Happy New Year everyone! Welcome to 2015, hope your first day of the year was a good one. I’ve bid 2014 farewell with this random recap post. Boy it’s been quite a busy year for me in terms of blogging and movie watching.
According to WordPress’ stats, this blog was viewed about 130,000 times in 2014. So THANK YOU for your readership and comments, it’s always so fun discussing movies with all of you 😉
I look forward to what 2015 has in store for us. I’ll be posting my list of most-anticipated movies released this year, one of them I’ll be seeing next week (Selma). I skipped the cinema on the first day of the year however, as I don’t get tomorrow off from work. So earlier today, my hubby and I decided to check out Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond on Netflix.
It’s a BBC’s four-part miniseries on 007’s author, starring Dominic Cooper as Ian Fleming and Lara Pulver as his love interest, Ann O’Neill. I’ve only seen the first part so far, but it’s definitely a handsome, glamorized version of Fleming’s life. It’s pretty much done in the vein of a Bond movie, down to the exotic locations, sexy girls and plenty of shagging than actual spying. Even the theme song is very John Barry-esque. Cooper looks nothing like Fleming and it seems that the series’ creator took a lot of liberty on the story, but as a Bond fan, it’s still an enjoyable piece of entertainment for me.
So folks, what movie/show did you see on the first day of 2015?
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FLIXCHATTER FILM BLOG 
I’m watching Star Wars: A New Hope, an oldie but a goodie.
Hi Austin! Nice, I’d imagine more people will rewatch the old SW films in anticipation for the new one.
The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly one of my 5-10 favorite films…. ever.
Oh I didn’t know that was one of your faves of all time, Steven. Sounds like a great rewatch then.
Nothing for me yet, had to work and daughter had control of the tv when i got home. Hoping to finish up the last 3 films of the year for my site next: the Swedish We Are the Best based off a graphic novel, the superhero anime Tiger and Bunny, and ultra indie comedy Squid Man.
Sounds like a fun plan in store for you Nathan!
Ruth, you’re on my top 5 people with most comments! That’s great, thanks. I watched The Skeleton Twins on the first day of 2015, amazing, right?
Glad to hear Paskalis! Haven’t seen The Skeleton Twins so I don’t know if it’s amazing or not.
Watched and reviewed The Lunchbox (check it out). Also caught with Transcendence and rewatched The Lego Movie for my Top 10 of 2014 list.
Just left you a comment. Sounds like a great one, Keith. Did you like Transcendence? I do LOVE The Lego Movie, that might end up on my top 10 of the year.
I made it to the cinema yesterday to check out Birdman which i thought was fantastic. The second series of Broadchurch starts here this week too, can’t remember if you caught the first?
Hi Chris! Glad to hear you like Birdman too. No I haven’t seen Broadchurch, but one of FC contributors Dave did review it here. Sounds like a great series!
The Bond movies, can’t beat them.
Can’t beat ’em indeed. Well unless it’s Die Another Day, which is still an abomination!
Like Chris I went to the cinema and saw Birdman yesterday. Really enjoyed it. I think TV-wise we will be watching the third season of Treme first of all, which is sitting around waiting for some screen time!
Yay! Glad to hear you love Birdman. It’s really a weird movie and even a bit coarse at times for me, but the performances are amazing.
I have to admit that I binge-watched series 4 of Buffy… ah nostalgia!
Can’t beat nostalgia! I rewatched one of my fave TV guilty pleasures, the CBS vampire series Moonlight. Have you seen it? It stars Alex O’Loughlin and Sophia Myles, LOVE that show and was sad it was canceled after only 1 season 😦
I’ve been binge watching The Wire, so that was the first thing I watched this year!
Hi Brittani! Well you’re off to a great start then, been hearing great things about that show.
I actually did make it out to the theater and saw Unbroken. I thought it was good, better than I thought it was going to be. I also watched Arsenic and Old Lace which I’d never seen before and it was hilarious!
Hi Melissa! My friends wanted to see Unbroken too, but I might just rent that one later. Are you going to review it?
I’m planning on it but I haven’t done it yet. Probably next week!
