1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die - As seen in October 2012
1) The Night of the Shooting Stars (1982 - Taivani, Taivani) 2.5/10 - Very forgettable film. No idea why it was included in THE BOOK.
2) The Killer (1989 - John Woo) 8.5/10
3) The Dead (1987 - John Huston) 4/10
4) The Killing Fields (1984 - Roland Joffe) 3.5/10 - Just couldn't stand this movie for some reason. Probably because I had no prior knowledge of the subject matter.
5) Romper Stomper (1992 - Geoffrey Wright 7/10 - Not as good as your run of the mill '7', but that final scene at the beach made the entire film. Good stuff!
6) Cinema Paradiso (1988 - Giuseppe Tornatore) 7/10 - File this one in the disappointments folder. It was really good and has a shot at a "Ten Worth Mentioning" spot, at least, but overall I expected a lot more.
7) The White Balloon (1995 - Jafar Panahi) 7.5/10 - Still can't believe how much I liked this one. My only gripe is that I didn't really get the significance of the white balloon and the guy at the end, but that's my problem, not the film's.
8) Dear Diary (1994 - Nanni Moretti) 9/10 - Perhaps the best thing I saw this month that I hadn't previously seen. A shoo in for the upcoming TOP 20.
9) Loulou (1980 - Maurice Pialat) 7/10 - Ahh now these were the days! When everything I was watching was scoring a '7' or higher.
10) Manhunter (1986 - Michael Mann) 7/10 - Not nearly as good as "The Silence of the Lambs", but still well worthy of your time. A little cheesy at times, but it's all forgivable.
11) The Silence of the Lambs (1991 - Jonathan Demme) 9.5/10 - Still just can't find it in myself to go that extra half notch. Oh well, a '9.5' is nothing to sneeze at.
12) Murmur of the Heart (1971 - Louis Malle) 8/10 - If they had focused more time on building the budding romance that Laurent would develop for his mother, I would've given it a '10'. It just takes too long to get to the payoff.
13) Atlantic City (1980 - Louis Malle) 6.5/10
14) Au revoir les enfants (1987 - Louis Malle) 5/10 - I probably shouldn't even go that high, but the end got me.
15) Deseret (1995 - James Benning) 1/10 - 'Nuff said
16) The Vanishing (1988 - George Sluizer) 9/10 - Great movie! I really, really want to go back and re-watch the Sutherland/Bridges version now. I just know it isn't as good though.
17) Project A, Part II (1987 - Jackie Chan) 5/10 - Chan was AWEsome, the rest wasn't.
18) The Wicker Man (1973 - Robin Hardy) 8/10 - This grew on me in the past week, big time. It also brought to my attention the talents of Anthony Shaffer, writer of this, "Frenzy" and "Sleuth".
19) The Official Story (1985 - Luis Puenzo) 4/10
20) Dawn of the Dead (1978 - George A. Romero) 7.5/10 - For maximum effect, watch this with your wife or girlfriend, cuddled up in bed, on a cold or rainy Saturday.
21) Blonde Cobra (1963 - Ken Jacobs) 1/10 - 'Nuff said
22) The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964 - Jacques Demy) 6.5/10
23) The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974 - Tobe Hooper) 6.5/10
24) Koyaanisqatsi (1983 - Godfrey Reggio) 5/10 - Magnificent, but boring as a mofo.
25) Poltergeist (1982 - Tobe Hooper) 4.5/10 - In case you haven't notice, we're reaching the point now where no additional comments are required, because I've just recently spoke on all these.
26) Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song (1971 - Melvin Van Peebles) 6/10 - Still very impressed with what Van Peebles was able to create on basically no funds.
27) The Hills Have Eyes (1977 - Wes Craven) 4.5/10
28) Platoon (1986 - Oliver Stone) 5/10 - The photography, the obviously personal and powerful script added to the fact that it was a humdrum war film makes for an even '5' rating.
Wowie zowie, twenty-eight movies this month and added to the rest of the season, that means I only have thirty-two to go until I'll be making TOP 20 list #6. So, in other words, if I can repeat my October performance in November, then I'll pretty much be finished come December 1st. However, I won't hold my breath because I DID have a vacation last month and that helped a lot in reaching twenty-eight movies watched.
Also, just as a head's up, don't expect too much out of me from now until Sunday evening, as I'm working till then and getting my ass handed to me in the process. Words of advice folks, if you take a week's vacation, be prepared to have work kick your ass when you return. Anyway, I'll do what I can between now and then, I'm just saying don't expect much. The next three films should be the last three films of "Stone Week" as I have them all currently at my disposal and they're waiting to be watched, so expect those.
November 1, 2012 10:47pm
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