Filmyear 2009: 365 films in 365 days: December 2008

FWIW, this is my list of films from 2005. My rules at the time allowed tv series (the whole series counted as one film); subtracting these, the total is 356. Lots of great films, lots of fluff, and a few total UGHs. If I can rustle up the short blog entries on each, I'll add them to this post.

356. Locked Up
355. Memoirs of a Geisha
354. Big Eden
353. Kitchen Stories
352. Donnie Darko
351. Modigliani
350. Girl Play
349. Ray
348. All the President's Men
347. Walk on Water
346. Melinda and Melinda
345. The Sexual Life
344. Four and a Half Women
343. The Man Who Came to Dinner
342. P.S. Your Cat is Dead
341. Pickpocket
340. Apres Vous
339. Slipstream
338. The Holy Girl
337. Chinatown
336. My Summer of Love
335. Testosterone
334. The Family Stone
333. Better Luck Tomorrow
332. Employee of the Month
331. Kandahar
Dreadful character development and delivery, but it's beautiful. I turned off the sound through much of it, just to see what the country was like.
330. Best Man
329. Super Size Me
328. Tell Them Who You Are
327. War of the Worlds
326. Ladies in Lavender
325. Best Boy
324. Beauty Shop
323. Spare Parts (Rezervni Deli)
322. Millions
321. Morvern Callar
320. America Brown
319. Duck Soup
318. Agata and the Storm
317. Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price
316. Saving Face
A very endearing love story, set in the Chinese-American community in Flushing, NY. A young surgeon's mother shows up on her doorstep pregnant, while at the same time she's trying to work up the nerve to come clean about a new relationship with a ballerina. Much of the dialogue is in Chinese, subtitled.
315. Prozac Nation
An adaptation of Elizabeth Wurtzel's best-selling, much-translated confessional/memoir of the same title, starring Christina Ricci. Ricci is a little short and puffy for this role, but she does a decent job of being convincing most of the time. The one note she tends to miss is the bright light that Wurtzel really is (inside the chaos).
314. Spun
313. Frida
The Frida Kahlo biopic, starring Salma Hayek (with Mia Maestro and Alfred Molina). I wasn't terribly interested in the subject, but it was watchable.
312. Savages
A very unusual, and very strange and experimental first American release from Merchant-Ivory, set in a remote country villa where a group of savages enter and gradually take on the roles of the former inhabitants. More of an art film send-up than anything else, I think.
311. An Angel at My Table
Jane Campion's biopic on New Zealand poet Janet Frame. The film is long, and spends quite a bit of time in Frame's childhood, presumably to better set up her young adulthood. A combination of shyness, passivity and being a bit of a loner led to some horrible experiences of being institutionalized, but Frame eventually emerges as a widely-published and well-respected poet.
310. Smiling Fish & Goat on Fire
A so-so little romantic comedy about two brothers (starring two brothers) with remarkably different outlooks on life and love.The assorted supporting characters are great.
309. Vertigo
Alfred Hitchcock's portrait of obsession and spiraling out of control, with James Stewart and Kim Novak (and a very young Barbara Bel Geddes!).
308. Empire Falls
307. The Human Stain
November
306. High Fidelity
One of my very favorite movies for a rainy day, or packing/unpacking, wrapping presents, whatever. If I had been born a boy, I probably would have been the guy in the film -- the obsessive record collector, who returns to every past relationship with musical references, organizing the history of his life by the album that best represents it. It's also a great (and accessible) intro to some fabulous lesser-known bands.
305. Rent
I'm a big fan of the stage musical "Rent" -- that has to be said first. And I know many reviewers have commented on the degree to which Chris Columbus stayed true to that source material. I have to disagree -- everything that doesn't work well about this movie is due to divergence from the material. The stage version is done as a rock opera, with the dialogue sung rather than spoken. This keeps you plugged-in to the music, you never have that "oh, now they're going to sing about it" feeling like you get with many musicals. Columbus took much of that out, and it really screws up the pacing. But everyone can sing, and the "new" cast members (Rosario Dawson and Tracie Thoms) are fantastic.
304. Annie Hall
303. Oasis
Korean film about two outcasts (a young man who has just been released from prison, and probably is mildly retarded; and a girl with cerebral palsy who has been left by her family in a nearly-abandoned apartment building) who fall in love. I'll confess, I couldn't watch more than 20 minutes of it -- it's just too difficult.
