Happy New Month: Films of December 2012

2012 is coming to an end, but I still don't have the feeling that it is...

I was just browsing through all the posts I wrote this year... it was definitely a good year. One of the best years ever. A beautiful year with many wonderful journeys, some new friends, a lot of great new art (movies, books etc.). 

And also blogging-wise, I think it was successful. There were of course times when I had to go on hiatus for a while, I even seriously considered closing the blog but then... I just couldn't. This is the only place where I can express myself without boundaries, writing-wise. Well, except for that novel I'm working - yeah, I said it. It was meant to be a secret but then I though I might as well share it with you... I don't know what the outcome is going to be, but I hope to write about two pages everyday from now on. That would mean the novel would be finished in about three months - I guess.

It's funny you know... just when I was thinking of letting go of that pressure to write something "big" (meaning "long(er)"), just waiting for the right feeling to come on a sports game (Murakami) or on the train (Rowling), the idea just came right out of nowhere. 

But enough about that... let's just see what the future will bring, shall we.

And until then, let's talk about movies.

WATCHED FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME

200 Motels (1971) Tony Palmer, Frank Zappa - USA

I really don't wanna know how many drugs went into the production of this movie... but at least now I have a quite exact idea of what it's like to be stoned. Watch it if you want something completely confusing and ridiculous.

5.0

3 Zimmer/Küche/Bad (2012) Dietrich Brüggemann - Germany

Did I ever say how much I love those down-to-earth German comedies that sometimes just pop out of nowhere?

7.7

37°2 le Matin [Betty Blue] Jean-Jacques Beineix - France

Very effective use of the shock-moment right in the beginning with a very, very long and detailed sex scene... and also otherwise quite intense.

8.4

Á bout de souffle [Breathless] (1959) Jean-Luc Godard - France

I absolutely understand why The Dreamers would be so crazy about movies like this.

8.6

Aguirre, der Zorn Gottes [Aguirre, the Wrath of God] (1972) Werner Herzog - West Germany

Interesting and brave idea though hilarious at times... I mean, why would Spanish soldiers in South America speak German...? I loved the ending however... it was intense.

7.0

Almost Famous (2000) Cameron Crowe - USA

I don't really see where the cult is coming from, but nevertheless enjoyed the movie a lot. It was nothing like I had expected.

8.3

Alphaville, une étrange aventure de Lemmy Caution (1965) Jean-Luc Godard - France

First French movie I saw without subtitles - a small victory. As I'm a sucker for Sci-Fi, naturally I loved this. The computer-gone-bad reminded me of 2001.

8.2

Annie Hall (1977) Woody Allen - USA

After having watched this I have the feeling that I've reached that point where I'm fully and irrevocably in love with Woody Allen. 

9.8

Assault on Precinct 13 (1976) John Carpenter - USA

Quite boring when you've seen the 2005 remake... which I only realized while watching this one.

7.0

At Close Range (1986) James Foley - USA

Much better than expected - Christopher Walken was beyond fantastic and who would've thought Sean Penn was such a hottie in his early days...

7.5

Bad Taste (1987) Peter Jackson - New Zealand

Well, the title really says everything about this movie. HOW COULD YOU, Peter Jackson??! Anyway, I had a few good laughs as this was my first real splatter movie.

1.0

Badlands (1973) Terrence Malick - USA

It's easier to see where The Tree of Life came from now, although this one was much more down-to-earth.

9.2

Bananas (1971) Woody Allen - USA

So, I turned out to be one of those people who love Woody's older slapstick adventures too.

8.3

Barfi! (2012) Anurag Basu - India

A great disappointment. And they really think this is going to win an Oscar?

6.6

Barry Lyndon (1975) Stanley Kubrick - UK/ USA

The movie that ignited my ongoing obsession with Kubrick and made me decide that he was the next director for my "A Journey in..." series. Such a pearl of a movie.

9.5

Coffee and Cigarettes (2003) Jim Jarmusch - USA/ Japan/ Italy

Funny and entertaining, though profound at times too. I especially liked the "Cousins" and "Cousins?" segments for outstanding performances and direction.

7.1

Elizabeth (1998) Shekhar Kapur - UK

Cate Blanchett needs more leading roles.

