I would start this by writing something like, "I regret" or "I'm sorry" but I can't say either of those is true. I am no longer blogging; this should be fairly obvious in the weeks I've gone without a post. This comes as a bit of surprise to even me, as I thought I would be able to keep this dedication up throughout the entire year. It was my intention to do so, but I've found I no longer need to write about what I see. Furthermore, I don't feel the need to watch as many films.

I've realized that films, as many people have said before, are an escape. You can go into a theatre and for a few hours live vicariously through the screen, forget about your own life and just relax. I no longer need this escape. I have to admit I've found much more contentment in the past few months and so I find myself having less and less time to devote to films. This is not to say I don't watch them, nor have I stopped loving film altogether. I still take the time to watch great films. However this time is drastically cut down because I've simply found more to do with my time. I've found a new sense of happiness and unfortunately there isn't as much room to watches movies.

If I should ever start this blog again, it would in someway be a depressing notion. As much as I adore the entire film nostalgia and experience, at this point to return to the daily film viewings would be detrimental to what I want to do with my life. I've made the decision to dedicate more time to people rather than things. Of course, I'll always enjoy seeing a good (or bad) movie with some friends, so if you ever want to, give me a shout. I was surprised how many visitors I had to this site (thanks to Google Analytics) and I hope you can forgive me. Insert cheesy final line here.

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Film#140 - Austin Powers, 1997, dir. Jay Roach

I think we all know this movie, and that it's good, it's interesting, you'll have a few laughs, but it's nothing mind blowing.

7/10

Film#141 - Kalifornia, 1993, dir. Dominic Sena

This was weird. Not in a traditional sense of weird, but more that the cast seemed to be in caught in a movie that should be airing on Showcase at 2am. It really felt like it was made for tv, but on a station no one would be interested in. I feel this was either based on a book, or should have been a book. The premise is David Duchovny is a writer doing a book on serial murders in America, and he goes on a road trip with his girlfriend and two strangers on their way to California, and all intend to split the cost of the trip. The strangers are Juliette Lewis (reminiscent of her character in Natural Born Killers but without the violent tendencies) and Brad Pitt, who stood out as the best actor in the film. Pitt is a serial killer by the way, how ironic that someone writing about serial killers is on the road with a serial killer without knowing it. Wow. Deep.

6/10

Film#142 - Hitch, 2005, dir. Andy Tennant

As far as romantic comedies go, this is one of the better ones. It has a great charm to it and really makes you feel all cozy. What makes it better than any other romcom they pump out these days is this style of addressing the audience in a way that is aware of how romance works, both on screen and off, and commenting on it. Will Smith looks right into the camera and describes how love is, as if to say that is how love is portrayed on screen. He then goes into these conversations of witty dialogue that is too good to be true with Eva Mendes about the concept of dating and relationships that goes in other direction, to expose the patterns of film dating rituals and how everyone seems to be aware of them, looking for an alternative.

8/10

Film#143 - Road Trip, 2000, dir. Todd Phillips

This film loses charm every time I see it, and I've seen it more times than I would like to admit. It really feels dated. You couldn't make this movie today. That's a fact. No one uses the mail for one, but more importantly, why would they be sending video tapes when we have the internet. It's hard to believe I would have seen this when I was maybe 12 or 13.

5.5/10

Film#144 - Meet the Parents, 2000, dir. Jay Roach

Robert De Niro just has this magnetic appeal I can't resist. He delivers his lines with such comedic timing. The cast is great, the dialogue is fine, the premise is, well, basic. Not much to say here.

7.5/10

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Film#135 - Training Day, 2001, dir. Antoine Fuqua

I can't stress how utterly cool this film is. Denzel Washington gives such a good performance, his character is just enthralling. I can't help but hang onto every word he says. I could imagine reading the script where it says:

"Alonzo aka Denzel Washington - 'King Kong ain't got shit on me!'"

and just laughing at how absurd it seems; Denzel does it with finesse. His entire look is just so badass, from his double guns he clinks together so often to his style of dress shirt buttoned to the neck. This may not be for the faint of heart, and it sure isn't going to lull you to sleep. It's phenomenal, a must see.

