The Films That I Saw: December 2014

The New Year is approaching as 2014 is coming to a close. I’m relieved that I finished many of my obligations for the year though I feel like I’ve fell short of a personal goal of mine which I wanted to achieve which is to watch 500 films in the entire year. That was unfortunate due to illness as I spent much of early December including my birthday throwing up and suffering from the flu. That illness forced me to miss several theatrical releases that I wanted to see but my illness and scheduling reasons prevented me from seeing those films. Other than that, it was still a good month as I got some good Xmas presents in some Criterion DVDs as some of them that I got were my Blind Spot assignments for the next year.

In the month of December, I saw a total of 24 films in14 first-timers and 10 re-watches. Not surprisingly down from last month as I was dealing with the flu as one of the highlights of the month was Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom as here are the top 10 first-timers I saw for December 2014:

1. Two Days, One Night

2. Foxcatcher

3. Frank

4. The Lego Movie

5. In a World...

6. Confidentially Yours

7. Nymphomaniac

8. Prisoners

9. The Interview

10. Little Buddha

Monthly Mini-Reviews

Emerson, Lake, & Palmer: Beyond the Beginning

There is no group that is as polarizing as Emerson, Lake, and Palmer as this 2006 documentary showcased a band that was known for bombastic stage performances and musicality that is adored by some while loathed by many. There’s no question into how influential they are in the world of progressive rock as the documentary showcases the band’s rise and their notoriety to create long-winded pieces of music to display their talents as musicians. Yet, it does have some funny moments as it relates to their late 70s tour with an orchestra that ruined the band financially as well as gain the ire of the punk rock scene.

The Kate Bush Story: Running Up That Hill

It’s good to know that Kate Bush has returned to performing live and doing shows, even if it’s for a limited engagement. The documentary made by the BBC in anticipation for her comeback shows at the Hammersmith Odeon in London show what a fascinating career she has. Especially for someone who is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea while being very independent and making music on her own terms. It plays into aspects of her perfectionist approach to music which is always worth as well as commentary from colleagues and fans of her music, including Big Boi of Outkast which is a big surprise, as it’s a must-see for fans as well as newbies to Bush.

Top 10 Re-watches

1. Y Tu Mama Tambien

2. Frances Ha

3. A Fish Called Wanda

4. Sexy Beast

5. Serenity

6. Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

7. Jazzin’ for Blue Jean

8. The Crew

9. Milk Money

10. Home of the Brave

Well, that is it for December as it’s time to clean the slate. Aside from a reflective piece on the year which will be the last thing I release for 2014. There is a lot coming in January such as the next 2 parts of the Most Anticipated Films of 2015 list plus theatrical releases like Inherent Vice, Mr. Turner, and A Most Violent Year. Other films I plan to watch in January involve some of the films of the upcoming Auteurs subjects I’m going to watch as I will work on the first 2015 piece on Noah Baumbach. Plus, films by Michael Winterbottom, Marcel Carne, the Marx Brothers, Harold Lloyd, Buster Keaton, and other films plus The Story of Film series as I’ve seen a third of it so far. Until then, this is thevoid99 signing off.

© thevoid99 2014