Hi everyone! No doubt you’ve been wondering where the hell I went this year (if you don’t follow me on the numerous social media platforms I still follow). Well, this year I started as the Film Editor over at TheWrap which, good news, meant I actually got to cover film this year. It also meant I had a ton more work to do than I’ve ever had. I’m also prepping to work on a new book for 2025!
That being said, I’m kinda shocked at how many movies I watched, both classic and contemporary this year! Though I watched last classic movies this year than I did last (thanks, Letterboxd), I did watch more movies this year overall. So, let’s look at 35 movies, both classic and contemporary I loved this year. If you want a look at the classic films I loved this year be sure to check out the Ticklish Biz website and our January 31st episode of Ticklish Biz where I go more in-depth.
Note, this is not a ranked list. If you want to see my top movies of the year ranked, head over to my Letterboxd account.
Pandora’s Box (1929)
This year I took a chance and upped my intake of both silent film and foreign films. No surprise, I’ve fallen in love with so many. I also watched my first Louise Brooks movie! G.W. Pabst’s Pandora’s Box is a lush, enticing movie of love, lust and immorality with a wonderful script and Brooks giving off such a sensuous and earthy performance. When I say some silent films feel incredibly modern, I’m going to use this as as an example. Brooks’ vitality and effervescence just comes through in such a beautiful way! A vibrant film. I can’t wait to see more of Brooks’ work!
What a Way to Go! (1964)
I only knew director J. Lee Thompson as the man behind the original Cape Fear (1962), but this year I was fortunate to see a few of his movies; the 1960 British drama Yield to the Night is one worth seeing as well. But how a director of dark noirs and thrillers could make this opulent and ridiculous romantic comedy is beyond me!
Written by Betty Comden and Adolph Green (the couple behind The Band Wagon…a movie I don’t like), Shirley Maclaine plays Louisa May Foster, a woman who believes she’s cursed in love. She kinda is considering all her husbands have died in the most ludicrous ways. And that’s where the hilarity begins! There’s so much I adored about this movie, starting with Edith Head’s gowns Oscar-nominated gowns, each more over-the-top than the next. Maclaine is astounding as the confused, lovelorn, and eventually emotionally drained Louisa.
But, really, this movie is best known for its cameos…which are all funny as hell. From Paul Newman playing a bohemian painter who just wants to create art, man, to Robert Mitchum being taken out by a bull….and a sexual innuendo. I can see why there’s an exclamation point in the title because it describes how much I love this movie.
Other People’s Children (2023)
I saw Rebecca Zlotowski’s film back at Sundance and it’s never left my mind. Virginie Efira gives a fabulous performance as a single woman who embarks on a relationship with a man who has a child. From there the audience watches her go from a happy-go-lucky single woman to realizing the responsibilities of being a role model to someone else’s kid, the boundaries that come from having a relationship with someone with kids, and how it makes people look at their own desire to have children. Efira’s performance feels so relatable and the situations are presented with no easy solutions.
Theater Camp (2023)
As a theater kid in spirit but who never got the opportunity to go on the stage, “Theater Camp” saw me. The story of a ragtag group of teachers running the AdirondACTS theater camp, this mockumentary is just pure joy. Directors Molly Gordon and Noah Lieberman tell a story with all the humor of Christopher Guest’s best film filled with characters who take themselves too seriously (Gordon’s character, Rebecca-Diane, tells a small child to “get off the [tear] stick” with all the sadness of a drug addict, for example) and a narrative that makes you care for this stone-cold pack of weirdos.
And like any good tale of Broadway hopefuls, the original songs are as funny as they are catchy, especially the finale song “Camp Isn’t Home.” Come for the fun pokes at musical theater lovers, stay for a compelling original musical starring Noah Galvan playing Amy Sedaris!
My Cousin Rachel (1952)
The 2017 remake was my first foray into Daphne Du Maurier’s tale of gender distrust and romance. It was fine. But since I finally read the book this year I figured I should watch the first movie and, honestly, I don’t understand why I took so long. This adaptation is directed by Henry Koster, a filmmaker who I absolutely adore (shameless plug for you all to watch 1947’s The Unfinished Dance).
