February 2017 50 Movie Challenge

[cinemaphile]

Returning to our classic format this month. Ten categories, five movies each:

1. Oscars
2. Romance
3. Black History
4. True Stories
5. Recommendations*
6. Horror/Sci-Fi
7. Family/Animaton
8. Comedy
9. Action/Adventure
10. Crime/Drama

* In your initial tracking post, everyone put a list of 10-15 films that they think others may not have seen and they may enjoy. You may also pick movies from others' lists in the January thread.
Then for the ones you watch for this category, mention who recommended the film in your post.

You may choose to replace up to two of the above categories with different ones of your choice.
Examples:
Sharks
Film Noir
Spielberg (Any Director)
Margot Robbie (Any Actress)
50's (Any Decade)
Pixar (Any Studio)
Marvel
Occult
Sad Dog Stories
Movies That Would've Been Much Better Had Jennifer Lawrence Been Staring
007
Harry Potter (Any Franchise)
Etc.

The Usual Fine Print:

• 50 movies is the goal, but based on your own time and situation you can shoot for more or less, so we have different levels from Bronze to Platinum:
  60 Movies - Platinum
  50 Movies - Gold
  40 Movies - Silver
  30 Movies - Bronze
• If you're going to repost your entire list each time, please hide it under spoiler tags.
• If you are going to post pictures for the films (poster art or bluray covers, for example) please try not to use GIANT pictures, and if there are tons of them, again - please hide under spoilers.

[cinemaphile]

Recommendations:
I tried to choose titles that weren't big films most everyone has surely seen, but also aren't too obscure. Just mid-range movies you may not have seen yet.




____________________________________________

MY LIST:

Most Recent Additions:


Recommendations*
1. * Dead Leaves - ½ (recommended by FilmKoala)
2. * Once Upon a Time in the West - (recommended by Travis)
3. * Anatomy of a Murder - ½ (recommended by Travis and kingdoxie)
4. * Infernal Affairs - (recommended by kingdoxie)
5. * Third Man - ½ (recommended by Trollhunter)

Oscar Nominees
1. La La Land -
2. * Moana -
3. Mad Max: Fury Road -
4. The Hateful Eight -
5. The Wolf of Wall Street - ½
6. Suicide Squad - ½

Time Loops
1. * Premature - ½
2. * Time Lapse - ½
3. Source Code - ½
4. * Haunter - ½ (recommended by AaronJ)
5. +1 - ½

Leonardo Dicaprio
1. Inception - ½
2. The Departed -
3. * Critters 3 - ½
4. Body of Lies - ½
5. Django Unchained - ½

(based on) True Stories
1. 47 Ronin -
2. * Fruitvale Station - ½ (recommended by nightwolf2369)
3. * Allied - ½
4. * Kinky Boots - ½ (recommended by starryeyes)
5. * Army of One -
6. * Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds - ½

Action/Adventure
1. * F/X - ½
2. Apocalypto - ½
3. * Shoot to Kill - ½
4. John Wick - ½
5. * John Wick Chapter 2 -
6. * The Great Wall -
7. * Next of Kin -

Drama
1. * Live By Night - ½
2. * London -
3. * Tell -
4. * Raise the Titanic -
5. * Desierto - ½
6. * Operator -
7. The Last Five Years -
8. * Gleaming the Cube -
9. * I Don't Feel At Home In This World Anymore - ½

Comedy
1. * Dead & Breakfast - ½
2. * Playing It Cool - ½
3. * Starter For 10 -
4. * Keeping Up With the Joneses -
5. * Wheels on Meals -
6. * Murder Party - ½
7. * Fist Fight - ½
8. Shallow Hal -
9. * The Other Guys -
10. * Jimmy Hollywood -
11. * Ruthless People -

Horror/Thriller
1. * Blue Ruin - ½
2. Green Room - ½
3. Body Parts -
4. * Train to Busan -
5. * Yakuza Apocalypse - ½
6. * Campfire Tales -
7. * Get Out -

