200 Movies in 2020 Challenge!

24.Black Swan(2010)
25.Road to Perdition(2002)
26.Superman: Red Son(2020)
27. Rudderless(2014)

91. The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976)
92. Her Smell (2018)
93. Othello (1955)
94. Pi (1998)
95. Idiocracy (2006)
96. Warlock (1959)
97. Natural Born Killers (1994)
98. What Lies Beneath (2000)
99. The Stranger (1946)
100. The Killing of Sister George (1968)

[B][I]25. The Lost City of Z (2016)
26. Dogman (2018)
27. Blow Out (1981)
28. The Cranes Are Flying (1957)
29. Carrie (1976)
30. Chevalier (2015)
31. Victoria (2015)
32. The General (1926)
33. In Bruges (2008)
34. The Dead Zone (1983)
35. The Waiter (2018)
36. Blindness (2008)
37. Billion Dollar Brain (1967)[/I][/B]

Making a late entry this year. I'm sorting movies into decades (counting the silent era as one decade, and most of the 2010s as distinct from last year as I figure I'll catch a lot of movies from that stretch anyway.

As I did last year, I'm also aiming to see ten films for every decade (counting the silent era up to 1929 as one decade.)

[IMG]https://whatwouldspideydo.files.wordpress.com/2020/03/sonic.jpg?w=640[/IMG]

[B]Movie #1/ New Movie #1/ 2020 Movie #1: Jumanji II: The Next Level
[/B]This is an okay sequel to an okay remake that has some welcome additions to the cast with Danny Glover and Danny De Vito as old men who once had a major falling out and provide decent vessels for The Rock and Kevin Hart, and Awkwafina as a new avatar for the nerdy Jewish teen lead. We’ve seen this all before, although it’s fun to see the stars inhabiting different characters. The major shortcoming is that the villain is quite lame.
6/10

[B]Movie #2/ New Movie #2/ 2019 Movie #1: Bombshell[/B]
This is an impressive ensemble, with amazing makeup (it’s pretty hard to get A-list stars to resemble famous people this well.) It’s not subtle (a lawyer realizing that Nicole Kidman’s Gretchen Carlson did her homework is followed by a scene in which she helps her kids do their homework) but it is a decent look at different takes on a very public investigation at a strange time (the 2016 election.) I do see why it flopped (the right wouldn’t care for a movie about the toxic atmosphere of Fox News; the left doesn’t want to see a movie where some people at Fox News did the right thing) although that was the filmgoers’ loss.
8/10

[B]Movie #3/ New Movie #3/ 2019 Movie #2: Ford VS Ferrari[/B]
The rivalry with Ferrari is more of an afterthought, as the main real conflicts seem to be between the various people who work at Ford: conflicts between different departments, as well as Matt Damon’s trying to keep Christian Bale’s in line. The race sequences are nice, and it’s an impressive tale of ingenuity and winning at all costs, that comes together nicely at the end.
9/10

[B]Movie #4/ New Movie #4/ 1970s Movie #1: Dark Star[/B]
A decent low-budget satire of space movies notable for the directorial debut of John Carpenter, and a goofball alien that is the prototype for the xenomorph in Alien.
7/10

[B]Movie #5/ 2019 Movie #3: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood[/B]
Tarantino remains very rewatchable, especially when he’s showing a crazy setting (the cusp of the arrival of New Hollywood.) I get how the mix of real people and fiction can be problematic, but it is also clear that Tarantino has given a lot of though to the nuances of the characters. And it’s all very fun.
9/10

[B]Movie #6/ 1990s Movie #1: My Cousin Vinny[/B]
This is another film that was very fun and very rewatchable; a great fish out of water legal comedy. I could see why the Academy fell in love with Marisa Tomei; it’s a light role but she plays it so well.
9/10

[IMG]https://whatwouldspideydo.files.wordpress.com/2020/03/bestije-05.jpg[/IMG]

