Bell's 156 Most Anticipated Films, 2013

Well, here it is---another year, another hotly anticipated list. Granted, a few of these titles are wishful thinking (the Zulawski title may be a pipedream) and a few may end up being 2014 titles, but I've tried to weed out most of those (so no Grace of Monaco or The Grand Budapest Hotel). Also, the first seven titles are Sigourney Weaver and Isabelle Huppert projects, so the unbiased list starts at #7, with Ulrich Seidl's Paradise: Love gets that slot (see photo). Of these 156 titles (the Ned Benson project, The Disappearance of His/Hers, which stands as two separate films, I have counted as one at #4), 27 of these are female directors (and of these, 13 are from US, 7 from France).

1. It Is What It Is - Dir. Susanna Fogel (US)
2. Happy Holidays, Katherine Sloane - Dir. Daniel Petrie (US)
3. Abuse of Weakness - Dir. Catherine Breillat (France)
4. Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Hers, The - Dir. Ned Benson (US)
4. Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: His, The - Dir. Ned Benson (US)
5. Tip Top - Dir. Serge Bozon (France)
6. Dead Man Down - Dir. Niels Arden Oplev (US)
7. Paradise: Hope - Dir. Ulrich Seidl (Austria)
8. Girls Will Be Girls Sequel - Dir. Richard Day (US)
9. Dark Matter - Dir. Andrzej Zulawski (Poland)
10. Venus In Fur - Dir. Roman Polanski (France)
11. Only God Forgives - Dir. Nicolas Winding Refn (US)
12. Only Lovers Left Alive - Dir. Jim Jarmusch (US)
13. Tom a la Ferme - Dir. Xavier Dolan (France)
14. To The Eyes - Dir. Michel Franco (Mexico)
15. Last Voyage of the Demeter - Dir. Neil Marshall (UK)
16. Colt 45 - Dir. Fabrice Du Welz (France)
17. Among the Living - Dir. Julien Maury & Alexandre Bustillo (France)
18. All Cheerleaders Die - Dir. Lucky McKee (US)
19. Beauty and the Beast - Dir. Christophe Gans (France)
20. Dances of Reality, The - Dir. Alejando Jodorowsky (Mexico)
21. Horns - Dir. Alexandre Aja (US)
22. Memories of Blue Hill Club - Dir. Lee Chang Dong (South Korea)
23. Maps To the Stars - Dir. David Cronenberg (Canada)
24. Nymphomaniac - Dir. Lars Von Trier (Denmark)
25. Panda Eyes - Dir. Isabel Coixet (UK)
26. Snow Piercer - Dir. Bong Joon-ho (South Korea)
27. Space Station 76 - Dir. Jack Plotnick (US)
28. Stoker - Dir. Park Chan Wook (US)
29. Lobster, The - Dir. Yorgos Lanthimos (UK)
30. Spiritismes - Dir. Guy Madden (Canada)
31. Under the Skin - Dir. Jonathan Glazer (US)
32. Two Mothers - Dir. Anne Fontaine (France/Australia)
33. Untitled Nicole Holofcener Project - Dir. Nicole Holofcener (US)
34. Vernon God Little - Dir. Werner Herzog (US)
35. Zero Theorem, The - Dir. Terry Gilliam (US)
36. East, The - Dir. Zal Batmanglij (US)
37. Blue Is a Hot Color - Dir. Abdel Kechiche (France)
38. Cut, The - Dir. Fatih Akin (France/Turkey)
39. Duke of Burgundy, The - Dir. Peter Strickland (UK)
40. Bastards, The - Dir. Claire Denis (France)
41. Happy Sad, The - Dir. Rodney Evans (US)
42. Rest Home - Dir. Michael Rowe (Mexico)
43. Queer - Dir. Steve Buscemi (US)
44. Rover, The - Dir. David Michod (Australia)
45. Mood Indigo - Michel Gondry (France)
46. Jane Got a Gun - Lynne Ramsay (US)
47. Innocence - Dir. Hilary Brougher (US)
48. I'm So Excited - Dir. Pedro Almodovar (Spain)
49. Untitled Asghar Farhadi Project - Dir. Asghar Farhadi (France)
50. Why Don't You Play In Hell? - Dir. Shion Sono (Japan)
51. Woman In the Cage, The - Dir. Mikkel Norgaard (Denmark)
52. Zama - Dir. Lucretia Martel (Argentina)
53. 12 Years a Slave - Dir. Steve McQueen (UK)
54. Butler, The - Dir. Lee Daniels (US)
55. Chinese Puzzle - Dir. Cedric Klapisch (France)
56. Field in England, A - Dir. Ben Wheatley (UK)
57. Mobius - Dir. Eric Rochant (France)
58. Layla Fourie - Dir. Pia Marais (Germany)
59. Never Goodnight, We are the Best! - Dir. Lukas Moodysson (Sweden)
60. Night Train to Lisbon - Dir. Bille August (Germany)
61. Perfect Sisters - Dir. Stanley M. Brooks (US)
62. Side Effect, The - Dir. Ti West (US)
63. White Bird in a Blizzard  - Dir. Gregg Araki (US)
64. Gravity Alfonso Cuaron - Dir. (US)
65. Bolo - Dir. Dee Rees (US)
66. 3096 - Dir. Sherry Horman (Germany)
67. Carrie - Dir. Kimberly Pierce (US)
68. Dallas Buyers Club, The - Dir. Jean-Marc Vallee (US)
69. Dark Touch - Dir. Marina de Van (France)
70. Death's Cold Hand - Dir. Agnieszka Holland (Poland)
71. Enemy, An - Dir. Denis Villeneuve (Canada)
72. Hive, The - Dir. Brad Anderson (US)
73. It Goes (Elle s'en va) - Dir. Emmanuelle Bercot (France)
74. Kiss of the Damned - Dir. Xan Cassavetes (US)
75. Last Days on Mars - Dir. Ruairi Robinson (UK)
76. Mother of George - Dir. Andrew Dosunmu (US)
77. Making Love - Dir. Djinn Carrenard (France)
78. Nightingale - Dir. James Gray (US)
79. Scorpion In Love - Dir. Santiago Zannou (Spain)
80. Skytten - Dir. Annette K. Olesen (Denmark)
81. Untitled Robert Cantarella Project - Dir. Robert Cantarella (US/France
82. Blood Ties - Dir. Guillaume Canet (US)
83. Camille Claudel, 1915 - Dir. Bruno Dumont (France)
84. Carol - Dir. John Crowley (UK)
85. Dau - Dir. Ilya Khrzhanovskiy (Russia)
86. Devil's Knot - Dir. Atom Egoyan (US)
87. Attachment - Dir. Tony Kaye (US)
88. Grand Piano - Dir. Eugenio Mira (Spain)
89. Her - Dir. Spike Jonze (US)
90. Louder Than Bombs - Dir. Joachim Trier (US)
91. Queen of the Desert - Dir. Werner Herzog (Germany)
92. Spies & Gilstrup - Dir. Cristoffer Boe (Denmark)
93. Sunlight Jr. - Dir. Laurie Collyer (US)
94. Untitled Terrence Malick Project - Dir. Terrence Malick (US)
95. Railway Man, The - Dir. Jonathan Teplitzky (Australia/UK)
96. Pacific Rim - Dir. Guillermo Del Toro (US)
97. Back Roads - Dir. Adrian Lyne (US)
98. Bling Ring, The - Dir. Sofia Coppola (US)
99. Canyons, The - Dir. Paul Schrader (US)
100. Corpus Christi - Dir. Richard Kelly (US)
101. Night Moves - Dir. Kelly Reichardt (US)
102. Keep, The - Dir. Peter Weir (UK)
103. Birdman - Dir. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Spain)
104. Insidious Chapter 2 - Dir. James Wan (US)
105. Gerontophilia - Dir. Bruce la Bruce (Canada/France)
106. Counselor, The - Dir. Ridley Scott (US)
107. Jealousy - Dir. Philippe Garrel (France)
108. Knight of Cups - Dir. Terrence Malick (US)
109. Lumpy - Dir. Ted Koland (US)
110. Magic Magic - Dir. Sebastian Silva (US)
111. Wrong Cops - Dir. Quentin Dupieux (US/France)
112. Double, The - Dir. Richard Ayode (US)
113. Seventh Son, The - Dir. Sergey Bodrov (UK)
114. Nebraska - Dir. Alexander Payne (US)
115. Side Effects - Dir. Steven Soderbergh (US)
116. Untitled Abbas Kiarstami Project - Dir. Abbas Kiarastami (Italy)
117. Wolf of Wall Street, The - Dir. Martin Scorsese (US)
118. Most Wanted Man, A - Dir. Anton Corbijn (US)
119. Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman, The - Dir. Fredrik Bond (US)
120. Mojave - Dir. William Monahan (US)
121. Our Kind of Traitor - Dir. Justin Kurzel (UK)
122. Oldboy - Dir. Spike Lee (US)
123. Conjuring, The - Dir. James Wan (US)
124. Calvary - Dir. John Michael McDonaugh (UK)
125. Breaking the Girl - Dir. Jamie Babbit (US)
126. Untitled Woody Allen Project - Woody Allen (US)
127. Diana - Dir. Oliver Hirschbiegel (US)
128. Oz the Great and Powerful - Dir. Sam Raimi (US)
129. Hand In Hand - Dir. Valerie Donzelli (France)
130. Elysium - Dir. Neill Blomkamp (US)
131. Sacrament, The - Dir. Ti West (US)
132. Behind the Candelabra - Dir. Steven Soderbergh (US)
133. Barefoot - Dir. Andrew Fleming (US)
134. Therese - Dir. Charlie Stratton (US)
135. Big Valley, The - Dir. Daniel Adams (US)
136. Wait, The - Dir. M. Blash (US)
137. Nurse 3D - Dir. Doug Aaroniokoski (US)
138. Religious, The  - Dir. Guillaume Nicloux (France)
139. Two Faces of January, The - Dir.  Hossein Amini (UK)
140. All Are Dead - Dir. Beatriz Sanchis (Spain)
141. Some Velvet Morning - Dir. Neil Labute (US)
142. Skinny Dip - Dir. Frankie Latina (US)
143. Very Good Girls - Dir. Naomi Foner (US)
144. Highland Park - Dir. Andrew Meieran (US)
145. Great Gatsby, The - Dir. Baz Luhrman (US)
146. Inside Llewyn Davis - Dir. Coen Bros. (US)
147. While We're Young - Dir. Noah Baumbach (US)
148. Beauty of Sharks, The - Dir. Karim Ainouz (Brazil)
149. May In the Summer - Dir. Cherien Dabis (US)
150. Young and Prodigious Spivet, The - Dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet (France/Canada)
151. Gold - Dir. Thomas Arslan (Germany)
152. Before Midnight - Dir. Richard Linklater (US)
153. Aferim! - Dir. Radu Jude (Romania)
154. My Sisters - Dir. Lars Kraume (Germany)
155. Star of the Day, The - Dir. Sophie Blondy (France)
156. 13 Days - Dir. Carlos Saura (Spain)

Bell's 50 Favorite Films of 2012

My Top 10 Theatrically Released and Top 10 Unreleased Films of 2012 will be published shortly on IONCINEMA, but here is the rundown of my favorite 50 films from the past year. Out of nearly 450 new releases, these 50 titles are the best and the brightest (plus a handful of honorable mentions). Also, my Top 10 Documentary Releases also follow. A little less than half of these are US features, with the UK and Austria both in second place for representation. Of the top 50, there are only four female directors (DuVernay, Bigelow, Meier, Aselton), with an additonal three in my honorable mentions (Polley, Kim, Maiwenn). LGBT film was a bit light this year, but Sachs, Wang, and a relatively unseen film from Gael Morel (beyond the fest circuit) make the top 50.



