4v291o
Watched on Monday March 10, 2025.
]]>This review may contain spoilers.
Slightly-less-racist Popeye Doyle goes on vacation to and is immediately dissed by the local cops, robbed, assaulted, kidnapped, drugged repeatedly till he's left addicted to smack, and then pushed out of a moving vehicle... but when he then returns to the address of his torturers with a lighter and a bottomless gasoline canister that he's spilling everywhere while shouting about being an exterminator who's there to take care of the rat problem? Such a vibe. Goddamn, Gene Hackman. You will be missed.
]]>Punk: now more than ever
]]>Watched on Monday February 17, 2025.
]]>Watched on Sunday February 16, 2025.
]]>Watched on Saturday February 15, 2025.
]]>Watched on Monday January 20, 2025.
]]>Watched on Wednesday February 5, 2025.
]]>Watched on Wednesday February 5, 2025.
]]>Watched on Monday February 3, 2025.
]]>Watched on Saturday February 1, 2025.
]]>Watched on Thursday January 30, 2025.
]]>Watched on Tuesday January 28, 2025.
]]>Watched on Monday January 27, 2025.
]]>Watched on Sunday January 26, 2025.
]]>Watched on Thursday January 23, 2025.
]]>Watched on Thursday January 23, 2025.
]]>Watched on Sunday January 19, 2025.
]]>Watched on Monday January 13, 2025.
]]>Watched on Sunday January 12, 2025.
]]>Watched on Saturday January 11, 2025.
]]>Watched on Monday January 6, 2025.
]]>Watched on Friday January 3, 2025.
]]>Watched on Thursday January 2, 2025.
]]>Watched on Wednesday January 1, 2025.
]]>Watched on Thursday December 26, 2024.
]]>Watched on Sunday December 15, 2024.
]]>Watched on Saturday December 14, 2024.
]]>Watched on Friday December 13, 2024.
]]>Watched on Saturday October 30, 2010.
]]>Watched on Sunday October 20, 2024.
]]>Watched on Sunday November 3, 2024.
]]>Watched on Saturday November 16, 2024.
]]>Watched on Thursday November 28, 2024.
]]>Watched on Wednesday November 27, 2024.
]]>Watched on Thursday October 31, 2024.
]]>Watched on Wednesday October 30, 2024.
]]>Watched on Wednesday October 30, 2024.
]]>Watched on Tuesday October 29, 2024.
]]>Watched on Sunday October 27, 2024.
]]>Watched on Saturday October 26, 2024.
]]>Watched on Tuesday October 22, 2024.
]]>Watched on Monday October 21, 2024.
]]>Watched on Saturday October 19, 2024.
]]>Watched on Friday October 11, 2024.
]]>Watched on Wednesday October 9, 2024.
]]>Watched on Sunday September 22, 2024.
]]>Watched on Saturday September 21, 2024.
]]>Watched on Friday September 20, 2024.
]]>Watched on Tuesday September 17, 2024.
]]>After a lengthy hiatus I am once more throwing my hat into the ring for Kaijuman's annual anime-watching challenge. I don't know how many of these selections I'll be able to watch let alone review, but damnit I've been craving some Japanese animated tastiness, so let's just see what happens! At the least I should be able to squeeze out a few quickie reviews. And after a long time apart, who doesn't love to reconnect with a couple of quickies?
Recommendation List
Sports anime
Gainax
Akira Toriyama
Anime Series
80s
80s
80s
90s
90s
...plus 6 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>(7/3/19): If the news is true, Mad Magazine will cease publishing by the end of the year. It would be sad to see that be the end of Mad, they're an institution when it comes to the art of calling bullshit (a skill more crucial than ever), and I hope they find a way to continue on in some form.
Not only did Mad reshape satire and American culture as a whole, but their artists had a huge impact on the look of movie posters throughout the 60s and 70s, starting quite fittingly with Jack Davis' iconic poster for It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. I'd already been adding to this list for a while now but it's still a work in progress, and further entries (along with artists' names in the notes) will be added eventually.
Jack Davis
Jack Richards --- poster is for U.S. release (September 1963)
Jack Richards
Jack Davis
Jack Richards
Jack Davis
Jack Richards
Jack Davis
Jack Davis
Jack Richards
...plus 64 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>Ongoing and subject to revision.
...plus 460 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>The "after" list for this list, in the order watched.
...plus 70 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>Over the coming months and years I'm going to review My Top 250. This is a list of what I've written about so far! Hit Read Notes for reviews and original list number.
(59/250) -- Reviewed
#1
#2
#4
#5
#8
#9
#15
#23
#24
#26
...plus 49 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>...plus 1 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>(05/14/18)
My Dad was a 50's kid who grew up to be an 80's guy. Best time of his life, he said. He loved movies. And he liked to share the movies he loved, but he also loved to inflict some movies on the rest of us (see Nothing But Trouble, Captain Ron, Clifford). There is no doubt that some of my questionable cinematic tastes are his fault, and that he is very much responsible for my love of movies whether he likes it or not. My Dad loved to hang out, especially with the people he cared about, and watch a movie, even if he wasn't going to be awake for all of it. Here are some of the movies that he got excited about watching.
(Note: I'll be largely on hiatus here in the coming days as I process all this. I'm going to miss my Dad. Thanks to all of you for the with everything)
(06/04/18)
Back, thanks again to everyone. Will be updating this list periodically as I /learn more.
...plus 134 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>04/08/19: the new Criterion Channel launched today and so far it's looking pretty good! Now granted I wish there was just a master list of what's available on the site (and they're probably going to be adding a lot more still over the coming weeks) but just a cursory glance reveals that there's plenty of decent titles to choose from. Here's what's made it onto my watchlist so far, just in case you're also starting to explore over there, or maybe thinking about subscribing yourself (and thus helping this fine new streaming site for good cinema to run longer than its short-lived predecessor FilmStruck did).
