My Final Fantasy Odyssey™ has been going pretty well, although I'm moving several hundred miles in a week so that's limiting my playtime a bit.

My Progress:
I ----- Melmond
II ---- Bafsk
III --- Vikings' Cove
IV --- Baron
V ---- Walse (I'm slacking)
VI --- Opera House :)
VII -- Rocket town
VIII - Timber
IX --- Burmecia
X --- Macalania Temple (very close to my half way stopping point)
XII -- Jahara
XIII - Vile Peaks
XV -- Lestallum

It has been a lot of fun

Final Fantasy Series

Decided that as soon as I hit the halfway point in each game I won't advance until I've reached the halfway point in every other game in hopes that I don't neglect any of them too badly. Kinda wishing Balthier was in every game tho.

Doing a stupid thing where I'm playing all the Final Fantasy games at the same time. 7 hours into 1/7/9/10/13, 5 hours into 6/8, have yet to start 2/3/4/5/12/15. I'm actually really enjoying them all so far and it's really reminding me why I love the series.

Was thinking of adding 2 spin-off games to be placeholders for 11 & 14. Tactics is a no-brainer but I'm not so sure for the second one but I'm leaning towards type-0.

Playing Wild Arms looking to make it the 3rd game I've beaten since April 2016.

Seen in February

Man with a Movie Camera (1929) - I'm not gonna pretend I'm smart enough to understand this, but I enjoyed what I saw.
42nd Street (1933) - Great, a bonafide classic. The end number is really what makes the picture with the rest of it is just anticipation and build up to it so it's good it turned out as great as it did!
Straw Dogs (1971) - A real slow burn and not as violent as I was led to believe (although that's by 2018 standards). I don't know how to interpret the sexual side of the film and have been struggling to get a handle on just what it was trying to say.
The Prestige (2006) - While positioned in recent years as Nolan's "Le underrated hidden gem" which I hate, it really is a pretty good film. I'm glad Hugh Jackman is done as Wolverine since he is really great and I hope he'll be able to take on more roles like this.
Fateful Findings (2013) - Truly one of the worst films I've ever seen, and I've seen dozens of the worst of all-time. Neil Breen makes Ed Wood look like Orson Welles.
The Shape of Water (2017) - I have a few reservations but I enjoyed it a lot due to it's heart. Sally Hawkins has GOT to win best Actress, and Michael Shannon continues to justify my unending love for him.

BEST = 42nd Street, I'm a unabashed sucker for classic Hollywood and 1930s musicals are about as Golden Age Hollywood as you can get.
WORST = Fateful Findings, also worst of the Year, and bottom 5 of All-Time.

I'm really bad at narrowing down my all-time favorites so I'll just go 2 per decade.

Destiny (1921)
The Big Parade (1925)
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931)
It Happened One Night (1934)
Shadow of a Doubt (1943)
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
A Place in the Sun (1951)
Roman Holiday (1953)
The Hustler (1961)
Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
Taxi Driver (1976)
Days of Heaven (1978)
The Road Warrior (1981)
Blade Runner (1982)
Total Recall (1990)
To Die For (1995)
American Psycho (2000)
Spirited Away (2001)
Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
Nightcrawler (2014)

Films of November, December, and January

The Golem: How He Came Into the World (1920)
Little Caesar (1931)
Ninotchka (1939)
To Have and Have Not (1944)
Gaslight (1944)
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Winchester '73 (1950)
A Place in the Sun (1951)
Jailhouse Rock (1957)
The Fly (1958)
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
Fahrenheit 451 (1966)
In Cold Blood (1967)
The Big Boss (1971)
The French Connection (1971)
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)
Predator (1987)
Gattaca (1997)
The Jeffrey Dahmer Files (2012)
Star Wars VIII: The Last Jedi (2017)
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)

Best = A Place in the Sun, In Cold Blood, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Worst = A handful were disappointing but I only actively hated The Jeffrey Dahmer Files. Some of the interviews gave some nice insight but the "re-enactments" were really bad and out of place and not to mention included many outright inaccuracies. Such as having him be in apartment 214 and not 213, Steven Tuomi being black not white (since he is one of Dahmer's only two white victims this is important), when he steals the mannequin he tells the taxi driver to take him to the Oxford Apartments which is wrong since when he stole the Mannequin he was living at his Grandma's house, and many more I've since forgotten.