1. Holy Motors – Dir. Leos Carax (France)
2. Paradise: Faith – Dir. Ulrich Seidl (Austria)
3. After Lucia – Dir. Michel Franco (Mexico)
4. Django Unchained – Dir. Quentin Tarantino (US)
5. Post Tenebras Lux – Dir. Carlos Reygadas (Mexico)
6. Barbara – Dir. Christian Petzold (Germany)
7. Starlet – Dir. Sean Baker (US)
8. Berberian Sound Studio – Dir. Peter Strickland (UK)
9. Amour – Dir. Michael Haneke (Austria)
10. Compliance – Dir. Craig Zobel (US)
11. Moonrise Kingdom – Dir. Wes Anderson (US)
12. Beyond the Hills – Dir. Cristian Mungiu (Romania)
13. Sound of My Voice – Dir. Zal Batmanglij (US)
14. Middle of Nowhere – Dir. Ava DuVernay (US)
15. Elena - Dir. Andrei Zvyagintsev (Russia)
16. Zero Dark Thirty – Dir. Kathryn Bigelow (US)
17. Keep the Lights On – Dir. Ira Sachs (US)
18. Blood of My Blood – Dir. Joao Canijo (Portugal)
19. Paradise: Love – Dir. Ulrich Seidl (Austria)
20. Everybody In Our Family – Dir. Radu Jude (Romania)
21. In Another Country – Dir. Hong Sang-soo (South Korea)
22. The Paperboy – Dir. Lee Daniels (US)
23. Rust and Bone – Dir. Jacques Audiard (France)
24. The Place Beyond the Pines – Dir. Derek Cianfrance (US)
25. Red Lights – Dir. Rodrigo Cortes (US)
26. Living - Dir. Vasili Sigarev (Russia)
27. Blancanieves – Dir. Pablo Berger (Spain)
28. Looper – Dir. Rian Johnson (US)
29. Our Children – Dir. Joachim Lafosse (Belgium)
30. It’s a Disaster – Dir. Todd Berger (US)
31. Natural Selection – Robbie Pickering (US)
32. Purge – Dir. Antti Jokinen (Finland)
33. Ill Manors – Dir. Ben Drew (UK)
34. Spring Breakers – Dir. Harmony Korine (US)
35. The Wall – Dir. Julian Polsler (Austria)
36. The Hunt – Dir. Thomas Vinterberg (Denmark)
37. Sister – Dir. Ursula Meier (France/Switzerland)
38. The Impossible – Dir. Juan Antonio Bayona (Spain)
39. Black Rock – Dir. Katie Aselton (US)
40. Perfect Sense – Dir. David Mackenzie (UK)
41. Safety Not Guaranteed – Dir. Colin Trevorrow (US)
42. Our Paradise – Dir. Gael Morel (France)
43. Reality – Dir. Matteo Garrone (Italy)
44. Sightseers – Dir. Ben Wheatley (UK)
45. Argo – Dir. Ben Affleck (US)
46. End of Watch – Dir. David Ayer (US)
47. In the Family – Dir. Patrick Wang (US)
48. Excision – Dir. Richard Bates Jr. (US)
49. Simon Killer – Dir. Antonio Campos (US)
50. The Cabin In The Woods – Dir. Drew Goddard (US)

Honorable Mentions:
Celeste and Jesse Forever; Lincoln; A Royal Affair; Take This Waltz; For Ellen; Headhunters; Klown; Monsieur Lazhar; Little White Lies; Delicacy; Farewell, My Queen; Polisse; Beasts of the Southern Wild

Top 10 Documentaries:
1. Room 237 – Dir. Rodney Ascher (US)
2. West of Memphis – Dir. Amy Berg (US)
3. The Imposter – Dir. Bart Layton (US)
4. The Queen of Versailles – Dir. Lauren Greenfield (US)
5. How To Survive a Plague – Dir. David France (US)
6. Kumare – Dir. Vikram Gandhi (US)
7. The Central Park Five – Dir. Ken Burns, Sarah Burns & David McMahon (US)
8. Whores’ Glory – Dir. Michael Glawogger (Austria)
9. The Revisionaries – Dir. Scott Thurman (US)
10. Jiro Dreams of Sushi – Dir. David Gelb (US)

Bell's 20 Worst Films of 2012

As has been often discussed, the 'worst' lists are often flawed designs---few of us, hopefully, are purposefully seeking to experience the most poortly manufactured examples of cinema. And by worst, I mean there aren't any redeeming qualities whatsoever, resulting in nothing if not a complete waste of time (unlike, of course, films so bad they're greatly entertaining). Certain features, like the last Twilight installment, aren't on my Worst 2012 list because I feel that cinema of this sort should be shown for free AND while you're at home doing something more constructive, like engaging in the entrance or exit of sustenance from one's own body.
Of these 20 titles, all but two are American features, and there's only one female in the bunch (Tanya Wexler). I'm well aware that certain demographics thought the exact opposite of some of these titles, as I spoke with many that seemed to love Wexler's Maggie Gyllenhaal headliner, Hysteria. The same can be said for Don Coscarelli's latest offering, John Dies at the End, which I had to sit through at Sundance 2012, and somehow played at several other major film festivals to mostly positive reviews. Both are, I still maintain, utterly execrable. And yes, I realize that Salmon Fishing in the Yemen was just nominated at the Golden Globes (please don't forget that this was the same awards ceremony that somehow nominated The Tourist in 2010), and please believe me, this film (besides wasting Kristin Scott Thomas as the comic relief) is certifiably awful.

I'm saddened to list some of these prestigious names, such as Stephen Frears, Peter Hedges, Marc Webb (even Lasse Hallstrom and Lawrence Kasdan, who've both been pretty stagnant lately). Others, like Peter Berg or Simon West, seem oblivious to their own lack of directorial skill. Without further ado, my least favorite films of 2012 are as follows:

1. Battleship – Dir. Peter Berg (US)
2. Lay the Favorite – Dir. Stephen Frears (US)
3. Jesus Henry Christ – Dir. Dennis Lee (US)
4. John Carter – Dir. Andrew Stanton (US)
5. John Dies At the End – Dir. Don Coscarelli (US)
6. Hysteria – Dir. Tanya Wexler (UK)
7. Salmon Fishing In the Yemen – Dir. Lasse Hallstrom (US)
8. Man on a Ledge – Dir. Asger Leth (US)
9. The Pact – Dir. Nicholas McCarthy (US)
10. The Words – Dir. Brian Klugman & Lee Sternthal (US)
11. Darling Companion – Dir. Lawrence Kasdan (US)
12. Joyful Noise – Dir. Todd Graff (US)
13. Mirror, Mirror – Dir. Tarsem Singh (US)
14. God Loves Caviar – Dir. Yannis Smaragdis (Greece)
15. The Odd Life of Timothy Green – Dir. Peter Hedges (US)
16. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter – Dir. Timur Bekmambetov (US)
17. The Amazing Spider Man – Dir. Marc Webb (US)
18. Stolen – Dir. Simon West (US)
19. The Raven – Dir. James McTiegue (US)
20. The Letter – Dir. Jay Anania (US)

Out of the Past: The Month in Film, November 2012

Top 10:


10. Arabian Nights (1974) Dir. Pier Paolo Pasolini – Italy
9. On a Moonlit Night (1989) Dir. Lina Wertmuller – Italy/France
8. The Canterbury Tales (1972) Dir. Pier Paolo Pasolini – Italy
7. Deep End (1970) Dir. Jerzy Skolimowski – UK
6. Time (2006) Dir. Kim Ki-Duk – South Korea 5. Die Niebelungen: Kreimheld’s Revenge (1924) Dir. Fritz Lang – Germany
4. Die Niebelungen: Siegfried (1924) Dir. Fritz Lang – Germany
3. The Death of Maria Malibran (1972) Dir. Werner Schroeter – West Germany
2. In the Realm of the Senses (1976) Dir. Nagisa Oshima – Japan
1. The Rose King (1986) Dir. Werner Schroeter – West Germany

Recommended:

Magic Mike (2012) Dir. Steven Soderbergh – US
The Five-Year Engagement (2012) Dir. Nicholas Stoller – US
Assassination (1964) Dir. Masahiro Shinoda – Japan
Drowning By Numbers (1988) Dir. Peter Greenaway – UK
The House on Telegraph Hill (1951) Dir. Robert Wise – US
Night Full of Rain (1977) Dir. Lina Wertmuller – Italy
Spartacus (1960) Dir. Stanley Kubrick – US
The Decameron (1971) Dir. Pier Paolo Pasolini – Italy
Wuthering Heights (1954) Dir. Luis Bunuel – Mexico


Of Interest:
Mame (1974) Dir. Gene Saks – US
Harakiri (1919) Dir. Fritz Lang – Germany
The Wandering Shadow (1920) Dir. Fritz Lang – Germany
Four Around a Woman (1921) Dir. Fritz Lang – Germany
Half Baked (1998) Dir. Tamra Davis – US
A Day at the Beach (1972) Dir. Simon Hesera – UK


Theatrical Screenings:
In the Family (2011) Dir. Patrick Wang – US 10/10
Lincoln (2012) Dir. Steven Spielberg – US 10/10
The Wall (2012) Dir. Julian Polsler – Austria 10/10
Killing Them Softly (2012) Dir. Andrew Dominic – US 9/10
La Rafle (2010) Dir. Rose Bosche – France 9/10
Skyfall (2012) Dir. Sam Mendes – US 9/10
The Central Park Five (2012) Dir. Ken & Sarah Burns, David McMahon – US 8/10
California Solo (2012) Dir. Marhsall Lewy – US 8/10
Flight (2012) Dir. Robert Zemeckis – US 8/10
A Man Vanishes (1967) Dir. Shohei Imamura – Japan 7/10
Life of Pi (2012) Dir. Ang Lee – US 7/10
Anna Karenina (2012) Dir. Joe Wright – UK 7/10
Hitchcock (2012) Dir. Sacha Gervasi – US 7/10
Cheerful Weather for the Wedding (2012) Dir. Donald Rice – UK 6/10
The Details (2012) Dir. Jacob Aaron Estes – US 6/10
Jack & Diane (2012) Dir. Bradley Rust Gray – US 6/10
Dangerous Liaisons (2012) Dir. Hur Jin-Ho – China/Singapore 5/10
In Their Skin (2012) Dir. Jeremy Regimbal – US 4/10
The Man With the Iron Fists (2012) Dir. Rza – US 2/10


Banal:
Abraham Lincoln (1930) Dir. D.W. Griffith – US
The Birth of a Nation (1915) Dir. D.W. Griffith – US
A Woman At Her Window (1976) Dir. Pierre Granier-Deferre – France
The Guardian (1990) Dir. William Friedkin – US
Normal (2007) Dir. Carl Bessai – Canada
The Monster (1925) Dir. Roland West – US
Calendar (1993) Dir. Atom Egoyan – Canada


Cess Pool Cinema:
The Raven (2012) Dir. James McTiegue – US
The Burning (1981) Dir. Tony Maylam – US
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012) Dir. Timur Bekmambetov – US


Rewatched:
Eating Raoul (1982) Dir. Paul Bartel – US
Heartbreakers (2001) Dir. David Mirkin – US
Copycat (1995) Dir. Jon Amiel – US
Leave It on the Floor (2011) Dir. Sheldon Larry – Canada
Mean Girls (2004) Dir. Mark Waters – US

Film Fest Rundown: AFI 2012

Another year, another AFI fest over. I have to say, AFI really has done a swell job with their 2012 lineup, gathering a heady list of titles from this year's more renowned fests, giving Los Angeles first dibs at stuff only screened at Berlin, Sundance, Venice, Toronto, and Cannes. Needless to say, I caught quite a few of these titles already at Toronto and Sundance, HOWEVER, AFI managed to get a few things that neither of those festivals were able to program. I had a great fest this year, and I've seen everything scheduled at AFI but 12 titles. My top 15-20 film choices were just excellent cinemagoing experiences, and I saw some of the best films I've seen all year, including Leos Carax's amazing Holy Motors, and Ulrich Seidl's Paradise: Faith. Not to mention, I've made a few new cinematic discoveries, including Sean Baker, Joan Canijo, Radu Jude, Rodney Ascher, and Miguel Gomes---I'm new to all of them and I will most definitely be seeking out anything they have their names on. I was a bit disappointed with some titles (I really think Barbara should have taken top prize in Berlin, not Caesar Must Die), and I was a bit disappointed with new works from masters like Sally Potter and Ken Loach. I was staunchly opposed to blatantly manipulative crowdpleasers, like this year's Australian hit, The Sapphires, and what happened to be one of the worst films of the fest, a pedantic and ridiculous documentary about Christian teens in a small town (how gloweringly banal), called Only the Young, took home the audience prize in the Breakthrough section---a fact that only alarms me. Despite the annoying distinction of mass appeal, I do enjoy and appreciate AFI fest!

