Luis' Movie Log for 2018 (excluding new releases)
 

As you guys know, I will be watching a lot more new movies this year. I already have over 96 films planned. (12 from each decade starting with the 40s) That list can be seen here. This post will not include films that were released in 2018, I have a separate thread for those films here. If everything goes accordingly, there should be reviews for the movies on the list starting next week, a lot of you guys influenced my list, so thank you!

Re: Luis' Movie Log for 2018 (excluding new releases)
 

January
#1 Citizen Kane (1940)
#2 Dial M For Murder (1954)
#3 Paddington (2014)
#4 The Sound of Music (1965)
#5 Taxi Driver (1976)

February
#6 Witness (1985)
#7 Goodfellas (1990)
#8 Memento (2000)
#9 The Incredibles (2004)
#10 Inception (2010)
#11 The Red Soes (1948)
#12 Sunset Boulevard (1950)
#13 Let Me In (2010)
#14 The Matrix (1999)
#15 Rosemary's Baby (1968)
#16 Big Hero 6 (2014)
#17 Kramer vs Kramer (1979)
#18 Frozen (2013)

March
#19 Back to the Future (1985)
#20 Schindler's List (1993)
#21 Back to the Future Part II (1989)
#22 Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
#23 Black Swan (2010)
#24 Fantasia (1940)
#25 Life is Beautiful (1997)
#26 Seven Samurai (1954)
#27 Captain America: Civil War (2016)
#28 The Graduate (1967)
#29 Chinatown (1974)
#30 The King's Speech (2010)
#31 The Edge of Seventeen (2016)
#32 Ponyo (2008)
#33 Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)

April
#34 Blue Velvet (1986)
#35 Hot Fuzz (2007)
#36 The Lion King (1994)
#37 This is the End (2010)
#38 The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)
#39 Doctor Strange (2016)
#40 The Lady from Shanghai (1947)
#41 The 400 Blows (1959)
#42 Scent of a Woman (1992)
#43 Mary Poppins (1964)
#44 Suspiria (1977)
#45 Thelma (2017)
#46 The Princess Bride (1987)
#47 Airplane! (1980)
#48 Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
#49 Hercules (1997)

May
#50 Labyrinth (1986)
#51 Mamma Mia (2008)
#52 Lilo and Stitch (2002)
#53 Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
#54 His Girl Friday (1940)
#55 The Good Dinosaur (2015)
#56 A Bug's Life (1998)
#57 Cars (2006)
#58 Brave (2012)
#59 La Famille Bélier (2014)
#60 Monsters Inc (2001)
#61 Monsters University (2013)
#62 Finding Nemo (2003)
#63 Finding Dory (2016)
#64 Up (2009)
#65 Toy Story (1995)
#66 Toy Story 2 (1999)
#67 Toy Story 3 (2010)
#68 Coco (2017)
#69 Inside Out (2015)
#70 Ratatouille (2007)
#71 A Clockwork Orange (1971)
#72 Saving Private Ryan (1998)
#73 Entre Nos (2009)

June
#74 The Descent (2005)
#75 12 Years a Slave (2013)
#76 Phoenix (2014)
#77 Benny's Video (1992)
#78 The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
#79 Peeping Tom (1960)
#80 The Iron Giant (1999)
#81 Pleasantville (1998)
#82 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
#83 Sicario (2015)

July
#84 Assassination (2015)
#85 Spider-Man (2002)
#86 Spider-Man 2 (2004)
#87 Spider-Man 3 (2007)
#88 The Sword of Doom (1966)
#89 The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
#90 The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)
#91.Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
#92 Samsara (2001)
#93 Iron Man 3 (2013)
#94 The Incredible Hulk (2008)
#95 The Terminator (1984)
#96 The Age of Shadows (2016)
#97 The Leopard (1963)
#98 Bruce Almighty (2003)
#99 Bridesmaids (2011)
#100 Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)
#101 High School Musical (2006)
#102 High School Musical 2 (2007)
#103 High School Musical 3 (2008)
#104 Mission: Impossible (1996)
#105 Mission: Impossible II (2000)
#106 Mission: Impossible III (2006)
#107 Mission:Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)

August
#108 Man of Steel (2013)
#109 X-Men (2000)
#110 Inglourious Basterds (2009)
#111 Django Unchained (2012)
#112 The Big Sick (2017)
#113 The Fault in our Stars (2014)

September
#114 The Conjuring (2013)
#115 The Conjuring 2 (2016)
#116 The Innocents (1961)
#117 Inisidious Chapter 3 (2015)
#118 Sing Street (2016)

October
#119 Låt den rätte komma in (Let the Right One in) (2008)
#120 Birdman (2014)
#121 Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
#122 Whiplash (2014)
#123 La La Land (2016)
#124 Halloween (1978)
#125 Halloween 2 (1981)
#126 Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)
#127 Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)
#128 Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989)
#129 Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995)
#130 Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)
#131 Halloween: Resurrection (2002)
#132 Halloween (2007)
#133 Halloween 2 (2009)
#134 Scream (1996)
#135 Scream 2 (1997)
#136 Scream 3 (2000)
#137 Scream 4 (2011)
#138 A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

November
#139 Ghostwatch (1992)
#140 Rush (2013)

December
#141. The Dressmaker (2015)
#142. Incendies (2010)
#143. The Aviator (2004)
#144 Zootopia (2016)
#145 Moana (2016)
#146 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1938)
#147 Love, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
#148 The Jungle Book (2016)
#149 Pinocchio (1940)
#150 The Fox and the Hound (1981)

I havent seen that yet. Any good and who's in it, Luis?

