 |
||
|
Last
Update: March
1st 2010
Recent Additions: Invictus; Sherlock Holmes; The Last Station; Black Dynamite; Post Grad |
||
|
NOTABLE
2009 FILMS YET TO SEE:
Buy
a Suit; Tetro;
Me
and Orson Welles;
Under My Skin; Everyone Else; The
Informant!; The
Princess and the Frog; The Sun; La Belle Personne; That Evening Sun;
9;
Tony
Manero; It's Complicated; Ninja
Assassin; 2012 Click the poster for imdb link |
||
| 1 |  |
STILL
WALKING Hirokazu Kore-eda is easily among my favorite current filmmakers mostly in the simplistic ways he captures the little moments. This is probably Kore-eda's best film since his 1998 masterwork 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 grief and regrets caused from unresolved differences and bitterness. The film is a personal reflection for Kore-eda yet the universal qualities make it so touching, funny, and honest. Still Walking could very well be a title for most of Kore-edas films as this reflects on death and the souls that are still living (and grieving). Still Walking takes place over the course of a day during a family reunion for the death of the eldest child. The film is an honest depiction of family relationships between elderly parents and their children, both for its painful and its tender moments. Kore-eda finds the drama in the moments of anticipation as well as their affect - the very essence of human feelings. The presence or existence of death and life is deeply felt here, particularly in the lovely Yokohama exterior sequences by the gravesite. The beauty of Still Walking is how remarkably moving and thoughtful it is with the effortless touch of its filmmaker. The tone is maybe a little more sentimental (and perhaps more angry) then Yasujiro Ozu or Mikio Naruse, but this belongs mention in that class, for the gentle and subtle approach that few filmmakers can master with such effortlessness. A masterpiece! |
| 2 |  |
CORALINE While all the animated and Disney films getting released seem to be using this new 3D technology as a moneymaking 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. Selick takes a simple, formulaic fairy-tale story into imaginative and hallucinatory cinematic depths. It is the feeling of this film that makes it such a joy to experience. Selick has a great understanding of fairy-tale storytelling and nightmarish atmosphere through the eyes of a child. It is difficult to describe the feelings this film evokes without sounding like an overexcited fanboy, but that it what this film does for me. 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 |  |
35
SHOTS OF RUM The excellent French filmmaker Claire Denis has acknowledged 35 Shots of Rum to be a poetic tribute to the Japanese master Yasujiro Ozu. Suggesting Ozu's An Autumn Afternoon or Late Spring, this family drama quietly explores the relationship between a widowed father and his daughter. However the beauty of the film is that it is not a forced similarity to Ozu. Instead Denis has created a film that is her own and thus it emerges as a contemporary successor to Ozu's incomparable genius, in the way it captures feelings and the essence of life with a delicate and expected simplicity. To express a sadness without forced dramatic elements, Denis beautifully blends her trademark poetic realism to create a film that is soulful, tender and harrowing. Gorgeously shot by the great cinematographer Agnes Godard, with a wonderful soundtrack and outstanding performances (by Alex Descas as the lonely train conductor father and Mati Diop as his pretty university-student daughter). 35 Shots of Rum is a lovely film, existing on a clam reality which results in something deeply moving and significant. |
| 4 |  |
THE
HURT LOCKER It is possible that Kathryn Bigelow’s Iraq-war based film The Hurt Locker evokes the old fashioned Hollywood studio filmmaking perhaps with more assurance then any American 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. |
| 5 |  |
MY
DEAR ENEMY This Korean film is wonderfully smart and charming for its compassionate manner. Jeon Do-yean follows up her powerful Cannes winning performance from 2007's Secret Sunshine with another excellent performance sharing pitch perfect chemistry with a rather charming Ha Jung-woo. There is a sophisticated wit to the humor and the details that give this film an old-fashioned appeal (aided by the occasional jazz score and pitch-perfect chemistry). 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 a similar approach but even for its gentle nature it was a film that felt emotionless and un-involving at times. Effortlessly structured over the period of a day, My Dear Enemy is greatly involving as it takes you along with its terrific lead characters. |
| 6 |  |
UP Profound… There are really few words to describe how beautifully moving and heartwarming this film is (from it's masterful opening montage to it's lovely closing shot) 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). There is so much detail and beauty to love about this film be it's simple and unforced messages or its dazzling animation or its wonderful characters- including a lead character that is literally drawn with a "boxed-in" physical presence, as well as the lovable Dug who perfectly captures the very essence of man's best friend, brilliantly voiced by co-director Bob Peterson). 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. Up very well might be Pixar Studio's masterpiece. |
| 7 |  |
BRIGHT
STAR It has been awhile but its nice to see New Zealand-born filmmaker Jane Campion making great films again. While this may not quite be on the innovative and cinematic language-defining level of 1990's An Angel at My Table or 1989's Sweetie, Campion gives the period costume formula a rare sense of feeling. Above all this is a film that you can feel (be it in moments of beauty, of heartbreak, of romance or of humor). The production values (sets, costumes and most especially the cinematography) are extraordinary and the performances are strong (notably a career-defining role from Abbie Cornish who is already well acclaimed in her native Australia for performances in Somersault and Candy). Telling the story of a love affair between a young Romantic poet John Keats played by Ben Whishaw and his next-door neighbor Fanny (played by Cornish), Bright Star is a film that requires the lyrical touch of a gentle and detailed artist with a great understanding of feelings and mood. In addition, one of the unique qualities that sets this film apart from the standard period drama is Campion's trademark visual camera framing and storytelling. There is no doubt Campion can frame a shot and her manner of storytelling gives the typical period romance a refreshing and quiet beauty. |
| 8 |  |
THE
HOUSE OF THE DEVIL The House of the Devil is unquestionably a throwback re-imagining of 1970s and 80s horror cinema. The genius of the film lies in its execution, notably the way the film avoids conscious effort of its influence and instead establishes a distinct and yet truly faithful contemporary vision of its own - a vision that ultimately not only embraces the joy of horror filmmaking but also rethinks it. Following up impressive entries into the genre with The Roost and Trigger Man, this film puts filmmaker Ti West to one leaders in contemporary horror cinema. By avoiding typical and cheap scare tactics or overused techniques West skillfully understands that tension and fear can be evoked through a sense of mood and feeling as well as the visual composition (all without any showy wink of the eye tactics or gimmickry). The House of the Devil has a perfectly retro feel and captures the sense of period detail with such wonderfully spot-on beauty all while maintaining its weirdly unsettling doom underneath the lively surface of which is supported by outstanding performances from a lovely Jocelin Donahue (who has the trademark look of a throwback horror heroine) as well as a lively and quintessentially 80s Greta Gerwig, playing her friend with energetic appeal. West favorite Tom Noonan also gives a great performance with the just right touch of creepiness and dark humor. The House of the Dead is simply a masterwork of horror filmmaking from it's fun opening credits to its satisfyingly horrifying conclusion. |
| 9 |  |
LOVE
EXPOSURE Japanese filmmaker Sion Sono has always been a filmmaker willing to explore both his own boundaries as well as boundaries within the conventional narrative and genre elements. He is daring for his bizarre innovation as a filmmaker. Epic in it's four hour length, Love Exposure is anything but a typical epic. The film is a bizarre trip centering around a strange love triangle, Catholicism, obsession, guilt and upskirt photography (just to name a few of the films ideas). The film flows with such ease and never bores despite its running time. The beauty of the film is the way it meshes all these ideas (both deep and simple ideas) with a cinematic style that is unusual and yet at its core very simple and profound all at once. Love Exposure is basically structured in two parts with the first centered around the relationship of a young man and father (a strict Catholic Priest). Things really start to get complicated in the second haff with a cult group known as "Church Zero". The energy and oddness of it make Love Exposure impossible to ever want to look away. There is such a conventional and simple love story at the surface of the film yet you marvel at the rare innovation, making this truly a joyous and hypnotic film to experience. |
| 10 |  |
TWO
LOVERS 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, obsession 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). 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. The film concludes with a brilliantly thought-provoking final scenes (which I will not reveal for those yet to see the film). The complex emotions give Two Lovers an ambiguity that can be seen as sad, bittersweet or hopeful all at once. |
| 11 |  |
A
SERIOUS MAN "When the truth is found, to be lies. And all the joy, within you dies… What then?" A Serious Man opens to a strange prologue set in 19th century Eastern European village (I think?), in which a married couple invite an old man into their home who may or may not be a dybbuk (evil spirit). This seemingly has no connection to the film which follows - as it cuts to black we then literally emerge in a tunnel through the brain and out of an earpiece which is blaring the classic sound of Jefferson's Airplane's "Somebody To Love", a song that essentially becomes the beating pulse of this deeply existential film. At the heart lies the idea to "accept the mystery" as Larry Gopnik (brilliantly played by Michael Stuhlbarg in a career-defining performance) is told. He is a character that (like the audience) is searching for answers. Above all the film itself is a question: When are consequences the actions of God, or are they the result of people fearfully overreacting to God's actions? What does it mean? Who knows, but perhaps we should "accept the mystery". A Serious Man is pure Coen brothers dark humor and sympathetic scorn. It is their very best film this decade and to me their most original and deeply artistic film since their greatest masterpiece (The Big Lebowski). |
| 12 |  |
POSSESSED
aka
LIVING DEATH or
DISBELIEF HELL The international title of this film has strangely changed several times so I'm unsure of what it officially is. What I am sure of is that this debut feature from Korean filmmaker Lee Yong-Ju is a great work of atmospheric horror filmmaking. To put it simply Possessed has a unsettling tone in the mode of great horror cinema. The film has such incredible depth and thought in its reflections on religious beliefs and faith - specifically what faith means on an individual level. With these ideas and thoughts, Lee is transcending the expectations of genre formula while still maintaining an effortlessness in its filmmaking. Lee's use of visual composition and space is masterful here. Possessed h is a film I will continue to revisit not only for its skillful atmospheric filmmaking but also for the thoughts and ideas it expresses and asks without simple answers. |
| 13 |  |
OBSERVE
AND REPORT Observe and Report is a rather strange but truly refreshing film to come out of a major Hollywood studio. Similar to Jody Hill's previous film in the uncomfortable and offensive way it approaches characters and comedy. There is some compassion underneath the shock and that is what makes this an appealing film. The film has been compared to Taxi Driver and for some apt reasons but it may be more a contemporary version of Martin Scorsese's King of Comedy in the way it blends incredibly dark humor and insanity with such ease. Seth Rogen proves to be a force with this performance in the way he captures the internal and psychical essence of this complicated character who's soul is slowly dying at the emptiness of his surrounding - the mall. Not to go without mentioning is the performance of Anna Faris who daringly thrives on the wickedness of this humor. Observe and Report both is and isn't a comedy. One thing is certain is - the film is a refreshing and bold achievement that will be appreciated more over time. |
| 14 |  |
KABEI
- OUR MOTHER 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). Kabei: Our Mother, 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). I would place this alongside Distant Cry From Spring or Home From the Sea as my favorite Yamada film to date. |
| 15 |  |
INGLOURIOUS
BASTERDS I have a few issues but there are moments that absolutely soar maybe beyond anything else Quentin Tarantino has ever done. With Inglourious Basterds Tarantino embraces his love of films more then ever by showing the magic and influence of them. Like all his films this is free of filmmaking rules and here he even seems to reflect on his own tendencies for violence and revenge with a film that is essentially about films. Through masterful dialogue Tarantino creates the film as a series of set pieces in which he has full control over. The initial cinematic influence is undoubtedly in the vein of Sergio Leone but there are endless film influences and film references throughout Inglourious Basterds (with the most directly obvious being German and French cinema). Tarantino's strengths have always been in dialogue, music/sound and casting. The beauty of this film is that the cast is terrific and essentially one of the underlying themes of the film is that they are each battling one another for top billing. As Colonel Hans Landa (aka "The Jew Hunter") Christopher Waltz finds the perfect pitch of charming and brutal. The films most memorable and profound moments come from a massacre survivor out for vengeance Shosanna (played by the always radiant Melanie Laurent) - highlighted by a brilliantly tense scene with Hans sharing a apple strudel with Shosanna ("wait for the cream"). Also the films most striking images come Shosanna's face projected over a burning screen. Above all Inglourious Basterds is pure entertainment from a filmmaker that embraces his won obsessions, flaws and influences more, capped with a humorous and bold self-statement in the films finals shot. |
| 16 |  |
WHERE
THE WILD THINGS ARE A beautiful and touching adaptation of a classic! Spike Jonze has found a psychological and spiritual soul of the story through his own personal and nostalgic vision. One of the unique and admirable qualities of this film is how psychological it is in the mind of its young protagonist (a remarkable performance by newcomer Max Records as Max). The films focus is what what he is thinking and most especially feeling. A beauty emerges in the way the film finds the little details of these psychological feeling (such as Max touching his Mothers feet for her attention as she works). When the boy takes the journey to the island you can feel it and when he arrives you can feel the imagination of his inner world, heightened by excellent cinematography work from the talented Lance Acord. The film is equally primal and heartfelt. It is a wonderful story of growing up and also of parenting as the touching soul lies in the relationship of Mother and son. I grew up loving the book. It's images both haunted and fascinated me. Jonze's adaptation is interesting and to me very tender. The film captured some of my own feelings so well and I guess it captured the spirit of the book, and returning home to eat soup (which is still hot!). |
| 17 |  |
GOODBYE
SOLO 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. |
| 18 |  |
FANTASTIC
MR. FOX The wonder of Fantastic Mr Fox is Wes Anderson's ability to take a classic children novel (written by Roald Dahl) and use a filmmaking technique completely unique to anything he's ever done (stop-animation) yet still manage to bring both of those world's into his own signature filmmaking vision. Really Fantasy Mr. Fox has the essential look, tone and style of the filmmakers world (complete with whip-pans, notable soundtrack, dazzlingly colorful production and costume design). Midway through watching this you forget your watching an animated film. This film is really a joy. A great voice cast George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Michael Gambon, Willem Dafoe, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray help emphasize Wes Anderson's typically brilliant comedic timing in what it one of the most entertaining films of the year! |
| 19 |  |
THE
SILENCE OF LORNA 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. |
| 20 |  |
THE
WINDOW "I had a strange dream…" Argentinean filmmaker Carlos Sorin's The Window opens to an old film-reel looking shot shown from the point-of-view of a bed as a man tells us the memories of a babysitter whos face has re-appeared to him 80 years later. We are then taken into the home of this man, Antonio (played by Antonio Larreta), who we see lying alone in his deathbed surrounded only by a window and the sounds of ticking clocks. Sorin has noted that part of the influence of the film is Ingmar Bergman's Wild Strawberries and one can also see some similarities with Bergman's Cries and Whispers in the way both films deal with dying and with memories and dreams. Comparisons can also be made to a filmmaker like Terrence Malick because Sorin's focus is less on plot on more on poetic moments - the small, intimate human moments found within the story. What works most for The Window is that it is truthfully told through the voice of its filmmaker. Nothing here is forced and the film remarkably speaks through imagery. The isolated camera framing and dark color tones within Antonio's home contrast with the dreamy and colorful exterior visuals. Both surreal and realist The Window is a beautifully quiet and lyrical film. |
| 21 |  |
THE
BOX What a trip this film is! Richard Kelly has struggled living up to the hype of his debut feature - the cult 2001 hit Donnie Darko. With The Box he has proven the original (all be it strange) filmmaking can still be produced by major Hollywood Studios. It is a challenging film for sure and those willing to accept the bold direction of this film will appreciate it for the daring visionary achievement that it is. The Box begins with a rather standard and simple setup and premise but what makes it such a unique experience is where the film goes from that point - which is on a weird and rather confusing Twilight-Zone journey. The real beauty of the film is that is also has a simplicity to the surface centering around a young couple and their son, with simple messages of selflessness and our responsibilities to others. All this mixed in with basic genre elements of science fiction, and corporate paranoia thrillers, as well a hallucinating sense of lingering doom. Even so The Box never forces any messages or ideas and it flows in a manner you never really expect it to. The Box will divide audiences for its daring nature blending genre formula with head-scratching ideas while remaining true to the basic story, characters and hopeful humanity. |
| 22 |  |
NIGHT
AND DAY Following up what I found to be his most definitive and best film (2006's Woman on the Beach), Korean filmmaker Hong Sang-soo's Night and Day shares ideas of lost or confused emotions, identity, and desire. Night and Day is made with his typically minimalist style yet there is a greater sense of surrealism blended into the reality here. The Paris locations and French New Wave structure of the film also give it a uniqueness from Hong's previous films yet the quite ease and simplicity in which it flows remains. The film is as reflective as Woman on the Beach but Night and Day is more complex in it's ideas. |
