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After watching this with the audio commentary (and on the very sharp new 4K disc), my opinion of this movie (or at least of some of the performers) may go up a little bit.

I’ve seen a good amount of Denzel movies but never in a role like this. Talk about gawd mode. I’m ready for more. 

Loved the homages to Home Alone AND The Driller Killer.

Thanks to Andy for the recommendation.

Why did this have to be episode 007? Coming soon to Bottled ‘n’ Bond.

The most non-Wes Anderson Wes Anderson movie of all time. There are more layers here than you think. Being accepted for who you are, nerding out damn the consequences, and just having a sense of decency and goodness toward others. This is, in my lowly opinion, a stone cold classic.

It’s been a bit since I’ve watched this one but this time around it left even more of an impression. First time I saw this I’d never seen an Ozu movie but now I can definitely see the influences. It’s a slow burner but the acting, the directing and the beautiful architecture make for a wonderful viewing experience. Plus, it never hurts when my beloved home state is an integral part of the movie.

I’m never quite sure whether I should give a rating after a first viewing of a new Wes movie but I can only see it going up. Benecio is stupdendous and it is a visual delight. Love seeing all the usual suspects. Especially you, Bill.

Family viewing. My daughter is not happy.

Another excellent audio commentary.

Criterion Challenge

European Film

Like every other Tarkovsky I’ve seen, I spent most of this movie trying to figure out what the hell was going on. Maybe this is more rewarding with rewatches (again, probably like other Tarkovsky films) but the religious/spiritual aspects, and the overall story (whatever that really was), did pretty much nothing for me. I will say from a technical perspective this movie is absolutely stupendous.

Thus ends my 2025 Criterion Challenge. What a ride it was. I feel quite the sense of accomplishment for wrapping it up so quickly for the first time.

Criterion Challenge

South American film

Just a bit too abstract, plodding or disturbing most of the time. I thought it looked pretty good for its age but the story itself didn’t hit for me.

Nice, very brief film about filming On Her Majesty’s Secret Service in Switzerland.

Was casting George Lazenby a huge mistake? Episode 006 coming soon to Bottled ‘n’ Bond.

Criterion Challenge

A film by a director whose work you have not seen before

My first Renoir. Honestly I wasn’t enjoying it too much for the first half hour or so but I was all in by the end. Definitely some funny moments and seems like it inspired quite a bit that came after it. Also seemed ahead of its time with its satirical aspects.

This is maybe the second time I’ve seen this movie. Such a relic of the 80s. Felt way longer than 90 minutes at times. Still, I chuckled a few times. Bill Paxton doing his best unhinged Bill Paxton character.

Criterion Challenge

Female Filmmakers

A beautifully shot and acted slice of life. I just wish the slice of life we get to see wasn’t quite so depressing. Everyone is trying to make the best of a terrible situation but it’s hard not to feel sad throughout most of the runtime.

VHS Village Borney
1981

Twelve movies I haven’t seen that came out the year I was born.

I don’t think music documentaries get more essential than this one. Even if you don’t like this kind of music it’s fascinating seeing its origins.

Wonderful 90s trash. Could have used a bit more Elizabeth and a little less of that doofus Jeffrey. Thanks to Pat for the recommendation.

Cinematic perfection. Thank you, Tom.

And thank you, Billy Effing Donloe.

Watched with the family and…they have questions. They’ll have to wait for episode 005 of Bottled ‘n’ Bond for answers though.

Criterion Challenge

Dark Comedies

To paraphrase an old joke: Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the documentary?

I think shocking is too tame a word for this one. I don’t know what it says about me that I chuckled a few times during this but there’s also quite a bit that’s very disturbing. Definitely a unique experience.

Criterion Challenge

Rachel Kushner’s Adventures in Moviegoing

It was ultimately very bleak, which wasn’t altogether surprising. I did expect some sort of twist that never arrived. Alain Delon, slow burning his was though this, is still batting a thousand for me.

Pretty sure I’m only going to pick uplifting movies for my 2026 challenge just for the sake of my emotional and mental well-being.

