Post by StevePulaski on May 18, 2012 12:06:07 GMT -5
Last summer, I conducted a monumental movie-watching event I, myself, am still recovering from. It was "The Summer Diaries," and it was a celebration of film in every sense of the phrase. I watched a barrage of different pictures, many I was surprised I sought out and many I regret I even bothered with. I saw a number of engaging films in the theater, and used Netflix, Zune, and stores to my advantage in acquiring all of these films. This summer...it's more of the same, just with a few kinks thrown in.
I have long been contemplating a summer job. Do I want to get one? Not really. It's my time off, and it will eat away at my free time like no tomorrow. Would I like the extra money and the experience? Definitely. Not to mention, it's not like a job where I have to punch in five days a week, with a nine to five albatross. Because I'm young, I probably won't work more than three days a week and most likely won't have long, agonizing hours. I'm desperately clinging to that last piece of innocence I have left, and while I'm not ready to give it up, I must understand that I'm growing up and need to take on responsibilities.
* = Indicates I didn't watch that film on the said date, but had enough knowledge where I could write an efficient review on it. The film will not count towards the "Overall Month Rating" or the "Overall Summer Rating," due to the fact it wasn't really watched.
** = Watched, but will not produce a review of it (applies to short films and most comedy specials). Those films will NOT be averaged in with the "Overall Month Rating" or the "Overall Summer Rating."
NOTE I:[/u] If you've forgotten how the event will be conducted, refer back to the original "Summer Diaries" page, stevethemovieman.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=events&action=display&thread=1860&page=1
NOTE II:[/u] This summer, I have two major goals (watching Shoah not included), and it is to explore the works of two famous and beloved directors. They are Ingmar Bergman and Wes Anderson. I will watch three or four films by Bergman and Wes Anderson's entire filmography (with the possible exception of his latest film, Moonrise Kingdom). I would also like to do a franchise review of Leprechaun sometime in August, but we'll see how things work out.
NOTE III:[/u] Just a news flash, because of the increasing pile of DVDs I have to watch, I'll be delaying Shoah, the nine hour Holocaust documentary, until July 30, 2012. Sorry for the inconvenience.
NOTE IV:[/u] I just learned today that I will be vacationing at Wisconsin Dells almost immediately after my vacation at my grandparents' house. Just like last year, I'll be going away for a majority of the week, sleeping in three different beds, and just taking a break from the slew of movies that I've been watching. With that being said, I want this place to thrive, so either Jib or No Personality will be placed in the position to keep the place active and running. I'll still be updating Twitter, but my internet access, at BOTH places, will be restricted to my Android phone. I won't be regularly contributing to this site and will maybe only post two or three times a day. I'll make a goodbye thread when I depart to both places.
May 31: Lilo and Stitch (3.5 stars), God Bless Ozzy Osbourne (3 stars).
June 1: The Experiment (2.5 stars), Piranha 3DD (1 star).
June 2: The Poughkeepsie Tapes (3.5 stars).
June 3: Grandma's Boy (3 stars), The Pill (3 stars).
June 4: We Need to Talk About Kevin (3 stars).
June 5: Bottle Rocket (2.5 stars), Courageous (3 stars).
June 6: Freaks (3.5 stars).
June 7: Rushmore (2.5 stars).
June 8: Madagascar (2.5 stars), Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (3 stars).
June 9: Fast Times at Ridgemont High (3 stars), Prometheus (2.5 stars).
June 10: Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (3 stars), Cats Don't Dance (3 stars).
June 11: A Perfect World (3.5 stars), Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2.5 stars).
June 12: The Royal Tenenbaums (3.5 stars), Kids (3.5 stars).
June 13: The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (2.5 stars).
June 14: How To Live Forever (3.5 stars), Bully (4 stars).
June 15: The Darjeeling Limited (3 stars).
June 16: That's My Boy (1 star).
June 17: Elephant (3.5 stars), Fantastic Mr. Fox (3 stars).
