Hollis Films

"An insomniac office worker and a devil-may-care soap maker form an underground fight club that evolves into much more." - IMDB Synopsis Fight Club really deserves the right to be called a 90s classic despite premiering at the end of the decade. The style of this movie fits in with it's time - the music, costuming, lighting, and cinematography really helping with this. The concept itself is of course the ultimate highlight. The idea of this secret society revolving around people beating each other up evolves to reflect flaws of society that are still pretty relevant 20 years later.  While the writing can surely speak for itself, the cast really delivers excellent performances that bring these characters to life. Brad Pitt as the very charismatic rebel, Tyler, is a true stand out. Helena Bonham Carter as Marla is a wonderful supporting character. Of course, Edward Norton is the center as the Narrator. He displayed the character's development wonderfully as this miserab...

"Feature adaptation of Frank Herbert's science fiction novel, about the son of a noble family entrusted with the protection of the most valuable asset and most vital element in the galaxy." - IMDB Synopsis Dune is a remake of the original movie from 1984. From what I heard of that film, I can tell you right now that this latest adaption of the beloved book is much better. Honestly, what stands out to me is how much time we spend learning about this intricate established fictional universe. A film like this is at a risk of breaking the show-don't-tell rule in film making, but I'd say they did a good job with that. We're told some important facts via narration and the national geographic documentaries Paul watches. But we see for ourselves what the political climate is like in this world through the eyes of Paul and a few other characters.  Not everyone would be too attracted to the slow burn that world building can be. But for people that are able to watch the...

"Guts is a skilled swordsman who joins forces with a mercenary group named 'The Band of the Hawk', lead by the charismatic Griffith, and fights with them as they battle their way into the royal court." - IMDB Synopsis Watching Berserk for the first time, I was very immersed in the aesthetic & time period of the show. I think, even after 20+ years, it's a very unique setting and feel. If you want a good medieval times anime, Berserk should be your go-to. The highlight for me, of course, was the 3 main characters - Guts, Griffith, and Caska. Guts by far had the most interesting story. We see how he went from an outcast little boy to a man, and then from a hardcore soldier to a friend. His experience with Hawks changed him and it was fun to see throughout his journey. Griffith was, however, the most interesting character. He always came across as mysterious yet trusting, almost like a godly figure to others (of course). He had an airy and almost flirtatious perso...

"Teen Miles Morales becomes the Spider-Man of his universe, and must join with five spider-powered individuals from other dimensions to stop a threat for all realities." - IMDB Synopsis What is so great about this movie is that it's so easy to get into. You don't really have to be a Spiderman fan to appreciate the art, animation, and story. It's also a well written stand alone feature, so it's not like in the MCU where you gotta watch X, Y, and Z in order to understand A. And of course, given the title, it's a fun multiverse adventure. Of all the films and tv episodes that play around with the concept of parallels universes, Into the Spider-Verse must place in the top 10 at least. This film won the Oscar for Best Animated Movie a couple years back. Just looking at the art style, it's easy to tell why. I'm not an artist or animator, so I cannot even describe in words how amazing the animation is, story aside. I especially love it when they incorpora...

"Three teens discover that their neighbor's house is really a living, breathing, scary monster." - IMDB Synopsis Whenever there was a road trip, I had the same 3 DVDs to choose from to watch on the portable DVD player. Monster house was one of them, so the nostalgia factor is pretty significant for me. Since then, I've made it a tradition to watch it every Halloween. After all this time, I still see it as a classic to watch every spooky season. What stands out to me the most are the characters & the comedy. Hate to admit I see a lot of myself in Chowder, but I do. The main & side characters work really well together to bring the hilarious bickering that is the dialogue. It's my kind of humor, & I unapologetically quote the movie time to time. The animation is very unique. The art style goes a long way, but the motion capture solidifies the original look to the overall animation. When Monster House was made, mo-cap was still on the rise, just being imp...

"Twenty-seven years after their first encounter with the terrifying Pennywise, the Losers Club have grown up and moved away, until a devastating phone call brings them back." - IMDB Synopsis I saw this in theaters when it first came out. I had no idea what to expect, but sure didn't expect to laugh as much as I did. This movie is more funny than scary, if I'm being honest. I was in tears a few times. However, there were a couple moments that made me feel uncomfortable or disturbed. I know there was that whole trailer with the disgusting old lady, but every time I see that scene, I'm horrified. I'm also very claustrophobic, and there were two instances that messed with that fear of mine as well.  The visual casting of the grown up losers is literally phenomenal. Specifically with James Ransone as Eddie, Jay Ryan as Ben, and even Andy Bean as Stan. The adults did so well in passing on some key traits their childhood counterparts had. Eddie is hands down my favo...