365 Days of Cinema: The June report

365 Days of Cinema: The June report Image

A look back at the May reviews and ratings in my Facebook fan page project, "365 Days of Cinema II: Electric Boogaloo." (For the full explanation, see my column or this blog entry.) Monthly and year-long stats are at the end.

Day 152 – The Wicker Man (1973) – The original, remade in 2006. This version is as scary (particularly psychologically) as the Nicolas Cage version is silly. Amazing performances by Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee, and probably the best Britt Ekland ever was. (4 stars on a scale of four)

Day 153 – Stone (2010) – Had anyone suggested a film starring Edward Norton and Robert DeNiro would have me aching for a fast-forward button, I'd have argued intensely. And my intense arguing would have been more dramatic than anything either of them did in this paycheck vehicle. (1 star on a scale of four)

Day 154 – Day for Night (1973) – This French movie was the first look many got at what it's really like behind the scenes of a film. Plenty of movies have been devoted to this topic, but this one – with romantic entanglements, a boozy actress, improvising to make the best of bad situations – is among the best. (3 1/2 stars on a scale of four)

Day 155 – The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965) – Richard Burton (one of his seven Academy Award nominations) and Claire Bloom shine in this intellectual Cold War spy story. Intense, but largely a story told by talking heads sitting in rooms. (2 1/2 stars on a scale of four)

Day 156 – Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) – The comic book-meets-video game world here is a little out of my realm, but the movie looks cool and there's enough wit in the script to appeal to most, even those of us who are really weary of Michael Cena. (2 1/2 stars on a scale of four)

Day 157 – By Love Possessed (1961) – What "Peyton Place" hath wrought. (This also stars Lana Turner.) Predictable soap opera about lawyers and ne'er-do-wells (sometimes the same people) in a point-and-shoot flick. Features a cute young Yvonne "Batgirl" Craig. (1 star on a scale of four)

Day 158 – Visioneers (2008) – Zach Galifianakis stars in a tale of a dystopia where citizens are literally exploding. The very definition of a dark comedy for two acts, it turns brutal (and unfortunately starts to lag when it should be its most powerful) in the final half-hour. (2 1/2 stars on a scale of four)

Day 159 – Daydream Nation (2010) – An interesting slice of life about an alienated teen girl in new surroundings and how she handles herself and a select few others. Kat Dennings has to carry the film and shines in that capacity. (2 1/2 stars on a scale of four)

Day 160 – Jack Goes Boating (2010) – A quiet, deliberately paced film about a couple of shy lower-class people played by Amy Ryan and director Philip Seymour Hoffman. The film is fine, if unremarkable. The acting is, as you might suspect, spectacular. (2 1/2 stars on a scale of four)

Day 161 – Spin (2007) – Six people's lives intersect, and they realize their missteps and misadventures the following day. Part funny, part dramatic and plenty clever from a filmmaking point of view. Better than I expected it would be. (2 1/2 stars on a scale of four)

Day 162 – Super 8 (2011) – I love being surprised by a movie, and while this felt like some time-honored films of the past ("E.T.," "The Goonies"), it was at the same time new and fresh. Mark my words: One of the Fanning sisters will win an Oscar within the next 10 years. And so will director J.J. Abrams. (3 stars on a scale of four)

Day 163 – Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949) – Alec Guinness plays eight roles, led by a man who avenges his mother being cast out by her well-to-do family by killing all the members of that family (played by him). A dark comedy that's not filled with guffaws but with smirks. (3 stars on a scale of four)

Day 164 – Cannibal! The Musical (1993) – A pre-"South Park" independent film (yes, a musical) from the controversial TV show's co-creator, Trey Parker. Lots of indie missteps, but lots of signs of what was to come from Parker as well. And the guy writes a solid song. (2 stars on a scale of four)

Day 165 – X-Men: First Class (2011) I understand it's a comic book movie, but boy, this is about as subtle as a mallet to the forehead. (Tolerance! Be yourself!) That said, this is action-packed and even establishing the characters is done quickly and in the flow of the story. Good fun. (3 stars on a scale of four)

Day 166 – Teenage Catgirls in Heat (1997) – The people who work on Troma films seem to be having so much fun making movies, I feel like a terrible curmudgeon for disliking them. But they're awkward, shot poorly and nonsensical. I don't care if that's the point. It's bad. (0 stars on a scale of four)

Day 167 – Winter of Frozen Dreams (2008) – An apparently true story of a college dropout who turns to blackmail, prostitution and murder. The real story has to be more interesting and involving than this dull and faux-ominous snoozer. (1 star on a scale of four)

