Train Man (2005)

IMDb plot summary: The supposedly true story of a 23-year-old otaku (Japanese geek) who intervenes when a drunk man is harassing several women on a train. The otaku ultimately begins dating one of the women, and posts on a website asking for advice every step of the way.
Directed by Shôsuke Murakami. Starring Takayuki Yamada, Mika Nakatan, Ryôko Kuninaka, and Eita. 

It has been so long since I've seen a really great romantic film. This was a really great one. It did everything a romance should -- it was heartwarming and gooey and delightful and I got so attached to the characters. I also loved how it set up online friendships as being super valid and helpful but not a substitute for real world interactions. This is a really wonderful movie and I'm so sad that it's so difficult to find. It took me forever to locate it, but I'm so glad I did.

5 stars.

How it entered my Flickchart:
Train Man > Pulp Fiction
Train Man > Sweet Smell of Success
Train Man > Melancholia
Train Man > Roman Holiday
Train Man < Desk Set
Train Man > The King's Speech
Train Man < Inception
Train Man > Forrest Gump
Train Man > Holes
Train Man > Spider-Man

Final spot: #111 out of 2795. Whoa.

Friday the 13th (1980)

IMDb plot summary: A group of camp counselors are stalked and murdered by an unknown assailant while trying to reopen a summer camp which, years before, was the site of a child's drowning.
Directed by Sean S. Cunningham. Starring Adrienne King, Harry Crosby, Laurie Bartram, and Betsy Palmer.

Not much to say about this one. It was more fun than I thought it would be. As I only know Jason's story through various pop culture references, it took some unexpected turns for me at the end, which was fun.

3 stars.

How it entered my Flickchart:
Friday the 13th > Pulp Fiction
Friday the 13th < Sweet Smell of Success
Friday the 13th < Silent Movie
Friday the 13th > Mother!
Friday the 13th < Splice
Friday the 13th > Ender's Game
Friday the 13th < The Pianist
Friday the 13th < Extraordinary Measures
Friday the 13th > Koyaanisqatsi
Friday the 13th > Hugo
Friday the 13th < The Absent-Minded Professor

Final spot: #1170 out of 2794.

The Trojan Women (1971)

IMDb plot summary: The women of Troy face enslavement after the fall of their city.
Directed by Mihalis Kakogiannis. Starring Katharine Hepburn, Vanessa Redgrave, Geneviève Bujold, and Irene Papas.

This is, as far as I can tell, a pretty straightforward presentation of Euripedes' play. I was going to say "film adaptation" but it doesn't really feel like a film adaptation so much as just a filmed version of the play. Which, of course, isn't necessarily going to be a problem with me. There are some really lovely moments here -- Katharine Hepburn exudes sorrow just by looking at people -- and a few intense and powerful monologues, but the melodramatic style of acting too often leads to shrieking important lines. Euripedes was a tough read when I went through a bunch of his plays last year. It's easier to watch, but it's still slow to get through. I appreciate what this movie does more than I enjoy it.

3 stars.

How it entered my Flickchart:
The Trojan Women > In Time
The Trojan Women < Sweet Smell of Success
The Trojan Women > Blade
The Trojan Women < His Girl Friday
The Trojan Women < Signs
The Trojan Women < The Fly (1986)
The Trojan Women > Nine to Five
The Trojan Women > Something to Sing About
The Trojan Women > Brave
The Trojan Women < Monsters

Final spot: #1009 out of 2793.

Old School (2003)

IMDb plot summary: Three friends attempt to recapture their glory days by opening up a fraternity near their alma mater.
Directed by Todd Phillips. Starring Luke Wilson, Will Ferrell, Vince Vaughn, and Jeremy Piven.

Well, this is supremely lazy. There have been plenty of movies like this, but they at least fake character development and give them a passing reason for why they're doing what they're doing. No such luck for these guys here. Nor is it even funny, it's like 90% Will Ferrell freaking out with no provocation. Not a lot to come away with here.

