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Cody’s Top Ten of 2021

12/31/2021

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Cody R.

This year I found myself optimistic as the film industry was, like most everything else, getting back to “normal.” Theaters prior to the pandemic were facing difficulty in staying relevant and finding innovative ways to keep seats filled. Heck, the most hype for movies in recent years could arguably be the AMC meme stock. But now, as we navigate life aside the pandemic, we are reminded again of the underlying fact that people love interaction with other humans and enjoy experiencing something together. Movies fall under this category and it was a major factor that weighed heavily on how I rated films this year. That personal human to human connection is something that simply can’t be beat. As the year went on more and more people, my friends included, returned to theaters and enjoyed one big blockbuster after another. We were able to laugh, to love, to cry, and every emotion in between. Best of all, we could finally experience all of this together again.

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Cody’s Top 10 of 2020

1/1/2021

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Cody R.

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In the world of cinema, just like everything else these days, we have all had to embrace change. What used to be an experience going to the theaters has been put on hold for what feels like an eternity. Viewing film via streaming service has become the new normal and our living rooms, the new theaters, our kitchens, the concession stands. Although location changes the viewing experience, it does not mean that we still don’t get to indulge in something special.

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The Definitive Ranking of June Squibb’s T-Shirts in Hubie Halloween

10/15/2020

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Cody R.

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Source: Netflix
When ‘Hubie Halloween’ hit Netflix it was assumed that all the buzz would center around Adam Sandler and his particular brand of nonsense. We’ve seen it over and over again with films like ‘Big Daddy,’ ‘Waterboy’ and ‘Billy Madison.’ Whether you enjoy this type of comedy or not is irrelevant, the only things that matter are June Squibb’s t-shirts. These novelty shirts warranted an additional half a star rating to some from reviews I have seen on Letterboxd. To show my appreciation I have decided to personally rank them from worst to best:

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Who is Mulan Without Mushu?

9/16/2020

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Cody R.

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Back in March the coronavirus pandemic swept the nation and closed theater doors. This forced Disney’s hand in postponing the release of their live action adaptation of Mulan which was merely weeks away. Thus, began the battle within Disney about how to handle the highly anticipated film.

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Cody’s Tribute to Olaf

8/27/2020

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Cody R.


There is an old phrase that states, “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.” The problem here is not the kitchen. The problem, if one even exists, is the warm hug. And it is here, by the creation of snow magic, does the chilling discussion over Olaf’s greatness begin. Let’s see if I can sum it up as quickly as he did in Frozen 2 over the plot synopsis of Frozen 1. There was a time when the idea of Olaf was no more than a mere fabrication from one’s own imagination. And as children we all had our own interpretation of what Olaf was to us. But it was here, through Elsa and Anna, that we were blessed with the reality of a new friend who possessed the ability to showcase compassion, empathy, foolishness, and of course without fail, a little bit of annoyance.

All the traits mentioned above are what make Olaf relatable because he isn’t what you would call a fake friend. Patience, in which it is the time to allow the friendship to blossom, is what we really need to understand here. Just as Olaf grows in Frozen 1, he develops these traits and growth of maturity even more so in Frozen 2. From the beginning of existence we see his willingness to sacrifice himself as he states, “Some people are worth melting for.” This statement alone is enough to showcase such traits that can break down ice barriers we ourselves always seem to be putting up. Olaf is adept to situations in which he listens, cares, and learns. Dishing out advice and statements of affection that we would all like to hear so that we ourselves feel better. We see this plenty with Anna. This all boils down to that Olaf is the kind of snowman we would all want to have in our lives to share moments and laughs with. Just as he is by the creation of magic, his friendship alone is nothing short of magical and we could all use a little magic in our lives. We could all use a little Olaf.


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