Ozu-san.com on Twitter

Follow OZU-SAN.COM

on twitter

FILMS OF 2009

The decade concluded with another great year for films throughout the world. Among the notable highlights of the year was female filmmakers Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker), Jane Campion (Bright Star) and Claire Denis (35 Shots of Rum) all returning to a master-level of filmmaker. Spike Jonze (Where the Wild Things Are) and Wes Anderson (Fantastic Mr. Fox) both gave classic children novels their unique auteur signatures. With a masterful throwback film (The House of the Devil) Ti West proved to be the future master for contemporary horror cinema. Sion Sono (Love Exposure) took his bizarre originality to new depths. Richard Kelly (The Box) and Jody Hill (Observe and Report) proved bold originality can still be made in mainstream Hollywood films. Diablo Cody (Jennifer’s Body) and Judd Apatow (Funny People) took their filmmaking toward a new level of maturity. Pedro Almodovar (Broken Embraces) continued to prove the camera loves the star-power of his muse Penelope Cruz. Sam Raimi (Drag Me To Hell) blended humor, action, and horror with the effortlessly and invention of the Evil Dead films. Quentin Tarantino (Inglourious Basterds) acknowledged his own obsessions with violence and the impact of films with what very well may be his masterpiece.

These were just some of the notables in the year of films, but one constant trend that may define the year is animation filmmaking (of all kind) has reached its golden era – lead by Henry Selick’s pinnacle achievement in stop animation (Coraline). The always reliable Pixar reached new profound heights with what is their most lovely and touching and quite possibly best film (Up). Wes Anderson brought his patent visual style into stop-animation (Fantastic Mr. Fox). Mamoru Oshii took his anime to philosophical depths (The Sky Crawlers). Nina Paley proved the simplicity and creative charm of independent animation filmmaking (Nina Sings the Blues). Not to mention better-then-usual Hollywood animated fare, proving Pixar has raised the bar for other studios (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Monsters vs Aliens). I guess it is surprising and upsetting then that in a year of such wonderful animation, perhaps the greatest animated filmmaker of all – Japan’s Hayao Miyazaki – made the most uninspiring film of his amazing career (Ponyo), though the film is still beautiful on a level of visual animation.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>> GO HERE TO SEE A2PCINEMA'S

2009 YEAR IN FILMS

100 FILMS OF THE AUGHTS

A2P CINEMA'S 100 FILMS OF THE AUGHTS
www.a2pcinema.com/aughts

A few years ago I created a detailed Filmmakers Database which included a list and description of my 122 favorite directors.

Now with the decade nearing an end I wanted to do A2P Cinema's 100 Films of the Aughts (also known as the decade 2000-2009).

I will occasionally add new films to A2P Cinema's 100 Films of the Aughts website. The list will start at #100 and gradually work up to #1 barring in mind that the actual order should be taken lightly.

Please feel free to add your comments or even take part by sharing your own favorite films of the decade.

For Your Consideration 2009 Campaign - Best Supporting Actress

RECALLING MYRNA LOY WITH MARION COTILLARD
In Public Enemies

There is a minor yet telling little moment in the climax of Public Enemies (Michael Mann’s art-house / action gangster hybrid) when John Dillinger (played by Johnny Depp) is sitting in the movie theater watching Manhattan Melodrama. There are layers at work here as Public Enemies is loosely documenting the true story of Dillinger’s capture outside the theater on July 22, 1934 while giving a rare glimpse into Dillinger.

Of course the film Dillinger is watching also shares some parallels with his own life, and as we observe Depp watching the film it becomes obvious he believes he is in many ways watching his life play out on screen. Enter beloved 1930s Hollywood actress Myrna Loy, who in Manhattan Melodrama is stuck in the middle of a love triangle between feuding friends William Powell and Clark Gable. When Dillinger sees her face he lights up because in her he sees his own love Billie Frechette (played by French actress Marion Cotillard). Credit to Michael Mann’s direction and Depp’s performance for making this moment one of reflection into Dillinger’s consciousness. However this reflective glimpse is relevant because of what Cotillard had given the film leading up to that point. She provided Dillinger with the love and integrity that makes this scene work emotionally.

