What I Watched in May
With this month I decided to mark where I watched:
- 🍿 - marks movie that I watched in cinema
- 📺 - marks movie or series that I've seen at home
🍿 Matrix (1999)
The movie that started it all. Watching it feels like watching my own origin story. My choice in aesthetics, hobbies and interests grew out of the nutritious soil that is this series and especially it's first (and only?) chapter. The first movie is the fundamental upon which this series was build and while sometimes it just hints at whats greatest about it, it's a solid start, that would be reiterated and completed in all further installments (including the fourth one).
This silly queer live-action anime that defined so many of us. I would cherish it forever.
The genre of Matrix
Looking at Matrix one could make a solid connection between it and anime. In many ways it feels like live action remake of anime that never was. Due to this the most appropriate categorization for this movie is Cyberpunk Mahou Shoujo Isekai Yuri. Neo must fight in another world (isekai), realize his true potential and belive himself to do magic (magical girls; mahou shujoo) while this cool futuristic lesbian (yuri) is in love with him.
🍿 Thunderbolts* (2025)
My top 3 MCU films as of now are (listed in no particular order): Iron Man 3 (2013), Thor: Ragnarok (2017) and... Thunderbolts* (2025). Guardians of the Galaxy series is right off the podium.
However, after few days I still wonder how real are emotions depicted in such a movie and what is just glitter, this time in more toned done shades. How much this movie stands out just by how low is the bar. Looking back at the MCU, from over 20 movies only few are worth anything to me now. They match the theme of Thunderbolts so maybe this movie will also stay with me.
📺 Elemental (2023)
Pixar made quite standard romantic comedy with pretty impressive visuals. It has a lot of charm and heart despite its by the book story and well explored motives. It's not a bad thing - not all movies need to be groundbreaking and sometimes just doing your job well enough is good enough.
Animation is quite impressive from the technical standpoint, however with the releases that we had at similar time (Spiderverse) it doesn't feel as impressive. Just steady progress in computer animation that is very well utilized.
🍿 The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
🍿 Sinners (2025)
Movie of the year. Last year it was Challangers (polish premiere was delayed to 2024), this year it's Sinners. One of the expiriences that cinema can provide, a must watch that pushes both the industry and the viewer. To say that I'm impressed is to say nothing.
📺 Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments season 1 (2016)
Mix of comfort show and guilty pleasure. I always can watch 1 season at most and the deeper (and dumber) story gets the more trouble with watching it I have. The plot is sometimes so thin that one would have trouble noticing it and character drama is so repetivive that one couldn't recognize which episode is which based on what characters are talking about.
However, it has some upsides! Magnus and Alec story is quite cute, the acting is over the top in just a right way and the fashion is fire. The lot of weirdness can be justified by the very concerning mix of military and a cult that Shadowhunters present (with a lot of racism and exclusionism). What this story has (that young adult fiction sadly commonly lacks) is a stand against prejudice, push for social and systemic change. The execution may be lacking but the spirit is quite right (at least in the first season I cannot force myself to watch next ones).
🍿 The Matrix Revolutions (2003)
While I love Matrix sequels (including the newest one), the third chapter has always been not quite right and I blame it on idea of splitting one movie into two. The third one is pretty much the second half of second act that started in Matrix 2 up to the departure of Neo to Machine City. Then we have a third act, that would justify itself within the 4 hour movie but in the more traditional runtime feels a little drag out.
Despite this I wouldn't cut anything or rework the story at all. Perfect on the inside, muddied by the form.
📺 Abott Elementary season 2 (2022-2023)
I love this show, Janine, Gregory, Ava and Jacob feel again like someone split aspects of me into this relatable characters. Less meta and quirky version of Community, full of heart and joy.
🍿 Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning (2025)
Fatigue. Old. Purposeless.
There is one interesting scene, which reminded me of Alien 4. I love treating deep ocean as a cosmic horror - and we got really nice attempt at doing that that was sadly ruined at the end. But when it was happening I was excited and almost started believing that we may have nice movie after all.
I kinda hate this movie.