Wonder Watchlist

Lately, I’ve been finding myself watching movies out of necessity for assignments, so in August, I wanted to find my footing again. Mix in movies I’ve been wanting to watch for months but have been putting off. Popping in a blind watch rather than scrolling needlessly on my phone, and then my days completely fly by. It’s easy to let my real world take over, and it makes everything seem that much more stressful. Worrying about views or follower counts took over my brain, but August, and even July’s watches, have been keeping me sane.

Excitingly, I added A Shot Magazine to my bylines in late July or early August, where some titles that I would usually review here will live. It’s been a really great experience. So, if you are wondering why there’s been a lack of reviews here, make sure you check them out! But in true me fashion, I’m always thinking of different ways to publish work on here, so I am going to work these favorite first posts into films that I would recommend as well.

As always, there are runner-ups that I still would recommend, but just weren’t as high for me as the main list. Most have already received a lot of love online, and I’d like to highlight a few lesser-talked-about films, or ones that truly blew me away.

Worthy of a mention: Freakier Friday, Together, Dracula (1979), We Can Be Heroes, The Naked Gun, and Weapons.

This list is going to be longer than usual, so grab a snack, enjoy, and thanks for reading!

Pools (2024), Dir. Sam Hayes

Synopsis: In the midst of her whole life falling apart, Kennedy attempts to somehow reconnect with her dead father, searching for permission to live her own life within a wild pool-hopping escape through the elaborate estates of her college town.

Thoughts: I have been finding that a lot of films I’ve been interested in, or have watched lately, have starred Odessa A’zion, and she just has the star factor. She plays a young woman in Pools who is struggling with the loss of her father. A college-aged coming-of-age story that uses humor to mask the pain of grief. Breaking out late at night with her fellow summer schoolers, they go pool to pool in the neighborhood, living it up while they can. Tonally, it’s similar to films like Little Miss Sunshine or Juno; it balances its more complicated emotions well and has a stylistic flair. My only issue was with uneven character development; outside of A’zion, none of the other actors get much to work with. Pools is a refreshing comedy for those on the brink of adulthood who feel like life continues to crumble even when others seem to have it all.

Why I’d Recommend: If you are looking for a youthful comedy that isn’t about high schoolers, this is a great summer hangout film that showcases A’Zion’s charms well. It’s an impressive feature debut from Sam Hayes as well, whose style will only develop from here.

The Threesome (2025), Dir. Chad Hartigan

Synopsis: “After an unexpected threesome with a crush, a young man and the two women are left to deal with the sobering real-world consequences.”

Thoughts: This one is better left without much context, mostly for the twist that happens rather quickly in the film. What I will say is that The Threesome showcases why Jonah Hauer-King was made to be a leading man with his character Connor. His charm is instantly observable, and his frustrations about dating his crush Olivia (Zoey Deutch) are felt right away. When Jenny (Ruby Cruz) is introduced, the three have a drunken night of fun together that spills into the morning. It’s a really lovely film that has two different women who find themselves in a life-changing situation, and they have to endure it in unexpected conditions. It’s a tad uneven with its characterizations, with Jenny getting the least amount of exploration. But if you can just roll with the many twists this film has, you’ll have a good time.

Why I’d Recommend: This year has been graced with a lot of lovely romantic comedies, Jane Austen Wrecked My Life, Oh, Hi!, and this one here are among my favorites. What this one does differently than most this year is that it’s incredibly tender and kind towards its three main characters; it’s refreshing to see a male character written as a lover boy who is in it for the long haul.

Twinless (2025), Dir. James Sweeney

Synopsis: “Two men who lost their respective twin brothers develop a growing friendship after meeting in a support group.”

Thoughts: Twitter was ablaze when Twinless debuted at the Sundance Film Festival this year, and THAT scene in the beginning of the film was spoiled for me. But that’s really not even the most memorable part of this film for me; it’s the premise that has lingered even a few days removed. Twin fixation was never really on my radar before this; I guess I just didn’t take a special interest outside of loving Lindsay Lohan in Parent Trap. The less you know about this one, the better, because it’s told in a fascinating way, revealing new information to characters after the audience already knows. Dylan O’Brien playing a dual role as twin brothers Rocky and Roman is another complex and impressive addition to what seems to be the year of dual roles!

