2018 Movie Viewing Log

At this point, I do these simply to recall everything I watch every year. The 100+ movie viewing streak is alive and well, for now anyways.

Top 10 of the Year-

1. Heat (1995, Mann)
2. Requiem For A Dream (2000, Aronofsky)
3. Lady Bird (2017, Gerwig)
4. The Rider (2017, Zhao)
5. Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1989)
6. Sorry To Bother You (2018, Riley)
7. The Shape of Water (2017, del Toro)
8. Call Me by Your Name (2017, Guadagnino)
9. Sicario: Day of the Soldado (2018, Sollima)
10. Mandy (2018, Cosmatos)

January:

1. Requiem For A Dream (2000, Aronofsky)-100, Netflix Instant Viewing
2. New Year’s Evil (1980, Alston)-75, YouTube
3. The Giant Gila Monster (1959, Kellogg)-5, Netflix Instant Viewing
4. Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971, Banno)-81, DVD
5. Godzilla vs Gigan (1972, Fukuda)-65, DVD
6. The Post (2017, Speilberg)-96, Theater Viewing
7. The Protector (1985, Glickenhaus)-88, Public Libray Blu Ray
8. Crime Story (1993, Wong)-84, Public Library Blu Ray
9. Darkest Hour (2017, Wright)-87, Theater Viewing

Movie of the Month: Requiem For A Dream (2000, Aronofsky)-100, Netflix Instant Viewing

February:

10. Time Chasers (1994, David Giancola)-50, Netflix Instant Viewing
11. The King’s Speech (2010, Hooper)-83, DVD
12. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017, McDonagh)-97, Theater Viewing
13. The Shape of Water (2017, del Toro)-98, Theater Viewing
14. Call Me by Your Name (2017, Guadagnino)-98, Theater Viewing
15. Phantom Thread (2017, Anderson)-95, Theater Viewing

Movie of the Month: The Shape of Water (2017, Del Toro)-98, Theater Viewing

March:

16. The Florida Project (2017, Baker)-93, RedBox
17. Lady Bird (2017, Gerwig)-100, Theater Viewing
18. Sleeping With Other People (2015, Headland)-85, Netflix Instant Viewing
19. Black Panther (2018, Coogler)-94, Theater Viewing
20. Blood Feast (1963, Lewis)-80, Blu Ray
21. Vertigo (1958, Hitchcock)-100, First Time Theater Viewing
22. Hostiles (2017, Cooper)-84, Theater Viewing
23. Real Genius (1985, Coolidge)-93, DVD

Movie of the Month: Lady Bird (2017, Gerwig)-100, Theater Viewing

April:

24. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017, Kasdan)-86, Theater Viewing
25. A Quiet Place (2018, Krasinski)-95, Theater Viewing
26. Isle of Dogs (2018, Anderson)-96, Theater Viewing
27. Game Night (2018, Daley and Goldstein)-90, Theater Viewing
28. Heat (1995, Mann)-100, Netflix Instant Viewing

Movie of the Month: Heat (1995, Mann)-100, Netflix Instant Viewing

May:

29. Avengers: Infinity War (2018, Russo Brothers)-95, Theater Viewing
30. Pump Up The Volume (1990, Moyle)-90, DVD
31. Deadpool 2 (2018, Leitch)-92, Theater Viewing
32. Shin Godzilla (2016, Anno and Higuchi)-88, Blu Ray
33. Porco Rosso (1992, Miyazaki)-95, First Time Theater Viewing
34. Guide Dog (2006, Plympton)-88, Theater Viewing
35. Day of Anger (1967, Valerii)-91, Blu Ray

Movie of the Month: Porco Rosso (1992, Miyazaki)-95, First Time Theater Viewing

June:

36. RoboCop 3 (1993, Dekker)-68, Comet TV
37. Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018, Howard)-81, Theater Viewing
38. Dark City (1998, Proyas)-90, Blu Ray
39. The Rider (2017, Zhao)-100, Theater Viewing
40. Dead or Alive (1999, Miike)-97, Blu Ray
41. Breakfast At Tiffany’s (1961, Edwards)-95, Netflix Instant Viewing

Movie of the Month: The Rider (2017, Zhao)-100, Theater Viewing

July:

42. American Made (2017, Liman)-88, Public Library
43. Blade Runner 2049 (2017, Villeneuve)-90, Blu Ray
44. Sicario: Day of the Soldado (2018, Sollima)-98, Theater Viewing
45. Bao (2018, Shi)-83, Theater Viewing
46. Incredibles 2 (2018, Bird)-86, Theater Viewing
47. The Prowler (1981, Zito)-70, Shudder
48. Sorry To Bother You (2018, Riley)-98, Theater Viewing

Movie Of The Month: Sorry To Bother You (2018, Riley)-98, Theater Viewing

August:

49. Tourist Trap (1979, Schmoeller)-84, Shudder
50. Sleepaway Camp (1983, Hiltzik)-75, Shudder
51. Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama (1988, DeCoteau)-53, Shudder
52. Daughters Of Darkness (1971, Kümel)-82, Shudder
53. Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018, McQuarrie)-95, Theater Viewing
54. Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018, Reed)-90, Theater Viewing
55. Basket Case (1982, Henenlotter)-79, Shudder
56. Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016, Zwick)-88, Hulu
57. The Meg (2018, Turteltaub)-80, Theater Viewing

Movie of the Month: Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018, McQuarrie)-95, Theater Viewing

September:

58. I’m Gonna Git You Sucka (1988, Wayans)-84, Tubi TV
59. The Haunted World of El Superbeasto (2009, Zombie)-60, Tubi TV
60. The Void (2016, Gillespie and Kostanski)-83, Netflix Instant Viewing
61. Smokey and the Bandit (1977, Hal Needham)-90, Theater Viewing
62. A Simple Favor (2018, Feig)-91, Theater Viewing
63. The Addiction (1995, Ferrara)-92, Public Library
64. Killing Zoe (1994, Avary)-88, Tubi TV

Movie of the Month: The Addiction (1995, Ferrara)-92, Public Library

October:

65. Bad Moon (1996, Red)-70, Tubi TV
66. House by the Cemetery (1981, Fulci)-93, Shudder
67. Don’t Go In The Woods (1981, Bryan)-30, Shudder
68. Curtains (1983, Ciupka)-70, FilmRise TV
69. Magic (1978, Attenborough)-91, Shudder
70. Black Belly of the Tarantula (1971, Cavara)-81, Shudder
71. Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers (1988, Simpson), Tubi TV
72. Smokey and the Bandit (1977, Needham)-90, Theater Viewing
73. Sleepaway Camp III: Teenage Wasteland (1989, Simpson)-45, Tubi TV
74. Scream Blacula Scream (1973, Kelljan)-70, Tubi TV
75. Split (2017, Shyamalan)-88, Public Library
76. Burial Ground: The Nights of Terror (1981, Bianchi)
77. Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1989, Tsukamoto )-100, Shudder
78. Cannibal Holocaust (1980, Deodato)-90, Shudder
79. The Giant Spider Invasion (1975, Rebane)-31, Tubi TV
80. Teenage Zombies (1959, Warren)-22, Tubi TV
81. Dracula (1973, Curtis)-80, Shuddder
82. Creepshow 2 (1987, Gornick)-85, Shudder
83. Death Bed: The Bed That Eats (1977,Barry)-35, Shudder
84. Zombie Holocaust (1980, Girolami)-90, Shudder
85. The Gate (1987, Takács)-82, Shudder TV
86. Chopping Mall (1986, Wynorski)-80, Tubi TV
87. Halloween (2018, Green)-87, Theater Viewing
88. Hell of the Living Dead (1980, Mattei)-60, Shudder
89. The Bat (1959, Wilbur)-75, Tubi TV
90. Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead (1994, Coscarelli)-75, Shudder
91. Contamination (1980, Cozzi)-80, Shudder
92. We Always Find Ourselves in the Sea (2017, Hogan)-83, Shudder
93. Madman (1982, Giannone )-87, Tubi TV
94. Willow Creek (2014, Goldthwait)-81, Shudder
95. Ghostwatch (1992, Manning)-92, Shudder
96. The New York Ripper (1982, Fulci)-87, DVD
97. The Deadly Spawn (1983, Douglas McKeown)-66, DVD
98. The Curse of the Werewolf (1961, Fisher)-90, Blu Ray
99. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986, Hooper)-83, Blu Ray

Movie of the Month: Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1989)-100, Shudder

November:

100. The Wraith (1986, Marvin)-84, Shudder
101. WolfCop (2014, Dean)-77, Shudder
102. Bohemian Rhapsody (2018, Singer)-87, Theater Viewing
103. Overlord (2018, Avery)-92, Theater Viewing
104. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018, Coen Brothers)-80, Netflix

Movie of the Month: Overlord (2018, Avery)-92, Theater Viewing

December:

105. Mandy (2018, Cosmatos)-98, Shudder
106. Maniac (1980, Lustig)-80, Shudder
107. Christmas Evil (1980, Jackson)-88, Shudder
108. Christmas Vacation (1989, Chechik)-87, Theater Viewing
109. Blue Sunshine (1977, Lieberman)-90, Shudder
110. Phantasm IV: Oblivion (1998, Coscarelli)-83, Shudder
111. Phantasm: Ravager (2016, Hartman)-63, Shudder
112. Amsterdamned (1988, Maas)-80, Shudder
113. The Christmas Chronicles (2018, Kaytis)-82, Netflix
114. Liquid Sky (1982, Tsukerman)-95, Shudder
115. The Last Dragon (1985, Schultz)-83, Netflix Instant Viewing
116. Revenge (2018, Fargeat)-93, Shudder

Movie of the Month: Mandy (2018, Cosmatos)-98, Shudder

Director Spotlight: Wes Anderson

When I was an even younger man years ago I stumbled onto a movie by a director named Wes Anderson. The film was named Rushmore, and it came out in 1998, although I saw it a couple of years after its release. The movie had a large impact on my life, as I was in high school at the time and therefore related to the tale of a young man who lusts after a gorgeous teacher at his school. This was also one of my first experiences with Bill Murray, who at the time I only knew of through comedic works such as Groundhog’s Day and later on Ghostbusters and Caddeyshack, among other famous movies that he’s been a star of.

Rushmore though witnessed Murray showing a different side, a dramatic and tragic aspect of his acting that most, perhaps even himself included, didn’t know he was capable of doing. However the film’s star is fresh-faced, pimples and braces included, Jason Schwartzman, who became famous and who’s character Max Fischer is one of those Anderson character types that have become typical of his films. Only after seeing Rushmore did I finally watch Bottle Rocket, which was his first movie, and thus like some of his films I went forwards first and then backwards, then forwards again.

Although many of his films are non-linear, Anderson primarily chooses to divide many of his films into book chapters, something that Quentin Tarentino has also done along with many other famous directors. To me Bottle Rocket was a rather fine debut, a first film that I eagerly revisited after purchasing it on Criterion a couple of years back. Own Wilson and Luke Wilson may have slummed it through some awful movies in their time, but their work with Anderson has been nothing but excellent and Own has properly assisted him at times in the writing and screenplay departments.

Although quite raw due to being Anderson’s earliest work, Bottle Rocket properly establishes many of his themes and showcases also his ability to expertly work in classic rock populated soundtracks. It’s also one of the handful of movies of his that is set in the present, although even in his modern-day films there are old devices and mediations upon the effects time has on us all.

Which brings me to The Royal Tenenbaums, one of his masterpieces. Gene Hackman is the centerpiece of a movie about a family that crumbles apart only to slowly piece itself back together. Anjelica Huston is marvelous as Royal’s poor wife, a strong woman who has put up with Royal’s lies and bumbling for far too long. I’m not sure which movie sports the better Luke Wilson performance: Bottle Rocket or Tenenbaums, yet he is excellent in both films. By this point Anderson had mastered the art of bringing together amazing and rather huge casts, as this film has everyone in it from Danny Glover to Ben Stiller-two actors by the way that I wish had been in another of his films.

In Tenenbaums Anderson also reveals his obsession and mediation upon wealth and power, ambition and fame, family and problems lurking beneath the surface. Class is an important aspect of all of his movies, and standing both social and imagined is noted by the characters in his films. Yet his next two movies take the viewer even further down his own special version of the rabbit hole, peering into new avenues and enlarging his own universe.

Some days I regard The Life Aquatic as his best film, other times I think its Rushmore. Featuring arguably Bill Muarry’s best performance (out of the ones I’ve seen, anyways) and also featuring the wonderful Willem Dafoe and the properly grumpy Michael Gambon, among many distinguished others, The Life Aquatic is Anderson taking his drama-comedy style and adding action/adventure to the mix. Steve Zissou, the film’s tragic protagonist, is wary and put upon, having sadly become a punch line even among his own people. The quest to destroy a shark is really Zissou having one last grand voyage before he is forced to hang it up for good, done in by time, lack of funding, and a diminished ability to create anything worthy of note.