Unlike the 2017 version, which adheres to the ambiguity of the text to a frustrating degree, Koster makes an exquisite costume drama with some serious heat, compliments of Olivia de Havilland — luminous as the titled Rachel — and a 25-year-old (!) Richard Burton. Honestly, Burton might be the reason I loved this so much. He’s so swoon-worthy and gorgeous that it’s impossible to believe Livvy could resist him. It also makes it harder for the audience to deal with his complete mistrust of her throughout the movie. This is a movie I’d want to live in.
Voyagers (2021)
Neil Burger’s Voyagers is a hornier teen version of The Lord of the Flies and I dug the hell out of it. The film follows a group of teens raised since birth to go out into space on a mission to find a new home. Unfortunately, no one decided to give them sex ed training so once hormones start kicking in things take a turn for the violent. Outside of this being a fun teen movie it has a strong young adult cast including Tye Sheridan, Lily-Rose Depp and a pre-Saltburn Archie Madekwe. I might need to rewatch this one soon.
The Secret of Nimh (1982)
I read Don Bluth’s memoirs this year and wanted to revisit the few Bluth films I hadn’t seen, starting with his adaptation of Robert C. O’Brien’s novel. Elizabeth Hartman voices Mrs. Brisby, a mouse trying to save her ill son’s life. It requires her to find a mysterious group of rats who are involved with a shadowy organization known as Nimh. This is such a beautifully animated feature with a strong voice cast, particularly Hartman who makes you feel for Mrs. Brisby and her children’s plight. The animation, no surprise considering it’s Bluth, is dynamic and, at times, very frightening. We didn’t get Don Bluth enough praise.
Chevalier (2023)
Chevalier came and went so quickly early in 2023 that it’s only now, revisiting it on Hulu where it’s streaming, that more people are actually taking it in. The amazing story of Black composer Joseph Bologna, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, is one that hasn’t been recounted, and director Stephen Williams and screenwriter Stefani Robinson tell the story with such passion that it’s impossible not to get swept up in it. Kris Bowers’ score is utterly beautiful and Kelvin Harrison, Jr. is wonderful in the title role. A sumptuous, beautiful historical drama that should have gotten more appreciation.
Beau Brummel (1924)
I discovered an appreciation for two silent film stars: Marion Davies and John Barrymore. Marion didn’t make this list (though she did make my Ticklish Biz classic discoveries list), but I had to include one of the most fascinating and heartbreaking silent features I saw: 1924’s Beau Brummel. The film has a lot of the silent histrionics: a starcrossed couple who can’t be together; she enters into an unhappy marriage while he becomes a notorious rake. The thing is that Barrymore is so compelling and Mary Astor is so beautiful that it feels contemporary. The sheer beauty of the set design is unparalleled and, fun fact, Mary Astor was just 18 when she starred in this (and entered into a turbulent relationship with Barrymore who was….42).
Giant (1956)
I know, I know, I should have seen this movie years ago. And, trust me, I’m kicking myself that I waited so long (that runtime). But everything you’ve heard about George Stevens’ epic is true: it’s epic, it’s got a fantastic script, and everyone gives an Oscar-worthy performance. Following the rise of a Texas cattle family, the three-hour runtime sails thanks to a combination of Old Hollywood glamour and the melodrama that would eventually be seen in TV dramas like Dallas.
For me, though, it’s all about Elizabeth Taylor as family matriarch Leslie Benedict. Where Rock Hudson’s Jordan is focused so much on masculinity, and the film rather skillfully (for 1956, at least) navigates toxic masculinity and racism, Taylor’s Leslie is allowed to challenge her husband at every turn. The movie never condemns her for her opinions and, in many ways, she’s smarter than her husband. And, of course, James Dean’s Jett Rink is iconic. I was shocked by how progressive, again for the time, the movie is regarding relations between Texas and Mexico (very weird watching it today). Carroll Baker is lovely! I just fell in love with this.
Sister Sister (1987)
Thank you, Criterion Channel, for bringing this weird, Gothic, supernatural erotic thriller into my life. If you’ve met me at any point the last 12 months I’ve talked about this movie with you. Bill Condon (yes, of Dreamgirls fame) made his directorial debut with this story of two sisters living in isolation in Louisiana. The youngest, played by Jennifer Jason Leigh, is believed to see ghosts and maybe murdered someone. When a young man, played by Eric Stoltz looking like Prince Charming to me, shows up the bond between the sisters is threatened.