Pretty sure this is the first time I’ve seen this movie, despite it being one of my favorite, if not my very favorite, Grisham books. Tom Cruise showing some MI chops in this one. Jeanne Tripplehorn looking stunning and David Strathairn a total stud. Not to mention Gene Hackman being his typical excellent sleaze-ball. Kudos to Ed Harris for looking like a total dickhead too.

Audio commentary with various cast and crew.

This is why I prefer to not talk about religion. Or Taco Bell. Hugh Grant’s best performance ever?

Criterion Challenge

Ayo Edebiri’s Closet Picks

Beautiful movie with moments a sadness and humor. I was really fascinated to see these rites and rituals and how they differed (and didn’t) from ones I’m more familiar with.

Coming soon: Episode 005 of Bottled ‘n’ Bond.

Family viewing before recording episode 004 of Bottled ‘n’ Bond.

What it lacks in cohesive story it makes up for with vibes and visuals (the 4K Criterion is outstanding). Tony Leung is my king but what’s with all those sardines?

Criterion Challenge

John Turturro’s Adventures in Moviegoing

Brute force is an apt name. Surprisingly dark and gritty for something from the 40s. Burt Lancaster is a total stud in this one. Hume Cronyn is quite menacing despite his stature. Overall a pretty solid prison thriller.

There is a fascinating story about the restoration process for this one at the beginning of the Criterion Channel presentation.

May the fourth be with you, always.

A relic with a title that’s a bit more interesting than the feature

Audio commentary with cast and crew.

Great documentary focused on sixty years of Bond music. I am going to have some difficult choices when ranking the theme songs for Bottled ‘n’ Bond.

Beautiful stuff here. By no means am I diminishing all of the performances in this one, but I need to watch more Colman Domingo.

Impressive from start to finish. Crazy how they found someone who looked exactly like Michael B. Jordan to play Stack.

Affleck is the bomb in this. It’s almost like Will Hunting meets Jason Bourne.

Criterion Challenge

Watch a film that will be added to the physical collection in 2025

My first Godzilla of this era and it was pretty fun. The monsters (not the human ones) looked really good and the 4K is very sharp. Definitely a few moments where o could tell it was an 80s movie.

Ethan balancing in the IMF mainframe feels eerily like me trying to properly balance being the father of a thirteen year old daughter. The slightest misstep makes everything go haywire.

Definitely a challenge to get through but ultimately worth the effort. Plus it gets me one step closer to completing my Kurosawa journey.

Criterion Challenge

Random Number Generator (#985)

Felt like a mix of Come And See (but not as bleak) and Jojo Rabbit (but not as satirical) with a Jewish boy trying to survive any way he can during WW2. I was really surprised with those tonal shifts in this one but it made for a great first time watch. Absolutely wild that this was based on a true story.

Coming soon to Bottled ‘n’ Bond: Episode 004

Sean Astin is in five all-timers for me. This isn’t one of them. 

when Pauly Shote started getting annoying two minutes into any movie he was in? I am old enough to this as it happened.

Some things (like memories of movies you last watched 30+ years ago) are best left in the past. This one is most certainly from the Stone Age (or earlier). Still, as stupid and dated this is, I still chuckled a few times. Could have used more Ke.

Given the nature of the story I was really hoping for a bit more slapstick comedy or a more interesting heist. Unfortunately the movie drags quite a bit with its 2+ hour run time and I didn’t find it terribly funny nor exciting. 

As an aside, if there’s anyone who can stay within the orbit or Audrey Hepburn’s radiance, it just might be Peter O’Toole. What a stud. I just wish the chemistry had been put to better use.

Though it didn’t hit for me, I still want to thank Justin in the VHS Village for the recommendation.

Great audio commentary with a lot more director input than the first two.

Being from Indianapolis there’s definitely an affinity for auto racing in my blood. That being said I’ve never been a big car guy. But I have to say this movie fired on all cylinders for me (pun intended). Not only is the story compelling but the movie looks absolutely gorgeous. Not sure why I missed this Best Picture nominee during Oscar season that year but I’m glad I finally watched this one.

Family viewing. Looking forward to some interesting Bottled ‘n’ Bond conversation.

An absolute masterpiece. I would love to see this performed live.

Criterion Challenge

Great Soundtracks

I had a few drinks before watching this one and was sure, based on what I’d heard, that I wouldn’t make it through in one sitting. I was quite wrong. This is a beautiful and surprisingly engaging movie.

The pursuit of happiness is overrated. Contentment is where it’s at.

I would not be content sitting on a stool taking a shower in public though.

One more thing: the soundtrack is stellar. Velvet Underground, Lou Reed, Patti Smith and Nina Simone (amongst others)? Do you need anything else?

Episode 003 coming soon on Bottled ‘n’ Bond. Excited to convince my wife that I “need” to purchase a companion beverage for this episode.

Criterion Challenge

Watch a film that would be your first choice in the Criterion Closet

I don’t think my first choice in the Criterion closet would truly be a movie I’d never seen before but in the spirit of the challenge I picked this one.

The book this is based on is a masterpiece. Its story could not have been told in a two hour movie. Maybe a six part miniseries? So realizing that, I think the parts excised for the sake of the story made a lot of sense for the most part. Highlighting the relationship between Tom and Susan made for a palatable runtime. It doesn’t hurt that Nolte and Streisand have incredible chemistry.

I do get weary of complaints about adaptations not aligning with the original work, especially in a case like this one where I feel the basic spirit of the book is retained. I’m sure I’ve made complaints myself in the past but I’m trying to appreciate each piece of art in its own medium. So in that vein, this is worth the watch. If you like it, do yourself a huge favor and read the book if you haven’t already.

This is my ranking of all eleven Wes Anderson-directed movies.

1. The Royal Tenenbaums
2. The Grand Budapest Hotel
3. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
4. The French Dispatch
5. Rushmore
6. Asteroid City
7. The Phoenician Scheme
8. Fantastic Mr. Fox
9. Moonrise Kingdom
10. The Darjeeling Limited

...plus 2 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

Is 2025 the year I complete this? (UPDATE: Yes. yes it is). 

Categories and links to reviews added to comments as they are watched.

1. Watch a film from the CC40 Boxset
2. Watch a film from the year you were born
3. Directed By Robert Altman
4. Watch a film that would be your first choice in the Criterion Closet
5. Great Soundtracks
6. John Turturro’s Adventures in Moviegoing
7. 1920s
8. Watch a film that will be added to the physical collection in 2025
9. 1930s
10. Andrew Garfield’s Closet Picks
11. 1940s
12. Celine Song’s Top 10
13. 1950s
14. Watch a film from the Criterion Channel’s all time favorites lists
15. 1960s
16. Watch a film that is currently out of print from the physical collection
17. 1970s
18. William Friedkin’s Closet Picks
19. 1980s
20. Spine #451-499
21. 1990s
22. Documentary
23. 2000s
24. Janus Contemporaries
25. 2010s
26. Bill Hader’s Second Closet Picks
27. 2020s
28. Noir and Neonoir
29. All Time Top Criterion Closet Picks
30. Criterion Releases Never Picked in the Closet
31. North American film
33. Wim Wenders’ Adventures in Moviegoing
34. South American film
35. Random Number Generator
36. AAPI Filmmakers
37. Watch a film shorter than 80 minutes
38. European Film
39. Cult Movies
40. Isabella Rossellini’s Adventures in Moviegoing
41. Winona Ryder’s Closet Picks
42. African Film
43. John Carpenter’s Top 10
44. Horror
45. Asian Film
46. Dark Comedies
47. Rachel Kushner’s Adventures in Moviegoing
48. Australian Film
49. Female Filmmakers
50. Ben Wheatley’s Closet Picks
51. A film by a director whose work you have not seen before
52. Watch any Criterion film from your watchlist

1. Down by Law
2. Lola
3. Secret Honor
4. The Prince of Tides
5. Perfect Days
6. Brute Force
7. Sherlock Jr.
8. Godzilla vs. Biollante
9. A Story of Floating Weeds
10. Hoop Dreams

...plus 42 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• Mission: Impossible
• Mission: Impossible – Fallout
• Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
• Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning
• Mission: Impossible III
• Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
• Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
• Mission: Impossible II

Ranking the James Bond films as we release each episode of Bottled ‘n’ Bond.

