Letterboxd - the sam(ta clause) https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/ Letterboxd - the sam(ta clause) Paint Drying, 2016 https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/paint-drying/33/ letterboxd-review-738380370 Mon, 16 Dec 2024 03:28:15 +1300 2024-12-15 Yes Paint Drying 2016 1194848 <![CDATA[

letterboxd took down the severance (2022) page so here's me begging you all to watch it and remember me when season 2 arrives in january, I smell a breaking bad-level threat and I do not say that lightly

also how y'all doing it's been a minute since my last paint drying

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The Muppet Christmas Carol, 1992 - ★★★★ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/the-muppet-christmas-carol/ letterboxd-review-737950459 Sun, 15 Dec 2024 14:21:48 +1300 2024-12-14 No The Muppet Christmas Carol 1992 4.0 10437 <![CDATA[

dawwwwww My Cocaine is hanging out with all da muppets it's just so cute

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The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, 2024 - ★★½ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-war-of-the-rohirrim/ letterboxd-review-736324347 Fri, 13 Dec 2024 11:50:16 +1300 2024-12-12 No The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim 2024 2.5 839033 <![CDATA[

An animated movie in theaters? A fantasy animated movie in theaters? A fantasy animated movie set in middle earth in theaters? Sign me up!

It does several things right, it actually expands itself from a section of Tolkien's work rather than just pretending to (looking at you, Bezos), it, as far as I know, stays true to the themes and intentions of the world as it adds its own plot, it doesn't disrespect or misuse the returning characters/voice talents, and it manages to, at moments, stand out as something that is proud of what it is. Unfortunately, for such a gracious runtime, it doesn't quite give enough to most of its characters, leaving the movie a series of unrelated, vague emotional payoffs that I wish had more to stand on. The animation itself is fine but nothing to write home about, at its best it manages to nicely replicate some of the locations from Jackson's trilogy and at its worst it looks like one of those "blank but animated by Ghibli" AI prompt videos. I think we're lucky that this was watchable at all, and it being animated in the first place makes me want to be much nicer to it, but I can't help but think they should've gone all in if they were going to go at all. I also can't hide my disappointment finally seeing Helm's Deep again only for it to be for one of the more pitiful and slow fantasy battles in recent memory. Great concept, a story worth telling, but this definitely could've used some more oomf to it. Later 'taters.

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Interstellar, 2014 - ★★★★½ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/interstellar/3/ letterboxd-review-735198513 Wed, 11 Dec 2024 18:53:56 +1300 2024-12-11 Yes Interstellar 2014 4.5 157336 <![CDATA[

10 year anniversary IMAX watch

I think it's so funny that no matter how many times I see this Matt Damon is and always will be a complete and total jumpscare.

Nolan turns all of what we value to ground ourselves in reality and morphs that into a balancing act that illustrates the true scale of space like never before and never again. Terrifying but never evil. I still think some of the story elements, particularly a lot at the end, feel a bit rushed and half-thought-through, but it almost feels like the movie itself didn't find all that necessary in the grand scheme. This movie feels and it gets you feeling. It's so big in ways like no other, and it's definitely Nolan at his most vulnerable, showcasing that love, the one thing we can never explain, is really all we hold onto in the end.

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The Polar Express, 2004 - ★★★½ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/the-polar-express/ letterboxd-review-733460334 Mon, 9 Dec 2024 11:01:04 +1300 2024-12-08 Yes The Polar Express 2004 3.5 5255 <![CDATA[

If you ignore the horrifying (I say that as affectionately as I can) animation, this is an undeniably wonderful time with a very unique feel to it. More trains in fantasy stories, please.

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Game of Thrones: A Day in the Life, 2015 - ★★★★½ (contains spoilers) https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/game-of-thrones-a-day-in-the-life/ letterboxd-review-731121287 Fri, 6 Dec 2024 10:15:14 +1300 2024-12-05 No Game of Thrones: A Day in the Life 2015 4.5 340200 <![CDATA[

This review may contain spoilers.

season 1

I was gonna make a joke about Sean Bean's character being poorly executed, but it would just go over his head.

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Gladiator II, 2024 - ★★★½ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/gladiator-ii/ letterboxd-review-730692896 Thu, 5 Dec 2024 16:14:26 +1300 2024-12-04 No Gladiator II 2024 3.5 558449 <![CDATA[

Most of what it does right was already done better in the first, but, for a legacy sequel from the guy who really hasn't been a decent director in a while, this was far more solid than it had to be. It's faithful to the themes of the original, Paul successfully fills the powerful shoes of an actor few ever could while providing his own flavor to it, there are multiple twists I genuinely didn't see coming, and the action was quite fun outside of the first battle sequence. This was ahhhiight and I had a gooood time because I'm a man and I like the roman empire and denzel washington, man.

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The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, 2022 - ★★★★ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/the-guardians-of-the-galaxy-holiday-special/4/ letterboxd-review-729721679 Wed, 4 Dec 2024 05:18:42 +1300 2024-12-03 Yes The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special 2022 4.0 774752 <![CDATA[

"I could've been someone"
"Well so could anyone! You took my dreams from me
when I first found you"
"I kept them with me babe, I put them with my own
Can't make it out alone, I built my dreams around you"

Taking the modern exhaustive nature of the commercial festive season and tying it back to why it ever really mattered in the first place. These wacky aliens don't even know about this season or why it matters, but they created the perfect holiday by showing the love they have for each other. It's not more than it is, a Christmas one-off for the house of mouse, but it manages to be a very emotional breath of cheer for characters that continue to be the perfect found family. This soundtrack brings me back to wandering the streets of Germany alone in the snow, very excited that this year I'll be home with my family.