Why I’d Recommend: If you are a fan of Dylan O’Brien this should be a no brainer as this is his best role to date. His range is seen through his physical abilities here, able to shift from a joyful confident brother, to the other who is shy and walks with his head down. James Sweeney also not only plays Dennis in this film, but he also is the writer, and director, and I always find that so intrguing to watch.

Red Sonja (2025), Dir. M.J Bassett

Synopsis: “Captured, chained and forced to fight for survival, Red Sonja must battle her way through the blood-soaked pits of a tyrant’s empire while rallying an army of outcasts to reclaim her freedom and take down Dragan and his ruthless bride, Dark Annisia.”

Thoughts: Listen, I know this one isn’t going to be for everyone; low-budget fantasy films in 2025 are practically non-existent. With shows like Game of Thrones and The Rings of Power as options for high-budget fantasy of famous IPs, it doesn’t leave a lot of room for something like Red Sonja. It’s not a perfect film by any means, but it’s an impressive sword and sorcery film that shows you where every dollar of the fifteen million dollar budget went. Matilda Lutz as the she-devil was a casting made by the goddesses, and she not only shows a deeply human side to Sonja but a ferocious one. The film obviously went through some editing, and some story beats feel rushed, but the film as a whole feels like a first chapter, leaving a lot more on the table to explore.

Why I’d Recommend: It’s important that if you are someone who enjoys comic book films, you give a chance to the ones that are outside of the big two, DC and Marvel. There’s a huge amount of worlds out there in comics that have yet to truly be tapped into with other companies like Image, Dynamite, and even BOOM! Studios. It’s also really impressive to see M.J. Bassett have a film that surpasses the visuals of a film with more than triple the budget.

Highest 2 Lowest (2025), Dir. Spike Lee

Synopsis: “When a powerful music mogul is targeted by a ransom plot, he is forced to fight for his family and legacy while jammed up in a life-or-death moral dilemma.”

Thoughts: There must be someone in movie heaven that is looking out for me with these Apple movies because it’s one of those limited releases I can always count on. I’m a huge Denzel Washington fan, so when it was announced he was working with legendary Spike Lee again, I was already on board. Admittedly, I haven’t seen High and Low; it’s on my list, don’t worry. I found Highest 2 Lowest endlessly entertaining and even left me emotional at times. The editing and use of music is to be expected from Lee, and I loved every bit of it. It’s funny while also incredibly tense. A$AP Rocky not only gives us a great original song, but his performance was not what I was expecting—in a good way. It’s always a treat to witness so many creatives such as Lee and Washington, who are masters in their crafts, making films during our lifetime.

Why I’d Recommend: For as many films that the great Spike Lee has made, a lot of them are incredibly hard to find, so as cinephiles, we should support ones more readily available in our quest for the others. Also, the film is a good time; seeing it in a packed theater was one of the highlights of my year. Washington is having a blast; there’s no one like him.

Shin Godzilla (2016), Dir. Shinji Higuchi and Hideaki Anno

Synopsis: “Japan is plunged into chaos when an enormous monster emerges from Tokyo Bay and terrorises the city, leaving a path of destruction and casualties.”

Thoughts: I had no idea that Godzilla would look this terrifying in Shin Godzilla, so to my surprise, when his gills shot blood towards the camera while my edible kicked in, I was shocked. Godzilla Minus One is one of my favorite films in recent years, so I went into this after seeing that one. What I enjoyed most about Shin Godzilla was the evolution of Godzilla, seeing him as threads of meat and flesh to a fully powerful being. Also, purple is my favorite color, so his purple powers were right up my alley. There’s a lot of human stuff in this, and it mostly worked for me; the messy drama of nations trying to control Godzilla was great. The American Congressman named Lansing got a chuckle out of me, considering that’s my state’s capital. I can see why everyone says this is their favorite Godzilla film; it’s action-packed and brutal.

Why I’d Recommend: Who doesn’t love a good Godzilla movie? I mean seriously, I don’t think I’ve ever walked away from a film featuring the character and didn’t enjoy it to some degree… well, the newest Warner Bros Godzilla movie not included. It’s got great visuals, and the shot of baby arm Godzilla waddling through busy streets raining blood on everyone below him was killer.