1. From Russia with Love
2. Goldfinger
3. Thunderball
4. You Only Live Twice
5. Dr. No

• Braindead
• Elite Squad
• Emma.
• Encino Man
• Ex Machina
• Fiddler on the Roof
• First Man
• Gladiator
• Heaven's Gate
• The Howling

...plus 14 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

List of films included in the Arrow Video Shawscope collections, the first 12 are Volume One and the other 14 are Volume Two.

1. Five Fingers of Death
2. The Boxer from Shantung
3. Five Shaolin Masters
4. Shaolin Temple
5. The Mighty Peking Man
6. Challenge of the Masters
7. Executioners from Shaolin
8. Chinatown Kid
9. The Five Venoms
10. Crippled Avengers

...plus 30 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

All in all, not the worst year for Best Pictures nominees. Even the lowest ranked had its moments.

1. A Complete Unknown
2. The Substance
3. Anora
4. The Brutalist
5. Dune: Part Two
6. Conclave
7. I'm Still Here
8. Nickel Boys
9. Wicked
10. Emilia Pérez

My all-time favorite movies.

• The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
• The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
• The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
• The Goonies
• Who Framed Roger Rabbit
• Back to the Future
• Back to the Future Part II
• Back to the Future Part III
• Stranger Than Fiction
• Clerks

...plus 19 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1981

Twelve movies I haven’t seen that came out the year I was born.

• Heavy Metal
• Ms .45
• Das Boot
• My Bloody Valentine
• Body Heat
• Reds
• The Great Muppet Caper
• Modern Romance
• On Golden Pond
• Polyester

...plus 2 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. Clerks II
2. Clerks
3. Dogma
4. Chasing Amy
5. Mallrats
6. Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
7. Jay and Silent Bob Reboot
8. Clerks III
9. Jersey Girl
10. Zack and Miri Make a Porno

...plus 2 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. Inglourious Basterds
2. Kill Bill: Vol. 1
3. Reservoir Dogs
4. Pulp Fiction
5. The Hateful Eight
6. Kill Bill: Vol. 2
7. Jackie Brown
8. Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood
9. Django Unchained

1. The Holdovers
2. Sideways
3. Election
4. Nebraska

These are all the movies nominated for Best Picture since 2000 that I have not seen.

• Chocolat
• A Beautiful Mind
• In the Bedroom
• Chicago
• The Hours
• The Pianist
• Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
• Finding Neverland
• Ray
• Capote

...plus 2 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. Magnolia
2. Boogie Nights
3. There Will Be Blood
4. Punch-Drunk Love
5. Licorice Pizza
6. The Master
7. Phantom Thread

1. The Big Boss
2. Fist of Fury
3. The Way of the Dragon
4. Enter the Dragon
5. Game of Death

1. The Holdovers
2. American Fiction
3. Oppenheimer
4. Past Lives
5. Anatomy of a Fall
6. Barbie
7. Poor Things
8. Killers of the Flower Moon
9. Maestro
10. The Zone of Interest

Eclipse Series 7

• No Regrets for Our Youth
• One Wonderful Sunday
• Scandal
• The Idiot
• I Live in Fear

• Head
• Easy Rider
• Five Easy Pieces
• Drive, He Said
• The Last Picture Show
• A Safe Place
• The King of Marvin Gardens

• Godzilla
• Godzilla Raids Again
• King Kong vs. Godzilla
• Mothra vs. Godzilla
• Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster
• Invasion of Astro-Monster
• Ebirah, Horror of the Deep
• Son of Godzilla
• Destroy All Monsters
• All Monsters Attack

...plus 5 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

Curated order in the Criterion Boxset

1. Smiles of a Summer Night

   Opening Night

2. Crisis
3. A Ship to India
4. Wild Strawberries
5. To Joy
6. Summer Interlude
7. Summer with Monika
8. Dreams
9. A Lesson in Love
10. Scenes from a Marriage

...plus 29 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.