Post by idioticbunny on Jun 3, 2018 2:18:59 GMT
It's that time again. I managed to over-do it a bit on the amount of movies to watch from this year (though five of them were actually re-watches), but even with the quantity of them I still felt it was a pretty average year. I liked most of the films, but most of them didn't really wow me. I thought An American in Paris might top Strangers on a Train, but it kind of lost me in its last twenty minutes (I admire the ballet sequence, it's impeccably performed and choreographed, but it felt out-of-place with the rest of the film and the ending was so, so, so rushed afterward). Maybe in time I'll come around to it.
For now, though, I will say that my Lead Actor line-up is hella strong. Not only would Redgrave, Clift, Brando, or Douglas be a worthy winner in any other year, but they'd be a worthy nominee for a decade top ten in most decades. Really difficult to choose my winner out of the four, but Redgrave's performance moved me the most.
Anyway, it was nice to finally see A Streetcar Named Desire. I feel I can finally strike one off of my List of Movie-Lover Shame as I feel that's one I've been meaning to get around to since the beginning of my love for cinema. And it was not quite the movie I expected (never knew anything about it honestly). Vivien Leigh was absolutely amazing, though, and deserves all the praise she's ever gotten as an all-time great performance. Not so sure about the other three of the main cast, but they're certainly some of the best of this year at least.
Overall, pretty meh year, but checked quite a few off my bucket list and feel like I'm finally diving into the golden era of the 1950s. Biggest surprise was The Browning Version and it's nice to know Anthony Asquith still has it (as I really loved the other two films of his I've seen - Cottage on Dartmoor and Pygmalion). Excited to see his Importance of Being Earnest next year. Biggest letdown is probably The Tales of Hoffmann. I mean, a full-length film in the style of Powell/Pressburger's Red Shoes ballet sequence sounded heavenly, but it wound up being quite exhausting actually. Loved the aesthetic of it, but if you're gonna make an opera, I'd rather just go to the opera. Cool idea, but just not the best blending of two different mediums. Here are my line-ups:
Best Picture:
01. Strangers on a Train.
02. An American in Paris.
03. The Browning Version.
04. Ace in the Hole.
05. A Place in the Sun.
06. A Streetcar Named Desire.
07. Othello.
08. La Poison.
09. The Day the Earth Stood Still.
10. The African Queen.
-----------------
11. Early Summer.
12. Alice in Wonderland.
13. The Thing from Another World.
14. The Tales of Hoffmann.
Best Director:
01. Alfred Hitchcock - Strangers on a Train.
02. Vincente Minnelli - An American in Paris.
03. Orson Welles - Othello.
04. Elia Kazan - A Streetcar Named Desire.
05. Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, & Hamilton Luske - Alice in Wonderland.
Best Actor:
01. Michael Redgrave - The Browning Version.
02. Montgomery Clift - A Place in the Sun.
03. Marlon Brando - A Streetcar Named Desire.
04. Kirk Douglas - Ace in the Hole.
05. Orson Welles - Othello.
Best Actress:
01. Vivien Leigh - A Streetcar Named Desire.
02. Katharine Hepburn - The African Queen.
03. Setsuko Hara - Early Summer.
04. Kathryn Beaumont - Alice in Wonderland.
Best Supporting Actor:
01. Robert Walker - Strangers on a Train.
02. Micheál MacLiammóir - Othello.
03. Ichirô Sugai - Early Summer.
04. Karl Malden - A Streetcar Named Desire.
05. Albert Duvaleix - La Poison.
Best Supporting Actress:
01. Shelley Winters - A Place in the Sun.
02. Kim Hunter - A Streetcar Named Desire.
03. Elizabeth Taylor - A Place in the Sun.
04. Haruko Sugimura - Early Summer.
05. Jean Kent - The Browning Version.
Best Original Screenplay:
01. Ace in the Hole.
02. La Poison.
03. Early Summer.
04. An American in Paris.
Best Adapted Screenplay:
01. The Browning Version.
02. Strangers on a Train.
03. A Streetcar Named Desire.
04. A Place in the Sun.
05. The Day the Earth Stood Still.
Best Ensemble:
01. A Streetcar Named Desire.
02. Early Summer.
03. A Place in the Sun.
04. Othello.
05. The Browning Version.
Best Editing:
Strangers on a Train.
Best Cinematography:
Othello.
Best Art Direction:
An American in Paris.
Best Costume Design:
An American in Paris.
Best Makeup:
The Tales of Hoffmann.
Best Visual Effects:
The Tales of Hoffmann.
Best Sound Design:
Strangers on a Train.
Best Original Score:
Alex North - A Streetcar Named Desire.
Best Original Song:
"Et la Vie est en Fête" - La Poison.
