reviews:
Each year links to all the reviews for all the films that i saw during
that year. Films are in reverse chronological order.
index:
A giant spreadsheet listing all the films i've seen. Information includes
whether i watched the film in the theater or not, the year of release,
the director, the country of origin and the grade i gave it. There is also
a running total for average grade and year of release. Tabs on the bottom
allow you to view each year on a separate page. Each year is also charted
by year of release to give you an idea of my film watching habits during
the year. These tabs are strictly for geeks. Also look for tabs titled
"Alphabetical" and "Chronological" which have listings of all the films
i've seen - listed alphabetically and chronologically, duh.
my
DVDs: A list of all the films i own (both
on DVD and VHS) with information on the year of release, type, director,
country of origin and additional information. There is also a tab for short
films.
my
best reviews: A compilation of some of my
review highlights. For one reason or another i think these reviews stand
above the average. Sometimes there's a neat observation or a more indepth
analysis of a film's elements.
academy
award analysis: My somewhat historically-based
analysis of, and predictions and hopes for, the 79th annual Academy Awards.
what's
the best year in film?: An ongoing exploration
into the best year in cinematic history. Years are matched against each
other in a playoff style competition to determine, once and for all, which
year is best in film; in my opinion of course.
recommendations:
A monthly list of films/music that i recommend. These titles are generally
ones i consider either relatively unknown or "must see" pictures. There
are some pictures which i love, but don't think others will find as enjoyable,
this page is for the films that will likely be enjoyed by anyone i know.
double
features: Recommended companion pieces. This
is a list of films that go well with each other.
my
favorites: Here you'll find a fairly extensive,
and ever-changing/expanding, list of films which i consider noteworthy,
important, or especially likable. It's broken down by year, genre, element
and even includes a brief list of some of the very worst films i've ever
seen. There is also a link to a list of recommendable double features.
statistics:
Various geeky statistics compiled at the end of each year and put into
a spreadsheet.
If
you're looking for a particular review click
on the "Listed" link and find the "Alphabetical" tab to obtain an alphabetical
listing of all the films i've seen since 1999. Click on the title of the
film you'd like to read. Geeky statistics for every year are located there
as well as on the statistics page.
ABOUT
MY REVIEWS
All
reviews are given a grade ranging from F- (gigli) to A+ (the graduate).
For the most part films are graded on a semi-relative scale, that is relative
to other pictures of a similar type or genre. Thus a mindless comedy that
generates a decent number of laughs might receive the same "B" grading
as a technically superior and equally entertaining film-noir because the
comedy is held to a lower standard. In general, films like this will more
easily get passable grades, but getting an A -/+ is equally difficult across
all genres. i generally will refrain from A -/+ grades for any picture
i haven't seen more than once. Occasionally this rule is broken, but it
is a rare occurrence.
Pictures
of historic/technical importance or significance will naturally receive
greater consideration, but i don't give a pass to a film simply for its
technical achievements because i feel to do so would invalidate film as
being, first and foremost, an art form. Also, a good part of my grade has
to do with the timeless nature of a given film. "The Matrix" isn't a great
film because its special effects were so revolutionary at the time, rather
it's a great film because its story is timeless, its philosophy grand,
and its execution top-notch; i apply this standard to early films as well.
Naturally all of the reviews are merely my opinion and that changes as
i see more films and my tastes evolve.
Finally,
i am not a professional reviewer and most of the reviews are meant more
as a brief summary of my thoughts, rather than a cohesive assessment of
the worth of a film. You will find that some reviews are rather unprofound,
while others are extensive and (occasionally) insightful. This is completely
dependent upon my mood, the work, and the level of my intelligence at the
time. Occasionally there will be spoilers, sorry.
