I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) Review

I Know What You Did Last Summer 2025 Poster

In 2025, a continuation of the series “I Know What You Did Last Summer” was released in theaters, and of course, your boy had to go and see it. I didn’t. Don’t get me wrong, I wanted to, but I just had life in general hitting me fast. It is now streaming, and I was able to catch up with the film, and wanted to review it, but instead of going through plot points and scenarios, I will be looking at it from a few points of view, and then giving a final opinion. Consider this an essay of some kind, or an exercise in writing, as I usually like to think of this blog as, because why not? It’s my blog.

How far does nostalgia get you? In 2025, nostalgia for all sorts of things is enormous. The movie does a good job of bringing us back to the original film, without overcomplicating things or making a parody of itself. Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. reprise their roles, but they are older this time (for obvious reasons) and are thrown into the mix. The film balances the nostalgia nicely here, and the group that gets involved in the accident that sends them on a path of fear needs their help. I liked how the film pushes them into the mix, without heavy hands, and there is a bit of reluctance from Julie, whereas Ray jumps into the hero category by warning the city of the looming violence. There’s also a throwback dream sequence to Buffy, Sarah Michelle Gellar, in which she is a ghost. It sharply takes curves here, and while there is nostalgia at stake, it doesn’t loom on it too much, which is appreciated for sure.

“I Know What You Did Last Summer” doesn’t reinvent the wheel. It doesn’t change the ideas of the past, and doesn’t even go too far away from what you may expect from the movie’s plot points. The plot hinges on the same idea, a car crash, and the fallout of guilt that the characters feel. The film focuses on the guilt, the pact of silence, and the suspense of being discovered by a hidden villain. The masked villain hunts them down one by one, and seems almost super natural in scope, albeit vulnerable to some extent. The group fights back in several moments, and the villain vanishes when they do, but that doesn’t stop the gore and violence from being turned up.

To get to the original, you have to go to the 90s and revisit the movie. However, in 2025, the field of horror has evolved. The genre and setting are similar, but the installment has updated visuals, social media elements, and characters that are sometimes a little more savvy. There are rules here, followed, with the derivative nature of the final girl, the masked killer, the hook, and everything you would expect from a follow-up to the movie. Though it is supposed to stand on its own merit, there is still a sense of fellowship to the rules of the horror genre in place.

While this movie has a sense of purpose, it moves fast. For instance, there is self-awareness regarding the moving parts. The jump scares are timed nicely, but it’s a film that highlights the dread of secrets and haunting from a powerful villain, although revealed with a callous brush if you really think about it. There is a Red Herring, but I won’t spoil the plot.

“I Know What You Did Last Summer” serves as a nice reimagining, a continuation of the series, without falling short of my expectations. I liked the use of nostalgia, the switch-hitting mechanism of the villain, and the overall reach of a sequel to come. It’s a solid horror movie with enough to entice and delivers on the premise, without reinventing the sequel, reboot, or remake wheel. It’s a solid outing, and heck, it’s streaming for those who are into that. Physical media is out there, and if you click on some link I throw around here, you can help the blog; otherwise, get some popcorn and enjoy this one.

Lagwagon “Let’s Talk About Feelings” (1998) Review

Lagwagon Let's Talk About Feelings CD Cover

Melody and punk sometimes get a scoff, but it’s so good when done right. Lagwagon is one of those bands that tour with many bigger acts, but it always seems to get placed in the secondary slot rather than headlining stadiums alongside its counterparts. They have released many records, and with the 1998 release of “Let’s Talk About Feelings,” the band would solidify their place in the pop punk book that many compatriots land in.

Twelve tracks are found on the original release, with many B-sides and outtakes coming through on the re-release. However, the original still holds it down with metallic riffs at times, melodies that you can’t forget, and a focus on life in general. There’s a lot of back and forth with the sound sonically, recorded with that Fat Wreck Chords sound that was so prevalent in the 1990s. There’s a good polish to the record, and it’s a solid outing for the band that keeps pushing themselves to put out melody, punk, and rock ethos altogether. It’s a marriage of sound, good guitar work, and melody. I recommend it as one of the better examples of new school punk rock from the late 1990s. “Let’s Talk About Feelings” will not let you down amidst other poppy rock records you may have lying around.

Mxpx “Life in General” (1996) Review

Mxpx Life in General Cd Cover

Album number three from the Bremerton boys would be my entrance into punk rock. It was 1996, and the band was touring with Less Than Jake, opening up for their shows with the Hippos, and I got to see them live and in person. They played the Roxy in Hollywood, and the show was sold out. I got a scalped ticket and saw them play a 30-minute set, which included many tracks from this very record. “Life in General” is a staple for me because I bought the record on CD, cassette, and MP3, and still listen to it today via streaming. The band seemed unstoppable in their mix of pop and punk with “Life in General”, and that’s something that stays strong even today.

