LoL, did you ever get there?

81. MODERN TIMES (1936)

Charlie Chaplin isn't my type of humor either. I understand how important of a figure he is within Hollywood but the films I've seen from him have done nothing for me. Paulette Goddard is incredibly easy on the eyes though! 6/10

KNIVES OUT

Gearing up for the sequel that drops on Netflix tomorrow. Rian Johnson IMO makes up for his flop of a Star Wars film, THE LAST JEDI, with this delicious serving. Third time I've watched it now and it hasn't worn on me yet. With a star studded cast and harkening back to other WHODUNIT's of the past, this is a lovely and smart homage. I only hope the sequel can live up to the expectations this first entry in the series has set. 8/10

Streamed Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol on peacock last night. Still great after 60 years - alternately funny, scary, and warm.

To get into the Christmas spirit I viewed CHRISTMAS EVIL and DON'T OPEN TILL CHRISTMAS today. I thought I hadn't seen either before but DON'T OPEN TILL CHRISTMAS I had but didn't remember much of it. CHRISTMAS EVIL was absolutely terrible, low body count, and the film for whatever reason seemed to move at a snails pace. DON'T OPEN TILL CHRISTMAS on the other hand had some much needed gore, nudity, and a higher body count. All things I look for in a great slasher!

Watched SILENT NIGHT DEADLY NIGHT and NEW YEAR'S EVIL today. SILENT NIGHT DEADLY NIGHT is a classic in the genre and I saw the uncut version, which I absolutely loved because you could tell the cut scenes that were then added back to the original. Gave it an almost grindhouse sort of feel. While NEW YEAR'S EVIL shows the killer in the first couple of minutes of the film, it's his reasoning that you're sticking around for. Both films are flawed but in a campy, 1980's, B-horror film way that make them enjoyable.

Just got done watching the 1973 Czech film THREE WISHES FOR CINDERELLA. I'd never heard of this film before until a few days ago and a photo of it caught my eye. Looked in to it a little, watched the trailer, and it intrigued me enough to give it a few (plus also hearing this was/is run regularly around Christmas in Europe made me even more interested). A nice hidden gem that I wouldn't mind owning on blu-ray if the Criterion Collection would ever release it (the Criterion channel was originally were I saw it being offered for viewing). 7.5/10

MEMENTO and 187 were on today's menu. Both films are fantastic but MEMENTO is the clear winner here. It's been years (and when I say years, like at least a decade) since I've last seen it. Wonderful film that was a joy to revisit. Same with 187.

MEMENTO 8/10

187 7.5/10

187 is such an underrated movie. Clifton Collins Jr. who played Caesar reminded me so much of Toker from Brownside. These Mexicans down in SC are no joke. The way they operate will make the Bloods and Crips shake and run

80. THE WILD BUNCH (1969)

Outside of the opening bank robbery/shootout/get away, I found this film to be quite boring. I wasn't invested in either the story or characters and felt they were going through the motions until the final credits rolled. I'm sure this has its fans, just don't consider me one of them. Cast was ok with no one really standing out. 6/10

Definitely agree with this statement. I applaud both Clifton Collins Jr. (Cesar) and Lobo Sebastian (Benny Chacon) for there portrayals.

79. THE DEER HUNTER (1978)

What I love about this film is it uses about a third of its run-time (around an hour) to establish the friendship and camaraderie between Michael (Robert De Niro), Nick (Christopher Walken), and Steven (John Savage) in small town Clairton, PA before shipping off to Vietnam. The rest of the film deals briefly with their war time efforts and being taken as POW's and then shifts to the falling out and their readjusting (or lack thereof) to society. A troubling, psychological tale about the toll war takes on a person. And while De Niro is mentally capable of dealing with his past, his friends don't have the same luck. 9/10

SLAUGHTER HIGH

A knockoff/hybrid of FRIDAY THE 13TH and TERROR TRAIN. A straight forward horror film with lame kills, a ridiculous premise, decent theme song, and at least 1 mentionable cast member (Kelly Baker who also happened to appear in DON'T OPEN TILL CHRISTMAS). This is very forgettable and laughable even while watching it as a first timer. 5.5/10

78. ROCKY (1976)

The greatest sports and underdog film released to date. This film is iconic and classic, with a fabulous soundtrack, training montages, and fight sequences that other films can only hope to achieve some 50 years later. The film stroke a chord with audiences upon its release and still does so with audience today. 9/10

77. AMERICAN GRAFFITI (1973)

A very personal love letter by George Lucas to his yesteryear days. A wonderful soundtrack that dolled out hit after hit taking place in 1962 Southern California. Not much going on here except for 2 kids who just graduated high school (Richard Dreyfuss & Ron Howard), who are at both times in the film, afraid of leaving their SC shell and moving east for college. 7/10

Would've been nicer if pre-Lavern & Shirly Cindy Williams would have displayed her au naturel ta-tas...lol

76. CITY LIGHTS (1931)

This Chaplin film was much better than his previous one I watched, MODERN TIMES. Always has a beautiful dame as a costar and this actually had some decent funny parts. 7/10

Mackenzie Phillips grew into a fine woman a few years later.

