In January I set myself the goal of watching 200 films.
Is that a lot?
It seemed enough for me to have to put some effort in. Every time there was a free moment I felt the need to stick a film on. As a result I’ve only read one book from start to finish, and a few tv series probably two tv series. The low point was Evita, mainly because I didn’t realise it was an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical and his are a certain level of cheese that make me want to collapse in a heap of cringe.
There have also been some wonderful revelations. Recently I caught up with The Hunger Games which I’ve loved. Starting a franchise when it’s nearly over is like being allowed into a VIP lane to skip the queue. It doesn’t matter that this particular queue just happens to land me straight into a forest of children hunting each other to the death.
With only a few days left of 2023, there are 11 more films to watch. I’m quietly confident about the whole thing. Across the 344 hours spent in front of the silver screen there have been more highs than lows and it’s been a pleasure to write about some of them here. For my future references as much as anything, here are some of my highlights….
You’ll notice that this is a podcast post! I’m giving it a go. I usually read my posts out for those who want that, but this podcast is an expanded version of the newsletter. If you’re happy reading, then you’re not missing out too much! But if you want a bit of extra detail and more recommendations from the year, then I’d recommend trying out the podcast version.
Let me know what you think!
Best New Film of 2023
This is a very late entry at the top having watched this a week ago. Two childhood friends meeting at three different points in their lives, this is a deeply human story. Its wonderful, please add it to your watch list, or let me know what you think!
It’s out to rent right right now but I’m sure it’ll be on some streamer soon.
“I didn't know that liking your husband would hurt this much.” - Hae Sung
Other highlights
Babylon
Killers of the Flower Moon
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Oppenheimer
New to Me
A claustrophobic character study with no air-conditioning. I’m not sure there’s room for anyone to dislike this film. The ultimate (just outside of the) courtroom drama.
You can watch this via Freevee on Amazon in the UK.
Juror 3: You're talking about a matter of seconds. Nobody can be that accurate.
Juror 8: Well I think that testimony that can put a boy into the electric chair should be that accurate.
The Cinema Experience
I decided to take a half day off work to get my car serviced. The four hour wait gave a convenient block of time to get to the cinema. Evil Dead Rise knocked my socks off. One of the best opening titles (see above), a relentless pace and some truly chilling moments that had me wondering whether I could stick the whole thing out, which I haven’t felt in a long time. Superb. Catch this one on Netflix in the UK now.
The other (and frankly even better experience tbh) is the time I got a cinema rented out for me and we watched Back to the Future. Have a read about that here.
Balled My Eyes out
If you’ve seen CODA then you will probably know the scene that had me on the floor. I thought I wasn't in the mood to cry, but then it hit me. It couldn’t be helped. A beautiful moment in a wonderful film.
Frank Rossi: You know why God made farts smell? So deaf people could enjoy them too.
The two other movies that had a similar effect but for different reasons were:
Till
Coco
Biggest Surprise
Gosh this film is amazing. The animation is lush, the comedy had me howling. Whatever reservations I had of a Puss in Boots sequel actually being good were soon put to bed. This is definitely worth your time over the holidays if you have it. On Sky in the UK.
Puss in Boots [at a litterbox]: So, this is where dignity goes to die.
What about next year? Do I want to set myself another target? I think this was enough for me. Having to think about something all the time can take the shine off it. Next year I’d like to focus on catching up with some more older films and seeing where the wind takes me. And who knows..I might actually read a book.
What have you watched? What are your highs and lows of the year? The new films and the old that you’ve never seen before? I’d love to hear them! You can either comment or simply reply to the email.
To finish the year I just want to say a genuine thank you to youall! Popped has been an lovely, exciting and mind-boggling thing to work on . It’s great to see that the number of you reading this is going up every week. I love writing it and I hope you love to receive them. There’s plenty more to come!
For now, enjoy yourselves and see you in the new year.
Gareth
2023 Popped