2014-02-27

LMdC’s 10 Most Expected Films of 2014



LMdC’s 10 Most Expected Films of 2014

Well, why not? If this blog is centered on my journey through the 1000 Greatest Films of All Time by They Shoot Pictures only I will turn crazy from imposing to myself only acclaimed and older films than the new titles of each year. When the time of the Oscars comes I’m out of breath trying to catch up on films of the last year and trying to compile a decent top of the year that just passed.

All this with my usual penchant for procrastination and a little loath for more recent released than I should. Since almost two months of 2014 have already past, I’ll include only films to come and exclude the ones that are already in theaters or available on home video. Since my challenge is to catch mostly films I’m interested in, I choose ten of the most promising titles and, you know me, from the most interesting directors out there.


But first, here's an homage to Harold Ramis who starred in my childhood classic Ghostbusters and directed one of the best comedies of the 1990's: Groundhog Day.



12 Years a Slave



12 Years a Slave (Steve McQueen, 2013)

Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a New York State-born free negro who was kidnapped in Washington, D.C. in 1841 and sold into slavery. He worked on plantations in the state of Louisiana for twelve years before his release.

2014-02-26

Dallas Buyers Club



Dallas Buyers Club (Jean-Marc Vallée, 2013)

Ron Woodroof (Matthew McConaughey) discovers he has AIDS in 1985, a disease wrongly known as a consequence of being homosexual. He gets to illegally import drugs to treat his condition and help many other patients having the same disease to attenuate the symptoms and live longer than expected.

2014-02-25

Her



Her (Spike Jonze, 2013)

In a near future, a man has a hard time dealing with his divorce. He is mopey and lonely. He gets an operating system with a female voice and slowly enters in a relationship with her.

2014-02-24

Ace in the Hole



Ace in the Hole aka The Big Carnival (Billy Wilder, 1951)

American film noir starring Kirk Douglas as a cynical, disgraced reporter who stops at nothing to try to regain a job on a major newspaper.

2014-02-21

Destiny aka Behind the Wall



Destiny aka Behind the Wall (Fritz Lang, 1921)

In the Expressionistic frame story, in which human lives are each represented by a candle, Death grants a woman three chances to save her lover, if love can triumph over death. The three stories within the story each occur in a setting that is nominally historic, but really in the realm of fantasy: an adventure tale with a Persian setting out of the Arabian Nights, a Renaissance Venetian romance, and a largely comic story set in China.

2014-02-19

Syndromes and a Century



Syndromes and a Century (Apichatpong Weerasethakul, 2006)

The film is a tribute to the director's parents and is divided into two parts, with the characters and dialogue in the second half essentially the same as the first, but the settings and outcome of the stories different. The first part is set in a hospital in rural Thailand, while the second half is set in a Bangkok medical center.

2014-02-17

Beyond the Valley of the Dolls



Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (Russ Meyer, 1970)

Three young women—Kelly MacNamara (Dolly Read), Casey Anderson (Cynthia Myers), and Petronella "Pet" Danforth (Marcia McBroom)—perform in a rock band, The Kelly Affair, managed by Harris Allsworth (David Gurian), Kelly's boyfriend. The four travel to Los Angeles to find Kelly's estranged aunt, Susan Lake (Phyllis Davis), heiress to a family fortune.

2014-02-14

The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant



The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant (Rainer Werner Fassbinder, 1972)

This film has an all-female cast and is set in the home of the protagonist, Petra von Kant (Margit Carstensen). It follows the changing dynamics in her relationships with the other women.

2014-02-12

The Docks of New York



The Docks of New York (Josef von Sternberg, 1928)

The story involves an incredibly strong ship stoker named Bill (George Bancroft) and the beautiful prostitute named Mae (Betty Compson), whom he saves from drowning. She was attempting suicide as she had no money, almost no clothes and felt remorse about her life up to then. He steals some clothes for her and invites her out for a "good night".

2014-02-10

J'ai mon voyage!



J’ai mon voyage! (Denis Héroux, 1973)

Jean-Louis Cartier (Jean Lefebvre) from France decides to quit Quebec City to go live in Vancouver with a fifth wheel. The Cartier family of Danielle (Dominique Michel), François (René Simard) , and Luc (Régis Simard) embark on a road trip that will take them into the wilderness of the West Canada that Jean-Louis romances in his letters to his parents in France.

2014-02-07

The Big Heat



The Big Heat (Fritz Lang, 1953)

Homicide detective Sergeant Dave Bannion (Glenn Ford) is an honest cop who investigates the death of fellow officer Tom Duncan. It would seem to be an open-and-shut case, suicide brought on by ill health. Bannion, however, is contacted by the late cop's mistress, Lucy Chapman (Dorothy Green), who claims it could not have been suicide. From her, Bannion learns that the Duncans had a second home which would not have been possible on his salary.

2014-02-05

The Fortune Cookie



The Fortune Cookie (Billy Wilder, 1966)

CBS cameraman Harry Hinkle (Jack Lemmon) gets injured when football player Luther "Boom Boom" Jackson (Ron Rich) runs into him while he is covering a Browns game at Cleveland Stadium. Harry's injuries are minor, but his conniving lawyer brother-in-law William H. "Whiplash Willie" Gingrich (Walter Matthau) convinces him to pretend that his leg and hand have been partially paralyzed. This way, they can receive a huge indemnity from the insurance company. Harry reluctantly goes along with the scheme because he is still in love with his ex-wife, Sandy (Judi West), and it might win her back.

2014-02-04

February Update: Mike's Movie Goals 2014



Last year when I made my resolutions for 2013 I pretty much made a list of films that were films I wanted to watch in priority and some blindspot directors. Just look at my original post here.
During the year, I modified those goals and I got circling around the list because I thought it was already too planned for me. I still like to follow my moods when I choose a movie to watch. This is why as you’ll see I’ve kept a certain freedom in my goals for 2014 and instead of listing a definite list of films I wanted to watch, I  will challenge myself to mix things up with a wider range of goals.

2014-02-03

Tropical Malady



Tropical Malady (Apichatpong Weerasethakul, 2004)

It is a film in two segments – the first part a romance between two men, and the second a mysterious tale about a soldier lost in the woods, bedeviled by the spirit of a shaman.

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