A Short List for Snow-Bound Viewers

Feel like watching something to fit a very specific mood? I've compiled a list of not-so-typical categories and matched each with a show or movie that you will hopefully enjoy. Pile the blankets on, brew another cup of tea, and wait for those snow and ice storms to pass!

Animated: Ponyo (Hayao Miyazaki, 2008)

British Comedy: Black Books, seasons 1-3 (Dylan Moran, 2000-2004)

from China: The King of Masks (Tian-Ming Wu, 1997)

with intense Dialogue: My Dinner with Andre (Louis Malle, 1981)

Epic: East of Eden (Elia Kazan, 1955)

Fantasy: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (Terry Gilliam, 2009)

with a Group of Guys: Diner (Barry Levinson, 1982)

Historical: The Way We Live Now, miniseries (David Yates, 2001)

Illuminating/Inspiring: Water (Deepa Mehta, 2005)

with a Journey: The Motorcycle Diaries (Walter Salles, 2004)

with a King: The Tudors, seasons 1-4 (Michael Hirst, 2007-2010)

with a Love Story: Lovers of the Arctic Circle (Julio Medem, 1998)

from Mexico: Like Water for Chocolate (Alfonso Arau, 1992)

about Nature: Life in the Undergrowth, miniseries (David Attenborough, 2005)

Outlandish: Monty Python's Life of Brian (Terry Jones, 1979)

Psychological Thriller: Gaslight (George Cukor, 1944)

Quiet: Babies (Thomas Balmes, 2010)

Rebellion: The Wild One (Laslo Benedek, 1953)

about a Sleuth: Hetty Wainthropp Investigates, seasons 1-4 (John Bowen & David Cook, 1996-1998)

Tear-jerker: Biutiful (Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, 2010)

Understated Classic: The Last Picture Show (Peter Bogdanovich, 1971)

Vivid Imagery: Raise the Red Lantern (Yimou Zhang, 1991)

Whimsical: Antonia's Line (Marlene Gorris, 1995)

eXhilarating: Man on Wire (James Marsh, 2008)

about Youth: My Life as a Dog (Lasse Hallstrom, 1985)

Zany: Micmacs (Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 2009)

If you ever want a specific recommendation or personal suggestion, send me a message. Eventually, I hope to create a little interactive quiz/questionnaire to do this- keep on the lookout!

Welcome

I am a film-lover, a television show marathoner, a true British comedy geek, and an artsy/foreign film nerd. I watch, study, analyze, cry over, dream about, dissect, and laugh at MOVIES. As a graduate student I researched and wrote about films from all over the world, their meanings and history and cultural significance. So, when I first thought about creating a blog dedicated to my thoughts and views on cinema I was excited. But then I remembered: does the internet really need yet another blog about movies? Do I really want to be yet another film student reviewing, criticizing, and recommending movies? No. I really don't.

The truth is, I dislike reviews. I certainly see the value in an expert opinion, particularly in those I've come to understand have similar tastes to me. But I also believe that people have a strange and complex relationship with films. At least, I do. No one can make me like a movie or hate one or persuade me to think otherwise. Sure, I have learned and listened and been taught about the nuances and craft of filmmaking and this has definitely changed many of my initial reactions. Reading and thinking about the history, storytelling, and camerawork of the movies has made me a better judge of the quality and art of each picture than I ever was before. Nevertheless, what we like -our personal tastes- are somehow beyond this. I will still love movies first and foremost because of how they capture me, suck me in, and make me feel.

And you will, too.

This blog is only a place to tell you what I'm watching and how I felt about it. Short and simple. No spoilers, no heavy analysis, just the basics. I devised my own rating system, which you can view here. I made my own because it suits my needs better. I might make comparisons but only to help guide - recommending films requires knowing the viewer's personality and preferences. I may not know you and I shouldn't assume anything about what you like. But, perhaps, I can assume that you've seen some classic or well-known movies, know what genres you prefer, and which stories draw you in.

I'll start with the easy ones, then. This will likely help you decide whether reading this blog is worth your time. Ten of my favorite films, in no particular order:

1. M*A*S*H (Robert Altman, 1970)

2. Amelie (Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 2001)

3. Harold and Maude (Hal Ashby, 1971)

4. Stand By Me (Rob Reiner, 1986)

5. The Fall (Tarsem Singh, 2006)

6. Diner (Barry Levinson, 1982)

7. City of God (Fernando Meirelles, 2002)

8. Central Station (Walter Salles, 1998)

9. It Happened One Night (Frank Capra, 1934)

10. The Motorcycle Diaries (Walter Salles, 2004)

It doesn't matter to me when or where a film was made, who directed it, who starred in it, how much money it grossed, how many people have seen it, or why it was created. I love crisp and witty writing, impressive and stunning visuals, quiet and thought-provoking stories, moving and believable acting. I'm drawn to coming-of-age dramas about young boys, travel, complexity, mystery, and sometimes whimsy. If you do too, then WELCOME.