<400 Checks Challenge (Official, August 2020)

[Melvelet]

<400 Checks Challenge
incl. 1>500<400 challenge



Goal:
Watch as many films with fewer than 400 checks on ICM as you can!

Challenge runs 1 August 2020 - 31 August 2020.

Rules:
- Rewatches allowed and good for the soul.
- A feature film (at least 40 min) counts as one entry.
- A total of 60 minutes of short films count as one entry.
- To qualify for the challenge, you must list the number of checks the film has, including your check. 400 or fewer, including your check, qualifies. Films with >400 checks are ineligible.
- For mini-series, individual episodes may count if the series page has <400 checks; report the check count for the overall series.
- No TV series this challenge.

Stats & Formatting:
- Title (year) #Checks is the preferred format (Include your check in the total)
- Linking to the IMDb entry would be cool as I plan to create some stats
- New posts are preferred over edited posts
- I'll be tracking years and checks with this challenge
- Link to ICM import: https://beta.icheckmovies.com/import/movies/

Bonus Challenge: 1>500<400 Challenge!
Goal: Watch films recommended by other participants of this challenge, just like in this challenge. Anyone can nominate one film after having watched 3 entries for this challenge. We'll use the same nomination rules as the previous challenge so a film must fulfil the following criteria:
1. Not on this year's or last year's 500<400
2. <300 checks for films on 0 official lists, <150 for films on 1 official list, <100 for films on 2 official lists, <50 for films on more than 2 official lists
3. Not nominated before by another forum member

It would be nice if you wrote a few lines about the film of your choice, a personal introduction. It's not necessary to answer all of these questions, but you could think of questions like: why exactly this is one of your favourite films? Why does this film deserve more love? What makes watching this film a unique experience? Why does this film deserve a high spot in our hidden gems list?
Try to trigger people into watching it. You might want to add a screenshot as well.

Nominations:

Nominator	Film	ICM	Reason	link to post
zzzorf	Amazonia (2013)		This movie was a beautifully shot look at the Amazonian Jungle. A domestic Capuchin Monkey is stranded in the Amazon and encounters many perils as he investigates this vast forest. The original has no voice over which I think would work better here but there is a version out there with Martin Sheen doing a voiceover if anyone would prefer that (I have no idea how good that version is or if Sheen helps or hinders the movie)	here
flavo5000	Symptoms (1974)		Casting the English countryside in golden hues of twilight is the perfect setting for this very atmospheric, moody and criminally underrated psychological horror film from José Ramón Larraz and is almost certainly his best film. It is well worth a watch (plus it'll count as a double for the '70s challenge as well ). It's easily available on youtube (although frankly the transfer there is very poor and doesn't do the film justice) as well as a spiffy blu-ray which looks much better.	here
Onderhond	The Fourth Portrait (2010)		This is the film that got me hooked on Mong-Hong Chung. A cinematographer turned director who has a way with stylish, stilted drama. It's a nice change of pace of those who want something else than the typical Taiwanese New Wave films, but don't want to stray too far from the arthouse path. His latest film won the Golden Horse awards for best film + director, just so you know it's not some weird, underground dude who makes films for an audience of 5.	here
beavis	Hintertreppe (1921)		It has only 67 checks at the moment but it is truly an early masterpiece of silent cinema and expressionism. At only 50 minutes it won't take up much of your time, and what you'll get is a very "Lynchean" dreamlike atmosphere. In an attempt at pure cinema, this one reduces the amount of intertitles to almost nothing, setting the stage for more well known masterpieces of silent expression that came to a peak around 1928 or so. This one is perfect for what it sets out to do, and is, and I can't understand why it hasn't gotten more credit for it.	here
maxwelldeux	Keepers of the Magic (2016)		I genuinely think this is a film most folks around here would like, or at least appreciate. It's a documentary celebrating cinematographers and cinematography. It features interviews with a lot of cinematographers about their craft, and includes clips of famous scenes. I felt like I learned quite a bit from watching this doc, plus it was often a visual delight revisiting (or seeing for the first time) some beauty from the film medium.	here
sol	Despair (1978)		Michael Ballhaus photography's is superb here with plenty of glides and fluid camera movements around glass wall interiors. Coupled against disquieting sound effects and music, Despair plays out like a semi-surreal nightmare as the delusion protagonist finds a man who he inexplicably believes to be his exact double and concocts a wild scheme. Dirk Bogarde very relatable throughout with desire to escape his life - and his despair at not being able to.	here
sebby	Angela (1995)		This film needs more champions. Tragicoming-of-age story that blends a gentle idyllic visual canvas with a series of increasingly dark circumstances that threaten to vault the eponymous character into a biblical abyss into which she is constantly peering. Her monsters can only be slain with the sword of a religious fervor that manifests as the peculiar and dangerous behavior the often accompanies childhood trauma.	here
cinephage	Liza, a rókatündér (2015)		It is a dark hungarian comedy, about a single woman who thinks she may be cursed in her relationship with men... There is a lot of invention in the storytelling, and the film definitely looks up to Kaurismaki as well as japanese pop music (a strange mix, certainly, but this film is overall rather unusual in its tone). It is rather funny, but certainly not naive. I had to rewatch it to notice a lot of subtle elements and nice touches.	here
72aicm	The Art of Flying (2015)		It’s only seven minutes long and it’s on our «movies on 0 official list» list.	here
Melvelet	Asha Jaoar Majhe (2014)		A decidedly arthouse movie from an interesting part of the world that unfortunately most commonly shown through Bollywood and seldom explored (film-wise) by non-domestic viewers. The film is about a married couple who work in opposite shifts to make ends meet in a recession hit Calcutta. But even though they're under constant pressure to sustain their livelihood, their behaviour displays a strange, comforting calmness as we observe their daily lifestyles with fine details. The simplicity of the dialogue-free story is contrasted by the rich sensory experience that gives Labour of Love a meditative, poetic feeling.	here