1. Holy Motors - Dir. Leos Carax (France) Special Screenings
2. Paradise: Faith – Dir. Ulrich Seidl (Austria) World Cinema
3. After Lucia – Dir. Michel Franco (Mexico) World Cinema
4. Starlet – Dir. Sean Baker (US) Young Americans
5. Blood of My Blood (Portugal) World Cinema
6. Everybody In Our Family – Dir. Radu Jude (Romania) World Cinema
7. Room 237 – Rodney Ascher (US) Special Screenings
8. Our Children – Dir. Joachim Lafosse (Belgium) World Cinema
9. Tabu – Dir. Miguel Gomes (Portugal) World Cinema
10. Pieta – Dir. Kim Ki-Duk (South Korea) World Cinema

Best of the Rest:
11. West of Memphis – Dir. Amy Berg (US) Special Screenings
12. The Impossible – Dir. Juan Antonio Bayona (US) Special Screenings
13. A Royal Affair – Dir. Nikolaj Arcel (Denmark) World Cinema
14. Sun Don’t Shine – Dir. Amy Seimetz (US) Young Americans
15. Kid – Dir. Fien Troch (Belgium) Breakthrough
16. War Witch – Dir. Kim Nguyen (Canada) World Cinema
17. On the Road – Dir. Walter Salles (US) Gala Screenings
18. A Hijacking – Dir. Tobias Lindholm (Denmark) New Auteurs
19. Clip – Dir. Maja Milos (Serbia) New Auteurs
20. The Silver Linings Playbook – Dir. David O. Russell (US) Special Screenings
21. Antiviral – Dir. Brandon Cronenberg (Canada) New Auteurs
22. Kon-Tiki – Dir. Joachim Ronning & Espen Sandberg (Norway) World Cinema
23. The Last Step – Dir. Ali Mossafa (Iran) Breakthrough
24. Wrong – Dir. Quentin Dupieux (US) World Cinema
25. Here and There – Dir. Antonio Mendez Esparza (Mexico) New Auteurs


Of Interest:
26. Quartet – Dir. Dustin Hoffman (UK) Special Screenings
27. Ginger and Rosa – Dir. Sally Potter (UK) Special Screenings
28. Somebody Up There Likes Me – Dir. Bob Byington (US) Young Americans
29. Tey – Dir. Alain Gomis (Senegal) World Cinema
30. Caesar Must Die – Dir. Paolo & Vittoria Taviani (Italy) World Cinema
31. Electrick Children – Dir. Rebecca Thomas (US) Young Americans
32. Nairobi Half Life – Dir. David Tosh Gitonga (Kenya) Breakthrough
33. The Angels’ Share – Dir. Ken Loach (UK) World Cinema
34. Eat Sleep Die – Dir. Gabriela Pichler (Sweden) New Auteurs

Pass:
35. The Sapphires – Dir. Wayne Blair (Australia) World Cinema
36. The International Sign For Choking – Dir. Zach Weintraub (US) Young Americans
37. Ape – Dir. Joel Potrykus (US) Young Americans
38. Oh Boy – Dir. Jan-Ole Gerster (Germany) Breakthrough

Strongly Disliked:
39. The Most Fun I’ve Ever Had With My Pants On – Dir. Drew Denny (US) Breakthrough
40. Not In Tel Aviv – Dir. Nonny Geffen (Israel) New Auteurs
41. Only the Young – Dir. Elizabeth Mims & Jason Tippet (US) Breakthrough


Previously Screened:
Rust and Bone – Dir. Jacques Audiard (France) TIFF 2012
Amour – Dir. Michael Haneke (France/Austria) TIFF 2012
Barbara – Dir. Christian Petzold (Germany) TIFF 2012
Berberian Sound Studio – Dir. Peter Strickland (UK) TIFF 2012
Beyond the Hills – Dir. Cristian Mungiu (Romania) TIFF 2012
The Hunt – Dir. Thomas Vinterberg (Denmark) TIFF 2012
In Another Country – Dir. Hong Sang-soo (South Korea) TIFF 2012
Laurence Anyways – Dir. Xavier Dolan (France/Canada) TIFF 2012
Like Someone In Love – Dir. Abbas Kiarastami (France/Japan) TIFF 2012
Paradise: Love – Dir. Ulrich Seidl (Austria) TIFF 2012
Post Tenebras Lux – Dir. Carlos Reygadas (Mexico) TIFF 2012
Reality – Dir. Matteo Garrone (Italy) TIFF 2012
Something In the Air – Dir. Olivier Assayas (France) TIFF 2012
White Elephant – Dir. Pablo Trapero (Argentina) TIFF 2012
Zaytoun – Dir. Eran Riklis (Israel) TIFF 2012
In the Fog – Dir. Sergei Loznitsa (Russia) TIFF 2012
Simon Killer – Dir. Antonio Campos (US) Sundance 2012
Kid-Thing – Dir. David Zellner (US) Sundance 2012
The ABCs of Death – Dir. Various (US) TIFF 2012
Come Out and Play – Dir. Makinov (Mexico) TIFF 2012
Here Comes the Devil – Dir. Adrian Garcia Bogliano (Mexico) TIFF 2012
John Dies at the End – Dir. Don Coscarelli (US) Sundance 2012

Out of the Past: The Month In Film, October 2012

Top 10:
10. Bonsai (2011) Dir. Cristian Jimenez – Chile
9. Pootie Tang (2001) Dir. Louis C.K. – US
8. Black Pond (2011) Dir. Tom Kingsley & Will Sharpe – UK
7. The Bourne Ultimatium (2007) Dir. Paul Greengrass – US
6. Rid of Me (2011) Dir. James Westby – US
5. The Penalty (1920) Dir. Wallace Worsley – US
4. The Medusa Touch (1978) Dir. Jack Gold – UK
3. Spirited Away (2001) Dir. Hayao Miyazaki – Japan
2. The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973) Dir. Peter Yates – US
1. *Rosemary’s Baby (1968) Dir. Roman Polanski – US (rewatch)

Of Interest:
The Carey Treatment (1972) Dir. Blake Edwards – US
The Adventurerers (1969) Dir. Lewis Gilbert – US

Theatrical Screenings:
Holy Motors (2012) Dir. Leos Carax – France 10/10
West of Memphis (2012) Dir. Amy Berg – US 10/10
Maniac (1980) Dir. William Lustig – US 10/10
Argo (2012) Dir. Ben Affleck – US 9/10
For Ellen (2012) Dir. So Yong Kim – US 9/10
Vigilante (1983) Dir. William Lustig – US 8/10
The Revisionaries (2012) Dir. Scott Thurman – US 8/10
Fat Kid Rules the World (2012) Dir. Matthew Lillard – US 8/10
Vamps (2012) Dir. Amy Heckerling – US 7/10
Sinister (2012) Dir. Scott Derrickson – US 7/10
Citadel (2012) Dir. Ciaran Foy – Ireland 7/10
In Our Nature (2012) Dir. Brian Savelson – US 7/10
This Must Be the Place (2012) Dir. Paolo Sorrentino – Italy/France US 7/10
Sleep Tight (2011) Dir. Jaume Balaguero – Spain 6/10
The First Time (2012) Dir. Jonathan Kasdan – US 6/10
All Together (2011) Dir. Stephane Robelin – France 6/10
The Oranges (2011) Dir. Julian Farino – US 4/10
Special Forces (2011) Dir. Stephane Rybojad – France 4/10
Pusher (2012) Dir. Luis Prieto – UK 3/10
Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You (2011) Dir. Roberto Faenza – US 3/10
War of the Buttons (2011) Dir. Christophe Barratier – France 2/10
Festival of Lights (2010) Dir. Shundell Prasad – US 2/10
Return of the Living Dead: Part II (1988) Dir. Ken Weiderhorn – US 1/10

The Banal:
Black Rain (1989) Dir. Ridley Scott – US
Hick (2011) Dir. Derick Martini – US
Exorcism (1974) Dir. Jess Franco – France
Female Vampire (1973) Dir. Jess Franco - France Circus of Horrors (1960) Dir. Sidney Hayers – UK
The Avengers (2012) Dir. Joss Whedon – US
Nora’s Hair Salon (2004) Dir. Jerry LaMothe – US

Rewatched:
The Incubus (1982) Dir. John Hough – Canada
Tokyo Story (1953) Dir. Yasujiro Ozu – Japan
Poltergeist (1982) Dir. Tobe Hooper – US
The Descent (2005) Dir. Neil Marshall – UK
Rosemary’s Baby (1968) Dir. Roman Polanski – US

Cess Pool Cinema:
Battlefield Earth (2000) Dir. Roger Christian – US
Rosewood Lane (2011) Dir. Victor Salva – US
Madea’s Witness Protection (2012) Dir. Tyler Perry – US

Out of the Past: The Month In Film, September 2012

Top 10:
1. The Conversation (1974) Dir. Francis Ford Coppola – US
2. Umberto D. (1952) Dir. Vittorio De Sica – Italy
3. Les Visiteurs Du Soir (1942) Dir. Marcel Carne – France
4. Wake In Fright (1971) Dir. Ted Kotcheff – Australia
5. Punishment Park (1971) Dir. Peter Watkins – US
6. Bad (1977) Dir. Jed Johnson – US
7. Caterpillar (2010) Dir. Koji Wakamatsu – Japan
8. The Haunting of Julia (1977) Dir. Richard Loncraine – Canada/UK
9. eXistenZ (1999) Dir. David Cronenberg – Canada
10. Lunacy (2005) Dir. Jan Svankmajer – Czech Republic

Recommended:
Hollywoodland (2006) Dir. Allan Coulter – US
Last Embrace (1979) Dir. Jonathan Demme – US
The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (1961) Dir. Jose Quintero – US

Of Interest:
Anna Karenina (1948) Dir. Julien Duvivier – UK
My Little Eye (2002) Dir. Marc Evans – UK/Canada

Theatrical Screenings:
Looper (2012) Dir. Rian Johnson – US 10/10
Wuthering Heights (2011) Dir. Andrea Arnold – UK 10/10
End of Watch (2012) Dir. David Ayer – US 9/10
Francine (2012) Dir. Brian Cassidy & Melanie Schtazky – US 9/10
The Master (2012) Dir. Paul Thomas Anderson – US 9/10
House at the End of the Street (2012) Dir. Mark Tonderai – US 7/10
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) Dir. Stephen Chbosky – US 6/10
Lawless (2012) Dir. John Hillcoat – US 6/10
The Campaign (2012) Dir. Jay Roach – US 5/10
3,2,1…Frankie Goes Boom (2012) Dir. Jordan Roberts – US 5/10
The Cold Light of Day (2012) Dir. Mabrouk El Mechri – US 4/10
The Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best (2012) Dir. Ryan O’Nan – US 4/10

Banal:
Paris When It Sizzles (1964) Dir. Richard Quine – US
Casa di me Padre (2012) Dir. Matt Piedmont – US
Zyzzyx Road (2006) Dir. John Penney – US

Cess Pool Cinema:

What to Expect When You’re Expecting (2012) Dir. Kirk Jones – US
The Letter (2012) Dir. Jay Anania – US

TIFF 2012: Best of Fest (And All the Rest)

By far, TIFF 2012 has been my most exhausting thus far---in 2013 I am hoping to attend Cannes in May, and, therefore, cut down considerably on the craziness in September. I caught 60 titles and feel like my head is spinning (with many reviews still to write as of this posting). 35 of these titles were quite good---and I had a hard time selecting my top 10.

The Top 10 Films of TIFF 2012:


1. Post Tenebras Lux – Dir. Carlos Reygadas (Mexico)
2. Barbara – Dir. Christian Petzold (Germany)
3. Berberian Sound Studio – Dir. Peter Strickland (UK)
4. Amour – Dir. Michael Haneke (France)
5. Beyond the Hills – Dir. Cristian Mungiu (Romania)
6. Paradise: Love – Dir. Ulrich Seidl (Austria)
7. In Another Country – Dir. Hong Sangsoo (South Korea)
8. The Paperboy – Dir. Lee Daniels (US)
9. Rust and Bone – Dir. Jacques Audiard (France)
10. The Place Beyond the Pines – Dir. Derek Cianfrance (US)

