30-Day Film Challenge
Over the past month, we have been posting on the Always the Critic Instagram account for the 30-Day Film Challenge. Each day there is new prompt, and we’d post our respective answers. Now that the month is up, we thought we should post a recap and explain some of our choices.
DAY 1: The first film you remember watching
Jessica Firpi - The Lion King *roared* into theaters June 1994. I was all of 3 years old, but I remember the experience of seeing it with my Dad—specifically being so mesmerized by the concept of powerful lions with thoughts and feelings that I left the theater thinking I was a lion. Every yawn thereafter was a big cat roar. Not much has changed.
Rico Albarracin - Growing up in Lawrence, Massachusetts, there were two things that I remember vividly: the brutally cold winters of the Northeast and watching Tim Burton’s Batman. Was I too young to watch a PG-13 movie at the age of 4? Sure. Yet without this movie in my memory, I don’t know if my love of movies would’ve grown into what it is today.
DAY 2: A film you like that starts with the
first letter of your name
Rico - There aren’t many movies that can be thrilling, funny, and suspenseful at the same time, but when you mix in one of the greatest directors of all time, an all-time leading man, and the beautiful music of John Williams, you get one of the most iconic movies of all time, Raiders of the Lost Ark. I’ll never forget the first time I saw Indiana Jones trying to outrun the boulder.
Jess - Jurassic Park didn’t start out as one of my all-time favorite movies (you know, the kind you can recite verbatim), but life finds a way. I was too young to see this 65 million-year-old clever girl in theaters, but I do recall my Dad testing out a new standing TV—the huge, thick, monstrous kind that took over the late 1990s—with a VHS of Jurassic Park. And as soon as I saw that T. rex break-out scene, my little body ran for dear life. The movie has thankfully aged more like fine wine in my mind. And heart. (Love you, Rexy)
DAY 3: A film that has more than five words
Jess - I grew up on Harry Potter movies, part of a special experience many millennials have in common. But the third installation, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, is the best film in the franchise. The one with the perfect mix of high-stakes wizardry and teenage shenanigans; the intro to Gary Oldman’s Sirius Black; and of course, the most impressive “Expecto Patronum” spell that ever was cast.
Rico - What’s really great about this category is you don’t realize how many movies have long titles. A lot of them are epic in scale, such as Lord of the Rings, but my choice is much, much smaller. No Country for Old Men is a throwback of sorts, people pining for the old days and ways of civility. Josh Brolin and Tommy Lee Jones are great in this movie, but it is Javier Bardem’s tour-de-force performance as Anton Chigurh that sets this movie as an all-time masterwork, all with the direction of the Coen Brothers.
DAY 4: A film with a number in the title
Rico - When this category was given to me to think about, there was one answer and one answer only. Filled with style, wit, and charm, Steven Soderberg’s Ocean’s Eleven is one of the most fun experiences at the movies. In a cast full of great actors, George Clooney and Brad Pitt are the most fun to be around. They have a non-verbal communication and banter that makes me crack up each time I see it.
Jess - Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. I’m the girl who received a life-size cardboard cutout of Legolas for my birthday one year. There was no other choice, really.
DAY 5: A film where a character has a job you want
Jess - Midnight in Paris is one of those movies that I like to watch by myself. It makes the inner English major in me giddy. Gil’s job as a successful blockbuster screenwriter is a fun, solid choice for a job. But I also love that his true artistic passions lean toward long-form prose as a novelist. I appreciate that his character is insecure about his writing skills, constantly seeking validation. And if that’s not a great job—to strive to be better at your craft—then I don’t know what is.
Rico - There are many jobs in movies that are really cool. There’s archaeology and the study of dinosaurs, but I would want an impactful job. That’s why I chose the movie Spotlight, directed by McCarthy, it shows a Cooper journal is crashing down on the systemic behavior of the Catholic Church. It would fill me with a sense of pride that my career was able to make a difference.
