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50 Books. 50 Movies. 1 Year (2014).

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BOOM FINISHED.

update (12/27/14): DONE. (57/50 books, 51/50 movies, 252/250 albums)

bggrthnjsus - 56/50 Books | 51/50 Movies (last updated: 12/27/14)

Books:

1. naoki higashida - the reason i jump (2013) ★★
2. dave eggers - the circle (2013) ★★★
3. yoko ogawa - revenge: eleven dark tales (2013) ★★★★
4. neil gaiman - the ocean at the end of the lane (2013) ★★★
5. charles bukowski - factotum (1975) ★★½
6. khaled hosseini - and the mountains echoed (2013) ★★★★½
7. philip t. cagle - molecular pathology of lung cancer (2012) ★★½
8. marie brennan - a natural history of dragons (2013) ★
9. david finkel - thank you for your service (2013) ★★★½
10. george saunders - tenth of december (2013) ★★★★
11. david foster wallace - both flesh and not: essays (2012) ★★★
12. h.p. lovecraft - the whisperer in darkness (1931) ★★½
13. harriet washington - medical apartheid (2006) ★★½
14. kim stanley robinson - shaman (2013) ★★
15. takashi hiraide - the guest cat (2014) ★★★
16. michael ruhlman - ratio (2009) ★★★
17. david sedaris - me talk pretty one day (1999) ★★½
18. david foster wallace - a supposedly fun thing i'll never do again: essays (1997) ★★★★
19. michael leyner - my cousin, my gastroenterologist (1990) ★★★
20. ivan orkin - ivan ramen (2012) ★★★
21. david sedaris - dress your family in corduroy and denim (2004) ★★
22. david mitchell - black swan green (2006) ★★★
23. chang rae lee - on such a full sea (2014) ★★★
24. helen mitsios - digital geishas and talking frogs (short story collection) (2011) ★★★
25. don delillo - white noise (1985) ★★★★★
26. don delillo - cosmopolis (2003) ★★½
27. ramez naam - nexus (2013) ★★½
28. ramez naam - crux (2013) ★★½
29. thomas pynchon - the crying of lot 49 (1966) ★★★
30. kaiyo takubo - pathology of the esophagus (2008) ½
31. italo calvino - difficult loves (1970) ★★★★
32. anais malpica - biopsy interpretation of the uterine corpus and cervix (2010) ½
33. william s. burroughs - naked lunch (1959) ★★★½
34. david foster wallace - consider the lobster: essays (2005) ★★★★
35. david markson - wittgenstein's mistress (1988) ★★★
36. david sedaris - barrel fever (1994) ★½
37. william strunk - the elements of style (1919) ★★★★
38. william fletcher - diagnostic histopathology of tumors (2011) ★★★★ (actually a really good textbook)
39. harald theml - color atlas of hematology (2004) ★
40. philip k. dick - a scanner darkly (1977) ★★★★
41. katsuhiro otomo - akira (1982) ★★★★ (i'm gonna count the 6 vol as 1 book here)
42. dirk elston - requisities in dermatopathology (2008) ★★★
43. robert mcnamara - retrospect: tragedy and lessons of vietnam (1996) ★★★
44. raymond carver - what we talk about when we talk about love (1981) ★★★★½
45. italo calvino - if on a winter's night a traveler (1979) ★★★★½
46. margaret atwood - the year of the flood (2009) ★★★
47. philip k. dick - valis (1981) ★★★
48. jeff vandermeer - annihilation (2014) ★★★
49. jeff vandermeer - authority (2014) ★
50. nick harkaway - tigerman (2014) ★★
51. sharon muir - invisible beasts (2013) ★★
52. margaret atwood - oryx and crake (2004) ★★★
53. jonathan ferris - to rise again at a decent hour (2013) ★★★★
54. ronald harden - essential skills of a medical teacher (2011) ★★
55. karen joy - we are all completely beside ourselves (2014) ★★★★
56. paul kingsnorth - the wake (2014) ★★★
57. richard mcpherson, matthew pincus - henry's clinical diagnosis and management by laboratory methods (2011) ★★

Movies:

1. hollow man (2000) ★
2. the one (2001) ½
3. computer chess (2013) ★★★
4. in bruges (2008) ★★★
5. tim and eric's billion dollar movie (2013) ½
6. hara-kiri: death of a samurai (2012) ★★★★
7. man of tai chi (2013) ★★½
8. who framed roger rabbit (1988) ★★★★
9. beasts of the southern wild (2012) ★★★★½
10. beverly hills cop (1985) ★★½
11. zero dark thirty (2012) ★★½
12. the expendables 2 (2012) ★★½
13. europa report (2012) ★★½
14. heavy metal (1981) ★★★
15. skyfall (2012) ★★★
16. robocop (2014) ★★
17. moonrise kingon (2012) ★★★★
18. escape from tomorrow (2013) ★★★
19. ender's game (2013) ★
20. snowpiercer (2014) ★★
21. the triplets of belleville (2003) ★★★
22. taken 2 (2012) ★★
23. porco rosso (1992) ★★
24. the place beyond the pines (2013) ★★★
25. the raid 2 (2014) ★★★
26. the internship (2013) ½
27. rescue dawn (2006) ★★
28. godzilla (2014) ★★
29. edge of tomorrow (2013) ★★★★½
30. x-men: days of future past (2014) ★★½
31. leaving las vegas (1995) ★★★
32. the grand budapest hotel (2014) ★★★
33. her (2013) ★★★★
34. blue ruin (2013) ★★★
35. falling down (1993) ½
36. killing them softly (2012) ★
37. silver linings playbook (2012) ★★★
38. the wolf of wall street (2013) ★★★
39. the lego movie (2014) ★★★★
40. argo (2013) ★★★
41. sin city: a dame to kill for ★
42. the act of killing (2012) ★★★★
43. guardians of the galaxy (2014) ★★★★
44. melancholia (2011) ★★★
45. rise of the planet of the apes (2011) ★★
46. dallas buyers club (2013) ★★★
47. nightcrawler (2014) ★★★½
48. under the skin (2014) ★★★★
49. raging bull (1980) ★★★★★
50. the world's end (2013) ★★½
51. interstellar (2014) ★★★★