302. Tying the Knot
301. In My Country
300. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
299. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
298. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
297. Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring
296. Brother to Brother
The L Word: Season 2
295. Mostly Martha | November 18, 2005
294. A Shock to the System | November 18, 2005
293. Seven and a Match | November 17, 2005
292. Lordz of Dogtown | November 17, 2005
291. Happy Endings | November 16, 2005
290. House of D | November 14, 2005
289. Mind Hunters | November 13, 2005
288. Producing Adults | November 13, 2005
287. Crash | November 13, 2005"
Why do we all behave the way we do? You could say it's about what we believe (true or false), or about how we hate or love, but I think it's about control. We talk about situations being "out of control," as if our having control of people and situations were the normal state. White LAPD officers rachet up their power over a situation in order to assure that they maintain control, gangbangers go to threats of violence to assure that they maintain control, and white women walk the other way when they see black youths in order to assure that they maintain control. I don't know what the implications are, what we're supposed to do about it, but a film like this certainly gets you thinking about the world.
286. American Chai | November 13, 2005
285. Final Cut | November 12, 2005
284. Turtles Can Fly | November 12, 2005
283. Yes | November 11, 2005
No. Or not quite, at least. If you could turn off the dialogue, or replace it with nearly anything else, it could be great. But most of the dialogue between Joan Allen and her lover come across too much like poetry, and it's not helpful.
282. The Brown Bunny | November 10, 2005
I know there are some great reviews of this movie out there, but I don't see it. It's a study of one sad guy's journey back to the woman he loves (in a frightened, jealous, dominating sort of way). Oh, and it's apparently also a study of his big tool.
281. Palindromes | November 9, 2005
I watch this because I need to know what new crap Todd Solondz is up to. Maybe someday I'll get why he makes the films he does, but most of the time I think he's just going for thrill value.
280. Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical | November 8, 2005
279. David Searching | November 8, 2005
Random gay guy / fag hag flick #42. But, starring Anthony Rapp and Camryn Manheim (and Steven Spinella, and Kathleen Chalfant), so you'd think it wouldn't be awful. But you'd be wrong. I can't completely hold their bad locations against them, and there were some sweet moments, but it was pretty boring overall. And what's with the Walter Prior character? (Prior Walter being the role Stephen Spinell won a Tony for)
The Librarian: Quest For the Spear | November 7, 2005
278. Heights | November 7, 2005
A modern Altman-esque tale of entangled liaisons, ultimately at the expense of our observant heroine. I didn't dislike it, but I didn't love it. Though Rufus, yum.
277. Omagh | November 6, 2005
276. Harry + Max | November 6, 2005
275. Mystic River | November 5, 2005
With a stellar cast (Tim Robbins, Sean Penn, Laura Linney, Kevin Bacon), led by the brilliant Clint Eastwood, this movie could hardly do any wrong. But it's better that, turning what you think is going to be a murder mystery into a film about regret, family, power and revenge. It's an amazing film.
274. Layer Cake | November 5, 2005
A modern gangster/drug-runner movie told with a somewhat humorous tone. I could have used subtitles, since the dialogue is fast and the accents thick, and maybe I would have liked the film more if I had understood it all. It's just not my thing.
273. Born Into Brothels | November 5, 2005
A documentary not on the brothels in Calcutta, or even necessarily on how/why children come to live there, but on a photographer's struggle to help them get out. After spending a couple of years filming and photographing in some of the worst red light districts in Calcutta, Zana Briskie decides to start teaching the children about photography. She gives them cameras, holds critique sessions, lets them examine contact sheets to select from their photos, and somehow gives these kids something to believe in, other than their likely future as prostitutes. Her work to get them into schools is exhausting and mostly fruitless, but few may manage to escape.
272. Rock School | November 4, 2005
Real-life rock school founder Paul Green is crazy, but he's successful in getting a whole bunch of kids to learn to play serious rock music. The story is fairly flat, though -- it feels more like random cuts of film than a documentary.
271. Particles of Truth | November 4, 2005
270. Mysterious Skin | November 4, 2005
A Gregg Araki film about two boys molested by their baseball coach. Told in combination of extended exposition, present-day narrative, and quick flashbacks. I liked it, but it's hard to find words to critique or praise it. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is stunning.