75. DANCES WITH WOLVES (1990)

I'll never understand how this beat out GOODFELLAS for Best Picture or Best Director. A great film for sure but I think placing it #75 on the list is being generous and again, GOODFELLAS is the superior film here. I thought Costner had won more Oscars besides for this he didn't apparently. He cleaned up with this one though: Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Picture. Wonderful performance also by Mary McDonnell as Stands With A First. 7/10

With 2022 now in our rear view mirror, below is my 2022 top ten film list in order:

1) THE BATMAN
2) SMILE
3) THE BLACK PHONE
4) THE WHALE
5) TOP GUN: MAVERICK
6) EMILY THE CRIMINAL
7) THE MENU
8) THE NORTHMAN
9) DON'T WORRY DARLING
10) BABYLON

74. THE GOLD RUSH (1925)

Another decent Chaplin film that had a few funny moments (think I may be warming to him a bit). Heard Georgia Hale who played Georgie was "unsuitable for talkies" and left Hollywood in 1931. Anyone know why she was considered "unsuitable?" The dinner roll dance is the gem of the film and in all honesty, I always thought they were potatoes 6.5/10

I agree with much of that. Smile may have been my favorite one, but I also thought Emily the Criminal was highly impressive. Aubrey is so talented

A very underrated film that didn't get a lot of word of mouth or advertising behind it but solid for sure. Love Aubrey Plaza and enjoy seeing her stretch her range with these type of dramatic roles.

73. WUTHERING HEIGHTS (1939)

A very dark story for its time period and pretty much a downer for most of the time as well. This felt it could have either been a sequel or a modern (when it was released that is) take on Romeo & Juliet. Strong performances by the 2 main characters Heathcliff (Laurence Olivier) and Cathy (Merle Oberon). A tale of forbidden love as old as time itself. 7.5/10

72. BEN-HUR (1959)

I miss these large scale biblical masterpieces and wish Hollywood would revert back to telling those stories as there is an audience for them. Heston is a stud once again as Judah Ben-Hur, after having played Moses in Cecil B. DeMille's THE TEN COMMANDMENTS just 3 years earlier. Shout out to Stephen Boyd as Messala as he makes for an equally powerful villain with his silky smooth voice. The chariot race is still some of the best action ever filmed IMO and it's a miracle there weren't more injuries than there were. 9/10

THE LIFE OF DAVID GALE

I hadn't seen this movie in maybe close to 15 years and I don't know how it popped into my mind recently but I'm glad it did as I've always enjoyed this. I can't remember if I saw it for the first time in the theaters or on DVD but it still retains its watchability. A smart, breadcrumb of a story involving capital punishment abolitionist David Gale (Kevin Spacer) being convicted of raping and murdering his fellow activist Constance Harraway (Laura Linney). One nice surprise that I caught this time around was a young Melissa McCarthy, playing Nico the goth girl, who lives in the house where the crime was committed and opens it up to the public as a sort of shrine/museum. One piece of the story that got on my nerves was geography: the prison's in Huntsville, TX and reporter Bitsey Bloom (Kate Winslet) and intern Zack Stemmons (Gabriel Mann) always refer to driving to Austin like it's down the road whereas Houston is a ways away. Newsflash: Austin is 3 hours from Huntsville while Houston is only an hour. I'm assuming the writer did this on purpose because it helped the story better; otherwise, he needed to get a map. A gem of a film that didn't get much notice upon it's release (at least that's my opinion anyway). 7/10

I agree. I saw the originals of both movies and Heston cannot be beat for those biblical epics.

Yesterday I wound up rewatching AMERICAN PSYCHO. Man how fantastic was Christian Bale in that? Another one I hadn't seen in years and forgot the likes of Willem Dafoe and Reese Witherspoon were in it. Never read the book but what's everyone's opinion on it? Did Patrick really kill his victims or imagine it all? 7/10

Also watched for the second time SEARCHING in anticipation for the sequel MISSING that I'm seeing on Thursday at the theaters. Wasn't as great a second time around and even though I hadn't seen it since 2018 in theaters, I still remembered enough of the story. The film plays like UNFRIENDED where the film is entirely on some sort of screen: computer, phone, etc. Not a bad little flick, at least once but I'm expecting MISSING to be even worse. 6/10

71. FORREST GUMP (1994)

A masterpiece of cinema! Hanks, Wright, and Zemeckis do a fabulous job at gaining the audiences buy in and then tearing their hearts out of their chests by the end of the film. Years later and multiple viewings, this still is a tearjerker. Never read the novel but researched how different it is from the movie and there's quite a few differences but nothing with the exception of Jenny's conclusion are too surprising and didn't need to be left in. If you haven't seen this in a while, revisit it (you'll thank yourself). 10/10

70. THE FRENCH CONNECTION (1971)

Only the second time I've seen this but dang it I fell in love with it so much the second time around! Hackman is brilliant as hard-boiled cop Popeye and of course the car chase scene (pre-CGI) is absolutely amazing, gripping, and heart-pounding. Loved the cat-and-mouse game that plays throughout the film (especially the subway chase between Popeye and Alain). Especially in today's world, we need more characters like Popeye. Also a great time capsule showing New York in the early 1970's. Loved the descriptions of what happened to the characters at the end of the film and also was surprised to learn it's based on a true story in 1962. 10/10