Albums:
252/250
 

jarofbees

Neo Member
This sounds great, I tend to keep a private list each year so it'll be great to share / get recommendations on here.

jarofbees - 30/50 books | 110/50 movies

Books:

Touch - Elmore Leonard - ★★★
Spooner - Pete Dexter ★★★★
The Bounty Hunters - Elmore Leonard ★★★1/2
The Hot Kid - Elmore leonard ★★★★
Live By Night - Dennis lehane ★★★
A Garden of Sand - Earl Thompson ★★★★
High-rise - JG Ballard ★★★1/2
Gun machine - warren ellis ★★★★★
Forty lashes less one - Elmore leonard ★★★1/2
The ultimate good luck - Richard ford ★★★★★
Junky - William Burroughs ★★★★
Summerland - Michael chabon ★★
The goodbye kiss - Massimo carlotto ★★★★
Howl, Kaddish and other poems - Allen Ginsberg (The two classic poems ★★★★★, the rest between ★ and ★★★★)
False negative - Joseph koenig ★★★
The rape of the lock - Alexander pope ★★★★
Djibouti - Elmore leonard ★★★★
A piece of my heart - Richard Ford ★★★★★ (Obsessed with Richard Ford at the moment, ordered his entire back catalogue)
Gunsights - Elmore leonard - ★★★
Escape from five shadows - Elmore leonard ★★★★
Last stand at saber river - Elmore leonard ★★★★★
Web of the city - Harlan Corben ★★
The law at randado - Elmore Leonard ★★★★
Battling boy - Paul pope ★★★★★ (i'm claiming this as a book as it was 200+ pages and i've left all my other graphic novels off so far)
The Peddler - Richard s Prather ★★★
The Disenchanted - budd schulberg ★★★★1/2
Murder is my Business - Brett halliday ★★★
Saga of the Swamp Thing: volume 3 - Alan Moore (★★★★)
The Sportswriter - Richard Ford ★★★★★ (best book so far this year)
God's Pocket – Pete Dexter ★★★★

Movies:

Seven Pyschopaths - ★★★★
American Hustle - ★★★★
Mission to Lars - ★★★
Three Colours Blue - ★★★★
Secret Sunshine - ★★★
Threads - ★★★★1/2
Three Colours White - ★★★★
Confessions - ★★★1/3
American Mary - ★
Seconds (1966) - ★★★★★
Love Exposure - ★★★★
The Wolf of Wall Street - ★★★★1/2
Insomnia - ★★★1/2
L'Affaire Farewell - ★★★
A Time to Kill - ★★★
Time (Shi Gan) - ★★★1/3
The Seven-ups - ★★★
The Woman - ★
5 Broken Cameras - ★★★★
Detropia - ★★★
Wickerman - ★★★★1/2
Shut Up And Play The Hits ★★★★1/2
Breath (Soom) ★★★
12 Years A Slave ★★★★1/2
Kieslowski (A Short Film About Killng) ★★★
Whispering Corridors 5 ★★
The Long Goodbye ★★★1/2
The Manchurian Candidate (1962) ★★★★★
The Friends of Eddie Coyle ★★★★1/2
Oldboy (2013) ★ (Even worse than I could have expected)
The Ascent (Voskhozhdeniye) 1977 ★★★★
Dallas buyers club ★★★★★
Straight time ★★★
Alpeis (alps) ★★
A company man ★★★
Real fiction ★★★
Sexy beast ★★★★
Nymphomaniac - volume 1 ★★★★★ (Simply stunning)
Nymphomaniac - volume 2 ★★
Freakonomics ★★★
Play ★★★
Crude - the real price of oil ★★★
Norweigan wood ★★★★
Conviction ★★★★
Gravity ★★ (Ending was SUCH a cop-out, ruined the whole film)
Harmony ★★★★
Weekend (1967) ★★★★
Le cercle rouge ★★★★
Looper ★★★★
Pocket money ★★★
The unbelievable truth ★★
Romeo and Juliet (1996) ★★★★
Bow ★★★★★
Bring me the head of Alfredo Garcia ★★★★★
Horror stories ★
Jiro dreams of sushi ★★★★★ (favourite documentary so far this year)
Searching for sugarman ★★★ (very over-hyped)
Captain phillips ★★
The Berlin file ★★★
Les diaboliques ★★★★★
Big boys gone bananas ★★
Ain't them bodies saints ★★ (one of my most anticipated, very poor)
Notorious ★★★★
Involuntary (de offrilliga) ★★★
Berbarian sound studio ★★★★★ (A huge surprise, great with decent headphones)
Confessions of a dog ★★★
Snowpiercer ★★★★ (Tilda Swinton steals the show)
Free to play (DOTA2) ★★★ (so-so, some of the main stars weren't too interesting)
A village without women ★★★★
The wolf Children Ame and Yuki ★★★★
The scent ★★★
A letter to elia ★★★★★
The way of the gun ★★★★
We own the night ★★★★
The Great White Silence ★★★★★ (stunning archive footage, glad to have tracked a copy down)
Himizu ★★★★
The trip ★★★★ (The best thing Coogan has done?)
The act of killing ★★★
Dreams for sale ★★
25th Hour ★★★★
J Edgar ★★★
Brooklyn's finest ★★★
Narc ★★★★
Smashed ★★
Demonlover ★★ (When the hentai kicked in I was baffled)
Down terrace ★★★
Before the devil knows you're dead ★★★★ 
71 Fragments of a Chronology of Chance ★★★
America, America ★★★★★
The raid 2 ★★★★ 
Stranger by the lake ★★★ (made no real sense in the end) 
The informant (2012 documentary) ★★
Apocalypse now ★★★★★
Barney's version ★★★★ (The end broke my heart)
Another earth ★★
At close range ★★★
East of Eden ★★★★
Vulgaria ★★★
Gimme the loot ★ (one of the worst acted / most boring films i've ever seen)
I'm a cyborg, but that's ok ★★★
Ordet ★★★★ (Understand why it's so revered)
Someone to watch over me ★★★
Godzilla (2014) ★★ (So disappointing, very weak CGI)
Azooma ★★★
Carancho ★★★★ 
Paparazzi - Zero stars, absolutely woeful
You're next ★ (just dreadful, nothing clever about it at all)
Midnight in Paris ★★★★ (much more fun than the opening half an hour lead me to believe)
Inside Llewellyn Davis ★★ (very very poor, much worse than I expected)
 

Cyan

Banned
After signing up for NaNoWriMo with the thought that there's no way in hell I would finish it....and then subsequently finishing it, I think this should be a piece of cake in comparison. Much more comfortable in consuming media rather than producing unique media.