DAY 6: Your favorite animated film
Rico - The amount of times that I’ve seen this movie is staggering. But the movie has it all. Aladdin tells the tale of a street rat who finds a lamp with a genie in it and is granted three wishes. (I’m giving you the basics because almost everybody knows the story.) What really makes this movie special is the voice work by Robin Williams. He is so funny and energetic and really carries the momentum of the movie throughout. May he continue to rest in peace.
Jess - The Prince of Egypt is a gorgeous story, gorgeously animated, featuring gorgeous original songs, with a star-studded cast. I always loved watching it in Sunday school, and now that I can appreciate the art and detail, it’s still a mesmerizing film that might transcend the animated genre. Funny story: my parents bought us the VHS as kids, but it was the wrong version. I still remember my utter confusion when the first verses of “Deliver Us” were in Spanish…
DAY 7: A film you will never get tired of
Jess - A game for those who seek to find a way to leave their world behind. Jumanji fills me with nostalgia, warm feelings, and all the good things. I can never get tired of seeing Robin Williams improv his way through a nearly original adaptation of a children’s picture book. The concept of fathers and sons is explored (much like in Peter Pan) with Jonathan Hyde playing both Van Pelt and Sam Parrish. But it’s all wrapped in a bittersweet blanket, and the soundtrack by James Horner plays into that sad and regretful yet playful and adventurous theme.
Rico - If there was ever a movie that could feel timeless it’s the movie that deals with time travel. Back to the Future, directed by Robert Zemeckis, is one of the all-time greatest movies and has the perfect ending sequence of any movie. It’ll be tough for you to find a better 12-minute stretch from the moment that Marty McFly leaves the Enchantment Under the Sea dance all the way through when he’s sent back to the future. Perfection. *chef’s kiss*
DAY 8: A film where you liked the soundtrack more
Rico - I really enjoyed part one of Guardians of the Galaxy, but Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 felt a bit like a letdown. Yes, there were some more stars in the movie, adding Kurt Russell was a great touch, but for some reason, the movie just didn’t feel as exciting as the first one. Now, that doesn’t mean that the soundtrack was bad. Quite the opposite. Anytime you can throw in some Fleetwood Mac, it’s an A in my book.
Jess - Nobody expected The Greatest Showman, a musical about P.T. Barnum, to be a hit. Who knew, right? I certainly didn’t think the movie was going to be special, especially after my knee-jerk reaction to the intro song “The Greatest Show,” which I thought was downright bad. But despite the huge liberties they took with Barnum’s life and the plot not quite gelling for me, I feel like a few songs are amazing. (See: “Never Enough” and “Rewrite the Stars”)
DAY 9: A film you hate that everyone else liked
Jess - Taxi Driver. I generally like Martin Scorsese movies, but he was going through some shit in 1976. This movie had such a bizarre, unrelatable protagonist; I couldn’t tell what he was thinking half the time. He was desensitized to porn but for some reason was still able to stand on a soapbox regarding child prostitution. Toxic masculinity to the max. Definitely a movie about a mass murderer. The clashing saxophone track that played throughout was grinding my gears and felt at odds with the movie. The ending tried to paint him as a hero, and the same goes for cinema history at large. Yikes.
Rico - Ever since I started this podcast with Jessica, there’s been a movie that #FilmTwitter loves to talk about as being a cinematic masterpiece, and I still don’t understand why because the movie is pompous and pretentious and flat out feels like there’s no narrative. I saw Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life in theaters and actually started laughing halfway through because of how ridiculous it was. I still don’t get why people enjoy this movie.
DAY 10: Your favorite superhero movie
Rico - If anybody knows me, they know that I love Batman. It’s been in my life for as long as I can remember. I already mentioned earlier how much I watched the original Batman in 1989, so it comes as no surprise that my favorite movie is The Dark Knight. There has never been a villain quite as captivating and a performance as nuanced as Heath Ledger‘s Joker. I could go on and on about this movie, but let’s just say that there hasn’t been a superhero movie since its release that has overtaken its spot at #1.