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Howl's Moving Castle, 2004 - ★★½ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/howls-moving-castle/1/ letterboxd-review-728690565 Mon, 2 Dec 2024 15:16:51 +1300 2024-12-01 Yes Howl's Moving Castle 2004 2.5 4935 <![CDATA[

I'm sorry guys, this is the third time I've tried now to be as in love with this film as everyone else is. Animation's great, music's great, Sophie is a very fun protagonist, but, narratively, the whole thing continues to feel too stuffed with ideas and characters and worlds nobody wanted to commit to and none of it sticks for me by the time it rushes to close itself off. However, the magic of Miyazaki prevails. My brothers never listen to anything other than video games for more than twenty seconds, and there they and I sat, captivated, eyes on the screen, for the entirety of this story. They then begged me to make them bacon and eggs, to which I provided. Even in his weakest attempts, he can't help but show everyone a world they'd rather inhabit, true fantasy that holds you tight, and I value that above any criticism I can toss out.

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Pawn Sacrifice, 2014 - ★★★½ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/pawn-sacrifice/ letterboxd-review-727798590 Sun, 1 Dec 2024 16:46:36 +1300 2024-11-30 No Pawn Sacrifice 2014 3.5 245698 <![CDATA[

So great to see a film so acutely represent misophonia, even if it's pretty unknown if Bobby ever had it. It suuuucks, man.

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El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie, 2019 - ★★★★★ (contains spoilers) https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/el-camino-a-breaking-bad-movie/3/ letterboxd-review-727501492 Sun, 1 Dec 2024 10:58:01 +1300 2024-11-30 Yes El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie 2019 5.0 559969 <![CDATA[

This review may contain spoilers.

still a bit bummed Todd couldn't end up being alive for this but I love Neil Kandy as an antagonist, so it evens out. I think I'm safe giving this the five stars it deserves, bravo Vince and I love you Aaron Paul

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No Half Measures: Creating the Final Season of Breaking Bad, 2013 - ★★★★★ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/no-half-measures-creating-the-final-season-of-breaking-bad/1/ letterboxd-review-727282607 Sun, 1 Dec 2024 05:49:49 +1300 2024-11-30 Yes No Half Measures: Creating the Final Season of Breaking Bad 2013 5.0 239459 <![CDATA[

Hello, and welcome to the huell babineaux family. My name is skylar white yo, but you can call me the one who knocks. I live at 6353 juan tabo, apartment 6, this is my confession. Did you know that you have a kid named finger? The heroin says you do, and so do I. I believe that every man, woman, and poisoned brock is up to los pollos hermanos standards until proven sus lately. That's why I will kill your infant daughter! I am not crazy! I am Saul Goodman, and I make it my business to get that idiot at the copy shop to lie for the citizens of Albuquerque against dipping sticks of any kind. You wanna know why I did it for me? Because it's too blue, I don't care about what is wrong with you! It's schradeover to me, it's a contamination! I travel in el caminos you can't even conceive, you can't conceive how heisenberged I've become! I'm so far beyond help, I'm like a human in a vacuum cleaner store. I gave the money to walt, pleaaaase! AUUUUUGH UGH, ding ding ding HAW BOOOM.

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Free Birds, 2013 - ★★★★★ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/free-birds/1/ letterboxd-review-725815830 Fri, 29 Nov 2024 07:27:53 +1300 2024-11-28 Yes Free Birds 2013 5.0 175574 <![CDATA[

The penultimate "time travel", a study in how such a concept leaves the present, our present, an eternal state of spiritual stagnation. The reclamation of our past becomes a conflict of the individual versus the collective, as carried by Owen Wilson's (fantastic) Reggie, an outcast titled "the anti corn", given to death for fearing it. Our illusions, what we want, our primordial "Eden", has always lied in the past, in reclaiming ourselves. Reggie denies this, no better than his turkey kin, giving himself to a cycle of serving the present by ignoring it. Jake is such an important image for a story like this, a result of yet another cycle, "The Great Turkey", Reggie accepting the past is the only future. It is through this that Free Birds identifies the inherent futility in a "future". History is just going back in time, the way we celebrate the first Thanksgiving by being "thankful" for the present, it leaves turkey off the menu in a purely meta-religious sense, but, as ascribed by Jake, a very literal one. We need to be careful.

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Miracle on 34th Street, 1994 - ★★ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/miracle-on-34th-street-1994/ letterboxd-review-725095930 Thu, 28 Nov 2024 05:23:29 +1300 2024-11-27 No Miracle on 34th Street 1994 2.0 10510 <![CDATA[

"A lie that draws a smile, or a truth that draws a tear?"

Shut up you stupid movie, Santa Claus is real, if it's all just "science", where do the presents come from?

In all seriousness, declaring that faith is knowing something isn't true but telling the world it is to keep joy alive, what kind of "nadda matters" Rick and Morty savior superiority are you riding on? Truth is not a lie, don't live life a liar, don't get married a liar, don't raise a kid a liar, don't be a symbol of something you don't believe in! Imagine being that miserable and full of yourself for it, you're getting coal this year. Spared no expense! The ASL scene was incredibly sweet, though, I'll remember that on its own.

