Favorite of the Favorites: Nostalgia on the Diamond

Welcome back to Meet Me In The Lobby, where the films of August had one thing in common: sports. Homerun shenanigans, pom poms in unison, swimmers cutting through the water, and the cracking of football pads as underdogs charge the field. Every story was about teams and underdogs, about the ways competition can tear you apart or stitch you closer together. Here were my top four favorites of August 2025:

The Sandlot (1993)
Bring It On (2000)
Pride (2007)
Rudy (1993)

But let’s be honest: August belonged to The Sandlot.

⚾ If you grew up anywhere near a diamond, this film feels like muscle memory. The dirt infield, the sound of a wooden bat, the way a summer day can stretch forever when you’re out playing ball with your friends, it’s all there. For me, it’s deeply personal. I played baseball as a kid, then moved into softball, and yeah, that’s right... I’m a girl, and I play ball like a girl. Ham may have tried to drop it as the ultimate insult, but honestly? The joke’s on him. Watching it now, his line feels less like a burn and more like a compliment I’ll gladly wear on my jersey.

Of course, The Sandlot isn’t perfect. Some of the jokes creak with age, and a few moments hit differently now than they did in the ’90s. But even with those flaws, the film’s heart still beats strong. It captures the magic of those pickup games where nothing was official, but everything mattered. Every hit was life-or-death. Every base path felt like a stadium. And at the center of it all was friendship; the ragtag crew of kids who had nothing in common except their love for the game. You didn’t need uniforms or scoreboards; you just needed your people.

And then there’s the Beast. Oh, the Beast. For half the movie he’s the terror of nightmares, this oversized monster-dog who swallows baseballs whole. If you didn't know, some of the scenes of the Beast were puppetry. And let me tell you... the puppetry is gloriously exaggerated with its massive paws crashing down and teeth that look like they could chomp through a chain-link fence. It’s pure childhood imagination: how a neighbor’s dog can morph into a mythological creature in the retelling of childhood memories. But then comes the turn. The moment the Beast stops being a villain and becomes just a dog, he's loyal, a little goofy, and ultimately a friend. That reveal is the film’s magic trick, collapsing childhood fears into something tender and real.

That’s what makes The Sandlot stick. It’s not just a baseball movie. It’s a story about the friendships that grow in the outfield and infield, about how legends are born from exaggeration, and about how sometimes the scariest thing in your world turns out to be just another neighbor waiting to be understood. Baseball is the backdrop, but the film is really about the ways kids stitch themselves together into something bigger—a team, a memory, a lifelong story.

As for the rest of the films that I watched in August? Bring It On delivered its cheer mat rivalries, Pride dove into history with swimmers who changed the game, and Rudy gave us football’s ultimate underdog. But August, for me, will always be remembered for those nights under the fireworks, when the ball flew across the sky and friendship felt as endless as summer itself.

See you next time,
✌ Kelsey Faamausili

Favorite of the Favorites: Chaos in Motion

Welcome back to Meet Me In The Lobby, where the films of July had one thing in common: motion. Cars launched off ramps, skaters carved through the city, a pair of suited men tore across state lines with half the police force behind them, and at one point, I found myself watching a dozen lunatics in a mad dash for a bag of money. These weren’t quiet, contemplative watches. They were all about speed, spectacle, and the absurd ways people collide with each other when the chase is on.

Back to the Future (1985)
Skate Kitchen (2018)
The Blues Brothers (1980)
Rat Race (2001)

It was a month of pure chaos, each film finding its own way to keep me on my toes. Back to the Future is still a blast: a teenager hops into a DeLorean, time-travels back to the ’50s, nearly erases his own birth, and somehow makes rock ’n’ roll happen early. It’s ridiculous, it’s sharp, and it still moves at lightning speed decades later.

Skate Kitchen hit completely differently, an urban hangout film that makes skating culture feel both dangerous and liberating, with the added joy of centering girls who are carving out literal and figurative space in a male-dominated world. It’s gritty and tender at the same time, and it makes ollies in city streets look like acts of rebellion and community all at once.

