Here’s what’s inside this week:
My pick: the cast that got me to press play, and a warning before you do
The rewind: one of my all-time favorites, with a score I still can’t shake
Member Spotlight: Elettra G (aka EleGu) and the Italian movie that found her when she needed it
Club picks: five from you
Let’s get into it!
🍿 My pick
Life (2017)
Directed by: Daniel Espinosa
Other notable movies by Espinosa: Morbius, Safe House, Child 44
Sci-fi · Horror
Runtime: 1h 44m
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Ryan Reynolds, and Rebecca Ferguson
Synopsis: On the International Space Station, a six-person crew retrieves a soil sample from Mars and finds something alive inside it.
Where to watch · Parents’ guide
It’s like a cross between Alien and Gravity.
I decided to press play on this one because the cast was exciting. I love Jake Gyllenhaal and Ryan Reynolds in almost everything, and having Rebecca Ferguson was all the extra push I needed.
But I have to warn you, this is not an easy watch. Don’t watch this alone at night with the lights off. It will haunt you!
The ending is absolutely CRUSHING! It’s one of those endings that’s open to interpretation—part of what makes it so fun to watch.
⏪ The rewind
Predator (1987)
Directed by: John McTiernan
Other notable movies by McTiernan: Die Hard, The Hunt for Red October, Die Hard with a Vengeance
Action · Sci-fi
Runtime: 1h 47m
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger and Carl Weathers
Synopsis: Dutch Schaefer leads a rescue team into the jungles of Central America, where something they can’t see starts hunting them.
Where to watch · Parents’ guide
If Life leaves you wanting another crew of experts versus one alien, go back to 1987 and the jungle.
This is one of my all-time favorites. Arnold Schwarzenegger in his prime, paired up with John McTiernan directing, and a teriffying cat-and-mouse game with an alien in the jungle. I mean, c’mon!
The score is permanently etched in my brain. There’s a CRAZY scene in the middle with Bill Duke going absolutely bonkers with a minigun. It’s one of the many rewatchable scenes for me.
🔦 Member Spotlight: Elettra G (aka EleGu)
Writing from: Italy · EleGu on Substack
Where I watch
Either on my cozy blue couch at home or, even better, at the movie theatre.
Both with my husband, so we can comment right after. If we’re at home our adorable cocker spaniel Violetta will be on the couch too.
My comfort movie
When Harry Met Sally... (1989) • Where to watch · Parents’ guide
Or other ‘80s-’90s rom coms.
Though I do often unwind watching horrors, so you might catch me watching Scream or Jaws instead.
A scene I’d rewind forever
La Marseillaise scene from Casablanca! I could watch it on a loop and it would still be one of the most powerful scenes in movie history.
A movie that found me just when I needed it
Cinema Paradiso (1988) • Where to watch · Parents’ guide
Having grown up in Italy, I’ll have to say Nuovo Cinema Paradiso. I first watched it in the spring of 2020, when I was alone in London, waiting for borders to reopen and restrictions to ease, so I could fly home for a few weeks that summer. My only comfort was in movies.
The score by Ennio Morricone is one of those that, to this day, will still bring me to tears. So nostalgic.
The film reminded me of home and childhood. I could really picture my younger self in Totò: dreaming of a world beyond his small town through cinema, but also eventually deciding to leave and seek his fortune elsewhere.
I’ve rewatched it countless times since, and it still hits just as hard.
My top 5 of all time
Casablanca (1942)
The Shining (1980)
Jaws (1975)
Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (1988)
When Harry Met Sally... (1989)
My movie collection
My Letterboxd grid of favorites.
🎟️ Club picks
Thanks to everyone who sent in a pick this week.
Thanks to everyone who sent in what they’ve been watching this week. And a special welcome to Andrew, who happens to be subscriber #100!
Little Fish (2020) · 1h 41m · Where to watch · Parents’ guide
Submitted by: The WTK Cut on Substack: After Sinners and The Bone Temple, I wanted to explore more of Jack O’Connell’s dramatic work. Olivia Cooke, who I’ve loved in everything I’ve seen her in, made this an easy pick. I laughed, I cried, and the love story felt deeply relatable. Having lived through COVID, the uncertainty surrounding their relationship hit especially close to home.
Klaus (2019) · 1h 37m · Where to watch · Parents’ guide
Submitted by: Brendan A. on Substack: It was nearing Christmas and I saw that it got a great critical reception. Since then it’s become an almost yearly rewatch. Its unabashed sincerity and sense of wonder. It’s a film that isn’t afraid to hope.
Pride (2014) · 2h · Where to watch · Parents’ guide
Submitted by: Mark James on Letterboxd: The cast! A who’s who of British thespians: Bill Nighy, Paddy Considine, Imelda Staunton, Dominic West, and Andrew Scott. Plus a very early George MacKay and a pre-Baby Reindeer Jessica Gunning. This movie goes from a nice, crowd-pleasing ride into a genuinely powerful motion picture during the bread and roses scene. It’s either that or Professor Umbridge waving around a purple dildo.
The Barn (2016) · 1h 28m · Where to watch
Submitted by: Andrew M. on Substack: Recommended for fans who love ‘80s-era horror films. How well it felt like a movie you would find in a video store in 1989.
The Dog Stars (2026) · 1h 58m · Where to watch · Parents’ guide
Submitted by: Motley Nerd on Substack: Honestly, the trailer made it look like a really good movie. Plus, I’m a sucker for a movie with a dog companion. Most post-apocalyptic films are filled with zombies, explosions, and/or action. This was a deliberately paced, slice-of-life movie with action sprinkled throughout.
Want your pick in a Thursday newsletter? Club picks are open to everyone, and it takes about a minute.
🎬 What's the best Arnold Schwarzenegger movie that isn't a Terminator?
Drop a comment below with the title and one sentence on why. You can also drop it in the Club chat, where I’ve started a thread.
Until next Thursday, be kind, rewind.
— Gannon
I watched Predator for the first time this year. I don’t know what I expected but it wasn’t what I thought. It was an absolute thrill! A movie I’ll kick myself for not watching sooner.
bill duke mowing down half the jungle with a minigun is still my favorite example of a search party that skipped the searching part.