August 2010 films

August started off slowly, but in the last week or two I seemed to be on a bit of a catching-up spree. This may have something to do with the fact that basically all the shows I like on TV have ended - a number of them forever (Lost, 24, Flash Forward etc. anyone?). Maybe now I can make a real effort to clear that backlog of films I have recorded? We'll see...

Anyway, this month's efforts have all been TV ones, with the exception of Inception. There's just not been a lot on at the cinema that I've wanted to see. Rare for me - although if it happens, it does tend to be in August I guess.

Of the films I have watched though, they've been pretty varied - in date, in genre and in how good they've been. They are:

• Stand by Me (1986) - 5 stars
  
• The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) - 4 stars
  
• Dr Dolittle (1998) - 2.5 stars
  
• Hollywoodland (2006) - 3 stars
  
• GoodFellas (1990) - 4 stars
  
• 3000 Miles to Graceland (2001) - 3 stars
  
• The Calcium Kid (2004) - 3 stars
  
• Dan in Real Life (2007) - 3 stars
  
• In Bruges (2008) - 4.5 stars
  
• Synecdoche, New York (2008) - 0 stars
  
• Inception (2010) - 5 stars
  
• Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel (2009) - 4 stars
  
• Good (2008) - 2.5 stars

Picking a winner is hard. There are two clear 5 star movies - Inception and Stand by Me. They are very different movies, but both truly excellent. I'm going with Stand by Me however - for the simple reason that I know I love it, and will always love it and be happy to watch it many times over. I'm not sure Inception will stand up to the test of time in quite the same way.

As for film not to waste your time on, that's so much easier. Synecdoche, New York is probably the best example I've seen this year of over-indulgent claptrap that I've had the misfortune to waste two hours of my life on. It's a definite contender for Worst Film of 2010, if not an outright winner.

Film of the Month: Stand by Me
Film not to waste your time on: Synedoche, New York