June 18: Eight Legged Freaks (2 stars), The Triplets of Belleville (3.5 stars).
June 19: Jeff, Who Lives at Home (3.5 stars).
June 20: The Dreamers (3.5 stars), Demoted (2 stars).
June 21: Lake Placid (3 stars), Weekend (3.5 stars).
June 22: Glengarry Glen Ross (3.5 stars), Moonrise Kingdom (3.5 stars).
June 23: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2.5 stars).
June 24: Monkey Business (3.5 stars).
June 25 (my birthday): Paranoid Park (3 stars).
June 26: Signs (1 star), Crash (2 stars).
June 27: Cyrus (3 stars).
June 28: Nosferatu (4 stars).
June 29: None; Took a rest-day.
June 30: Ted (3.5 stars).
Total number of films watched: 46.
Missed days: 1.
Favorite film of the month: Bully, (June 14).
Worst film of the month: Signs, (June 26).
Overall June Film Rating: ★★★
July 1: Magic Mike (3 stars), The Dark Backward (3 stars).
July 2: Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (3 stars), Spider-Man (3 stars).
July 3: Animal Farm (3 stars, no review to be published).
July 4: The Amazing Spider-Man (3 stars).
July 5: Bubble (3 stars).
July 6: The Do-Deca Pentathlon (3 stars), Steve Jobs: The Lost Interview (3 stars), Wassup Rockers (2.5 stars).
July 7: None; Grandma's house.
July 8: None; Grandma's house.
July 9: Old School (2 stars).
July 10: The Puffy Chair (2.5 stars).
July 11: To Rome With Love (3 stars), Baghead (1.5 stars).
July 12: Daddy Day Care (1.5 stars).
July 13: None; Vacation in the Dells.
July 14: Love Don't Cost a Thing (3 stars).
July 15: Madea's Witness Protection (1 star), Lords of Dogtown (2.5 stars).
July 16: Spider-Man 2 (3.5 stars), Election (3 stars).
July 17: Mansome (2.5 stars).
July 18: Casa De Mi Padre (2 stars), Girls Gone Dead (2 stars), Friends With Kids (3 stars).
July 19: Slacker (3 stars), Spider-Man 3 (2 stars).
July 20: Indie Game: The Movie (3.5 stars).
July 21: Swimming With Sharks (3.5 stars), The Dark Knight (3.5 stars).
July 22: The Dark Knight Rises (3 stars), The Spongebob Squarepants Movie (3 stars).
July 23: The Virgin Suicides (3 stars).
July 24: Jiro Dreams of Sushi (3.5 stars).
July 25: Lakeview Terrace (3.5 stars).
July 26: Rosewood (3.5 stars), Sleeping Dogs Lie (3 stars).
July 27: Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom (3 stars), Grandma's Boy (3 stars).
July 28: The Watch (2.5 stars).
July 29: The Intouchables (4 stars), Punishment Park (3.5 stars).
July 30: Garden State (2.5 stars).
July 31: Dick (3 stars), Legally Blonde (3 stars).
Total number of films watched: 44.
Missed days: 3.
Favorite film of the month: The Intouchables, (July 29).
Worst film of the month: Madea's Witness Protection, (July 15).
Overall July Film Rating: ★★★
August 1: Charlie's Angels (1 star), We the Party (2.5 stars).
August 2: Sideways (4 stars).
August 3: The Babymakers (1.5 stars).
August 4: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (1.5 stars), Orange County (3 stars).
August 5: You Don't Mess With the Zohan (1.5 stars).
August 6: The Seventh Seal (3.5 stars).
August 7: Wild Strawberries (4 stars).
August 8: Hellboy (3 stars), Jay and Silent Bob Get Old Pt. 1 (3 stars).
August 9: Hour of the Wolf (3.5 stars), What They Say (3 stars).
August 10: None; took an unplanned day off.
August 11: The Campaign (3 stars).
August 12: Tomboy (3.5 stars).
