2024 Film Challenge

I get that. I did the same with 2021's.

First category complete!

Good Ol' Terra Ferma:

The class of the group: Antarctica: A Year on Ice (2014) is a good look at what goes on in yearlong stints in the frigid continent. There's a spirit of cooperation whether it's a big New Year's party or a movie festival (!). But it doesn't shy away from the hard part of staying there: the frigid temperatures, forgetting simple things, the resentment at those who come in during the warm season (relatively speaking). Definitely a fascinating watch.

The rest: Desierto (2015) has a couple of decent performances (Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Gael Garcia Bernal) but a lack of characterization and depth of story keeps this from fulfilling what could have been a provocative premise. True Spirit (2023) has a gripping real-life story of a teen girl determined to go around the world, but outside of Anna Paquin appearing as her mother (!), but it feels a bit too sanitized for our protection as the film struggles between the teen film it's trying to be (a let's repair the boat sequence with Cobie Caillet's Brighter than the Sun playing) and the true story it is (the sequence where the storms hit as she's fairly close to home). We may have to wait for the documentary on that one. The story of Zan: King of the Jungle (aka Tarzan in the Golden Grotto) (1968) and how it got made is ultimately more interesting than the film itself. Although the jungles in Suriname look nice and there's a couple amusing scenes involving snakes, one gets bored of the efforts of two white men to get gold and Zan's efforts to protect first a prospector who is looking for a treasure and then his daughter while he plays peacemaker between an Amazon tribe and a tribe of natives. I'd guess Edgar Rice Burroughs wouldn't have approved of the efforts of Manuel Cano to get this made.

Here's the second!

Sophomore's Choice:

The Class of the Group: Detour (1945) is a top flight noir about a piano player who bums a ride to Hollywood to reunite with his singer girlfriend. Before you can say danger, Al finds himself over his head with a dead body, a borrowed identity and a mysterious woman (Ann Savage, living up to the name) who makes his life a living hell. The fact that this film manages to pack that much punch in 68 short minutes means it should probably be illegal...but it isn't!

The Rest: A bunch of decent films that couldn't compete with one of my top 3 of the year so far. Nothing Sacred (1937) had some moments that packed a punch (literally) and some solid chemistry between Carole Lombard and Frederick March, but it failed to hit the dizzying heights of His Girl Friday, Bringing Up Baby or The Philadelphia Story. Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (1937) was definitely a landmark in animation for Disney, but the film's characters lacked the depth that I found in Frozen and the story is a bit too simple for its own good. Credit however to the evil Queen/stepmother for keeping me going. Robin Hood (1973) is also a bit too simple for its own good, even though the voice acting wasn't bad and there were some entertaining moments. The Unholy Four (1970) had an interesting story and some good action sequences, but it was poky in the first half and lead Leonard Mann was overshadowed by Woody Strode.

June 5th Update!

Seen It
(Watching It)
Plan on Seeing It

Throwing a little update of my own as I reached the 100 movie milestone recently (my detailed list is on the first page).

I've been knocking out the main challenges quite easily so far, most of them without even trying.

In nightmare mode, Spanish is my language of choice and I have been mostly cleaning out South American films that were in my watchlist for a long time.

Yashujiro Ozu's filmography has been progressing nicely and I will probably complete that part of the challenge by the end of the month. Other categories such as longer shots, Year of the Dragon, Genre (doing Mystery this year) and MoFo Lists have been filling up without me aiming for films specifically for them.

However, I am way behind on Gunnar Bjornstrand (whom I picked in order to watch more Bergman) so I need to get a move on with that one. The same goes for Films Based on Theatrical Plays, the US National Film Registry and your own recommendations.

How is everyone's challenge going so far?

I’m behind in the nightmare challenge. I hope to make more of a dent next month though.
I’m a little over halfway on normal mode, however.

On the Main Challenge, about two thirds of the way done.

I wasn't planning on completing the nightmare mode, but I do plan on putting a dent in it in most categories. Particularly in the challenges that I'm repeating from previous years (Blanchett/Scorsese/French).

My internet issues that have happened in the last week or so haven't helped matters, but I should be done with the Main Challenge by Labor Day this year?

Usually by June I'd be here


Instead, I am here


Ah, well. Push forward!

C. Sophomore’s Choice
[watch one film from each duo of subgenres listed below]
1. Screwball Comedy Rhubarb
2. Medieval Fantasy The Sword and the Sorcerer
3. Young Adult Romance To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
4. Hand-drawn Animation When the Wind Blows
5. Martial Arts Royal Warriors

D. I coulda been a contender:
[watch a film that has won the following awards]
1. Cannes Film Festival Rosetta
2. Academy Award Terms of Endearment
3. Sundance Film Festival Style Wars
4. Toronto International Film Festival The Hanging Garden

E. I have always depended on the lists of strangers:
[watch one film featured in each of the following prominent lists]
1. Roger Ebert’s Great Films Trouble in Paradise
2. IMDb Top 250 (2023 edition) Wild Tales
3. Criterion Collection First Man into Space
4. BFI Top 100 British films Genevieve
5. MoFo Hall of Fame Autumn Sonata

