pagefrance

This will be my first Criterion Challenge.

September

1. Carnival of Souls (1962)
2. Three Colors: White (1994)

g.schweet

9/1
Make Way For Tomorrow 1937 Leo McCarey - The last act totally makes this film for me.
9/2
À propos de Nice 1930 Jean Vigo and Boris Kaufman - Lets the images and editing do the talking.
Taris 1931 Jean Vigo - Swimming made into so much more.
Zéro de conduite 1933 Jean Vigo - The "parade" shot is amazing. Too bad Vigo didn't flesh it out fully into a feature.
L’atalante 1934 Jean Vigo - Beautiful images, good characters and story all come together superbly to make a great film.
9/3
The Burmese Harp 1956 Kon Ichikawa - Beautiful film, loved the compositions of the shots.
9/4
Cul-de-sac 1966 Roman Polanski - Doesn't work for me as a comedy (not many laughs), thriller (not exciting until the end), or drama (didn't care for the characters).
9/5
Chungking Express 1994 Wong Kar-Wai - Stylish and charming film that makes the hour and a half fly by every time I watch it.
9/6
Wings 1966 Larisa Shepitko - A wonderful character portrait. The daydream sequences were very effective and contrasted the main character's present life well.
9/7
The Ascent 1977 Larisa Shepitko - Wow! A very powerful film, everything (acting, cinematography, direction, sound, score, editing) works together to heighten the emotions in the movie. Too bad it's only an Eclipse title, want to read and listen to more things about this film.
9/8
Sapphire 1959 Basil Dearden - Very watchable detective thriller, but nothing more. Some of the acting performances could have been much better, and the characters could have been more interestingly developed.
9/9
Blow Out 1981 Brian De Palma - Great film, suspenseful, nice camera tricks, memorable shots, and great performances. But that being said, don't really feel the want to watch it again soon or go out and buy it, like I usually do with films I really like first watch.
9/10
The League of Gentlemen 1960 Basil Dearden - Another from the Dearden Eclipse set that's watchable, but ultimately leaves me cold. So far I've seen that he's definitely more interested in portraying the plot and the physical actions characters go through on screen rather than the action that goes on within a character's head (I prefer the latter).
9/11
King Kong 1933 - Once they get to the island, it's still one of the most action packed hours in cinema history. Watched the blu-ray for the first time, and it's beautiful.
9/12
David Holzman's Diary 1967 Jim McBride - It's kind of weird watching this now in this era with reality TV, and people actually doing this for real on youtube. Some parts are a bit tedious, some are amazing, and some are inbetween, just like real life.

Running Total: 15 films, 21 hrs 14 min

popcorn

* = First time viewing

1. Do the Right Thing - The Criterion Collection (1989) - Spine #97 - Starting with the first purchase that turned me on to the Criterion Collection. Although I already had Chasing Amy, Armageddon and Silence of the Lambs on DVD but the commentary and documentaries really showed me what's so great about this distribution company. OWNED
2. Chasing Amy - The Criterion Collection (1997) - Spine #75 - This was the only Kevin Smith movie I ever got my family to watch. I'm such a Smith stan I can't remember how much I overpaid for this. I love that it still stands up for the unique but great plot. OWNED
3. The Red Shoes - The Criterion Collection (1948) Audio commentary - Spine #44 - My first Criterion Blu! I rediscovered this classic when it was restored in 2009. I never got the DVD. When going through one of my Scorsese phases earlier this year, I learned about the Blu release. I knew I had to add to my collection. OWNED
4. Robocop (1987) - "Dead or alive, you're coming with me." "I'd buy that for a dollar!" For every memorable quote or over the top action scene, I love this movie. Watched the unrated director cut for the “excessively violent” shots. NETFLIX
   
   September 2 - Themes Day
5. Insignificance - The Criterion Collection (1985) * - Spine #566 - The title is a good word to describe my opinion of this one. Ebert gave it 3 stars and thought Theresa Russell's portrayal of a Marilyn Monroe doppelgänger carried the movie but I kept waiting for it to be over. BORROWED - LIBRARY
6. House - The Criterion Collection (1977) * - Spine #539 - One word: Freaky BORROWED - LIBRARY
7. Cronos - The Criterion Collection (1993) * - Spine #551 - One word: Freaky BORROWED - LIBRARY
8. Jimi Plays Monterey & Shake! Otis at Monterey - The Criterion Collection (1986) * - Spine #169 - Man, I wanted Otis to play for another hour. For those young kids out there, this is the "Otis" Jay-Z and Kanye West sampled "Try A Little Tenderness." And Jimi... not only can I listen to Jimi, I can hear Jimi. BORROWED - LIBRARY
9. Unfaithfully Yours (1948) * - After getting used to seeing Rex Harrison in My Fair Lady all these years it was fun to see him in this role. He even got to do a little slapstick! NETFLIX
10. Some Like It Hot (1959) - Spine #074 (Laserdisc) NETFLIX
    