8.4

Fear and Desire (1953) Stanley Kubrick - USA

Well, every director needs to start somewhere.

6.4

Jane Eyre (2011) Cary Fukunaga - UK/ USA

I finally got to see this... it's really one of the most beautiful films of the last few years.

7.9

Killer's Kiss (1955) Stanley Kubrick - USA

Although not as breathtaking as what I've seen of Kubrick's later work, there were certain little sparks of brilliancy in this one. I didn't like the ending though - and as far as I understand, Kubrick didn't either but was forced to make it a happy-end.

7.2

Lethal Weapon 2 + 3 (1989) Richard Donner - USA

Ironically I haven't seen part one, but I liked both of the sequels, despite Mel Gibson's horrible haircut and lack of attractiveness. 

7.2

Lust for Life (1956) Vincente Minnelli - USA

A film about Van Gogh, we started watching it in art class until my teacher thought we had seen what was important... you can imagine I was furious, and of course had to finish the movie at home. Kirk Douglas is magnificent, the rest is kind of bland.

7.0

Paths of Glory (1957) Stanley Kubrick - USA

After a few shorts and his first three feature films, this was in my opinion the first thoroughly magical Kubrick film. A beautiful hymn on pacifism.

9.2

Pitch Perfect (2012) Jason Moore - USA

Yeah, this is my sister's last obsession... it's kinda fun though I didn't think the anti-German jokes were that funny. But let's not get over-sensible.

7.3

Olsen-banden over alle bjerge (1981) Erik Balling - Denmark

One of the last Olsen-banden films... why'd I never see it before? So cute and funny.

7.4

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994) Stephan Elliott - Australia/ UK

This movie just came out of nowhere and won my heart all over.

8.6

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) Peter Jackson - USA/ New Zealand

I was rather over-enthusiastic when I wrote my review and didn't realize there were a lot of people that didn't like the movie... But even after reading many negative reviews, I still love it.

9.4

The Killing (1956) Stanley Kubrick - USA

Very film-noir-ish... but I liked it. It wasn't as stiff as many of Hitchcock's "classics".

8.0

The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985) Woody Allen - USA

Absolutely lovable - makes you realize the importance of cinema... or maybe not. It's very lovely though.

9.4

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) Jim Sharman - UK/ USA

Hilarious, crazy and very close to perfection.

9.6

RE-WATCHED WITH THE PURPOSE OF INTENSE EXAMINATION

Bridget Jones's Diary (2001) Sharon Maguire - USA/ UK/ Ireland/ France

I just love that scene in the beginning, when she sings "All by myself".

7.3

Easy A (2010) Will Gluck - USA

Still one of the best "teenage" comedies I've seen. Makes me want to watch Say Anything and The Breakfast Club.

7.5

Little Lord Fauntleroy (1980) Jack Gold - UK

A yearly tradition for christmas.

7.5

Isn't this still from Vogue, 2000 just gorgeous?

Moulin Rouge! (2001) Baz Luhrmann - USA/ Australia

I didn't remember it being that awesome!

9.5

The Polar Express (2004) Robert Zemeckis - USA

I realized how much it looks like a computer game, especially the camera movements... but it's a beautiful christmas movie. Actually made me cry in the end.

7.2

----

Amount of feature films watched: 36 (November +19)

Average rating: 8.0 (November +0.7)

Worst film of the month: Bad Taste

Best film of the month: Annie Hall

SHORTS

Day of the Fight (1951) Stanley Kubrick - USA

Gripping and interesting - much better than Kubrick's first short.

7.1

Flying Padre: An RKO-Pathe Screenliner (1951) Stanley Kubrick - USA

Boring.

6.0

The Seafarers (1953) Stanley Kubrick - USA

Boring but well-directed. 

6.2

BOOKS

H. C. Andersen, 200 Års Jubilæum - en eventyrlig digter - Andersen, H. C. and others

There were a lot of fairytales I had never heard of, so that was really interesting. I didn't like all of them though.

*** out of 5

The Tales of Beedle the Bard - Rowling, J. K.

Sigh... far too short.

***** out of 5

See you next year with a lot of 2012 wrap-ups and much more!