200 Movies in 2020 Challenge!

[Vishop]

72.The Red Balloon: A Short Film(1956)
73.The Outlaw Josey Wales(1976)
74.Det sjunde inseglet(1957)
75.The Shining(1980)
76.The Social Network(2010)

[Attila Kiss]

91. Next (2007) - Netflix
92. Jojo Rabbit (2019) - DVD Rent
93. 2 Alone In Paris (2008) - Netflix
94. Time Machine (2002) - DVD Collection
95. The Whole Nine Yards (2000) - DVD Collection
96. The Witch: Part 1 - The Subversion (2018) - Netflix
97. The Last Days Of American Crime (2020) - Netflix
98. Motherless Brooklyn (2019) - DVD Rent
99. Fateless (2005) - DVD Collection
100. Contraband (2012) - Netflix

[Mister Mets]

I've gone with the 30 Day film challenge (see a few posts above) for June.

Movie #92/ 1990s Movie #6/ 30 Day Challenge Day 1: Aladdin
I know for sure that it was the first movie I remember seeing in theaters. It's got good songs, good characters and perhaps the best G-rated sidekick ever in Robin Williams' genie. One thing that it does really well is the small moments, like when lava is popping to the left and right of the characters.
9/10

Movie #93/ 1980s Movie #8/ 30 Day Challenge Day 2: Terminator
It's a very 1980s film, in terms of clothing, music, the special effects, and action movie catchphrases. But it's also really good in showing a woman grappling with her destiny, against an enemy that is relentless.
9/10

Movie #94/ New Movie #53/ 1960s Movie #12/ 30 Day Challenge Day 3: The Spy Who Came In From The Cold
It has a dark convoluted plot involving all sorts of double-crosses, but everything is tied up very well in the end. Richard Burton is astounding as a spy hitting middle-age who is bored with it all.
9/10



Movie #95/ 1990s Movie #7/ 30 Day Challenge Day 4: Terminator 2: Judgment Day
It's tremendously effective as a sequel, showing how Sarah Connor was affected by her experiences, and giving her son the arc she had in the previous film, as the kid becomes the type of guy who could save man. The decision to make Schwarzenegger's Terminator a hero in this one pays off big, taking advantage of his action hero charm, and adding a wrinkle to the man vs machine narrative by focusing on a robot slowly becoming more human.
10/10

Movie #96/ New Movie #54/ 2010s Movie #5/ 30 Day Challenge Day 5: Trumbo
Looking at all the scenes of him writing a lot of screenplays in a short amount of time is great inspiration for writers who procrastinate way too much. The film itself is just okay. Cranston's excellent, even if the movie doesn't really explore Dalton Trumbo's beliefs or talent in serious depth.
7/10

Movie #97/ 2000s Movie #5/ 30 Day Challenge Day 6: Up
I can't be sure that it's my favorite animated film (it could just as easily have been Fantasia, Pinocchio, Finding Nemo, Wall-E) but this was a movie that couldn't be done any other way. I'd have loved to be a fly on the wall when the writers explained they needed a nine-figure budget for a movie about a widower who attached thousands of balloons to his house, and goes on a journey. Obviously, the execution was tremendous.
10/10

Movie #98/ 1980s Movie #9/ 30 Day Challenge Day 7: The Princess Bride
Day 7 of the 30-Day film challenge was a bit tough since I don't rewatch movies a lot. As previous entries here show, well over half the time I watch a film it's something I've never seen before. I do waste time checking out specific clips on Youtube, but that's not the same as seeing the entire film. That said, I can never get tired of the Princess Bride. It's such a great script, from someone whose work is very different (Butch Cassady & the Sundance Kid, Misery.) But the MVPS are Mandy Patankin & Andre the Giant as two of the best supporting characters in film. I just love their transition from memorable henchmen (overshadowing the other bad guys to be honest) to allies. They both got robbed of Oscar nominations.
8/10

Movie #99/ 2010s Movie #6/ 30 Day Challenge Day 8: Tron: Legacy
It is one of the best scores I've ever heard, and something I've listened to a lot. However, I haven't seen the film since it was in theaters. And it's fine. It is imperfect, but it is about something, has some impressive sequences, and uses Jeff Bridges pretty well, as his tech CEO is more zen and laid back than in the 80s original.
8/10