Halfway through the year I am almost halfway through the main challenge. I've finished three categories:

A. The Human Condition
[watch a film that prominently features the common themes listed below]
1. Blackmail
Victim (1961)
2. Infidelity
Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011)
3. Theft
The Ladykillers (1955)
4. Murder
Targets (1968)

B. Good old terra firma!
[watch a film predominantly taking place in each of the landscapes listed below]
1. Desert
Dune: Part Two (2024)
2. Jungle
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)
3. Open Sea
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)
4. Snowland
The Revenant (2015)

L. Are we there yet?
[watch one film for each of the miscellaneous challenges listed below]
1. a biographical film
Oppenheimer (2023)
2. a film from a country you’ve visited or live in
The Boy and the Heron (2023) (Japan)
3. a film with more than 300k votes on IMDb
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
4. a film in theaters
Beau Is Afraid (2023)

Top pick from this batch is Victim, but The Ladykillers, Targets, The Revenant, Oppenheimer, and The Boy and the Heron also all get high marks from me.

F. I see dead people:
[watch one film from each group of deceased directors, actors and cinematographers]
1. Oscar Micheaux Lying Lips
2. Agnes Varda Gleaners and I
3. Angela Lansbury The Mirror Crack’d
4. Leslie Cheung Rouge
5. Leon Shamroy The Great Gambini

G. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
[watch a film in which the protagonist has the following profession]
1. Journalist Holy Spider
2. Lawyer The Divorce of Madame X
3. Police Officer Death Drums Along the River
4. Teacher or Professor Cassandra Cat

I didn't like The Mirror Crack'd and Death Drums Along the River was just so-so, but I'd recommend all the other ones.

Holy Spider is a good one.

All Work and No Play Makes Jack a Dull Boy:

The Class of the Group: The Holdovers was one of those films that was exceptionally well done. A nice mix of drama and comedy about a very unlikable professor who learns to be more human thanks to the school cook and the one student stuck behind during the holiday season. I think this would make for a good viewing over the Christmas holidays.

The Rest: While it does have some early weirdness (Columbo looks impeccably dressed here), Prescription Murder has a despicable villain and is a solid pilot episode in the series. The Front Page is no His Girl Friday, but it's alright showing some chemistry between Lemmon and Matthau. Unlike others, I wasn't bugged by Carol Burnett's performance as Molly Malloy. The Judge had some strong performances (Downey Jr. and Duvall) but a film with too many subplots and a less than subtle script. I mean one scene of the two of them hashing things out occurs during a tornado warning!

H. Michael Jackson in Disneyland
[watch one film for each category inspired by Michael Jackson songs]
1. Remember the Time: a time-travelling film Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes
2. Smooth Criminal: a Gentleman Thief film Raffles
3. Black or White: a black & white film released between 1958-2009 The Night Walker
4. Beat it: a martial arts film Dreadnaught
5. Bad: a film with an IMDb score below 5.0 Fear the Night

I. The Golden Age Part 1: The Dirty 30s
[watch a 1930s Hollywood film for each of the challenges relating to the decade]
1. a film that won an Academy Award You Can’t Take it With You
2. a Universal Horror (or other monster) film The Face at the Window
3. a traditional Western Oh, Susanna
4. a film directed by Ernst Lubitsch The Merry Widow
5. a film starring Bela Lugosi The Death Kiss

A decent bunch, but You Can't Take it With You is the clear standout.

There's No Place Like Home:

The Class of the Field: Top Secret! might seem a bit unusual pick here, but considering the category is Stranger in a Foreign Place, it works! Nick Rivers (Val Kilmer) is an American in Eastern Europe for a Government Festival and finds himself involved with spies and kidnapped scientists. From the makers of Airplane!, it's a solid time as Kilmer proves to be good as a dreamy idol of the 1950s (the music: a cross between Elvis and the Beach Boys is on point as well).with just a touch of bad boy to him. Plus Omar Sharif and Michael Gough!

The Rest: Not much to sing home about. The first 10-15 minutes of Annie Hall about ran me off of Woody Allen films altogether. Then there was a comeback as it settled into a rhythm (maybe the focus on man-suit wearing Diane Keaton helped?). Then they had to do that last joke which was in poor taste. Eh, it was alright, I guess. Wanted to do Easy Rider for Road Trip, but got stuck with All the Places because I was impatient (and why did I watch so many Netflix originals this year?). There's nothing about this siblings who hate each other get stinking drunk and decide to replicate a motorcycle ride they planned as teens movie you haven't seen before. There were a few moments that worked for me, but not nearly enough of them. The Woman in the Window is well mounted with Joe Wright as director and a solid cast (Amy Adams! Gary Oldman! Julianne Moore! Jennifer Jason Leigh! Brian Tyree Henry! Anthony Mackie!). But a pedestrian script knocks back any attempted fancy dramatic camera angles and ensures this film is a Hitch-crock.