    September 3
11. Brief Encounter (1945) * NETFLIX
    
    September 4
12. The Killer (1989) - "Yo Meth, where my Killer tape at?" The Wu-Tang Clan turned me on to this John Woo classic through their samples used for their early albums. I remember trying to find this and Hard Boiled when they were going OOP (and the ridiculous amounts people paid for them). Maybe it will be remastered and released on Blu one day. BORROWED - LIBRARY
13. Loves of a Blonde - The Criterion Collection (1965) * - Spine #144 - I know Milos Forman for his later works (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Amadeus, The People vs. Larry Flynt) but I've never any of his earlier work. BORROWED - LIBRARY
14. Last Tango in Paris (1972) * - Spine #122 (Laserdisc) NETFLIX
    
    September 5
15. Broadcast News - The Criterion Collection (1987) - Spine #552 - First time viewing for my wife. Still charming and it really captures a turning point in journalism, especially when compared to today's Internet, TMZ-chasing 24 hour news world. BORROWED - LIBRARY
    
    September 6
16. Amarcord - The Criterion Collection * (1973) - Spine #4 - It can't touch my favorite Fellini film (La Dolce Vita) but was still entertaining to watch. I enjoyed rewinding the one part so my wife could learn to say "little hoodlums" (teppisti poco) in Italian! BORROWED - LIBRARY
    
    September 7
17. Howards End - The Criterion Collection * (1987) - Spine #488 - Initially had reservations about this one (not a fan of BritLit movies) but from Vanessa Redgrave's performance through the rest of the movie, I found it to be very solid. BORROWED - LIBRARY
    
    September 8
18. This Is Spinal Tap * (1984) - Spine #012 - I started smiling as soon as "Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight" starts playing... all the way to 11!!! NETFLIX
    
    September 9
19. Singin' In The Rain * (1952) - Spine #052 (Laserdisc) - My old time favorite musical. Whether it's "Make 'Em Laugh" or "Good Morning" the dance routines make me smile every time. OWNED
20. The Third Man - The Criterion Collection (1949) * - Spine #64 - BORROWED - LIBRARY
    
    September 10
21. The Lady Vanishes - The Criterion Collection (1938) - Spine #03 - Watching this for the first time in awhile. Hearing Leonard Leff's video essay Mystery Train, a new about The Lady Vanishes and Hitch overall really added another dimension to the experience. BORROWED - LIBRARY
22. Life During Wartime - The Criterion Collection (2010) * - Spine #574 - BORROWED - LIBRARY
    
    September 14
23. Antichrist (2009) * NETFLIX
24. The Seventh Seal - The Criterion Collection (1957) * - Spine #11 - After such a disturbing arthouse film, I needed to watch a classic one. BORROWED - LIBRARY
    
    September 15
25. Beastie Boys Video Anthology - The Criterion Collection - Spine #100 - My favorite parts: the live version of “Three MCs and One DJ” and the director's cut of “The Robot vs. the Octopus Monster Saga.” OWNED
    
    September 16
26. Pandora's Box - The Criterion Collection (1929) * - Spine #358 - BORROWED - LIBRARY
27. Breathless (1960) * - BORROWED - LIBRARY
28. A Night To Remember - The Criterion Collection (1958) * - Spine #7 - After watching Titanic earlier in the evening, this was a good way to finish off the day. BORROWED - LIBRARY
    
    September 17
29. A Hard Day's Night (1964) - Spine #020 (Laserdisc) NETFLIX
    
    September 19
30. Sanshiro Sugata (1943) * - Eclipse Series 23 - BORROWED - LIBRARY
31. The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988) * - BORROWED - LIBRARY
    
