FEBRUARY 2015 FILM DIARY - BEST TO WORST (37 FILMS)
1. Dogville (2003 - Lars Von Trier) 10/10
2. The Hunt (2012 - Thomas Vinterberg) 9/10 review
3. Carnal Knowledge (1971 - Mike Nichols) 8.5/10
4. The Miracle Worker (1962 - Arthur Penn) 8.5/10
5 & 6. Nymphomaniac Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 (2013 - Lars Von Trier) 8/10 review
7. Nightcrawler (2014 - Dan Gilroy) 8/10 quick thoughts
8. Melancholia (2011 - Lars Von Trier) 8/10
9. Rififi (1955 - Jules Dassin) 8/10 quick thoughts
10. Whiplash (2014 - Damien Chazelle) 7.5/10 quick thoughts
11. On Golden Pond (1981 - Mark Rydell) 7.5/10
12. [REC] (2007 - Balaguero, Plaza) 7/10 quick thoughts
13. The Boondock Saints (1999 - Troy Duffy) 7/10
14. Antichrist (2009 - Lars Von Trier) 7/10 review
15. The Theory of Everything (2014 - James Marsh) 7/10
16. Wit (2001 - Mike Nichols) 6.5/10 quick thoughts
17. The Godfather: Part III (1990 - Francis Ford Coppola) 6.5/10 review
18. Boyhood (2014 - Richard Linklater) 6.5/10
19. Caddyshack (1980 - Harold Ramis) 6.5/10 quick thoughts
20. Knocked Up (2007 - Judd Apatow) 6.5/10 quick thoughts
21. Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (1991 - Bahr, Hickenlooper, Coppola) 6.5/10 review
22. Bang the Drum Slowly (1973 - John D. Hancock) 6/10
23. Words and Pictures (2013 - Fred Schepisi) 5.5/10 quick thoughts
24. Go, Go Second Time Virgin (1969 - Koji Wakamatsu) 5.5/10 quick thoughts
25. The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014 - Wes Anderson) 5.5/10
26. Pretty In Pink (1986 - Howard Deutch) 5.5/10
27. The Life of David Gale (2003 - Alan Parker) 5.5/10 quick thoughts
28. Passenger (1963 - Andrzej Munk) 5/10 review
29. Manderlay (2005 - Lars Von Trier) 4.5/10
30. What Lies Beneath (2000 - Robert Zemeckis) 4/10 review
31. Alien 3 (1992 - David Fincher) 4/10
32. Mon Oncle (1958 - Jacques Tati) 4/10 review
33. Playtime (1967 - Jacques Tati) 4/10 review
34. In a Year with 13 Moons (1978 - Rainer Werner Fassbinder) 4/10
35. Birdman (2014 - Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu) 4/10
36. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958 - Richard Brooks) 3.5/10 quick thoughts
37. Andrei Rublev (1969 - Andrei Tarkovsky) 3.5/10 review
BOLD = 1001 MOVIES YOU MUST SEE BEFORE YOU DIE
I meant to write reviews for all those 2014 films I watched, but time became an issue and then I also promised myself that I wouldn't force myself to write if I didn't feel like it. It was an EXTREMELY disappointing month, as I'd gone out and blind bought Birdman, as I was sure that I'd at least like it, if not love it. I actually ended up almost hating it. Likewise for Grand Budapest and Boyhood (although I somewhat liked the latter, yet still was disappointed). Honestly, I don't think anyone who was nominated for Oscars this year deserved their nomination (save for a choice few) and since when do we give out awards for mediocrity (I'm looking at you Patty Arquette!). In a perfect world, Ralph Fiennes (for Budapest) and Jake Gyllenhaal (for Nightcrawler) would've gotten Best Actor nods and Gyllenhaal would've walked out with it easily. His performance in Nightcrawler was easily the best acting performance I've seen from 2014 (or maybe neck and neck with J.K. Simmons' Whiplash performance). It was a big month for Von Trier and I have the rest of his filmography on my Netflix queue (save for The Idiots, which they don't have - any help on where I can track it down would be appreciated). Lots of good stuff this month too though, with Nymphomaniac, Melancholia, Rififi, The Hunt, Carnal Knowledge, Nightcrawler and The Miracle Worker all being first time viewings for me and all paying off. Nothing stellar from THE BOOK this month, as the Tati films were a bust and the few others I saw ranged from bad to *meh*.