Mid-year inventory:


A. The Human Condition
[watch a film that prominently features the common themes listed below]
1. Blackmail – Afraid to Talk (1932)
2. Infidelity – Accident (1967)
3. Theft – The Vault (2021)
4. Murder – Destination Murder (1950)

B. Good old terra firma!
[watch a film predominantly taking place in each of the landscapes listed below]
1. Desert – Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)
2. Jungle – Voodoo Woman (1957)
3. Open Sea – The Last Voyage of the Demeter (2023)
4. Snowland – Men of the North (1930)

C. Sophomore’s Choice
[watch one film from each duo of subgenres listed below]
1. Slasher Horror – Hell Night (1981)
2. Medieval Fantasy – The Flight of Dragons (1982)
3. Film Noir – Johnny Stool Pigeon (1949)
4. Historical Drama – The Assassination of Trotsky (1957)
5. Martial Arts – White Phantom (1987)

D. I coulda been a contender:
[watch a film that has won the following awards]
1. Cannes Film Festival - The Tragedy of Othello: The Moor of Venice (1951) / Grand Prize
2. Academy Award – Main Street on the March! (1941) – Best Short Subject
3. Sundance Film Festival - X
4. Toronto International Film Festival – Stake Land (2010) – Midnight Madness Award

E. I have always depended on the lists of strangers:
[watch one film featured in each of the following prominent lists]
1. Roger Ebert’s Great Films – Touch of Evil (1958)
2. IMDb Top 250 (2023 edition) – Dial M For Murder (1954)
3. Criterion Collection – Chimes at Midnight (1965)
4. BFI Top 100 British films – The Servant (1963)
5. MoFo Hall of Fame - X

F. I see dead people:
[watch one film from each group of deceased directors, actors and cinematographers]
1. George Cukor, Oscar Micheaux, Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Charles Chaplin - X
2. Lino Brocka, Federico Fellini, Agnes Varda, Yoshishige Yoshida - X
3. Natalie Wood – Tomorrow is Forever (1946)
4. Marlon Brando, Lasse Pöysti, Leslie Cheung, Anthony Quinn - X
5. Kazuo Miyagawa, Leon Shamroy, Piotr Sobocinski, James Wong Howe - X

G. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
[watch a film in which the protagonist has the following profession]
1. Journalist – The Lawless (1950)
2. Lawyer - X
3. Police Officer – Radio Patrol (1932)
4. Teacher or Professor – To Dust (2018)

H. Michael Jackson in Disneyland
[watch one film for each category inspired by Michael Jackson songs]
1. Remember the Time: a time-travelling film – Godzilla vs King Ghidorah (1991)
2. Smooth Criminal: a Gentleman Thief film – The Pink Panther (1963)
3. Black or White: a black & white film released between 1958-2009 – The Monster of the Opera (1964)
4. Beat it: a martial arts film – Sakura Killers (1987)
5. Bad: a film with an IMDb score below 5.0 – Batman & Robin (1997)

I. The Golden Age Part 1: The Dirty 30s
[watch a 1930s Hollywood film for each of the challenges relating to the decade]
1. a film that won an Academy Award - It Happened One Night (1934)
2. a Universal Horror (or other monster) film - X
3. a traditional Western – Law and Order (1932)
4. a film directed by Frank Capra, Ernst Lubitsch, Charlie Chaplin or Victor Fleming - X
5. a film starring James Cagney, Bela Lugosi, Jean Arthur or Ginger Rogers - X

J. There’s no place like home
[watch a film corresponding to each of the settings below]
1. a road film – For Now (2019)
2. a stranger-in-a-foreign-place film – Watcher (2022)
3. a film taking place in a confined space – Goliath Awaits (1981)
4. a film that is an homage to a city – New Orleans Uncensored (1955)

K. I need a hero
[watch a film adhering to the conflict-inspired themes below]
1. Human vs Nature – Phase IV (1974)
2. Human vs Society – The Trial (1962)
3. Human vs Technology – Project X (1968)

L. Are we there yet?
[watch one film for each of the miscellaneous challenges listed below]
1. a biographical film – Lenny Cooke (2013)
2. a film from a country you’ve visited or live in – Spiral (2019), Canada
3. a film with more than 300k votes on IMDb – Uncut Gems (2019)
4. a film in theaters – Sasquatch Sunset (2024)

__________________
Captain's Log
My Collection

J. There’s no place like home
[watch a film corresponding to each of the settings below]
1. a road film The Muppet Movie
2. a stranger-in-a-foreign-place film So Long at the Fair
3. a film taking place in a confined space Crawlspace
4. a film that is an homage to a city New York, I Love You

Honestly, the films above are in descending order of quality. Loved The Muppet Movie, really enjoyed So Long at the Fair, Crawlspace was pretty meh, and New York I Love You was straight up terrible.

The Muppet Movie is an absolute gem of a movie and my go-to example if I'm ever explaining to someone what a meta-film is (this comes up more than you would think).