What I’ve seen since 2008

Summary for 2008

Watched 134 films in the year (not quite a whole year, more like 45 weeks)

I cast my net far and wide, watching films from 35 different countries (only saw 25 English speaking films)

Most films (by far) came from France (37)

Then, England (10), USA (8) Germany (7) Japan (7) Iran (6) Sweden (6) Scotland (5) Finland (4) Spain (4) Sweden (4) Denmark (4) Poland (2) China (2) India (2) Mongolia (2) Morroco (2) Mexico (2) Hungary (2) Italy (2)

And 16 other countries: Thailand, Ireland, Uruguay, Australia, Georgi, Colombia, Romania, Turkey, Iceland, Czechslovakia, Algeria, Belguim, Tunisia, Bosnia, Serbia, Argentina.

Sources of films: Lovefilm (23) Recorded from: past TV (51) recent TV (24) Bought/freebie DVD’s (20) Library (16)

I saw twice as many good films (i estimate 30) as bad ones (about 15 were crap)

Best 5 Films of the Year (seen for the first time)

1. Alice in the Cities
2. Whisky
3. Le Fils
4. Shadows in Paradise
5. Take care of your scarf, Tatjana

Worst 5 Films of the Year (seen for the first – and last time)

1. Exterminating Angel
2. InterMission
3. The American Friend
4. Breathless
5. Skin of Man, Heart of Beast

So-called “autuers” Louis Bunuel, Jean-Luc Godard, and Wim Wenders get into this worst films list! (although Wenders did get on my best film list with Alice in the Cities)

I got to like Aki Kaurismaki’s films.

I got to realise i didn’t really like Tarkovsky as much as i’d thought i ought to. Admire yes. But his painstakingly slow films aren’t something i want to sit through too often.

I have a love/hate thing going on with Eric Rohmer’s films. They irritate me alot. And yet i’m drawn to sit through them for some bizzare reason.

Most French films seem to have this attraction/aversion quality for me. Maybe they represent something within me – and my English psyche – i’m keen to deny or disown, and yet can’t help but be fascinated by.

I’ve deliberately kept away from American films; i’m bored by American culture – especially the spoon-fed variety that comes off the production line from the  Hollywood “dream factory”. There are still some original films from the US, but you have to wade through a lot of schmaltzy drossy crap to get to them.

I’ve cultivated a liking for b/w English films portraying 1960′s social working-class realism.

Keeping this blog has made me more “real” and less pretentious about the films i actually like and feel genuinely moved by.

The better films are in bold.

Feb 2008 (4)

1. The Death of Mr Lazarescu (Romania)
2. Frozen Land (Finland)
3. Broken Flowers (USA)
4. The Day i became a woman (Iran)

March (8)

1. The Captive (France)
2. Young Adam (Scotland)
3. The American Friend (Germany)
4. Brief Encounter (England)
5. No End (Poland)
6. Abigail’s Party (England)
7. Last Life in the Universe (Thailand/Japan)
8. The Man Without a Past (Finland)

April (6)

1. The Beat My Heart Skipped (France)
2. Camera Buff (Poland)
3. London to Brighton (England)
4. InterMission (Ireland)
5. Hidden (Austria/France)
6. L’Amore Molesto (Italy)

May (13)

1. Heaven (Germany/Italy)
2. Shanghai Dreams (China)
3. Downfall (Germany)
4. Hero (China)
5. The Lives of Others (Germany)
6. Whisky (Uruguay)
7. Brokeback Mountain (USA)
8. Take care of your Scarf, Tatjana (Finland)
9. Candy (Australia)
10. Since Otar Left (Georgia/France)
11. The Inheritance (Denmark)
12. Human Traffic (England)
13. Kontroll (Hungary)

June (18)