Jess - What Rico said. LOL. The Dark Knight is excellent. A relentless villain. The intense Hans Zimmer score. The best superhero gadgets. Fierce cinematography. Michael Caine. Morgan Freeman. Shall I go on?
DAY 11: A film you like from your least favorite genre
Jess - Here’s a secret: I pretty much skip every horror movie. It always takes a bit of peer pressure to get me to watch anything in this genre, and Alien was no exception. It was a family movie night, and my Mom simply said this was a good movie. Nothing else. My pre-teen self was terrified... and riveted. It’s a perfect horror film. The best in the genre. You root for Ellen Ripley, and you quake at the ferocity of the (unseen, for the majority of the movie) xenomorph. Life Lesson: Never break quarantine.
Rico - I’m not really a horror movie fan. Actually, let me amend that a little bit. I am not really a fan of slasher films. Some stuff that comes to mind is like Michael Myers in Halloween or Jason in the Friday the 13th movies. But one movie that really stands out for me is Scream. The movie really takes the genre and breaks it down in a fun and interesting way. It is fourth-wall breaking because it shows us the rules of the slasher genre and how it tries to break those rules . If all else fails, throw in one of the biggest stars in Hollywood at the time, Drew Barrymore, and then kill her off in the first scene.
DAY 12: A film that you hate from your favorite genre
Rico - Back when I was a writer in college for my local newspaper, I did a couple pieces as a film critic. With that comes possibilities of screening brand-new movies before the audience gets to see them. Unfortunately, that also means that you’re obligated to see some very, very bad movies. One of those movies for me was Adam Sandler’s Jack and Jill. Not only is the movie poorly written but also it’s not funny. At all. The only moment where I chuckled had to do with Al Pacino doing a sponsorship for Dunkin’ Donuts. Save your time and don’t watch this.
Jess - I feel like I’m a lover, not a fighter, so I generally like good romances or romantic comedies. Amélie, despite being classified as such, is not. The Oscars got it wrong, let me tell you, because the movie has no central romance and instead gained acclaim through the charm of the French locale, which has since become a tourist destination. You can’t charm your way into my heart, Amélie. GET OUT!
DAY 13: A film that put you in deep thoughts
Jess - This is one of those movies that carries the weight of emotional significance for me. I was a budding English major when I first saw Dead Poets Society in high school, and it made me feel things and think things. It made me question traditional education. It made me question the status quo. It made me appreciate the arts. It made me want to rip pages out of poetry textbooks. It made me look at life a little differently. I thought one day I’d be as brave and subversive as Professor Keating, but most days, I’m still standing on my desk… O Captain! My Captain!
Rico - I’m very surprised that it took me so long to see this particular movie. Her, by Spike Jonez, is a creative story about a man who falls in love with a computer AI voiced by Scarlett Johansson. It has left me wondering if this might be an actual real thing that happens since technology is catching up so fast. I thought about this movie quite a bit after I finished watching it because it talks about love in a new way that I would’ve never imagined.
DAY 14: A film that gave you depression
Rico - It is rare when I find a movie that will make me cry, yet this movie somehow did it—and it’s not even toward the end, but the first 10 minutes of the movie! On top of that, it happens to be an animated movie! Pixar’s Up, for the most part, is enjoyable and full of some wonderful adventure, but to me the most memorable moments all happen in the first 10 minutes when we see the lives of Carl and Ellie. It’s a heartbreaking sequence intensified even further by Michael Giacchino's score.
Jess - Schindler’s List is a powerful movie with some singular iconography (the girl in the red coat). And I knew that going into the movie, but I still wasn’t prepared. I lost my composure when Schindler breaks down at the end, bemoaning the belated realization that he could have saved more people. Then the scene with the survivors putting stones on his grave… I was in a state for days afterward.
DAY 15: A film that makes you feel happy
Jess - I was in 6th grade taking an elective music class, and the teacher showed us that *one* Singin’ in the Rain scene (you know the one) and asked us why we thought Gene Kelly was so happy and why this scene is so famous. I couldn’t quite find the right words because I wanted to watch it again. And again. I’m happy to say I watched the full movie not long after, and it’s been a favorite ever since. I could probably answer that teacher’s question now, but I’d rather put a smile on my own face by watching the movie again instead.