:D

Just remember to save next November!
 
:D

Just remember to save next November!

The only problem with this challenge is that a lot of the books I'll want to read are mammoth texts. The Pale King, Infinite Jest, Moby Dick (again), Against the Day, V, Vineland, Gravity's Rainbow, King James Bible, etc etc.
 

Amentallica

Unconfirmed Member
Amentallica - 5/50 Books | 4/50 Movies

Books
• Escape Camp 14 ★★★1/2
• The Bartimaeus Trilogy: The Amulet of Samarkand ★★★★
• The Bartimaeus Trilogy: The Golem's Eye ★★★★1/2
• The Bartimaeus Trilogy: Ptolemy's Gate ★★★★★
• The Maze Runner ★★★★
• Leviathan Wakes reading


Movies
• Hunger Games ★★★★
• Hunger Games: Catching Fire ★★★★1/2
• Jack Reacher ★★★1/2
• Oblivion ★★★
• Man of Steel ★★★
• Silver Linings Playbook ★★★★
 
The only problem with this challenge is that a lot of the books I'll want to read are mammoth texts. The Pale King, Infinite Jest, Moby Dick (again), Against the Day, V, Vineland, Gravity's Rainbow, King James Bible, etc etc.

Count them as two. Moby Dick again wouldn't count and would probably set you off pace.

And pick an easier/more modern/better translation of the Bible than the KJV, for your own sanity. At least try the NIV.
 

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus
This year my goal for movies was 50 and yet I ended up watching 120, which roughly equals an extra 140 hours that could have been spent reading more books. My new goal - 60 movies in 2014 - equals 5 movies per month so I think I'm going to stick to that and try to not surpass any of my goals next year. I need to allot my time more wisely.
 
I already posted this on my updated list but I wanted to bring it to everyone's attention. I just finished Mathematics: From the Birth of Numbers (Jan Gullberg). I will not count it as I started it in 2013 but it is an absolutely fascinating read for anyone even remotely interested in math and the history and evolution of math. It gets 5 out of 5 laser toting sharks from me as a recommended read.

It is also a huge book so it would fulfill the two books in one requirement.
 
Count them as two. Moby Dick again wouldn't count and would probably set you off pace.

And pick an easier/more modern/better translation of the Bible than the KJV, for your own sanity. At least try the NIV.
Its actually a principle thing, since my father read it as a four year old. Measuring my reading ability against his is just depressing, though.
 
Its actually a principle thing, since my father read it as a four year old. Measuring my reading ability against his is just depressing, though.

Haha, that's probably true for society as a whole. My mom has been teaching for many years, and recently took a seventh grade geography test from forty years ago that was staggeringly difficult.

Not to say modern society is dumb, but we certainly don't prioritize things like reading, math, and geography like we used to.
 

Nezumi

Member
Strongly considering doing a book club for this one this year. Maybe this summer?

Yes please! The only reason I have not read it is because I keep hoping you choose it for a book club because I have the strange idea that this is a book I want to discuss while reading.
 
Haha, that's probably true for society as a whole. My mom has been teaching for many years, and recently took a seventh grade geography test from forty years ago that was staggeringly difficult.

Not to say modern society is dumb, but we certainly don't prioritize things like reading, math, and geography like we used to.

The sad part about that situation is not that your mom as a teacher found it difficult but that society depends so much on the internet for research and access to quick snippits of information that a normal kid in public school would find that test damn near impossible without the aid of the internet.
 
The sad part about that situation is not that your mom as a teacher found it difficult but that society depends so much on the internet for research and access to quick snippits of information that a normal kid in public school would find that test damn near impossible without the aid of the internet.

Oh, I'd wager they would find the test completely impossible. I avoided taking it for fear of humiliating myself, and I consider myself fairly well-versed in geography.

The internet + constant connectivity via tablets, smartphones, and laptops is a double-edged sword. On one hand, we have access to an almost endless supply of information (and misinformation) in near real-time, which opens the door to creative new ways of self study and learning that could never happen before. On the other hand, we spend our time on those devices playing Candy Crush and Angry Birds, thus negating any benefits we might have seen.

There's some very interesting research out there about our "always on" society. Language is morphing extremely quickly, the brain is becoming hotwired for INSTANTOMGRIGHTNOW gratification, and we're basically becoming addicted to the steady stream of data at our fingertips. The focus isn't necessarily on learning or self improvement, but just on continuing the information drip. People are starting to feel "blind" without their smartphones, the line between working hours and free time has blurred to the point of insignificance, and people's attention spans have plummeted to the point that anything that can't be found with a quick Google search probably isn't worth finding, damn it.

Scary stuff and it's here to stay.
 