Official Lists:
ICM Forum's 500<400
(But check eligibility - 48 films are currently ineligible. When you sort by checks (i.e., above link), everything above Tretya meshchanskaya (1927) has at least 400 checks.)

Unofficial Lists:
1000<400 (2019 Update)
(But check eligibility - Everything from Red Army downwards is currently eligible.)

500<400 films which still have <400 checks (from all editions)

Participants:

Rank	Participant	Count	Check count: Mean	Median	500<400	501-1000	neither	1>500<400	nom. watched by	user watches
1	flavo5000	222	74.7	35.5	2	3	78		1	3
2	blueboybob	215	85.2	48.0	2	9	88	-	-	0
3	hurluberlu	119	101.9	48.5	6	6	106	-	-	0
4	allisoncm	105	60.5	23.0	4	3	53	-	-	0
5	jdidaco	94	17.5	6.0	0	0	98	-	-	1
6	psychotronicbeatnik	87	9.0	4.0	0	0	31	-	-	0
7	PUNQ	80	20.4	10.5	0	0	0	-	-	0
8	zzzorf	76	68.1	24.0	4	1	68		0	1
9	sol	63	87.4	36.0	1	1	41		2	0
10	Onderhond	61	57.3	19.0	1	1	59		3	0
11	beavis	58	66.3	34.0	1	4	53		1	3
12	lineuphere	50	77.7	31.5	4	6	40	-	-	0
13	ororama	41	79.6	48.0	2	0	80	-	-	0
14	VincentPrice	40	87.2	77.0	0	0	38	-	-	0
15	RogerTheMovieManiac88	33	25.3	4.0	0	0	15	-	-	0
16	maxwelldeux	30	107.4	69.0	0	1	11		1	2
17	OldAle1	29	90.6	44.0	1	1	12	-	-	0
17	pitchorneirda	29	110.5	76.0	5	2	21	-	-	1
19	AB537	24	280.7	311.0	1	1	7	-	-	0
20	AdamH	23	152.7	153.0	8	0	3	-	-	0
20	ChrisReynolds	23	61.4	1.0	0	0	3	-	-	0
20	cinephage	23	130.4	96.0	7	0	1		0	0
23	vortexsurfer	22	80.0	24.0	1	0	19	-	-	0
24	Melvelet	20	218.5	250.0	14	6	3		1	3
24	Obgeoff	20	133.5	130.0	1	0	0	-	-	0
26	sebby	19	154.3	85.0	2	1	5		4	1
27	Lilarcor	16	48.6	8.5	0	1	15	-	-	0
28	Cinepolis	14	127.2	59.0	0	0	14	-	-	0
28	mightysparks	14	157.6	170.5	5	3	6	-	-	0
30	blocho	13	172.6	167.0	2	2	7		3	1
30	Lonewolf2003	13	238.0	266.0	2	0	6	-	-	0
32	frbrown	12	50.8	40.0	0	0	12	-	-	0
33	72aicm	11	107.7	74.0	0	2	5		0	0
34	connordenney	10	130.0	117.0	1	0	7	-	-	0
34	nimimerkillinen	10	40.1	25.0	0	1	8	-	-	0
36	Mochard	7	165.3	187.0	0	0	7	-	-	0
37	shugs	3	150.0	103.0	1	0	2	-	-	0
-	overall	1729	78.3	33.0	78	55	1022	-	-	16

