So some folks had been asking if I had kept up my new years resolution from 2013 of watching a movie a week in 2014 as well. The answer is yes - here's all those movies I watched this year. I put a link if it was streaming on youtube or Vimeo and I made a note if it was instant streaming on Netflix in case you have that and want to check it out there.
Favorite Film of the 2014:
Boyhood:
Not only do I think this is the best movie of the year - but I think it's the best film Linklater has made so far. It's a coming of age story that was filmed over 12 years - so the characters age in real time, as well as you see the world change over time (such as in the technology and in the music of the soundtrack), as well as the director (such as seeing his style become more developed and what he chooses to focus on shifts). It's extremely moving and relatable - and also surprisingly accessible and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes movies.
Honorable Mention of Favorite Film of 2014:
Computer Chess
Bujalski is often considered the "Godfather of Mumblecore" - and this flick of his that came out last year is my favorite movie to come out of the whole Mumblecore movment.
My LEAST favorite film of 2014:
The Grand Budapest Hotel
I hate this movie so much that even thinking about it now is getting me legitimately angry. It took me three tries to even get through watching it since the first two times I got so pissed off I had to turn it off. The characters are hollow unlikeable vessels filled up with generic Wes Anderson bullshit. It's the least memorable soundtrack out of all his films - although there is one tight part where there's a bunch of monks singing and they way that works into the score is cool, and there's one scene with Bill Mury that I didn't hate as well...since Bill Mury was in it. But otherwise - I didn't give a shit about anything that was happening to any of the characters, everything felt contrived, and it seemed like Wes Anderson recycling the same shit he has already used up. I really love some of Wes Anderson's work such as "The Life Aquatic" and "The Royal Tenenbaums", but this is an inexcusable piece of shit.
-other movies I watched this year (but did not necessarily come out this year):
PHILOSOPHICAL DRAMAS
The Seventh Seal
Without a doubt one of the greatest films of all time. The still below is from the opening scene in which a knight returning from the crusade challenges death to a game of chess.
The Sacrifice
Tarkovsky's final film is a damn good one - and it's on instant streaming on Netflix.
Ivan’s Childhood
Nostalghia
One of Tarkovsky's greatest films - instant streaming on Netflix
Andrei Rublev
Come and See
By far the greatest and most horrifying war film of all time.
The Decalogue
Krzysztof Kieślowski's "The Decalogue" is nearly ten hours long - but well worth putting in the time to check it out if you're into this kind of thing.
HORROR
Night of the Living Dead
-instant streaming on Netflix
Dawn of the Dead
Day of the Dead
-is instant streaming on Netflix (but watch the first two in the Living Dead series first as they are stronger than this one which is the third)
The Host
-instant streaming on netflix
The Shinning
+
(Room 237
Documentary on the shinning which is instant streaming on Netflix. Presents some really well thought out and eye opening theories about the film...but unfortunately also presents others that are far fetched and flat out idiotic. But worth checking out for the good ones if you're a fan of the Kubrick film and want some different perspectives on it.)
VHS 2
The first two shorts in this movie are great - the second two are pretty shitty.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
This movie was far scarier than I was expecting...holy crap.
Blaire Witch Project
-instant streaming on Netflix
Fire Walk with Me
House of the Devil
The Scariest movie that's come out since 2006.
MUSIC DOCUMENTRIES:
Prog Rock Britania
If you like prog rock you should watch this - it's a history of prog rock that was on BBC and it's on youtube
Krautrock - The Rebirth of Germany
Really tight Krautrock documentary that was on BBC and is on youtube
Heavy - The Story of Heavy Metal
Ladies & Gentleman…Mr Leonard Cohen
Really early documentary on Leonard Cohen (when he was still just a poet and only begining to play music) - youtube
Punk: Attitude
A relatively decent documentary on the history of punk music which is also on youtube
A Band Called Death
Solid documentary on the early 70s punk band, Death, who kick a whole lot of ass and have a great story. This streaming on Netflix.
Dub-Echoes
documentary on the history of dub music which is streaming on youtube and such.
20 Years of Sonic Youth
Which One’s Pink?
Pink Floyd documentary - youtube
Beautiful Noise
Documentary on shoe-gaze - some great interviews but put together in a really shitty way and unnecessarily flashy.
Neil Young - Live at Macy Hall
A Portrait of Phillip Glass in 12 Parts
FUCKED UP PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLERS
Dead Ringers
Pi
Arronofsky's first flick is just as good as I remember it being - claustrophobia to the max.
Nymphomaniac 1
Nymphomaniac 2
Escape from Tomorrow
DOCUMENTARY:
American - The Bill Hicks Story
A great documentary about the comedian Bill Hicks which is on instant streaming on Netflix.
Yogis of Tibet
A documentary in which Tibetan monks discuss their philosophy and such - on youtube.
Ram Das: Fierce Grace
Really awesome documentary about the spiritual teacher Ram Das - this is streaming on Netflix.
A Perverts Guide to Idiology
Slavoj Zizek using many different films to as jumping off points for philosophizing - on instant streaming on netflix.
Haxan
Journey of the Universe
Cosmos - A Space Time Odyssesy
-doesn't measure up to the original with Carl Sagan - but still a solid modern science TV series
The Story of Film
-15 part mini series documentary on the history of film which is instant streaming on Netflix.
COMEDYS
-Wet Hot American Summer
Once I heard about the sequel coming I had to rewatch this.
-Moonrise Kingdom
(as I said - there are some Wes Anderson films I actually rather enjoy)
Waynes World
Coffee and Cigarets
-instant streaming on Netflix
(this scene with the RZA, the GZA, and Bill Mury is the greatest)
OL' CLASSICS
The Time Machine (1960)
I primarily watched it for sampling purposes, but quite entertaining none the less if you're looking for an ol' classic time travel flick
Rear Window
Easy Rider
Once Upon of Time in the West
Chinatown
OTHER FILMS (which didn't fit into the other categories I made above):
Inside Lewyn Davis
Her
Noah
(my enthusiasm for this film has faded since initially seeing it - I was extreamly sleep deprived, a bit loopy, and saw it in iMax and had a crazy experience with it...after processing it with a bit more rational mind, it's one of the weaker Arronofsky movies - but it's still tight that he was able to make something that reached that wide of an audience and had relatively a lot of depth).
Noah
(my enthusiasm for this film has faded since initially seeing it - I was extreamly sleep deprived, a bit loopy, and saw it in iMax and had a crazy experience with it...after processing it with a bit more rational mind, it's one of the weaker Arronofsky movies - but it's still tight that he was able to make something that reached that wide of an audience and had relatively a lot of depth).
Lovers on the Bridge
-instant streaming on netflix
Love Streams
The Color of Pomegranets
Deeply spiritual and meditative Soviet-Union film.
Blade Runner
You, the Living
SHOWS:
Twin Peaks
So stoked for season 3...
-instant straming on Netflix
Check it Out!
Movie watching this year has been off to a great start so far, last week I watched Jodorowsky's "Dance of Reality" which is phenomenal, and just got back from seeing PTA's "Inherent Vice" - looking forward to seeing many more in the remaining 355 days this year.
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