January 2023 Film Watches

Watched a smorgasbord of cinema including two (new to me) films by Park Chan-wook.

Every month, I will attempt to post all the films watched so far this year. Stats include my personal score and whether men or women made these works. Some will be the subject of future essays if they’re not written about already.

1.) “Felicia’s Journey” (1999) Atom Egoyan #  4/10

2.) “Clara Sola” (2021) Nathalie Álvarez Mesén #*   8.5/10

3.) “Rouge” (1987) Stanley Kwan #^  8.7/10

4.) “Preparations to Be Together for an Unknown Period of Time” (2020) Lili Horvát #*  4.5/10

5.) “Housekeeping” (1987) Bill Forsyth #  9/10

6.) “Decision to Leave” (2022) Park Chan-wook ^ 10/10

7.) “Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul” (2021) Adamma Ebo #*+ 7.5/10

8.) “Jane Eyre” (1997) Robert Young  6/10

9.) “The Stranger” (1991) Satyajit Ray #^   8.5/10

10.) “The Housemaid” (1960) Kim Yi-young #^  8.7/10

11.) “The Wedding Banquet” (1993) Ang Lee #^ 9.5/10

12.) “A Dry, White Season” (1989) Euzhan Palcy #*+ 10/10

13.) “Memories of a Murder” (2003) Bong Joon-ho #^ 9.5/10

14.) “Eat Drink Man Woman” (1994) Ang Lee #^  8/10

15.) “2046” (2004) Wong Kar-wai ^  9.5/10

16.) “Atlantiques” (2009) Mati Diop #*  8/10

17.) “Lust, Caution” (2007) Ang Lee #^  9.5/10

18.) “The Host” (2006) Bong Joon-ho^  9.5/10

19.) “The Kitchen” (1975) Alile Sharon Larkin *+  10/10

20.) “Rain (Nyesha)” (1978) Melvonda Ballenger #*+ 10/10

21.) “A Different Image” (1982) Sharon Larkin *+   10/10

22.) “A Naked Screen” (2014) Florence Jaugey #*  2.5/10

23.) “Babette’s Feast” (1987) Gabriel Axel #  8/10

24.) “Shoplifters” (2018) Hirokazu Kore-eda #^ 9/10

25.) “The Whale” (2022) Darren Aronofsky #  2.5/10

26.) “As of Yet” (2020) Taylor Garron and Chanel James #*+ 2/10

27.) “The Hand” (2020) Wong Kar-wai #^  9.5/10

28.) “Maya Dardel” (2017) Magdalena Zyzak* and Zachery Cotler # 2/10

29.) “Rafiki” (2018) Wanuri Kahiu*+ 9.5/10

30.) “Joint Security Area” (2000) Park Chan-wook #^ 8.5/10

31.) “The Moon Is… the Sun’s Dream” (1992) Park Chan-wook #^ 6.7/10


*woman filmmaker

*+Black woman filmmaker

^nonwhite filmmaker

#first time watch


Other notes: 24 first time watches, 24 films directed/written by nonwhite filmmakers, and 12 films made by women. Must do better on the latter.