Doubling the Canon Nominees Challenge (Official, May 2023)

[zzzorf]

Doubling the Canon Nominees Challenge


The Last Stage (1948)

GOAL
Watch movies that have been nominated for this year's edition of Doubling the Canon. Discuss them.
A list of eligible films can be found below.

BONUS GAME
Recommend and promote a nominated movie (which may or may not be nominated by yourself) and even more importantly: watch other people's bonus recommendations. For every 5 recommendations you've watched for the challenge, you are allowed to recommend another one. Please mark watches with #Bonus

Bonus game recommendations:

Title	aka	Year	Recommended by	Times watched	IMDB	ICM
Mga kuwentong barbero	Barber's Tales	2013	zzzorf	6
I compagni	The Organizer	1963	gunnar	2
Undir trénu	Under the Tree	2017	sol	8
Cockroach		2020	peeptoad	6
Dolgaya schastlivaya zhizn	Long Happy Life	1966	beavis	3
Der Hauptmann von Köpenick	The Captain from Köpenick	1931	St. Gloede	8
Junk Head		2017	filmbantha	4
Himeanôru	Himeanole	2016	Onderhond	7
The World Beyond		1978	flavo5000	4
Hiroshima		1953	lineuphere	5
Ostatni etap	The Last Stage	1948	cinephage	4
Dance Me to My Song		1998	72aicm	6
Two for the Seesaw		1962	shugs	4
Jana Aranya	The Middleman	1975	burneyfan	3
Le monte-charge	Paris Pick-Up	1962	filmbantha	7
El silencio de otros	The Silence of Others	2018	blocho	4
Sodrásban	Current	1964	pitchorneirda	3
Competencia oficial	Official Competition	2021	AB537	2
Adieu Bohème		2017	Fergenaprido	3
Les statues meurent aussi	Statues also Die	1953	sortile9io	2
La femme publique	The Public Woman	1984	IcarusFolon	3
Yunhui-ege	Moonlit Winter	2019	whizwilly	4
Axinla ashagi	Down the River	2014	sol	4
Film ohne Titel	Film Without a Name	1948	St. Gloede	4
Iluzija	Mirage	2004	Tngy	3
Broken		2012	toromash	5
Rajio no jikan	Welcome Back, Mr. McDonald	1997	filmbantha	4
La vie devant soi	Madame Rosa	1977	DudeLanez	4
Mok-gyeok-ja	The Witness	2018	sol	2
Ningyo densetsu	Mermaid Legend	1984	filmbantha	3
Die Umschulung		1994	St. Gloede	5
Femina ridens	The Laughing Woman	1969	flavo5000	4
A tanú	The Witness	1969	Gordon_Gekko	3
Hej-rup!	Workers, Let's Go	1934	Minkin	6
White Dog		1982	shugs	3
Davitelj protiv davitelja	Strangler vs. Strangler	1984	Mario Gaborović	3
Tænk på et tal	Think of a Number	1969	sol	3
MURDER and murder		1996	St. Gloede	5
La vérité sur Bébé Donge	The Truth of Our Marriage	1952	RogerTheMovieManiac88	3
Tenten	Adrift in Tokyo	2007	monclivie	1
Omicron		1963	filmbantha	1
Étoile	Ballet	1989	flavo5000	4
Kuuma kissa?	Hot Cat?	1968	Mario Gaborović	3
Un lac	A Lake	2008	beavis	1
Mali vojnici	Playing Soldiers	1967	St. Gloede	3
Our Mother's House		1967	sol	2
Terumae romae	Thermae Romae	2012	filmbantha	2
The Fool Killer	Violent Journey	1965	flavo5000	2
O.K.		1970	St. Gloede	2
Tainstvennaya stena	The Mysterious Wall	1967	sol	2
Kaiser: The Greatest Footballer Never to Play Football		2018	Mario Gaborović	3
Code Blue		2011	beavis	4
Princess		2014	zzzorf	2
The Ballad of Little Jo		1993	sol	1
O lipotaktis	The Deserter	1970	flavo5000	3
Alléluia		2014	filmbantha	1
Sódóma Reykjavík	Remote Control	1992	sol	2
Crazy Love	Love Is a Dog from Hell	1987	Tngy	1
Der Strass		1991	St. Gloede	1
Pin		1988	Mario Gaborović	0
Golos travy	The Voice of the Herbs	1992	Fergenaprido	1
Three Minutes: A Lengthening		2021	sol	1
Salinnabileul ggotneun yeoja	Woman Chasing the Butterfly of Death	1978	flavo5000	0

