Alyssa S.
@alyssamakes
Museum Professional, Friend of The Library, & Blk Pop Culture Writer. Former Editor/Writer at UHCL's The Signal and The Mary Sue | Sometimes I’ll share my art 🫣 {she/her}
Almost missed the day! Saw an amazing proshot, mid movie w/ elite cast, classic childhood fave, & a movie that made Black cinema history. My Letterboxd #Lastfourwatched ~ Hadestown (2026) 🎤 ★★★★ Not Suitable For Children (2013) ✂️★★.5 The Secret Garden (1993) 🗝️ ★★★.5 Losing Ground (1982) 💃🏽 ★★★
Lastly, this new series I love! Tried this after a Grapie (tiktok/YT) recommended it in passing on a video about something else. Cishet historical romance about a Dominican rum distiller at the 1889 Paris Exhibition working to secure her future following death of her parents. Started WLW book 2.
MORE VAMPIRES! Yet another shot in the dark as the spine typography drew me in. I’m not super into punk but the title allusion, coverage, & typeface led me to borrowing this from my library. Youngish vampire musician reconnects with distant relative she sees herself in amid a rising blood shortage.
I remember starting the movie but not finish it~so I decided to check out what I thought was an adaptation but is really a continuation of Mamuwalde’s story. I rarely read horror but love vampires. Some of the most gruesome & stunning art in a comic ever. I’ve since revisited and finished the movie!
This low-key started the streak. Because of the library sticker covering part of the spine & front cover I read it as “Pomp & Circumstance.” Picked it up solely based on the period costuming, the length (<190 pages) and jumped in. Coming of age woman travels to prepare home going for estranged aunt.
Thrills and laughs these past two weeks. Here are my Friday Letterboxd #Lastfourwatched ~ I Love Boosters (2026) 💵 ★★★★.5 The Bird Cage (1996) 🌴 ★★★.5 Pocahontas (1995) 🍂 ★★★.5 Westworld (1973) 🤖 ★★★★
I took full advantage of free movies on YouTube & then finally got to watch the wacky, fun Boots Riley flick before it left theaters. Friday Letterboxd #Lastfourwatched ~ I Love Boosters (2026) 💵 ★★★★.5 Goin’ South (1978) 🐴 ★★★ Erin Brockovich (2000) 🧪 ★★★★ If I Raised My Mother (2024) 🧑🧒 ★★★★
I’ve been really busy the last month but during my down time playing video games, I’ve found myself inspired to paint again. All of these are works in progress at varying stages (2 almost done) and based on other works including ~ Kiki’s Delivery Service, Bridgerton s2, and the 2024 run of STORM.
Saw a lot of great movies lately (go watch the middle two in theaters now!) including a classic for the first time ever with the #kwantourage. My #Lastfourwatched : Steel Magnolias (1989) 🌸 ★★★★ Is God Is (2026) 🧦 ★★★.5 Steal This Story, Please! (2026) 🎙️ ★★★★.5 Steel Magnolias (1989) 🌸 ★★★★
Fantastic recent watches (and one rewatch with the #kwantorage) . My #Lastfourwatched on Letterboxd: Small Island (2009) ✈️ ★★★★.5 Bring it On (2000) 📣 ★★★★ Just Another Girl on the I.R.T. (1992) 👧🏾 ★★★★ Jane Austen's Period Drama (2024) 🩸 ★★★★
Went to the Cinemark, saw a ‘80s classic for the first time, a sequel to a childhood fave, & found a new fave. My #Lastfourwatched on Letterboxd: You, Me & Tuscany (2026) 👩🏾🍳 ★★★.5 The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury (2004) 🕶️ ★★★ Eat Drink Man Woman (1994) 🍲 ★★★★ The Karate Kid (1985) 🔪 ★★★.5
Speaking of Nazis, found this at Sylvan Beach in Harris County’s Precinct 2 (home to Houston and many other majority non-white cities.) Keys were blunt but I fixed it after snapping this photo. This was specifically found on the back of a dispenser for dog shit bags. Fitting.