Is it a ghost story? Yes. Is it a story of a teen girl becoming a woman? Yes. Is it a murder mystery? Yep. And it’s an erotic thriller? Yes, and a great one!! I love how many different genres this movie inhabits — partly because of studio interference — because it makes it so distinct. The cinematography is spooky and candlelit, the acting is superb. This gave off vibes very similar to Hush, Hush…Sweet Charlotte, which helped as well. This movie is pure magic and should be experienced by everyone.
Fast & Furious (2009)
I spent this year watching the entire Fast and Furious movies in order and, outside of Fast X, which you’ll see further down, this is my favorite of the previous installments. Fast & Furious returns us to the central characters established in the first film and pretty much says, “Why do we not give Paul Walker’s Bryan more shit for ruining everyone’s life?” Seriously, he’s the worst cop in the world and everyone tells him how much they dislike him. It’s a far cry from the whole “family” ethos established in the later installments, but I appreciated how this movie took the time to actually return to all the issues left in the wake of the first film.
Cleo From 5 to 7 (1962)
I finally took the time to watch some Agnes Varda movies this year (I know, took me long enough) and Cleo From 5 to 7 is such a beautiful and, at times, fun exploration of life and the existential dread we all deal with. The film follows an actress waiting to hear some news about a medical diagnosis. She spends the film looking at various elements in her life and just contemplating on all the choices that led her there. French films often get the bad rep of being aimless in their plotting, yet Cleo From 5 to 7 is so engaging in watching the titled character wander the streets of Paris and interact with people. Corinne Marchand is a fabulous lead as well.
Vagabond (1985)
Another Agnes Varda discovery I made this year and I might actually have loved this more than Cleo From 5 to 7. I gravitate naturally to stories about people who die alone — I do love Veronica Lake after all — and Vagabond tells such a story. The movie starts with the discovery of a young woman’s body in a ditch and from there the movie works backward to show us her past. Beautifully played by Sandrine Bonnaire, the movie charts this young woman’s desire to live free in the world and butting up against the fallacy of that opinion.
The film plays as a series of vignettes, with Bonnaire’s Mona meeting various people in her travels, all of whom are interested in her but actually want her to do something with her life, whether that’s be interested in their lives or just have a goal in mind. Mona, as a character, is frustrating at times. She talks vaguely about wanting to be free and yet can be an opportunist and takes advantage of others. It’s a story that, at the end, makes you feel bad for the life (wasted?) that could have been.
Come September (1961)
I know Rock Hudson is best remembered for his pairings with Doris Day and to those people I ask: have you WATCHED his movies with Gina Lollabrigida? Okay, I’ve only watched one but Come September is Hudson at his funniest, most romantic and downright sexiest that I’ve ever seen. Directed by a pre-To Kill a Mockingbird Robert Mulligan (so weird to write that), Hudson plays the wealthy Robert Talbot who visits Italy once a year to hook up with his long-suffering girlfriend Lisa (Lollabrigida). Unfortunately, he’s arriving early this year and discovers his butler has been renting his house out like a 1960s version of AirBnB and a group of teens, led by Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin, are hanging around.
The culture clash element of this is a lot of fun. Hudson’s Robert is trying to show he’s down with the youths while Dee and Darin — who would fall in love and marry while making this movie — give this an air of teen fun without devolving into the shenanigans of a Beach Party movie. But, for me, it was all about watching Hudson and Lollabrigida. Where he’s all stiff knees and irritation, Lollabrigida is warm and modern. The pair have genuine heat together and you want to see them succeed in the end. Come September put such a smile on my face.
Fast X (2023)
How do I love thee, Fast X? Let me count the ways. I think I fell in love with it the minute Jason Momoa’s Dante introduced himself to a growling Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) with “Dante, enchante.” Or maybe it came earlier, when a pink-robed Momoa, rocking dual buns in his hair, had a full-blown conversation with two obviously dead henchmen? Nope, it came in the first 5 minutes when he licked a bloody knife for no good reason other than it looked badass. Suffice it to say, in a franchise that’s defied the laws of physics and logic, Momoa’s big bad Dante really is the moment you say, “This franchise knows it’s nuts and just does not care.”
And that’s honestly what makes this installment so damn fun and one of the best movies. Diesel and crew are making a Fast & Furious movie, and an impressive one at that, but Momoa is elevates that to a gonzo level. It’s pure bonkers glee and it actively crafts stakes for the franchise. He is the Thanos of a franchise that hasn’t really had intimidating villains and it’s enough to make you excited to see the thrilling conclusion.
