Ryan McNeil
Not many titles watched this week, but we’re still left with a concentrated dose.
For starters, it was a three-screening week, and two of those three made up a double-feature. Last Tuesday, I ventured out to Lightbox for a dinnertime showing of Barbara Stanwyck in BABY FACE. I wasn’t all that sure what to expect in sitting down for this pre-code selection, mostly because my experience with pre-code is fairly limited. I have no idea what was being shown and seen in films prior to Mister Hays writing the rulebook, so I didn’t know whether to expect complete debauchery or mild allusion.
As it happened, BABY FACE fell somewhere in-between. Nothing overt, but no punches pulled either.
There was something disquieting about watching Stanwyck’s character unabashedly sleep her way up the corporate ladder, but at the same time, there was no denying how much gratification comes from watching a woman raise her social standing by exploiting a Neitzche theorem.
After BABY FACE, I had time to grab a cup of tea and return to the same cinema for a showing of Michael Mann’s THIEF. It held no connection at all to BABY FACE, except that seeing both films in a theatrical environment brought upon great joy.
Coming to the work of Mann when I did, THIEF happens to be the film in his canon that I am the least familiar with by far…so in some ways, this felt a lot like watching it for the first time.
Spending as much time as I have with Mann’s films over the last few weeks, I think what I love most about them is the way they seem to feel so connected even though the looks and fashions continue to change. For instance, the music and clothing in THIEF are undeniably ’80’s (was there a film in the decade that Tangerine Dream didn’t score?), but the structure and feel of the film is a perfect match for what Mann did with HEAT in the 90’s, or MIAMI VICE in this century.
Both films were a treat to see on the big screen, especially back-to-back…so I guess what I’m saying is that if you ever get a chance to see selections like these in a cinema, do so…even if you’ve seen them before.
Here’s the week at hand…
Screenings
BABY FACE – Precode Stanwyck on a big screen. Pure bliss.
THIEF – With only one film left in the Mann series, I fear I’ll soon miss my weekly dose of neon and sodium vapour.
CINDERELLA – Charming! More on this tomorrow.
Streaming/Blu-Rays/DVD’s I’ve Never Seen
WINTER LIGHT – The idea is to finish the year more Bergman-literate.
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE (1940) – Wanna piss off an Austen fan? Watch this version with them in the room.
THE 5000 FINGERS OF DR. T – Why don’t they make gems like this anymore?
First-Timers: Greetings from Tim Buckley, Miral, Zazie dans le metro, Maleficent and The Story of Film: An Odyssey in Episode 6 and later tonight, Episode 7.
Re-Watches: The Clash: Westway to the World, Neighbors, Little Miss Sunshine, Broken Flowers, and In the Land of Women.
Now I’m even more intrigued to finally see Thief. I almost watched it last month, but it expired from Netflix before I could pull the trigger. One of these days.
First time:
The Curse
And I re-watched:
Kindergarten Cop
Funny thing: I was given a copy of the Criterion blu-ray for Christmas, but I never got around to watching that copy before this screening. At this stage it’s going on the shelf unviewed!
I’ve been rewatching a lot of movies. I don’t know why but I feel like this way I’ll be less distracted during studies. It’s not working so far though.
Firsts: Zero Motivation– So funny. Loved it.
United States of Leland– Not all Ryan Gosling movies are worth watching.
The DUFF– I enjoyed it. Mae Whitman is awesome.
Rewatched:Captain America: The First Avenger– Between Agent Carter and the new Age of Ultron trailer, I just needed to watch everything with my favourite Avenger in it.
The Avengers– I’ll never stop loving this film.
Captain America: Winter Soldier– Love the action in this.
Drive– Some Ryan Gosling movies need to be watched over and over again.
Zoolander– Had to watch after that walk-off.
Selma– Still fantastic.
Star Wars Ep IV– I don’t think I will ever love this series because I find Luke boring/annoying as hell.
Star Wars Ep V– Obviously better but the Luke thing still holds. Why are people so crazy about Boba Fett again?
Mommy– Cried so much this time. If I do make a best of decade list, this is going to be in it. So will Drive.
I know what you mean with putting on the rewatches to help you do other things. That’s been my M-O for a while now, including helping me nod off to sleep! (That honour went to Bridesmaids last night – I usually choose something that’s already on TV).
So much Marvel…but then I suppose that will be me too in a few weeks!
I was just checkin’ and you’ve seen 86 movies this year while I, with my [feeble] efforts, seem to have only clocked 77! Today, it is Day 76.
With a full-time job and the cultural center of Toronto, that is nuts. And you haven’t even exploited TIFF or HotDocs yet!That’ll be, like, three a day!
The funny thing? I’m actually a sliver under my average.
I’ve been doing the watchlist post for four years an change now, and if I average out the four annual tallies, I come to 475 movies watched a year, or a little over 9 per week. Sounds about right…one a day, plus a few extra on the weekend.
Right now, my math has me at around 8.6 per week – so I’m down a pint. Like you say, it’s not like watching movies is all I do!
The only thing I will say to this habit of mine that has me watching close to 500 titles a year, is that when I’m home, the TV is only ever on deliberately. I tend not to waste time flipping channels or watching something I’m not into just “because it’s on”. If I have time to fit something in, I do…otherwise, I’ll do other things – recreational or otherwise.