Oh July, how you sucker me outside! Although I did take in some classics this month, I continue to fall behind as life interferes with cinema. Unfortunately, it was also a month where tragedy interfered with cinema. After taking in a tremendously fun midnight screening of the latest Batman, I came home to share my enthusiasm only to discover the shootings in Colorado.
If I can soapbox for a brief moment, this story left me with such an ugly knot in my stomach. The movie going experience ebbs and flows between magic and obnoxious these days, but the shared experience of seeing a film at the theater remains a cultural touchstone across all demographics. It is a safe place where, even in the face of "texters" ignoring the social contract of the cinema, we band together to take in some entertainment and leave our worries in the parking lot. In Colorado, that safe zone was violated in the most horrific way and now we have yet another layer of innocence stripped away from us. My heart goes out to everyone there that night and to everyone who felt the impact of this attack on our civilized world.
So, naturally we segue to the much less important reality of my ongoing film log! Yesh, no real easy way to make that jump is there?
7-1: John Tucker Must Die, The Artist, John Carter
7-2: The Pope of Greenwich Village, Hercules and the Lost Kingdom
7-3: Gone With The Wind, The Last Supper
7-5: Worst In Show, Taken, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
7-6: Savages, The Decoy Bride
7-8: Spice World, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World
7-16: Spice World, Marigold
7-17: Bad Boys
7-18: Cedar Rapids
7-19: Forbidden Planet
7-20: The Dark Knight Rises, American Reunion, Talladega Nights
7-21: Angus, Bye Bye Love, Batman Begins, I Love You Man
7-22: Sucker Punch
7-24: The Dark Knight
7-28: Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Total Films: 29
2012 Films to Date: 199
Favorite Movie: The Dark Knight Rises
I had a really hard time this month picking my favorite movie. I watched some of my all time favs and while the latest Batman wouldn't necessarily unseat Forbidden Planet, hitting up the midnight on opening night at my favorite theater with a good friend made it one of those great movie experiences. TDKR also made the last film better for me. I wasn't the biggest fan of The Dark Knight, I felt it was too long, and while Rises could be accused of the same, I enjoyed the narrative of it more and it's ability to tie up the trilogy. Sure Bane was hot and cold as a villain, but I was pleasantly surprised by Hathaway as Catwoman and felt the screen time for the entire cast was well balanced. Nolan's Batman is a flawed character, sometimes violating the fanboy canon that makes him so popular. This enrages some and invigorates others. Me, I can go either way, but all in all I think the series works very well as a whole. It's film. Neither perfect nor immune to interpretation. All you can ever walk away with is that gut reaction and my gut reaction to TDKR was "that was awesome."
Favorite Poster: Forbidden Planet
This is a no-brainer! While the U.K. Spice World one sheet hangs in my office, Forbidden Planet is one of the most iconic posters ever to hang in the lobbies of the world! The movie itself holds so many science fiction firsts, it is arguably one of the most influential works in the genre. And the art is fantastic! You have the ship, the sort of gaseous cloud that always made me think of the ID monster and of course the sexy girl in the arms of the most expensive prop of the 50s, Robby the Robot! Robby is decidedly faceless in the film too, but here the artist tweaks his machinations to give him the appearance of eyes, nose, and a mouth. You have no idea if he is a villain or a hero! It's beautiful work for a masterful film.
Alright, seven months down, five to go! My goal for August is to crack that 40 mark again, which is why I am currently up late watching Crocodile Dundee II on AMC;) Happy screenings!
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