...plus 273 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>It's baaack!
The challenge that refuses to die. After being cut short in March of 2020 and completely absent from 2021, I'm bringing back A Year of Film History… for 2022 because
a) I love exploring film history and
b) a lot of y'all still seem interested in this particular challenge and have even taken it upon yourselves to continue it independently in your own fashion! So yeah, you've inspired me. I'm not sure how well I'll be able to keep up on it but hey, here goes…
What is this challenge?
For every month in 2022 I am going to watch at least four films (so around one a week) from that month's decade, using the following schedule:
January -- (birth of film to 1909)
February -- (1910s)
March -- (1920s)
April -- (30s)
May -- (40s)
June -- (50s)
July -- (60s)
August -- (70s)
September -- (80s)
October -- (90s)
November -- (2000s)
December -- (2010 - present)
While most challenges on Letterboxd are for a single month only or each week spaced out over the course of a year, this challenge is monthly and the goal here is to give yourself an excuse/motivation each month to watch some classic films from every decade and fill in some of the holes in your cinematic viewing history.
How do you get started?
Easy! Just make a new list on Letterboxd of at least 4 movies from January's time period (birth of cinema to 1909)
or
make a complete list that contains at least four movies from each month's decade.
I prefer the first method myself because it keeps things flexible, that way I won't end up marking something down as 'to watch' for October or December but then I'm suddenly in the mood to watch it much earlier than that.
Wait, when does this start?
Umm...today? I know we're already into January, but no worries. Most of the films from this month's time period are less than 10 minutes long anyways so catching up should not be hard for either of us.
Does it matter which 4 movies you watch for each decade?
Nope! But personally I'm going to make a point of watching at least one film that is critically lauded, historically important, or otherwise a classic from each decade.
Does it have to be only four?
Nah, watch as many as you like! I'd just say beware of burn out and keep some flexibility for other challenges/new releases/stuff you're just really in the mood for that day.
Do we absolutely have to stick to watching the movies for this challenge in order?
Not necessarily, I think the most important part is just watching them! However, there is something to be said for working your way up through the decades and observing the way the medium evolves. You'll have a better sense of why some movies have a special place in film history when you see how it's different from the kinds of movies that preceded it.
I don't know what to watch, especially for the earlier years:
That's cool. Here's some helpful lists:
DBC's Somewhat Helpful Guide to 19th Century Cinema
Top 300 Silent Era Films
The Story of Film: An Odyssey
1001 Movies to See Before You Die: 2021 Edition
Ok, that's it for now! If I think of more I'll update this later.
If you decide for some weird reason you want to try this challenge too tag your list/reviews with YearofFilmHistory or FilmHistory2022 to let others know what kind of stuff you're checking out. And be sure to post your list here in the comments so I can add you to the list of partiants/ooo and ahh over your choices.
...plus 2 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>My Top 21 of 2021, AKA A List of Polarizing Projects I Kinda Loved.
...plus 11 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>Losing yourself in the music, big adventure, escapist comedy, potent encouragement, somehow finding peace. We all need that sometimes, and here's what works for me. In chronological order.
...plus 36 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>A ranked preference for all the films of monolithic auteur Stanley Kubrick (1928 - 1999)
Reviews for each will be added eventually (see Notes for what I've written about so far)
(did you really think I'd have something else at #1?)
...plus 6 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>A list of movies I've reviewed on Letterboxd that I think really don't get the consideration and eyeball views these days that they deserve. And I do mean really overlooked.
list by viewing date
...plus 29 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>A complete list of all noir & neo-noir watched between November 1 and December 1, 2021 (all first-time watches except where noted, additional reviews coming soon)
...plus 32 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>Nightmares of the Young Urban Professional
Young, well-paid city-dwellers with fashionable lifestyles who end up in situations they find horrifying.
...plus 22 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>Highest-rated first-time watches of 2018, newest releases first.
Last five-star watch of 2018
First five-star watch of 2018
...plus 13 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>a recommendation list in progress, noir & neo-noir.
More reviews of the films on this list coming soon!
...plus 25 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>Welp, looks like I'm unofficially doing Hooptober 8 this year in addition to watching a bunch of other random Horror stuff. Rather than post a list of what I'll be attempting for that challenge, I'm just going to list what I actually watch after I've watched it (in addition to all my other horror-related watches). Sooo everything listed here is what I have watched since mid-September!
If a film watched met a Hooptober requirement, I'll mention that in the notes for this list.
Happy Halloween!
Hooptober rule categories completed:
- Six countries (6/6)
- Eight decades (8/8)
- Two Folk Horror (2/2)
- Two haunted house movies (2/2)
- Worst part two you haven't seen (1/1)
- One film set in the woods (1/1)
- 1 Kaiju or Kong film (1/1)
- Two Hammer films (2/2)
- 3 films with a person of color as director or lead (excluding Asian) (3/3)
- Asian Horror (3/3)
Eight decades (1/8)
Eight decades (2/8)
POC lead (1/3)
Two haunted house films (1/2)
Eight decades (3/8)
Six countries (1/6) Italy
Eight decades (4/8)
...plus 57 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>My top 20 picks for 2020. Another title for this list could be Things I'll Review in the Next Few Weeks/Months/Years (Maybe)
...plus 10 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>Fate is really cruel to Bob, especially when he's a ing character.
Bob help you if you're a kid named Bob in a movie.
Honorable Mention:
Bub -- Day of the Dead (1985)
The turn-of-the-decade successes of Look Who's Talking, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990), and Home Alone inclined studios to throw money at many absurd and quirky Family-ish Comedy projects to see what stuck at the box office. Some of it was palatable, but plenty of it was wretched! A lot of it can be found on this list, with low-hanging fruit like sequels, remakes, and adaptations mostly (but not completely) omitted.