Rurouni Kenshin Kyoto Inferno. Haha been in a queue for a while. Really liked it 😀
Wow, is that the name of a movie?? Well glad that you like that one, Tim 😀
Its a live action adaptation of an Anime show called Rurouni Kenshin. Actually this is the sequel to the first live action adaption 😀
Ah I see, thanks for clarifying that Tim 😀
You are welcome 🙂
My first movie was 2015 was…DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES!!!!
Apes. Together. Strong! I LOVE that movie, that’ll be on my top 10 of the year.
Happy New Year, Ruth!
I have my DVD of ‘The Professionals’ ready to watch this evening. Before a Jack Lemmon Night on Turner Classic Movies.
There’s a series from BBC/UK that’s been growing on me in the afternoon. ‘New Tricks’. About a fictional cold case unit run by a 30ish female Deputy Inspector (Amanda Redman) in charge of three retired detectives. Each with their own skill. Not exceptionally gross, plot wise. And great chemistry all the way around, With just the right amount of humor. Alun Armstrong as Brian “Memory” Lane, ROCKS!
‘MI-5’ is great to look at. Excellent cast often trying to under play each other, Great location cinematography But the plots are too predicable. Even with their occasional twists.
Happy New Year Kevin! I haven’t heard of The Professionals but I have heard of ‘The Professional’ with Natalie Portman. New Tricks sounds good, I usually like BBC stuff. I LOVE MI-5 or Spooks, the cast is top notch!
Lee Marvin leads a group of mercenaries in ‘The Professionals’. Burt Lancaster,Robert Ryan and Wood Strode into Mexico to retrieve a rich land baron’s wife held by Jack Palance, An early and definite ‘Guy Flick’. Right up there with ‘The Magnificent Seven’. Same director. Equal soundtrack with guitars and castanets.. Smaller cast. More explosions and Shoot ’em Ups. Fantastic cinematography!
Your tastes are a lot like my older sister’s. So, I’d recommend ‘New Tricks’. But stay away from ‘Waking The Dead’. Way too creepy!
Family and I went to a New Year’s Day banquet. Came home and watched 3 Days to Kill. Followed that up by re-watching Natural Born Killers after everyone was sleep.
Hi Dell, sounds like you had a busy night. Did you like 3 Days To Kill?
Tried the first episode of Fleming but it didn’t stick with me. Not something that had any interest in sadly. Weird considering I do like Dominic Cooper and Bond.
OH and I finally finished watching Battlestar Galactica on New Years Day. Second/Thirdish rewatch for me. First time for him. Still holds up 😀
Hi Jaina! I hear ya, we’ll give it another episode and see if I want to see the entire miniseries.
Oh I LOVE BSG!! Lee Adama [swoon] 😉 First time for your boyfriend you mean?
Yep, first time!
Ahh Lee Adama, Helo, Sam… some lovely fellas in that show. Though always had a soft spot for Chief!
Oh yeah, Helo is awesome too! Which one is Chief again, I mean who’s the actor? I pretty much love most of the cast there, and Starbucks is so bad ass!
Aaron Douglas played Chief. There was just something about that character. Though towards the end, he kind of lost it!
Such a fab cast. Got to meet so many of them at various cons! Olmos, Bamber… they’re all so awesome!
Oooooh!!! You got to meet the Adamas!! I’m so jealous. I wish they’d come to Mpls Comic-con one day, those two are my fave characters. Was Bamber as hot as in the series? 😉
Haha, yes. BIG hair though. Haha. It was fairly soon after the show ended and just as he was starting Law & Order: UK.
He looks super hot in Law & Order: UK, but yeah I prefer his shorter cut in BSG. Still he’s hunky!! Sometimes he looks like a shorter version of Christopher Reeve.
Yes, definitely shorter. Especially next to Tahmoh Penikett! Man, that guy is TALL.
Eddie Olmos is such a dude. He has so much appreciation for the fans.
I think Tahmoh is like 6’3″ or so whilst Jamie is only about 5’9″ I think. Well he’s got his looks to make up for it 😉
Nice to hear about Olmos, he’s da Boss! He has such charisma and gravitas.
He really does. Just walks into a room and captures everyone’s attention.