-Last Year's Score- 31/50 Books | 94/50 Movies | 13/24 TV Seasons | 8/24 Games
Example Formats
-★★★★★- Invisible Man [581 pages] - March 26th
-★★★★★- Mad Men season 5 [audio commentary set 2] - April 2nd
-★★★★★- Breaking Bad season 5 part 2 - September 29th

2014

SaltyDoughnut - 4/50 Books | 82/50 Movies (150) | 0/36 Screenplays | 6/18 TV Seasons | 0/18 -net- Games​

Books:
Now reading: Lolita, The Columbia History of American Television | Up next: - | Back burner: The Baron in the Trees
-★★★★- Norwegian Wood - Mar 3rd
-★★- How to Win at College - Mar 11th
-★★★★½- Mr. Palomar - June 2nd
-★★★½- Farther Away - June 15th

Movies:
-★★★★- Her - Jan 10th
-★★★★½- Inside Llewyn Davis - Jan 22nd
-★★- Crash (1996) - Jan 23rd
-★★★- The Philadelphia Story - Jan 25th
-★★★★★- Rear Window - Jan 29th
-★★★★½- Captain Phillips - Jan 31st
-★★★★½- Nebraska - Feb 1st
-★★★★½- The Rules of the Game - Feb 1st
-★★★★- The Wolf of Wallstreet - Feb 4th
-★★★½- The Lego Movie - Feb 8th
-★★★- Within Our Gates - Feb 15th
-★★★★- Grave of the Fireflies - Feb 16th
-★★★★½- Tokyo Story - Feb 20th
-★★★★½- Rushmore - Feb 21st
-★★★★½- Blue is the Warmest Color - Feb 22nd
-★★★★★- The Human Condition part I: No Greater Love - Feb 22nd
-★★★★½- L'Avventura - Feb 22nd
-★★★★★- The Human Condition part II: Road to Eternity - Feb 23rd
-★★★★★- The Human Condition part III: A Soldier's Prayer - Feb 23rd
-★★★½- Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia - Mar 1st
-★★★★- Sayonara - Mar 6th
-★★★★★- The Wind Rises - Mar 9th
-★★★★- Pigs and Battleships - Mar 10th
-★★★★- Hara-Kiri - Mar 10th
-★★★★★- Good Morning - Mar 13th
-★★★★- Seven Samurai - Mar 13th
-★★★½- The Grand Budapest Hotel - Mar 14th
-★★★★- I Will Buy You - Mar 15th
-★★★★- Samurai Rebellion - late Mar
-★★★★★- Patriotism - late Mar
-★★★★★- Beyond the Rocks - late Mar
-★★★★★- Hotel Chevalier - late Mar
-★★★★- Biutiful - late Mar
-★★★★★- Nostalghia - late Mar
-★★★½- Side by Side - April 1st
-★★★½- Crazed Fruit - April 6th
-★★★★½- Almost Famous - April 11th
-★★★- Cape Fear - April 17th
-★★★★★- Metropolis - April 19th
-★★★★★- Children of Men - April 23rd
-★★★★- The Thick-Walled Room - April 29th
-★★★½- Black River - April 30th
-★★★★- Gate of Flesh - April 30th
-★- The Sky Crawlers - April 30th
-★★★½- Tokyo Drifter - May 2nd
-★★★½- Dazed and Confused - May 2nd
-★★★★★- Casablanca - May 3rd
-★★★★½- Kwaidan - May 4th
-★★★★- Branded to Kill - May 4th
-★★★★★- Late Spring - May 6th
-★★★★- Red Desert - May 20th
-★★★★★- The Fossil - May 22nd
-★★★★- Tokyo Trial - May 24th
-★★★★½- Youth of the Son - May 24th
-★★★½- The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On - May 29th
-★★★★½- Meek's Cutoff - June 1st
-★★★★½- Beach Pillows - June 3rd
-★★★½- Floating Clouds - June 6th
-★★★★- The Turin Horse - June 6th
-★★★★½- Akira - June 6th
-★★½- Mud - June 6th
-★★★★★- The Girl Who Leapt Through Time - June 6th
-★★★★½- Wolf Children - June 7th
-★★★★½- Laura- June 7th
-★★★★½- The Umbrellas of Cherbourg - June 7th
-★★★★½- Pierrot le Fou - June 7th
-★★★- X-Men: Days of Future Past - June 8th
-★★★½- Chef - June 8th
-★★★★½- Edge of Tomorrow - June 8th
-★★★★½- An American in Paris - June 9th
-★★★★½- An Boy Named Charlie Brown - June 12th
-★★★★- American Psycho - June 17th
-★★★★★- Floating Weeds - June 20th
-★★★★- The Silence of the Lambs - June 29th
-★★★★½- Kill Bill Vol 1
-★★★★- Kill Bil Vol 2
-★★★★- The Intouchables
-★★★★½- Amour
-★★★- Obvious Child
-★★★½- Snowpiercer
-★★★★★- Annie Hall
-★★★★- Boyz N The Hood

TV Seasons:
Now watching: Kill la Kill, Boardwalk Empire s4, The National Parks, Downton Abbey s4, Space Dandy, Archer s5, True Detective, Sherlock s3, Girls s3 | Up next: Masters of Sex s1, The Pacific
-★★★★- Archer s3 - Jan 11th
-★★★★½ - Archer s4 - Jan 15th
-★★★★½ - Girls s3 - April 19th
-★★★★★- Mad Men s7 part 1 - May 27th
-★★★★- Space Dandy s1 - Jun 15th
-★★★★- Game of Thrones s4 - Jun 15th

Games:
Backloggery
Now playing: - | Up next: Broken Age a1 | Back burner: Bioshock Infinite
 
The sad part about that situation is not that your mom as a teacher found it difficult but that society depends so much on the internet for research and access to quick snippits of information that a normal kid in public school would find that test damn near impossible without the aid of the internet.

The real question is knowing a certain amount really necessary in a modern age where search is at your fingertips? I'd posit that there are certain swathes of education material that was taught previously is no longer important in teaching, due to the relative ease at which modern society is able to answer questions through search.

Someone who is better at using search engines is more important that someone who can memorize lots of data. How to analyze large sets of data and the insight that it can give will be increasingly important as technology marches onwards.
 

