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  1. #16
    Astonishing Member Soubhagya's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mister Mets View Post
    I started a list. The first films....



    Movie #1/ New Movie #2/ 1970s Movie #1: Shampoo
    I've had a bit of a*The Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon with this film, hearing about it in different ways: as a breakout for star Warren Beatty, as a comedy set during a presidential election, as a standout for director Hal Ashby, as a showcase for an Oscar winning performance by Lee Grant, and as the debut of Carrie Fisher. It's a solid kinda dry comedy about a lunk who is irresistible to women, elevated by a hell of a supporting cast (Goldie Hawn and Julie Christie are two of his girlfriends; Jack Warden got an Oscar nomination as a philandering cuckold) which initially meanders around, but does have some payoff at the end as he faces a reckoning.
    8/10

    Movie #2/ New Movie #2/ 2017 Movie #1:*I, Tonya
    It's a darkly funny film that looks at a typical triumphant sports biopic that gets derailed just as the flawed heroine is about to do her comeback. Margot Robbie and Alison Janney are sensational as the daughter and mother. I do like how the film acknowledges the unreliable narrators, and the media criticism. There are some striking omissions (a supporting character gets a job as a bodyguard for Harding in between scenes, she has four older half-siblings who are never mentioned, encounters with Nancy Kerrigan are referred to but never shown, etc.)
    8/10

    Movie #3/ New Movie #3/ 2017 Movie #2:*Molly's Game
    It's not a shocker that Sorkin's directorial debut has a very witty script, as he tells a labyrinthine tale of a woman's rise and fall in an unconventional business, building effectively to realizations about her past that have affected her behavior going forward. Strong central performance by Jessica Chastain.
    9/10

    Movie #4/ New Movie #4/ 1980s Movie #1: Working Girl
    Decent comedy about a secretary who pretends to be someone at the top of her company, even if some of the Oscar nominations are undeserved (Joan Cusack is a good example of someone who is good in a film, but definitely not one of the five best of the year.)
    8/10

    Movie #5/ New Movie #5/ 1970s Movie #2: A Touch of Class
    This movie has the second of Glenda Jackson's Academy Award winning performances (out of four nominations) and I hadn't seen any of her work, which shows how much of a blind spot this type of film is for me (English film during the New Hollywood era.) It's a decent comedy about two likable people who find an affair isn't as simple as they assumed; first because of various complications, and then because of what it means. Ebert suggested the ending wasn't earned, but it was definitely set-up.
    8/10

    Movie #6/ 2010s Movie #1: Captain America: The Winter Soldier
    The first Captain America sequel might just be the best Marvel Cinematic Universe film and the top competitors are the others in the series. It's a compelling spy drama, elevating supporting characters from earlier films, with new additions who have some tremendous staying power. Looking at it again, I really like the twists and turns with Robert Redford's character (the casting being a nod to 1970s thrillers, which showcases the MCU's strength) and the plan of the bad guys, which is a scarily logical way to rule the world.
    10/10

    Movie #7/ New Movie #6/ 2017 Movie #3: Kingsmen- The Golden Circle
    This Kingmen sequel goes on a bit long, and kills off characters in ways that aren't quite earned, although I do like the set-up to the Statesmen and the return of Colin Firth's Galahad, which makes for some decent complications. It's a step down from the original, but still fun.
    6/10



    Movie #8/ 2000s Movie #1: Children of Men
    This is a sci-fi film that has held up well, with excellent worldbuilding and cinematography, establishing a hopeless new world and then introducing something to shake it up. The two long takes are spectacular.
    10/10

    Movie #9/ New Movie #7/ 2017 Movie #4: The Greatest Showman
    It's a flawed but decent musical. The songs are catchy, and often quite moving (the opening montage is a highlight, and "Never Enough" is powerful on several levels). It does sometimes feel like several different films put together (Hugh Jackman's ambitious showman realizing the importance of family, an interracial love story pre-Civil War, "freaks" coming to acceptance) sometimes in a messy manner.
    7/10

    Movie #10/ 2010s Movie #2: Star Wars- The Force Awakens
    Watching it again, I get a sense of just how well it combined excellent new characters with a very traditional Star Wars story, simultaneously showing what's great about the series, and saying something new about the legacy, especially with the villain being a Darth Vader fanboy.
    9/10

    A "new" film just means I haven't seen it.

    There's more, but I'm too lazy to write it up.

    I'm setting up some sub-challenges for myself: 10 films from the silent era, 10 films from the 1930s, 10 films from the 1940s, 10 films from the 1950s, 10 films from the 1960s, 10 films from the 1970s, 10 films from the 1980s, 10 films from the 1990s, 10 films from the 2000s, 10 films from 2010-2016, 17 films from 2017, and 18 films from 2018.

    I did meet similar challenges last year.
    Those sub challenges look cool. It can bring a lot of variety too while being able to appreciate films in different eras. I like your write ups. I may watch a few of them.


    Quote Originally Posted by RLAAMJR. View Post
    I hope you guys recommend the best horror movies, english please or with english sub is ok too.
    Too bad i don't watch a lot of horror films. But you will get a few when i watch them.
    Last edited by Soubhagya; 02-06-2018 at 09:32 PM.

  2. #17
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    Thanks Soubhagya.

    And can anybody find me where i can download the ring vs the grudge with english sub?

  3. #18
    Ultimate Member Mister Mets's Avatar
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    The thread died down last year shortly after I posted on the 55th film, so here's a chunk of what I watched in 2017 (It doesn't seem worthwhile to bump that thread.)



    Movie #56/ New Movie #49/ 1960s Movie #7/ French Movie #3/ Musical #2: The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
    Excellent cinematography, set design and score in a musical that doesn’t tell the typical story of young lovers, and explores the effects of fate and miscommunication. Hell of a star turn for Catherine Deneuve.
    10/10

    Movie #57/ New Movie #50/ 1950s Movie #4/ Musical #3/ Theatrical Adaptation #4/ Fantasy Film #4: Brigadoon
    It’s a decent, not great, Hollywood musical with an interesting concept (American tourists stumble upon a hidden Scottish village that only appears once a century.) There’s plenty of good, including a coda in an unusual place that provides a contrast to the main action, but some flaws (some of the dance sequences are competent but not extraordinary; the society doesn’t really seem like a place that has had this magic thing happen to them very- from their perspective- recently.)
    7/10

    Movie #58/ New Movie #51/ 1950s Movie #5/ Criterion Edition #13: Requiem for a Heavyweight

    This is an example of something that doesn’t exist anymore: a televised play that was filmed live. It’s over an hour long, and tells a one-off story, so I’m counting as a TV movie. It’s one I’ve been interesting in seeing since I heard years ago that Rod Serling considered it his best work. It’s an excellent tale about a heavyweight played by Jack Palanche realizing that he’ll retire without ever being a champion, and trying to figure out what to do with his life. It handles his difficulties seriously, but not overwhelmingly. I got this on the Criterion Collection’s Golden Age of Television DVD, and the quality is surprisingly poor, so that can be off-putting.
    9/10

    Movie #59/ New Movie #52/ 2010s Movie #10/ Science Fiction Movie #11/ Comic Book Movie #4: Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2
    This is a pretty satisfying sequel that ends up being about something (family.) It takes a while for the big villain to emerge. Before that can happen, we get the character interactions, beautiful visuals (we’re probably spoiled when it comes to modern special effects, but this is a nice looking film) and some fights against some of the minor bad guys from the earlier film, both of whom have an expanded role that ties into the theme.
    9/10

    Movie #60/ New Movie #53/ 1950s Movie #6/ Criterion Edition #14: The White Sheik

    Fellini’s directorial debut tells a funny story of separated newlyweds. The husband tries to save face in front of his family, while the wife’s love of fumetti results in an attempted seduction by the star of the photonovels.
    7/10