Rico - I’m not a huge movie musical fan, but for some reason, Damien Chazelle’s La La Land really got ahold of me. There isn’t a time where I listen to the soundtrack and it not put a full smile on my face. The love story between Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling is a pleasure to take in. The moment that truly gets me is when Gosling is walking Stone’s character up the hill to find her car and they break out into dance. I can’t explain why, but I am full of joy whenever I watch that scene.
DAY 16: A film that is personal to you
Rico - I don’t know why find his character sympathetic, but Joseph Gordon Levitt in 500 Days of Summer is a character that speaks to me. I don’t know if it’s because of my own personal moments of misunderstanding and projecting. It feels personal, as though I lived a lot of the same situation that he did. That’s probably as much as I can get into with this movie.
Jess - I would argue that every movie we picked for the 30-Day Film Challenge is personal to us in some way, but Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book holds a special place. It might be the flood of nostalgia for my childhood. It might be how expertly Jason Scott Lee emotes without words. It might be the near spiritual reaction I have to the score by Basil Poledouris. Maybe it’s the concept of humans being more evil than animals. Or the love story that still holds me in a vice. I can’t pinpoint what makes this movie so personal, but it just is.
DAY 17: Favorite film sequel
Jess - I read The Hunger Games trilogy while they were still being released; I remember going to Barnes & Nobles and asking where I could find Mockingjay. So it was an experience to see the books come to life on screen. Catching Fire embodies the best of Hollywood big budget and the commitment to the storytelling established in the book series. Some things that I couldn’t quite visualize in the book seemed to make total sense in the movie. And in the end, when the perfect storm happens, you have to give credit where credit is due.
Rico - I already used my favorite movie earlier so I’m not going to use it again. I’ll go ahead and choose a different sequel that is still near and dear to my heart. I am a big fan of Raiders of the Lost Ark, which I mentioned earlier, so it only stands to reason that I would love one of the subsequent films in the franchise. It’s not the direct sequel that I love but the third installment in the franchise, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. It builds on the original mythology of Indiana Jones plus adds a new dynamic with his father, played by Sean Connery. It’s a lot of fun and very reminiscent of the first movie.
DAY 18: A film that stars your favorite actor/actress
Rico - There are many choices I could’ve made for this pick. It was only right that I would pick not only one of my favorite actresses, but also one of my early crushes as well. When narrowing down what movie I wanted to choose for Anne Hathaway, it only made sense to narrow it down to this one. The Devil Wears Prada is an amazing movie that a lot of people wrongly assume is just some type of chick flick. It is not. The movie is layered with themes of striving to be recognized for your accomplishments in a cut-throat world, which is similar to a lot of “guy films” like Wall Street.
Jess - Tom Hanks is a national treasure. I’ve loved him in pretty much anything he’s done, which is probably why I keep returning to his movies, including Cast Away. I find it utterly captivating to see Hanks channel an average man totally alone on an island—a survivor, but not because he’s prepared, above average, or supernatural. The solitude this movie displays is something I like rewatching. He’s so alone that there is no discernible score until 1 hour 37 minutes into the movie. It’s incredible.
DAY 19: A film made by your favorite director
Jess - Call me basic, but it’s Spielberg. I chose E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. It’s amazing; it’s a classic. That score by John Williams is unequaled.
Rico - A lot of people would say that I am a typical “film bro” by choosing this director, but I don’t care. I am there every single time a new Christopher Nolan movie comes out. This movie was no exception. Inception is a wild roller coaster that just left me speechless the first time I saw it. If I could go back and re-watch a movie for the first time again, this is really high on the list.
DAY 20: A film that changed your life
Rico - When I was younger, I would always watch movies that were just full of action or that were just full of comedic moments. It wasn’t until I watched Good Will Hunting that I found myself enjoying a film on the merits of good writing. I wish I had seen it sooner. It really changed the way I viewed film as a whole: I was able to finally realize that I didn’t need action or special effects or even cheesy jokes to enjoy a film.
