Unforgettable Movies I Had Watched This Year (2018)

Movies. That's one word that can get me weak in the knees. I mean...I love movies. From finding it, watching it, to hell - I sometimes even reviewing about it thru my little page in here. To me, watching movie is a very precious experience. A lot of my memories timeline are based from those movie I had watched in that particular year and that's how I been living my life all this time (if I am being honest). To me, watching movie is one of the way to get to know yourself. You get your mind into the unknown, unsure what to expect and what you getting yourself into, then fast-forward one to two hours later - find a piece or two about yourself in there. So far, I had watch more than 1000 movies and I'm really proud about that. All the time I had wasted couldn't be compared to the experience and knowledge I had gain from these movies.. There's a couple of good one, as well as bad that I luckily able to get away from (ratings, review, and synopsis helps a lot). 

But, that's not why I'm here. I'm not here to teach you how to identify a good or bad movies. I won't do such a thing (it's not my place, anyway). However, I'm interested to dissect some I already watched this year that are simply unforgettable for me. Up till now - I already watched around 190 movies over period of eleven months and oh boy, wasn't that a weird, roller-coaster journey for me. I had laughs, cried, terrified, and every other verbs of emotions in English dictionary I could find - but it all still wasn't enough. I needed more!!! lol 

So, in order to recap some of the movies I had watch this year and how much it had impacted me - here's the very creme' de la creme' list for my unforgettable movies. I might praise or rant a bit; which ever that come first - we'll see. I also put down the date if you're interested and so you could search it on your own after reading it on my blog. Anyway, with that being said and done - please, enjoy...

01.) Hush (2016)

A deaf and mute woman decides to stay at a remote recreational home to finish her writing sounds like a pretty terrible idea IRL, but a good pitch for a beginning of horror movie - nevertheless. I know what I'm getting myself into, even before watching the trailer nor sit down for the first fifteen minutes (that's how much time I would take to decide either a movie is good or not). Despite of her shortcomings - this woman is brave. She's not afraid to live in the recreational home all by herself and all in all - seems to be living the ordinary writer-life. Everything changes when an intruder decides to barge in (with no apparent reason), and when he realize that she is deaf and mute and remain oblivious about what's going on - he decides to play the game of cat and mouse with her. Killing her wouldn't be enough, so he needs to scare the poor woman in order to become satisfied. Anyway, our poor heroine wasn't ready to give in to his threat thus she retaliate in the best possible way she can and through her bravery and survival instinct - she tries to finish the intruder once and for all.

02.) Memoirs of A Murderer (2016)

I recognize the main actor, Tatsuya Fujiwara from Death Note 2006 fame before even reading the synopsis. Then, I read the synopsis and boy - I was sold. The movie is so interesting and riddle with layers of secrets that I couldn't even turn my back for a second because I'm afraid that I might missed something. I remember watching this with my brother and even he couldn't leave until he knows the ending (he usually hate watching a mystery-thriller movie like this and would opt to walk away). All I can say is that this movie is beautifully crafted that even by the end of it, I kinda wishes there's more Easter eggs laying around (like a potential sequel or something). So, the story is set when several murder cases that about to pass the statue of limitation are shoved into a new light when the alleged 'serial killer' made a public appearances through his confessional tell-it-all book. Just in overnight, he become a huge celebrity in Japan and able to evade capture due to loophole in the law. Another man soon claim to be the real murderer and step forward, but it's later revealed that both of them are fraud and the real killer is still out there. The ending would leave your surprised and wanting more.

03.) Tag Riaru Onigokko (2015)

A 7 minute clip from this movie on Youtube bring me closer to this movie, probably more than I want too. The movie starts with a bunch of highschool girls (Japan, what do you expect) on their trip to somewhere when an unseen-able supernatural force comes along and chops-off the heads of entire students inside of the bus but the main protagonist. Pretty whack right? I know, but that's just a beginning. Later the movie starts to show more and more set of alternate realities that left me more confused than when I first started and it is almost, if not always - ended in bloody carnage. Honestly, gory and blood movie wasn't really my cup of tea, but for this one - I'll have to make an exception or else I know I'm going to regret it. I get through this movie until the end but I gotta say, this ballsy movie really get me at the first 7 minutes... 

Can you spell, d-e-c-a-p-i-t-a-t-i-o-n?? 

