Tag: film

every movie i watched in 2022

Ashika GeorgeLeave a comment

First things first, a slightly late happy new year! Now, I was wondering on how to kick-start the new year on this blog and quickly thought of summarising all the films I was able to watch in 2022. So I have compiled the list below with their star ratings out of 5 🙂

⭐ = one star / 💫 = half-star / [film] = rewatched

january:

  • The Things You Think I’m Thinking (2017) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
  • tick, tick…BOOM! (2021) – ⭐⭐⭐
  • The Power of The Dog (2021) – ⭐⭐
  • A Trip to The Moon (1902) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Steamboat Willie (1928) – ⭐⭐⭐
  • Sleeping Beauty (1959) – ⭐⭐⭐💫
  • Iron Man 2 (2010) – ⭐⭐💫
  • Thor (2011) – ⭐⭐💫
  • Sherlock, Jr. (1924) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011) – ⭐⭐⭐💫
  • Thor: The Dark World (2013) – ⭐
  • Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Bro Daddy (2022) – ⭐⭐💫

february:

  • Little Women (2019) – ⭐⭐⭐💫
  • Princess Mononoke (1997) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Atonement (2007 – ⭐⭐⭐💫
  • Marie Antoinette (2006) – ⭐⭐⭐💫
  • Guardians of The Galaxy (2014) – ⭐⭐⭐💫
  • Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) – ⭐⭐⭐
  • Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐

march:

  • Black Panther (2018) – ⭐⭐⭐💫
  • Captain Marvel (2019) – ⭐⭐💫
  • Black Widow (2021) – ⭐⭐
  • Eternals (2021) – ⭐⭐💫
  • The Batman (2022) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • The Lighthouse (2019) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
  • Blow (2001) – ⭐⭐⭐
  • The Princess and The Frog (2009) – ⭐⭐⭐💫
  • West Side Story (2021) – ⭐⭐⭐
  • Nightmare Alley (2021) – ⭐⭐💫
  • Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind (2004) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Don’t Look Up (2021) – ⭐⭐
  • The Eyes of Tammy Faye (2021) – ⭐⭐

april:

  • Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017) – ⭐⭐⭐💫
  • Joy (2015) – ⭐
  • Hidden Figures (2016) – ⭐⭐⭐
  • Boys Don’t Cry (1999) – ⭐⭐💫
  • Quills (2000) – ⭐💫
  • The Good Son (1993) – ⭐💫
  • The Help (2011) – ⭐⭐⭐💫
  • The Fly (1986) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018) – ⭐⭐
  • Lady and The Tramp (1955) – ⭐⭐⭐
  • Walk The Line (2005) – ⭐⭐⭐
  • American Murder: The Family Next Door (2020)
  • Brothers (2009) – ⭐⭐⭐

may:

  • A Night in The Show (1915) – ⭐⭐💫
  • Spider-Man (2002) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Silver Linings Playbook (2012) – ⭐⭐⭐
  • Tuck Everlasting (2002) – ⭐⭐⭐
  • Edward Scissorhands (1990) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

june:

  • She’s The Man (2006) – ⭐⭐⭐💫
  • Ammonite (2020) – ⭐
  • RRR (2022) – ⭐⭐⭐
  • Laughing Gas (1914) – ⭐⭐⭐

july:

  • Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness (2022) – ⭐⭐
  • House of Gucci (2021) – ⭐💫
  • Alien (1979) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Her (2013) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

august:

  • The Master (2012) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Drive (2011) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Furlong (2019) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • You Are The Captain (2018) – ⭐⭐⭐
  • Darlings (2022) – ⭐⭐
  • 12th Man (2022) – ⭐💫
  • Prey (2022) – ⭐⭐⭐
  • Kabir Singh (2019) – 💫
  • Kaduva (2022) – ⭐
  • Boyz N The Hood (1991) – ⭐⭐⭐💫
  • Jennifer’s Body (2009) – ⭐⭐
  • Hacksaw Ridge (2016) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
  • I, Tonya (2017) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐

september:

  • Licorice Pizza (2021) – ⭐⭐
  • Carlito’s Way (1993) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022) – ⭐⭐⭐
  • Do Revenge (2022) – ⭐⭐💫

october:

  • The Big Short (2015) – ⭐⭐⭐
  • Blonde (2022) – ⭐
  • Splash (1984) – ⭐⭐⭐
  • Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) – ⭐⭐💫
  • Se7en (1995) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
  • Lamhe (1991) – ⭐⭐
  • Suspiria (1977) – ⭐⭐⭐💫
  • Scream (1996) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • She’s All That (1999) – ⭐⭐⭐
  • Gangs of New York (2002) – ⭐⭐
  • Vidheyan (1994) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Uncut Gems (2019) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
  • Suspiria (2018) – ⭐⭐💫
  • Get Out (2017) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

november:

