I will watch these films in 2019. I will watch these films in 2019. I will watch these films in 2019…
You know that feeling. When someone doesn’t even ask if you have seen a film, they just assume you have and start talking about it. You may smile nervously and try to change the subject. You might feign a phone call from an imaginary police officer and run howling into the night. You might sigh quietly to yourself before committing the sacred and ancient act of Hari Kiri. Whichever socially unacceptable method you use to escape such a conversation, it is never pleasant.
I started the premise of cinematic new years resolutions in 2018 as a way to force myself to watch those films that any self respecting movie fan should have seen. Whilst I managed to make my way through most of that list, the fact that I didn’t watch all ten suggests that I must try harder. Starting with…
10. Some Like It Hot
I’m almost certain that I have never seen a film that features Marilyn Monroe. As one of the most iconic movie stars of all time, this surely must be addressed in 2019. Some Like It Hot was the first one that came to mind. I can only assume that the title is a reference to Weetabix?
9. Grease
My wife tells me it’s a disgrace that I’ve never seen Grease. Of course she also claims that it’s a disgrace that I have never cleaned our shower or swept the back garden. Neither of those things will be happening in 2019. Hopefully however, I will see my way to catching Grease in the next 12 months. I’m not a musicals man traditionally but maybe now is the time to make that change.
8. Amadeus
I realise that I’m not alone in never having seen Miloš Forman’s 1984 masterpiece Amadeus, it does seem to be one of those films that has passed people by. However, with 8 Oscar wins under its belt including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Director, it is surely worth watching. It just kind of looks like it’ll be boring though right? Right??
7. Do The Right Thing
Having recently watched and thoroughly enjoyed Black KKKlansman, I found myself looking over the rest of Spike Lee’s cinematic output and realising that I have hardly seen any of it. What better place to start than with one of his most celebrated films, Do The Right Thing. This will also afford me the rare opportunity to watch a much acclaimed and beloved film that I know absolutely nothing about. It’s nice to go in fresh sometimes.
6. When Harry Met Sally
One of those films that seemingly everyone in the world has seen apart from me. I’ve never really fancied it but there must be something there right? I’m a sucker for a romantic comedy anyway, although I have been going through life thinking that Tom Hanks was in this movie when clearly he is not. That is disappointing.
5. The Royal Tenenbaums
So this one is kind of cheating a little because I think at some point in my youth I did watch most of this movie but I remember thinking it was rubbish and probably turning it off to watch the Red Shoe Diaries on Channel 5 instead. With the benefit of hindsight, plus a long standing love of all things Wes Anderson, I’m hoping I can enjoy this movie in a new light now.
4. Metropolis
I’ve been putting off watching this for ages. I know it’s a classic. I know it’s in the IMDB top 250 and has a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. I know all of this and yet I can’t shake the feeling that Metropolis is going to be a slog. Hopefully 2019 will be the year when I find out for sure.
3. The Dark Crystal
While I’m absolutely certain that this film is going to be both terrible and terrifying, people have been telling me for years that I should have seen it. Dark Crystal appears to have been a staple childhood film for people of my generation so I guess I should give it the benefit of the doubt. It does look sinister though right?
2. Rebel Without A Cause
This one is simple. I’ve never seen a James Dean movie. This must be resolved.
1. Casablanca
Full disclosure. I pretend that I have seen this movie but actually I once saw half an hour of it on Christmas Day when I already drank too much to know what the hell was going on. It’s time to stop pretending and just sit down and watch the damn thing.