Family/Animaton
1. Newsies -
2. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs - ½
3. Rango -
4. * Newsies: The Broadway Musical - ½
5. * The Lego Batman Movie -


* denotes first-time viewings

Red - seen in theater
Blue - Blu-ray, duh
Green - DVD
Purple - Vudu
Black - Streaming (Netflix, Amazon Prime, Crackle, hoopla, tubitv, etc)
Gray - on television

[DanTheMan]

MONTH TOTAL: 53



Oscars:
12 Years A Slave - 5/5
Hustle & Flow - 4.5/5
Ali - 3/5
Ray* - 4/5

Romance:
Love & Basketball* - 3.5/5
Poetic Justice - 3.5/5
La La Land - 5/5
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner - 4.5/5
How Stella Got Her Groove Back* - 3.5/5

Black History:
The Help - 5/5
42 - 4.5/5
Hidden Figures - 4.5/5
Malcolm X - 4.5/5
Selma - 4/5

True Stories:
Fruitvale Station* - 2.5/5 (nightwolf2369)
Straight Outta Compton - 4.5/5
Lean on Me - 3.5/5
The Hurricane* - 4/5

Recommendations Part One:
ATL - 4/5 (nightwolf2369)
Cotton Comes to Harlem* - 3/5 (FilmKoala)
Moonlight - 5/5 (DPIW73)
Hotel Rwanda* - 3/5 (advdfreak)

Recommendations Part Two:
Blue Valentine* - 4.5/5 (Frog Foot)
In Bruges* - 4/5 (cinemaphile)
Sideways* - 4/5 (Travis)
Camp X-Ray* - 3.5/5 (odguitar)
The Beach* - 3.5/5 (walruswarrior)

Family/Animation:
Remember the Titans - 4/5
Pinocchio - 4/5
The LEGO Movie - 3.5/5
The LEGO Batman Movie* - 4/5
The Princess and the Frog - 3/5

Mixed Bag:
Precious - 4/5
Creed - 4.5/5
Do the Right Thing - 4.5/5
Boyz n the Hood* - 4/5
Higher Learning - 5/5

Action/Adventure:
Foxy Brown - 3.5/5
Black Dynamite* - 4.5/5
Set It Off* - 4/5
John Wick: Chapter 2* - 4.5/5
Training Day* - 4/5

Crime/Drama:
Juice - 4/5
Devil in a Blue Dress* - 4/5
New Jack City* - 3.5/5
Menace II Society* - 3/5

Miscellaneous:
La La Land - 5/5
John Wick - 4.5/5
John Wick: Chapter Two - 4.5/5
Gone Girl - 5/5
Arrival - 3/5
20th Century Women* - 4.5/5
The House Bunny - 4/5


* - first time viewing


Recommended to others:

[Show spoiler]Magnolia
Short Term 12
Babel
Moon
Before Sunrise
Before Sunset
Before Midnight
City of God
Calvary
Chi-Raq
The Descendants
A History of Violence
The Beaver
Out of the Furnace
Enemy

[filmbuffTX]

51 (45)

List:
Recommendations by Others
1. The Descendants* 4/5 (DanTheMan)
2. The 5th Wave* 3/5 (FilmKoala)
3. Horns* 3.5/5 (cinemaphile)
4. Harakiri* 4/5 (FilmKoala)
5. Oscar* 3.5/5 (cinemaphile)
6. Samsara* 4/5 (DPIW73)

Drama
1. Mysterious Skin 3.5/5
2. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner* 4.5/5
3. Sea of Love* 2.5/5
4. Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk 3D* 3.5/5
5. Children of God* 3/5
6. The Black Stallion* 4/5

Romance
1. La La Land 4.5/5
2. Trick 3.5/5
3. Grease 3.5/5
4. The Notebook 3/5
5. Love Actually 4/5

Oscars
1. The Master* 4/5
2. Forrest Gump 5/5
3. The Artist* 4/5
4. Midnight Cowboy* 3.5/5
5. Life is Beautiful* 4/5