The Long Goodbye (1973), Dir. Robert Altman

Synopsis: “Private eye Philip Marlowe helps friend Terry Lennox out of a jam and is implicated in his wife Sylvia’s murder. He also is hired by Eileen Wade to locate her dipsomaniac husband Roger, who frequently disappears when he wants to dry out.”

Thoughts: My boyfriend had been wanting to show this to me for a long time, and I’m not entirely sure why it took us so long. But I’m so glad we finally popped it into our player. Elliot Gould has such a unique look that you don’t really see in actors today, he’s not very expressive with his face, and it totally works with his cadence and line delivery. You wouldn’t expect a man like that to play a character like Philip Marlowe; usually, when I think of a private eye, I think of someone who works and lives in the shadows, totally nocturnal. I really just let this film take me along for the ride, never really knowing what was going to happen next. Altman is so effortlessly talented, at least that’s how it comes across, everything in his films looks like it’s meant to be there, and that beach house design might be the best set piece of all time. Great stuff, looking forward to rewatching it for many more years to come.

Why I’d Recommend: I’m probably pretty behind on this film; in fact, I know I am because dozens of my Letterboxd mutuals had this logged. But if you were like me and haven’t seen it, it’s a classic—how could you not want to watch a classic? The cinematography alone is worth it, those shots of the beach house sliding glass door reflecting the outside onto the inside, masterful!

Sorry, Baby (2025), Dir. Eva Victor

Synopsis: “Something terrible happened to Agnes. But life goes on for everyone else. When a friend visits on the brink of an important milestone, Agnes realizes how stuck she’s been, in this bittersweet story of finding your way after your world comes crashing down.”

Thoughts: This film deals with sexual assault, so please feel free to stop reading now if that is a sensitive topic you aren’t in the proper space to read about right now. Thanks for reading this long! Eva Victor writes, directs, and stars in Sorry, Baby, which, like I said before, is something I love. Her ability to make this film that is filled with grace, humor, and trauma is a talent we rarely see in a debut feature. Her character Agnes goes through something that far too many women face, and has to navigate a life that doesn’t stop to let us heal. It’s a film that, even a month removed from watching, is hard for me to put into words what it felt like to see it. It’s a perspective on assault that we don’t often see. Victor shows us how the regret of not reporting takes its toll even years after—how regret and guilt evolve as we get older, and how, as much as we don’t like to admit it, it changes us. Victor casting Naomi Ackie as her best friend Lydie is also nothing short of genius; their friendship is deeply felt, all thanks to their chemistry.

Why I’d Recommend: It’s literally my favorite movie of the year; I really don’t know what else to say to convince you, especially if you’ve seen me posting about it elsewhere. Unless, of course, the subject matter is something that isn’t for you, then I totally get it. It’s the most impressive debut I’ve seen this year, and it has a final scene that is etched into my brain.

Eastern Promises (2007), Dir. David Cronenberg

Synopsis: “A teenager who dies during childbirth leaves clues in her journal that could tie her child to a rape involving a violent Russian mob family.”

Thoughts: I’m calling 2025 my year of Cronenberg because every film of his that I’ve watched for the first time this year has been an absolute certified classic. Viggo with a Russian accent, acting his you-know-what off; it’s what the kids call peak. When Cronenberg does action outside of horror, it’s always a treat, and the naked knife fight in this is brutal, yet you can’t look away. I found my favorite parts of this were between Nikolai (Viggo Mortensen) and Anna (Naomi Watts); they have an attraction towards one another but not in the usual sense. After seeing A History of Violence and now Eastern Promises, I totally understand why everyone was telling me they are a sick double feature. Nikolai is a bad guy wanting to do the right thing, while Anna is desperate for answers. Everything about this worked for me, and once again, Vincent Cassel creeped me out.

Why I’d Recommend: It’s hard to pinpoint what Mortensen’s best role is; that man has done some of the most astonishing work. But whenever he’s with Cronenberg, you can almost guarantee it’s going to be a performance unlike his other work. He’s a muse, and when the muse is given great material, it’s a damn good time at the movies.

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