Re: Luis' Movie Log for 2018 (excluding new releases)
 

Luis this list of 96 films looks like one of the most comprehensive list of 'must see' films anyone could ask for. And yes, quite a number of films I value are on it. Looking forward to your reviews - you may wind up teaching a course in cinema someday.

Not very good, a lot of promise and zero substance. :laugh:

LOL. Sounds like the ideal popcorn flic, my good man.

Looking forward to your list :up:

Thank you for stopping by! Looking forward to get started! Any specific films you absolutely love on here?

LOL, thank you!

Re: Luis' Movie Log for 2018 (excluding new releases)
 

Three films I love, and I believe we're on my list of suggestions to you are:
1-Witness
2-The Sound of Music
3- 2001
All these films are visual delights as well as movies I can see again and again.

Other films I m glad to see on the list are:
Taxi Driver
The Grapes of Wrath
Bonnie and Clyde
Harry and Tonto
Dr. Sttangelove

Many others as well, but these are some of my top pics, off the top of my head.

Sound of Music is one of the films I'm most excited about. 2001: A Space Odessy I've seen the openig ape sequence and some other parts in my film class, but never in its entirety.

Re: Luis' Movie Log for 2018 (excluding new releases)
 

Thank you! I always loved scales to 100, lol. A bit specific but it satisfies me.

Full list here

No wonder this is an absolute classic, The first film on my list is one of the greatest character studies. The opening 10 minutes are a great set up to our protagonist, Charles Foster Kane as it introduces a series of events that really peak your interest as to who this man was, and how he became so successful. What follows is 90 minutes of a thorough and fascinating dissection of this man's psyche, life and work. We get treated to the pivotal moment that changed his life in his childhood, his first time digging into a world of business, his road to success, his life as a married man, and his ultimate downfall.

Every single flashback scene kept me invested in the narrative of the film. The most powerful thing in this film, in my opinion, is the way it executes the idea of what makes us human. We are taken through this man's most pivotal moments in his life, and we see how his success has been dehumanizing him, and how it has become his downfall. I was beginning to wonder why in the world Welles would leave this character at such an ambiguous point at the end of the movie, until the last shot. The last shot just brings everything together to such a deeply affecting place. It brings forward the idea of how the most warm and human memories from one's childhood can take a toll on one's adult demons, and how it can ultimately bring a man that's become so power hungry to his knees. I've never really seen a story build so much of what makes a character great based solely on one word and one shot, and when that final shot did come, I audibly gasped. It is rare that I give a movie a perfect score, it is even rarer that I give a movie a perfect score on my first watch, but there was not a single moment in Citizen Kane that diminished the narrative flow. I can see this becoming an all time favorite upon rewatch.

SCORE - 100/100

Vertigo still remains as my favorite Hitchcock, with Psycho as a close second. However, this film is a worthy addition to his filmography, and I can see it being some's favorite. The film had me in its grip from beginning to end, and I was very much thrilled to see how everything panned out in the end. I can see that Hitchcock did try to deliver a lot of the shocking narrative turns that he's became notorious for, however they were not nearly as effective as the ones displayed in his other works. At times, it did feel too strategically placed, and a bit of a stretch when compared to the seamless connection of plot points in his other works. I did love the dialogue and the interactions the characters have. In a film that contains only one physical scene, in an ocean filled with character interactions, it was a great how it managed to keep me hooked the entire way through. The characters are also very well realized and they all serve the story well. Overall, I can see this as a film that existed to stretch Hithcock's creative muscles before delivering the epitome of his work as a filmmaker. Definitely do check this out.

Re: Luis' Movie Log for 2018 (excluding new releases)
 

Phooey, I just posted a message to you that was full of compliments, ( both for you & the mofo members in general) but somehow the mofo creature ate it (- have you seen Jaws? )

Anyway, since I forgot exactly what I said, I ll keep it short this time:

As regards your fine review of Citizen Kane:

You may be young, but you are wise.

Yes! I've seen and I love Jaws!

Well you just made my night! Thank you so much, it is always so humbling seeing someone react positively to something you work hard on, so again, thank you!

What a sweet film. I don't think there's any aspect in this that yells "cinema perfection", but the film is so warm, and so adorable, and the colorful aesthetic makes you feel right at home. Shortest review ever, I get it, but there isn't anything I want to address. The film doesn't want to deliver a masterpiece in filmmaking, it's just there to make you smile and enjoy the good things in life, which is definitely what made it so effective in my eyes.