8.5/10

Film#136 - 27 Dresses, 2008, dir. Anne Fletcher

When I think of the word 'montage' I think of a few things: The Odessa Steps, Team America: World Police and this. I knew there had to be a montage of all 27 dresses, and yes, there is. I can't believe I watched this. I was predicting things left and right, and surprisingly not everything was correct. But most was. As a romantic comedy, this fell flat. There was literally no chemistry between anyone, the plot was silly, it wasn't funny. Just a terrible movie. As it was pointed out to me, it's strange how in films like this Katherine Heigl isn't considered attractive. What does this say about beauty, or love or literally anything positive? It seems to be pessimistic, that women become desperate for men to love them, men play mind games. It stereotypes gender, it plays on negative associations, it's horrendous.

3/10

Film#137 - The Men Who Stare At Goats, 2009, dir. Grant Heslov

The trailers for this looked like a Coen brothers film; it's definitely not. This film lacks the charm needed to pull off this whacky plot line and strange bunch of characters. I don't know where it went wrong. The cast is stellar; Jeff Bridges, George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Kevin Spacey. Yet somehow I just didn't like it very much. It had a few good chuckles, it was interesting to watch, but I just felt it lacked any serious value. It needed more style, more attention to detail. There is definitely nothing special about the aesthetic of the film, or the camera movement. A little disappointing.

6.5/10

Film#138 - Dawn Of The Dead, 2004, dir. Zach Synder

Wow. This was one of the most exciting films I've seen in a long time. From the first shot to the beginning of the opening credits, which is maybe 5 minutes apart, the film just dives head first into this brutal nightmare. As a result, it lacks a bit of the emotional appeal it might have had if we knew the characters beforehand. But I don't think that hurt it much. We still see these diverse people dealing with the situation (zombies) and how it affects them. What I liked the most was probably the way they still sought out enjoyment and happiness in the midst of this crisis, which takes place over a month trapped inside a mall. While it may seem to be this generic rag-tag team of survivors fighting off waves of mindless bloodthirsty zombies, you have to remember this is a remake of one of the originals in the zombie apocalypse genre. And I think it did a great job.

8.5/10

Film#139 - Last Days, 2005, dir. Gus Van Sant

Paced like an absolute snail. One of the slowest films I've ever seen. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for this. It's more or less based on Kurt Cobain and his, guess what, last days alive. Michael Pitt is a fantastic actor, and I guess he did a good job here; I couldn't really tell because most of the shots are to far away or too close, or just straight up too boring for me to really care. This presents real life, but doesn't improve on it. To some that's fine. I on the other hand, going along with what Pedro Alomodovar said, (look at how pretentious I am) film should not only document real life, it should improve on it. What I gathered from that is that a movie can tell you a story of everyday people and make it interesting, make you realize the beauty of it. I didn't feel this did that. I found myself asking why I need a 20 minute opening sequence of a half dozen shots of a man alone in the woods doing arbitrary things. In comparison, the opening of There Will Be Blood is similar; a man by himself just surviving out in the wilderness without any dialogue or interruption. Where Paul Thomas Anderson succeeded, I think Gus Van Sant failed. It's just too arty for my taste; the entertainment value is minimal. I also cringed when the drummer and bassist for the band go to bed together, not because I have any problem with it but rather I have a problem with Gus Van Sant having the inability to write a single film without a token homosexual scene that has no relevance to the story whatsoever. Does it make him an auteur or just hung up on expressing his own homosexuality? I don't know, and this film doesn't make me care.

3.5/10

134

Film#134 - Entre Les Murs (The Class), 2008, dir. Laurent Cantet

This film deserves it's own blog entry. It's that good. This pretty much become instantly one of my favourite films. The film is about a 9th grade French teacher in Paris during one full school year. His class is racially diverse, as well as diverse in opinion, perspective and understanding. I can't explain the plot of this film; it's a slice of real life. As the credits rolled, I felt I knew these people. I didn't feel like I watched a film but rather I saw an actual documentary of school life, and it was dead on accurate. It's not done documentary style though; the film is highly cinematic and is one of those films that finds beauty in the everyday. I didn't see any actors in this, but rather real people just being themselves, which interestingly, nearly all the characters both major and minor went by their actual names. This type of setting brilliantly brought in concepts and issues in a way that was realistic while at the same time diving so deep into ideas that it would seem impossible for a film to do so without being too upfront about it. It dealt with gender, race, religion, sexuality, national identity, ageism, philosophy, everything. It was unbelievable. It gave me shivers. I may give out a number of 10/10 ratings, which I stand behind and believe those to be perfect films, but this is something that transcends into this level that's indescribable. This is an absolute must see; if you don't like it in even the slightest, I may have to reevaluate what I think about you.

