Hello, and happy new year again, friends!
How to measure the passing of time? Maybe through the lengths of all of these films that I watched for the first time!
A goal for movie watching this year was to watch as many international films as possible from as many countries as possible. Which may or may not have been aided and influenced by taking a Hispanic Cinema class. I'll translate the titles into English if it makes sense to do so, so if it's not just the name of a character or a term that doesn't have a translation. I like to list them all out, then I'll provide some stats, then we'll chat about TV shows briefly THEN it will be the moment you've all waited for: my favorites. Have fun with some eye candy through these posters!
Want to see what I watched in previous years? Here are the previous lists for 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016.
Ones that are underlined means I cried while watching it.
Ones with a caret (^) means I watched it for a class
Ones with an asterisk (*) means I watched it more than once this year
Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
Home Alone (1990)
New-to-me Feature Films:
See How They Run (2022)
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Total: 43
Documentaries:
Grand total: 45
Movies I watched parts of but didn't finish: Turning Red (2022), Two Weeks Notice (2002), Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
A breakdown of the different countries I watched films from:
Chile: Neruda (2016), El Conde (2023), No (2012): 3 (These were all directed by Pablo Larrín, so I should probably find another Chilean director)
Columbia: Los reyes del mundo (2023), El abrazo de la serpiente (2015): 2
España: Pared con pared (2024), Todo sobre mi madre (1999), Volver (2006), Madres paralelas (2021): 4
Germany: Into the Beat (2020): 1
Guatamala: Ixcanul (2015): 1
Japan: Once Upon a Crime (2023), Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop (2021): 2
Mexico: Güeros (2014), Ya no estoy aquí (2020), Bardo: A False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths (2022): 3
Peru: Retablo (2018): 1
United Kingdom: The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934), I Capture the Castle (2003): 2 (This one isn't really a challenge for me, but I thought I'd include it anyway)
Uruguay: La noche de doce años (2022): 1
Total: 21. Therefore, 47% of the movies I watched were from outside the U.S., so I'd say that's mission accomplished! But compared to how I cry in 37% of movies, maybe that isn't saying a lot if it's only 10% more of the total.
I watch a ton of K-dramas for TV shows, but it would be cool to see a movie from South Korea, like Parasite (2019)?
TV Shows and Series:
I did a terrible job at keeping track of this in 2024, so a goal for 2025 is to better monitor it and not just mood watch. But here's some semblance of what I did (I'm not a huge fan of the format I have for this section, so pardon me as I mess with it):
Shows with (currently) one season:
Cielo Grande: I think I watched another episode?
Cinderella and the Four Knights: Rewatched a couple of episodes because it is a comfort show.
Extraordinary Attorney Woo: Watched most of it and AM IN LOVE.
Geek Girl: Watched and rewatched this so many times I lost count.
Hotel del Luna: Rewatched bits and pieces with my sister.
King the Land: watched a couple of episodes.
My Life with the Walter Boys: Watched 1 episode after which I didn't care about the characters.
One Piece: Finished season 1.
Our Flag Means Death: Watched 4 or 5 episodes with my sister.
Pride & Prejudice (1995): Rewatched as reward for finish a competition in one piece.
A Tale Dark and Grimm: My older sister talked me into this.
Shows with multiple seasons:
Baby-Sitters Club: Finished season 2.
Bridgerton: Watched season 1 with my roommates, one who was our censor. I was more making fun of it than anything but I am now a hardcore Eloise stan.
The Flash: Watched the end of season 1 (which I didn't actually hate despite my roommate thinking I would), watched a couple of episodes from season 2.
Greenhouse Academy: Watched part of season 1 and part of season 2.
Heartstopper: Watched a couple of episodes from season 2. Isaac is my darling and can do no wrong.
Leverage: Season 2: episodes 9-15, season 3: episodes 1-13.
Merlin: Rewatch season 2 and some of season 3.
Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir: Rewatched several episodes from several seasons with my roommates and maybe watched a couple episodes for the first time?
Newhart: Watched season 1, which I mostly hadn't seen. Bob Newhart died this year and I appreciate all the work he did.