| 23 |  |
JENNIFER'S
BODY "Hell is a teenage girl." Following the Oscar-winning success of Juno screenwriter Diablo Cody's script for director Karyn Kusama shows the development of a gifted filmmaker with a voice of her own. Blending horror and comedy more in a clever manner, the film finds the right mix and tone. Clearly Cody and director Kusama understand and appreciate horror films (be it Giallo or slasher) and how they are effective, and Cody's maturity as a writer is evident in the films wonderful narrative surprises and depth. Part of the films dramatic tension centers around the sometimes jealous friendship between head cheerleader Jennifer Check (Megan Fox) and Needy Lesnicky (Amanda Seyfried) who has earned the nickname for her devotion to Jennifer. Their relationship becomes strained after an indie-rock band sacrifices Jennifer to Satan in order to become rich and famous. Only Jennifer was not a virgin thus she survives as a different kind of man-eater - one that is even hotter and will literally eat men to maintain her hotness, thus going from "high school evil to evil, evil". The film has some real depth and insight into the psychology of feminine anxieties with body image. The title itself expresses the idea of how women are often associated with their bodies and this is heightened in the narrative and perfect casting of Megan Fox as Jennifer (herself a symbol of mens objection, which the filmmakers establish as early as the opening scene, with the camera panning her body as she lays on the bed - alone). Bottom line, Diablo Cody's highly anticipation sophomore script finds the right mix of comedy and horror tones. I think the depths of this film emerge over time and I found it great fun. |
| 24 |  |
THE
BEACHES OF AGNES One of the leading filmmakers of the "Left Bank" group of the French New Wave Agnes Varda's latest documentary memoir seems to be unsurprisingly essential. Varda has such an intelligent and thoughtful vision which is interested in the difficulties of living. With this film she centers the film on herself reflecting on her life, her friends(including filmmakers Jean-Luc Godard, Alain Resnais, and Chris Marker who appears as a cartoon cat), and family (of which include her memories of loving husband and filmmaker Jacques Demy). There are some wonderful images to the film and it's beauty lies in the loving, free-spirited and charming tone of it. There is no denying the originality of this film or Varda as a filmmaker and a person. |
| 25 |  |
REVANCHE 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. The film starts rather predictably and then emerges into something unpredictable and pleasing as a viewing experience. Revanche is a very satisfying film in the way it finds the right pitch of genre conventions and an excellent screenplay. |
| 26 |  |
BAD
LIEUTENANT: PORT OF CALL NEW ORLEANS Despite sharing a portion of it's title and a lead character that has similar traits Werner Herzog's Bad Lieutenant is not really a remake of Abel Ferrara's cult 1992 film Bad Lieutenant. The two filmmakers are true auteurs in their own unique and eccentric way and this is evident in the differences between these two films. This film opens with a Herzog-esque vision as we see a snake swimming through dark water as the title card appears followed by "New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina…". Effectively using the culture and atmosphere of it's setting (of which includes various reptiles), Herzog gives the film a vision that is both darkly comical and surreal (notably in his unusual use of alligators, iguanas as well as dancing souls). Really I found this film to be hilarious and not at all in a bad way. Nicolas Cage gives one of the best performances of his career as Herzog masterfully finds just the right way in which to use Cage's over-the-top acting with great skill and humor. The film is (like it's lead character) a bit crazy for sure but it takes a bold filmmaker like Herzog to make this work as well as it does. |
| 27 |  |
ADVENTURELAND Greg Mottola follows up his terrific High School comedy Superbad with nostalgic film about a college grad (Jesse Eisenberg) who's plans to spend the Summer in Europe are halted by his father's financial troubles. To raise money for Columbia graduate studies he must work a summer job at a Pittsburgh amusement park. The film features a cast of interesting characters working both "Games" and "Rides" at the amusement park, including a scene-stealing Margarita Levieva as Lisa P. I'll admit I'm not really a fan of Kristen Stewart and her twitching one-note expression performances but she works well among the cast in this film. Really the heart of this film lies in the simple and often insightful moments shared between her and Eisenberg. The ending of Adventureland feels a bit off but otherwise this is a smart and seemingly personal film. Above all Adventureland offers a whole lot of fun and some great laughs and a perfect 80s nostalgic atmosphere. Fine performances and dialogue carry the film along with a superb soundtrack (highlighted by double-use of Pale Blue Eyes, a beautiful song from my favorite band The Velvet Underground!). This film is really a great time and between this and his outstanding 2007 film Superbad, Greg Mottola is a filmmaker to watch in the next decade. |
| 28 |  |
TRIANGLE "You were just having a bad dream thats all baby. That's all it was. Bad dreams make you think that your seeing thing that you haven't. You know what I do when I have a bad dream? I close my eyes and I think of something nice. Like being here with you", says a crying mother as she holds her son close. And so begins a strange hallucinating film from cult-horror writer/director Christopher Smith. Triangle is such an intriguing film which is rooted in B-movie concepts. Wisely the film embraces B-movie conventions without a spoofy or campy tone. After this unusual opening (which we understand greater as the film unfolds) Triangle revolves around a group of passengers on a yachting trip in the Atlantic Ocean who experience a strange storm and then are forced to board a giant cruise ship for rescue. What develops is a Bermuda Triangle-esque series of puzzling events. It is quite an inventive and mesmerizing film that impressively never gets dull or forced all the way through it's convincing and satisfying (all be it haunting) conclusion. |
| 29 |  |
BROKEN
EMBRACES Pedro Almodovar has been one of the decade's most reliably great filmmakers with a string of great films Volver, Bad Education, and Talk To Her (not to mention All About My Mother in 1999). He closes the decade with Broken Embraces a film not quite on the level of the previous four but not far behind either. Here's the thing, Almodovar simply knows precisely what he is doing as filmmaker with each and every detail. As such even his less-then-masterpiece films are still fully accomplished, satisfying and confident works that are whole-heartily entertaining. With that said, Broken Embraces is a beautiful film filled with Almodovar trademarks: vibrant colors, dizzying nonlinear plot points, and a mix of flawless mix of melodrama, noir, romance and self-aware filmmaking within films. Above all the film is an extravagant and sexy showcase for another Almodovar trademark: Penelope Cruz (in their fourth feature collaboration together). Channeling influences such as Audrey Hepburn, Voyage to Italy, and of course Alfred Hitchcock - not to mention a film-within-a-film that parallels Almodovar's own Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown - Broken Embraces emerges as a profound and fully satisfying film even if not as deeply complex or inspiring as Almodovar's greatest films. |
| 30 |  |
SUGAR Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, follow-up their Oscar-nominated debut feature (2006's Half Nelson) with Sugar, a true story based on a talented Dominican baseball player (Miguel "Sugar" Santos) who longs to break into the American big league and earn the money needed to support his impoverished family. As in their previous film Sugar altered individualities and ideals. It is a refreshing spin on the the typical sports-drama formula here centered around the truth and sadness of life and all its complications. What is so magical about this film is how strict it is to stay away from the formulaic expectations of drama, thus resulting in a film that by it's own limitations merges a deeply honest portrayal of humanity and life. |
| 31 |  |
THE
SKY CRAWLERS The Sky Crawlers is the latest animated feature from Mamoru Oshii, the filmmaker most known for Ghost in the Shell. The film is masterful in it's animated aerial action sequences but at it's heart this film is centered on the psychological and philosophical state of its characters as well as the very nature of war. The films imagery seems to metaphorically represent different ideas and internal battles (be it of love, war, memory, death or self-reflection). The film has all these deep meaningful ideas yet is also quite a dazzling film to experience on a visual level. |
| 32 |  |
DRAG
ME TO HELL Sam Raimi's gift as a filmmaker is his unique ability to understand how to effortlessly blend action, horror and humor as a collective one (very often within the same image). Almost with a Hitchockian ability, he knows how action, horror and humor can combine to create something both unexpected and funny. While shades of this are evident in Spiderman 2, it is Raimi's return to horror with Drag Me To Hell that evokes this ability with the most impact since his Evil Dead films. Drag Me To Hell is carried by a concept alone that works as a great horror with a significant satirical comedic edge - as Raimi targets the banks with a destination toward hell. The strength of this film is Raimi's ability to turn this concept into something darkly humorous). Raimi doesn't single out Christine Brown (excellently played by a sweet and innocent looking Alison Lohman) for her mistake and the film is very sympathetic and understanding of her. But eternal damnation is coming and it is coming fast. |
| 33 |  |
THE
ROAD Based on Cormac McCarthy's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Road is a deeply dark and haunting film that effectively takes you into it's world. Considering how "un-adaptable" The Road has been claimed you have to admire director John Hillcoat's cinematic achievement - powerfully capturing a story of enduring hope and finding compassion in the bleakest of times. Hillcoat's dark tone is aided by an excellent lead performance from Viggo Mortensen as the father out to protect his son (impressively played by Kodi Smit-McPhee). The great Robert Duvall also gives a tremendous performance in a limited but crucial role. Hillcoat, who proved his ability as a filmmaker with his previous film (the atmospheric 2005 western The Proposition), effectively finds the small details of surviving a post-apocalyptic world and he makes great use of the films locations. |
| 34 |  |
ANVIL!
THE STORY OF ANVIL "In the Summer of 1984 some of the biggest rock bands toured Japan together. All of these bands went on to sell millions of records. Except one..." So begins this documentary which finds two of the bands lasting members (drummer Robb Reiner and singer Steven “Lips” Kudlow) 25 years later still continuing their dream of making music and becoming headline rock stars. The real beauty of this film is that none of this is exploiting the subjects but rather find the film (directed by dedicated Anvil fan Sacha Gervasi) finds humanity in the determination of the duos lifelong relationship against all odds: be it financial difficulties, the music industry, social expectations and well as their own little arguments. With the love and support of family and a true passion and belief in what they are doing makes this an incredibly inspiring and truly touching film that I would recommend to anyone. |
| 35 |  |
THE
HEADLESS WOMAN The Headless Woman centers a a woman who after hitting someone with a car slowly becomes detached from the rest of the world including her family, her job and herself. María Onetto gives an excellently expressive lead performance as the woman and she is especially brilliant in the accident scene. Lucrecia Martel distance the viewer from the film emotionally and visually in the way Onetto is captured in the frame of shosts. As the film progress and Onetto gradually proceeds with her lifestyle The Headless Woman emerges as a haunting film one with no simple conclusions. |
| 36 |  |
SITA
SINGS THE BLUES A wonderful animated film from Nina Paley, Sita Sings the Blues has such a playful tone to go with its mesmerizing visuals and originality. The film is undoubtedly a passionate and personal achievement for Paley who pretty much made the entire think by herself yet it has the production quality of a major big-budget work. The film is loosely based off the the Hindu epic poem Ramayana and what makes this so magical is the way Paley has transformed it into something deeply universal and incredibly fun and funny. |
| 37 |  |
BROTHERS Jim Sheridan's film is pretty much a straightforward remake of Danish filmmaker Susanne Bier's 2004 film. Very little has been changed in the story but the filmmaking of this Hollywood remake is more polished then the gritty original. Brothers is still set in realism yet the style has a much less documentary feel. While obviously the original stands on its own as such Sheridan's film might be improved because of his wonderful gifts as a humanist filmmaker. He adds a soulful touch to the little human moments of his films that I think work very effectively with this material (even if it has been done before). The other beauty of Sheridan's films is the way his humanism finds the authentic feelings of the performances. The cast not need say a word yet the emotion is perfectly conveyed on screen, especially in the films pivotal performances - Jake Gyllenhaal as the ex-con brother and Bailee Madison as the eldest daughter. Brothers may not be a flawless film but Sheridan finds some truly magical and heartfelt moments (many of which are found in the unexpressed internal feelings of Gyllenhaal and Madison's performances). |
| 38 |  |
MOTHER Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho brought some nostalgic fun and excitement to the monster-movie with his 2006 International hit The Host. With his latest feature Bong gives us a thriller that is very plot-centered and focused - telling the story of an ageing mother (played by Kim Hye-ja) who goes on a determined journey for justice after her mentally challenged son (played by Won Bin) is put on trail for murder. Bog wisely avoids falling into some of the typical shock-cinema tactics he could have exploited with this film instead keeping focus on a strong structure and deeply human emotional connection. The mothers quest for justice ultimately becomes a desperate one and the result is a film that fully engages with narrative surprises as well as some dark humor and in-depth sight of memories and culture. I imagine this film will improve over time and with more viewings. |
| 39 |  |
AN
EDUCATION An Education is a great film carried by a beautiful lead performance from Carey Mulligan. She is the radiant heart and soul of this incredibly witty, funny and energetic film. Usually is it the expressions of her face that make both the performance and the film such a soulful and charming one. The film itself deals with growth and maturity and though the tone is a bit shifted or uneven at times, An Education never wavers in its flawless performances and richly textured human emotions. |
| 40 |  |
PUBLIC
ENEMIES Far from Michael Mann's best but Public Enemies is another typically effective art-genre hybrid from the great filmmaker. Excellent ensemble acting with lovely Marion Cotillard a standout as another memorable Mann strong female. She is easy to mistake for Myrna Loy! 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. 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. Even at 140 minutes this film could have improved if it were longer simply because it would have allowed more growth with characters and the plot (fine as they are here it seems as if Johnny Depp or Cotillard don't have enough time to fully develop the depth of the characters). Underneath what appears to be standard genre filmmaking there are some layers to the film in the way it becomes a reflection into Dillinger’s consciousness. |
| 41 |  |
IN
THE LOOP Carried by an energetic script, In the Loop is a sharp and funny political satire. It moves at a non-stop pace and is pretty hilarious in its madcap manner. While an inferior film to Dr Stangelove, but this is pretty successfully aiming in that mode. The ensemble cast has alot of fun (especially Peter Capaldi, who turns constant swearing into a verbal art form!) and the film playfully puts the blame on both Americans and the English. |
| 42 |  |
HUNGER 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- played excellently by Michael Fassbender and a Catholic priest). |
| 43 |  |
THE
COVE The Cove is an incredibly moving and well-intentioned documentary set to expose the slaughtering of dolphins by Japanese fishermen in Taiji. Here an estimated 23,000 dolphins are driven into a hidden cove and killed. Those that aren't killed are set off to sea parks around the world. Funded by billionaire James H. Clark, they create an "Ocean's 11-type" team of special-ops and high-tech equipment to capture a record of these killings. The images of this film are haunting and there is some added emotion with the story of the teams leader Richard O’Barry, who as a trainer on the 1960s TV show Flipper, still holds the guilt of feeling responsible for popularizing dolphin theme parks. There are some additional subplots that are not as effective (notably the details on Mercury poisoning) yet the good-intentions and emotional core of The Cove is very powerful right to it's thoughtful conclusion. |
| 44 |  |
MOON Moon is the feature debut written and directed by Duncan Jones (son of David Bowie). It is a haunting and thought-provoking experience that recalls some of the science fiction films of the 1960s and early 1970s (such as 2001 or Solaris) in that it examines not only outer space but the inner psychology as well. Using simplistic special effects, Moon almost completely relies on it's lead and Sam Rockwell delivers a career-defining performance as an astronaut working at the end of a three-year job on the moon. His only companion is his computer (A HAL-like voice, done by Kevin Spacey, known as GERTY), as well as some hallucinations. The film has some nice refreshing surprises in the storytelling and is made with great care. Moon is a deeply psychological film in the tradition of the best science fiction. Jones has made an impressive debut feature and much of the credit also belongs to Rockwell's convincing performance. |
| 45 |  |
THE
LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT 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. |
| 46 |  |
(500)
DAYS OF SUMMER The beauty of this film lies in execution which makes old techniques seem witty. Pitch-perfect chemistry (indie darlings Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel are top notch) help capture the energetic and even inspirational spirit of the film. Any flaws (and they are there) become easily forgotten by the films self belief. Its easy to go into this world because the filmmakers and cast believe in film and this shows in the energy. The film begins by telling us it is not a love story and it's not - but it is about love. Tom's "love" for Summer is doomed from the start simply because it is only fantasy. They are both playing roles and when reality sets in it ends. Not everything works here but the film is lively and spirited and easy to fall for. (500) Days of Summer begins with a lovely credit sequence and closes with a clever Billy Wilder-esque punch-line to leave you smiling. |
| 47 |  |
CHE 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. |
