Happy Bank Holiday Monday, UK people! Well, it’s finally May. Not that you’d know that from the weather here lately… Brr! Well, here’s a quick recap of what happened on my blog in April. 🙂
I started out the month with Coppola Week, in which I reviewed movies directed by Francis Ford & Sofia Coppola. I managed quite a few movie reviews in the month, including one IMDB Top 250 film (Warrior) & my April Blind Spot choice (True Romance). But I took it easy on my weekly Top Tens, just listing my favorite movies from various actors. I’ll try to put a bit more effort into the Top Tens in May.
POSTS
My Most Popular Post: My Top Ten Patricia Arquette Movies – This was surprising but, for some reason, this post was pretty far ahead of everything else when it came to number of views. I guess there are a lot of Patricia Arquette fans! (For the record, her movie that topped my list was A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors)
My Favorite Post: Probably my double review of Turbo Kid & Space Station 76. I really appreciated what both these movies did in trying to capture a specific era of film and think that Space Station 76 did an especially good job (although most people will probably prefer Turbo Kid). I even talked some people into checking these movies out! I love when that happens. 🙂 Both were fun & I’d love to see more movies like these get made.
I also really liked the sci-fi time travel film Predestination so I enjoyed writing that review & having a chat with some people about its mindfuckiness.
MOVIES REVIEWED
My Most Popular Movie Review: Midnight Special – This one wasn’t surprising as reviews of current movies always get the most views. It’s a solid sci-fi film from the director of Take Shelter & Mud and I’m certainly interested in seeing what he does next. I don’t think it will be at the very top of my 2016 list by the end of the year but I expect it will stay pretty high.
All Movies Reviewed (ranked best to worst):
Space Station 76
The Outsiders
Predestination
Midnight Special
True Romance
Turbo Kid
The Conversation
Kung Fu Panda 3
Marie Antoinette
The Bling Ring
Warrior
The House Of Magic
Muppets Most Wanted
Rio 2
MOVIES WATCHED
In Cinema (ranked best to worst):
Midnight Special
The Jungle Book
Kung Fu Panda 3
At Home (ranked best to worst):
Space Station 76
Predestination
True Romance
Turbo Kid
A Fistful Of Dollars
Pixels
(for the record, A Fistful Of Dollars is obviously a million times better than Pixels)
TOP TEN LISTS
I needed a break so took the easy option of listing favorite movies from specific actors/directors in April. They’re quick posts to put together but still end up getting a lot of conversations going, which is the whole point of this blogging thing. Who would’ve guessed that Patricia Arquette would be the most popular of these?
– Top Ten Francis Ford & Sofia Coppola Movies
– Top Ten Patricia Arquette Movies
– Top Ten Jack Nicholson Movies
– Top Ten Rob Lowe Movies
SEARCH TERMS
My Top Search Term: “the great outdoors pool stick between legs” – Yeah, my review of The Great Outdoors gets a lot of hits from people searching for Lucy Deakins. You have to admire how specific they got with the above search, though. I should never have included a gif of the above image in that post… Pervs.
My Favorite Search Term: Probably “movies and carpets” as that means my list of My Top Ten Carpets & Rugs In Movies finally brought someone to my blog. YES!
Here are my top search terms for the month:
BOOKS
Books Reviewed:
Tuf Voyaging by George R.R. Martin
Book I’m Currently Reading:
The Colour Of Magic by Terry Pratchett
And according to my book poll results, it looks like I’ll be reading Joe Hill’s Heart-Shaped Box next. I’ve been looking forward to that one!
BLOG PLANS FOR THE COMING MONTH
Clint Eastwood Week! I have Ennio Morricone playing in my head now… Well, it’s Mr Eastwood’s 86th birthday on the 31st of May so I’ve decided I’ll devote that whole week to him the same way I did Coppola Week this month. One of my alternate Blind Spot picks was his movie Play Misty For Me, which was the first one I watched back in January, so I guess I’ll make that my May Blind Spot review. I’ve also now watched A Fistful Of Dollars & plan to watch For A Few Dollars More so both can be ticked off my IMDB Top 250 Project list once I’ve reviewed them (plus, I figured I should finish the Dollars Trilogy after enjoying The Good, The Bad And The Ugly). So I just need one more Eastwood film to review for Eastwood Week: I’m thinking either Million Dollar Baby or The Dead Pool simply because I have access to both of those. Which should I watch?
Upcoming Movies:
As for movies being released in May, I’m still desperate to see Richard Linklater’s Everybody Wants Some!! (finally out here on May 13th). And Captain America: Civil War came out on April 29th so I hope to have seen that by the time this posts on Monday. Green Room looks interesting (mainly because I love Patrick Stewart) and I know I’ll go to X-Men: Apocalypse but I’m not all that excited about it.
