the amateur

To be honest, I've never written a film review. I've written thousands (hundreds of thousands, even?) of words about movies, but I've never just written a review. And I don't know that I want to start now.

But I have been watching some really great films late at night, and I thought I would at least share them. So, an abbreviated list of movies I saw this year (on Netflix, in theaters, rented, or in class) and what I sort of thought about them. Most of these reviews are not helpful, unless you and I have the same taste.

The scary thing? There are approximately 91 movies on this list (I got tired counting). It doesn't account for every movie I saw that I'd never seen (it's hard to remember every movie you watched), nor does it take into account movies I watched that I'd already seen (which is kind of a lot). Or multiple viewings (for example, I've somehow seen Source Code three times). Basically, I think I watch maybe 3 movies a week. There was a time (before film school) when I read that many books a week. I kind of miss those days. 

Movies I Watched and LOVED:
A Very Long Engagement - amazing. amazing. amazing.
I Capture the Castle - very sweet story
Limitless - I want those pills.
Dirty Harry - Just as awesome as I was told it was.
Like Water for Chocolate - My parents rented this when it came out and I didn't see it (b/c it's not appropriate for kids) and I'm so glad I finally watched it. Beautiful.
Buck - One of my favorite docs
The Iron Giant - So sweet. Perfect kids movie.
Mansfield Park
Kick Ass - very....interesting. Loved it though. Super violent.
Secretariat - who doesn't love an underdog? Even though I was never into horses I really loved it.
Timer - one of the most interesting concepts I've seen in a film and they pulled it off.
Hugo - Lovely! Enchanting! Charming! (Do I look like a movie poster yet?)
Winter's Bone - rough to watch but really good
To Live - Chinese film that we watched for class. Absolutely beautiful.
O Brother, Where Art Though?
A River Runs Through It
True Grit - I cannot say enough good things about this movie. 
Friends with Benefits - Laughed so hard throughout most of this.
The Hangover - Hilarious. Even though people had built it up a lot.
Flypaper - saw this at Sundance...loved it
X-Men: First Class - Funny nods to 60s Bond films and a lot of hotness in one film.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Crazy Stupid Love
The Descendants - if you cheat on George Clooney you will die a slow, ugly death.

Movies I watched and LIKED:
Wristcutters: A Love Story - interesting. held my attention. I don't like that chick though.
GI Joe: Rise of Cobra
Alice in Wonderland (Tim Burton version) - liked it more than I thought I would
Hot Tub Time Machine - hilarious. Super vulgar. Watch only if you are OK with John Cusack no longer being the nice guy in your mind.
A Knight's Tale - I sort of missed parts of this as I was busy...but it was funny. See above re: that chick
Abduction - I was pretty much there for Taylor Lautner's abs, and they delivered.
The Hurt Locker - sort of built up but I enjoyed it.
The Social Network - took me two viewings to see the whole thing but that isn't a comment on the quality
Source Code - Jake Gyllenhaal being wonderful and brave. Enough said.
The Adjustment Bureau - Matt Damon and Emily Blunt? In New York? With John Slattery and fantastic suits and hats? Sign me up.
I Am Number Four
50/50
Water for Elephants - Gorgeous to look at.
The Help - the book is better
Something Borrowed - the book is worse
Life in a Day 

Movies I feel kind of 'meh' about:
Brief Interviews with Hideous Men - this was a little too loose narratively
New York, I Love You - I like Paris, Je T'aime better
Cherry - an old friend's little brother is in this so I watched it
The Romantics - Katie Holmes, Adam Brody, Elijah Wood, Anna Paquin, Josh Duhamel, Candice Bergen...I'm not sure what went wrong
Muriel's Wedding - a lot of people love this movie, I guess I didn't get it
Once More with Feeling - to be honest I don't really remember what this was about
Breaking Upwards - this movie screams INDEPENDENT!! and also BROOKLYN!! I don't like to be screamed at.
Titan A.E. - Netflix recommended it, and it entertained me during my insomnia
Killers - I'll usually watch a Katherine Heigl rom-com and this was fine.
Hanna
Just Go with It
Beastly - This kind of thing is right up my alley, I expected to enjoy it more.
Contagion - Kind of disappointing. Also - if you cheat on Matt Damon you will die a horrible, ugly death.
The Ides of March
 

Movies I finished that I wish I hadn't:
Dare
Nearing Grace 
My Girlfriend's Boyfriend - Christopher Gorham what did they do to you?!
The Dilemma
Dolphin Tale - it was the first movie in a double feature drive in.

Movies I Started but Didn't Finish (and don't want to):
The Good Guy
Happiness Runs
The Last Song
A Wrinkle in Time
Last Tango in Paris
Take Me Home Tonight
Time Bandits - a bunch of people in my department love this one...I couldn't make it through 15 minutes

Movies I Started but Didn't Finish (and do want to):
Eat Pray Love
The Basketball Diaries
Hannah and her Sisters
Before Sunrise
The Piano

Movies I had to watch for school that I wouldn't have watched otherwise:
Somewhere
Early Summer
Swept Away
Orlando - Tilda Swinton gives me nightmares
Christopher Strong - LOVE! Katherine Hepburn is amazing.
Working Girls (left after 20 minutes)
Dirty Pretty Things
21 Grams
8 1/2
The Searchers - John Wayne...so amazing.
The Kids are All Right
Floating Weeds


A few notes on TV:
Episodes of 30 Rock I watched - all of them
Breaking Bad - wonderful but super stressful
Parks and Rec - continues to bring it

Clearly, this is not possibly a list of every movie I saw this year, but it's late and I'm sleep deprived. And you probably didn't make it through the whole list anyway.