I told ya this week would be a bigger crop – and that it would include more first-timers, didn’t I?

I can’t claim too many powers of prediction, since it was a bit of a rigged deck. I knew I had a bunch of new titles to watch for blogging/podcasting purposes, and I also knew that I was planning to have a hermit-like day on Saturday where I just stayed in and got some rest after what was a spectacularly busy month of July.

I got a funny urge this week actually. With the release of the Sight & Sound 50, I got to thinking about films I’ve never seen. Part of me actually wanted to make it a mission to watch a large dose of new-to-me films in 2013 and see how far I could run with it. I mean between the new titles that hit theatres, the great dvd shop up the street, my newfound fondness for recording films off TCM, and all of the cinematheque showings they screen at The Lightbox…it’s conceivable that I could almost watch nothing but first timers!

I doubt I’ll go for it…too many geeky little projects already…but it’s something to think about.

 

Here’s The Week at Hand…

 

Screenings
STEP UP REVOLUTION – This franchise had nowhere to go but up
TOTAL RECALL – I kept waiting for a particular callback to the original that never came.

Blu-Rays/DVD’s I’ve Never Seen
ACE IN THE HOLE – Loved it so much I turned around and bought it immediately.
THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH – Sometimes all it takes is for one person to be bored and another to be hot.
PATTON – Never anticipated liking this as much as I did.
A SCANNER DARKLY – This, on the other hand, is going to leave a mark.
THE THIN MAN – I’m officially addicted to TCM

Blu-Rays/DVD’s I’ve Watched Before
DRIVE – I’m still perplexed by those who called this the best film of 2011.
MINORITY REPORT – Time has been gloriously kind to this film.

Boxscore for The Year
136 First-Timers, 128 Re-Watched
66 Screenings
264 Movies in Total

How’s about you – seen anything good?

25 Replies to “Days of The Week (Films Watched July 28 – August 3)”

  1. Re: Drive. I will say this, if I have redo my best of 2011 list, I would choose A Separation over Drive. Not because Drive got worse with repeated viewings, but A Separation really hit me hard at a repeated screening earlier this year.

    First timer:

    360: I am starting to think City Of God is a fluke

    Trishna: Micheal Winterbottom is still one of my favorite working director, but this one didn’t quite work for me.

    Ai Wei Wei Never Sorry: Little overlong, but feel really sad about the state of my home country.

    Repeated Viewings:

    Dark Knight Rises: Still love it. 2nd viewing really clear some plot points.

    Sunshine: Inspire by the Opening Ceremony. I hated the ending the first time around, less so this time.

    Total Recall: The 1990 version. It’s fine for what it is. It’s really a loose adaptation of Dick’s story, but Verenhoven and Arnold add some humor (both intentional and unintentional) to make this entertaining. I would rather see a more sci-fi vsn of the story though.

    1. The trailer for 360 seemed like a waste of good talent, any redeeming qualities or should I steer clear?

      1. There are some redeeming qualities. Hopkins is always good in a small role and the movie looks good. For some reason, Morgan’s screenplay seems to scream ‘IMPORTANT’ in every page, but the result is utterly trivial.

    2. I’d wager that there are a few others out there who might have the deck shuffled a bit more if they were to redo the 2011 list now, but I still don’t understand the massive effusion. Oddly enough, re-reading my review of it, I wasn’t hard enough on it.

      You jumped the gun on TOTAL RECALL – you shoulda waited until it played The Lightbox next weekend!

    3. I think Drive is a ‘love it or hate it’ type of film. Some people found it pretentious and empty. I found it beautiful and moving. It’s completely different take on the movie, we both don’t quite understand the opinions on the other side.

      Are you going to go see Total Recall at the Lightbox?

    4. I don’t think it’s THAT divisive – I just don’t see it as the game-changer that so many were calling it upon release and at year’s end. Some compared it to TAXI DRIVER, which really left me scratching my head. I *do* like it, and find it beautiful to look at…but am left feeling a bit…hollow.

      And yup, I’ll be at RECALL next weekend, you?

  2. Drive <3 <3 It's so beautifully awesome. I have to watch it again soon. How brilliant is The Thin Man and Myrna Loy’s squint?

    Firsts: Earrings– Love the use of Radiohead in this.
    Arthur Christmas– Daww I love watching Christmas movies in the middle of the year.
    Kahan Kahan Se Guzre– A documentary that was screened in my college about a famous Indian theatre and film personality.
    Beowulf– Since the epic is part of my syllabus. Pretty awful.

