Speaking of that list, which was last completed in January of 2013, I realize I’m already behind schedule, and despite the progress made this month there is a lot of work to do still. Since I have no knowledge of when the hell I made my 2003 list, I figure as long as it happens this calendar year we’re good. There’s also a little debate I’ve had about the length of this list. I’ve always stuck to the tried and true top 100, which naturally requires some tough choices especially when you’ve seen as much shit as I have. So does this list become a top 250? Sight and Sound revealed their full top 250 (or 264 via ties) list so why not keep the same idea? Well I suppose putting the top 100 together is the first step then we can visit expanding.
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| Started off with the indescribable |
January despite 151 films seen, included a mere 3 5-star films. Makes it seem like I’m very stingy with the ratings? Not quite, just that I watched a lot of objectively bad movies. February despite a far fewer amount of total films, there were 35 movies to get a top rating. Some of these I can definitely see making the cut for my top 100 list, but they all won’t be left standing, even if I go the full 250. Not having movies to watch as a full time (unpaid) job, I have prioritized top 100 contenders. My goal is to at least watch one film in consideration per day, and hopefully spend some time with multiple bangers or even a little dose of trash later.
Speaking of trash, don’t think I forgot the marginal films full of shlock. Since Orchestrator of Storms: The Fantastique World of Jean Rollin was premiering on Arrow Player I signed up for a rather generous 30 day trial. I can’t stress how much money this app saved me from buying garbage. Unfortunately it did include one film I couldn’t finish (Two Witches) which was so bad I had to abandon it. That would probably earn the dubious distinction of worst film watched this month, but I’ll spare it the humiliation because I never did finish it.
Overall I would recommend Arrow Player at least for a month or two if you find yourself curious about cult films. The app uses the same software as Criterion’s app, so the interface although not my favorite was at least familiar. As some friends were participating in Franco February I used Arrow to fulfill my needs for slow zooms on pubes. The aforementioned Jean Rollin also had a handful of films added to Arrow which are objectively far superior.
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| Something had to be the worst film of the month |
I even saw a couple new movies this month. I haven’t dug into the Oscar contenders as much as I probably should have, which I largely blame on a combination of films I have no interest in watching, and very little being added to streaming services yet. Thankfully EO was added to Criterion mid-month so I did get to see that. I can safely say the film is probably better than the rating I gave it, but just my immediate reaction. Anyways if you read all this thanks, let’s get to the movies. Using * for star ratings so hopefully this will look the same on mobile as it does on a computer. Also put the 5-star films in bold.
02/01
Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One (1969) - ****
Petite Maman (2021)-*****
The Souvenir Part II (2021)-****
Born in Flames (1983)-****
Opera (1987)-****
02/02
Dragon Inn (1967)-***1/2
Il Buco (2021)-***1/2
The Boxer’s Omen (1983)-****1/2
The Awful Dr. Orloff (1962)-***1/2
Skinamarink (2022)-*****
02/03
Dr. Orloff’s Monster (1964)-***
Nightmares Come at Night (1970)-***1/2
The Mutliator (1984)-**1/2
A Virgin Among the Living Dead (1973)-****
Female Vampire (1973)-****1/2
Caliber 9 (1972)-****
02/04
The Shiver of the Vampires (1971)-***
The Godfather (1972)-*****
The Godfather Part 2 (1974)-*****
02/05
The Italian Connection (1972)-****1/2
The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone (1990)-****1/2
The Bloody Judge (1970)-***
Blood Rage (1987)-***1/2
Eugenie de Sade (1973)-***
02/06
Exorcism (1975)-****
The Boss (1973)-****1/2
02/07
Shoot First, Die Later (1974)-****
Heat (1995)-*****
02/08
The Round-Up (1965)-*****
An Indian Story (1962)-***
The Presence (1965)-***1/2
The Presence II (1978)-***
The Presence III (1986)-***
Kidnap Syndicate (1975)-***1/2
Blue (1993)-****
The Red and the White (1967)-*****
Devil Hunter (1980)-*1/2
02/09
Autumn in Badascony (1954)-**1/2
Harvest in Oroshaza ((1953)-**
With a Camera in Kostroma (1967)-**1/2
Ali: Fear Eats the Soul (1974)-*****
02/11
Death Spa (1989)-***
Lips of Blood (1975)-****
02/12
Europe ‘51 (1952)-****1/2
Bloody Moon (1981)-***
02/13
The Inheritance (2020)-****
Voyage in Italy (1954)-*****
02/14
The Living Dead Girl (1982)-***1/2
In the Mood for Love (2000)-*****
02/15
Orchestrator of Storms: The Fantastique World of Jean Rollin (2022)-****1/2
Ikiru (1952)-*****
Oasis of the Zombies (1982)-*
Late Spring (1949)-*****
Perfect Blue (1997)-****
Nekromantic (1988)-**
02/16
Z (1969)-*****
Sherlock Jr. (1924)-*****
The Navigator (1924)-*****
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)-****
The Confrontation (1969)-****
02/18
Double Indemnity (1944)-*****
02/19
Fantastic Planet (1973)-****
Red Pslam (1972)-*****
02/20
La Notte (1961)-*****
02/21
Elektra, My Love (1974)-****1/2
Andrei Rublev (1966)-*****
02/22
Solaris (1972)-*****
Mirror (1974)-*****
02/23
Stalker (1979)-*****
EO (2022)-****
The Switchblade Sisters (1975)-***
Zombie NIghtmare (1987)-**
Five Loose Women (1974)-***1/2
02/24
Au Hassard Balthazar (1966)-*****
The Spirit of the Beehive (1973)-*****
Moonlight(2016)-*****
Rear Window (1954)-*****
02/25
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)-*****
My Neighbor Totoro (1986)-*****
Fanny and Alexander (1982)-*****
Blade Runner (1982)-*****
02/26
M3GAN (2022)-**1/2
Yi-Yi (2000)-*****
02/27
Contempt (1963)-*****
Private Vices, Public Virtues (1976)-***1/2
Barry Lyndon (1975)-*****
Disco Lady (1978)-**
02/28
From Beyond (1986)-****
Early Summer (1951)-*****
The 400 Blows (1959)-*****
Best Film of the Month - The Godfather
Worst Film of the Month - Oasis of the Zombies (Sorry Uncle Jess)
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