Ryan McNeil
It was a crazy week for yours truly. Every single night except Monday had things going on – podcasts to record, pub nights to go to, concerts to see, dinners to attend. There was so very much to do that it almost left no time for movies.
But then, early on, right on the edge of all the excitement, I went and got sick. And what would have been a busy Monday at the office turned into a miserable Monday in bed. Someone I know suggested that all these plans I had was the reason I wasn’t feeling well, or healing quickly. That may be, but it’s never stood in my way before.
At least it gave me a chance to get some watching done.
Sick days are spent in the company of films I’ve seen before, so as you can see – this week’s rewatch tally is pretty-much off the charts. Mister Scorsese kept me company while I sweated away my fever, and as I began the day, I started by reaching for some of his movies that I’d seen the least. I guess I thought that if I rewatched movies I was the least familiar with, it would sorta be like watching first-time selections. I wasn’t wrong. Of course, I drifted in and out of THE WOLF OF WALL STREET so much that I almost shouldn’t count it.
The good news is that I’m feeling better, and very little is on the slate for this week. So bring on the stuff I’ve never seen before!
Here’s The Week at Hand…
Screenings
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY – There will be much said about this film before the weekend is out
Blu-Rays/DVD’s I’ve Never Seen
BELLE DE JOUR – A strong case for my favorite blindspot of the year.
JUMPER – I fel like there was a better movie to be made here.
Blu-Rays/DVD’s I’ve Seen Before
SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD – Still epic!
THE WOLF OF WALL STREET – I saw Spike Jonze, took a long blink, and then Kyle Chandler was on a subway.
CAPE FEAR – I did better with this, but there are gaps (mostly towards the end)
THE DEPARTED – By this stage I moved to the couch, so this one was consumed on the whole.
THE LAST WALTZ – Which got me feeling much better.
THE USUAL SUSPECTS – For podcasting purposes.
I watched The Lego Movie. I had fairly high expectations because everyone was so over the moon for it, but it kinda feel flat for me. I enjoyed it, and there were a few good jokes, but I really don’t get why it was so popular.
I also find it amusing that they make reference to the main guy being a mainstream sheep type of person, eating at chain restaurants and liking the stuff that’s popular & without depth, and then when the movie came out Everything is Awesome was huge. Weird.
First-Timers: Lucy, Bubble, The Ballad of Narayama (1958 film), and later tonight, Fahrenheit 451 by Francois Truffaut.
Re-Watches: The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, A Knight’s Tale, Legally Blonde, 8 Mile, and Jawbreaker.
Pretty random movie week for me:
GIMME THE LOOT – I watched this on Netflix for the first time for a short piece that I’m doing for Courtney’s site next week.
THE ADVENTURES OF ICHABOD AND MR. TOAD – Going through some of the Disney animated films from the 1940s for the current marathon.
I’m also watching the long bootleg version that Cameron Crowe did of ALMOST FAMOUS and really enjoying it. I just still have about 40 minutes left before it’s finished.
Guardians of the Galaxy – Charming with bad action
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014) – see above
Fletch – I had forgotten every minute of this before the rewatch
Battered Bastards of Baseball – deserves a feature dramatic film
Major League – watched because of above immediately after
Pump Up The Volume – for podcasting purposes
Under the Skin – still don`t love this as much as others do
UHF – Weird Al needs to pitch another movie while the getting is good
Hercules – takes a while to get fun, but it gets there
I just re-watched Divergent, and I didn’t enjoy it as much as I did the first time. But even given that, I still really like the movie, and I get the feeling that even though it’s highly compared to Hunger Games, that there’s a story/characters that appeal to me more in Divergent than HG. Although I feel like HG had more money pumped into it than the Divergent franchise. Ahh, IDK!
I like how you keep track of how many movies you’ve seen this year. I think I need to do that!