1. Story of the Weeping Camel (Mongolia)
2. Monday Morning (France)
3. Goodbye Lenin (Germany)
4. Breathless (France)
5. Italian for Beginners (Denmark)
6. The 400 Blows (France)
7. Junebug (USA)
8. Alice in the Cities (Germany)
9. Paris, Texas (USA/Germany)
10. Skin of Man, Heart of Beast (France)
11. The Cave of the Yellow Dog (Mongolia)
12. The Limey (USA)
13. The Woman Next Door (France)
14. Tokyo Story (Japan)
15. Shadows in Paradise (Finland)
16. Goodfellas (USA)
17. Shoot the Pianist (France)
18. Minor Mishaps (Denmark)

July (9)

1. Masjavlar (Dalecarlians) (Sweden)
2. Nuts in May (England)
3. The Lost Son (France/England)
4. Kandahar (Iran)
5. A Woman in Winter (Scotland)
6. Maborosi (Japan)
7. Bad Education (Spain)
8. Billy Liar (England)
9. Maria Full of Grace (Colombia/USA)

August (11)

1. Sylvia (England)
2. Exterminating Angel (Spain)
3. Kasaba (Turkey)
4. The Wicker Man (Scotland)
5. On a Clear Day (Scotland)
6. 101 Reykjavik (Iceland)
7. Ali Zaoua (Morocco)
8. Zatiochi (Japan)
9. Scenes from a Marriage (Sweden)
10. Venus Beauty Institute (France)
11. Full Moon in Paris (France)

September (15)

1. Le Grand Voyage (Morroco/ France)
2. Annabelle Partagee (France)
3. Western (France)
4. I Stand Alone (France)
5. The Low Down (England)
6. Y tu mama tambien (Mexico)
7. Morvern Callar (Scotland)
8. Werckmeister Harmonies (Hungary)
9. Ma nuit chez Maud (France)
10. Une Liason Pornographique (France)
11. Someone Else (England)
12. The Colour of Paradise (Iran)
13. Dear Diary (Italy)
14. Summer with Monika (Sweden)
15. Kikujiro (Japan)

October (13)

1. Pan’s Labyrinth (Spain)
2. Harry, he’s here to help (France)
3. Devi (India)
4. Bombon, el Perro (Argentina)
5. Black Cat, White Cat (Serbia)
6. L’Ennui (France)
7. Late Aug, Early Sept (France)
8. Ma Vie Sexuelle (France)
9. After Life (Japan)
10. Red Lights (France)
11. A Winter’s Tale (France)
12. Un Coeur en Hiver (France)
13. Nobody Knows (Japan)

November (16)

1. No Mans Land (Bosnia)
2. Martha….Martha (France)
3. Le vent de la nuit (France)
4. Kings of the Road (Germany)
5. My Girlfriends Boyfriend (France)
6. Warrior (India)
7. Legend of the Holy Drinker (Italy/France)
8. The Sea Inside (Spain)
9. Red Satin (Tunisia)
10. Ivan’s Childhood (Russia)
11. Through the Forest (France)
12. Le Fils (Belgium)
13. Claires Knee (France)
14. Alice et Martin (France)
15. Manhattan (USA)
16. Kings and Queen (France)

December (21)

1. Kagemusha (Japan)
2. A Summer’s Tale (France)
3. Mifune (Denmark)
4. Five Easy Pieces (USA)
5. Kes (England)
6. Time to Leave (France)
7. The Lacemaker (France/Switzerland)
8. Andrei Rublev (Russia)
9. You, the Living (Sweden)
10. Exiles (Algeria/France)
11. Nostalgia (Russia)
12. Lemming (France)
13. Still Life (Iran)
14. Homework (Mexico)
15. Closely Observed Trains (Czechoslovakia)
16. Lasse and Lena (Sweden)
17. Where is my friends house? (Iran)
18. Through the Olive Trees (Iran)
19. Autumn Sonata (Sweden)
20. Stalker (Russia)
21. Autumn Tale (France)

What I saw in 2009

I’ve watched 63 films this last year. Considering i watched 134 in 2008 this represents a significant tailing off of – what, interest? Possibly. It could also be that i saw far too many films last year; watching 3 films a week became excessive – and i’ve needed to slow down, ration my watching more so as to appreciate more (possibly).

