January 2012 films

The year seems to have started off well. In an attempt to get some of the myriad of movies I have recorded watched, I planned my film viewing in January fairly carefully. And it seems to have worked. I stuck to the movies I said I would watch, and as a result have watched 19 movies in 31 days. Considering I had to work and organise buying a house in the same month, I don't think that's bad going! Here's the list:

• The Iron Lady (2011) - 3 stars
• Once Upon a Time in America (1984) - 4 stars
• Bruno (2009) - 1.5 stars
• The Other Boleyn Girl (2008) - 2.5 stars
• House of Wax (2005) - 3 stars
• Defiance (2008) - 3 stars
• The Hand that Rocks the Cradle (1992) - 3.5 stars
• In the Valley of Elah (2007) - 4 stars
• Talldega Nights: The Legend of Ricky Bobby (2007) - 3.5 stars
• Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007) - 3 stars
• Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) - 3.5 stars
• The Artist (2011) - 4.5 stars
• Adventureland (2009) - 3 stars
• Ratatouille (2007) - 4 stars
• Taken (2008) - 3 stars
• Rumour Has It (2005) - 2 stars
• I Love You, Man (2009) - 3 stars
• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) - 3.5 stars
• Dorian Gray (2009) - 4 stars

There is a proper mix of movies in here. From funny, smart animations to rubbish comedy and romances, to brilliant classics (or very possibly classics-to-be), to your average thrillers and dramas. One thing I will say is that almost every movie on this list is memorable, for one reason or another (and not always for good reasons). That's rare when I watch so many movies in one month.

However, Film of the Month is really rather easy. From this list, The Artist is unbeatable. All the other 4 star movies have flaws, whereas The Artist is just a wonderful, well-made movie with very little to hate about it. It uses black and white and silence in an incredibly talented, powerful way - and I was very pleased to discover that the critics were raving about it because it's actually good!

Film not to waste your time on is also a pretty easy choice. Whilst there are very definitely some average, "meh" movies on this list, one stands out as inexcusably bad. Disappointingly, after Baren Cohen's previous effort (Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan), which was far funnier than I expected it to be, Bruno has all the bad taste elements that didn't make it into Borat.

So, with all this movie-watching, how is Film 365 doing this month? I've now watched 132 movies out of 365 - or 36%. Not quite half way then... I should have watched 325 films, and be only 40 movies away from finishing. This might take two years then - but I'm doing far better than I was 3 months ago!

Film of the Month: The Artist
Film not to waste your time on: Bruno

No. of Film 365 films watched: 132/365
Target no. of Film 365 films to have watched: 325/365