Who we are

The First Picture House is the hub for all things movies! We've set out to make films entertaining for everyone through reviews and content surrounding our favorite movies and more. Check our latest reviews or the latest episode of our podcast, "The Film Box"!

Founders

Aaryn Souza

Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief

I have been watching movies my whole life and fell in love at an early age. I was entranced by the ability for a film to whisk me away to a different universe, and that really started with the Star Wars Franchise. I'm by no means an expert and can roll with opinions that might be controversial, but my love for cinema will always remain. When I'm not watching movies, I work in Marketing Analytics with my degree from Western New England University. MY FAVORITE MOVIES: Good Will Hunting, Star Wars: A New Hope (or the whole saga), Chef, Tick, Tick, Boom, The Perks of being a Wallflower, Before Sunrise

Sam Majewski

Senior Content Producer

To me, Watching a movie is like entering another world. Some people can sit down and watch a 2 hour long film but others prefer to binge watch a tv show that has 40 minute long episodes. For me, well I love both. I am a huge fan of fantasy movies like Lord Of The Rings, Star Wars and Harry Potter, though I tend to stray to different genres here and there, mainly historical dramas and 80s slashers. When I am not watching movies, I’m either at the gym, in the mountains, or working as a veterinary technician. MY FAVORITE MOVIES: Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, There Will Be Blood, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, The Last of the Mohicans, Schindler's List

Connor Jameson

Co-Founder, Head of Content

I've always been a movie fan, but I first got big into cinema watching Whiplash when I was younger. That movie led to a greater appreciation of films and got me to dive into the medium. My favorite genre is horror movies, but I’ll always have a secret soft spot for rom coms and musicals. When I'm not podcasting or watching movies, I love working out and going hiking, and I currently work in business analytics with the degree I got from Western New England University. MY FAVORITE MOVIES: Good Will Hunting, Spiderman: Into The Spiderverse, Whiplash, Moneyball, Top Gun: Maverick

Creators

Marcel Urena

Content Creator

Ever since my mom took me to go see The Blair Witch Project in theaters when I was 7 years old I’ve been obsessed with not just movies but the horror genre. When I’m not watching movies you can find me thrifting, attending a local horror convention, or collecting physical media. I attended the University of Central Florida with a degree in Cinema Studies and use my degree to rant about movies online. MY FAVORITE MOVIES: The Cabin in the Woods, Cabaret, Seven Samurai, The Blair Witch Project, Inglourious Basterds

Jasmine Chapatwala

Content Creator

My childhood consisted of weekly visits to Hollywood Video and Sunday morning calls to the local movie theater to hear the showtimes for the day. It was during my sixth trip to the theater to see The Dark Knight (2008) that I realized my love of movies may not be considered "typical." This love led me to completing a bachelor's degree in media arts with a special focus in film from Montclair State University. When I'm not rambling on about movies on TikTok, I am feeding into my online shopping addiction, reading a mystery book with specifically a female lead who has a troubled past, or most likely just eating chocolate chip cookies. My Favorite Movies: Call Me By Your Name, Scream, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, 12 Angry Men, and Almost Famous.

Spencer Wade

Content Creator

Movies should be a place where you can enter a world where reality stands still. I have always loved watching movies and sharing with friends and family why I enjoyed them—also, sharing when a movie is not worth the watch. Film is entertainment and I have a passion for sharing that with others. I may not be a professional or know everything about filmography, but I have hopes that my input and opinions may reach someone who can relate and share that same feeling as I do. Outside of work and family, movies and entertainment are my go-to hobby. Check out my Tiktok page for movie reviews and pop culture fun. You can also find my short review content on Letterboxd!

Jeremiah Battle

Content Creator

I've always loved the art of storytelling. Cinema has been the love of my life for as long as I can remember. It has the power to imitate life, to break away from reality completely, or to operate in the void somewhere in the middle. I love the vast nature of the medium, so much so that It pushed me to want to make films of my own. When I'm not watching movies, I'm either 1. Making my own films 2. Working on film sets or 3. Doing film journalism/interview work, all of which were opportuned to me through the education I received at Stevenson University and The Feirstein Graduate School Of Cinema where I studied filmmaking. Just to get a sense of the kind of films that I love, here are a few of my favorites of all time: Autumn Sonata, Before Sunset (really the entire before trilogy), Spider Man 2, Cinema Paradiso, Past Lives, Ratatouille, Stand By Me and so so many more.

Brock Engi

Content Creator

Movies have always been a huge part of my life. I can remember the first movie I saw in theatres was Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 2002. And from there I fell in love with movies. I tried to watch as many different types of movies as I can to get myself a well-rounded film palette, but I just love going to the movies and just sitting down and escaping to a world for a couple of hours. I’m just a normal dude who decided to start talking about movies in front of a camera and some people decided they like to listen to me. My 4 favorite movies are: Spider-Man 2, Star Wars Episode 3 Revenge of the Sith, Training Day, The Matrix.

McKenzy Roeske

Content Creator

Over the years, movies have given me room to express myself and have helped me to find community. Currently I find myself watching primarily horror/thrillers (David Cronenberg and David Lynch have my heart) but I also love Studio Ghibli and have a special place in my heart for Star Wars and the MCU. When I’m not watching movies, I’m either thrifting physical media, adding to my Scarlet Witch collection or working my retail job. My Favorite Movies: The Mummy (1999), Clue, Howl’s Moving Castle, IT (1990), and Mamma Mia