Bacon

Member
Really want to increase my reading consumption this year. Never been an avid reader but always enjoy it when I do. I guess I'm doing this mostly for the reading component with movies as an added bonus. Count me in-

12/50 Movies | 1/50 Books

Movies
  1. Jackie Brown (1997)- I've always enjoyed Tarantino's films but never watched this one before. Definitely has a different feeling than his other films. It felt more straightforward than his other work but it was no less enjoyable for me. The music was on point as usual for Tarantino, not only the pieces he uses but also the moments he decides to use the music. The dialogue is sharp and the violence is there, yet not as egregious as some pulp fiction or inglorious. The standout moment for me was the scene in the mall shown from three different viewpoints. I think Sam Jackson works better in the limited roles that he had in pulp and django, rather than the leading role he had in this one. Overall I enjoyed this film, although I wouldn't put it up there with the rest of his work. 3/5 stars
  2. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)- Thoroughly enjoyed this one. Raunchy, ridiculous, over the top. Lots of nudity, drug use and foul language. It was a very fun movie which felt like it was moving at a brisk pace despite the long run time. Gets somewhat depressing at the end, so it's not all fun and games, and shows its versatility. Fans of Leo should not miss this one. 4/5 stars
  3. American Hustle (2013)- fantastic, fantastic movie. Bale shines in this one, you would barely believe it was him. All of the actors are great but I really enjoyed bale. The film was very interesting and give you a lot to think about when you're finished with it. Cannot recommend this one enough. 5/5 stars
  4. There Will Be Blood (2007)- This has been on my to watch list for years now and I never got to it until now. Glad I watched this one. Daniel day Lewis is fantastic as usual. He really gets into characters like no other actor I can think of. Overall enjoyed this movie a lot. The dissonant score worked really well for me. It always sounded like something bad was just around the corner even if there wasn't. Not sure why I found that so engrossing but it totally worked. I liked ddl's character arc that the movie portrays as well. He seems like a decent guy trying to make a living at the beginning of the movie but you learn that he really is a very vengeful, spiteful man full of anger and contempt. Very cool movie, although I still think I would give the edge to No Country for Old Men from that same year as the academy awards did. 4.5/5 stars
  5. Spring Breakers (2013)- What a delirious fever dream this movie is. No plot, character development, or interesting dialogue to speak of, yet somehow it works for me. The filming was excellent; bright colors and extravaganza galore. The ambient music also added to the dreamlike feeling that this movie provided me. No lessons were learned by the end of the movie, nothing was really wrapped up, but I still enjoyed the movie for the cinematography alone. Very odd movie, definitely recommend everyone check it out and come to their own conclusions on this one. 2.5/5 stars
  6. Goodfellas (1990)- it took me a few decades, but I can finally say that I see why goodfellas is such a revered movie. It may be derivative of the godfather in some ways but I think that is a good thing, and it's able to add to the Italian gangster movie format. De Niro getting top billing on this movie annoys me, although I understand the reasoning behind it. Fantastic movie, I really can't add anything that hasn't been said already. 5/5 stars
  7. Raging Bull (1980)- Another Scorcese film, which makes three, so I guess that's a minor? I don't know, I suppose I'll write some thoughts on that later. Watching Goodfellas and Raging Bull back to back has potentially given me a new favorite actor, Joe Pesci. He was absolutely great in both roles. This was a good movie, it wasn't up there with goodfellas but I also didn't expect it to. I didn't know what this movie was going into it, and it offered a great contrast to Rocky. If Rocky is the hero, Jake La Motta is the anti hero. A great boxer but someone that is paranoid and hard headed outside of the ring. It was tough to root for a guy with his personality and I found myself rooting for both Vicky and Joe la Motta throughout. 4/5 stars.
  8. Casino (1995)- Scorcese once again! I can't get enough of this guy. It is really fun seeing all the parallels throughout his movies. This one felt similar and different at the same time from the rest of his movies. Relationships are on display in this movie, and he builds some pretty strong ones. The relationship between Joe Pesci and De Niro is interesting because they don't have all that much screen time together, yet you can see how each of their actions affects the other. Every single move one makes really has impacts on the other and you can literally watch their friendship break down over the course of the movie. This movie bogged down in the middle for me, but I thought that the end was really strong, maybe stronger than any of his other movie endings. Fantastic film, although I'd still give the edge to Goodfellas over this one. 4.5/5 Stars
  9. Gangs of New York (2002)- Yet another Scorcese flick. I did not enjoy this one as much as his other work. Can't really put my finger on why it didn't really do it for me but nothing really stood out to me aside from DDL's acting, which was superb, but that was to be expected. Somewhat let down by this film. 2/5 stars.
  10. Chinatown (1974)- Didn't love this one. I read some really glowing things about the screenplay, such as some calling it the "perfect" screenplay. I'm not sure if this movie just doesn't hold up well or if I'm just no sophisticated enough to see what was so good about it, but I really didn't enjoy it. Nothing stood out except for a couple Jack Nicholson scenes. Other than that, it was mostly forgettable, and I have a hard time recommending it. 1/5 stars
  11. Heat (1995)- This movie was a fun ride. Some of it lagged, but the highs most definitely made up for the slow parts. It was fun seeing all the things that GTA 5 lifted from this movie, and for good reason. 3.5/5 stars
  12. Fargo (1996)- Another awesome movie. Marge Gunderson was the highlight for me, she was excellent. The Accents might have been my absolute favorite part of the movie for me. Oh jeez. 4/5 stars

Books
  • Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain- Good book, definitely a useful way to make you think about yourself whether you happen to be an introvert or extrovert. It made me see my experiences in ways that I hadn't considered before. Oftentimes people tend to think of their experiences as being their own and no one else's, but that rarely is the case. It's always nice to know that their are others who share the same experiences as you and have a way of putting language to those experiences. This book does an excellent job of doing that. I recommend any introvert read the book, but also extroverts. She tends to look at situations from both sides of the coin, which makes this book pretty much universally applicable. 4.5/5 stars
 
I am of conflicting minds about this. On the one hand, I'm incredibly excited to consume the most media I probably have and ever will have. On the other hand, I'm frightened it'll become more about completing the challenge for me and I'll resort to watching/reading anything just to reach the quota.

