I’m pretty sure it’s a hard challenge to give myself. I tried this before, but I did not even get close to watching 365 movies. This year, I’m here giving myself this challenge once again, but I need your help.
All I need from you is your birthday and your top 5 favorite movies of all time. As much as possible, I would like to watch your top films on your birthday. If I haven’t seen the movies on your list, I will watch them. If I have seen the movies on your list, but I want to rewatch it (probably because I’ve forgotten about details in the film already), I will rewatch those movies.
Please input in this contact form your name and your email address. In the subject line, please type “Top 5 Movies.” In the text area, please let me know when your birthday is before you rank your favorite movies of all time.
Below are the movies I watched or will be watching in 2024. In cases when a certain movie reminds me of another, I will include a list of similar movies in the notes column. Some of the films in this list are suggested by friends, family, and followers.
The order of listing is based on the dates I watched them. As much as possible, I want the rewatched films to be only less than 10 percent of the list (less than 36 movies).
JANUARY 2025
| Movie | Watched | Rewatched (Allowed: 36) | My Rating | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Blitz (2024) | 1/1/2025 | 4/5 | Director Steve McQueen is also the director of “12 Years a Slave” | |
| 2. Under the Open Sky (2020) | 1/2/2025 (1st rewatched movie. 35 remaining.) | 5/5 | Not just a commentary on social welfare, but also media’s exploitation of vulnerable people. With this film, I hope everyone realizes that not everyone on welfare wants to stay on welfare. I like humanist films like this because no one’s a villain and we see the good side of each important character. If you like this movie, you will also like Hirokazu Kore-eda’s movies. | |
| 3. Her Love Boils Bathwater (2016) | 1/2/2025 (2nd rewatched movie. 34 remaining.) | 4/5 | Also a humanist film. There’s no villain (the film looks at the kinder side of each character) and there’s death. When you watch this and when the movie gives you a seemingly random information, understand that it’s not random. It’s wonderfully done. I had to rewatch this because the second half of the film was a blur to me. | |
| 4. The Wind Rises (2013) | 1/2/2025 | 4/5 | One of Hayao Miyazaki’s best works. If you like Studio Ghibli films, I recommend all of Isao Takahata’s. | |
| 5. Kaiji: The Ultimate Gambler (2009) | 1/3/2025 | 4.5/5 | If you like “Squid Game,” you might also like this movie. A student of mine recommended this film to me. | |
| 6. Kaiji 2: The Ultimate Gambler (2011) | 1/5/2025 | 2/5 | An underwhelming follow-up. When someone says a movie has a twist, it’s usually spoiler. But don’t worry when I say this. This movie has overdone twists that you will just constantly expect them and you get tired watching. | |
| 7. Kaiji: Final Game (2020) | 1/5/2025 | 0.5/5 | The world of Kaiji (Kaijiverse, if you will) seems to be able people putting themselves in competitions that are rigged against them and the cheaters aren’t even ashamed of it. The games become too silly at times, but I am watching for the philosophy. The message is nice, but so many things in this movie just don’t make sense including the deus ex machina in the human scale game. | |
| 8. Key of Life (2012) | 1/5/2025 | 4.5/5 | There is a Korean remake titled “Luck Key,” which some say are funnier, but it’s always nice to watch the original. This movie also features the actor who played the villain in the first Kaiji movie. I don’t wanna say much because I am afraid it will spoil some things about the movie, but it definitely is worth the watch. Make sure you don’t miss the mid-credit scene. | |
| 9. A Real Pain (2024) | 1/6/2025 | 4/5 | Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin are a perfect duo in this movie. The overarching theme is about feeling each other’s pain. Benji (Culkin) feels other people’s pain. David (Eisenberg) thinks Benji is overly emotional, but knows where his cousin’s pain is coming from. Aside from that, it also has something to say about the “corporitazation of tourism.” I think this is a film that will be loved even in the decades to come. | |
| 10. Emilia Perez (2024) | 1/7/2025 | 4.5/5 | Director Jacques Audiard is also the director of “Rust and Bone,” which I wholeheartedly recommend. The only thing I don’t like about this film are the songs. | |
| 11. Kingdom (2019) | 1/9/2025 | 0/5 | In this movie, everyone is willing to die for a king—and the usurper—even when there is nothing in the story that justifies it. As someone who does not respect undeserving authority, nothing frustrates me more. Also, the characters have no layers whatsoever. | |
| 12. How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (2024) | 1/10/2025 | 5/5 | Director Pat Boonnitipat directed the TV adaptation of the film “Bad Genius” and this is his feature film directorial debut. “Khâo sǎan klāi bpen khâo sùk láew (The rice grains have become cooked rice).” I will never forget that. A better takeaway from this might be that sometimes we expect things from our grandparents or parents without realizing that they are already ready to give more than we even knew we needed. Sometimes they don’t even know they’ve already given us that. | |
| 13. Caterpillar (2010) | 1/10/2025 | 4/5 | Subtle criticism of the Japanese nationalism during World War II. I’m just not sure it’s worth it to be a feature film rather than a short film. | |
| 14. Shin Ultraman (2022) | 1/17/2025 | 3.5/5 | “Some things are only clear when you’re in between.” I think this is better than Shin Godzilla. That film focused on the bureaucracy during disaster response. This film is different. I don’t know how to give an interpretation of this film, but I’d like to offer one anyway: The villains are the climate crisis. Ultraman and Kaminaga are treated as gods because humans think that they are the only ones that could defeat the villains, only to know later that they are also capable of influencing change for the preservation of humanity. | |
| 15. One Life (2023) | 1/19/2025 | 3.5/5 | Imagine how many lives a single life could affect if everyone just recognized the urgency of helping those in imminent threat of invasions or if everyone just didn’t underestimate how dangerous leaders like Adolf Hitler could make life miserable for many. | |
| 16. Conspiracy (2001) | 1/19/2025 | 4.5/5 | A very important film about humanity and evil. I must say this is one of the scariest horror films without ghosts or monsters—just people full of hatred. | |
| 17. Bridesmaids (2011) | 1/20/2025 | 3/5 | At least, the cringe comedy is nice. | |
| 18. Rookie (2023) | 1/20/2025 | 3/5 | Starts weak, but still okay overall. What’s unbelievable with this movie is that the protagonist, Ace, is a basketball player, but somehow, when she’s in a volleyball court, she doesn’t have the stance of an athlete—it suddenly is an alien planet for her. I don’t believe anyone wouldn’t at least try to be alert in situations like that. | |
| 19. Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (2021) | 1/27/2025 | 4/5 | If there’s a cute film about losing family and then finding them again—plus a little bit about internet culture—this is it. | |
| 20. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022) | 1/28/2025 | 3.5/5 | What is a hero? | |
| 21. Who Were We (2023) | 1/28/2025 | 3/5 | Kinda like Hirokazu Kore-eda’s “After Life.” | |
| 22. Didi (2024) | 1/29/2025 | 3.5/5 | Apparently, we all did the same during our teenage years. | |
| 23. Chime (2024) | 1/30/2025 | 4/5 | A horror film about how our over-reliance on metal turns into sinister moments. | |
| 24. Anora (2024) | 1/31/2025 | 4.5/5 | It’s stress-inducing, but I’m glad it’s not as stressful as I thought it would be. |
Thank you very much!
Click here to see the movies I watched in other months.
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