366 in 366 - Week 1

by Matt Cohen 

I usually think New Year’s Resolutions are pretty pointless. Why go out of your way to set a goal that is based on something so arbitrary as the start of another cycle around the sun? So naturally, on December 31 of 2015, I decided I would watch 366 movies in the year 2016, one for each day. As a Cinema Studies student at NYU, I am almost always looking for a means to broaden my horizons when it comes to film. I fashioned the rule-set relatively simply:

●      Watch 366 movies by the end of December 31, 2016.

●      I cannot count the same movie twice in the list of 366.

●      It’s okay if I’ve watched the movie in the past before, but it’s preferable to choose something I haven’t.

●      I don’t have to watch 1 movie per day, as that would be too easy to break. I can get ahead by watching more than 1 in a day, therefore I can skip a day if need be.

I didn’t go into this with the intentions of writing reviews for every movie I see, but of course I have my opinions on each one, though some more strong than others. In this column, I’ll give you a sneak peek at a handful of the films I’ve watched in the past week, and go a bit more in depth into the one that impacted me the most. Keep in mind, the number-based ratings at the end of each mini-review are not based on what I thought of the film from a perspective of cinematic artfulness or quality, and in no way am I comparing one film against another. They solely reflect my personal enjoyment of each movie. With that being said, welcome to 366 in 366!

1)     Deadpool (2016) - The “merc with the mouth” gets his own film within Fox’s X-Men universe, with humor and blood-splattered action that certainly satisfies fans’ desire for a faithful adaptation. I am not a fan of the character Deadpool in the slightest, but the film certainly knew what it was doing, and that resulted in an incredibly fun and at times hilarious comic book movie. (8/10)

2)     Nashville (1975) - An eccentric cast of musicians, activists, and other strange characters collide in the days leading up to a third-party presidential campaign rally. This was the final film I saw for my “American Film of the 60s and 70s” class, and I was slightly disappointed. Though it was very well-crafted, the stories were just a little bit too disjointed for my taste. (6.5/10)

3)     Captain America: Civil War (2016) - As the latest installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, CA:CW pits the Cap and Iron Man against each other, forcing them to assemble their own respective superhero teams. I absolutely adored this movie. Marvel can basically do no wrong with their films (see some other articles on the site for so more focused consideration) (9/10)

4)     Carrie (1976) - Carrie, a high school girl sheltered by her abusive and religious zealot of a mother, discovers she has telekenetic powers. This is an absolute “horror” classic from director Brian DePalma. Though it is a little light on the horror sometimes, it is all the more effective as a character analysis/coming of age allegory. (8.5/10)

5)     Wet Hot American Summer (2001) - A group of camp counselors struggle to find their final hookups on the last day of camp. This has become one of my favorite comedies in recent memory. It is consistently absurd and hilarious; there is almost always something to laugh at on the screen. (9.5/10)

6)     Altered States (1980) - While researching sensory-isolation tanks and hallucinogenic mushroom, a scientific researcher discovers what he believes to be the key to primordial human consciousness. Altered States is definitely one of my favorite films of all time, and it is serverly underrated as a body horror masterpiece. I cannot recommend this film enough for fans of the genre. (This movie is beyond numbers for me. This gets a 366/10 Seal of Quality)

7)     The Human Centipede [First Sequence] (2009) - After kidnapping 2 girlfriends and a Japanese tourist, mad surgeon Josef Heiter attempts to assemble his magnum opus: a “Siamese triplet” comprising of his three victims sewn mouth-to-anus. This movie has a bit of an infamous reputation for being purely a gross out film with little cinematic merit. I am a big proponent of this one, however, as Dieter Laser’s performance as Heiter is simply enthralling, and the film holds an implicit commentary on the filmmaking process. (7/10)

8)     Phantasm II (1988) - Two unlikely companions, both of whom’s loved ones had been victims to the haunting Tall Man, search for the supernatural undertaker in order to stop his reign of terror. The first sequel to Phantasm (1979) is often described as a similar film to Evil Dead 2 (1987), as it is a severe tonal change from the original. This one is much more focused on fun and action than the original, but both hold up as two different yet great 80s horror flicks.(6/10)

This week’s standout: Possession (1981)

            The film centers on a married couple who reach a breaking point in their relationship, resulting in the increasingly dramatic mental collapse of Anna, played brilliantly and disturbingly by Isabelle Adjani. Possession is one of those forcefully strange films that doesn’t really fall into a specific tone or genre. One minute it might feel like a intense family drama, yet it might immediately shift to a bleak and surreal body horror. It is beautifully shot, with one of Anna’s breakdown scenes being especially noteworthy. In concordance to films like Eraserhead (1977) and Repulsion (1965), the movie is as terrifying as it is beautiful and thought-provoking. The horror of the film comes in the form of a Lovecraft-esque monster that plays a similar role to the couple’s child; the monster effects were crafted by Carlo Rambaldi, a two-time Academy Award winning special effects artist famous for his work on Alien (1979), E.T. the Extraterrestrial (1983), and a variety of Italian giallo films. It’s a bit hard to describe the film other than give some vague narrative and form description, as it is a complex and cerebral trip that can only be seen to be believed. As stated before Adjani’s performance (both as Anna and her lookalike Helen)  is absolutely stunning and horrifying, and is excellently accompanied by Sam Neill, who costars as Anna’s husband Mark. Though I haven’t yet, I would recommend multiple viewings of the film in order to understand it fully, as I found myself a bit lost in the plot. That being said, this non-straightforward narrative entices one deeper into the film, presenting a truly gorgeous work of art that is a must-see for any cinephile. (10/10)

Naturally, I’ve watched way more movies than just these so far this year. For a full, up-to-date list on what movies I’ve watched so far, check out this link:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ONvaq887hN2dy1N7WrOqzNC0tSzrzivwcq0ltqTBcrE/edit?usp=sharing