A Year of Movies is over. Now: morewertzler.com

This Month in Interrupted Viewing: February 2010

I was blazing through movies in the first half of the month, but really dropped the ball over the last two weeks.  There wasn’t much that I even started— I just spent most of my time either watching films for work (that will remain a secret until March 31), or reruns of Lost.  (I keep blowing my own mind watching old episodes that now make so much more sense in the context of this season!)  Anyway:

The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call-New Orleans 2/12/10
I could barely think of anything else for 24 hours after seeing this for the first time (2/11/10), and like a song that’s stuck in your head, the only way to get it out was to embrace it and take it all in once again.  I still can’t stop thinking about it, and I have never looked forward more to a commentary track (pending its existence).  April 6 on DVD.  Now give me the kibble.

Cosmos by Carl Sagan 2/14/10
One of these days (this blog must contain more utterances of that phrase than any other), I’ll actually finish watching this series.  And one of these days (see?) I will start it when I’m not just returning from a night out on the town.  And it will make a lot more sense.

Zombie 2/28/10
This somehow crept onto my Netflix queue, and my finger crept onto the play button around 1:00am and then I fell asleep about 20 minutes in.  A zombie on a boat in New York City.  That’s all I know (and probably need to know).

I also managed to watch 2 festival screeners on 2/21/10, but again, am embargoed.  It’s killing me.  Be sure and ask for suggestions if you’re in the area late April/early May.  Some really great stuff is coming to town.

This Month in Interrupted Viewing: January 2010

Let’s keep this one brief.  There’s lots more to watch before the year is up.

Solaris (1972) 1/9/10
This must be the fourth time I’ve tried to watch this movie.  One of these days, I’ll get through it.  I really just need to be in the right frame of mind.

Mega Shark v. Giant Octopus 1/13/10
I was inspired to watch by reading this article, but ultimately was too sober to watch any more than 8 minutes of it.

Skills Like This 1/13/10
If you’re interested in seeing examples of unrealistic, uninteresting characters, watch the first 10 minutes of this movie.  Otherwise, stay far, far away.

A Town Called Panic 1/30/10
Too Adult-Swim-ish for me to be engaged for more than 12 minutes.

Bonus Semi-Finished Mystery Movie 1/18/10-1/19/10
Technically I saw it from start to finish, but it was so slow I had to watch it on 4x speed.

This Month in Interrupted Viewing: December 2009

I may have gotten a bit ambitious this month.  It marked not only one of the first substantial breaks from work in over 8 weeks, but also saw the completion of three 10,000+ word pieces I’d been writing feverishly since Thanksgiving, with a Christmas deadline.  Output was at a maximum, and input at a minimum.  So I’ve spent the last week trying to reverse this trend, with moderate success.  But now I’m obligated to lay out my failed attempts for all to see:

Keep The River On Your Right
Started: 12/6/09

The tagline is “a modern cannibal tale,” but it leaves off the most important part.  It should really be appended to read: “A modern cannibal tale about a gay anthropologist who got involved with his subjects and goes back to visit his former lovers, and oh yeah one time he ate a bit of human meat.”  An interesting topic still to be sure, but not very well executed.  Another low-budget documentary of the aughts edited in iMovie.

Party Down, Season One
Started: 12/20/09

Cringe-worthy attempt at comedy without enough laughs.  Liz hit the nail on the head when she said, “Catering rich people’s parties is awkward enough—there’s no reason to exaggerate the things that happen.”

The Shop Around The Corner
Started: 12/20/09

As Christmas approached, a holiday-themed movie was called for.  Unfortunately my body called for Theraflu to get through an awful headcold, so I sacked out in the middle.  I liked what I saw, though!

White Christmas
Started: 12/25/09

I could barely breathe and couldn’t sleep, so I turned on AMC at 12:30am and watched for a good 2 hours.  Not bad as far as musicals go!  Vera-Ellen sure is easy on the eyes, but I kept thinking Rosemary Clooney was actually Tony Curtis anticipating his role in Some Like It Hot.  Things got weird when they started singing about how their favorite show is a minstrel show, and I finally fell asleep.