04.) Jeanne Dielman, 23, Quai du Commerce 1080 Bruxelles (1975)

I gotta admit, I love the routine in this movie. A possible divorced/widowed woman wakes up in the morning, then she cooks, after that she cleans, then her son come home from school, she puts the dinner on the table, they went to their own bed at night and the cycle repeats the next morning. It's such a simple movie, yet so revealing about how a person choose to spend her 24 hours in a day. Behind that perfect facade, what people didn't see is a time-bomb waiting to explode. She might seem like the perfect mother, but she sleeps with male client in the afternoon to get money (which she later kept on a bowl and used to buy groceries with) and being secretive, yet well-rehearsed for it. It didn't take long to see her simply breaks down after her dinner is ruined and instead of eating out - she opt to cook back from scratch. Her uneventful daily life finally escalated  when she murders one of her client after sleeping with him. All and all, Jeanne... seems like a boring movie, but I like that minimalistic as it leaves the movie open to your own interpretations. 

05.) The Shape of Water (2017)

I know some old movies floating in Hollywood have some kind of fetish around man-alien or man-beast copulation, but I was never one of those people whom actively seek for it. It wasn't until I first saw the trailer for this movie that I thought... okay, this could be interesting. So, I sat down and spend around 2 hours trying to figure this movie out and the verdict is that - I think it is quite beautiful. Again, almost like the first movie on this list, Hush - this woman is deaf. But unlike first deaf/mute woman in Hush, she is isolated and withdrawn. In one of the weirdest chances, she find out that the lab facilities she been working for as a janitor is hiding a man-fish in the lab. She grew interested and tries to sneak a peek, only to falling in love with the creature itself. Together, they struck an odd relationship which blossoms into something beautiful; a bond that's shared between two people. It's one of the weirdest movie I had seen on this list, but I know for sure it wouldn't be the last.

06.) Revolutionary Road (2008) 

Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet stared in one of the best tragic melodrama movie I had seen in years. After almost a decade since their first collaboration in Titanic, the two struck a husband-wife relationship with their two children at Revolutionary Road as a couple who are bored with the tenacity of their marriage and lives. While he starting to hate his job, she hates her position as a wife and failed actress and both just completely desperate for a change. When she suggested that they move to France and she would start working while he find something he wanted to do - things started to looking up for them. However, upon the discovery of her third pregnancy and his so-called job promotion -  their short-lived plans begins to fall apart and the couple find themselves at odds again. Finally, a tragedy strikes and finally altered their lives forever.

07.) Hacksaw Ridge (2016)

Usually, war-themed movie doesn't bode well with me not because I'm a pussy and couldn't take it, but because I hate to see to many flying limbs and a bunch of innocent man dies. I know I will always cry when I see that and this movie helps nothing than to add to the statistic. Honestly, I didn't saw this movie because there's Andrew Garfield in it - but more to what the movie is bringing into the table. For the first time in a war-themed movie, the main protagonist refuses to carry a gun as it goes against his values and faith. Now, like I said earlier, I hate to see a bunch of limbs and innocent man dies, so this movie is like a fresh breath of air for me. I sat down and watch it until the end, and despite my tears falling down at the end - I was left satisfied with the entire movie. Come to think about it, this is probably the second war-themed movie (aside from Apocalypse Now, 1979) that I couldn't wait to go back to and re-watch.

08.) Ritual (2012)

Ritual is a 2012 horror-mystery movie by Indonesian director Joko Anwar from The Forbidden Door (2009) and Satan's Slave fame and is almost a shame I didn't find this little gem a bit sooner. The synopsis is very simple; a father on vacation found himself wakes up separated from his family and races through the woods to find them. Pretty standard for a mystery-horror movies, but wait... there's more. Things wasn't exactly as it seems and just when I thought that he's finally gonna see his family again - the plot twist rolls in and boy - I am left impressed. Every scene from this movie only puts me further on edge and I wouldn't lie - I quite enjoyed the journey. Anyway, I couldn't think of any more words that could make me blab this entire movie so trust on my words that it's pretty cool psychological thriller I have seen by this year.


09.) Siccin 1 (2014)

This Iranian movie grew a cult following, mostly thanks to the person who dare to upload it on the internet. I swear, when I first saw this movie - I don't know what I'm getting myself into. Good or bad, that wasn't my main goal while I was watching it. I was more curious to how  this movie manage garnered more than a million views. Is it really THAT scary? I mean, what so special about it? Eventually, after sitting down and finished watching the first installment from this franchise - I finally understood. There's enough of scary, fear and gory presented in this movie that might lead you to think TWICE before you started pissing anyone's off (with or without realizing it). Anyway, I watch up to the third movie until I couldn't watch it anymore but I'm sure there's always a new movie lurking in the corner for this franchise.

