How many of the 319 films Aseem Chhabra watched in 2018 have you seen?
I watch many films in a year -- for work and pleasure, and I keep a record of them.
In 2018 I watched 319 films, down from 354 in the previous year.
One-third of the films (114 according to my count) I watched in movie theatres, including at film festivals. But mostly I watched them on my laptop, on television and in planes.
I watched films to review them, and to programme them for the New York Indian Film Festival, the Silk Screen Asian American Film Festival and the Malta India Film Festival.
I attended a number of other film festivals in different continents and cities -- Berlin, New York, Toronto, Mumbai, Dharamsala and Goa.
For some people watching films is a social experience, an outing with family, friends, or being on a date. I also enjoy watching films with people.
But for me, my relationship is always with the actors, the characters, the narrative that is unfolding on the screen. They are my real companions in any film.
So my greatest joy is in watching films alone, in dark theatres or even at home on my laptop.
I watch films for the pure pleasure, the experience of discovering something new. And I love to revisit films I have seen before.
Four years ago, I read a blog by film-maker Steven Soderbergh where he had shared all the films, TV shows and books he had read.
Inspired by that blog I made a decision to note down every film that I watch in a year. Keeping the record in a methodical manner can be quite a task, but it is my way of remembering the previous year.
Here is my list of all the films I watched in 2018. There are some films that I saw more than once including my favorite of 2018 -- Roma (I saw the Netflix film three times on the big screen -- in Toronto, New York and New Delhi). And I counted them each time I watched them.
In addition to listing the films, I have highlighted those that I liked and recommend. I hope readers can access many of these films, including some that have not played in theatres.
1/1 CRD (India/Hindi)
2/1 Calendar (India/Assamese), Her. Him. The Other. (Sri Lanka)
8/1 To-Let (India/Tamil)
9/1 Train to Busan (Korea)
10/1 All The Money In The World (US), Chuskit (India/Ladakhi)
11/1 Nude (India/Marathi), All The President's Men (US)
12/1 The Post (US)
15/1 Chitchor (India/Hindi).
17/1 Vartak Nagar (India/Hindi), Thondimuthalum Drisakshiyum (India/Malayalam)
18/1 Evening Shadows (India/ Hindi)
19/1 Longing (Israel), The Charmer (Denmark, Iran)
20/1 Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts (Indonesia)
21/1 Balekempa (The Bangle Seller) (India/Kannada)
25/1 Vikram Veda (India/Tamil), Le Dolous (France)
26/1 Padmaavat (India/Hindi)
27/1 The Return (Denmark/Korea), Closeness (Russia)
29/1 Mehsampur (India/Hindi, Punjabi, English), Pushkar Puran (India/Hindi)
1/2 Take Off (India/Malayalam)
3/2 New Trial (Korea), Phantom Thread (US)
4/2 Glass Garden (Korea), Ghost Hunting (Palestine), My Son Is Gay (India/ Tamil)
5/2 Outdoors (Israel), Remembering Baghdad (UK/ Iraq/ Israel)
7/2 Bird of Dusk (India/English, Bengali), Wrath of Silence (China)
10/2 New Delhi Times (India/Hindi)
12/2 Fantastic Mr Fox (US)
14/2 Good Times (US), Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (US)
15/2 Isle of Dogs (US), The Silent Revolution (Germany), Wings of Desire (Germany)
16/2 The Heiresses (Paraguay, Uruguay), Damsell (US), Central Airport THF (Germany), Eva (France)
17/2 Dovlatov (Russia), Transit (Germany), Garbage (India/Hindi)
18/2 Daughter of Mine (Italy), 7 Days in Entebbe (Israel)
19/2 3 Days in Quiberon (France, Germany)
20/2 Utoya, July 22 (Norway)
21/2 Unsane (US), Mes Provinciale (France)
22/2 Yardie (UK), Museo (Mexico), Khook (Iran)
23/2 Mug (Poland), Matang/Maya/MIA (UK), Lemonade (Romania)
