The first of 2012

Well...I did it!! Even with the first week of school keeping me kind of crazy busy, I managed to watch both a documentary and one of the films from the National Film Registry (as well as sneaking in two regular movies over the weekend as well...going to count them all darn it!)
So first we have the documentary.  I didn't stray too far from my usual fare, I watched Michael Moore's Capitalism: a Love Story (2009), which I thought was interesting.  I do like him. I know many people are not giant fans, but I think his movies are interesting, and usually entertaining.  This one was a little more "bi-partisan" than the others, which I think was nice for a change, but at the same time, not really "edgy" enough for me either. I thought it was worth watching, none-the-less.
For my first National Film Registry film, I decided to go with something I haven't seen before (even though I didn't limit myself in my challenge to only new films...) and watched an interesting movie called David Holzman's Diary (1967) which was a faux documentary, done in Cinema Verite style. I found it actually very fascinating. It's not for everyone to be sure. But for me, aside from the fact that his apartment (or if it really was his apartment...the place that he "said" was his apartment) was on W. 71st street on the upper west side of NYC, which is where I love to stay more than anywhere else when I am in the city. I half expected a shot of "Big Nicks" on the corner....in any case, there were a few shots in the film that really had me captivated. One in particular where he films the entire night of whatever was on Television (commercials included) in a sort of frenzied fast forward/frame by frame shot. It was pretty darn cool. Another great scene was this sort of panning across (I am sure there is a real technical word for what he did here) a bunch of mostly elderly people either at a bus stop, or park benches...also incredibly cool.  It could get a bit dull in places, but if you know going in that its not actually a documentary, it really is worth watching.  I am glad I bothered with it. Not bad for my first choice!
Aside from the two challenge movies.  I also saw My Week with Marilyn (2011) which I absolutely recommend if you have any interest in Marilyn Monroe at all. I thought it was a nice, if not somewhat quiet, little movie about a week in her life during the filming of The Prince and the Showgirl. I thought Michelle Williams (who if you remember from my posts last year....is NOT one of my all time favorites) was amazing in this movie. I thought she played Marilyn like I have never seen her played before, in a very honest and captivating way.  And of course....the adorable Eddie Redmayne, well that might just be reason enough to see it.
Next I had an actual "date" with my husband and we saw The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) and I really really loved it.  Now I should say that I have read the book and really enjoyed it, and attempted to watch the original film and did not enjoy what I saw.  I plan to give it another try, because I have heard people say that they liked it better. I can't see that being my opinion. I thought Rooney Mara was incredible and I loved every second she was on screen. I won't give any spoilers away but lets just say I thought the casting was brilliant and as usual, David Fincher has made a spectacular film....I am starting to wonder if the man can do any wrong! I would actually watch it again, even though I know what happens. Totally worth it to watch the performances and the awesome soundtrack.  Great stuff.  Anyone see anything special this week??

Ta-Da....I'm Back

Okay, so I have been thinking all night about how to continue with this blog. Do I really want to do the same project that I have now officially failed at, for two years?? I decided not.  So I am switching it up a bit, especially since I know that I have three classes that start on Thursday of this week.
Today I was watching These Amazing Shadows a documentary about the National Film Registry and the importance of preserving films.  I found it incredibly interesting, especially after seeing Hugo a few weeks ago.  This blog has always been about movies. How I feel about movies and how movies affect my life. I love movies....so I decided that this years challenge will be all about The National Film Registry.  Each week I will watch at least one movie that has been listed with the National Film Registry.  If I can squeeze in a few...all the better, but for sure I am committing to one a week.  Then, to add a little bit more of a challenge (because one movie a week seems weak...) I will also commit to watching one documentary a week, because lately that's what I have been in the mood for anyway!  Of course, if I see something else worthwhile I will post about it, but for the project/challenge, its going to be a National Film Registry movie, and a documentary each week.  See you in a few days with my first post!  Happy New Year everyone!!!
If anyone wants to join in this challenge/project, you can view a list of the films selected to the National Registry from 1989-2010 here...List of Films the selections for 2011 are not listed here, I will get that list and update that one next week.  If you watch a movie from this list....please post in my comment section, I would love to see what other people are watching!

and the rest of the last...