Listed by order of release. The devolution is real.
...plus 72 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>This is a watchlist of sorts. I made a Top 250 list a while back. Someday in the future I'll put out a Top 500 list. These are some of the movies I'm thinking of adding to it, but feel like I need to watch again before doing so.
...plus 35 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>(Note: I composed this list in very early 2020 but did not feel right about sharing it at the time, what with half of Australia on fire and a mysterious virus leaving a trail of devastation in China and so much else that was going on. Didn't feel right airing my relatively minor complaint about having so many depressing movie viewing experiences in the past year in light of all that. Still doesn't sit completely right with me now. But since this list is relevant to a recent review I'm publishing, I've decided to put it out there with the original intro I wrote intact. It's interesting in retrospect, considering the year that was to come...to me at least)
Let me start by saying I blame no one but myself...at least when it comes to what I ended up watching. But truth be told, there were a lot of movie viewing times during 2019 where I found myself thinking "I'm watching a vision of hell." That doesn't mean it was always fire and brimstone. Sometimes it was someone's personal hell. Sometimes it was more like hell on earth. And on a few rare occasions, it seemed like a visit to the literal hell. And frankly it was more than I needed this year.
There's no getting around it: my 2019 was shit. Some of it was due to circumstances within my control, but a lot of it was not. And I'm pretty sure 2020 is going to be even more challenging.
When I was younger, I'm not sure this stuff bothered me as much. Life was crap and you'd watch something bleak and it still felt like an escape somehow. It doesn't feel like that anymore. It just feels like being rerouted back into the awfulness.
So New Year's movie resolution: spend less time staring at despair. I really like most of these movies, some of them were even rewatches of favorites, but I need more hope. For every one film I watched like Gandhi that made my spirit soar I watched about 10 that left me in various degrees of a sunken place. It's not any one of these films, it's all of them, collectively.
...plus 66 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>Ten most crafty & cunning villains, for Letterboxd Showdown.
]]>Sure Crip Camp was moving and important and brought attention to the conditions of a group of frequently overlooked people who have been subjected to mass extermination worldwide in the last year largely because of the deeply irresponsible handling of a devastating pandemic and yeah maybe it deserved to win Best Documentary at the Oscars but hey did you see the documentary about the dude who makes friends with an octopus?
]]>It's becoming a yearly tradition, the updating of this list…
20 cream-of-the-crop dope picks especially chosen for this fine mid-April we're having.
Warning: Twisted shit, for professionals only.
...plus 10 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>How this'll work:
At least once a month I will pick a nominated movie at complete random from this list, watch it, and review.
Any movie?
Yep, any movie. My only stipulations are that it not be a movie I've already reviewed on Letterboxd, and that you only nominate one movie for the list at a time. If you suggest a movie I've already written about or nominate more than one, I'll probably just reply with a link to the prior review, or only add the first film you mentioned (but feel free to suggest another once I've watched your prior choice).
Any movie? Really?
Well sure, but hopefully it's something you really like or just wanna hear my opinion on. Whether it's a classic you think I've missed so far or some odd choice you really think I of all people need to review, let's see what you've got!
Why do this now?
It's been a good fifteen months since I posted my first review on Letterboxd covering my viewing of Werner Herzog's My Best Fiend and thus started a continuing-to-this-day trend of posting write-ups of movies I'd watched weeks prior. Here I am 499 reviews later (as of this writing, October 11th 2018). As a writer I can't tell you how much of a good creative exercise it's been to come on here most days and type away about a subject that is so close to my heart and feels like a natural fit for me to write about: the movies. It's been good to give myself permission to not be perfect in my writing, and instead just focus on getting something out there. I've truly loved reading your reviews too and I've learned about so many great movies from so many of you, and I'm greatly appreciative of the time everyone has taken to read my reviews. So... I'm creating this list as a way to keep all the suggestions I get from y'all in one place and maybe inspire more interesting recommendations, and who knows, perhaps along the way I'll even end up writing more reviews you enjoy reading (it could happen!) Thanks everyone!
Pick #1 -- November 2018
Selected by Nine Lives
Pick #2 -- December 2018
Selected by Kevin Almroth
Pick #3 -- January 2019
Selected by Annaholmlund
Pick #4 -- February 2019
Selected by Cinekraut
Pick #5 -- March 2019
Selected by Ahmed Aiman
Pick #6 -- April 2019
Selected by Kaijuman
Pick #8 -- May 2019
Selected by Frank Ritz
Pick #9 -- June 2019
Selected by Andy Pink
...plus 26 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>Wow, it's almost time to get my yearly overdose of anime in! Kaijuman has set up another great month of fun which I will endeavor to get done before April Fool's, and in the hopes of maybe getting all of the reviewing part finished before it's summer again I may just keep reactions quick & concise (mostly). And as an extra, I may try to throw in a 25th anniversary review of Ghost in the Shell (been meaning to give that a rewatch since I finished reading the original manga).
I'll also add notes later specifying which criteria each movie meets, but for now just know they're listed in an order that matches the instructions below.
5 anime from the 80’s
5 anime from the 90’s
5 anime from the 2000’s
5 anime from the 2010’s
1 Non-Hayao Miyazaki Ghibli film
1 film by either Satoshi Dezaki or Takeshi Koike
5 anime with less than 20 reviews
And 3 anime of your own choosing
If this looks like a good time to you then I hope you'll in too! To those who do, as always: kouun wo oinori shite imasu!
...plus 23 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>Welcome to The Weekly Animation Challenge 2020!
A big thanks to all who participated in last year's challenge, and thanks also to everyone old & new who'll be ing up this year! Being that this is the third installment of the Weekly Animation Challenge, I'm sure some of you were hoping for an extra gimmicky angle this time around, but sadly I wasn't able to make ani2020 in 3-D...but maybe I'll still work in a twist ending or something?