I’m in the midst of binge-watching The Good Wife. I began 2015 with the last 3 episodes of Season 3.
Yeah I just saw your post. I’m only interested in seeing the episodes w/ Matthew Goode 😉
I saw Tusk which was crazy disgusting but Johnny Depp was awesome in it. I also saw Gone with the Wind, which I surprisingly managed to watch in one sitting and that was actually kinda good, as much as I couldn’t believe Scarlett continuously act like a fool because she was in love with that blond dude
Hi Sati! Oh I heard about Tusk but no way I’m watching that one, sounds too icky for me. I didn’t know Depp was in it. Gone with the Wind was one of my earliest Hollywood films I saw when my mother brought me a VHS of it from an overseas trip. I love Scarlett though I know some people hate her, ahah. But yeah, why the heck was she so obsessed w/ Ashley when you’ve got the much hunkier (AND rich) Rhett Butler 😉
I saw a preview of that Fleming series and thought it look ridiculous, if you’re going to do a bio about a real person, why the heck would you incorporate his writing style into his life?! Just look stupid to me.
I watched the Indiana Jones films yesterday, haven’t watched them since I bought the Bluray box set a couple of years ago. I’ll probably be watching more movies in the upcoming days at home since it’s cold out and of course I have my home theater back. I need to catch up on the Blurays I bought over the holidays sales.
Ahah yeah, that adaptation caught a lot of flack but I like the cast and the production quality is excellent. I saw your tweet that you’re watching Indiana Jones! I LOVE the third one, it just never gets old. Yeah, it’ll be super cold next week, I wish we got another week off to watch movies 😀
Theory of Everything!
Nice! Did you like it?
yeah it was really good!
Hey Ruth! Happy New Year! Congratulations on the success you had with the blog in 2014. I hope you will achieve even more this year. Last year, I watched The Secret Life of Walter Mitty on New Year’s Day. This year, I watched The Imitation Game. Definitely enjoyed it. I expect to see Benedict Cumberbatch get an Oscar nod for that performance. Cheers to 2015!
Happy New Year Raul! Great to see you stop by. Thanks for the kind words. I saw The Imitation Game back in October but haven’t got around to reviewing it. Agreed Cumberbatch was good, but I also enjoyed the awesome supporting cast!
This looks good. My first movies of the year were The Skeleton Twins and a re-watch of Shrek.
A rewatch of Shrek! I actually have the dvd of that but haven’t seen it in ages. Happy New Year Irene!
I watched The Guest. Dan Stevens is really good in it as an American soldier, I wouldn’t have known he’s British except that I read he was in Downtown Abbey.
The Guest is so good, everyone should see this one 😛
Man now I REALLY can’t wait to see this!! I first saw Dan in BBC’s Sense & Sensibility, then Downton Abbey but he looks so bad ass in The Guest!
@Sati – Glad to hear it’s got your stamp of approval, too!
Yeah he’s bad ass in this, a cool role for him!
Happy new year, Ruth! I’ve been watching The Walking Dead marathon on AMC. haha Where else would I be? 🙂
Happy New Year to you too Katy! Love your latest post and hope you stick to your Blindspot series, lots of GREAT choices on there. I hope to catch up on season 3 & 4 of Downton Abbey, I’m so bad w/ sticking to TV series.
Well done on a great year of blogging Ruth! Great stats too! You’ve put me well and truly to shame!
Seriously Mark, it’s your writing that puts ME to shame. You Brits are such terrific and witty writers, and I LOVE your blog!
Ah, that’s very kind Ruth!
It’s the truth, mate! Keep up the great work and THANK YOU for being such a loyal commenters.
Just curious Ruth did you get around to seeing Broadchurch? It’s been on Netflix for a few months now. Well season 2 is just starting to air in the UK. That’s the first thing of note I got to watch. The first episode is a knockout. I couldn’t imagine where they were gonna take the story but man did they turn the first season’s story on its head. They added heavyweights Charlotte Rampling and Maryanne Jean Baptiste (Oscar nominated for Mike Leigh’s “Secrets & Lies”) to the cast. I can’t recommend the new season enough after just only the first episode. That’s what I’ll be watching over the next couple of months.