Full List here

Re: Luis' Movie Log for 2018 (excluding new releases)
 

I haven't seen as much of Hitchcock as I would like, but "Dial M For Murder" will probably remain as my personal favourite from his bunch anyway. He truly is a master at building tension.

No rebuttal from me, I quite liked it myself.

Re: Luis' Movie Log for 2018 (excluding new releases)
 

;)

Bravo! I applaud you...Not because you gave a perfect score to one of the all time great films. But because your review beautifully captures the essences of Citizen Kane. You nailed it!
...If you watch Citizen Kane again, you might watch the commentary track with Peter Bogdanovich, it really gave me a deep appreciation for the staging and cinematography of the scenes. Orson was a genius.

Love your movie watching idea and I'm following along. I might not always comment but I'm appreciating your thread:up:

Guess what I did! lol

Woah! Thank you so much, I'm very humbled that my review idea has peaked your interest! Thanks for the kind words on my review! I really did love this film. The commentary does sound intriguing, I will check it out!

Thanks again!

Two things were made clear for me from the opening scene alone, one: this film would be a visual feast, and two: I was in for a sonorous heartfelt adventure. The latter rings true for the first 100 minutes or so, the film is at its peak when it is about Maria, and her growth as a character. I was so invested in her as a character as well as I was invested in her interactions with the children, and I was so anxious to see where their storyline would end up. The musical sequences are all exemplary, not only is the music itself catchy and well produced, but so is the creativity and imagination in the sequences pertaining to the specific musical numbers.

The film faltered a bit for me once the Nazi/father plot point became the dominant force. I don't know, it just felt like two completely different films, with the second not being \\ as strong as the first. I would've liked the story to have stayed with Maria, the children, and the children learning to accept Maria while continuously trying to get their father's attention. I understand this was based on the true story of the Von Trapp Family Singers, but perhaps a more seamless connection between the two extremes of the story would've been nice. The second half wasn't bad at all, but I was so happy and enchanted with the lightheartedness of everything that came prior, that I was taken a little aback. Regardless, the character work is truly wonderful, and like mentioned before, the visuals are jaw-dropping. Overall, this was a film that made my heart soar with it's lightheartedness and enchanting musical identity, which definitely trumps any shortcomings. I can also see this becoming a favorite of mine once I watch again knowing of the shift in tone, taking into consideration how much I adored those first 100 minutes.

If you've read any of my reviews, you know that I love character driven films, and that is definitely my favorite part about Taxi Driver. Robert De Niro delivered a fantastic performance as this disturbed, observant man who finds his escape being a Taxi Driver. The second best thing is the narrative flow, I didn't find the film to be predictable at any point, and the different shifts that take place always kept this thrilling and exciting. The third act sequence in the apartment was shot, acted, and edited magnificently well, it is probably one of the best shoot outs I've ever seen on screen; I was tense throughout its entirety. Overall, a very good movie, I can see why it's acclaimed, and while the film never quite delivered anything more than "very good" stuff, (except for that one scene) It was nice to have finally seen this film.

Re: Luis' Movie Log for 2018 (excluding new releases)
 

My wife loves The Sound of Music. It's ok for me, but it is insanely long. Far from a favorite.

Think we are about on the same level with Taxi Driver. I respect it more than I enjoy it and there's at least five other Scorcese films that I like more than it, possibly a few more.

Yeah, I think we feel the exact same way about Taxi Driver. I love the couple of Scorsese films that I've seen apart from this one, but I'm getting to Goodfellas next week, so I hope I like that one more.

#6 Witness (1985)
#7 Goodfellas (1990)

Re: Luis' Movie Log for 2018 (excluding new releases)
 

I wasn't big on Witness and Goodfellas is one of my all time favorites.

I'm predicting to like Goodfellas, as most people do, and considering we feel the same about Taxi Driver. Witness is more of a coin toss for me, but I never hope to dislike a film. We'll see how it goes.

Re: Luis' Movie Log for 2018 (excluding new releases)
 

I m following you Luis, and have a little time for a few comments. I m glad you were swept along by the beauty and grandness of Sound Of Music. Seeing your reaction as a young person ( born in fact in a later century than I) adds an interesting perspective to the film. Did I find it too long when I first saw it years ago, probably so. The feeling it is two stories may be due partly to that - but the stories are seamlessly bound to each other. I believe that for my generation - having parents and grandparents who witnessed WW2 the impact of the war, and that film, had a more immediate resonance. And the turnabout of this relatively

Re: Luis' Movie Log for 2018 (excluding new releases)
 

Darn!!! Posted too fast but I ll continue if I may.....
The Turnabout of the relatively innocent 1st story, so enjoyable and entertaining; contrasted with the increasing horror of the 2nd storyline - is what gives the film the depth and lasting power that makes it a classic, I think you may see that more upon later viewings, even if those viewings are 5 years hence.