[B]Movie #7/ New Movie #5/ 1970s Movie #2: Bestije
[/B]I found this on a streaming service for Eastern European films. This Yugoslavian film executes a basic concept decently enough, of showing the villagers of an island going completely nuts during a storm. It’s the ending that sells it for me, as we see what happens when the villagers have stopped being beasts. The quite obscure female lead (it’s rather difficult to confirm her name since the named actors in the credits seem to be in other roles) is ridiculously pretty as the mysterious outsider.
7/10

[B]Movie #8/ New Movie #6/ 2019 Movie #4: Marriage Story
[/B]This is an excellent drama of the aftermath of a collapse of a marriage, as we see the increasing costs of a necessary divorce. It’s not a dark or unpleasant film, as much as one that shows people pushed to the limit during the worst parts of an ongoing process they’ve got to navigate. It’s a bit odd that Laura Dern got an Oscar for this. She’s perfectly fine as a divorce lawyer who isn’t quite nuanced, but you do get how different people would appreciate her very differently. It’s just not something that people would usually conclude was one of the best performances of the year.
9/10

[B]Movie #9/ New Movie #7/ Seen In Theaters #5/ 2019 Movie #5: Little Women
[/B]A lot’s been written about how satisfying Greta Gerwig’s version of Little Women is for those familiar with the source material or earlier films, but it’s also exceptional for someone who has no familiarity with any of that. This might be Saoirse Ronan’s best performance as she handles Jo’s growth during various crises as a teen during the Civil War and as a young struggling writer. Florence Pugh was also a standout, taking a character who could be obnoxious but exploring the limited options behind her selfishness.
10/10

[B]Movie #10/ Seen In Theaters #6/ 2019 Movie #6: Parasite
[/B]Watching it again after it won Best Picture, I am impressed by how well-told the story is. Joon-Ho depicts an unusual conflict between different sides, the members of whom are quite well-realized and who don’t realize what’s going on with those beneath them. The second watch did highlight just how impressive the production design is, the standout being a mansion that has to be believable as a noted architect’s residence.
10/10

[B]Movie #11/ 1990s Movie #2: Groundhog Day
[/B]It’s a comedy worth exploring in philosophy classes with the consideration of what gives life meaning aided by a tremendous performance by Bill Murray as a reporter stuck in an absurd situation, able to show growth but sometimes regression on the way to the big epiphany. The concept of one man stuck in the same day over and over is excellent, and there are some nice twists on it, as well as explorations of the depths of the others around them.
10/10

[B]Movie #12/ 1970s Movie #3: Monty Python and the Holy Grail
[/B]Maybe it’s more of a collection of Monty Python sketches with a medieval theme than an actual storyline, but I love medieval movies, and these are great sketches.
9/10

[B]Movie #13/ New Movie #8/ Seen In Theaters #7/ 2020 Movie #2: Harley Quinn and the Birds of Prey
[/B]This R-rated Harley Quinn spotlight is a lot of fun. It does a lot, with the origin of the Birds of Prey (a group that Harley Quinn is not really a member of) and a story of Harley trying to get past being just the Joker’s girlfriend, in the midst of a Gotham City crime war. Generally, it pulls it off, making good use of what makes the characters unique.
8/10

[B]Movie #14/ New Movie #9/ Seen In Theaters #8/ 2020 Movie #3: Sonic the Hedgehog
[/B]Since I was a little kid, Sonic was one of my favorite characters of any sorts, so I’m pretty happy that the movie didn’t suck. It had some fun with the concept of Sonic in the real world, a decent take on the character as an impulsive teen (which justifies some of the plot-induced stupidity), a serious theme in loneliness with someone unable to connect to the outside world (I’ll be curious if that translates well to the current situation), and an okay return to form for 1990s Jim Carrey. There are some cliches in the conflict between friends, but it was fun and sets up a franchise that has the potential to be better in the sequels.
7/10

[B]Movie #15/ 2010s Movie #1: Scott Pilgrim VS The World
[/B]A quite faithful adaptation of a series of graphic novels, which has an impressive ensemble and decent musical numbers (the comic book is about a guy in a band; but it’s still rare to see that jump when going from an exclusively visual medium to a semi-musical film.)
9/10

