film

The Great Movie Race of 2022

Hello there! First and foremost, I’m not dead and neither is the blog! Huzzah! Since this has been the longest break in between articles since I started this blog, I figured it was time to address that. This last year I watched more movies in one year than any previous trip around the sun, and that comes with a hefty time commitment on occasion. In the end, it was an informative and fascinating experience, and one that I may continue into the future.

In January of 2022 I joined a group of fellow online screen junkies to see who could watch the most movies in one year. I watched a heck of a lot of movies, but not quite enough to net the top spot. I’m quite happy with the onslaught of film titles that I finally got around to watching because of this though. This is partially the reason I haven’t been writing about films here on the blog as much this year, but also because I often saw a lot of current releases in theaters this year and usually offered to write up reviews for FilmsFatale.com- a great film criticism website that I highly encourage you to check out. I also did a huge project for them in November where I wrote up thirty Noir film reviews, one for each day in Noir November covering the classics through the twentieth century and up to our more recent era of filmmaking to see how Noir has evolved in that time, and how it changed cinema as well. 

Below I will list the 170 times I watched a movie this last year. Most of them were singular viewings of a film that I hadn’t seen before- but there were several films that I saw multiple times over the course of the year. I’ll also post the date I saw the film and the score I gave it out of 10. I don’t usually rate films, but the group I was competing with did, so I decided to follow suit for this. I’ll also post links to all of the articles I’ve written for Films Fatale since my last post here. Here’s to next year’s movies!

1 Don’t Look Up (2021) Date Seen: 1/5/22 Score: 6.8

2 Vertigo (1958) Date Seen: 1/10/22 Score: 8.5

3 The Ghost of Peter Sellers (2018) Date Seen: 1/13/22 Score: 6.5

4 Rodan (1956) Date Seen: 1/15/22 Score: 7.5

5 Pickpocket (1959) Date Seen: 1/16/22 Score: 6

6 5 Card Stud (1968) Date Seen: 1/16/22 Score: 8

7 Copshop (2021) Date Seen: 1/17/22 Score: 8

8 Mysterious Object at Noon (2000) Date Seen: 1/17/22 Score: 6

9 No Way Out (1950) Date Seen: 1/19/22 Score: 8

10 King of New York (1990) Date Seen: 1/20/22 Score: 7.8

11 The Hateful Eight (2015) Date Seen: 1/21/22 Score: 9.5

12 Topaz (1969) Date Seen: 1/23/22 Score: 7.8

13 Branded to Kill (1967) Date Seen: 1/24/22 Score: 7

14 Mr. Arkadin (Comprehensive version) (1955) Date Seen: 1/26/22 Score: 7.5

15 Lady Snowblood (1973) Date Seen: 1/26/22 Score: 8.5

16 Justice League Dark (2017) Date Seen: 1/27/22 Score: 7

17 Lady Snowblood: Love Song of Vengeance (1974) Date Seen: 1/27/22 Score: 7.5

18 Killing Gunther (2017) Date Seen: 1/28/22 Score: 5

19 Darkman (1990) Date Seen: 1/28/22 Score: 8.3

20 Aquaman (2018) Date Seen: 1/29/22 Score: 7.8

21 The Grandmaster (2013) Date Seen: 1/31/22 Score: 8

22 The Gentlemen (2019) Date Seen: 2/1/22 Score: 7.5

23 1917 (2019) Date Seen: 2/2/22 Score: 8.5

24 Jackass Forever (2022) Date Seen: 2/4/22 Score: 7

25 In The Mood For Love (2000) Date Seen: 2/6/22 Score: 8.5

26 Cosmic Sin (2021) Date Seen: 2/7/22 Score: 1

27 Nightmare Alley (2021) Date Seen: 2/7/22 Score: 8.5

28 Tokyo-Ga (1985) Date Seen: 2/9/22 Score: 7.5

29 Zatoichi’s Flashing Sword (1964) Date Seen: 2/11/22 Score: 8.8

30 Pierrot le Fou (1965) Date Seen: 2/15/22 Score: 8

31 Persona (1966) Date Seen: 2/15/22 Score: 8.5

32 High and Low (1963) Date Seen: 2/17/22 Score: 10

33 Vagabond (1985) Date Seen: 2/17/22 Score: 8.5

34 Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx (1972) Date Seen: 2/18/22 Score: 9.5

