Ryan McNeil
It’s my birthday today.
A few years ago, a friend of a friend got me started on an annual tradition. The idea is to make a list of things you want to do in the next year. You make it on your birthday and seal it in an envelope. Odds are, within a week you’ll forget at least half the list.
On your next birthday you open the list and have this serendipitous moment of seeing what you managed to do.
Last year, I morphed that idea into my own little bit of geekery. I turned the list into movies I wanted to see over the course of the next year. Given my affinity for the number, I chose twenty one titles. Out of last year’s twenty one, I got through eight. Not terribly shabby for a list I’d forgotten all about!
This year’s list – with a handful of selections pulled from yesterday’s comments – is below the cut.
Now if you’ll pardon me, I’m off to have a birthday breakfast with Lady Hatter…
COFFEE & CIGARETTESNO LOOKING DON’T LOOK BACK
SUNSHINE *
AMORES PERROS
UN PROPHETE *
STRANGE DAYS
BREAKING THE WAVES
OLDBOY *
THE STATION AGENT
TORREMOLINOS 73
THREE COLOURS TRILOGY (I know, technically that’s three)
BRIGHT STAR
FRANKENSTEIN
SPIRITED AWAY
DELICATESSENTHE SECRET THE LIVES OF OTHERS
BARRY LYNDON *
STRANGERS ON A TRAIN *
YOJIMBO *
THE NEW WORLD *
MILLER’S CROSSING
Good list! Happy Birthday!!
Out of curiosity, which Sunshine are you talking about? The Ralph Finnes period piece, or the Danny Boyle sci-fi thriller?
The Good, The Great and the Classics.
Interesting idea, I may try it. My opinion on your selected movies:
The Good:
SUNSHINE
BREAKING THE WAVES
ARSENIC AND OLD LACE
BARRY LYNDON
THE NEW WORLD
The Great:
AMORES PERROS
UN PROPHETE
STRANGE DAYS
DELICATESSEN
STRANGERS ON A TRAIN (on the list twice. Mistake or do you want to see a remake too?)
MILLER'S CROSSING
YOJIMBO
The Classic:
OLDBOY
THREE COLOURS TRILOGY (I know, technically that's three)
FRANKENSTEIN
I would like to see but haven got around to:
THE STATION AGENT
I’m not interested in:
COFFEE & CIGARETTES
SPIRITED AWAY
BRIGHT STAR
I have never heard of:
NO LOOKING BACK
TORREMOLINOS 73
THE SECRET LIVES OF OTHERS (unless you mean “The Lives of others” that one is great
Happy Birthday Hatter…
So what becomes of those 13 you didn't see from last year? Thrown to the curb? Back of the line?
If I could make a plea for one of your choices from last year, it would be "Network". Partially because it is simply one of my favourite films of all time, but also because of its prescient nature. Things haven't gone quite as far as certain parts of the movie, but compared to other parts the media has gone far and beyond…
The acting in it is phenomenal – I can see why many people think it is too broad or theatrical, but the style works for those characters and for the story it's trying to tell. That was one of the first films where I really noticed what the actors were bringing. I even wrote a little blog-a-thon post for it years ago.
And no, I don't mean to keep pimping my blog…It just kinda happens, you know? B-)
Happy Happy Birthday. I'd say Bright Star is my favourite of the list, though I've only seen about half of them.
Didn't I lend you Arsenic and Old Lace already???
I could have sworn I lent that to you ~ let me know when you want it 🙂
Have a great birthday!!!
Happy Birthday, Hatter!
Good list as well, I have seen about 13 of the titles. Barry Lyndon and Strangers on a Train have been on my to see list for a while now.
Highly recommend: Old Boy, The Secret Lives of Others, and Delicatessen.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Had you told me sooner I would have given you the same offer I gave CSMovieReviews to get a free happy birthday review on the site :P. Either way hope you have a great one.
I was thinking perhaps you should do a segment on your podcast where you just spend 10 mins talking about a movie you saw recently you enjoyed since I know you don't really review older films you've seen recently. I'd be curious at the least 🙂
You know me, I'm all for cheering you on to see Spirited Away. Hoping it can bring you around on the anime front (at least a little bit, not all the way to my level by any means). Also I loved Arsenic and Old Lace, can't wait for your review.
Happy Birthday man!
I'm probably alone in this but I think Sunshine is an underrated gem. Really cool sci-fi.
Happy Birthday Hatter!!
From the guys at Go,See,Talk, here's wishing you all the best:)
As far as the idea, that's a fantastic concept and I think we three will give it a whirl. One question though – do you plan to do a series of reviews of the ones you managed to see that were inside the envelope (provided the movie stuck with you over the course of a year)?
Cool idea! Happy Birthday and good luck with the List!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Enjoy your day with Lady Hatter!
I've owned the Station Agent forever. It's just sitting and gathering dust. It hurts my heart a bit.
Oldboy was the best one I saw all year that I hadn't seen but knew I wanted to. Can't wait for next years list.
