30.06.25 – 06.07.25

Week 2 is over and it was a little bit better than our first. There was still some boredom, and the re-watch did some heavy lifting again, but I also watched a new gem ♥ The average rating for this week was 3⭐ as well.

I had plans on the weekend which meant I didn’t think I would be able to stick to the ‘Sunday’ showing, so I watched The Station Agent on the 4th of July instead.

---

Amazones (2004)

Four women are sick of being poor. They decide to rob a bank. They are surprised how easily they get away with it and start to commit more robberies. When the net finally closes around them they decide to make one last big hit.

Letterboxd

This is the first film I’ve watched from the Netherlands and it was not the best place to start. The only expectation I had going into this was that I was going to have a fun time and sadly, that did not happen.

Our main quartet – Sam (Monic Hendrickx), Kers (Monique van de Ven), Reneetje (Georgina Verbaan) and Lot (Susan Visser) – had some fun scenes together and for the most part they were well rounded. They each have a clear backstory, but the pacing meant that certain aspects of these women’s lives were underdeveloped or seemingly thrown in to heighten their personal struggles and the reason for more heists.

There was a super slow build-up and the pacing was definitely one of the main issues I had. Due to the basic plot and pacing, high tension moments fell flat and I spent most of my time bored while watching this. I think in better hands this could have been a much grittier and more serious film, with more impact. For a heist film, I was on the edge of my seat a whopping 0 times.

I enjoyed Sam and Lot’s friendship, as it felt the most developed and most genuine. Reneetje was the most fun and interesting character, but she felt stereotypical at times and the ‘quirky damaged friend who’s feisty’ archetype.

There is a romantic subplot which was unnecessary and only made the tension at the end feel boring and cheesy in it’s drama. It also undermined any development that Lot should have gained and further highlighted how the ‘loyalties’ of characters weren’t based on much.

The film had a typical early 2000 feel and perhaps even that of a 90’s film being made late.

The kids were really cute ♥

💶💶💶

Labyrinth (1986)

When Sarah is forced to babysit her half-brother Toby, she inadvertently summons the Goblin King and he whisks Toby away to his castle at the centre of a labyrinth. Sarah enters in a bargain with the Goblin King where she is given just thirteen hours to solve the labyrinth and rescue Toby, or else lose him forever.

Letterboxd

Another childhood favourite of mine which showcases why I have a love of both toxic and unconventional fictional men~

Labyrinth, similar to The Princess Bride, has such an effortless charm to it. There is a lot of whimsy and fun, but the stakes are high. We watch as Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) essentially grows from girl to woman through her time in the Labyrinth. However, the sweetness of always being a girl at heart and needing comfort and old friends for support is always present.

I love stories where characters enter different worlds, but that have hints of it in the build-up. Labyrinth opens with a huge hint and I love the break in tension, which ultimately pays off throughout. The plot is hectic, especially for certain musical number breaks (I’m looking at you Fireys) but hits the expected plot beats.

While, we’re following Sarah’s journey, Jareth (David Bowie) is an ever present (often meddling) figure. It’s fun to see the juxtaposition between Jareth’s infatuation with Sarah, alongside Hoggle’s (Brian Henson) innocent love which is more geared to protection. All the characters go through character development, apart from Jareth and yet I still love the idea of them together – feel free to judge, I’m judging myself.

The effects and puppetry used by Jim Henson (dir.) makes everything incredibly magical and tangible.

🧸🧸🧸

The Station Agent (2003)

Loneliness is much better when you have got someone to share it with.

When his only friend dies, a man born with dwarfism moves to rural New Jersey to live a life of solitude, only to meet a chatty hot dog vendor and a woman dealing with her own personal loss.

Letterboxd

Films about loneliness can either depress me or be incredibly comforting and I’m happy to report that this aspect of the film was truly a comfort.

Fin (Peter Dinklage) is a man who just wants to be left alone and I loved watching him slowly show an interest and be proactive in the relationships he forms in this small town. He’s a well developed character and the film does a great job of expressing his emotions, either through his actions, his non-actions and/or the conversations he has.

The trio that is formed was unconventional but perfect. I loved Joe (Bobby Cannavale), that man deserved all the joy in the world and was so ‘Labrador’ coded. And both their relationships with Olivia (Patricia Clarkson) were sweet. My only qualm in the handling of Olivia’s story was that it felt rushed.

There was a gentle, slow pace to most of the film which uses repetition for effect, however, the tension is very much built in one section near the end and, I don’t say this often, but they could have added at least another 30 minutes to really develop the progression in which Olivia’s plot takes.

Fin has had a lot of anger in his life regarding his dwarfism and the cards life has dealt him – which is one of the reasons why he prefers solitude – however, there is also playfulness and defiance to those who treat him with prejudice. He handles himself with the knowledge that there’s nothing different about him, apart from a medical condition that affected his growth. Unfortunately, it’s incredibly common for those with dwarfism to be treated as entertainment or children.

While there isn’t much plot to this film, there is that mix of melancholy and joy that makes for a comforting watching experience. I didn’t notice the time passing as I was just existing with these characters. I mentioned before that films about loneliness can be hit or miss for me. I’m no stranger to loneliness and often films about this topic have the idea that other people can save you from it and that it’s incredibly easy and normal for a strong friend group to just appear out of nowhere. Making and retaining friends as adults is so incredibly painful and hard. But the gentle pace, the characters and the general mood of The Station Agent felt like a warm hug.

It’s films like this that make me wish I was better at articulating my feelings.

🛤️🛤️🛤️

Let me know what your thoughts on these films are!

If you’re interested in joining me next week, the films for week 3 are:

For more information on Hayleigh’s Film Club, check out the announcement post ♥

Thank you for reading!

I hope you’re having a lovely day and staying safe ♥