EXTRA BONUS GAME
No I'm not going to just make you watch my nominations again this year like I did last, though it will of course still be gratefully appreciated. No instead I'm going to help benefit those doing the other challenges this month as well. There will be 3 sections to the Extra Bonus (#Oceania, #Western & #Triple), with the following movies being eligible, all you need to do is mark your watch with the correct hashtag for it to count. (Note: Please let me know if I missed any as I was using Letterboxd to find the eligible movies and its data is not necessarily fully complete)

#OCEANIA (24 eligible movies)

Australia
Long Weekend (1978)
My Brilliant Career (1979)
The Second Jouney (To Uluru) (1981)
Roadgames (1981)
Starstruck (1982)
Dogs in Space (1986)
High Tide (1987)
Celia (1989)
A Woman's Tale (1991)
Dance Me To My Song (1998)
Lantana (2001)
Harvie Krumpet (2003)
Wolf Creek (2005)
Terror Nullius (2018)
Babyteeth (2019)
The Invisible Man (2020)

New Zealand
Braindead (1992)
Desperate Remedies (1992)
In My Father's Den (2004)
White Lies (2013)
What We Do in the Shadows (2014)
Vai (2019)
Jojo Rabbit (2019)

Papua New Guinea
Aliko and Ambai (2018) [https://filmfreeway.com/AlikoandAmbai]

#WESTERN (37 eligible movies)

The Great Train Robbery (1903)
3 Bad Men (1926)
The Big Trail (1930)
Destry Rides Again (1939)
Angel and the Badman (1947)
3 Godfathers (1948)
Hellfire (1949)
The Gunfighter (1950)
Branded (1950)
The Capture (1950)
Bend of the River (1952)
The Big Sky (1952)
The Raid (1954)
Man Without a Star (1955)
7 Men from Now (1956)
The Last Wagon (1956)
3:10 to Yuma (1957)
Joe Dakota (1957)
The Big Country (1958)
Day of the Outlaw (1959)
Sergeant Rutledge (1960)
One-Eyed Jacks (1961)
My Son, The Hero (1961)
Hud (1963)
A Fistful of Dollars (1964)
Lemonade Joe (1964)
The Shooting (1966)
Cemetery Without Crosses (1969)
Rio Lobo (1970)
Little Big Man (1970)
Duck, You Sucker (1971)
My Name is Nobody (1973)
The Grey Fox (1982)
The Ballad of Little Jo (1993)
The Quick and the Dead (1995)
Rango (2011)
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)

#TRIPLE (2 eligible movies)

The Tracker (2002) [Australian Western]
The Proposition (2005) [Australian Western]

RULES
- Each feature film (over 40 minutes) counts as one entry.
- 80 minutes of short films or miniseries/TV episodes counts as one entry.
- Films must be watched one at a time and at single speed (not sped up).
- Rewatches are allowed and are good for the soul.
- Please include year of release when listing your viewings.

LINKS
Doubling the Canon 2023 Nominations (ICM)
Doubling the Canon 2023 Nominations (IMDb)
Doubling the Canon 2023 Nominations (Letterboxd)
Doubling the Canon 2023 Nominations (Criticker)
Doubling the Canon 2023 Thread
DtC 2023 ballot (TBA)


