1. Fort Dobbs (1958) A man on the run from the law (Clint Walker) rushes a pioneer woman (Virginia Mayo) and her feisty son (Richard Eyer) to the safety of a cavalry fort during a Comanche uprising. I watched this movie over and over this year -- it's everything I want in a western. Heroic and honorable hero and heroine, real danger and real courage, and a found family, with great dialog and intelligent characters. And a few surprises! Good, good stuff.
2. Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023) A thief (Chris Pine) tries to rescue his daughter (Chloe Coleman) from a conman (Hugh Grant) with the help of a warrior (Michelle Rodriguez), a wizard (Justice Smith), and a guerilla (Sophia Lillis). Another exceedingly smart script that delights me. This movie manages to feel like a bunch of teens playing D&D while also being way smarter and more well-plotted than I ever expected.
3. Blackbeard's Ghost (1968) A track coach (Dean Jones) accidentally awakens the ghost of the dread pirate Blackbeard (Peter Ustinov), who attempts to help the local track team win over long odds in a bid to find eternal peace. This is a resoundingly funny and adorable movie.
4. New in Town (2009) A high-powered executive (Renee Zellweger) from Miami arrives in Minnesota to shut down a factory, only to fall in love with the workers, the town, and the union representative (Harry Connick, Jr.). I avoided this movie for over a decade because I thought it was going to make fun of Minnesotans and Midwesterners, but it doesn't. The love story is actually remarkably charming and natural, too.
5. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) Indy (Harrison Ford) tries to stop a former Nazi (Mads Mikkelsen) from traveling back in time. Thought I was going to be disappointed by it, but I wasn't, which makes me really happy.
6. The Boys in the Boat (2023) True story about a rowing team of poor boys from Washington state who defy long odds and go to the Olympics. Absolutely a feel-good movie in the best possible way. It was an uplifting, pro-American, pro-hard work movie that felt like it could have been made in the '80s. Or the '60s. Really good stuff.
7. Howl's Moving Castle (2004) A young woman (Emily Mortimer) falls afoul of a witch (Lauren Bacall) and gets turned into an old woman (Jean Simmons). She then encounters a mercurial wizard (Christian Bale) and his fire demon (Billy Crystal) and befriends them, with lots of adventures and a love story ensuing. I read the book for the first time this year too, and I like them both about equally.
8. Lady in the Lake (1946) Philip Marlowe (Robert Montgomery) tries to figure out who murdered a woman and dumped her body in a lake. Yes, it's gimmicky -- the whole thing is shot in "first person" as if the camera is Marlowe -- but the storytelling is strong anyway. I love the Raymond Chandler book more, but this is one of the Marlowe movies I like well enough to keep a copy for my shelves.
9. Rachel and the Stranger (1948) A widowed pioneer (William Holden) marries a bondservant (Loretta Young) so she can take care of his house and son without impropriety, but when his old friend (Robert Mitchum) comes for a visit and shows interest in her himself, the pioneer has to decide just how married he really wants to be. It's basically a pioneer romcom, and I didn't like it much the first time I watched it, but it kept rattling around in my head until I rewatched it, and I liked it much better then.
10. Botany Bay (1952) Alan Ladd falls afoul of another sadistic sea captain, just like he did in Two Years Before the Mast (1946). You'd think he'd learn! This time, the captain (James Mason) actually keelhauls Ladd's character. Twice. Um, yes. Not fun. At least, not if you're a Ladd fan! But it all turns out okay.
A few fun stats from my movie-watching in 2023:
Total movies watched: 137
New-to-me movies watched: 26
Movies re-watched: 111
Movies seen in the theater: 11
Movies watched more than twice this year: Fort Dobbs (6), Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (3)
Month with the most movies watched: July (19)
Month with the least movies watched: June (3)
Number of Alan Ladd movies watched: 9
Fun stats! I saw the first Indiana Jones movie when it came out in the theatre but never say the sequels, including the most recent Dial of Destiny. I intend to go on a binge watch sometime this year and watch them all.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Debra! I have seen all five Indy movies, and a binge watch sounds like such fun! Except I don't like Temple of Doom, but a lot of people do, so maybe you will too!
DeleteI agree! The Dungeons and Dragons movie was a really solid story in its own right, and despite knowing little to nothing about the game, I very much enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteKatie, have you read either of the prequel novels they put out? I need to see if the library has them.