    September 22
32. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou - The Criterion Collection (2004) - Spine #300 - The brilliance of this film increases with every watching. I feel sorry for those who don't get it. BORROWED - LIBRARY
33. I Vitelloni - The Criterion Collection (1956) - Spine #246 - Fellini rules. You can look at this like a 50s Italian version of Entourage. BORROWED - LIBRARY
    
    September 23
34. Floating Weeds (1959) * - Spine #232 - My first Ozu movie. This transfer looks amazing. Even my wife made a comment about it. Would love to do a study on his films. BORROWED - LIBRARY
    
    September 24
35. Man Is Not a Bird (1965) * BORROWED - LIBRARY
    
    September 26
36. Innocence Unprotected (1968) * BORROWED - LIBRARY
37. Love Affair, or the Case of the Missing Switchboard Operator (1967) * BORROWED - LIBRARY
    
    September 27
38. The Earrings of Madame de... - The Criterion Collection (1953) * - Spine #232 - My first Max Ophuls film. I love the way he used so much motion and kept his characters centered in the frame. Crazy French love triangle! BORROWED - LIBRARY
39. Kicking and Screaming (1995) * - Spine #349 NETFLIX

Optional Checklist

Dr. Mantle

Tried to do this last year and only managed to watch two (Shadows, Naked).

Here's to actually making an effort.

Cronenbergfan71

1. The Great Dictator

2. Modern Times

3. Diabolique

4. The Leopard

5. Chungking Express

6. High and Low

7. Shock Corridor

8. The Naked Kiss

9. The Red Shoes

ResIpsa

1. White Material - Netflix Streaming - First time viewing. Isabelle Huppert gives an amazing performance and the camera goes out of its way to fetishize her tiny frame against the brutal African landscape. It starts slowly and I was getting bored until the second half, when I realized it is basically a story about the main character's descent into madness, sort of like an emotional Heart of Darkness. The film is very effective at creating a growing sense of dread and a lot of tension is created by the way violence springs up suddenly without warning in everyday circumstances. It's a worthwhile film but one I probably won't buy or watch again soon.

2. Cronos - Netflix Streaming - First time viewing. David Cronenberg meets Robert Rodriguez. I don't get the hype this film seems to have generated. I found it to be a bit average. Maybe I am missing something. Maybe it's the presence of Ron "Hellboy" Perlman. Anyway, if I am going to watch a modern vampire flick, I prefer the sexiness and style of The Hunger over one depicting a fight between two old guys that I don't really care about.

3. Antichrist - Netflix Blu-Ray - First time viewing. By most accounts, Lars is a douche and I wanted to hate this film. There's a lot to hate, but I am undecided whether this film is a self-admitted depressive's masturbatory film about his own internal struggles or a genuine work of art. The film is never boring but it is disturbing. The two lead actors give incredibly brave performances, but to what end? Gorgeously shot and realized, but I can't shake the feeling that I am being had. Tried to listen to the commentary but gave up after 20 minutes when it became obvious that Lars didn't give a shit.

4. Diabolique - Owned Blu-Ray - Repeat viewing. One of the first "surprise ending" films. I loves me some Vera Clouzot. Critics claim this film as some sort of competition to Hitchcock, but Hitch is the superior filmmaker, mostly because he injects a sense of perverse humor in his films. That said, this is a great little thriller and it looks fantastic in Blu.

5. Insignificance - Owned Blu-Ray - First time viewing. I admire Roeg's other films but this one left me cold. The set-up seems overly contrived and the acting is marginal, especially the performances of Busey and Russell. No commentary and the scant extras are slipshod. This is one of those discs that I might end up selling.

6. Zazie Dans Le Metro - Owned Blu-Ray - First time viewing. Wow, what a fun film, jam-packed with visual puns, camera trickery and inside jokes. I probably ended up watching this film twice in total, since I kept going back to pick up on bits I missed the first time. Doubtless Richard Lester was hugely influenced by this film when he made A Hard Day's Night.

7. Who Are You, Polly Magoo? - Owned Eclipse - First Time Viewing. I enjoyed the visual style of Zazie so I decided to dig into the William Klein set (he was the art director for Zazie). Not unexpectedly, I liked this film more for its visuals than for its content. Parts of this are great, parts are hokey and dated. It's an interesting look at the avant-garde of the sixties, at least, but I'm not sure I fully appreciated this film. It seemed overly fragmented.

