Apollo

This is one of those movies that I could just never forget. Having seen it years prior at an age where I shouldn't have been able to appreciate it, the movie still left a lasting imprint in my memory. It finds its biggest strengths in its ability to immerse you within the group of men traveling into the Georgian backwoods, detached from the real world, descending into the wilderness. With a slower pace and no distractions, the film leaves no place for the mind to wander, forcing the viewer to confront the reality of what's unfolding. And the entire time, before anything bad even happens, there's just such an intense feeling of underlying dread and apprehension. Just a perfect example of tension build and when the horror finally does come, it hits you like a truck. Its just so traumatic, containing one of the most raw and disturbingly realistic scenes imageable that keeps you from wanting to rewatch the entire movie.

Great example of how a movie with such a basic premise can be so profound and heartfelt. This is definitely one of the most touching movies I have ever seen, makes you reflect on the purpose of life, grief, and acceptance. A reminder to all that the human experience is just a series of passing moments, we live, we love, and we grieve, and eventually we're gone. So far my favorite movie of 2025, more impactful and meaningful than OBAA and Marty but it may not hit the same for everyone. So damn sad :(

This truly is the pinnacle of the Italian organized crime genre in film. Coppola's storytelling abilities at full power, painting a live-action rendition of it's source material in such a grandiose and theatrical manner. Each pivotal moment in the Godfather just feels so Shakespearean, each death poetic and heavy. Al Pacino's character was the driving force for my enjoyment, his rise to becoming the Don was so entertaining, beginning as an innocent war hero, estranged from his families criminal activity, to the vicious restaurant scene, knowing there was no turning back for him. On another note, the parallels between this and Apocalypse now are so obvious despite being totally different thematically. I mean the scale of both films, you just know you're watching a spectacle. Man I wish Brando was in this movie more, but yes his presence was felt in every scene he was in. Although this genre is not my favorite watch, I can appreciate everything that Coppola had to offer here and rate this movie very highly.

This movie looked at on a grand scope is extremely intriguing, but it fails to fulfill its true ceiling. It begins in the first act with Gosling's character, but without spoiling, I think the movie falls flat without him being present in the rest of the movie. There's something about that first part that is nostalgic and extremely charming. I totally forgot about that GTA 5 ass character swap to Bradley Cooper. His 2nd act begins by exploring some very intricate themes about guilt, corruption, and power. While his character was thought provoking, I think this movie misleads you a bit about the direction of the film and as a viewer I wasn't rewarded enough to be satisfied with such drastic change. The 3rd act just blows. I can admire the attempt at such a grand and intertwined plot but the writing is not good enough to supplement that, not enough emotional investment and too many things felt forced (Jason’s motives). There's a lot of symbolism but I think these parallels would be appreciated more if they were subtle. I'm in love with the setting, it feels very familiar to NW CT. Lotta potential here, still a worthy watch.