One can easily confuse Loy for Cotillard and not only because of their radiant beauty. First to understand Loy’s on-screen persona which was the image of “The Perfect Wife” a title she was often referred by in the 1930s/40s. This perfect wife screen persona was comparable to that of John Wayne as the American hero. Loy’s presence alone on screen conveyed this image of the quintessential loving wife.

Cotillard is one of the very great actresses of her generation, and I’ve felt this long before she won the Academy Award for La vie en rose (2007). While with Public Enemies she is only given small screen time, her presence is felt throughout, and her moments on-screen are the most lasting highlights of the entire film. It is mostly what she conveys through her eyes (something that has always been a standout for Cotillard). You see her eyes and you first appreciate how beautiful she is before you quickly realize the emotional depth they are expressing. Perhaps above all else in Public Enemies it is a toughness even in the most vulnerable of realities. In the traditional Michael Mann female role (think Ashley Judd in Heat, Gong Li in Miami Vice or Madeleine Stowe and Jodhi May in The Last of the Mohicans), Billie is an intense survivor and Cotillard transcendently captures this with the most subtle eye glances and gestures.

Among the most remarkable scenes of the film is a powerful interrogation scene. Billie ambitiously refuses to give in to the abuse or the odds. This is such an unforgettable scene that works almost entirely because of Cotillard and her unrelenting love and strength. This is again reflected in the films touching final scene, which ascends to the ranks of classic film moments. Cotillard barely speaks but it is the most moving moment of the film (credit to Stephen Lang for his very fine performance alongside Cotillard). For the first time in the film her emotions become vulnerable but even through this her eyes reflect the dignity of a true and noble survivor. It is both heartbreaking and inspirational.

So in the climax of Public Enemies we understand seeing Dillinger smiling when watching Manhattan Melodrama while thinking to himself that this “escapist dream” is his reality. And from what we know of Billie through Cotillard’s pitch-perfect performance – Myrna Loy belongs to him!

For Your Consideration 2009 Campaign - Best Actor

AMBIGUITY IN TWO LOVERS:
a closer look at the layered performance of Joaquin Phoenix

In October 2008 Joaquin Phoenix surprised and confused everyone by announcing he was leaving acting for good to pursue a career as a hip-hop musician. A few months later he went in front of a nationally televised audience on the Late Show with David Letterman where he was unresponsive towards Letterman's questions about the film and his acting career. The backlash of this (which many insist to be some form of a performance-art hoax, while others believe it is the call of a man on the verge of a breakdown) ultimately reflected negatively on Phoenix’s potentially final film, Two Lovers. The film was a major box office disappointment and was critically mixed, leaving cynics an easy chance to make cheap jokes and catch phrases at Phoenix’s expense.

Most unfortunate is what is being overlooked for cheap tabloid news. Two Lovers is not only a great film (from talented young filmmaker James Gray) but it is also a career-best performance for Phoenix, an actor that has already had a successful and diverse career (with notable performances in To Die For, Quills, Reservation Road, as well as two Academy Award nominations for Walk the Line and Gladiator, and also Gray’s previous two films We Own the Night and The Yards).

Two Lovers is a film that is personal, detailed and uniquely original in its own way. It is complex in dealing with issues of love, obsession and loneliness. Phoenix perfectly taps into the layers of his characters sense of longing, obsession and loneliness. We are immersed into the emotion from the gloomy opening sequence, in which Phoenix’s character (Leonard) considers a suicide.

What transcends the performance is the authentic execution, avoiding the easy route of self-absorbed young man longing for love. This film is more complex, and the complexities emerge from the layered performance of Phoenix. With his character (like James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause or Heath Ledger in Brokeback Mountain for examples), there is an inner-struggle that is exteriorly masked and only evident in subtle moments of the performance.

