12/31/2008

Let's talk about my year in movies

I try to keep track of all the movies I see in a year that are new to me. This year's list is extremely lacking in new releases--I haven't seen a new film in a full price movie theater for months. I might get around to it later this week. But anyway, I watched a ton of older movies, catching myself up with pop culture. Here are standouts that I haven't written about: some of them lived up to the hype, others were disappointing.

Let's start with the disappointing:

Three Coins in the Fountain (1954)--A film about three single women in Italy and their search for husbands. My soul died a little when I realized how pre-feminist movement the whole film was. Everything from the old maid given a basket of cats to changing all your interests to match the ones of the man you want to catch. There was a lot of yelling involved on my part.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)--Lead-lined fridge in an atom bomb.

Annie Hall (1977)--I thought I liked neurotic, but this got tedious. I feel terrible for not liking this film.

American Beauty (1999)--Why was this such a huge deal? I didn't connect to it. It seems to be a bunch of ill-formed thoughts and story lines slapped on-screen.

A Beautiful Mind (2001)--Beyond mediocre filmmaking. I honestly stopped caring about the characters a half hour in. To be fair, I already knew the suprise twist, but still, mediocre.

Once (2006)--Much like You Got Served's dancers, these musicians shouldn't have tried to act. Good music though.

Casino (1995)--I know I've already expressed my rage. But seriously, top 250 on IMDb?

Let's talk about the good:

Seven Samurai (1954)/The Magnificent Seven (1960)--I saw these two on consecutive days which was probably one of the best ideas ever. While the original gets a little slow in parts, it's gives time to develop all the characters for such a simple story. Definitely lives up to its hype. And how fun/manly is The Magnificent Seven? Such a work of love of the original and is just about the most awesome thing ever.

Mostly Martha
(2001)--I've never seen No Reservations, but I love this film. I have a thing for frigid/emotionally cut off female characters. I also have a thing for adorable quirky men (in this case Italian). It manages to both be dark and delightful and to incorporate a child without making me sick. Loved it.

Fearless (1993)--I didn't think I would like this film as much as I did, but put tragedy to slow motion and crescendoing strings and I'm yours. Also, I just love Isabella Rossellini.

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)--Crime fighting chicks are awesome. And Anthony Hopkins is perfectly creepy/alluring/genius.

Days of Heaven
(1978)--This film is lovely. The cinematography in conjunction to the magic Ennio Morricone's use of Camille Saint-Saëns' "Le Carnaval des Animaux: Aquarium" is magical. While it's more of a series of vignettes than an actual narrative, it's transfixing and the one film I really like Richard Gere in.

All That Jazz
(1979)--I love dance a lot, and I love to peak into the dancing world like this musical does. And despite the ridiculously long ending song, SeaQuest guy is great.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)--A movie that I kept thinking about afterward. Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet's relationship is so real and honest within such a gimmicky plot. Well done.

Persepolis (2007)--Animation that reminded me of Daria, but with an edge. I learned a lot about the Iranian revolution in the 70s and got to see an entertaining/heartbreaking female coming-of-age movie.

3 comments:

  1. Oh Three Coins in the Fountain. CREEPY. hahaha Yeah, there are reasons why a part of me thinks I was born in the right decade, after all. On an unrelated note: in the words of Spencer Tracy, "you slay me." haha Sigh.

    PS You know what makes no sense to me, whatsoever? The same man who wrote "The Philadelphia Story" wrote "Without Love". And we can't even blame the screenwriter because the same one was used for each movie. What happened to these guys during that five year period that made them write that thing??

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  2. Bwah! That's ridiculous! How is one so great and one so terrible?

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  3. Re: Annie Hall. I saw this this year too, and though I certainly laughed in parts, I really can't see how that would be someone's favorite movie. And it is. A lot of people's favorite. I like my neuroses a little (lot) subtler, thank you very much.

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