And suddenly I changed the layout of my long lost blog. I went back to the roots, to one of the default designs and started to trim the needless parts and alter the others. The result is that for the first time since I joined Tabulas, I am actually happy with the way my blog looks! I haven't finished though, there are still several things to change, including the background; I want to get as far as I can from the original design so that I feel it really belongs to me. Hopefully this unexpected revival will motivate me to start writing! Because frankly I can't remember having posted anything here but totally pointless and stupid entries.

To be honest, this wasn't all accidental. I had planned for a long time to make use of this blog, and it was very likely to happen this year since I'm taking time away from the consuming involvement in my website 1UP (about retrogaming) to return to web design and try some new things, which I will maybe discuss here. But I had no idea it would turn out so well so fast, and today of all day! (got up at 7 with totally different plans, got nothing productive until late afternoon)

I've been inspired by the movie section from another website. I want to do something similar just for this year. Even though I've kept tracks of all the different movies I've been watching since I was maybe 15 or 16 (and also the ones I remember seeing before that), I haven't recorded the date or number of viewings, just the names. Besides, my movie-watching habits have been deteriorating in recent years. I've seen thousands of movies, I used to watch on average more than one everyday (1.5, I updated my stats yearly back then), nowadays I think I just watch a few or less every month. This will help me to know exactly how many and perhaps improve.

So here goes the list, I'll bump this topic at the end of every month (if I remember):

December

• Spy Kids (2001)
  
• Gran Torino (2008)
  
• The Threat (1949)
  
• The Devil Thumbs a Ride (1947)
  
• Suspicion (1941)
  
• Cold Mountain (2003)
  
• The Duchess (2008)
  
• Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
  
• The Fall (2006)
  
• Sherlock Holmes (2009)
  
• Sullivan's Travels (1941)
  
• Lars and the Real Girl (2007)
  
• Plots with a View (2002)
  
• L'Instinct de Mort (2008)
  
• The Big Heat (1953)
  
• Nora-neko Rooku: Bōsō Shudan '71 (1971)
  
• The Box (2009)
  
• Split Second (1953)
  
• Nora-neko Rokku: Machine Animal (1970)
  
• Scary Movie 4 (2006)
  
• The Kid (2000)
  
• George of the Jungle (1997)
  
• The Informant (2009)
  
• Hostel: Part II (2007)
  
• The Number 23 (2007)
  
• La Môme (2007)
  
• My Summer of Love (2004)
  

November

• Nora-neko Rokku: Sex Hunter (1970)
  
• Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
  
• Rendition (2007)
  
• Man of the House (2005)
  
• The Border (1982)
  
• Marie Antoinette (2006)
  
• Nora-neko Rokku: Wild Jumbo (1970)
  
• Prime (2005)
  
• Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)
  
• My Super Ex-Girlfriend (2006)
  
• The Evil Dead (1981) — rewatch
• On Dangerous Ground (1952)
  
• Onna Banchō: Nora-neko Rokku (1970)
  
• You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (2010) — CINEMA
• The Social Network (2010) — CINEMA
• Gone Baby Gone (2007)
  
• Novocaine (2001)
• xXx: State of the Union (2005)
  
• Up in the Air (2009)
  
• Angel Face (1952) — rewatch
• Yakuza Deka: Marifana Mitsubai Soshiki (1970)
  
• The Bank Job (2008)
  
• Return to House on Haunted Hill (2007)
  
• Barbarella (1968)
  
• Pet Sematary (1989)
  
• Where Danger Lives (1950)
  
• Yakuza Deka (1970)
  

October

• Drag Me to Hell (2009)
  
• Dawn of the Dead (2004)
  
• Duck Soup (1933) — rewatch
  
• Friday the 13th (1980) — rewatch
• A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987) — rewatch
• A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985) — rewatch
• Låt Den Rätte Komma In (2008)
  
• Force of Evil (1948)
  
• Fame (2009)
  
• Dragonslayer (1981)
  
• Karakkaze Yarō (1960)
  
• Star Trek (2009)
  
• Layer Cake (2004)
  
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
  
• The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008)
  
• Ruthless (1948)
  
• The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)
  
• Mishima (1985)
  
• P.S. I Love You (2007)
  
• Cabaret (1972)
  
• Dawn of the Dead (1978) — rewatch
• Un long dimanche de fiançailles (2004)
  
• Revolutionary Road (2008)
  
• Watchmen (2009)
  
• Twilight (2008)
  
• Child's Play (1988) — rewatch
• National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007)
• They Might Be Giant (1971)
  
• Vampires (1998) — rewatch
• Death Sentence (2007)
  
• Punch-Drunk Love (2002)
  
• A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) — rewatch
• Fight Club (1999) — rewatch
• House (1986) — rewatch
• Zegen (1987)
  
• Big Trouble in Little China (1986) — rewatch
• Starship Troopers (1997) — rewatch
• Stardust (2007)
  
• The X Files: I Want to Believe (2008)

September

• Valkyrie (2008)
  
• Shock Corridor (1963) — CINEMA
• Spanglish (2004)
  
• Race to Witch Mountain (2009)
  
• Match Point (2005)
  
• Elizabethtown (2005)
  
• Quantum of Solace (2008)
• Body of Lies (2008)
  

August

• Kuai Can Che (1984)
  
• Inception (2010) — CINEMA

July

• Total Eclipse (1995)
  
• Get Smart (2008)
  
• The Dark Knight (2008)
  

June

• Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
  
• Mamma Mia! (2008)
  
• Australia (2008)
  
• Cul-de-sac (1966)
  
• Capote (2005)
  
• Gangs of New York (2002)
  
• Ocean's Thirteen (2007)
  