Cannibal: The Musical!
Started: 12/25/09

Having had such luck with musicals earlier in the day, I sprung for another while I was in the mood.  Unfortunately, this seems to be a movie best seen during South Park’s heyday, and when you are in college.  Slow-paced and student-y.

The Hunger
Started: 12/30/09

Netflix will be discontinuing streaming this one on January 1.  Bowie and Deneuve and Tony Scott—what’s not to love?  It was kind of blowing my mind until I conked out 20 minutes in.  No more starting movies at the end of the night.

Still in progress: Dexter, Season Four and The Wire, Season Four.

This Month in Interrupted Viewing: November 2009

At its beginning, November looked pretty bleak.  Not only was I failing to finish several movies, I wasn’t starting very many in the first place.  But I managed to rebound, coming back strong with almost a movie a day during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.  I’m hoping to continue the recent surge in movie viewing, and get a little deeper in my Netflix queue in December.  In the meantime, here’s what I missed out on:

Mortal Kombat
Started: 11/14/09

Probably the best video game movie ever, I tend to put this on at least once a year.  I can still remember going to see it at the UA6 in Redwood City, not caring that my shoes were sticking to the theater floor from some unknown substance, inhaling Red Vines while Johnny Cage sliced Scorpion in half with a spiked shield.  Plus Christopher Lambert as Raiden?!  It doesn’t get any better than that.

Metropolis
Started: 11/17/09

There’s something fascinating about watching poor quality prints on an HD screen.  The imperfections really stand out, which I kind of enjoy.  Unfortunately, putting this silent classic on late at night means sleep will likely win out before finishing.  One of these days I’ll get around to it… I was enjoying it while I stayed awake.

Also still in progress: The Wire, Season Four.  Still have quite a bit to go before finishing, though.

This Month in Interrupted Viewing: October 2009

October was a reckless month.  So reckless that I feel obligated to compile, in list form, each movie and TV series I started watching that I still have not finished, along with a less-than-adequate excuse for my actions.  While my neuroses now compel me to stay through the end of most films (thanks to this blog), this month has been a return to form.

Consider this the retrospective where you review your month’s food log, and find a third of your lunches consisted of assorted Hostess snack-cakes.  And then you go cry in the bathroom while you flush the rest of the box.

A Thorn In The Heart (L’épine dans le coeur)
Started: 10/10/09

I have every intention of finishing Michel Gondry’s new doc about his aunt— but I had to turn it off 10 minutes in to go pick up my boss at the airport.  Horror took precedence over my to-watch queue this month, so this film was quickly (and unfairly) shuffled to the bottom.  But you can see it tomorrow on the big screen at the Clay Theater, as part of French Cinema Now!

The Wire, Season Three
Started: 10/20/09

I’m slowing down the pace this season, unfortunately.  I really need to devote a day to blow through a few episodes.  I’m enjoying seeing the connections back to season one. It’s just been so nice outside lately!

The Exorcist
Started: 10/23/09

After watching the less than frightening Pet Sematary, we put this on in hopes of getting the bejesus scared out of us.  It worked.  I can barely sit through one movie, so a double feature is a bit of a stretch.  Coupled with the drinks we had beforehand, it was bedtime only an hour in.  I may have to wait for the Blu-Ray to come out next October before restarting.

Tales From The Crypt, Season One
Started: 10/26/09

This show is like Goosebumps for adults, but only because it includes bad words and boobies.  The rest is cheesier than I remember.  But it’s length appeals to me, and it’s fun seeing familiar faces that are generally not in horror films.  No excuse here except pure laziness.

Suspiria
Started: 10/31/09

What, it was Halloween!  I’m impressed that we even got it started.  Geez.  You can watch it all online here.