ANYWAYS--- as with the last two years, the weekly challenges proceed in a roughly chronological order that'll track with the history of animation! Now I (still) don't claim to be some great expert on that topic, but I think this challenge is a good opportunity for anyone who wants to broaden their exposure to this amazing and versatile medium, and maybe just see something special they wouldn't have otherwise.
Oh and finally, another big thank-you to the founder of the first year's challenge, Peter H. for getting this ball rolling and his continued .
So let's do this!
------------
Here's how to get started:
------------
1) Create your own list. In the Notes for every movie on this list you'll find a description of each week's challenge for 2020. Included with most of these are links that will help you find movies to fulfill that challenge, though you're not limited to choosing just the movies mentioned in the links---as long as an animated film fits the general requirement, it's alright.
2) Tag your list (and any reviews for movies on your list) with ani2020 and post a link to it here. Spread the fun of what kind of films you've unearthed!
3) Watch movies! Do the list in order and watch the medium evolve, or watch what you can when you can. If you've explored one new bit of animation because of this challenge, then it's been a success.
4) Write reviews! Short or long, capture those impressions after your viewing, and to tag 'em with ani2020
5) Read other reviews tagged with ani2020. The animation community on Letterboxd is full of friendly folk with interesting takes on all sorts of animated works, big and small. Help spread the love!
Other Details:
--short or feature length films are ok
--you can always switch out your list picks as needed
--while going outside your comfort zone is encouraged, skip a challenge week if you don't feel right about it.
--feel free to comment with questions, concerns, errors, or just to say hey
--if you're really having trouble finding an animated film from a region, it is acceptable to watch a film from an animator who was originally from that region but then moved elsewhere.
--For those of you weirdos who like some extra challenge with your challenge, some of the weeks will include extra credit!
--have fun!!!
The ani2020 crew:
DBC---Jason Tucker---Julia---jamie---MightyChernabog---Sparkyfox---Mark Salamon---Shane Arnold---col_plimp---Asher---MARKASREAL---Dayave---Wirt---anjoao---nath---Aurora---Sam---DYL---angela roveda---Peter Bódi---Peter H---Samir Ghimire---Nay---Nikelodeon---revchu---Alex Simeon---sailordanae
Week 1: January 1st - January 7th
Early Experimental
For centuries humanity had been trying to make cartoons. In the late 1800s we finally started doing it. Dip your toe into the medium with these early stabs at motion picture animation.
Week 2 : January 8th - January 14th
Fantasy Films
From Peter H's ani2018 note:
"Some of the earliest animated films are fantasy films, partially because that's what was popular at the time and partially because animation allows the portrayal of magic without special effects." Couldn't have put it better myself!
Week 3: January 15th - January 21st
Country Spotlight:
From the early works of Émile Reynaud and Émile Cohl to La Planète sauvage and Persepolis, the contribution of to the history of animation has been massive and revolutionary since the very beginning.
Week 4: January 22nd - January 28th
Cutout Animation
One of the first animated techniques was based on the manipulation of flat cut-out images, and it's a style still in use today.
Cutout Animation, a list by Peter H
Cutout Animation on Wikipedia
Week 5: January 29th - February 4th
An animated film from Europe
A lot of the initial forays into the world of animation happened in the nations of Europe, leaving us with well over a century of films to chose from!
Extra Credit: Watch a European film from a country that's no longer on the map
Week 6: February 5th - February 11th
Academy Awards Week
The American film industry's yearly tradition of honoring its own has been happening since the 20s, and has had a category specifically for animated features since 2001. Watch any short or feature that's ever been nominated for an Oscar.
The Academy Awards: Best Animated Short Film Nominees 1932-2017 , a list by Rik Tod Johnson
The Academy Awards: Best Animated Feature Nominees 2001-2017, a list by Rik Tod Johnson
Extra Credit: Watch a best animated short nominee, best animated feature nominee, AND a animated feature nominated for Best Picture!
Week 7: February 12 - February 18th
Director Spotlight: Winsor McKay
A prodigious illustrator and newspaper cartoonist who became one of the earliest promoters and innovators of film animation.
Week 8: February 19th - February 25th
Rotoscope
The art of tracing live action footage frame by frame to create highly realistic-looking animation, a process invented by Max Fleischer in 1915. Watch one animated film featuring heavy rotoscope usage.
Rotoscope-Animated Films, a list by Thedude3445
Rotoscoping on Wikipedia
Extra Credit: Watch a rotoscoped film from the Fleischers
Week 9: February 26th - March. 4th
An animated film from Central or South America
The first animated feature, El Apóstol, was produced in Argentina in 1917! Celebrate the long history of animation from American countries close to the equator with a film from Central or South America.
Week 10: March 5th - March 11th
An animated film from Australia/Oceania
Australia's own Harry Julius launched animation as a cultural phenomenon down under during the mid-1910s with his series of satirical animated shorts called Cartoons of the Moment. Let's explore what's happened since!
...plus 43 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>Back once again for its third year on Letterboxd, it's A Year of Film History Challenge 2020! I cannot believe it's time for a new list, time for a new year, time for a new decade, but onward we go! The 2019 challenge was the first time I actually made it up to our present decade (progress!) and I made some fantastic discoveries, with the highlight probably being the weekend I watched Point Blank, The Swimmer, and Medium Cool for the first time. Damn. So if you're looking for a good reason to finally throw on those classic films that had been sitting on your watchlist forever or otherwise explore the history of this amazing art form, now's your chance to dive in! So---
What is this challenge?