May

• The Gift (2000)
  
• Cloverfield (2008)
  
• The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)
  
• Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
  
• Cleaner (2007)
  
• Jeepers Creepers II (2003)
  
• Jeepers Creepers (2001) — rewatch
• The Good Night (2007)
  
• Driller Killer (1979)
• Suspiria (1977) — rewatch

April

• The Exorcist (1973) — rewatch
• Phenomena (1985) — rewatch
• The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008)
  
• Hancock (2008)
  
• Avatar (2009) — CINEMA
• Kick-Ass (2010) — CINEMA
• Fright Night (1985) — rewatch
• Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade  (1989) — rewatch

March

• Phantasm IV (1998)
  
• Phantasm III (1994) — rewatch
• Phantom of the Paradise (1974) — rewatch
• Sauna (2008)
  
• Général Idi Amin Dada - Autoportrait (1974)
  
• Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) — rewatch
• WALL-E (2008)
  
• Phantasm II (1988) — rewatch
• Phantasm (1979) — rewatch
• Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) — rewatch
  
• Rumour Has It... (2005)
  
• The Last King of Scotland (2006)
  
• The Other Boleyn Girl (2008)
  
• Things we Lost in the Fire (2007)
  
• Charlie Chan at the Olympics (1937)

February

• Monster House (2006)
  
• La Strada (1954)
  
• The Dreamers (2003)
  
• The Pink Panther (2006)
  
• Spider-Man 3 (2007)
  
• The Phantom of the Opera (2004)
  
• Cars (2006)
  
• Goya's Ghosts (2006)
• Tom Jones (1963)
• After the Fox (1966)
• Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001)
  
• Iron Man (2008)

January

• Häxan (1922)
  
• The Trial (1962)
  
• Dogma (1999)
  
• The Heartbreak Kid (2007)
  

I've always been interested in the Oscars even though I've had only one opportunity to watch the whole ceremony from beginning to end (in Europe, it is shown in the wee hours of the morning and, well, I don't even have a TV). The gathering of so many movie stars we all know, the newest movies being shown and rewarded, and just to think this grand celebration of the art of filmmaking is taking place in Hollywood (like it or not, the mecca of motion pictures) is enough to have me a little excited on that special day.

Naturally, another intriguing aspect of the event is to know who among the many nominees will win the prize in the various categories. This is often subject to disappointment but regardless, making predictions and encouraging his favorites has always been a gently addictive game, almost a tradition if it wasn't for the years when no movie stands out. The Oscars have a long history, the award for Best Picture was first given in 1927 and this year will be the 82nd ceremony. As a movie fan, one thing that recently got me thinking is how many Best Picture winners have I seen. There's my answer and I think I did pretty good though a few big names are shamefully missing from that list:

• 2009: The Hurt Locker
  
• 2008:  Slumdog Millionaire
• 2007: No Country for Old Men
• 2006: The Departed
• 2005: Crash
• 2004: Million Dollar Baby
• 2003: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
• 2002: Chicago
• 2001: A Beautiful Mind
• 2000: Gladiator
• 1999: American Beauty
• 1998: Shakespeare in Love
• 1997: Titanic
• 1996: The English Patient
• 1995: Braveheart
• 1994: Forrest Gump
• 1993: Schindler’s List
• 1992: Unforgiven
• 1991: The Silence of the Lambs
• 1990: Dances with Wolves
• 1989: Driving Miss Daisy
• 1988: Rain Man
• 1987: The Last Emperor
• 1986: Platoon
• 1985: Out of Africa
• 1984: Amadeus
• 1983: Terms of Endearment
• 1982: Gandhi
• 1981: Chariots of Fire
• 1980: Ordinary People
• 1979: Kramer vs. Kramer
• 1978: The Deer Hunter
• 1977: Annie Hall
• 1976: Rocky
• 1975: One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest
• 1974: The Godfather Part II
• 1973: The Sting
• 1972: The Godfather
• 1971: The French Connection
• 1970: Patton
• 1969: Midnight Cowboy
• 1968: Oliver!
• 1967: In the Heat of the Night
• 1966: A Man for All Seasons
• 1965: The Sound of Music
• 1964: My Fair Lady
• 1963: Tom Jones
• 1962: Lawrence of Arabia
• 1961: West Side Story
• 1960: The Apartment
• 1959: Ben-Hur
• 1958: Gigi
• 1957: The Bridge on the River Kwai
• 1956: Around the World in 80 Days
• 1955: Marty
• 1954: On the Waterfront
• 1953: From Here to Eternity
• 1952: The Greatest Show on Earth
• 1951: An American in Paris
• 1950: All about Eve
• 1949: All the Kings Men
• 1948: Hamlet
• 1947: Gentleman's Agreement
• 1946: The Best Years of Our Lives
• 1945: The Lost Weekend
• 1944: Going My Way
• 1943: Casablanca
• 1942: Mrs. Miniver
• 1941: How Green Was My Valley
• 1940: Rebecca
• 1939: Gone with the Wind
• 1938: You Can't Take It with You
• 1937: The Life of Emile Zola
• 1936: The Great Ziegfeld
• 1935: Mutiny on the Bounty
• 1934: It Happened One Night
• 1932/1933: Cavalcade
• 1931/1932: Grand Hotel
• 1930/1931: Cimarron
• 1929/1930: All Quiet on the Western Front
• 1928/1929: The Broadway Melody
• 1927/1928: Wings

I know the way I write English is wrong, unnatural, I can see it, I can feel it, but unlike when I'm writing French I don't know how to fix it. I should have studied more! Except I couldn't... oh well. I will have to!

(...whenever I have time and that may not be soon)