The breakdown of countries is: England (12), USA (8), France (7), Sweden (5), Germany (5) Italy (3) Japan (3), Argentina (3), Russia (3)

Another 11  other countries: Canada, Rumania, South Korea, Denmark, Afghanistan, Norway, Mexico, Turkey, Taiwan, Iran, Serbia.

Ther are 2 collobarations: England/France (Godard) and France/Poland (Kiewslowski)

Top Films (seen for first time) would be:

1. Atanarjuat, The Fast Runner
2. Buffalo 66
3. Grown Ups
4. Grizzly Man

Worst Films would be:

1. Julien Donkey Boy
2. Kitchen Stories
3. Sympathy for the Devil

I seem to be better at picking films i might like, or at least weeding out the stinky ones.

I watched 37 French films in 2008 – and this year, only 7. Maybe last year i was just clearing away all the backlog i’d got taped on vids. But i’ve just bought a 8 Dvd Rohmer box-set (for £12!) off Amazon -  so I’ll be ploughing my way through that little lot in the next few months (actually 3 of the films i’ve already seen and reviewed on this blog)

I’ve watched a lot of Mike Leigh films (6) I have reservations about how grotesque and irritating some of his improvised characters become (Jan Horrocks is ridiculous in Life is Sweet) but mostly i feel genuinely moved by his stuff.

January (10)

1. The Edukators (Germany)
2. Beau Travail (France)
3. Four Months, 3 weeks, 2 days (Rumania)
4. Warm water under a red bridge (Japan)
5. Atanarjuat, The Fast Runner (Canada)
6. The Cuckoo (Russia)
7. My Dinner with Andre (USA)
8. Extension du domaine de la lutte (France)
9. Nine Queens (Argentina)
10. Run, Lola, Run (Germany)

February (4)

1. Sympathy for the devil (England/France)
2. The Return for Martin Guerre (France)
3. Le Beau Marriage (France)
4. The Way Home (South Korea)

March (4)

1. Open Hearts (Denmark)
2. Turtles can Fly (Afghanistan/Iran)
3. Sexy Beast (England)
4. It’s Winter (Iran)

April (6)

1. Famila Rodante (Argentina)
2. Kitchen Stories (Norway)
3. Your Friends & Neighbours (USA)
4. Trainspotting (England)
5. The Realm of the Senses (Japan)
6. Buffalo 66 (USA)

May (4)

1. To get to heaven first you have to die (Tajikstan)
2. Let the right one in (Sweden)
3. Cabaret Balkan (Serbia)
4. Stroszek (Germany)

June (5)

1. Simple Men (USA)
2. Double Life of Veronique (France/Poland)
3. Solaris (Russia)
4. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Taiwan/USA)
5. Julien Donkey-Boy (USA)

July (5)

1. Pi (USA)
2. Three Monkeys (Turkey)
3. Grown-Ups (England)
4. Henry Fool (USA)
5. Life is Sweet (England)

August (6)

1. High Hopes (England)
2. Remember Me (Italy)
3. Betty Blue (France)
4. Glue (Argentina)
5. Moloch (Russia)
6. The Pumpkin Eater (England)

September (7)

1. Bad Timing (UK/USA)
2. Naked (England)
3. Gomorra (Italy)
4. Secrets & Lies (England)
5. Gallivant (England)
6. Meantime (England)
7. Grizzly Man (USA/Germany)

October (3)

1. Best Intentions (Sweden)
2. Le Chignon D’Olga (France)
3. The Class (France)

November (5)

1. Happy Go Lucky (England)
2. Cries & Whispers (Sweden)
3. Woyzeck (Germany)
4. Tokyo Sonata (Japan)
5. Winter Light (Sweden)

December (4)

1. The Tree of Wooden Clogs (Italy)
2. The Silence (Sweden)
3. Lake Tahoe (Mexico)
4. Heart of Glass (Germany)

What I saw in 2010

January (6)