8. Mr. Freedom - Owned Eclipse. First time viewing. The second film in the Klein set. To call this film over the top would be a gross understatement. It is a no-holds-barred, vicious satire of American imperialism employing the basest of stereotypes and cheesiest of sets and costumes. The film is so single-minded in its narrative that it becomes a bit tedious and I can see why most people consider this the lesser of the films in the set. I did like Klein's use of stock footage, whether inserted briefly at key points in the film or collected together in satiric montage.

9. The Model Couple - Owned Eclipse. First time viewing. This last film of the set is not very delirious. In fact, I found it a bit tedious, but then I'm not much interested in reality TV/surveillance stories. Most of the visual style that I admired in the previous two films is absent, replaced by drab sets and cheesy music. The film appears to have been badly misframed since there are many instances of actors' heads being cut off, even when they are speaking dialogue. I suppose it could have been intentional, perhaps to create a sense of claustrophobia, but it was annoying and served only to bring me out of the film.

10. Last Year At Marienbad - Owned Blu-Ray. Repeat viewing. An absolute masterpiece and the closest to pure literature that a film has ever felt to me. The actual "meaning" of the film is elusive and probably impossible to pin down since so many possible meanings can be read into its open-ended, intuitive dreamscape. I favor the theory that there was a rape (or at the very least, an adulterous encounter) and the film represents the heroine's reluctance to deal with the emotional and intellectual aftermath of that event. In that vein, the film is very similar to Lynch's "Inland Empire" and having once watched both films back to back, I'm pretty convinced IE is a sort of homage to Marienbad. They are certainly siblings, if not fraternal twins. Of course, Kubrick also drew a lot of inspiration from Marienbad in making "The Shining" (e.g. the corridor crawls and the bar set come immediately to mind).

11. For All Mankind - Owned Blu-Ray. Repeat viewing. Hands down, my favorite documentary of all time. Consisting almost entirely of stock footage supplied by NASA (much of it spectacularly beautiful), this film mashes up footage and audio from various Apollo missions and participants to create a single, seamless narrative of an entire mission from launch to splash down. No politics, just pure wonder at what mankind was able to achieve once upon a time. The haunting soundtrack by Brian Eno (and friends) seals the deal. Completely essential.

12. The Scarlet Empress - Owned DVD. First time viewing. An odd duck. It's equal parts creepy and funny and I think the film suffers from not knowing what it wants to be. The heavy, claustrophobic sets (reminiscent of Eisenstein's Ivan films) add to the creepy factor. Sam Jaffe is way, way over the top as the lunatic Russian emperor. Visually interesting and Dietrich is, of course, luminous but the story seems a bit slapped together. The condition of the film is among the poorest I have seen on a Criterion release. It really needs an upgrade, if possible.

13. Night And Fog - Owned DVD. First time viewing. An impressive documentary. Hard to watch at times and you can tell the wounds were still fresh at the time this was made.

14. The Silence - Owned DVD. First time viewing. Nothing at all happens in this film and yet I couldn't stop watching. I can't recall seeing a film so firmly rooted in subtext. The hidden histories and relationships between the three main characters are slowly and expertly revealed by Bergman in entirely nonverbal ways. A gesture here, a glance there. It really is a remarkable achievement. I couldn't shake the feeling that the young boy represents Bergman himself, trying to come to terms with thought/intellectualism versus sensuality/spirituality. The hotel porter seemed like a character from a David Lynch film and the empty hotel corridors reminded me of Last Year At Marienbad. I haven't been much of a fan of Bergman but this film has made me reconsider.

15. The Flowers Of St. Francis - Owned DVD. First time viewing. I love Rossellini's war trilogy but this film left me cold. It felt more like a religious tract than a film and I often found myself checking the clock even though it runs only 87 minutes. At times the monks reminded me of Snow White's seven dwarfs, with all their zany spiritual antics (like stealing a pig's foot from a live pig and making grass soup).

16. The Tales Of Hoffman - Owned DVD. First time viewing. I don't like opera and this proved to be an impediment to my enjoyment of this film since 90% of it is opera. Add in "stagey" acting and flowery period costumes and this turned out to be a long two hours for me. It all looks beautiful in Technicolor and there is a fun "over the top" appeal to the garish colors and imaginative set pieces but it was hard to sit through two hours of sung dialogue, especially when most of it was sung in an atonal sing-songy opera style that I simply do not appreciate. I love The Red Shoes (and most other Powell & Pressburger films I have seen) but wow, did I not connect with this film.

