Where I Stand (Way Late May Edition)

As of the end of April, 459 movies watched - while we watched quite a few movies last month, only 9 were from the list. But it was a quality nine, I promise. As to the favorites...

Dancer in the Dark: I know, I know, I've got it bad for Lars Von Trier. (I've even been watching his non-1001 movies!) As heartbreaking as Breaking the Waves was, this was just brutal. But it was beautiful - and it was a musical. This is how Lars makes me fall in love with him every single time while he toys with my heart. He knows that I'll be back for more. Bjork was unbelievable.

His Girl Friday: Someday, I want to be a fast-talking movie dame in a Howard Hawks film. Sure, I may be getting tricked into remarrying my ex-husband, but it's Cary Grant - and he is trying to tell me that I'm not going to be happy cooped up at home when I'm a great newspaper man (well, you know what I mean). Besides, I would be the one getting to break the big story...

The Big Heat: While watching this ex-cop anti-hero film, I half wondered why it hadn't been remade yet...and then I realized that just about every mob film has borrowed liberally from The Big Heat. The idealistic hero turned anti-hero after losing a family member? Corrupt police officials in bed with the mafia? The witness that comes forward only to be brutally killed after being promised their safety in return? The moll that looks to be on the verge of redemption that will ultimately make the bigger sacrifice? It's all there, but in a less than two hours and with far less hubris than some directors have given us over the years...

All in all, it was a good month for movies. With spring here, watching movies is getting harder, but we'll figure out something.