At any rate you did give it high marks. I will also add to the enthusiastic cacophony of opinions here that Witness is one of my all time favorites. Lol

Well whatever your verdict, I enjoy your perceptive and thoughtful comments on movies; and especially for giving me the viewpoint of a young person((of an intelligence that is eager to embrace and explore ) who is just t embarking on life 's adult journey, You are showing me a young man's experience of the classics I am so familiar with, and have 'taken for granted' all these years.
Onward!

What a lovely post.

Re: Luis' Movie Log for 2018 (excluding new releases)
 

Thank you Dani8

Oh I absolutely agree with everything you said, particularly that bit of parents and grandparents watching the movie after their personal ties to WWII. As for the movie itself, It has aged amazingly for me, I feel a re-watch coming soon, and I can't get Do Re Mi out of my head. This is definitely starting to become one of my favorites, even if i didn't give it that perfect score on my first watch.

Well you just brought a smile to my face! Thank you for showing up here often, and thanks for always putting in something nice. And I also love your fantastic input on the films we've both seen (as you did with Sound of Music)

Hope you enjoy Goodfellas and Witness. I love both:)

Re: Luis' Movie Log for 2018 (excluding new releases)
 

The non-fiction book The Story of the Trapp Family Singers made much more sense storyline-wise. In the film, they rushed into the Nazi plot so that they could make it more "Hollywood."
The Sound of Music is a classic I've appreciated since I was a child, but it would be very interesting to see a second take that is closer to the source material (i.e., the book). There's enough in there for a mini-series.

I recommend the movie, The von Trapp Family: A Life of Music (2015) it's not a musical. It's very well done and filmed beautifully. It's told from a different perspective, the story is from the oldest daughters perspective.

In the past year I've actually discovered something about myself, that being that I LOVE musicals. Most of them just really make me smile and I find them to be food for the soul. Since I already have my list, it would be tough to cram so many in there, but I'm hoping that maybe in the summer when I have more free time, I could just sit back and watch a load of them.

I'll check out the movie, the true story is very intriguing.

This was an enjoyable and overall decent flick.I don't think I will ever think about this movie as often as some of the others on the log, but I didn't mind watching at all. The murder plot was intriguing and it fueled some of the better parts of the movie, it is also always nice to see Harrison Ford, and there are a few great sequences sprinkled here and there. As far as everything else... Well, I did find the characterization to be a little bit weak, none of the main characters really went anywhere interesting, and the romance didn't feel as natural as one would hope. The murder plot-line, is overall very interesting as mentioned, however, the latter part of the film didn't really captivate me as much, and overall I felt it was a bit unfocused to were the former plot line felt inconsequential until the third act. Overall an interesting story that I really didn't mind at all, I just wish it had better writing, especially with the characters.

I wonder how many people in the forum would regard this as Scorsese's best. It's truly admirable how well-crafted this film is; I could look at any moving piece and not find any overbearing flaws. I would first like to point out how consistent it remains, not only with the plot progression, but the shot construction, this film achieved a level of edge-of-your-seat suspense that not many films pull off, and it was achieved by the great direction of course, but also the fantastic editing; only great editing can stand out the way this did.

Catapulting off the fact that the film's consistency is mind-boggling, I also love the character work. Scorsese knows the kind of characters these people are, and he keeps them likable, while at the same time not undercutting their ambiguity. Also, with the assemble established very early on, I never really caught my breath, I could never pinpoint who would be the next to go, or how, or when; which was fantastic for keeping the film intriguing and unpredictable. The ending was a bit incomplete for me, however, this being a true story, you can never really tell which kind of resolution would best fit the circumstance while still making sense in the narrative, so I can't really blame the filmmakers. Overall, I thought Goodfellas was a near-flawless film, with fantastic direction, great character work, and exemplary editing, and plot progression. Really loved this one.

Yeh me too. I said for so long I dont like musicals. Realised after a conversation with gideon and a few other mofos there are a lot of musicals I do like. Have you seen La La Land? I want to see all that jazz now after seeing Gideon's vid in the movie introductions thread.

Re: Luis' Movie Log for 2018 (excluding new releases)
 

Glad you really liked Goodfellas. It's my second favorite Scorcese. And I think we feel about the same on Witness! This could be my favorite thread of the year and I'm jealous of all these first time watches. Reminds me of the year I joined this site (2010).

Yeah! I'm the same way. And I have seen La La Land, it's actually in my top 10 on my profile lol. I adore that film. And the more i think about sound of music, the more I love it, it's already becoming one of my favorites.

Woah! Thank you so much, I'm glad you like my thread and what I have to say about the films. I've been looking at your log as well as of late, I enjoy your reviews so much. Again, thank you for sticking by!

This was fantastic! I've never seen a movie like this, much less one executed this well. Obviously, the most interesting thing in one of Nolan's earliest features, is the story structure and how Nolan presents a narrative that is told in a disjointed series of sequences; it is normally the highest point of praise you'll hear when one discusses the film, and there is no rebuttal from me, it is great, jaw-dropping at times even, how Nolan finds a thrilling and gripping way to execute a film that is told in reverse order.