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Elf, 2003 - ★★★½ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/elf/1/ letterboxd-review-723645414 Tue, 26 Nov 2024 02:52:33 +1300 2024-11-25 Yes Elf 2003 3.5 10719 <![CDATA[

You'd think by now Santa would invest in a power source more sustainable than "Christmas spirit", he can't keep relying on zany characters inspiring small communities into accessing their inner child forever, can he?

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The Wizard of Oz, 1939 - ★★★½ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/the-wizard-of-oz-1939/ letterboxd-watch-723201513 Mon, 25 Nov 2024 12:38:27 +1300 2024-11-24 Yes The Wizard of Oz 1939 3.5 630 <![CDATA[

Watched on Sunday November 24, 2024.

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Jingle All the Way, 1996 - ★★★ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/jingle-all-the-way/1/ letterboxd-review-722794611 Mon, 25 Nov 2024 04:13:49 +1300 2024-11-24 Yes Jingle All the Way 1996 3.0 9279 <![CDATA[

As much of a sucker I am for anything Christmas related, as you all know, I kind of hate the Christmas subgenre of "commercialized hellscape assaults people for being normal and the normal people are forced to accept that it's their fault", which includes this movie and Christmas with the Kranks. It activates an unusually angry part and a not-so-unusually anxious part of my brain that erases all the mystic beauty of what can be the most tender time of the year in my eyes. Luckily Arnold says "cookie" mutliple times with a passion so fiery and an accent so strong, it is why this is still getting a positive rating.

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Frances Ha, 2012 - ★★★★ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/frances-ha/1/ letterboxd-review-720285732 Thu, 21 Nov 2024 16:44:32 +1300 2024-11-20 Yes Frances Ha 2012 4.0 121986 <![CDATA[

Just doing my part relating to this movie and my dad sitting next to me goes "is she going to kill herself?"

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Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, 2018 - ★ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/mamma-mia-here-we-go-again/ letterboxd-review-720129729 Thu, 21 Nov 2024 12:27:55 +1300 2024-11-20 No Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again 2018 1.0 458423 <![CDATA[

No film absolutely butchers and disrespects "Kisses of Fire" AND FREAKING "FERNANDO" and gets away with it on my watch. THOSE ARE BOTH TOP 3 ABBA SONGS YOU MONSTERS. Let's just shove ABBA songs into scenes at random in a story clearly not made for them and pretend it means something AHA, I'm not having it. I don't give a hoot!

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El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie, 2019 - ★★★★½ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/el-camino-a-breaking-bad-movie/2/ letterboxd-review-719867568 Thu, 21 Nov 2024 05:28:57 +1300 2024-11-20 Yes El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie 2019 4.5 559969 <![CDATA[

a real man never speaks ill of el peakmino

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Red One, 2024 - ★½ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/red-one/ letterboxd-review-719302631 Wed, 20 Nov 2024 09:05:25 +1300 2024-11-19 No Red One 2024 1.5 845781 <![CDATA[

Don't think giving Krampus some much needed representation will save you in my eyes, Mr. Dwayneson Johntherock. I take my Christmas mythos pretty seriously, and, even for a Netflix original, this is pretty sloppy-- wait... this wasn't made by Netflix? But it has the same "begin the title with 'Red ______' and pray for two recognizable names to have any ounce of chemisty" gimmick as the... oh... okay, then.

There's only one Santa voiced by J.K. Simmons that I love and accept and this ain't it.

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American Psycho, 2000 - ★★★★½ (contains spoilers) https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/american-psycho/ letterboxd-review-718754629 Tue, 19 Nov 2024 11:52:11 +1300 2024-11-18 No American Psycho 2000 4.5 1359 <![CDATA[

This review may contain spoilers.

"Something romantic?"
"No. Silly."

literally me

we must ask ourselves if the various despicable acts of unbelievable carnage committed by Patrick Bateman (anti-antisemite feminist icon, by the way) are outweighed by the tremendous good of ridding the world of Jared Leto, because, really, I don't know if there's ever been a more difficult moral dilemma

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The Wild Robot, 2024 - ★★★★½ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/the-wild-robot/1/ letterboxd-review-718644837 Tue, 19 Nov 2024 09:26:14 +1300 2024-11-18 Yes The Wild Robot 2024 4.5 1184918 <![CDATA[

and still somehow, it's love's illusions I recall

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The Golden Compass, 2007 - ★½ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/the-golden-compass/ letterboxd-review-718020545 Mon, 18 Nov 2024 12:13:21 +1300 2024-11-17 No The Golden Compass 2007 1.5 2268 <![CDATA[

always a clever idea to end your ambitious and expensive fantasy adaptation on a cliffhanger, always ends well

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Look Back, 2024 - ★★★ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/look-back-2024/ letterboxd-review-715626867 Fri, 15 Nov 2024 13:26:52 +1300 2024-11-14 No Look Back 2024 3.0 1244492 <![CDATA[

somebody just handed me a kitten but then they beat me over with a bat, that kinda hurt

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Grave of the Fireflies, 1988 - ★★★★★ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/grave-of-the-fireflies/1/ letterboxd-watch-714723330 Thu, 14 Nov 2024 05:50:21 +1300 2024-11-13 Yes Grave of the Fireflies 1988 5.0 12477 <![CDATA[

Watched on Wednesday November 13, 2024.