For every month in 2020 I am going to watch at least four films (around one a week) from that month's decade, using the following schedule:
December 2019/January -- (birth of film to 1909)
February -- (1910s)
March -- (20s)
April -- (30s)
May -- (40s)
June -- (50s)
July -- (60s)
August -- (70s)
September -- (80s)
October -- (90s)
November -- (2000s)
December -- (2010s)
The goal here is to give yourself an excuse/motivation each month of the year to watch some classic films from every decade and fill in some of the holes in your cinematic viewing history.
How do you get started?
Easy! Just make a new list on Letterboxd of at least 4 movies from January's time period (birth of cinema to 1909)
or
make a complete list that contains at least four movies from each month's decade.
I prefer the first method myself because it keeps things flexible, that way I won't end up marking something down as 'to watch' for October or December but then I'm suddenly in the mood to watch it much earlier than that.
Wait, when does this start?
Umm...today? Since January's decade is technically more than a decade long (the birth of cinema in the 1870s to 1909) it's okay to get started on this in December (but feel free to jump in at any time).
Does it matter which 4 movies you watch for each decade?
Nope! But personally I'm going to make a point of watching at least one film that is critically lauded, historically important, or otherwise a classic from each decade.
Does it have to be only four?
Nah, watch as many as you like! I'd just say beware of burn out and keep some flexibility for other challenges/new releases/stuff you're just really in the mood for that day.
Do we absolutely have to stick to watching the movies for this challenge in order?
Not necessarily, I think the most important part is just watching them! However, there is something to be said for working your way up through the decades and observing the way the medium evolves. You'll have a better sense of why some movies have a special place in film history when you see how it's different from the kinds of movies that preceded it.
I don't know what to watch, especially for the earlier years:
That's cool. Here's some helpful lists:
DBC's Somewhat Helpful Guide to 19th Century Cinema
Top 300 Silent Era Films
Cinema: From Conception to Present Day, a Canon
1001 Movies to See Before You Die: 2019 Edition
Ok, that's it for now! If I think of more I'll update this later.
If you decide for some weird reason you want to try this challenge too tag your list/reviews with YearofFilmHistory or FilmHistory2020 to let others know what kind of stuff you're checking out. And be sure to post your list here in the comments so I can add you to the list of partiants/ooo and ahh over your choices.
Good luck to you on this and all our challenges in 2020, we're going to need it.
2020 crew:
DBC---Sparkyfox---col_plimp---Alex---Alex Johnston---Sam---UnlovelySara---Nikki---Alex Simeon
...plus 6 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>The last couple Februaries I spent the month binge-watching movies from the previous year and then putting out a Top 20 right before the Oscars, but since the Oscars came early this year, I had to scratch that plan. As it stands I don't feel like I've seen enough 2019 movies to a strong Top 20 list, so for now we'll go with 10 and update later!
]]>For a couple years now I've been making a 'Top 20' of the year list right before the Oscars (once I'd watched all the Best Picture nominees). While working my way through that process this year I found myself thinking "why not occasionally make a Top 20 list for years long past if I've seen all of that year's nominees too?"
So here it is, 1994, the first year I purposely set out to watch all of that year's Best Picture nominees…and honestly just one of the most exciting times for me as a moviegoer. The Indie floodgates had burst wide open and I was 100% there for it, and the major studios managed to put out some really interesting/daring stuff too in the scramble to keep up. Even some of the major misfires like The Shadow and Cabin Boy were spectacular in their own way! Two great sports documentaries were released which opened everybody's eyes wide again to the possibilities of that category (Hoop Dreams and Ken Burns' Baseball), as well as the swan songs for generation-defining artists who died far too young that year (Bill Hicks: It's Just a Ride and Nirvana: Unplugged in New York) .
1994. It's no wonder you're still my most-watched release year (96 and counting).
...plus 10 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>Here we go, my third time trying this challenge and second year doing so (and hosting it) on Letterboxd! This a great one to do if you want to make sure you check out some of the older and more classic films on your watchlist or just want to spend more time in 2019 exploring the history of cinema.
What is this challenge?
For every month in 2019 I am going to watch at least four films (so around one a week) from that month's decade, using the following schedule:
December 2018/January -- (birth of film to 1909)
February -- (1910s)
March -- (20s)
April -- (30s)
May -- (40s)
June -- (50s)
July -- (60s)
August -- (70s)
September -- (80s)
October -- (90s)
November -- (2000s)
December -- (2010s)
The goal here is to give yourself an excuse/motivation each month of the year to watch some classic films from every decade and fill in some of the holes in your cinematic viewing history.
How do you get started?
Easy! Just make a new list on Letterboxd of at least 4 movies from January's time period (birth of cinema to 1909)
or
make a complete list that contains at least four movies from each month's decade.
I prefer the first method myself because it keeps things flexible, that way I won't end up marking something down as 'to watch' for October or December but then I'm suddenly in the mood to watch it much earlier than that.
Wait, when does this start?
Umm...today? Since January's decade is technically more than a decade long (the birth of cinema in the 1870s to 1909) it's okay to get started on this in December (but feel free to jump in at any time).
Does it matter which 4 movies you watch for each decade?
Nope! But personally I'm going to make a point of watching at least one film that is critically lauded, historically important, or otherwise a classic from each decade.
Does it have to be only four?
Nah, watch as many as you like! I'd just say beware of burn out and keep some flexibility for other challenges/new releases/stuff you're just really in the mood for that day.
Do we absolutely have to stick to watching the movies for this challenge in order?
Not necessarily, I think the most important part is just watching them! However, there is something to be said for working your way up through the decades and observing the way the medium evolves. You'll have a better sense of why some movies have a special place in film history when you see how it's different from the kinds of movies that preceded it.
I don't know what to watch, especially for the earlier years:
That's cool. Here's some helpful lists:
DBC's Somewhat Helpful Guide to 19th Century Cinema
Top 300 Silent Era Films
Cinema: From Conception to Present Day, a Canon
1001 Movies to See Before You Die: 2018 Edition
Ok, that's it for now! If I think of more I'll update this later.