24/2 Yocho (Japan), Our House (Japan)
27/2 The Interpreter (Austria, Slovak Republic, Czech Republic)
28/2 Ribbon (India/Hindi)
1/3 C/o Kancharapalem (India/Telugu)
3/3 Uma (India/Bengali)
8/3Ishu (India/Assamese)
9/3 Juze (India/Konkani)
10/3 Breaking the Bee (US), Gandhi's Song (US)
13/3 Prakasan (India/Malayalam), Aruvi (India/Tamil)
14/3 Paddayi (India/Tulu)
18/3 Mayurakshi (India/Bengali)
19/3 Okja (Korea)
21/3 Salam (US)
22/3 Mad World (Hong Kong)
23/3 A Man of Integrity (Iran)
24/3 The Insult (Lebanon)
30/3 Raid: The Redemption (Indonesia)
31/3 The Shinning (US)
3/4 God's Own Country (UK)
5/4 Y Tu Mama Tambien (Mexico)
11/4 In The Mood For Love (Hong Kong)
14/4 Yellow Heat (Turkey)
15/4 The Year of Living Dangerously (Australia), Smaller and Smaller Circles (Philippines)
17/4 Malila: The Farewell Flower (Thailand), Parakh (India/Hindi), The Feeling of Being Watched (US), Amiko (Japan)
18/4 Nayak (India/ Bengali)
19/4 Nine Queens (Argentina)
20/4 Yi Yi (Taiwan), Kodachrome (US)
21/4 Nervous Translation (Philippines), Father and Son (Vietnam)
22/4 Alifu, the Princess (Taiwan)
24/4 Dead Again (Korea), The Weather Underground (US)
25/4 Birds Without Names (Japan)
26/4 Wonder Boy (Singapore)
28/4 Dynamite Graffiti (Japan)
2/5 At The Terrace (Japan)
7/5 Nude (India/Marathi)
8/5 Ava (Iran), Shakespeare Wallah (US), Venus (Canada)
9/5 A Summer of Miracles (India/Malayalam), C/o Kancharapalem (India/Telugu)
10/5 Autobiography of a Princess (US)
11/5 Paddayi (India/Tulu)
12/5 Breaking the Bee (US), Noblemen (India/English), Omerta (India/Hindi)
21/5 White Rabbit (US)
23/5 I, Tonya (US), Call Me By Your Name (US/Italy)
25/5 Meditation Park (Canada)
26/5 October (India/Hindi)
29/5 Raazi (India/Hindi)
30/5 Life Without Life (Iran)
31/5 Phamous (India/Hindi)
2/6 Veere Di Wedding (India/Hindi)
3/6 Bhavesh Joshi (India/Hindi)
4/6 Two in the Town (France)
9/6 Isle of Dogs (US)
10/6 Hereditary (US)
11/6 Love, Simon (US), The Tale (US)
13/6 Bamy (Japan)
14/6 Mori, The Artist's Habitat (Japan)
15/6 Death of Stalin (France/UK), Lust Stories (India/Hindi)
16/6 Blackmail (India/Hindi), The Warrior (UK/Hindi)
17/6 Inferno (US)
18/6 Qissa: A Tale of the Lonely Ghost (India/Punjabi), The Lunchbox (India/Hindi)
19/6 Inside Man (US)
20/6 Sahib Biwi Aur Gangster Returns (India/Hindi)
21/6 Piku (India/Hindi), October (India/Hindi)
22/6 Mali (India/Hindi)
23/6 The Song of Scorpions (France/India/Hindi), Jalsaghar (India/Bengali)
24/6 Talvar (India/Hindi)
26/6 D-Day (India/Hindi)
28/6 Haasil (India/Hindi)
30/6 Mahanati (India/Telugu, Tamil)
1/ 7 Paan Singh Tomar (India/Hindi),Sanju (India/ Hindi)
2/7 Bitter Mellon (US)
6/7 Sicario: Day of Soldado (US)
8/7 Lootera (India/Hindi)
9/7 Puzzle (US)
10/7 A Mighty Heart (US), Welcome (France)
12/7 Bangalore Days (India/Malayalam)
14/7 Tokyo Story (Japan), Us and Them (China)
16/7 Road To Ladakh (India/English), Being George Clooney (US)
21/7 Munich (US)
22/7 Qarib Qarib Singlle (India/Hindi)
24/7 Koode (India/Malayalam)
4/8 Piku (India/Hindi)
5/8 Vicky Donor (India/Hindi)
8/8 Mulk (India/Hindi)
10/8 The Namesake (US/India/ English, Bengali), The Third Murder (Japan)
11/8 Mission Impossible: Fallout (US)
14/8 Doob: No Bed of Roses (Bangladesh), Life in a Metro (India/Hindi)
20/8 Rog (India/Hindi)
22/8 Acid Factory (India/Hindi)
27/8 Yeh Saali Zindagi (India/Hindi)
29/8 My Generation (UK), Beirut (US)
30/8 Crazy Rich Asians (US)
1/9 Maya (France), The Wife (US)
2/9 Consequence (Slovenia)
3/9 Working Woman (Israel)
6/9 The Wild Pear Tree (Turkey), Manto (India/Hindi), Everybody Knows (Iran/ Spain), Border (Sweden)
7/9 Rafiki (Kenya), Graves Without a Name (France/ Cambodia), Complicity (Japan), Hotel Mumbai (Australia)