Birth/Rebirth (2023)
I watched this at Sundance and spend at least once or twice a week thinking about elements of it. The movie tells the story of a morgue tech (creepily played by Marin Ireland) who has mastered the ability to reanimate the corpse of a dead little girl. The problems start though when the dead girl’s mother (played equally well by Judy Reyes) realizes her daughter is alive. The two women are forced to come together to keep the child alive and that’s just the beginning of the weird roads Birth/Rebirth goes down. It’s a fascinating story of motherhood and childrearing mixed with the zombie film.
Funny Face (1957)
Does Audrey Hepburn have chemistry with Fred Astaire? Not at all. But that’s not the reason you should watch Funny Face in the first place. Director Stanley Donen turns in another amazing music that is probably his most gorgeously filmed movie ever. Audrey Hepburn lets loose as a dowdy bookseller who gets the makeover of a lifetime and looks like she’s having the time of her life. This is the reason I love classic films, everything on the screen in this movie.
Joy Ride (2023)
Earlier this year, I wondered if sex was completely absent in cinema today. Then Adele Lim’s Joy Ride included an extended sequence in which her troupe of leading ladies engages in sexy hijinks that are both hilarious and saucy as hell and I relaxed. Joy Ride takes the raunchy R-rated comedy, usually a boys club, and turns it on its head with a heartfelt story of a young Asian woman (Ashley Park) trying to reconnect with her birth mother but along the way, the script takes the time to interrogate everything from the ways women attempt to integrate into the business world to the different levels of racism in an ethnic community. It’s also incredibly funny.
Bells Are Ringing (1960)
Watching this movie is so bittersweet, particularly because it was Judy Holliday’s final film before dying way too young of cancer. But what a movie to go out on! Everything about this film is so joyous. Holliday — in a should have been Oscar-winning performance — plays answering service operator Ella Peterson. Ella is way too involved in the lives of her clients and eventually finds herself in a series of hijinks opposite Jeffrey Moss (Dean Martin). At the same time, the answering service is being investigated for being a possible solicitation service.
Everything about this movie is perfect, full stop. The songs are catchy, particularly Ella’s big number when she plans to get out of the telephone service gig. Dean Martin actually is charming (sorry, I don’t generally like him). Jean Stapleton is a delight as Ella’s friend, while Frank Gorshin is hilarious as a clear Marlon Brando ripoff. I’ve watched this so many times since first seeing it, it’s so sweet and perfect.
King Creole (1958)
Yep, I’m still working through the filmed works of Elvis Presley and King Creole shows one of Presley’s strongest works. It’s almost a shame to watch this and wonder what his acting legacy could have been had he had strong directors and scripts like in this. Michael Curtiz directs Presley in this noirish story of a young man who becomes a New Orleans singing sensation only to fall in with gangsters and the like.
Presley is so dynamic and enticing, taking the troubled youth we’ve seen him play before and give it such pathos. You can see how he was influenced by the likes of Brando and James Dean. He’s complemented by Walter Matthau as the villainous nightclub owner Maxie Fields and the beautiful, but doomed gangster’s moll Ronnie (played by the gorgeous Carolyn Jones). So often Elvis movies feel like movies written for Elvis. This is a movie that Elvis is just in and that leads to true magic.
Barbie (2023)
I don’t know what more can be said about Barbie that hasn’t already been said. It’s one of the most gorgeously conceived worlds we’ve ever seen on-screen. Director Greta Gerwig went for broke with her love of Old Hollywood, crafting a movie that has the best production design and costumes this side of the 1940s. Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling are the Hepburn and Tracy of our time. I quote Gosling’s Ken at least once a day. This is a perfect movie.
Desperately Seeking Susan (1985)
Speaking of Old Hollywood influences, Susan Seidelman’s Desperately Seeking Susan is a modern-day screwball comedy I couldn’t help but fall in love with. Madonna and Rosanna Arquette look to be having too much fun as a woman who can’t be tied down and another desperate to be someone else, respectively. The high-concept premise feels just this side of plausible. The dialogue is witty and sparkling. I enjoyed exploring Madonna, the actress, and this is the gold standard.
