This was my last real crack at being a regular reviewer. Just as I'd hungered to try my hand at casual microblogging a few months earlier, now I wanted to tackle the contemporary scene as a critic - coinciding nicely with several films suggesting a cinematic coming-of-age for my (millennial) generation at the turn-of-the-decade. The new approach only lasted for a month and a half, but during that time I covered a bunch of Oscar contenders, theatrical debuts, and DVD new releases; meanwhile, I renewed my "Best of the 21st Century?" series, at the time exclusive to Wonders in the Dark, and maintained my more casual approach before closing up shop on my two extra blogs.
Subjects include a massive visual tribute to hard-to-see films, poster collections from various directors, the Academy Awards for 2009, a highly critical take on the racially obtuse The Blind Side, and a review of Avatar, which was surpassing James Cameron's own Titanic become the highest-grossing film of all time.
My highlight from this period is Summer Hours, a French drama that took me by surprise when I reached it in my "Best of the 21st Century?" series; I was particularly struck by the tight conceptual structure beneath its casual surface.
FEBRUARY
Introducing a third blog, Lost in the Movies (*different* Lost in the Movies - it's confusing) to cover new releases in cinemas and on DVD
James Cameron's 3D super-blockbuster was first up among my Oscar contender/new release reviews
Gathering images from hundreds of hard-to-see films sought out by various movie bloggers
Cross-promoting the Film Restoration round-up
George Clooney's Oscar contender, too slick or just slick enough to suit its subject?
Kicking off a more stable Best of the 21st Century? series, which will continue weekly or biweekly throughout the year, based on an updated list covering the full decade
Clint Eastwood's easygoing film about post-apartheid South African rugby
Hilariously awkward Jaws deleted scene
Highlighting work from the past month
MARCH
Carey Mulligan's breakthrough in a coming-of-age story
Rounding up the Wonders in the Dark coverage of the 2009 Oscar contenders
Best of the 21st Century? continues with my first Jia Zhangke film, mixing magic and documentation to convey modern Chinese development
A poster gallery for Spielberg, 1971-2008
My first "new on DVD" review from 2010, a double-header from Lee Daniels and Michael Moore
Not a particularly well-received film (I liked it more than most at the time), this awoke lingering memories of the Iraq invasion from a stateside perspective
I really liked Spike Jonze's riff on Maurice Sendak's classic picture book
Three trios reveal themselves in Olivier Assayas' film: international, intergenerational, and sibling (one of my favorite Best of the 21st Century? pieces)
The last of my poster galleries: for Lynch, 1977-2006
Really did not care for this one, but I think I was able to articulate my objections effectively
Swedish adaptation (apparently edited down from a miniseries) of the bestselling mystery novel
Stepping into a new season that would hold more changes than I expected
Gus Van Sant's school shooting study, whose relevance unfortunately did not go away with time
Greta Gerwig and the influence of mumblecore mellow the bilious Noah Baumbach
Robert Downey, Jr. adding another franchise to his belt
APRIL
Dragons and western warcraft mythos - my last new release review in the spring push before slowing down and ending two sites
Rounding up my old episode guide, this directory was my last Twin Peaks-centered post for close to four years
Through the tail end of this period, as most of my activity paused, I continued my Best of the 21st Century? series, here covering my second Apichatpong Weerasethakul fable
The Dardennes brothers depict of a fumbling youth as a kind of arthouse videogame avatar in this Best of the 21st Century? entry
MAY
Agnes Varda's inventive essay film provided a wonderful surprise when I covered it for Best of the 21st Century?
Advertisements for kids' products taped off Saturday morning cartoons when I was four or five
I had more reservations than expected while watching this drama about East German surveillance for Best of the 21st Century?
(I covered this period on Episode 9 of my Patreon podcast)
Next: Heading Home (June - September 2010)
(in which I consolidate my work onto the main site and offer a series of ambitious posts)
•
Previous: The Image Emerges (January - February 2010)
(in which I consolidate my work onto the main site and offer a series of ambitious posts)
•
Previous: The Image Emerges (January - February 2010)
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