17. Bicycle Thieves - Owned DVD. Repeat viewing. I was underwhelmed by this film when I first saw it several years ago. Now that I have a son (roughly the same age as the son in this film) I understand why this film is (rightfully) considered a masterpiece. The son, and his instinctual, unconditional desire to be like his father, drives this film and sets up the devastating climax of the film. Devastating is probably too soft a word - the ending just guts me. A truly great film.

18. The Kid - Owned DVD (mk2 release) - Repeat viewing. The scenes where the kid tosses rocks through people's windows and beats up the bigger kid still make me laugh out loud.

19. From Russia With Love - "Acquired" Criterion Laserdisc Copy. Repeat viewing. I watched this for the infamous banned commentary. It's a very candid, no-holds-barred conversation between the creators of the film. They discount the acting ability of the lead actress, comment about Connery's expanding gut, admit that most of the public had no clue what the film was about, use a homophobic slur, comment about drug use on the set and basically just speak their minds. There is none of the "he was great to work with" crap that is standard in most commentaries today.

20. Pierrot Le Fou - Owned Blu-Ray. First time viewing. God, Anna Karina is beautiful.

FINISHED!

Ginwen

I'll watch a few this month. I have a couple of eclipse sets I haven't gotten around to yet.

Undeadcow

* = first time viewing [currently 100%]

September 1
1. In the Mood for Love* (2000, 98 minutes) - Excellent film with amazing romantic tension. Best movie I've seen in a long time. Good use of thematic elements and staging.

September 2
2. A Woman Under the Influence* (1974, 155 minutes) - Despite it's reputation I found it more interesting for the style and character acting with the plot seeming a little forced.

September 3
3. That Obscure Object of Desire* (1977, 102 minutes) - Bunuel is good and this film is a playful look at lust and emotional attachment. It's a slow burner despite remaining enigmatic till the end.
4. The Match Factory Girl* [Eclipse](1990, 69 minutes) - Very bleak depressing film. Not sure about how feasible the ending is but I'm not in the mood for something optimistic.

September 4
5. W.R.: Mysteries of an Organism* (1971, 85 minutes) - Zany playful look at contradictions in freedom sexually and in politics. I can't decide if I like it or hate it but it's got a lot of direct material presented on challenging topics. I'm planning on checking out more detailed extras/commentary.

September 5
6. Hole in the Soul* [Additional film on W.R.: Mysteries of an Organism](1991, 53 minutes) - Clever and random but also a bit disjointed. Some of Makavejev's mysticism seems off (or I'm unable to appreciate the sarcasm).
7. A Woman is a Woman* (1961, 84 minutes) - I prefer Godard's later more "serious" political work.
8. Night of the Hunter* (1955, 93 minutes) - Wasn't sure going into this one but it lived up to it's reputation as an excellent film. Good creepy vibe with nice tension.

September 6
9. The Small Back Room* (1949, 107 minutes) -

Early goal: Watch a ton of Bergman and Godard... Bergman Eclipse, Contempt, Sawdust & Tinsel, Virgin Spring, Breathless, etc. Must find the most optimistic Criterion.

Checklist:

Doc Moonlight

DOC MOONLIGHT'S CRITERION CHALLENGE
Sponsored by the public libraries of North Texas
In support of public libraries and the services they offer, my list will be comprised entirely of titles that I borrow from public libraries - nothing from my personal collection, Netflix or Hulu.

September 3
1. BAND OF OUTSIDERS (BANDE A PARTE) courtesy of the Frisco Public Library, Frsico, TX

September 5
2. BATTLE OF ALGIERS courtesy of the Carrollton Public Library, Carrollton, TX

September 9
3. MAFIOSO courtesy of the Frisco Public Library, Frsico, TX

September 30
4. MISHIMA courtesy of the Frisco Public Library, Frsico, TX

Not a very good showing for me. On to the Horror Challenge!