269. Straight Jacket | November 3, 2005
October
268. Mercy | October 31, 2005
267. Nashville | October 31, 2005
266. The Weather Underground | October 30, 2005
265. Lisa Picard is Famous | October 30, 2005
Lisa Picard is a little psycho, a lot neurotic, and not at all famous. But she'd like to be, and seems clueless about just how long ago the famous train passed her by.
264. Ring of Fire: The Emile Griffith Story | October 29, 2005
A documentary on fighter Emile Griffith, who (inadvertently?) killed opponent Benny Parets in the ring. I may have drifted in and out a bit, but I found the storytelling a bit flat. The interviews with Griffith and with Parets' son were great, as was the arranged meeting between the two in Central Park. It's an interesting look at New York City, as well.
263. Imaginary Heroes | October 29, 2005
This movie reminded me of so many others with similar themes (suburban angst and the tragedy of loss): The Ice Storm, Moonlight Mile, Wonder Boys. Golden boy son commits suicide, and younger brother is left with shattered glass for a family. Sigourney Weaver and some good writing keeps it from being ordinary.
262. Two Weeks Notice | October 28, 2005
261. A View From the Top | October 28, 2005
260. The Incredibles | October 24, 2005
259. Chicago | October 22, 2005
258. The Yards | October 22, 2005
257. Off the Lip | October 21, 2005
256. Mad Hot Ballroom | October 21, 2005
255. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants | October 20, 2005
254. Wilder Napalm | October 17, 2005
253. The Deviants | October 17, 2005
Low-budget sexy fun. The film makes one really common low-budget film mistake, though: acting as if everything that happens is the first time it's happened. Every conversation is the first time someone's asked the question.
252. Be Cool | October 16, 2005
251. Me and You and Everyone We Know | October 16, 2005
Miranda July is one of those people I always use to defend against in my head -- I couldn't understand why she had to be so odd, so off-kilter and goofy. I'm not sure why I cared, really. But I was intrigued by this film mostly because of those lingering puzzling thoughts. And I'm glad I saw it -- it's fantastic, and only slightly weird.
250. Elizabethtown | October 15, 2005
It's not about anything, really. There are a few really moving moments, but generally I didn't like this very much.
249. Kissed | October 11, 2005
An early Molly Parker film about death -- or, rather, about one woman's lifelong obsession with death. It plays most of the time like a dreamy macabre comedy, but works its way deeper as the film goes on. Also stars Peter Outerbridge, who shone as the MTF transsexual in 'Better than Chocolate'.
248. They Came Back | October 9, 2005
247. Look At Me | October 9, 2005
246. Lilies | October 8, 2005
245. Seven Girlfriends | October 8, 2005
244. Schultze Gets the Blues | October 8, 2005
243. Milwaukee, Minnesota | October 8, 2005
Really, really awful. Allison Folland is generally wo fabulous, but this was all kinds of raw. Troy Garity was relatively endearing, but the rest felt like a bad school play.
242. Sahara | October 7, 2005
241. Nobody Knows | October 2, 2005
It could have been called "Nobody noticed." Or "Nobody Cared." Four children left on their own by an unbelievably ditzy mom. The film is told in the children's world -- we don't really see what the adults see, or if they see; we don't really see how the money flows (or we do, but we don't understand the Japanese currency). An amazing piece. But it's very, very long and depressing as hell.
240. Kinsey | October 2, 2005
The film's a little crazy, but how else could you tell the story of Alfred Kinsey and his sex research? The light humor and glossy look, juxtaposed against Kinsey's dry examination of sex make for a result you can't help but take not quite seriously.
239. The Girl in the Cafe | October 1, 2005
Quite unexpectedly cute. Kelly MacDonald plays shy Scot Gina, who meets shy Brit Bill Nighy (who turns out to be a major player in the UK government), and things are nice, until they're not. It's ultimately about speaking out, and how one person can make a difference, but that part comes in a fairly propaganda-ridden package.
238. Winter Solstice | October 1, 2005
A little slow, but ok. Allison Janney brings a little sunshine into the home of a single dad. Making a film about people who move so slowly through life -- who don't have big revelations or heroic tasks to complete -- is a delicate business. Too much of a study of this sort and you end up with "A Taste of Cherry", which I couldn't even finish.
