Since 2016 I have participated in the Blind Spot project, which is a monthly series where I watch and review a popular film I haven’t seen yet. So far I have reviewed 36 films in the series and it has been an amazing experience! Some I have loved like Tron and others weren’t for me like The Green Mile. Nevertheless, it is always interesting to watch and review these classic films.
So it is with great pleasure I announce my 2019 Blind Spot Picks:
January- Henry V
This Shakespeare adaptation put Kenneth Branagh on the map and got him 2 Oscar nominations. I’ve seen the play once at the Utah Shakespeare Festival but it is not one I am super familiar with so I am looking forward to watching this film.
February- Garden State
Hailed by hipsters everywhere as a classic, it’s about time I saw Garden State. I’m hoping for a fun sweet romantic comedy for the month of love.
March- The Usual Suspects
I know this movie has a double bad name to it with Kevin Spacey and Bryan Singer in it but they won’t make much money from my rental so I figure it’s time to check this ‘neo-noir mystery film’ off of my list.
April- Scott Pilgrim vs the World
Directed by Edgar Wright this quasi comicbook movie/romance (it’s a genre mashup I am told) should be a lot of fun to finally visit.
May- Brief Encounter
For May I am going to be checking off the art house favorite 1945’s Brief Encounter starring Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard. It’s about a bored housewife who happens to meet a doctor while doing errands and the brief encounter turns into more than they bargained for. Sounds intriguing!
June- Gidget
Sandra Dee became the ultimate girl next door in Gidget. She plays a young woman who finds surfing and a handsome surfer named Moondoggie Matthews all in one summer at the beach! I love the beach and romances so this should be a lot of fun.
July- The Best Years of Our Lives-
Hailed as one of the greatest films to win best picture, The Best Years of Our Lives has long been on my radar. It’s just so long at nearly 3 hours that I hadn’t gotten around to seeing it but I am really looking forward to checking this post-World War 2 family drama off of my list.
August- Take Shelter-
I love director Jeff Nichols films but I haven’t gotten around to seeing his film Take Shelter. It tells the story of a man played by Michael Shannon who starts getting apocalyptic visions and what he does to protect his family. Jessica Chastain is also in it and it looks very intriguing.
September- The Pianist-
I have avoided this movie because of my distaste for director Roman Polanski but it seems like a perfect choice for the blind spot project. Adrien Brody won an Oscar for his role, and I know it is a moving Holocaust story which are always edifying if difficult to watch.
October- Cowboy Bebop: the Movie-
Now that I have finished the Studio Ghibli films it is time to expand into other anime and Cowboy Bepop: the Movie is definitely something I have been curious about for some time. The story of intergalactic bounty hunters seems very creative and I look forward to checking it out.
November- The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance-
I like to have a good variety in my blind spot picks so why not pick a classic western! The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance stars 2 of Hollywood’s greatest leading men in Jimmy Stewart and John Wayne and it is directed by the master John Ford. That’s enough to sell me!
December- Tokyo Godfathers-
My Christmas pick for blind spot is the anime film Tokyo Godfathers. It has been one I’ve been wanting to watch for a while. I’m just always so busy during the holidays to watch it! The story of 3 homeless people who find a baby on Christmas Eve is supposed to be really special and I look forward to seeing it.
So there you have it! What do you think of my picks? Have you seen any of these films and are you going to participate in the Blind Spot project? You all should! It’s really fun and rewarding
Of these, I’ve seen The Usual Suspects, Scott Pilgrim vs The World and The Pianist. All of them were decent; I liked The Usual Suspects best.
I’m still going to make my way through my list of films I haven’t seen; I’ve picked out the ones I’m especially interested in, and while I don’t expect to get through them all, I can make a pretty good dent. Henry V is one of those.
That’s cool. You should blog about them
Out of these, I’ve seen Scott Pilgrim vs The World and Tokyo Godfathers. Both are definitely great in their own ways, in my opinion, so I’m definitely curious to what you think of them!
This is such a good idea, though, I’m surprised I haven’t done it before myself. Perhaps I should try it out this year… I’ve been wanting to explore more films after all!
You should do it!
I think I may participate in this next year as there’s, ashamedly, a lot of “classics” that I haven’t seen 😄.
Thanks for the idea and the great read!
Yay! I cant wait to read your picks
I don’t know if I’m brave enough to reveal that I haven’t watched movies like Ghostbusters or Jurassic Park.
I’ll show myself the door 👋😂
Haha we have work to do!
Great picks! I’ve enjoyed doing this Blindspot series too, though I haven’t kept up as well in the past year (still have one to do here at the tail end of the year). Of your picks, I’ve seen The Usual Suspects, Brief Encounter, The Best Years of Our Lives, Cowboy Bebop, and Tokyo Godfathers.
They’re all great films in their own way, with Best Years being the “greatest” objectively speaking, though Cowboy Bebop would have to be my favorite. It’s a spinoff of a really good series, but it’s pretty independent from the show’s continuity and stands alone well. I look forward to your thoughts on all of these, many of which I’ve been meaning to see too.
I’ve already chosen my own Blindspot picks for next year and can’t wait!
Oh look forward to seeing your picks. I think I’m behind a bit in your posts but mean to catch up