Bladz

September 2
1. Straw Dogs * (1971) - 3.5/4

September 10
2. The Bakery Girl of Monceau * (1963) - 2.5/4

September 11
3. And God Created Woman * (1956) - 2.5/4

September 12
4. Premiers Desirs * (1984) - 1.5/4

September 13
5. In the Realm of the Senses * (1976) - 2.5/4

September 15
6. Assassin * (1964) - 2.5/4

September 16
7. Sing a Song of Sex * (1967) - 1.5/4

September 20
8. Fat Girl * (2001) - 2.5/4

September 27
9. Breathless (1960) - 3.5/4

September 29
10. Carnival of Souls (1962) - 3.5/4

October 1
11. Videodrome (1983) - 4/4


* First Time Viewing


I ended up watching more than I thought I would. I'll be putting a lot more viewing time into the horror challenge.

RodneyOz

September 4
1. Louie Bluie - one of the few documentaries that I would actually use the cliche "life-affirming" to describe

September 5
2. Simon of the Desert - I interpret this differently each time I watch it. If the Devil looked like this, I'd succumb before 20 minutes were up.

September 7
3. Zazie dan le metro - wait, is this really a movie with an extended slapstick chase scene between a 9 year old girl and a pervert?? That and the WTF climax aside, the Blu-Ray is gorgeous, especially the Eiffel Tower sequence in the middle.

September 8
4. Closely Observed Trains - oddly slack pacing, but ultimately rewarding. Will never look at rubber stamps in the same way again. Looking forward to more Czech New Wave in this challenge.

September 12
5. Hard Boiled - in the years since I saw it, I've pegged it as 'not as good as 'The Killer' '. I now think I might have underrated it. Now it's just a wonderful series of jawdropping moments and incredible action. I can't see how there weren't multiple stuntmen killed in this! Also, my first OOP title in the challenge, and I've already completed the 'five languages' portion

September 16
6. Contempt - probably the Godard film I've watched the most over the years. Jack Palance gives the best performance in Godard's body of work. And my god how much Bardot nudity is there? But this time round found myself fascinated by the character of Francesca. Always more to find...

September 20
7. The Passion of Joan of Arc - haven't seen it for about 15 years. Felt like getting slapped in the face. The minimalist style meant that moments like the bloodletting, the skull and of course the burning at the stake had a massive impact.

September 28
8. Kaegmusha - I read a review of this when I was 10, the first time I learned the name Kurosawa. This viewing was 30 years in the making. It did not let me down (though the grain on the Blu-Ray was formidable!)

September 29
9. Late Spring - found my attention wandering quite a lot, even though I admired the brilliance and ended up emotionally affected. Just wasn't in the mood for Ozu (but the fact it could still move me speaks volumes).

And now for my checklist...

indy2003

September 1st
Nothing.

September 2nd
Nothing.

September 3rd
Nothing.

September 4th
1. Straw Dogs

September 5th
Nothing.

September 6th
2. Citizen Kane
- Roger Ebert Audio Commentary
- RKO 281 (bonus feature film about the making of Citizen Kane)

September 7th
3. The Third Man

September 8th
Nothing.

September 9th
Nothing.

September 10th
4. Monsoon Wedding
5. Sweet Smell of Success
6. Orpheus

September 11th
Nothing.

September 12th
Nothing.

br26

A bit late to the party, but why not? There's a lot of movies I have on Hulu Plus that have just been sitting there for the longest time.

September 12

High and Low- The first part of the movie was really good- the emotional struggle Gondo had to deal with is astonishing and the first part of the movie was really gripping. By the time the police investigation started I kinda got a bit bored, but things picked up soon after and everything made sense- I'm glad this is a 1963 film or else there would have been a bunch of CSI-esque forensic crud. It was straight up detective work and it felt refreshing. I'm not sure what to think about the ending, though. I was going to say I didn't get it at first, but I think I got the basic idea, just a bit flat. Still, I really enjoyed the film and I might consider getting the blu ray. Watched on Hulu Plus. ***1/2

September 16

Modern Times- I've been holding off on seeing this movie until I got the blu ray version, and I'm glad I waited- it's a pretty amazing film filled with awesome gags and tells a wonderful story that still resonates today. There couldn't be a better ending to the Tramp character than finally finding a companion and walking off into the sunset- easily rivals City Lights' ending. A wonderful film. ****

The Blob- It's a bit better than your standard 50's b-movie horror flick. Watched it on Hulu plus and it looked pretty good except some of the special effects at the very end looked pretty hokey, but that's to be expected. Love the ending (?) too, you never know if that Blob is going to come back, global warming and all that. Oh, and Steve McQueen playing a teenager when he looks at least 35 is kinda funny.***


Checklist