35 Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart to Hades (1972) Date Seen: 2/18/22 Score: 9.5

36 Jules and Jim (1962) Date Seen: 2/19/22 Score: 7

37 Light Sleeper (1992) Date Seen: 2/19/22 Score: 6.8

38 Odds Against Tomorrow (1959) Date Seen: 2/19/22 Score: 8

39 Uncharted (2022) Date Seen: 2/23/22 Score: 6.5

40 The Batman (2022) Date Seen: 3/4/22 Score: 9

41 The Batman (2022) Date Seen: 3/16/22 Score: 9

42 Drive My Car (2022) Date Seen: 3/19/22 Score: 9

43 Tango & Cash (1989) Date Seen: 3/25/22 Score: 7

44 RRR (Rise Roar Revolt) (2022) Date Seen: 3/30/22 Score: 9

45 Ambulance (2022) Date Seen: 4/8/22 Score: 8

46 Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022) Date Seen: 4/9/22 Score: 9

47 Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (2022) Date Seen: 4/10/22 Score: 7.5

48 RRR (Rise Roar Revolt) (2022) Date Seen: 4/12/22 Score: 9 *2nd watch

49 Gamera vs Guiron (1969) Date Seen: 4/16/22 Score: 7

50 The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022) Date Seen: 4/22/22 Score: 7.5

51 The Northman (2022) Date Seen: 4/22/22 Score: 8.5

52 Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017) Date Seen: 4/25/22 Score: 7

53 Death on The Nile (2022) Date Seen: 4/28/22 Score: 6.5

54 Rebirth of Mothra (1996) Date Seen: 4/30/22 Score: 7

55 Spider-Man No Way Home (2021) Date Seen: 5/2/22 Score: 8.5

56 Doctor Strange in The Multiverse of Madness (2022) Date Seen: 5/6/22 Score: 8

57 Doctor Strange in The Multiverse of Madness (2022) Date Seen: 5/6/22 Score: 7.8

58 Jackass Forever (2022) Date Seen: 5/9/22 Score: 7 *2nd watch

59 The Last Duel (2021) Date Seen: 5/10/22 Score: 8.5

60 The Quick and The Dead (1995) Date Seen: 5/10/22 Score: 8.5

61 The Sea Wolf (1941) Date Seen: 5/12/22 Score: 7.5

62 Grand Illusion (1937) Date Seen: 5/12/22 Score: 8.1

63 The Parallax View (1974) Date Seen: 5/12/22 Score: 7.1

64 Rebirth of Mothra 2 (1997) Date Seen: 5/12/22 Score: 5.2

65 Safety Last! (1923) Date Seen: 5/14/22 Score: 9

66 The Hunt for Red October (1990) Date Seen: 5/15/22 Score: 8

67 Pirates of The Caribbean Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017) Date Seen: 5/15/22 Score: 6

68 Cruel Gun Story (1964) Date Seen: 5/15/22 Score: 7.5

69 Ape (2012) Date Seen: 5/16/22 Score: 2

70 The Wailing (2016) Date Seen: 5/16/22 Score: 8.5

71 The Paper Tigers (2020) Date Seen: 5/17/22 Score: 8

72 Rebirth of Mothra 3 (1998) Date Seen: 5/18/22 Score: 7.5

73 Paper Flowers (1959) Date Seen: 5/21/22 Score: 9.5

74 City Hunter (1993) Date Seen: 5/22/22 Score: 7.8

75 Jackass: The Movie (2002) Date Seen: 5/24/22 Score: 7.5

76 Top Gun: Maverick (2022) Date Seen: 5/27/22 Score: 9

77 The Bob’s Burgers Movie (2022) Date Seen: 5/27/22 Score: 8.5

78 Top Gun: Maverick (2022) Date Seen: 5/28/22 Score: 9

79 Baby Driver (2017) Date Seen: 6/5/22 Score: 8.5

80 Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey (1991) Date Seen: 6/5/22 Score: 7.8