Once I saw the ending play out, I thought the film would take a solid, straight, and clear approach to demonstrate why it resolved the way it did, but what I got was so much more. This film doesn't just display the film in reverse order for novelty, but it was a perfect tool for delivering character information in such an impactful way, I can not think of a single character that did not play fantastically well into the story. The way the character sequences pan out not only keep our protagonist guessing, but also the audience, and like that, I was glued, surprised, and thrilled throughout its entirety. You never really know if any of the other people are fooling our protagonist, hell, sometimes you never really know if the protagonist is fooling himself. By the time the ending came, I was floored with how much character complexity there was with such a demanding screenplay. I'm impressed with how Nolan executed a film of this caliber so early in his career.

I've talked about this film more than once on the forum, so I will make this short. This has always been my favorite animated film of all time. It is super rewatchable, extremely fun, has some fantastic sequences, and is also surprisingly very mature with its themes, characters and plot progression. I cannot wait for Incredibles 2 coming out in 4 months.

SCORE - 100/100

It's really an interesting story as it can ONLY work being told backwards, while a reverse-chronological order film like Irreversible for example could be told forwards and it wouldn't change too much. Memento on the other hand would be pretty damn boring to watch in order.

One of the best films from the 21st century.

I agree! I can't see Memento having the same impact if I were to watch it Chronologically. How would you rank this film among the rest of Nolan's filmography?

Re: Luis' Movie Log for 2018 (excluding new releases)
 

I was never a big Memento guy. But I am a big Nolan guy, with The Prestige at number 1 and Dark Knight at 2.

Hven't seen Prestige yet, it's later on in my list. Dark Knight is definitely a top 2 comic book film of all time. I'm now just sitting down to watch Inception, what are your thoughts on it?

His best one.

That's my third favorite. I love it and it's in my top 100

Just watched it, I'll post my review tomorrow so I can let it marinate a little bit but....wow.

I haven't watched it, but there's a version of Memento in Chronological Order on Vimeo.

https://vimeo.com/194394156

10. Inception (2010)

I know its become kind of cool to label this film as overrated and to undercut its efforts at building a complex story, but to hell with it, I loved this film. Christopher Nolan took his love for crafting original and complex stories and has expanded it to full-on blockbuster glory. I can also see this becoming a favorite, however, being a film that has so much happening at the same time, I still have to let it marinate, and I definitely have to watch it a few more times.

That being said, I was never really all that confused while watching this, I think Nolan does a fantastic job at communicating to the audience how exactly the narrative functions, while never fracturing just how complex it is, as opposed to a later effort of his, Interstellar; while it is a wondrous film, Nolan never really built the story around its complexity as well as this, and I felt he left the audience in the dark. This, however, is a perfect film to dissect and examine, I can't really find anything in this narrative that was overwhelmingly unstructured. I loved DiCaprio's performance and Ellen Page was a charming counterpart. The visuals are fantastic, and yes I also mean the shot above, which has become an iconic visual in modern cinema. In the film fan community, every time there's a popular director, it may become the popular thing to label them as "overrated", but one thing is for sure, an idea of this caliber can only work this well in the hands of a truly fantastic filmmaker. Even though I'm making this sound like a masterpiece, I'm going to give it a slightly conservative score, as I still need to re-watch to see if any overwhelming plot holes unveil themselves.

I love it too. I don't get the hate. Not a perfect film but a well made fun one.

I absolutely agree! I know it's not for everyone, but I don't understand people who think this was a badly made film.

Films I'm watching this week:

Full list here

This movie, visually, was fantastic; it was definitely the highlight for me. It has striking color pallets, fantastic lighting, and great backdrops in the theater sequences, which were perfectly choreographed. I also found myself invested enough in the characters to remain entertained throughout. If anything, I don't know if this will be a film that I will remember later from now, but it was definitely worth the watch and it was nice to sit back and appreciate the craft. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this film.

Yeah, it looks amazing but i couldn't get into anything else.

Try Black Narcissus if you aren't already planning to. It's maybe the most gorgeous film i've seen and i was interested in everything else too.

Same directors.

Thank you! It's on my radar. I'm planning on making an additional list of recommended films to watch in the summer, as I foresee that I will probably have more free time. I've seen some screenshots of the film and it definitely has a unique aesthetic. I'm intrigued.

This was a captivating and impactful character study, it's not hard at all to see why this 1950 noir is as beloved as it is; it's so great. The story of a forgotten silent film star longing to be in the spotlight once more, paired with a struggling screenwriter who is way behind on his payments; the dynamic was perfect, and an effective way to maintain the characters in a shadow,

The dialogue is also impeccable, the film is clustered with fantastic, highly-quotable, and often thought-provoking lines; the most impactful one of course delivered at the very end. Speaking of the ending, it was very well handled as it was payoff for feature length worth of character build up; and the final message on how one's most toxic desires can mentally derange someone had me flabbergasted. Overall, a fantastic noir that kept me in its grip from beginning to end. I don't know if I would come back often to re-watch, but it was nice to appreciate just how well crafted it is.