DeleteMy brother gave me one of them as a gift! I'm planning to read it, it looks like a lot of fun :D
DeleteKatie, that is great! Looks like my library doesn't have them, so I may end up buying copies because my kids want to read them, but I want to pre-read them...
DeleteThis reminds me that I need to try the Dungeons and Dragons movie one of these days; I think I'll get a kick out of it despite having zero familiarity with the game.
ReplyDeleteFun memories of watching New in Town with you! I snagged my own copy for cheap a while later and showed it to my parents, and I think they enjoyed it as well.
I'm still editing my top movies post, but as things are going now, no fewer than three of the top ten slots will be filled with Studio Ghibli films, so it was fun to see one make it onto your list as well.
Happy New Year! <33
Olivia, if you haven't watched D&D:HOA by the time you come visit next, it would be fun to watch together! My only familiarity with the game comes from my kids playing it, which is just kind of a periphery knowledge. They had a lot of fun telling me things like "the hither-thither staff is a real item!" but I watched it without them the first time and it still totally worked. The storytelling is super smart.
DeleteNew in Town was so cozy to share! That's fun that you got to show it to your parents too.
I took my kids to see My Neighbor Totoro in the theater this year, and they really liked it, so we got Howl's Moving Castle from the library because my son loves the book, and we all enjoyed it a ton. May end up picking up a copy at 2nd and Charles one of these days. I want to watch The Secret World of Arietty one of these days, since I know it's based on The Borrowers books and I love those.
Happy New Year! <3
I am highly amused that I just counted, and I watched exactly half the quantity of movies you did! 68, and there was definitely at least one half of a movie. I DNF'd a lot of movies this past year. I've only seen three of the films on your list (Indy, Fort Dobbs, and Howl's Moving Castle). I'm not counting Botany Bay, which I know I saw when I was young, but since I remember very little... it might as well be a new movie right now!
ReplyDeleteDKoren, oh my goodness! Moving really upended your world, huh? I NEVER EVER EVER watch more movies than you. Though I suppose DNFing a lot of movies makes a big difference.
DeleteI was assuming you would have seen Botany Bay if ever given the chance, since it kind of has a Mutiny on the Bounty vibe and I know you love that one.
Wait, you haven't seen Rachel and the Stranger? Huh.
DeleteI bet you would enjoy Lady in the Lake most of the ones here you haven't seen. Solid noir.
I watched the beginning of Rachel and the Stranger a few years ago, got bored, never came back to it. One of these days! I started Lady in the Lake once -- even longer ago -- but didn't finish it either. Don't remember why at the time. LOL!
DeleteYeah, really did lose a few months this past year to the move and fall out. Wasn't able to write, wasn't able to watch movies. Ah well, it's a new year! New lists to start. :-D
DKoren, yeah, Rachel and the Stranger is a slow start. It's really Robert Mitchum who kicks it into gear, but he's only around part of the time.
DeleteTook me a while to get used to the first-person camera stuff for Lady in the Lake. Never going to be my favorite style, but I did enjoy the movie.
I really love year-end "stats and favorites" wrap-ups, this is fun stuff. Isn't FORT DOBBS good? It does seem exactly like your kind of movie!
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping to see THE BOYS IN THE BOAT soon and was glad to read you liked it so well.
Best wishes,
Laura
Thanks, Laura! They are really fun to write up.
DeleteMan, I still am not tired of Fort Dobbs. It hits so many sweet spots for me!
I wanted to go see The Boys in the Boat one more time this last weekend, but alas, it has left my theaters already :-( Hope you get to see it!
Ack, I ADORE D&D: HAT. Such a great family movie!
ReplyDeleteAnd Howl's Moving Castle is one of my tippy top favorites so I'm very pleased you liked it!
Chloe, I like D&D:HOT better every time I rewatch it. I think I have seen it 4 times now, and it just keeps pleasing me more and more. We quote it a lot, all of us :-D
DeleteI almost bought a pair of socks the other day that had Calcifer on them. They were so cute!
Great post, Rachel! I'm excited to explore these titles on your list I've yet to see. Rachel and the Stranger is such a hidden gem, isn't it? Loretta Young did a beautiful job with her character. So glad to read that you enjoyed it as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Muse! Glad you could find some here to check out.
DeleteWhen I first watched Rachel and the Stranger, I was like, "That was weird." And I put it in my box of things to sell at the used bookstore. But I just kept thinking about it, and eventually pulled it back out of the box and watched it again -- and then I liked it really well! Loretta Young's transformation over the course of the movie is so, so good.