Here's hoping I watch/read quality! First up, The Foundation Trilogy!

campfireweekend - 29/50 Books | 38/50 Movies | 5/25 TV seasons

Books:

Writer - Title ★★★★★½

Peter Heller - The Dog Stars ★★★★★
Isaac Asimov - Foundation ★★★★½
Isaac Asimov - Foundation and Empire ★★★★
Isaac Asimov - Second Foundation ★★★★★
Kurt Vonnegut - Sirens of Titan ★★★★★
Graham Greene - The Quiet American ★★★★
Isaac Asimov - The End of Eternity ★★★★½
Margaret Edson - W;t ★★★★★
Robert Reich - Beyond Outrage ★★★★
Isuna Hasekura - Spice & Wolf ★★★
Douglas Adams - The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy ★★★★
Douglas Adams - The Restaurant at the End of the Universe ★★★★½
Jean-Jacques Rousseau - The Social Contract ★★★½
Neil Gaiman - The Ocean at the End of the Lane ★★★★½
Jose Saramago - Blindness ★★★★★
Douglas Adams - Life, the Universe and Everything ★★★★½
Douglas Adams - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish ★★★★★
Douglas Adams - Mostly Harmless ★★★★
Kurt Vonnegut - Mother Night ★★★★★
Suzanne Collins - Mockingjay ★★
John Steinbeck - Of Mice and Men ★★★★½
Niccolo Machiavelli - The Prince ★★★½
John Locke - The Second Treatise of Civil Government ★★★★
Russ Roberts - The Price of Everything ★
Karl Marx & Friedrich Engels - The Communist Manifesto ★★★½
James Baldwin - Blues for Mister Charlie ★★★★½
The Laramie Project - Mooses Kaufman ★★★
Venus - Suzan-Lori Parks ★★
Fences - Samuel French ★★★★
Movies:

Movie Name ★★★★★½

Wolf Children ★★★★
Blue Exorcist The Movie ★★★½
American Hustle ★★★★
Sherlock: The Great Game ★★★½
Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia ★★★★½
Sherlock: The Hounds of Baskerville ★★★★½
Sherlock: The Reichenbach Fall ★★★★★
Battle Royale ★★★½
Summer Wars ★★★★
The Village ★★½
Sherlock: The Empty Hearse ★★★★
The LEGO Movie ★★★★½
Garden of Words ★★★
Abduction ★★½
Ace Attorney ★★★★
Dallas Buyer's Club ★★★★★
The Wind Rises ★★★★½
Stargate ★★★★
Mr. Peabody & Sherman ★★★½
Muppets Most Wanted ★★★½
Grand Budapest Hotel ★★★★★
Fantastic Mr. fox ★★★★½
Blue Jasmine ★★★★
Noah ★★★★
Captain America: The Winter Soldier ★★★★
Divergent ★★
No Country For Old Men ★★★★½
Nebraska ★★★★★
Neighbors★★★½
Fargo ★★★★
21 Jump Street ★★★★½
X-men: Days of Future Past ★★★★
Godzilla ★★★
Chef ★★★★
Edge of Tomorrow ★★★★½
22 Jump Street ★★★★
Dawn of The planet of the Apes ★★★★
Snowpiercer ★★★½
Television

The Daily Lives of High School Boys ★★★★
Kids on the Slope ★★★★½
Arrow Season 1 ★★★½
Bob's Burgers Season 1 ★★★
Bob's Burgers Season 2 ★★★★½
B
 

Kelpie

Member
I'm in! I didn't come close to completing the book challenge in 2013 but in 2014 I'm going to pace myself so I don't get burned out/distracted. I did better with the movies but to make it interesting this time I'll try to view at least half of the movies in a theater.

Kelpie - 8/50 books | 34/50 movies

Books

  1. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
  2. Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson
  3. Etlantris by Brandon Sanderson
  4. Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson
  5. Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
  6. Mistborn: The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson
  7. Mistborn: The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson
  8. Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami

Movies

  1. The Unknown
  2. I, Frankenstein
  3. Sherlock: The Empty Hearse
  4. Sherlock: The Sign of Three
  5. Sherlock: His Last Vow
  6. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
  7. The Station Agent
  8. Pacific Rim
  9. Robot & Frank
  10. The Hobbit The Desolation of Smaug
  11. Inglourious Basterds
  12. 12 Years a Slave
  13. Attack the Block
  14. World War Z
  15. Rise of the Planet of the Apes
  16. The Grand Budapest Hotel
  17. Gravity
  18. Lucy
  19. Guardians of the Galaxy
  20. Skyfall
  21. X-Men: Days of Future Past
  22. The Family
  23. End of Watch
  24. Arbitrage
  25. The Cabin in the Woods
  26. Dredd
  27. 2 Guns
  28. How to Train You Dragon 2
  29. A Monster in Paris
  30. Love Actually
  31. Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters
  32. Riddick
  33. Divergent
  34. Frozen
 
I considered doing this last year and probably should have. Wasn't concerned about hitting the movie limit but I think I would've come close to hitting 50 new books so I'll track myself this year. Good luck one and all!

Trellisaze - 3/50 Books | 8/50 Movies

Books
1. Come Barbarians - Todd Babiak - ★★★
2. The Shining Girls - Lauren Beukes - ★★★★
3. Jacked: The Outlaw Story of Grand Theft Auto ★★

Movies
1. Ain't Them Bodies Saints - ★★★★
2. Inside Llewyn Davis - ★★★★
3. The Stone Roses: Made of Stone - ★★★
4. Mandela: The Long Walk to Freedom - ★
5. CBGB - ★★
6. Her - ★★★★★
7. American Hustle - ★★★
8. How I Live Now - ★★
 

Jintor

Member
Updated my journal.

Game of Death (1973)

The acting and dubbing is horrible, the cuts are horrible, and the plot is bananas stupid. However, Bruce Lee kicks the shit out of a lot of people in an extremely entertaining fashion and also has one of the most amazing trollfaces known to man.

3/5
 

LuffyZoro

Member
LuffyZoro - 7/50 Books | 2/50 Movies​

Books
  1. Brain Wave (B+)
  2. The Emperor's Soul (A+)
  3. Steelheart (B+)
  4. The Mote In God's Eye (A-)
  5. The Universe in Zero Words (A)
  6. Rendezvous With Rama (A+)
  7. Divergent (B+)

Movies
  1. Gattaca (A+)
  2. Sunshine (A-)
 
Ordered The Quiet American on amazon yesterday and visited my favorite local used book store today. I think it's safe to say I'm ready.