This is now probably one of my favorite horror films in recent years, I can't believe it took me this long to get to it after all the great things I've heard. The film is directed with so much care, and everything from the characters, to the narrative flow, and the shot construction is top-notch. The relationship established for our two leads is fantastic and perfectly paced; they are two children who are in some way incomplete and grow to find completion within each other.

The latter part fuels the best moments in the film, every scene that had these two together was magical in its own unique way. The cinematography was also a stand out, we are treated to so many perfectly balanced close-ups and some beautiful middle shots, all with a drawn out and almost cold color palette. (for obvious reasons)Overall, this was heartwarming, entertaining, and horrific, all at the same time, it is not often that you see a horror film handled with so much care seen in so many different parts. I loved this. By the way, I didn't know this was a remake of Let the Right one in when i first saw it, and I've heard that the latter is even better, so if that's the case, I'm in for a treat.

Full list here

I didnt realise Kodi was Australian. Two very good young actors.

They are both great!

Yeah. I think the current crop of young actors (various ages) are the best I've ever seen. Looking forward to their adult roles.

In recent years, I've found that child actors have actually been generally speaking, kind of impressive! There's multiple examples I can pull up at the top of my head.

With all the young talent coming up through the ranks it's amazing Kurt Sutter and friends cast such woefully bad little guys in Sons of Anarchy. I mean it's not their fault they are so stiff in front of the camera - I blame the directors for that, and who wouldnt be scared in front of Peter Weller (as much as I like him). And dont get me started on the kid in Dexter. OMG! I'm sure the lil guy is great at other hobbies.

I haven't seen Sons of Anarchy, but I've been trying to get more into T.V. Lol, yeah there are some bad, but normally I've found that kids in recent horror films have been great, It's kind of curious to see why the genre works so well to their advantage.

Usually I dont like kids in my screen entertainment but I've been really impressed the last couple of years so stopped being such a cranky old woman chasing kids away from my front garden at halloween

I wasn't expecting to watch this film until further in the year, but my film professor decided to teach it. Obviously the best thing to comment on are the visual effects; they are jaw-dropping, even to this day, and I could sit here and talk about how they revolutionized cinema, but you all know that. This is a film that I ended up appreciating more than I liked it. Perhaps it was the environment, I tend to not like a film as much when I watch it in a class, especially when we watch it in parts and it ends up undercutting my investment. I will definitely have to watch this again down the line. For now, I thought that the premise is imaginative, and very well-executed, some of the action sequences will be permanently engraved in my mind, and the characters were decent enough. I will give this a slightly conservative score, as I really do think I need to watch this again on my own without any distractions.

This was such an effective horror film that delivered in all of its assets. Normally, horror films this old underline the techniques that made it frightening back in the day more so than it is affecting. This one, however, did unsettle me more than a couple of times. The nude ritual scene earlier in the film really gave me goosebumps; the visuals, the editing, and the screechy score all came together to deliver a frightening scene.

We are introduced to our main character and her relationship through extensive use of dialogue and visual trickery, which was very refreshing. I also really loved the progression, it is a slow burn, but there really isn't any fraction of the narrative that feels like a disservice to the tension, which was also very consistent. The film also goes out of its way to sprinkle hints of the macabre situation, and overall I found it a hobby to connect different events to the overarching premise. I also really like how deceptive it can be, and how we as the audience are pretty much placed in Rosemary' s shoes, and we are left to connect the dots with the information she absorbs, which is, in my opinion, the best kind of psychological horror: when we are just as dumbfounded as the main character, rather than isolated, and just waiting for the dumbass to find out something we already did. Overall unsettling, smart, well-written, and structured effectively.

Out of all the recent Disney films, which have seemed to have skyrocketed the studio into a renaissance, this one always felt like the weakest for me. It isn't bad by any stretch of the imagination, but there's things about this film, similar to Pixar's The Good Dinosaur, that felt kind of amateurish, it felt like a filmmaker confusedly sticking to an established formula. (although this was a better attempt than the film I brought up for comparison) The film does have a great deal of sweet moments, the animation is fantastic, and the great characters keep this film as a perfectly good one. That being said, the writing was a bit rough in a couple of parts, particularly during the exposition, the whole superhero aspect never felt as exciting as it wanted it to be, (although there are some cool sequences) and the latter attempts at emotional moments were moments that never really did anything for the narrative. I think this film shines the most when it is contained to the personal connections and the character moments; Hiro is a great protagonist.

SCORE - 70/100

I loved this one as well, it is definitely an actor-driven film. Both performances were exemplary and Meryl Streep captures such a particular, fragile, and broken performance that I can't see any other actress doing as successfully. Another strong point in the film is the writing, it delivers a believable story that I'm sure many can relate to, and with most real life cases, it puts you in the position of the kid. I just couldn't completely side with any of the characters, they are both given proper, complete, and emotionally rounded arcs, which definitely displays the strong writing. The performance of young Justin Henry was also magnificent, especially for a young actor. Overall, I thought this was a great drama that remained grounded and tight, with great characters, and a very gripping execution.