Horror/Thriller
1. The Neon Demon* 3.75/5
2. The Final Girls* 3.5/5 (Jennifer Lawrence Fan)
3. Parents* 3.25/5
4. Lair of the White Worm* 3.25/5
5. 30 Days of Night* 3.5/5

Family/Animation
1. Trolls* 4/5
2. Into The Woods* 3.75/5
3. The Princess and the Frog* 4/5
4. Bingo 3/5
5. Robots 3.25/5

Comedy
1. Jumping the Broom* 3/5
2. Friday After Next 2.5/5
3. Angus 3.5/5
4. Bingo 3.5/5 (second viewing, original aspect ratio)
5. Jerry Maguire 4/5
6. Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates* 3.5/5

Black History
1. The Butler* 3.5/5
2. The Color Purple 5/5
3. Roots Part 1 5/5
4. Roots Part 2-3
5. Roots Part 4
6. Roots Part 5-6
7. Roots Part 7-8
8. Beloved 3.75/5

True Stories
1. The New Edition Story Part 1* 3/5
2. The New Edition Story Part 2*
3. The New Edition Story Part 3*
4. Secretariat* 3/5
5. The Imitation Game* 4/5

*first time viewing

Recommended:

[Show spoiler]

[cinemaphile]

The Hateful Eight -
Post-Pulp Fiction Quentin Tarantino movies are always frustrating, and this one is no different. It has all the same positive qualities like great cinematography, an ensemble cast full of great performances, and unique and interesting (and often hilarious) dialogue. But it also has the same problems - the songs are lame and completely out of place, and it badly needs a better editor to cut a good 45 minutes of extraneous scenes off the running time. This one also adds a new problem - a narrator. Not only is one not needed, but the one they used isn't even very good.
So, like most of Tarantino's films, it borders on greatness, but never quite gets there. Drop the songs, drop the narrator, and edit it down, and it could have been a classic.

Finished off my first five for "February"
Yes, I am one of those who opted to shave a couple days off January to make February a full 30-day month. I knew I was gonna have a lot of time to get some flicks in today. If it makes you feel any better, I should go well over 50 this month at this rate.

Dead Leaves is only 50 minutes, so I may only count it as half a movie. Man, that is one f*cked-up cartoon. But very funny.

Originally Posted by cinemaphile

Most Recent Additions:


2017 Oscar Nominees

Leonardo Dicaprio
1. Inception - ½

TBD

True Stories

Recommendations*
1. * Dead Leaves - ½ (recommended by FilmKoala)
2. * Once Upon a Time in the West - (recommended by Travis)

Horror/Thriller

Family/Animaton

Comedy
1. * Dead & Breakfast - ½

Action/Adventure

Crime/Drama
1. The Hateful Eight -

* denotes first-time viewings

Red - seen in theater
Blue - Blu-ray, duh
Green - DVD
Purple - Vudu
Black - Streaming (Netflix, Amazon Prime, Crackle, hoopla, tubitv, etc)
Gray - on television

[Jennifer Lawrence Fan]

So set up the categories and suggestions.

You guys watch movies quickly.

[cinemaphile]

Finished another set of 5, putting me at 10 already ()

Originally Posted by cinemaphile

Most Recent Additions:


2017 Oscar Nominees

Leonardo Dicaprio
1. Inception - ½

TBD

True Stories
1. The Wolf of Wall Street - ½
2. * Fruitvale Station - ½ (recommended by nightwolf2369)
3. * Allied - ½

Recommendations*
1. * Dead Leaves - ½ (recommended by FilmKoala)
2. * Once Upon a Time in the West - (recommended by Travis)

Horror/Thriller

Family/Animaton

Comedy
1. * Dead & Breakfast - ½

Action/Adventure
1. Mad Max: Fury Road -

Crime/Drama
1. The Hateful Eight -
2. * Blue Ruin - ½

* denotes first-time viewings

Red - seen in theater
Blue - Blu-ray, duh
Green - DVD
Purple - Vudu
Black - Streaming (Netflix, Amazon Prime, Crackle, hoopla, tubitv, etc)
Gray - on television

[Travis]

Originally Posted by cinemaphile

Finished another set of 5, putting me at 10 already ()

And some were worried about getting to 50. At this rate, you'll be at 140 by the end of the month.