The Blues Brothers? Still unhinged. Still loud. Still basically a two-hour car chase, with some of the best rhythm and blues performances ever captured on film crammed in between the police pileups. It’s big, it’s dumb, and it’s still glorious.

And then there’s Rat Race.

⚠️ Warning: what follows will sound like absolute mayhem. I promise I’m not hallucinating... I swear! It’s just Rat Race being Rat Race. 

The film begins in Vegas, which makes sense; where else could you launch a story this insane and shameless? John Cleese, in peak chaotic billionaire mode, gathers a group of strangers and tells them there’s a fortune waiting across the country. Cue the race! Cue the carnage!

The Cody brothers are the crown jewel of idiocy here. Two scheming morons who should never be trusted with heavy machinery, let alone aviation equipment, end up in a hot-air balloon with a cow dangling beneath them like some kind of deranged county fair attraction. It’s so spectacularly stupid that you can’t even be mad; honestly, you just can't help but laugh at their comedic commitment.

Meanwhile, Jon Lovitz’s family takes a detour straight into pitch-black comedy. They’re Jewish; and somehow end up stealing Hitler’s car, crashing into a WWII convention, and getting swept into a crowd that could not be less forgiving. Lovitz, covered in soot and panicked improvisation while on stage at the WWII convention, turns the whole fiasco into one of the most tasteless yet hilarious moments in the film.

And then, of course, the Lucy bus. An entire vehicle crammed with Lucille Ball impersonators goes off-course and collides head-on with the racers. It’s surreal, overwhelming, and instantly unforgettable; the kind of gag you can’t believe someone pitched in a writers’ room with a straight face.

The cherry on top? Rowan Atkinson’s narcoleptic character, sprinting toward the finish line, just about to open the briefcase of cash, only to collapse into a dead sleep mid-run. It’s the perfect example of Rat Race’s sense of humor: bad timing dialed up to absurdity, a spectacle wipeout so precise it feels like fate itself is in on the joke.

And here’s the kicker: all this mayhem, all these wipeouts, all these Lucys... it’s all for cash. But when the dust settles, the racers crash straight into a charity fundraiser headlined by Smash Mouth, and the prize money ends up being donated onstage. It’s the stupidest, most brilliant punchline imaginable.

If you don’t believe me, watch it yourself. I swear on John Cleese’s mustache: every single thing I just described actually happens in this movie.

See you next time,
✌ Kelsey Faamausili

Favorite of the Favorites: Quiet Grace and the Cost of Conformity

Welcome back to Meet Me In The Lobby, where I look back on the films that stuck with me this past month. Whether they made me laugh, hit an emotional nerve, or just gave me something new to think about, these are the ones that made my personal list for June.

My Cousin Vinny (1992)

Cinderella (2015)

Rear Window (1954)

Tea and Sympathy (1956)

This month’s picks were a fun mix: a courtroom comedy that holds up better than expected (My Cousin Vinny), a fairy tale with some of the most stunning costumes I’ve seen in a while (Cinderella), a Hitchcock classic that reminded me how tense a single room can feel (Rear Window), and a quiet but daring drama that ended up being my favorite of the bunch, Tea and Sympathy.

Each of these films offered something different. I was completely charmed by Cinderella's color palette and costume design, especially the way the film made something familiar feel new again. Vinny still made me laugh out loud, even though I knew the punchlines were coming. Rear Window pulled me back into its world with just a pair of binoculars and a sense of unease. But Tea and Sympathy is the one I haven’t stopped thinking about.

So let’s talk about it!

Some films age well because they say something that still resonates. Others age well because they said it before anyone else dared to. Tea and Sympathy does a bit of both.

