2021 Film Challenge

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We can count Mank as a 2021 release? I watched it this week but Letterboxd is calling it 2020.
Thanks. I thought it was a late 2020 release then I saw somewhere 2021. I deleted it.



That drives me insane. Often when I'm stuck for something to watch I'll deliberately head to the bottom of my watchlist, just to get something off of there once and for all. Which is absolutely the wrong reason to consume works of art, but it is what it is.

(Because simply deleting it from the watchlist isn't an option. What am I, a quitter?)
Ha! Exactly!

If it was interesting to me in my early 20s, clearly I have an obligation to watch it now!



Some great films on here, good call on choice of Actors (Paul Newman) You even have a couple I haven't seen. And a nice selection from Scorsese making for a broader experience of the man. Nice!
Thanks.

With Scorsese, I'm trying to get as good a grasp on him as I can. Like some, I've heard of his reputation as a director of mob films. But I'm hoping in particular to be able to see some of those where he steps away from that like The King of Comedy and Silence.

Originally, I looked at Woody Allen (haven't seen any of his films). But I was dismayed by the lack of depth of his films available to stream. Maybe if I had HBO Max?

As for Newman, I haven't seen nearly enough of his films. I think the only ones of his that I've seen was Cool Hand Luke, Slap Shot, The Color of Money, Cars and Road to Perdition. You can thank the pre-list debate about Newman and Robert Redford for me to think about which one to focus on. Ultimately, chose Newman and it's possible I might update that list if I see something like The Sting or Butch Cassidy available.

I want to take advantage of the weather issues to knock some of those films out next week.



The trick is not minding
Update 2/12!
Main Challenge  


Nightmare Mode  



Also answers to Jabba
@Wyldesyde19 I got to say Youssef Chahine is probably the most interesting director choice I have seen anyone make in all the years the challenge has been running.


I was surprised by how solid Cairo Station was when I watched it last year, so if you find some of his films to be in the same level, let me know because I might want to check them out myself.



25/100



Nightmare mode  



The trick is not minding
@Wyldesyde19 I got to say Youssef Chahine is probably the most interesting director choice I have seen anyone make in all the years the challenge has been running.


I was surprised by how solid Cairo Station was when I watched it last year, so if you find some of his films to be in the same level, let me know because I might want to check them out myself.
Yeah, I could have gone with either Herzog or Fukasaku, considering the amount of films available via streaming, but I went with Chahine because of the following:
1. Unfamiliarity with Egypt cinema
2. Cairo Station was indeed a pleasant surprise last year. The hope is that there might be another diamond amongst his filmography.
3. Apparently Chahine is a celebrated director, so I figured I’d dive deeper into his films.
4. Availability. Netflix has a lot of his films available to watch so it was an easy pick.

As for recommendations. Alexandria, Why? was pretty good. Start there.



Also answers to Jabba
Yeah, I could have gone with either Herzog or Fukasaku, considering the amount of films available via streaming, but I went with Chahine because of the following:
1. Unfamiliarity with Egypt cinema
2. Cairo Station was indeed a pleasant surprise last year. The hope is that there might be another diamond amongst his filmography.
3. Apparently Chahine is a celebrated director, so I figured I’d dive deeper into his films.
4. Availability. Netflix has a lot of his films available to watch so it was an easy pick.

As for recommendations. Alexandria, Why? was pretty good. Start there.

I will check Alexandria out at some point.



As for Fukasaku, I had no idea who he was so I checked him out. Aside from Battle Royale, I see that the overwhelming majority of his films has less than 1000 votes on IMDb. Is he a celebrated director in Japan? Coming with no knowledge of his work and glancing at his filmography he seems like a 1-hit wonder.



Welcome to the human race...
I think Battle Royale kind of blew up internationally for a variety of reasons (post-Columbine controversy about teenagers killing each other keeping it out of circulation at first, Tarantino calling himself a fan, the subsequent references to it in Kill Bill Vol. 1, general recency bias) and that didn't necessarily extend to the rest of his prolific career as a sturdy producer of yakuza films and the like.
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Iro's Top 100 Movies v3.0



The trick is not minding
I will check Alexandria out at some point.



As for Fukasaku, I had no idea who he was so I checked him out. Aside from Battle Royale, I see that the overwhelming majority of his films has less than 1000 votes on IMDb. Is he a celebrated director in Japan? Coming with no knowledge of his work and glancing at his filmography he seems like a 1-hit wonder.
I just think he’s isn’t as well known, is all. I haven’t seen any of his films yet mind you, of course. His Battles without Honor and humanity is a celebrated series in the Yakuza genre, where most of his work dealt with. He also did a few sci fi films, such as Virus (nominated for several awards including best picture in the Japan academy awards).
I think I maybe still do a deep dive of his available films anyways when time permits. As well as Herzog and Miike since Amazon has a lot of their films.
I seem to be favoring Asian films this year heh.