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Kiki's Delivery Service, 1989 - ★★★★½ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/kikis-delivery-service/4/ letterboxd-watch-713673392 Tue, 12 Nov 2024 13:50:42 +1300 2024-11-11 Yes Kiki's Delivery Service 1989 4.5 16859 <![CDATA[

Watched on Monday November 11, 2024.

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Kiki's Delivery Service, 1989 - ★★★★ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/kikis-delivery-service/3/ letterboxd-review-712863699 Mon, 11 Nov 2024 13:44:08 +1300 2024-11-10 Yes Kiki's Delivery Service 1989 4.0 16859 <![CDATA[

There genuinely is no better way to end a movie than with a montage of all the characters living after everything is said and done

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Shrek 2, 2004 - ★★★★½ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/shrek-2/1/ letterboxd-review-712835128 Mon, 11 Nov 2024 13:07:38 +1300 2024-11-10 Yes Shrek 2 2004 4.5 809 <![CDATA[

Everybody loves the "Holding Out For a Hero" climax but nobody talks about how fun and awesome the "Ever Fallen In Love" potions sequence is, and that to me is a crying shame

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Whisper of the Heart, 1995 - ★★★★★ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/whisper-of-the-heart/12/ letterboxd-review-711964544 Sun, 10 Nov 2024 14:30:33 +1300 2024-11-09 Yes Whisper of the Heart 1995 5.0 37797 <![CDATA[

do you guys think he likes this movie

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The Wild Robot, 2024 - ★★★★½ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/the-wild-robot/ letterboxd-review-711732459 Sun, 10 Nov 2024 10:01:54 +1300 2024-11-09 No The Wild Robot 2024 4.5 1184918 <![CDATA[

DreamWorks's most courageous film since The Prince of Egypt. Unafraid to show nature's unforgivable... well, nature and the beauty that is gained from it. Rising beyond your instincts to care for another and the purpose you build on that, the terrifying task of loving something more than you are able to, giving others what you can't give yourself, life. Hits hard, man. I'm so glad there was a team out there who wanted to give this to kids with no sugar for the medicine, and that they wrapped it up in such breathtaking animation. I feel seen and hurt and hugged.

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Perfect Days, 2023 - ★★★★★ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/perfect-days-2023/1/ letterboxd-review-710531327 Fri, 8 Nov 2024 16:39:54 +1300 2024-11-07 Yes Perfect Days 2023 5.0 976893 <![CDATA[

I am 21 years old what the heck am I doing relating this much to an old Japanese toilet cleaner

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The Apprentice, 2024 - ★★★½ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/the-apprentice-2024/ letterboxd-review-710424373 Fri, 8 Nov 2024 13:22:49 +1300 2024-11-07 No The Apprentice 2024 3.5 1182047 <![CDATA[

Can't wait for the sequel where he really starts accomplishing things (starring in The Little Rascals)

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WALL·E, 2008 - ★★★★★ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/walle/1/ letterboxd-review-710117870 Fri, 8 Nov 2024 03:10:18 +1300 2024-11-06 Yes WALL·E 2008 5.0 10681 <![CDATA[

"It only takes a moment
for your eyes to meet and then
your heart knows in a moment
you will never be alone again"

Define “dancing”.

This film presents us with an abandoned world, an empty planet waiting to be cared for by a humanity that drifts itself further and further away into its own escapist complacency. As Earth becomes more of an empty promise, a lone soul, WALL•E, continues to live out a mission everyone else gave up on hundreds of years ago. Along the way, he develops for himself what he feels life should be based on dreams that had been long since tossed aside. One of these is a concept of love, which, for a robot, is a strange thing to think about.

Hello, Dolly!, what most would consider a fantasy, a fun ride away from reality from long ago, is what he believes love is. What it aught to be. All love can ever hope to be for him and, eventually, EVE is a chance to finally have someone else to be with, a desire completely devoid of practicality or physicality that it becomes a perfect testament to what that concept even is. The most emotional part of the film, when the two finally come together for a special evening in the stars, swirling through Thomas Newman’s beautiful score, is illustrated perfectly by a simple definition. All dancing really is is two people finding their rhythm together, and that’s all it needs to be. That’s what love is ALL about.

A story that uses robots, a symbol of progress, to illustrate an idea everybody would find outdated or innocent or naive, is really beautiful to me. Characters limited to only a few words, unable to do anything more than dance, hold hands, and touch heads, showcase humanity at its most intimate. There’s nothing limited about their relationship, nothing that holds them back from being everything to each other. Not only that, WALL•E and EVE’s unique connection is used as a foundation to build the themes of the movie. From all of humanity to a receptionist bot with only a few possible degrees of movement, one small light helped them all see that living is better than surviving.

This is one of the few movies that truly illustrates love in the way I’ve seen it all my life, a love that I am more confident in and proud of than ever. Out there, full of shine and full of sparkle, it exists. Pixar’s best, in my humble opinion.