Directed by Vincente Minnelli and adapted from a 1950s stage play by Robert Anderson, this film takes its time. It follows Tom, a gentle and introspective student at an all-boys prep school who’s quickly labeled "different" by the other boys. His kindness and sensitivity don’t fit the strict mold of masculinity the school expects, and soon the teasing turns cruel.

John Kerr gives Tom a quiet strength, never overplaying his vulnerability. And Deborah Kerr, as Laura, the headmaster’s wife, brings a warmth and dignity to a character that could have easily been flattened into a cliché. Their scenes together carry a kind of emotional charge; nothing dramatic, just slow, careful honesty.

What surprised me most was how forward-thinking the writing felt. It’s all coded, of course, this was the 1950s, but the film manages to explore queerness, loneliness, and the harm of social conformity without ever saying those words aloud. It trusts the audience to pick up what’s being said between the lines.

The production design adds even more depth. The school feels rigid and cold, while Laura’s spaces are softer, more personal. It’s a subtle way of showing where understanding can live, and where it can’t. Minnelli was known for his attention to detail, and here that sensibility works in quiet, meaningful ways.

The final scene wrecked me. It’s understated and doesn’t wrap things up with a bow, but there’s something deeply moving in its restraint. The film never tries to fix its characters. Instead, it offers a glimpse of what compassion can look like in a world that doesn’t always make room for it.

If you’re in the mood for a film that’s quiet, thoughtful, and braver than it looks at first glance, give Tea and Sympathy a watch. It’s not loud, but it speaks volumes.

See you next time,
✌ Kelsey Faamausili

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Favorite of the Favorites: Wrestling Demons and Finding Love

Welcome back to Meet Me In The Lobby, where each month I spotlight the films that found their way onto my list of personal favorites. These are the picks for May 2025, it's a mix of stories that made me laugh, feel, dream, or just unwind for a while.

This month’s top spot goes to a hidden gem that deserves a bigger audience: The Annihilation of Fish.

Here are the four favorites from May:

Nai Nai & Wai Po (2023)
The Annihilation of Fish (1999)
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story (2023)
My Neighbor Totoro (1988)

You can watch Nai Nai & Wai Po on Disney+, The Annihilation of Fish on Kanopy, Queen Charlotte on Netflix, and My Neighbor Totoro on Max. Different moods, different genres, but each one stuck with me.

Now, let’s talk The Annihilation of Fish.

The Annihilation of Fish is one of those hidden gems you stumble across and immediately want to tell your friends about.

James Earl Jones is Fish, a man in a constant, dead-serious wrestling match with a demon no one else can see. He tightens his belt, squares up, and fights it off like clockwork. It is a little sad, a little funny, and surprisingly brave all at once.

Then there is Poinsettia, played by Lynn Redgrave, who chats every day with her imaginary composer sweetheart. She is delicate but never fragile, and you get the feeling she has been lonely for a long time until Fish shows up.

What makes this love story special is how gently it treats its characters’ private worlds. No one tries to fix anyone; instead, they share their weirdness like a secret language. The demon does not vanish just because Fish falls in love, but he finally has someone cheering him on between rounds.

It is tender, odd, and completely charming, the kind of film that feels like a quiet hug at the end of a long week. If you are looking for a romance that is a little different but all heart, The Annihilation of Fish is waiting for you on Kanopy.

See you next time,
✌ Kelsey Faamausili

Favorite of the Favorites: Romans, Rebels, and Ridiculous Fun

Welcome back to Meet Me In The Lobby, where each month I spotlight the films that climbed their way into my personal hall of fame. These are the favorites of April 2025, movies that stuck with me, whether through grand spectacle, unforgettable characters, or just the right amount of camp. 

This month’s top honor goes to a cinematic colossus I was lucky enough to see at the TCM Classic Film Festival, showcased on the largest screen at the TCL Chinese Theatre: Ben-Hur. 

 Here are the four favorites from April: 

 Ben-Hur (1959) 

The Dark Knight (2008) 

Seven Beauties (1975) 

Vegas in Space (1991) 

You can stream Ben-Hur on Max, The Dark Knight on Hulu, Seven Beauties on Kanopy, and Vegas in Space on Prime Video. The lineup is eclectic, but each film earns its place. 