Day 168 – The Masque of the Red Death (1964) – Truly magnificent early 1960s horror starring Vincent Price as the evil devil-worshiping Prospero and directed by Roger Corman, who was probably working with the largest budget he ever had. (3 stars on a scale of four)

Day 169 – Naked Ambition: An R Rated Look at an X Rated Industry (2009) – The story behind a coffee table book of portraits of adult entertainment stars, and other looks at the accoutrements and fringe players of the adult industry. Without judgment. And without a real focus or point of view, unfortunately. (1 1/2 stars on a scale of four)

Day 170 – Destry Rides Again (1939) – Jimmy Stewart is a Wild West deputy who declines to carry guns. A fast-aced wry comedy from Hollywood's greatest year, and you can see how Madeline Kahn Xeroxed her "Blazing Saddles" character from Marlene Dietrich. (3 1/2 stars on a scale of four)

Day 171 – 60 Spins Around the Sun (2003) – Fascinating documentary about comedian/activist Randy Credico. Amazing stuff on what he did, including his disastrous "Tonight Show with Johnny Carson" debut. I don't know how I missed this guy, but I'm sorry I did. (3 stars on a scale of four)

Day 172 – Abduction (2009) – Not quite terror, not quite horror, not quite exploitation or torture porn and definitely low-budget, this tale about a town that harvests bodies and parts never really coalesces. The most curious use of close-ups this side of Bunuel. (1 star on a scale of four)

Day 173 – Blackballed: The Bobby Dukes Story (2004) – A mockumentary about the return to paintball of a champion after a 10-year suspension. Pretty basic and predictable and not as funny as it should be, except for a transcendent film debut by Ed Helms. (2 stars on a scale of four)

Day 174 – Pirate Radio (2009) – The story of British pirate radio ships in the mid 1960s. It doesn't matter how accurate the story is – the movie (and the real story) is about the love of music, and the irrepressible spirit that true passion provides. (3 1/2 stars on a scale of four)

Day 175 – Damaged Goods (1961) – A cautionary teen tale about the terrors of strange women and VD (the original title of the film). Nothing happens in the first 40 minutes. Nothing. Bonus points for stock footage of Hamms beer being poured. The third act includes a 15-minute 1960s vintage U.S. government STD film. (1 star on a scale of four)

Day 176 – The Killer Inside Me (2010) – Casey Affleck is a psychotic deputy in a film that aspires to be more, but actually is just stylized torture porn with a nice 1950s dressing and a set designer who wasted some good work. No character insight, nothing to say, just some graphic physical violence. (1 star on a scale of four)

Day 177 – Andrei Rublev (1966) – It's regarded as one of the greatest films made. I don't know if it was the subject matter (a 15th century Russian painter), the foreign language or the 3 1/2-hour length, but I couldn't get myself to care. (1 1/2 stars on a scale of four)

Day 178 – The Hole (2001) – A standard but cleverly constructed terror tale about four British students locked in a bunker. The time-twisting tale stars Thora Birch (from her "Ghost World" era), and is more chilling than you'd think at the start. (3 stars on a scale of four)

Day 179 – The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard (2009) – I avoided this because I expected silly and predictable. Silly it is, but funny as well. It even overcomes my active dislike of Jeremy Piven. Hits the predictable notes, but does it with some delightfully foul comedy. (3 stars on a scale of four)

Day 180 – Let's Make It Legal (1951) – Claudette Colbert is the sexiest grandmother in the history of film in this story of a divorced woman being courted while her ex-husband is still around. Some odd relationships in this unclassifiable film. Marilyn Monroe has a bit part. (2 stars on a scale of four)

Day 181 – The Big Steal (1949) – Robert Mitchum is on the run in Mexico from William Bendix, and they both classically massacre the Spanish language in this noir flick. Funnier than most noir, and Jane Greer is pretty irresistible. (3 stars on a scale of four)

For June4 stars (1)3 1/2 stars (3)3 stars (8)2 1/2 stars (6)2 stars (3)1 1/2 stars (2)1 stars (6)1/2 star (0)0 stars (1)

Films seen, by decade:2010-2011 (7)2000-2009 (10)1990-1999 (2)1980-1989 (0)1970-1979 (2)1960-1969 (5)1950-1959 (1)1940-1949 (2)1930-1939 (1)

For the year so far:4 stars (4)3 1/2 stars (8)3 stars (48)2 1/2 stars (45)2 stars (21)1 1/2 stars (28)1 stars (19)1/2 star (3)0 stars (5)

Films seen, by decade:2010-2011 (54)2000-2009 (63)1990-1999 (11)1980-1989 (6)1970-1979 (10)1960-1969 (10)1950-1959 (16)1940-1949 (8)1930-1939 (4)

Tags: movies