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.
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