  • The Crow (1994) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Vanilla Sky (2001) – ⭐⭐⭐
  • X (2022) – ⭐⭐
  • The Cider House Rules (1999) – ⭐⭐⭐
  • Whiplash (2014) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Brokeback Mountain (2005) – ⭐⭐⭐💫
  • Blade Runner (1982) – ⭐⭐⭐
  • The Place Beyond The Pines (2012) – ⭐⭐⭐
  • Basic Instinct (1992) – ⭐
  • GoodFellas (1990) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
  • Blade Runner 2049 (2017) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
  • Let Him Go (2020) – ⭐⭐💫

december:

  • Dr. No (1962) – ⭐⭐⭐💫
  • From Russia With Love (1963) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Goldfinger (1964) – ⭐⭐⭐💫
  • You Only Live Twice (1967) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Diamonds Are Forever (1971) – ⭐⭐⭐
  • Live and Let Die (1973) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Octopussy (1983) – ⭐⭐⭐
  • GoldenEye (1995) – ⭐⭐⭐💫
  • Casino Royale (2006) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
  • Skyfall (2012) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Good Will Hunting (1997) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Sleepers (1996) – ⭐⭐⭐💫
  • Velvet Goldmine (1998) – ⭐⭐
  • Memento (2000) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
  • Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish – 💫
  • It’s A Wonderful Life (1946) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

Here’s to watching more movies in 2023!

current favourites: lifestyle vlogs, ‘invincible’ + pop music

Ashika GeorgeLeave a comment

Hello everyone, and welcome back to my blog! This month has been both hectic and agonizing. What’s the reason? Finals! But now that I only have one more exam and a week off, I’ve been trying to take care of myself. It was critical that I did so because I was feeling very isolated and having mental breakdowns, neither of which is good for my mind. Health is a top priority for me, and one way I’ve been helping my mind is by surrounding myself with great content. Since I am constantly on my laptop, I might as well try to make that habit meaningful rather than leaving it open, wasting battery power and straining my eyes. I’ll be giving a tour on all of the things mentioned in the title: coping mechanisms and support systems in the form of media that reminds us of the joys in life ~

YouTube

During quarantine last year, I discovered a few lifestyle channels that produce weekly vlogs, and they have been a great source of comfort as well as inspiration! From days/weeks in their lives to room tours, these people’s creativity and bright personalities have earned them a growing fan base, and rightfully so! Here are the channels I absolutely adore:

Nayna Florence

Nayna is a third-year economics student from London who attends the University of Edinburgh. She uploads vlogs every Sunday, is a vegan, and promotes sustainability on her YouTube and Instagram accounts. Her promotion of these in her videos has been extremely beneficial in understanding that lifestyle. It has also encouraged me to try to do this with my food consumption and clothing purchases/wearing. Her vlogs are both relaxed and adventurous at times. Even though I’ve only been to Edinburgh once, I’ve seen more of the city and all that it has to offer as a result!

instagram: @naynaflorence

Moya Mawhinney

Moya is a content creator I discovered by chance, and I was surprised to learn that she was also studying art history! She is truly one of the sweetest people I’ve seen on the platform, and her videos have brought me a lot of hope and peace on late Sundays. Her videos have a certain charm to them, reminiscent of a coming-of-age film, as she documented her life in Dublin in her eponymous ‘Dublin Diaries’ vlog series (which are now over since she has finished university). But I’m excited to see what her future videos bring, and I have no doubt they’ll be amazing! P.S. Her fashion sense is also impeccable.

instagram: @moyamawhinney

Leah’s Fieldnotes

Leah Wei is a Canadian content creator and artist based in Montreal who produces a series of vlogs called ‘Adulting Diaries,’ among others. I gained a better understanding of veganism, spirituality, and yoga through her videos, despite the fact that I do not practice these myself. I also enjoy her videos in which she tries to speak only in French, which her boyfriend speaks fluently, and in which she tries to be trilingual in English, French, and Chinese. It rekindled my interest in language learning, and watching her vlogs helped me understand how to incorporate it into my daily life. Her creativity is also admirable, as she is a design graduate who also owns her own shop!

instagram: @leahsfieldnotes

Invincible (2021)

A whole web series has its own category. Invincible was a series that I had seen a teaser trailer for several months ago, but unfortunately forgot about soon after for no reason. It wasn’t until I saw KSI’s Instagram story of his finishing the first season and talking about how amazing it is, that I remembered. Since it is an Amazon Prime Original, and I do have Prime myself, I thought I’d give it a go. Verdict? IT WAS AMAZING!