Take for instance a scene when Leonard is to meet Michelle (Gwyneth Paltrow) and her lover/married-man Ronald (Elias Koteas). Leonard is sitting alone waiting for them in an expensive New York restaurant. This is a world completely foreign to him. He is lonely and lost yet externally he tries to appear as though he fits in (by checking his cell phone as if he has calls and ordering a high-class drink Michelle told him about earlier). It is the performance of Phoenix and the subtle gestures which takes you emotionally into the moment and the character. Phoenix is again brilliant in the final scenes (which I will not reveal for those yet to see the film). His complex emotions give Two Lovers an ambiguity that can be seen as sad, bittersweet or hopeful all at once.

For Your Consideration 2009 Campaign - Best Director

KATHRYN BIGELOW’S THE HURT LOCKER:
Evoking Howard Hawks and Classic Hollywood

Every few years there are some American films that recall the traditions of the old-fashioned Hollywood studio days auteurs such as John Ford, Alfred Hitchcock, William Wyler, Frank Capra, and of course Howard Hawks. Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2007 film There Will Be Blood showed a vast influence of Hollywood studio influence from the silent era to Orson Welles and Stanley Kubrick; Woody’s Allen move to England with Match Point in 2005 brought him closer to Hitchcock; 2004’s Million Dollar Baby re-imagined the film noir in a heartbreaking modern tale; Michael Clayton (2007) and Rachel Getting Married (2008) each echoed the sprit of the 1970s in different cinematic styles.

Now arrives Kathryn Bigelow’s Iraq-war based film The Hurt Locker, which may evoke the old fashioned Hollywood studio filmmaking with more assurance then any film released in the past decade. Long underrated as a gifted filmmaker, lets hope this film earns Bigelow the recognition she so fully deserves. Bigelow has made some fine films but with The Hurt Locker she is at her artistic peak –particularly because of the complete control she possesses over the filmmaking.

She places emphasis of aesthetics over politics or messages. She finds the sensibilities few war films capture, notably in honest characterization. Above all, this is the characters of the film – not what they do in the face of battle and pressure, but how they do it. It is this understanding that considers Bigelow a modern Howard Hawks – a master not only of narrative rhythm, but also of character and of action, and most specifically a master of showing without telling. Hawks and Bigelow have the awareness not to lose sight of the narrative flow or of the characters.

One of Bigelow’s long occurring themes as filmmaker has been men placed in the face of high-pressure situations. As Sergeant William James, actor Jeremy Renner perfectly defines the essential Hawksian hero who is at his best when doing his job. His courage comes from a calm acceptance and understanding of fear and pressure. It is how he does his job that will define whether or not he lives or dies and this is where Bigelow’s interest lies. It is the suggestive scene in which we observe William away from severe duties (at home in the supermarket) that we see him perplexed to make decisions. His place is in the “kill zone” for as the films opening quotation observes: “The rush of battle is often a lethal and potent addiction, for war is a drug.”

As a film The Hurt Locker is a simply a flawless and original achievement in tense action cinema. It is a full experience of senses both for its stillness and its harrowingly intense ferocity. It is truly a joy to see films like this still being made today.

20 Favorite Films of 2009 (as of June)

With the year halfway through I'd like to look back at my favorite films thus far. There are some releases I still need to see. Also some of these films might technically be considered from 2008, but I'm including them if they had a theatrical United States release in 2009....

You can download a PDF of this list here.

1… STILL WALKING
Hirokazu Koreeda, Japan

Hirokazku Koreeda is easily among my favorite current filmmakers mostly in the simplistic ways he captures the little moments. This is probably Koreeda’s best film since his 1998 After Life which I’d consider among my all-time favorite films. Still Walking understands the dynamics of the family, removing the layers to reveal lingering regrets caused from unresolved differences and bitterness. The film is a personal reflection for Koreeda yet the universal qualities make it so touching, funny, and honest. It is more sentimental then Ozu or Naruse but belongs mention in that class, for the gentle and subtle approach that few filmmakers can master with such effortlessness. A masterpiece!

