My January watches ranked
Long time no see! It’s probably readily apparent that this website has been a little neglected in recent months. Since starting my MA at the University of Exeter, stuff’s been moving really very quickly. Exhausted would be an understatement. I have to say, though (and I’m being largely sincere here, honest) I’m enjoying every second of it. Really, this new year, I think I’ve started to find a little bit of clarity amidst the madness of essay-writing on a tight schedule, and it’s been revelatory.
As ever, I’m rambling. I’m back for a reason. This isn’t quite an update but something that might be a little bit more sustainable for me, and that’s a roundup of what I’ve been watching this month.
In January, I watched about 30 films in total (keeping pace for my goal of 300 films this year, compared to my 250 last year.) Some of these were classics I hadn’t previously seen, some were personal favourites I decided I needed to rewatch, and, surprisingly, a not insignificant number were a rather chaotically-selected handful of the Harry Potter films, watched alongside the lovely Anna. You’ll notice the lack of recent releases here - which has in large part been a result of my readjusting to university life as well as having to stay in to write essays. I’m very much hoping I might be able to catch some of the more noteworthy releases in the coming few weeks.
So - here’s the list. I’d love to hear your thoughts on some of the potentially more controversial choices, so do write to me with any comments!
First Reformed (2017, dir. Paul Schrader)
Phantom Thread (2017, dir. Paul Thomas Anderson)
M (1931, dir. Fritz Lang)
The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928, dir. Carl Theodor Dreyer)
Faust (1926, dir. F.W. Murnau)
Boiling Point (2021, dir. Philip Barantini)
The Card Counter (2021, dir. Paul Schrader)
Nosferatu (1922, dir. F.W. Murnau)
Scream (1996, dir. Wes Craven)
I Am Not Your Negro (2016, dir. Raoul Peck)
Cold War (2018, dir. Paweł Pawlikowski)
Memoria (2021, dir. Apichatpong Weerasethakul)
The Grapes of Wrath (1940, dir. John Ford)
In The Loop (2009, dir. Armando Iannucci)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009, dir. David Yates)
Malignant (2021, dir. James Wan)
Metropolis (1927, dir. Fritz Lang)
His Girl Friday (1940, dir. Howard Hawks)
Locke (2013, dir. Steven Knight)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007, dir. David Yates)
Within Our Gates (1920, dir. Oscar Micheaux)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010, dir. David Yates)
Rebecca (1940, dir. Alfred Hitchcock)
The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021, dir. Joel Coen)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011, dir. David Yates)
It Happened One Night (1934, dir. Frank Capra)
Fruit of Paradise (1970, dir. Věra Chytilová)
Gone with the Wind (1939, dir. Victor Fleming)
From the Drain (1967, dir. David Cronenberg)
The Jazz Singer (1927, dir. Alan Crosland)