Once Upon a Time: Rewatched one episode.
Robin Hood BBC: Rewatched most of season 1. <3
Shadow and Bone: Watched the ending of season 2
Sherlock: Rewatched some episodes in season 1 and 2.
The Summer I Turned Pretty: 2 episodes of season 1.
White Collar: Finished season 1 and watched part of season 2.
Young Royals: Season 1, episodes 1-3. I'm trying to learn Norwegian and the closest thing I can find to practice are Swedish TV shows, so mostly I'm learning the similarities between the languages instead of the languages themselves.
My 10 Favorite New-To-Me Movies of 2024:
1. La noche de 12 años (2018): I have never cried so much. Which might not sound like a recommendation but oh, boy, it is. This movie is not easy. It's the true story of three men who were incarcerated for the entirety of the dictatorship in Uruguay that lasted for twelve years. It's about torture and loneliness and isolation and despair, but in the darkest cells there is a little light shining through. I've written essays about it, but all I want to do is watch it again and again and weep for the humanity that is lost and restored.
2. Nimona (2023): The first 20 minutes of this are the wildest ride and I 10/10 recommend going in blind. It makes everything so much stinking fun. I adore the world building and all of the sociological implications from it. Nimona herself is SUCH A VIBE and I love the dynamic between Bal and Nimona. I laugh until I'm choking and also cry to such a personal level it is borderline concerning.
3. The Imitation Game (2014): My classmates had to listen to me give a presentation about Alan Turing and finish it with a pitch to watch this movie. The permutations behind the enigma were CRAZY and the way that he broke it? I don't care that it's only about 40% accurate, it is a STUNNING example of acting and a dazzling script and all the plot points to hit one in the heart.
4. Sing Sing (2024): My poor roommate who came to watch this with me on a whim and then watched me sob the entire way through this. As someone who does theatre it just hits on so many levels. From using stories to battle depression extending all the way to using it to fight your own demons, I was touched.
5. No (2012): A look at political campaigns and changing people's minds not through fear but through joy. Plus Gael García Bernal for the win. The relationship with his son was so sweet and I didn't write down that I cried but I'm pretty sure I did.
6. Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop (2021): TALK ABOUT ADORABLE. From a boy who talks in haikus to a girl who finds joy in media postings but is insecure about how she looks? I can't tell you guys how much this spoke to me.
7. Volver (2006): A popular topic that I've noticed in Hispanic films is generational trauma and this did it so well. I love how Raimunda does everything for her daughter that her mother didn't do for her. Then the theme of dealing with ghosts and the past returning (i. e. the title) to haunt was exceptional.
8. Now You See Me (2013): Hit me with a good heist and I'm sold. Especially if you add magicians and spectacle. It's so clever and so twisty and I am a big fan.
9. Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961): A fun and questionable romp that is a celebration of life but also examines freedom and belonging and attachment and is what every rom-com wishes it was. I feel called out by all the avoidant behavior here. Holly Golightly is an icon and I see why everyone wants to be like her. So much that I don't mind the sick dream party sequence too much.
10. Catherine, Called Birdy (2022): How DARE Andrew Scott make me cry in a place I would never ever in my life image I could cry. How DARE you be the epitome of tender?? Ahem. I was a little apprehensive through all of this, but I can see it becoming a comfort movie because I love how spunky Birdy is.
Honorable mentions: Argentina, 1985, Bardo, Priscilla, La La Land (this would probably be in the top 10 if I didn't just watch it Dec. 31st and need time to process).
- In 2024 I checked off 4 films from the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, and that was without me really trying! I would like to get over 100, and right now I'm at 97 so just 3 more.
- Keep better track of TV shows, not so much a mood watcher.
- Write. more. blog. posts. about what I watch.
Happy New Year, Chloe! I don't know the majority of these (I've been trying to venture out into watching more foreign films, but haven't gotten farther than just dipping my toes in as of yet), but I had great fun seeing your thoughts on them. I would really like to watch La La Land...even though I've already spoiled pretty much the entire movie for myself. (Which is a shame, because I'm sure it would hit a lot harder if I were able to go into it blind...but ah well.)
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