2… CORALINE
Henry Selick, United States

While all the animated and Disney films getting released seem to be using this new 3D technology as a money-making gimmick it is refreshing to see 3D used this beautifully and masterfully. Coraline doesn’t rely on gimmicks but rather visual and character-driven storytelling. This is an animated film for adults first and kids second. There are psychological subtexts and artistry that make the film far more worthy then just a charming “kids cartoon”. Coraline is masterfully directed by Henry Selick proving Nightmare Before Christmas was more then just Tim Burton’s vision. The imagination and wonder of this film (both for its realism and fantasy) establishes Selick among the very top of stop-animation filmmaking, and one of the great visionaries of contemporary cinema. I can not praise this film enough except to say that it is perfect in its own methods. This is the artistic peak of stop-animation filmmaking and really must be seen at a theater in 3D!!

3… UP
Pete Docter, United States

Profound… Pixar has reached a Hayao Miyazaki level of animation cinema! Perhaps more then any other Pixar film its philosophy is not told, rather it is shown through concentrated, precise and poetic images and sounds. As great of an achievement their previous film (Wall E) is I think Up is superior because there are no contrived elements to it (something that I think Wall E slightly falls into in the second half). While Brad Bird is perhaps Pixar’s auteur, John Lasseter its founder, and Andrew Stanton its crowd-pleaser, Pete Docter is probably the best fit and most defining of the studios directors. Beautifully moving and heartwarming from the touching opening sequences to the lovely closing shots.

4… MY DEAR ENEMY
Li Yoon-ki, South Korea

I saw this 2008 Korean release at this years Philadelphia Film Festival. It is wonderfully smart and charming for its compassionate manner. Jean Do-yean follows up her powerful Cannes winning performance from 2007’s Secret Sunshine with another excellent performance sharing pitch perfect chemistry with Ha Jung-woo. There is a sophisticated wit to the humor and the details that give this film an old-fashioned appeal. There is some hilarious moments of humor to the film as well as some insightful subtexts without ever being forced or overdone in any way. Lee Yoon-ki’s previous film (Ad Lib Night) took as similar approach but even for its gentle nature it was a film that felt emotionless and un-involving. Structured over the period of a day, My Dear Enemy is greatly involving as it takes you along with its terrific lead characters.

5… THE SILENCE OF LORNA
Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne, France

Released last year in France The Silence of Lorna won Best Screenplay at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival. It marks the seventh feature film from the Dardenne Brothers. Like the Dardenne previous films this one is rooted in the neorealist roots and Robert Bresson style that has defined their highly acclaimed work. This one is getting less praise mostly because this films resorts to some more conventional genre methods, yet I do not see how this negatively impacts this particular film. Instead I find the thriller aspects of the filmmaking give it a greater sense of complexity and emotional involvement. I still find it to be the work of purist filmmakers and I’d maybe consider this my favorite Dardenne film yet.

6… KABEI: OUR MOTHER
Yoji Yamada, Japan

After the completion of his samurai trilogy (which began with the high acclaimed 2002 Twilight Samurai and concluded in 2007 with Love and Honor) 77-year old Japanese filmmaker Yoji Yamada adapted this family drama set during early World War 2 (notably Japan’s invasion in China). The film, based off the childhood memoirs of Teruyo Nogami, uses the war as backdrop to the films primary focus of its effect on the family. The film is powerfully emotional without sentiment. Yamada’s film is deeply humanist lead by delicate performances from the cast (Sayuri Yoshinaga as Kabei is especially great).

7… TWO LOVERS
James Gray, United States

Nothing inventive but Two Lovers is excellent in the way it is directed and performed. A talented young filmmaker, James Gray has made his first great film – one that is personal, detailed and original in its own way. Joaquin Phoenix perfectly taps into the loneliness and longing of his character giving what I would say is the best performance of his career (and whether or not it is his final appearance is yet to be known, but after seeing how terrific he is here I certainly hope he is not done with acting).