8/9 Beautiful Boy (US), Killing (Japan), Husband Material (India/Hindi), 3 Faces (Iran), The Sisters Brothers (France/US)
9/9 Widows (US), The Wedding Guest (UK), A Star is Born (US)
10/9 If Beale Street Could Talk (UK/US), The Man Who Feels No Pain (India/Hindi), The Sweet Requiem (India/Tibetan)
11/9 Roma (Mexico), Shadow (China), Free Solo (US)
12/9 First Man (US), Boy Erased (US), A Faithful Man (France)
13/9 The Third Wife (Vietnam), Vox Lux (US), Burning (Korea)
14/9 Cities of Last Things (Taiwan), River (Kazakhstan), Screwdriver (Palestine)
15/9 Shoplifters (Japan), Ash Is Purest White (China)
19/9 When You Read This Letter (France)
20/9 Tumbbad (India/Hindi)
21/9 Guilty (Denmark)
22/9 Chumbak (India/Marathi)
23/9 The Return (Denmark/ Korea), Marlina, the Murderer in Four Acts (Indonesia)
24/9 A Simple Favor (US), Alifu the Prince/ss (Taiwan)
26/9 Searching (US)
27/9 Disappearance (Iran)
28/ 9 Wajib (Palestine)
29/9 Billu (India/ Hindi)
30/9 Wrath of Silence (China), Take-Off (India/Malayalam)
1/10 Sorry Angel (France), Kadak (India/ Hindi)
2/10 El Angel (Argentina)
3/10 Namdev Bhau – In Search of Silence (India/Marathi, Hindi)
7/10 Private Life (US)
8/10 Namak Haram (India/Hindi), Three Peaks (Germany), Florence Foster Jenkins (US/UK)
10/10 Hamid (India/Hindi/Urdu), Kaamyaab (India/Hindi)
11/10 Karwaan (India/Hindi), Ek Betuke Aadmi Ki Afrah Raatein (India/ HIndi)
14/11 Three Identical Strangers (US), First Reformed (US)
15/10 Chintu Ka Birthday (India/Hindi), Sir (India/Hindi)
16/10 The Sound Man Mangesh Desai (India/Hindi, English)
17/10 Tumbbad (India/Hindi), Yun Hota To Kya Hota (India/ Hindi)
18/10 House of My Fathers (Sri Lanka), The Flight (India/Bengali)
19/10 Bhonsle (India/ Hindi), Sorry to Bother You (US)
20/10 Vada Chennai (India/ Tamil), Leave No Trace (US)
22/10 All You Can Eat Buddha (Canada)
23/10 Lovesick (India/ US)
24/10 Maqbool (India/Hindi)
26/10 Supa Modo (Kenya), Junoon (India/Urdu)
27/10 Collette (USA/ UK), A Twelve-Year Night (Uruguay), Cold War (Poland)
28/10 Ma.Ama (India/Garo), Long Day's Journey Into The Night (China), Non Fiction (France)
30/10 Reza (Iran)
1/11 Namdev Bhau: In Search of Silence (India/Hindi)
2/11 Ee. Ma. Yau. (India/Malayalam)
3/11 Ghode Ko Jalebi Khilane Le Ja Riya Hoon (India/Hindi)
4/11 The Gold-Ladden Sheep and the Sacred Mountain (India/Pahardi)
6/11 Jaoon Kahan Bata Ae Dil (India/Hindi)
7/11 Painting Life (India/ English)
8/11 The Price of Free (US), Private Detective Two Plus Two Plus One (India/Hindi)
9/11 Dristhti (India/Hindi)
10/11 Elena (Russia), Ikiru (Japan), Life of an Outcast (India/ HIndi)
11/11 The Return (Russia)
12/11 Varathan (India/Malayalam)
14/11 The Weeping House of Qala (Malta), Dogman (Italy)
15/11 Kaagaz Ke Phool (India/Hindi)
16/11 Won't You Be My Neighbor (US)
19/11 The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (US)
21/11 Biryani (India/ Malyalam), Across the Ocean (India/English, Malayalam),
22/11 Aamis (India/Assamese), Ranjh (India/Punjabi), Chola (India/Malyalam)
23/11 Laal Maati (India/Marathi), Kattumaram (India/Tamil)
24/11 Monalisa (India/Bengali), Sleeplessly Yours (India/Malayalam), Idam (India/ Malyalam)
30/11 The Shawshank Redemption (US)
1/12 Roma (Mexico)
2/12 Kia and Cosmos (India/Bengali/ English)
5/12 The Favourite (Ireland/UK/US)
6/12 Three Days of Condor (US)
7/12 Green Book (US)
8/12 Marathon Man (US)
12/12 Abiyankto (India/Bengali)
15/12 Laila Majnu (India/Hindi), Sir (India/Hindi)
16/12 Raazi (India/Hindi)
20/12 Shirkers (Singapore), Roma (Mexico)
21/12 A Dog Dies (India/Chhattisgarhi)
22/12 Badhai Ho (India/ Hindi)
23/12 Pariyerum Perumal (India/Tamil)
27/12 Moborosi (Japan)
29/12 In Syria (Belgium/France/Lebanon)
30/12 Bhuvan Shome (India/Hindi)
31/12 Happy as Lazzaro (Italy), After Life (Japan)