[cinemaphile]

Another set of five done:

Originally Posted by cinemaphile

Most Recent Additions:


2017 Oscar Nominees
1. La La Land -
2. * Moana -

Leonardo Dicaprio
1. Inception - ½

TBD

True Stories
1. The Wolf of Wall Street - ½
2. * Fruitvale Station - ½ (recommended by nightwolf2369)
3. * Allied - ½

Recommendations*
1. * Dead Leaves - ½ (recommended by FilmKoala)
2. * Once Upon a Time in the West - (recommended by Travis)
3. * Anatomy of a Murder - ½ (recommended by Travis and kingdoxie)
4. * Infernal Affairs - (recommended by kingdoxie)

Horror/Thriller
1. * Time Lapse - ½

Family/Animaton

Comedy
1. * Dead & Breakfast - ½
2. * Premature - ½
3. * Playing It Cool - ½

Action/Adventure
1. Mad Max: Fury Road -
2. Apocalypto - ½

Crime/Drama
1. The Hateful Eight -
2. * Blue Ruin - ½
3. Green Room - ½
4. * London -

* denotes first-time viewings

Red - seen in theater
Blue - Blu-ray, duh
Green - DVD
Purple - Vudu
Black - Streaming (Netflix, Amazon Prime, Crackle, hoopla, tubitv, etc)
Gray - on television

[cinemaphile]

Finished another set of five:

Originally Posted by cinemaphile

Most Recent Additions:


Recommendations*
1. * Dead Leaves - ½ (recommended by FilmKoala)
2. * Once Upon a Time in the West - (recommended by Travis)
3. * Anatomy of a Murder - ½ (recommended by Travis and kingdoxie)
4. * Infernal Affairs - (recommended by kingdoxie)
5. * Third Man - ½ (recommended by Trollhunter)

2017 Oscar Nominees
1. La La Land -
2. * Moana -

Time Loops
1. * Premature - ½
2. * Time Lapse - ½
3. Source Code - ½
4. * Haunter - ½ (recommended by AaronJ)

Leonardo Dicaprio
1. Inception - ½
2. The Departed -
3. * Critters 3 - ½

True Stories
1. The Wolf of Wall Street - ½
2. * Fruitvale Station - ½ (recommended by nightwolf2369)
3. * Allied - ½

Action/Adventure
1. Mad Max: Fury Road -
2. Apocalypto - ½

Drama
1. The Hateful Eight -
2. * London -

Comedy
1. * Dead & Breakfast - ½
2. * Playing It Cool - ½

Horror/Thriller
1. * Blue Ruin - ½
2. Green Room - ½

Family/Animaton


* denotes first-time viewings

Red - seen in theater
Blue - Blu-ray, duh
Green - DVD
Purple - Vudu
Black - Streaming (Netflix, Amazon Prime, Crackle, hoopla, tubitv, etc)
Gray - on television

[starryeyes]

MV5BMTUwMTE1ODI5NV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMTAxODI0NA@@._V1_.jpg

The African Queen

[Travis]

Originally Posted by cinemaphile

Finished another set of five:

8 days and half way there!

[Jennifer Lawrence Fan]

Originally Posted by Travis

8 days and half way there!

I know, right?

[cinemaphile]

Five more makes 30 ()
If I kept up my current rate I would have my biggest month ever with 90 for the month, but that won't happen. My number includes my questionable 2-day head start I opted in on to make February a full 30 days, plus I expect to slow down a bit the rest of the month due to more outside commitments. Still, I should at least hit platinum easily!

Thanks to starryeyes for recommending Kinky Boots! The movie was never on my radar, but after seeing your rec I looked it up and realized it had Chiwetel Ejiofor, which alone makes it a must-see. He was, as always, wonderful in this!