Movies... I'm not even worried. I usually watch a movie every other day, so I should be done before April hits.
 

Lunaniem

Member
Already doing the challenge on the gaming side but want to read/watch some more as well.

Lunaniem - 0/50 Books | 0/50 Movies
 
Updated my journal.

Game of Death (1973)

The acting and dubbing is horrible, the cuts are horrible, and the plot is bananas stupid. However, Bruce Lee kicks the shit out of a lot of people in an extremely entertaining fashion and also has one of the most amazing trollfaces known to man.

3/5

If I remember correctly, this was made after Bruce Lee had already died and consisted of stock footage of him from other films. In that light, it makes sense that it isn't up to par with his other movies. I do remember liking the scene where he kicks Kareem Adbul-Jabbar in the chest.
 
If I remember correctly, this was made after Bruce Lee had already died and consisted of stock footage of him from other films. In that light, it makes sense that it isn't up to par with his other movies. I do remember liking the scene where he kicks Kareem Adbul-Jabbar in the chest.

It was unfinished. It was pieced together with the stock footage and two stand-ins so it's really a huge mess of production. The only use a small amount of the actual footage that was actually filmed, like a little over ten minutes worth.

I believe they filmed alot of it and lost the original footage.
 

Jintor

Member
If I remember correctly, this was made after Bruce Lee had already died and consisted of stock footage of him from other films. In that light, it makes sense that it isn't up to par with his other movies. I do remember liking the scene where he kicks Kareem Adbul-Jabbar in the chest.

Even if it wasn't cut together from stock footage it'd still be a pretty bad movie, to be honest. But man, those fight scenes
 
So the good news is the OP Master List is updated with everyone in the thread, and I've got my tracker up and running.

The bad news is HOLY CRAP I HIT THE POST SIZE LIMIT. It's all the URLs associated with the usernames, but I'm not about to remove those. I had to cut my fluffier tracking stuff, like top book worms, top film buffs, and most/least balanced. I'll include those in the monthly updates, but with the number of participants we have this year they won't fit in that post. If I had seen that coming, I would have reserved three posts. As it stands, I don't want to change anything since I've already linked everyone to their main update post, and messing with the post #s will totally screw that up. Lesson learned!

----- BREAK BREAK -----

The wife and I finished Sherlock: A Study in Pink (2010). A very solid ★★★★½. Absolutely wonderful, and I think I'm finally understanding what the hype surrounding Cumberbatch is all about, even if I prefer Martin Freeman in his role as Watson. I'm docking it half a star for the shallow resolution to the crimes, but I couldn't ask for a more enticing entry into the series.
 
I'm in. The movies will be no problem. The books will be the real challenge for me.


The Outsider - 1/50 books | 14/50 movies

Books


  • Ian Fleming - Casino Royale - ★★★★½
Movies


  1. Oldboy (2003) - ★★★★
  2. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) - ★★★★
  3. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) - ★★★
  4. American Hustle (2013) - ★★★★
  5. Fast & Furious 6 (2013) - ★★½
  6. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013) - ★★★
  7. Lone Survivor (2014) - ★★★½
  8. Spaceballs (1987) - ★★★
  9. American Beauty (1999) - ★★★★½
  10. Schindler's List (1993) - ★★★★★
  11. Zero Dark Thirty (2012) - ★★★★½
  12. That Awkward Moment (2014) - ★★
  13. The Lego Movie (2014) - ★★★★½
  14. Robocop (2014) - ★★
 

remist

Member
Remist - 0/50 books | 4/50 movies

Books

  1. Book Title Author

Movies

  1. Trollhunter ★★★★★
  2. Dredd ★★★
  3. Olympus Has Fallen ★
  4. The Raid - Redemption ★★★★★
 

Caramello

Member
I gave up pretty early on last year but I'm committed to this challenge in 2014.

I easily watched over 50 new movies but got nowhere 50 books..

I'll also track TV seasons and games but I'm not sure on a target yet.


Caramello - 00/50 books | 02/50 movies

Books:

Ian Fleming - Casino Royal (25/1)

Movies:
Rush - 2013 (3/1) ★★★★
Grown Ups 2 - 2013 (3/1) ★
Wolf of Wall Street - 2014 (26/1) ★★★★★
 

Jintor

Member
Updated my Journal.

Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983)

I can't believe Netflix doesn't have the other python films :T

Contained more boobs than I expected. Absurdist streak was great, I was smiling through most of the skits, but I tired of it by the time they got around to Death. Does lose a lot by being basically a vaguely connected series of skits, but still devastatingly funny.

3/5
 
I'm in, but I doubt I'll be able to get through many books.

honeymustardn - 8/50 books | 58/50 movies

Books:


1. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
2. Go - Simon Lewis
3. How to Win Friends and Influence People - Dale Carnegie
4. The Minority Report - Philip K. Dick
5. We Can Remember It for You Wholesale - Philip K. Dick
6. The Dark Knight Returns - Frank Miller
7. How We Die - Sherwin B. Nuland
8. Batman: The Killing Joke - Alan Moore

Films:
1. It's a Wonderful Life
2. Sherlock: The Empty Hearse
3. The Good, the Bad, the Weird
4. Léon: The Professional
5. Sherlock: The Sign of Three
6. Howl's Moving Castle
7. Sherlock: His Last Vow
8. Jiro Dreams of Sushi
9. Groundhog Day
10. Layer Cake
11. Sunshine
12. I Am Legend
13. Gravity
14. The Act of Killing
15. World War Z
16. Dead Poets Society
17. Pacific Rim
18. Oldboy (2003)
19. Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance
20. Snatch
21. The Firm (1993)
22. Batman
23. Batman Begins
24. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
25. Tucker & Dale vs Evil
26. The Dark Knight Rises
27. The Social Network
28. Blackfish
29. Four Lions
30. Mystery Team
31. Free to Play
32. Life in a Day
33. Unthinkable
34. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
35. Killing Zoe
36. Short Term 12
37. The Fountain
38. The Wrestling Road Diaries Too
39. The Return (Vozvrashchenie)
40. The Lego Movie
41. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring
42. Cube
43. Let the Right One In
44. Skyfall
45. Jaws
46. Big Trouble in Little China
47. The Evil Dead
48. Kon-Tiki
49. Attack the Block
50. The Cat Returns
51. Godzilla
52. The Inbetweeners 2
53. Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie
54. Jodorowsky's Dune
55. Escape from LA
56. Blade Runner
57. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me
58. Evil Dead II
 