Okay, sorry...dinner break!
Addicted to her Love (2006) not great..not really even good. I don't even know why I watched it!
Rory O'Shea Was Here (2004) this on the other hand was really good.
Happy Accidents (2000) and this one...I really really liked. Marisa Tomei just makes me smile.
Morning Glory (2010) This was better than I thought. I am surprised actually that it didn't do better at the movies.  I enjoyed it quite a bit.
Falling Up (2009) how could you not like a movie where these things happen: Snoop Dogg is in the movie...as a door man, a man dies playing hand ball in the park....and Annette O'Toole works in a porn video store. Awesome. Oh, and Joseph Cross is pretty adorable too. I found it pretty amusing, a little predictable, but worth watching.
The Myth of the American Sleepover (2011) I will admit, part of the appeal of this for me was that it was filmed in Michigan.  Besides that though...I actually really liked it. Its super tiny and independent, if that's not your thing, you might not want to watch this. If you do...its totally decent.

I may squeeze one more movie in tonight if I can get my Netflix to work!! If I don't come back....Happy New Year everyone!!!

A few more....

I have decided since my plans fell through for tonight, I would update this blog one last time for the year and make a fresh start next year (with maybe a little less expectations on my part...being a student is harder than I thought it would be) My final count this year of movies (with a few that I probably forgot to count) was 175. less than half of what I was hoping for!  Oh well...tomorrow is another day.
Here are the remaining movies I watched this year with just a few words about them...
Footloose (1984) I loved this movie, I still love it. I wouldn't even see the new version because of my love for the original. I might change my mind someday...not so far
Cars 2 (2011) not as bad as I expected it to be...actually kind of cute.
The Smurfs (2011) again, better than I thought it would be.
Fright Night (2011) loved the original, loved this one. David Tennant in leather pants...that is all.
The Muppets (2011) cried like a baby through much of this movie. I have always loved The Muppets. Losing Jim Henson was devastating for me and this movie really paid great tribute to an incredible man and his creations.
The Help (2011) Haters can hate. I enjoyed this.
Hugo (2011) This movie deserves its own post, but I don't have the energy. I can't tell you how much I loved this movie. Its everything that movies should be. I saw it in 3D, which was incredible, not sure how important that was.  Any true movie lover will enjoy this movie. If you don't, I would be seriously surprised. My favorite movie of the year by far.
Ides of March (2011) Interesting...nice to look at. Wasn't as predictable as I expected it to be. Worth watching.
An Inconvenient Truth (2006) had to watch it for a class, I really enjoyed it, not at all as boring as it looked. Scary and entertaining at the same time.  Good stuff.
Win Win (2011) Awesome. Loved it! Paul Giamatti is one of my favorites and this was a great movie.
The Hangover Part II (2011) eh...didn't love it. Not nearly as funny as the original.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) good enough to me that I saw it twice.
New Years Eve (2011) Eh...not good enough to see twice. Maybe I am getting picky about my chick flicks, or at the very least, ones that take place in New York City. This wasn't that good. at all.
Mission Impossible- Ghost Protocol (2011) great fun! Exciting, good story and acting was great. Simon Pegg and Jeremy Renner were welcome additions, and I don't care what people say, I like Tom Cruise.
Nothing like the Holidays (2008) Good holiday movie, touching....worth watching.
Ceremony (2010) I barely remember it so it must not have been great. I think I found it mildly entertaining, but not wonderful.
Leap Year (2010) I watched this as a joke. It is NOT the cute Amy Adams movie, its some sex movie that was boring and bizarre. I have no idea why I watched the whole thing...it was like a train wreck I just couldn't look away.
Paradise Now (2005) Watched it for a class, it was really good!
Adrift (2009) foreign movie with Vincent Cassel, it was pretty good. I enjoyed it.
Rabbit Hole (2010) heart breaking, raw but very, very good.