@ Sebastian… I'm talkin' the Danny Boyle version. I'll likely see that before the summer's out.
@ Andy… Oops. Got my titles mixed up, two of the three should make more sense now. The third one was suggested yesterday by Sean.
@ Bob… I'll try to push NETWORK up the queue. As for last year's misses, they just stay in the "to watch" list, and perhaps they'll make an appearance on another list in a few years' time.
@ Andrew… Thanks. Lookin' forward to BRIGHT STAR.
@ Danger… we've mentioned it a few times, but I've never borrowed it from you since I've always had a stack on the go.
However, one of the strikes from last year's list were your doing – WOMAN ON THE VERGE.
@ CS… Hopefully we can talk about all of 'em a tad more at your first Blogger Pub Night later this month!
@ Univarn… Tell ya what, do something up for me on my blog-a-versary in August. I'll have to see about adding content to the podcast…they're getting a little long as it is!
@ Fitz… Nope, you aren't alone. One of the reasons why it made my list!
@ Marc… No reviews really. For now, the only films I give a full-on review to are the ones I see on a screen.
Down the line when life gets a bit busier and I can't do that as often, I might switch that up, but for now that's the rule I've set for myself.
Some of them might well get their own post if something about them strikes a chord for me, or if they become part of the 1001 Series.
Thanks everyone!
I'm with Bob – worried about the greats from last year's list that are now just on that sad, generic "yeah, I wanna watch 'em…sometime" list. Poor movies. What'd they ever do to get ousted by these? What makes these movies just so goddamned special!?!?
Whoops – someone needs a beer. And of course, by that I mean the birthday boy. 30 now?
Happy birthday man! Awesome list (from the ones i've seen at least)
Here are some brief thoughts of mine on the films you plan to see…
"Sunshine" – Actually a very overlooked modern science-fiction film. It starts off a little slow, but once it gets going, it really picks up some impressive steam.
"A Prophet" – I was probably one of the very few who was underwhelmed by this film. I have a full review on my site, but I just found the story so underwhelming and unoriginal. The first act is special, though.
"Oldboy" – A challenging, disturbing mystery that is more mesmerizing during the experience than it is rewarding afterwards. It features some dazzling fight sequences.
"Miller's Crossing" – A terrific performance from Gabriel Byrne, but there is really not enough attempt to create sympathy for the characters. And the story is weak to say the least.
Happy B-Day Matt! Great list and highly recommend Oldboy, Spirited Away and Un Prophete if I was to choose 3 off the list.
That clears things up somewhat. Happy Birthday by the way.
@ Alex… Not bad, eh? I vote you start doing just such a thing on your next b-day!
@ Heather… You don't watch 'em once before putting 'em on the shelf? I have trouble moving on on to other movies until I've watched the new stuff.
@ Fletch… These aren't special, they aren't even the best ones on my "to-see" list…they're just the ones I picked this year. When I used to write out the list of random activities, they wouldn't all be "Go Skydiving"…usually a few of them would be something simple like "Read at least twenty books"
And as of 1:21 yesterday afternoon, I'm 32.
@ Tom… Thanks mate!
@ Danny… Yeah, they might not all be winners, but I still really want to see them.
@ Castor… Thank you sir. Geez, with all the comments about this year's list, it's gonna be hard to actually try and forget about them!
@ Andy… Mystery solved! Now as I said to Alex, I vote you do the same on your next b-day.
Geez, a lot of those are on my list, too. Make sure you check out Amores Perros though, that was unreal.
And happy birthday! YAHOOOO!
Happy (belated) Birthday Hatter!!
Just like everyone else, came to wish you a happy birthday.
Happy birthday and great tradition.
@ Aiden… Hehe, thanks for the "Yahoo!". I'll try to make sure I get to Perros this year.
@ Shannon… Thanks! I saw your note on the question I posted on Facebook, but didn't see you mention a film. Whassamatta…don't want people to know your age?
@ Mike… Many thanks amigo!
@ Darren… Thank-you. Give it a try on your next birthday.
I don't really care anymore but for while I didn't answer that question. Don't really see why people even ask it, other than to judge (or curiosity).
@ Shannon… Interesting. In this particular instance, I only asked for the sake of podcasting material.
I think the funny thing is getting to the age where it really doesn't matter any more. When you're super young, a five year age gap might as well be twenty.
Once you pass a certain marker though, spans of two, five, even ten years feel like nothing.
I think that can be the case. It's also a question people ask a lot between 20-24 ish, and I always remember thinking what a boring question it is – it doesn't really tell you anything. People of the same age can have extraordinarily different experiences.
I've never really been interested in age, I've almost always had lots of friends from lots of age groups.
I think it's also one where the question, or rather answer, is interpreted very differently depending on your gender.
Happy Belated Birthday, Hatter!
I say "It's on The List" a lot, but when i say that, I'm really lying because there is no list. I refuse to make one. If I did, it would make seeing the listed films feel more like an obligation than a true desire. I'm sure I'm missing a lot by not making a list, but at least I don't feel tied down to one.