I'm great at starting books, not so much with finishing them... I'm a big fan of historical biographies so here the the ones I'm currently reading (slowly)
Alexander the Great (Philip Freeman)
Caesar: Life of a Colossus (Adrian Goldsworthy)
Napoleon the Great (Andrew Roberts)
Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley (Peter Guralnick)
Being Nixon: A Man Divided (Evan Thomas)
The Devil in the White City (Erik Larson)
Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy (Vincent Bugliosi)

I've decided I should read more fiction so I've also started or am ready to start these
Moby Dick (Herman Melville)
Catcher in the Rye (JD Salinger) - I work at a thrift store so I was able to pick up a first edition paperback for 50 cents, it's not in perfect condition but it's a pretty good find
Stranger in a Strange Land (Robert A. Heinlein)

If you dig German Expressionism be sure to check out Destiny (1921), it's one of my favorite silent films.

I don't watch much TV but I recently watched Mindhunter. As a big true crime fan I enjoyed it although much of the personal character development (as opposed to professional) was sloppily handled but all killer interviews were excellent.

Movies since last post...

A Page of Madness (1926)
Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Brute Force (1947)
The Naked City (1948)
Thieves’ Highway (1949)
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949)
Night and the City (1950)
The Evictors (1979)
Friday the 13th (1980)
Trick ’r Treat (2007)

I beat Danganronpa V3 on the 26th, which doubles the number of games I've beaten in 2017.

On chapter 4 of Danger-Ron-Paul V3 and have been enjoying it quite a bit.

Spoilers for up to chapter 4 I really like the Shuichi/Kaito/Maki friendship and any of them die/kill anyone I'm going to just be absolutely gutted :(

Last 5 I've seen...

I Walked with a Zombie (1941) - Moody & restrained like most Tourneur films. Voodoo ain't nothing to fuck with.
The Caine Mutiny (1954) - It was okay, I didn't care for the central character or performance but the supporting roles were all well done and like always Bogart knocked it out of the park.
The Innocents (1961) - Enjoyed it quite a bit, atmosphere was on point and the child actors were actually pretty good. Also that opening song is a real ear-worm.
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) - Real disappointed, I went in expecting a classic but left with a very average 80s horror. While I can appreciate some stuff like Freddy's design and some of the practical effects but I felt the mixture of Freddy's bombast and the kids playing it all straight didn't come off well. Also how the fuck did none of the kids here about Freddy when he was still alive? He killed 20 kids then got let off on a technicality that would have been national news.
Blade Runner 2049 (2017) - I enjoyed it. I'm going to need to re-watch it to get my full thoughts about it in order but as of right now I still prefer the original Blade Runner and I think that comes down to I generally prefer smaller stories. Interlinked.

Last ten I've seen...

Broken Blossoms (1919) - Even 98 years later Gish's fake smiles moves me beyond words and reminds me of the universal power of the medium.
The Freshman (1925) - After this I can firmly say I'm a Harold Lloyd fan. I really like the last shot too.
The Cameraman (1928) - All I'm gonna say is that a monkey uses a machine gun in this movie and for that this may be the greatest thing ever committed to celluloid.
Seven Men From Now (1956) - Real good and really subverts what most people think a Golden Age western is (but in reality never really were). Will check out the other Randolph Scott/Budd Boetticher collabs.
Night of the Demon (1957) - Pretty good although not as moody as Cat People (1942) although my inner philistine is glad they actually showed the monster.
The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976) - Really really liked it, I love how human the killer felt and he wasn't some unstoppable force of evil many slasher villains are.
Bottle Rocket (1996) - Makes abundantly clear that the right Wilson brother reached the A-List. "That's Applejack, c'mon!"
The Town (2010) - Not that original and the romance felt stilted but the action was good and Renner's character/performance were great.
Wind River (2017) - Minor complaints & nitpicks aside it's quite good and the reveal of the central mystery may low-key be the best scene in 2017.
It (2017) - Ehhhh? CGI monsters getting close to the screen and making "scary" faces doesn't do anything for me. I did enjoy the kids just hanging out although I don't think children swearing is that hilarious so some of the humor didn't do it for me, but New Kids on the Block tho.