8… GOODBYE SOLO
Ramin Bahrani, United States

I'm still not ready to claim Ramin Bahrani the master everyone else has but I always admire his approach and have liked each film more then the next, with this by far my favorite from him. Here Bahrani recalls his Iranian roots using Abbas Kiarostami's 1997 film A Taste of Cherry as a clear source of influence (both poetically and in narrative). The strength of the film is that Bahrani keeps it simple with his trademark minimalist style not allowing for easy manipulation. This is best expressed in Souleymane Sy Savane charming performance.

9… CHE
Steven Soderbergh, United States / Spain / France

This two-part four-plus hour film was released in LA for Oscar contention last December but I’m including among the 2009 films because of the films wide release in January. It marks one of three films in 2009 from the always productive Steven Soderbergh who when not directing is always producing. Che is certainly the most epic of these films and it is almost entirely centered around the amazing lead performance of Benicio Del Toro who gives an embracing performance as the revolutionary. Soderbergh’s gives the film some experimental approaches (such as the shift in aspect ration in the second half) which create a sense of atmosphere but loose some of the emotional attachment. Even for some flaws, this is an interesting and bold achievement with a remarkable lead performance.

10… REVANCHE
Gotz Spielmann, Austria

Revanche was nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Foreign Language film category but did not receive a theatrical release in the United States until May. Written and directed by Austrian filmmaker Gotz Spielmann, this is a skillful film that blends genres. The film excels in the way it stays simple and thoughtfully controlled on the characters and the setting, allowing the atmosphere and emotions a chance to grow.

11… HUNGER
Steve McQueen, United Kingdom

In his debut feature British visual artist Steve McQueen shows a bold and skillful filmmaking approach in the unconventional methods of storytelling. Centering around the 1981 hunger strike inside Northern Ireland's Maze Prison the film is very dark, depressing and difficult to watch. However the filmmaking is rather interesting particularly in the different ways McQueen experiments with different visual tricks (highlighted by a stunning 17-minute unbroken shot featuring a conversion between features a conversation between Bobby Sands and a Catholic priest).

12… THE LAST HOUSE OF THE LEFT
Dennis Iliadis, United States

A great modern remake! Dennis Iliadis wisely respects Wes Craven's original vision (as Craven did Ingmar Bergman's Virgin Spring) while giving this his own defining tone and suspense. Iliadis’ film is a bit less poetic then Craven’s but it is also less campy. Here the tense tone seems more connected to the home-invasion horror films of recent cinema but the filmmakers (except for the questionably forced ending shot) have a precise and skillful manner in which they create the tension.

13… ALEXANDER THE LAST
Joe Swanberg, United States

I am not sure how much of this or any of Joe Swanberg films are filmmaking art. They either take you in with feeling and mood or they do not. This certainly did more then any previous Swanberg films have for me, particularly with the films unique opening scene (a pretend wedding between two sisters – played by Jess Weixler and Amy Seimetz). As always Swanberg centers on the freedom of the performances and the cast delivers (Jane Adams gives a notable supporting performance as a stage director). Swanberg is not quite in the class of fellow mumblecore filmmaker Andrew Bujalski, but Alexander the Last is his best film to date.

14… TAKEN
Pierre Morel, France

Taken is silly or improbable for sure, but like a John Woo or Brian De Palma film there is also something poetic and rebellious in its single-minded vision. This is something of a trademark for Luc Besson who co-wrote the screenplay for talented young director Pierre Morel (his second feature). The filmmakers understand there world and the morality of it, giving the viewers a fully engaging film experience that has some insight.

15… CHOCOLATE
Prachya Pinkaew, Thailand

Thai director Prachya Pinkaew cleverly self references his own work in this bizarre revenge martial arts film. Here Pinkaew’s internationally popular 2003 film Ong-Bak is used as a frame of reference, with an autistic young girl watching the film repeatedly to learn martial arts from the Tony Jaa, so she can help her ill mother. While not Tony Jaa, JeeJa Yanin does a fine job as the young understudy and as expected the film is at its best during the high-fling action sequences. The film makes great use of set designs and a cheap budget.