* The mean/median and 500<400 related stats count every entry as one (including mini-series and shorts)

Decade breakdown:

Decade	Count
1910s	4
1920s	7
1930s	27
1940s	54
1950s	60
1960s	113
1970s	364
1980s	87
1990s	58
2000s	98
2010s	293
2020s	55

(takes into account all entries posted until post #352 and all entries with IMDb links posted afterwards)

Country breakdown

Decade	Count
USA	345
France	205
West Germany	93
UK	84
Italy	74
Germany	68
Japan	64
Canada	50
Switzerland	41
Austria	30
Spain	30
Australia	29
Belgium	28
Sweden	24
Argentina	22
Hong Kong	22
Soviet Union	19
Czechoslovakia	15
Israel	15
Poland	15
Brazil	13
Denmark	12
East Germany	12
Netherlands	12
China	11
India	10
Mexico	10
Portugal	10
Taiwan	10
Hungary	8
Yugoslavia	8
Ireland	7
Greece	6
South Korea	6
Iran	5
Luxembourg	5
Turkey	5
Chile	4
Cuba	4
Georgia	4
Norway	4
Qatar	4
South Africa	4
Finland	3
Liechtenstein	3
Puerto Rico	3
Romania	3
Russia	3
Venezuela	3
Bulgaria	2
Colombia	2
Croatia	2
Iceland	2
Indonesia	2
Lebanon	2
Lithuania	2
Morocco	2
Philippines	2
Sweden	2
Tunisia	2
Angola	1
Burkina Faso	1
Chad	1
Côte d'Ivoire	1
Egypt	1
Ghana	1
Guatemala	1
Iraq	1
Kosovo	1
Kyrgyzstan	1
Macedonia	1
Monaco	1
Mozambique	1
New Zealand	1
Niger	1
Pakistan	1
Senegal	1
Serbia	1
Ukraine	1
Uruguay	1
Vietnam	1

(takes into account all entries posted until post #352 and all entries with IMDb links posted afterwards and uses all co-production countries listed in the film's OMDB entry)

