Keeping things to the point, this month.

#143 Ben-Hur (1959)
#144 Spotlight (2015)
#145 Midnight Special (2016)
#146 Rushmore (1998)
#147 Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
#148 Tale of Tales (2015), aka Il racconto dei racconti
#149 Tokyo Tribe (2014)
#150 The Survivalist (2015)
#151 Magic in the Moonlight (2014)
#152 The Magnificent Seven (1960)
#153 Mr. Turner (2014)
#154 The Saint’s Return (1953), aka The Saint’s Girl Friday
#155 Westworld (1973)
#156 The Nice Guys (2016)
#157 Witness for the Prosecution (1957)

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• 15 new films this month, which is exactly the same as in August, and the 28th consecutive month with 10+ films.
• This month’s WDYMYHS film was right at the start, for a change. One of the definitive historical epics of classic Hollywood, it was the 1959 remake of Ben-Hur.

The 16th Monthly Arbitrary Awards

Favourite Film of the Month
I watched a couple of Best Picture winners in September, and a couple more that were nominated for the prize, but by far the most entertaining movie I saw this month was also the newest: Shane Black’s latest buddy action/thriller/comedy, The Nice Guys.

Least Favourite Film of the Month
No really bad films this month, but a few middling ones. A couple of those I didn’t expect all that much from and so wasn’t greatly surprised, but, after a tonne of hype in certain circles, I was a bit let down by Midnight Special.

The Dick Van Dyke Award for Performing with a Cockney Accent
Someone in Witness for the Prosecution, but I shan’t tell you who because if you’ve not seen it it might spoil it.

Least-Likely Catchiest Musical Refrain of the Month
Tokyo Tribe, never ever die! Tokyo Tribe, never ever die!

The Audience Award for Most-Viewed New Post of the Month
Although a raft of challengers came close to deposing it, an early lead was set and maintained for this award by my review of Ben-Hur (1959 variety, of course).

American Ultra	Badlands
Barely Lethal	Ben-Hur
Fast & Furious 7	High-Rise
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2	Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit
Legend of the Guardians	Magic in the Moonlight
Moonrise Kingdom	Pride and Prejudice
Return of the One-Armed Swordsman	Rushmore
Spotlight	Steve Jobs
The Story of Film: An Odyssey	Ted 2
Ten Little Indians

The Past Month on TV #8

This month: pirates, hitmen, Jedi, archaeologists, and sweet transvestites star in some of the most popular films of all time.

Phone Booth	Pirates of the Caribbean
Pulp Fiction	Raiders of the Lost Ark
Return of the Jedi	Road to Perdition
The Rock	The Rocky Horror Picture Show

There’s an awful lot of TV on the way — will my film viewing suffer? (Cliffhanger!)