    Movie #61/ 1980s Movie #7 Science Fiction Movie #12/ Comic Book Adaptation #5: Akira
    It’s an iconic vision of the future on the level of Blade Runner and , possibly ignored by people unwilling to check out a 1980s anime. Their loss as the animation is lavish and beautiful, the score is exceptional, and the story crams a lot of conflict from a 2000 page manga into a two hour film (the lead is a member of a biker gang who fights other biker gangs, the police/ military, and his former best friend) without the story getting overwhelming.
    9/10

    Movie #62/ 1940s Movie #4/ New Movie #54: Passport to Pimlico
    I heard about this one in an article about how Mike Myers wanted to adapt it for Wayne’s World Part 2. It’s a decent comedy about what happens when a section of London is legally determined to be an independent nation, following the discovery of documents revealing it is to be owned by the Duke of Burgundy. It’s also interesting as a look at Britain in the post-World War 2 rationing.
    7/10

    Movie #63/ 2000s Movie #6/ New Movie #55: Apocalypto
    Mel Gibson’s focus on conflicts between the Mayans is dark and violent, but has quite good storytelling, as well as impressive set designs and costumes.
    7/10

    Movie #64/ 1950s Movie #6/ New Movie #56/ Musical #4: The Court Jester
    This burlesque of medieval hero epics is quite funny, as the minstrel to a band of rebels has an opportunity to play the hero impersonating a court jester to get close to the usurper king. Strong performances include Angela Lansbury as a spoiled princess, and Basil Rathbone as a deceitful royal adviser. It has impressive musical numbers, and numerous royal misunderstandings.
    8/10

    Movie #65/ 1980s Movie #8/ Science Fiction Movie #6/ Animated Film #4: The Transformers: The Movie
    Some decent dialogue, location designs, and deathtraps, but the narrative is kind of a mess.
    3/10



    Movie #66/ 2010s Movie #11/ New Movie #57/ Superhero Movie #4/ Fantasy Film #5: Wonder Woman

    This was a really well-done superhero film that established the world of the Amazons effectively, before sending Wonder Woman to Europe circa World War One. It had a star turn for Gal Gadot, but the impressive ensemble all had solid moments (Robin Wright’s amazon general’s joy at finally getting to fight, Lucy Davis’ Etta Candy getting some quips in, etc.) Maybe it steals liberally from Thor and Captain America, but it does it so well.
    9/10

    Movie #67/ 1990s Movie #4/ New Movie #58: Mighty Aphrodite
    Clever comedy, elevated by the Greek chorus gimmick and a solid performance by Mira Sorvino (who might not have quite deserved her Oscar.)
    8/10

    Movie #68/ 1950s Movie #7/ New Movie #59/ Criterion Edition #15: Mr. Arkadin
    The spy drama is flawed, although there is quite a bit to recommend, with a performance by Welles that keeps you guessing, and some impressive visuals.
    7/10

    Movie #69/ 1940s Movie #5: The Philadelphia Story
    It might be the best romantic comedy ever, with an all-star cast (Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart compete for Katherine Hepburn) and a smart script. Some parts are a bit icky, especially the insistence of accepting toxic flaws. although it’s easier to enjoy it when you remember characters don’t have to be right when saying what they think.
    10/10

    Movie #70/ Silent Movie Era #5/ German Film #3: Nosferatu (Restored)
    It’s one of the most iconic horror movies ever, and probably one of the most iconic movies ever, with a memorable take on vampires, gothic set designs, and impressive sequences.
    10/10

    Movie #71/ New Movie #60/ Silent Movie Era #6/ Fantasy Film #6/ German Film #4: The Golem: How He Came into the World (Black Francis Soundtrack)
    The soundtrack didn’t always work (although it was sometimes effective) though I can’t really complain about something that’s streaming for free. The expressionistic sets are great, and it’s fascinating to see the development of horror tropes, in a Frankenstein story that came out a decade before Universal Horror kicked off.
    8/10

    Movie #72/ Silent - 1920s Era #7: Cocoanuts
    The early Marx Brothers film has nice sets, memorable dialogue, and some crappy sound—oddly enough in scenes meant to stun audiences through technological innovation—though it’s worth the technical limitations to enjoy some of the finest film comedians.
    8/10

    Movie #73/ 1990s Movie #5: Trainspotting
    I watched due to a combination of an awareness of the sequel, and the recent realization that it was my favorite film of 1997. It’s an energetic take on 1990s Scottish drug addicts who keep screwing up their lives in funny and tragic ways. Fantastic ensemble.
    9/10

    Movie #74/ 1940s Movie #6: The Bank Dick
    This can be an excellent overview of the funniest guys in film: WC Fields. The plot is mostly a vehicle for inspired gags small (Fields salutes an opened bottle, raising his hat to the gentlemen) and large (a madcap final race) united by Fields’ alcoholic blowhard.
    8/10

    Movie #75/ 2010s Movie #12/ New Movie #61/ Superhero Movie #5: Spider-Man: Homecoming
    I’m obviously a big Spider-Man fan, and I was quite satisfied with his solo debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a story that’s actually about something, and captures the clash between Peter’s private life and his duties as Spider-Man. Great cast especially Michael Keaton as the blue-collar Vulture.
    9/10
    Sincerely,
    Thomas Mets

  4. #19
    Ultimate Member Mister Mets's Avatar
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    Continuing my 2017 entries (there is a bit more, but this brings it to the 100.)

    Movie #76/1950s Movie #8/ Criterion Edition #16: On the Waterfront
    This may very well be the best movie I’ve seen all year. I’ve seen it once before in college, and enjoyed it then, but it seemed more powerful this time around. The first time I might’ve been distracted by what I knew about the iconic “contender” scene. The cast (including five Oscar-nominated performances) is fantastic, and the sense of atmosphere is excellent, as Brando’s Terry Malloy is caught between loyalty to people who screwed him over in ways they can’t appreciate, and doing the right thing.
    10/10

    Movie #77/ New Movie #62/ 1930s Movie #8/ German Film #5: People on Sunday
    This was included as a DVD extra on an issue of The Believer I bought a while back, so it was interesting to finally watch it. It seems initially like a lightweight piece about young Berliners enjoying the weekend, but it is elevated by great storytelling (Billy Wilder wrote the script; Fred Zimmerman was the cinematographer) and takes a turn as a young rake decides to abandon his date in favor of her friend.
    9/10

    Movie #78/ 1970s Movie #9: Jaws
    A very watchable movie about a somewhat exaggerated premise that is quite useful to any aspiring screenwriter. I like the clash between the blue-collar Quint and Richard Dreyfuss’s wealthy oceanographer, one of the best Act 1 endings ever (the false hope with the capture of another shark) and the many little moments (the greedy mayor’s rationalizations for what he did; the genius closing, etc.) It’s strong competition for On The Waterfront in the category of best movies I’ve seen this year.
    10/10

    Movie #79/ 2000s Movie #7/ Superhero Movie #6: Iron Man
    Downey Jr’s Iron Man is one of the best film superhero leads- a guy who finds the norms of superheroes as ridiculous as much of the audience. It’s an excellent intro to the MCU with storytelling that is smart, if sometimes a bit obvious, and a lot of fun.
    9/10

    Movie #80/ 1940s Movie #7/ Fantasy Movie #7/ New Movie #63: It Happened Tomorrow
    This was a charming romantic comedy based on the idea of a budding reporter briefly getting insights into the future, and using that to build his reputation, and get Linda Darnell’s pretend-clairvoyant to fall in love with him, before it all backfires. Perfectly suited for Dick Powell.
    7/10

    Movie #81/ 1970s Movie #10: Network
    Very smart script with excellent scenes for Robert Duvall and the five actors who got Oscar nominations (three who got Oscars.) The criticism of television and the prioritization of profit over news has only gotten more relevant, even if the criticism of the TV generation seems a bit like an old guy picking on the young.
    10/10

    Movie #82/ 1950s Movie #9/ New Movie #64/ Criterion Edition #17: Ashes and Diamonds

    This is an excellent war film that deals with the transition of one era to another (from being part of the resistance to being part of the rebellion) exploring the ambiguities on all sides. Beautifully shot with an excellent lead performance by Zbigniew Cybulski (described as the Polish James Dean, although I’m not convinced James Dean was ever this good) as a soldier caught at a crossroads.
    9/10