And now, some stills from MY MONTH AT THE MOVIES. See ya next month!
THE GODFATHER: PART III
[REC]
WHAT LIES BENEATH
NYMPHOMANIAC, VOL. 2
MELANCHOLIA
DOGVILLE
ANTICHRIST
PLAYTIME
.jpg)
GO, GO SECOND TIME VIRGIN
IN A YEAR WITH 13 MOONS
CARNAL KNOWLEDGE
NIGHTCRAWLER
BIRDMAN
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteBirdman 4 out of 10? I would give it much higher. Probably 8/10. Also, Whiplash was probably my favorite movie of the best picture nominees I saw. I would rate them:
ReplyDelete1. Whiplash
2. Imitation Game
3. Birdman
4. American Sniper
5. Grand Budapest Hotel (Great techs, but I just cannot seem to get into Wes Anderson.)
Did not see yet:
Theory Of Everything
Selma
Boyhood
I've yet to see Selma, The Imitation Game or American Sniper, so based on your list, I'll look forward to Imitation Game. I too agree that Whiplash was the best, but have to disagree on Birdman. Man, I just didn't identify with any of the characters and didn't even understand the whole one take approach. Did this film really call to be shot in one long take, it's not as if it even took place over the course of one day. I don't know, maybe it was just the anticipation and the big letdown. Perhaps a revisit someday.
DeleteGood morning Andrew..
ReplyDeleteWow, what a bumper bundle we have here.. perhaps rather too much to take in all in one go.. but let me at least have a dip into it all.
Delighed to see 'Dogville' crashing in at the number one slot. I really rated this one ages ago, and pleased you gave it the full 10/10. And not just because of Laren bacall doing a magnificent come back performance... A great film. Sticking with the highly mysterious LvT.. It took me a while to get into 'Melancholia', but by the end it had worked it's way into me and came away glad I'd see it. I've still yet to approach 'Nymphomaniac' and I decidedly struggled with 'Antichrist'.
Riffifi .. well, I bet you'd marked me down for a big yes on that one, and I won't dissapoint you. Magnificent... 'On Golden pond' .. well, I guess it's hard not to rate this one, but I won't go overboard. 'Godfather III'.. I'm afraid I will take the traditional view and call it 'un-necesary'. A cash in and nowhere near as good as I & II. 'Knocked up'? Well, perhaps the firdt sign of a disagree.. The best I'd go with is 'Not as bad as I expected it to be' .. but really.. not all that interested.
We have already agreed to mildly disagree over Tati, so lets not go there.. as we are on to the nearest thing to a disagree.. 'Grand Budapest Hotel'.. which I really liked. Yet I can fully understand anyone NOT taking to Andersons quirky tale telling with decidedly odd characters and even odder visual images. We are nearing the end of the list, and down in the lower end.. so lets get back to agreeing. We have already covered Andei Rublev... so lets end with, sadly, trashing an American Litery giant and whole heartedly agree on 'Cat on a hot tin roof' being .. just boring.
Most of the others are ones I have not seen. I'm after 'Year of the 13 moons', and failing to find it at anything like a reasonable price. (along with '3rd Generation'). Comes in a box set.. but around £30. I may take a risk on being able to sell it at almost that but not at the moment.
Really glad you liked Dogville and EASILY the best thing I've seen this year, although I should admit that I'd seen it before, so it wasn't a first time viewing or anything. I'll agree that Melancholia lagged at first but had me by the end and Antichrist was definitely a struggle, but one that I still applaud. I agree that The Godfather Part III is unnecessary, but better than Part II in my opinion. Really disappointed by Grand Budapest, as I expected to really take to it. Let me know if you ever track down 13 Moons, as I'd be interested to hear your take on it.
Delete