Great to see people still watching Bunuel films today. Have you watched any Tarkovsky or Bergman movie? Highly recommend these. Also Robert Bresson. Fantastic directors.

I watched Mulholland Drive yesterday in the cinema as it was shown because of the new David Lynch documentary. Loved every bits of it, as usual when I watch Lynch. Still one of the greatest movies of this century. And tomorrow is Inland Empire in the same cinema. 3 hours of Lynch, I can't wait.

I have sadly never seen a Tarkovsky or Bresson film and I've only seen The Seventh Seal in terms of Bergman. I am sorrily lacking in foreign language films seen although I'm trying to remedy that moving forward.

Last ten I've seen...

L’Age d’Or (1930) - I'm going to be frank with y'all, I didn't understand this movie. I kind of liked it I think and the weird sexual sucking a statue's toe truly is something to behold.
Wuthering Heights (1939) - Cathy & Heathcliff are perfect for each other, they're almost as toxic as the leads in 20th Century.
And Then There Were None (1945) - I don't know how this ranks among adaptions of the book but I enjoyed it in no small part due to Walter Huston.
Godzilla (1954) - The scene where Godzilla rampages through Tokyo is worth the price of admission alone and completely make up for a under-cooked love triangle.
The Godfather 1972 - An embarrassing first time watch. The cast (aside from Connie) is impeccable, the characters unforgettable. The only thing I could ask for is more screen time for Sterling Hayden.
Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974) - I expected a lot from this being a Scorsese joint and all but I was pretty letdown. I thought it was a pretty middle of the road paint by numbers drama that happened to feature an astounding performance by Harvey Keitel.
Videodrome (1983) - There is obviously much more going on in this then I picked up on upon initial viewing which excites me. I already like the film quite a bit and I feel it will only get better upon re-watches.
Lifeforce (1985) - Both the film & Mathilda May are absolutely beautiful. The rest of the film may be the highest budget B-movie I've ever seen, with everything that entails. RIP Tobe Hooper.
Meet the Parents (2000) - Stiller and De Niro are good but Owen Wilson as the ex-boyfriend never fails to make me laugh.
Logan Lucky (2017) - The biggest strength of both this and Ocean's 11 is the cast and aside from Seth McFarland everybody really did great. Adam Driver who I was unconvinced on (although I've only seen him in Star Wars) now has my confidence 100%.

Best: The Godfather

I also just hit a major milestone in my movie watching, I've now seen 500 movies from when I seriously started watching movies early last year. I still have many many many movies I want to watch but I think halfway to 1k is something to celebrate.

Last ten I've seen...

Top Hat (1935) - Very charming I'll have to check out the other Astaire/Rogers joints.
Shadow of a Doubt (1943) - Hitchcock's favorite of his own films and rightly so, it's fantastic! I love the vampire motif and Teresa Wright.
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) - Disappointing, I've heard this been compared to Some Like it Hot so I went in with high expectations all of which were let down sadly.
Midnight Cowboy (1969) - Love it, a lot more weird then I thought it was going to be but I guess I'm so used stories like this being middle of the road award bait and not real artistic expression.
Razorback (1984) - This maybe be Australia's Jaws. The movie looked great which I did not expect from a killer pig movie.
Repo Man (1984) - Harry Dean Stanton can do no wrong, Emilio Estevez is cool too.
Day of the Dead (1985) - It may be the weakest in the Dead trilogy but it's still head and shoulders above most zombie movies.
Zoolander (2001) - Dumb, one of the dumbest, but maybe I'm dumb cause I liked it. I'd like Derek Zoolander to be my U-Googlizer.
Baby Driver (2017) - Fun but I have two gripes. Firstly the romance between Baby and the waitress felt really flat not engaging at all, secondly I'm still wonder why it didn't have a big third act car chase.
Dunkirk (2017) - Good, made me never want to go one a boat again since it seems like unless Mark Rylance is the captain that boat is going down.

Best: Tie between Midnight Cowboy & Shadow of a Doubt

Skyblazer

First game I've beaten since April of last year. It was alright, looked good, played fine, bosses were simple and boring.