| 48 |  |
A
PERFECT GETAWAY A Perfect Getaway starts with a Cloverfield-esque point of view style as a young couple head off on their honeymoon - discussing the wedding intercut with clips from the wedding which concludes with a guest telling the camera "I think they wanted to start off their lives together with some kind of adventure". And so begins this rather formulaic yet very effective setup which. The film has keeps you guessing and some has surprises along the way. It is mostly very entertaining in the way the film embraces genre and b-movie conventions. There is also an underlying theme of the films own movie-making self-awareness and this is where it starts to shift focus throughout the second half. The cast keeps it lively and there is some really sharp dialogue to match the standard violence and thrills. |
| 49 |  |
A
PROPHET A Prophet is the fifth feature film from Jacques Audiard - one of the best young French filmmakers of contemporary cinema. The film has some some acclaim throughout the world including the Grand Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. Like his previous two films (The Beat That My Heart Skipped and Read My Lips), Audiard masters the crime genre conventions while taking it to new artistic depths. While the film is shot with a great sense of reality, Audiard gives it just the right poetic touches of surrealism. The film has a visual quality that you feel more then look at as Audiard's camera creates a sense of psychology notably in the interior sense of being trapped. A Prophet is not a pleasant film and Audiard is very direct in dealing with the grittiness and violence of this world both in and outside the prison. A very gripping film from a talented filmmaker. |
| 50 |  |
UP
IN THE AIR Jason Reitman's third film is a very enjoyable and often humorous film, with moments that really soar. It works perfectly with George Clooney's Cary Grant-like screen persona and he delivers a memorable performance and great chemistry alongside with fine supporting cast (Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman, Amy Morton, Melanie Lynskey, J.K. Simmons, Sam Elliott, Danny McBride). With a cool style and sharp and insightful dialogue, Up in the Air has a touch of old-fashioned Hollywood comedies especially in many of the sexy exchanges shared by Clooney and Farmiga. The final act doesn't quite work as well as the films humor and charm fade a bit but Up in the Air never looses its heart (be it in moments of joy or sadness). |
| 51 |  |
TREELESS
MOUNTAIN Telling the story of two sisters, seven-year-old Jin (Kim Hee-yeong) and and five-year-old Bin (Kim Song-hee), looking after one another when their mother leaves them to search for their estranged father, Treeless Mountain is obviously a very touching and sad film. The film relies strong on the small intimate emotional moments, and even if conventional or expected, it packs a large emotional punch that can be devastating. |
| 52 |  |
CHOCOLATE 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. |
| 53 |  |
GHOSTS
OF GIRLFRIENDS PAST Shocking! A Matthew McConaughey romantic comedy that works, and not only that - is actually good! McConaughey plays his same rom-com role but here he is aided by a rather witty and funny team of filmmakers that have a fine comfort level with these films, notably director Mark Waters who's studio work as a director is full of some underrated gems including The Spiderwick Chronicles, Mean Girls and Freaky Friday. The writing team of Scott Moore and Jon Lucas cleverly re-imagine Charles Dickens timeless classic A Christmas Carol within the old formulas of the romantic comedy and it really echoes in the spirit of Hollywood's old-time charm and liveliness in this genre. Helping this is a talented supporting cast Jennifer Garner is sweet as the love interest, Michael Douglas as his playboy uncle, Robert Forster and Anne Archer as his parents, a hilarious and especially great Lacey Chabert as his future sister-in-law, and a wonderfully fun and over-the-top performance by Emma Stone as the ghosts and his first love/sex). The film is smart and really holds alot of heart to go with it's funny performances and sharp comedic dialogue. |
| 54 |  |
PONTYPOOL Adapted from Tony Burgess's novel Pontypool Changes Everything, Pontypool is about a zombie-like virus that spreads through spoken words. The films success comes from the limited budget the results in a minimalist approach. In the vein of horror master George Romero, this hybrid-zombie film has a satirical edge of language and our own everyday small talk. Pontypool is an ambitious film with some insight and intrigue to its clever premise. I'm sure you can find some silly flaws to narrative but the film and real intellect to go with the tense claustrophobic feel. The film really creates a sense of presence and feeling all while maintaining an craziness to it. |
| 55 |  |
DUPLICITY I'm a very big fan of writer/director Tony Gilroy's previous debut film Michael Clayton. What is so excellent about his follow-up is that he essentially re-imagines ideas of his masterful debut yet with a much lighter, playful and genre-orientated touch. The film has a nonlinear narrative structure of different time frames which eventually pieces together to make sense and along the way the film is full of twists and turns right to the rather surprising turn and clever turn at the end. There is a really high energy and it's got plenty of quick-witted dialogue and double-crossing antics that it is easy to think of old Hollywood, and Clive Owen and Julia Roberts (both of whom can often be boring) are actually terrific working well both together and with the cute and playful tone of the film. Tom Wilkinson and especially Paul Giamatti really have some fun with over-the-top performances as battling corporate CEOs. Duplicity is not on the level of Michael Clayton, but it is also a very intelligent film - and a whole lot of fun. |
| 56 |  |
TEENAGE
DIRTBAG Teenage Dirtbag is told in a nonlinear narrative with a woman reflecting on her days in high school spent with a troubled classmate who she has learned died. The film reflects on the memories Amber (a popular cheerleader) had with classmate Thayer a troubled student. They share completely different friends and social high school groups yet they share a connection that becomes evident in both their creative writing and occasionally in study hall. For betterment of their high school social status they keep their true feelings buried and it is here that the film is a romantic tragedy. I was very moved by Teenage Dirtbag. The film is made with a low budget and without any major stars yet there is a truth and heart to this film that makes it very moving. The emotions and messages of the film are felt without being forced and it closes with a touching final shot. |
| 57 |  |
ALEXANDER
THE LAST 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. |
| 58 |  |
THE
IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus may be only remembered as the last film of Heath Ledger who died much too young during the shooting production. You can sort of sense that director Terry Gilliam had to rework much of this film after the tragic loss of its star. The gimmick of using stand-in performances by Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, and Jude Law does disconnect the emotional cohesiveness off the story yet still works within the imaginary world almost as alter-personalities to Ledger's mysterious character. There are some visionary images evoked in Gilliams film, recalling his wonderful ability with gothic fantasy and a Fellini-eseque carnival spirit. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus embraces the idea of imagination. The completion film (as respectfully expressed in the closing credits) is very much a tribute to Ledger, who along with the rest of the cast is very good. However the final result is ultimately one that proves the uniqueness of Gilliam as an artist. I found the film to be fully engrossing and I think the richness of Gilliam's vision will grow over time and as audiences don't think only of the film production issues. |
| 59 |  |
JULIA Julia is a film that almost completely centers around the lead performance of Tilda Swinton, who delivers another incredible performance as Julia - an alcoholic who buys into a neighbor’s plan to kidnap her 10-year old son and extort money from the boy’s drug-trafficking grandfather. At that point, all that can go wrong does in this film which blends powerful drama with dark comedy. Julia is a re-imagining of John Cassavetes Gloria (1980) which was carried by the phenomenal performance of Gena Rowlands, an actress that like Swinton was known for powerful and daring performances. The film is sort of a mix of tones and genres (comedy, suspense, melodrama) but its strength is that it never becomes too unbelievable in its plot developments. |
| 60 |  |
TAKEN 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. |
| 61 |  |
FUNNY
PEOPLE Judd Apatow's third film as writer and director is significant for the new direction he appears to be heading as a filmmaker and while it may not be as great a film as his previous (Knocked Up) it certainly represents a filmmaker that has matured and one that will continue to stretch his limits. Funny People seems to both embrace and critique his own formula. The film has his usual dose of raunchy humor (of which include every position penis joke you can imagine) with his gentle humor and heart. Also playing a self-referencing role is lead actor Adam Sandler who is excellent as a comedian that became a millionaire by making bad sellout movies. He grows a bond with a struggling standup (excellently played by Seth Rogen) he hires as his assistant joke writer. After over two and half hours, the film is a bit long particularly towards the last portion when he attempts to win his wife (played by Apatow wife Leslie Mann) back from her Australian husband (Eric Bana). The film awkwardly shifts tones a bit at this point and then tries tries to force a happy conclusion which seems a little off. Still Apatow tries some different things with his trademark formula. here and I think that will ultimately result in some exciting films in the future. |
| 62 |  |
SHERLOCK
HOLMES Despite being the most used characters of all-time this latest adaptation of Sherlock Holmes is actually quite a refreshing take. Perhaps more surprising is that the film comes from Guy Ritchie. Here Ritchie's over-stylized filmmaking works quite well. In fact his fast-paced approach brings some real fun and surprises to the narrative and it perfectly plays off the lively chemistry and performances of an excellent Robert Downey Jr as Holmes and Jude Law as his sidekick Watson. This revisionist approach has great life to it in the acting, the elaborate set designs, and the narrative twists - capped off by a clever sure-to-be-a-sequel conclusion. |
| 63 |  |
HOTEL
FOR DOGS Completely silly but Hotel For Dogs is so good-natured it is a difficult film not to like on some level. It may not be as smart as last years wonderful Kit Kittredge, but this is a happy and fun family film with a charming cast and well told story. The messages and even many of the touching emotions of the film are forceful at times, yet I was absolutely pulled in by the loving sweetness of it all. |
| 64 |  |
THE
WHITE RIBBON Austrian filmmaker Michael Haneke latest film was his first to win the Golden Palm at the Cannes Film Festival (though many of his other films won various other awards at Cannes). Well known for his depressing and metaphoric films Haneke never fails at absorbing the viewer into them. Whether or not he leaves the viewer frustrated or satisfied in the end is likely the question that divides audiences. With The White Ribbon Haneke reexamines his primary themes truth, self-conscious violence and social class. A narrator begins the film by acknowledging that memory of the past may be flawed, the film tells strange events that happen in a small village in the north of Germany during the years just before World War I, which seem to be ritual punishment. Shot in black-and-white the film has Haneke's typical observing view both in the violence and the division of social class. The White Ribbon does seem to have a bit more humanity then some of Haneke's previous films and you have to admire his insightful vision with this film. |
| 65 |  |
AVATAR James Cameron's first feature film since declaring himself "King of the World" in 1997 came with it the hype of a record breaking budget and with it groundbreaking technology that is supposed to change the future of films. While it may not quite be that groundbreaking Avatar is definitely a unique film going experience, fully showcasing the pure spectacle and magic that movies can offer audiences. The are plenty of flaws within the narrative of Avatar but it is difficult to question this film as a wonderful visual experience The basic story of Avatar makes some parallels to our own modern United States global and military policies as well as parallels to the story of John Smith and Pocahontas - reflecting some nature and spiritual ideas that are raised in Terrence Malick's masterful The New World, expect that Cameron paints with a much much stronger brush then the poetic beauty of Malick. Cameron has always been a bit forceful as a storyteller but at least the core of his story is still solid and one thing is for certain with Cameron is that he sure can director an action scene. Here he uses the stunning computer graphics (particularly the way it creates nature and suspension in air) with some very effective action slow-motion. This is when Avatar is at it's best because this is Cameron's comfort zone as a filmmaker. This film will respectfully be an instantly beloved achievement for many audiences. While I'm not claiming it a masterpiece or even one of Cameron's best films, there is certainly plenty to enjoy and admire about this film. |
| 66 |  |
THE
CHASER Blending elements of genres The Chaser is ultimately a topnotch crime thriller. The film is an impressive debut feature from South Korean Na Hong-jin. The film has a boldness of horror as well as a comedic satirical edge mostly in the way the film uses the formula of cop thrillers to its advantage. The Chaser features some impressive car chase sequences and the overall visual brilliance of the film is elevated by Na's skillful detail of surroundings and settings. Warner Brothers acquired the rights for a Hollywood remake which will be scripted by William Monahan, who also did The Departed which was a remake of the Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs (a film that can fairly be compared to The Chaser). |
| 67 |  |
DISTRICT
9 The metaphors are obvious yet to the films credit they are never forced or overdone. District 9 is a bit inconsistent with point-of-view at times, but an effective film, especially in the first hour. The final act gets a bit more conventional with its action but there really is a strong emotional impact to the film. The documentary filmmaking style works well here and it is amazing what the filmmakers achieve with a minimal budget (at least in comparisons to what a massive blockbuster would cost). |
| 68 |  |
THE
GIRLFRIEND EXPERIENCE While I admire much of his work I still say that Steven Soderbergh's films always border on pretentious. This one is no different but I'll still it is good (though I can certainly understand those who find The Girlfriend Experience unbearable). 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. |
| 69 |  |
TRICK
R' TREAT Trick R' Treat was originally planned to be released in Halloween 2007. Warner Brothers (without explanation, though the latest Saw entry may have been the reason) pulled the film. There were talks of a possible October 2008 and again 2009 theatrical release yet ultimately the film went direct to video. It is surprising this film never received a theatrical release because it is a great holiday-themed horror film. It is the feature debut of X-Men screenwriter Michael Dougherty who based some of it off his short film Season's Greetings, notably the films most iconic character Sam. Trick R' Treat interconnects four short stories all taking place on Halloween. From the very opening you realize the film is a fun experience which perfectly embraces the spirit of the holiday and of genre filmmaking. Not really scary Trick r' Treat is 80 minutes of Halloween fun. |
| 70 |  |
THE
BROTHERS BLOOM Rian Johnson follows up his indie-hit Brick (a clever neo-noir throwback set in High School) with this blend of genres ranging from screwball comedy to con-man heist comedy. There is no denying that this film is full of quirkiness and ideas in fact the films flaw may be that it is too quirky and full of too many ideas. As a result everything doesn't come together all that beautifully yet the film is such a fantastic ride that I didn't bother to mind its messy flaws. The film is loaded with the typical genre con man tricks and twists and what I really enjoyed about this film is the way in does it all with a screwy sense of humor. Evoking influences from as far back as the Marx Brothers or even the silent comedies with some of the visuals gags, The Brothers Bloom has plenty of laughs to go with the playful tone. The performances heightened this tone as the cast (Mark Ruffalo, Adrien Brody, Rinko Kikuchi and an especially great Rachel Weisz) share great chemistry and fun together. |
| 71 |  |
THE
UNINVITED Another pleasant surprise of a Hollywood horror remake. This takes a wise turn from the stylish yet confusing Korean original (Kim Jee-Woon's A Tale of Two Sisters), instead relying on some old-fashioned methods while still capturing the effective atmosphere and mood of the original. This is the debut fieature from British-born brothers Thomas and Charles Guard understand what makes this type of storytelling work (even if it has been done many times before). |
| 72 |  |
EXPLICIT
ILLS 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. |
| 73 |  |
DONKEY
PUNCH 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. |
| 74 |  |
DARK
COUNTRY Dark Country is the feature directorial debut of actor Thomas Jane. The film effectively sets a tone of artificial realism as well as a noirsh atmosphere and dialogue. It has the look and feel of a graphic novel. The mood starts off simply and rather conventionally (as we see a couple on the road for a Honeymoon after marrying in Las Vegas). Things change once they make a wrong turn into the hellish Dark Country. The film creates a creepy sense of doom which balances genre elements of horror, dark comedy and mystery. Dark Country is a unique film with fine performances from Jane and Lauren German who are pretty much the films only characters. The film especially works as an atmospheric experience. |
| 75 |  |
RED
CLIFF John Woo return to China for the first time since his excellent 1992 film Hard Boiled. Red Cliff is a beautiful epic film but I regret that thus far I have only seen the American release which takes the original two-part, five hour film and condensed it to a 150-minute version. I'm sure the original two-part film is the one to see but this release does display Woo's great gifts as an action filmmaker. The battle sequences are superbly staged and typical of Woo in the he captures a unique beauty and poetry in the violence. As extravagant as a filmmaker Red Cliff is not exactly subtle but it is not dull either, and Woo evens finds a way to use his favorite motif (doves). I'd still like to see the original Part One and Part Two. |
| 76 |  |
THE
VICIOUS KIND The Vicious Kind is a well acted indie drama that relies heavily on it's internal emotional intensity. There is a strong sense of bottled anger and tension that emerges more and more the film film goes. This is particularly evident in the film uncomfortable sequences between Caleb and his brother's girlfriend Emma (both played with very strong performances by Adam Scott and Brittany Snow). Caleb does not trust Emma yet he is fascinated to the point of obsession at her similarity to his ex-girlfriend. The emotional and sexual tension of the film really build in both the past relationship of Caleb and his father who has has not spoke with in 8 years as well as the films effectively ambiguous treatment of Emma who is seen as both the angelic figure her boyfriend sees and the gothy femme fatale that Celeb sees. This is mostly effective because of a breakout performance from Snow who shows some real depth here. The Vicious Kind falls into some predictability over the last half but is very well acted and involving throughout and the end leaves us with some continued thoughts as well as unforced closure. |