Best of the Rest:
11. iLL Manors – Dir. Ben Drew (UK)
12. Spring Breakers – Dir. Harmony Korine (US)
13. The Hunt – Dir. Thomas Vinterberg (Denmark)
14. Reality – Dir. Matteo Garrone (Italy)
15. Sightseers – Dir. Ben Wheatley (UK)
16. Laurence Anyways – Dir. Xavier Dolan (Canada)
17. In the Fog – Dir. Segei Losntiza (Russia)
18. The Bay – Dir. Barry Levinson (US)
19. Byzantium – Dir. Neil Jordan (UK)
20. Peddlers – Dir. Vasan Bala (India)
21. Cloud Atlas – Dir. Wachowski Siblings/Tom Tykwer (US)
22. Dredd – Dir. Pete Travis (US)
23. In the House – Dir. Francois Ozon (France)
24. Blondie – Dir. Jesper Gandslandt (Sweden)
25. A Liar’s Autobiography – Dir. Bill Jones/Jeff Simpson/Ben Timlett (UK)
26. All that Matters Is Past – Dir. Sara Johnsen (Norway)
27. Smashed – Dir. James Ponsoldt (US)
28. Like Someone In Love – Dir. Abbas Kiarostami (Japan)
29. Something In the Air – Dir. Olivier Assayas (France)
30. Out in the Dark – Dir. Michael Mayer (Israel)
31. At Any Price – Dir. Rahmin Bahrani (US)
32. The ABCs of Death – Dir. Various
33. Seven Psychopaths – Dir. Martin McDonagh (UK)
34. Everybody Has a Plan – Dir.Ana Piterbarg (Argentina)
35. Just the Wind – Dir. Benedek Fliegauf (Hungary)
Of Minor Interest:
36. Passion – Dir. Brian De Palma (US)
37. Peaches Does Herself – Dir. Peaches (Germany)
38. To the Wonder – Dir. Terrence Malick (US)
39. The Land of Hope – Dir. Shion Sono (Japan)
40. Thy Womb – Dir. Brilliante Mendoza (Philippines)
41. Dormant Beauty – Dir. Marco Bellochio (Italy)
42. Here Comes the Devil – Dir. Juan Antonio Bogliano (Mexico)
43. Zaytoun – Dir. Eran Riklis (Israel)
44. Tower – Dir. Kazik Radwanski (Canada)
45. Rhino Season – Dir. Bahman Ghobadi (Iran)
46. Come Out and Play – Makinov (Mexico)
47. Three Worlds – Dir. Catherine Corsini (France)
48. Crimes of Mike Reckett – Dir. Bruce Sweeney (Canada)
49. Dead Europe – Dir. Tony Krawitz (Australia)
50. Shores of Hope – Dir. Toke Constantin Hebbeln (Germany)
51. White Elephant – Dir. Pablo Trapero (Argentina)
52. Lines of Wellington – Valeria Sarmiento (France/Portugal)
Banal:
53. Jayne Mansfield’s Car – Dir. Billy Bob Thornton (US)
54. What Maisie Knew – Scott McGehee and David Siegel (US)
55. Thale – Dir. Aleksander Nordaas (Norway)
56. When I See You – Dir. Annemarie Jacir (Israel)
57. Jackie – Dir. Antoinette Beumer (Netherlands)
58. Wasteland – Dir. Rowan Athale (UK)
59. Hellbenders – Dir. JT Petty (US)
60. God Loves Caviar – Dir. Yannis Smaragdis (Greece)

Already Seen:
61. Middle of Nowhere – Dir. Ava DuVernay (US)
62. John Dies at the End – Dir. Don Coscarelli (US)
63. The Sessions – Dir. Ben Lewin (US)

Out of the Past: The Month in Film, August 2012

Top 10:
10. Detention (2011) Dir. Joseph Kahn – US
9. Plan B (2009) Dir. Marco Berger – Argentina
8. The Tales of Hoffman (1951) Dir. Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger – UK
7. A Dream of Passion (1978) Dir. Jules Dassin – Greece
6. Redacted (2007) Dir. Brian De Palma – US
5. We Were Here (2011) Dir. David Weissman & Bill Weber – US
4. Tuesday, After Christmas (2010) Dir. Radu Muntean – Romania
3. Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (2007) Dir. Sidney Lumet – US
2. That Obscure Object Of Desire (1977) Dir. Luis Bunuel – France/Spain
1. Through a Glass Darkly (1961) Dir. Ingmar Bergman – Sweden

Recommended:
Salt of This Sea (2008) Dir. Annemarie Jacir – Occupied Palestine

Of Interest:
Miss Pinkerton (1932) Dir. Lloyd Bacon – US
What Just Happened? (2008) Dir. Barry Levinson – US
Pulse (2001) Dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa – Japan
Driving Miss Daisy (1989) Dir. Bruce Beresford – US
Daddy and Them (2001) Dir. Billy Bob Thornton – US
Beauty Shop (2005) Dir. Bille Woodruff – US
Windows (1980) Dir. Gordon Willis – US

Theatrical Screenings:
Cosmopolis (2012) Dir. David Cronenberg – Canada/France 9/10
Chicken With Plums (2011) Dir. Marjane Satrapi & Vincent Paronnaud – France 9/10
For a Good Time, Call… (2012) Dir. Jamie Travis – US 9/10
Las Acacias (2011) Dir. Pablo Giorgelli – Argentina 8/10
The Bourne Legacy (2012) Dir. Tony Gilroy – US 8/10
Almayer’s Folly (2011) Dir. Chantal Akerman – Belgium 8/10
Kumare (2012) Dir. Vikram Gandhi – US 8/10
The Eye of the Storm (2011) Dir. Fred Schepisi – Australia 7/10
The Other Son (2012) Dir. Lorraine Levy – France 7/10
Side By Side (2012) Dir. Christopher Kenneally – US 7/10
Ruby Sparks (2012) Dir. Valerie Faris & Jonathan Dayton – US 7/10
Tears of Gaza (2010) Dir. Vibeke Lokkeberg – Norway/Palestine 6/10
Sleepwalk With Me (2012) Dir. Mike Birgbiglia & Seth Barrish – US 6/10
Girl Model (2011) Dir. Ashley Sabin & David Redmon – US 6/10
10 Years (2011) Dir. Jamie Linden – US 6/10
The Possession (2012) Dir. Ole Bornedal – US 5/10
Goats (2012) Dir. Christopher Neil – US 5/10
Hope Springs (2012) Dir. David Frankel – US 5/10
The Village (2004) Dir. M. Night Shyamalan – US 5/10
The Tall Man (2012) Dir. Pascal Laugier – US 4/10
Sparkle (2012) Dir. Salim Akil – US 3/10
The Inbetweeners (2011) Dir. Ben Palmer – UK 2/10
The Odd Life of Timothy Green (2012) Dir. Peter Hedges – US 1/10

Rewatched:
Weekend (2012) Dir. Andrew Haigh – UK
Night Warning (1982) Dir. William Asher – US
The Village (2004) Dir. M. Night Shyamalan – US
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) Dir. James Cameron – US
Auntie Mame (1958) Dir. Morton DaCosta – US

The Banal:
Lockout (2012) Dir. James Mather & Stephen St. Leger – France
Cold Sweat (2010) Dir. Adrian Garcia Bogliano – Argentina
A New Kind of Love (1963) Dir. Melville Shavelson – US
The Betsy (1978) Dir. Daniel Petrie – US
ATM (2012) Dir. David Brooks – US
Water For Elephants (2011) Dir. Francis Lawrence – US

Cess Pool Cinema:
Chatroom (2010) Dir. Hideo Nakata – UK
Swing Kids (1993) Dir. Thomas Carter – US
The Three Stooges (2012) Dir. Farrelly Bros. - US

Out of the Past: The Month in Film, July 2012

Top 10:

10. 21 Jump Street (2012) Dir. Phil Lord & Chris Miller – US
9. Radio Days (1987) Dir. Woody Allen – US
8. Metropolitan (1990) Dir. Whit Stillman – US
7. Chasing Amy (1997) Dir. Kevin Smith – US
6. Taxi Zum Klo (1980) Dir. Frank Ripploh – West Germany
5. Goodbye Again (1961) Dir. Anatole Litvak – France/US
4. Camille Claudel (1988) Dir. Bruno Nuytten – France
3. Daniel & Ana (2009) Dir. Michel Franco – Mexico
2. The Story of Adele H. (1975) Dir. Francois Truffaut – France
1. Easy Rider (1969) Dir. Dennis Hopper – US



Recommended:
Goon (2011) Dir. Michael Dowse – Canada
Lovely, Still (2008) Dir. Nicholas Fackler – US
MST3K 3000: Soultaker (1990) Dir. Michael Rissi – US


Of Interest:
The Monitor (2011) Dir. Pal Sleutane – Norway
Shakes the Clown (1991) Dir. Bobcat Goldthwaite – US
Safe House (2012) Dir. Daniel Espinosa – US/South Africa
Night Watch (1973) Dir. Brian G. Hutton – UK
Henry’s Crime (2010) Dir. Malcolm Venville – US
Wanderlust (2012) Dir. David Wain – US


Theatrical Screenings:
Little White Lies (2010) Dir. Guillaume Canet – France 10/10
Our Paradise (2011) Dir. Gael Morel – France 10/10
Klown (2010) Dir. Mikkel Norgaard – Denmark 10/10
The Dark Knight Rises (2012) Dir. Christopher Nolan – US 9/10
Any Day Now (2012) Dir. Travis Fine – US 9/10
2 Days In New York (2012) Dir. Julie Delpy – US 9/10
Take This Waltz (2011) Dir. Sarah Polley – Canada 8/10
Hello I Must Be Going (2012) Dir. Todd Louiso – US 8/10
Little Birds (2011) Dir. Elgin James – US 8/10
Exit Elena (2012) Dir. Nathan Silver – US 8/10
Mosquita Y Mari (2012) Dir. Aurora Guerrero – US 7/10
Nuit #1 (2011) Dir. Anne Emond – Canada 7/10
The Matchmaker (2010) Dir. Avi Nesher – Israel 6/10
Samsara (2011) Dir. Ron Fricke – US 5/10
Trishna (2011) Dir. Michael Winterbottom – UK 5/10
Rec 3: Genesis (2012) Dir. Paco Plaza – Spain 5/10
Walk Away Renee (2011) Dir. Jonathan Caouette – US 4/10
The Well Digger’s Daughter (2011) Dir. Daniel Auteuil – France 3/10
That’s What She Said (2012) Dir. Carrie Preston – US 1/10
Battelship (2012) Dir. Peter Berg – US 0/10


The Banal:
Duck Soup (1933) Dir. Leo McCarey – US
The Scenesters (2009) Dir. Todd Berger – US
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011) Dir. Guy Ritchie – US
OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies (2006) Dir. Michael Hazanavicius – France
Angels Crest (2011) Dir. Gaby Dellal – US


Cess Pool Cinema:
When a Stranger Calls (2006) Dir. Simon West – US
A Thousand Words (2012) Dir. Brian Robbins – US
Cry For the Strangers (1982) Dir. Peter Medak – US
Mirror, Mirror (2012) Dir. Tarsem Singh – US


Rewatched:
Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) Dir. Robert Aldrich – US
Suddenly, Last Summer (1959) Dir. Joseph L. Mankiewicz – US
Abduction (2011) Dir. John Singleton – US

Out of the Past: The Month in Film, June 2012

Top 10:

10. Dishonored (1931) Dir. Josef Von Sternberg – US
9. Ganja & Hess (1973) Dir. Bill Gunn – US
8. The Killer Inside Me (1976) Dir. Burt Kennedy - US
7. The American Soldier (1970) Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder – West Germany
6. Burn Witch, Burn (aka Night of the Eagle) (1962) Dir. Sidney Hayers – UK
5. Rififi (1955) Dir. Jules Dassin – France
4. The Breaking Point (1950) Dir. Michael Curtiz – US
3. Silent Light (2007) Dir. Carlos Reygadas – Mexico
2. The Banishment (2007) Dir. Andrei Zvyagintsev – Russia
1. Children of Paradise (1945) Dir. Marcel Carne – France

Recommended:
The Thin Blue Line (1988) Dir. Errol Morris – US
Love Is Colder Than Death (1969) Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder – West Germany
Saboteur (1942) Dir. Alfred Hitchcock – US
Romantics Anonymous (2010) Dir. Jean-Pierre Ameris – France
My Cousin Rachel (1952) Dir. Henry Koster – US


Of Interest:
Sugar (2008) Dir. Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck – US/Dominican Republic
The Sentinel (1977) Dir. Michael Winner – US
Jess+Moss (2011) Dir. Clay Jeter – US
How To Steal a Million (1966) Dir. William Wyler – US
Perrier’s Bounty (2009) Dir. Ian Fitzgibbon – Ireland/UK
Quicksand (1950) Dir. Irving Pichel – US

Theatrical Screenings:
Children of Paradise (1945) Dir. Marcel Carne – France 10/10
Red Lights (2012) Dir. Rodrigo Cortes – US/Spain 10/10
Safety Not Guaranteed (2012) Dir. Colin Treverrow – US 10/10
The American Soldier (1970) Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder – West Germany 10/10
Farewell, My Queen (2012) Dir. Benoit Jacquot – France 10/10
Union Square (2011) Dir. Nancy Savoca – US 9/10
Prometheus (2012) Dir. Ridley Scott – US 9/10
The Queen of Versailles (2012) Dir. Lauren Greenfield – US 9/10
Your Sister’s Sister (2011) Dir. Lynn Shelton – US 9/10
Searching For Sugar Man (2012) Dir. Malik Bendjelloul – Sweden/UK 7/10
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012) Dir. Lurene Scafaria – US 6/10
Savages (2012) Dir. Oliver Stone – US 6/10
Peace, Love, and Misunderstanding (2011) Dir. Bruce Beresford – US 5/10
Bel Ami (2012) Dir. Declan Donnellan & Nick Ormerod – UK 5/10
Lola Versus (2012) Dir. Daryl Wein – US 5/10
The Awakening (2011) Dir. Nick Murphy – UK 4/10
Ballplayer: Pelotero (2011) Dir. Ross Finkel, Trevor Martin, Jonathan Playton – US 3/10