    Movie #83/ 1950s Movie #10/ New Movie #65/ Criterion Edition #18: Pather Panchali
    With this I’m done with the 50s, as well as the 70s, and the current decade. A beautifully shot exploration of childhood in rural India, it captures small joys and heartbreak. Good god, is there heartbreak. I can’t think of any other film that depicts extreme poverty so effectively.
    9/10



    Movie #84/ 2010s Movie #13/ New Movie #66: Dunkirk
    I get that seeing it on an Imax big screen was a rare opportunity, but it was significantly cheaper to see it in my local theater, and it still impressed the hell out of me. It’s an excellent war film about three sides of a British military campaign (stranded soldiers, civilians trying to help, pilots) with all the strands coming together beautifully.
    10/10

    Movie #85/ New Movie #67/ 1930s Movie #9: Grand Hotel
    This Best Picture winner is famously groundbreaking as the first major film to feature a lot of A-list stars, and generally fun. Parts of it may be very dated, but Lionel Barrymore is a standout as a gentleman thief.
    7/10

    Movie #86/ 1950s Movie #11/ New Movie #68/ Japanese Film #4/ Criterion Edition #19: High and Low
    This Kurosawa film is an excellent procedural, exploring the investigation and the people affected when an attempt to kidnap a wealthy man’s son results in the capture of his chauffeur’s kid, forcing a businessman in the middle of a hostile takeover to make a major sacrifice. It then takes some very interesting turns.
    9/10

    Movie #87/ 1990s Movie #6: Apollo 13

    This was a solid science disaster movie, with an excellent cast (Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinese, and Academy Award nominees Ed Harris and Kathleen Quinlan, showing intelligent people solving life and death math problems, during a media frenzy .
    9/10

    Movie #88/ 1990s Movie #7/ Superhero Film #7/ Animated Film #5: Batman- Mask of the Phantasm
    This is an excellent distillation of what is great about Batman, combining parts of some of this best comics adventures into something new and exciting. It doesn’t come across as an extended arc of the animated series (even if that could still make for a great story) because the choices for the Dark Knight are so monumental.
    9/10

    Movie #89/ New Movie #69/ Silent Movie Era #9/ Criterion Edition #20: The Lodger
    This is an excellent Hitchcock thriller, initially about the reasons a family might have to be worried about a lodger whose absences coincide with the strikes of a serial killer, that takes a turn when the lodger becomes the target of a lynch mob.
    9/10

    Movie #90/ 1940s Movie #8/ Criterion Edition #21/ French Film #4: Beauty and the Beast
    Strikingly beautiful adaptation of the fairy tale.
    9/10

    Movie #91/ New Movie #70/ Silent Movie Era #10: The Jazz Singer
    I can be appreciate the significance of the film (although it was quickly outdated) and it is often joyous, but it refers to a frame of reference that just doesn’t exist any more, with a rather one-sided family crisis at the core.
    7/10

    Movie #92/ New Movie #72/ 1930s Movie #10: Dark Victory
    It’s a film famously lost in the shuffle in 1939 that probably would have otherwise gotten a boatload of Oscars and now hovers in the top ten in the best year of cinema. The story of a dying heiress is elevated by a wide-ranged performance by Bette Davis, who has to handle all the stages of grief. One thing the film pulls off is twisting the direction. There are numerous concepts that could be an entire film but the characters then choose to go in a different direction. Humphrey Bogart and Ronald Reagan are two of the supporting players, elevated by their subsequent significance.
    9/10



    Movie #93/ New Film #73/ 2000s Movie #8/ French Film #5: OSS 117- Lost in Rio
    A fun James Bond/ Hitchcock pastiche by an actor-director pair that would later dominate the Oscars.
    8/10

    Movie #94/ 1990s Movie #8/ Science Fiction Film #7: Dark City
    It’s a twisted sci-fi noir that has an excellent sense of world-building and set design, even if the final confrontation is a bit cliched.
    9/10

    Movie #95/ 1940s Movie #9/ Criterion Edition #22: To Be Or Not To Be
    Very funny theater satire that turns into a military conflict, as a ham actor has to impersonate German officials in order to uncover a spy during World War 2.
    9/10

    Movie #96/ New Film #74/ 1960s Movie #8: The Americanization of Emily
    Smart military satire, with a uniformly great performance by Julie Andrews, and a slightly uneven performance by James Garner (much better at reactions than speeches). There’s a final morally dubious decision, although it can lead to interesting discussions, suggesting writer Paddy Chayefsky knew what he was doing.
    8/10

    Movie #97/ 2000s Movie #8/ Animated Film #5: Ratatouille
    This is just a reminder of how brilliant the guys at Pixar are, taking a ridiculous concept (a rat that wants to be a cook), and making it about something (the need to create rather than to take; loyalty VS friendship) and elevating minor characters in unexpected ways; it’s one of my favorite moments in film when Anton Ego takes a bite into the ratatouille.)
    9/10

    Movie #98/ New Movie #75/ 1940s Movie #10: Man Hunt
    This is a bold thriller about a British hunter chased by Germans that moves a lot quicker than I thought it would, and ends in a very powerful daring way.
    9/10

    Movie #99/ New Film #76/ 1960s Movie #9/ Science Fiction Film #8: The Village of the Damned

    It’s a creepy concept executed well, and in a relatively manner of fact way.
    8/10

    Movie #100/ 1980s Movie #9/ Science Fiction Film #9/ Superhero Film #8: Superman II (The Donner Cut)
    Give the chaotic origin it’s a miracle it exists at all, although the flaws can’t all be blamed on the process. It alternates between dopey and brilliant.
    7/10
    Sincerely,
    Thomas Mets

  5. #20
    Scarlet Witch~4~LIFE!!^_^ CJStriker's Avatar
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    WOW Mister Mets , You have an IMPRESSIVE List so Far, Keep Up the Amazing Work and I might look into a few of those to watch myself, their are SO Many Movies I have seen, But SO, SO, SOOOO Many More I have Yet to see!

    Everyone is doing Excellent so far, I am having a good time with this!
    "By Earth and Sky, By Craft and Hex -- By The Past and The Future – I Call HOPE Forth From The DARKNESS! I Speak The Words We Made Into MAGIC! Let THEIR Power Augment Our OWN! To Strike ONE BLOW From Our HEARTS and SOULS – From ALL THAT WE ARE! Let The CALL Go Forth -- AVENGERS! ASSEMBLE!" Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff ~~ From Avengers #689!

    Come Join and Learn about Wanda Maximoff at: The Scarlet Witch Appreciation Thread 2023!

  6. #21
    Astonishing Member Soubhagya's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mister Mets View Post
    Continuing my 2017 entries (there is a bit more, but this brings it to the 100.)

    Movie #76/1950s Movie #8/ Criterion Edition #16: On the Waterfront
    This may very well be the best movie I’ve seen all year. I’ve seen it once before in college, and enjoyed it then, but it seemed more powerful this time around. The first time I might’ve been distracted by what I knew about the iconic “contender” scene. The cast (including five Oscar-nominated performances) is fantastic, and the sense of atmosphere is excellent, as Brando’s Terry Malloy is caught between loyalty to people who screwed him over in ways they can’t appreciate, and doing the right thing.
    10/10

    Movie #77/ New Movie #62/ 1930s Movie #8/ German Film #5: People on Sunday
    This was included as a DVD extra on an issue of The Believer I bought a while back, so it was interesting to finally watch it. It seems initially like a lightweight piece about young Berliners enjoying the weekend, but it is elevated by great storytelling (Billy Wilder wrote the script; Fred Zimmerman was the cinematographer) and takes a turn as a young rake decides to abandon his date in favor of her friend.
    9/10

    Movie #78/ 1970s Movie #9: Jaws
    A very watchable movie about a somewhat exaggerated premise that is quite useful to any aspiring screenwriter. I like the clash between the blue-collar Quint and Richard Dreyfuss’s wealthy oceanographer, one of the best Act 1 endings ever (the false hope with the capture of another shark) and the many little moments (the greedy mayor’s rationalizations for what he did; the genius closing, etc.) It’s strong competition for On The Waterfront in the category of best movies I’ve seen this year.
    10/10

