I used to enjoy visiting the cinema and still go on occasions. However, I rarely watch films at home and feel I’ve missed seeing some of the classics. But by the time I’ve settled down on the sofa it’s usually about 9pm and I’m ready for bed an hour later. Hence this challenge.
I’ve defined classic films as any of those which appear in the myriad lists of ‘Top films’ by IMDb and the like. My actual choice is dependent on availability on the streaming services.
What have I watched?
1. The Third Man, 1949. March 2024.
Summary: noir thriller set in post-war Vienna. A writer arrives in the city to stay with a friend, only to discover that he’s dead.
Worth staying up for? Not really. Watching a black and white film certainly took me back to my childhood. Whilst it was probably a great film in its day, and has been voted one of the best movies ever made, I’m afraid it wouldn’t make my top ten. Cinematography has moved on and I just found it rather slow and clunky. My highlight was the atmospheric post-war Vienna shots (even if it was strangely devoid of people).
My rating: 6/10
2. Stand by me, 1986. September 2024
Summary: childhood friends go on an adventure to find the body of a missing boy.
Worth staying up for? Loved it. Great characters, soundtrack and a fabulous coming of age story. I couldn’t bear to watch the train on the bridge scene! I’m not sure how I managed to miss this one in the 1980s.
My rating: 9/10
3. The breakfast club, 1983.
October 2024
Summary: a group of disparate high school teenagers attend a Saturday morning detention. They each have a story to tell and discover common ground.
Worth staying up for? Just about. This was another 1980s film that I somehow missed, but it felt dated (and not in a good way). Good characters but wasn’t convinced about the romantic developments.
My rating: 7.5/10
4. Parasite, 2019.
November 2024.
Summary: a black comedy thriller set in Korea (with English subtitles). A poor family ingratiate themselves into the lives of a rich family, with comic and tragic consequences. A cult classic which won Best Picture at the 2020 Academy Awards.
Worth staying up for? This was the best film I watched in 2024. I loved the quirkiness, the escalating plot and the fine line between comedy and violence.
My rating: 9.5/10
5. No country for old men, 2007
January 2025
Summary: a surprisingly violent apocalyptic film directed by the Coen brothers. Fateful decision of a Vietnam veteran to steal money when a drug deal goes wrong. He’s pursued by a man with a bad haircut and a unique way of killing people.
Worth staying up for? Yes, but with reservations. There’s an awful lot of blood and gore, and I hated the ending. The cinematography was impressive, the acting great but (without giving the ending away) sometimes you want evil to be punished.
My rating: 8.5/10
Challenge partly completed – fifteen more films to go.
Pop over to read the full list of my 60 things to do before I’m 60.