16… AWAY WE GO
Sam Mendes, United States / United Kingdom

Maybe not artistically complex, yet like a great pop song this film is beautiful and charming. There is a smugness to the film that I could see turning some people off but I found it enjoyable because (for the most part) the film avoids falling into some of the “quirky indie” traps. The real surprise is that this is quite a change of pace for director Sam Mendes who is really starting to win me over. His films tend to be forceful and ultimately hollow but I liked what he did with Revolutionary Road and here he simplifies even more with this comedy, relying on the performances and the script (also bonus points for a great use of the wonderful Velvet Underground song ‘Oh Sweet Nuthin’).

17… THE GIRLFRIEND EXPERIENCE
Steven Soderbergh, United States

While I admire much of his work I still say that Steven Soderbergh's films always border on pretentious. This one is no different. Its emotional disconnection is intriguing even if the film does not have the depth of its obvious Antonioni influence. Here casting porn star Sasha Grey, Soderbergh avoids making it gimmicky and Grey delivers a convincing performance. Soderbergh keeps the camera at a distance from Grey taking away any sort of intimacy, instead relying on subtle performance and visual composition and spacing.

18… EXPLICIT ILLS
Mark Webber, United States

28-year old actor Mark Webber makes his debut as writer-director with this socially driven but mostly unforced film dealing with poverty in Philadelphia. Shot entirely in South Philadelphia Webber makes great use of location to capture the spirit and tone of the film. The film does have some flaws toward the climax but there is also some moments of poetic filmmaking here, echoing Charles Burnett’s 1977 masterpiece Killer of Sheep. This is not in that class but it is an impressive debut and a fine collaborative effort from all the filmmakers and cast.

19… DONKEY PUNCH
Oliver Blackburn, United Kingdom

Donkey Punch is nothing new but it succeeds because it understands and even embraces genre formula. The pacing and visuals are designed in two halves. The beautiful and bright images and emotions of the early half soon shift to a more gritty and claustrophobic atmosphere as the tension and chaos builds. Flawed for sure (particularly over the climax) I still found the film engrossing for the effective manner in which it incorporates conventions.

20… NANAYOMACHI
Naomi Kawase, Japan / France

Naomi Kawase made an international name for herself with her previous release the award-winning Mourning Forest. A unique filmmaker known for a seamless blend of personal autobiography, documentary and fiction, here she delves into slightly new territory – shooting outside native Japan instead in Thailand and with a cast of Japanese, French, and Thai actors. The story centers around a 30-year old Japanese woman who leaves for Thailand. Recalling some of the second half of Kawase’s previous film that film centers around the forest and the woman’s spiritual journey within the forest where she meets a monk (Jun Murakami), and then a French student (Gregoire Colin). This might be my least favorite Kawase film to date but there is a very good feeling of atmosphere and beauty to the film.

Some other notable films:

THE BROTHERS BLOOM (Rian Johnson, United States)

PHOEBE IN WONDERLAND (Daniel Barnz, United States)

ACHILLES AND THE TORTOISE (Takeshi Kitano, Japan)

THE UNINVITED (Charles and Thomas Guard, United States/Canada)

THE MAN FROM LONDON (Bela Tarr, Hungary / France)

THE OBJECTIVE (Daniel Myrick, United States/Morocco)

HOTEL FOR DOGS (Thor Freudenthal, United States/Germany)

SONG OF SPARROWS (Majid Majidi, Iran)

ADORATION (Atom Egoyan, Canada)

LEMON TREE (Eran Riklis, Israel/Germany/France)

SAUNA (Antti-Jussi Annila, Finland/Czech Republic)

NOTORIOUS (George Tillman Jr., United States)

EASY VIRTUE (Stephan Elliott, United Kingdom /Canada)

LEFT BANK (Pieter Van Hees, Belgium)

SUMMER HOURS (Olivier Assayas, 2008)

My favorite film of 2008 and probably among my favorite films of all-time, Summer Hours has FINALLY been theatrically released in the United States. The release is limited but if you get a chance to see this film I highly recommend doing so...