KageZero

Member
I will also be participating this year

KageZero - Books 0/50 | Movies 1/50

Books:

Movies:

Star Trek: Into darkness 7/10
 

the-iek

Member
I'll give it a try this year.

the-iek - 25/50 Books | 45/50 Movies

Books:
01 Stephen Chbosky - The Perks of Being a Wallflower ★★★
02 John Steinbeck - Of Mice And Men ★★★★
03 Hermann Hesse - Siddartha ★★★★
04 Neil Gaiman – The Ocean at the End of the Lane ★★★
05 F. Scott Fitzgerald – The Great Gatsby ★★★★
06 John Steinbeck – The Pearl ★★
07 Anne Lamott – Help Thanks Wow ★
08 Julian Barnes – The Sense of an Ending ★★★
09 Franz Kafka – Die Verwandlung ★★★★
10 Joyce Carol Oats – Beasts ★★★
11 Joyce Carol Oats – Zombie ★★
12 Joyce Carol Oats – Rape: A Love Story ★★★
13 John Toole – The Neon Bible ★★★
14 George R.R. Martin – Die Saat des goldenen Löwen. Das Lied von Eis und Feuer 04 ★★★★
15 Thornton Wilder – The Bridge of San Luis Rey ★★
16 Paulo Coelho – Veronica decides to die ★★★★
17 Gabriel Garciá Márquez – Chronicle of Death Foretold ★★★
18 Albert Camus – The Stranger ★★
19 George Orwell – 1984 ★★★★
20 Lemony Snicket – The Bad Beginning ★★★
21 Jerzy Kosinki – Being There ★★★
22 Paulo Coelho – The Alchemist ★★
23 H.G. Wells – The Time Machine ★★★
24 Joachim Bauer – Das Gedächtnis des Körpers ★★
25 Udo Baer & Gabriele Frick-Baer – Das ABC der Gefühle ★★

Movies:
01 Carrie 2013 ★★
02 Prisoners ★★★★
03 Bad Grandpa ★★
04 The Secret Life of Walter Mitty ★★★
05 Insidious Chapter 2 ★★
06 From Up On Poppy Hill ★★★★
07 Ponyo ★★★★
08 The Heat ★★★
09 Unhung Hero ★
10 Homefront ★★★
11 Redemption ★★
12 Jin Roh ★★★★
13 Gravity ★★★★★
14 Dead Silence ★
15 Sightseers ★★
16 Blair Witch Project ★
17 Non-Stop ★★
18 Prestige ★★★★
19 Darkness Falls ★
20 I Spit On Your Grave ★★
21 Repeater ★
22 My Date With Drew ★★
23 Veronica Mars ★★★
24 Thor Dark Kingdom ★★
25 Captain America: The Winter Soldier ★★★
26 Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Rebellion ★★★★
27 Captain America ★★
28 The Garden of Words ★★★★
29 The Roommate ★
30 Would You Rather ★
31 Nightmare 3 ★★
32 In Your Eyes ★★
33 Words and Pictures ★★
34 Fright Night ★
35 The Matrix ★★★★
36 The Raid ★★★★★
37 Merantau ★★
38 Ferris Bueller's Day Off ★★★
39 Slumber Party Massacre ★★★
40 Devil's Due ★
41 Edge of Tomorrow ★★★★
42 Tammy ★
43 Nail Gun Massacre ★★
44 The Fly ★★★★
45 Naked Lunch ★★
 
I'll give this a shot. I just started reading Gone, Girl last night, and I'm bout 40% done with Jurassic park.

Twisted-gamer - 0/50 books | 3/50 movies | 0/50 Games

Currently Reading: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Currently Playing: Legend of Zelda: Link between worlds

Book:

Films:

  • Mama - ★★½
    Nausicaa of the valley of the wind - ★★★★½
    In Bruges- ★★★½

Games:
 

f0rk

Member
f0rk - 0/50 books | 0/50 movies

Books

Movies



Not expecting to make it to 50 books, target is more like 20.
 
ImpassionateGods-7/50 Books | 4/50 Movies

Books:
Patrick Ness-More Than This
Rick Riordan-House of Hades
Marissa Meyer-Cinder
Mira Grant-Parasite
K.A. Applegate-Animorphs #3,4,5,6,7
K.A. Applegate-Animorphs #8,9,10,11,12
Veronica Roth-Allegiant

Movies:
The Hobbit:Desolation of Smaug
Sherlock:The Empty Hearse
Sherlock: Sign of Three
The Croods

Manga/Comics
Magi Volume 3
Runaways Volume 1
Young Avengers Volume 1
Attack on Titan Volume 11

I'm probably going to focus a lot more on books than movies. I desperately want to read more and I prefer tv to movies so I don't really watch too many. This should be fun!
 

Mumei

Member
The only problem with this challenge is that a lot of the books I'll want to read are mammoth texts. The Pale King, Infinite Jest, Moby Dick (again), Against the Day, V, Vineland, Gravity's Rainbow, King James Bible, etc etc.

Oh, it's entirely possible. I had thirteen books (1181, 555, 482, 548, 684, 598, 2559, 457, 835, 1008, 925, 776, and 453 pages) over 450 pages last year, and The Lord of the Rings, which didn't count.

You have 12 months; it's okay to spend some time on some gigantic books. It doesn't really take long to knock out a 200 page novel, after all.
 
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