Hey Dave! Unfortunately no. I was hoping I’d have time during the holidays but it didn’t quite work out. It’s not for lack of interest as I haven’t even caught up w/ Downton Abbey season 3 and 4 which is totally my cup of tea. Btw, isn’t Broadchurch being remade in the US which also stars David Tennant? I thought I read that a while ago, whatever happen to that project?
It’s already aired as Gracepoint on FOX to mixed reviews. They’ve already announced there won’t be another season. It was described as “a weird photocopy containing little atmosphere and less emotional resonance” with most critics urging viewers to find the original. Having seen seasons 3,4 and the 5th season opener of Downton Abby I’d urge you to check out Broadchurch on Netflix first. Downton just pales in comparison to what Broadchurch is doing. I am in just awe of how showrunner Chibnall has been able to up the ante just in the season 2 opener. Looking back on 2014 it’s still the best piece of fiction I saw. Period.
Ah ok, I didn’t even know they changed the title.
Well I’m fond of period dramas and Maggie Smith so that’s why I like Downton. I might check out one episode of Broadchurch first and see if I’d love it as much as you 😉
I like Downton too but season 4 stumbled a bit as unfortunately turned into a bit of a melodrama although it’s still very watchable. Let’s hope season 5 picks up.
Yeah Ruth check Broadchurch out when you get time. (My gosh… between work and your blog where do you find the time to play?) I think the reason I’m really fond of the show is that there is nothing else like it on TV. I can’t remember a show that carried the emotional heft the way that this show does. It’s quite gut wrenching. Something we don’t do so well here on US TV without getting maudlin or sentimental.
Guess what Dave! I’m watching Broadchurch right now, first episode. Enjoying it so far, though I got a bit distracted at first by the two cast members who play the boy’s parents as each of them was Toby’s co-stars from a couple of the BBC shows he did. It’s quite heart-wrenching to watch the reaction to the boy’s death.
Oh cool. Let me know what you think if you continue watching it. I’m actually rewatching it tonight.
Jodie Whittaker, the boy’s mother, starred alongside Peter O’Toole in “Venus” in her first on screen role. It was Peter’s last great role.
I really like it so far, I totally get why you love it now. Yeah Jodie was in WIRED TV series w/ Toby Stephens a while back. I really like the pairing of Colman & Tennant.
Happy New Year Ruth! Looking forward to 2015 and watching some good movies this year. How funny I also watched Fleming show over New Years break. Loved it! Dominic Cooper is so sexy and I loved Annabelle Wallis in it too. 🙂
Happy New Year dahling! How funny that we saw the same series 😀 Y’know I actually never found Dominic sexy, in fact I wasn’t fond of him when I saw him in BBC Sense & Sensibility as Willoughby. But then he started popping up in smaller roles in films like Captain America, An Education, Summer in February, etc. and I started to like him. I suppose he does look good as Fleming, and Wallis is gorgeous but I really like Lara Pulver! She’s absolutely stunning, and interestingly enough, she plays Richard Armitage’s sister in BBC’s Robin Hood AND got to seduce my darling Toby who plays Prince John. Lucky girl!! 😀
Oh, I still want to check out the Fleming miniseries at some point. I liked the few minutes I saw of it on TV. The first movie I saw in 2015 was a 60’s Czechoslovakian film called The Firemen’s Ball, which was Oscar-nominated and directed by Milos Forman. It’s an interesting satire that flies by at only 71 minutes.
Hi Josh! I actually haven’t caught up w/ the rest of the episodes of Fleming, ended up watching Broadchurch instead which was absolutely engrossing.
Boy I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Czech film before, but Milos Forman’s name does sound very familiar.
My first movie of the year was Thelma & Louise, and I loved it. For TV, I plan on finishing Black Mirror this week. Only six episodes, but it’s pretty awesome. A very cynical but entertaining look at how technology could invade our society.
Oooh Black Mirror looks sooo creepy! My friend Dave gave me a list of TV recommendations a while back and that was listed on there.
First movie I saw was my Blindspot series movie Almost Famous 🙂
Ah yes, I should watch that one too!