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Pan, 2015 - ★★★½ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/pan-2015/ letterboxd-review-709607873 Thu, 7 Nov 2024 07:14:20 +1300 2024-11-05 Yes Pan 2015 3.5 266647 <![CDATA[

This imperfect, odd, but so deliciously curious endeavor continues to evade my understanding to this day and I need to talk about it. You'd think from my love of Treasure Planet that flying pirate ships in space tend to cloud my judgement, but it goes much deeper than that. This movie contains so many unanswered questions about itself. Why are nuns selling orphans out to pirates? How did that start? How do the Pirates have flying ships that can travel across multiple dimensions and allow them to survive in space? Neverland clearly exists outside of time, as "Smells Like Teenage Spirit" and "Blitzkrieg Bop" both come from long after World War II and Blackbeard mentions that the children come from all sorts of different ages. Why do the natives die by bursting into color, are they human? I want to know more about that fairy/natives versus the pirates war that raged for many years. I want to know more about what the flying chosen one implies beyond defeating Blackbeard. I want to know how Hook and Pan end up as enemies! There's an entire cinematic universe in here! Joe Wright entered a directing depression upon seeing this movie's receptive failure and I think there's a reason for that. I see potential in this thing and I've been obsessed with it since childhood and I need more so desperately. Gosh, it inspired the first story I ever wrote! Joe Wright talk to me please and let me know and then put me in touch with Matthew Macfadyen please for no reason in particular please.

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Friends with Benefits, 2011 - ★ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/friends-with-benefits/ letterboxd-watch-709115323 Wed, 6 Nov 2024 09:58:08 +1300 2024-11-05 No Friends with Benefits 2011 1.0 50544 <![CDATA[

Watched on Tuesday November 5, 2024.

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The Substance, 2024 - ★★★ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/the-substance/ letterboxd-review-707844538 Mon, 4 Nov 2024 13:34:47 +1300 2024-11-03 No The Substance 2024 3.0 933260 <![CDATA[

It's alright 👍. It's nice to see such a visceral and refreshingly upfront portrayal of how chasing beauty tears you apart, but it really scrapes the butter across too much bread for my taste. Goes on and on with not enough to go with in my opinion, and by the end there wasn't a whole lot it left me with. That and it always irks me a bit, especially in horror movies, when the main character(s (or not)) is a complete idiot that makes all of the worst decisions at every turn. It got really frustrating to see how little precaution she put into anything she was doing, and I get why it was done, but it didn't make it less frustrating of a journey for me. Eh, it's alright. I got it, it's bold, it's interesting, but it's a bit bloated and annoying in the ways horror usually is for me. The Floop's FoOglies reunion episode went differently than I expected.

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Reservoir Dogs, 1992 - ★★½ (contains spoilers) https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/reservoir-dogs/ letterboxd-review-707617364 Mon, 4 Nov 2024 09:45:04 +1300 2024-11-03 No Reservoir Dogs 1992 2.5 500 <![CDATA[

This review may contain spoilers.

I am so confused, who the heck shot Eddie??? I've replayed that scene like five times, he just falls. He just falls! He just dies!

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Over the Garden Wall 10th Anniversary Tribute, 2024 - ★★★★★ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/over-the-garden-wall-10th-anniversary-tribute/ letterboxd-review-707405354 Mon, 4 Nov 2024 05:08:29 +1300 2024-11-03 No Over the Garden Wall 10th Anniversary Tribute 2024 5.0 1367612 <![CDATA[

Yeah, this was perfect. The best stop motion studio in the world paid tribute to one of the greatest works of art to ever happen, staying true to the original show's tone and messaging while also inviting back the cast. I couldn't have asked for a better way to celebrate ten years of such a brilliant series. Gosh, thank you. Ugh.

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Inglourious Basterds, 2009 - ★★★★★ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/inglourious-basterds/1/ letterboxd-review-706931560 Sun, 3 Nov 2024 14:25:10 +1300 2024-11-02 Yes Inglourious Basterds 2009 5.0 16869 <![CDATA[

Sometimes something is so well-written it just makes you feel horrible for existing and trying to write like some writer who writes things

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The Perks of Being a Wallflower, 2012 - ★★ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/the-perks-of-being-a-wallflower/ letterboxd-review-706627340 Sun, 3 Nov 2024 09:10:49 +1300 2024-11-02 No The Perks of Being a Wallflower 2012 2.0 84892 <![CDATA[

No

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The Grand Budapest Hotel, 2014 - ★★★★ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/the-grand-budapest-hotel/ letterboxd-watch-706550811 Sun, 3 Nov 2024 07:25:03 +1300 2024-11-01 No The Grand Budapest Hotel 2014 4.0 120467 <![CDATA[

Watched on Friday November 1, 2024.

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the sam(ta clause)
Q&A, 2010 https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/qa/2/ letterboxd-review-704327058 Thu, 31 Oct 2024 12:12:56 +1300 2024-10-30 No Q&A 2010 1141756 <![CDATA[

THANKS SO MUCH FOR 1,700!!!

hit me with what you got 😎

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the sam(ta clause)
Shrek, 2001 - ★★★★★ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/shrek/1/ letterboxd-review-703661284 Wed, 30 Oct 2024 13:11:42 +1300 2024-10-29 Yes Shrek 2001 5.0 808 <![CDATA[

As soon as I heard the younglings had never before experienced cinema at its peak I was forced to drop everything and pull out my original DVD copy. I earned the best big brother points today.