[B]Movie #16/ New Movie #10/ Seen In Theaters #9/ 2020 Movie #4: Bad Boys For Life
[/B]This is better than you’d expect from a sequel to two Michael Bay blockbusters with the box office and critical acclaim that would suggest. They keep the action sequences and camaraderie, but add stakes, decent new characters and a worthwhile exploration of how long guys well into middle age can keep being action heroes.
7/10

21. [B]Jexi[/B] [I](2019)[/I] - DVD Rent
22. [B]Bloodline[/B] [I](2018)[/I] - Netflix
23. [B]Den Of Thieves[/B] [I](2018)[/I] - Netflix
24. [B]Greener Grass[/B] [I](2019)[/I] - DVD Rent
25. [B]Twin Murders: The Silence Of The White City[/B] [I](2019)[/I] - Netflix
26. [B]Zombieland: Double Tap[/B] [I](2019)[/I] - DVD Rent
27. [B]The Coldest Game[/B] [I](2019)[/I] - Netflix
28. [B]Every Time I Die[/B] [I](2019)[/I] - Netflix
29. [B]Doctor Sleep[/B] [I](2019)[/I] - DVD Rent
30. [B]Everest[/B] [I](2015)[/I] - Netflix

28.Saving Private Ryan(1998)
29.Scarface(1983)
30.Scent of A Woman(1992)
31.Schindler's List(1993)

32.Seven Samurai(1954)
33.Sicario(2015)
34.Silence(2016)

31. [B]3022[/B] [I](2019)[/I] - Netflix
32. [B]Parasite[/B] [I](2019)[/I] - DVD Rent
33. [B]The Platform[/B] [I](2019)[/I] - Netflix
34. [B]Spencer Confidential[/B] [I](2020)[/I] - Netflix
35. [B]Terminator: Dark Fate[/B] [I](2019)[/I] - DVD Rent
36. [B]Rambo: Last Blood[/B] [I](2019)[/I] - DVD Rent
37. [B]Black And Blue[/B] [I](2019)[/I] - DVD Rent
38. [B]Horse Girl[/B] [I](2020)[/I] - Netflix
39. [B]Joker[/B] [I](2019)[/I] - DVD Rent
40. [B]Hush[/B] [I](1998)[/I] - Netflix

35.Silver Linings Playbook(2012)
36.Snowpiercer(2013)
37.Some Like It Hot(1959)
38.Sophie's Choice(1982)

39.Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse(2018)
40.Steve Jobs(2015)
41.Take Shelter(2011)
42.Teen Titans Judas Contract(2017)

Just brought up film no. 50 with [I]Slashers[/I], a schlock horror film with some some broad social satire tossed in.

The list so far:

1) Revenge (2017)
2) The Gentlemen (2020)
3) Knives Out (2019)
4) Countess Dracula (1971)
5) Jumanji: The Next Level (2019)
6) The Mad Magician (1954)
7) Once Upon a Spy (1980)
8) Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
9) Logan Lucky (2017)
10) Frankenstein Island (1981)
11) The Island (1980)
12) Frozen II (2019)
13) Hell Fest (2018)
14) Escape Plan (2013)
15) Bottle Rocket (1996)
16) The Hoodlum (1951)
17) American Mary (2012)
18) Razors: The Return of Jack the Ripper (2016)
19) Faster (2010)
20) Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)
21) Snuff-Movie (2005)
22) How to Rob a Bank (and 10 Tips to Actually Get Away with It) (2007)
23) Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn (2020)
24) The Kunoichi: Ninja Girl (2011)
25) I Saw What You Did (1965)
26) Blackenstein (1973)
27) Peeping Tom (1960)
28) Hannie Caulder (1971)
29) The Sniper (1952)
30) More Dead Than Alive (1969)
31) The Man Who Could Cheat Death (1959)
32) Timber Falls (2007)
33) Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears (2020)
34) The Freakmaker (1974)
35) Serial Mom (1994)
36) Primal (2019)
37) Grim Prairie Tales (1990)
38) Death Line (1972)
39) Hobo With a Shotgun (2011)
40) Drive a Crooked Road (1954)
41) Creepshow (1982)
42) Killdozer (1974)
43) Judas Kiss (1998)
44) The Screaming Skull (1958)
45) M.F.A. (2017)
46) Scream and Scream Again (1970)
47) Tales from the Hood 2 (2018)
48) The Man Who Could Work Miracles (1937)
49) Lady Ninja Kaede (2009)
50) Slashers (2001)

Finally, someone wrote something after me.

