January 2011 Screening Log
Monday, January 3, 2011 at 10:55AM This is probably ill-advised but I thought I'd record what I watched every day this year. Just as an experiment or a diary in list form.
1 Exit Through the Gift Shop (Banksy, 2010) B+
2 True Grit (Coen Bros, 2010) second viewing up a tick to "B"
Cyrus (Duplass Bros, 2010) second viewing B-
Solitary Man (Brian Koppelman & David Levien, 2010), partial viewing. Shut it off when Michael Douglas started an affair with an 18 year old and referred to Mary Louise Parker's body as "thick". Not for me. (I had no idea until I just typed this that the theme of the day was two. As in all films were watched on the second day of January, there were two second viewings and all three films were directed by duos.)
3 n/a
4 No Ordinary Family "No Ordinary Friends" C- I don't know why I watch this show. I couldn't tell you.
5 The Comeback "Valerie Does Another Classic Leno" B+ (I'm still on that Lisa Kudrow binge)
Modern Family "Slow Down Your Neighbors" A/A-
It just occurs to me that in a couple of seasons they're going to have to find a gifted Asian child actress to take over the role of "Lily". That's not going to be easy. This cast has no weak spots so the child will have to be hilarious.
6 n/a
7 cabaret show at The Duplex
8 The Princess Diaries (Garry Marshall, 2001). D+
First half with back turned (was computering). Julie Andrews and Anne Hathaway have such distinct voices. What was Marshall smoking while directing? Bizarre everything: camera work, acting, staging, blocking.
9 Tangled (Greno & Howard, 2010) 3rd *partial* viewing for this writeup.
Picnic at Hanging Rock (Peter Weir, 1975) A-/B+
Unsettling/gorgeous. But reminded me most of inchoate Lynchian dread through a hazy Sofia Coppola so it must have been an influential film.
10 When We Leave (Feo Aladag) B
Germany's Oscar submission
11 Rabbit Hole, The Ghost Writer, A Prophet *partial 2nd and 3rd viewings* for these writeups
No Ordinary Family "No Ordinary Brother" D
12 Downton Abbey (Pt 1. PBS Miniseries) B
Modern Family "Our Children, Ourselves" A-/B+
(the bit about the 3D movie was priceless)
13,14 More partial 2nd and 3rd viewings for most of the top ten writeups.
14 BFCA (for live blogging)
15 For Colored Girls (Tyler Perry, 2010) A/C/F (sometimes all at once!)
A total schizo mess -- whose bright idea was it to keep flipping between the dynamic theatrical verse and banal dialogue you might hear on subpar TV? -- but a couple of A grade performances rescue it. I have to echo what Guy Lodge has been saying: someone get Macy Gray her own Precious level "Mary Jones" part. Let's see what she can do over 2 hours.
16 Golden Globes (for 5 hours of live blogging)
17 Golden Globes ...2nd viewing (I'm not ashamed!)
Downton Abbey (Pt 2 PBS Miniseries) B+
This is surprisingly involving -- The Lovely Laura Linney is presenting each episode. Anyone watching?
18 No Ordinary Family "No Ordinary Detention" D+
This show is so... WHY CAN'T I STOP WATCHING IT? It's hopelessly stoopid.
19-25 Wow, I am doing a TERRIBLE job keeping up this screening log, right? Usually around this time of year I take a break from moviegoing after the glut of Oscar and top ten list prep work and Oscar nominations fervor. Otherwise still watching all the same TV shows
Benjamin Thys & Eugene the Poogene in "Immortal"26 Immortal: The Gilgamesh Variations This is playing in Bushwick, Brooklyn until Sunday night if anyone wants to make last minute theater plans!
I'll admit up front that I was a biased audience member as two friends of mine were involved behind the scenes (including Gabriel Shanks who you may remember from the blog ModFab) but I marvel at their talents. It's so creatively staged and cohesively executed despite being written by several different playwrights and having a few shocking shifts in tone as the Epic of Gilgamesh is retold. I wasn't familiar with most of the cast but the lead actor Eugene the Poogene (who plays the wild man of the forest Enkidu and Gilgamesh -- since that's a rotating part) was terrific in a disciplined highly physical performance.
Here's some rehearsal footage.
27 Caught up on TV viewing, Parks and Recreation, 30 Rock and Ru Paul's Drag Race. Sadly, regarding the latter, I wasn't grabbed by any of the queens. I need someone as cool as Raven but such people are hard to come by.
28-31 Lots of TV. Including catching up with Southland. I hate procedurals so I have no idea why this one appeals to me so much. Can't figure why.