10/10

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Film#128 - The Addams Family, 1991, dir. Barry Sonnenfeld

I don't even know why but everyone knows who the Addams Family is. I can't say I've ever seen the show, yet I know the characters. And I hate them. This was a chore to watch after the first 5 minutes. It at first seemed really cinematic, and it does have a good aesthetic. The dialogue is atrocious if you're not a child though. The plot is boring. It's overacted on everyone's part, and yeah, that's the style but it could have been much better in my opinion. I never laughed at a joke. I didn't even smile.

3/10

Film#129 - The Player, 1992, dir. Robert Altman

I'm a fan of Robert Altman, but this was a fairly average film. It's interesting, engaging and well planned, and Altman has this distinct style of camera movement I enjoy but it just isn't anything special. It takes a huge stab at criticizing the Hollywood system, pumping out cultural references and little quips about the whole economy, which I like, but it's lack of subtlety in doing so I feel takes away from it. Anyone who watches it will get the vibe immediately, and in that sense it doesn't provoke thought but rather just taking it in and trying to side the audience with the film's message.

7.5/10

Film#130 - Terminator Salvation, 2009, dir. McG

I was under the impression that people liked this film. I've seen the first three, the first two of which were great. The third was a major departure. This was also a departure. They seem to think if they digitally put Arnie into the movies it'll be better, when really it just makes it worse. Christian bale, wow, terrible. The dialogue is horrendous, I was cringing throughout it. It's like no effort at all was put into the screenplay, they just approved it because it's guaranteed to bring people in. And this lack of attention is very clear. The look of the film is at times wonderful, but in all honesty it's a rather simple process of colour correction.

4/10

Film#131 - Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen, 2009, dir. Michael Bay

I thought the first Transformers was entertaining. More of just a feeling that this is cool because I grew up on it. This second film though it much worse. The gimmick of the premise is gone, and it's replaced with a plot so full of holes it's ridiculous. Too many times I was thinking something didn't make sense. There's also so much just whacky scenes like Shia meeting his roommate who apparently set up a massive network of computers as well as full decorated their dorm room in what is apparently the morning before Shia moved in. And why they had a scene where his mom eats a pot brownie and makes a fool of herself I don't know. This really is the definitive reason why people make fun of Michael Bay. In the 2+ hours, there's maybe an hour and a half of explosions. Constant explosions. It's a joke.

4/10

Film#132 - Vanilla Sky, 2001, dir. Cameron Crowe

I thoroughly enjoy Cameron Crowe's style. It's true. This is a bit of a departure for him though, who typically makes coming of age movies, although in a way that's what this is; a coming of age film for adults. Tom Cruise is great in this, he plays the character perfectly. You honestly believe that is what someone would be like if they grew up the son of a millionaire. Cameron Diaz is great, Penelope Cruz is great, Jason Lee is great. It's great. The plot line throws people off though, as it's incredibly jumbled, but one a second of third watch it makes complete sense and you can start to appreciate the complexity to it. It's incredibly existential and dives into philosophical thought full heartedly. I wouldn't judge this film without watching it at least twice, and actually paying attention.

8/10

Film#133 - Hook, 1991, dir. Steven Spielberg

This is one of my favorite movies. Not only did I grow up watching this all the time, I think it's actually a perfect film. The style perfectly captures the vibe of childhood and more importantly maintaining this childlike ability to find enjoyment and do things for others. I could rant about the morals of this film for ages, and I find it incredibly fascinating. The actors are all fantastic in this. Great child acting, and Dustin Hoffman is practically unrecognizable. Just go see it.