When people ask me to recommend records, I often cite this as my favorite in punk rock. The band would grow into a monster, shaking the dust off their Christian roots and becoming a more generalized band. The general audience is not a downside, as the band found ways to illustrate the record title with tracks that spoke to the whole of existence as a young person. To this day, “My Mom Still Cleans My Room”, “The Wonder Years”, “Doing Time”, and “Correct Me If I’m Wrong” stand tall amidst the growing-up phase, and yet they still ring accurate as an adult.

“Life in General” is one of the top iconic punk rock records you will want to listen to repeatedly. The band just solidified the skate punk, pop punk, and punk rock labels to fit into a classic that will not go away. No matter what, Mxpx punched their card to punk rock glory with the release of this record.

Goldfinger “Goldfinger” (1996) Review

Goldfinger on the internet gets confused with the movie, which is not half bad, mind you, but I always get frustrated when looking for one and end up getting the other. The two are sometimes interchangeable, and the Wikipedia article also has a link to the soundtrack! But we are not here to talk about that; we are here to review the Goldfinger record “Goldfinger,” released on February 27, 1996.

A 13-year-old me went to the record store and picked up this record after hearing “Here in Your Bedroom” on KROQ. The bass-driven standard from the band really speaks to the singularity of the punk rock concept the band was pushing. The pop punk moniker is strong on this record, with much attention paid to the melody of sound rather than the raw guitar work. That’s not to say you don’t get that fast-paced variety, but you definitely get a sense of melody throughout. Of course, “Here in Your Bedroom” highlights this.

Overall, the record feels good, like a hug from a familiar friend. It doesn’t stray from any path, is different from other punk records from the same year, and still holds up well. “Mind’s Eye”, “King for a Day”, “Mable”, and so many other tracks on the record hold up really well and prove that they were on to something in 1996 that they are still holding onto in 2022. Feldman’s songwriting stands out, and you’ll love the melodies on the record.

Goldfinger’s “Goldfinger” is an introduction to a band that would expand their catalog with maturity, speed, and bravado over the years. My favorite track is the reggae-infused, ska melody-driven “King for a Day”, which truly features a change of pace from some of the other tracks found on this record. Listening over again, the bass line just speaks to me, and heck, lyrically, “making plans to rule the world, spread yourself way too thin, wishing that you were king….” Still says something.

Kendrick Lamar “Good Kid, M.A.A.d city” (2012) Review

Kendrick Lamar “Good Kid, M.A.A.d city” (2012) Review

I was sitting in a cubicle in Los Angeles and overheard an argument about “Good Kid, M.A.A.d city”. One person said it was the best record of 2012, the other stated that there was something else, and I was just looking at escort ads. Cubicle land sucks unless you have headphones and an endless stream of music or comedy. I have always been lucky to be able to wear headphones, and that’s where I think Kendrick Lamar’s sophomore record is best heard. It’s a subdued record with many calming beats, interesting rhyme schemes, and something for every type of hip hop fan.

“Good Kid, M.A.A.d city” is a record you can’t just listen to and skip tracks. It’s a recording that requires you to sit still, put on headphones, and drift off into what the MC is saying. He’s telling stories from the hood, but it is not glorified at times, and it is not as gritty as some of the earlier 1990s hip hop that ran the gamut of offensive material. That’s not to say that there’s no street cred here, as it was produced in large part by Dr. Dre. You get a mix of styles, beats, and an eclectic blend of hip-hop tunes. It’s a solid release that I happen to go back to a great deal, even with a decade between us. I hope I don’t die in a cubicle job.

Pennywise “Unknown Road” (1993) Review

Pennywise Unknown Road CD COver

It’s hard to imagine, but the band Pennywise has been around a long time, and they have been putting out quality punk records since their inception. The band would put out the melody-driven “Unknown Road” in 1993, and while I don’t always include them in the term pop punk, once again, Rolling Stone said they were, and well, I’m not going to argue for the sake of writing a review.

The record is heavy-handed, hard-hitting, and straightforward in its approach to punk rock; the four-piece really delivers when it comes to the craft. There’s just something biting to the music, and while it has a sense of pop at times, it leans heavily into the skate punk, hardcore world with metallic riffs. That’s not to say that there’s no pop here; there’s plenty, including sing-along vocals at times, and slower tempos here and there. Overall, however, “Unknown Road” is one of the better records to come out of Southern California, and in 1993, there’s no finer example of the sound than that of Pennywise. Stand out tracks are all over the place, but my favorite, if I had to pick one, is “Time To Burn”, one of my all-time favorite songs from the band.

With 13 tracks and 33 minutes, the band puts their best foot forward and still puts out quality music. “Unknown Road” might be older, wiser, and hard to pigeonhole into pop punk, but it certainly has a lot of elements that make it sound great and, dare I say, poppy. It’s a solid record to have as part of your punk collection, that’s for sure.