 Now, let’s talk Ben-Hur. 

Seeing Ben-Hur in a packed historic theater, larger than life in every sense, was unforgettable. From the moment the overture began, the music wrapped around the audience like a curtain being pulled open. It’s the kind of score that doesn’t just accompany a film; it tells you you’re about to witness something monumental. 

The story is vast, but never loses its emotional core. Betrayal, endurance, revenge, and redemption are all woven together with a kind of epic sincerity that few films today even attempt. And yes, the chariot race lives up to the legend, and then some. The chariot sequence is everything cinema should be: thrilling, physical, and impossible to look away from. You feel the tension in every turn, the danger in every collision. The dust kicked up by the horses, the whip cracks, the close calls, they don’t feel like stunts. They feel like survival. The scale of the arena, the energy of the crowd, the pounding hooves, it’s all so immersive, it’s hard to believe it was done without CGI. Watching it on such a massive screen, I felt like I was right there in the chaos. 

Visually, Ben-Hur is stunning. The color palette is rich and painterly; deep reds, golds, desert browns, and the piercing blues of the sea and sky. Every frame feels intentional, like it was lit with reverence. The use of color gives the film a timeless quality. It doesn’t look aged, it looks iconic. The texture of the film, the contrast, the warmth of the costumes against the stone walls, all of it comes together to make the world feel full.

The performances are strong throughout, with Charlton Heston leading the charge with both physical presence and emotional weight. But what stood out most to me was how the film integrates the figure of Jesus, not through spectacle, but through quiet, reverent imagery. His presence is felt more than seen, and when he does appear, the moments are powerful without being overstated. Ben-Hur is one of those rare films that delivers on every level: story, sound, performance, and scope. It’s a classic not because it’s old, but because it still moves you. 

And let’s be honest, Ben-Hur trotted so that Gladiator could gallop. 

 See you next time, 

✌ Kelsey Faamausili

Favorite of the Favorites: From Revenge to Resilience

Welcome back to Meet Me In The Lobby, where I break down the movies that elbowed their way to the top of my March 2025 watchlist on Letterboxd. This month was a wild ride across time, space, and genre, and honestly, I am still trying to catch my breath.

Here are the films that survived the gauntlet:

• Lady Snowblood (1973)

• Pride & Prejudice (2005)

• Vai (2019)

• Legally Blonde (2001)

If you want to watch along, you can find Lady Snowblood on Criterion Channel, Pride & Prejudice on Netflix, Vai on Tubi TV, and Legally Blonde on Fandango at Home. Your remote is about to get a workout. Follow me on Letterboxd for more!

Now, on to the main event. Let’s talk Lady Snowblood.

Imagine if a blizzard and a bloodbath had a very stylish baby, and then raised her to be an avenging angel with eyeliner sharp enough to kill a man. That is Lady Snowblood in a nutshell. Released in 1973, this film is what happens when tragedy, beauty, and buckets of fake blood decide to throw a party.

The plot is simple enough to carve into a tombstone. Yuki is born for one purpose, and one purpose only, to wreak holy havoc on the people who destroyed her family before she ever drew her first breath.

Let’s talk about the special effects, because, honestly, they deserve a standing ovation. No fancy computers, no green screens, just raw, practical magic. Blood does not politely leak out in Lady Snowblood. It geysers, it pirouettes through the air, it paints entire landscapes in shades of regret. Every fight scene feels like it was staged by a poet with a grudge, and every crimson splash feels weirdly cathartic, like violence elevated to an art form.

Cinematographer Masaki Tamura treats every frame like a living painting. The bold color contrasts, the careful staging, the surreal beauty of snow falling softly over a massacre, it is cinema that knows exactly what it is doing. Underneath the stylish bloodshed, though, there is  generational trauma, revenge, and the weight of destiny. Yuki is not just slicing throats. She is carrying the unbearable burden of other people's sins.

