Weeks 9-11

Introduction

My aim is to see 100 films I've never seen before by the end of 2007. Simple concept, innit. If you want to see how it's been going so far, check out the end of this entry.

Week 8 seems to have been a high point so far, in terms of film viewing. I mean, I saw six films that week! Compared to an average of just over two films per week at the start and barely two per week now. So much for weekly entries, eh. But I'm not doing too badly -- not yet a quarter of the way through the year and I've passed the quarter point in my total. There is hope yet!


Weeks Nine to Eleven

For anyone keeping track, this period covers February 26th to March 18th. I didn't see many films in week nine (the first, and only, was on Friday!), or week ten (the first, and only new one, was on Wednesday!), so I decided to put these three together. And here is what I saw...


22) United 93 (2006, Paul Greengrass, DVD) 5/5
It's very hard to find what to say about this film. It's a shame the Oscars were too cowardly to nominate it for much; Greengrass probably deserved Best Director for this more than Scorsese did for The Departed (he is, all round, a talented and excellent director); at least the BAFTAs were brave enough to give it to him (cos British is best 'n' all). But the film itself: it is above all affecting; it feels real and true; it is hard to imagine a more competent and respectful film being made about 9/11; it is impossible to imagine one being made about flight 93. This is filmmaking of the highest order. Perhaps most importantly of all, the families want you to see it. Absolutely essential.

23) Fargo (1996, Joel Coen, DVD) 4/5
Fargo is the latest film to have been inducted into the United States National Film Registry, donchaknow. It's also 105th on the IMDb Top 250 Movies, and the 21st film from the 1990s. So it's pretty much a modern classic then. It is indeed very good; the only thing holding me off giving it 5 is a lack of that Something which leads me to rate so highly after one viewing. Maybe it will go up in time.

24) The Reckless Moment (1949, Max Ophuls, DVD) 4/5
Ophuls' film noir about a mother who covers up the death of her daughter's much older boyfriend. I think I'm perhaps erring on the side of generosity with the rating, but it is still quite a good film. Certainly it allowed me to play one of my favourite games: what would I change if I remade it? I had a few quite good ideas, actually. I'm tempted to start writing...