If you decide for some weird reason you want to try this challenge too tag your list/reviews with YearofFilmHistory or FilmHistory2019 to let others know what kind of stuff you're checking out. And be sure to post your list here in the comments so I can add you to the list of partiants/ooo and ahh over your choices.
I'd wish you luck but you've totally got this.
2019 crew:
DBC---petricor---preisman---Jason Tucker---Orxbane---Cinekraut---Jessica---Meerkate---Suzanne Scherrer---Wirt---Nick Brown---sage---Shane Arnold---UnlovelySara
Prior to the mid-1910s--when pioneers like Bray Productions took the lessons of early 20th century mass production and laid the foundation for what would become a booming traditional animation industry--the earliest animated shorts were daring experiments devised by a variety of patient artists and those with a flair for showmanship. Whether they were working as a side project of an existing film crew or doing it all by themselves, these early innovators were frequently making it up as they went along, and creating entire styles and schools of animation that are still with us today.
...plus 69 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>Welcome to The Weekly Animation Challenge 2019!
First off a huge thank you to Peter H for putting together last year's inaugural challenge, I know I had a blast and made some great discoveries! So here we are now for Part II, which like many a sequel may just end up being sleazier and increasingly bonkers as it goes along (uh oh).
As with 2018's list, the challenges proceed in a roughly chronological order that'll track with the history of animation! Now I don't claim to be some great expert on that topic, but I think this challenge is going to be a good opportunity for anyone who wants to broaden their exposure to this amazing and versatile medium. So let's dive in!
------------
Here's how to get started:
------------
1) Create your own list. In the Notes for every movie on this list you'll find a description of each week's challenge for 2019. Included with most of these are links that will help you find movies to fulfill that challenge, though you're not limited to choosing just the movies mentioned in the links---as long as an animated film fits the general requirement, it's alright.
2) Tag your list (and any reviews for movies on your list) with ani2019 and post a link to it here. Spread the fun of what kind of films you've unearthed!
3) Watch movies! Do the list in order and watch the medium evolve, or watch what you can when you can. If you've explored one new bit of animation because of this challenge, then it's been a success.
4) Write reviews! Short or long, capture those impressions after your viewing, and to tag 'em with ani2019
5) Read other reviews tagged with ani2019. The animation community on Letterboxd is full of friendly folk with interesting takes on all sorts of animated works, big and small. Help spread the love!
Other Details:
--short or feature length films are ok
--you can always switch out your list picks as needed
--while going outside your comfort zone is encouraged, skip a challenge if you don't feel right about it.
--feel free to comment with questions, concerns, errors, or just to say hey
--if you're really having trouble finding an animated film from a region, it is acceptable to watch a film from an animator who was originally from that region but then moved elsewhere.
--For those of you weirdos who like some extra challenge with your challenge, some of the weeks will include extra credit!
--have fun!!!
The ani2019 crew:
DBC---Bethan---Jason Tucker---umme---MightyChernabog---Pedro Gabriel---Jessica---Mathall---Shane Arnold---Brahski---Nine Lives---Peter H---Steve P---Jay D's Watching---possiblydylan--- Adrián Torres---Peter Bódi ---Aurora---Evan Kraft---Jayce Fryman---Mark Salamon---jaime---Tori
Week 1: January 1st - January 7th
Early Experimental
For centuries humanity had been trying to make cartoons. In the late 1800s we finally started doing it. Dip your toe into the medium with these early stabs at motion picture animation.
Week 2 : January 8th - January 14th
Fantasy Films
From Peter H's ani2018 note:
"Some of the earliest animated films are fantasy films, partially because that's what was popular at the time and partially because animation allows the portrayal of magic without special effects." Couldn't have put it better myself!
Week 3: January 15th - January 21st
An animated film from Europe
A lot of the initial forays into the world of animation happened in the nations of Europe, leaving us with well over a century of films to chose from!
Extra Credit: Watch a European film from a country that's no longer on the map
Week 4: January 22nd - January 28th
Cutout Animation
One of the first animated techniques was based on the manipulation of flat cut-out images, and it's a style still in use today.
Cutout Animation, a list by Peter H
Cutout Animation on Wikipedia
Week 5: January 29th - February 4th
Country Spotlight: Russia
Around 1910 Ladislas Starevich started making stop-motion animation using random objects, puppets, and even dead insects! The Russian animated tradition has expanded greatly in the years since. Watch one animated film from Russia.
Week 6: February 5th - February 11th
Director Spotlight: Winsor McKay
A prodigious illustrator and newspaper cartoonist who became one of the earliest promoters and innovators of film animation.
Week 7: February 12 - February 18th
Rotoscope
The art of tracing live action footage frame by frame to create highly realistic-looking animation, a process invented by Max Fleischer in 1915. Watch one animated film featuring heavy rotoscope usage.
Rotoscope-Animated Films, a list by Thedude3445
Rotoscoping on Wikipedia
Extra Credit: Watch a rotoscoped film from the Fleischers
Week 8: February 19th - February 25th
An animated film from Central or South America
The first animated feature, El Apóstol, was produced in Argentina in 1917! Celebrate the long history of animation from American countries close to the equator with a film from Central or South America.
Week 9: February 26th - March. 4th
Academy Awards Week
The American film industry's yearly tradition of honoring its own has been happening since the 20s, and has had a category specifically for animated features since 2001. Watch any short or feature that's ever been nominated for an Oscar.
The Academy Awards: Best Animated Short Film Nominees 1932-2017 , a list by Rik Tod Johnson
The Academy Awards: Best Animated Feature Nominees 2001-2017, a list by Rik Tod Johnson
Extra Credit: Watch a best animated short nominee, best animated feature nominee, AND a animated feature nominated for Best Picture!
