2012 is getting closer and closer, and last year’s resolutions have already been long forgotten (for me anyway). NEXT YEAR IT WILL ALL GO BETTER. Split Reel has been quiter than usual the past two months, and so have I, focusing more on other things rather than blogging; hopefully, this will change starting December. Glasgow’s already bringing in the lovely Christmas weather (it’s been raining for the past week) and I’ve for some reason done most of my Christmas shopping (which must mean I’m actually 70 years old)…
… I had a point in here somewhere. Ah yes, the resolutions.
The Dirty Dozen
Ryan (who got the idea here) from The Matinee (if you aren’t already reading his blog, shame, shame on you) is starting a series running every last Tuesday of the month, starting in January 2012, to cover his blind spot of films. When you’re a movie buff people often assume you’ve seen everything, which is very inaccurate. All of us, for one reason or another, have sometimes dradful gaps on our seen-list. Ryan’s encouraging bloggers and readers to make that list of those 12 films you have yet to seen, but really belong to a wellrounded movie education. My list for The 2012 Blind Spot Series looks like this :
Top Gun (1986)
Field of Dreams (1989)
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
Dawn of the Dead (1978)
Léon (1994)
Blue Velvet (1986)
Gangs of New York (2007)
The Color Purple (1985)
The Sting (1973)
Withnail & I (1987)
The Hurt Locker (2008)
La Vita È Bella (1997)
Some of these are embarrasing, some not. Gangs is the only Scorsese that I haven’t seen. Top Gun and Field of Dreams are by no means classics of excellent filmmaking but they have such a prominent position even in today’s pop culture that they are must-sees (I actually only picked FOD so I can use that picture of Kevin Costner in a corn field in this post). First woman ever to win an Oscar for directing? Didn’t see that one.
I think this is a great challenge, and one more step to being a true movie aficionado.
Link It To Me Baby aha aha
Andy explains the reasons why Platoon is his favourite film of all time.
Big Thoughts from a Small Mind goes through the Holiday Film Season.
I’M POSTING A LINK TO MY OWN SITE. Did everyone catch Split Reel’s 123 Films Everyone Should See? I think I will be working on this continuosly, updating it every now and then.
Max really loved The Muppets. Everyone’s really loved the Muppets. I don’t get the Muppets. Are they an American thing?
LAMB’s next MOTM (movie of the month) is Dead Man. I remember seeing at least a part of it years ago and really not liking it. My taste in film has definitely changed since then so will be checking it out for sure.
Surrender to the Void has a great recap of 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days a great, difficult film.
The best commentary on a film ever :
Split Reel 
The Schwarzenegger commentaries are so funny! To think this guy was the Governor of California!
I know, it’s ridiculous isn’t it! “When I am governer I make policy. Here I am doing a speech in the Conservative Party Luncheon.”
Field of Dreams! Yes! They filmed that movie in my home state! Plus, I’m a melodramatic romantic so it totally works for me. My favorite baseball movie. Hope you like it.
And Top Gun is terrible. But it’s also awesome.
I like a lot of those really really bad action films that are so bad they are awesome. Face/Off anyone?
I’ve seen 6 of your dirty dozen. You’ve nothing to fear. I shall make a list of 12 for myself soon :)
Can’t wait!
Some good ones in that list Anna, you are set for a blast. Top Gun is one of my most guilty of pleasures
It’s just something everyone has to see right, so cheesy!
I only really got into film in the last 3-4 years, which already puts me in a great disadvantage to other more seasoned (or even formally trained) movie buffs. However, my attempt to continue writing on my blog has been an effort to not only work on my writing (which I enjoy), but also to put myself challenges and watch films that are regarded as some of the best of all-time by many. This is the reason behind my IMDB Top 250 challenge, and why I’ve been trying to follow blogs like yours.
Anyway, I have “Leon: The Professional” at home and been meaning to watch it for a while now, not to mention it’s in the IMDB top 250.
From the others you mentioned, I have not seen “The Sting”, “Withnail and I” (of which I hadn’t even heard of until now) and I’ve only seen “Blue Velvet in parts.
Top Gun is definitely one of those that is so bad and cheesy that is awesome. Gangs of New York was a bore for me, except for Daniel Day’s amazing performance.
Of the others I urge you to watch “The Good, The Bad and the Ugly” because it is fantastic, definitely in my top 100. Even more of a must is “La Vita e Bella”, which features second on my all-time favorite films. Only one of 16 films I consider absolutely flawless.
Niels
Hey Niels, I completely get what you’re saying! The IMDB 250 is in an interesting creature imo.
Excited about La Vita E Bella now! : -)
Thanks for the Link! The Muppets aren’t an American thing, they are brainwashing a nation’s children with Communist propaganda because their new movie features as its villain the chief executive of an oil company, according to Fox News anyways.
I decided I take part in the twelve films list even though I had something similar with my Flickchart films. Maybe if it’s a community idea, I’ll be more likely to get it done. Thanks again.
Thanks for the link love, Anna! Also, great idea with the Dirty Dozen list – I have seen 7 of those films, but I’ll endeavour to cover mine in my next Monday Links post.
Cool, can’t wait for your list!
There are probably tons of movies I should still see. Looking at your list there are some movies I wish I could see for the first time again. Enjoy them!
Thanks Nostra! I really need something to dazzle me again, I feel like reviewing films has made it more rare than before.