h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

As good a place to start as any. I'll use the journal to keep a record of all the films I watch. At least that will keep me coming back to update it.

A few words before I start. I love films: old ones, new ones, obscure ones, European ones, silents, you name it. The only thing I draw the line at is pure Hollywood crap (though I did see Stepmom), and Seagal / Van Damme and their ilk. I generally go to the cinema at least twice a week, and usually see over 400 films a year. I also have something of a personal mission: I am steadily working through my well-thumbed copy of Danny Peary's "Guide for the Film Fanatic" (hence my name). In it he writes around 1600 mini-essays on various films (porn included), and then has a list, with check-boxes, at the back, with another 4500 or so "Must See" Movies to tick off. I was given the book for my 15th birthday back in 1986 and it hasn't left my side since. And I've still got a LONG way to go. Anyway, so if I mention that a film is "in my book", that's what I'm referring to.

So, today (Saturday November 20th) I saw Fight Club (opinions posted at Empire and FilmU) and John Frankenheimer's The Train (in my book), on C4. Took a while to get into it, but it paid off handsomely, and ranks with the best Train Movies (Emperor of the North, Narrow Margin, etc, etc).

This has inspired me. I should try to make a dent in the 15 or so films I have waiting for me that I've taped off the TV in the last 6 months or so. More as it happens...

Oh dear, oh DEAR. Not only was I around 50 films short of my annual average last year, but a) the Film Log thing hasn't quite worked out as planned, and b) the Video Mountain is now 20 8-hour VHS tapes high. As I said, Must Try Harder.