Category: Blogroll

1978

You might think since I have started this list with a sci-fi or fantasy type of film that I would be inclined to have Superman The Movie film be next, but have you seen it lately? That film does not hold up.

It moves at a turtle’s pace. I don’t know if it’s because of when this was shot or whether it has to do with being the first origin film for a superhero, but it sure takes its time. I’ll bet you didn’t know that Christopher Reeve doesn’t show up in the film until ⅓ of the way into the film.

It has been too long since I have seen many of the other notable films of the year (which I think it going to be a theme for this list), but only 2 of which I haven’t seen Dawn of the Dead and Midnight Express. I believe the former is regarded as the best of George A. Romero’s films but I would need to defer one of my close friends for comment.

In my opinion the rest of the 10 movies I am about to list could easily be surpassed by one of most renowned zombie films of all time (if that is indeed the case), but it would take something special to dethrone my unique pick of the year.

I do not wish to diminish the achievements of these pioneering films since half of them are the first in the series for some of the biggest franchises we have every seen.

We all know that Superman is still pulling in huge numbers at the box office, even though I haven’t been interested in (or seen) anything from DC after sitting through Man of Steel. Up in Smoke established the stoner comedy genre and has just as many films as the Kryptonian, Halloween boasts 3 more films in its series with 10, Animal House created the whole National Lampoon juggernaut that just won’t die, and Grease… had a sequel.

Other great films of the year are The Last Waltz which was a great documentary and The Buddy Holly Story which I honestly don’t remember but I think I’ve seen it.

The oscars lauded The Deer Hunter which undeniably has some of the most intense and well acted scenes of not only that year, but the year prior and one following. It doesn’t sit with me as a film I would call my favorite, but I begrudgingly have to give it that nod. I was hoping every film I picked for this list would be one that I would gladly go back and watch time and time again, but this year is an exception.
 
 

My favorite film of 1978: The Deer Hunter

 

1977

Star Wars or Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

If I asked you to choose between those two films for your favorite of the year, I’m guessing for most of you it’s an easy choice since you probably haven’t seen the latter. If I take into consideration what movie I already know I want to put in for my top choice in 1980 I’m leaning toward Richard Dreyfuss and his journey to Wyoming.

I want you to keep in mind this list is for your “favorite” and what you consider to be the “best” of the year. My favorite Pearl Jam album is No Code, but I don’t consider it their best.

Realistically, I am going to have to give the nod to Lucas, if not for the whole “…test of time” aspect, then because I haven’t seen Close Encounters in years and beside having a definite fondness of the film, I don’t remember much of it. Unless you count the fact that I remember noticing John Williams using 10 seconds of the Harry Potter theme in the film some 25 years before Hedwig takes flight.

Here is where I also need to put in the caveat that as much as you may know me as a movie buff, there are still a large number of movies I have yet to see. This is especially important when putting together this kind of list, so I may need to revisit these posts when and if I finally knock off Saturday Night Fever, Eraserhead, Smokey and the Bandit, and Pumping Iron (all from 1977).

Other great films from this year include Slap Shot, A Bridge Too Far, Pete’s Dragon, and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.

I will state that I have seen the Oscar Best Picture of the year Annie Hall and it is definitely not anywhere remotely high on my list. It does bring up another point, though, that I may need to see it again to see if it was merely the circumstances in which I saw the movie that makes have such a lack of appreciation for this movie. By that I mean, watching it on my first portable 5 inch screen portable 100GB hard drive contraption that I just found on the shelf behind me and to my surprise still has an interesting bunch of movies on it.


 
 

My favorite film of 1977: Star Wars

 

Another Oscar Day Done.

How’d I do?

Alright.

The show started with Supporting Actress and they didn’t show any clips. They really ticked me off. You want to see the best example of their work in the film. Anyway, I didn’t watch any of these. For the other seventeen…

Winner me:

Original Screenplay – Milk
Art Direction – Ben Button
Costume Design – Dutchess
Makeup – Ben Button
Visual Effects – Ben Button
Sound Editing – Dark Knight
Actress – Kate Winslet

Lose:

Adapted Screenplay Skumdog won over Ben.
Animated Feature I was wrong… Wall-E beat Panda.
Cinematography, apparently a dog is better than some buttons.
Sound Mixing I had Dark Knight, and Skummy McSkum took it.
Supporting Actor: Heath won, as he should have… but Robert would have been awesome.
Score another win for the Slums, not Button.
Director was taken again by a Millionaire that is sweeping Ben out of the way.
Actor Sean did a really great job and I did not expect him to beat Frank.
Best Picture… meh.

Editing. Yes editing. Slumdog Millionaire was a film that was very well edited. I don’t want any mistake on that point. I have not lost faith in Oscar this time. There were five amazing choices for editing this year, and deserved to win. I let my emotions overpower my critical thinking. This film was a journey, and one that I have to admit was very, very smooth. For it is only when the ride is bumpy that we can see that the editing is bad. It was a good ride.