Leaderboard

Rank.	User Name	Score	#Bonus	#Oceania	#Western	#Triple
1st	sol	70	32	6	6	0
2nd	kongs_speech	58	1	0	0	0
3rd	beavis	54	10	2	5	0
4th	St. Gloede	50	27	0	0	0
5th	flavo5000	49	20	0	1	0
6th	lineuphere	48	1	0	0	0
7th	filmbantha	43	30	0	0	0
8th	Mario Gaborović	42	17	0	0	1
=9th	jdidaco	40	1	0	0	0
=9th	RogerTheMovieManiac88	40	2	0	0	0
=11th	insomnius	33	1	0	0	0
=11th	klaus78	33	0	0	0	0
13th	Tngy	30	3	3	5	0
14th	DudeLanez	28	3	0	0	0
15th	zzzorf	21	6	4	1	0
16th	pitchorneirda	17	0	0	0	0
17th	gunnar	15	2	4	5	2
18th	Fergenaprido	13	1	2	2	0
19th	Carmel1379	11	2	0	1	0
=20th	burneyfan	9	0	1	0	0
=20th	blocho	9	0	1	1	0
=20th	AB537	9	0	1	1	0
=20th	frbrown	9	0	0	0	0
=24th	toromash	8	0	0	0	0
=24th	cinephage	8	1	0	0	0
=24th	sortile9io	8	0	0	0	0
27th	peeptoad	7	3	0	0	0
28th	Gordon_Gekko	6	0	0	0	0
=29th	shugs	5	6	0	0	0
=29th	monclivie	5	0	0	0	0
=31st	Maddieanne	3	0	3	0	0
=31st	Minkin	3	0	0	2	0
=33rd	VincentPrice	2	0	0	0	0
=33rd	72aicm	2	2	0	0	0
=33rd	Silga	2	0	0	2	0
=36th	ororama	1	0	0	0	0
=36th	matthewscott8	1	0	0	0	0

[zzzorf]

I will kick off the bonus game with the movie/country I wished I had went with in the World Cup, Barber's Tales (2013) from The Philippines. This movie sits atop what I guess you would call Letterboxd's version of the 500<400 list. These are the highest ranked movies that do not yet meet the 5,000 ratings needed to be eligible for the Top 250 list, therefore their list of top obscurities.

[gunnar]

There are a few movies that I considered for my recommendation, including Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984) and Fury (1936), but I decided to look for one that had fewer checks on ICM, so I'm going with The Organizer (1963) from Italy. It has 3000 ratings on IMDb and 486 checks on ICM.

[sol]

Bonus Game recommendation:

Under the Tree (2017) icm: https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/undir+trenu/

Situation spiraling out-of-control black comedy from Iceland. Very much aligned to general taste on the forum!

[peeptoad]

Bonus game rec: Cockroach (2020)
Ai Weiwei's look at the Hong Kong protests that occurred in 2019.

“Cockroach” is a poignant and dramatic visual record of the final moments of an independent, democratic Hong Kong. On June 30, 2020, China imposed the National Security Law in Hong Kong, effectively ending Hong Kong’s judicial and political independence and placing the city firmly under Beijing’s control.

[beavis]

My choice for the bonus game:
https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/dol ... aya+zhizn/

Because i think it has the most chance of getting new likes on this forum

[St. Gloede]

My first pick for the bonus challenge is the film I believe has the greatest shot at becoming a forum favourite, Der Hauptmann von Köpenick / The Captain from Köpenick (1931, Richard Oswald).

IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0021943/
iCheckMovies: https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/der ... nick-1931/

I wrote about it a few years ago comparing it to the far more popular 1956 version a few years ago:

Der Hauptmann von Köpenick - Oswald vs Kautner, 31 vs 56

One a German classic, the other a German obscurity, the two films follow an almost identical plot structure, clocks in at almost exactly the same time stamp (barely 5-6 min difference) but could hardly be more different. I saw them almost back to back. One became a top favorite, another fell a bit short.

(Note: Both films are based on the same 1931 play, which in turn is based on the true event of 1906)



Richard Oswald's film is soaked in misery, and the main difference between the two films is the slight element of hope. Our 1931 protagonist is a broken corpse, he reeks of desperation and looks like he could collapse at any moment. The performance is simply incredible, each disappointment breaks him further, and as the culminating event, the inspired coup, takes place, you can see the burning glimmer of revenge against society.

The 1956 protagonist on the other hand is round cheeked and reasonably healthy, much younger and with life in his eyes. Society's oppression takes its toll, but he does not seem to lose hope he will bounce back. This makes the classic farm less turbulent and dark, it is simply nicer, with a more comedic lead. Without spoiling anything, the film even has a slightly different ending, where our lead gets a very emotionally positive send off.