The Banal:
Contraband (2012) Dir. Baltasar Kormakur – US
We Bought a Zoo (2011) Dir. Cameron Crowe – US
The Big Year (2011) Dir. David Frankel – US
The Gate (1986) Dir. Tibor Takacs – Canada/US
Trona (2004) Dir. David Fenster – US
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2012) Dir. Mark Neveldine & Brian Taylor – US
Seeking Justice (2011) Dir. Roger Donaldson – US
Milwaukee, Minnesota (2003) Dir. Allan Mindel – US

Rewatched:
Red Lights (2012) Dir. Rodrigo Cortes – US/Spain

Best of Fest: Los Angeles Film Festival 2012

BEST OF FEST 2012 LAFF:
1. It’s a Disaster – Dir. Todd Berger (US)
2. The Banishment – Dir. Andrei Zvyagintsev (Russia)
3. Sister – Dir. Ursula Meier (Switzerland/France)
4. The Breaking Point – Dir. Michael Curtiz (US)
5. Four – Dir. Joshua Sanchez (US)
6. Neighboring Sounds – Dir. Kleber Mendonca Filho (Brazil)
7. Gayby – Dir. Jonathan Lisecki (US)
8. Call Me Kuchu – Dir. Katherine Fairfax Wright & Malika Zouhali-Worrall
(US/Uganda)
9. Bear – Dir. Nash Edgerton (Australia)
10. Easy Money – Dir. Daniel Espinosa (Sweden)

Best of the Rest:
Teddy Bear – Dir. Mads Matthiesen (Denmark)
The Queen of Versaille – Dir. Lauren Greenfield (US)
Unforgiveable – Dir. Andre Techine (France)
Dead Man’s Burden – Dir. Jared Moshe (US)


Of Interest:
Searching For Sugar Man – Dir. Malik Bendjelloul – Sweden/UK
To Rome With Love – Dir. Woody Allen (US)


Worst:
Crazy & Thief – Dir. Cory McAbee (US)
People Like Us – Dir. Alex Kurtzman (US)
Pincus – Dir. David Fenster (US)


Already Seen:
Beasts of the Southern Wild – Sundance 2012
Middle of Nowhere – Sundance 2012
Bunohan – TIFF 2011
Killer Joe – TIFF 2011
LUV – Sundance 2012
Robot and Frank – Sundance 2012

Out of the Past: The Month In Film, May 2012

Top 10:
10. Heart of Glass (1976) Dir. Werner Herzog – West Germany
9. Lake of Fire (2006) Dir. Tony Kaye – US
8. Death Watch (1980) Dir. Bertrand Tavernier – France/West Germany
7. Thirteen Women (1932) Dir. George Archainbaud – US
6. Nobody Knows (2004) Dir. Hirokazu Koreeda – Japan
5. A Time To Love and a Time to Die (1958) Dir. Douglas Sirk – US
4. Mysteries Of Lisbon (2010) Dir. Raul Ruiz – Portugal
3. Lawrence Of Arabia (1962) Dir. David Lean – UK
2. Amelie (2001) Dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet – France
1. The Baby of Macon (1993) Dir. Peter Greenaway – UK/France


Recommended:
Anything For Her (2008) Dir. Fred Cavaye – France
Flowers In the Attic (1987) Dir. Jeffrey Bloom – US
Eye of the Devil (1966) Dir. J. Lee Thompson – US
Creature From the Black Lagoon (1954) Dir. Jack Arnold – US
This Happy Breed (1944) Dir. David Lean – UK
Battle In Heaven (2005) Dir. Carlos Reygadas – Mexico


Of Interest:
Cry Wolf (1947) Dir. Peter Godfrey – US
The Lincoln Lawyer (2011) Dir. Brad Furman – US
The Woman In Red (1935) Dir. Robert Florey – US
Untamed (1929) Dir. Jack Conway – US
Presumed Innocent (1990) Dir. Alan J. Pakula – US


Theatrical Screenings:
Moonrise Kingdom (2012) Dir. Wes Anderson – US 10/10
Natural Selection (2011) Dir. Robbie Pickering – US 10/10
Elena (2011) Dir. Andrei Zvyagintsev – Russia 10/10
Sleepless Night (2011) Dir. Frederic Jardin – France 10/10
Lovely Molly (2011) Dir. Eduardo Sanchez – US 9/10
God Bless America (2011) Dir. Bobcat Goldthwait – US 8/10
Beyond the Black Rainbow (2011) Dir. Panos Cosmatos – Canada 8/10
5 Broken Cameras (2012) Dir. Emad Burnat & Guy Davidi – Palestine 7/10
360 (2011) Dir. Fernando Meirelles – UK 7/10
Snow White & the Huntsman (2012) Dir. Rupert Sanders – US 6/10
Dark Shadows (2011) Dir. Tim Burton – US 6/10
The Perfect Family (2011) Dir. Anne Renton – US 6/10
The Intouchables (2012) Dir. Olivier Nakache & Eric Toldeano – France 5/10
Mighty Fine (2012) Dir. Debbie Goodstein – US 4/10
Wallander: The Revenge (2009) Dir. Charlotte Brandstrom – Sweden 4/10
A Little Bit of Heaven (2011) Dir. Nicole Kassel – US 3/10
Mother’s Day (2010) Dir. Darren Lynn Bousman – US 1/10
John Carter (2012) Dir. Andrew Stanton – US 1/10
The Tortured (2010) Dir. Robert Lieberman – US 0/10


The Banal:
A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas (2011) Dir. Todd Strauss-Schulson – US
My Name is Khan (2010) Dir. Karan Johar – India
Ghost Rider (2007) Dir. Mark Steven Johnson – US
Underworld: Awakening (2012) Dir. Mans Marlind & Bjorn Stein – US
Just Go With It (2011) Dir. Dennis Dugan – US
The Muppets (2011) Dir. James Bobin – US
Tim & Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie (2012) Dir. Tim Heidecker & Eric Wareheim – US
Mum & Dad (2008) Dir. Steven Sheil – UK
The Tomb of Ligeia (1964) Dir. Roger Corman – US


Rewatched:
Mommie Dearest (1981) Dir. Frank Perry – US
Suspiria (1977) Dir. Dario Argento – Italy
Young Adult (2011) Dir. Jason Reitman – US
The Human Centipede II (Full Sequence) (2011) Dir. Tom Six – Netherlands/UK


Cess Pool Cinema:
Joyful Noise (2012) Dir. Todd Graff – US
Gone (2012) Dir. Heitor Dhelia – US

Out of the Past: The Month in Film, April 2012

Top 10:
10. The Wolf Man (1941) Dir. George Waggner – US
9. London Boulevard (2011) Dir. William Monahan – UK
8. Vanya on 42nd Street (1994) Dir. Louis Malle – US
7. Such Good Friends (1971) Dir. Otto Preminger – US
6. The Enchanted Cottage (1945) Dir. John Cromwell – US
5. Blithe Spirit (1945) Dir. David Lean – UK
4. My Little Princess (2011) Dir. Eva Ionesco – France
3. Anatomy of a Murder (1959) Dir. Otto Preminger – US
2. On the Silver Globe (1988) Dir. Andrzej Zulawski – Poland
1. The Important Thing Is To Love (1975) Dir. Andrzej Zulawski – France

Recommended:
Boris Godunov (1989) Dir. Andrzej Zulawski – France/Spain
The Sitter (2011) Dir. David Gordon Green – US
Edge of Seventeen (1998) Dir. David Moreton – US


Of Interest:
Into the Abyss (2011) Dir. Werner Herzog – US
Anonymous (2011) Dir. Roland Emmerich – UK
Timer (2009) Dir. Jac Schaeffer – US
I Don’t Know How She Does It (2011) Dir. Douglas McGrath – US
Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (2011) Dir. Brad Bird – US
In Which We Serve (1942) Dir. David Lean & Noel Coward – UK


Theatrical Screenings:
The Cabin in the Woods (2012) Dir. Drew Goddard – US 10/10
Polisse (2011) Dir. Maiwenn – France 10/10
Another Woman’s Life (2012) Dir. Sylvie Testud – France 10/10
Guilty (2011) Dir. Vincent Garenq – France 10/10
Delicacy (2011) Dir. David & Stephane Foenkinos – France 10/10
I Wish (2011) Dir. Hirokazu Koreeda – Japan 10/10
Post Mortem (2010) Dir. Pablo Larrain – Chile 9/10
Bernie (2011) Dir. Richard Linklater – US 9/10
Goodbye First Love (2011) Dir. Mia Hansen Love – France 9/10
Where Do We Go Now? (2011) Dir. Nadine Labaki – Lebanon 8/10
Whore’s Glory (2011) Dir. Michael Glawogger – Austria 8/10
A.B.E. (2011) (short) Dir. Jean-Francois Hassoun – France 8/10
Boris Godunov (1989) Dir. Andrzej Zulawski – France/Spain 7/10
Early One Morning (2011) Dir. Jean-Marc Moutou – France 7/10
Transparency (short) (2011) Dir. Celine & Martin Guyot – France 7/10
Here (2011) Dir. Braden King – US 7/10
Elles (2011) Dir. Malgorzata Szumowska – France/Poland 6/10
Late Bloomers (2011) Dir. Julie Gavras – US/France 6/10
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012) Dir. John Madden – UK 6/10
38 Witnesses (2012) Dir. Lucas Belvaux – France 6/10
My Way (2012) Dir. Florent-Emilio Siri – France 6/10
17 Girls (2011) Dir. Delphine & Muriel Coulin – France 6/10
Damsels In Distress (2011) Dir. Whit Stillman – US 5/10
Tonight, You’re Mine (2011) Dir. David Mackenzie – UK 5/10
Attack of the Giant Brainsucker Monster From Outerspace (2010) (short) – Dir. Guillaume Rieu – France 5/10
Groove Your Life (2011) (short) Dir. Vincent Burgevin & Franck Lebon – France 5/10
Apnea (2011) (short) Dir. Flora Molinie – France 5/10
Dark Tide (2012) Dir. John Stockwell – US 3/10
Hysteria (2011) Dir. Tanya Wexler – UK 2/10
Jesus Henry Christ (2012) Dir. Dennis Lee – US 1/10

Rewatched:
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) Dir. Robert Mulligan – US
Brief Encounter (1945) Dir. David Lean – UK

The Banal:
Colombiana (2011) Dir. Olivier Megaton – US
Higher Ground (2011) Dir. Vera Farmiga – US
Jack and Jill (2011) Dir. Dennis Dugan – US
Madea’s Big Happy Family (2011) Dir. Tyler Perry – US

Cess Pool:
Scream 4 (2011) Dir. Wes Craven – US
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) Dir. Joe Johnston – US
Eating Out: Drama Camp (2011) Dir. Q. Allan Brocka – US
The Green Lantern (2011) Dir. Martin Campbell – US
Saint Nick (2010) Dir. Dick Maas – Netherlands
11/11/11 (2011) Dir. Darren Lynn Bousman – US

The Indescribable Beauty of Andrzej Zulawski: Complete Works

Even the most avid cinephile often takes considerable time to work their way through an entire master's filmography. Often, there are several titles of every great director that are out of print or inaccessible. Until 2012, this was true for a few titles from master filmmaker Andrzej Zulawski, the Polish genius, director of 12 remarkable titles unlike anything ever done by any other filmmaker. He's still alive and well, though he hasn't directed anything since his divorce from French actress Sophie Marceau. In March of 2012, the first US retrospectives of his work concurrently took place in Los Angeles in NYC. Hopefully, he will be able to secure funding due to a renewed interest in his work, and, if wishes come true, he will be to direct at least one more beautiful monster for us.

I first discovered Zulawski in 2003 through his most infamous and well known title, the schizo/horror/divorce allegory, Possession (1981), featuring one of the most visceral performances ever committed to film by the beautiful Isabelle Adjani (who won Best Actress at Cannes that year). Denounced as one of the nefarious video nasties of the early 80's, I was able to rent a weatherworn VHS copy after ravaging the stacks of a Hollywood Video in Minneapolis, MN. Unfortunately, the quality of the tape was a definite impediment to the film, with a terrible audio track and murky visials. Then, in 2007, I purchased a Region 2 copy of the film from Spain, the artwork featuring the voluptuously stunning French artwork of a Medusa with a snake strand biting the woman's bosom, a stunningly sensual, serpentine, and cannibalistic image. Finally, I was able to witness this utterly strange and fascinating film, hosting a memorable movie night in celebration.