| 77 |  |
THE
SONG OF SPARROWS The Song of Sparrows is a simple story centering around an ostrich farmer who loses his job and after going to the city to get his daughter a new hearing aid, finds a new career as a motorcycle taxi. The film is directed by Iranian Majid Majidi who's previous films (such as Children of Heaven, Pedar, The Color of Paradise) share a similar quiet simplicity and single-minded resolve. The film effectively blends comedy with the drama to create a sympathetic character study. |
| 78 |  |
AMERICAN
VIOLET American Violet is sort of bland of any stylistic presence but strong performances and a powerful true story carry this film. The film has the look and feel of the great John Sayles in the way it perfectly combines political issues with real human drama relying on a strong screenplay and powerful performances from an ensemble cast (Nicole Beharie, Alfre Woodard- especially good, Will Patton, Charles Dutton, Tim Blake Nelson, Xzibit, Michael O'Keefe, Malcolm Barrett, Tim Ware and Paul David Story). |
| 79 |  |
THIRST Korean extreme filmmaker Park Chan-wook takes on the vampire genre with elements of expressionistic noir. As you'd expect from the filmmaker most known for his violent Vengeance Trilogy Thirst offers plenty of blood in combination with his trademark stylish visuals and set pieces which rhythmically work with the performances of Song Kang-ho Kim Ok-bin.. It is these sequences that the film thrives as a work of expressionistic skill. Yet as Park often does Thirst has a bit too much plot detail and is weighed down slightly by it's two-plus hour running time. Park is a gifted filmmaker but he can often be overbearing with forced cleverness and Thirst suffers slightly from this. However it is an appealing vivid and sensationalizing imagery that will greatly please fans of Park's work. |
| 80 |  |
WHICH
WAY HOME This made for HBO film follows the risks and challenges of young immigrants as they make their way from Mexico to the United States. Obviously this documentary is very powerful and painful to see these unaccompanied young children suffering through the conditions they do in this film. The film is complete objective and not a politically one at all but rather the film centers itself on the different stories of these children. It is truly a heartbreaking film to watch. |
| 81 |  |
SHIRIN Always the expirementalist (not only of his own work but also of the very ideas of the cinematic language and the role of the director), legendary Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami's Shirin may be his most daringly experimental film to date. The film shows us over 100 Iranian (and a French) film stars watching a powerful dramatic love story that we hear but never see. Instead of seeing the film-within-the-film we watch the faces of the actresses watching the film. It is a very poetic film experience in the mode of Kiarostami's work. Surely not one for all audiences, but the surprise is how engrossing and even interesting this film is. |
| 82 |  |
A
CHRISTMAS CAROL Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol is such a classic story that really works well as as a film adaptation. My expectations left me feeling that this could have been a better film (at least in terms of the story) yet I applaud and even marvel at the work done by Robert Zemeckis. Expanding further on his digital capture animation, here Zemeckis takes it to new heights in the way he films it, with some elaborate visual sequences (highlighted by a remarkable uncut "Ghosts of Christmas Past" sequence). Some of the story feels a bit forced at times but it is very easy to admire the spectacular visuals of the film. |
| 83 |  |
ANTICHRIST Like all Lars von Trier films, opinions for Antichrist will be strongly divided among audiences. Von Trier thrives on controversial subjects and images and this may be more evident then ever with his latest film which is sometimes so far over the top it is laughable (such as a sequence in which a fox proclaims, "Chaos reigns". I think these mixed feelings are intended and though I'm not sure how much of this filmmaking is on the intellectual level of the great director it is dedicated to (Andrei Tarkovsky), Antichrist is a thought-provoking film even if only one a level of understanding how serious the film actually is. There are some powerful landscape images and symbols that evoke Tarkovsky in some ways but this is undeniably Von Trier film with bold performances by two of the most daring actors of contemporary film (Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg). This is not among Von Trier's greatest work but in many ways he is an important filmmaker. |
| 84 |  |
RAGE You can always expect something interesting or experimental with director Sally Potter and with her latest film Rage she presents the film as a behind-the-scenes "mockumentary" in which she follows a blogger who interviews a variety of celebrities and models behind the stage leading up to a major fashion show. The interviews are accompanied by colored background which continually change throughout the film. The performances are very good (notably Judi Dench, Lily Cole, Eddie Izzard and a cross-dressing Jude Law) but films strength is unquestionably in its writing. Brilliant dialogue matched with a skillful use of sound design (particularly the use of off-screen sounds) really create a captivating and insightful film on the culture of celebrity, media and violence. Definitely an interesting film. |
| 85 |  |
THE
NEW YEAR PARADE This low budget and raw indie drama is very effective in the way it uses nonprofessional actors and its setting to great use. Centering around the story of two siblings dealing with their parents breakup against the backdrop of Philadelphia's annual Mummers Parade. The South Philadelphia setting and Mummers surrounding heighten the films sense of gritty working-class atmosphere of tradition, culture and family. |
| 86 |  |
BIG
FAN Big Fan is the directorial debut of The Wrestler screenwriter Robert D. Siegel. This is a great vehicle for comedian Patton Oswalt Big Fan is a humorous dark comedy that explores obsession and loneliness. Oswalt gives a terrific lead performance and the film has some nice surprises capped off by satisfying conclusion that sticks with the films darkly comic tone. |
| 87 |  |
WHIP
IT! Actress/producer Drew Barrymore's directorial debut, Whip It! is a film worth celebrating. It is a simple coming of age story (centering around a high school girl that finds personal expression by joining an unconventional roller derby league in Austin Texas), but Barrymore gives the film honest heart and compassion mostly by staying true to both the characters and the story. Whip It! avoids falling into the typical traps you might expect from a film about an girls roller derby team and the cast delivers (Ellen Paige as the lead alongside skaters Kristen Wiig, Juliette Lewis, Eve, Zoe Bell, and Barrymore herself, as well as Daniel Stern, Marcia Gay Harden as Paige's parents). A truly fun and smart film full of heart. |
| 88 |  |
POLICE,
ADJECTIVE The latest film from the fast rising Romanian New Wave, Police, Adjective is another minimalist social mortality drama. Following up his acclaimed 12:08 East of Bucharest, Corneliu Porumboiu doesn't quite equal the power or insight of Romanian films 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days, or The Death of Mr. Lazarescu but on its own it's own is very effective especially over the first half. |
| 89 |  |
FIVE
MINUTES OF HEAVEN German filmmaker Oliver Hirschbiegel (who won worldwide acclaim with his 2004 film Downfall) directs this rather simple and very powerful film about violence, justice and ultimately forgiveness. Set in Northern Ireland the film begins with a 1975 incident in which a Protestant boy is assassinates a Catholic boy in front of his younger brother. Thirty years later the killer (Liam Neeson) is set to do a TV interview with the brother (James Nesbitt) who still has plans of revenge. The film tracks the paths of each man as they prepare for the interview. This buildup is very engrossing and tense and though the film is not quite as effective afterwards Five Minutes of Heaven is a gripping film with some real insight. |
| 90 |  |
THE
LOVELY BONES Peter Jackson's adaptation of Alice Sebold's best-selling novel seems to suffer some emotional impact because it's storytelling feels rushed at times, yet there is much to admire about this film - be it the impressive period details the skillful visual and sound achievements or the fine ensemble performances. Saoirse Ronan continues to prove to be among the most gifted actresses of her young generation with a very moving lead performance here. Perhaps Jackson could have simplified the storytelling at times but he does give this film some impressive sequences that are both magical (the trippy imagery) as well as incredibly tense. It is difficult and rare to capture otherworldly spirituality but The Lovely Bones does a effective job. While some of the film feels a bit disjointed as a narrative Ronan's performance and Jackson's ability to create wonder and fear makes this a good film overall. |
| 91 |  |
ACHILLES
AND THE TORTOISE Not the most significant film Takeshi Kitano has made, Achilles and the Tortoise continues his self-reflective approach to filmmaking. In some ways the film is exploring the very nature of what is art, though with Kitano you can never really place the films emphasis in one area. Following the life span of a painter played in three different life stages (the oldest being Kitano himself) the film offers some of Kitano's trademark visual gags and great laughs and sentimentality, yet it has a very somber tone reflect throughout the thought of the films opening message: "In a race, the quickest runner can never overtake the slowest, since the pursuer must first reach the point whence the pursued started, so that the slower must always hold a lead". |
| 92 |  |
INK Ink is a film that should be applauded for it's unique storytelling and imagination (as we are taken into a world in which the ghosts of dreams and nightmares do battle. There is very little dialogue to the film instead relying on it's visuals, which includes some memorable images (notably the creepy faces on nightmares). The film seems to operate in and out of dreams and nightmares and reality until they become one. Ultimately the film is a story of father and daughter. Ink is a film likely to grow over time as it builds a stronger cult status. |
| 93 |  |
ECCENTRICITIES
OF A BLOND HAIR GIRL Master Portuguese filmmaker Manoel de Oliveira has been making films since the silent era. He made his latest film (Eccentricities of a Blond Hair Girl) at the age of 101. While I would say this film lacks the vibrancy of some of his more notable films, Eccentricities of a Blond Hair Girl continues to prove Oliveira's unique and complex storytelling vision and sense of feeling - here the longing of love. Always a master of visual composition, Oliveira uses the frame and camera as a means to further (yet subtly) express the feelings. If you have never seen a film from Oliveira, I would probably recommend starting someplace else but Eccentricities of a Blond Hair Girl is still an impressive and emotionally rich film. |
| 94 |  |
SAUNA A horror film with a Tarkovsky-esque vision? Well that is a pretty good way to describe this moody history-based horror film notably in the way the film uses symbolic and poetic imagery with Russian period detail. Sauna is a horror film of sin, guilt and redemption with his deeply meditative and terrifying at once. The film relies less of special effects and more on mood and visuals to create its scares. Sauna is a unique experience and a difficult film to describe. |
| 95 |  |
WHATEVER
WORKS Woody Allen's return to New York city after a 5-year hiatus, Whatever Works is enjoyable in the old-fashioned Allen way - even if far from his best work. Larry David is fine (certainly better then Jason Biggs previous attempt at the Allen stand-in role in the disastrous 2003 film Anything Else), but this film needs Woody in the lead. While the supporting characters have some cliched characterizations, the talented cast does a fine job and Allen even uses the cliches as something of depth in the writing. It is here that makes Whatever Works a strong and insightful film. |
| 96 |  |
PHOEBE
IN WONDERLAND Phoebe in Wonderland is carried by it's beautiful art direction. It also has some fine performances and refreshing narrative surprises. Elle Fanning, younger sister of Dakota Fanning, gives a breakthrough performance as a young girl who's unquie behavior causes concern for her parents (excellently played by Felicity Huffman and Bull Pullman). Phoebe is cast (by school drama teacher- played by the always wonderful Patricia Clarkson) to join the school play as Alice, where she goes further down the rabbit hole into her own Wonderland. |
| 97 |  |
NIGHT
TRAIN Maybe I'm just a sucker for all things trains because I enjoyed this direct-to-video B movie. Of course the real train aspects of the film are minimal as all exterior train shots and sounds are clearly the work of cgi effects. However what I like is the simple setup: strangers (a conductor, a student and a salesman) find a dead body in their train cabin and discover a mysterious box in his possession with valuables inside. The film has a very theatrical style relying heavily on the setting (inside the train) and performances of the three leads (Danny Glover, Leelee Sobieski and Steve Zahn). Night Train sets a holiday nighttime atmosphere with the use of interior lights throughout the train and a heavy snowstorm in the exterior. While it does get a bit less involving over the second half the setup is effective and the film does at least conclude well enough in that it doesn't let up. |
| 98 |  |
CYBORG
SHE While there are some suriorus elements of science-fiction and action, Cybrog She is at its heart a charming romantic comedy. This is Kwak Jae-young specificlty as a filmmaker - his ability to provide appealing and highly original romantic comedies (the most notable example being 2001's terrific My Sassy Girl). Kwak always belnds toegther the basic forumla of light romantic comedies with a more profound egnre element. Here he takes on the idea of time traveling. Haruka Ayase and Keisuke Koide share some wonderful chemistry, making this such as beautiful and charming film. |
| 99 |  |
NANAYOMACHI 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. |
| 100 |  |
INTO
TEMPTATION Into Temptation opens with a dream/flashback scene of a young girl at Catholic Church school being looked at and made fun of by a few boys. The film then takes us to a young priest who is taking confessions. This story is very a intriguing and profound one and the film effectively takes us into the emotions and the thought-provoking questions it provides about forgiveness. There are a couple subplots that do not work as interestingly as when focused on the two leads (excellently performed by Jeremy Sisto as the priest and Kristin Chenoweth as the prostitute). The film has some really warm and touching moments capped off by a moving ending which resolves the story by revealing a connection of the lead characters. |
| 101 |  |
HALLOWEEN
II As a big fan of Rob Zombie's first two films I was a little disappointed with his remake of John Carpenter's classic original Halloween. Part of the problem was that Zombie seemed a bit obligated to honor the original film when it was clear he wanted to take it in his own direction. With this sequel Zombie is given that freedom and what we get is a film that is now distinctly his and a worthy entry into the franchise as a film that can stand on its own (even if not as masterful or as iconic as Carpenter's film). The film open in a similar way to the previous Halloween sequel yet Zombie's primary focus here is on the psychological state of its lead character - Laurie Strode played by Scout Taylor-Compton. I really admire what Zombie does with this film. |
| 102 |  |
THE
OBJECTIVE The Objective is a unique film. It is sort of a blend of genres (horror, science fiction, war) and even current political issues (military and environmental). It is a strange film for sure one that leaves its mysteries for the viewer. The films effectiveness comes from the way it builds in tension and this is heightened by the way the filmmakers constantly shifts the story just as the viewer is about to settle in. The Objective is co-written and directed by Daniel Myrick who is most know for his terrific groundbreaking horror film The Blair Witch Project. Minus the Afghanistan setting there are certainly parallels that can be made in the way Myrick builds the story and tension. |
| 103 |  |
THE
YOUNG VICTORIA A nice vehicle for Emily Blunt - one of the most talented actresses of her generation. She excels as witty, insecure yet imposing romantics, but shows great dramatic range in this period film. Blunt perfectly captures early reign of Queen Victoria with the right mix of imposing and proud yet insecure. The film is written by Julian Fellowes who has worked well with period films and he gives the script his usual intelligence alongside the energy of director Jean-Marc Vallee. |
| 104 |  |
EXTRACT As a filmmaking achievement I'm not sure how effective Extract is (especially in comparisons to Mike Judge's previous work-related comedy Office Space, now considered a modern classic). However for purely comedic aspects, Extract has plenty to offer, especially for those who enjoy Judge's trademark screwball stupidity. Here stupidity simply leads to more stupidity. I found much of it very funny for the dialogue and the cast (Jason Bateman, Ben Affleck, Mila Kunis, Kristen Wiig, J.K. Simmons, Clifton Collins, and Gene Simmons as a personal injury lawyer). The film missed some opportunities to understand the deep characters (notably that of Kunis con-artist and Wig's unwillingness to have sex with her husband). |
| 105 |  |
LEFT
BANK A very engaging Belgium horror film that builds with tension and mystery and atmosphere in the way Roman Polanski's classic paranoia Apartment trilogy (Repulsion, Rosemary's Baby, The Tenant). It is certainly not of that caliber, but comparisons are difficult to ignore and clearly filmmaker Pieter Van Hees was working in the mode. The film really is most effective as it builds and builds with a greater sense of doom for it's lead character Marie, nicely played by Eline Kuppens. It looses some of the tension toward the end but the conclusion is satisfying and very strange and creepy. |
| 106 |  |
PARANORMAL
ACTIVITY While certainly not the "scariest movie of the 21st century" as it has been marketed as, Paranormal Activity is an effective low-budget success. This found footage filmmaking approach is nothing new but Paranormal Activity executes it well. The actual process of the filming is not as complex or reflective or ultimately credible as say The Blair Witch Project but this film shares an equally useful approach of suggestion (at least until the very end). Writer-director Oren Peli deserves praise for his creativity with such a small budget and the two actors (Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat) are both very good together - heightening the films overall sense of doom caused by their domestic negativity. |
| 107 |  |
ADORATION Canadian filmmaker Atom Egoyan provides his usual scattered narrative centering around the lie of a teenager who tells his class and his Internet chat group that his father was involved in a terrorist plot. The film leaves much to interpret and think about. It is the kind of film you reflect on for awhile very much in the spirit of Egoyan best films (notably his 1997 The Sweet Hereafter, perhaps the filmmakers last great). |
| 108 |  |
THE
