Krumholtz, AND Elijah Wood! Also, the movie's directed by Ang Lee! So many strong names. This was sometimes darkly humorous, sometimes very awkward, but compelling from start to finish. The craft and attention to detail is exquisite. The depiction of the titular ice storm is fantastic, almost as if that's a character in the movie. The set design and costuming is fantastic. The movie looks and feels so cold. Pretty much all the actors in this movie were great, even though some of the characters were super weird. The movie ends on an incredibly sad note. It's also funny that Tobey Maguire's character has voiceover moments talking about the Fantastic Four. Spider-Man talking about the Fantastic Four, from the same director as the 2003 Hulk film. 9/10
Blood Rage - Hilarious low-budget 80s slasher with a delightful dual-performance from Mark Soper, who played a killer and his mentally scarred twin brother. Louise Lasser really carried the movie with her sometimes bizarre, sometimes relatable character! The kills are fun, with great gore effects from Ed French, who also has a small role in the movie and worked on Sleepaway Camp, among others. Most of the other actors are really bad, including the final girl, who even flubbed a line! It does a lot of familiar things as an 80s slasher, but also has some elements that make it stand out. An unmasked killer who casually strolls with a machete. And a surprisingly sad ending. A real gem. 9/10
Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Best Thanksgiving movie ever. Still hilarious with top tier performances from Steve Martin and John Candy. Excellent chemistry, great pacing, highly enjoyable cast of minor characters, even including a Kevin Bacon cameo. Variety recently put out their Top 100 Comedy Movies of All Time, and this film isn't on the list! A total sin, Variety has been really shitty this year, and this was a recent example. It should be in the top 20 at the very least. 10/10
Black Friday - Decent horror/comedy with a nice cast consisting of Devon Sawa, Michael Jai White, and Bruce Campbell. MJW is not in the movie enough and there are some hokey acting. The practical effects are great, with veteran Robert Kurtzman and his team doing a lot of heavy-lifting for this movie. If this had a lot of CGI, it would've been a bad movie. Instead, this is a short and sweet film. 7/10
The Territory - A entertaining NatGeo documentary that felt like a narrative film. You get a sense of who the good guys and bad guys are. The story is about indigenous people in a particular land in Brazil who stand up against settlers who refer to themselves as the Association. The story seems to have increased significance since it took place during the Jair Bolsonaro presidency, and now that fucker is in prison! It was lovely to see the indigenous people build up a media arsenal, fighting the fight in a contemporary way. 8/10
Clearcut - A very nice thriller with supernatural elements that basically shits on white liberals. Crazy that it was directed by a white guy. Graham Greene absolutely carries the movie with his wild card of a character. Some gorgeous cinematography and soul-pleasing music that gives heavy forest vibes. 9/10
No Other Choice - Absolutely beautiful and hilarious dark comedy about a laid-off man who goes after the competition in his pursuit of a new job. The movie boasts outstanding cinematography and editing. The transitions here are ingenious, things I don't think I've seen before. The script is unpredictable as I found myself shocked at many points and anxious. The editing also helped with the pacing. It's 2 hours and 19 minutes and I didn't feel the runtime. As exciting as it was to see the main character's story, it was a journey watching how director Park Chan Wook told the story. Quite frankly, I think this is the best directed movie of 2025. Park Chan Wook deserves award nominations, and I sadly think he will be snubbed. Lee Byung-hun was absolutely fantastic. He's another person who I fear will be snubbed, even though he gives one of the best male acting performances of the year. Hell, it might be my favorite male acting performance of the year. The violence is also memorable. The supporting cast is fantastic. The house that Lee Byung-hun's character and his family live in feels like a character in the movie. The production design there is fantastic. The craft in this movie is unbelievable. Park Chan Wook was clearly going for a masterpiece, seemingly inspired by The Ax, specifically the 2005 film adaptation of the 1997 book. Whatever the source, Park Chan Wook made his own movie. Pure art that only a human can make. I say that because AI is covered in this movie, along with capitalism and its isolating effects on the workforce and humanity. The movie's also perfect as a Fall-to-Winter movie, so the timing of this viewing was lovely. I love this movie, it's one of the best of 2025. I'm mulling putting it over One Battle After Another in the number 1 spot. It's my third 10/10 of the year, with One Battle and Sinners being the others.