The Films That I Saw: September 2012

The fall season has finally started and this is where the real film-going season really begins. This is where the serious movies are out and the chance to see something that aren’t just award contenders but rather films that offer more bang for your buck. After a very dismal summer, the fall season is a chance for me to really make a list of the best films of 2012 as I finally saw a new movie that is currently a contender for the best film of 2012.

In the month of September, I saw a total of 48 films. 26 first-timers and 22 re-watches. A major improvement over last month as there was a lot on TV that month as well as the fact that I feel more relaxed and had more time to watch things. Plus, there were a few surprises along the way in the course of the month as I focused on a few films that related to certain franchises plus a couple of 2012 features and some shorts along the way. Here are the list of the 10 best first-timers that I saw:

1. The Master

2. Lolita

3. Vivre Sa Vie

4. Stolen Kisses

5. Martha Marcy May Marlene

6. Jean de Florette

7. Manon des Sources

8. Compliance

9. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

10. Margin Call

Monthly-Mini Reviews:

Klitschko

A documentary from HBO sports explores the world of the two current heavyweight champions of the world in boxing in Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko. I’m a sucker for HBO sport documentaries and this one was really good as it revealed the unique relationship between these two men and how different they are when they approach the sport of boxing. There’s some humor about them along with some tender moments with the family including their late father as it’s clear that these Ukranian powerhouse brothers are definitely deserving to be more than just champions. They are a great example of what is to become the people’s champions.

A Thousand Words

Oh Eddie Murphy. You used to be so funny. What the fuck happened to you? This movie is clearly one of the worst things Eddie Murphy has done. It’s also one of the worst films I had ever seen. Murphy tries too hard to be funny and brash early in the film. Then when he’s silent, he’s not funny at all. Then the film just gets worse and idiotic as it delves into sappy sentimentality that ends in a very cheesy manner. This film is further confirmation that Brian Robbins is clearly one of the worst filmmakers working today.

The Monday Night War

I’m a pro wrestling fan for nearly twenty years and I enjoyed watching both WCW Monday Nitro and WWE Monday Night Raw during that period between 1995 to 2000. Although it’s a documentary that tends to favor more towards the WWE side of things since it was produced by the WWE. It does have some great ideas about how these two companies battled it out for ratings where WCW seemed to be on top until WWE came back with a vengeance in 1998. While it is quite flawed since there is a lot more that got left out, it is still something that fans of pro wrestling must watch.

Sweet Home Alabama-The Southern Rock Saga

A BBC documentary that I saw on YouTube about the creation and emergence of Southern Rock in the 1970s. It’s definitely a really enjoyable one that explore its roots and how a band like the Allman Brothers really made a difference for the South when things were tough at the time. Along with interviews from people like Charlie Daniels, Donnie Van Zant of .38 Special, and various associates of acts like Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Marshall Tucker Band, the people of Capricorn Records, and former R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills. It’s just a very fun documentary to watch that will make anyone salivate for good tunes and some Southern fried cooking.

Re-Watches:

1. Lost in Translation

2. Chungking Express

3. The Tree of Live

4. Caddyshack

5. National Lampoon’s Vacation

6. Kicking & Screaming

7. Superman

8. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

9. Forrest Gump

10. Vice Versa

Well, that’s it for September and what a good month it was. While I was planning to watch films by Samuel Fuller and Robert Altman, I decided to push that for November as I wanted to focus on something else for October. Throughout the month of October, I will be watching some horror and suspense films from the likes of John Carpenter and Roman Polanski along with other films from Europe and Asia. Also slated for October will be new releases like Looper, The Perks of Being a Wildflower, Argo, and a few others along with some Sergio Leone-related projects for my upcoming Auteurs series on him as well as some James Bond-related films as I reach the near-end of the Bond marathon. Until then, this is thevoid99 signing off.

© thevoid99 2012