10.) The Killing of A Sacred Deer (2017)

Supernatural. High Power. Boy Seeking For Justice. There's many words I can use to describe this movie - but logic isn't one of them. 'The Killing of a Sacred Deer' is a movie that is plotted around revenge of a young man, Martin toward Dr. Steven who he accused to have killed his father during an operation. Dr. Steven, drunk as he is, fails to save his father and Martin seek for revenge. He begin to surround himself around Dr. Steven under a false pretense to help him cope with grief, when in reality he's using that reason to get close, not only to the doctor - but also his family. Strange things began to occur towards Dr. Steven two young children after they're associated with Martin that left them paralyzed and in a brink of dying. Eventually, Martin give Dr. Steven with an ultimatum - kill one of his family members to repay the lives of his father or lost both of his children. There's no logical explanation behind how the children were affected and how Martin is doing it to them - but it's strongly implied that they got better when they're near him and grew worse without him. If you're looking for some strange movies that is also poetic and tragic - then this movie might be the one for you.

11.) Forgotten (2017)

Never has a movie able to manipulated an audience, twisted it so badly to the pointed of unrecognizable - only to become whole again and finally starts to make sense. A guy move in to a new house with his family member; consisting a father, mother and an older brother. Things were fine at first and they look like a well-functioning unit until the older brother were kidnapped and became missing for 14 days. His return to home only raise more suspicion, especially towards the younger brother about what actually happened during the duration of his disappearance. His suspicion leads him conduct his own investigation and little by little - truths begins to emerge. Personally, I would think that this movie fall under horror genre and ghost will appear somewhere around the movie, but no such thing ever happened. This movie is straightly psychological thriller and it almost a shame that I didn't catch them deceiving me right from the beginning of this movie. Shame, indeed.

12.) Won't You Be My Neighbor? (2018)

Before the arrival of Fred Rogers film scheduled released in 2019, we're served with this treat in a form of a documentary of the kind-hearted man himself. Despite passing away in 2003, Mr. Fred Rogers legacy lives and it's such a happy coincidence for me that I have to include it inside of this list. Mr. Fred vision is simple - to change the entire TV programs game especially the one that is directed towards the children. He loves children, genuinely cares about them, and would take his time to explain how basic to difficult things works in the name of children entertainment. His style isn't aggressive, bored, or clowning; he's a real-deal nurturer. Children loves him and immensely enjoys his show, while parents are comforted with the way he carries certain difficult topics such war and assassination. To top it all off, he also wouldn't mind taking a stand in the US government to request for funding for children entertainment not to be cut in half and get it doubled so that children everywhere can watch a quality show. All in all, Mr. Fred Rogers is truly the epitome of kindest human being I have ever known (posthumously) and I won't mind being his neighbor if he's still alive by today. 

13.) Taking Lives (2004)

Before there's Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Angelina Jolie starred in this underrated crime-mystery flick 'Taking Lives' alongside her co-star, Ethan Hawke. Little is known to me at the time, either this movie is going to be great or just about the worse movie ever, but I stick around and immediately get hooked. Between reality, fantasy and red-herring, the lines are really blurred in this movie that I have some difficulty believing between the good and the bad guys. Naturally, the movie comes to a close and after the real culprit is revealed - I would say I'm not disappointed at all. Things escalated pretty quickly for our brave detective heroin as she seek to a serial killer who had been killing and terrorizing countless of men since the late 80's. Honestly, after I finish watching this movie, I quickly begin to write my review @ letterboxd.com because I want everyone else to start watching this movie as well.

14.) Sling Blade (1996)

Billy Bob Thorton, also widely known as 'the-guy-who-once-married-to-Angelina Jolie' starred in a movie called 'Sling Blade', a movie not only he wrote, but also starred and direct. I have no idea what Billy Bob is capable off (haven't seen much of his movies up to this point), so I came in with a little hope that this could be a good movie. The premise seems promising. A mentally-challenged man who had been put in an institution for more than twenty years are released to the outside world  - what could possibly go wrong? From a viewer perspective, I already could sense that something bad is about to happen, but the movie setting is so volatile, that I hardly could predict what's about to go down. As the movie reaching it's end, I finally saw the direction of this movie and thinks that it wasn't such a bad movie at all. It's melo-drama at its best, and I think it deserves all the awards and critical acclaims that it received when it first comes out.

15.) Gattaca (1997)

Kill Bill (Uma Thurman), Dead Poet Society (Ethan Hawke) and Alfie (Jude Law) get together in this 1997 sy-fy movie to shows us how far would science had advances in the future - that you could determine a person success and failure by just taking up their DNA right after they were born. Biology wasn't too kind to Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke), and hence he was treated as a second-class citizen (in-valid), more than he feel what he actually worth. It's really a tragedy when a talented-man, being denied for a chance just because he's 'slightly different' (double-standard at its best). However, Vincent defies the system and instead keep on pushing his limitation as he knows that he's in it for the right cause. To help him with his plan is Jerome Morrow (Jude Law), a 'valid' laboratory-engineered who had been paralyzed for months after involved in an accident. Together they concocted a plan that would benefits both of men. Meticulous and precise, they left no loose ends but things begin to get a little dicey once Vincent falls in love with his co-worker, Irene Cassini and unintentionally help risking his and Jerome's plan. I love this movie as not only that premise feels new and exciting, I can also watch the blossoming romance between Uma and Ethan. It didn't feel great to learn that they seek for divorce just a couple of years later, but it's still beautiful to witness how their love started (kinda like Brad and Angie). 