SCORE - 85/100

I always thought this was a pretty good film. Let me just get the negatives out of the way. First off, there are many plot holes, especially to do with characters and their irrational actions, second, the first 25 minutes could've done a better job at establishing this sister relationship that is supposed to fuel the entire film, and I thought the resolution was pre-mature. This film excels the most as a musical, I'm not going to sit here and deny that the music is amazing, because it is, I would say it's one of Disney's best in general. Apart from the beginning, the relationship between Ana and Elsa was effective and I got invested in both characters. Everything else, was generally pretty good, I wouldn't put this near my top 10 Disney films, but it's a worthy addition to their filmography.

Yet, this is another film that could easily become one of my favorites upon re-watch. Sometimes I wish I was born in the 80s, every time I see a film with this kind of atmosphere I feel right at home. (sighs) Anyway, I'm mad at myself for taking this long to experience such a pleasant film, every minute is engaging, exciting, fun, and charming. I really love films from the 80s.

The whole Time-Travel fiasco was built very well, it was complex, but never too far-fetched; which kept the experience fun, and not overwhelming. And that is the perfect word to describe the film: just so fun, I can see myself re-watching this every week without getting bored of it. Even though the film had resources to go bananas with its concept, I love how it kept the story personal, and more about the characters. It was so fascinating seeing Michael J Fox's character making connections from his parents' pasts to his current present. His arc was established so well in the first act that I was so invested in his character throughout the entirety of the film, and it felt like I was making these discoveries along with him. Overall, this film just made me feel so happy, there is this vivaciousness to it that just exudes warmth and happiness. If anyone reads this, are the sequels worth watching?

SCORE - 96/100

Re: Luis' Movie Log for 2018 (excluding new releases)
 

Oh crap, I fell behind on Schindler's List, I had a ton of homework and I got so caught up with the Oscars. Watching half today and the second half tomorrow.

Full list here.

This was Incredibly well directed by the most respected filmmaker of all time. I know many people hold this as Spielberg's crown jewel, and it's not hard to see why. This movie is devastating to watch, deeply affecting, and highly artistic. Every single gunshot, every single frame, and every single character moment added layers to this film, and justified its 3 hours+ runtime. Spielberg shows us every brimming detail, not only in its physical embodiment but also its psychological. He also did a fantastic job at telling a story that is both personal, and universal. The editing was fantastic, and there are many technical stretches that elevate the film's thematic resonance (the picture being black and white being the most obvious one) This film definitely deserves a perfect score, however, I just didn't develop a personal connection on my first watch, and I'm not sure if I would watch this again any time in the next few years. That being said, this is a film that has my entire appreciation, and it will for sure be one in my mind for prime examples of visual storytelling.

Absolutely. BTTF2 is my favourite actually and 3, while probably the weakest, is still great fun. :)

Oh yes!!! Can't wait to watch them all!

I also thought this one was great. I'll keep this one short, as you can apply most of what I said for the first film to the sequel as well. The film never lost it's vivaciousness, it was very fun to watch, and I had a smile on my face throughout. They really expanded the timeline with this one, but it was well done, I was never confused. The character work was pretty good, definitely not as great as it was in the original film, but still good nonetheless. If anything, it felt a little repetitive in comparison to the first, it made for a couple of nice inside jokes, but the writing could've been stronger. I also thought that the film's idea of 2015 was very fascinating, I got a kick out of it.

This was great. I love how the film is built purely around the leads´ romantic life. I also really liked how the storytelling is structured in an uncoventional way, it was effective, and the editing in the film was incredible. The characters are both great as well, I had no problem getting attached to Jim Carrey´s character, and Kate Winslet charmed my socks off practically from the very first line she spoke. I also really appreciate the original approach, and the memory erasing aspect never felt too far-fetched. By the middle of the film, I felt myself really wanting for these characters to end up together. All around great.

Re: Luis' Movie Log for 2018 (excluding new releases)
 

Knocking them out man! You remind me of when I joined this site and was watching all the classics for the first time!

Woah! Thank you so much! I[m definitely enjoying myself a lot this year!

Week 9

Full List here

Re: Luis' Movie Log for 2018 (excluding new releases)
 

Well I m still here reading your reviews. Found them all interesting even if we didn't always reach the same conclusions about movies.

I was interested in your response to Schindler's List. Although you gave it a high rating, you did not feel all that much connected to the film. I don't know if that is partly your age and personal preferences- but I can understand it. I find that - for me- in films of these epic stories, I need a personal connection on a 'smaller scale' - to see -and feel- the story through the smaller narrative of an individual. I saw Schindler s list years ago, but I remember having that same vaguely defined feeling that, masterpiece tho it may be, it wasn't one I'd likely seek out to see again. So.....as if you don't already have enough homework- I am going to recommend a film in the same WorkdWar2 theme, that is, the obscene cruelty of pure evil, and the human decency and unsung bravery of people in the throes of the worst conditions For me, this is a better picture with characters you can really relate to, and a 'smaller story within a larger story' that wraps you in and never leaves you. And that is Life Is Beautiful.

I don't remember if you mentioned seeing it, but would like very much to see a full review of it from you.

