400) Satan Hates You (2010)

400) Satan Hates You (2010) Dir: James Felix McKenney Date Released: December 2010 Date Seen: December 8, 2010 Rating: 3/5

Tiresome on the whole but infrequently a lot of fun. It's no Automatons. See my review for the Village Voice.

399) The Alien Girl (2010)

399) The Alien Girl (2010 Dir: Anton Bormatov Date Released: December 2010 Date Seen: December 7, 2010 Rating: 2.75/5

Ug-lee, but in a curious kind of way, if that makes any sense. Dig that poster ("Strictly for adult audience," you see?). See my review for the New York Press.

398) True Grit (2010)

398) True Grit (2010) Dir: Joel Coen and Ethan Coen Date Released: December 2010 Date Seen: December 7, 2010 Rating: 3.25/5

Eh, after having read the novel, I don't see the need for a movie. Mostly because some books cannot be adapted. And that's because the nuance of certain books' narratives are meant to be digested as books. Portis's meta-narrative is no good as a movie. See my review for Wide Screen.

RV!: Franz Kafka's A Country Doctor (2007), ISF: A Child's Metaphysics (2007), ISF: The Old Crocodile (2005), ISF: Pieces (2003), ISF: Mt. Head (2002), ISF: Your Choice! (2000), ISF: Kid's Castle (1995)

RV!: Franz Kafka's A Country Doctor (2007) Dir: Koji Yamamura Date Released (DVD): December 2010 Date Seen: December 6, 2010 Rating: 4.25/5

ISF: A Child's Metaphysics (2007) Dir: Koji Yamamura Date Released (DVD): December 2010 Date Seen: December 6, 2010 Rating: 4/5

ISF: The Old Crocodile (2005) Dir: Koji Yamamura Date Released (DVD): December 2010 Date Seen: December 6, 2010 Rating: 3.75/5

ISF: Pieces (2003) Dir: Koji Yamamura Date Released (DVD): December 2010 Date Seen: December 7, 2010 Rating: 3.5/5

ISF: Mt. Head (2002) Dir: Koji Yamamura Date Released (DVD): December 2010 Date Seen: December 7, 2010 Rating: 4/5

ISF: Your Choice! (2000) Dir: Koji Yamamura Date Released (DVD): December 2010 Date Seen: December 7, 2010 Rating: 3.75/

ISF: Kid's Castle (1995) Dir: Koji Yamamura Date Released (DVD): December 2010 Date Seen: December 7, 2010 Rating: 3.5/5

Finally. See my piece on Yamamura's wonderful animated shorts at the New York Press.

397) Alamar (2009)

397) Alamar (2009) Dir: Pedro Gonzalez-Rubio Date Released: July 2010 Date Seen: December 5, 2010 Rating: 3.25/5

Pretty fascinating at times. See my review for the New York Press.

396) White Material (2009)

396) White Material (2009) Dir: Claire Denis Date Released: November 2010 Date Seen: December 4, 2010 Rating: 3.5/5

Can't believe I never got around to writing about this one; coulda sworn I had. In any case, I loved the first 20 minutes or so, especially that masterfully cryptic first scene. but I remember losing my interest around the midway point and latching onto Christopher (I refuse to call Lord Raiden Christophe) Lambert and his craggy, craggy face. Lambert's performance confirmed my suspicion that pretty boy actors get a lot more interesting to look at as they age--poorly (Mickey Rourke, I can't stop looking at you). They also hopefully have learned how to act by that point, so they've got that going for them, too. But yeah, this was fine. No great shakes but kind of interesting. Still a Denis noob so my favorite of the four of hers I've seen is still Trouble Every Day. I think I'll try The Intruder next...

395) House (1986), RV!: Night of the Creeps (1986), RV!: A Boy and His Dog (1975) and 403) The Monster Squad (1987)

395) House (1986) Dir: Steve Miner Date Released: February 1986 Date Seen: December 2, 2010 Rating: 4/5

RV!: Night of the Creeps (1986) Dir: Fred Dekker Date Released: August 1986 Date Seen: December 10, 2010 Rating: 4.25/5

RV!: A Boy and His Dog (1975) Dir: L.Q. Jones Date Released: November 1975 Date Seen: December 10, 2010 Rating: 4/5

403) The Monster Squad (1987) Dir: Fred Dekker Date Released: August 1987 Date Seen: December 10, 2010 Rating: 3.75/5

Unfortunately, I didn't get to talk as much (ie: at all about A Boy and His Dog at the first of two panels I participated in at last year's Doomsday Film Festival and Symposium). But the second panel, the one I moderated before a screening of Night of the Creeps, was a blast. Standing room only at the latter screening, baby. You can find embedded video of both panels after the jump. Thanks again to Andrew Miller for asking me to participate in the fest. I had fun.