While the rest of Zulawski's titles were equally as hard to track down, the retrospective afforded me the opportunity to watch two of his rarest titles, The Blue Note (1991), and his film version of a Hungarian opera, Boris Godunov (1989), which had never been screened before in the US. Divisive, intelligent, confoundingly emotional, undoubtedly impressive, Andrzej Zulawski may very well stand as my favorite director of all time. There isn't a filmmaker that comes close to capturing such consuming emotion on screen. Here's my list of his films, from best to least favorite (not including two shorts he directed in the late 1960s), but all are extraordinary pieces of filmmaking and worth your time.

12. Boris Godunov (1989)
11. The Public Woman (1984)
10. La Fidelite (2000)
9. The Devil (1972)
8. L'amour Braque (1985)
7. My Nights Are More Beautiful Than Your Days (1989)
6. On the Silver Globe (1988)
5. The Blue Note (1991)
4. The Third Part of the Night (1971)
3. Szamanka (1996)
2. The Important Thing Is To Love (1975)
1. Possession (1981)

Yes you Cannes! 2012 Lineup

One year, I'll be there! Until then, my Top 15 most anticipated titles just announced this morning:

15. In the Fog - Dir. Sergei Loznitsa (Russia)
14. Like Someone In Love - Dir. Abbas Kiarostami (France/Japan)
13. Holly Motors - Dir. Leos Caraz (France)
12. Antiviral - Dir. Brandon Cronenberg (Canada)
11. The Hunt - Dir. Thomas Vinterberg (Denmark)
10. Mud - Dir. Jeff Nicholas (US)
9. Three Worlds - Dir. Catherine Corsini (France)
8. The Paperboy - Dir. Lee Daniels (US)
7. Post Tenebras Lux - Dir. Carlos Reygadas (Mexico)
6. Rust and Bone - Dir. Jacques Audiard (France)
5. Cosmopolis - Dir. David Cronenberg (US)
4. In Another Country - Dir. Hong Sang-soo (South Korea)
3. Laurence Anyways - Dir. Xavier Dolan (France)
2. Paradise: Love - Dir. Ulrich Seidl (Austria
1. Amour - Dir. Michael Haneke (France)

And, yes, I am excited for some new docs directed by Fatih Akin and Sebastien Lifshitz, Mekong Hotel (Apichatpong Weerasethakul), Killing Them Softly (Andrew Dominik), Beyond the Hills (Cristian Mungiu), and Elefante Blanco (Pablo Trapero).

Out of the Past: The Month In Film, March 2012

Top 10:
10. The Prowler (1951) Dir. Joseph Losey – US
9. The Devil (1972) Dir. Andrzej Zulawski – Poland
8. Project Nim (2011) Dir. James Marsh – US/UK
7. Whity (1971) Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder – West Germany
6. L’amour Braque (Mad Love) (1985) Dir. Andrzej Zulawski - France
5. My Nights Are More Beautiful Than Your Days (1989) Dir. Andrzej Zulawski – France
4. Domain (2009) Dir. Patric Chiha – France
3. The Third Part of the Night (1971) Dir. Andrzej Zulawski – Poland
2. The Blue Note (1991) Dir. Andrzej Zulawski – France/Germany
1. Szamanka (1996) Dir. Andrzej Zulawski – Poland

Recommended:
Fidelity (2000) Dir. Andrzej Zulawski – France
Aurora (2010) Dir. Cristi Puiu – Romania
Bullitt (1968) Dir. Peter Yates – US
I Only Want You To Love Me (1976) Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder – West Germany
Lola (1961) Dir. Jacques Demy – France
Retreat (2011) Dir. Carl Tibbets – UK
Bedevilled (2010) Dir. Jang Chul-soo – South Korea
Night Warning (1983) Dir. William Asher – US
Boris Godunov (1989) Dir. Andrzej Zulawski – France/Spain

Of Interest:
Flesh and Fantasy (1943) Dir. Julien Duvivier – US
Get Real (1998) Dir. Simon Shore – UK
In Time (2011) Dir. Andrew Niccol – US
MST3K: Attack of the Giant Leeches (1959) Dir. Bernard L. Kowalski – US

Theatrical Screenings:
Szamanka (1996) Dir. Andrzej Zulawski – Poland
The Blue Note (1991) Dir. Andrzej Zulawski – France/Germany 10/10
Sound of My Voice (2011) Dir. Zal Batmanglij – US 10/10
Living (2012) Dir. Vasili Sigarev – Russia 10/10
Monsieur Lazhar (2011) Dir. Philippe Falardeau – Canada 10/10
Perfect Sense (2011) Dir. David Mackenzie – UK/Ireland 10/10
Headhunters (2011) Dir. Morten Tyldum – Norway 9/10
Americano (2011) Dir. Mathieu Demy – France 9/10
Detachment (2011) Dir. Tony Kaye – US 8/10
Footnote (2011) Dir. Joseph Cedar – Israel 8/10
The Hunger Games (2012) Dir. Gary Ross – US 7/10
Bully (2011) Dir. Lee Hirsch & Alicia Dwyer – US 7/10
Turn Me On, Dammit! (2011) Dir. Jannicke Systad Jacobsen – Norway 7/10
This Is Not A Film (2011) Dir. Jafar Panahi & Mojtaba Mirtamasb – Iran 7/10
Avalon (2011) Dir. Axel Peterson – Sweden 7/10
4:44 – Last Day On Earth (2011) Dir. Abel Ferrara – US 6/10
Friends With Kids (2011) Dir. Jennifer Westfeldt – US 6/10
The Raid: Redemption (2011) Dir. Gareth Evans – Indonesia 4/10
Girl In Progress (2012) Dir. Patricia Riggens – US 4/10
Salmon Fishing In The Yemen (2011) Dir. Lasse Hallstrom – UK 3/10
Darling Companion (2012) Dir. Lawrence Kasdan – US 3/10

Rewatched:
MST3K: PARTS – The Clonus Horror (1979) Dir. Robert Fiveson – US 9/10

The Banal:
Tower Heist (2011) Dir. Brett Ratner – US
The Thing (2011) Dir. Matthijs van Heijningen Jr. – US/Canada
Jailbait (2004) Dir. Brett C. Leonard
What’s Your Number? (2011) Dir. Mark Mylod – US
The Oregonian (2011) Dir. Calvin Reeder – US
What? (1972) Dir. Roman Polanski – Italy/France
Real Steel (2011) Dir. Shawn Levy – US

Cess Pool Cinema:
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part One (2011) Dir. Bill Condon – US
Hostel Part III (2011) Dir. Scott Spiegel – US

Out of the Past: The Month in Film, February 2012

Top 10 Films From February 2012 (not counting Theatrical Releases):
10. The Owls (2010) Dir. Cheryl Dunye – US
9. Vampyr (1932) Dir. Carl Theodor Dreyer – Germany
8. Nil By Mouth (1997) Dir. Gary Oldman – UK
7. Black Narcissus (1947) Dir. Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger - UK
6. No Man Of Her Own (1950) Dir. Mitchell Leisen – US
5. Resurrection (1980) Dir. Daniel Petrie – US
4. Summer (1986) Dir. Eric Rohmer – France
3. Sadie Thompson (1928) Dir. Raoul Walsh – US
2. The Trip To Bountiful (1985) Dir. Peter Masterson - US
1. Butterflies Are Free (1972) Dir. Milton Katselas – US

Recommended:
Tales of Ordinary Madness (1981) Dir. Marco Ferreri – Italy/France
Three Came Home (1950) Dir. Jean Negulesco – US
A Special Day (1977) Dir. Ettore Scala – Italy
Whatever Happened To Aunt Alice? (1969) Dir. Lee H. Katzin – US
House of Strangers (1949) Dir. Joseph L. Mankiewicz – US
Hangover Square (1945) Dir. John Brahm – US
A Better Life (2011) Dir. Chris Weitz – US
Phantom Lady (1944) Dir. Robert Siodmak – US
The Last Time I Saw Paris (1954) Dir. Richard Brooks – US
A Star Is Born (1937) Dir. William Wellman – US
The Dark Mirror (1946) Dir. Robert Siodmak – US
The Heartbreak Kid (1972) Dir. Elaine May – US
Mary (2005) Dir. Abel Ferrara – Italy/France/US
Ripley’s Game (2002) Dir. Liliana Cavani – Italy/UK
Let The Bullets Fly (2010) Dir. Jiang Wen – Hong Kong/China

Of Interest:
The Passion of Darkly Noon (1995) Dir. Phillip Ridley – UK
Pressure Point (1962) Dir. Hubert Cornfield – US
The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1963) Dir. Mario Bava – Italy
The Lodger (1944) Dir. John Brahm – US
War Horse (2011) Dir. Steven Spielberg – US
The Constant Gardner (2005) Dir. Fernando Meirelles – UK
La Collectionneuse (1967) Dir. Eric Rohmer – France
Short Night of Glass Dolls (1971) Dir. Aldo Lado – Italy
The Film Crew: Killers From Space (1954) Dir. W. Lee Wilder – US
The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia (2009) Dir. Julien Nitzberg – US
Algiers (1938) Dir. John Cromwell – US
The Weather Man (2005) Dir. Gore Verbinski – US
Virgin Machine (1988) Dir. Monika Treut – West Germany
The Secrets (2007) Dir. Avi Nesher – Israel/France
The Incredible Shrinking Woman (1981) Dir. Joel Schumacher – US

Rewatched:
The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946) Dir. Lewis Milestone – US
The Wicker Man (2006) Dir. Neil LaBute – US

Theatrical Screenings:
King of Devil’s Island (2010) Dir. Marius Holst – Norway 9/10
The Innkeepers (2010) Dir. Ti West – US 9/10
Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011) Dir. David Gelb – US 8/10
The Forgiveness of Blood (2011) Dir. Joshua Marston – US/Albania 8/10
Silent House (2011) Dir. Chris Kentis & Laura Lau – US 7/10
Norwegian Wood (2010) Dir. Tran Anh Hung – Japan 7/10
Chronicle (2012) Dir. Josh Trank – US 6/10
Being Flynn (2012) Dir. Paul Weitz – US 6/10
Thin Ice (2011) Dir. Jill Sprecher – US 5/10
The Wicker Tree (2010) Dir. Robin Hardy – UK 5/10
The Woman In Black (2012) Dir. James Watkins – UK 5/10

The Banal:
The Vampire (1957) Dir. Paul Landres – US
Grand Canyon (1991) Dir. Lawrence Kasdan – US
Invasion of the Bee Girls (1973) Dir. Denis Sanders – US
Miranda (2002) Dir. Marc Munden – US
Dear Wendy (2005) Dir. Thomas Vinterberg – US/Denmark
Kill Baby, Kill (1966) Dir. Mario Bava – Italy
Shark Night (2011) Dir. David R. Ellis – US
Venus In Furs (1969) Dir. Jesus Franco – UK/Italy
Beware, My Lovely (1952) Dir. Harry Horner – US
After Fall, Winter (2011) Dir. Eric Schaeffer – US/France
B.A.P.s (1997) Dir. Robert Townsend – US
One To Another (2006) Dir. Pascal Arnold & Jean-Marc Barr – France
Pigalle (1992) Dir. Karim Dridi – France
The Bird People in China (1998) Dir. Takashi Miike – Japan
Tomorrow, When the War Began (2010) Dir. Stuart Beattie – Australia
I Sell The Dead (2008) Dir. Glenn McQuaid – US
La Ronde (Circle of Love) (1964) Dir. Roger Vadim – France
Doctor Faustus (1967) Dir. Richard Burton & Nevill Coghill – UK
Straw Dogs (2011) Dir. Rod Lurie – US

Cess Pool Cinema:
Invasion of the Star Creatures (1962) Dir. Bruno Ve Sota – US
Bucky Larson: Born To Be a Star (2011) Dir. Tom Brady – US
Knives of the Avenger (1966) Dir. Mario Bava – Italy
Bloody Birthday (1981) Dir. Ed Hunt – US
Cowboys & Aliens (2011) Dir. Jon Favreau – US

Out of the Past: The Month in Film, January 2012

Top 10 Films From January 2012 (not counting theatrical releases:
10. The Catered Affair (1956) Dir. Richard Brooks – US
9. Parents (1989) Dir. Bob Balaban – US
8. Clockers (1995) Dir. Spike Lee – US
7. Afterschool (2008) Dir. Antonio Campos – US
6. Forty Shades of Blue (2005) Dir. Ira Sachs – US
5. The Hit (1984) Dir. Stephen Frears – UK
4. Prick Up Your Ears (1987) Dir. Stephen Frears – UK
3. The Fury (1978) Dir. Brian De Palma – US
2. In The Family (2011) Dir. Patrick Wang – US
1. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) Dir. Robery Wiene – Germany