81 Double Indemnity (1944) Date Seen: 6/9/22 Score: 9

82 Jurassic World Dominion (2022) Date Seen: 6/10/22 Score: 3

83 Mad God (2022) Date Seen: 6/22/22 Score: 4

84 One Armed Boxer (1971) Date Seen: 6/22/22 Score: 7.8

85 Elvis (2022) Date Seen: 6/25/22 Score: 8

86 The Black Phone (2022) Date Seen: 6/25/22 Score: 8.5

87 Detour (1945) Date Seen: 7/2/22 Score: 7

88 RRR (Rise Roar Revolt) (2022) Date Seen: 7/3/22 Score: 9  *3rd watch

89 Jaws (1975) Date Seen: 7/4/22 Score: 10

90 Chan is Missing (1982) Date Seen: 7/6/22 Score: 8

91 Thor Love and Thunder (2022) Date Seen: 7/8/22 Score: 7.5

92 In search of Guru Dutt (1989) Date Seen: 7/11/22 Score: 7.8

93 Brick (2005) Date Seen: 7/14/22 Score: 8.3

94 The Poseidon Adventure (1972) Date Seen: 7/16/22 Score: 9

95 High Sierra (1941) Date Seen: 7/18/22 Score: 7.5

96 Nope (2022) Date Seen: 7/21/22 Score: 8.9

97 The King’s Man (2021) Date Seen: 7/22/22 Score: 7.5

98 Breaking Surface (2020) Date Seen: 7/27/22 Score: 7.8

99 Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck in Time (2021) Date Seen: 7/28/22 Score: 9

100 The Professor and The Madman (2019) Date Seen: 7/28/22 Score: 7.5

101 Operation Curveball (2020) Date Seen: 7/28/22 Score: 8.5

102 The Hidden Life of Trees (2020) Date Seen: 7/29/22 Score: 8

103 Bo Burnham: Inside (2021) Date Seen: 7/29/22 Score: 8.3

104 Alien (1979) Date Seen: 7/29/22 Score: 9.3 

105 Stray (2020) Date Seen: 7/30/22 Score: 7.9

106 Bullet Train (2022) Date Seen: 8/4/22 Score: 7.8

107 Prey (2022) Date Seen: 8/9/22 Score: 7.9

108 The Roundup (2022) Date Seen: 8/10/22 Score: 8.3

109 Fall (2022) Date Seen: 8/12/22 Score: 6.8

110 RRR (Rise Roar Revolt) (2022) Date Seen: 8/12/22 Score: 9  *4th watch

111 Devil in a Blue Dress (1995) Date Seen: 8/14/22 Score: 8.3

112 Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers (2022) Date Seen: 8/15/22 Score: 7

113 Five Graves to Cairo (1943) Date Seen: 8/16/22 Score: 6.8

114 Easter Sunday (2022) Date Seen: 8/19/22 Score: 6

115 The Gray Man (2022) Date Seen: 8/20/22 Score: 7.2

116 Police Story 2 (1988) Date Seen: 8/21/22 Score: 9

117 Viridiana (1961) Date Seen: 8/23/22 Score: 6.8

118 Midnight Run (1988) Date Seen: 8/23/22 Score: 8

119 Beast (2022) Date Seen: 8/24/22 Score: 6.5

120 Wood and Water (2021) Date Seen: 8/24/22 Score: 5

121 Three Thousand Years of Longing (2022) Date Seen: 8/25/22 Score: 7.5

122 Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) Date Seen: 8/26/22 Score: 9

123 Django Unchained (2012) Date Seen: 8/28/22 Score: 9.5

124 Escape from L.A. (1996) Date Seen: 8/28/22 Score: 8.5

125 Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero (2022) Date Seen: 8/31/22 Score: 8.5