8.5/10

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Film#122 - Toy Story 2, 1999, dir. Jon Lasseter

This movie really jumps right into the main storyline. It wastes no time setting up the setting, characters, anything. It assumes you know who Buzz and Woody are, at least remember the general plot of the first film and just goes right to the meat of the movie. Within 5 minutes the entire plot is set up. Another noteworthy feature of the film is how heavily it plays on your emotions. It'll tug at emotional strings you didn't even know you had. It has such a range of feeling it's incredible, things that only this film can really do. The animation is better than the first, obviously, but in a way to not be noticeably different. If you've seen the first, you need to see the second.

9/10

Film#123 - Cocoon, 1985, dir. Ron Howard

I really had no idea what this was, apart from the small introduction John Cusack does for this film when showing it to a group of senior citizens in a retirement home in Say Anything. And it makes so much more sense after seeing Cocoon. The basic idea is, well, it's not very basic but, a group of mysterious strangers move into an old mansion beside a retirement home, and everyday they go out and scuba dive for these large egg-shaped rock-looking things, 'cocoons' if you will. A group of men from the retirement home spend their days swimming in the abandoned mansion's pool, and even after the strangers arrive they keep doing it. The strangers leave the cocoons in the pool, and what happens is after a swim, the old men are rejuvenated. Their youth is returned and their lives are improved. Long story short, there are aliens and space adventures. It was a unique take on the alien genre and a bit of a forgotten classic.

8/10

Film#124 - The Cove, 2009, dir. Louie Psihoyos

I had a different idea of what to expect from this film from the publicity than what was actually in it. Yes, it is about a cove where dolphins are slaughtered. But what was surprising was the way it dealt with larger issues, namely the high mercury content of dolphin meat. I also didn't know that literally the entire film is leading up to actually filming what happens in the cove. The film, which I have to be more gentle on because it's a documentary, but it doesn't have a large attention to shot composure or aesthetics. It's really just to present the information. This would be fine if it wasn't so one-sided. It's entire thing is to make you feel sorry for the dolphins rather than logically sort out what's wrong with the situation. The actual footage of the dolphin slaughter is insane, like nothing I've ever seen before. But my issue was that if you were to see any animal slaughter, you'd probably be equally as shocked. We aren't used to seeing things die, and as such the film plays on that, when I think it should have put more attention on the implications of dolphin slaughter, as well as the issue of whaling that they only briefly touched on. I felt the discussion of how Japan basically bribes impoverished countries in order to get votes on their side was incredibly interesting, but that was literally 5 minutes long. It could have been the entire film really.

7.5/10

Film#125 - Gangs Of New York, 2002, dir. Martin Scorsese

Unbelievable. Daniel Day-Lewis, of course, is insanely good. Everyone was so good. The whole look of the film, my my. The dialogue though, that's where I think the film stands out. They use a dialect so different from what we would use today, yet it's all recognizable based on the way the words are used. Great stuff.

10/10

Film#126 - Extract, 2009, dir. Mike Judge

I'm a big fan of Mike Judge's Office Space, and this has a lot of the same feel to it. At times it even seems to be the same film. It is again about alienated workers, tired of their jobs and subjected to the formulaic work they have to do for a living. This time we're positioned to relate to the boss rather than the workers though. It has a lot of obscure plot points and some strange scenes that at times seem incomplete and left too open. This is where it starts to differ from Office Space. The general plot is about exploiting the business, but again, the only real difference is we're put in the place of the opposite side this time. There are some genuinely funny moments, but I found almost all of them had to do with Ben Affleck.

5.5/10

Film#127 - The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, 2008, dir. David Fincher

Where to begin. My biggest problem with this is the way it constantly reminds you how he's aging backwards. We got the idea before we even saw the movie. I also had an issue with the chemistry between Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. They didn't seem to be 'destined' for each other. As kids, although he was super old looking, they meshed. Then they get separated, meet in their mid 20's, but she's radically different. She won't let him get a word in, conceited, and in a way, shallow. Yet for some reason he still wants to be with her. Years later she passes it off as she was 'so young back then', but my problem was, so was he. He's not mentally aging backwards. He stays the same but she goes through phases. I didn't get why he liked her, it just didn't make sense. I actually thought he was so into her simply because she looked like Tilda Swinton's character. Still, it was a beautiful film, and Jared Harris as Captain Mike was a great character. Brad Pitt was good, his mother was better, but it relied too much on gimmick. I also didn't like how it was set as a story told during hurricane Katrina, which is rumoured to be because New Orleans offered a higher tax credit than Baltimore where it was originally set.

