422

422. That's the number of movies I watched in 2010. That’s only six more than I saw last year, but well below my all-time record of 588 in 2004, which I hope I never equal. Being unemployed the last 2 ½ months of the year meant an increase in movie-watching; otherwise, I wouldn’t have made it to 400. The number also doesn’t include all the television series on DVD I’ve been digging through this year, including THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW, THE BOB NEWHART SHOW, THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN, and others.

Of the 422 movies I saw, I watched 248 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 three pilot episodes of THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN, 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
• Movie serials and TV miniseries count as one long feature
• Multiple viewings each count as a separate movie

These are my rules. Your mileage may vary.

DVD: 262
HDTV: 58
Theater: 17
TV: 12
Blu-ray: 47
VHS: 8
Netflix Instant Streaming: 18

First film of 2010: THE PROFESSIONALS
Last film of 2010: STICK

From the 1930's: 1 (FIVE CAME BACK)
1940's: 4
1950's: 28
1960's: 37
1970's: 85
1980's: 132
1990's: 49
2000-2010: 86

Genres:
Action/Adventure: 118
Comedy: 48
Crime Drama: 21
Documentary: 12
Drama: 33
Fantasy: 4
Horror: 80
Musical: 3
Mystery: 8
Science Fiction: 48
Thriller: 37
Western: 10

Countries of origin:
Australia: 1
Canada: 7
Hong Kong: 5
Indonesia: 2
Italy: 24
Japan: 1 (MOTHRA)
Korea: 1 (A*P*E)
Philippines: 2
Spain: 5
Sweden: 2
Thailand: 2
Turkey: 1
United Kingdom: 4

Even though I stopped going to theaters regularly a few years ago, I still managed to see 32 2010 releases, mostly on cable or on DVD. Outside of January’s annual B-Fest at Northwestern University, I went to the theater only three times this year: THE EXPENDABLES, MACHETE, and SCOTT PILGRIM VS THE WORLD.

Most in one month:
January: 52
Least in one month:
April: 21

Films I saw more than once:
BLACK DYNAMITE
COMMANDO
FORBIDDEN WORLD
HOT TUB TIME MACHINE
HUMANOIDS FROM THE DEEP
NIGHT TRAIN TO TERROR
PROM NIGHT
THE ROOM (3 times)

The most films in any one 24-hour period:
14, when I attended Northwestern University's annual B-Fest January 29–30

Some sequels:
THE DESCENT: PART 2
U.S. SEALS II: THE ULTIMATE FORCE
LEATHERFACE: TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE III
ONG BAK 2
TROLL 2
STRIPPED TO KILL II
ANOTHER 48 HRS.
CHILDREN OF THE CORN V: FIELDS OF TERROR
CHILDREN OF THE CORN 666: ISAAC’S RETURN
FRIDAY THE 13TH: A NEW BEGINNING
PSYCHO II
IRON MAN II
THUNDER WARRIOR III
RAGE AND HONOR II: HOSTILE TAKEOVER
AMERICAN PIE PRESENTS THE BOOK OF LOVE

The original and its remake(s):
THE BLOB (1958) and THE BLOB (1988)
A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (1984) and A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (2010)
WHEN A STRANGER CALLS (1979), WHEN A STRANGER CALLS (2006), and WHEN A KILLER CALLS (2006)

5 Stars:
THE PROFESSIONALS
THE ROOM
DRIVE
EUROTRIP
PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE
TROLL 2
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
TANGO & CASH
ROBOCOP
LADY TERMINATOR
NEVER SLEEP AGAIN: AN ELM STREET LEGACY
NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD: THE WILD, UNTOLD STORY OF OZPLOITATION
PIECES
GALAXY OF TERROR
FORBIDDEN WORLD
YOR, THE HUNTER FROM THE FUTURE
SEX DRIVE
STARCRASH
MACHETE
NIGHT TRAIN TO TERROR
SLEEPAWAY CAMP
RICH MAN, POOR MAN
RITUALS
PRESUMED INNOCENT

1 Star:
BEAR
CARNIVAL MACGIC
RADAR SECRET SERVICE
SUPERBEAST
SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE II
FUTURE FEAR
LORDS OF THE STREET
LAST RITES
THE LION HUNTERS
THEODORE REX
WHEN A KILLER CALLS
PURSUIT (1991)
CHILDREN OF THE CORN 666: ISAAC’S RETURN
WIZARDS OF THE DEMON SWORD
SCREAM (1983)
SODA CRACKER
THE WAR OF THE ROBOTS
SEXTETTE
FOUR RODE OUT

Recent Direct-to-Video or Barely Released Films You Haven’t Heard Of, But You Should See:
U.S. SEALS II: THE ULTIMATE FORCE
BLACK DYNAMITE
GIVE ‘EM HELL MALONE
WOMEN IN TROUBLE
INFESTATION
FRANKENFISH
BEST WORST MOVIE
BURNING BRIGHT
EYEBORGS
NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD: THE WILD, UNTOLD STORY OF OZPLOITATION
SEX DRIVE

Burt Reynolds movies:
PHYSICAL EVIDENCE
MALONE
STICK

Bowery Boys movies:
HOT SHOTS
BLUES BUSTERS
ANGELS’ ALLEY

Documentaries you should see:
OUTRAGE
CAPITALISM: A LOVE STORY
BEST WORST MOVIE

They Exist, and I Watched Them:
SEXTETTE
CAR CRASH
SHANTY TRAMP
THE CRIPPLED MASTERS
REPLI-KATE
WILLIAM SHATNER’S MYSTERIES OF THE GODS
GIRLS ON THE LOOSE
THE STUDENT TEACHERS
18 YEAR OLD VIRGIN
I MARRIED A MONSTER FROM OUTER SPACE
THE SEATTLE PILOTS: SHORT FLIGHT INTO HISTORY
THE SLAMMIN’ SALMON
THE CLONES OF BRUCE LEE
THE SOUL OF NIGGER CHARLEY
MANDROID
CAPTAIN CELLULOID VS. THE FILM PIRATES
METALSTORM: THE DESTRUCTION OF JARED-SYN
INVASION OF THE GIRL SNATCHERS
EYE SEE YOU
SECOND FIDDLE TO A STEEL GUITAR
THE LAST AMERICAN VIRGIN
ALL THE BOYS LOVE MANDY LANE

My Top Ten of 2010:
MACHETE
NEVER SLEEP AGAIN: AN ELM STREET LEGACY
EASY A
THE CRAZIES
HOT TUB TIME MACHINE
THE EXPENDABLES
BEST WORST MOVIE
KICK-ASS
EDGE OF DARKNESS
BURNING BRIGHT

My Bottom Five of 2010:
BEAR
COP OUT
A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET
THIRST
WILD THINGS FOURSOME

How many movies did you watch this year?