August 13: None; took another day off.
August 14: The Lion King (4 stars).
August 15: 2016: Obama's America (3.5 stars).
August 16: Daredevil (2.5 stars).
August 17: Funny Ha Ha (2.5 stars).
August 18: Hope Springs (3 stars).
August 19: Yeast (3 stars).
August 20: The Perfect Storm (3 stars).
August 21: A Separation (4 stars).
August 22: The Brady Bunch Movie (3 stars), Reign Over Me (3.5 stars).
August 23: The Batman Shootings (3 stars), Spanglish (2 stars).
August 24: Mystic River (3.5 stars).
August 25: Margaret (3.5 stars).
August 26: It's Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books (3 stars), The Summer Diaries: Part II Statistics/Final Consensus.
Total number of films watched: 30.
Missed days: 2.
Favorite film of the month: Sideways, August 2.
Worst film of the month: Charlie's Angels, August 1.
Overall August Film Rating: ★★★
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total number of films watched: 120.
Missed days: 6.
Favorite film of the summer: Sideways, August 2.
Worst film of the summer: Madea's Witness Protection, July 15.
Most films watched in one day: 3.
Overall "Summer Diaries: Part II" rating: ★★★
Top ten favorites of the summer:
1. Sideways, August 2.
2. A Separation, August 21.
3. Bully, June 14.
4. The Intouchables, July 29.
5. Wild Strawberries, August 8.
6. The Lion King, August 14.
7. Swimming With Sharks, July 21.
8. Indie Game: The Movie, July 20.
9. 2016: Obama's America, August 15.
10. Margaret, August 25.
Top ten worst of the summer:
1. Madea's Witness Protection, July 15.
2. Piranha 3DD, June 1.
3. Signs, June 26.
4. That's My Boy, June 16.
5. Charlie's Angels, August 1.
6. The Babymakers, August 3.
7. You Don't Mess With the Zohan, August 5.
8. Daddy Day Care, July 12.
9. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, August 4.
10. Baghead, July 11.
June Summary:
Getting out of school early was a huge benefit to this movie-watching event. I jumped right in May 31st, almost immediately after being let out of school, and watched two very well done films and began to watch film after film in the month of June. I explored the works of two very important filmmakers, Wes Anderson and Larry Clark, as well as sought out some films I've been delaying for a lengthy amount of time (Crash and The Dreamers specifically). It was, by far, the most successful month of "The Summer Diaries: Part II."
July Summary:
Contrary to July 2011's "hell month," I watched more films than I expected during July 2012. I even managed to complete a film on the ride up to Wisconsin Dells and at my grandparent's house (something I never did). I sought out films I didn't think I would (The Dark Knight Rises and The Intouchables), and tested my patience with films that seemed dead on arrival (Daddy Day Care and Madea's Witness Protection). It was a solid, memorable month. Bonus points because my electricity stayed on the entire time, as well.
August Summary:
As stated on the original "Summer Diaries" page, I am plagued by the feeling of "August dread," which is where I loathe the looming feeling of having to return to school. Especially this year, which I know will be no easy task. August was yet another great month, mainly because I watched many winners (A Separation and Sideways), specifically ones showcasing the human side I so often crave. I ran into many losers (The Babymakers and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, but I ended up seeing the best films of the summer in the month of August. The consistency award goes to June, but the award for most impressive films goes to August.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Overall Rating: ★★★[/center]
To make it short and sweet, it was a great summer. For once it actually seemed three months long. Inferior to last summer, but ultimately rewarding and an experience I can no brag about. Because I wound up remaining unemployed, I managed to watch more films. This reason being good or bad is up to the reader. I sort of wish I could've gotten a job, but multiple vacations were the reason I couldn't. I do plan a "Summer Diaries: Part III" for summer 2013, but am currently contemplating a theme to carry on throughout the event. More details to come.