Movies that have been challenged more than once

Times challenged	Name	Year	IMDB	ICM
4	An American Pickle	2020
4	Manuel on the Island of Wonders	1984
4	Angela	1995
4	Visaaranai	2015
3	Numéro deux	1975
3	The Fourth Portrait	2010
3	An Injury to One	2002
3	Alexandra's Project	2003
3	Pays de cocagne	1971
3	Vedreba	1967
3	Nothing More	2001
3	These Final Hours	2013
3	Big Animal	2000
3	Welfare	1975
3	Nebulosan	1999
2	Street Smart	1987
2	Vem var Dracula?	1974
2	Succubus	1968
2	Never Let Go	1960
2	Adventure in the Hopfields	1954
2	For Ever Mozart	1996
2	Count Dracula	1970
2	Rapture	1965
2	Stations of the Cross	2014
2	Alone in the Wilderness	2004
2	Dementia	1955
2	A Simple Event	1974
2	Cybernetics Guardian	1989
2	Blackfoot Trail	2014
2	Ares	2016
2	Time for Revenge	1981
2	Don Giovanni	1970
2	I Love You, I Kill You	1971
2	Why Does Herr R. Run Amok?	1970
2	The Last Years of Childhood	1979
2	Last Stop on the Night Train	1975
2	Baal	1970
2	Darktown Strutters	1975
2	Eden and After	1970
2	Hunting Scenes from Bavaria	1969
2	Breaker! Breaker!	1977
2	The Cassandra Crossing	1976
2	Despair	1978
2	Bloody Mama	1970
2	Dead Man's Letters	1986
2	Justin de Marseille	1935
2	Lola Pater	2017
2	Avanti popolo	1986
2	Dossier 51	1978
2	Muddy River	1981
2	The Last of Sheila	1973
2	Game Girls	2018
2	Tenet	2020
2	What We Become	2015
2	Slaughter	1972
2	Von Richthofen and Brown	1971
2	Alambrista!	1977
2	Hagazussa	2017
2	A Safe Place	1971
2	Dying at Grace	2003
2	A Summer at Grandpa's	1984
2	The Gambler	1974
2	The Blue Bull	2008
2	Jerichow	2008
2	Autrefois J'ai aime une femme	1966
2	Paradistorg	1977
2	Catwalk: From Glada Hudik to New York	2020
2	Tomorrow We Move	2004
2	The Killer Inside Me	1976
2	Hickey & Boggs	1972
2	Hero of the Red Light District	1960
2	La Vérité	1960
2	Musume tsuma haha	1960
2	Macario	1960
2	Hiroshima: A Document of the Atomic Bombing	1970

Post contents partially stolen from maxwelldeux & Gershwin

[zzzorf]

So just checking the bonus rules before we dive into the challenge proper. We only get to nominate 1 movie in the 1>500<400 throughout the month and there won't be a chance for extra movies if we watch nominated movies or our choice is watched multiple times like the DTC challenge a few months ago?

[maxwelldeux]

I have it on VERY good authority that the person who edited the OP image is a major asshole.

[VincentPrice]

In

[72aicm]

I’m in for a couple. Thanks for hosting Melvelet.

[AdamH]

I'm in as well. Personally, I think if you watch a film and it's on 399 checks and you're the 400th checker it should count as well. I don't think it does going by the rules in the OP. If the point is to watch films with <400 checks then I definitely think it should count.

[AdamH]

Already mention in the OP but I'm keeping this list up-to-date and it includes all films that have appeared over the 8 versions of 500<400 which are still eligible (688 films). It includes a decent number of shorts as well and you can sort the list by runtime.

There's also still 453/500 with <400 checks in the 2019 500<400 list and 26 shorts in the current list (here). Only 3/26 shorts have reached 400 checks over the past year.

[Melvelet]

So just checking the bonus rules before we dive into the challenge proper. We only get to nominate 1 movie in the 1>500<400 throughout the month and there won't be a chance for extra movies if we watch nominated movies or our choice is watched multiple times like the DTC challenge a few months ago?

I'm open to change the rules for this and I'm all for rules that encourage people to see (more) nominations instead of just creating a big list of movies that nobody watched.
What do the others say? Allow multiple nominations and if yes, after how many nominations watched? 5? 10?

[Melvelet]

I'm in as well. Personally, I think if you watch a film and it's on 399 checks and you're the 400th checker it should count as well. I don't think it does going by the rules in the OP. If the point is to watch films with <400 checks then I definitely think it should count.

Fair point. Although it also depends on how strongly the challenge is tied to 500<400. Anyway, the challenge is more about the watching, not the posting so I feel mathematically compelled to accept movies that have 399 checks when the viewing is starting

[AdamH]

I'm in as well. Personally, I think if you watch a film and it's on 399 checks and you're the 400th checker it should count as well. I don't think it does going by the rules in the OP. If the point is to watch films with <400 checks then I definitely think it should count.