Week 10: March 5th - March 11th
An animated film from Australia/Oceania
Australia's own Harry Julius launched animation as a cultural phenomenon down under during the mid-1910s with his series of satirical animated shorts called Cartoons of the Moment. Let's explore what's happened since!
...plus 43 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>From Youssef ElNahas' original challenge list.
My fourth (dear god) and final year-long challenge, despite there being so many tempting ones to choose from. But I gotta branch out with my international viewings y'all, and this looked like a good way to do it.
Click Read Notes to see which country is the theme for the week and (eventually) my reviews.
Look out world, here I come...
Week 1: Jan 1 - 7
Country: Japan
Week 2: Jan 8 - 14
Country: Iran
Week 3: Jan 15 - 21
Country: Macedonia
Week 4: Jan 22 - 28
Country: Egypt
Week 5: Jan 29 - Feb 4
Country: Lebanon
Week 6: Feb 5 - 11
Country:
Week 7: Feb 12 - 18
Country: Thailand
Week 8: Feb 9 - 25
Country: Uruguay
Week 9: Feb 26 - Mar 4
Country: New Zealand
Week 10: Mar 5 - 11
Country: Palestine
...plus 42 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>Will I finish the 2018 Cult Movie Challenge in time? Who knows! That hasn't stopped me from getting sucked into another year of cult movie madness, with all but 2 films on this list being pulled from my preexisting unreasonably-long movie watchlist. Good luck to everyone else participating, I hope y'all have as much fun with it as I do.
The 2019 Cult Movie Challenge by Justin Hullinger
(click Read Notes for week themes & reviews)
Week 1: Jan. 1-Jan. 7
Frank Henenlotter Week
Week 2: Jan. 8-Jan. 14
Takashi Miike Week
Week 3: Jan. 15-Jan. 21
Anime Week
Week 4: Jan. 22-Jan. 28
Shaw Brothers Week
Week 5: Jan. 29-Feb. 4
Giallo Week
Week 6: Feb. 5-Feb. 11
Video Nasties Week
Week 7: Feb. 12-Feb. 18
Bill Rebane Week
Week 8: Feb. 19-Feb. 25
Bleeding Skull Week
Week 9: Feb. 26-Mar. 4
Dario Argento Week
Week 10: Mar. 5-Mar. 11
CAT III Week
...plus 42 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>A chronologically-ordered list-in-progress, by request!
...plus 16 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>The watching is over, many of the reviews are yet to come, but for now here's how the challenge ranked, by order of personal preference. Hope everyone else who participated also had a fun time and made some enjoyable discoveries!
...plus 15 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>The Anime Marches On 2019 challenge by Kaijuman is back! Here it is y'all, your big chance to get caught up on all that great Japanese animation you've been putting off watching, or to otherwise explore a genre you haven't spent much time with in a great big colorful blur of a month (I had a blast doing this last year)!
All of these films will be a first-time viewing for me, and you can find the challenge criteria for each list entry in the Notes, along with a review (eventually). There is a bonus challenge of reviewing Robot Carnival, and since that's not only my favorite anime but a movie I happened to watch again about two months ago, I might be throwing that on here at some point too.
Not sure how I'm going to do this on top of everything else, but it will be fun to try. Maybe I can squeeze all of these into a really long Saturday?
I'll be tagging anything related to this challenge anime marches on 2019, and once again, to everyone else who gives this a go, kouun wo oinori shite imasu!
1 pre-1970 anime
1 70’s anime
1 70’s anime
(a bonus short)
5 80’s anime
(1/5)
5 80’s anime
(2/5)
5 80’s anime
(3/5)
5 80’s anime
(4/5)
5 80’s anime
(5/5)
5 90’s anime
(1/5)
5 90’s anime
(2/5)
...plus 16 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>Classic in this case = pre-Ghost in the Shell (1995)
...plus 28 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>Here it is, my favorites from 2018, starring anything you can find on Letterboxd from that year. At 50+ films viewed, I managed to fit in all the best picture nominees (excluding Black Panther as I'm still way behind with the Marvel franchise) and a fairly good cross-section of other selections, but of course there's still a few other promising features I've yet to see.
Surprised how much I liked some of these? Me too! Suffice it to say,mucho 2018 reviews coming soon.
...plus 10 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>Did you know that people were making movies back when the Wright Brothers were still wearing short shorts? It's true! Some of 'em were even almost a half minute long or so! (No shit!)
What follows is a list of all the shorts from the 1800s that I've reviewed on Letterboxd. In the notes you will find reviews and movie links for each entry. I'll update this list as I check out more films from this century, and please let me know in the comments if a link isn't working anymore. Hope you enjoying exploring the origins of cinema with me.
...plus 14 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>My best first-time viewing experiences for each month of 2018.
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
...plus 2 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>Before the internet put most of our gross and wonderful cartoons just a click away, there was Spike & Mike. Originating in 1990, Spike & Mike's Sick and Twisted Festival of Animation gave animators of the unusual such as Mike Judge, Bill Plympton, and Don Hertzfeldt a venue with which to reach the masses via the festival's tours and home media releases.
While many of the animators were (and still are) underground in of their reach with the general public, the festival has often featured (to quote Wikipedia) "artists (that) have become prominent in the industry and independent creatives, commercial artists, painters, screenwriters, and designers. Several notables and their work have gone on to be nominated for or won Oscars, Emmys, Annie Awards, and other honors." Here these celebrated creators can be found producing some of the most questionable animated oddities you'll ever have the pleasure of consuming.
This list is a compilation of shorts known to have been featured by Spike & Mike, and is a work in progress.