Of course this can be after you travel thru those 100 or 1000 or so movies on your list as of nowlol. Btw, I am curious about one thing- how did you make your list?


Meanwhile I m looking forward to reviews of many familiar cherished films of mine- and I see Fantasia is coming up soon. Enjoy.

Thank you so much for reaching time and time again, I enjoy conversing with you! As far as Schindler's List goes, It is definitely a very unique case in the sense that it has a very high score, yet I wouldn't seek out the same experience over and over again. For me, the craftsmanship of the film flabbergasted me so much, I thought giving it anything lower than a 90 was a disservice. It's a film, that even though didn't emotionally resonate with me, reminded me how much I love movies, and why cinema was invented.

Oh I have heard great things about it, and you know what? I'll watch it this week, it's Spring Break and I have more free time, and it's a movie that I heard makes people emotional, and that excites me for some reason. I tend to love movies that can make me cry (hence Coco being my favorite movie of last year lol)

As far as how I built my list.. I pretty much just looked at lists of the most popular films of each decade and just picked the ones that I've heard the most about. I wanted to get the big "must watch" ones out of the way first before I pick the smaller films that peak my interest. I've enjoyed myself so much these first three months.

Re: Luis' Movie Log for 2018 (excluding new releases)
 

Well , you just made my day, Luis, when you told me you will watch the movie this very week. How very nice of you! I have lots of things I could tell you about my reactions the film , but don't want to 'spoil' the movie - so I will wait for your thoughtful and insightful review. ( and you have already discovered it is likely to be an emotional experience)

I too enjoy 'talking ' with you here on mofo, and as others have mentioned, applaud your enthusiasm for seeing all these classics through fresh eyes -have a great spring break and I look forward to your comments on Life is Beautiful, amongst many others.

Yet another great movie, this list was the best idea ever; I can't remember liking this many new watches in a row. Aronofsky carefully crafted a very effective character study film, used mostly to highlight a person's obsession with achieving perfection, and the whole parallel with the white and black swan was super well realized. The film is also clustered with visual metaphors towards the latter point, and upon further dissection of the film, I learnt to appreciate the craftsmanship more.

Natalie Portman delivered a fantastic, highly calculated and particular performance; she embodied the innocence, persistence, and fragility of her character flawlessly, while also delivering an explosive number at the end. I also loved the cinematography, particularly in the opening two minutes and the final ten. Oftentimes, the narrative was built so that the audience was left in the dark a little bit, and while sometimes it was an effective way to propel the films' themes forward, other times they were a bit annoying. Aronofsky is a great director, and this film further solidifies him as someone who I need to keep a look out for. I can't wait to see what he does next. Overall, very tense, beautifully shot, skillfully acted and directed, and thematically rich.

It's nice to have finally seen this, I can see how innovative it was at the time. Visually, it was also very pleasing to see, and the variety of shorts was also nice. As far as the assemble itself goes, there's some stuff I liked, some stuff I didn't, and a select couple that I loved. I would be lying if I said I was invested the whole way through, there are chunks of the film that bored me. Overall, my reaction coming out was barely possitive. If I would rate the shorts individually, there would be two that would get 90+, but some parts of the film really bring it down.

This film has been recommended to me a few times, but @lenslady finally gave me the final push to see it. This was a wonderful film. It is one of the most personal war stories I've ever seen put on screen, and it's a film that had a good deal of emotional impact on me. The characterization is phenomenal, the first half of the film guides us through our leads' relationship escalation, and it is done with so much heart and warmth.

The fact that our lead was a Jew was never a defining attribute to his character, and was more like a side-note, the latter juxtaposes the second half with a tragic realization, and it is a second half that brings everything that was set up in the first to emotional extremes. Speaking of juxtaposition, it was also incredibly heartbreaking seeing the dynamic between an experienced father facing his doom and an innocent and fragile child living in his own made-up world in the midst of so much brutality.The romantic relationship was heartwarming, the father-son relationship was heartbreaking, and everything in between was beautiful. The film's symbolic tragedy resounds more the longer I think about it, and once I further dissected the ending and contemplated on what it really meant, I ended up finding new layers, each as meaningful as the next. This is a film I will remember for a long time. Thank you, @lenslady.

Re: Luis' Movie Log for 2018 (excluding new releases)
 

And thank you Luis! I am so gratified that you watched this film at my suggestion, and even more gratified that you were as moved by this story as much as I was. I don't really need to add any more comments of mine. Because you 'got it' - you felt and understood and gave an expert analysis of the movie.

As you noted, this is a 'personal story' and the depth and poignancy of a father's great love makes this war/holocaust story so touching and meaningful . I cried at the end, I always do - but it is a film I return to, even though I cry, because of all the things you said.

No need to add more than that I appreciate your appreciation. And( not to embarrass you but I can't help saying:) I think you show depth and heart and character, not to mention a responsive and nimble intellect, , at a quite early age , in the way you understand and feel the humanity of this story. Bravo, Luis!

P.S. I promise my next recommendation won't be a heartbreaker.