1 new one, 1 old one I was dragged into as a birthday watch, & 2 clocked between Twitch film classes. Here are my #Lastfourwatched on Letterboxd. (Minus the 2026 one, guess which is which) Lady Snowblood (1973) 🤺 ★★★★ Con Air (1997) 💉 ★★★1/2 Battle Royal (2000) 🗾 ★★1/2 Send Help (2026) 🔪 ★★★★
Got a last minute invite to help the Pasadena Public Library’s chalk square at PISD Art Day :) Lead by the teen librarian (Lily), I and some local teens made this! Didn’t snap any images of the high school squares but they were just as creative and colorful. Theme for the event was space!
Had to get in some McAdams to hold me over for Send Help (just left the theaters) #Lastfourwatched Lessons of Darkness (1992) 🛢️ ★★★ Mary Shelley (2017) 👧🏻 ★★★★ The Roses (2025) 🦞 ★★★1/2 About Time (2013) ⏰ ★★★1/2
Very un political image of a frog my partner and I completed in about 2 hours (we went for the 3x3 square this year since I had work) at a local library chalk art festival. #nopolitichere (I’m in the south so yes those are fall leaves in March)
It is an only one day late Letterboxd Friday…#Lastfourwatched Ruby Bridges (1998) 👧🏾 ★★★1/2 Left Over Pasta (2026) 🎶 ★★★1/2 John’s Not Mad (1989) 🗣️ ★★★★ The Host (2006) 🎣 ★★★1/2
I made a a Pro Writing Aid account in an effort to slowly deGoogle & because I hate generative AI technology. Not only did they keep it and expand Ai features (LLMs are built upon stolen data) but now a company that swears HUMAN writers first is throwing a middle finger to HUMAN VAs.
It is Letterboxd Fridays so here are my #Lastfourwatched PASALUBONG! (2025) 🎇 ★★★★ Reality Check: Inside ANTM (2026) 📺 ★★★ His & Hers (2026)* 🕵🏻♂️ ★★★★.5 His & Hers (2026) ★★★★★ *Technically I didn’t rewatch episode 5 because I was at work. This rewatch was forced upon my partner 💜
Back to the Letterboxd Fridays that get posted days late. Here are my #Lastfourwatched Song Sung Blue (2025) 🎤 ★★★.5 28 Years Later: Bone Temple (2026) 🧬 ★★★★★ Clue (1985) 🕵 ★★★★ 28 Years Later (2025) 💀 ★★★.5
Letterboxd Friday shows me catching up on 2025 flicks and reflects me coerced into a movie I knew I wouldn’t like (I was right). #Lastfourwatched Faithful Finding (2013) 💻 ★ All You Need is Kill (2025) 🌻 ★★★.5 Hedda (2025) 🔫 ★★★★★ Eternity (2025) 😇 ★★★.5
My very late Letterboxd Friday includes my last movies of 2025 and my first movies of 2026 #Lastfourwatched 28 Days Later (2002) 🧟♂️★★★★ We Bury The Dead (2026) 💍 ★★★★ Secret Window (2004) 🌽 no rating The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie (2024) 🛸 ★★★★★
My Letterboxd Friday, #Lastfourwatched Wake Up Dead Man (2025) 👺 ★★★.5 Goodfellas (1990) 🧥 ★★★★.5 Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997) 🕺🏻 ★★.5 Shark Tale (2004) 🐠 ★★★★.5
I’m posting my Letterboxd Friday, actually on a Friday!! #Lastfourwatched Wicked for Good (2025) 🫧 ★★★.5 One Battle After Another (2025) 🥋 ★★★★ My Life in Ruins (2009) 🚍 ★★ Julia (1977) 🚂 ★★★★
The second half of my Halloween celebrations reflected in this Letterboxd #Lastfourwatched Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022) 🤳 ★★★ Scared Shrekless* (2010) 🫚 ★★★.5 Frankenstein (2025) 🫀 ★★★.5 Train to Busan* (2016) 🚄 ★★★★ *rewatched
The (TX) Pasadena Public library held a sugar skull decorating event for Día del los Muertos and thanks to ICE activity foot traffic was down over 70%. They made less skulls even though they run out every year because they anticipated lower turn out. We didn’t even pass out half.
Pasadena, La Porte, Deer Park, and South Houston Texans. ICE was spotted between Hwy 3 and Richey plus 225 and Richey. They are crawling everywhere including the Advanced Auto parts of Wafer Street and Southmore Avenue.