1. Rashomon (Japan)
2. Slumdog Millionaire (England/India)
3. Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (England)
4. Ugetsu Monogatari (Japan)
5. Anvil: The Story of Anvil (Canada)
6. An Education (England)

February (6)

1. Uzak (Turkey)
2. Wendy & Lucy (USA)
3. Ikiru (to Live) (Japan)
4. Dry Summer (Turkey)
5. A Man Escaped (France)
6. One sings, the other doesn’t (France)

March (5)

1. Momma’s Man (USA)
2. Three Colours: Blue (France/Poland)
3. Three Colours: Red (France/Poland)
4. Old Joy (USA)
5. Edvard Munch (Norway/England)

April (5)

1. Buddha Collapsed out of Shame (Iran/Afghanistan)
2. Garage (Ireland)
3. Three Colours: White (France/Poland)
4. Last Tango in Paris (France)
5. The Sacrifice (Russia/Sweden)

May (4)

1. Withnail & I (England)
2. 20 Fingers (Iran)
3. Saturday Night, Sunday Morning (England)
4. The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser (Germany)

June (4)

1. Little Red Flowers (China)
2. The L Shaped Room (England)
3. Land of Silence and Darkness (Germany)
4. Import/Export (Austria)

July (3)

1. The Circle (Iran)
2. XXY (Argentina)
3. The Hide (England)

August (4)

1. Summer Interlude (Sweden)
2. Conversations with my Gardener (France)
3. The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (England)
4. The Bench (Denmark)

September (3)

1. Ball-Trap on the Cote Sauvage (England)
2. Riff-Raff (England)
3. 5 X 2 (France)

October (4)

1. The Dream Life of Angels (France)
2. Dogtooth (Greece)
3. Comrades (England)
4. Orphans (Scotland)

November (4)

1. Career Girls (England)
2. The Edge of Heaven (Germany)
3. Far North (Canada/England)
4. Tulpan (Kazakhstan)

December (5)

1. Into the Wild (USA)
2. Eureka (Japan)
3. The Commitments (Ireland)
4. Don’t Look Now (England)
5. Looking for Eric (England)

What I saw in 2011

January (4)

1. Winstanley (England)
2. I Saved the King of England (Czech Republic)
3. Dumplings (Hong Kong)
4. Once (Ireland)

February (3)

1. Cockles and Mussels (France)
2. Compassionate Sex(Spain/Mexico)
3. Stray Dogs (Iran Afghanistan)

March (4)

1. Radio On (England)
2. The Football Factory (England)
3. Jar City (Iceland)
4. Samson & Delilah (Australia)

April (4)

1. Content (England)
2. Awaydays (England)
3. The Seventh Seal (Sweden)
4. Waiting for Happiness (Mauritania)

May (3)

1. Summer Hours (France)
2. Moscow, Belgium (Belgium)
3. Poison Friends (France)

June (4)

1. Les Invisibles (France)
2. Fish Dreams (Mexico)
3. The Mugger (Argentina)
4. The Pope’s Toilet (Uruguay)

July (4)

1. Better Things (England)
2. Couscous (France/Tunisia)
3. Summer (England)
4. Delta (Hungary)

August (5)

1. Rosetta (Belgium)
2. Curling (Canada)
3. The Bicycle Thieves (Italy)
4. Harold & Maude (USA)
5. Departures (Japan)

September (4)

1. La Promesse (Belgium)
2. Made (England)
3. A Lesson in Love (Sweden)
4. Unmade Beds (England)

October (5)

1. No Greater Love (England)
2. Angel of Mine (France)
3. Innocence (France)
4. The Man Who Loved Women (France)
5. Japon (Mexico)

November (5)

1. Lovely Rita (Austria)
2. Still Walking (Japan)
3. Seraphine (France/Belgium)
4. Hotel (Austria)
5. Unrelated (England)

December (6)

1. O’Horten (Norway)
2. Alexandra (Russia)
3. Into Great Silence (Germany/Switzerland)
4. Life in a Day (England)
5. Christmas in August (South Korea)
6. Dragonflies (Norway)