Taking it back to the first adaptation every positive occurance, anything going after the plan, is still tragic, still not what is should be - which makes it a near masterpiece in my opinion. The societal criticism, and the repetition of misery is simply incredibly strong.

Repetition is also a missing plot element in the latter, but famous adaptation. 1931 shows a Germany obsessed with its military culture. The military is good, strength is great, military is strong, military is societal order, the good, it is their god. You can see this extrememity as part of the crushing order bringing our lead to his knees. The lust and love for discipline is always present, and it is therefore all so rewarding to see our lead use this compulsion for discipline against the society that crushed him.

In 1956 the military is toned down, though still present. It is incredibly telling when we remember that the first adaptation was made about 10 years before WW2, while the second was made about 10 years after - and there was likely a fear of taking this too far. This is disappointing as Kautner could certainly pull a punch. Even the main focus, our lead taking control of an entire town, plays differently, with Oswald's film dragging it out, showing the bizarre nature and creating a tragic sense of slow wish fulfillment - while Kautner rather rushes through it.

The 1931 film runs as direct societal critique with a social conscience, the 1956 film runs as a fairytale, with glowing colour. Dark melancholy is replaced with soft tones and a humorous smile. Doing so, it misses almost everything Oswald did so brilliantly. Kautner's version is certainly good, but it is Oswald's film which in my opinion should be the major classic.

[filmbantha]

Really looking forward to this challenge. Thanks for hosting zzzorf, I've already been watching dtc nominations these past few days and it has been pretty fruitful so far.

For the bonus challenge I would like to pick an onderhond nomination which I would have nominated if he hadn't beat me to it! There's a good quality version of it available on YouTube with English subs and it should appeal to fans of Mad God and S He. It's a brilliant sci-fi stop motion animation driven by the incredible talent of one man and I'm excited to see what others think of it https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/junk+head/

[Onderhond]

Bonus game recommendation:

Himeanole by Keisuke Yoshida - https://imdb.com/title/tt4949100

[flavo5000]

For my bonus challenge nom, I'm gonna go with The World Beyond (1978), a short TV movie with an excellent sense of atmosphere and tension with a great sound design.
https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/the+world+beyond/

[lineuphere]

I'll nominate Hiroshima from 1953. The film never gained a wide release because of a perceived "anti-American" stance and subsequently fell into obscurity.

It could use some more checks:
https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/hiroshima-1953-1/

[zzzorf]

It has begun!

1. L'Apollonide (Souvenirs de la maison close) (2011) - 6/10 (3/6)


An interesting period piece look back at a turn of the 20th century Paris brothel. It had some interesting parts but it tried to fit so much into its runtime. Some plot points could have done with some further time to explore. In fact this would have been great as a TV series instead of a movie.

[cinephage]

Well, for the bonus, I will recommend Ostatni etap (1948) a polish film, directed by Wanda Jakubowska. It describes life in a concentration camp (on the women's side), and I feel it's really interesting to see how much the subject was known even 3 years after the war... Furthermore, the direction is pretty solid, and the actresses are fantastic. That was certainly one of my favorite discoveries this year, and I hope other forum members will be curious about it.
I've already seen Himeanole, and I enjoyed the way it misex very different kinds of narration.
As for Junk head, I've seen it 2 times, and this one will definitely receive my vote. I love that film.

[72aicm]

Bonus game rec:

Dance Me To My Song
https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/dan ... o+my+song/

An Australian movie for those who like to double dip, holdover from last year so really needs some more watches. Pm me if you need help to find it and I can guide you on right tracks.

[Cinepolis]

Bonus game recommendation:

Himeanole by Keisuke Yoshida - https://imdb.com/title/tt4949100

Ha, I sure hope everyone who ends up watching this goes in blind.

[shugs]

I'm recommending Two for the Seesaw for the bonus challenge.

[zzzorf]

Well, for the bonus, I will recommend Ostatni etap (1948) a polish film, directed by Wanda Jakubowska. It describes life in a concentration camp (on the women's side), and I feel it's really interesting to see how much the subject was known even 3 years after the war... Furthermore, the direction is pretty solid, and the actresses are fantastic. That was certainly one of my favorite discoveries this year, and I hope other forum members will be curious about it.
I've already seen Himeanole, and I enjoyed the way it misex very different kinds of narration.
As for Junk head, I've seen it 2 times, and this one will definitely receive my vote. I love that film.