Here is what I wrote about the film after first seeing it last year (I have seen it three times since, including at the Philadelphia Film Festival in April):

Fresh off the globalized B-movie genre film Boarding Gate, Olivier Assayas would seem a strange fit for this simplistic three generations family ensemble. Yet Summer Hours is very much the definitive Assayas film and it may very well be his greatest masterwork. In many ways it might be his greatest film because it seems to be a reflection on all of his films and it is made with the touch of a seasoned master with its skillfully simplistic touch, channeling the minimalist style of his influences (notably Hou Hsiao-Hsien, whom Assayas made a documentary about in 1997). Like Hou, Summer Hours finds an eternal truth through its simplicity, but the beauty is that the film is undoubtedly Assayas' right to the lovely final shot. Surprisingly recalling some of his previous film, Assayas here presents us with the global family as a reflection of a passing time. Summer Hours is a film about life and death, memories and heritage. I can't say I saw a film more perfect then this in 2008 and I would rate Summer Hours among the greatest French films in years or really among the greatest films I have EVER seen!!

Favorite Oscar Winners (Lead Actor and Actress)

Many of my all-time favorite performances (even in American cinema) did not win the Oscar but here are my top 10 favorites winners...

TOP 10 FAVORITE LEAD ACTOR OSCAR WINNERS

1. Robert Duvall – Tender Mercies (1983)
2. Ernest Borgnine – Marty (1955)
3. Alec Guinness – The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
4. Clark Gable – It Happened One Night (1934)
5. Robert Deniro – Raging Bull (1980)
6. James Cagney – Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
7. Peter Finch – Network (1976)
8. Jack Nicholson – One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
9. Daniel Day Lewis – There Will Be Blood (2007)
10. Gary Cooper - High Noon (1952)


TOP 10 FAVORITE LEAD ACTRESS OSCAR WINNERS

1. Janet Gaynor – Sunrise / Seventh Heaven / Street Angel (1927)
2. Hilary Swank – Million Dollar Baby (2004)
3. Bette Davis – Jezebel (1938)
4. Diane Keaton – Annie Hall (1977)
5. Joan Crawford – Mildred Pierce (1945)
6. Meryl Streep – Sophie’s Choice (1982)
7. Claudette Colbert – It Happened One Night (1934)
8. Frances McDormand – Fargo (1996)
9. Viven Leigh – A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
10. Holly Hunter – The Piano (1993)

* An upset win by Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married) on Sunday would easily move towards the top of the list... perhaps as high as #2!!!

Six Great Performances Worth Considering

There are many different awards and prizes handed out leading up to the Oscars in February. When you look over these winners it starts to become repetitive, almost as if all the year-end award circuits try to "predict" the Oscar nominees and winners rather then thinking outside the box and spreading the love for a variety of films.

I saw over 160 films from 2008 and I can honestly say many of them have award potential in some form or another, but when you see the winners during the award season it is as if there were only 5-10 films made every year, and nearly all of them in December.

Why this is I do not understand, but as an alternative to the group thinking I present six performances worth considering as the Oscar nominations get announced this Thursday. Here are six great performances that will be overlooked during the award season but for my money are easily among the best I've seen this year…



CHIWETEL EJIOFOR
Best Leading Actor - Redbelt

Under the skillful direction of writer-director David Mamet, Chiwetel Ejiofor gives one of the very best performances of the year, as Mike Terry, an honorable martial arts instructor whose financial problems force him against his will to fight in a hyped-up TV match. There are no big "Oscar" moments, Ejiofor simply provides a truth to this role that transcends external performance.

MICHELLE WILLIAMS
Best Leading Actress - Wendy and Lucy

Michelle Williams is nothing short of superb as a vulnerable woman caught in the devastating realities of poverty in American society. To see Williams and her joy, hope, sadness, fears, and uncertainty effortlessly converge without sentiment in the final moments is truly a masterful performance in a beautiful and heartbreaking film!

