The Month in Film: August 2012

 

It’s August so that means TCM’s Summer Under the Stars happened and that seems to be all that happened.  My film count went down this month as a result of my going out of town and returning to school which accounts for the uptick in rewatches and lack of reviews in the last week.  I’ve added (SUS) for films I watched during Summer Under the Stars and will also be adding in a few additional questions at the end looking at those numbers.  As always titles with clickable links will take you to my reviews.

1.  Libeled Lady* (SUS)

2.  Topper

3.  Gilda (SUS)

4.  Almost Famous*

5.  Gentlemen Prefer Blondes* (SUS)

6.  Some Like It Hot* (SUS)

7.  Contagion*

8.  Drive*

9.  The Sitter*

10.  21 Jump Street*

11.  The Black Cat

12.  Mildred Pierce

13.  Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner* (SUS)

14.  Bachelorette

15.  Heaven Can Wait (1943)

16.  Three on a Match (SUS)

17.  Female

18.  ParaNorman

19.  Pinocchio*

20.  The Hunger Games

21.  In Bruges*

22.  Life With Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows*

23.  The Deep Blue Sea (2011)

24.  The Rocky Horror Picture Show*

25.  Midnight in Paris*

TOTALS:

25 films watched in August (down five from July)

14 were rewatches (I think that might be a record so far)

11 were first-time viewings

1 were theatrical releases (although I’d count Bachelorette despite it being a VOD release)

4 were reviews for films in my TCM Top Twelve (three from May and one from June)

Top 5 Favorite Classic Films of the Month:  Considering the amount of films I’ve added any classic rewatches here as well.  While none of the classic films this month were bad, the top five consists of the ones I really enjoyed and own/would consider buying.

1. Some Like It Hot – Did you really expect anything less?  I watched all of the Marilyn Monroe films during her day on Summer Under the Stars and this never gets old.
2. Heaven Can Wait – I didn’t expect this to rank so high but I adored this film (one of two involving death).  So far this is my favorite Lubitsch film.
3. Mildred Pierce – I had this on my TCM Top Twelve in May and it pains me it took so long for me to see this fantastic dramatic masterpiece.
4. The Rocky Horror Picture Show – I rewatched this for the first time in months and forgot how much I enjoy the campiness, the music, and the bizarre spectacle.
5. Topper – Another charming ghost story told with a chuckle.  While not as rich as Heaven Can Wait the relationship between Cary Grant and Constance Bennett is great.

Favorite Theatrical Film of the Month:  I only saw one theatrical film this month and I recommend you go see ParaNorman right away.  My review does a better job of explaining why but I considered it The Goonies meets Night of the Living Dead!

Worst Film of the Month:  I’d have to give it to both The Deep Blue Sea and Bachelorette.  Go and read my Bachelorette review for more detail but I couldn’t stand our three “heroines” who make Mean Girls look like nuns.  And despite starring Tom Hiddleston, The Deep Blue Sea is a long boring look at a relationship that apparently is symbolic because the characters never talk to each other and expect the audience to figure out why their miserable.  No thanks.

Biggest Disappointment of the Month:  I am a little disappointed in myself that I didn’t see nearly as many entries in the Summer Under the Star as I wanted.  In terms of films I’d say the biggest disappointment was The Hunger Games.  Considering how hyped it was I found it be a passable adaptation of the books and nothing more.

Biggest Surprise of the Month: Heaven Can Wait still surprises me in terms of how much I enjoyed it and Bachelorette was a surprise because I expected that to be a great dark comedy and it was just sadistic.