Originally Posted by cinemaphile

Most Recent Additions:


Recommendations*
1. * Dead Leaves - ½ (recommended by FilmKoala)
2. * Once Upon a Time in the West - (recommended by Travis)
3. * Anatomy of a Murder - ½ (recommended by Travis and kingdoxie)
4. * Infernal Affairs - (recommended by kingdoxie)
5. * Third Man - ½ (recommended by Trollhunter)

[Show spoiler]Possible selections:
Amadeus (recommended by DPIW73) - Netflix
A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night (recommended by Frog Foot) - hoopla

2017 Oscar Nominees
1. La La Land -
2. * Moana -

Time Loops
1. * Premature - ½
2. * Time Lapse - ½
3. Source Code - ½
4. * Haunter - ½ (recommended by AaronJ)

Leonardo Dicaprio
1. Inception - ½
2. The Departed -
3. * Critters 3 - ½
4. Body of Lies - ½

True Stories
1. The Wolf of Wall Street - ½
2. * Fruitvale Station - ½ (recommended by nightwolf2369)
3. * Allied - ½
4. * Kinky Boots - ½ (recommended by starryeyes)

Action/Adventure
1. Mad Max: Fury Road -
2. Apocalypto - ½
3. * Shoot to Kill - ½

Drama
1. The Hateful Eight -
2. * London -
3. * Tell -

Comedy
1. * Dead & Breakfast - ½
2. * Playing It Cool - ½

Horror/Thriller
1. * Blue Ruin - ½
2. Green Room - ½
3. Body Parts -

Family/Animaton


* denotes first-time viewings

Red - seen in theater
Blue - Blu-ray, duh
Green - DVD
Purple - Vudu
Black - Streaming (Netflix, Amazon Prime, Crackle, hoopla, tubitv, etc)
Gray - on television

[starryeyes]

Originally Posted by cinemaphile

Five more makes 30 ()
If I kept up my current rate I would have my biggest month ever with 90 for the month, but that won't happen. My number includes my questionable 2-day head start I opted in on to make February a full 30 days, plus I expect to slow down a bit the rest of the month due to more outside commitments. Still, I should at least hit platinum easily!

Thanks to starryeyes for recommending Kinky Boots! The movie was never on my radar, but after seeing your rec I looked it up and realized it had Chiwetel Ejiofor, which alone makes it a must-see. He was, as always, wonderful in this!

That's primarily why I bought it because I think he's a terrific actor and it was a sweet movie. Glad you enjoyed it.

[starryeyes]

MV5BYTYyZmZhM2ItMjhhYS00ZmRhLTlhMDktMWUwZTNiMzNmZjJmXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjUwNzk3NDc@._V1_.jpg

The Living Daylights 1/2

I could have sworn I saw every Bond movie in my collection. Apparently not or at least I have no memory of it. Not a bad debut for Dalton.

[cinemaphile]

Five more down:

Originally Posted by cinemaphile

Most Recent Additions:


Recommendations*
1. * Dead Leaves - ½ (recommended by FilmKoala)
2. * Once Upon a Time in the West - (recommended by Travis)
3. * Anatomy of a Murder - ½ (recommended by Travis and kingdoxie)
4. * Infernal Affairs - (recommended by kingdoxie)
5. * Third Man - ½ (recommended by Trollhunter)

[Show spoiler]Possible selections:
Amadeus (recommended by DPIW73) - Netflix
A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night (recommended by Frog Foot) - hoopla

2017 Oscar Nominees
1. La La Land -
2. * Moana -

Time Loops
1. * Premature - ½
2. * Time Lapse - ½
3. Source Code - ½
4. * Haunter - ½ (recommended by AaronJ)

Leonardo Dicaprio
1. Inception - ½
2. The Departed -
3. * Critters 3 - ½
4. Body of Lies - ½

True Stories
1. The Wolf of Wall Street - ½
2. * Fruitvale Station - ½ (recommended by nightwolf2369)
3. * Allied - ½
4. * Kinky Boots - ½ (recommended by starryeyes)

