My Letterboxd Top 4 (And What it Says About Me!)
I take my top 4 seriously! Here is a quick look at what I have, why I have it and what it says about me!
Movies are something that I hold near and dear to my heart. It is a hobby that I share with some of the closest people to me. Partly because we’d have the gnarliest conversations after every movie we watched. As I got older and busier, the time to watch movies with others quickly dissipated. As it became a privilege, I yearned for a space to talk about the film I just watched, even if it was writing it down in my notes app. Then, I found Letterboxd!
This is truly such a fun little app! It’s a social media where people get to log the films they watch… and others can judge them for it! The coolest feature to me is the top 4 that you can add to your profile. Some take this more leisurely than others, but I happen to be the latter. I believe I can get a good understanding of someone just off their top 4. So, as one does, I got to thinking. What does mine say about me!? Here is my top 4, in order(I think)!
4. Hereditary
I can remember a world before Hereditary. This film really brought A24 to the forefront. Horror movies before this were not taken seriously whatsoever. The slow burning dread, the cult, the possession – there is so much packed into this film and yet somehow, it all comes together to give us this horrifying film. This is really the movie that made “elevated horror” such a pretentious phrase in the first place. The car scene is still one of the only scenes to ever make me squirm in discomfort. This is one of the best horror movies in recent memory and nobody can tell me otherwise!
3. Godzilla
If you know me, you know I love a good Kaiju flick! The original Godzilla was so good for its time. The audio used for Goji’s voice is still used today. The impact that this film has had is quite underrated. I know I have the original here, but this shares a spot with every masterpiece Godzilla is in. From Godzilla vs Biollante to Godzilla Minus One (I swear I am not forgetting you, Shin Godzilla!) There is an endless list of peak Kaiju cinema. There was no way I wasn’t having Godzilla on here, I went to Shinjuku to take a picture with him after all!
2. Moonlight
Words cannot begin to describe the feelings this film brought me. At a time when I was struggling with my sexuality, it almost felt like this movie was gifted right to me. I saw this movie 6 times in theaters, and it was a limited release! It was the first film (outside of the geeky stuff) that I bought for my media collection. I will never not recommend this movie to anyone who wants a good cry.
Cinematography 10/10
Acting 10/10
Story 10/10
… and yes, I do think it deserved the win over La La Land!
1. Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
There was absolutely no way I could make a film ranking and not have this as my first film. This is easily my favorite movie of all time. I listen to zero criticisms about this movie and I don’t really care! I remember the first time I ever saw this and bawling my eyes out when Vader revealed he was Luke’s father – it was that serious! Not only is this film very personal to me but it’s also a film that shook up the entire industry. Just like Godzilla before this, this spot shares its slot with all the Star Wars media that we have ever received. It is an IP that I hold near and dear to my heart; it just so happens that this is my favorite of the bunch. I would give anything to warp back in time and experience it in its original theater run, thankfully we have ClavisFlex on YouTube for that!
So, there’s my top 4. If I had to judge myself off my selections, I would definitely say I am a nerd with good taste! Jokes aside, movies mean different things to different people, and it feels endearing when a platform like letterboxd lets us express our love for them. Our top 4’s are just representations of what we love about movies — a good way for a follower to know exactly what they’re getting into when they read your reviews. Though I joked about it, it should by no means be a way to judge others. Sure, you can argue with me that Return of The Jedi is better but what good does that do?! It simply does not matter!