416

416. That's the number of movies I watched in 2009. That’s an astounding 119 more than I saw last year, but well below my all-time record of 588 in 2004, which I hope I never equal. The number also doesn’t include all the television series on DVD I’ve been digging through this year, including GEORGE BURNS COMEDY WEEK, BJ AND THE BEAR, MANNIX, NICHOLS, and others.

Of the 416 movies I saw, I watched 259 of them for the first time. Here are my rules. As far as the count goes, only feature films count, no matter whether I saw them in a theater, DVD, VHS, or on TV.

• TV shows don't count, unless they were presented in a format resembling a feature film (for instance, the two pilot episodes of HARRY O, which aired as full-length made-for-TV movies)
• Made-for-TV movies count
• Documentaries count
• I didn't count short subjects or feature-length making-of documentaries included as DVD extras (for instance, the 25 YEARS OF HALLOWEEN DVD)
• Movie serials count as one long feature
• Multiple viewings each count as a separate movie

These are my rules. Your mileage may vary.

DVD: 292
HDTV: 32
Theater: 21
TV: 17
Blu-ray: 41
VHS: 5
Netflix Instant Streaming: 8

First film of 2009: Hitchcock’s FAMILY PLOT
Last film of 2009: BILLY THE KID’S RANGE WAR

From the 1930's: 1 (TERROR OF TINY TOWN)
1940's: 10
1950's: 26
1960's: 46
1970's: 111
1980's: 115
1990's: 34
2000-2009: 73

Even though I stopped going to theaters regularly a few years ago, I still managed to see 33 2009 releases, mostly on cable or on DVD. Outside of January’s annual B-Fest at Northwestern University, I went to the theater only 6 times this year, my all-time low. I saw BOONDOCK SAINTS II: ALL SAINTS DAY (on Thanksgiving), STAR TREK, and MY BLOODY VALENTINE (3D!) in Champaign; CORALINE (3D!), the FRIDAY THE 13TH remake (at Grauman’s Chinese!), and the Cirio Santiago double feature THE MUTHERS and VAMPIRE HOOKERS (at the New Beverly) in Los Angeles.

Most in one month:
January: 56
Least in one month:
May: 23

Films I saw more than once:
THE BEES
DEADLY BLESSING
THE DEMON LOVER
FAIR GAME (1986)
THE FIGHTING FIST OF SHANGHAI JOE
FINAL SCORE (3 times!)
FROM HELL IT CAME
GODZILLA VS. THE SMOG MONSTER
NINJA STRIKES BACK
NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD: THE WILD, UNTOLD STORY OF OZPLOITATION (3 times!)
STUNT ROCK
SUPERARGO AGAINST DIABOLICUS
TROLL 2
WHEELS OF FIRE

The most films in any one 24-hour period:
14, when I attended Northwestern University's annual B-Fest January 30–31

Roman numerals in the title:
ANIMAL INSTINCT II
BOONDOCK SAINTS II: ALL SAINTS DAY
CANNONBALL RUN II
DEATHSTALKER II: DUEL OF THE TITANS
EVIL DEAD II
HALLOWEEN III: SEASON OF THE WITCH
NINJA III: THE DOMINATION
STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN

For the first time, I gave star ratings to everything I watched, ranking them for 1 (worst) to 5 (best).
5 Stars:
NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD: THE WILD, UNTOLD STORY OF OZPLOITATION
STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN
SWITCHBLADE SISTERS
SAMURAI COP
USED CARS
ROAD HOUSE
THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE
MURDER BY NATURAL CAUSES
ANATOMY OF A MURDER
EVIL DEAD II
ARMY OF DARKNESS

1 Star:
88 MINUTES
SHARKS IN VENICE
TIME TRAVELERS
MAGIC WORLD OF MOTHER GOOSE
VOYAGE TO THE PLANET OF PREHISTORIC WOMEN
VALET GIRLS
WINDOWS
SCARECROW SLAYER
PREDATOR: THE QUIETUS
JIMMY, THE BOY WONDER
IMPASSE
CANNONBALL RUN II
NATIONAL LAMPOON’S PLEDGE THIS!

