Friday 25 June 2010

Lists: Films I've Seen - 2009

I have been keeping a list on my YouTube channel of the films and television show seasons I've watched since August, 2009 and I felt it was time to transfer the list over to my blog.

The reason why I started keeping this list is because I no longer logged in to IMDB, where I had kept a list of most of the films I had seen, and I also was seeing films more frequently in New York and didn't want to forget what I had spent hundreds of dollars on.

I guess I also hoped to eventually study the films (and by study, I mean, going to those SparkNotes sites, reading reviews by well-known critics and then trying to form my own opinion of the film) so that I am simply not consuming all this entertainment and not giving myself any reasoning for it. Maybe I just don't have much else going on in my life right now, but I think there is something wrong about that. Why read, listen or watch if it's not going to have any affect on you? Not going to stay with you for a few hours or evenings and make you think and make you reflect and change?

"It's just a movie." Yes, but it doesn't have to be. I don't know, I feel like a twat. Here is the damn list.

# 2009: An Education, Hump Day, Broken Embraces, Nine, The Road, Sherlock Holmes, La Danse, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, I Could Never Be Your Woman, Avatar, New Moon, The Young Victoria, A Single Man, 2012, Minority Report, Phoebe in Wonderland, The Boat That Rocked, Untitled, I Love You Man, V for Vendetta, Risky Business, Mad Men Season One, Orphan, House of the Devil, Phantom of the Opera, Labyrinth, The Boondock Saints, Trick Or Treat, Adventureland, Slither, Honeymoon in Vegas, SLC Punk, Where The Wild Things Are, Paranormal Activity, Zombieland, The Damned United, The Invention of Lying, Toy Story 1 and 2, Pandorum, Anvil! The Story of Anvil, Happenstance, 2 Days in Paris, Whip It, The September Issue, The Cove, No Impact Man, Inglorious Basterds, Julie and Julia, Harry Potter 6, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, District 9, Ponyo, World's Greatest Dad

Some of the films I had seen before, some I had seen in the theatre, some on iTunes, some on Netflix, some on DVD (wow, took me a second to remember films came on DVDs!)

I also like keeping the list because sometimes you can remember the memory surrounding the film; the night out or in, the people there, the funny things that happened.

I saw World's Greatest Dad with Luke and was surprised at how it exceeded my expectations and how well Robin Williams acted in this film.

I saw District 9 at Union Square and we all had to sit separately. Brooke and I were sitting in those individual seats that they place so far a part from one another. The crowd laughing and yelling along with the film made the experience so much more worthwhile.

I saw Harry Potter 6 with Adam and laughed harder than anyone else in the theatre at how terribly awkward everything was. I was so embarrassed.

Julie and Julia was a late night session on 42nd Street with Chicken McNuggets and Josh and Adam.

No Impact Man was at the Angelica. The film skipped half-way through, but we also got to meet the author and No Impact Man himself after the film. I bought his book and spoke to him for a moment, and he told me a lot of the fans of his blog are from Australia. I walked away with an unnecessary signature.

The Cove made me cry and we were all fairly stunned as we walked home. We didn't really no what to do.

I saw The September Issue with Molly and Luke at the Sunshine, with all these fashionable people surrounding us. We all really liked the film and found Grace Coddington to be utterly adorable.

Anvil! The Story of Anvil! was amazing because I had no idea that the band would be there! I was so excited because the film was so uplifting and so inspirational and then there they were. I got a photo afterwards. I was so excited.

The Damned United was Luke's suggestion and I loved it. That would seal the deal for my admiration for Michael Sheen. He is now one of my favourite actors. He is such a chameleon.

I remember Zombieland not being as amazing as everyone said it was, and Paranormal Activity being a welcomed let-down with Sam, and almost falling asleep while watching Where The Wild Things Are at a midnight session at Kips Bay with Luke, his brother Max, Molly and Ryan and their friend, who I think hated it.

Adventureland was seen with my freaking taxi driver, which was one of the weirdest experiences of my life.

House of the Devil was seen after running through the Halloween parade with Brooke while it poured down rain. We were freezing. I think we went home and watched Orphan straight after with Luke and Josh and I have never been so angry while watching a film. I have never also felt more maternal instincts than I have while watching that film.

Mad Men took up my life for a bit, with Luke by my side on my terrible purple couch. I still want to do the Mad Men drinking game. A swig for every drink, a shot would be too much, we would probably all be dead.

I Love You Man was a great bromance though I still am not a fan of the female characters in that movie.

Untitled was awesome, another great film showing at the Angelika. One of those films that you can take something from and try to apply it to what you do. In this case, finding the love in the process of creating, not in the result or from the critiques or fame one may receive afterwards.

The US version of The Boat That Rocked, Pirate Radio, was disappointing. Some funny sequences cut out to save time. I don't like it when they don't trust their audiences. Even if they have tested the bullocks out of them. Sometimes they should just say, fuck it, and take a chance.