It's been awhile...

Second half of January
Sullivan's Travels (1941) - 4/5
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943) - 3/5
Robot Monster (1953) - 1/5
Cool Hand Luke (1967) - 4/5
The Brood (1979) - 3/5
Jerry Maguire (1996) - 4/5
L.A. Confidential (1997) - 4/5
Moon (2009) - 3/5
Tickled (2016) - 4/5

February
The Gold Rush (1925) - 5/5
The Unknown (1927) - 4/5
M (1931) - 4/5
Reefer Madness (1936) - 1/5
The Adventures of Robin Hood (1936) - 4/5
The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) - 4/5
Raw Deal (1948) - 4/5
Goldfinger (1964) - 4/5
Rosemary's Baby (1968) - 4/5
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) - 4/5
Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) - 2/5
The Deer Hunter (1978) - 3/5
The Legend of Boggy Creek 2 (1984) - 2/5
Brazil (1985) - 4/5
Patlabor: The Movie (1989) - 4/5
Groundhog Day (1993) - 4/5
The Mothman Prophecies (2002) - 3/5
Shotgun Stories (2007) - 3/5
Coraline (2009) - 4/5
I Saw the Devil (2010) - 4/5
Manchester by the Sea (2016) - 4/5
La La Land (2016) - 4/5

Does anybody have any Oscar predictions? Here are some of mine.
Best Picture - Moonlight
Best Director - Damien Chazelle
Best Actor - Casey Affleck
Best Actress - Emma Stone
Best Screenplay - Twentieth Century Women (Original) / Moonlight (Adapted)
Best Cinematography - Silence (Maybe not but I'm pulling for Scorsese)
Best Score - La La Land

Last week I watched...

Hangman's House (1928) - 4/5
Singin' in the Rain (1952) - 5/5
On the Waterfront (1954) - 4/5
Dr. Strangelove (1964) - 4/5
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) - 4/5
The Shawshank Redemption (1994) - 5/5

Within the last week I've watched...

The Phantom Carriage (1921) - 4/5
Freaks (1932) - 4/5
The Thin Man (1934) - 3/5
Strangers on a Train (1951) - 4/5
On the Beach (1959) - 4/5
Suspiria (1977) - 3/5
Akira (1988) - 5/5
Children of Men (2006) - 4/5
Pete's Dragon (2016) - 2/5

Watched in December...

Pandora's Box (1929) - 3/5
The Invisible Man (1933) - 4/5
Brief Encounter (1945) - 5/5
The Red Shoes (1948) - 4/5
Champion (1949) - 4/5
A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) - 4/5
Peter Pan (1953) - 4/5
Some Like it Hot (1959) - 4/5
Anatomy of a Murder (1959) - 3/5
Peeping Tom (1960) - 4/5
The Graduate (1967) - 4/5
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) - 4/5
Black Christmas (1974) - 4/5
Gremlins (1984) - 4/5
Labyrinth (1986) - 4/5
Die Hard (1988) - 4/5
Heathers (1988) - 3/5
Goodfellas (1990) - 4/5
Pokémon: The First Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back (1998) - 2/5
Pokémon: The Movie 2000 (1999) - 2/5
Magnolia (1999) - 4/5
Pokémon: Spell of the Unown (2000) - 3/5
Pokémon 4ever: Celebi - Voice of the Forest (2001) - 2/5
Pokémon Heroes: Latios and Latias (2002) - 2/5
Zodiac (2007) - 3/5
Goon (2012) - 4/5

Best of the Month - Brief Encounter
Runner Up - Some Like it Hot
Honorable Mention - Goodfellas

The second half of November...

The General (1926) - Good
The Lady Vanishes (1938) - Good
The Wizard of Oz (1939) - Great
Double Indemnity (1944) - Good
Planet of the Apes (1968) - Great
Dog Day Afternoon (1975) - Good
The Quest for Fire (1981) - Good
The Usual Suspects (1995) - Average
Trainspotting (1996) - Good
Collateral (2004) - Good
The Wrestler (2008) - Good
Drive (2011) - Good
Hacksaw Ridge (2016) - Good

Best of the Month: The Wizard of Oz
Runner Up: Planet of the Apes
Honorable Mention: Her