Do you like movies? Why or why not?
Yes. Movies are a fantastic form of media that captivates me into various stories of great emotion and spectacle.
Where do you usually watch movies?
If possible, the theater. If not, my house.
What do you look for in a movie? Is there a specific genre?
I look for movies that are action packed, thrillers, and emotional at times with themes of loss. This reflects some of my favorite movies (Se7en, The Dark Knight, Avengers: Infinity War, etc.) I also tend to like movies where you don’t understand what’s happening. These are mainly Christopher Nolan films (Interstellar, Inception, Memento).
Is there an outside source (book, actor, recommendation) that usually informs your viewing? Do you have any actors that you tend to watch movies for?
I tend to watch movies if they are a series of other movies I like, or something similar. I also follow directors. For example, I watched the new Bong Joon Ho movie Mickey 17 mainly because it was him directing. I loved his previous movie Parasite, so I expected something great, which is what I got. I also follow some actors such as Cillian Murphy, because everything he’s in is fantastic.
Do you have a favorite movie? If you can remember, what was it like watching it for the first time?
Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar.
I held off on watching this movie for a while. I always knew some stuff about this movie beforehand. Seeing memes about iconic scenes and music from the soundtrack really elevated my desire to watch the movie, but I didn’t for a while. That was until I was told about a special rerelease to see it in IMAX the start of this year. Spoiler alert: Incredible.
I knew I’d like this movie from the start. Then, I knew I’d give it at least 4.5/5 stars on Letterboxd as they were passing the planets. By the time they got to Miller’s planet, it was a top three movie for me. The docking scene put it at two. Finally, the bookshelf scene is what it triumph my previous favorite movie, Se7en.
I held off on watching this movie for a while. I always knew some stuff about this movie beforehand. Seeing memes about iconic scenes and music from the soundtrack really elevated my desire to watch the movie, but I didn’t for a while. That was until I was told about a special rerelease to see it in IMAX the start of this year. Spoiler alert: Incredible.
I knew I’d like this movie from the start. Then, I knew I’d give it at least 4.5/5 stars on Letterboxd as they were passing the planets. By the time they got to Miller’s planet, it was a top three movie for me. The docking scene put it at two. Finally, the bookshelf scene is what it triumph my previous favorite movie, Se7en.
Anyways, adding IMAX to this movie creates an unbelievable first time viewing experience. The scenes of space were absolutely stunning. The black hole especially stood out. It really impresses me that Nolan put so much effort into making sure it was as scientifically accurate as possible. Man is it beautiful.
I could go on and on about this movie for hours, talking about my favorite scenes and how they changed the way I view and enjoy movies. Interstellar holds a special place in my heart as my undeniable favorite movie of all time.
I could go on and on about this movie for hours, talking about my favorite scenes and how they changed the way I view and enjoy movies. Interstellar holds a special place in my heart as my undeniable favorite movie of all time.
If you can remember, what’s the first movie you remember seeing?
I don’t remember what was the first, however when I was little, I watched WALL-E a lot. It remains a perfect 5/5 star movie for me. It is such a fantastic movie that can be enjoyed at literally any age. The simple story of life and love can also be interpreted in complicated themes of consumerism, environmental destruction, and corruption. Overall, WALL-E is a fantastic movie, one I’m due for a rewatch for. Undoubtably a masterpiece and, in my opinion, the best animated movie of all time.
Do you have a specific memory you have with a specific movie (not necessarily your favorite)?
I think my most impactful movie memory was when watching Avengers: Infinity War. What a fantastic movie. The peak of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Watching all the heroes come together to stop Thanos from collecting all the stones was great. Then watching them fail and having Thanos win in the end, killing half of the Universe, was amazing. Middle school me was speechless. Thanos was such an amazing villain, a question of morals into a single character. I was never the same after watching that.
What do you think is the best process in selecting a film to watch?
I tend to search for “movies like _____” in Google to find new movies to watch. For example, I searched “movies like Se7en” and managed to find Prisoners and Zodiac. These two movies are incredible and pretty similar to Se7en, although different in their own ways. Following directors and actors are also a great process for me like I said before.
Do you think your relationship with movies has changed since you started watching?
Yes. Before I saw it as a way to pass time. Now, it’s one of my favorite forms of media. It gives me joy watching these movies that take so many people to put together. Although I like TV shows more, movies are absolutely fantastic.
Movie Memories:
Our Mom going “that was baad” after seeing The Batman.
“Have you seen Taken” while watching the movie Taken and anything with Liam Neeson.
Coming out of the theater to Interstellar, speechless.
Watching Se7en in my bed while sick not knowing I’d be watching a masterpiece.
Avengers: Endgame hype moments— Captain America wielding Thor’s hammer, the portals scene, “I am Iron Man”.
Going to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens, hyped for new Star Wars, blissfully unaware of what horrors awaited.
Final Thoughts: Movies are fantastic and Interstellar is the GOAT.