126 The Big Sleep (1946) Date Seen: 9/5/22 Score: 8.8

127 The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001) Date Seen: 9/6/22 Score: 8.5

128 The Good The Bad & The Ugly (1966) Date Seen: 9/7/22 Score: 10

129 Body Double (1984) Date Seen: 9/8/22 Score: 6.5

130 Weekend (1967) Date Seen: 9/13/22 Score: 6

131 007 Spectre (2015) Date Seen: 9/15/22 Score: 8

132 007 No Time to Die (2021) Date Seen: 9/15/22 Score: 9

133 Clerks 3 (2022) Date Seen: 9/16/22 Score: 8.8

134 Out of The Past (1947) Date Seen: 9/19/22 Score: 7.8

135 Strangers on a Train (1951) Date Seen: 9/20/22 Score: 8

136 Ghostbusters (1984) Date Seen: 9/22/22 Score: 10

137 Miller’s Crossing (1990) Date Seen: 9/25/22 Score: 7.7

138 Notorious (1946) Date Seen: 9/26/22 Score: 8.8

139 Sunset Blvd (1950) Date Seen: 9/27/22 Score: 8.5

140 The Munsters (2022) Date Seen: 9/28/22 Score: 5

141 Pineapple Express (2008) Date Seen: 9/30/22 Score: 9

142 Young Frankenstein (1974) Date Seen: 10/3/22 Score: 7.8

143 Blade Runner (1982) Date Seen: 10/5/22 Score: 9.5

144 Halloween (2018) Date Seen: 10/12/22 Score: 7.9

145 Halloween Kills (2021) Date Seen: 10/13/22 Score: 7.7

146 Halloween Ends (2022) Date Seen: 10/15/22 Score: 7.8

147 Yojimbo (1961) Date Seen: 10/17/22 Score: 9.8

148 Black Adam (2022) Date Seen: 10/22/22 Score: 7

149 Werewolf by Night (2022) Date Seen: 10/31/22 Score: 8.3

150 Black Panther 2 Wakanda Forever (2022) Date Seen: 11/11/22 Score: 8.4

151 Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022) Date Seen: 11/13/22 Score: 8

152 Infernal Affairs (2002) Date Seen: 11/15/22 Score: 9

153 Infernal Affairs 2 (2003) Date Seen: 11/16/22 Score: 8.8

154 Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo (1970) Date Seen: 11/18/22 Score: 9

155 Infernal Affairs 3 (2003) Date Seen: 11/19/22 Score: 8.7

156 The Menu (2022) Date Seen: 11/23/22 Score: 9

157 Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022) Date Seen: 11/28/22 Score: 9

158 The Bob’s Burgers Movie (2022) Date Seen: 12/2/22 Score: 8.5 *2nd watch 

159 Violent Night (2022) Date Seen: 12/3/22 Score: 8

160 Gamera: Guardian of The Universe (1995) Date Seen: 12/4/22 Score: 7.8

161 Gamera 2: Attack of Legion (1996) Date Seen: 12/4/22 Score: 8.5

162 Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris (1999) Date Seen: 12/4/22 Score: 7.5

163 The Guardians of The Galaxy Holiday Special (2022) Date Seen: 12/6/22 Score: 8.8

164 History of The Word: Part I (1981) Date Seen: 12/12/22 Score: 6.8

165 Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) Date Seen: 12/16/22 Score: 8

166 The Banshees of Inisherin (2022) Date Seen: 12/21/22 Score: 9

167 The Fabelmans (2022) Date Seen: 12/21/22 Score: 8.8

168 Triangle of Sadness (2022) Date Seen: 12/22/22 Score: 9

169 Bardo: False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths (2022) Date Seen: 12/27/22 Score: 6.8

170 Batman vs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2019) Date Seen: 12/29/22 Score: 7.7

Here’s the links to all of the articles I wrote over at Films Fatale in 2022 since last updating the blog:

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/6/30/the-black-phone

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/7/1/elvis

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/7/14/thor-love-and-thunder

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/7/25/nope

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/8/11/traverse-city-film-festival-2022-the-return

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/8/8/bullet-train

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/9/21/clerks-iii

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/10/20/halloween-ends

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/9/22/what-if-david-lynch-directed-a-batman-movie

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/11/1/noir-november-the-maltese-falcon

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/11/2/noir-november-high-sierra

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/11/3/noir-november-casablanca

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/11/4/noir-november-double-indemnity

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/11/5/noir-november-detour

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/11/6/noir-november-notorious

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/11/7/noir-november-the-big-sleep

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/11/8/noir-november-out-of-the-past

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/11/9/noir-november-the-naked-city

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/11/10/noir-november-the-third-man

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/11/11/noir-november-the-asphalt-jungle

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/11/12/noir-november-sunset-boulevard

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/11/13/noir-november-in-a-lonely-place

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/11/14/noir-november-strangers-on-a-train

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/11/15/noir-november-the-killing

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/11/16/noir-november-touch-of-evil

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/11/17/noir-november-shoot-the-piano-player

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/11/18/noir-november-le-doulos

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/11/19/noir-november-le-deuxime-souffle

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/11/20/noir-november-tokyo-drifter

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/11/21/noir-november-le-cercle-rouge

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/11/22/noir-november-chinatown

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/11/23/noir-november-chan-is-missing

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/11/24/noir-november-blade-runner

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/11/25/noir-november-millers-crossing

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/11/26/noir-november-devil-in-a-blue-dress