But like in 2011, this was a rewarding experience for me and you, the reader, as well. It has unfortunately come to an end and I am currently back in school. I can at least say I'm 120 movies smarter than I was Sophomore year.
I have long been contemplating a summer job. Do I want to get one? Not really. It's my time off, and it will eat away at my free time like no tomorrow. Would I like the extra money and the experience? Definitely. Not to mention, it's not like a job where I have to punch in five days a week, with a nine to five albatross. Because I'm young, I probably won't work more than three days a week and most likely won't have long, agonizing hours. I'm desperately clinging to that last piece of innocence I have left, and while I'm not ready to give it up, I must understand that I'm growing up and need to take on responsibilities.
* = Indicates I didn't watch that film on the said date, but had enough knowledge where I could write an efficient review on it. The film will not count towards the "Overall Month Rating" or the "Overall Summer Rating," due to the fact it wasn't really watched.
** = Watched, but will not produce a review of it (applies to short films and most comedy specials). Those films will NOT be averaged in with the "Overall Month Rating" or the "Overall Summer Rating."
NOTE I:[/u] If you've forgotten how the event will be conducted, refer back to the original "Summer Diaries" page, stevethemovieman.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=events&action=display&thread=1860&page=1
NOTE II:[/u] This summer, I have two major goals (watching Shoah not included), and it is to explore the works of two famous and beloved directors. They are Ingmar Bergman and Wes Anderson. I will watch three or four films by Bergman and Wes Anderson's entire filmography (with the possible exception of his latest film, Moonrise Kingdom). I would also like to do a franchise review of Leprechaun sometime in August, but we'll see how things work out.
NOTE III:[/u] Just a news flash, because of the increasing pile of DVDs I have to watch, I'll be delaying Shoah, the nine hour Holocaust documentary, until July 30, 2012. Sorry for the inconvenience.
NOTE IV:[/u] I just learned today that I will be vacationing at Wisconsin Dells almost immediately after my vacation at my grandparents' house. Just like last year, I'll be going away for a majority of the week, sleeping in three different beds, and just taking a break from the slew of movies that I've been watching. With that being said, I want this place to thrive, so either Jib or No Personality will be placed in the position to keep the place active and running. I'll still be updating Twitter, but my internet access, at BOTH places, will be restricted to my Android phone. I won't be regularly contributing to this site and will maybe only post two or three times a day. I'll make a goodbye thread when I depart to both places.
"The Summer Diaries: Part II" Calendar:
May 2012:
May 2012:
May 31: Lilo and Stitch (3.5 stars), God Bless Ozzy Osbourne (3 stars).
June 2012:
[/center]June 1: The Experiment (2.5 stars), Piranha 3DD (1 star).
June 2: The Poughkeepsie Tapes (3.5 stars).
June 3: Grandma's Boy (3 stars), The Pill (3 stars).
June 4: We Need to Talk About Kevin (3 stars).
June 5: Bottle Rocket (2.5 stars), Courageous (3 stars).
June 6: Freaks (3.5 stars).
June 7: Rushmore (2.5 stars).
June 8: Madagascar (2.5 stars), Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (3 stars).
June 9: Fast Times at Ridgemont High (3 stars), Prometheus (2.5 stars).
June 10: Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (3 stars), Cats Don't Dance (3 stars).
June 11: A Perfect World (3.5 stars), Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2.5 stars).
June 12: The Royal Tenenbaums (3.5 stars), Kids (3.5 stars).
June 13: The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (2.5 stars).
June 14: How To Live Forever (3.5 stars), Bully (4 stars).
June 15: The Darjeeling Limited (3 stars).
June 16: That's My Boy (1 star).
June 17: Elephant (3.5 stars), Fantastic Mr. Fox (3 stars).
June 18: Eight Legged Freaks (2 stars), The Triplets of Belleville (3.5 stars).
June 19: Jeff, Who Lives at Home (3.5 stars).
June 20: The Dreamers (3.5 stars), Demoted (2 stars).