    Rewatched: Spider-Man– It’s so much fun still.
    The Dark Knight Rises– Yes I do love it.
    I’m Not There– Even though I don’t get all of it, I’m just happy it exists. Especially because of Cate Blanchett’s performance.

    1. Nah – it’s a “cool” movie, nothing more.

      I actually never caught ARTHUR CHRISTMAS last year, but I’ve never been one for Christmas in July, so I’ll have to wait at least until November.

  3. All I saw this week were Saraband and a documentary on the band Can. Plus, I just re-watched In America just now as I’m writing my review of the film. It’s just been a slow week for me.

    1. It’s been way too long since I watched IN AMERICA, but it’s a movie I truly love. I’m a little saddened when I think about what Jim Sheridan’s career has amounted to.

  4. Firsts: Cabin In The Woods / one of those where I went in with sky high expectations that were never met. Sure the ideas were fresh and novel in some cases but something didn’t click like it did for all the others writing glowing reviews.

    Attack The Block / low expectations but they managed to keep it fresh and lighthearted while playing with familiar genre tropes. Surprised to say I enjoyed it better than Cabin… and Jodie Whitaker needs more roles, I enjoyed her part.

    Bronson / Tom Hardy and Winding Refn really created something intense, uncomfortable and strangely lifelike with this, sorry to say I couldnt stomach the entire thing though.

    Goin for second DKR screening tomorrow, sure to be the highlight this week, even with the flaws and plot holes now stirring around my mind 🙂

    1. I think I’ll be re-watching ATTACK THE BLOCK soon, I’m bit overdue. I still can’t get over the wonderful design of those creatures! As for CABIN, I got lucky that it wasn’t wickedly overhyped for me, even though a large glut of my friends saw it early and went on and on about it.

      It’s fun times, nothing more.

  5. Damn, but isn’t The Thin Man good? It’s one of the best scripts ever written.

    New to me:
    The Leopard: I’m surprised at how engaging this film was despite its length and how unfinished the end feels.
    Rope: A tight story, but a grand experiement
    Juliet of the Spirits: I just don’t get Fellini. I wish I could.
    Dog Day Afternoon: For podcast.
    The Tin Drum: What a hateful film.

    Rewatches:
    Thief: For podcast.
    Miss Representation: Watched it again to prep a presentation on it.
    Miss Representation: Watched it a third time when I showed it to a class.

    1. Oh how wonderful Friday night became thanks to THE THIN MAN. I know Depp wants to remake this, and I actually think he could do good things.

      Both ROPE and DOG DAY are amongst my all-time favorites, must have been a great week for you seeing ’em both within seven days.

  6. Despite being hundreds of KM away (at the cottage), I can stll post my list through the wonders of mobile technology.

    Screenings:
    The Watch – The final 20 minutes somewhat make-up for a film that’s overall so-so
    Conan the Barbarian – AKA “Arnie Punches a Camel”

    DVD/Blu-Ray Watched Before:
    Donnie Darko – Revisited my favourite film ten years to the day of my first viewing
    Attack the Block – I thought of this film while watching The Watch
    My Cousin Vinny – Hard to believe this one is now 20 years old. I miss seeing Joe Pesci in films.
    Drive – I’m not one of those who thought it was the best film of last year, but I still quite like it
    Meet the Parents – A cottage viewing tradition
    Paul – Another (better) film that comes to mind while watching The Watch

  7. Haven’t watched a thing this week thanks to work. Tying in to your comment about seeking about new-to-you movies, I used to re-watch favorites much more than I do now, now that I have so much less time to devote to movie-watching overall. I’m also much less likely to try something that looks marginal, which has no doubt saved me from seeing a lot of bad movies but also no doubt kept me from a few unexpected surprises.

    1. Much of my re-watch tally comes from my dislike of most of what’s on TV. So when “chill-out” moments arrive and I’m looking to just lounge and distract myself, I tend to pull something from the DVD shelf rather than flip channels. Sometimes, it;s also since I’ll likely be doing two things at once (such as right now, as I listen to STAR TREK while responding to comments).

      Like I say – maybe next year i’ll set some sort of a goal for myself.

  8. I don’t have interest in seeing Drive [yes I know I’m probably alone in this one] though I do like Carey Mulligan.

    Oh, I wanted to rewatch Minority Report after seeing the Total Recall remake, Colin is far better in his brief scenes in that one than he was in the entire ‘Recall’ movie.

    1. In the latest Matineecast, we digress to MINORITY REPORT after reviewing RECALL, and Farrell’s part of it was certainly part of the reason. Part of me thinks that we still haven’t seen the best of what he’s capable of…and I have it on good authority that he has a kick-ass film coming later this year.

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