ASIA ARGENTO
Best Leading Actress - The Last Mistress or Boarding Gate

Under the direction of Catherine Breillat in The Last Mistress, Asia Argento was given the freedom to let out her fierce intensity with a dazzlingly wicked performance. With Boarding Gate, Argento found the perfect collaborator in Olivier Assayas who allows her to carry the film. Both performances define Argento strengths as a commanding screen presence, shaping the rhythm and intensity of the films.

PENELOPE CRUZ
Best Leading Actress - Elegy

Penelope Cruz is still overdue the Oscar from her performance in Volver and she may very likely take home the award this year for Best Supporting Actress in Woody Allen's Vicky Christina Barcelona. However, her lead performance in Elegy is far superior, instead relying on complex depth rather then the symbolic character she plays in Vicky Christina Barcelona.

STEVE COOGAN
Best Leading Actor - Hamlet 2

Always one of the great comedian actors in British cinema, Steve Coogan really shines in a rare American lead role. The film is kind of silly but completely enthralling because of Coogan's lively performance which carries the entire film. Sadly comedy is not regarded as serious award-worthy but there few better performances this year then Coogan's.

PATRICIA CLARKSON
Best Supporting Actress - Elegy

Patricia Clarkson has long been overdue her respects among the great actresses of contemporary American film. Playing a small supporting role in Elegy, Clarkson is memorable and moving in that she makes her character authentically alive with feelings of pain and betrayal.

The Films of 2008 (part 2)

Earlier this week I posted a film-by-film summary of the entire Year in Films. Now I’d like to individualize the year in films with my Best of 2008. This will include the usual award categories (Best Director, Best Original Score, etc) as well as some fun alternate categories (such as Best Ensemble Cast, Best Fight, Best Sex Scene, Best Performance by a Dog, among many others).

Please take the time to look it over and feel free to share any comments, questions or recommendations you may have!

>> GO HERE TO VIEW THE BEST OF 2008

The Films of 2008

Looking over the year of films several trends seem to surface. One of the most prominent (though offered in different forms) was the theme of globalization and its potentially disastrous effects on contemporary society (as in Wall-E or 24 City), nature (The Unforeseen), business (Boarding Gate), economics (Slumdog Millionaire), or even the family (Summer Hours).

One other trend I noticed looking over the year in films was re-imagining. Some films re-imagined genres (Let the Right One In, Pineapple Express, Boarding Gate), others re-imagined films (Flight of the Red Balloon, Love Songs) and some filmmakers re-imagined other filmmakers (Rachel Getting Married) while some did so while also re-imagining themselves (Summer Hours, Tokyo Sonata, Happy-Go-Lucky, Gran Torino, Go Go Tales).

It was an especially great year for female performances (notably Anne Hathaway, Sally Hawkins, Asia Argento, Penelope Cruz, Riko Narumi, Kristen Scott Thomas, Patricia Clarkson, Juliette Binoche, Keira Knightley, Meryl Streep, Rosemary DeWitt, etc) and we saw two great “swan-song” performances by legendary actors of separate generations (Clint Eastwood and Heath Ledger).

2008 may not have had as many great or “masterpiece” films as recent years, but there were plenty to enjoy, and I don’t know if I’ve seen a better French film this decade then Olivier Assayas’ perfect Summer Hours, my favorite film of 2008.

Of course we also saw the refreshing return of Jonathan Demme’s hopeful humanity (Rachel Getting Married), a poetic and touching vampire love story (Let the Right One In), a Zen-like high school film (How To Become Myself), an unforgettable character living life “in the moment” (Sally Hawkins’ Poppy in Happy-Go-Lucky), a meditative journey through America via trains (RR), an irresistible sci-fi love story with robots (Wall-E), a screwball comedy in a strip club (Go Go Tales), another film from the worlds greatest living master (Hou Hsiao-hsien’s Flight of the Red Balloon), more fierce intensity from Asia Argento (in The Last Mistress, Boarding Gate and Go Go Tales), an imaginative celebration of togetherness and creativity (Be Kind Rewind), among many other wonderful joys from another great year in films!!


>>> GO HERE TO SEE THE A2P CINEMA YEAR IN FILMS