That was the movie you nominated that was on my ballot, that is why I chose it for an opening picture of the thread.

[Onderhond]

Ha, I sure hope everyone who ends up watching this goes in blind.

Indeed! Luckily, there isn't that much info available about the film, so spoiler chances are rather slim

[sol]

1. The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill (2003)



Partly a documentary about a flock of wild parrots that have managed to live and survive in urbanised San Francisco, but also partly a documentary about a local citizen who has dedicated his life to caring for them. This is an oddly philosophical experience, sometimes focused on the caregiver's ambivalence towards his purpose in life with water drop analogies of how all life on Earth is connected. There is also something quite interesting in how he is essentially a squatter - much like the birds themselves. I found this engaging while it lasts with fascinating conspiracy regarding how the parrots ended up in the wild.

[St. Gloede]

My reviews of my two Yvonne Rainer nominees to piquee your interest:

Privilege (1990)



Smearing lipstick on her face Yvonne Rainer declares her retirement and accuses women of their inability to take power in society. She promptly recasts herself as Yvonne Washington, a black woman. This is a film about menopause.

It is also, believe it or not, once again, Rainer’s most straightforward film up until this point, even as it blossoms into all directions concerning its central theme of privilege.

Irreverent, and frequently hilarious, Privilege (the film) follows Yvonne Washington’s attempts to get women to speak about their experiences through menopause, but Jenny, an old dancer friend of hers, refuses to stick to the topic, finding all ways to deflect from it and takes her into an extended flashback/retelling of her youth, as she marvels in her own beauty and memory.

There are so many creative, fun, and Brechtian touches here, both inside and outside of Jenny’s story, which is told with so much spunk and delight. The most overt is that our middle-aged Jenny is playing herself in what she calls “flashbacks”, enjoying the whistling men and not finding the reason to remember what she looked like, or even the names of people key to her story. Equally intriguing, and balancing, we have Yvonne Washington’s staged interviews juxtaposed with real interviews conducted by Yvonne Rainer, including one that is of Jenny herself, or more likely, the actress portraying her, Alice Spivak. The blurrier low-quality “real” footage, intermixes with the brushed-up and more cinematic adaptation adding a great deal of authenticity to the discourse.

In snarky re-usage, all-male doctors from old black-and-white informational videos also tell us all about menopause, how women start to become deficient, how they can find new purpose and other frequently condescending or old-fashioned ways of seeing the process from the outside. Do you become less of a woman? Is your purpose done? Are you, as one writer is quoted as putting down on the page, “on the other side of privilege”?

The film opens up further, as characters within Jenny’s story start to directly address the screen, of course, reading essays and quotes, this time directly attributed by cutting to Rainer’s computer, where the author and year will be listed.

Yes, text, this time through new technology also plays a part in the intricate fabric of this film, but what’s more it also starts digging into the privileges of women, especially white women, and re-examining itself in the context of race and class. We touch on housing, rape (including as a political tool), what women will put up with to please men and so many different topics as Jenny’s stories sprawl in different directions and Yvonne Washington stops her to ask questions and examine why she acted, thought or behaved a certain way.

A riot from start to finish, Privilege is possibly Rainer’s most entertaining film. Fuelled with comedy and just bold creative choices it thunders like a firecracker, and balances comedy, commentary, and introspection perfectly. It is simply a multi-flavoured delight, and easily Rainer’s most fast-paced. It may even be the best film to use to get into her work as a filmmaker, as it contains so much of her personality and style leading up to this point, but just with an added level of universality, accessibility, and energy.


MURDER and murder (1996)



Frolicking on a beach, a middle-aged woman and a teenage girl spots a camera crew and run toward them. The woman declares she was born in 1889, the young girl in 1943. They fight for the camera’s attention, with the teenager declaring that at least she is still “around”, and dating the other’s daughter – Doris. That one of them is still alive reveals that they are not ghosts, but perhaps still some form of apparition, and they will follow us throughout our story. They are watchers, and commentators, following the well-being of the somewhat strained romantic relationship between Doris and the now middle-aged Mildred.