The rest of the year was spent trying to see as many of the "Oscar" contenders as possible and becoming Mayor of Quad Cinemas. A title that has been sadly lost after I created it. I will stew on this forever.

I saw The Road and Nine on New Years Eve. I thought one way of saying, fuck you, to 2009 would be by watching an apocalyptic thriller that was meant to be utterly depressing. I found it sad but also uplifting. Then, after a quick break of meat pies from Tuckshop on St. Marks, I brought in the New Year with a movie musical. Nothing like a little "cinema Italiano" to make you perky.

I don't know why I spent time giving these pissy little reviews of the experience or the film because that sort of defeats my point. I guess I was excited by the flood of memories that came to me as I went through the list. This is why it's my favourite list to keep.

Yours in Pointlessness,
Caitlin

13 comments:

Chris in the Studio said...

You guys never invite me to the movies. End of story. ha ha

Seriously though, those were funny reviews. Entertaining post.

I've been watching a lot of the xtras dvds that come with movies and some of them are really amazing to learn the motivations and techniques behind some of your fav. films. Very educational for the would be knowledge seeker. Have a nice day Caitlin. :)

EarleWidrich said...

I always like to hear what others think of films, since many times a movie not just a movie to me. They can, of course be SO much more.

I'm not going to go through a favorites list from 2009...since I'm sure I've already done that on another one of your blogs. : ) I'll wait while you dig up that comment...LOL

But I really appreciate and enjoy reading your reviews & opinions. I always find them very insightful, actually.

-Earle : )

...oh and "Pirate Radio", aka "The Boat That Rocked" was actually called "Good Morning England" for a while by Universal before it's UK release. A source of a fair bit of annoyance around my office for a little while.

david1082 said...

Do you have access to the Turner Classic Movies channel (TCM)? They have some ones on there that I used to watch obsessively about ten years ago. Savage Messiah and Zabriskie Point were particular favourites. They're not available on DVD unfortunately. I also recommend a black-and-white French film about a donkey, Au hasard, Balthazar. I think I once saw a cultish black-and-white film about horses called Equus on TCM too.

Anonymous said...

Actually your dreams of becoming an actress reminded me of something recently. Way back in 2006 someone posted a link to your vegemite 101 vid and I clicked on it and I said "omgosh! she's as hyper as i was when i was a kid!"

LOL

...and a new thehill88 lurker fan was born... ;D

Anyways. I think around that time I also started watching LucyInLA on youtube about this girl who went to LA to try to become an actress and followed her trials and tribulations. She couldnt get an acting job was struggling for a couple of years and it was difficult to watch her being frustrated at wanting to stop but her camera guy constantly egging her on. Dont know what happened as stopped watching around 2007. Weird though as she made me a friend on facebook out of the blue one day :D but I eventually dropped off the face of the facebook and dont know what happened to her.

MntlWard said...

"Untitled." Is that the director's cut of Almost Famous or some other movie titled "Untitled?"

"Trick or Treat." Is that the recent "Trick 'R Treat" or the awesome "Trick or Treat" from 1986?

david1082 said...

Oh and I meant the 1972 film called Savage Messiah, since I just saw that a different one with the same name was released in 2002.

Caitlin said...

@MntlWard Untitled is the Jonathan Parker film and yes, I wrote Trick or Treat by habit, I meant Trick 'R Treat. The graphic novel come film. It was all right. Nice to look at mainly.

MntlWard said...

I've heard some good things about that Trick R' Treat. I've halfway been meaning to take a look, but the horror genre is so disappointing lately.

Sally said...

I've just found your videos and bog, and I just wanted to say I think you're awesome. How did you end up moving from Australia to NYC. I'm so jealous :)

JoMiMo555 said...

Dude, first of all don't mock the purple couch. I loved that thing and I cried myself to sleep the day the movers dismantled it..

Also, yeah I remember how pissed you were during Orphan. Twas kinda funny :P

ADB said...

I haven't watched a film at the cinema for years (last one was Jurassic Park in 1994).
Most of the films I watch are ones that I bought on DVD, and usually have some of my favourites actresses starring in them.
You barely remember movies on DVD?! Try movies on VCD, Laserdisc, VHS and Betamax! I own plenty on VHS, a couple on VCD and none on Betamax or Laserdisc (LD-ROM) sadly.

I do have an IMDB account, but lost the password years ago. There are loads of classic movies that get overlooked - one I discovered recently was My Stepmother Is An Alien from 1988, and has a host of well-known stars (including Seth Green and Allyson Hannigan!) in it. It's totally hilarious, although the special FX will suck compared to todays CGI-fest :(

Wishing you a great 2nd half to 2010 :)

taktin said...

Caitlin though I'd love to there is just no way I am ever gonna watch all these movies except one day in prison. Could you kindly recommend like 3 of them, as I'm intrigued that our lists have almost no titles in common and I would totally check those out.

PS. Inception

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