My 2023 Blind Spot Series List

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This is going to be my TENTH year of doing Blind Spots! I love how this series gives me that push to look back. Sometimes that's hard when there's constantly new movies coming out that I'm excited for. I was hesitant even sharing a list this year because I finally retired DVD Netflix from my home, and that had served as a safety net for so many years when streaming got fickle. For now, I should be able to find all of these, but I'm making a larger alternate list just in case.

Tell me what you think! Have you seen any of the films I have below? How do you think I'll like them? And if you have a suggestion for a back up film, throw it my way!

1) Amadeus
2) The Silence
3) The Big City
4) The Piano Teacher
5) The Fly
6) The Lady Vanishes
7) Happy Together
8) 8 1/2
9) Steel Magnolias 
10) Blood Simple
11) Notorious
12) All the King's Men

Alternates: Imitation of Life, Daughters of the Dust, All Quiet on the Western Front (1930), Wings, Lady Snowblood, Rebecca (1940), Lawrence of Arabia, Ben-Hur**

**there's no way I'll summon the fucks to watch either Lawrence of Arabia or Ben-Hur but I can dream.**

Comments

  1. thevoid99December 21, 2022 at 5:42 PM

    There's 2 in your main list I haven't seen in Notorious and All the King's Men (I hope it's not the 2006 remake with Sean Penn because that movie SUCKED). In your alternates, Wings (which one? the 1927 film or the 1966 Soviet film) and Rebecca are the ones I haven't seen. Most of these films you can definitely get from Criterion while All the King's Men, Notorious, Amadeus, and Steel Magnolias you can definitely get on some streaming service or rental via YouTube. I should note that there's 2 different cuts of Amadeus in the theatrical cut and an extended director's cut as I'm not sure which version I saw but it is a great film nonetheless.

    This is a damn good list as I just went with films from the 2nd half of the 20th Century from all over the world.

    That Netflix DVD thing I'm sure is just a bitch these days as there's no point to them anymore as nearly everything is available right now on streaming. That's why I have bought nearly half of my Blind Spots on Blu-Ray and will rely largely on a streaming service that has the film. I don't mind shelling a few bucks for rental as long as it's in good quality.

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    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamDecember 22, 2022 at 9:36 AM

      The 1927 film for Wings, and definitely the original All The King's Men. I used to get around never renting movies on VOD because of DVD Netflix but their turn around time does not make it worth it for me any more. I went from getting like 12 DVDs a month to 4 if I'm lucky and their selection for newer films is dwindling. Sad to let it go.

      Delete
  2. BirgitDecember 21, 2022 at 11:31 PM

    So...why won't you watch the Lawrence or Ben films? I have seen 1, 5 (the original 1958 version), 6, 8 & 9. I am horrible that i have yet to see Notorious! I love All Quiet, Wings and Rebecca but would choose All Quiet as #1 to see. Have you seen the 1922 film, Nosferatu? Have you seen the film based on the making of that 1922 film starring Willem Dafoe as Max Schrek called Shadow of the Vampire? I love that film and he deserved an Oscar. It's disturbing but also hilarious.

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    1. AnonymousDecember 22, 2022 at 9:34 AM

      Because they're so long lol. I did see Nosferatu!

      Delete
    2. Brittani BurnhamDecember 22, 2022 at 9:35 AM

      And that Anon comment was me. Blogger really hates Chrome all of a sudden.

      Delete
  3. joel65913December 22, 2022 at 4:15 PM

    I'd been keeping an eye out for this and yet somehow missed it until now!

    Solid list. Out of the total of 20 I haven’t seen four-at first, I thought I had seen The Big City, but I saw the 1937 Spencer Tracy film “Big City” which I don’t think is the one you’re referring to. Out of the other three-The Piano Teacher, Lady Snowblood and Happy Together-the last is the one that has been on my want to see list the longest.

    To the ones I have seen my three favorites without question are Steel Magnolias, Notorious (one of Hitchcock’s top films with a great pairing of Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman) and Imitation of Life (have the tissues handy!!)

    Just below those are All Quiet on the Western Front, Wings and Amadeus but all are fine films though in all honesty 8 ½ didn’t do much for me.

    Of the two that you listed as more or less wishful thinking watches I detested Lawrence of Arabia (I’ll admit it is an exceptionally well-made film full of actors I love but it was misery from start to finish for me!) Ben-Hur on the other hand is a bit draggy in parts but overall an okay film, even if Charlton Heston is a stick in the lead. However, I’m a fan of Biblical spectacles so I’m more of its target audience, though if I had my druthers I would watch The Ten Commandments, Quo Vadis or The Sign of the Cross any day over Ben-Hur.

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    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamDecember 23, 2022 at 9:28 AM

      I got an early start on my list and already watched Steel magnolias and it was lovely. I'm looking forward to Notorious as well. I'm referring to the 1963 Big City, I've had it in my HBO Max queue forever and need to watch it.

      Delete
    2. joel65913December 23, 2022 at 10:21 AM

      I did see that you caught up with Steel Magnolias over on Letterboxd. Anxious to read your thoughts on it!! :-)

      Delete

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