greetings!

2025 was a year of exploration. I have been trying new things, experimenting, and attempting to figure out what I want to do with this chapter of my life. Many discoveries were made and I learned a heck of a lot about myself, but I also somehow managed to fall back into old habits.

At the start of December a menace of a problem made its way to my doorstep that involves MovieJawn. It has led to many sleepless nights, as well as a cause for stress and anxiety. I could not help but feel that a dark cloud rolled into town with with the sole purpose of raining on my parade, until I realized it was a wake-up call. It took being consumed by this horrible issue to realize that MovieJawn - the print magazine and website that I serve as Editor in Chief of - truly had taken over my life.

I see a therapist every other week and in my last session of the year she asked: Why do you think you dove so hard into MovieJawn after you quit your corporate job? Even before she made this inquiry, it had been something that was been rattling around in my brain for quite some time. The simple answer is: it was comfortable. After seventeen years in Human Resources, I was trained how to lead people, discipline them, solve problems, and ensure projects are completed. I essentially replaced my old job with a new job: MovieJawn. It felt comfortable to take on this role.

However, this rotten situation for MovieJawn has led me to ask questions. It has pointed out to me the personal time I have sacrificed. I did not quit my job to be a manager. I quit my job to create. I want to make weird videos, dive deeper into the Cinematic Crypt (my podcast), write strange and unusual stories, and become a classic film aficionado that the public can count on. I am a believer that things happen for a reason and every moment is leading us to the ultimate destination.

As we head into next year, I want to stop finding my aspirations, goals, and projects at the bottom of the to-do pile. I will prioritize what matters to me. It is time to become comfortable with the uncomfortable. Try things that scare me. Learn to be OK with failing, because with each mistake something is learned, something is experienced. Most importantly, it is time to get weirder. In terms of MovieJawn, I love the print magazine with all my heart. I adore working on the layout, the design, and exposing people to cinema that I feel they should know about. I am not looking to shut down this wonderful thing we have built, instead I am looking to change the way in which I operate.

2026 will be the year of Rosalie Kicks. I shall become more strict with my time. I am damn tired of talking about the things I want to do and most importantly I am sick of waiting.

what’s the latest scoop?

My favorite watches of 2025

In 2025 these two specific things happened: I fell head over heels for Miriam Hopkins’s charismatic screen presence and I took a different approach when making my best of list. Instead of going back and combing through my diary on letterboxd to recall which movies I rated highest, I relied on my memory.

To me, a picture that becomes personally meaningful is one that manages to crawl inside me and takes nest deep in my bones. The film becomes a part of me and I will carry it around for the rest of my days. When I witness a gem such as this on the silver screen it lives in my constant thoughts and serves as a reminder for me to stick around a bit longer on this mortal coil. When I walk into a darkened cinema or sit down to watch a film in my living room, it is a thrill each and every time… Will this be my next favorite watch?

Below is my alphabetized list of favorite watches of 2025 and where they were seen. Most are from the past. I suppose one can say I have an affinity for dead people.

• The Affair of Susan (1945), watched at Capitol Fest

• Ballad of Wallis Island (2025), watched at home

• Becky Sharp (1935), watched at Nitrate Film Festival

• A Big Hand For a Little Lady (1966), watched on Turner Classic Movies

• Blanche Fury (1948), watched on Internet Archive

• The Cramps: A Period Piece (2025), watched at Fantastic Fest

• Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931), watched on Turner Classic Movies

• Freaky Tales (2025), watched at the cinema

• Go West (1925), watched at The International Buster Keaton Convention

• How Green Was My Valley (1941), watched at Ambler Theater

• If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (2025), watched at Fantastic Fest

• Million Dollar Legs (1932), watched at The Columbus Moving Picture Show

• The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969), watched at Colonial Theatre

• Peter Ibbetson (1935), watched at home (shout out to Karina Longworth for putting this on my radar)

• You Can’t Take It With You (1938), watched at Hiway Theater

Check out the MovieJawn staff’s Best of 2025 picks here 

this week i am proud of…

an interview I conducted

In case you missed it… I recently chatted with conductor, Anthony Parnther. This opportunity was especially grand as I was able to conduct the interview in person. In today’s technological world, I rarely get to actually sit down with someone in the same space and gab for the purposes of an article. In this case, I could not have been more thrilled as Anthony was such a lovely human being. His accomplishments within the musical space are impressive, and I feel fortunate that I was able to spend time with him.

Check out our lovely conversation here and learn about the cinematic New Year’s Eve event that he was part of at Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center.

This week I recommend…

Watching the 1975 Peter Weir’s Australian film, Picnic at Hanging Rock.

This was my second watch of 2026 and I could not be more pleased with the selection. In case you were wondering, my first watch was a gremlins favorite, Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs (1937). I am always rather mindful when selecting my first watch of the year as I want to ensure I start the year off on the right foot.

As for Picnic on Hanging Rock, I found this to be an atmospheric picture that exuded creepiness. There was something utterly dreamy about it, as if there was some sort of gauze over the film lens. I loved it. As Florence Welch said in the criterion closet when she selected this as one of her picks, “every frame looks like a impressionist painting…”

She is not wrong. The cinematography from Russell Boyd is absolutely gorgeous.

Description, courtesy of Letterboxd:

In the early 1900s, Miranda attends a girls boarding school in Australia. One Valentine’s Day, the school’s typically strict headmistress treats the girls to a picnic field trip to an unusual but scenic volcanic formation called Hanging Rock. Despite rules against it, Miranda and several other girls venture off. It’s not until the end of the day that the faculty realizes the girls and one of the teachers have disappeared mysteriously.

I have been meaning to watch this film for quite some time and it would just constantly end up at the bottom off my watch pile. I was reminded about this blind spot after reading Alicia Malone’s TCM Imports book. If you’re looking to dive into foreign pictures, I can’t recommend this book enough. It is just a lovely companion/guide as you begin your exotic world wide cinematic travels. Each section is divided up by seasons, which makes it quite nice to find the perfect watch at any time of year. Treat yourself and snag a copy of the book here.

Thanks for stopping by.

Happy you are here. xx.
goodbye.