43-53.Dekalog(10 short films from 1989 to 1990)
54.The Apartment(1960)
55.The Aviator(2004)
56.The Ballad of Buster Scruggs(2018)
57.The Big Lebowski(1998)

41. [B]Twins[/B] [I](1988)[/I] - Netflix
42. [B]Freaks[/B] [I](2018)[/I] - Netflix
43. [B]Private School[/B] [I](1983)[/I] - Netflix
44. [B]Coffee & Kareem[/B] [I](2020)[/I] - Netflix
45. [B]Spies In Disguise[/B] [I](2019)[/I] - DVD Rent
46. [B]Once Upon A Time In Hollywood[/B] [I](2019)[/I] - DVD Rent
47. [B]Angel Has Fallen[/B] [I](2019)[/I] - DVD Rent
48. [B]Earth & Blood[/B] [I](2020)[/I] - Netflix
49. [B]Tigertail[/B] [I](2020)[/I] - Netflix
50. [B]Curtiz[/B] [I](2018)[/I] - Netflix

Well, I am starting to get back into comfortable territory. I'm still falling short of my subgoal of 50 foreign films, but once I'm done with school next Friday, it'll be all foreign, all the time. Well, at least for a little while. I'm still doing very well on my goal of watching at least 150 new movies. I have since added a goal to watch the entire AFI Top 100 list as well. I think I'll easily be able to hit 200 this year with a summer off and in quarantine, I may boost it to 250 with 200 new movies.

20. Troop Zero (2019)
21. Marriage Story (2019)
22. Parasite (2019)*
23. The Big Sick (2017)*
24. The Seventh Seal (1957)
25. A Night to Remember (1958)
26. John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017)
27. The Conversation (1974)
28. Amadeus (1984)*
29. Double Indemnity (1944)*
30. Singin' in the Rain (1952)*
31. Taxi Driver (1976)
32. High Noon (1952)
33. John Mulaney & The Sack Lunch Bunch (2019)
34. The African Queen (1951)
35. The Godfather (1972)*
36. Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)*
37. Vertigo (1958)*
38. Swiss Army Man (2016)
39. Frozen II (2019)
40. A League of Their Own (1992)
41. PlayTime (1967)
42. Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002)
43. Nosferatu (1922)
44. Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949)
45. Spirited Away (2001)
46. Ma (2019)
47. Dark Star (1974)
48. Assault on Precinct 13 (1976)
49. Halloween (1978)*
50. Someone's Watching Me! (1978)
51. Elvis (1979)
52. Onward (2020)
53. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie (1990)
54. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)
55. The Fog (1980)
56. Escape from New York (1981)
57. The Princess Bride (1987)
58. Diamonds are Forever (1971)*
59. Thor (2011)*

51. [B]Extraction[/B] [I](2020)[/I] - Netflix
52. [B]Mindhunters[/B] [I](2004)[/I] - DVD Collection
53. [B]The Invisible Guardian[/B] [I](2017)[/I] - Netflix
54. [B]The Plagues Of Breslau[/B] [I](2018)[/I] - Netflix
55. [B]The Legacy Of The Bones[/B] [I](2019)[/I] - Netflix
56. [B]The Heir Apparent: Largo Winch[/B] [I](2008)[/I] - DVD Collection
57. [B]Sign Of The Pagan[/B] [I](1954)[/I] - DVD Collection
58. [B]The Illusionist[/B] [I](2006)[/I] - DVD Collection
59. [B]Dead Again[/B] [I](1991)[/I] - DVD Collection
60. [B]Time To Hunt[/B] [I](2020)[/I] - Netflix