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/11/27/noir-november-the-man-who-wasnt-there

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/11/28/noir-november-kiss-kiss-bang-bang

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/11/29/noir-november-brick

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/11/30/noir-november-blade-runner-2049

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/12/9/violent-night

film

Double Feature Madness! MAD GOD + ONE-ARMED BOXER

Written and directed by Phil Tippett, “Mad God” is a film thirty years in the making from the special effects pioneer Phil Tippett who worked on the original Star Wars trilogy and the first Jurassic Park. With those credentials alone I was initially eager to see this so called masterpiece of stop motion and old school special effects by one of the best in the business. Well, let me tell you- this film is one hell of an experience. “Mad God” is essentially an exercise in practical special effects experimentation, and that’s about it. We follow one, or several depending on your interpretation, WW2 era figures that endlessly trudge lower and lower into the depths of what I can only assume are various circles of Hell. Adorned with gas masks and other cumbersome gear, the figure/s frequently witness horrific monsters that kill other beings of various shapes and sizes. These wanderers trudge through occasionally beautiful landscapes and meticulously hand-crafted worlds but then encounter disturbing creatures or humanlike machines/monsters with lots of defecation spewing out of and into every various orifice imaginable. Some creatures are more animalistic, while others are closer to the human form. The story is really what you make of it, there is no dialogue. I have to say that the film is a real feat in the realm of practical effects and that’s amazing, all the hard work that went into it does occasionally feel miraculous. However, for every fantastic scene realized onscreen, there’s a dozen moments of pure stomach churning nausea. This is a movie that felt like an assault on your senses and eyeballs, and I’m not alone in this. I had a small watch party of close friends stop by for the occasion and this was the general sentiment from all involved. I’d say it’s worth a watch once to see all of the work that went into the puppeteering and set design, but it may be a difficult watch for most. “Mad God” is currently streaming on Shudder, a Horror themed streaming service.

Written, directed, and starring Jimmy Wang Yu, “One-Armed Boxer” is an old school Hong Kong Kung Fu clash. The plot mostly consists of two schools of martial arts styles battling out a feud based on the poorly placed bravado of The Hook gang and their scheming ways to prove their superiority and prowess in fighting skill over the students and master of the Ching Te martial arts school. Tien Lung (Jimmy Wang Yu), the best fighter at the Ching Te martial arts school, and company immediately defend themselves and send the Hook gang underlings back to their school in defeat. When Chao Liu (Yeh Tien), the boss of the Hook Gang, hears of this disgrace (his students lied to him about the details of the first fight) he brings a cadre of his best men to the Ching Te school and then promptly loses the battle with a culminating fight between masters of opposing schools. After Han Tui (Chi Ma), Tien Lung’s Master, thoroughly trounces Chao in front of everyone, he vows vengeance. Chao then hires a team of martial arts mercenaries that consists of two karate experts and their teacher, a Judo master, a Taekwondo expert, two Thai boxing fighters, a Yoga expert, and two mystic Tibetan lamas. When Chao returns to exact his revenge, his mercenaries kill all the students of the Ching Te School while Chao’s Japanese professional (who comes equipped with villainous fangs) literally karate chops Tien Lung’s arm right off in one swing! After that you can probably guess where it goes, but the plotting and story beats aren’t exactly why you give this movie a go. Its because of the insane multi-member Kung Fu fights and ridiculous, over the top, nature of the filmmaking. After the One-armed boxer decides to strengthen his one arm to unbreakable levels, he goes about exacting his revenge in style and flair. I’ve always loved this style of Kung Fu movies, and “One-Armed Boxer” excels in style and entertainment. I really loved how they used the camera in the fight scenes. The snap zooms, whip pans, and rapid inserts, its all great in my opinion. When the camerawork moves in tandem with the energy of the story at hand, that’s hardly ever a bad thing. I heartily recommend giving this one a chance sometime. “One-Armed Boxer” can be found through Arrow Video on Blu-ray and DVD.

*This was one of the most insane double features I’ve ever watched, and I’m so glad I did with good friends. For a horrifyingly unique cinematic experience, I challenge anyone reading this to throw a watch party with these two films- if nothing else you’ll have shared a weird experience with friends that you’ll likely be talking about for weeks to come! Enjoy!

*Here’s my most recent review over at Films Fatale, show them some love and check it out:

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2022/6/15/jurassic-world-dominion?rq=Cameron%20Geiser