At home, I need to catch up on watching films on my Blind Spot list so Battle Royale is maybe the one I’ll watch this month. I also need to watch two more Eastwood movies for Eastwood Week. In between, I’ll watch whatever takes my fancy. Any recommendations? Oh, and I tend to watch one horror movie a month in preparation for October. Crazy, huh? This blog thing does change my viewing habits! Anyone have any UK Netflix horror recommendations? I’m especially interested in “killer doll” movies…
Happy May, everyone! 🙂 I usually end these with a song clip so, as I already posted a bunch of Todd Rundgren clips in my review of Space Station 76, I’ll post something from my April Blind Spot movie’s soundtrack (True Romance). Here’s Billy Idol’s White Wedding. For a thorough analysis of this classic 80’s exploding toaster video, check out my Music Video Friday post with Brian of Hard Ticket To Home Video HERE.
Cinema Parrot Disco 
I just rewatched School of Rock. You know that’s one of his. I had no idea until i saw the info.
A Linklater? Oh, most definitely. I ADORE School Of Rock and it will be very high on my Top Ten Richard Linklater Movies list when I get around to doing that. ; ) And my kid loves the movie too! Awesome. : )
No one else could have played Dewey. Best sub teacher ever!
Yep! So many people hate Jack Black but I love him. : )
Btw, what are you doing 11 June this year? Will you be around London?
Damn! I have plans that weekend. You meeting up with fellow bloggers? : )
It’s a big event yeah. Pity you can’t.
Damn. You gonna post about it? : )
yeah. Will probably put some pics up too.
Happy Bank Holiday! People hate Jack Black? Really? I love him! And School of Rock is one of my favorites. Huh.🤔
They do! Apparently. : ( I had no idea. Lol. I love him! He’s one of my favorites too. And I love Tenacious D. We just have awesome taste. 😉
😊😊
Can’t wait for your Clint Eastwood week. I own every movie of his that has ever been released. Lots of good ones to choose from.
Oh dear – I better not be harsh in my Eastwood reviews, then! 😉 lol. Well, I just watched The Dead Pool & thoroughly enjoyed it. In all its cheesy glory. : )
Let me know what you think of The Colour of Magic!
Oh – I’m loving it! I’m three quarters of the way through it. I prefer it to the Neil Gaiman – it’s more my type of thing. I’ll definitely read more Pratchett. : )
Nice one. I so need to catch up with all the blogs I’m following. Hopefully my life will slow down a bit to do that. Btw, have you watched a film called Iron Sky? It’s Finnish origin and made with crowd-funding money.
Thanks! I know – I’m so behind on reading blogs. Life is too hectic at the moment. : ( No – I’ve not seen Iron Sky but do know of it. I think it’s on Netflix & I’ve thought about checking it out. Looks entertaining! : )
Nice track to include 🙂 I always thought I’d end up with a Billy Idol type of guy but I ended up with a computer nerd lol.
I bought Turbo Kid on blu-ray a few weeks ago and STILL NEED TO WATCH IT!!!!!!
Bring on Clint Eastwood week!
Hahaha! I totally wanted to end up with a rock dude. : ) I’d marry Dave Grohl in a heartbeat! If I wasn’t already married, of course… ; ) I really want to know your thoughts on Turbo Kid! Hurry up & watch it! : )
Haha I will do!!! I’m so slow lol.
Maybe Hubby would understand if it was Dave Grohl?!! 🙂
He said I’m free to run off with Dave Grohl if I can get him to agree with that. ; ) lol
He’s a sensible man!!!!! He knows!!!! Lol 🙂
You’re so organised! And your carpets and rugs post is a classic. Dream Warriors rules!!! Finally I add my name to the people recommending Heart Shaped Box, it’s pretty scary.
I try to be organised! ; ) But these are easy to put together since I just keep adding the links through the month. So I’ve already started on May’s. Is that sad?? 😜 I’ll be reading the Joe Hill very soon – almost done with the Pratchett! : )
great recap! i’m not nearly as organized as u are about tehse things.
Funny. i watch a fistful this week for the first time.
Glad to see u are doing this at a leisurely pace and therefore getting more out of ur movie watching experiences.
For Eastwood week – have u seen Gran Torino? or if you want something on the light side how about either every which way but loose or any which way you can?
great stuff as always!
Well, it’s easy to do these posts when adding the links as the month goes along. So I’ve already started May’s. I’m halfway through For A Few Dollars More now then will be very happy to take a break from Westerns. ; ) Gran Torino is great & I saw the others as a kid since dad loved Eastwood. I’ve already watched The Dead Pool for it. Hehe… Leisurely pace…. I think that’s just called a “normal pace” for most people when it comes to amount of movies watched each month. ; )