This is Anderson going meta, and in the process the fact that it has a rotten rating under 60% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomotemeter is fitting and ironic considering what The Life Aquatic is about. I remember Roger Ebert’s thumbs down review and after seeing this  movie I think most of those critics missed the point, or they got the point and didn’t like it. I love this movie: its one of his funniest, most entertaining, and delightful films.

Which brings me to a movie that at first I was not a huge fan of at first, yet a recent second viewing thanks to Criterion caused me to re-evaluate my opinion: The Darjeeling Limited is a difficult movie to consume and examine, particularly since I cannot thankfully relate to losing a parent. However the magnificent trio of Adrian Brody, Own Wilson, and Jason Schwartzman (naturally like all self-styled auteurs Anderson uses the same people in most of his movies) make this film a rather very good, almost near great, picture, one that I enjoy. At the same time I think its one of his lesser works, although I do love the soundtrack and the ending is rather fitting. Out of all of Anderson’s movies I feel this one is dead set on moving on from the past and striving toward the future, which is interesting considering the next film he chose to make.

Even though I think its his weakest film, The Fantastic Mr. Fox is still really good and quite enjoyable. Considering how quirky and weird many of his movies are I’m a little surprised that Anderson did not direct an animated movie sooner; I suspect given the right material he will make another one in the future. I loved George Clooney and Meryl Streep in this, as they work well together and form the movie’s emotional center. Also this film has one of Anderson’s best soundtracks, which adds to the movie’s mood and underlines the brilliant animation-I loved the waterfall shot, which was beyond gorgeous.

Unlike The Darjeeling Limited though this movie is more about not being able to escape your past, as Clooney’s Mr. Fox gives in to his base desires and endangers his clan and friends in the process. I like that at this point Anderson uses largely the same actors not so much because he thinks he is an auteur but also because by this point in Anderson’s career this group works incredibly well together. Oh and Clooney and Bill Murray’s interactions in this movie are my favorite parts. “Are you cussing with me?” This is also the first Anderson movie I was able to see in theaters, and it was a delightful experience.

After two lesser movies I thought that Anderson was losing his touch, so when he created Moonrise Kingdom and it was a truly marvelous thing of beauty to watch I was revealed that he was back in a manner of speaking. Unlike his other films he centers this primarily around kids, with the adults taking a backstage. The aptly named Sam and Suzy are running away, embracing their own destiny having fallen in love over the course of a warm New England summer. With the adults in pursuit, the two kids end up going through an outlandish and comedic adventure that is thrilling and engaging. This film is also the Anderson debuts of Edward Norton, Bruce Willis, Tilda Swinton, and Harvey Keitel. The last act is the most action packed out of any of Anderson’s movies save for The Life Aquatic and The Grand Budapest Hotel, and the two young child actors Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward are naturalistic in their performances. It’s a new favorite of mine.

Lastly, The Grand Budapest Hotel sports Ralph Fiennes in his first Anderson movie as M. Gustave, who is the hotel’s concierge and who becomes the mentor a young lobby boy named Zero. Combing elements of 1930s Hitchcock films with elements from his other films, The Grand Budapest Hotel is hilarious, tragic, and beautiful-everything that I’ve come to expect from an Anderson movie. I’m glad that I’ve seen the last three movies of his in theaters, as seeing them on the big screen adds something that watching them on my TV does not. I also think that Hotel has what is arguably his most gigantic and best cast, and I loved F. Murray Abraham as the film’s narrator. Also this is probably the most bittersweet out of all of Anderson’s movies, and thus achieves an odd sort of grand status.

Despite other modern directors being better than Mr. Wes Anderson, I consider him to be one of the finest American auteurs-a true artist in the sense of the word. His movies are entertaining, funny, never boring, and rather colorful. I love the color schemes he chooses for his movies, and his style is rather distinctive. It is interesting how despite never experiencing great awards success his films are mostly well reviewed, which suggests that the Academy either doesn’t understand his work or they fail to appreciate it. Too bad, although many great Hollywood performers over the years have failed to capture a little golden man. When Anderson retires the film world will be a little more empty, and I hope that I never witness the day when he makes a bad or dull film.