Need to take a break, will come back later to do the last few!

abandoned ship!

Yes, I realize I have not posted since August. Social Statistics took over my life and I didn't have time to watch a movie, let alone write a review.  I hate that I let this blog go, and didn't finish what I started. I would say I am going to try again next year, especially with January right around the corner. But I don't want to have to go back on my word. I will say that I will do my best to check in from time to time, especially when I have watched something special enough to share. I know now that with school, I just don't have time for a movie a day anymore.  That being said...one of my classes next semester is Crime and Cinema...so who knows!
I will leave you with a brief recommendation for the incredible series
Downton Abbey
The first series is available from Instant Netflix, the second series will air on PBS starting in January. I was sucked in within the first 15 minutes of the show, and watched the entire series over a weekend. I loved it so much I really could have just turned around and started the whole thing over again. I hope you will give it a try!  It is my goal to review a few more movies before the year is up....but I wouldn't make any bets on it!

Entres Nos (2009)

#149 Wow. That's all I can say. I won't give anything away, because I think the power of this film for me...was what I found after the movie, and it wouldn't have been the same experience had I known about it going in.  This movie was, at times, difficult to watch. However, the underlying feeling of hope and survival made it tolerable. The movie is about a young woman Mariana who is brought to American by her restless husband. After being in the country only two weeks, the husband leaves them alone in NY with nothing.  It was harsh and stressful, but also beautiful and strong. Paola Mendoza who plays Mariana, is incredibly beautiful and I didn't realize until after the film that she also co-wrote and directed it.  The two kids were super talented, and I thought this movie was absolutely fantastic.  I highly recommend it. Best part is...its available for instant streaming on Netflix, so go ahead...give it a shot!
Entres Nos (2009)

Last but not least...

The last of the catch up posts!
#147 - Burning Man: Beyond Black Rock very interesting. Just reaffirmed my desire to someday go to Burning Man. I have been thinking about it for a few years now, and realize its probably not my thing, but I can't help myself. I want to go.  I feel like if I don't try it, I am really missing something big!  The documentary was actually really well done and very interesting and I can totally recommend it, even if you have no interest in Burning Man whatsoever!
#148-The Exploding Girl (2009) I loved this so much, its actually my second time viewing it. I realize its not for everyone, so I hesitate to really recommend it in general. Its a very quiet, very small independent film that basically just takes you through a week in the life of Ivy, a girl home from school on what I assume is Spring Break.   I thought this was beautiful. I thought Zoe Kazan (who I have really come to love) was incredible and I will probably watch this again at some point because I really just loved everything about this movie.

I think that about catches me up. I can't think of any others that I have watched that I forgot to blog. I hope to keep up from now on...

And a few more...

I ran out of time last night to finish my post so here are the rest, and lets hope I can be more consistent from now on!
#143 - Company (2007) This is a wonderfully filmed version of a revival of Stephen Sondheim's Company. It is WONDERFUL and its on Instant Netflix, and if you like musicals, you should absolutely watch it.
#144 - Winnie the Pooh (2011) Cute. Chloe didn't make it through the whole thing without getting up and wandering. It was only an hour long thankfully, don't know if I could handle any longer of a movie here. Ian, my 12 year old, seemed to find it far more amusing than my husband thought he should. It was cute. I love Pooh.
#145 - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) Okay, this one probably deserves its one post but I just don't have time. I will just say this.  I wish that every book that I loved, could be turned into a movie this good. I cried like a baby through a whole lot of it, and I can't wait to see it again.  Awesome.
#146 - Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011) Loved this. I really really loved this.  Not just because Ryan Gosling takes his shirt off more than once, though I admit....that didn't suck.  I just really liked the story. I thought it was well written. The characters were easy to relate to, and it was pretty darn funny too.  Good movie, I recommend it.
I have a few more but have to wait until tomorrow to post them. I feel like I am almost catching up here. Hope I can keep it up!