The Royal Hotel (2023)
Director Kitty Green was the first to explore the Harvey Weinstein debacle with her blistering 2019 feature film debut The Assistant. Her follow-up isn’t as tightly bound to popular culture, but it does look at the culture of being a woman in this day and age, a modern-day horror story for anyone who identifies as female. Julia Garner and Jessica Henwick play two tourists who take a job as barbacks at an Australian pub, only to discover the predominantly male clientele aren’t afraid to say the quiet part loud.
Green and co-writer Oscar Redding are fabulous at crafting a script that everyone can identify with and who you think is in the right says so much about you, whether that’s Hanna (Garner), who is afraid of everyone, or Liv (Henwick), who tries hard to be one of the boys. The movie says so much about how women internalize misogyny and try their hardest to avoid conflict. It’s thought-provoking and terrifying, one of the most underrated horror films of the year.
Fair Play (2023)
Director Chloe Domont took us all on a journey with Fair Play that, if you were in a relationship, made you look at your significant other with a massive side-eye. Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich play a couple who start to have issues when the former gets a promotion. The script moves so nimbly between eroticism and outright thriller as the pair play a game of one-upsmanship that culminates in some heinous things that can’t be taken back. Dynevor is especially potent as Emily. She conveys such strength that even in her moments of vulnerability she never comes off as a weakling. This movie just drew me in and kept me guessing the entire time.
Cat Person (2023)
As much as I love Fair Play, Netflix’s splashy and wickedly delicious look at gender dynamics, I wish there was enough room for the equally subversive Cat Person in those conversations. Director Susannah Fogel and screenwriter Michelle Ashford adapt Kristen Roupenian’s New Yorker article into a bitingly witty story that touches on not just gender issues in relationships but also how our current true crime obsession and glamorizing of dead women is affecting relationships in general.
Emilia Jones plays Margot, a movie lover who meets the older Robert (Nicholas Braun). Their relationship starts out normally, but from there Margot can’t seem to shake the feeling that something…anything…is wrong with Robert. Braun and Jones are so perfect in their respective roles, with the audience putting Robert, as a character, through a prism of their own personal experience. Everyone knows a guy like him. And, yet, as Margot continues in the relationship, her own experiences color how she interacts with him leading to a lot of blurry questions about consent and how much we give of ourselves (and how much we hold back) when we’re starting to say, “Maybe I like this person.” It’s a movie you’ll think about long after the credits roll and we should have talked about it all this year.
Saltburn (2023)
Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn had a high bar to cross with me considering her debut, Promising Young Woman was my favorite film of 2020. But Fennell exceeded my wildest expectations with a hedonistic, sharply comedic dark comedy about a college student (Barry Keoghan, in a performance that should nab him another Oscar nomination) who spends a holiday with his wealthy friend (Jacob Elordi).
The film answers the question: what if the Ealing comedy Kind Hearts and Coronets from 1949 blended with The Talented Mr. Ripley and then sprinkled a lot of Ken Russell weirdness on top? The film is achingly beautiful to watch, with Linus Sandgren’s cinematography showing the duality of Keoghan’s Oliver Quick, as well as the lush interiors of the titled Saltburn manor. Keoghan, Elordi, Rosamund Pike and Archie Madekwe are pitch perfect, and the ending is the best scene of the year. This is a movie that I just want to keep experiencing and see what new little bits of weirdness I notice.
Emily (2023)
Frances O’Connor’s directorial debut came and went in limited release earlier this year, and if you’re a literary buff you should be seeking it out like a rare book at the library. Emma Mackey stars as Emily Bronte, the famed author of Wuthering Heights, who is presented in the film as a social outcast. Mackey is astounding as the meek Emily, desperate not to be perceived as weird by her family, especially her older sister, Charlotte (Alexandra Dowling). She finds herself drawn to the town’s new curate (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) and the pair soon embark on a relationship that leads to Emily’s greatest work and biggest regret.
On the one hand, Emily is incredibly sexy, in the vein of other costume dramas like Ang Lee’s work. On the other, it has no qualms with ripping your heart out, as should be expected considering all the Bronte sister’s work. Mackey and Jackson-Cohen have phenomenal chemistry and I just love everything about this film. I’ve watched it several times since it came out and I expect it’ll be in regular rotation from here on out.