237. Childstar | October 1, 2005
Making kids act in films is bad. We make them into brats, idolized and hated and treated with kid gloves. But we knew that, and as much as I usually really love Don McKellar, I didn't think he had all that much to say in this film that was new.
236. Serenity | October 1, 2005
It's about belief -- it's what all the Joss stuff is about, I think. Not necessarily religion, or mystical forces, or good and evil, just belief in something. So the movie's about Mal and the crew of Serenity doing something because they believe in it, and are willing to die for it, not because of a paycheck. It was great -- lots of superfast action, some amazing movement from Summer Glau (who knew she was a ballerina ninja? who knew that was possible? Buffy on crack!), and all kinds of mind-fucking from Joss. That's why we love him. And curse his name sometimes. He does things he's not supposed to, and keeps us on our toes, but then doesn't get all satisfied with himself -- the movie doesn't ever take itself too seriously, and brings the funny just when it's needed.
September
235. Monster-in-law | September 28, 2005
234. The English Patient | September 25, 2005
233. Passion Fish | September 25, 2005
A difficult, gorgeous films by the incomparable John Sayles. I still don't understand how this man gets inside the minds of women, without making it a comment on women or some kind of tribute. He's a genius.
232. Undertow | September 24, 2005
Unbearably dull. I just can't manage to get interested in movies that watch people go on and on in a meaningless existence. There's enough of that in my own life, why would I want to take time out from that to watch something even more boring?
231. In and Out | September 24, 2005
I don't remember thinking about this before -- the film goes to an absurd side of comedy a little too often for me. The bad acting of Cameron, leaving the guy on the steps of the Supreme Court, Cameron stuffing Joan Cusack's face at the wedding. The heart is good, I think, but sometimes it's not where I would have put it.
230. Flightplan | September 24, 2005
I'm not a super-hard sell on thillers with a heart -- but somewhere in the third act, a gigantic hellmouth opened and unleashed plot implausibilities beyond belief, and it was just too annoying to be dealt wit.
229. I Love You, Don't Touch Me | September 23, 2005
Not a bad piece on dating and learning to deal with your stupid expectations.
228. Miami Blues | September 19, 2005
227. Waking the Dead | September 11, 2005
226. Happy Accidents | September 10, 2005
225. Just Visiting | September 10, 2005
224. The Hours | September 10, 2005
There are so many ways to interpret this film, I'd hardly know where to begin talking about it. But I really love it, agony and all.
223. To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar | September 9, 2005
222. Smile | September 9, 2005
Terribly messy, but with a good heart, if not a bit sweet. If you put aside the myriad implausibilities, and cliches galore, and make it through the first interminable hour, the story of a girl volunteering for an Operation Smile-like project in China may resonate nicely
221. The Center of the World | September 6, 2005
220. Dancing at the Blue Iguana | September 6, 2005
219. Only You | September 5, 2005
218. Alexander | September 1, 2005
Way too bloody for my tastes, but the jumping back and forth in time was an interesting way to tell the story -- the idea that you have to have context before you introduce an epic hero.
August
217. The Stepford Wives | August 31, 2005
Not as awful as I'd been led to believe. Though with a Paul Rudnick script, it should have been wittier, sharper. The look was dead-on, and there were lots of great beats, but the story really sagged in the third act. They didn't do horror -- not really -- and the comedy didn't work completely without something more edgy.
216. D.E.B.S. | August 31, 2005
215. Mean Creek | August 30, 2005
214. My Son the Fanatic | August 30, 2005
A bit of a twist on the typical immigrant story, with parent immersed in the modern evil world, and child reaching for the old ways. Om Puri may not be the typical male romantic lead, but he's great here, with Rachel Griffiths opposite.
213. Touch of Pink | August 30, 2005
v. cute story of boys in London, and one boy's out-of-loop mom in Canada. And Kyle MacLachlan appears as the spirit of Cary Grant, which is interesting. It's a device to get us to understand why and to what extent the boy holds onto childhood, but mostly it's great comedy.
212. The Ballad of Jack and Rose | August 29, 2005
Though it might be impossible to put this group of actors together and not have a great film, I still have to give Rebecca Miller credit for an amazing narrative.