Women will be your undoing, Pépé
Thanks.

With Scorsese, I'm trying to get as good a grasp on him as I can. Like some, I've heard of his reputation as a director of mob films. But I'm hoping in particular to be able to see some of those where he steps away from that like The King of Comedy and Silence.

Originally, I looked at Woody Allen (haven't seen any of his films). But I was dismayed by the lack of depth of his films available to stream. Maybe if I had HBO Max?

As for Newman, I haven't seen nearly enough of his films. I think the only ones of his that I've seen was Cool Hand Luke, Slap Shot, The Color of Money, Cars and Road to Perdition. You can thank the pre-list debate about Newman and Robert Redford for me to think about which one to focus on. Ultimately, chose Newman and it's possible I might update that list if I see something like The Sting or Butch Cassidy available.

I want to take advantage of the weather issues to knock some of those films out next week.
I did the same with Scorsese, my interest had been, originally, to his gangster films and found he a much broader scope of films which I grew impressed with. Some more than others but that's more of a personal thing than a critique.
Have not seen Silence so I'll be on the lookout for what you thought of it.

And regarding Newman there is still a number of his films I've yet to see. You mentioned The Color of Money, have you seen The Hustler? It's where his character originated from. A personal favorite of mine.
As is The Sting and Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid from my childhood. Had them in my Top 5 of the recent All-Time Countdown. Love 'em both.
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As for Newman, I haven't seen nearly enough of his films. I think the only ones of his that I've seen was Cool Hand Luke, Slap Shot, The Color of Money, Cars and Road to Perdition. You can thank the pre-list debate about Newman and Robert Redford for me to think about which one to focus on. Ultimately, chose Newman and it's possible I might update that list if I see something like The Sting or Butch Cassidy available.

I actually watched two Paul Newman films...Harper(1966) and it's sequel The Drowning Pool(1975) both were good you can also check out



Recommend
Hombre




The Verdict (needs to be watched twice)


Hud


Absence of Malice


Cat on a Hot Tin Roof


and The Hudsucker Proxy



The trick is not minding



Recommend
Hombre

The Verdict (needs to be watched twice)


Hud


Absence of Malice


Cat on a Hot Tin Roof


and The Hudsucker Proxy
I’ll second Hombre, Hud, The Verdict, Absence of Malice and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
Have not seen The Hudsucker Proxy yet



You know what they call a Quarter Pounder with cheese in Paris?
watch 10 foreign language films
Revenge
Pale Flower
Roma
Wages of Fear
4 Months, Three Weeks, and Two Days
L’Argent
Luz
Late Spring
Pixote
The King and the Mockingbird


Now working on the 70s and some documentaries.



I did the same with Scorsese, my interest had been, originally, to his gangster films and found he a much broader scope of films which I grew impressed with. Some more than others but that's more of a personal thing than a critique.
Have not seen Silence so I'll be on the lookout for what you thought of it.

And regarding Newman there is still a number of his films I've yet to see. You mentioned The Color of Money, have you seen The Hustler? It's where his character originated from. A personal favorite of mine.
As is The Sting and Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid from my childhood. Had them in my Top 5 of the recent All-Time Countdown. Love 'em both.
I have not seen The Hustler. Would love to add The Sting and Butch Cassidy personally.

I think availability is going to be a key in making sure I see the list through or if I need to make changes. Instead of trying to wipe out categories, I'm trying to chip away at them so I may be able to substitute them with time.



You know what they call a Quarter Pounder with cheese in Paris?
watch 10 foreign language films
Revenge
Pale Flower
Roma
Wages of Fear
4 Months, Three Weeks, and Two Days
L’Argent
Luz
Late Spring
Pixote
The King and the Mockingbird


Now working on the 70s and some documentaries.
I've been meaning to see 4 Months, Three Weeks and Two Days for a long time now. What did you think of it?



I actually watched two Paul Newman films...Harper(1966) and it's sequel The Drowning Pool(1975) both were good you can also check out

Recommend
Hombre




The Verdict (needs to be watched twice)


Hud


Absence of Malice


Cat on a Hot Tin Roof


and The Hudsucker Proxy
I'll definitely keep Harper and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof in mind. And thanks for pointing out about the Verdict needing two viewings.



I've been meaning to see 4 Months, Three Weeks and Two Days for a long time now. What did you think of it?
I wrote it up in the "Rate the Last Movie . . . " thread. I thought it was amazing, but also, you know, brutal.

I had not realized that there was going to be an element of (Moderate spoilers)
WARNING: spoilers below
sexual assault
. The stuff around the actual abortion manages to be at once mundane and harrowing.

I would highly, highly, recommend it.