Fair point. Although it also depends on how strongly the challenge is tied to 500<400. Anyway, the challenge is more about the watching, not the posting so I feel mathematically compelled to accept movies that have 399 checks when the viewing is starting

What about if it has 399 checks when you start watching it and then someone else checks it halfway through you watching it so it has 400 when you check it? Just kidding

[VincentPrice]

1 Where's Poppa?-1970: 7/10 (114 checks)

[sol]

1. The Blood Demon (1967) 88 checks



The first half-hour here moves incredibly slowly with repetitive scenes of the protagonist searching for answers and trying to find someone to give him a ride. Once he arrives in a forest with his travelling companions though, the film becomes a blast. From the blue fog that illuminates the forest to grisly torture devices, traps and so on inside the castle destination, it is all quite spooky, though the tonally inconsistent final few minutes leave a sour taste.

[Melvelet]

1. Midaregumo — a.k.a. Two in the Shadow (1967) 8/10 (141 checks) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061971/
The subtle art of Japanese melodrama. That's why I love it.

In general I'm quite in the mood for Japanese movies, there have been sooo many newly subbed movies (in addition to the overwhelming amount that had been available before) in my semi-absense and, apparently, I only watched about 10 Japanese movies over the course of the past 5 years...

[sol]

The <400 Blows

1. The Blood Demon (1967) 88 checks

2. Mark of the Devil (1970) 219 checks



Opening with graphic depictions of a man being tarred and feathered and two women being burned alive at the stake, this look at the witch hunt trials of centuries ago is captivating from the get-go and things only get more intriguing as the film goes on. The chief antagonists all abuse their power with the film providing a scathing look at absolute power corrupting absolutely. Reggie Nalder is particularly well cast one of the more vicious witch-finders.

[sol]

The <400 Blows

1. The Blood Demon (1967) 88 checks
2. Mark of the Devil (1970) 219 checks

3. The Cat and the Canary (1939) 337 checks



If not as visually arresting as Paul Leni's silent adaptation or as zany as Radley Metzger's take, this is a pretty decent screen treatment of John Willard's oft filmed stage play with Bob Hope as a cocky film actor who keeps comparing everything happen to how it would play out in a movie. The film also gets good mileage from Hope constantly being scared despite acting so brave. If more effective as a comedy than horror, this is spooky too at times.

[Onderhond]

Such an easy challenge, hardly anybody watches contemporary Chinese/Japanese cinema



01. The Tears of the Great Sage (2020) 1 check - 2.5* by Frankie Chung

Another Monkey King/Journey to the West adaptation, but of the B-grade fantasy kind that is currently flooding the Chinese market. Demand is bigger than what the big studios can offer, so smaller production houses are cranking out these films at breakneck speed. It's a bit of a minefield, quality-wise, but from time to time you can find a gem in the rough. Tears of no Regret has so much CG it's practically an animated film. The actors are real humans, but they spend most of the time in CG-generated backgrounds, performing CG-assisted tricks. At least the art design is pretty interesting, very colorful, rather lush and well over the top. The CG isn't perfect, but aesthetically it's pretty cool. The rest of the film isn't up to par though. Performances are flaky, the story feels incredibly rushed (then again, the film is only 70 minutes long) and there are some musical interludes that are completely out of place. Not a great film, but it was interesting enough to keep me entertained for as long as it lasted.




02. The Big Score (1990) 1 check - 2.5* by Jing Wong

A pretty basic but amusing Jing Wong vehicle. A combination of action, comedy and of course, a handful of gambling scenes. It's not a big surprise I only caught this film so late in my quest to finish his oeuvre, as it's unremarkable in just about every way possible, at the same time it did end up being pretty entertaining. Jing Wong teams up with Danny Lee and joins him in front of the camera. Not the best acting duo every put on screen, but the two have enough chemistry to guide you through the film. Because there are quite a few genre switches and because Wong had plenty of prior experience with all of them, the pacing is solid and there isn't really a dull moment in sight. Visually it doesn't look too bad, but if you've seen a couple of these early 90s Hong Kong action/comedy flicks you'll know what to expect. The soundtrack is incredibly cheesy though, cheap and distracting. Though a little hard to recommend, people who can stand Wong's film and have seen the bigger projects in his oeuvre are sure to have a bit of fun with this one.