If you are in the mood for something lush, brutal, and strangely soulful, Lady Snowblood should be your next cinematic obsession. Trust me. 

See you next time,

✌ Kelsey Faamausili

Favorite of the Favorites: A Little Hero with a Big Heart

Welcome to Meet Me In The Lobby, where I talk about my Favorite of the Favorites that I watched from the month of February 2025!

Here are some of my favorite movies from the last month...

Mississippi Masala (1991)
Cecil B. Demented (2000)
Supa Modo (2018)
Ailey (2021)

Here are my ratings for these films: Letterboxd (Follow me and I will follow you back! 😁)

You can stream these films on Criterion Channel, Tubi, Kanopy, or Netflix!

So I watched Supa Modo a few nights ago and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. I wasn’t expecting it to hit so hard. I just put it on, not knowing much about it, and it ended up being one of the most honest, beautiful, and tender movies I’ve seen in a long time.

It’s about Jo, a young girl living with a terminal illness in a small village in Kenya. That sounds like it’s going to be heavy and it is in some moments, but it’s also so full of warmth and love that it doesn’t feel weighed down. Jo wants to be a superhero. She loves movies, she’s got a big imagination, and instead of shutting that down, her whole community decides to help her live out her dream. They stage scenes, pretend to be villains, and make it all feel real for her. It’s done with this incredible gentleness that just kind of sneaks up on you emotionally.

One of the most powerful moments in the film is when Jo “stops a robbery” using her powers. It’s a completely staged event, set up by the villagers, and it sounds simple, but it hits so hard. The way everyone comes together, in full costume, committing to the bit for her sake, it’s just love in action. But what makes the scene even more moving is that Jo is in on it. She knows it isn’t real. She knows they’re pretending. And instead of being upset or calling it out, she plays along. Not because she believes the fantasy, but because she understands what it means to the people around her. She does it for her sister, who orchestrated so much of it, and for the villagers who want to see her smile. It’s such a selfless, quietly powerful act. That moment is pure magic.

There’s something about watching the world through a kid’s eyes that always gets me. They notice everything. They don’t sugarcoat the hard stuff, but they find joy where adults usually don’t. Jo knows what’s happening to her. She’s not in denial. But she still wants to live. And the people around her let her. They give her something to believe in, even just for a little while. I don’t know, it really got to me. It made me think about how we treat people when they’re sick or hurting, and how imagination, real unfiltered imagination, can actually be a form of care.

And the way this movie is so deeply rooted in place, in its language, its rhythms, the way the village moves and breathes, it’s just beautiful. It doesn’t explain itself. It doesn’t cater to a global audience. It just tells this specific, deeply human story and because of that, it feels even more universal. I’ve never been to a village in Kenya, but I’ve seen love like that before. I’ve felt that mix of joy and grief before. That’s the kind of storytelling that really matters.

Supa Modo is quiet. It’s not flashy. But it says a lot with very little. And honestly, it’s one of the most compassionate things I’ve watched in a long time. If you’re looking for something that’ll make you feel everything and maybe remind you to be a little softer with the people around you, this is it.

See you next time,
✌ Kelsey Faamausili

Letterboxd: @kelsey_mf

Favorite of the Favorites : A Deep Dive into Connection, Family, and Grief

Welcome to Meet Me In The Lobby, where I discuss my Favorite of the Favorites that I watched from the month of January 2025!

Here are some of my favorite movies from the last month...

- Field of Dreams (1989)

- His Three Daughters (2023)

- The Band Wagon (1953)

- A Real Pain (2024)

Here are my ratings for these films: Letterboxd (Follow me and I will follow you back! 😁)

You can watch these films on Netflix, Tubi, Fandango at Home, or Hulu!

