Sands of Iwo Jima (1949)

IMDb plot summary: A dramatization of the World War II Battle of Iwo Jima.
Directed by Allan Dwan. Starring John Wayne, John Agar, Adele Mara, and Forrest Tucker.

I appreciated how much time it spent trying to get to know the characters. Still didn't do much for me personally, but it came closer than a lot of combat movies.

2 stars.

How it entered my Flickchart:
Sands of Iwo Jima < George of the Jungle
Sands of Iwo Jima > Sharknado
Sands of Iwo Jima < The Perfect Score
Sands of Iwo Jima > Rust and Bone
Sands of Iwo Jima < Mickey's Christmas Carol
Sands of Iwo Jima < The Hoober-Bloob Highway
Sands of Iwo Jima < Fantastic Voyage
Sands of Iwo Jima > Kinsey
Sands of Iwo Jima > Are You My Neighbor?
Sands of Iwo Jima < That Touch of Mink

Final spot: #1827 out of 2681.

The Trouble With Harry (1955)

IMDb plot summary: The trouble with Harry is that he's dead, and everyone seems to have a different idea of what needs to be done with his body...
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Starring Edmund Gwenn, John Forsythe, Shirley MacLaine, and Mildred Natwick.

This is... a very awkward movie. It's *almost* charming, but it keeps just being slightly off. It's all too subdued and underplayed for what's going on, and despite all the drama, that subtlety makes it feel like there aren't any stakes. At the risk of stereotyping, it seems far, far too British for its largely American cast. It's a combination of strange actor direction and a wobbly script, neither of which are complaints I typically have about Hitchcock. This is one movie I would actually love to see a remake of, because it's so close to being something sort of morbidly delightful and funny and dark, and instead it just sort of... sits there, unpacked.

2.5 stars.

How it entered my Flickchart:
The Trouble With Harry < 12 Monkeys
The Trouble With Harry > Sharknado
The Trouble With Harry > The Perfect Score
The Trouble With Harry > War of the Buttons
The Trouble With Harry > Tin Man
The Trouble With Harry > Checking Out
The Trouble With Harry < Matchstick Men
The Trouble With Harry < The Day After Tomorrow
The Trouble With Harry > The Man in the Iron Mask
The Trouble With Harry > The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)
The Trouble With Harry < Outbreak

Final spot: #1373 out of 2680.

The Fly (1986)

IMDb plot summary: A brilliant but eccentric scientist begins to transform into a giant man/fly hybrid after one of his experiments goes horribly wrong.
Directed by David Cronenberg. Starring Jeff Goldblum, Geena Davis, and John Getz.

(Spoilers ahead.)

I watched the original 1958 version of The Fly earlier this year, and these could not be more different in tone. The original brought to mind a comparison with Shakespearean tragedy or ancient myths -- a noble genius brought to a tragic end by his hubris. This one is much ickier, less noble, and if it's a commentary on anything, I feel it's much more about male/female relationships. Both male characters in this are such unpleasant characters (even before one of them is turned into a monster). In the original, we sympathize with the scientist, despite his terrible decisions. In this one, Geena Davis is the only one to root for, and she's really great, but it's upsetting to see her tossed from awful man to awful man when I wish she'd be given a little more agency instead of somehow giving her creepy boss the role of hero.

Random other thoughts: The body horror visuals are horrifying and effective. The final scene is deliciously terrifying. I'm disturbed that we never learn what happens to the baby, unless they were deliberately trying to leave it open for a sequel, in which case, bleh. Not as emotionally powerful as the original.

3 stars.

How it entered my Flickchart:
The Fly > George of the Jungle
The Fly < Split
The Fly > At First Sight
The Fly < Husbands and Wives
The Fly < Dawn of the Dead (1978)
The Fly > The Major and the Minor
The Fly < Borstal Boy
The Fly > Malcom X
The Fly > Monsters
The Fly > Jesus Christ Superstar (2000)
The Fly < The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle

Final spot: #945 out of 2679.

Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

IMDb plot summary: Imprisoned, the almighty Thor finds himself in a lethal gladiatorial contest against the Hulk, his former ally. Thor must fight for survival and race against time to prevent the all-powerful Hela from destroying his home and the Asgardian civilization.
Directed by Taika Waititi. Starring Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, and Tessa Thompson.

Some random scattered thoughts on Thor: It's interesting that the third Thor movie made me care so much more about the Incredible Hulk than two movies of his own and two Avengers movies. Sometimes the humor feels a bit out of place, a bit modern for this fantastical mythological story being told, but it's still enjoyable. It's dumb that they brought Loki back only for his character arc to be pretty insignificant, that seems just obvious fangirl service. Hela is a fantastic villain. I had a good time with this but, like Guardians 2, it's going to completely flow out of my mind in a week or two.

3.5 stars.

How it entered my Flickchart:
Thor: Ragnarok > George of the Jungle
Thor: Ragnarok < Split
Thor: Ragnarok > At First Sight
Thor: Ragnarok > Husbands and Wives (this is too high)
Thor: Ragnarok < Loins of Punjab Presents
Thor: Ragnarok > The Gold Rush
Thor: Ragnarok > Florence Foster Jenkins
Thor: Ragnarok > You Can't Take It With You
Thor: Ragnarok < Mr. Holmes
Thor: Ragnarok < A Serious Man
Thor: Ragnarok > Porco Rosso

Final spot: #760 out of 2678.

Le Bonheur (1965)

IMDb plot summary: François, a young carpenter, lives a happy, uncomplicated life with his wife Thérèse and their two small children. One day he meets Emilie, a clerk in the local post office.
Directed by Agnès Varda. Starring Jean-Claude Drouot, Claire Drouot, and Marie-France Boyer.

2.5 stars.

I somehow forgot to keep track of how it actually entered my Flickchart, but its final ranking is at #1268 out of 2677, below Water for Elephants and above The Adjustment Bureau.

Hanna (2011)

IMDb plot summary: A sixteen-year-old girl who was raised by her father to be the perfect assassin is dispatched on a mission across Europe, tracked by a ruthless intelligence agent and her operatives.
Directed by Joe Wright. Starring Saoirse Ronan, Cate Blanchett, Eric Bana, and Jessica Barden.

This is... fine, and the characters are interesting and the story is okay, and the whole thing looks fantastic. It just also feels very empty, like I can't quite figure out what the point of making this was.

2.5 stars.

How it entered my Flickchart:

Hanna < George of the Jungle

Hanna > Quigley Down Under

Hanna > Love's Labour's Lost

Hanna > Shanghai Knights

Hanna > My Best Friend's Wedding

Hanna < Born Yesterday

Hanna > The Apostle

Hanna > Despicable Me

Hanna > Lust for Love

Hanna < Dear Frankie

Final spot: #1384 out of 2676.

Begin Again (2013)

IMDb plot summary: A chance encounter between a disgraced music-business executive and a young singer-songwriter, new to Manhattan, turns into a promising collaboration between the two talents.
Directed by John Carney. Starring Keira Knightley, Mark Ruffalo, James Corden, and Hailee Steinfeld.

This was apparently directed by the guy who did Once, which I totally get. The music is less interesting and the story less strong, but it's got the same kind of charm. And this may be the most I've ever liked Mark Ruffalo in a movie.

3.5 stars.

How it entered my Flickchart:
Begin Again > Ghostbusters (1984)
Begin Again < Chariots of Fire
Begin Again > At First Sight
Begin Again > Husbands and Wives
Begin Again > Rogue One
Begin Again > Finder's Fee
Begin Again > La jetee
Begin Again < Gone in 60 Seconds
Begin Again < The Impossible
Begin Again > The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness
Begin Again < The Butler

Final spot: #686 out of 2675.

Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages (1916)

IMDb plot summary: The story of a poor young woman, separated by prejudice from her husband and baby, is interwoven with tales of intolerance from throughout history.
Directed by D.W. Griffith. Starring Lillian Gish, Mae Marsh, Robert Harron, and F.A. Turner.