03. Double World (2019) 17 checks - 3.5* by Teddy Chan

Another milestone for Netflix. This is the first time they're dropping a big budget Chinese epic right onto their platform. Covid-19 is definitely offering them an advantage when directors like Teddy Chan are skipping theatrical releases and going directly to streaming. It's a brave new world indeed. Double World is a pretty standard blockbuster fantasy. That means you should except a hefty dose of CG, some slightly confusing lore and a plot that is more focused on action set pieces and broad spectacle than on character development and smart plotting. It would be weird to except anything else. My main gripe is that the creature designs felt a little lazy, a fantasy film like this could've more inspiring creatures rather than giant scorpions and a basic dragon. But the action scenes are solid and the ending was pretty impressive. Not enough to make this a true classic, but if you want some fun filler then Double Word delivers.

[connordenney]

1. Next of Kin (Atom Egoyan, 1984) – 179 checks
2. The Enigmatic Case (Johnnie To & Yeung-Wah Kam, 1980) – 10 checks

Spoiler

1. Next of Kin (Atom Egoyan, 1984) – 179 checks
2. The Enigmatic Case (Johnnie To & Yeung-Wah Kam, 1980) – 10 checks

[blueboybob]

1. Un lugar en el mundo (1992) - 159 Checks
2. Dvadtsat dney bez voyny (1977) - 163 Checks
3. Tiempo de revancha (1981) - 88 Checks

[Mochard]

1. Le chant du loup (2019) - 6.5/10 - 187 checks



In the near future, a French submarine finds itself in a crisis situation.

Seen 1 - Avg Checks - 187
Goal: To have less than 200 average checks by end of the challenge.

<400 Days of Summer

1. Le chant du loup (2019) - 6.5/10 - 187 checks

[Onderhond]

04. Amulet (2020) 14 checks - 2.5* by Romola Garai

A brave attempt to marry social drama with religious body horror. It's a pretty unique combination, but not an easy one to pull off and Garai really struggles to find the right balance. The first half of the film is a little too slow and dreary, whereas the second half suddenly jumps into the horror head-on. Tomaz is an immigrant in London who roams the streets. A friendly nun looks after him and knows a place where he can crash. She takes him to Magda, a woman who lives alone with her sick mother. Tomaz isn't to keen on moving in with her, but his situation doesn't leave him much choice, and so he accepts the offer. Garai has trouble with setting the right tone. The music is quite special and leading, but it's not exactly thrilling. The effects are nothing less than impressive, but the cinematography leans too heavily on social drama aesthetics (like watching a Dardennes film), which again takes away from the atmosphere. In the end it feels like an intriguing film, but the potential remains unfulfilled.

The trick is to watch contemporary cinema

01. The Tears of the Great Sage (2020) 1 check - 2.5* by Frankie Chung
02. The Big Score (1990) 1 check - 2.5* by Jing Wong
03. Double World (2019) 17 checks - 3.5* by Teddy Chan

[Mochard]

2. Arès (2016) - 7/10 - 75 checks



In a future France with many unemployed, big companies run the country. Ares is a loser boxer. When his sister's arrested, he agrees to a new drug, that'll help him win.

Seen 2 - Avg Checks - 131
Goal: To have less than 200 average checks by end of the challenge.

<400 Days of Summer

1. Le chant du loup (2019) - 6.5/10 - 187 checks
2. Arès (2016) - 7/10 - 75 checks

Total checks - 272

[maxwelldeux]

1. Breaker! Breaker! (1977) 257 checks

Chuck Norris fights corrupt town officials to save his brother. He's a trucker, so other truckers help? Trucks. Roundhouse kicks. You get the drift. 4/10

[mightysparks]

I have 54 films left to see in the top 20 of the 500>400 list (Rapture, Welfare, Final Cut - just saw it was over 400 checks, of course the one I was most interested in lol, I.... comme Icarre, Dying at Grace) so I'm in to finish those off.

[VincentPrice]

2. Murder is My Beat-1955: 7/10 (112 checks)

Spoiler

1. Where's Poppa?-1970: 7/10 (114 checks)

[Mochard]

3. Rsasa taycheh (2010) - 6/10 - 12 checks



Noha is about to get married. Her family is relieved to see her take advantage of this last chance before officially becoming a spinster just like her sister. Everything seems to be going well. However, on this special Sunday of August 1976 in Lebanon, on the same evening her elder brother is organizing a dinner in her honor 15 days prior to the wedding, Noha changes her mind.