    Movie #79/ 2000s Movie #7/ Superhero Movie #6: Iron Man
    Downey Jr’s Iron Man is one of the best film superhero leads- a guy who finds the norms of superheroes as ridiculous as much of the audience. It’s an excellent intro to the MCU with storytelling that is smart, if sometimes a bit obvious, and a lot of fun.
    9/10

    Movie #80/ 1940s Movie #7/ Fantasy Movie #7/ New Movie #63: It Happened Tomorrow
    This was a charming romantic comedy based on the idea of a budding reporter briefly getting insights into the future, and using that to build his reputation, and get Linda Darnell’s pretend-clairvoyant to fall in love with him, before it all backfires. Perfectly suited for Dick Powell.
    7/10

    Movie #81/ 1970s Movie #10: Network
    Very smart script with excellent scenes for Robert Duvall and the five actors who got Oscar nominations (three who got Oscars.) The criticism of television and the prioritization of profit over news has only gotten more relevant, even if the criticism of the TV generation seems a bit like an old guy picking on the young.
    10/10

    Movie #82/ 1950s Movie #9/ New Movie #64/ Criterion Edition #17: Ashes and Diamonds

    This is an excellent war film that deals with the transition of one era to another (from being part of the resistance to being part of the rebellion) exploring the ambiguities on all sides. Beautifully shot with an excellent lead performance by Zbigniew Cybulski (described as the Polish James Dean, although I’m not convinced James Dean was ever this good) as a soldier caught at a crossroads.
    9/10

    Movie #83/ 1950s Movie #10/ New Movie #65/ Criterion Edition #18: Pather Panchali
    With this I’m done with the 50s, as well as the 70s, and the current decade. A beautifully shot exploration of childhood in rural India, it captures small joys and heartbreak. Good god, is there heartbreak. I can’t think of any other film that depicts extreme poverty so effectively.
    9/10



    Movie #84/ 2010s Movie #13/ New Movie #66: Dunkirk
    I get that seeing it on an Imax big screen was a rare opportunity, but it was significantly cheaper to see it in my local theater, and it still impressed the hell out of me. It’s an excellent war film about three sides of a British military campaign (stranded soldiers, civilians trying to help, pilots) with all the strands coming together beautifully.
    10/10

    Movie #85/ New Movie #67/ 1930s Movie #9: Grand Hotel
    This Best Picture winner is famously groundbreaking as the first major film to feature a lot of A-list stars, and generally fun. Parts of it may be very dated, but Lionel Barrymore is a standout as a gentleman thief.
    7/10

    Movie #86/ 1950s Movie #11/ New Movie #68/ Japanese Film #4/ Criterion Edition #19: High and Low
    This Kurosawa film is an excellent procedural, exploring the investigation and the people affected when an attempt to kidnap a wealthy man’s son results in the capture of his chauffeur’s kid, forcing a businessman in the middle of a hostile takeover to make a major sacrifice. It then takes some very interesting turns.
    9/10

    Movie #87/ 1990s Movie #6: Apollo 13

    This was a solid science disaster movie, with an excellent cast (Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinese, and Academy Award nominees Ed Harris and Kathleen Quinlan, showing intelligent people solving life and death math problems, during a media frenzy .
    9/10

    Movie #88/ 1990s Movie #7/ Superhero Film #7/ Animated Film #5: Batman- Mask of the Phantasm
    This is an excellent distillation of what is great about Batman, combining parts of some of this best comics adventures into something new and exciting. It doesn’t come across as an extended arc of the animated series (even if that could still make for a great story) because the choices for the Dark Knight are so monumental.
    9/10

    Movie #89/ New Movie #69/ Silent Movie Era #9/ Criterion Edition #20: The Lodger
    This is an excellent Hitchcock thriller, initially about the reasons a family might have to be worried about a lodger whose absences coincide with the strikes of a serial killer, that takes a turn when the lodger becomes the target of a lynch mob.
    9/10

    Movie #90/ 1940s Movie #8/ Criterion Edition #21/ French Film #4: Beauty and the Beast
    Strikingly beautiful adaptation of the fairy tale.
    9/10

    Movie #91/ New Movie #70/ Silent Movie Era #10: The Jazz Singer
    I can be appreciate the significance of the film (although it was quickly outdated) and it is often joyous, but it refers to a frame of reference that just doesn’t exist any more, with a rather one-sided family crisis at the core.
    7/10

    Movie #92/ New Movie #72/ 1930s Movie #10: Dark Victory
    It’s a film famously lost in the shuffle in 1939 that probably would have otherwise gotten a boatload of Oscars and now hovers in the top ten in the best year of cinema. The story of a dying heiress is elevated by a wide-ranged performance by Bette Davis, who has to handle all the stages of grief. One thing the film pulls off is twisting the direction. There are numerous concepts that could be an entire film but the characters then choose to go in a different direction. Humphrey Bogart and Ronald Reagan are two of the supporting players, elevated by their subsequent significance.
    9/10



    Movie #93/ New Film #73/ 2000s Movie #8/ French Film #5: OSS 117- Lost in Rio
    A fun James Bond/ Hitchcock pastiche by an actor-director pair that would later dominate the Oscars.
    8/10

    Movie #94/ 1990s Movie #8/ Science Fiction Film #7: Dark City
    It’s a twisted sci-fi noir that has an excellent sense of world-building and set design, even if the final confrontation is a bit cliched.
    9/10

    Movie #95/ 1940s Movie #9/ Criterion Edition #22: To Be Or Not To Be
    Very funny theater satire that turns into a military conflict, as a ham actor has to impersonate German officials in order to uncover a spy during World War 2.
    9/10

    Movie #96/ New Film #74/ 1960s Movie #8: The Americanization of Emily
    Smart military satire, with a uniformly great performance by Julie Andrews, and a slightly uneven performance by James Garner (much better at reactions than speeches). There’s a final morally dubious decision, although it can lead to interesting discussions, suggesting writer Paddy Chayefsky knew what he was doing.
    8/10

    Movie #97/ 2000s Movie #8/ Animated Film #5: Ratatouille
    This is just a reminder of how brilliant the guys at Pixar are, taking a ridiculous concept (a rat that wants to be a cook), and making it about something (the need to create rather than to take; loyalty VS friendship) and elevating minor characters in unexpected ways; it’s one of my favorite moments in film when Anton Ego takes a bite into the ratatouille.)
    9/10

    Movie #98/ New Movie #75/ 1940s Movie #10: Man Hunt
    This is a bold thriller about a British hunter chased by Germans that moves a lot quicker than I thought it would, and ends in a very powerful daring way.
    9/10

    Movie #99/ New Film #76/ 1960s Movie #9/ Science Fiction Film #8: The Village of the Damned

    It’s a creepy concept executed well, and in a relatively manner of fact way.
    8/10

    Movie #100/ 1980s Movie #9/ Science Fiction Film #9/ Superhero Film #8: Superman II (The Donner Cut)
    Give the chaotic origin it’s a miracle it exists at all, although the flaws can’t all be blamed on the process. It alternates between dopey and brilliant.
    7/10
    Wow! Its impressive. You completed the challenge. I was going through that thread and saw it end with no one reaching #100. And you managed to do it. CJStriker did pretty well. But 100! There would be a few films from your posts that i would watch myself. Thank you for posting the complete list.

  7. #22
    Latverian ambassador Iron Maiden's Avatar
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    I have my doubts that I can make it but here goes. I'll add some comments I'm sure I forgot the ones from January and will try to add as I think of them. But will try to update when I have some multiple entries to add

    Older films

    It's a Gift - W.C Fields comedy gold
    True Grit (John Wayne)
    Black Narcissus - directed by Michael Powell and most notable for the stunning Oscar winning photography by Jack Cardiff. Bonus: The beserk nun played by Kathleen Byron.

    New (release 2017 or 2018) but just saw them in 2018
    The Shape of Water
    Gifted

  8. #23
    Scarlet Witch~4~LIFE!!^_^ CJStriker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Iron Maiden View Post
    I have my doubts that I can make it but here goes. I'll add some comments I'm sure I forgot the ones from January and will try to add as I think of them. But will try to update when I have some multiple entries to add

    Older films

    It's a Gift - W.C Fields comedy gold
    True Grit (John Wayne)
    Black Narcissus - directed by Michael Powell and most notable for the stunning Oscar winning photography by Jack Cardiff. Bonus: The beserk nun played by Kathleen Byron.

    New (release 2017 or 2018) but just saw them in 2018
    The Shape of Water
    Gifted
    Whatever You can Do will be Enough Iron Maiden, thanks for Joining!
    "By Earth and Sky, By Craft and Hex -- By The Past and The Future – I Call HOPE Forth From The DARKNESS! I Speak The Words We Made Into MAGIC! Let THEIR Power Augment Our OWN! To Strike ONE BLOW From Our HEARTS and SOULS – From ALL THAT WE ARE! Let The CALL Go Forth -- AVENGERS! ASSEMBLE!" Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff ~~ From Avengers #689!

    Come Join and Learn about Wanda Maximoff at: The Scarlet Witch Appreciation Thread 2023!

  9. #24
    Astonishing Member Soubhagya's Avatar
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    Time for an update. I am planning to do one each week. Let us see how long can i manage it.

    16.The Big Sick (2017): The film stars Kumail Nanjiani who has also co-written it with his wife Emily Gordon. A romantic comedy loosely based on Kumail's own life, it follows the relationship between Emily and Kumail as an interracial couple while facing difficulties associated with that, while Emily becomes sick and admitted into the hospital. I enjoyed it quite a bit. Its one of those charming and pleasant films which come once in a while. Its pretty good. I liked it.

    17.Wind River (2017): I watched it for the second time. A murder mystery set in a natural reservation as a girl is found dead in the woods. Elizabeth Olsen as an FBI agent with help from Jeremy Renner as a hunter track try to solve the girl's death. The beauty of it is not just the murder mystery but it touches upon the themes of loss of one's loved ones while shedding light on the lives of native Indians in these times. It is being called as a neo western as Renner plays a cowboy. It also has fish out of water elements as Olsen plays a 'newish' FBI agent who is out of her element in snowy wilderness. There are lot of layers in the film and i enjoyed it a lot. Some scenes in particular was really touching especially with the murdered girl's father played wonderfully by Gil Birmingham. I love the film.

    18.Spartacus (1960): It follows Spartacus, a slave leading an army of slaves against the Roman Empire as they fight for their freedom. Expertly directed by the peerless Kubrick it has wonderful acting performances, epic battle scenes as well as romance. One can see the degradation of societal institutions too. Kubrick is surely among the greatest directors ever. They say he did not get full freedom while making the film. It was more like a studio hired director job. But even then its so excellent, showing he could do virtually everything. Fantastic movie.

    19.Godfather Part Two (1974): I had not enjoyed it that much in my first watch. More complicated it was less explosive as the first one which i felt was a lot tighter. I liked it a lot and was hardly a disappointment. But this time in my second viewing i could appreciate it even more. Its almost three and a half hours. And not every film can keep me enthralled upto 2.30 am in the night. Especially when i have seen it and is admittedly slow. I originally planned to watch for half an hour at most. These run times are difficult. But its so excellent that one can't help but be enthralled by what is happening on the screen. This time i could notice the subtler things which make it so great. It works more as a character study of descent of Michael Corleone while the first showed the events of his rise as the Godfather. I love the first one more. But the second one is amazing too. Excellent movie.
    Last edited by Soubhagya; 03-12-2018 at 10:49 PM.

  10. #25
    Ultimate Member Mister Mets's Avatar
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    Continuing my posts on films I saw in 2017....



    Movie #101/ 2000s Movie #9/ Musical #5: Walk the Line
    This is an excellent biopic/ showcase for Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon. Watching it again I do get a sense of how deeply flawed Phoenix’s Johnny Cash is, although that’s more to the film’s credit.
    9/10

    Movie #102/ 1960s Movie #10: Lawrence of Arabia
    I had the opportunity to see Lawrence of Arabia on the big screen, and it was so worth it. It is easily one of the most beautiful films ever made, with some of the most action-packed long shots I’ve ever seen. It’s interesting to watch it now in the context of discussions of cultural appropriation and white saviors, although the film is nicely agnostic about the extent to which Lawrence’s contributions are positive, and notes the shortcomings in the British approach.
    10/10

    Movie #103/ New Movie #77/ 1990s Movie #9: Thelma and Louise
    This is a tragedy, but remains a fun movie, about two friends who find their options increasingly limited as the result of some bad decisions, and cruelty from others.
    9/10

    Movie #104/ 1980s Movie #10/ Science Fiction Movie #10: John Carpenter’s The Thing
    It’s fun to watch this a second time, when several plot points are more clear. The arctic base is one of the great locations for a science fiction thriller, and the twists are excellent.
    8/10

    Movie #105/ 2000s Movie #10/ Superhero Movie #9: Batman Begins
    This was a very well-made superhero origin story, that is elevated by awesome moments you’d expect the director to save for the sequel (Gordon driving a batmobile.) It is actually about something, sets up the world really well, and even the shortcomings have explanations (Batman endangers civilians, but it fits with the recklessness of a young man on an impossible mission.)
    10/10

    Movie #106/ New Movie #78/ 1990s Movie #10/ Criterion Movie #23: Metropolitan
    A very smart and witty film about self-absorbed rich young people in Manhattan in the 1980s. What elevates is their realizations that they may be anachronisms, but that their status isn’t to blame for their failures, and that their hanging out is just a temporary phase. Excellent low-budget debut feature.
    9/10

    Movie #107/ New Movie #79/ Silent Movie Era #11: The Crowd
    I sought out this film because it’s on a Top 100, and I’m really unfamiliar with the work of King Vidor. The visuals are striking, looking at the monotony and scale of life in the 1920s, and it’s also a story that is entertaining and about something simultaneously specific to the lead (his challenges in becoming a self-sufficient man), and universal.
    9/10

    Movie #108/ New Movie #80/ 1940s Movie #11: All the King’s Men
    Well-acted political noir that might have been breathtakingly cynical when it came out; now, not so much. This is a pattern with political films I’ve watched.
    9/10

    Movie #109/ New Movie #81/ 2010s Movie #14: T2- Trainspotting 2
    I really enjoyed Trainspotting, so I was curious about the sequel. It managed to bring together the old gang with some new adventures (robbing a social club fixated on Catholics and protestants) with characters who were nostalgic for their drug-addled youth.
    8/10

    Movie #110/ 1950s Movie #12/ Musical #6: Singing in the Rain
    It’s easily the best and most satisfying musical ever made, with a witty script and some exceptional numbers, with a funny take on the transition of the film industry from silents to talkies (and musicals.)
    10/10

    Movie #111/ 1990s Movie #11/ Animated Film #7/ Musical #7: Beauty and the Beast (Disney)
    It’s easy to forget how many classic songs popped up in this animated musical. Beyond that, it has an excellent ensemble and a witty script.
    9/10

    Movie #112/ New Movie #82/ 1980s Movie #11: Stand By Me
    This movie has an excellent and specific take on kids just becoming adolescents, and learning about life in the world around them, while on a somewhat naive trip to go see a kid’s body.
    9/10



    Movie #113/ New Movie #83/ 1990s Movie #12: Devil in a Blue Dress
    This was a pretty solid neo-noir that was able to address racial questions the films of the era couldn’t, and also had standout performances by Denzel Washington in the origin story of a noir detective, and Don Cheadle as the ultimate loose cannon.
    8/10

    Movie #114/ New Movie #84/ 2010s Movie #15: Miss Sloane
    This is a fascinating mess, a film that’s preaching to the converted on gun reform while also telling a story about a self-destructive lead played by Jessica Chastain (who is quite good in it.) It probably failed at the box office because it was meant for the beltway, and unfortunately not as good as Spotlight, or the Aaron Sorkin films it imitates.
    6/10