June 21: Lake Placid (3 stars), Weekend (3.5 stars).
June 22: Glengarry Glen Ross (3.5 stars), Moonrise Kingdom (3.5 stars).
June 23: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2.5 stars).
June 24: Monkey Business (3.5 stars).
June 25 (my birthday): Paranoid Park (3 stars).
June 26: Signs (1 star), Crash (2 stars).
June 27: Cyrus (3 stars).
June 28: Nosferatu (4 stars).
June 29: None; Took a rest-day.
June 30: Ted (3.5 stars).
Total number of films watched: 46.
Missed days: 1.
Favorite film of the month: Bully, (June 14).
Worst film of the month: Signs, (June 26).
Overall June Film Rating: ★★★
July 2012:
[/center]July 1: Magic Mike (3 stars), The Dark Backward (3 stars).
July 2: Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (3 stars), Spider-Man (3 stars).
July 3: Animal Farm (3 stars, no review to be published).
July 4: The Amazing Spider-Man (3 stars).
July 5: Bubble (3 stars).
July 6: The Do-Deca Pentathlon (3 stars), Steve Jobs: The Lost Interview (3 stars), Wassup Rockers (2.5 stars).
July 7: None; Grandma's house.
July 8: None; Grandma's house.
July 9: Old School (2 stars).
July 10: The Puffy Chair (2.5 stars).
July 11: To Rome With Love (3 stars), Baghead (1.5 stars).
July 12: Daddy Day Care (1.5 stars).
July 13: None; Vacation in the Dells.
July 14: Love Don't Cost a Thing (3 stars).
July 15: Madea's Witness Protection (1 star), Lords of Dogtown (2.5 stars).
July 16: Spider-Man 2 (3.5 stars), Election (3 stars).
July 17: Mansome (2.5 stars).
July 18: Casa De Mi Padre (2 stars), Girls Gone Dead (2 stars), Friends With Kids (3 stars).
July 19: Slacker (3 stars), Spider-Man 3 (2 stars).
July 20: Indie Game: The Movie (3.5 stars).
July 21: Swimming With Sharks (3.5 stars), The Dark Knight (3.5 stars).
July 22: The Dark Knight Rises (3 stars), The Spongebob Squarepants Movie (3 stars).
July 23: The Virgin Suicides (3 stars).
July 24: Jiro Dreams of Sushi (3.5 stars).
July 25: Lakeview Terrace (3.5 stars).
July 26: Rosewood (3.5 stars), Sleeping Dogs Lie (3 stars).
July 27: Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom (3 stars), Grandma's Boy (3 stars).
July 28: The Watch (2.5 stars).
July 29: The Intouchables (4 stars), Punishment Park (3.5 stars).
July 30: Garden State (2.5 stars).
July 31: Dick (3 stars), Legally Blonde (3 stars).
Total number of films watched: 44.
Missed days: 3.
Favorite film of the month: The Intouchables, (July 29).
Worst film of the month: Madea's Witness Protection, (July 15).
Overall July Film Rating: ★★★
August 2012:
[/center]August 1: Charlie's Angels (1 star), We the Party (2.5 stars).
August 2: Sideways (4 stars).
August 3: The Babymakers (1.5 stars).
August 4: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (1.5 stars), Orange County (3 stars).
August 5: You Don't Mess With the Zohan (1.5 stars).
August 6: The Seventh Seal (3.5 stars).
August 7: Wild Strawberries (4 stars).
August 8: Hellboy (3 stars), Jay and Silent Bob Get Old Pt. 1 (3 stars).
August 9: Hour of the Wolf (3.5 stars), What They Say (3 stars).
August 10: None; took an unplanned day off.
August 11: The Campaign (3 stars).
August 12: Tomboy (3.5 stars).
August 13: None; took another day off.
August 14: The Lion King (4 stars).
August 15: 2016: Obama's America (3.5 stars).
August 16: Daredevil (2.5 stars).
August 17: Funny Ha Ha (2.5 stars).
