Tag: movies

An End to 2017 – Television and Movies Watched

The two things that stand out in my viewings for 2017 are Game of Thrones and the Great British Baking Show. I finally caved in and joined the rest of the world and watched through GoT. And that probably would have been my highlight of the year if it wasn’t for the Great British Baking Show. What a lovely departure from the race to the bottom, zero-sum aesthetic of every other “reality” show on the air. What a cheery and uplifting change from what’s usually on the television. Coco was also embraced this even making the world of the dead more lively, cheerful, colorful, and hopeful than the world we see usually portrayed on the silver screen.

I didn’t watch as much as last year, even though I did watch 31 horror movies in October again. Click-through for the list.

Continue reading “An End to 2017 – Television and Movies Watched”

Movies Watched – Wrapping up 2016

Movies watched

This is the third year that I’ve tracked all the tv shows and movies I watched over the year. It was my best year for movies so far, but that was because I watched a movie every night in the month of October to celebrate the Halloween season. It was a fun experience, I even wrote up reviews for all of them but I don’t know if I would do it again this year. I worry there aren’t another 31 horror movies out there that I want to see.

I was looking for a theme or some overarching impulse that tied together my viewing for the year but I’m at a loss to find one. Top Gear took over the last part of the year while my re-watch (and re-read) of Harry Potter dominated the beginning.

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Movies Watched – Wrapping up 2015

Movies watched

2014 was the first year I started tracing all the movies I watched and television shows I had seen. This will be my first year blogging about it. I almost doubled my movie viewing last year. This might have something to do with why my book reading was down (to be honest that’s probably the fault of television shows. You’ll see in the next post…)

In preparation for the new Star Wars movie I also rewatched the first six. Instead of doing this as a solitary pursuit though, I invited friends over to view the films with me every Sunday leading up to the release of Force Awakens. This turned out to be a great idea and it seems everyone had a lot of fun at these viewings. I might make this a regular event at my house.

Out of this list the movies that stand out the most are The Babadook, Inside Out, and the Force Awakens all for entirely different reasons. The first is a fantastic commentary on being a parent presented as a smart horror film, the second is a beautiful reminder of the wonder of childhood and how much of that is lost as we age, and the last was just a really fun, space romp with characters I care about.

With that here is the list of movies I watched in 2015: Continue reading “Movies Watched – Wrapping up 2015”

False Four: Springtime

Springtime music

Springtime movies

  • Bambi – I can’t think of a more appropriate film for the season.
  • Field of Dreams – This could be a summer film as well. But Spring seems to be the season I associate most with the sport of Baseball. A wonderful story about a man who misses his father and the sport that connected them.
  • Seven Brides for Seven Brothers – Guess it shows I was raised by someone who loved musicals. This story centers around a family of brothers who steal themselves wives… Yeah, it’s pretty great.
  • The Producers – A delightful and light musical that features “Springtime for Hitler.”

Springtime books

  • Pawn of Prophecy – The first book in David Edding’s Belgariad pentalogy. I don’t know if I can say this is a good book. I just know that I read it every spring for about 15 years of my life. My thoughts and concepts of Spring as a season are inexorably tied up with this book.
  • The Secret Garden – A young orphan and her ailing cousin healed by the power of Nature’s ability to re-grow an overcome adversity. A perfect book for the season.
  • The Odyssey – There isn’t anything particularly “springish” about Homer’s epic poem about the trials of the Greek hero Odysseus as he tries to make his way home from Asia Minor to the island of Ithaca. Spring seems like the ideal time to read the poem and the growth of Odysseus from trope ‘hero’ to conflicted man, loving father and dutiful husband is reminiscent of the new growth we see in this season.
  • The Cat in the Hat – Dr. Seuss’ most famous book! The rains that keep our two protagonists in always seemed to be spring rains to me an t

Springtime dates

  • Day hike – With the weather warming up it’s time to get out of the house and get some exercise. Whether it be an urban adventure or among the great outdoors. Hiking is an excellent way to learn about and spend time with that special someone in your life.
  • Picnic in the Park – Skip the resturants and cafes during Spring and instead pack a basket full of fresh bread, fruits, and a cured meat and head out to your local park to soak up the wonders of the season.
  • Farmer’s Market Trip –  Turn a grocery store trip into an exciting outing to the local Farmer’s Market. Get to know your local food producers and sample their wares!
  • Evening stroll through your local arboretum or botanical gardens – Can’t get out into the Wilds? See if your town or city has an arboretum or botanical garden. Avoid the crowds an go just around sunset and surround yourself in the beauty of a Spring evening.
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