0.5 stars.

How it entered my Flickchart:
Old School < Pulp Fiction
Old School < The Children's Hour
Old School < Pride & Prejudice (2005)
Old School > ...And Your Name Is Jonah
Old School < Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey
Old School > Joseph: King of Dreams
Old School < The Passion of Joan of Arc
Old School > Stepsister from Planet Weird
Old School > Thr3e
Old School > Holy Motors
Old School < Capote

Final spot: #2555 out of 2792.

Iron Man 2 (2010)

IMDb plot summary: With the world now aware of his identity as Iron Man, Tony Stark must contend with both his declining health and a vengeful mad man with ties to his father's legacy.
Directed by Jon Favreau. Starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, and Scarlett Johansson.

*shrug* I don't know. I don't care. I thought maybe I'd care more about an old Marvel from before it got all bloated, but nope.

1 star.

How it entered my Flickchart:
Iron Man 2 < Pulp Fiction
Iron Man 2 < The Children's Hour
Iron Man 2 > Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Iron Man 2 < The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
Iron Man 2 > Seven Pounds
Iron Man 2 < Stuart Little
Iron Man 2 < The Night of the Hunter
Iron Man 2 > The Collective
Iron Man 2 > The Devil is a Woman
Iron Man 2 > Bulworth
Iron Man 2 < Freaky Friday (1976)
Final spot: #2236 out of 2791.

Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

IMDb plot summary: During an adventure into the criminal underworld, Han Solo meets his future copilot Chewbacca and encounters Lando Calrissian years before joining the Rebellion.
Directed by Ron Howard. Starring Alden Ehrenreich, Joonas Suotamo, Woody Harrelson, and Emilia Clarke.

This is a fine movie, but it adds absolutely nothing to the story or character of Han Solo. Like all prequels, it's utterly meaningless. On top of that, it's got pretty cheesy dialogue even for a Star Wars movie. It's not a bad movie, just a pointless one.

2.5 stars.

How it entered my Flickchart:
Solo: A Star Wars Story < Lord of War
Solo: A Star Wars Story > The Children's Hour
Solo: A Star Wars Story > Double Jeopardy
Solo: A Star Wars Story > Our Idiot Brother
Solo: A Star Wars Story > Marvin's Room
Solo: A Star Wars Story < Walk the Line
Solo: A Star Wars Story > Paper Moon
Solo: A Star Wars Story < Dark City
Solo: A Star Wars Story < Death at a Funeral (2007)
Solo: A Star Wars Story > About Last Night...
Solo: A Star Wars Story > A Knight's Tale
Solo: A Star Wars Story > The Man in the Iron Mask

Final spot: #1455 out of 2790.

It Comes At Night (2017)

IMDb plot summary: Secure within a desolate home as an unnatural threat terrorizes the world, a man has established a tenuous domestic order with his wife and son. Then a desperate young family arrives seeking refuge.
Directed by Trey Edward Shults. Starring Joel Edgerton, Christopher Abbott, Kelvin Harrison Jr., and Carmen Ejogo.

I had high hopes for this one, but I must admit I was ultimately disappointed. The film's wavering between reality and nonreality (which may include large pieces of the ending, according to the director, who cleared nothing up for me) is less intriguing for me and more frustrating, like I felt like this film was stubbornly refusing all my attempts to understand it. I think there are certainly some things of substance here, but you have to dig for them, and the taste I got upfront was not enough to pique my interest.

2.5 stars.

How it entered my Flickchart:
It Comes At Night < Lord of War
It Comes At Night > The Children's Hour
It Comes At Night > Shadows and Fog
It Comes At Night > Our Idiot Brother
It Comes At Night < Marvin's Room
It Comes At Night > 13 Going on 30
It Comes At Night < Interestate 60
It Comes At Night < The Crazies (2010)
It Comes At Night > My Sassy Girl
It Comes At Night < Good Morning, Vietnam
Final spot: #1519 out of 2789.