7.5/10

1/3 of the way

As this marks the 1/3 point in my conquest, I've assembled a selection of films I found to stick out. I've been criticized for being too generous with the scores I give out, but I have to disagree. Firstly, the films I've given 10/10 to, they are flawless; they're cinematic, engaging and touching. You shouldn't be afraid to like things. Secondly, not everything needs to be a 10/10 to be one of my favourites. In fact, many 10/10 didn't make the cut; they're perfect films but what I think is worthy of a high score doesn't mean it's a personal choice, but rather I try to judge films critically rather than just picking what I like the most. Keep in mind these are more or less personal favourites, as well as I've tried to give a semi-eclectic range of films. With that, I give you my list of 10 films I feel everyone should see.

1. Magnolia

Over 3 hours and I wish it was longer. This is the story of practically a dozen main characters all so well developed they could carry the film individually. This film has such passion it can't be ignored. The incredible ensemble cast weaved together through a provocative storyline, this is my favourite film.

2. As Good As It Gets

One of the deepest character-driven stories ever. This movie transcends the actors who most definitely have extensive baggage and brings it to a level where you see them as people rather than actors. Truly amazing.

3. Fargo

The Coen brothers made a masterpiece; the dialogue is sharp and the characters are some of the most unique I've seen. They're comical yet realistic, giving the film a tone unlike any other. A perfect balance of the Coens' wackiness and grit.

4. The Deer Hunter

Another intensely long film, but one I feel holds such cultural relevance even 30 years later. The film plays out like life, setting a tone and an environment that mimics real people, and in doing so makes it's message all the more effective. Do not give up on this one, it takes drastic twists and turns that will shock you.

5. Inglourious Basterds

Tarantino's finest film in my opinion. He's found a perfect formula for his extended dialogue to spill out like poetry, yet still be just so badass, and then contrasting with rapid spurts of brutal violent montage. It's beautiful and epic.

6. Let The Right One In

One of the strangest ideas if you haven't seen the elegance of this film; a romantic horror film with vampiric children, dark and ominous yet simultaneously inspiring. This is the best child acting I've ever seen, and even through it's oddness, it's stunning and touching.

7. C.R.A.Z.Y.

This is the best Canadian film I have ever seen; it makes you question why you ever thought there was a Canadian film stereotype to begin with. This shows that a modest budget and an inspired writer/director can create cinematic magic even in a global standard.

8. 500 Days Of Summer

I'm sure many people may think this isn't one of the best films, but I honestly and obviously disagree. Not only is it such a sentimental love story, the way it goes about it is so distinctive it's one of a kind. It's quirky, and edited so well I can't even describe. The attention to detail is beyond belief; just look at their clothing, apartments, offices, bar, everything. Every scene is so carefully put together.

9. Hot Fuzz

This may be another film people are skeptical of. I have to say this is an absolutely phenomenal hybrid of action and comedy; it's self-referential and aware of the genres it's playing with, and it does so in such a way I can't take my eyes off the screen. It's charming and beautifully paced.

10. There Will Be Blood

This film ends and I want to just start it from the beginning again. It has one of what has become my favourite soundtracks I've ever heard. I don't even need to mention the caliber of acting in this thing. It's a cinematic masterpiece.

Honourable Mentions:

Far From Heaven - Modern revisioning of the 1950s melodrama, combining so many social taboos and issues still present today.

Funny Games - Cruel yet refined, this film speaks to the culture of film audiences as well as society itself.

The Messenger - Drastically overlooked, this is a hard-hitting take on the aftermath of war from a perspective rarely seen.

Boogie Nights - Long but worthwhile, this film is dirty but it's grand story and wonderful cast make it a great experience.

A Serious Man - Bizarre and quirky, this film may be boring to some but I found the entire tone and look to the film to be enthralling.