Seen 3 - Avg Checks - 91.3
Goal: To have less than 200 average checks by end of the challenge.
Super Goal: To have less than 100 average checks by end of the challenge.

<400 Days of Summer

1. Le chant du loup (2019) - 6.5/10 - 187 checks
2. Arès (2016) - 7/10 - 75 checks
3. Rsasa taycheh (2010) - 6/10 - 12 checks

Total checks - 274

[blueboybob]

4. Shirley Thompson Versus the Aliens (1972) - 6 checks

[sol]

The <400 Blows

1. The Blood Demon (1967) 88 checks
2. Mark of the Devil (1970) 219 checks
3. The Cat and the Canary (1939) 337 checks

4. The White Spider (1963) 4 checks



The plot becomes increasingly twisted as it progresses here and while the film tends to get lost in its plot complications and the myriad of disguises worn by one particular character, there is still plenty of interest. The antagonist's murder weapon - a wire rope that he uses as a lasso - needs to be seen to be believed. The police interrogation bits are very well done too with bright lights that seem to spin around, and Karin Dor shines in the lead.

[AB537]

1. Numéro deux (Jean-Luc Godard, 1975) 3/10 ... 333 checks
2. Bloody Mama (Roger Corman, 1970) 5.5/10 ... 332 checks

[Mochard]

4. Resgate (2019) - 6/10 - 1 check



Newly released from prison, a man returning to his girlfriend and their child subsequently learns about a dangerous debt taken by his late mother.

Seen 4 - Avg Checks - 68.75
Goal: To have less than 200 average checks by end of the challenge.
Super Goal: To have less than 100 average checks by end of the challenge.

<400 Days of Summer

1. Le chant du loup (2019) - 6.5/10 - 187 checks
2. Arès (2016) - 7/10 - 75 checks
3. Rsasa taycheh (2010) - 6/10 - 12 checks
4. Resgate (2019) - 6/10 - 1 check

Total checks - 275

[zzzorf]

1. Satan's School for Girls (1973) - 7/10 - 53 checks
2. Mockingbird Don't Sing (2001) - 7/10 - 132 checks
3. The Tall Man (2011) - 7/10 - 12 checks

Bonus Challenge: 1>500<400 Challenge!
Movie: Amazonia
Year: 2013
Director: Thierry Ragobert
Country: Brazil/France
Checks: 44
iCM: https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/amazonia-2013/
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1240899/
Reason: This movie was a beautifully shot look at the Amazonian Jungle. A domestic Capuchin Monkey is stranded in the Amazon and encounters many perils as he investigates this vast forest. The original has no voice over which I think would work better here but there is a version out there with Martin Sheen doing a voiceover if anyone would prefer that (I have no idea how good that version is or if Sheen helps or hinders the movie)
My Original Review: 27 March 2018
Only two words are needed to describe this movie.

BRILLIANT

BEAUTIFUL

That is all there is to it.

OK well I better elaborate.

First of let me say that the first thing this movie made me think about was The Adventures of Milo and Otis, a movie i have loved since childhood. This movie was shot on the similar idea, letting the animals play out the parts naturally and shooting it in a sort of documentary style.

That is where Amazonia really outshines Milo and Otis however, the cinematography in this was absolutely superb. You can tell those behind the camera really put an effort into getting the best shots they could allowing for some amazing footage, with the variety of animals looking absolutely beautiful.