At the core of MURDER and murder, and for all of Rainer’s now showy and explosive style – even stepping into the frames herself spoking a cigar with the left side of her chest exposed – or arranging a large-scale boxing match between the couple with classic Hollywood spectators as our couple battle through their problems – this is a very simple and charming love story and a delightfully human comedy. It is Rainer’s most straightforward narrative, following the couple’s problems and the developments of their relationship without really jumping in all directions. Quotations are still used, but it is rarer, and now characters will generally open a book and read a passage, rather than repeat essays as monologues.

The film is spiced up from all directions, with wacky retellings of dreams, breaks with the 4th wall, mainly by Rainer herself, and much of the bold comedic touches we have seen bubbling throughout her career, but really came to the forefront in Privilege. Political and social issues are still very much at the forefront, as the film explores reactions to their same-sex relationship, and the status of lesbians throughout history, not to mention issues of women’s health that mirror Rainer’s own life. These moments can feel very real, but Rainer’s approach to utter irreverence reframes them in bold, wacky comedy, including full-on slapstick.

Throughout this Doris’ deceased mother, and young Mildred, or Millie as she goes by, watch on as the relationship struggles. Their reactions often contrast our leads, who are from different worlds and with different temperaments. Doris is an art teacher, in her first same-sex relationship, and with a daughter and son-in-law still uncomfortable when it comes to dealing with it. Mildred meanwhile is an academic and activist specifically engaged in issues of Lesbianism, which leads to clear miscommunications and uncertainties in how to engage with each other.



An early, heartbreaking scene shows Doris performing a comedy sketch she has worked hard on in front of Mildred, and our apparitions, which neither sees. The vivid applause by our visitors from the past is countered with the more stoic expression by present-time Mildred. When Doris asks what she thinks, she looks confused and starts to break down the themes of what it is about and what Doris might be expressing/commenting on in an abstract way, as we see the brightness go out of Doris’ face.

We also get many more intimate scenes and scenes of mundanity, and their relationship and tribulations are fleshed out, and this is again why it feels like Rainer’s most narrative and indeed most human work. The artistic flourishes and comedy give it life, and the real-world thematics give food for contemplation, but most of its power simply comes from seeing two people, and their love, who just feel real and raw. It does perhaps run the issue of bi-erasure, and talk about “becoming a Lesbian” may indeed seem antiquated and wrong-headed today, though its exploration of Lesbian identity, and just love, in general, strike through all of it. This is a vivid, playful, hilarious, charming, and touching masterpiece that simply has to be experienced, and truly deserves status as one of the greatest films of all time.

I do not say this lightly. Everything in Rainer’s career, from her more abstract beginnings to her increasingly loud humour, wild experimentation, and bold touches all lead to this point and culminated with something powerfully simple. The way the film moves and breathes, the meta touches, the use of text, and Rainer herself in a remarkably brave and personal turn I do not wish to spoil, deliver a kind of cinema and expression that is just not seen or experienced elsewhere.

[zzzorf]

I just want to point out that I have downloaded all bonus challenge movies with the plan of watching them as I always do in this challenge but unfortunately the majority of my movie watching at the moment is restricted to streaming since I have to use other things than the TV or Computer I can watch the downloaded stuff on and when I can use those devices I need to prioritise the World Cup movies. If anyone has a streaming link (of course with English subtitles if foreign language) to their chosen movie it would be appreciated so I can prioritise them this month it would be greatly appreciated. If I don't get to your movie note that I have got it and will watch it eventually it just won't benefit you for this purpose unfortunately.

[sol]

Streaming link as requested for my Bonus Challenge film, Under the Tree (2017): https://tubitv.com/movies/591188 (set your VPN to USA)

[sol]

Spoiler

1. The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill (2003)

2. German Concentration Camps Factual Survey (2014)



The liberation of concentration camps by Allied forces is the subject of this documentary filmed during 1945 but shelved and left incomplete until recently. The film opens on an interesting note, showing and discussing the footage's restoration and editing, and with such pristine prints it is hard to look away from what we see. Especially interesting is a running theme of German arrogance with the narrator comparing how well-fed and well-groomed the Nazis are compared to their prisoners, and showing them smiling while being forced by the Allied to the burying corpses that that they had left out to rot.

And for anybody wondering, I have two more documentaries lined up to watch, a leftover Official Check that I didn't get to during the Crime Challenge last month, and a recent comedy that has been on my watchlist for a while. Once I power through those, I will get onto the Bonus Challenge films. Really excited to see so much participation in the Bonus Challenge already this year!

[zzzorf]

Streaming link as requested for my Bonus Challenge film, Under the Tree (2017): https://tubitv.com/movies/591188 (set your VPN to USA)

Yeah, one day I may look into a VPN, lol.

[sol]

Spoiler

1. The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill (2003)
2. German Concentration Camps Factual Survey (2014)

3. The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond (1960)



This begins well with Legs committing a brazen robbery on a date. He makes a phone call during a show, commits the robbery during that time, and has his date vouch for his whereabouts, forgetting that he ducked out momentarily. There are also a few things deliciously ambiguous at first, including whether he really does have a sick brother and whether he genuinely likes his date, etc. As the film moves along though and Legs becomes a more hardened figure after a stint in jail, the whole becomes fairly routine as far as gangster films go. There is also a ridiculously long stretch of him watching newsreel footage.

[cinephage]

Well, for the bonus, I will recommend Ostatni etap (1948) a polish film, directed by Wanda Jakubowska. It describes life in a concentration camp (on the women's side), and I feel it's really interesting to see how much the subject was known even 3 years after the war... Furthermore, the direction is pretty solid, and the actresses are fantastic. That was certainly one of my favorite discoveries this year, and I hope other forum members will be curious about it.(...)

That was the movie you nominated that was on my ballot, that is why I chose it for an opening picture of the thread.

I'm sure teamwork will get that film on the list, right where it belongs.
In any case, a few comrades will watch it, and hopefully appreciate its qualities.

[burneyfan]

I'm in -- I often watch DtC movies, so I'll just post whatever I see this month in this challenge.

Edit: turns out I recommended a film that was already on the list, and not nominated this year. Sooooo I'll change my recommendation to a Satyajit Ray film I really love that deserves to be on a list, Jana Aranya (1975): https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/jana+aranya/

[St. Gloede]

That's a favourite of mine as well, Burney!

[St. Gloede]

1. Dolgaya schastlivaya zhizn / Long Happy Life (1966, Gennady Shpalikov) #BONUS

I watched this entire film not realizing I had just seen it 3 years ago, the benefit of this accidental rewatch is that it went up for 4/10 to 5.5/10, so will help you a little with the magins, Beavis. I really enjoyed the more lyrical opening, though the film feels clunky, and with its 73 minute runtime, mainly composed of a bus ride opening and people simply watching a play, with an epilogue of shorts, make it feel a little slight. The sense of melancholy is something I felt far better this time around, and what salvaged it, but I still found myself drifting out of the film, despite the short runtime.

[filmbantha]

Today was a bank holiday in the UK and I decided to use that time to my advantage for the start of the DtC Challenge. I've watched five films today, all of which are from the bonus game which means I will already get to nominate a second film for the bonus game! First of all though, here are my thoughts on the films I've enjoyed so far:

1. Under The Tree (2017) #Bonus
Sol was right when he said I would enjoy the black comedy on offer in this twisted Icelandic film that depicts a feud between neighbours which spirals out of control. It's very close to the bone in parts and the deadpan humour works wonders as the situation becomes increasingly intense. 7/10

2. The Organizer (1963) #Bonus
This neo-realistic take on a group of factory workers who protest their poor working conditions is bolstered by a surprising amount of humour and some great performances. The lighter tone worked well here and I definitely need to seek out more films by Monicelli 7/10

3. The Last Stage (1948) #Bonus
The circumstances in which this film was made, so soon after World War Two, and with many cast members who lived through the events depicted, makes it surprising that it is not more well known or revered. The horrific events it depicts are genuinely upsetting, however, I struggled to become invested in the character's plights, perhaps because the film flits between them frequently and people come and go throughout. I found it hard not to compare it to Kapo, which I saw just last year, and that was a film which touched me in a far more profound manner - perhaps because it was a more focused effort. This is one of those films that I appreciated more than I enjoyed but I'm still glad to have watched it 6/10

4. Himeanole (2016) #Bonus
I always try and enter into films knowing as little as possible and I had no idea what I was in for when I sat down to watch this wild ride. Let's just say it was a lot of fun and I wouldn't want to spoil it for anyone. I'm looking forward to reading other people's thoughts when they get round to watching it. 7/10

5. The Captain from Kopenick (1931) #Bonus
What an incredible story! This was a great discovery and I was even more amazed to learn that it was based upon a true story when reading about it afterwards. I would be happy to see almost all of the films I've watched today make the DtC list but I think this is probably the one that stands out the most from today's viewings. 7/10

I hope the challenge continues to deliver the goods as today has been consistently good viewing. Thanks to everyone who nominated the above films or selected them for the #Bonus game, I'll continue to work through the #Bonus game and I'm looking forward to unearthing some more gems along the way.

For those who would like to watch my first nomination for the #Bonus game, here is the youtube link for Junk Head with English subtitles:


My second nomination for the #Bonus game is the superb French thriller; Paris Pick-Up or Le Monte-charge. It only has 17 checks on icm and it definitely deserves more attention: https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/le+monte-charge/

[blocho]

My recommendation for the bonus game:

The Silence of Others
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8099236/

[klaus78]

1. Histoire immortelle (1968) 3/6
2. Spider-Man (2002) 1/6
3. Retfærdighedens ryttere (2020) 0/6

[pitchorneirda]

My recommendation for the bonus game:

Sodrásban (1964, István Gaál)

[pitchorneirda]

1. Yoru no henrin (1964, Noboru Nakamura) 3/6

[Tngy]

1. Locke (2013) 7/10
2. Beautiful Boy (2018) 8/10
3. Une Corde, un Colt... Cemetery Without Crosses (1969) 5/10 #Western

[DudeLanez]

1. Tower (2016, Keith Maitland) 5/6
2. Under the Tree (2017, Hafsteinn G. Sigurðsson) 4/6 #Bonus

[AB537]

1. Day of the Outlaw (Andre de Toth, 1959) 7/10 #Western

For my nomination, I'll go with my least checked nomination: Competencia oficial - Official Competition (Cohn/Duprat, 2021): https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/com ... a+oficial/. It's a recent Spanish comedy about making a film, including Penelope Cruz as an eccentric director, and Antonio Banderas and Oscar Martinez playing prominent actors recruited as the stars. One of the highlights for me from TIFF 2021.

[Fergenaprido]

Here's my first bonus game nom: Adieu Bohème https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/adieu+boheme/

Mubi was showing a bunch of shorts commissioned by the National Opera last year, so I decided to watch the ones they had. They were mostly okay, but this one, which I saved until almost the end because it was the longest one and I wasn't sure if I would get to them all, absolutely blew me away. It's 26 minutes, so you'll have to watch other shorts to get the full points for the main challenge, but I'm assuming it counts as a full film for the bonus challenge.

All I'll say about the plot of this one is what I wrote in the nomination thread: "French short about a business operating underneath the opera to help people achieve closure after the death of a loved one, through reenactments"

You can watch it on the Paris National Opera's YT channel:


They used to have them available on the Opera's website too, but I'm sure more of them are elsewhere on the YT channel (including films from Panahi, Weerasethakul, and Loznitsa).

Nominating a short for DTC and the bonus challenge might tank it's chances at making the list, but I loved it so much and I don't think it's a film that people would stumble upon on their own, so i don't mind. Plus, it might find its way onto the <400 list eventually. I just wish for more people to see it.

[lineuphere]

1. Moteris ir keturi jos vyrai | Woman and Her Four Men (1983) [RogerTheMovieManiac88]
2. L'ange | The Angel (1982) [pitchorneirda]
3. Danton (1983) [DudeLanez]

[St. Gloede]

5. The Captain from Kopenick (1931) #Bonus
What an incredible story! This was a great discovery and I was even more amazed to learn that it was based upon a true story when reading about it afterwards. I would be happy to see almost all of the films I've watched today make the DtC list but I think this is probably the one that stands out the most from today's viewings. 7/10

So happy to hear you thought my bonus nominee was the standout, Tom, the right choice then it seems. Let's see if others agree, and interesting added bonus nominee, will be sure to check it out.