MESSENGER There is some unevenness to the films tone and it is a bit scattered in dealing with the lives of the two soldiers (played by Ben Foster, Woody Harrelson) and their voyeuristic moments with the grieving families. It has some real insight into the psychological grief of war expressed best in the films powerful performances. It is Samantha Morton that provides the film with its standout performance as the emotional heart of the film she delivers a truthful and powerfully brilliant portrayal. Oren Moverman understands Morton's skills as an actress and he keeps the camera centered on her at every opportunity. |
| 109 |  |
DEAD
SNOW Look out! It's Nazi zombies! Finding just the right pitch of dry humor and camp horror Dead Snow works for fans of the genre. Really it is a whole bunch of fun and Norwegian filmmaker Tommy Wirkola seems to be having a good time with the genre conventions and locations of which he effectively uses to help re-imagine genre conventions. Nothing here is innovative or very profound but it is an enjoyable throwback to it's influence (notably Sam Raimi's iconic Evil Dead films). |
| 110 |  |
THE
HANGOVER Lots of zaniness makes for an exciting modern guy screwball comedy, and the structure keeps it enjoyable. Not everything works for me, but The Hangover is a very fun and amusing film. Todd Phillips has found a nice niche for himself as a comedic filmmaker and with The Hangover (his fifth feature) he seems at his most developed. If nothing else this film will make Phillips (as well as the scene stealing Zach Galifianakis) a mainstream name in comedy. |
| 111 |  |
THE
SHONEN MERIKENSACK Aoi Miyazaki! Is there any other reason to see this film? Miyazaki is one of the worlds great actresses and here she continues to show here diversity with a performance that is goofy fun. Miyazaki always dominates a film with her incredible screen presence as an actress and this film is all about her from the very opening moments. The film is high energy and absurd but funny and charming through the performance of Miyazaki- here playing a young woman working for a major music studio. In an attempt to save her job she discovers a the punk band The Shonen Merikensack online (not realizing the video is old and the band has split). The film losses some of its engery and humor when its shifts focus towards away from Miyazaki and towards the band but for the most part this goofy comedy is held together by strong even if predictable characterizations, lead by Miyazaki. Did I mention Miyazaki is wonderful in this film? |
| 112 |  |
VINYAN Vinyan centers around a grieving couple (played by Emmanuelle Beart and Rufus Sewell) who have decided to stay in Thailand after the 2004 tsunami washed away their only child. She insists she sees him in a video about orphans living in the Burma jungle so she convinces her husband to go on a rescue mission. The film relies heavily on mood notably through its landscapes and jungle surroundings, building with intense feeling of madness and doom. Surreal and gripping Vinyan is an interesting physiological thriller. |
| 113 |  |
TRUCKER This character-driven story offers nothing new in it's story but Trucker is a very effective film. Mostly because Michelle Monaghan gives a convincing lead performance that carries the emotional weight of the film, which tells the story of a self-involved truck driver who must take care of her son (whom she left) while his father is in the hospital getting treatment for colon cancer. It takes her some time before her natural motherly instincts and love take over. Trucker has nothing surprising to its simple (almost plot-free) narrative structure, but it carries a strong emotional weight and a real honesty to both its characters and the audience. Overall a decent feature debut from writer/director James Mottern and an impressive lead performance from Monaghan. |
| 114 |  |
THE
SECRET IN THEIR EYES A mix of romance, thriller and political intrigue The Secret in Their Eyes is a well made and effectively paced film from acclaimed veteran Argentinean filmmaker Juan Jose Campanella. The film takes its time but is never really boring (even if some of the court case politics in the second half are not as gripping). There is an intelligence to the pace and the dialogue and the film also has some effective humor in between the psychological depth of the story, which centers around a former criminal-court employee who decides to write a novel about a rape and murder committed over 20 years ago. The film has a pretty straightforward style and approach. |
| 115 |  |
SAMSON
AND DELILAH Samson and Delilah has received high accolades in native Australia where it won five Australia Film Institute awards (including Best Film, Best Director and Best Screenplay). It is also the Australian entry for the Academy Awards Best Foreign Film. The film is simple in that is centers around the connection of two leads (the title characters Samson and Delilah). From the opening moments we see that these two teenagers are connected souls even as they bicker with each other (usually without even speaking). This is the feature debut of Warwick Thornton and it is very well made and shot. He does a nice job of creating an atmosphere through isolated community (of which includes the endless music playing from Samson's brothers band which is always practicing). Rowan McNamara and Marissa Gibson both give very fine performances. The film opens and closes to two country songs by Charley Pride which nicely reflect the emotions and tones of the film. |
| 116 |  |
INFESTATION A fun campy horror comedy that makes great use of it's low budget with some inventive tricks. The horror-comedy sub-genrre has exploded in the last few years so this is nothing new but Infestation is one the better films of the genre this year. There is a real fast paced energy and sharp dialogue that keep it going. Chris Marquette's lead performance really helps keep you interested in the film. The film starts off fast immediately taking us into this world and concludes with a very satisfying ending. |
| 117 |  |
MAMMOTH Mammoth is the sixth feature from acclaimed Swedish shock filmmaker Lukas Moodysson. One thing that has defined Moodysson's films is suffering. With Mammoth Moodysson expands the globe with this theme, which recalls the the films of Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and Guillermo Arriaga - which center around global intertwining characters suffering. Where as a film like Babel felt a bit more contrived, Mammoth at least finds humanity in it's intimate moments (such as Michelle Williams realization that she is alone as her husband is off to work and her daughter is with the nanny). The film is heartbreaking in the misunderstanding and miscommunication of its characters In Moodysson the film continues to pile on the depression even when there are moments of hope. Sometimes he is overforcing the suffering a bit (such as the subplot with the nanny son). Mammoth might not be a work of artistic depth but it is a moving film made so especially by the heartfelt performances of Gael García Bernal and Michelle Williams - two of the very best actors of their generation. |
| 118 |  |
THE
WILD MAN FROM NAVIDAD The Wild Man From Navidad is a low-budget horror film that tries to evoke the independent spirit and the legendary 1974 horror classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. The film was co-produced by one of the original The Texas Chain Saw Massacre producers Kim Henkel and also is based on a true story set in Texas. The film has a grindhouse drive-in vibe to it and is very effective in capturing a realistic setting and story even if its not as masterful or groundbreaking as Tobe Hooper's essential 1974 film (which this boldly references often even as early as the opening credits). |
| 119 |  |
NOTORIOUS This biopic of Brooklyn rapper Christopher Wallace aka Biggie Smalls or Notorious B.I.G. follows many of the same biopic formula, with event A leading to this, and event B leading to that. The surprise is that this film is rather well made and performed. It was produced by his mother, Voletta Wallace (who's played by the always reliable Angela Bassett), was well as his business partner Sean "Puffy" Combs (played by Derek Luke) so it has the right team behind the scenes. The film deals with some honest issues and flaws within his life while still showing how lovable he truly was, heightened by a very nice performance from Jamal Woolard. Anthony Mackie is soiled as Tupac Shakur and the Naturi Naughton gives a wonderfully energetic performance as Lil' Kim. The film wisely steers away from the mystery surrounding his murder instead detailing his impact as a human being and hip hop icon. |
| 120 |  |
CRAZY
HEART First time feature filmmaker Scott Cooper takes us into some cliched narrative contrivances and redemptive character development but Crazy Heart is mostly kept fresh with the performance of Jeff Bridges who this film is clearly a showcase for. Bridges gives his formulaic character some depth in the way he uses both the emotional and psychical core of the performance. He also adds some likablity with a charming screen presence. He is aided by a fine supporting cast including Colin Farrell as his ex-partner who has become a country star, and Maggie Gyllenhaal as the reporter who gives him a chance at redemption. It is also always a pleasure to see the great Robert Duvall who once gave an unforgettable performance in a similar though far superior film (1983's Tender Mercies). Crazy Heart offers very little new in the way of story or character but it does find the right tone and humanity through the performances, particularly that of Bridges. |
| 121 |  |
SHORTS Robert Rodriguez always finds a way to make his family films work. They are usually full of fun, imagination and in the spirit of a childhood vision. Shorts begins with a cute little short story about a brother and sister playing a game of "No Blink" before settling into the film (though this short story is intertwined throughout the film). The film itself is a series of connected short films taking place at different times all involving the same characters and location (a wondrous suburb run by a corporate company known as the Black Box, which has everything you need). Blending vibrant special-effects with imaginative ideas the films is full of zany energy that makes it great fun for all ages, especially enjoyable to kids. There are also some strong messages on bewaring what you wish for and valuing real life communication. |
| 122 |  |
THE
TAKING OF PELHAM 1 2 3 The 1974 thriller is a superb and intelligent genre film. This remake by Tony Scott and Oscar-winning screenwriter Brian Helgeland is surprisingly a very good one mostly because both the filmmakers and the performances are their own (while remaining respectful of the original - even making some subtle homages throughout). The real surprise is that the basic story actually gets simplistic centering strongly on the psychology battle between the hijacker (played by John Travolta, who is definitely having fun) and transit dispatcher (a charming and negotiating Denzel Washington). John Turturro and James Gandolfini provide strong supporting turns. This remake does add more action (as one would expect from Scott) and while it looses some steam in the final portion, this is a very engaging and fully entertaining film that credibly separates itself from the original. |
| 123 |  |
CLOUDY
WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS I know I liked this film very much but yet as I reflected back on it I realized that I had forgotten some of it (at least how it ended - I will need to revisit it again in the near future). What I do remember was the film being much smater then I had expected. After a couple duds, Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs shows more the of the promise we saw from Sony Animation Studio's first feature (Monster House). The film is full of visual imagination and wonder. The film is a rather clever hybrid of all those big-buget diatser films and it has some really funny visual gags to go alongside the subtle messages of over consumption and waste. Bill Hader, Anna Faris and James Caan lead a group of terrific voice performances. A very entertaining film. |
| 124 |  |
I
LOVE YOU, MAN Funny and enjoyable Odd Couple type comedy that is carried by its charming cast. I Love You, Man lacks some of the wit or heart of Judd Apatow, but still a smart and entertaining film. The leads (Apatow regulars Paul Rudd and Jason Segel) are very good and they share great chemistry with each other as well as a strong and equally likable supporting cast (Andy Samberg, J.K. Simmons, Jane Curtin, Jon Favreau, Jaime Pressly, and especially good is Rashida Jones). |
| 125 |  |
WELCOME Welcome has won accliam throughout the world. It tells the story of A young Kurdish refugee (played by Firat Ayverdi) with goals of swimming the English Channel and joining his girlfriend in England. He meets an older swimming instructor (Vincent Lindon) and the two grow a great connection with each other. Welcome has a rather fimrmiliar story and is focused on a simple and very realist filmmaking style and approach. The performances are really strong and the film has some powerful emotionmal impact without forcing the issue. |
| 126 |  |
THE
MAID The Maid opens to a birthday celebration for a live-in housemaid that has spent over 20 years with the family. This moment seems to shows the housemaid (Raquel played by Catalina Saavedra) that she is apart of the family (as she believes) yet there is also a lingering sense that this is not true (such as when they close the door during dinnertime). This tension (which has specifically grown with Raquel and the eldest daughter) builds throughout the film notably when the family attempts to hire a new nanny to help her out. The film is mostly a psychological character study and while the family is given only minor depth we understand the dynamics quite well. Sebastian Silva gives the film a mix of drama and light comedy and the tone feels a bit uneven at times. The film is mostly carried by a passionate lead performance from Saavedra. |
| 127 |  |
GOOD
HAIR Maybe not an intellectual look into the mystery and culture of African American hair, but Good Hair is an interesting and usually very funny documentary. The premise is sparked as Chris Rock (who produced, co-wrote and stars) is asked by his daughter why she does not have good hair. Rock goes on a journey that takes him as far as India to explore the mysteries and fascination of African American hair culture. Rock is very funny and he gets some intelligent and diverse talking heads to keep things engaging (such as actress Nia Long, author Maya Angelou, rapper Ice-T, Rev. Al Sharpton, video vixen Melyssa Ford, among others). There is a bit too much time spent on an annual hairstyling competition held in Atlanta and while the film is clearly through Rock's perspective it does offer a wide range of ideas on the subject and is never a boring film. |
| 128 |  |
A
SINGLE MAN A Single Man is a film better served by its trailer, which gave it the complex and classy look and feel it strives for. While an impressively shot and very well performed (the always great Julianne Moore alongside a career-defining performance from Colin Firth) as well as some finely observed period and production values, ultimately A Single Man is lacking any true depth or emotional impact beyond it's elegant surface. The film is the directorial debut of Tom Ford who adapted it from a novel by Christopher Isherwood. Ford's career is notable for his work as a fashion designer and those skills are evident (both it the strengths and weaknesses) of this film. It looks very pretty and stylish but lacks any true soul or feeling. It is still worth watching for some of its beauty and the fine performances but A Single Man is a film destined to be overpraised during awards season. |
| 129 |  |
FRANKLYN "Somebody once said that religion was deemed by the commoners as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful. The only thing that I believe is that my name is Jonathan Priest and tonight I'm gonna kill a man." So begins this film which immediately sets its neo-noirish approach. The film really takes some time to fully develop but it never really becomes boring. This film is a reminder that Eva Green needs to be in more films. She is really great and sort of takesover as early as the darkly comical opening scene at the psychiatrist with her mother. Even if nothing groundbreaking Franklyn at least attempts some new or different ideas and the film has a nice visual style to create a mood. |
| 130 |  |
PRECIOUS There might not be any artistic depth or ideas to this film but Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire is certainly an emotional story and film. With a very forceful hand the film takes you into the depths of human ugliness and cruelty as we see the abuse Clairece "Precious" Jones must endure from her rapist father and verbally and physically violent mother. The film could benefit from a more simplistic touch because it is extremely forceful with its messages but the performances are very strong, notably by newcomer Gabourey Sidibe as Precious. This will earn more praise then it probably deserves but the story is a powerful and depressing one with a slight ray of hope at it's conclusion. |
| 131 |  |
GIVE
'EM HELL MALONE A clear cut take of 1940s detective noirs Give 'Em Hell Malone is an enjoyable throwback. The film wisely adds some modern flavor with plenty of gritty violence (as well as some technology) and most wisely it is less spoofy then I expected as the filmmaker take the material serious while still having alot of fun embracing it's obvious influences. This is the second noir-throwback I've seen from Thomas Jane this year (the previous his directorial debut- Dark Country) so he obviously has a love for these films. It is nice to see this still still being influential. |
| 132 |  |
SURVEILLANCE Surveillance is written and directed by Jennifer Lynch who is the daughter or filmmaker David Lynch. Echoing some of her father the film takes on a mysterious and surreal tone though it a much more a genre film and comparisons to David Lynch is unfair to either filmmaker. The effectively builds atmosphere both in the interior shots of a sheriff station where two detectives (Bill Pullman and Julia Ormond) conduct witness interviews to solve a murder case as well as the exterior shots in the desert. The film takes a wicked twist toward the end and it is effective because the way the film easily builds to that point. |
| 133 |  |
THE
MAN FROM LONDON A minimalist styled film from the great Hungarian filmmaker Bela Tarr, The Man From London is about a railway worker in a rotting town, who witnesses a crime while stationed on a tower. Beautifulblack-and-white cinematography by German filmmaker Fred Kelemen perfectly aid Tarr's trademark slow camera movements and tracking shots to create a deeply moody and atmospheric film that requires a patient viewer. Not in the class of Tarr's Werckmeister Harmonies but it is very distinctly his film and fans of his work will appreciate this one. |
| 134 |  |
BIG
MAN JAPAN Big Man Japan is the feature debut by popular Japanese comedian Hitoshi Matsumoto who also stares in the lead role. a seemingly ordinary loner who leads a double life as giant superhero defender of Japan. The film is sort of take or even a spoof off giant monster-movies and it really comes alive with silly energy in the monster fighting scenes. A fun and bizarre film indeed. |
| 135 |  |
SOPHIE'S
REVENGE Sophie's Revenge opens to a black-and-white Casablanca esque dream sequence highlighting the playful nature of the film and Zhang Ziyi's performance. We are then taken out of daydream and into and interview where the lead (Sophie) is discussing her comic book. The narrative then develops as she takes us back two years earlier. This frantic pace continues throughout the film featuring flashbacks and dreams within each other. It is highly energetic and a lot of quirky fun playing on the star power of its leads (Zhang Ziyi and Fan Bingbing). Reminiscent of the fund and style of Amelie, Sophie imagines/day dreams things only to discover it is not reality. There is alot of lighthearted fun to the film and it can be especially enjoyable if you admire the fun of its star-power. |