1952 will be the last year between 1920-2018 where I've yet to see a single film from its year. So I'll be able to fly through this one having no need to re-watch anything. Singin' in the Rain is an absolute must, if nothing else, I will watch this. But Limelight, Ikiru, High Noon, and Umberto D. are all high up on my list to see. Everything else is pretty much up for grabs. Throw 'em at me!
For now, though, I will say that my Lead Actor line-up is hella strong. Not only would Redgrave, Clift, Brando, or Douglas be a worthy winner in any other year, but they'd be a worthy nominee for a decade top ten in most decades. Really difficult to choose my winner out of the four, but Redgrave's performance moved me the most.
Anyway, it was nice to finally see A Streetcar Named Desire. I feel I can finally strike one off of my List of Movie-Lover Shame as I feel that's one I've been meaning to get around to since the beginning of my love for cinema. And it was not quite the movie I expected (never knew anything about it honestly). Vivien Leigh was absolutely amazing, though, and deserves all the praise she's ever gotten as an all-time great performance. Not so sure about the other three of the main cast, but they're certainly some of the best of this year at least.
Overall, pretty meh year, but checked quite a few off my bucket list and feel like I'm finally diving into the golden era of the 1950s. Biggest surprise was The Browning Version and it's nice to know Anthony Asquith still has it (as I really loved the other two films of his I've seen - Cottage on Dartmoor and Pygmalion). Excited to see his Importance of Being Earnest next year. Biggest letdown is probably The Tales of Hoffmann. I mean, a full-length film in the style of Powell/Pressburger's Red Shoes ballet sequence sounded heavenly, but it wound up being quite exhausting actually. Loved the aesthetic of it, but if you're gonna make an opera, I'd rather just go to the opera. Cool idea, but just not the best blending of two different mediums. Here are my line-ups:
Best Picture:
01. Strangers on a Train.
02. An American in Paris.
03. The Browning Version.
04. Ace in the Hole.
05. A Place in the Sun.
06. A Streetcar Named Desire.
07. Othello.
08. La Poison.
09. The Day the Earth Stood Still.
10. The African Queen.
-----------------
11. Early Summer.
12. Alice in Wonderland.
13. The Thing from Another World.
14. The Tales of Hoffmann.
Best Director:
01. Alfred Hitchcock - Strangers on a Train.
02. Vincente Minnelli - An American in Paris.
03. Orson Welles - Othello.
04. Elia Kazan - A Streetcar Named Desire.
05. Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, & Hamilton Luske - Alice in Wonderland.
Best Actor:
01. Michael Redgrave - The Browning Version.
02. Montgomery Clift - A Place in the Sun.
03. Marlon Brando - A Streetcar Named Desire.
04. Kirk Douglas - Ace in the Hole.
05. Orson Welles - Othello.
Best Actress:
01. Vivien Leigh - A Streetcar Named Desire.
02. Katharine Hepburn - The African Queen.
03. Setsuko Hara - Early Summer.
04. Kathryn Beaumont - Alice in Wonderland.
Best Supporting Actor:
01. Robert Walker - Strangers on a Train.
02. Micheál MacLiammóir - Othello.
03. Ichirô Sugai - Early Summer.
04. Karl Malden - A Streetcar Named Desire.
05. Albert Duvaleix - La Poison.
Best Supporting Actress:
01. Shelley Winters - A Place in the Sun.
02. Kim Hunter - A Streetcar Named Desire.
03. Elizabeth Taylor - A Place in the Sun.
04. Haruko Sugimura - Early Summer.
05. Jean Kent - The Browning Version.
Best Original Screenplay:
01. Ace in the Hole.
02. La Poison.
03. Early Summer.
04. An American in Paris.
Best Adapted Screenplay:
01. The Browning Version.
02. Strangers on a Train.
03. A Streetcar Named Desire.
04. A Place in the Sun.
05. The Day the Earth Stood Still.
Best Ensemble:
01. A Streetcar Named Desire.
02. Early Summer.
03. A Place in the Sun.
04. Othello.
05. The Browning Version.
Best Editing:
Strangers on a Train.
Best Cinematography:
Othello.
Best Art Direction:
An American in Paris.
Best Costume Design:
An American in Paris.
Best Makeup:
The Tales of Hoffmann.
Best Visual Effects:
The Tales of Hoffmann.
Best Sound Design:
Strangers on a Train.
Best Original Score:
Alex North - A Streetcar Named Desire.
Best Original Song:
"Et la Vie est en Fête" - La Poison.
1952 will be the last year between 1920-2018 where I've yet to see a single film from its year. So I'll be able to fly through this one having no need to re-watch anything. Singin' in the Rain is an absolute must, if nothing else, I will watch this. But Limelight, Ikiru, High Noon, and Umberto D. are all high up on my list to see. Everything else is pretty much up for grabs. Throw 'em at me!