Ryan McNeil
This week brought us the end of the TV season in earnest (save Mad Men, Veep, and Game of Thrones). It’s also the last week for quite a while where there was nothing playing theatrically that I wanted to see. This leaves me wondering, what will become of the watchlist as the summer pushes on?
One thing I do have to smile at is how the very week I discuss my OCD tendencies, my viewing habits start to reflect that as I keep pulling Pixar films and start pulling Anderson films in anticipation of new releases in the coming weeks. Yup, I’m a freak alright.
Speaking of my OCD tendencies, those of you who I tease about unwatched dvd’s can enjoy a little bit of turnabout as my unwatched pile is around a dozen titles high now – and that might get even worse in the next few weeks.
But enough self-centered babbling, here’s some self-centred list-making…
Here’s week at hand…
Screenings
HEADHUNTERS – My friend Kelly called this her favorite Hitchcock, and now I can totally see why.
Blu-Rays/DVD’s I’ve Never Seen
ROAD WARRIOR – Ever see a classic and wonder how the hell it took you so long to finally watch it?
OUR IDIOT BROTHER – Mostly harmless, though it earns points for a great dog name
Blu-Rays/DVD’s I’ve Watched Before
FINDING NEMO – “So there’s this mollusk…”
THE INCREDIBLES – WALL-E continues to be my favorite Pixar film, but I realize that this is a very close second.
THE BLUES BROTHERS – This would make a great double feature with THE MUPPETS
HIGH FIDELITY – I read the novel every spring, so this re-watch was well-timed. As time passes, my opinion of Rob Gordon continues to change.
BOTTLE ROCKET – “You’re really complicated, aren’t you?” “I try not to be”
Boxscore for The Year
94 First-Timers, 85 Re-Watched
41 Screenings
179 Movies in Total
A lot this week (mostly because I went to the cottage, where I tend to watch a lot of DVDs)
Screenings:
Marley – Good if not too long (was dozing a bit during the first hour)
Ghost – So this was the film they chose for 360 Screenings…..
DVD/Blu-Ray/TV Rewatches:
Hanna – I really want to buy that Chemical Brothers score
School of Rock – Still good 9 years later.
Captain Ron – Dumb comedy, but Kurt Russell is awesome in it.
Get Shorty – Great film.
1408 – I watched it late and was dozing off every few minutes (hate when that happens)
Men in Black II – Not as bad as people say it is, but still inferior to the first film
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope – My first time watching the “Special Edition.” Didn’t mind the newer stuff (which probably lowers my geek cred a bit)
I was a little worried at the length of Marley, but actually found it rather succinct. I really loved how they focused on the man more than the music, and can only imagine how stellar the soundtrack sounded at The Bloor.
Been spending most of my time going through the first two seasons of Game of Thrones. I now see what all the fuss is about…awesome show.
First time:
Days of Heaven – A Malick film that I absolutely love? I did not think it was possible but here we are.
21 Jump Street – I was pleasantly surprised by this. Laughed a lot.
Contraband – Not a good film, but I was in the mood for something mindless so I did not hate it.
Loss Together – Toronto Youth Shorts Screener. Far better than any of the T24 project stuff. Granted these filmmakers had way more time.
Spectra – Toronto Youth Shorts Screener. Bubble gum fun.
Vernal Equinox – Toronto Youth Shorts Screener. Really enjoyed this.
Heart of Perception – Toronto Youth Shorts Screener. My least favourite of the bunch
Jordans or Justice – Toronto Youth Shorts Screener. My favourite of the group
Re-watched:
8 Mile – Love this film.
Men in Black – Does not hold up as well.
Ohhh DAYS OF HEAVEN…
In hindsight, I find it to be a wonderful entry point for Malick: it has much of the visual poetry he loves so much, but keeps things in a much tighter package than the more boundless THIN RED LINE or TREE OF LIFE. It’s a film I stumbled on to by accident one night, and has since become one I adore.
Glad to know you didn’t get scared off by a director you aren’t fussed over!
I’m finally going to see all of Bottle Rocket tomorrow. DVD was bad the last time.
Firsts: Suspiria– The colours in this, mindblown! Also, incredibly haunting music.
Dead Man– So I was trying to prove to myself that Johnny Depp really is a great actor and had a sort of mini-marathon. This film had its moments and looked gorgeous, but so boring at the end of the day.
Cry-Baby– Haha I can’t believe he was such a pretty boy once upon a time. It was very entertaining though, and he did do Edward Scissorhands after this.
Donnie Brasco– I had never seen this completely. As amazing as Depp is in this, that last scene with Pacino is just heart-breaking.