Clan of the White Lotus (1980) Review

Clan of the White Lotus DVD cover

Recently, I rediscovered a classic kung fu movie called Clan of the White Lotus. I have found that it can be under a different name, but that is what I found with it. You can find it streaming online, through DVDs on eBay or Amazon. I saw it streaming and dubbed into English, and it was not my first viewing. There are a lot of things that have been said about this movie, so I won’t try to recreate the wheel. Instead, let’s discuss 4 points of the film and review it differently than most.

First off, let’s talk about Lo Lieh’s dual role. He not only directed the movie, but he also stars as Pai Mei. He’s one of the biggest villains in the kung fu world and is known as nearly immortal. He has an exaggerated technique and a great fighting style to knock out opponents, which he exemplifies in this movie. It takes quite a bit of force and much technique to take him down.

Pai Mei vs. Hung Gar Tradition should be discussed as well. Gordon Liu’s Hung Wen-ting uses Hung Gar martial arts to counter Pai Mei’s unbeatable style. This style focuses on stance training and soft-over-hard technique, which looks great through the director’s lens. The cinematic flair here combines well with real-life martial arts philosophy.

For those who are woke, ok, maybe not, I’d like to note that there is a training element that is not usual for kung fu movies. There is a narrative angle where Hung has to adopt a more feminine style with grace, softness, and subtlety. To defeat Pai Mei, he has to be subversive and not so abrasive in his macho kung fu style. There’s a dichotomy at play here, which you don’t always see with kung fu movies.

Lastly, let’s talk about the influence that Clan of the White Lotus has. Its lasting impact can be felt in the martial arts films surrounding Pai Mei. He is in several different movies, and even shows up in Kill Bill Vol. 2, where he trains Uma Thurman’s character. He is a cemented piece of Shaw Brothers history and one of the most ruthless villains.

Overall, Clan of the White Lotus is a class bit of kung fu cinema. It goes beyond the typical revenge plot and features some engaging visuals, tone, and shift changes. I highly recommend checking it out.

Walls of Jericho “The Bound Feed The Gagged” (1999) Review

Walls of Jericho The Bound Feed The Gagged record cover

1999 a mix of hardcore and metal bands was getting much attention. One of the bands making a name for themselves by being left of center was that of Walls of Jericho. In 1999, the band would release their first studio record, “The Bound Feed The Gagged,” and they would mix genres to catch you off guard. The resulting disc is a mix of metal riffs with hardcore breakdowns and even punk rock shifting speed at times. Despite their name, the band is not religious, and pummels the listener with sing-along choruses and metallic onslaught at other times.

Production-wise, this is not the most polished of records, with the guitars feeling slightly off, but not terrible. The guitarwork is good, don’t get me wrong, but it sometimes overshadows the bass and drums, and is second only to the vocals, which are screamed. Candace’s vocals are spot on, hardcore, at times feminine, but with enough gusto that she doesn’t fit in one category, giving the band a little bit of a leg up in terms of their song structures. “The Bound Feed The Gagged” puts pressure on your brain from the opening track, “Playing Soldier Again”, through the rest of the tracks, all of which stand independently with heavy-hitting measures. “Home is where the heart is”, “Unwanted Resistance”, “Full Disclosure”, and more round out the record highs, with an onslaught of metallic music you’re going to either love or hate. Female-fronted hardcore? Well, this is certainly a good record.

Pick up this solid record from Walls of Jericho by clicking here.

Point of Recognition “The Admiration of a Son” (1999) Review

Point of Recognition the admiration of a son cd cover

There is a location east of Los Angeles, quite a ways, known as the Inland Empire. There was a time during the late 1990s and 2000s when a surge of straightedge and hardcore bands started to come through and begin to get noticed on a significant scale. It wasn’t just straightedge, however, it was also Christian bands that began to get a great deal of focus, including No Innocent Victim, As I Lay Dying, Dodgin Bullets, Cast in Stone, Torn in Two, and many others. In the mix of those bands was a band with dual singers called Point of Recognition. They would release their debut record, “The Admiration of a Son,” on Rescue Records in 1999 and hit the ground running.

The first significant thing you’ll notice about “The Admiration of a Son” is the production values. It’s an independent recording, and while Rescue Records put it out, you can tell that the budget wasn’t very high. That doesn’t matter regarding hardcore, metalcore, or even punk, and you can easily push it to the side. Once you put that aside, you get to the crux of the record: an up-and-down push through hardcore and metallic riffs.

The metalcore sound of “The Admiration of a Son” comes through with the riffs on every track, with sing-along choruses breaking up the screams from the dual singers. You’ll find a balancing act at play here, where neither one gets over the other, and while they sound similar, you can tell one has a deeper reach. Lyrically, this is an assault; it’s a tackling record of Christian themes, which may turn some off. However, if you look past that, you’ll find that “The Admiration of a Son” is a good overall example of the Southern California hardcore, metalcore sound that was alive and well in 1999 and through the 2000s. The record holds up well but is an acquired taste.

You owe it to yourself to stream or buy this masterpiece here.