Happy New Year everyone! 2012 is here, and with it another year packed with (some)great new movies, and more time to watch and re-watch the bazillion that are already at our disposal as we begin yet another 365 day journey into the world of watching, critiquing, discussing, and complaining about films! As a film fanatic who watches his fair share throughout the year, I have come up with 7 resolutions that I hope I can find some success with. I had set a few goals last year that I failed to stick to, so hopefully publishing this article, and having you the readers aware of these challenges I might end the year on a successful note! So here you have it, my top 7 Film Resolutions for 2012.
-Stop Buying/Reduce Generic DVD’s …- I will always love, and respect DVD’s. They have played an enormous role in my life the past decade or so, collecting, arranging, and enjoying them have been a part of my daily routine ever since I unwrapped my first DVD player Christmas 2001. But time has moved forward, and with it the home theater experience has moved past the Digital Versatile Disc, and its about time I permanently left my passion of collecting DVD’s behind me. Now don’t get me wrong, I am not about to box up all my DVD’s and dump them at a Goodwill (sounds mean, I know), there are plenty of my 1000 or so DVD’s I have remaining that I will hold onto as long as I live. Rare and out of print releases, collectors editions, some box sets, and my collection of Hong Kong, Korean, and UK imports will forever be a part of my movie collection. Its the common, and generic single or double disc DVD’s that I will eventually filter out forever, and never purchase again. What will be the real challenge going forward will be avoiding the ever growing $3, or $5 bargain bins that continue to temp me with many great films I am yet to own, this will prove to be the ultimate test of strength.
-…but Continue Collecting Blu-rays!- You bet your ass I will be continuing to collect Blu-rays! I LOVE these wonderful little shiny blue boxes like they were my children! Naysayers, and digital media junkies be damned, I love my collection of physical media, and as long as they continue to be available I will continue to grow my collection. I always hear many people talk about how “Digital is the future“, and that “Blu-ray is on its way out” and I simply refuse to believe that. There is no way having a hard drive full of files can ever compare to the utter joy that comes with unwrapping, a new movie, then opening that box and taking in that sweet new Blu-ray smell before carefully finding its home among its brother and sisters on the movie shelf. Not to mention how much enjoyment I get of occasionally emptying my shelf, individually dusting, re sorting all re-shelving my collection every month or so. I may sound like a crazy person who is way too obsessed with movies. Well, that’s because I AM!
-Reduce My “List of Shame”- We all have it, and we have all had the embarrassing experience of being a part of a conversation with a group of fellow film fanatics talking about great movies when suddenly a classic is brought up that everyone has seen a million times and loves…except you. Its the worst! You always have to put your tail between your legs and say some pathetic line like “I haven’t seen it, I really want to, but haven’t got around to it yet”. Paaaalease! That line means nothing, then suddenly you feel like less of a person, and just want to crawl under a rock and die. That is until another classic comes up that you have seen, but one of the others haven’t…whew, right? I made good on achieving this the past year and made a sizeable dent in my list, but there is still a long way to go. I am even going to bite my lip, put my reputation as a human being on the line, and share a selection of films from my personal list of shame that I haven’t seen, I really want to, but haven’t got around to it yet; Once Upon a Time in the West, The Usual Suspects, Apocalypse Now, Requiem for a Dream, Chinatown, Once Upon a Time in America, Pan’s Labyrinth, The Elephant Man, The Maltese Falcon, and . . .John Carpenter’s The Thing!
-Go Out to the Movies More Often- Pretty simple. I do get out a fair amount of time, but there are periods throughout the year that I don’t see the inside of a theater for months. I usually find my way there the most in the Summer when all the hype trains come to town, and in the Fall when all the really good films pop their heads up. Its the in between times that I keep missing some great potential experiences that I don’t get to see until its released for rental or purchase. My wife and I already had that ever important talk. You know, the one that all married couples eventually have, when they realize that they just don’t go the the movies enough, and that they need to start finding the time to do so. So that means the awkward part it done, now we just need to go!
-Write More- This one is a no-brainer. I have been writing about movies for the better part of 8 years and for the past couple have really began to slip. When I stopped writing for websites, I began writing a blog that I kept up for fun, that really had no audience. I did enjoy it at first, but it was starting to feel daunting as I knew that I was essentially writing for myself, and that not a lot of fun. Now that I am a welcomed member of the cineAWESOME writing team, and am also occasionally contributing to other websites, my motivation has received an enormous boost. So now I hope to keep it up, and write more and more! Its something I truly love to do!
-Be Ready for the Oscars- I am a big Awards season junkie, its my favorite part of the new year! The Golden Globes, The Screen Actors Guild Awards, The Asian Film Awards, The Korean Film Awards, The Golden Horse Awards, and of course The Academy Awards. Especially the Academy Awards. I love the Oscars, its something I look forward to every year, and I always make an event of. I know there is a lot of hate out there for them, and that’s understandable I guess, but for the most part the films that are recognized each year are good films. There are very few in the long list of Best Picture Winners that I have seen and don’t absolutely love. Same goes for Best Director, actor, actress, and so on. Maybe its just my taste, but Drama is my favorite film genre and Drama has always been the apparent genre of choice for the Academy. I try each year to watch as many of the films nominated in the main categories as possible. These include the categories for Best Picture, Director, Acting, Cinematography, and Screenplays. Last year I had my best run at it I had ever before and was able to see most. This year, I want to see them ALL. Its tough, as of now I can only guess what I think might be nominated, but once the official nominee list is in, then crunch time will begin.
-See Everything I Want to See Before the End of the Year!- This is a big one, and kind of goes along with my previous. Every year, like many others, I compile a top 10 list. Obviously its a “favorite” more than a “best” list because not being a part of the industry I don’t get to see nearly as many films that I would every want to in a given calender year. So of course my top 10 list can only be drawn from what I have been limited to viewing. However it happens to me every year, there is a small group of films that look great, that I want to see, but fail to by years end. I then compile and finalize my list, and shortly after I watch one of these said films and instantly realize that it belongs on my list. Though I have in the past, I decided that I refuse to revisit after December 30th. Once the calender reads a new year, my list is sealed and delivered. This year it happened, on Januray 1st, when I watched two great films that had I seen them before would have made my top 10. Water for Elephants, and The Help. I especially adored Water for Elephants, and its devastating that it does not belong on my Top 10 of 2011 list wear it belongs. So this year I insist that I will watch every film that I am aware exists(of course), and that I want to see before the end of the year(or before I submit my Top 10). Its only fair…