Movie #100/ Silent Movie #7/ 30 Day Challenge Day 9: The Adventures of Prince Achmed
There aren't that many critically acclaimed films that I didn't like, although I get that an experimental silent animated film may not be popular enough to count as universally loved. It's visually impressive, with silhouette animation over color tints, in a manner that resembles shadow puppets. So I did appreciate it more this time around, even if I'm not sure it's a great approach for a full-length narrative. It does require some patience, as it's easy to drift off and lose track of the plot, in a story involving magical transformations and flashbacks, and a guy's realization (not really expanded on) that a major character is his brother in law. The viewer doesn't have vocals or anything akin to traditional close-ups as a foothold in a silent movie where we mainly see flat silhouettes, and that all makes it even harder.
7/10

Movie #101/ 2000s Movie #6/ 30 Day Challenge Day 10: The Dark Knight
Picking The Dark Knight as a favorite superhero film is certainly not a surprising choice, but it's obvious for a reason. It's really, really good. Heath Ledger's Joker is one of the best film villains ever, and he pushes everybody in an all-star cast to make successively difficult choices in a movie that has so many incredible action sequences and moments.
10/10

Movie #102/ 2000s Movie #7/ 30 Day Challenge Day 11: Cloverfield
Picking a movie I like in a genre I don't is a bit tough, since I can appreciate films in most genres. I wasn't particularly fond of monster movies, disaster films, and found footage, so I went with Cloverfield. It works pretty well. I haven't seen it since it was in theaters, so it was a little odd to recognize some actors who have since gone on to bigger stuff (Lizzy Caplan, T.J. Miller) while the once obscure director has gone on to Planet of the Apes sequels and the new Batman. Miller's cameraman annoys the hell out of me, although it does sell the idea that this idiot would record everything. There are some great sequences, and twists, and they use the limited understanding of the characters pretty well.
8/10

Movie #103/ 1990s Movie #8/ 30 Day Challenge Day 12: Batman Returns
I guess superhero movies have to be my favorite genre, just given my interest in comics, and I really didn't care for Batman Returns, although others died, since it's at 76% on Rotten Tomatoes, strange for such an oddball blockbuster. I get why some people like it, but not a supermajority of critics. The production design, and small moments are good. But the whole story is built on flawed premises. I get that it's a superhero film, but some of it is just too silly. Selina Kyle has a bad fall, and gains powers. This take on the Penguin was literally raised by penguins. And it's hard to buy the ugly duckling phase of Michelle Pfeiffer's character arc, because it was Michelle Pfeiffer. Tim Burton did obviously get to make the movie he wanted, and the box office shows it resonated with audiences.
8/10

Movie #104/ 2010s Movie #7/ 30 Day Challenge Day 13: Best of Enemies
For Day 13, I spent a lot of time thinking about movies that made me think. There are a few, but even when I appreciate a movie on an intellectual level, it doesn't always put me in deep thoughts. This documentary Best of Enemies, about the 1968 debates between Gore Vidal and William F Buckley Jr, does qualify. While it doesn't delve seriously into the policy arguments, it does get into some big process arguments, which I've always been interested in. How do we determine the winner of an argument? Should someone be defined by one weak moment? Is an argument about an issue, or the underlying subtext, like which way of life is better? What's fair in an intellectual argument? You can watch the film and think that this kind of rigorous extensive debate is missing in modern television. But it also led to much of modern television/ podcast commentary, and the idea of politics as entertainment. There are some questions I'd have liked to see interrogated a little more, like whether Gore Vidal was really the best choice to represent the left, given his opposition to Democratic nominee Hubert Humphrey. Questions about the choices made lead me to think about the movie more.
8/10

Movie #105/ 1960s Movie #13/ 30 Day Challenge Day 14: Winter Light
I went with this one party because there's a documentary on the making of it that I've been meaning to watch. This was a bleak film, with a minister dealing with a crisis of faith and meaning in rural Sweden during the winter, at a time when very few bother to go to church. It's made darker by his constant refusal to accept something good into his life. A cliched answer to questions of meaning (as seen in the Day 15 film) is that love is what matters most, so this minister is a widower, who knew love and has not recovered from its absence. And he doesn't even realize how much he's hurting the people around him. It's especially true when he fails one of his congregants, and we're not clear if he understands how an analysis of Christ and his apostles might just relate to him. This is a brilliant film, but it is depressing, and that isn't alleviated by thinking about it rationally.
9/10

Movie #106/ 1940s Movie #10/ 30 Day Challenge Day 15: A Matter of Life and Death
It might have an auspicious start for a film that makes me happy, as it kicks off with David Niven as a pilot jumping out of a burning aircraft without a parachute. And then it deals with the ramifications of his survival, as he falls in love and protests when representatives from heaven explain that his survival was a big misunderstanding. Even with the serious themes of the meaning of life, and a few tragic deaths, it's a beautiful film about people being pleasant to one another. It's quite similar to It's a Wonderful Life, which is one of my favorite movies ever.
10/10

[DebkoX]

I ought to start adding to this. I've easily seen over 50 so far but I will start afresh;

[1] Annabelle Comes Home
[2] Murder in Mind: the Manson Killings
[3] Superman (1978)

[Amacent]

10. Bitch (2017)
11. Doctor Sleep (2019) - rewatch
12. Knives Out (2019)
13. Upgrade (2018)
14. Girl on the Third Floor (2019)
15. The Wicker Man (1973)
16. The Peanuts (2015)
17. Working Girl (1988)
18. Await Further Instructions (2018)
19. An Inspector Calls (2015)
20. Zootopia (2016) - rewatch
21. It : Chapter Two (2019) - rewatch
22. Mansfield Park (1999)
23. El Camino (2019) - rewatch
24. Calibre (2018)
25. Cold Mountain (2003)
26. Joker (2019)
27. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt : Kimmy vs the Reverend (2020)
28. Mirai (2018)
29. Nocturnal Animals (2016)
30. Eyes Without A Face (1960)
31. Tea and Sympathy (1956)

[DebkoX]

[1] Annabelle Comes Home
[2] Murder in Mind: the Manson Killings
[3] Superman (1978)
[4] Battle Royale
[5] Superman II
[6] Kotoko (Japanese)
[7] Tomb Raider (2018)
[8] I am Mother
[9] The Ring (Japanese)
[10] Themla
[11] Coyote Lake
[12] Philadelphia
[13] Cape Fear (De Niro)
[14] The Endless

[Attila Kiss]

101. Wira (2019) - Netflix
102. Da 5 Bloods (2020) - Netflix
103. Knives Out (2019) - DVD Rent
104. Deadwood: The Movie (2019) - DVD Rent
105. Eurovision Song Contest: The Story Of Fire Saga (2020) - Netflix
106. Sicario: Day Of The Soldado (2018) - Netflix
107. Spy Hard (1996) - DVD Collection
108. Gemini Man (2019) - DVD Rent
109. The Courier (2019) - Netflix
110. Last Bullet (2020) - Netflix

[Mister Mets]

Continuing the 30 day Film Challenge (see post #89)...



Movie #107/ New Movie #55/ 1970s Movie #12/ Criterion Edition #24/ 30 Day Challenge Day 16: 1984
From what I remember of George Orwell’s novella, it is a faithful and well-done adaptation. I wonder if it would be accessible to someone who hasn’t read the book, although the imagery of Big Brother is iconic and widespread enough that the internal struggles of a character who can not articulate what he truly thinks can remain comprehensible. John Hurt is excellent the minor propaganda functionary, showing the miserableness and the small amount of spirit in a story that looks at just what it takes to crush that spirit.
8/10

Movie #108/ 2000s Movie #8/ 30 Day Challenge Day 17: Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Extended Edition)
I definitely watched this one a bit out of order, because the four-hour extended edition is a monster for one weekday. It’s not perfect, but it is brilliant, likely the best adaptation of the fantasy genre to the screen. Gollum and Gandalf were the series MVPs, but the finale gives Aragorn and Samwise a chance to shine, mixing the epic and the small. In this story, there are some truly impressive battle sequences, but it’s also a world in which a death-trap takes hours to spring and someone can be framed for the theft of some bread. And it all works.
10/10

Movie #109/ 1950s Movie #8/ 30 Day Challenge Day 18: Winchester ’73
Jimmy Stewart is probably my favorite actor. The first of his five collaborations with director Anthony Mann is a relatively brief western that ties some touchstones (the reaction to Custer’s last stand, Wyatt Earp) with a revenge saga.
9/10


Movie #110/ New Movie #56/ 1960s Movie #14/ 30 Day Challenge Day 19: Marnie
This was the highest ranked Hitchcock film I hadn’t seen yet according to the They Shoot Pictures Don’t They Top 1,000. It was weird. There are intermittent moments of genius, but there are also some slow stretches, and the leads are often unlikable. Tippi Hedrin plays a compulsive thief, and Sean Connery essentially plays a sexual blackmailer. And the final revelations are really dark. It’s more interesting for the WTF moments than as a work of art. At this point, Frenzy is probably the biggest Hitchcock film I’ve never said. I’ll probably enjoy that one more.
7/10

Movie #111/ Silent Movie #8/ 30 Day Challenge Day 20: The Passion of Joan of Arc
I’m not sure that there’s any film that has seriously changed the direction of my life. Marketa Lazerova got me on a kick on watching films from the Czech New Wave, or that rated as a country’s best. It’s a Wonderful Life was one of my favorite movies ever for some time, until I saw The Godfather. Some films have had an impact on the world, and it’s possible that there’s something in Reagan’s filmography that I haven’t seen but that did in some lead to him becoming President. The Passion of Joan of Arc has increased my awareness of the potential of the medium, and the possibilities with older film. It may also have the best performance ever. Maria Falconetti is stunning as a world-historic figure pushed to the limit. And it’s a silent film largely in close-up, so she doesn’t have the advantage of being able to rely on her voice or body language. And it’s not clear that anyone’s ever been better. Watching it again, it’s an astounding high stakes story of one woman’s determination to stick to her principles even if it means death, and a martyr slowly realizing that God isn’t going to be able to save her.
10/10

Movie #112/ 1930s Movie #11/ 30 Day Challenge Day 21: Limite
I have fallen asleep watching Limite, an experimental silent film with long stretches of soothing music in which very little happens, and what does happen often occurs very slowly. The visuals are often lovely and evocative. But it is so easy to lose focus in a narrative that isn’t the easiest to follow to begin with.
8/10

Movie #113/ 2010s Movie #8/ 30 Day Challenge Day 22: 12 Years A Slave
When selecting a movie that made me angry, I decided to go with something that was well-made, rather than something that pissed me off because of serious mistakes. This is a powerful take on the horrors of slavery in the United States, and the fundamental unfairness of the situation that Solomon Northup found himself in, and that so many people were unable to escape. Every aspect of it works. The cast, and production are excellent. The Shakespearean approach to dialogue creates a sense of timelessness, while appropriate to the setting. The one artistic decision I’ll disagree with involves Brad Pitt’s role. He plays someone Solomon trusted with his story. He should have played the other guy.
9/10

Movie #114/ 1990s Movie #9/ 30 Day Challenge Day 23: Batman & Mr. Freeze: Sub-Zero
Selected a film made by a director who passed away was a pretty easy challenge for me, as I probably meet it with a good chunk of the films I see. Director Boyd Kirkland sadly passed away in 2011. It comes across as a decent two-parter of the show, padded to 65 minutes. It’s not great, but it does provide a conclusion to “Heart of Ice” so that’s always worthwhile.
7/10

Movie #115/ 1950s Movie #9/ 30 Day Challenge Day 24: Vertigo
I wanted to catch Vertigo, when it was playing for a night in one of New York’s independent theaters a few years back, but it got sold out. It’s really good, although I’m a bit perplexed by its insane popularity with film critics and professionals. I completely get placing it on a Top 100. But best of all time, according to Sight & Sound? It’s easy to describe what happens, but not necessarily why it works as well as it does, a slow burn with a truly satisfying payoff and amazing visuals.
10/10

Movie #116/ 1960s Movie #15/ 30 Day Challenge Day 25: The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence
It’s an excellent western, exploring some themes that are commonplace (the transition from one era to another, the bringing of law and order to a land of violence) but never quite this well, with all-time greats Jimmy Stewart, John Wayne and Lee Marvin on different sides. This is a story with some sympathy for the loser in the transition, and perhaps the greatest twist of any western.
9/10



Movie #117/ 1950s Movie #10/ 30 Day Challenge Day 26: Harvey
It’s just a lot of fun. Harvey exemplifies Stewart’s screen persona, as someone who chooses to be pleasant, even if there is some weirdness around. Josephine Hull is a standout as the sister, driven to the edge of her brother’s peculiarities, although her character arc is quite satisfying.
9/10

Movie #118/ 1990s Movie #10/ 30 Day Challenge Day 27: Visions of Light
Because this look at the history of cinematography essentially serves as a “Best Of” for the medium, it is pound for pound, one of the most visually impressive films ever. It’s a decent look at how cinematographers do their job, and how they adapt to technological change.
9/10

Movie #119/ 2019 Movie #10/ 30 Day Challenge Day 28: Joker
It’s uncomfortable on every level, with appropriate cringe moments for the inept lead, and some tough questions about mental illness and the particular value or whether it should be enjoyed. Second time watching it, I’m definitely on the side defending its artistic merit. It’s well-made, with a fantastic score and cinematography, as well as a powerful lead performance from Joaquin Phoenix as a pathetic man who finds meaning by doing some truly reprehensible things.
8/10

Movie #120/ 1950s Movie #111/ 30 Day Challenge Day 29: Rear Window
It’s a fantastic thriller, and looking at this and Vertigo, I’m getting an appreciation for Hitchcock’s skill at the slow burn, so that we start caring about the characters when the movie shifts to life and death stakes. The romantic arc is a little annoying, with Stewart’s injured photographer eclipsed by his perfect girlfriend. Who wouldn’t fall in love with Grace Kelly?
10/10

Movie #121/ 2010s Movie #9/ 30 Day Challenge Day 30: The Dark Knight Rises
It was an excellent ending to the best superhero adaptation. Because Ledger’s Joker was so good, Hardy’s Bane is somewhat overshadowed, but he is one of the great film villains. DKR builds nicely on the consequences of the lies from The Dark Knight, with some big questions that remain very timely. The cast is astounding, and the collapse of Gotham City sets up a great final challenge for the Batman.
9/10

[foxley]

I just watched film no. 100, so I'm still on track for 200 in the year.

Film no. 100 was The Young Poisoner's Handbook, a 1995 British black comedy loosely based on the life of serial killer Graham Young. A film that is by terms amusing and disturbing. And surprisingly hard to locate on DVD.

Films watched to date:

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)
51) Money Movers (1978)
52) Gunless (2010)
53) The Man from Colorado (1948)
54) Prairie Fever (2008)
55) Wishmaster 2: Evil Never Dies (1999)
56) Seven (1979)
57) Tiger House (2015)
58) Death Spa (1989)
59) Starkweather (2004)
60) Curse of the Headless Horseman (1972)
61) Accident Man (2018)
62) From Beyond the Grave (1974)
63) The Bold Caballero (1936)
64) Valdez Is Coming (1971)
65) Swashbuckler (1976)
66) Shrooms (2007)
67) Killer Workout (1987)
68) The Suckers (1972)
69) Apache (1954)
70) Van Helsing (2004)
71) Scavenger Hunt (1979)
72) The Notorious Daughter of Fanny Hill (1966)
73) Bruiser (2000)
74) John Tucker Must Die (2006)
75) Against All Flags (1952)
76) Truth or Dare (2018)
77) Hot Bot (2016)
78) Torture Garden (1967)
79) Dick Tracy, Detective (1945)
80) Bloody Homecoming (2013)
81) Manhunt (2008)
82) Lady Vengeance (2005)
83) Machete Kills (2013)
84) Sheitan (2006)
85) Bad Reputation (2006)
86) The Scavengers (1969)
87) The Charge at Feather River (1953)
88) Varsity Blood (2014)
89) The Leopard Man (1943)
90) Dick Tracy vs. Cueball (1946)
91) The Naked Witch (1961)
92) The Aggression Scale (2012)
93) Asylum (1972)
94) Revenge of the Virgins (1959)
95) Confessions of a Psycho Cat (1968)
96) Reptilicus (1961)
97) Long Weekend (1978)
98) Lockjaw: Rise of the Kulev Serpent (2008)
99) Curse of the Undead (1959)
100) The Young Poisoner's Handbook (1995)

[DebkoX]

1] Annabelle Comes Home
[2] Murder in Mind: the Manson Killings
[3] Superman (1978)
[4] Battle Royale
[5] Superman II
[6] Kotoko (Japanese)
[7] Tomb Raider (2018)
[8] I am Mother
[9] The Ring (Japanese)
[10] Themla
[11] Coyote Lake
[12] Philadelphia
[13] Cape Fear (De Niro)
[14] The Endless
[15] The Woodsman
[16] Stray Dolls

[Vishop]

77.Inside Lleweyn Davis(2013)
78.The Sixth Sense(1999)
79.The Third Man(1949)
80.Looper(2012)

[DebkoX]

1] Annabelle Comes Home
[2] Murder in Mind: the Manson Killings
[3] Superman (1978)
[4] Battle Royale
[5] Superman II
[6] Kotoko (Japanese)
[7] Tomb Raider (2018)
[8] I am Mother
[9] The Ring (Japanese)
[10] Themla
[11] Coyote Lake
[12] Philadelphia
[13] Cape Fear (De Niro)
[14] The Endless
[15] The Woodsman
[16] Stray Dolls
[17] Sleepers
[18] Psycho (1998)
[19] Blood on Her Name

[Attila Kiss]

111. 21 Bridges (2019) - DVD Rent
112. A Tight Skin (1982) - DVD Collection
113. A Tight Skin 2 (1987) - DVD Collection
114. Young Lady Chatterley (1977) - DVD Collection
115. Young Lady Chatterley II (1985) - DVD Collection
116. Attack Of The Phantoms (1978) - DVD Collection
117. GlassTiger 3 (2010) - DVD Collection
118. Frozen Stiff (2002) - DVD Collection
119. The Informer (2019) - Netflix
120. Desperados (2020) - Netflix

[Attila Kiss]

121. Well (2016) - Videa
122. Demimonde (2015) - Videa
123. Heavenly Shift (2013) - YouTube
124. Comrade Drakulich (2019) - YouTube
125. Sonic The Hedgehog (2020) - DVD Rent
126. The Butcher, The Whore And The One-Eyed Man (2017) - YouTube
127. Tight Skin 3 (1988) - DVD Collection
128. Tight Skin 4 (1991) - DVD Collection
129. The Gentlemen (2019) - Netflix
130. Kojot (2017) - YouTube

[Mister Mets]

This month, I went with comics documentaries, the films of Jiri Menzel, movies about trains, and stuff available on the Shudder streaming service.

Movie #122/ New Movie# 57/ 2010s Movie #10/ Comic Book Documentary #1: Warren Ellis: Captured Ghosts
This is a decent analysis of his work and impact on comics, with some friendly interviews that get to why he’s such an absurd and interesting character, even beyond his actual work. I’m not sure it succeeds for someone who isn’t familiar with his record, and some of the reproductions of his ideas come across like cosplay, but it gets into what makes this particular writer tic. I should note I watched this one before the allegations came out, so I wasn’t considering that context.
8/10

Movie #123/ New Movie #58/ 2010s Movie #11/ Comic Book Documentary #2: Grant Morrison- Talking With Gods
The Grant Morrison spotlight is slightly less interesting to me, even if his stories are more outrageous, perhaps because I’m familiar with most of it before. If Warner Brothers is looking at the success of Joker and considering R-rated properties, a Grant Morrison biopic could make sense because he is such a unique man, with some crazy stories involving his DC comics influence. His version of Saving Mr. Banks would be bonkers.
7/10

Movie #124/ 1940s Movie #11/ Criterion Edition #25/ Trains #1: Palm Beach Story
A pleasant comedy of divorce and remarriage, that deals with some serious themes (during the Great Depression, a young wife tries to leave her husband to find a wealthy man to pay for his ambitions) while featuring some great absurd asides and sequences, especially with the ale & quail hunting club, and Rudy Vallee as the type of rich guy Tony Curtis would pretend to be in Some Like It Hot.
9/10

Movie #125/ New Movie# 59/ 1960s Movie #16/ Criterion Edition #26/ Czech Film #3/ Jiri Menzel Film #1: Pearls of the Deep
A portmanteau with some of the leading figures in the Czech New Wave movement adapting short stories by the same writers. The results are consistently interesting. Menzel depicted a strange conversation between motorycle afficianados heading to a race. Němec had a great take on two old men looking back at their accomplishments, with a twist. Chytilová showed surreal events in a diner. Jireš depicted the beginnings of a young romance from people with very different backgrounds. Schorm highlighted a very strange artist. It was all interesting and enjoyable.
8/10

Movie #126/ New Movie# 60/ 1960s Movie #17/ Criterion Edition #27/ Czech Film #4/ Jiri Menzel Film #2: Capricious Summer
This movie about three middle aged guy trying to impress a travelling magician’s beautiful assistant is funny, but doesn’t sell the idea that she would be interested in any of them.
7/10


Movie #127/ New Movie #62/ 2010s Movie #12/ Comic Book Documentary #3: Rude Dude- The Steve Rude Story
This is a contrast from the other comic book documentaries in getting to some serious stuff, including mental illness and the effect all this has on the artist’s family.
8/10

Movie #128/ New Movie #63/ 1950s Movie #12/ Trains Movie #2: The Titfield Thunderbolt
It was an okay Ealing comedy, in which a small British town is way too emotionally invested in the local railroad, stakes that are never quite explained. My train buff dad appreciated the contrast between trains of different eras, which became relevant to the plot.
7/10

Movie #129/ New Movie #64/ 2020 Movie #6: Hamilton
Hamilton the musical is potentially the best artistic work of the 21st century, so it’s tremendous to have a great recording of it. I’ve listened to the soundtrack a lot, but the filmed version provides an appreciation for character arcs: Angelica’s unrequited love, Eliza as potentially the true hero, Burr’s ethos of waiting for the right moment, and Hamilton as Lin-Manuel Miranda’s spirit animal. I don’t think I’ve been this affected by anything in years.
10/10

Movie #130/ New Movie #65/ Silent Movie #9/ Trains Movie #3: The Wrecker
My train buff dad did appreciate the decent set pieces involving the British Southern Rail, in a silent mystery about the hunt for someone intentionally causing train derailments.
7/10

Movie #131 / New Movie #66/ 2020 Movie #7: Palm Springs
Fun take on Groundhog Day exploring what it would mean for two people to be stuck in a loop together, what happens when there are consequences to all of this, and differing approaches to being in a fantastic situation.
8/10

Movie #132 / 1970s Movie #13/ Shudder Film #1: Texas Chainsaw Massacre
One of the most iconic horror movies ever made. It’s sent up so well in A Cabin in the Woods that it seems like part of a shared universe, but it still holds up pretty well.
9/10

Movie #133 / New Movie #67/ 1980s Movie #10/ Shudder Film #2: The House By the Cemetery
This story of a family in a haunted cabin gets pretty weird. The revelation about the bad guy is unsatisfying, but there are some interesting twists at the end.
7/10



Movie #134 / New Movie #68/ 2010s Film #13: Sgt. Stubby An American Hero
The story of a decorated war dog during World War 1 is a change of pace in between horror films. It’s a very pleasant movie worth sharing with the older or younger generation. And the film’s social media account likes what I said about them on twitter.
8/10

Movie #135 / New Movie #69/ 2010s Movie #14/ Shudder Film #3/ German Film #1: Hagazussa
A bit like The Witch in its depiction of a young woman who turns to paganism, it has some strong moments and eerie moments, but it’s often dull and meaningless.
6/10

Movie #136 / New Movie #70/ 2010s Movie #15/ Shudder Film #4/ Finnish Film #4: Lake Bodom
It opens with an interesting idea with one teen kinda tricking others into going to the site of a notorious unsolved murder in order to test a theory about it. When the inevitable bad stuff happens, there are some really weird reactions to a murder somewhat mitigated by a twist into the motivations of the character, although it is often hard to find someone to root for.
7/10

Movie #137 / New Movie #71/ 2010s Movie #16/ Shudder Film #5: The Taking of Deborah Logan
It combines a decent concept (a woman who may have been involved in demonic stuff decades ago suffers Alzheimers) with found footage horror, in a generally satisfying way. A highlight is the departure of one of the leads just as things go to hell.
7/10

Movie #138/ New Movie #72/ 1980s Movie #11/ Shudder Film #6: Tenebrae
A kinda-meta Argento where the lead is an author facing criticism of his work similar to the kind Argento faces. Elevated by some really nice shots, a decent soundtrack and a few bold twists.
8/10