Priscilla (2023)
I’m a Sofia Coppola girl so, bare minimum, the mere existence of a new film from her is enough to enter my Best Movies list. But what Coppola does so skillfully with Priscilla is show us the private life of one of the most famous, and public, marriages in history. Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi are perfectly cast. The latter, especially, gives Austin Butler’s Elvis a run for his money, capturing not just the vocal cadence and the swagger of the King of Rock ‘n Roll, but his petulance and immaturity.
Spaeny, to her credit, doesn’t come off as a lost lamb in a den of wolves, but a young girl trying to figure out who she is. Just watching the two of them act opposite each other leads to some wonderful moments, particularly their final meeting. This is another Sofia Coppola world I want to live in
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (2023)
Taylor Swift has always been my go-to when it comes to music, but nothing prepared me for sitting in a packed house watching the Eras tour movie. The entire audience, me included, shared a collective experience I’ve never had before. We sang together, we dance together, we cried. It was cathartic. On top of that, the film is expertly shot and showcases the ingenuity and technical precision of Swift as an artist.
Leave the World Behind (2023)
Sam Esmail’s Leave the World Behind hit me like a ton of bricks. Based on Rumaan Alam’s novel of the same name, the film starts with Julia Roberts’ Amanda Sandford discussing how much she hates people. Because of that, she plans a spontaneous trip with her husband (Ethan Hawke) and kids to “leave the world behind” and spend time in an AirBnB upstate. But when the home’s owner (Mahershala Ali) shows up, talking about a mysterious blackout, that’s when Esmail’s script turns the paranoia to 11.
Everyone starts to question their motives while simultaneously wondering if the end of the world is upon them. The script navigates everything from white privilege to religion in a way that’s as funny as it is painfully authentic. The fear doesn’t necessarily come from the concept of the world ending, but whether the people you’re stuck with when it happens are the only ones you can rely on. It’s ending is also wonderfully perfect for our times.
Shag (1988)
I knew of this movie more so for being notoriously hard to find, so thank you TCM for showing this during an evening devoted to teen movies. With a script co-written by Robin Swicord, of Practical Magic fame, this movie owes its life to films like Three Coins in the Fountain. Following a group of friends who travel to Myrtle Beach for one last summer of fun before they go their separate ways, the entire teen cast is perfect. Phoebe Cates, fresh off defining the 1980s, takes a more stoic turn as the good girl prepping for marriage. Bridget Fonda is such fun as the “bad girl” who wants to be a movie star. And I absolutely adored Annabeth Gish as the girl just trying to stand out amongst her two gorgeous friends. If you’re looking for a modern teen classic, here it is!
May December (2023)
Todd Haynes is a master of blending Americana with a heavy dose of gossip, whether that be his Sirkian melodrama Far From Heaven or the tabloid drama of May December. The fact that both star Julianne Moore only intensifies how wonderfully suited to each other the two are. The film follows actress Elizabeth (Natalie Portman) who travels to study Gracie, a woman Elizabeth is set to portray in an upcoming movie.
Gracie and her husband, Joe (Charles Melton) are infamous in town for the fact that Gracie groomed Joe as a child. Samy Burch’s script deftly explores the sexualization of children and the ways we, as a society, are desperate to rationalize the actions of others. Moore and Portman are good, but they’re always good. The true standout is Riverdale star Melton, who plays Joe as a man confused by how his life turned out. The now grown man struggles to parse his regret, anger and happiness, expertly captured during a graduation sequence. I haven’t stopped analyzing this movie since I saw it.
Poor Things (2023)
I got to Poor Things very late in the year but I’m glad it was able to squeeze its way onto this list. Emma Stone gives an utterly fearless performance as Bella Baxter, a reanimated woman possessing the brain of a baby. The film brilliantly explores personal autonomy and one woman’s journey to find her own identity. Stone’s performance dominates and leads to so many hilarious one-liners and scenes. Easily my favorite Yorgos Lanthimos film.
When a Stranger Calls Back (1993)
I watched the original When a Stranger Calls a few weeks ago and while I thought the beginning was great, the overall movie didn’t really do it for me. Thankfully, I was able to watch the made-for-TV sequel via Criterion Channel and THIS was the movie I wanted. Carol Kane dominates as the star of this movie, reprising her role from the first film. Jill Schoelen plays the new woman caught in the crosshairs of an unseen psycho. Much like the original film, the opening is terrifying. There’s also a finale scene that creeped me out. Such an unsung gem.
Kristomania! is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