Theatrical Screenings:
The Grey (2012) Dir. Joe Carnahan – US 9/10
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2011) Dir. David Fincher - US 8/10
Haywire (2012) Dir. Steven Soderbergh – US 7/10
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011) – US 6/10
The Divide (2012) Dir. Xavier Gens – US 6/10
The Devil Inside (2012) Dir. William Brent Bell – US 6/10
The Iron Lady (2011) Dir. Phyllida Loyd – UK 5/10
The Darkest Hour (2011) Dir. Chris Gorak – US 1/10

Recommended:
Miracle on 34th Street (1947) Dir. George Seaton – US
The Caveman’s Valentine (2001) Dir. Kasi Lemmons – US
Roman Holiday (1953) Dir. William Wyler – US
Gentleman’s Agreement (1947) Dir. Elia Kazan – US

Of Interest:
Scream Pretty Peggy (1973) Dir. Gordon Hessler – US
Submarino (2010) Dir. Thomas Vinterberg – Denmark
The Delta (1996) Dir. Ira Sachs – US
The Outsider (2005) Dir. Nicolas Jarecki – US
Warrior (2011) Dir. Gavin O’Connor – US
The Freebie (2010) Dir. Katie Aselton – US
Escape From New York (1981) Dir. John Carpenter – US
10:30 PM Summer (1966) Dir. Jules Dassin – US/Spain
Johnny Belinda (1948) Dir. Jean Negulesco – US
Italian For Beginners (2000) Dir. Lone Scherfig – Denmark
Nora’s Will (2008) Dir. Mariana Chenillo – Mexico
The Country Girl (1954) Dir. George Seaton – US
The Puffy Chair (2005) Dir. Duplass Bros. – US
The Strange Woman (1946) Dir. Edgar G. Ulmer – US
The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1952) Dir. Henry King – US
The Magnificent Seven (1960) Dir. John Sturges – US
Chasing Sleep (2000) Dir. Michael Walker – US
American Splendor (2003) Dir. Shari Springer Berman & Robert Pulcini – US
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) Dir. Rupert Wyatt – US
The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh (1971) Dir. Sergio Martino – Italy
The Chameleon (2010) Dir. Jean-Paul Salome – Canada/US
Kinetta (2005) Dir. Yorgos Lanthimos – Greece
MST3K 3000: Teenagers From Outer Space (1959) Dir. Tom Graeff – US

Rewatched:
Gremlins (1984) Dir. Joe Dante – US
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) Dir. Peter Jackson – US

The Banal:
The Hebrew Hammer (2003) Dir. Jonathan Kesselman – US
Seven Days (2010) Dir. Daniel Grou – Canada
The Caller (2011) Dir. Matthew Parkhill – UK/Puerto Rico
The Virgin Queen (1955) Dir. Henry Koster – US
A Good Old Fashioned Orgy (2011) Dir. Alex Gregory & Peter Huyck – US
How Green Was My Valley (1941) Dir. John Ford – US
Tormented (2009) Dir. John Wright – UK
The Hard Word (2002) Dir. Scott Roberts – Australia
The Girl Slaves of Morgana Le Fay (1971) Dir. Bruno Gantillon – France
Bird of Paradise (1932) Dir. King Vidor – US
Putty Hill (2010) Dir. Matthew Porterfield – US
Baba Yaga (1973) Dir. Carrado Farina – Italy
Moneyball (2011) Dir. Bennett Miller – US
Barbershop (2002) Dir. Tim Story – US
Suddenly (1954) Dir. Lewis Allen – US
13 Conversations About One Thing (2001) Dir. Jill Sprecher – US
Paranormal Activity 3 (2011) Dir. Henry Joost & Ariel Schulman – US
A Bridge Too Far (1977) Dir. Richard Attenborough – US
Cry of the Banshee (1970) Dir. Gordon Hessler – UK
Murders In the Rue Morgue (1971) Dir. Gordon Hessler – US

Cess Pool Cinema:
Chastity (1969) Dir. Alessio de Paola – US
Bunraku (2010) Dir. Guy Moshe – US
Mr. Popper’s Penguins (2011) Dir. Mark Waters – US
The United States of Leland (2003) Dir. Matthew Ryan Hodge – US
Final Destination 5 (2011) Dir. Steven Quale – US

Sundance 2012: The Rundown

So Sundance 2012 was my first time at the prolific film festival, and my first major festival as a press member (I don't really count AFI Film Fest 2011 as all that major, since tickets are free to the public as well). With 27 films in 6 days, I felt I did quite well for my first year (plus 4 interviews--Traci Lords, the cast and director of Middle of Nowhere, director Nicholas McCarthy, and director Ira Sachs). Out of this batch of titles, only 4 of those films were absolutely terrible (each of which I was assigned to review). Without further ado, here's my rundown (please check back, as more reviews become available, I will hyperlink to this list):

Best of Fest, Sundance 2012:

1. Compliance - Dir. Craig Zobel (US)
2. Red Lights - Dir. Rodrigo Cortes (US/Spain) (review available)
3. Black Rock - Dir. Katie Aselton (US) (review available)
4. Keep the Lights On - Dir. Ira Sachs (US) (review available)
5. Middle of Nowhere - Dir. Ava DuVernay (US) (review available)
6. Excision - Dir. Richard Bates Jr. (US) (review available)
7. Liberal Arts - Dir. Josh Radnor (US)
8. Simon Killer - Dir. Antonio Campos (US)
9. Beasts of the Southern Wild - Dir. Benh Zeitlin (US)
10. The Imposter - Dir. Bart Layton (US)

Additional Reccomended Titles:

1. Corpo Celeste - Dir. Alice Rohrwacher (Italy)
2. The Surrogate - Dir. Ben Lewin (US)
3. Robot and Frank - Dir. Jake Schrier (US) (review available)
4. Red Hook Summer - Dir. Spike Lee (US) (review available)
5. LUV - Dir. Sheldon Candis (US) (review available)
6. V/H/S - Dir(s). Brucker/West/Radio Silence/McQuaid/Wingard (US) (review available)
7. Price Check - Dir. Michael Walker (US) (review available)
8. Shadow Dancer - Dir. James Marsh (UK)
9. Arbitrage - Dir. Nicolas Jarecki (US) (review available)
10. Love Free Or Die - Dir. Macky Alston (US) (review available)

The Banal:

1. Kid-Thing - Dir. David Zellner (US) (review available)
2. L - Dir. Babis Makidris (Greece)
3. Grabbers - Dir. Jon Wright (UK/Ireland) (review available)

Merde Cinema:

1. Lay the Favorite - Dir. Stephen Frears (US) (review available)
2. John Dies At The End - Dir. Don Coscarelli (US) (review available)
3. The Pact - Dir. Nicholas McCarthy (US) (review available)
4. The Words - Dir. Brian Klugman & Lee Sternthal (US) (review available)

Palm Springs Film Festival 2012

A week before attending my first Sundance Film Festival, I ventured out to Palm Springs for the second weekend of their film fest as they were screening some 2011 titles that eluded me, including a new, delicious film from Christoffer Boe. Here's the six titles I nabbed there:

1. Beast - Dir. Christoffer Boe (Denmark) 9/10
2. The Monk - Dir. Dominik Moll (France) 8/10
3. My Best Enemy - Dir. Wolfgang Murnberger (Austria) 7/10
4. The Salt of Life - Dir. Gianni Di Gianni (Italy) 7/10
5. The Sandman - Dir. Peter Luisi (Switzerland) 6/10
6. When The Night - Dir. Cristina Comencini (Italy) 4/10

Bell's 125 Most Anticipated Titles: 2012

1. Red Lights (US/Spain)
Dir. Rodrigo Cortes
Completed: Sundance 2012
Stars: Sigourney Weaver, Cillian Murphy, Robert De Niro

2. Happy Holidays, Katherine Sloane (US)
Dir. James Mottern
Pre-production
Stars: Sigourney Weaver, Kate Beckinsale, Jason Lee

3. It Is What It Is (US)
Dir. Susanna Fogel
Pre-production
Stars: Sigourney Weaver, Evan Rachel Wood

4. The Cold Light of Day (US)
Dir. Mabrouk El Mechri
Completed: Release Date 4/6/2012
Stars: Sigourney Weaver, Bruce Willis, Henry Cavill

5. Vamps (US)
Dir. Amy Heckerling
Completed: TBA
Stars: Sigourney Weaver, Alicia Silverstone, Macolm McDowell

6. Django Unchained (US)
Dir. Quentin Tarantino
Filming
Stars: Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kurt Russell

7. Girls Will Be Girls 2012 (US)
Dir. Richard Day
Post-production
Stars: Jack Plotnick, Clinton Leupp, Jeffery Roberson

8. My Little Princess (France)
Dir. Eva Ionesco
Completed: Premiered Cannes 2011
Stars: Isabelle Huppert

9. Invisible Monsters (US)
Dir. Samir Rehem
Announced
Stars: TBA

10. Love (France)
Dir. Michael Haneke
Post-production
Stars: Isabelle Huppert, Jean-Louis Trintignant

11. Untitled Hong Sang-soo (South Korea)
Dir. Hong Sang-soo
Filming
Stars: Isabelle Huppert

12. Captured (Philippines)
Dir. Brilliante Mendoza
Completed: TBA
Stars: Isabelle Huppert

13. Laurence Anyways (Canada/France)
Dir. Xavier Dolan
Post-production
Stars: Melvil Poupad, Nathalie Baye

14. Queer (US)
Dir. Steve Buscemi
Announced
Stars: Guy Pearce, Ben Foster, Kelly McDonald

15. Gay Dude (US)
Dir. Chris Nelson
Post-production
Stars: Megan Mullally, Gary Cole

16. The Foam of the Days (France)
Dir. Michel Gondry
Pre-production
Stars: Romain Duris, Audrey Tautou

17. Only God Forgives (France)
Dir. Nicolas Winding Refn
Pre-production
Stars: Ryan Gosling, Kristin Scott Thomas

18. Colt 45 (France)
Dir. Fabrice Du Welz
Pre-production
Stars: Gerard Lanvin, Joey Starr

19. Bye Bye Blondie (France)
Dir. Virginie Despentes
Completed: TBA
Stars: Beatrice Dalle, Emmanuelle Beart, Pascal Greggory

20. The Blood Countess (Austria/Germany)
Dir. Ulrike Ottinger
Pre-production
Stars: Tilda Swinton, Isabelle Huppert, Udo Kier

21. As Linhas De Torres (Portugal)
Dir. Raoul Ruiz, Valeria Sarmiento
Pre-production
Stars: Isabelle Huppert, Catherine Deneuve, John Malkovich

22. The Danish Girl (US)
Dir. TBA
Pre-production
Stars: Nicole Kidman

23. Under the Skin (US/UK)
Dir. Jonathan Glazer
Filming
Stars: Scarlet Johansson

24. Keep The Lights On (US)
Dir. Ira Sachs
Completed: Sundance 2012
Stars: Paprika Steen, Julianne Nicholson

25. Dans La Maison (France)
Dir. Francois Ozon
Post-production
Stars: Kristin Scott Thomas, Emmanuelle Seigner, Fabrice Luchini

26. Black Venus (France)
Dir. Abdellatif Kechiche
Completed: TBA (festival circuit)
Stars: Yahima Torres, Olivier Gourment

27. Gravity (US)
Dir. Alfonso Cuaron
Post-production
Stars: George Clooney, Sandra Bullock

28. Innocence (US)
Dir. Hilary Brougher
In production
Stars: Chloe Sevigny, Abigail Breslin

29. A Killing On Carnival Row (US)
Dir. Tarsem Singh
Announced
Stars: TBA

30. Nymphomaniac (Denmark)
Dir. Lars Von Trier
Announced
Stars: TBA

31. Stoker (US)
Dir. Park Chan-wook
Post-production
Stars: Nicole Kidman, Dermot Mulroney, Mia Wasikowska

32. The Monk (France)
Dir. Dominik Moll
Completed: TBA (festival circuit)
Stars: Vincent Cassel, Deborah Francois, Gerladine Chaplin

33. Tormented (Japan)
Dir. Takashi Shimizu
Completed: TBA (festival circuit)
Stars: Teruyuki Kagawa, Hikari Mitsushima

34. Prometheus (US)
Dir. Ridley Scott
Post-production
Stars: Noomi Rapace, Charlize Theron, Michael Fassbender, Patrick Wilson

35. Kiss of the Damned (US)
Dir. Xan Cassavetes
Post-production
Stars: Anna Mouglalis, Michael Rapaport, Riley Keough

36. Snow Piercer (South Korea)
Dir. Bong Joon-Ho
Pre-production
Stars: Song Kang-ho

37. Cloud Atlas (US/Germany)
Dir. Tm Tykwer & Wachowski Siblings
Filming
Stars: Halle Berry, Susan Sarandon, Hugh Grant

38. The Wicker Tree (UK)
Dir. Robin Hardy
Complete: TBA (festival circuit)
Stars: Christopher Lee, Honeysuckle Weeks

39. Sleep Tight (Spain)
Dir. Jaume Balaguero
Completed: TBA (festival circuit)
Stars: Luis Tosar

40. The Grandmothers (Australia/France)
Dir. Anne Fontaine
Pre-production
Stars: Naomi Watts, Robin Wright

41. A Few Days of Respite (France/Algeria)
Dir. Amor Hakkar
Completed: TBA (festival circuit)
Stars: Marina Vlady, Amor Hakkar

