2022 Blind Spot Series
My final entry in the 2021 Blind Spot Series is scheduled to post on Christmas Day (It's A Wonderful Life) so I thought now would be a good time to share my 2022 list! I'm being a bit ambitious with one month again, and am finally going to tackle the Before trilogy. I'm also giving myself a nice stack of alternates in case I run into availability issues like I did this year. So what do you think? Have you seen any of the films I'm planning on watching? Am I in for a good year?
1 Mrs. Miniver
2 Rebecca (1940)
2 Rebecca (1940)
3 An American in Paris
4 Bicycle Thieves
5 City Lights
6 Rome Open City
7 2001 A Space Odyssey
8 Breathless (1960)
9 Thelma & Louise
10 Before Sunrise/Sunset/Midnight
11 Through A Glass Darkly
12 A Star Is Born (1954)
Alternates: Suddenly, Last Summer. Come and See. She Got Game. 8 1/2. I'll Be Seeing You
I love Bicycle Thieves, Breathless, and Through A Glass Darkly. And you can't go wrong with the Before trilogy (so good). Also a big fan of An American in Paris. I'm really anxious to hear your take on 2001. It's heralded as an all-time classic. I like it but have never loved it the way most seem to.
ReplyDeleteGreat list.
I attempted to watch 2001 a long time ago but never finished it and I wasn't into it then, so hopefully it works a bit better for me the second go around.
DeleteWow... you seriously got some damn good movies here. Half of these films in your Blind Spot are definitely available on Criterion while I would also keep an eye on what is coming on Turner Classic Movies.
ReplyDeleteThe films in that list I haven't seen are: Mrs. Miniver, Rebecca, An American in Paris, and A Star is Born as that one and the 1976 version with Barbra are the ones I need to see.
From your alternates, Suddenly, Last Summer is the one film I haven't seen though I'm sure it will be on TCM next year. Come and See and 8 1/2 are available on Criterion as well.
I liked that you chose the Before trilogy while Rome, Open City and Through a Glass Darkly are also part of thematic trilogies.
I would suggest getting a massive box of Klennex for Bicycle Thieves and City Lights.
Yes, a lot of them are on HBO Max which is really helpful. I love their partnership with TCM. Suddenly, Last Summer has been an alternate for 3 years running because I can never find it for free. I can pay to rent it, but I'd rather utilize an existing streaming service or my library and it's never there.
DeleteGood call on Kleenex. I'm a huge wuss.
That is a hell of a good year you have coming for you.
ReplyDeleteGood!!
DeleteI am so nervous to read your review of Wonderful Life because it is my favourite film despite Mary's alternate universe which I never liked and always rolled my eyes. It still has never dissuaded me from not loving this film. Ok..love your blind spot list. I still have to see Breathless, Rome, Open City and the 3 Sunset/Sunrise movies but love the others. I love Bicycle Thieves followed by A Star Is Born which is still my favourite. I love American in Paris though not as much as Singing In The Rain or The Bandwagon. I love the dancing and the use of art in its telling. City Lights is excellent and I also love Rebecca. Mrs. Miniver is good but a bit much now but one has to think when this movie was made. I can’t stand Thelma & Louise and I think they are idiots. I think 2001 is best seen when one takes a hit of acid not that I ever did.
ReplyDeleteAww I liked It's A Wonderful Life well enough, but I did have some issues with it. I'm glad I picked some exciting ones for 2022! I actually just watched Mrs. Miniver the other day as it will be my January pick and wow..that ending.
DeleteI’ve seen almost all of these! The exceptions being the second and third Before films, I hated the first one, add into that the fact that the trio stars two performers I find almost completely risible. Plus, apart from Me and Orson Welles Linklater has never made a movie I liked and at least one-Boyhood-I rabidly hate.
ReplyDeleteAfter that paragraph of negativity, I’ll start with the two I’m most anxious to hear your opinion on-Mrs. Miniver and the ’54 version of A Star is Born. LOVE them both!!
A word or two (or more) of warning about Star, following its much-heralded original release Warner Brothers wanting to be able to have more showings a day to increase its profitability pulled the film and hacked out many key scenes and a couple of musical numbers rendering it less than it was. It stayed that way for decades until archivist Ronald Haver became committed to restoring it as much as possible and spent many years putting it back together. He did find the complete soundtrack, but several portions of the physical film were lost so he reconstructed them with photos of the lost scenes in their place. It’s almost entirely in the first half of the film and is much less distracting if you’re prepared for it. Those scenes however add great context to all that follows so their inclusion is vital. The film is beautifully acted by all but it’s really a showcase for the magnificent Judy Garland.
As for the rest I really like but don’t love Rebecca, City Lights, Through a Glass Darkly and Breathless.
Thelma & Louise was fine but once was enough for me.
I think it’s kind of odd that the two examples of neo-realism on your list-Rome, Open City and The Bicycle Thieves-are films I had such vastly contrasting reactions to. I found Rome fascinatingly compelling and Bicycle Thieves akin to watching paint dry. I’m curious to read your take. I will say that I watched BT with my cousin and her husband at the time and our reactions were diametric opposites. She loved the film and we both definitely did not! So obviously it’s one of those that hit different people different ways.
Speaking of watching paint drying that was how it was for me with 2001. It does have a great look but for me it was inert, ponderous, and pretentious.
I don’t know if you recall but I used An American in Paris during Dell’s Against the Crowd blogathon one year and it was not to sing its praises.
I remember lol your take on An American in Paris lol. I had it on my list before that and just left it there. Good call on A Star is Born. I'll keep that in mind.
ReplyDeleteI already watched Mrs. Miniver! It was available on a flight I just took. That was a nice starting place.
Awesome list! The remake Rebecca pales in comparison to the original. Joan Fontaine is wonderful. An American In Paris is more poetry in motion with all of the ballet/dance sequences rather than being as humorous like Singing In The Rain. The production and costume design had a big hand in La La Land's montage ending. It can be boring but it's still beautiful!
ReplyDeleteNever seen 2001: A Space Odyssey but I can never forget what Tom Holland thought about it. lol https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmF4RdpwqLE
Not gonna lie but hope you enjoy A Star Is Born the most! joel65913 pointed out what I was gonna say about the editing. This was considered Judy's big comeback role after getting fired from MGM. She and her husband Sidney had the most at stake producing it with Warner Bros. There was a lot of behind-the-scenes drama going on, especially in her personal life, but everyone loved working with her and she gives a hell of a performance. Hollywood pretty much stopped traffic for its premiere as everyone came out to support her. It's pretty much considered Judy's definitive adult role and the best ASIB reboot. Can't wait to hear what you think!
omg that clip. Why do I have a feeling I'm going to agree with him?
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