211. Bedrooms and Hallways | August 29, 2005
210. A Lot Like Love | August 28, 2005
209. This So-Called Disaster | August 26, 2005
208. Angela's Ashes | August 25, 2005
207. L.A. Confidential | August 25, 2005
206. The Cider House Rules | August 24, 2005
205. The Deep End of the Ocean | August 23, 2005
204. Joan of Arc | August 23, 2005
203. Off the Map | August 23, 2005
202. The Upside of Anger | August 22, 2005
201. Sin City | August 21, 2005
200. Mi Familia | August 21, 2005
199. Catch Me If You Can | August 20, 2005
198. Tokyo Story | August 19, 2005
197. Chasing Liberty | August 18, 2005
196. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days | August 18, 2005
195. Bride and Prejudice | August 17, 2005
194. The Wedding Date | August 16, 2005
193. Ice Princess | August 16, 2005
192. Rick | August 16, 2005
Dead Like Me, Season 2 | August 14, 2005
191. Along Came Polly | August 10, 2005
190. Uptown Girls | August 9, 2005
189. Everyday People | August 6, 2005
188. The Laramie Project | August 4, 2005
187. Million Dollar Baby | August 4, 2005
186. Admissions | August 4, 2005
185. The Insider | August 2, 2005
July
184. Must Love Dogs | July 31, 2005
183. Casa de los Babys | July 30, 2005
182. Broken Hearts Club | July 30, 2005
181. Latter Days | July 29, 2005
180. The Island | July 28, 2005
179. Big Fat Liar | July 26, 2005
178. The Last Seduction | July 24, 2005
177. You'll Get Over It | July 23, 2005
176. The Girl From Monday | July 23, 2005
175. Vera Drake | July 23, 2005
Carnivale, Season 1 | July 20, 2005
174. Carrington | July 13, 2005
173. A Simple Plan | July 12, 2005
172. Easy | July 9, 2005
171. Living Out Loud | July 9, 2005
170. The Terminal | July 8, 2005
169. Close to Leo | July 7, 2005
168. Bride and Prejudice | July 6, 2005
167. Hotel Rwanda | July 6, 2005
166. Finding Neverland | July 4, 2005
165. Hitch | July 3, 2005
164. The Importance of Being Earnest | July 3, 2005
163. Better Than Chocolate | July 2, 2005
June
162. Logan's Run | June 30, 2005
161. The Jacket | June 28, 2005
160. Hedwig and the Angry Inch | June 26, 2005
159. Maybe Baby | June 23, 2005
158. 2046 | June 22, 2005
157. Imitation of Life | June 20, 2005
156. Saved! | June 20, 2005
155. In the Mood for Love | June 19, 2005
154. Wimbledon | June 19, 2005
153. Lost in Translation | June 18, 2005
152. Three Kings | June 18, 2005
151. The Ideal Husband | June 17, 2005
150. Saving Face | June 17, 2005
149. P.S. | June 16, 2005
Trevor | June 16, 2005
148. Cowboys and Angels | June 15, 2005
147. Master and Commander | June 14, 2005
146. Antares | June 13, 2005
145. Let the Church Say Amen | June 13, 2005
144. In Good Company | June 12, 2005
143. Intentions | June 12, 2005
142. The Corporation | June 11, 2005
141. Mr. and Mrs. Smith | June 11, 2005
140. The Cell | June 11, 2005
139. Pollock | June 10, 2005
138. Cold Mountain | June 8, 2005
137. Prick Up Your Ears | June 7, 2005
136. The Woodsman | June 6, 2005
135. The 24th Day | June 6, 2005
134. The Matchmaker | June 3, 2005
133. The Event | June 3, 2005
132. Bobby Jones, Stroke of Genius | June 2, 2005
131. Primer | June 2, 2005
May
Six Feet Under, Season 3 | May 30, 2005
130. Birth | May 28, 2005
129. Eulogy | May 28, 2005
128. Closer | May 28, 2005
127. Monsiur Ibrahim | May 27, 2005
126. Gone, But Not Forgotten | May 26, 2005
125. Robot Stories | May 25, 2005
124. Intermission | May 24, 2005
123. The Maltese Falcon | May 23, 2005
122. The Color of Paradise | May 22, 2005
121. East is East | May 21, 2005
120. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou | May 19, 2005