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the sam(ta clause)
Isle of Dogs, 2018 - ★★★½ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/isle-of-dogs-2018/ letterboxd-review-702196180 Mon, 28 Oct 2024 14:11:31 +1300 2024-10-27 No Isle of Dogs 2018 3.5 399174 <![CDATA[

I am the one who bites

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the sam(ta clause)
Transformers: The Last Knight, 2017 - ★★★ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/transformers-the-last-knight/ letterboxd-review-698701283 Thu, 24 Oct 2024 04:29:22 +1300 2024-10-22 No Transformers: The Last Knight 2017 3.0 335988 <![CDATA[

I... I can't even... what? What exactly was Optimus planning to do by meeting his creator? He's just... evil now? Wait, the transformers have always been here? Stanley Tucci is back as... Merlin? There's a dragon robot now? A transformer killed Hitler? Bumblebee has immortality? Harriet Tubman is aware of cybertron? Shia Labeouf dead? Mark Wahlberg is some kind of rogue desperado chosen one of the apocalypse? Autolantis? THE PLANET EARTH IS A TRANSFORMER??? This is a colossal Infinity War-esque treasure hunt genre mash with 5 million plots pretending like they were at all designed to connect. This is like looking back at the kind of lore me and my brother would come up with to explain why my ninjas could fight bionicle wizards. It's kind of... beautiful. This creativity just... it doesn't exist in any franchise. It's not supposed to. Michael Bay must have the mind of a child, because it's all ambition with zero fear and logic. He paid a lifetime of money to not give a single iota towards anything making sense. In it's own way, this is exactly what I want to see for every story. But it also isn't? I'm afraid of the sort of reality-bending horrors of generational scale this man could come up with if he could actually write. Would a single tether to reality throw the whole thing off? Would a crumb of care sour the entire product? Is this the perfect visualization of the mental creative purgatory stories exist in, the kind we can never replicate because we inherently destroy our beauty with our idea of sense on the page?

also megatron got NOTHING in any of these movies, dude showed up with no motive multiple times and left without accomplishing anything, poor fella didn't even get a chance

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the sam(ta clause)
Sideways, 2004 - ★★★★★ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/sideways/ letterboxd-review-697690431 Tue, 22 Oct 2024 13:54:49 +1300 2024-10-21 No Sideways 2004 5.0 9675 <![CDATA[

gosh what the heck why

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the sam(ta clause)
Transformers: Age of Extinction, 2014 - ★ (contains spoilers) https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/transformers-age-of-extinction/ letterboxd-review-697299089 Tue, 22 Oct 2024 03:28:21 +1300 2024-10-20 No Transformers: Age of Extinction 2014 1.0 91314 <![CDATA[

This review may contain spoilers.

You have optimus prime riding a giant mechanical t rex that spits flames, aka everything a man could want, and the closest thing that I felt to joy during this movie was watching TJ Miller face several physical injuries before being brutally murdered. There must be some kind of art to what Bay does because it was not present here.

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the sam(ta clause)
Paint Drying, 2016 https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/paint-drying/32/ letterboxd-review-696470027 Mon, 21 Oct 2024 06:10:18 +1300 2024-10-20 No Paint Drying 2016 1194848 <![CDATA[

I wasn't planning on talking too much about this, but in the spirit of spreading the word and in the spirit of helping others like me feel a bit more seen, I wish all a happy Asexual Awareness Week. There's a lot that's misunderstood about it and it can be very alienating, but I do believe that not having a need or interest in something so widely cared about is a really cool gift at the end of the day. Accepting what I want and do not want allows me to spend more time living the best life I can live glorifying my God the best way I can, and I just hope others can comfortably feel the same in their own lives (1 Corinthians 7). I'd also recommend being open to change, don't let yourself be pressured into something you're not comfortable with but don't hold yourself back if you begin to feel differently. Okay, that's all. Take care and see you guys later!

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the sam(ta clause)
Transformers: Dark of the Moon, 2011 - ★★★½ https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/film/transformers-dark-of-the-moon/ letterboxd-review-695063919 Sat, 19 Oct 2024 13:32:50 +1300 2024-10-18 No Transformers: Dark of the Moon 2011 3.5 38356 <![CDATA[

I'm as disappointed in myself as you guys are

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the sam(ta clause)
M. Night Shamymalamulan ranked https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/list/m-night-shamymalamulan-ranked/ letterboxd-list-47689048 Sun, 16 Jun 2024 10:34:32 +1200 <![CDATA[
  1. The Village
  2. Signs
  3. The Sixth Sense
  4. Unbreakable
  5. Trap
  6. Split
  7. Lady in the Water
  8. Glass
  9. Knock at the Cabin
  10. The Happening

...plus 6 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

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the sam(ta clause)
christmas ranked (2024) https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/list/christmas-ranked-2024/ letterboxd-list-54191778 Tue, 26 Nov 2024 02:53:18 +1300 <![CDATA[

I will rank them as I log them

  1. The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
  2. The Muppet Christmas Carol
  3. Elf
  4. The Polar Express
  5. Jingle All the Way
  6. Miracle on 34th Street
  7. Red One
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the sam(ta clause)
2024 https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/list/2024/ letterboxd-list-41899916 Tue, 23 Jan 2024 20:08:16 +1300 <![CDATA[
  1. Dune: Part Two
  2. The Wild Robot
  3. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
  4. Alien: Romulus
  5. The Apprentice
  6. Gladiator II
  7. Look Back
  8. Megalopolis
  9. The Substance
  10. Joker: Folie à Deux