Direct-to-Video or Barely Released Films You Haven’t Heard Of, But You Should See:
TRICK ‘R TREAT
IN THE ELECTRIC MIST
THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL
CARRIERS
BLOOD AND BONE
SEX DRIVE
PUNISHER: WAR ZONE
NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD: THE WILD, UNTOLD STORY OF OZPLOITATION
MY NAME IS BRUCE
EXIT SPEED
DREAMS WITH SHARP TEETH
CONFESSIONS OF A SUPERHERO
THE BREED
ABOMINABLE
SLASHER
TIME SERVED
COMMAND PERFORMANCE

Dolph Lundgren movies:
UNIVERSAL SOLDIER
I COME IN PEACE
RED SCORPION
COMMAND PERFORMANCE

Steven Seagal movies:
OUT FOR JUSTICE

Bowery Boys movies:
ANGELS IN DISGUISE
BOWERY BATTALION
CRAZY OVER HORSES
FIGHTING FOOLS
JUNGLE GENTS
PARIS PLAYBOYS
SPY CHASERS

Documentaries you should see:
NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD: THE WILD, UNTOLD STORY OF OZPLOITATION
SHINE A LIGHT
CONFESSIONS OF A SUPERHERO
DEMON LOVER DIARY
DREAMS WITH SHARP TEETH
SLASHER
DANGERFREAKS

They Exist, and I Watched Them:
BELA LUGOSI MEETS A BROOKLYN GORILLA
BODY CHEMISTRY 4
CAT-WOMEN OF THE MOON
CHINESE HERCULES
CHOPPING MALL
DICK SMART 2.007
THE FIGHTING FIST OF SHANGHAI JOE
GAS PUMP GIRLS
HILLBILLYS (sic) IN A HAUNTED HOUSE
HITLER—DEAD OR ALIVE
MEGA SHARK VS. GIANT OCTOPUS
NEW YORK CALLING SUPERDRAGON
NINJA STRIKES BACK
PINK ANGELS
THE RAPE OF RICHARD BECK
SANTO AND BLUE DEMON VS. THE MONSTERS
SHARKS IN VENICE
STUNT ROCK
THEY CALL ME MACHO WOMAN
ZORRO AGAINST MACISTE

2009 Releases:
12 ROUNDS
ADVENTURELAND
BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT
BLOOD AND BONE
BOONDOCK SAINTS II: ALL SAINTS DAY
CARRIERS
THE CODE
COMMAND PERFORMANCE
CORALINE
DARK COUNTRY
DISTRICT 9
DRAG ME TO HELL
DUPLICITY
FANBOYS
FRIDAY THE 13TH
THE GOODS: LIVE HARD, SELL HARD
HIS NAME WAS JASON: 30 YEARS OF FRIDAY THE 13TH
THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL
I LOVE YOU, MAN
IN THE ELECTRIC MIST
THE INTERNATIONAL
JENNIFER’S BODY
KILLSHOT
THE LODGER
MEGA SHARK VS. GIANT OCTOPUS
MY BLOODY VALENTINE
OUTLANDER
PRISON BREAK: THE FINAL BREAK
SHARKS IN VENICE
SPINE TINGLER!: THE WILLIAM CASTLE STORY
STAR TREK
STREET FIGHTER: THE LEGEND OF CHUN-LI
TRICK ‘R TREAT

My Top Ten of 2009:
CARRIERS
CORALINE
DISTRICT 9
DRAG ME TO HELL
THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL
IN THE ELECTRIC MIST
MY BLOODY VALENTINE
PRISON BREAK: THE FINAL BREAK
STAR TREK
TRICK ‘R TREAT

My Bottom Five of 2009:
FANBOYS
JENNIFER’S BODY
MEGA SHARK VS. GIANT OCTOPUS
SHARKS IN VENICE
STREET FIGHTER: THE LEGEND OF CHUN-LI

How many movies did you watch this year?