119. Enduring Love | May 19, 2005
118. Primer | May 19, 2005
117. Bread and Tulips | May 18, 2005
116. Noi the Albino | May 14, 2005
115. Invinvible | May 14, 2005
114. The Son | May 13, 2005
113. Sideways | May 12, 2005
112. A Beautiful Mind | May 6, 2005
111. Earth | May 7, 2005
110. Elling | April 30, 2005
109. Y Tu Mama Tambien | May 1, 2005
April
108. Come Undone | April 16, 2005
107. The Manchurian Candidate (1962) | April 15, 2005
106. Km. 0 | April 15, 2005
105. Rosenstrasse | April 12, 2005
104. Secret Things | April 11, 2005
103. Butterfly (La Lengua de la Mariposas) | April 11, 2005
102. Billy Elliot | April 10, 2005
101. Eat Drink Man Woman | April 10, 2005
100. My Own Private Idaho | April 9, 2005
99. The Cooler | April 2, 2005
98. The Color of Pomegranates | April 2, 2005
97. Lawrence of Arabia | April 2, 2005
96. Under the Tuscan Sun | April 2, 2005
95. Maria Full of Grace | April 1, 2005
March
94. Manito | March 31, 2005
93. Witnesses | March 28, 2005
92. He Died With a Felafel In His Hand | March 27, 2005
91. Falling Angels | March 27, 2005
90. The Quiet American | March 26, 2005
89. Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous | March 26, 2005
This was a random Netflix pick -- a title I'd never heard of, with a great cast and a story that sounded interesting enough for me to pick it up. I don't know how it did at the box office, but I'm probably way out of its demographic anyway. It comes off a bit like a novel that didn't quite get properly adapted for the screen (or a novel that was really a self-help book), but it's not awful. And little Jordan Mosely, the one obviously talented kid in Bravo's "Showbiz moms and dads" apparently won the part she had been auditioning for near the end of the series -- in this film. The film alternates between three stories: the present, with Michelle in prison talking with the preacher; the past, with Michelle's mother willfully ignoring the fact that her boyfriend was molesting her daughter; and the recent past, with Michelle recently paroled from a drug violation, trying to make a clean start at a three-day church revival. The film plays like a mystery, but there's not much to be solved, other than what's going to happen next.
88. Woman Thou Art Loosed | March 26, 2005
87. Not One Less | March 25, 2005
86. Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason | March 25, 2005
85. The Incredibles | March 24, 2005
84. Buddy | March 23, 2005
83. Wolves in the Snow | March 21, 2005
82. Alexandra's Project | March 21, 2005
81. Wilby Wonderful | March 20, 2005
80. Word Wars | March 19, 2005
79. Almost Famous | March 19, 2005
78. Things I Never Told You | March 19, 2005
77. The Business of Fancydancing | March 18, 2005
In my 365-films-in-365-days year, it wouldn't have been right not to see this film. A documentary about a group of people who see a lot of movies. A LOT of movies. These are people who see 1,000 movies a year, not 365. None hold a regular job (though one does have something part-time, the others are on disability or living off an inheritance), and all are very, very quirky. Growing up in the theatre, I met more than my fair midwestern share of characters like this, and I have mostly really warm feelings about them. Here are people whose questionable mental health might just as easily have landed them on the streets muttering things, rather than in the movie theatres muttering things. And other than the occasional violent outbursts (most notably from the oldest of the group, the only woman), these folks seem pretty harmless.
