Recent updates

Note to readers: I'm finally finished in the process of overhauling the page. In my effort to spruce up my blogs, I decided to add to all of the yearly list an image from my favorite film of that year. I think you'll agree this lends some class to the proceedings. I tried to pick images with some character whenever possible. If there are any you particularly enjoy- and really, there ought to be considering some of the ones I've picked- let me know in the comments.

Thanks for understanding. 

Also, a word on the “Ripe for re-appraisal” section of these lists.  I’ve included films here that meet at least one of the following criteria:

a) Films that weren’t good enough to qualify for these lists on first viewing, but which would seem to benefit from multiple viewings,

b) Films by directors I generally love which didn’t necessarily rank among their best films but which might improve now that I’ve gotten past the initial disappointment,

c) Cult movies or otherwise semi-disreputable genre films that I initially enjoyed, but whose seeming disreputability may very well have led me to underrate them,

d) Highly-regarded films (usually Hollywood) that I saw so long ago (college, if not before) that my memory of them is too vague for me to have a solid opinion, or at least one I entirely trust, or

e) Highly-regarded films that I saw under less-than-ideal circumstances (crappy VHS transfer, watched when extremely tired, that screening of A Visit to the Louvre at Views ’05 with no subtitles, assisted only by a printed translation that was difficult to read in a darkened theatre, etc.).

In any case, I think any of these films will benefit from multiple viewings.  Yes, even Crank.  Just ask Steve C.

I’m also listing other major/semi-major awards and festival honors here, primarily for comparison’s sake and as a reference. 

Oh, and films that are [bracketed] are recent additions.