    Movie #115/ New Movie #85/ 2010s Movie #16: Get Out
    Entertaining film that functions as paranoid thriller, horror and commentary on racial issues.
    9/10

    Movie #116/ 2000s Movie #11/ Superhero Film #10: The Dark Knight
    It’s easily the best superhero film ever made, although one thing that surprises me still is just how well it holds up. The danger of one guy willing to break all the rules, and disrupt things for the hell of it remains relevant in the Trump/ antifa era.
    10/10

    Movie #117/ New Movie #86/ 2010s Movie #17: Beauty and the Beast (Disney)
    It’s a well-made live action version of a great animated film, although largely unnecessary.
    7/10

    Movie #118/ New Movie #87/ 1970s Movie #11: The Black Windmill
    A Dull British thriller. Ebert’s review is largely on point.
    5/10

    Movie #119/ 1930s Movie #11/ French Movie #6: The Grand Illusion
    Weirdly available on streaming only through a Tribeca shortlist add-on for Amazon. This was an excellent prison escape film that’s a bit more episodic than I remember, but excellent at highlighting the problems of war in a changing era, as well as the struggles of the main characters.
    10/10

    Movie #120/ New Movie #88/ 1990s Movie #12: The Hurricane
    Slow start, but it gets interesting later. As much of a focus on how to survive in prison as it is a sports film and a legal drama.
    8/10

    Movie #121/ New Movie #89/ 1960s Movie #11: Topkapi
    Fun caper, with an excellent cast, and a standout Oscar winning performance by Peter Usinov as a schmo who is hired by thieves, and later recruited by authorities to spy on them under the assumption that they’re terrorists.
    9/10

    Movie #122/ 2000s Movie #12: 300

    Decently cast mythic drama. Often over the top, but appropriately so.
    7/10
    Sincerely,
    Thomas Mets

  11. #26
    Ultimate Member Mister Mets's Avatar
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    More films I saw in 2017...



    Movie #123/ 1960s Movie #12/ Criterion Edition #24/ French Film #7: 2 or 3 Things I Know About Her
    It’s a video essay that’s tough to grade as a film. As something so one of a kind that addresses interesting topics in addition to form, it’s worth seeing more than a typical 7/10 grade film. But you might enjoy it less.
    7/10

    Movie #124/ New Movie #90/ 1990s Movie #13: The Piano
    Well-acted drama about the love affair between Holly Hunter’s mute woman who doesn’t care for her era, and Harey Keitel’s illiterate sailor with an appreciation for some of the fine things in life. I’m very curious about the inevitable essays on how it’s problematic.
    8/10

    Movie #125/ 2000s Movie #13/ Science Fiction Film #11: Star Trek
    An excellent relaunch/ sequel that introduces a new cast on par with anything we’ve seen before in the series, and has some truly impressive action set pieces. It’s also a lot of fun.
    9/10

    Movie #126/ 1970s Movie #12/ Science Fiction Film #12: Close Encounters of the Third Kind
    One thing the film has to have credit for is how unlike anything else it is. It’s a sci-fi story in which a guy tries to sneak past government checkpoints, but it’s also a family drama and it’s about inspiration.
    10/10

    Movie #127/ New Movie #91/ 1980s Movie #12: Moonstruck
    Witty romantic drama about members of an oddball family (well- two I suppose given Danny Aiello and Nicholas Cage’s brothers) on the verge of making major romantic choices.
    9/10

    Movie #128/ New Movie #92/ 1940s Movie #12/ Criterion Edition #25: The Red Shoes
    Visually, it’s a stunning film, especially in the restoration, but it’s a fascinating conflict as the lead tries to choose between greatness and a good life.
    10/10

    Movie #129/ New Movie #93/ 1970s Movie #13/ Musical #8/ Norman Jewison Movie #3: Jesus Christ Superstar
    It’s a solid hippie musical about the betrayal of Christ. Not sure what else to say.
    7/10

    Movie #130/ 2000s Movie #14: The Manchurian Candidate
    Well-directed relatively modern paranoid thriller. It has an excellent cast, and there are some smart decisions in the changes, as Denzel Washington’s lead becomes more dangerous than we’d expect.
    8/10

    Movie #131/ New Movie #94/ 1990s Movie #13: Absolute Power
    At the time, it was seen as outrageous and unrealistic. Now this political thriller might be seen as sober and restrained. Lesser Eastwood, but decent.
    7/10

    Movie #132/ New Movie #95/ 2010s Movie #18/ Science Fiction Film #13: Blade Runner 2049
    The cinematography by Roger Deakins is stunning, and the score is exceptional. There’s a bit of a trend towards generation-later sequels (Creed, Force Awakens) and Blade Runner 2049 may be the best, building on the mythos and the key characters, keeping old mysteries while giving us new questions to debate about, especially when it comes to Ryan Gosling’s lead and the hologram he loves.
    9/10

    I also did thirteen horror movies for October...



    Movie #133/ 1970s Movie #14: Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979- English language version)
    This was the Herzog/ Kinski/ Adjani/ Ganz version of the Murnau classic. It’s an art film shot largely like a period drama, which makes Kinski’s vampire initially seem like a weird intruder, an entirely appropriate artistic choice. It takes some interesting turns, especially when Nosferatu reaches Germany, and we see the effects of the “plague.” It was shot in German and in English- I watched the English version, which was perfectly fine. This is easily one of the strongest takes on the Dracula story, and probably the best made by people who are still alive today.
    9/10

    Movie #134/ New Movie #96/ 1970s Movie #15: A Bay of Blood
    An over the top 1970s slasher film with more victims than usual, and more people willing to murder those around them in an argument about real estate.
    7/10

    Movie #135/ New Movie #97/ 1970s Movie #16/ French Film #8: The Demons
    I think I mistook Jesus Franco’s film for another European film with a similar name (the one produced by Dario Argento in 1985.) This one about the hunt for the descendants of a witch, and two sisters’ responses is a lot pornier than I expected, although it does cover the hypocrisy of the establishment well. The soundtrack is excellent.
    7/10

    Movie #136/ 2000s Movie #15: Trick ‘r Treat
    A nicely produced take on interrelated stories in a small city in Ohio, even if the idea of all of this stuff happening at once further stretches credulity. It’s a lot of fun, and it certainly doesn’t drag.
    8/10

    Movie #137/ 1930s Movie #12: Dracula (1931- Spanish Edition)
    The Spanish language version of the Bela Lugosi Dracula that was filmed at night using the same sets and many of the same costumes is a pretty decent horror classic. The camerawork is impressive, as the director was more interested in making a film than adapting a play, and made some changes based on dailies of the English language version. It’s half an hour longer, so many of the scenes have room to breathe, and quite a few of the performances are strong. This version of Renfield (Dracula’s mad assistant) is more manic and conflicted. The Van Helsing has gravitas enough to carry a film. Lupita Tovar’s female lead (named Eva in this film) gives the sense of someone transforming. Carlos Villarías’ Dracula is comparatively bland.
    8/10

    Movie #138/ 1930s Movie #13: The Mummy (1932)
    Structurally different from what I expected (the mummy pops up in bandages early in the film, but then takes a different form for most of the film.) The sets are decent in a story about explorers and ancient conflicts, with leads who find themselves out of their element against an unexpected type of enemy.
    8/10

    Movie #139/ New Movie #98/ 1950s Movie #13: Creature from the Black Lagoon

    The story’s a bit generic (a lot of King Kong and The Mummy with the kidnapping of the girl, and the theme of modernity vs the unknown) but the setting makes for a decent story of explorers versus a new kind of monster.
    7/10

    Movie #140/ New Movie #99/ 1960s Movie #13: The Revenge of Frankenstein

    The second Hammer Frankenstein is an unconventional sequel in that Peter Cushing’s scientist is the villain rather than the monster (who doesn’t even pop up, although there is a new attempt at creating life.) Cushing’s mad scientist is well above-average, and the rest of the cast plays off him well. The sets are fantastic.
    8/10



    Movie #141/ 1930s Movie #14: The Old Dark House
    Gloomy atmospheric and fun story of travelers stuck in a very strange old house. The sets are incredible, and the mystery takes some interesting turns. I’ll note I did not see the restored version.
    8/10

    Movie #142/ New Movie #100/ 1930s Movie #15: Secret of the Blue Room
    This was one of the more obscure of the early Universal horror films, though it’s more of a locked door mystery. The first half sets up the mystery of a seemingly haunted room, and the disappearance of a schmuck who wants to stay there to prove his courage for the girl he loves. Then the detectives get involved, and the story gets a bit blander, although there is an interesting lack of clarity on what exactly happened twenty years ago.
    6/10

    Movie #143/ New Movie #101/ 1940s Movie #13: The Ghost Train

    I admit it’s a stretch to list this as horror. Vaudevillian Arthur Askey’s lead turns this film about passengers stranded in a haunted train station into the comedy genre, although it’s a stretch for the subject matter. The most interesting parts about the film are the matter of fact treatment of life in World War 2 Britain.
    5/10

    Movie #144/ New Movie #102/ 1970s Movie #17/ Criterion Edition #26: Valerie and Her Week of Wonders
    This surrealist fable is full of spectacular imagery, and a story that is intentionally vague, mysterious and more than a little perverted, although with tremendous artistic merit in depicting a teenager’s subconscious nightmares.
    9/10

    Movie #145/ 1930s Movie #16: The Invisible Man
    I decided to finish with this one because The Old Dark House renewed my appreciation for director James Whale. His take on the Invisible Man is iconic and fun, with Claude Rains giving the unseen character an appropriate level of menace and insanity.
    8/10

    And a ranking of those....

    13. The Ghost Train
    12. The Secret of the Blue Room
    11. A Bay of Blood
    10. The Demons
    9. Creature From the Black Lagoon
    8. The Mummy
    7. The Old Dark House
    6. The Revenge of Frankenstein
    5. Trick r’ Treat
    4. The Invisible Man
    3. Dracula (Spanish Edition)
    2. Valerie and Her Week of Wonders
    1. Nosferatu the Vampyre
    Sincerely,
    Thomas Mets

  12. #27
    Scarlet Witch~4~LIFE!!^_^ CJStriker's Avatar
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    I have not done an Update for Myself in awhile but like I said I had been sick with a Virus(Not the Flu) for sometime. Been better the past week now and with that I have been catching up to My List of Movies!

    I will Keep it Back but here is my Combined List of what I have watch so far, most the last week and the movie I started off with.

    1.) Event Horizon (1997) ~ Cable HD

    2.) RoboCop (1987) ~ Cable ~ NO-Censoring

    3.) District 9 (2009) ~ Blu-Ray

    4.) Bloodsport (1988) ~ Hulu Movies

    5.) Black Panther (2018) ~ Standard Movie Showing

    6.) Casino (1995) ~ Blu-Ray



    I also, this will not count, but I also am when I feel like it will watch the extras to movie DVDs to get more indepth into the movies and their meanings.

    Casino (1995) is one of My FAVORITE Movies of All times, Anytime it is on TV I end up likely watching it no matter what I am doing.

    So the DVD Blu-Ray Extras I watched for Casino (1995) where;

    ~ NBC Special: Vegas and The Mob!

    ~ History Alive: True Crime Authors: Casino With Author of the Book based on the Movie, Nicholas Pileggi (The History Channel Special)!
    "By Earth and Sky, By Craft and Hex -- By The Past and The Future – I Call HOPE Forth From The DARKNESS! I Speak The Words We Made Into MAGIC! Let THEIR Power Augment Our OWN! To Strike ONE BLOW From Our HEARTS and SOULS – From ALL THAT WE ARE! Let The CALL Go Forth -- AVENGERS! ASSEMBLE!" Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff ~~ From Avengers #689!

    Come Join and Learn about Wanda Maximoff at: The Scarlet Witch Appreciation Thread 2023!

  13. #28
    Ultimate Member Mister Mets's Avatar
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    Films I've seen this year...

    I set up mini-challenges of watching 10 films from 2017, five films from the same writer, five films with the same actor, five films with the same actress, and five films with the same language. I did the latter because there are French movies I've been meaning to watch, but didn't really get to it.

    Movie #11/ New Movie #8/ 2017 Movie #5: Coco
    In some ways, it hits familiar beats from Pixar movies, but it develops the Day of the Dead visual schema quite well, and builds very effectively to some big revelations about the young lead's family. A particular standout is how they're able to use several variations of the central song "Remember Me" with a reprise so moving it makes the first time seem like a parody in comparison.
    9/10



    Movie #12/ New Movie #9/ 2017 Movie #6: The Shape of Water
    Unconventional matter for a film with so many Academy Award nominations. It tells the fairy tale story pretty well, with some excellent period touches and key moments that are quite successful. It knows what it's about and gets the message across quite well. The cast is quite good, especially Hawkins imbuing her mute lead with personality, Richard Jenkins' frustrated artist realizing what matters, and Doug Jones providing a take on The Creature from the Black Lagoon as romantic lead.
    9/10

    Movie #13/ 1990s Movie #1/ Aaron Sorkin Movie #2/ Tom Cruise Movie #1: A Few Good Men
    A smart legal drama that made Sorkin's name. Cruise is perfect as a cocky young lawyer forced to take some risks, while Nicholson's corrupt general is an imposing antagonist whose perspective and actions are given their due. The events leading to the cover-up are believable, as are the actions everyone takes after.
    9/10

    Movie #14/ 1990s Movie #2/ New Movie #10: Cruel Intentions
    I largely ended up watching it due to a mash-up of a key scene, and a Trump speech. The world of the film is a moral vacuum, and almost irredeemably so. There's wit, but not enough to make up for the ridiculousness.
    6/10

    Movie #15/ 2010s Movie #3/ Aaron Sorkin Movie #3: Moneyball
    It's a film about sports that might not be as interesting to people who care about sports, as a General Manager and a statistician work on getting a baseball team of undervalued players. It's a smart clash between tradition and new methods.
    9/10

    Movie #16/ 2010s Movie #4 / Julianne Moore Film #3:*Crazy Stupid Love

    It's interesting to watch a film that is essentially a spec for a hit show (This is Us.) It's a witty script with an excellent cast that takes some interesting twists, especially in the second act finale when all the threads come together.
    8/10

    Movie #17/ 2010s Movie #5/ Aaron Sorkin Movie #4: The Social Network
    This might remain my favorite movie of the current decade, perhaps because it hits so many sweet spots (young geniuses change the world under everyone else's radar and then a lot of it falls apart.) The performances by Eisenberg, Timberlake, Garfield and Hammer as the men fighting for early Facebook, with different motives and shifting allegiances, are excellent. The script is well-structured and memorable; Trent Reznor's score is brilliant. I'd be very eager to see a sequel dealing with its current Fake News crisis.
    10/10



    Movie #18/ New Movie #11/ 2010s Movie #6/ Estonian Movie #1:*Tangerines/ To Kill a Man
    A few years back when I saw early reports about this film, I asked my mom (who is from Estonia) if she's familiar with the actor*Lembit Ulfsak. She got depressed, and asked if he had died. I said no; by all accounts, he had made his masterpiece. It's probably the best anti-war film I've seen in the 21st Century, as an Estonian farmer in Georgia helps two soldiers from different sides of a conflict recover from the injuries, while also making sure they don't kill one anothr.
    9/10

    Movie #19/ 2000s Movie #2/ Aaron Sorkin Movie #5: Steve Jobs
    It's a very interestingly structured film about Steve Jobs, and the people around him, built around three product launches, telling the story of a flawed genius, which doesn't skimp in either category. We see the ways he unnecessarily alienates family and coworkers, and the big ideas: some of which may be wrong, and some of which have the potential to be world-changing. We see his volatilty. Excellent cast headed by Fassbender and Winslet.
    9/10