Jess - A Moment to Remember. For once, the Netflix algorithm worked on me. I had watched a British show and a French movie, and then it suggested I watch this one. It’s the first Korean movie I ever watched. The one that started it all. The one that led to K-dramas and the world of Daebak Foreign TV.
DAY 21: A film that you dozed off in
Jess - The Grinch (2018). I couldn’t stay awake during this one to save my life. It’s a kid’s movie, sure, but I never fall asleep in the theater. It wasn’t a good movie at all; in fact, we had trouble even staying on topic for our podcast review of it. Geez, skip this one at all costs.
Rico - I’ll never forget this day even though I totally forgot this movie. Apollo 18 is about a special mission where, apparently, there was some type of aliens on the dark side of the moon and the United States went to investigate. I can’t tell you much, but I do know that the movie wasn’t entertaining and I fell asleep.
DAY 22: A film that made you angry
Rico - This one is a recent entry into the list, but it is Greta, the 2019… thriller? It wasn’t really a thriller as much as it was just a very annoying and mind-boggling effort to make an older woman seem like an unrelenting predator. Skip it. I wish I had walked out of the theater.
Jess - I was maybe 17 years old when I watched The Lost City for the first time. It’s about a wealthy, close-knit Cuban family as they go through the violent and emotional transition from Batista’s regime to Castro’s regime (very reminiscent of the Jewish family in The Pianist). Andy Garcia directs and stars, and to be honest, I’m not sure why people don’t talk about this movie. It, first off, made me grieve for a country of which I am a descendant. And secondly, it made me boiling mad at the audacity of communism and how it can take root, like a weed. The movie encourages you to think about how you view politics. Are there absolutes? (e.g., if you are against Batista, then are you therefore on Castro’s side?)
DAY 23: A film made by a director that is dead
Jess - The Sound of Music directed by Robert Wise. Self-explanatory.
Rico - Even though we did a recent rewatch of a bunch of Alfred Hitchcock movies, I decided to go in a different direction. One of my favorite movies of all time happens to be All About Eve, starring Bette Davis and directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. The dialogue is snappy and witty as it contemplates the life of an actress. We watch as that actress grows older and a new actress comes along to take her place. They don’t quite make movies like this anymore.
DAY 24: A film you wish you saw in theaters
Rico - As I continue to go along this list, it gets a little bit tougher not to reuse a movie; that would just be lazy. So I thought about what are some pivotal movies that I was not alive for when they were released in theaters. An obvious answer came. The Empire Strikes Back is one of the greatest sequels of all time, has one of the greatest cinematic reveals of all time, and is the best Star Wars movie. To be able to relive in theaters the moment that Darth Vader reveals that he is Luke’s father would’ve been mind-blowing.
Jess - We live in a post-Psycho world, which means the film is so transformative that it ushered in a different sort of storytelling in cinema. I so wish I could have been in the theater opening night of Psycho, with no one having a damn clue what was going to happen. To see the shower murder scene for the first time, not knowing the outcome, the culprit, the twist. To hear the sustained shrieks from the crowd… It would have been magnificent.
DAY 25: A film you like that is not set
in the current era
Jess - There is something majestic about, well, The Majestic, set in 1950s small-town America during the Red Scare. Jim Carrey plays a Hollywood screenwriter with amnesia who gets mistaken for a local boy declared MIA during WWII. There’s old-world charm. There’s the golden age of cinema. It’s the power of entertainment during sad or uncertain times. And it’s wonderful.
Rico - I wasn’t that far off from Jessica‘s choice because mine would’ve taken place in the 1960s, for the most part. Catch Me If You Can, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks, is a cat-and-mouse game between a young con artist (who is able to turn himself into a pilot, a lawyer, and everything in between) and the FBI. It’s hard to say that I wouldn’t enjoy being Frank Abagnale Jr. (without doing any of the time in jail, of course).
