2006 IN REVIEW PART I: OUT WITH THE OLD, BEGINNING ANEW, AND ALMOST BECOMING ATTAINABLE

Happy New Year, everyone. My first resolution for 2007 is not to write more in this space, but rather to never again (after this very second) mention either why I haven’t been posting or explain how/why I’m about to recommence in earnest. I mean, who cares, right? You certainly don’t. And why create false expectations for myself. I would like to focus more energy on my writing, but my goal this year is to actually make what I’ve always called “unattainable” attainable.

And I’m not just speaking of my previous repeated mentions of averaging one film per day, although it is now time to report that I actually … fell just short. Can you believe it? 357 movies in 2006. ARGH!!! If I had been paying closer attention to the actual count during December, I probably could have made it. But instead, I wound up eight short. (sigh) To once again lay out those ground rules, I count any feature length film that I watched in full, in one sitting, on DVD, cable or in a theater, although I can only count a film once per year. No edited for TV; no commercial interruptions: so for instance, TCM is OK, but AMC isn’t — Miracle on 34th Street during the latter’s Christmas Day marathon doesn’t count., But submissions to the festival I watch for my job do, so it doesn’t have to be a theatrical release. Got it? Good.

Because it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to actually list titles of submissions I’ve watched, I’m listing those simply as “TFF Submission” — but if you are a filmmaker who has submitted your film to the festival, please know that it this point there is a much greater chance that I haven’t seen your film than that I have.

Anyway, preamble aside, after the jump is my list for October, November and December for those of you (because I’m sure there are … well … none) who have been keeping track in these three posts, you can feel complete with this post here.

Best and worst movies and TV of the year — I’m making my lists and checking them twice. Hopefully they’ll be here next week, but I will say that if you haven’t yet seen Pan’s Labyrinth (which opened in select cities last week and I reviewed during the New York Film Festival), you should rush out to do so. When all is said and done, I doubt you’ll see another title topping my list.

So goodbye 2006. You weren’t as crappy as 2005, so I guess that means things are looking up? Yay 2007.

(Titles in ALL CAPS link to other Out of Focus posts. Otherwise, it’s an IMDb link. See how hard I’ve been working? Doesn’t make for a good list, but …)

October 2006

1. (275) Volver (Walter Reade Theater)
2. (276) 49 Up (Alice Tully Hall)
3. (277) The Departed (AMC Empire 25)
4. (278) THE HOST (Walter Reade Theater)
5. (279) Private Fears in Public Places (Alice Tully Hall)
6. (280) Falling (Walter Reade Theater)
7. (281) INLAND EMPIRE (Alice Tully Hall)
8. (282) Election (d. Johnnie To — DVD)
9. (283) Triad Election (Walter Reade Theater)
10. (284) PAN’S LABYRINTH (Walter Reade Theater)
11. (285) The Devil’s Backbone (DVD)
12. (286) Running With Scissors (AMC Lincoln Square)
13. (287) Babel (Regal Union Square)
14. (288) TFF Submission (DVD)

November 2006

1. (289) Borat! Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (AMC Kips Bay)
2. (290) TFF Submission (DVD)
3. (291) TFF Submission (DVD)
4. (292) TFF Submission (DVD)
5. (293) TFF Submission (DVD)
6. (294) TFF Submission (DVD)
7. (295) TFF Submission (DVD)
8. (296) TFF Submission (DVD)
9. (297) TFF Submission (DVD)
10. (298) TFF Submission (DVD)
11. (299) TFF Submission (DVD)
12. (300) TFF Submission (DVD)
13. (301) TFF Submission (DVD)
14. (302) TFF Submission (DVD)
15. (303) TFF Submission (DVD)
16. (304) TFF Submission (DVD)
17. (305) TFF Submission (DVD)
18. (306) TFF Submission (DVD)
19. (307) TFF Submission (DVD)
20. (308) TFF Submission (DVD)
21. (309) TFF Submission (DVD)

December 2006

1. (310) TFF Submission (DVD)
2. (311) TFF Submission (DVD)
3. (312) TFF Submission (DVD)
4. (313) TFF Submission (DVD)
5. (314) TFF Submission (DVD)
6. (315) TFF Submission (DVD)
7. (316) TFF Submission (DVD)
8. (317) TFF Submission (DVD)
9. (318) TFF Submission (DVD)
10. (319) TFF Submission (DVD)
11. (320) TFF Submission (DVD)
12. (321) TFF Submission (DVD)
13. (322) TFF Submission (DVD)
14. (323) TFF Submission (DVD)
15. (324) TFF Submission (DVD)
16. (325) TFF Submission (DVD)
17. (326) TFF Submission (DVD)
18. (327) TFF Submission (DVD)
19. (328) TFF Submission (DVD)
20. (329) TFF Submission (DVD)
21. (330) TFF Submission (DVD)
22. (331) TFF Submission (DVD)
23. (332) TFF Submission (DVD)
24. (333) TFF Submission (DVD)
25. (334) TFF Submission (DVD)
26. (335) TFF Submission (DVD)
27. (336) TFF Submission (DVD)
28. (337) TFF Submission (DVD)
29. (338) The Science of Sleep (Village East Cinemas)
30. (339) The Fountain (AMC 19th Street)
31. (340) Casino Royale (AMC Empire 25)
32. (341) Rocky Balboa (AMC Empire 25)
33. (342) The Nativity Story (AMC Village VII)
34. (343) Apocalypto (Village East Cinemas)
35. (344) Stranger Than Fiction (AMC Village VII)
36. (345) It’s a Wonderful Life (DVD)
37. (346) Bobby (Landmark Sunshine)
38. (347) For Your Consideration (Landmark Sunshine)
39. (348) Children of Men (AMC Empire 25)
40. (349) Flags of Our Fathers (AMC Empire 25)
41. (350) TFF Submission (DVD)
42. (351) TFF Submission (DVD)
43. (352) TFF Submission (DVD)
44. (353) TFF Submission (DVD)
45. (354) TFF Submission (DVD)
46. (355) TFF Submission (DVD)
47. (356) TFF Submission (DVD)
48. (357) Dr. No (DVD)

Wow, all those submissions, this probably isn’t so interesting, huh? Maybe my 2007 unattainable goal should be an average of one non-Tribeca related film per day after all. But when you have to spend a whole day watching the fourth season fo The Wire, who has the time?

Next up … a non-comprehensive list of theatrical highlights (meaning … I’ve barely seen anything, but you should check-out …..)