“memento mori. remember, you must die.”  despite not seeing the previous entries in this franchise, i was really engaged in this!! it wasn't what i expected at all, and some scenes felt unbearable to look at from how overwhelming they felt, but i got used to it around erik's introduction. i really liked the different types of infected, even though i wish the alpha looked more horrifying. also why'd they have to give him all of that...?! the storyline between isla and spike felt really classic, and even though it was predictable, i still felt so sentimental at the end... nearly cried!! i didn't expect the humanitarian aspect of this, and the way it explored the inevitability and acceptance of death. i'm so glad aaron taylor-johnson's character wasn't the focus and that it was given to alfie williams instead. the ending action sequence was great, but it didn't quite match the rest of the runtime. still, i'll definitely end up watching 28 days later and 28 weeks later!!

“slow is smooth, smooth is fast.”  so surprised this was nearly 3 hours long because it went by so quickly!! brad pitt gives a remarkable performance but damson idris delivers a truly unforgettable one. some parts were pretty obnoxious with all the apple branding, and the last act was predictable, but it was still enjoyable nonetheless. it follows the typical storyline of mentorship, ego, and redemption. some scenes were genuinely among the best i’ve ever seen. the racing sequences at top speeds were so exhilarating. the camera quality was unreal. i could see every goosebump on brad pitt's skin. so beautiful, though part of me does miss the grain of older films. one of my few complaints is that i wish the women in this weren't reduced to existing solely for the male characters. kate's love for sonny felt inevitable, but i really wish more of that time had been spent on joshua pearce. alsooo, charles leclerc and his brief screentime... i'm so in love.