| 136 |  |
FIFTY
DEAD MEN WALKING
|
| 137 |  |
LEMON
TREE Lemon Tree teels the story of a Palestinian widow (in a very strong performance by Hiam Abbass) who must defend her lemontree field when a new Israeli Defense Minister moves next to her and threatens to have her lemon grove torn down. The film has some complexity and as expected when dealing with issues between Palestinians and Israelis it is sad and there are no winners. Eeven though upsetting the film leaves with the possibilty of hope at its stunning final sequence. |
| 138 |  |
THE
SOLOIST Joe Wright follows up his remarkable first two films (both adapted from classic novels - Pride and Prejudice, and Atonement) with this true story of LA Times columnist Steve Lopez and the man he wrote about Nathaniel Ayers (a once a promising music student at Juilliard Nathaniel Ayers who was schizophrenic and homeless). The film deals alot with the illness, homelessness, friendship and of course redemption for both men. Ultimately however, The Soloist is about having faith in something. Wright does not reach the heights of his previous films but this is a moving film based off a touching story. It is rather cliched but it is the kind of formula that works in a film expressing redemption. |
| 139 |  |
OBSESSED Guilty pleasure of the year? Obsessed is very enjoyable as a B-thriller. Almost the entire film could be seen in the release trailer and there is alot of silliness to to the script but I had a great time with this film. The film follows a Fatal Attraction vibe and then in the last portion of the film becomes a silly yet whole-heartily entertaining revenge battle between wife Beyonce Knowles and the psychotic blond temp (Ali Larter) who is trying to steal her husband (Idris Elba). Sure there is some silliness to this film but it really is not that bad as a genre thriller. |
| 140 |  |
LAKE
TAHOE Mexican filmmaker Fernando Eimbcke's 2005 debut feature Duck Season evoked Jim Jarmusch in the way it used parallel tracking shots and slow fades to create a sense of teenage boredom. His second feature Lake Tahoe is again evident of this style. Here Eimbcke seems more centered on the long shots to isolate the frame and those within it. There is a tone and quirkiness that has clearly defined this filmmaker in just two films but it would be nice to see move move past the adolescent growth with his third film. |
| 141 |  |
THE
GREAT BUCK HOWARD Formulaic and light but The Great Buck Howard is brought to life by John Malkovich lead performance. I love Emily Blunt and though underused, she is again wonderful in the way Jean Arthur was - sharp, cynical and romantic. The film has plenty of nostalgia but the warmth mixed with humor and sensitive compassion make the film easy to enjoy, especially with the fun Malkovich gives the performance. |
| 142 |  |
VENGEANCE Vengeance is the 14th collaboration between director Johnny To and writing partner Wai Ka-Fai. Together the two work best in genre filmmaking. To is a crafty filmmaker and here he gives the film international feel as the story centers around a French chef seeking revenge for the death of his family in Hong Kong. Johnny Hallyday was chosen to play the role of the chef after To's original choice (legendary French actor Alain Delon) had declined. The film is pretty standard genre stuff with trademarks To and Wai style and themes but it is far from their best work. If you've never seen a To film I would recommend starting elsewhere but fans familiar with what to expect will have plenty to enjoy with Vengeance. |
| 143 |  |
UNMISTAKEN
CHILD Israeli filmmaker Nati Baratz was given rare access which follows follows Tenzin Zopa in a quest through Nepal, Tibet, and India to find the reincarnation of Zopa's deceased master. Ultimately Unmistaken Child is a good film but disappointing only because in the hands of the right filmmaker this material has the chance to soar. There are moving moments but the film never became as insightful or transcendent as I think it could have been. Maybe I'm not being fair because as a filmmaker Baratz allows the story alone to carry the film which is understandable. Nothing about it needs to be forced, especially since we are getting a rare peak at something few audiences (especially in the West) get to see let alone truly understand. |
| 144 |  |
LYMELIFE Nothing groundbreaking or masterful but Lymelife has some touching moments and is often humorous. The ensemble cast (lead by Rory Culkin, Emma Roberts as the neighbor girl he has a crush on, Alec Baldwin as his father who is having an affair with the girls mother- Cynthia Nixon, Timothy Hutton as the girls father, and Kieran Culkin plays the lead's older brother). Director Derick Martini co-wrote the partial autobiographical film with his brother Steven. The title is a reference which relates to the films somewhat forceful metaphor of Lymes disease as a metaphor the the families lifestyle. Lymelife has some touching moments, some very impressive performances and an effective creation of 197s family suburbia. |
| 145 |  |
AGORA Agora works as an extravagant spectacle authority of a film. This is Chilean-born filmmaker Alejandro Amenabar's first film since winning the Oscar for his 2004 film The Sea Inside. The film is a biopic which tells the story of astronomer-philosopher Hypatia of Alexandria (played with a fine sense of confidence by Rachel Weisz) and her relationship with her slave Davus (Max Minghella), who is torn between his love for his mistress and the possibility of gaining his freedom by joining the rising tide of Christianity. The film is over the top, but it embraces the large scale with skillful filmmaking. The film has a lot to say about religious beliefs and power and it does so in very epic manner. The film is a strong showcase for a Weisz a talented actress who is good in this powerful feminist role. |
| 146 |  |
MONSTERS
VS ALIENS Cute and more fun then I thought Monsters vs Aliens works as both a spoofy throwback to 1950s Sci-fi monster movies and as a comical superhero family adventure. The animation is nothing spectacular but the voice performances are good and the overall entertainment value of this film is proof that Dreamworks Animation has started to really improve their standards (with recent releases like this as well as Kung Fu Panda, and Flushed Away - which I'd say remains their best). |
| 147 |  |
BLACK
DYNAMITE
|
| 148 |  |
CROWS
ZERO II The always busy Japanese filmmaker Takashi Miike (who seems to release two or three films every year) follows up his 2007 action thriller with this followup continues with the ultra-cool punk spirit and endlessly energetic action (here with more violence including some gore- reminding Miike fans of his horror films which he claimed to retire from making in 2004). |
| 149 |  |
TABLE
FOR THREE Ok this direct-to-video film is kind of silly and flawed but I had a great time with it, mostly because I enjoyed the comedic performance of Sophia Bush who shares fine chemistry with Jesse Bradford as a seemingly perfect loving couple who roomate (played by Brandon Routh) soon discovers are actually rather crazy. It is their crazy and clinging antics that are kind of a joy to watch as the film finds different ways in which Bush and Bradford can do something goofy. If nothing else Sophia Bush proves she has great ability as a comedic actress. Hopefully this will open the possibilities for more (and perhaps better) comedy roles in the future. |
| 150 |  |
ETERNAL
BELOVED Eternal Beloved is the directorial debut of actress Yu Feihong. There is some dullness to the film but there is also a beauty to the film (notably in it's visuals). The film tells the story of two lovers (A Jiu and A Ming) from two enemy families, who make a pledge to continue their forbidden love in their next life. A Jiu quickly gets reborn but her lover misses his own chance and becomes a homeless ghost. 50 years later, right before A Ming’s next chance for rebirth, A Jiu finally shows up. She has become a happily married housewife and has no memory of her previous life. The film has an epic romance feel to it heightened by lavish cinematography and costume and set designs. |
| 151 |  |
EVERLASTING
MOMENTS Everlasting Moments has won acclaim throughout the world including earning a Golden Globe nomination for Best Foreign Language film in the United States last year. The film is said to be very personal for the director telling the story of a woman who finds her own independence and accomplishment through the art of photography. The works works for it's visual and period detail but as an intimate character study, veteran Swedish filmmaker Jan Troell never takes us deeper then the surface. |
| 152 |  |
IN
THE ELECTRIC MIST Acclaimed veteran French filmmaker Bertrand Tavernier latest film In the Electric Mist is a powerful film strengthened by a great use of Southern atmosphere - notably Louisiana, its culture, it's history and it's swampy waters. The film is a follow-up to the 1996 film Heaven's Prisoners, which Tavernier did not direct. In this film Dave Robicheaux is played by Tommy Lee Jones (as opposed to Alec Baldwin). The role seems tailored made for Jones and it makes it so with a terrifically subtle performance. He is aided by some fine supporting performances (John Goodman, Peter Sarsgaard, Kelly Macdonald, Mary Steenburgen, Justina Machado, Ned Beatty). There are some narrative issues (notably the side plots such as the drunk movie star and his wife) that don't work as well but the films performances and Tavernier's fascination with the setting and landscape make it engrossing. |
| 153 |  |
CAPITALISM:
A LOVE STORY Michael Moore is up to his same old shtick which is sure to divide audiences. His films are worth applauding for the ideas he raises even if many of the facts are all ready well known and some of his documentary techniques are slanted. The powerful insight of the films seems to be in distinguishing or trying to find the differences between democracy and capitalism rather then intertwining the two. This is far from as effective as Bowling For Columbine but there are some funny and some touching moments as well as Moore himself possibly revealing he is trying of his own shtick by pleading to audiences to take a stand. |
| 154 |  |
LOOK
FOR A STAR Look For a Star is carried by it's star-power; notably charming leads Andy Lau and the lovely Shu Qi. The film has a fairy-tale quality telling the story of a billionaire (Lau) and a club dancer (Qi) who meet by chance and fall in love, though Lau does not reveal who he is to Qi and she actually despises everything he represents. This formulaic story is obviously nothing new so it relies strongly on the performances and these two wonderful stars deliver for director Andrew Lau who in making a romantic fairy-tale is definitely working outside his more tradition genre comfort zone. |
| 155 |  |
AWAY
WE GO A second viewing of this film left me a bit divided. The smugness become at bit more obvious and irritating but there are still qualities I like about the film, most notably the performances and chemistry of the leads (John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph). Maybe not artistically complex, yet like a great pop song this film is sometimes beautiful and charming. I guess the smugness is tolerable 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 again with this comedy, relying on the performances and the script (also bonus points for use of the wonderful Velvet Underground song 'Oh Sweet Nuthin'). |
| 156 |  |
HANDPHONE A thriller revolving around a cell phone, but do not expect the disaster of One Missed Call (specially the American remake), Handphone has come real complexity to it. Korean filmmaker Kim Han Min takes a unique spin on the typical formula here exploring how the loss of a phone can lead to a series of escalating events that push two very different men over the edge. This is a good thriller with a great pace, unpredictability and a satisfying conclusion. |
| 157 |  |
BRUNO Working off the success of his hit film Borat, Sacha Baron Cohen brings another of his characters to the big screen: Flamboyant Austrian fashion icon Bruno. Early on the film follows the Bruno formula almost exactly expect now his disguise is alot less surprising. There are some genuine good jokes to be found here but the problem is that feel tired because the mockumentary gimmick has become drained of its effectiveness. I think there is potential for this to be a better or certainly more significant film then Borat but I think the re-sued formula loses some of the effectiveness. |
| 158 |  |
PERKINS'
14 This After Dark Horrorfest film came with much hype as a website offered fans to submit thier won storylines and ideas. This gimmick made for a great marketing expirence and a unquie opprotunity for horror fans but does the final product prove that it is all just gimmicky? Perhaps, but Perkins' 14 is a pretty good film. What makes it so effective is the tone. The film understand the right timing of tonal shifts, which can very often be crucial in horror. The filmmakers also undertand the great horror trick in not revealing too much. |
| 159 |  |
ZOMBIELAND "Fasten your seat belts it's going to be a bumpy ride." No it's not Bette Davis in All About Eve, but rather the latest entry into the wide spreading horror comedy genre (notably the extremely popular zombie comedy). Following somewhat in the mold of Shaun of the Dead (a far superior film in both it's filmmaking and comedy) Zombieland takes us on the road in a postapocalyptic zombie world. The films seems a bit of a mess at times and is not really as inventive as it seems to believe but there is alot of fun made mostly so by the cast (especially a hilarious over-the-top performance from Woody Harrelson). It also features a thrilling opening title sequence that I would consider among the finest of the year. |
| 160 |  |
FOOD,
INC. Food Inc is an important and revealing film to watch. It is made in the mode of Michael Moore and if nothing else it will make you look differently at what you are eating. Robert Kenner gives the film all kinds of graphics to add to the aesthetics of the film and we see some insightful commentary from Eric Schlosser (author of Fast Food Nation) as well as some farmers. |
| 161 |  |
ONG
BAK 2 More of a prequel of sorts (at least I think) this film suffers from the absence of director Prachya Pinkaew, who brought a great sense of style and focus to the martial genre with the 2003 hit that made Tony Jaa a star. This film lacks that raw quality that made the original such a great entry into genre filmmaking. This film suffers a bit from trying to outdo the previous film leaving some of it forced. Of course Ong Bak is still full of entertainment notably as a showcase for Jaa's incredible talents on screen. |
| 162 |  |
PIRATE
RADIO aka THE BOAT THAT ROCKED Great music and a nice cast having alot of fun makes Pirate Radio and enjoyable film. The film falters a bit in the hands of Richard Curtis who gives this the sort of heavy treatment he gave his previous feature (2003's Love Actually). If for no other reason this film is worth watching for endless collection of 60s rock. |
| 163 |  |
COCO
BEFORE CHANEL Coco Before Chanel is almost dialogue free for the opening five minutes. It then jumps 15 years later when we hear Audrey Tautou's voice over followed by her entrance through curtains as she peeks out. This peak not only introduces us to the star (whom the film is clearly a vehicle for) but also is reflected in the very end as her loss of innocence. The film does very little outside of conventions we've seen over and over in these bio-films but it is well performed and photographed. Tautou is not a great actress but she does have a charm and here she provides some glamorous and sultriness to the role. |
| 164 |  |
SIN
NOMBRE Telling the story of illegal immigrants heading from Central America through Mexico to the United States. Sin Nombre is a film less focused on the politics of the issue instead centering around the basic idea of the American dream for those South of the border. The film ideas and intentions are worth applauding but unfortunately the execution is a bit flawed from Cary Fukunaga making his debut film. The film has some obvious metaphors and narrative cliches that keep some of the emotional connection from the characters. While I would recommend the similarly themed documentary from this year (Which Way Home) over this, Sin Nombre does work as a dramatic film on an important subject. |
| 165 |  |
WATCHMEN I can understand an appreciation for this film but I was a bit mixed. I found Watchmen excellent in parts but the TV-style filmmaking left it a bit episodic and hollow as a whole for me. Perhaps Zach Synder was under such pressure to properly adapt this cult graphic novel because to me it almost feels as though you are watching pages turn on screen, which ultimately does not suit the cinematic medium. Film and literature are two different mediums and ultimately sacrifices and changes need to be made when adapting a story for film. Watchmen is a good film but doesn't have the auteur cinematic qualities of the best superhero films (ie Batman Returns, X2, Spider-Man 2, Hulk, Hellboy 2). These filmmakers respected their source material while creating their own signature worlds within it. Watchmen simply feels stagy and uncomfortable in both the visual filmmaking and particularly the acting. |
| 166 |  |
THE
NARROWS The Narrows follows a fimiliar story of a young man who takes a job with the mob to pay for his college tuition, isloating him from his relationship with his father and his girlfriend. The conflict between the two worlds become his biggest challenge. This is a conflcit we've seen before especially in gangster films and while The Narrows is nothing innovative the film does at least take it seriously without trying to break new grounds. The vsiual style of the film is impressive and the diauolge is sharp. What really holds the film are the very strong performances: Kevin Zegers does a nice job in the lead, Sophia Bush aprovides her usual radiance on-screen, and Vincent D’Onofrio gives the films best performance as the widowed father living on disability. |
| 167 |  |
TAKING
WOODSTOCK Ang Lee would seem a strange choice to direct a film on Woodstock but perhaps his foreign view is exactly what this film needs. Well for the most part that rings true as Taking Woodstock stars off funny and insightful. The film is based on Elliot Tiber, the man responsible for bringing the fest to Max Yasgur’s farm after it had been forced out of several other locales in upstate New York. When the festival time begins the film falls into the psychedelic cliches that instead of taking us into the experience only distance us further. In the end it feels only like another spoof of Woodstock. There is a nice sense of energy and fun in the films first half and the performances all all very fine. |
| 168 |  |
HARRY
POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE Visually the second most impressive Potter film (next to The Prisoner of Azkaban) but sixth film (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince) unfortunately falters in its storytelling. Even for the dark moments this has a rather light tone setting up what is to come (which will be the final entry in the Harry Potter franchise - though they will be splitting that into two films). The side charters of the Potter films are usually interesting (notably because they get big name actors to take on the roles) and here newcomer Jim Broadbent provides his typical effective acting and Helena Bonham Carter is terrific in her brief appearances as Bellatrix. Of course since Azkaban the growth of the three leads has carried the emotional weight of the film. Rupert Grint has really emerged as a better actor with each film, here displaying some comedic skills. In the end this one lacks some of the imagination and intrigue that has developed since Azkaban which remains the best film simply because it is the most cinematically clever and it best created the world of Harry Potter and his friends/enemies. |
| 169 |  |
STATE