...plus 79 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>I tried this challenge a few years ago in my pre-Letterboxd days, but I went too ambitious and think it might work better if I narrow the requirements slightly, so here goes:
Every month in 2018 I am going to watch at least four films (so around one a week) from that month's decade, using the following schedule:
January -- (birth of film to 1909)
February -- (1910's)
March -- (20's)
April -- (30's)
May -- (40's)
June -- (50's)
July -- (60's)
August -- (70's)
September -- (80's)
October -- (90's)
November -- (2000's)
December -- (2010's)
The goal here is to give myself an excuse/motivation each month of the year to watch some classic films from every decade and fill in some of the holes in my cinematic viewing history.
A Few Guidelines:
- Doesn't matter which four movies it is each month, but I'm going to make a point of watching at least one film that is critically lauded, historically important, or otherwise a classic from the decade.
- Doesn't have to be only four
- I won't be scheduling what I watch the coming month very far in advance, that way I won't end up marking something down as 'to watch' for October or December but then I'm suddenly in the mood to watch it much earlier than that. I'm keeping a lot of this very flexible!
- I'll review everything I watch and use this list to link to reviews, and also to note the order I watched things
If you decide for some weird reason you want to try this challenge too tag your list/reviews with YearofFilmHistory or FilmHistory2018 to let others know what kind of stuff you're checking out.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Reviews
Birth of Cinema to 1909:
--Sallie Gardner at a Gallop
--Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory
--Roundhay Garden Scene
--age of Venus
--Buffalo Running
--Descending Stairs and Turning Around
--Human Figures in Motion
--Man Walking Around a Corner
--Hyde Park Corner
...plus 74 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>(for reviews + list rule category per film, hit Read Notes)
I crossed the finish line of last year's Hooptober Fest on Halloween Night having viewed a colorful assortment of 40 films in total. This year's list is longer, darker, stranger, but hopefully just as much fun to watch as last year!
This year's rules, from Cinemonster's Hooptober 5.0 list:
10 'Anniversary Films' (Release years end in an 8, excluding 2018)
6 different countries
6 different decades
6 films from before 1970
6 films from the following: Romero, Cronenberg, Clive Barker, Terence Fisher, Sergio Martino, William Lustig (mix-and-match, or all one)
2 flying things that kill you films
1 silent film as a tribute to A Quiet Place
1 aquatic menace film as a tribute to The Meg
2 films directed by women
1 "inanimate object comes alive" film
1 film with Barbara Crampton in it
And 2 Tobe Hooper Films (There must ALWAYS be a Hooper film)
FOR THOSE THAT LIKE TO DO EXTRA WORK: WATCH TALES FROM THE HOOD AND TALES FROM THE HOOD 2, WHICH DROPS OCT 2
random details:
-I'll start on the Sept 15th early bird date
- I'm not using a single film to meet multiple list requirements, hence the longer list
- I may or may not get to Tales from the Hood 2 but I'll at least check out the first film!
- I've added three potential "flying things that kill you" movies since I'm not 100% sure how much flying is involved in the three I've picked. Surely two of 'em will meet this requirement
- I haven't seen any of these!
Alright, let's do this! Good luck to everyone else, Happy Halloween, and enjoy!
70th Anniversary
(10 Anniversary Films)
50th Anniversary
(10 Anniversary Films)
40th Anniversary
(10 Anniversary Films)
30th Anniversary
(10 Anniversary Films)
30th Anniversary
(10 Anniversary Films)
30th Anniversary
(10 Anniversary Films)
20th Anniversary
(10 Anniversary Films)
10th Anniversary
(10 Anniversary Films)
10th Anniversary
(10 Anniversary Films)
10th Anniversary
(10 Anniversary Films)
...plus 37 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>The VCR first appeared in the 70s, but the 80s was when it really took over households, and to say it changed the way people watched movies is an understatement. Before the VCR, what movies you saw the most was largely a question of what you could catch on TV the most frequently, or during an unpredictable theatrical revival/re-release. But then came the VCR.
How people watched movies with the VCR is also dramatically different than how we do it now in a time when everyone has a portable entertainment center in their pocket and can cloister themselves away privately with it for hours. What you watched on a VCR most often was shaped by how old you were, who you hung around with the most (and who was in front of your TV the most), what your family/friends/local video store had on hand, and whatever you'd been able to physically get your grubby mitts on somehow, or been lucky enough to snag off of TV when you had a spare tape available. Since they didn't automatically release all the classics as soon as the VCR came out, the new releases tended to rule the rotation.
These aren't necessarily my favorites (although some are), or even the most memorable viewings experiences I had back then (although some were) these are just the strange staples from the 80s I somehow, for some reason, ended up most frequently watching while I was still in the 80s.
Order goes by release date.
...plus 30 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>Okay, three yearly challenges. That's it. Three. It's the magic number.
So here's the deets. This looks like a lot of fun!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reviews:
See Notes and click "Read Review"
Week 1: January 1-January 7
Director Spotlight: Windsor McKay
Week 2: January 8-January 14
A film that uses cutout animation
Week 2: January 8-January 14 (CONTINUED)
A film that uses cutout animation
Week 2: January 8-January 14 (CONTINUED)
A film that uses cutout animation
Week 3: January 15-January 21
A "Silly Symphony" short
Week 3: January 15-January 21 (CONTINUED)
A "Silly Symphony" short
Week 3: January 15-January 21 (CONTINUED)
A "Silly Symphony" short
Week 4: January 22-January 28
An animated fantasy film
Week 4: January 22-January 28 (CONTINUED)
An animated fantasy film
Week 5: January 29-February 4 (CONTINUED)
A rotoscoped film
...plus 61 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>With beloved movie streaming site FilmStruck shutting down today, here's what my Watchlist looked like at the end. A few rewatches, mostly unseen selections, all viewings I still plan to track down later, one way or another.
...plus 111 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>