Fear and Loathing Las Vegas– I remember trying to watch this when I was 12. I don’t think I understood all of it even this time. Crazy shit man.
Rewatched: Easy A– I love Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson more than Emma Stone in this, and I really really love Emma Stone in this.
Dog Day Afternoon– I had not seen this in the longest time. I think Pacino’s performance in this is one of my most favourite ever. So all-encompassing.
Ed Wood– Gahh Burton made films like this!! It’s so entertaining.
The Departed– It’s fun. Not amazing except for Mark Walhberg.
A mini-marathon indeed!
I’ve actually never seen DEAD MAN, but The Lightbox is playing it this summer, so I might just have to go and partake. I’m not all that versed in Jaramusch so I might be in for a long night, but here’s hoping.
I think I’m overdue for a watch of EASY A, perhaps it’s time for me to wander over towards the shelf of doom.
First time:
Five Year Engagement: Like the movie as a whole, but it does feel like 5 years has past.
Dark Shadows: Forgettable Depp/Burton Collaboration.
Turn Me On Dammit: Forgettable coming of age story about a sex-starved girl.
Sound Of My Voice: Like the first 2 thirds, but not very convinced by the end. Lack believable motivation.
Intouchable: Caught a screening of this, a well done uplifting drama though a tad predictable. Can’t imagine people not liking it.
Rewatched:
Chronicle: Still the best movie about the birth of a Super Villain.
Certified Copy: Loved this film, also love reading different interpretation of the film from different people. I have my own theory though I change it each time I watch the movie…
That’s a lot of “forgettable” in one week dude.
SOUND OF MY VOICE and INTOUCHABLE are two that I’m truly looking forward to. Here’s hoping that even if they are flawed, that they’ll at least be ambitious.
I love all of the uncertainty surrounding CERTIFIED COPY – if anybody ever gives me a concrete explanation of what happened, I think I’ll actually be very sad. I love the ambiguity!
New
MIB3
Rampart (Was hoping to like it more than I did)
Shame (ditto)
All the Real Girls
Repeat Viewings
Dirty Harry
Magnum Force
Deadpool
Inside Man
The Jackal
You have my attention with SHAME – what didn’t you like about it? And btw, you should *totally* check out the episode of “outside the Envelope” I did on Dear Film where we talk about SHAME – great discussion with the boys!
It works as a Requiem for a Dream precautionary tale, but I never connected with Brandon, like I did with Jared Leto and Jennifer Connelly.
Back on track…
New to me:
The Baker’s Wife: Surprisingly affecting, especially for one this old and unknown.
An Education: Another standard coming-of-age story.
Johnny Guitar: Weird, and not in a great way.
The Music Room: Surprising. Focused and interesting.
One-Eyed Jacks: Brando’s only directorial effort. An oddball film.
Scarface: Shame of a Nation: The remake is better.
Rewatches
The Royal Tenenbaums: Every time I see it, I like it more.
Dead Ringers: Film for podcast.
Really? You saw AN EDUCATION as “standard”? I was actually quite smitten with that one back when it premiered since it was my introduction to Carey Mulligan and her acting chops. I thought it was an interesting cautionary tale on what’s at stake with betting on the wrong horse at those crucial points in your life.
Yep. Coming-of-age stories come in two varieties. In film, boys come of age when someone or something close to them dies. Girls come of age through sex, often inappropriate sex with someone much older. Yes, Mulligan was excellent in this film, but at its heart, it’s yet another story of a girl growing up because a guy twice her age has sex with her (or she has sex in general). See also Fish Tank, Fat Girl, Juno, Thirteen, Lolita, Pretty Baby…
Oooh you made me want to see Finding Nemo again. Lot of rewatches this month for me, I think starting June I’ll see more new movies but May is a bit lackluster for me. Btw, I did see a movie w/ ‘Bottle’ on the title, a wine comedy called Bottle Shock. It’s quite enjoyable.
You might be the first person I talked to that actually enjoyed BOTTLE SHOCK. When my brain goes to wine movies, I tend to reach for SIDEWAYS.
Do give NEMO another look, it has aged marvellously – as has THE INCREDIBLES btw!
I’m probably just a cold hearted bastards, but The Incredibles is the only Pixar film I have strong feelings about. I loved it. I could watch it at any time.
There’s nothing cold-hearted about not loving every Pixar movie. I like listening to contrary opinions actually; makes me rethink and reassess my own!
Thinking back on THE INCREDIBLES though, I’m taken with how well it would play as a double-feature with THE AVENGERS. Two of the best team-up movies on one glorious bill.