August 18: Hope Springs (3 stars).
August 19: Yeast (3 stars).
August 20: The Perfect Storm (3 stars).
August 21: A Separation (4 stars).
August 22: The Brady Bunch Movie (3 stars), Reign Over Me (3.5 stars).
August 23: The Batman Shootings (3 stars), Spanglish (2 stars).
August 24: Mystic River (3.5 stars).
August 25: Margaret (3.5 stars).
August 26: It's Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books (3 stars), The Summer Diaries: Part II Statistics/Final Consensus.
Total number of films watched: 30.
Missed days: 2.
Favorite film of the month: Sideways, August 2.
Worst film of the month: Charlie's Angels, August 1.
Overall August Film Rating: ★★★
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"The Summer Diaries: Part II" Statistics:
[/center]Total number of films watched: 120.
Missed days: 6.
Favorite film of the summer: Sideways, August 2.
Worst film of the summer: Madea's Witness Protection, July 15.
Most films watched in one day: 3.
Overall "Summer Diaries: Part II" rating: ★★★
Top ten favorites of the summer:
1. Sideways, August 2.
2. A Separation, August 21.
3. Bully, June 14.
4. The Intouchables, July 29.
5. Wild Strawberries, August 8.
6. The Lion King, August 14.
7. Swimming With Sharks, July 21.
8. Indie Game: The Movie, July 20.
9. 2016: Obama's America, August 15.
10. Margaret, August 25.
Top ten worst of the summer:
1. Madea's Witness Protection, July 15.
2. Piranha 3DD, June 1.
3. Signs, June 26.
4. That's My Boy, June 16.
5. Charlie's Angels, August 1.
6. The Babymakers, August 3.
7. You Don't Mess With the Zohan, August 5.
8. Daddy Day Care, July 12.
9. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, August 4.
10. Baghead, July 11.
June Summary:
Getting out of school early was a huge benefit to this movie-watching event. I jumped right in May 31st, almost immediately after being let out of school, and watched two very well done films and began to watch film after film in the month of June. I explored the works of two very important filmmakers, Wes Anderson and Larry Clark, as well as sought out some films I've been delaying for a lengthy amount of time (Crash and The Dreamers specifically). It was, by far, the most successful month of "The Summer Diaries: Part II."
July Summary:
Contrary to July 2011's "hell month," I watched more films than I expected during July 2012. I even managed to complete a film on the ride up to Wisconsin Dells and at my grandparent's house (something I never did). I sought out films I didn't think I would (The Dark Knight Rises and The Intouchables), and tested my patience with films that seemed dead on arrival (Daddy Day Care and Madea's Witness Protection). It was a solid, memorable month. Bonus points because my electricity stayed on the entire time, as well.
August Summary:
As stated on the original "Summer Diaries" page, I am plagued by the feeling of "August dread," which is where I loathe the looming feeling of having to return to school. Especially this year, which I know will be no easy task. August was yet another great month, mainly because I watched many winners (A Separation and Sideways), specifically ones showcasing the human side I so often crave. I ran into many losers (The Babymakers and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, but I ended up seeing the best films of the summer in the month of August. The consistency award goes to June, but the award for most impressive films goes to August.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"The Summer Diaries: Part II:" Final Consensus:
Overall Rating: ★★★[/center]
To make it short and sweet, it was a great summer. For once it actually seemed three months long. Inferior to last summer, but ultimately rewarding and an experience I can no brag about. Because I wound up remaining unemployed, I managed to watch more films. This reason being good or bad is up to the reader. I sort of wish I could've gotten a job, but multiple vacations were the reason I couldn't. I do plan a "Summer Diaries: Part III" for summer 2013, but am currently contemplating a theme to carry on throughout the event. More details to come.
But like in 2011, this was a rewarding experience for me and you, the reader, as well. It has unfortunately come to an end and I am currently back in school. I can at least say I'm 120 movies smarter than I was Sophomore year.