Where Amazonia misses out though, and the reason I pulled short of giving a perfect score, was the lack of a narrator ala Milo and Otis. I think the added bit of a storyteller just missed that extra little thing to get over that last hurdle and meet the entire audience. Just think of someone like Richard Attenborough or Morgan Freeman telling the monkey's story while we were watching. According to IMDb Martin Sheen does do a narration so one day I may go looking for one of those copies and it may just give it that extra edge it needs. All the same though this is a must watch for the movie is just

BRILLIANT

and

BEAUTIFUL.
Trailer:

[sol]

The <400 Blows

1. The Blood Demon (1967) 88 checks
2. Mark of the Devil (1970) 219 checks
3. The Cat and the Canary (1939) 337 checks
4. The White Spider (1963) 4 checks

5. Numéro Deux (1975) 335 checks



Consisting almost entirely of filmed television sets on black backgrounds, this Jean-Luc Godard movie depicts a bickering, dysfunctional couple with two curious children. The filming style is very dynamic, especially whenever two screens are present. Godard plays around with the size of the screens and the second set often contradicts the other as Godard uses the screen as a symbolic filter here to force us to evaluate his truth at 24 frames per second.

[hurluberlu]

1. Dead Man's Letters / Pisma myortvogo cheloveka (Konstantin Lopushanskiy, 1986) [347 checks] [Rewatch] 8 (=)
2-4. Manuel on the Island of Wonders / Manoel dans l'île des merveilles (Raul Ruiz, 1984) [120 checks] 7+
5. Peckinpah Suite (Pedro González Bermúdez, 2019) [8 checks] [8 checks] 7-
6. Wallay (Berni Goldblat, 2017) [7 checks] 6+
7. Préjudice (Antoine Cuypers, 2015) [35 checks] 6-

[AdamH]

I have 54 films left to see in the top 20 of the 500>400 list (Rapture, Welfare, Final Cut - just saw it was over 400 checks, of course the one I was most interested in lol, I.... comme Icarre, Dying at Grace) so I'm in to finish those off.

Then you can move on to the top 50 after that.

[mightysparks]

I have 54 films left to see in the top 20 of the 500>400 list (Rapture, Welfare, Final Cut - just saw it was over 400 checks, of course the one I was most interested in lol, I.... comme Icarre, Dying at Grace) so I'm in to finish those off.

Then you can move on to the top 50 after that.

[Cinepolis]

1. Películas para no dormir: La habitación del niño (2006) [257 Checks] - 6.5/10 | https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0430164/
2. Nelisita (1983) [22 Checks] - 5/10 | https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084401/

[sol]

The <400 Blows

1. The Blood Demon (1967) 88 checks
2. Mark of the Devil (1970) 219 checks
3. The Cat and the Canary (1939) 337 checks
4. The White Spider (1963) 4 checks
5. Numéro Deux (1975) 335 checks

6. Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny & Girly (1970) 149 checks



Although nowhere as graphic and out-there as Singapore Sling, the Nikos Nikolaidis film might be the best comparison piece with its stranger sucked into a power play between two women who may or may not be mother and daughter. As for Girly, it is much more of a comedy and sometimes to the detriment of the outlandish premise. The satire is potent throughout though as the daughter keeps insisting "we're a happy family!" and maybe they are.

[zzzorf]

Spoiler

1. Satan's School for Girls (1973) - 7/10 - 53 checks
2. Mockingbird Don't Sing (2001) - 7/10 - 132 checks
3. The Tall Man (2011) - 7/10 - 12 checks

4-6. Manoel dans l'île des merveilles (1984) - 4/10 - 121 checks
7. Pisma myortvogo cheloveka (1986) - 6/10 - 348 checks

[Melvelet]

2. Kapò (1960) 8/10 (284 checks) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052961/
Quite lucky for them that everybody in the concentration camp spoke Italian, no matter where they're from. Except if they were a German soldier.

Spoiler

1. Midaregumo — a.k.a. Two in the Shadow (1967) 8/10 (141 checks) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061971/
2. Kapò (1960) 8/10 (284 checks) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052961/

[Melvelet]

Updated the OP. And we got our first 1>500<400 nomination, Amazonia (2013), nominated by zzzorf.
Don't forget to post your nominations if you have more than 3 entries in this challenge if you're interested in watching other people's nominations!

[flavo5000]

I have 54 films left to see in the top 20 of the 500>400 list (Rapture, Welfare, Final Cut - just saw it was over 400 checks, of course the one I was most interested in lol, I.... comme Icarre, Dying at Grace) so I'm in to finish those off.

Dying at Grace is terrifying... Not in a good way...