As someone who enjoys the superhero genre (when done properly), this was a perfect blend of subversion and a nod to the genre’s humble beginnings. With a compelling narrative and a cast of complex and interesting characters, all of whom are voiced by well-known and talented actors, it’s no surprise that this series is already a fan favourite. It should be noted that the series has already produced at least two meme formats, which is impressive. If you haven’t seen it yet, I highly recommend you do so! But be warned: there’s a lot of no-holds-barred violence and gore!

Music

I was struck by a wave of nostalgia and decided to listen to some tunes from the 1990s and early 2000s. I decided to compile a playlist of songs that encapsulated the warm summers of that era. Selena has been an artist I’ve been aware of for a few years but had never properly listened to until this year. Three of her songs, ‘Como La Flor,’ ‘Amor Prohibido,’ and ‘Bidi Bidi Bom Bom,’ have kept me in a good mood during finals season. It breaks my heart that she died so young, but it also warms my heart that many of us can still listen to her music and carry on her legacy. Some of the other songs are straight from my childhood, and I just want to cherish them as much as possible.

As I clarified in my previous post, now that I’m no longer a member of the “born in the wrong generation” crowd, I’ve returned to unapologetically listening to mainstream pop songs. I’m not sure why I thought it was a bad idea because they’re just entertaining to listen to. Of all places, TikTok has reintroduced me to a few songs. There’s not much else to say except that I’m glad I can listen to whatever I want now.

That’s all there is to it, folks. These are some of my personal favourites! Of course, as I’ll be a free woman in the coming months, if I discover (or re-discover) anything else, I’ll write updated posts with any new favourites in each category. I’m excited to be able to explore and spend more time immersing myself in new content of all kinds! You’re welcome if anything in this post was introduced to you for the first time and you enjoyed it 🙂

For now, take care of yourselves!

a new blog, a new me: rebranding, watching lots of films + music!

Ashika GeorgeLeave a comment

So this blog has had its fair share of inactive periods and that is something that I cannot be proud of. But as an individual who struggles with multiple facets of life, including mental health, I say I needed the long break. Taking a trip through my blog from the very beginning was sort of strange and cringe-inducing but I’m also happy that I have grown as a person and improved in writing. Those posts will remain but I’m content with my decision to shift to different content that will perhaps be far more entertaining to read.

Recently, and I mean since perhaps the end of 2019, I have rekindled my love for film which never should have been put out in the first place. I also started realising what I truly desired to do once I wrap up this final phase of education and that is to write on film, pop culture and I suppose entertainment in general. If I may fulfil my ambitions to become a film journalist then that will be a delight. Mental health really was an issue towards the end of that year and I would spend nights snuggled under the duvet in my dorm in London, browsing through Netflix on any films to watch. By that point I had watched a few titles that have been on my watchlist for years.

However, since the beginning of 2020, prior to the global pandemic courtesy of COVID-19, I began using Letterboxd on the recommendation of a good friend and I must say, it has quite literally been life-changing. Tracking every film, giving star ratings out of 5 and writing a mix of serious film critic or quirky film student reviews kind of absorbed some of my time instead of focusing on assignments. But as with most forms of procrastination, this too is a lot of fun and certainly euphoric. Currently, as of writing this blog entry, my favourite films are Scarface (1983) and Donnie Darko (2001) and if you haven’t watched either, I’d highly recommend you do so. You can also find my Letterboxd here! (Shameless self-promo, sorry not sorry.)

Additionally, I have been expanding my music tastes and find myself on Spotify for several hours each day. I suppose most people do but as someone who’s interests in music have been very iffy over the years because I felt indecisive or forayed into the messy “I was born in the wrong generation” crowd, it has been liberating to finally just sit down and listen to anything I pleased. Multiple playlists and exploration of various genres later, I am having the time of my life jamming to my aww yeah! playlist or imagining I am the protagonist of a coming-of-age film with my art hoe / vsco ! playlist to name a few.

There isn’t much else to write in this short update but I do hope that it’s served as a teaser of some sorts for future posts and I, for one, am very excited for the content I will publish for you all to read! The name is basically a reference to the fact that I can cry a lot and I’m also desi (South Asian). For now, stay safe, follow the rules for the pandemic and take care of your loved ones and yourselves!