Dagmar Versus 1001 Movies: February 2022

Introduction

1001 movies you must see before you die. Must I? Let's see.

My name is Dagmar and I am from Czech Republic. I have a bachelor's degree in screenwriting. I study movies. I watch movies. I write about movies. I kind of mention movies a lot. I even cross stitch things I like in movies. My views on cinema could be described as peculiar. My views on the "1001 movies" list as complicated. It happens a lot that I get the feeling it wasn't that necessary to see some particular movies. Sometimes I'm really grateful I saw them. And there are also times when I don't watch any new movies for six months straight. And they keep adding new movies every damn year so I might have to never die to watch them all.

What's the score right now?

606/1245 - That's 639 left to see.

I started this experiment on July 3rd 2009 and the latest update was made on April 19th 2023.

You can find the full list here.

Monday, 28 February 2022

The Story of the Last Chrysanthemums (1939)

Zangiku monogatari
Japan
directed by: Kenji Mizoguchi
written by: Matsutarô Kawaguchi, Yoshikata Yoda + Shôfû Muramatsu (novel)
starring: Shôtarô Hanayagi, Kakuko Mori, Kôkichi Takada
seen on 28th February, 2022

I can't say I know what to write, even though my brain was working the entire time and my tears made an appearance in several waves. I'm trying to form my thoughts and gather my impressions after every film I watch, so that the "work" of watching it isn't "in vain", but sometimes it really can't be put into words.

Friday, 18 February 2022

Soul (2020)

USA
directed by: Pete Docter, Kemp Powers
written by: Pete Docter, Mike Jones, Kemp Powers
starring: Jamie Foxx, Richard Ayoade, Rachel House
seen on 18th February, 2022

One of viewer comments on IMDB was headed with something along the line of "don't show this to your kids" and I think I can agree with that. I cried several times, rather during the film than at the end. The only thing I "disliked" was the character of 22, because the position of a talkative annoying side-kick is a little bit overused, and Tina Fey did nod manage to deliver some sort of charisma or personality to make 22 shine among the other characters/voices. I was very proud of myself for recognizing Rachel House just by her voice. That woman is fantastic and I would follow her anywhere.

Tuesday, 1 February 2022

The Queen (2006)

United Kingdom/France/Italy
directed by: Stephen Frears
written by: Peter Morgan
starring: Helen Mirren, Michael Sheen, Helen McCrory
comment made on 1st February, 2022

Looking at it from a film-making perspective, it seems both udignified and courteous at the same time. The big old middle current, everyone is a bit likeable, everyone is a bit of an idiot, let's cry a little, let's move on. In the end it's most interesting as a film about context, and that's how I will think about it.