...plus 9 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

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the sam(ta clause)
the top ten to ever do it https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/list/the-top-ten-to-ever-do-it/ letterboxd-list-53716358 Wed, 13 Nov 2024 12:12:04 +1300 <![CDATA[

my official top ten favorite films of all time | will probably change often

  1. Whisper of the Heart
  2. The Lord of the Rings
  3. Whiplash
  4. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
  5. Good Will Hunting
  6. Grave of the Fireflies
  7. Jurassic Park
  8. Titanic
  9. Inglourious Basterds
  10. The Banshees of Inisherin
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the sam(ta clause)
Favorites https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/list/favorites/ letterboxd-list-37741016 Sun, 8 Oct 2023 07:29:16 +1300 <![CDATA[

A comprehensive list of the pieces of cinema that hold the most value in my life. | not ranked

...plus 73 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

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the sam(ta clause)
Every Ghibli Film I've Seen Ranked https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/list/every-ghibli-film-ive-seen-ranked/ letterboxd-list-27631820 Sun, 1 Jan 2023 11:19:46 +1300 <![CDATA[

I'm broke and piracy is not my deal, so this list is going to build itself slowly. Also keep in mind that most of these are peak cinema.

  1. Whisper of the Heart
  2. Grave of the Fireflies
  3. Spirited Away
  4. Only Yesterday
  5. Kiki's Delivery Service
  6. The Wind Rises
  7. Ponyo
  8. My Neighbor Totoro
  9. When Marnie Was There
  10. The Cat Returns

...plus 1 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

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the sam(ta clause)
Quentin Tarantulino ranked https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/list/quentin-tarantulino-ranked/ letterboxd-list-46646482 Mon, 4 Nov 2024 03:40:48 +1300 <![CDATA[

this'll probably change often

  1. Inglourious Basterds
  2. Django Unchained
  3. Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood
  4. Kill Bill: Vol. 1
  5. Kill Bill: Vol. 2
  6. The Hateful Eight
  7. Reservoir Dogs
  8. Pulp Fiction
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the sam(ta clause)
top 10 superhero/comic book movies https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/list/top-10-superhero-comic-book-movies/ letterboxd-list-45456507 Wed, 1 May 2024 10:50:01 +1200 <![CDATA[
  1. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
  2. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
  3. The Dark Knight
  4. Logan
  5. The Incredibles
  6. Megamind
  7. Spider-Man 2
  8. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
  9. Guardians of the Galaxy
  10. The Avengers
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the sam(ta clause)
2022 https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/list/2022/ letterboxd-list-29250688 Wed, 28 Dec 2022 04:31:37 +1300 <![CDATA[
  1. RRR
  2. Top Gun: Maverick
  3. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
  4. Bullet Train

    Japan hype train (I'm going to Japan)

  5. Everything Everywhere All at Once
  6. Nope
  7. The Batman
  8. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
  9. Glass Onion
  10. Sonic the Hedgehog 2

...plus 13 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

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the sam(ta clause)
2023 https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/list/2023/ letterboxd-list-34031523 Wed, 31 May 2023 00:54:41 +1200 <![CDATA[
  1. Oppenheimer
  2. The Boy and the Heron
  3. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
  4. John Wick: Chapter 4
  5. Killers of the Flower Moon
  6. Sound of Freedom
  7. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
  8. Blue Beetle
  9. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
  10. Past Lives

...plus 16 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

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the sam(ta clause)
recommend me stuff 😱 https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/list/recommend-me-stuff/ letterboxd-list-34543159 Mon, 19 Jun 2023 02:19:36 +1200 <![CDATA[

nothing horrible please

...plus 74 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

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the sam(ta clause)
Star Wars Ranked https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/list/star-wars-ranked/ letterboxd-list-43888317 Fri, 8 Mar 2024 00:24:26 +1300 <![CDATA[

2023-2024 marathon

  1. The Empire Strikes Back
  2. Return of the Jedi
  3. Star Wars
  4. Andor: A Disney+ Day Special Look
  5. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
  6. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
  7. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
  8. Solo: A Star Wars Story
  9. Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones
  10. Obi-Wan Kenobi

...plus 4 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

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the sam(ta clause)
"they don't make them like they used to" https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/list/they-dont-make-them-like-they-used-to/ letterboxd-list-43900168 Fri, 8 Mar 2024 11:17:59 +1300 <![CDATA[

modern movies (20s or so) that felt like a return to form, each containing a specific sort of passion/style most would say we seemingly left behind years ago. Not meant to downplay the progressive nature of these works or the impressiveness of the technology used, merely a reminder that cinema as we used to know it is not dead yet.

...plus 3 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

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the sam(ta clause)
YouTube Adventures with the sam https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/list/youtube-adventures-with-the-sam/ letterboxd-list-38756073 Sun, 12 Nov 2023 10:35:07 +1300 <![CDATA[

Films I found on YouTube. Most of them will probably be pieces of Asian cinema achieved through this awesome list: boxd.it/fGzzA

I will also rank them because why not 🤷‍♂️

  1. Angel Dust
  2. BU・SU
  3. Finding Jesus
  4. Finding Jesus 2
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the sam(ta clause)
childhood classics https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/list/childhood-classics/ letterboxd-list-36113616 Sat, 12 Aug 2023 08:04:12 +1200 <![CDATA[