76. Cinemania | March 18, 2005
75. Man of the Yaar | March 16, 2005
74. Raja | March 14, 2005
73. Elizabeth | March 13, 2005
72. Baadasssss | March 13, 2005
71. American Splendor | March 12, 2005
70. Owning Mahowny | March 12, 2005
69. George Washington | March 12, 2005
68. I Heart Huckabees | March 11, 2005
67. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring | March 10, 2005
66. The Middle of the World | March 9, 2005
65. The Rage in Placid Lake | March 9, 2005
64. THX1138 | March 8, 2005
63. Carol's Journey | March 8, 2005
62. Kill Bill, volume 2 | March 7, 2005
61. Kill Bill, volume 1 | March 7, 2005
60. Gun-Shy | March 6, 2005
59. Confessions of a Dangerous Mind | March 5, 2005
58. The Aviator | March 5, 2005
57. Constantine | March 5, 2005
56. The Party's Over | March 3, 2005
55. Yossi and Jagger | March 3, 2005
54. The Weight of Water | March 2, 2005
February
53. The Whole Wide World | Feb. 28, 2005
52. Cavedweller | Feb. 27, 2005
51. Waking Life | Feb. 26, 2005
50. Bark | Feb. 25, 2005
49. A Taste of Cherry | Feb. 22, 2005
48. OT: Our Town | Feb. 21, 2005
47. Morlang | Feb. 21, 2005
46. Ginger and Cinnamon | Feb. 20, 2005
45. The Republic of Love | Feb. 20, 2005
44. Minority Report | Feb. 19, 2005
43. Sunset Boulevard | Feb. 19, 2005
42. The Dish | Feb. 19, 2005
41. Hollywood Ending | Feb. 19, 2005
40. We Don't Live Here Anymore | Feb. 18, 2005
39. Down to the Bone | Feb. 16, 2005
38. Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself | Feb. 16, 2005
37. One Hour Photo | Feb. 14, 2005
36. Marion Bridge | Feb. 13, 2005
35. Long Life, Prosperity and Happiness | Feb. 13, 2005
34. Napoleon Dynamite | Feb. 12, 2005
33. Dandelion | Feb. 12, 2005
32. Finding Nemo | Feb. 12, 2005
31. The Company | Feb. 12, 2005
30. The Healer | Feb. 11, 2005
29. Amy | Feb. 10, 2005
28. Mean Girls | Feb. 10, 2005
27. Big Eden | Feb. 10, 2005
26. The Station Agent | Feb. 9, 2005
25. In America | Feb. 7, 2005
24. Japanese Story | Feb. 6, 2005
23. Virgin | Feb. 6, 2005
22. Bagdad Cafe | Feb. 5, 2005
January
21. Equilibrium | Saturday, Feb. 5, 2005
20. The Dreamlife of Angels | Jan. 24, 2005
19. Full Frontal | Sunday, Jan. 23, 2005
18. The Forgotten | Sunday, Jan. 23, 2005
17. Punch-Drunk Love | Sunday, Jan. 23, 2005
Significant Others (tv series)
16. Broadway Damage | Saturday, Jan. 22?
15. Dogville | Monday, Jan. 17, 2005
14. Silver City | Monday, Jan. 17, 2005
13. Angels in America | Weekend of Jan. 15, 2005
12. AKA | Saturday, Jan. 15, 2005
11. I've Heard the Mermaids Singing | Friday, Jan. 14, 2005
10. Ma Vie en Rose | Friday, Jan. 14, 2005
9. The Village | Friday, Jan. 14, 2005
I didn't go into this expecting much -- the fact that I continued to work on a crafts/organization project throughout is one sign of how seriously I didn't take this viewing -- but that made for a good start. Anyone who's seen much Twilight Zone or Star Trek (TNG, in particular), or read much of the Asimov sci-fi or spec-fi genre will guess the "secret" fairly early on. I pooh-poohed that when I heard someone say something to that effect after the release, but now I totally agree. But that's ok, really -- like the Sixth Sense, it's not a deal-breaker. But the problem is, so much of the wonder and tone of the movie is wrapped up in the facade, the truth, and the delayed revelation (to characters and audience) that there's not a lot of room for development after that -- and THAT'S what would have been interesting. The best part of the TNG episode where Picard lives another life in a day (the flute one... don't ask me the name of the ep) is the point where you see him deal with the huge weight of all this, and know the effect it will have for years to come. The Village would have been so much more interesting if there was at least some contemplation of how this life was to continue -- would the secret die with the elders? Would Ivy tell Lucius (who, curious as he is, might decide to leave)? This has been a short-term experiment -- so how did they get to have such a large population? All these things are important because the central story just isn't compelling enough. Oh. and Bryce Howard? Luminous, and just wicked scary talented.
8. The Five Obstructions | Saturday, Jan. 8, 2005
7. Born Rich | Saturday, Jan. 8, 2005
6. Love Actually | Sunday, Jan. 2, 2005
5. Lemonysnicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events | Sunday, Jan. 2, 2005
4. Abcd | Sunday, Jan. 2, 2005
3. Let it Snow | Sunday, Jan. 2, 2005
2. Code 46 | Saturday, Jan. 1, 2005
1. Garden State | Saturday, Jan. 1, 2005

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Pre-season practice viewing

365 in 2005

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Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Creating a wishlist

Prepping

Filmyear 2009: 365 films in 365 days

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