42. Jack and Diane (US)
Dir. Bradley Rust Gray
Post-production
Stars: Juno Temple, Jena Malone, Kylie Minogue

43. Lumpy (US)
Dir. Ted Koland
Post-production
Stars: Justin Long, Tyler Labine, Jess Weixler

44. Untitled Jim Jarmusch Film (US)
Dir. Jim Jarmusch
Announced
Stars: Tilda Swinton, Michael Fassbender

45. Night Train to Lisbon (Germany)
Dir. Bille August
Pre-production
Stars: Jeremy Irons, Melanie Laurent, Vanessa Redgrave, Christopher Lee

46. Post Mortem (Chile)
Dir. Pablo Larrain
Completed: 4/11/12
Stars: Alfredo Castro, Antonia Zegers

47. Mobius (France)
Dir. Eric Rochant
Pre-production
Stars: Cecile de France, Jean Dujardin

48. Paris, I’ll Kill You (France)
Dir. Joe Dante/Vincenzo Natali/Xavier Gens/Ryuhei Kitamura/Christopher Smith/Julien Maury/Alexandre Bustillo
In-production
Stars: TBA

49. Highland Park (US)
Dir. Andrew Meieran
Post-production
Stars: Parker Posey, Billy Burke, Danny Glover

50. Cosmopolis (Canada/France)
Dir. David Cronenberg
Post-production
Stars: Robert Pattinson, Juliette Binoche, Samantha Morton

51. Revenge For Jolly! (US)
Dir. Chadd Harbold
Post-production
Stars: Oscar Isaac, Kristen Wiig, Ryan Phillippe

52. Nurse 3D (US)
Dir. Douglas Aarniokowski
Post-production
Stars: Paz de la Huerta, Katrina Bowden, Boris Kodjoe, Niecy Nash

53. Paradies (Austria)
Dir. Ulrich Seidl
Post-production
Stars: Maria Hofstatter, Margarete Tiesel, Inge Maux

54. The Seventh Son (UK/US)
Dir. Sergey Bodrov
Pre-production
Stars: Julianne Moore, Jeff Bridges, Ben Barnes

55. Jayne Mansfield’s Car (US)
Dir. Billy Bob Thornton
Post-production
Stars: John Hurt, Robert DuVall, Kevin Bacon

56. Darling Companion (US)
Dir. Lawrence Kasdan
Post-production
Stars: Diane Keaton, Kevin Kline, Dianne Weist

57. Moonrise Kingdom (US)
Dir. Wes Anderson
Post-production
Stars: Bill Murray, Bruce Willis, Tilda Swinton

58. The Paperboy (US)
Dir. Lee Daniels
Post-production
Stars: Nicole Kidman, Zac Efron, John Cusack

59. Perfect Sense (UK)
Dir. David Mackenzie
Completed: Limited Release 2/10/12
Stars: Ewan McGregor, Eva Green, Connie Neilson

60. Holly Motors (France)
Dir. Leos Carax
Post-production
Stars: Eva Mendes, Kylie Minogue, Michel Piccoli

61. Rosewood Lane (US)
Dir. Victor Salva
Completed: TBA
Stars: Rose McGowan, Ray Wise, Lesley-Ann Down

62. Skinny Dip (US)
Dir. Frankie Latina
Post-production
Stars: Sasha Grey, Danny Trejo, Pam Grier

63. Vampire (US/Japan)
Dir. Shunji Iwai
Completed: TBA (festival circuit)
Stars: Kevin Zegers, Keisha Castle-Hughes, Amanda Plummer

64. The Child From Above (France/Switzerland)
Dir. Ursula Meier
Post-production
Stars: Gillian Anderson, Lea Seydoux, Martin Compston

65. God Bless America (US)
Dir. Bobcat Goldthwaite
Completed: TBA
Stars: Joel Murray, Tara Lynne Barr

66. Mina (Spain)
Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Announced
Stars: Marisa Paredes

67. Simon Killer (US)
Dir. Antonio Campos
Post-production
Stars: Brady Corbet, Mati Diop

68. The Orphan with the Extra Arm (France)
Dir. Jacques Richard
Complete: TBA
Stars: Melvil Poupaud, Dominique Pinon, Noemie Merlant

69. Beasts of the Southern Wild (US)
Dir. Benh Zeitlin
Post-production
Stars: TBA

70. The Big Valley (US)
Dir. Daniel Adams
Post-production
Stars: Jessica Lange, Aidan Quinn, Richard Dreyfuss

71. The Girl Is In Trouble (US)
Dir. Julius Onah
Completed: TBA
Stars: Columbus Short, Wilmer Valderrama

72. Byzantium (UK)
Dir. Neil Jordan
Filming
Stars: Saiorse Ronan, Gemma Arterton, Sam Riley

73. The Miso Soup (Germany)
Dir. Wim Wenders
Announced
Stars: TBA

74. John Dies at the End (US)
Dir. Don Coscarelli
Post-production
Stars: Chase Williamson, Paul Giamatti

75. I, Anna (UK)
Dir. Barnaby Southcombe
Post-production
Stars: Charlotte Rampling, Eddie Marsan, Gabriel Byrne

76. Chinese Puzzle (France)
Dir. Cedric Klapisch
Pre-production
Stars: Cecile De France, Audrey Tautou, Romain Duris

77. The Body (Spain)
Dir. Oriol Paulo
In production
Stars: Belen Rueda, Hugo Silva

78. The Last Stand (US)
Dir. Kim Jee-woon
Filming
Stars: Arnold Schwarzeneggar, Peter Stormare, Johnny Knoxville

79. Marianne (Sweden)
Dir. Filip Tegstedt
Completed: TBA (festival circuit)
Stars: Thomas Hedengran, Peter Stormare

80. Silent House (US)
Dir. Chris Kentis & Laura Lau
Completed: 3/9/12
Stars: Elizabeth Olsen

81. The Silence (Germany)
Dir. Baran Bo Odar
Completed: TBA (festical circuit)
Stars: Ulrich Thomsen

82. The Possession (US)
Dir. Ole Bornedal
Completed: 8/31/12
Stars: Kyra Sedgewick, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Natasha Calis

83. Himizu (Japan)
Dir. Sion Sono
Completed: TBA
Stars: Yuriko Yoshitaka, Megumi Jagurazaka

84. Small Apartments (US)
Dir. Jonas Akerlund
Post-production
Stars: Juno Temple, Dolph Lundren, Amanda Plummer

85. The Leaning (UK)
Dir. Paddy Considine
Announced
Stars: TBA

86. You’ve Seen Nothing Yet (France)
Dir. Alain Resnais
Post-production
Stars: Michel Piccoli, Mathieu Almaric, Lambert Wilson

87. Untitled Terrence Malick (US)
Dir. Terrence Malick
Post-production
Stars: Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, Rachel Weisz

88. The House at the End of the Street (US)
Dir. Mark Tonderai
Completed: 4/20/12
Stars: Jennifer Lawrence, Elisabeth Shue

89. For Ellen (US)
Dir. So Yong Kim
Post-production
Stars: Paul Dano, Jena Malone, Jon Heder

90. All Your Dead Ones (Colombia)
Dir. Carlos Moreno
Completed: TBA (festival circuit)
Stars: John Alex Castillo, Harold Devasten

91. Spring Breakers (US)
Dir. Harmony Korine
Pre-production
Stars: Selena Gomez, James Franco, Emma Roberts

92. Americano (France)
Dir. Mathieu Demy
Completed: TBA
Stars: Salma Hayek, Chiara Mastroianni, Geraldine Chaplin

93. The Divide (Germany/US)
Dir. Xavier Gens
Completed: 1/13/12
Stars: Lauren German, Michael Biehn, Milo Ventimiglia

94. The Wait (US)
Dir. M. Blash
Post-production
Stars: Chloe Sevigny, Jena Malone, Josh Hamilton

95. Something In the Air (France)
Dir. Olivier Assayas
Filming
Stars: Dolores Chalpin, Lola Creton

96. Our Paradise (France)
Dir. Gael Morel
Completed: TBA
Stars: Beatrice Dalle, Stephane Rideau, Dmitri Durdaine

97. The Life of Another (France)
Dir. Sylvie Testud
Post-production
Stars: Juliette Binoche, Mathieu Kassovitz, Francois Berleand

98. The Broken Tower (US)
Dir. James Franco
Completed: TBA
Stars: James Franco, Michael Shannon

99. Damsels In Distress (US)
Dir. Whit Stillman
Completed: TBA (festival circuit)
Stars: Chloe Sevigny, Greta Gerwig, Adam Brody

100. The Details (US)
Dir. Jacon Aaron Estes
Completed: TBA
Stars: Elizabeth Banks, Tobey Maguire, Kerry Washington, Ray Liotta

101. The Awakening (UK)
Dir. Nick Murphy
Completed: TBA
Stars: Rebecca Hall, Dominic West, Imelda Staunton


102. While We’re Young (US)
Dir. Noah Baumbach
Pre-production
Stars: Naomi Watts, Ben Stiller, Jesse Eisenberg

103. 12 Years a Slave (UK)
Dir. Steve McQueen
Announced (2014 est.)
Stars: Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, Chiwetel Ejiofor

104. Sal (US)
Dir. James Franco
Completed: TBA
Stars: James Franco, Jim Parrack, Brian Goodman

105. The Oregonian (US)
Dir. Calvin Reeder
Completed: TBA
Stars: Lindsay Pulsipher, Robert Longstreet

106. One Night (France)
Dir. Lucas Belvaux
Post-production
Stars: Nathalie Baye, Nicole Garcia, Yvan Attal

107. The Creative (France)
Dir. Bruno Dumont
Announced
Stars: Juliette Binoche, Denis Podalydes

108. The Mountain (US)
Dir. Ben Stiller
Announced
Stars: Ben Stiller

109. Elysium (US)
Dir. Neill Blomkamp
Post-production: ETA 3/1/13
Stars: Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley

110. Little Birds (US)
Dir. Elgin James
Completed: June, 2012
Stars: Juno Temple, Kate Bosworth, Leslie Mann

111. Nero Fiddled (US)
Dir. Woody Allen
Post-production
Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Ellen Page, Penelope Cruz

112. Devil’s Knot (US)
Dir. Atom Egoyan
Pre-production
Stars: TBA

113. Haywire (US)
Dir. Steven Soderbergh
Completed: 1/20/12
Stars: Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, Gina Carano

114. The Woman In Black (US/Canada)
Dir. James Watkins
Completed: 2/3/12
Stars: Daniel Radcliffe, Janet McTeer, Ciaran Hinds

115. Waco (US)
Dir. Rupert Wainwright
In production
Stars: Giovanni Ribisi, Kurt Russell, Adrien Brody, Sharon Stone

116. Pacific Rim (US)
Dir. Guillermo Del Toro
Fiming: ETA 5/10/13
Stars: Ron Perlman, Idris Elba, Clifton Collins Jr.

117. The Odd Life of Timothy Green (US)
Dir. Peter Hedges
Completed: 5/12/12
Stars: Joel Edgerton, Jennifer Garner, Common, Dianne Weist

118. All You Need Is Love (Denmark)
Dir. Susanne Bier
Post-production
Stars: Pierce Brosnan, Kim Bodnia, Paprika Steen

119. Dark Shadows (US)
Dir. Tim Burton
Post-production: 5/11/12
Stars: Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Eva Green

120. A Single Shot (US)
Dir. David Rosenthal
Post-production
Stars: Juno Temple, Emily Mortimer, Forest Whitaker

121. Twice Born (Italy/Spain)
Dir. Sergio Castellito
Filming
Stars: Penelope Cruz, Emile Hirsch, Jane Birkin

122. Ted (US)
Dir. Seth McFarlane
Post-production
Stars: Mila Kunis, Mark Wahlberg, Joel McHale

123. The Place Beyond the Pines (US)
Dir. Derek Cianfrance
Post-production
Stars: Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Rose Byrne, Eva Mendes

124. [REC] 3: Genesis (Spain)
Dir. Paco Plaza
Completed: TBA
Stars: Leticia Dolera, Javier Botet, Diego Martin

125. Jackie (Netherlands/US)
Dir. Antoinette Beumer
Filming
Stars: Holly Hunter, Lidia Vitale, Cameron Moulene