There's something intimate about a film that doesn't shy away from the complexities of real life. His Three Daughters, which is available on Netflix, is just that, a picture that captivates, rattles, and leaves you thinking about the complexity of family long after the credits have rolled.

For anyone who has ever dealt with family relations after a loss, the palpable sense of unease is evident from the opening credits. The film follows three sisters, each very different but emotionally connected, who come together as their father nears the end of his life. What follows is an emotionally raw depiction of loss, love, and the collision of emotions that occurs when loved ones are confined in close quarters under intolerable conditions.

The performances in this film are nothing short of spectacular. The performances of the actors make it seem less like a staged drama and more like an intimate look into the lives of real people. There are no antagonists, no one-dimensional characters to root for or against. Instead, we see complex, real people who are striving to do their best despite the fact that it may not be enough. The rawness of their relationships, the unedited pain and frustration, are what make this film so moving.

Family isn't always easy. Love and animosity, common ground and individual hardships all intertwine in this complex web. His Three Daughters does a fantastic job of capturing the complexity that arises when a loved one is nearing the end of their life. The film does not strive to tie everything up neatly since that is not how life works. Instead, it fills us with painfully real situations of anger, tenderness, regret, and connection.

Watching this movie, I was reminded of my own experiences with family, of the way emotions can shift so quickly in times of crisis. One second, you’re reminiscing over childhood memories, and the next, you’re in a heated argument over who’s handling what.

His Three Daughters is a difficult film to watch, but it is necessary. The film makes you face some unpleasant realities: your own death, the unpredictability of human relationships, and the fact that love and conflict are frequently inseparable. If you want something that seems true, that doesn't sugarcoat the difficulties of family and grief, this is a film you must see.

With that in mind, get some tissues ready, because His Three Daughters is the kind of movie that stays with you long after the last scene ends.

In the meantime, I will see you next time in the lobby!

✌Kelsey Faamausili

Letterboxd: @kelsey_mf

Favorite of the Favorites: It's A Whimsical Wicked Winter!

Welcome to Meet Me In The Lobby, where I will discuss my Favorite of the Favorites that I watched from the month of December 2024!

Here are some of my favorite movies from the last month...

- A Town Called Panic (2009)

- Wicked (2024)

- Nickel Boys (2024)

- Emilia Perez (2024)

Here are my ratings for these films: Letterboxd (Follow me and I will follow you back! 😁)

You can watch these films on Netflix, Kanopy, Fandango at Home, or in theatres!

But the film I'll be discussing is Wicked (2024)! Before seeing the film, I had some idea of what it was about. I knew it had to be set in Oz and revolve around the witches from The Wizard of Oz. I really wanted to walk into this film blind and not know anything about the storyline. I ignored any reviews, spoilers, and trailers that revealed too much! As the screening date neared, I was so successful that I informed my family I didn't want to hear anything about the film! 😫

So, what are my feelings about this film? Well, this was a complete masterpiece! After seeing that, I felt inspired! It was a very touching piece, especially towards the end; here is my honest review on Letterboxd: 

This was one of the most intricate films I've seen in a long time! The singing and acting were excellent, as was the sound, make-up, costumes, choreography, cinematography, and overall production quality. If I were to consider the film's message, I feel it would cover a wide range of topics with which audiences may identify.

Also, I spoke with a puppeteer in Los Angeles, who highlighted how much puppetry there was in this production. From shadow puppetry, to toy theatre, and large-scale puppets, it was incredible the array of puppetry styles the director used to tell the story! This touch added a quirky element to the film's aesthetic.

Some Letterboxd reviews expressed that they disliked the CGI. I understand from that perspective, but everything else overshadowed that. The filmmaker wonderfully captured the essence of combining the theater culture with the film culture, and if you enjoy musicals or Wicked on Broadway, this is the film for you! In the larger scheme of things, I'd say this film took me on a journey, and I'm looking forward to Part II.

In the meantime, I will see you next time in the lobby!

✌Kelsey Faamausili

Letterboxd: @kelsey_mf