2013 was a cruel year, it was. This is not a confessional booth, but the events of the past 12 months took their toll on me. There were many unexpected deaths of loved ones, which cut into my heart repeatedly. A prolonged, demoralizing legal battle made things even worse. Bereavement and expensive litigation can really thrown a person off their game, which is what happened to me. Then I moved across country to start a new phase in life (with two freshly broken fingers), which is exciting but a huge upheaval. I left everything behind because I realized this year, why the hell not? Why live in a place where your career is marginalized, you fear for your safety, the standard of living is astronomically, prohibitively expensive and is filled with ghosts? The only constant good I have had in my life were my family, especially my loving, supportive husband, and a few good friends to help me through. Starting this blog was a fun diversion for me and I thank all who have read my words. It is a humbling honor to have strangers take the time to read my thoughts and I am so grateful for that.
The following list is of all the films/television programs which I watched during this past year. I did not get out to the theater as much as I would have liked; kicking myself for missing Before Midnight. Many of the films listed I have watched more than a few times.
Onward and excelsior towards 2014!
In Theater:
- 12 Years a Slave (2013) – Steve McQueen
- Amour (2012) – Michael Haneke
- The Bling Ring (2013) – Sophia Coppola
- Blue Jasmine (2013) – Woody Allen
- The Great Gatsby (2013) – Baz Luhrmann – in 2D
- The Place Beyond the Pines (2012) – Derek Cianfrance
- [Safe] (1995) – Todd Haynes – MoMA screening
- Trouble Every Day (2001) – Claire Denis – BAM screening
- The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) – Martin Scorsese
Fiction Film:
- All About My Mother (1999) – Pedro Almodóvar
- Anna Karenina (2012) – Joe Wright
- Bachelorette (2012) – Leslye Headland
- Behind the Candelabra (2013) – Steven Soderbergh
- Benny’s Video (1992) – Michael Haneke
- The Blues Brothers (1980) – John Landis
- Boogie Nights (1997) – Paul Thomas Anderson
- Carlos (2010) – Olivier Assayas
- Enter the Void (2009) – Gaspar Noé
- Flight (2012) – Robert Zemeckis
- Frances Ha (2013) – Noah Baumbach
- The Flower of My Secret (1995) – Pedro Almodóvar
- Goodfellas (1990) – Martin Scorsese
- Holy Motors (2012) – Leos Carax
- The Iceman (2012) – Ariel Vromen
- I Heart Huckabees (2004) – David O. Russell
- In the Realm of the Senses (1976) – Nagisa Oshima
- La Jetée (1962) – Chris Marker
- Lust, Caution (2007) – Ang Lee
- The Man with the Iron Fists (2012) – RZA
- The Master (2012) – Paul Thomas Anderson
- Melancholia (2011) – Lars von Trier
- Oldboy (2003) – Chan-wook Park
- Only God Forgives (2013) – Nicolas Winding Refn
- The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) – Carl Theodor Dreyer
- Robot + Frank (2012) – Jake Schreier
- Shutter Island (2010) – Martin Scorsese
- Silver Linings Playbook (2012) – David O. Russell
- Skyfall (2012) – Sam Mendes
- Sleepwalk with Me (2012) – Mike Birbiglia & Seth Barrish
- Sophie’s Choice (1982) – Alan J. Pakula
- Spring Breakers (2012) – Harmony Korine
- Sylvia (2003) – Christine Jeffs
- Tiny Furniture (2010) – Lena Dunham
- Velvet Goldmine (1998) – Todd Haynes
- Wings of Desire (1987) – Wim Wenders
- Zodiac (2007) – David Fincher
Documentaries:
- 30 for 30 – ESPN
- –9.79* (2012) – Daniel Gordon
- –Broke (2012) – Billy Corben
- –June 17th, 1994 (2010) – Brett Morgen
- –You Don’t Know Bo (2012) – Michael Bonfiglio
- The Amish: The American Experience (2012) – David Belton – PBS
- Blackfish (2013) – Gabriela Cowperthwaite
- The Central Park Five (2012) – Ken Burns, Sarah Burns & David McMahon
- Dig! (2004) – Ondi Timoner
- The Five Obstructions (2003) – Jørgen Leth & Lars von Trier
- From One Second To The Next (2013) – Werner Herzog
- Let There Be Light (1946) – John Huston
- Pina (2011) – Wim Wenders – in 2D
- The Queen of Versailles (2012) – Lauren Greenfield
- Room 237 (2012) – Rodney Ascher
- Shoah (1985) – Claude Lanzmann (first four and a half hours)
- Sound City (2013) – David Grohl
- Standard Operating Procedure (2008) – Errol Morris
- Stories We Tell (2012) – Sarah Polley
- This Is Not a Film (2011) – Jafar Panahi
- Wagner’s Dream (2012) – Susan Froemke
Television:
- Arrested Development (2013) – Mitchell Hurwitz
- Breaking Bad (2008 -2013) – Vince Gilligan (I watched the entirety in 21 days!)
- Game of Thrones (2011 – present) – David Benioff & D.B. Weiss
- Survivor (2000 – present) – Charlie Parsons (It’s amazing that each season there are still contestants who don’t know how to make fire. Learn to make fire! You are going on a survivalist show; learn the basics!!)
- Top of the Lake (2013) – Jane Campion
- Treme (2010 – 2013) – David Simon
LMK Film Picks 