    Movie #20/ New Movie #12/ 2017 Movie #7/ Documentary #1: Get Me Roger Stone
    The filmmakers had the good fortune to capture their subject at a fascinating time, just as Roger Stone's buddy was running for President. It's a decent look at the moral code and history of a political fixer who has been active in politics since the Nixon administration, and a story about behind the scenes maneuvering during the 2000 Reform Party nomination might make the best case I've seen for Donald Trump as someone who has been an underappreciated political figure until he ran for President.
    8/10

    Movie #21/ New Movie #13/ 2017 Movie #8: Baby Driver
    The music is pretty awesome, so those Oscar nominations (sound editing, sound mixing) are well deserved. This Edgar Wright vehicle about an unconventional getaway driver has a witty script, great sense of design, and some fantastic car chases, taking some interesting turns on the ethos of the career criminals involved.
    8/10
    Sincerely,
    Thomas Mets

  14. #29
    Ultimate Member Mister Mets's Avatar
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    Movie #22/ 2017 Movie #9: Star Wars- The Last Jedi
    Watching it again, I remain impressed at how well it works to give better adventures for some of the new cast introduced in Force Awakens (an underappreciated element in the success of this trilogy), while adding new characters who take some unpredictable turns, and providing Luke and Leia excellent character arcs. It makes some decisions that could piss off Star Wars fans, and I do understand that, even if I largely agree with those decisions, which result in some excellent twists that build nicely on what's been established. It may also have the best visuals of any Star Wars film to date.
    10/10

    Movie #23/ New Movie #14/ 1980s Movie #9/* Tom Cruise Movie #2: Rain Man

    The oddest thing about the film might be the things that would not apply to modern culture (educated characters with limited awareness of what autism means.) The road trip film features a satisfying transformation for Cruise's Lamborghini dealer (nicely specific touch rather than making him a general car salesman), as he learns some family secrets (the highlight being his realization about an imaginary friend) and grows to appreciate a new brother. Hoffman gives a terrific performance as the autistic savant, as a man who can't change to the same degree and can't articulate what's meaningful to him.
    9/10

    Movie #24/ New Movie #15/ 2010s Movie #7 / Julianne Moore Film #4:*Game Change

    This take on Palin's stint as Republican Vice-Presidential nominee operated as a kind of disaster movie, where the disaster no one quite sees coming is her complete lack of policy understanding, as well as her failure to adapt to the campaign. It's a decent film about political ideas, as well as the difficulties of the media environment, and the compromises that may be necessary, and the questions that will later be asked.
    8/10

    Movie #25/ New Movie #16/ 2017 Movie #10: Call Me By Your Name

    It's a tender beautifully shot film about a young man's early love in an idyllic setting. It's paced interestingly, taking time to get to the consummation. I'm sure there are some viewers (especially intellectual gay men who like Europe) for whom this film will speak as much as The Social Network (the other great Armie Hammer performance) spoke to me.
    9/10



    Movie #26/ New Movie #17/ 1990s Movie #3/ Tom Cruise Movie #3/ Julianne Moore Movie #5:*Magnolia
    It's a well-made film about a variety of sad people in Los Angeles, interconnected in strange ways. I appreciate the storytelling, the way things keep getting propelled forward, and the crazed characters. There are some strange artistic choices, especially in the final deluge, and some of the stories do peter out a bit. But when it works (Cruise's men's rights activist giving a lecture twenty years early, Moore's trophy wife falling apart) it's really remarkable.
    9/10

    Movie #27/ 2000s Movie #3/ Tom Cruise Movie #4: Tropic Thunder

    It's a decent Hollywood satire, with a strong cast and a story that takes some interesting turns, while setting up the crucial misunderstanding pretty well. It's a bit of an idiot plot, but that works because they're idiots.
    8/10

    Movie #28/ New Movie #18/ 2018 Movie #1: Black Panther
    Now this might be the best Marvel Cinematic Universe film ever, with the main competition being the Captain America trilogy. It may also be the biggest pop culture decades from now, as the defining example of Afrofuturism in film. Coogler and company give a sense of grappling with the subject matter for decades before adapting it in a way that introduces the concepts quite well, but also addresses some of the big questions about what's suggested. The biggest flaw is that the lead might be the fourth most interesting person in the film, behind Michael B Jordan's Kilmonger (easily one of the best comic book villains), and the main women who support T'Challa: Lupita Nyongo'o's Nakia— Wakandan who has seen the outside world and wants to change it—and Letita Wright's Shuri—combination of princess and mad scientist.
    10/10

    Movie #29/ New Movie #19/ 2000s Movie #4/ Criterion Edition #1:*The*New World (Extended Edition)
    This isn't a shocker with Emmanuel Lubezki on cinematography, but this is a beautiful film. It's probably my favorite of Malick's, due to the beauty and the way that some of the ponderousness is earned, in a story about people who are changing world history. It captures the sense quite well of the story behind the myth, even if it ends up taking significant liberties as well. Excellent cast, with some unexpected turns.
    10/10

    Movie #30/ New Movie #20/ 2000s Movie #5/ Tom Cruise Movie #5: Collateral
    Jamie Foxx's best supporting actor nomination in category fraud, since he's clearly the lead, although he is quite good as a cab driver keeping things bottled up who finds himself to keep up with Tom Cruise's hitman.
    9/10

    Bonus Movie #1/ New Movie #11/ 2010s Movie #6A/ Documentary #1A/ Estonian Movie #1A:*The Master Plan
    I saw this documentary (a joint project by Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian arts councils) at an event, and it's fascinating, but it's less than an hour long, so I don't want to count it. It looks at Russian propaganda efforts in the Baltics, with some rather scary examples (a Latvian elected official who is largely a shill for Russia on RT and other media outlets, BS organizations that are used to give credentials for Russian stooges to meet with elected officials and to opine in media appearances about what's going on in the world.)
    8/10

    Best Movie of the Batch: The Social Network

    With all the Oscarbait films, this list was heavily biased towards newer movies, especially when combined with the sub-challenges I picked for myself, it meant I had incentives to select actors and writers who have been productive recently.

    I'm not sure the extent to which the films I saw in various categories are representaitve of anything, but 2017 was a decent year in film. Aaron Sorkin's a hell of a writer who is pretty idea of tackling ideas and questions of morality and purpose, especially in a modern context. Tom Cruise is pretty good at playing assholes. Julianne Moore plays intense very well.
    Sincerely,
    Thomas Mets

  15. #30
    Astonishing Member Soubhagya's Avatar
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    Great Job, Mister Mets!

    You have already reached 30!

    I have got some cool recommendations. I did not know that they made films in Estonia. There are a lot of good films to watch from around the world.


    I am happy you watched 'Magnolia'. I watched it a few years ago and loved it. Its true that the ending feels somewhat strange. That beginning should have been a giveaway. That was weird too. I almost gave up watching after that beginning.

    I agree with Julianne Moore's falling apart. I loved her performance. I thought the scenes showing her breakdown were great. She is a wonderful actress. I loved Philip Seymour Hoffman's character. His acting was very good too. And Tom Cruise gave a really good performance. Nowadays he is taking more safer roles. But he is more talented then a number of people give him credit for. I thought Melora Walters performance was great too. One could feel her dilemma. I loved that film.

    And you watched Baby Driver too for the first time too. I thought it was wonderful and i agree with your assessment. I thought Ansel Elgort was quite an effective lead. I am yet to be disappointed by an Edgar Wright film. The closest to that was The World's End. But i find even that quite entertaining. His films are just too good.

    I agree with your assessment for The Last Jedi. Its a brilliant film. In my opinion the best since the Original Trilogy. But i am risking posting this. As anger of fans for it may follow this thread too. However i have one question? What was the character arc of Leia? I can't see that clearly like say Luke who had the best arc i can imagine. They did nothing that i wanted to see. But i loved whatever they did with his character. Its something similar to Logan don't you think?

    I haven't watched a lot of these films yet. Maybe someday soon. Keep up the good work.
    Last edited by Soubhagya; 02-24-2018 at 07:06 AM.

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