2 stars.

How it entered my Flickchart:

Intolerance < George of the Jungle

Intolerance > Rio Bravo

Intolerance < Love's Labour's Lost

Intolerance > The Proposal

Intolerance < The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Intolerance < The Bishop's Wife

Intolerance > The Forest

Intolerance > Carol

Intolerance > The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio

Intolerance > Running With Scissors

Intolerance > Mr. Nice Guy

Final spot: #1797 out of 2674.

The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming! (1966)

IMDb plot summary: Without hostile intent, a Soviet sub runs aground off New England. Men are sent for a boat, but many villagers go into a tizzy, risking bloodshed.
Directed by Norman Jewison. Starring Carl Reiner, Eva Marie Saint, Alan Arkin, and Brian Keith.

Oh, this is so silly and delightful. It's the kind of movie that I could never see getting Oscar nominations now but I'm so glad it did then. It's a wonderfully warm-hearted and well-intentioned war comedy, which are not adjectives war comedies tend to be.

4 stars.

How it entered my Flickchart:
The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming! > Ghostbusters
The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming! > Split
The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming! < Benny & Joon
The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming! < The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall
The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming! > We're No Angels (1955)
The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming! > Gone Baby Gone
The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming! > Mr. Brooks
The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming! < The Goodbye Girl (2004)
The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming! < The Florida Project
The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming! < Dog Day Afternoon
The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming! < A Streetcar Named Desire
Final spot: #522 out of 2673.

One 2 Ka 4 (2001)

IMDb plot summary: When a cop's partner is killed in the line of duty, he assumed guardianship of his orphaned children while investigating the murder.
Directed by Shashilal K. Nair. Starring Shah Rukh Khan, Juhi Chawla, Jackie Shroff, and Nirmal Pandey.

I enjoy silly Bollywood movies, but they've got to at least pretend what their characters do makes sense. This one really doesn't, plus it's full of horrible children. Not one of my favorites.

1.5 stars.

How it entered my Flickchart:
One 2 Ka 4 < Ghostbusters
One 2 Ka 4 > Julia
One 2 Ka 4 < Love's Labour's Lost
One 2 Ka 4 < Paint Your Wagon
One 2 Ka 4 < The Happiest Millionaire
One 2 Ka 4 > The Rescuers Down Under
One 2 Ka 4 > The Spanish Prisoner
One 2 Ka 4 < Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier
One 2 Ka 4 > Doc Hollywood
One 2 Ka 4 > Bedtime for Bonzo

Final spot: #1933 out of 2671. (1.5 stars.)

Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933)

IMDb plot summary: A wealthy composer rescues unemployed Broadway performers with a new play.
Directed by Mervyn LeRoy. Starring Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler, Dick Powell, and Aline McMahon.

Early Hollywood musicals tend to be heavy on spectacle, light on narrative and coherent characterization. This definitely fits the bill, but the big musical numbers do look so stunning it's almost enough to carry it all the way through. If only there had been more than three of them! I did find myself often rolling my eyes at the poorly-defined characters and the half-written troubles they find themselves in, so I definitely wish the movie had gone the jukebox musical route of filling its runtime with so many great songs you don't realize until the end how thin the rest of it is. I found myself glued to the screen during some of these numbers, and choosing my favorite screenshot of the movie was incredibly difficult because so much of it looks fantastic.

3 stars.

How it entered my Flickchart:
Gold Diggers of 1933 > Ghostbusters
Gold Diggers of 1933 < Chariots of Fire
Gold Diggers of 1933 < At First Sight
Gold Diggers of 1933 > Star Trek Into Darkness
Gold Diggers of 1933 < A Separation
Gold Diggers of 1933 < Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken
Gold Diggers of 1933 > Swing Time
Gold Diggers of 1933 > Wild Zero
Gold Diggers of 1933 < The Ring
Gold Diggers of 1933 < Descendants
Gold Diggers of 1933 < The Gift
Gold Diggers of 1933 < Cat's Eye

Final spot: #1138 out of 2672.