Action/Adventure
1. Mad Max: Fury Road -
2. Apocalypto - ½
3. * Shoot to Kill - ½
4. John Wick - ½
5. * John Wick Chapter 2 -

Drama
1. The Hateful Eight -
2. * London -
3. * Tell -
4. * Raise the Titanic -

Comedy
1. * Dead & Breakfast - ½
2. * Playing It Cool - ½

Horror/Thriller
1. * Blue Ruin - ½
2. Green Room - ½
3. Body Parts -
4. * Train to Busan - ½

Family/Animaton
1. Newsies -

* denotes first-time viewings

Red - seen in theater
Blue - Blu-ray, duh
Green - DVD
Purple - Vudu
Black - Streaming (Netflix, Amazon Prime, Crackle, hoopla, tubitv, etc)
Gray - on television

[starryeyes]

MV5BMmExMzk5MzUtNjkwZS00ZGRjLTk3MDItZGU0ZWZmNzA5NmFiXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTI3MDk3MzQ@._V1_.jpg

Journey to the Centre of the Earth (1959) 1/2

This is the best of all the various renditions of the Jules Verne novel. A childhood favourite that I revisit often.

[filmbuffTX]

Midnight Cowboy (1969)

3.5/5
(first time watch)

Winner of 3 Academy Awards:
Best Picture
Best Director (John Schlesinger)
Best Adapted Screenplay (Waldo Salt)

List:

[Show spoiler]
Recommendations by Others
1. The Descendants* 4/5 (DanTheMan)
2. The 5th Wave* 3/5 (FilmKoala)
3. Horns* 3.5/5 (cinemaphile)
4. Harakiri* 4/5 (FilmKoala)
5. Oscar* 3.5/5 (cinemaphile)

Black History
1. The Butler* 3.5/5
2. The Color Purple 5/5
3. Roots Part 1 5/5
4. Roots Part 2-3
5. Roots Part 4
6. Roots Part 5-6
7. Roots Part 7-8
8. Beloved 3.75/5

Oscars
1. The Master* 4/5
2. Forrest Gump 5/5
3. The Artist* 4/5
4. Midnight Cowboy* 3.5/5

Horror/Thriller
1. The Neon Demon* 3.75/5

True Stories
1. The New Edition Story Part 1* 3/5
2. The New Edition Story Part 2*
3. The New Edition Story Part 3*
4. Secretariat* 3/5
5. The Imitation Game* 4/5

Family/Animation
1. Trolls* 4/5

*first time vieiwing

[Travis]

Originally Posted by filmbuffTX

Midnight Cowboy (1969)

3.5/5
(first time watch)

Winner of 3 Academy Awards:
Best Picture
Best Director (John Schlesinger)
Best Adapted Screenplay (Waldo Salt)

List:

[Show spoiler]
Recommendations by Others
1. The Descendants* 4/5 (DanTheMan)
2. The 5th Wave* 3/5 (FilmKoala)
3. Horns* 3.5/5 (cinemaphile)
4. Harakiri* 4/5 (FilmKoala)
5. Oscar* 3.5/5 (cinemaphile)

Black History
1. The Butler* 3.5/5
2. The Color Purple 5/5
3. Roots Part 1 5/5
4. Roots Part 2-3
5. Roots Part 4
6. Roots Part 5-6
7. Roots Part 7-8
8. Beloved 3.75/5

Oscars
1. The Master* 4/5
2. Forrest Gump 5/5
3. The Artist* 4/5
4. Midnight Cowboy* 3.5/5

Horror/Thriller
1. The Neon Demon* 3.75/5

True Stories
1. The New Edition Story Part 1* 3/5
2. The New Edition Story Part 2*
3. The New Edition Story Part 3*
4. Secretariat* 3/5
5. The Imitation Game* 4/5

Family/Animation
1. Trolls* 4/5

*first time vieiwing

Gave it a 3.5/5 too. It was good, but not great. Some movies I really do not understand how they get such high praise. Think best movie in 1969 was Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid.