Last Month I participated in the A to Z Challenge. My theme was A Month at the Movies.
The Films I examined were ...
Empire Strikes Back, The -1980
When A Man Loves A Woman -1994
You Can't Take It With You -1938
A Closer Look
- 5 of the movies are from before 1964 (before I was born)
- 13 of the films were made between 1964 and 1997 (before marriage)
- 8 of the films were made since 1998 (since I've been married)
Each post contained my thoughts on the film, a positive and a negative Rotten Tomatoes review, a comment referencing what the film had to say about resilience, which was the theme of the A to Z challenge this year, a comment regarding whether this film might be in my top 100 films of all time (a list I'm in the process of revising), and any connections the film might have with other films in the challenge.
Previous Years Challenges
2012: No Theme
2015: Nouns
2015 White Sox Home Run Hitters (Crazy Uncle Dave's Sports Blog)
2016 Y is for You Tube - Dave Out Loud
2016 Cubs Home Run Hitters - Crazy Uncle Dave's Sports Blog
2016 A to Z Superheroes (Sadly I no longer have access to these posts)
2019 Songs of the Sherman Brothers Random Acts of Roller
2020 State and World Capitals Random Acts of Roller
2021 Living in 1921
2022 Wordles, Limericks, and Home Runs (Oh my)
Reflections on 2023
At times I wondered when quoting negative and positive reviews of each film whether people might be confused about how I felt about the film. Other times I felt a little bit of guilt in posting a negative review of a film I adored. However, my intention was to show the reader the spectrum of opinions that a movie no matter how well done can engender. In the end, I was gratified that I could find well-reasoned arguments on both sides regarding the quality or lack thereof for each of my selections.
For the most part, this was another good year at the challenge. I did not interact with as many other blogs as I would have liked to. I don't think I looked at any blogs other than my own for the last week of the challenge. Each year I tell my wife that I should have all the posts written before the challenge starts. I never get anywhere near that goal. This year I had a few fully prepared in advance, but I had set up each post in advance and had added good chunks of information ahead of time. For example, I had the graphics copied to the individual posts about 2 weeks ahead of time and the Rotten Tomato reviews were linked usually the Sunday before the week they appeared. I also in retrospect was wise because I finished Z and Y completely before the challenge, so when Friday hit and challenge fatigue was at its highest, I was essentially finished with the challenge.
FAQ
Did each film represent your favorite film with that letter?
No, some films were, and many films were not. Adventures of Robin Hood is one of several A movies that are in my top 100, whereas Arsenic and Old Lace will probably not make my top 100. Arsenic and Old Lace was the one I chose to feature.
Did you have certain criteria for choosing each film?
I wanted each movie to have had a theatrical release, and I wanted it to be a movie I had previously seen and enjoyed, Other than that I did not have specific criteria.
Did you rewatch each movie in anticipation of the challenge?
No, but I did rewatch some prior to writing my post and watched others on or near the day the post dropped. I watched You Can't Take It With You this afternoon with my wife as a post-challenge treat.
Closing Remarks
I think that there should be a week or so between the end of the challenge and the beginning of the reflection period. Reflection shouldn't be rushed and rest and reflection walk happily together. Of course, I want my reflection to be near the top so more people can read it, so I eschewed the rest and am finishing my reflection on the challenge before the challenge has officially finished.
In that vein, I would not start the A to Z Road Trip until Memorial Day. On the positive side, I think it's grand that there will be at least one post a month on the challenge blog for the rest of the year. I did one of those posts in February 2022 and would be honored to step in again if asked.
Next Year: I plan on an A to Z look at characters from The Chronicles of Narnia. Each year since 1983, I have been reading all the books at least once and this year when I do I'll begin making a list of which characters will appear here in 2024.