I saw each and every one of these probably 15 times at least

...plus 73 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

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the sam(ta clause)
The Whisper of the Heart Cinematic Universe Ranked https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/list/the-whisper-of-the-heart-cinematic-universe/ letterboxd-list-38502695 Sun, 7 Jan 2024 03:36:42 +1300 <![CDATA[

stuff: letterboxd.com/the_sam/tag/whisper-of-the-heart/reviews/

  1. Whisper of the Heart
  2. The Cat Returns
  3. Whisper of the Heart
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the sam(ta clause)
Every Spidey film ranked https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/list/every-spidey-film-ranked/ letterboxd-list-25019443 Sat, 11 Jun 2022 02:49:38 +1200 <![CDATA[

Most of these are pretty dang good

  1. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
  2. Spider-Man: No Way Home
  3. Spider-Man 2
  4. Spider-Man: Homecoming
  5. Spider-Man
  6. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
  7. Spider-Man: Far From Home
  8. Spider-Man 3
  9. The Amazing Spider-Man 2
  10. The Amazing Spider-Man
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the sam(ta clause)
Majora's Mask adaptations ranked https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/list/majoras-mask-adaptations-ranked/ letterboxd-list-34197965 Tue, 6 Jun 2023 05:23:25 +1200 <![CDATA[

as biggest Majora's Mask fan I feel qualified

  1. Donnie Darko
  2. Groundhog Day
  3. Majora's Mask: Terrible Fate
  4. Coraline
  5. Moonfall
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the sam(ta clause)
The Marvel Cinematic Universe... https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/list/the-marvel-cinematic-universe-3/ letterboxd-list-33530730 Mon, 8 May 2023 13:01:05 +1200 <![CDATA[

RANKED

I feel like I can finally rest. Like I can slip away and let this universe go where it pleases without me being worried. All the loose ends I needed to be tied were tied, and now I can watch in peace. And I'll still watch! I'm excited to see where it all ends up. But in terms of what I needed from a Marvel Cinematic Universe, I'm done.

There are a few movies and shows not present on this list because I either haven't watched them yet or haven't seen them in a while.

This list will probably change and is also my opinion, but let me know what you think!

  1. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

    the most perfect mcu movie

  2. Avengers: Infinity War

    has flaws but contains some of the coolest moments in the entire MCU. Thanos is a work of art on his own.

  3. Spider-Man: No Way Home

    No Way Home? More like No Way to not sob and die of emotion at how amazing this movie is

  4. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

    ...

  5. Guardians of the Galaxy

    The Guardians are better than the Avengers, my friend Johann will kill me for that one

  6. The Avengers

    as my friend Johann would say: "hood classic"

  7. Spider-Man: Homecoming

    Liz was 10 years too old to be in high school, ima be real

  8. Captain America: Civil War

    goes harder

  9. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

    goes hard

  10. Avengers: Endgame

    kinda goofy but is also freaking ENDGAME

...plus 27 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

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the sam(ta clause)
Every LEGO Movie ranked https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/list/every-lego-movie-ranked/ letterboxd-list-24978163 Wed, 8 Jun 2022 16:23:08 +1200 <![CDATA[

I love all of these movies. None of them are bad. If it has "LEGO" on it then it is immediately good, it's just that some are more good than others.

  1. The Lego Movie

    It's just the objective best, my guy. It would be in my top five animated movies ever. It's just that good.

  2. The Lego Batman Movie

    This movie is a lot of fun and it's filled to the brim with wonderful Batman junk to satisfy Batman lovers like me. It's a genuinely good Batman story with a lot of creative and funny humor. Could've been really bad and it wasn't.

  3. LEGO: The Adventures of Clutch Powers

    #RestoreTheClutchverse

    Fun fact: Clutch Powers is canon in the Ninjago universe! Cole mentioned him in the Season 1 episode titled "The Royal Blacksmiths".

  4. The Lego Ninjago Movie

    This movie is pretty freaking funny. It's so rewatchable and so hilarious and I love it so much. Was a huge fan of the show as a kid, and while this movie isn't a good representation of that show at all it is still a great time and I would definitely recommend it. It cut that fridge fight scene, though, and that's no good.

  5. LEGO® Atlantis: The Movie

    If you know this "movie" you know how good it is. The nostalgiaaaaaa...

    This was epic.

  6. The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part

    It's a good movie but did a couple things that frustrated me. May or may not elaborate on a different day.

  7. LEGO Batman: The Movie - DC Super Heroes Unite

    The game was awesome. It's definitely better to play the story rather than watch it, but it's still pretty good on its own.

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the sam(ta clause)
🪄✨️ HARRY POTTAH RANKED ✨️🪄 https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/list/harry-pottah-ranked/ letterboxd-list-36499288 Tue, 22 Aug 2023 05:18:02 +1200 <![CDATA[

this is a big moment for me

  1. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
  2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
  3. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
  4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
  5. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
  6. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
  7. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
  8. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
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the sam(ta clause)
Illumination Ranked https://letterboxd.com/the_sam/list/illumination-ranked/ letterboxd-list-33611931 Fri, 12 May 2023 02:36:44 +1200 <![CDATA[

I was able to do this so fast

  1. Despicable Me 2
  2. Despicable Me
  3. Sing
  4. Minions
  5. The Lorax
  6. The Super Mario Bros. Movie
  7. Minions: The Rise of Gru
  8. The Grinch
  9. The Secret Life of Pets
  10. Sing 2

...plus 3 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

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the sam(ta clause)