Final total: 264 films.  365 days.  Just 101 films shy of the goal, but 264 is NOT BAD.

This movie project was one of the very best ideas I’ve ever had.  I started 2011 at the top of the roller coaster, with about 200 movies on my list, and a ton of support from my cinephile friends.  The list grew with every person I talked to about the project— each person had a must-see to suggest, and I took them all in.  I only got through 73 from that original list, and gained about 100 more films to see. 

The whole point was to treat my movie-watching habit like an active continuation of my film education.  I felt I hadn’t seen a bunch of movie-touchstones, sure, but I also wanted to commit myself to seeking out the films I’ve always wanted to see, and discovering new ones as well.  And I love a goal. 

As all worthwhile endeavors prove difficult, it was ROUGH.  Time management is a pervasive hurtle in itself, but carving out 2+ hours EVERY day was damn near impossible.  I tried to take this project as seriously as I could without destroying myself over it.  I have a demanding job with unforgiving hours and my other writing projects to attend to.  (This project would have been a breeze at age 12…curses!!) I moved and I got engaged and it’s been a whirlwind.  Perhaps it would have been easier to just watch the films and not try to write about each one, but it almost would have made the whole project worthless.  Obviously, it was in the writing/researching/reflecting where the real magic happened.  So many days I wished for 2 extra hours in the day, not for watching, but for posting.  Sigh.  At least I kept an alarmingly detailed spreadsheet tracking every movie I watched.  Key.

I can say it has been an eye-opening year.  I’m truly sad to bid it farewell.  But I plan to keep the spirit of the project alive and continue watching as many films as possible!  My goal is a cool 4 per week.  I’m hoping this will allow for more frequent and in-depth blogging, which I will continue, right here.  Yay. 

Next up: Top Ten, Runners Up, & Biggest Let-Downs (also the name of my new reality series)

  1. youhaventseenbraveheart posted this