16.) Wonderful Nightmare (2015)

I saw a clip taken from this movie on Youtube a couple of months ago and believe me you - it's one of the most exciting clips I had seen in years. 'A woman died and wake up to handsome husband' - it says, and I couldn't be more than willing to click on that clip right away (I like funny titles, what can you do?). Nearly at the end of fifteen minutes clip - I was sold and decided to watch the rest of the movie. I wasn't disappointed. It was such a beautiful movie. Imagine a beautiful female lawyer who always puts her work first, feelings last... Then I imagine the same woman drive on a slippery road one night, failed to see in front of her windshield and then BAM - dies. In afterlife, they told her about her untimely death and offers her a grace period before they can put her soul back into her body. That grace period is where she had to live with a family with a husband and two children. DAMN you korean movies always know how and when to reel my feelings like this. So, yeah... things happens and I love this movie - from the beginning to finish. Kinda feel like watching it again, to be honest. I might after writing this post. :)

17.) Elvira, Mistress of the Dark (1988)

Elvira... Elvira... the Mistress of the Dark. I think I know about its existence after stumbling upon an old failed tv-pilot someone decides to put on Youtube. I saw the pilot, laughs a little, then proceed to watch something else. I leave it like that for a year, maybe two... until I started prepping my autumn vlogs. I seen this name being thrown a couple of times - which needless to say, enough to probe me to seek for it. I watch it the first time around and I'm in love. Elvira is such a funny character, and yes - just like the poster on your left - a little bit sexual for her own good. You know, as a female being, I have no issues with woman wanting to show-off her asset a little bit here and there, but when sexual jokes were also thrown into the mix - that's where I draw my line. I could never understand it and my response towards oversell sexual jokes aren't always the greatest (call me conservative, but that's just how I feel). Still, I love Elvira and her confidence, and it doesn't hurt to see a woman so happy and 'eager' to play a character as Cassandra Peterson. That woman is a Halloween legend! I saw this movie all-f'en-time on Halloween and I'm sure to keep this tradition when the next one rolls by. 

18.) Along With The Gods: The Two Worlds (2017)

Another Korean movie that manage to surprise me is this movie - Along with The Gods series. I'll be honest, I was only paying attention of this movie because of a Netflix trailer I saw from another movie (aren't we all, that's why they make them, right?). In an ironic-but-this-time-I-wasn't-too-pissed-with-this-ad - I decide to seek for it and boy, don't I love what I just saw? The story-line is great, the actor performance is great - to sum it all up, everything in this movie is just great (which is quite rare coz sometimes I found a movie a that doesn't live-up to the trailer and vice-versa). Anyway, I didn't want to talk more about it in fear of dragging this post and spoiling it for the rest of human being that still haven't watch this series, so this is where I left my review. I encourages you whom still virginal of this movie to go and watch it. I can give you a guarantee that you won't be disappointed.

19.) Simple Favor (2018)

 Hmmm.... Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively in a movie called 'A Simple Favor' seems like a forgetable chick flick, but wait a minute... the forgetting part is not going to be THAT simple. This movie carries a heavy mystery and suspense banner that I almost regret (almost) for not watching it sooner. I totally digs this movie and after reading the book (A Simple Favor, Darcey Bell), in a case like Fight Club movie vs novel - I think the movie is far superior as seems to open up for the next sequel starring Anna Kendrick and maybe some new gal pal (frenemies/nemises). Seriously, compared to Big Little Lies sequel which may hits sometimes next year, I prefer a sequel from this movie. There something about it, perhaps the neo-noir setting from this movie that feels so great for a mystery/suspense movie that set it different from those other similar themes movies. The movie is about Stephanie (Anna Kendrick), a mommy vlogger who seeks to uncover the truth upon her best friend, Emily sudden disappearance from their small town. Her quest brings her closer to Emily past and her pristine cotton candy color life might be not as it seems.  

So, I guess that's it everyone - my top 19 list of unforgettable movies I had watch this year. I know what you might be thinking... Why don't you just round it up to 20? The answer for that would be quality over quantity. Anyway, I have so much fun writing this (even though it took me almost three months to complete with this post as I was busy tending some other stuff) and I really glad to be able to share it here with you, passerby of my blog. Thank you so much for reading this, hope you enjoy yourself and see you soon on my next one!

Bye!

Sincerely,
Mimi Said.