DAY 26: A film you like that is adapted from somewhere
Rico - Many people may not know this, but A Few Good Men is actually adapted from a play also written by Aaron Sorkin. Jack Nicholson steals every scene that he’s in, but Tom Cruise goes pound for pound with him in the most crucial scene of the movie in the courthouse. There’s nothing quite like seeing Daniel Kaffee getting revved up to ask Colonel Nathan Jessup whether or not he ordered the Code Red.
Jess - There have been a handful of film and TV adaptations of Alexandre Dumas’s epic The Count of Monte Cristo, but the 2002 movie starring Jim Caviezel and Guy Pearce is just outstanding. I read Dumas’s book in middle school and found it good but so luxuriously wordy and complex. The movie simplifies some of the more complicated entanglements to its benefit. An amazing adaptation, for sure.
DAY 27: A film that is visually striking to you
Jess - Pride & Prejudice (2005) isn’t necessarily flashy or unique, but the cinematography is certainly gorgeous. It treats the period so kindly and offers a fresh take on this era of country walks and sunrise love declarations and steamy dance halls with no air conditioning. The movie showcases a few beautiful long takes that keep the momentum moving. It’s all dreamy and lovely and grandiose.
Rico - Special effects are nothing new in Hollywood, but when a movie not only transcends its own genre but also incorporates video game language, you get a very special type of movie. Edgar Wright’s Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is energetic, bombastic, and genuinely hilarious. Visually, there have been no movies quite like it except for maybe 2008’s Speed Racer. I would love to see someone else experiment with this type of filmmaking and something so geared towards geek culture.
DAY 28: A film that made you feel uncomfortable
Rico - I’ll never forget the scene in the movie Prisoners, where Hugh Jackman takes Paul Dano‘s character and shuts him into a box that contains piping hot water to torture him for information about his missing daughter. Obviously, you feel for Jackman‘s character, but the lengths that he takes to get to the truth sometimes make you squirm in your seat.
Jess - I took a Film 101 class in college, and it was taught by a short, fat, older gentleman whose name escapes me (or maybe I’ve blocked it). He made us endure Requiem for a Dream in class, and I’ve never recovered. It totally shocked me and made me uncomfortable beyond words. Considering the other movies he considered fabulous cinema, I did not enjoy my time in this nasty, old (white) man’s class.
DAY 29: Movie that makes you want to fall in love
Jess - Moonstruck is a quirky film that you either love or hate. But I love it. I find it hilarious and comforting. Does love have anything to do with luck? Everything to do with timing? Sure, the romance between Cher and Nic Cage is wild (and Cage is legit chewing up the scenery), but the story still makes me feel optimistic and happy at the prospect of love.
Rico - I will go ahead and I will just quote the final monologue from Billy Crystal in When Harry Met Sally.
"I love that you get cold when it's 71 degrees out. I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich. I love that you get a little crinkle above your nose when you're looking at me like I'm nuts. I love that after I spend the day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes. And I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night. And it's not because I'm lonely, and it's not because it's New Year's Eve. I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible."
DAY 30: Movie with your favorite ending
Rico - There are many movies that leave you on the edge of your seat or that do an amazing reveal where the audience is left speechless. This movie is one of those. The Usual Suspects shows Kevin Spacey’s character being interrogated about his connection with a group of mobsters. It’s when the story of Keyser Soze is told that the whole movie changes, and nothing is quite as shocking as the end. I won’t spoil it here.
Jess - The Truman Show is existential; a religious allegory; a comment on surveillance, privacy, and reality TV; a version of Utopia; and so many other things. I think, more than anything, the 1998 film seems prophetic, in our digital age where we’re constantly being filmed and our lives are on the Internet for others to mock or aspire to. The movie’s ending is so perfect and iconic. Truman finally knows that his life is a lie, that he’s the star of a television show, that he’s being watched at all times, even right now. And in response to the god-like voice thundering from the heavens, he looks up, and says, “In case I don’t see ya, good afternoon, good evening, and goodnight.” He takes a bow, and then takes his first step into the real world. Truman, now a true man.