OF PLAY State of Play (based off a British TV miniseries) has the look and feel of an adult ’70s government-paranoia thriller and it's co-writer Tony Gilroy brings to mind Michael Clayton. State of Play is a far inferior film on every level to Michael Clayton, but taken on it's own has some fine qualities. Scenes don't exactly cohesively mesh making it a bit contrived but the basic story of a blogger and a newspaper writer teaming up to solve the murder of a congressman's mistress has some intrigue, mostly because the convincing performances from Russell Crowe and Rachel McAdams. Kevin Macdonald started as a documentary filmmaker and his focus of this film seems to be centered around the feeling that the printed word should be truth, and he sticks with this believe to the end, resulting in a rather forced conclusion. But this film still is entertaining. |
| 170 |  |
PONYO Beautiful animation but Ponyo is a real disappointment from the great Miyazaki. It lacks the naturalistic feel of his masterful childrens film Totoro. This is the first Miyazaki film that feels artificial or contrived. I saw both the English and Japanese versions but neither one seem to make an impact at least in the way his other films have. Yes my expectations for Miyazaki may be too high and I understand this film is made for young children and this is reflected in the unique storytelling yet where is the magic Miyazaki evokes in other childrens classics such as Totoro or Kiki's Delivery Service? Ponyo is kind of all over the place and at times makes very little sense. The problem is not necessarily the confusion of the storytelling but rather how forced and uninspiring it all feels. Certainly worth watching for the glorious animation but Ponyo will disappoint those who admire Miyazaki's previous films. |
| 171 |  |
SHALL
WE KISS? One can't help but think of Eric Rohmer when watching Shall We Kiss? notably in the way the film relies strongly on characters talking to one another. Unfortunately this never holds the interest or philosophy of Rohmer's films. Comparisons to Rohmer may be unfair because this film still manages to be entertaining as the film tangles the complications of love through two stories of strangers: Emilie (Julie Gayet) and Gabriel (Michael Cohen) as well as flashbacks of longtime best friends who discover they are lovers: Judith (Virginie Ledoyen) and Nicolas (played by the writer/director Emmanuel Mouret). |
| 172 |  |
CONFESSIONS
OF A SHOPAHOLIC Can this film work as escapism during these tough economic times? Perhaps, but I think the film also has a satanical edge to it's own consumer obsessions that may also contradict that thought. Of course Confessions of a Shopaholic is in such light mode and ultimately is rather ridiculous that I'm not sure any intellectual depth is relevant. Isla Fisher does her best to carry the cheery mode of the film with a bright and cute lead performance. |
| 173 |  |
HUMPDAY Mark Duplass, one of the leaders among the "Mumblecore movement" gives a convincing performance in this otherwise uninspiring film about two straight friends dare themselves into having sex with each other for a video to be entered in an annual festival of amateur porn. Is it for art, for matching up to the dare or are they in a mid-life crisis? The idea sounds more intriguing then the film actually is but Duplass does share some fine scenes alongside Alycia Delmore, who plays his wife. |
| 174 |  |
LAKE
CITY Lake City is a quite and slow paced Southern drama, Lake City is a good film that suffers a bit from too many subplots. It's unfortunate because this film has the almost has the right feel and it does manage to avoid cliches yet it leaves us with so many little back stories about the family that never really get answered - until the end when we find everything out and at that time the subplot involving gangsters must also conclude making the film a bit of a mess. |
| 175 |  |
TAKING
CHANCE This HBO Film is choppy at times, but it does remain focused in its touching and inspirational message. The film centers around a volunteer military escort officer who accompanies the body of 19-year-old Marine Chance Phelps back to his hometown in Wyoming. The filmmaking here is not great but the story is very important and moving. I would recommend a 2007 documentary called Operation Homecoming which includes a segment (narrated by the great Robert Duvall) on this story, but Taking Chance is also well worth watching. |
| 176 |  |
YEAR
ONE Year One has sort of a guilty pleasure entertainment quality to it. The film is written and directed by Harold Ramis who has done some great comedies (Groundhog Day) some pretty good comedies (Multiplicity, Caddyshack, Vacation) and some awful comedies (Bedazzled). Year One is closer to bad then it is great but I'd say the film is watchable mostly because the cast is having fun, notably Jack Black and Michael Cera in the leads. They help sell the film which really does lack any kind of originality. The setup seems right for Ramis to make a better product then he does so for that this is disappointing even if watchable. |
| 177 |  |
I'M
GOING TO EXPLODE
|
| 178 |  |
SUNSHINE
CLEANING While the tone is a bit uneven in Sunshine Cleaning, my love of Emily Blunt makes it easy to enjoy this film, as she and Amy Adams completely carry this with their charming performances. Comparisons to Little Miss Sunshine (which features the same producers and a similar performance from Alan Arkin, not to mention a quirky indie feel and Sunshine title) are expected but that is rather unfair to this film. First off it raises expectations and Sunshine Cleaning is not as good a film. Secondly this has some fine qualities on it's own, notably the chemistry and performances of Blunt and Adams. |
| 179 |  |
STAR
TREK Mostly entertaining but not knowing anything of the Star Trek world (this is the first Star Trek film of any kind that I have seen) it was difficult to really grasp any depth of the story or characters (or even gage whether or not any such depth exists in this film). I think on the surface this film is made for both fans as well as those unfamiliar with Star Trek, but I do think it will be greater understood by those who have seen many of the previous films. A forgettable film for me, but there is some entertaining value here especially after a very weak and uninspiring opening scene. |
| 180 |  |
CHERRY
BLOSSOMS German filmmaker Doris Dorrie's Cherry Blossoms is a loose re-imagination of Yasujiro Ozu's touching 1953 masterwork Tokyo Story. The problem with the film is it's self-conscious attempts of the master filmmaker. There are some beautifully composed images but the forced nature and metaphoric references of them are completely hollow. Ultimately by that measure the essence of this film makes it the complete opposite of Ozu in that Dorrie forces the issue by blatantly trying to emulate a filmmaker that found truth and an understanding of collectively composed images through simplicity. Here you can see and feel the effort. Of course there is still some very touching moments to this film and its reflection of aging and loss, and it certainly improves over the second half as Dorrie establishes more of her own film. |
| 181 |  |
THE
LIMITS OF CONTROL Channeling Melville's Le Samourai more so then ever here, this Jim Jarmusch film lacks the sharp and playful touch that has defined his previous films. Stylish and moody but rather dull for Jarmusch. This was sort of the problem with his previous feature Broken Flowers in that there is very little substance to hold it together. Much of the visual style is there and Jarmusch use of locations and colors to create atmosphere (aided by the fine work of cinematographer Christopher Doyle) is worth applauding but otherwise feels dull of anything. |
| 182 |  |
THE
MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS The premise is setup for good comedy and while the film is a bit of a mess it is still a fun time. There is potential for this to be an intelligent screwball comedy so it is disappointing that this film is rather mediocre. After starting off with an unusual begging (with a an officer running into the wall) followed by a title card that says "More of this is true then you would believe." The Men Who Stares at Goats is a film not sure of what tone or direction it wants to take and this unevenness does not even help carry its screwball nature. The film is sort of a road film following George Clooney and Ewan McGregor. It also tells the story of McGregor's story as he is a journalist writing (and narrating to us) more on the background of the New Earth Army, a unit that employs paranormal powers in their missions (which includes Jeff Bridges as the founder and Clooney as one of his top men or "jedi"). The concept is interesting and fun and the cast is likable enough to make this film watchable. |
| 183 |  |
KILLSHOT A talented cast (Mickey Rourke, Diane Lane, Thomas Jane, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rosario Dawson) and filmmaking crew (including director John Madden and cinematographer Caleb Deschanel) in a film based on an Elmore Leonard novel, you'd expect this to be better then it is. Of course that is not to say the film is bad but it lacks that stylish punch that has made Leonard's cinematic adaptations work so well. The cast is very interesting here with Gordon-Levitt having some fun and Rourke gives a convincing performance as a mob hit man. The film has a solid emotional story in the relationship between Diane Lane and Thomas Jane as a separated couple that gets mixed into the extortion plans. |
| 184 |  |
INVICTUS Clint Eastwood's films are generally carried by outstanding pacing but Invictus falls into some of the rush-traps that come with biopic-type stories. Great as he is, Eastwood is a filmmaker that is often at the mercy of his scripts. Of course Eastwood's gifts as a visual filmmaker and storyteller (gifts for which he is often very underrated) help keep Invictus from falling into the typical dullness of the standard material. Morgan Freeman fits the role of President Nelson Mandela nicely and Matt Damon is serviceable. Watchable even if this formualic film lacks the dark atmopshere and insight of Eastwood's greatest work. |
| 185 |  |
TOKYO! I liked 2 out of 3 of these surreal shorts. French filmmaker Michel Gondry's opening ("Interior Design") is charming and Korea's Joon-ho Bong's closing short ("Shaking Tokyo") was my favorite. French filmmaker Leos Carax's middle section ("Merde") didn't work for me. As a whole watchable, but forgettable much as these collaborative short films go. |
| 186 |  |
THE
THAW Yet another Global Warming warning, this message film went straight to DVD. The effectively builds suspense in the simplest of methods, notably keeping the threats (in this case deadly parasites) mostly off screen. The problem is the motivations or actions of the characters in this film seem a bit illogical. Taken as campy message film The Thaw is at least entertaining even if somewhat silly and flawed. |
| 187 |  |
THE
LAST STATION A bit over long, over done and boring at times The Last Station is probably not as memorable or worthy as its praise or accolades will likely determine. At least to me. The cast is a very impressive one and it is surprising that they do not work more here (or at least bring a bit more life into the film). Even the great Helen Mirren seems a bit over-the-top at times and none of the characters are really given enough depth to work with. This is not a bad film and I;m sure it will find it audience and praise. |
| 188 |  |
EASY
VIRTUE Based off a play by Noel Coward (which follows a young Englishman who marries a glamorous American and brings her home to meet his upper-class family). Easy Virtue does a fine job at creating period details and style. The film feels very much like the world of a film which makes for some fun. The Coward play was also adapted as silent film by the great Alfred Hitchcock in 1928. Director Stephan Elliott never really gives a a world we can feel as this film is all surface. The film is ultimately entertaining for it's style and charm but quickly forgettable. |
| 189 |  |
TYSON James Toback has worked with Tyson before (notably in his 1999 film Black and White). Here he tries to create some sort of epic tragic figure of Tyson's life by doing an exclusive and intimate interview with him reflecting on his eventful life. In reality there is not as much depth to this story as Toback wants you to think and I can not figure why he elects to add in various visual techniques such as split screens and overlapping talking. Perhaps he is trying to add more life to the film. Tyson does present himself as a interesting interview subject but there is nothing all that insightful going on here and I think Tyson's mystique is probably best left distanced or mysterious. |
| 190 |  |
MY
BLOODY VALENTINE As horror remakes go, My Bloody Valentine is not bad, perhaps mostly because the original film is nothing special. The original film simply felt like a tired retread of better slasher films, mostly because My Bloody Valentine lacks any imagination (maniac in miner suit kills with a pickax). This is much of the same but the now gimmick is that is is presented theatrically in 3D (so you can see the pickax coming toward you). If it works as anything it is that it is effective as a throwback slasher film. |
| 191 |  |
ADAM Adam is a very predictable romantic comedy about a lonely man Asperger's Syndrome (Adam played by Hugh Dancy) who develops a relationship with his upstairs neighbor (Beth played by Rose Byrne). The leads are strong enough to make the formula work - Dancy is charming in his typical nerdy-guy role and Byrne is good enough to at least make us forgot her laughable performance in Knowing (though her character in this film is a little unconvincing as a romantic lead). |
| 192 |  |
GREY
GARDENS This HBO film is inspired by the famous Maysles Brothers 1976 documentary. It is not remake of teh docuementary but instead a film that takes us through the lifes of these charcters: both named Edith Bouvier Beale aka "Big and Little Edie" - the eccentric aunt and first cousin of Jackie Kennedy. They are excellent played by Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange. The film does a nice job when dealing with the backstory mostly becuase it seems to come alive. Fimmaker Michael Sucsy seems very respectful of the Maysles brotehrs film as scenes and even the brothers themselves are recreated here. While tehse scenes feel forced Grey Gardens is worth watching for the livly performances. |
| 193 |  |
KNOWING It is difficult to get past the ridiculous performances of Nicolas Cage and Rose Byrne which really give this science fiction film a kind of silly tone - and got in a good, campy kind of way. Knowing has some big science fiction apocalyptic ideas but much of it too silly of a feel to take seriously, especially the way the film seems to keep bringing up additional inconsistencies. Alex Proyas has proven he is a gifted filmmaker. With Knowing the film just keeps getting more and more absurd to the point you want it to end. Perhaps this film will improve with repeat viewings. |
| 194 |  |
PUSH A complete mess as far as narrative goes and the performances are rather dull, but I think Push works effectively as a genre piece. Using Hong Kong as it's setting Push is very much made in the mode of a Hong Kong action film with some interesting science fiction ideas. Ok so the film lacks any sense of coherent tone and it seems to contradict it's own ideas by piling too many together but I think the film successfully uses setting and atmosphere as part of its storytelling and energy. |
| 195 |  |
THE
LODGER Far from a great film but not too bad for a film that has been adapted five times (starting with Alfred Hitchcock's most famous silent film in 1927). Predictably the film is over done but it at least manages to keep you interested throughout. Plus there are some nice Hitchcock references throughout including direct shots and quotes to a few different films as well as an overbearing Bernard Hermann-inspired score. |
| 196 |  |
17
AGAIN This formula has been used countless times but it works for entertainemnet especially if the performances can carry it. Here used as a vehcile to launch the career of Zac Efron playing the teenage version of Matthew Perry, it ultimatly is the supporting cast that steals the show, notably Leslie Mann as the wife filing for divorce. The film has some interesting devolpmenets such as the relationship between the 17-year and his own daughter as well as his wife, but ultimnatly the film stays rather light. Overall very preditable but still entertaining enough. |
| 197 |  |
NINE Forgetting that this reworking of a play that reworked Federico Fellini's classic 1963 film 8 ½, which should have never been made - Nine is an unimaginative and rather boring failure of its own. The film begins with a promising sequence and intro musical number taking from a peak scene in 8 ½ in which Guido (played by Daniel Day Lewis with some energy but a surprising unconvincing accent) tries to tame the women of his life. The self-reflection and references to the director that are brought about here quickly become muted by the films forceful style and artificial sexiness. Nine features a very impressive cast but only Marion Cotillard provides any emotion or depth to the film. Not only is 8 ½ the inspiration but Nine's influence seems to come from Fellini's 1960 La Dolce Vita (notably in the visual style). As such the films biggest fail is that it completely lacks capturing the mood European 60s cinema, not to mention Rob Marshall clearly can not fill as the stand-in for Fellini or his doppelganger (Gudio). Like many of Marshall's films, Nine simply feels artificial and lacks any real feeling or sexiness. Aside from some on-the-surface pizzazz and Cotillard, the film has no sense of feeling to it. |
| 198 |  |
PARIS
36 Paris 36 is a rather dull film lacking any real depth or emotion, but it is marvelous on the visual surface - heightened by beautiful period details, lush cinematography giving it a feel of the classic poetic realism of French cinema in the 1930s. This is less emotionally forceful then Christophe Barratier previous film (The Chorus) but this films suffers from being a bit overstuffed with messy subplots. |
| 199 |  |
THE
PRIVATE LIVES OF PIPPA LEE The Private Lives of Pippa Lee is the fourth feature film from Writer/director Rebecca Miller. Her previous film (2005's The Ballad of Jack and Rose is one of the truly underrated films of the decade in my opinion). This is based of Miller's own novel and it continues with one of her themes of older man and younger woman relationships. This film lacks the intimate emotion and lyrical feel of Miller's previous film mostly because of the film unsuccessful attempts at a back story with parallel flashbacks of a young Pippa Lee (it also hurts that Blake Lively is not as convincing as Robin Wright Penn. Even the usually great Julianne Moore feels a little off in this flashbacks of this film. |
| 200 |  |
JULIE
AND JULIA
|
| 201 |  |
VACANCY
2: THE FIRST CUT I kind of liked the first Vacancy film and while this "prequel" is less effective it still has enough qualities to make it watchable for those without high expectations. This film is goes more for the fast paced gore that might appeal greater to hardcore horror fans. If you've seen the first Vacancy film this doesn't have any new or surprising to offer but it is a better sequel/prequel then I expected. |
| 202 |  |
THE
BLIND SIDE Another condescending , phony "liberal" film from Hollywood with good intentions. Michael Oher's story is a heartwarming one, but typically this film becomes about Leigh Anne Tuohy (the wealthy and determined woman that brings Oher into her home and eventually adopts him). Bullock gives a nice performance as Tuohy particularly in the humorous moments (though I don't understand how the Academy can see her performance here better then that of Abbie Cornish in Bright Star who they failed to recognize with a nomination- but I guess that is the silliness of awards and cause for a different debate). The film is very well meaning and the story is touching. I was hoping this would be better but ultimately Hollywood kept it safe as The Blind Side effectively knows its target audience and it will work for them. |
| 203 |  |
G.I.
JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA This GI Joe film seems to be adaptation the original toys/show with parallels for today's military state. The film has plenty of similarities to something you would see from Michael Bay but at least this film does have some substance and a cohesive narrative to go with the flashy explosions and poor dialogue. For better or worse this adaptation removes the camp aspects of GI Joe and it is humorous the way the film incorporates some of the series original trademark lines: "Real American hero"; "Knowing is half the battle"). Sienna Miller seems a bit out of place but the cast does what they can and Dennis Quaid is always easy to like (here as General Hawk). Overall a more entertaining film then I expected. If the last half of the film is any indication, expect a sequel. |
| 204 |  |
NEW
YORK, I LOVE YOU Following up 2007's Paris I Love You (a film of 18 short stories) New York I Love You is comprised of 10 short stories done by 10 different world filmmakers with each story set in New York City. Much like the previous film this is rather mediocre as a whole but at least entertaining to watch. The list of filmmakers is much less impressive then the Paris film, but there are some acclaimed directors throughout the world. Here the film intertwines brief periods of segments as transitions to the next I guess in attempt to make it a more cohesive whole. Obviously some segments are better then others. None of them are really great but my favorites are the simplicity of Shunji Iwai's (starring Orlando Bloom and Christina Ricci). I also found Yvan Attal's two segments (starring Ethan Hawke with Maggie Q- which is capped off with a cleverly twisted punchline, and Robin Wright Penn with Chris Cooper) to be quite skillfully made and rather definitive of his signature work. Shekhar Kapur's segment is impressive but perhaps a bit ambitious and out of place here, and Brett Ratner's film fell flat for me. Nothing groundbreaking or really that memorable but the film is fun to watch. The series is set to continue with Jerusalem, Rio and Shanghai films all currently in the works. |
| 205 |  |
GRACE Credit this film for it's boldness but ultimately there is no depth and it comes acrossed as forceful in its attempt at psychological depth. Sorry, the influence is evident but this is not the work of Roman Polanski. Still worth watching for its ambition and effort |
| 206 |  |
THE
EDGE OF LOVE John Maybury reteams with his The Jacket star Keira Knightley in this portrait of legendary poet Dylan Thomas (Matthew Rhys) and two women he loves (played by Knightley and Sienna Miller). The film is written by Sharman Macdonald, who is Knightley's mother. Knightley plays Thomas' teenage love who is reunited him years later now that he is married. The problems with The Edge of Love are that is is weighed down with too much effort, only coming off as pretentious melodrama. The performances are good but the way the film is made distances you from it and the characters completely, ultimately leaving it hollow. I had similar problems with Maybury's previous film (The Jacket). |
| 207 |  |
APRIL
SHOWERS April Showers was written and directed by Columbine survivor Andrew Robinson. To commemorate the tragedy, it was released on the 10th anniversary. Obviously the film is worth respecting for its personal and passionate importance to the filmmaker as well as its good intentions. The film centers around a relationship between a student and his girlfriend (named April) and in between, there are several side stories also developing throughout the school. The film pulls on all the emotions but ultimately feels too much like a TV-Movie or soap opera to really ring true. Above all the film is sending positive messages reflected through a deeply personal story. |
| 208 |  |
THE
WARRIOR AND THE WOLF The Warrior and the Wolf marks the third dull film for Tian Zhuangzhuang who previously made excellent films such as 1993's The Blue Kite and Springtime in a Small Town in 2003. While it never really grabs attention this film does have some fine qualities notably the production design which helps create the dreamlike atmosphere. |
| 209 |  |
RACE
TO WITCH MOUNTAIN Disney's updated version of its own 1975 film Escape to Witch Mountain, this features action-star Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in a more action-orientated fantasy adventure. I had a really good time with this film early on with Rock dishing out his usual one-liners to aliens he thinks are kids (played by AnnaSophia Robb and Alexander Ludwig). However even as likable as The Rock is here, the shtick wears thin and the plot becomes a messy and boring no matter what age you are. |
| 210 |  |
PAPER
HEART I'll give the film credit in that it does not treat the interview subjects in any condescend manner. Also I like the creativity of the paper reenactments though I don't see much of a point in them. I read in the film description that Charlyne Yi and Michael Cera are a real life couple but they share very little chemistry on screen, but then again I guess that was one of the very discussions between the two in the film. If you like Charlyne Yi and Michael Cera then you'll probably enjoy this film on some level. |
| 211 |  |
LAND
OF THE LOST Those familiar with the TV series this is based on will respectfully find some nostalgic fun here. I have never seen the television series but I still thought the film was at least watchable if not quickly forgettable. It's a bit of a mess but the film seeks to entertain in the most lighthearted and silly fashion by mixing sicnece fiction, adventure and comedy in one. The cast (Will Ferrell, Anna Friel, Danny McBride) is likable so perhaps that helps. |
| 212 |  |
THE
HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT The Haunting in Connecticut starts off pretty decent in the way it captures visual and creates atmosphere, but really looses track over the second half as it starts to "reveal" too much and begins resorts to cheap and overused "scare" tactics. There are some impressive cinematography techniques and though this film has little new to offer and falters in the second half The Haunting in Connecticut is still fine for what it is. |
| 213 |  |
NO
MATTER WHAT The problem is not so much that this story is forumlic (a young girl with dreams of being a pop star ties of her small-town life and deicdides to puruse her dreams by leaving for the big city of Shanghai), but more so that the execution of it is poor. The direction and performances feel stagy from the opening moments and this continues throughout the film. The young girl is played by Li Zhou who has never been in a feature film prior to this. The film does at least have a feel-good quality that makes it watchable. |
| 214 |  |
ORPHAN "There's Something Wrong With Esther" says the tagline to this film and to prove so the film proceeds to provide us with every bad-child cliche it can think of - and it does for for an overlong two hours. Really the film could have been cut in half because there is no cohesiveness to the flow of it. Bad things happen one-after-another until we get to a rather silly "twist" revelation. There is more to this film that will make you smile or laugh but I'm not sure how intentional it is. |
| 215 |  |
NEW
WORLD ORDER Putting any opinions aside and viewing this "9/11 conspiracy theory" documentary objectively New World Order as a film is boring. I was very interested in objectively listening to the ideas it raised but the films problem is it is never as interesting or thought-provoking as its potential promises. Worth watching for some ideas it presents it is just not a very lively or in-depth achievement as a film or documentary. |
| 216 |  |
SPREAD David Mackenzie has had a successful career dealing with sex on film, but Spread is a film that quickly falls into and unbelievable and occasionally laughable soap opera. The film relies a great deal on Ashton Kutcher who uses his own real life persona to heighten the character a bit. We hear alot of his ultra-cool voice over and see him having sex in a variety of different ways with an older woman (played by Anne Heche). There is some energy to these scenes that work but the film really falters as a love story is forced in (with Kutcher falling for a hustler like him, played by Margarita Levieva - who is much more worth watching as Lisa P in this years Adventureland). |
| 217 |  |
THE
ANSWER MAN Recycled story about depressing slef-centered man (here Arlen Faber a famous author of a beloved self-help book) who falls in love with an anxious single-mom. Jeff Daniels does his best with this performance but Faber is never likeable enough to feel any compassion or interest in the film. The film was shot in Philadelphia so it at least has that going for it! |
| 218 |  |
SCARE
2 DIE Scare 2 Die is a horror consisting of three stories. The first one involves a deadly game of mahjong, the second is a nightmare coming true and the third is about a teenager who signs up for a game show and gets more than he bargained for. All in all, Scare 2 Die starts off kind of exciting and ambitious but quciky falters with each story. The Hong Kong film is from Cub Chien Kong-Hon, whose previously worked as an assitant with the Pang brothers, who helped produce this film. |
| 219 |  |
FAST
& FURIOUS Fast & Furious is set to be a throw back to the original 2001 film titled The Fast and the Furious (yes the titles of this franchise has been perhaps it's silliest aspect). Really I'm not sure how many people (or loyal Fast and Furious fans) have been missing a reuniting of the original cast but that is what we are offered here. The film does benefit from the presence of Vin Diesel who finds a comfort level that works for these films. Really this is everything you'd expect so if you accept that then the film at least does it's job. The film would be better off if it didn't take itself so seriously. |
| 220 |  |
THE
BURNING PLAIN Guillermo Arriaga often has proclaimed himself the "auteur" behind the Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu. The Burning Plain is his directorial debut and while the similarities to the Inarritu films are evident the flaws of those films also become more evident here. Above all his nonlinear intertwining narrative structure feels more gimmicky and his human despair and connection is as forced or contrived as it was with Babel. The film confusingly shifts between several storylines until we eventually see and understand them and even when we do the actions still seem a bit questionable. As both writer and director Inarritu's films are becoming more and more strained. He is need of something fresh. |
| 221 |  |
POST
GRAD Post Grad is your classic case of television sitcom filmmaking. Part of the films problem is that it takes itself a bit too seriously and yet still manages to lose heart simply because nothing really rings true in spirit or emotion. The cast is at least a talented one, and there is some charm in moments to this film - just don't expect to remember them very long after seeing it. |
| 222 |  |
FRIDAY
THE 13TH Deciding to start from scratch, this revisit of the original Friday the 13th is actually not to bad for a Michael Bay production (at least in comparison to his previous horror remake with director Marcus Nisepl- 2003's The Texas Chainsaw Massacre). The film sort of gives a run through of the first and second Friday the 13th films (complete with re-enactments) and then gears into its own film - so it is like a combination of remake and sequel (which would make it number 12 in the series). As a Friday the 13th film goes this one does an alright job, complete with plenty of blood and nudity to keep the hard-core fans satisfied. If you know what to expect (and I'm sure you do if you plan of watching the film) it gets the job done. |
| 223 |  |
THE
PROPOSAL Whether it is the contrived romance or the formula fish-out-of water city dweller learning to enjoy the simple things of life after a stay in the country, The Proposal is full of cliches we've see many times before (and usually done with greater effect). To the films credit the cast share some fine chemistry and the film moves along fine enough not to get boring. It is just a shame that there are so many predictable and unimaginative elements to the humor (including the standard stereotypes and animal gags). |
| 224 |  |
SURROGATES Surrogates spends a large portion of the opening moments detailing the take over of robotics surrogates which eventually (in a not to distance future world) transforms to everyone. Seems like a legit premise but as it goes and with further thought the idea becomes less and less convincing simply because the film leaves out basic questions such as why everyone so willingly converts (not to mention social or financial issues). All those flaws aside (and they are pretty major as a selling point for the film) Surrogates does at least have an entertaining quality(plus another chance for Bruce Willis to save the planet) that makes it watchable. |
| 225 |  |
HE'S
JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU Adapted from the popular book by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo, He's Just Not That Into You has a nice ensemble mixture and a director (Ken Kwapis of the underrated 2005 film The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants) who can make this film work. So it is a little disappointing that this film isn't better. The problem lies mostly in the films uninteresting central character, played by Ginnifer Goodwin. There are moments that work such as Drew Barrymore's insightful stress about getting dumped over several technology mediums or the brief appearance by Luis Guzman opposite Jennifer Connelly. There is good material here so I imagine that the book brings it out with more clarity and depth. |
| 226 |  |
KOBE
DOIN' WORK This film (or Spike Lee "Joint") debuted for television in May. Being directed by an acclaimed and gifted filmmaker like Spike Lee I expected this film to be much better and more insightful. The film documents Kobe Bryant during a Lakers game against Spurs in the 2008 Playoffs, but it more so documents Bryant watching himself play in the game. Ultimately it is like an actors commentary as we listen to Kobe commentate what we are watching ("Right there I took a drink of Gatorade because I was thirsty"). That is not an exact quote but you get the idea of what to expect. You can see Bryant's extraordinary work ethic and gifts as a basketball player but this film has very little insight or interest. |
| 227 |  |
WHAT
GOES UP What Goes Up is interesting because its cast seems to be working against type, but unfortunately as a narrative it is not a very coherent work. I saw the film early in the year and remember very little about it except the Steve Coogan tries to do the best with his character. |
| 228 |  |
WORLD'S
GREATEST DAD To say Bobcat Goldthwait's third feature film (World's Greatest Dad) is an improvement on his previous film (Sleeping Dogs Lie) is not saying much. There is plenty of the same vulgar humor and perverse compassion but this film has a bolder and stronger developed satire holding it together. The problem is the films characters really have no depth outside their use in the films plot, making the characterizations contrived. |
| 229 |  |
THE
RAMEN GIRL Welcome to Japanese stereotypes 101 starring Brittany Murphy. Murphy is an actress I sort of like because she has a charming presence that works in lighthearted films. As such The Ramen Girl is tolerable. After her boyfriend leaves her stranded in Tokyo she discovers ramen as a cure to her problems with the help of a chef master and his wife. |
| 230 |  |
GIGANTIC The film opens to lab rodents being tested as they swim in a tank of water. This is an obvious metaphor for the characters of the film as it lingers throughout. This character film unfortunately is carried by unlikable (or at least uninteresting) and dull lead characters. Paul Dano shows no emotion (even in pursuit of is dream of adopting a child from China) and Zooey Deschanel as her trademark quirky indie girl of his dreams is not much more exciting as a character. |
| 231 |  |
PAUL
BLART: MALL COP I kind of wanted to like this film and even tried to force myself to laugh but it is simply is not very funny or very good. I think there is some potential for Kevin James as a physical comedian and while there is some evidence of that in Paul Blart: Mall Cop this vehicle is ultimately not a successful one because rather then using the potential of what I think good be strong character film (with humor and humanity), this film instead relies on the standard "football in the groin" type jokes. |
| 232 |  |
THE
INTERNATIONAL Beautiful use of set designs and well shot but incredibly boring and surpassingly uninspiring performances. Impressive action sequence in the middle of the film recalling Michael Mann's classic genre-hybrid film Heat, but The International losses momentum very quickly afterwards and becomes a bit of a mess by the end. German-filmmaker Tom Tykwer has made some pretty good films with his most notable being the action film Run Lola Run. If there is something The International could learn from Run Lola Run it is that less is more. |
| 233 |  |
HOW
TO BE In How to Be Robert Pattinson (of Twilight) hires a self-help guru to guide him through a crisis. The films problem lies in the very poor execution as nothing here worked. I guess it's nice to see Pattinson playing something other then a vampire but he gives nothing to this role especially not any energy. The rest of the cast does little to help. |
| 234 |  |
ASSASSINATION
OF A HIGH SCHOOL PRESIDENT Assassination of a High School President has some possibilities of being a successful film and I imagine it will find a supportive audience but to me it fails into that seemingly common category of quirky indie films that it not as clever or deep as it strives to be. Putting norish elements into a high school film can potentially be a neat or successful idea (see Rian Johnson's 2005 film Brick). However this film suffers from trying to hard be it an overuse of slow-motion or annoying dialogue and dull performances. The film ends with nods to Chinatown. Perhaps a bold idea that would have been effective in a better film, but here it just feels forced. |
| 235 |  |
TRANSFORMERS:
REVENGE OF THE FALLEN Endlessly ripped by public and critics alike, I'm not going to defend the film or it's filmmaker but I will say Michael Bay at least makes films with a distinct style. Now that style can often be disastrous, but many that criticized him for this film seemed to admire what he did with the first Transformers film. To me they are the same. I guess this sequel (like all big-budget Hollywood sequels) is bigger and more of a mess but I find it no worse or better then the previous Transformers film. The film lacks any sense of imagination but if you enjoy loud explosion and impressive special effects this film has that going for it and almost by default the films dialogue and performances are an upgrade to the first film. |
| 236 |  |
LAST
OF THE LIVING Zombie comedies are all the craze in the independent and cult film circuits. Most are entertaining but this film from New Zealand has little going for it outside the fun concept. The problem with Last of the Living is the characters are not charming and the film is not really funny or horrifying. It has the feel of a couple friends getting together to make another zombie film and it seems to rely heavily on the very fact that those films are already well known and loved without capturing any of their spirit. |
| 237 |  |
BOB
FUNK Bob Funk is a film centered around an unlikeable lead character in a world of unlikeable supporting characters, all of whom are given little depth or understanding. What results is a film that is not enjoyable. It is not so much that the characters are depressing but more so that they held no interest or insight and the cast does little to help. |
| 238 |  |
CROSSING
OVER An ensemble drama about immigrants of different nationalities struggling to achieve legal status in Los Angeles, Crossing Over is a little less preachy but equally contrived and ultimately a slightly worse version of the overrated Oscar winning 2004 film Crash. The film is a remake of writer-director Wayne Kramer's own short film. |
| 239 |  |
THE
HORSEMEN The feature debut of respected music video director Jonas Akerlund The Horsemen is a film that starts off decntly and gradually gets more and more tiring becuase of it's uneveness and meesy plot elements. It's influences of much more poupulart and effective film is evident yet The Horsemen does at least hold interest for awhile. Then it starts to pile in too many directions leaving questions answered. Dennis Quaid is always relaible and he holds the film together with his precense. The same can not be said for Zhang Ziyi who I understand and respect is speaking in a different lauange then she is used to but is still very unconvincing here (perhaps she was miscast from the start). |
| 240 |  |
PALERMO
SHOOTING Wim Wenders has directed some failures in his relatively strong filmmakking career but Palermo Shooting is probably my least favorite Wenders film to date. It features a great soundtrack (which includes songs from two of my favorite bands - Portishead and The Velvet Underground) but ultimately the film feels like a two-hour ipod commercial with one great song after another. There is a mood that Wenders captures but ultimately the film is one that I wanted to end. It is a very boring film. |
| 241 |  |
DEADGIRL Deadgirl is a cruel and unpleasant film to watch. Besides the inhumanity the films biggest problem is that it seems to have nowhere to go outside its premise: Two high school boys discover an naked woman in an abandoned mental asylum who cannot die. It is shot as if there is some kind of satanical depth and morality to it all, yet the film is ultimately so hollow and uneven in it's tone. |
| 242 |  |
S.
DARKO Why? Richard Kelly has struggled to follow in the shadow of his 2001 cult hit Donnie Darko and now he has to endure this mess of a sequel (in which Kelly had no involvement with what-so-ever). Fox studio hired Chris Fisher to direct a script by Nathan Atkins and the film went direct to video. The story takes place seven years later with Donnie's younger sister (Samantha Darko of Sparkle Motion"). The problem with the film is not only that it should have never been made but ultimately it is not good. Really the film is dull of any feeling and the narrative is kind of all over the place in the way it tries to outsmart itself. |
| 243 |  |
OLD
DOGS Watching Old Dogs I started to feel sorry for everyone involved in making such an unfunny comedy, but at least John Travolta got to make the film with his family (wife Kelly Preston and daughter Ella Bleu Travolta). The film is just endless scene after scene none of which makes any narrative cohesiveness but rather just excuses for Robin Williams, John Travolta, Seth Green to do unfunny things or make Japanese stereotype jokes. The film is from Disney but there is very little I imagine kids finding funny here. Then again I can't see anything funny for adults either. |
| 244 |  |
X-MEN
ORIGINS: WOLVERINE As a big fan of the X-Men films (notably the first two Bryan Singer directed entries) I was curious to see what they would do with this film. Story-wise the film seems to fit into place with the origins of wolverine (at least in context to the films). This films failure lies in its execution as it is kind of a mess. The action sequences lack any sort of excitement and scenes don't collectively build up to create any interest or emotion. Director Gavin Hood who is making his second Hollywood film since winning an Oscar for Tsotsi seems to diminish any focus on the depth of the character away with pointless action sequences and too many side characters. Hugh Jackman gives a fine performance but this film is a disappointment. |
| 245 |  |
THE
TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON I found the first Twilight film to be somewhat boring but at least watchable. It's sequel (now directed by Chris Weitz) New Moon is not. I'm not trying to hate on the whole Twilight craze. This film simply is dull. I just don't get the interest in Robert Pattinson or Kristen Stewart as leads and I really don't get the interest in these characters or the "love story". There is no emotional connection what so ever in this film and the chemistry among the one-note performances is rather weak. Perhaps the books are something else, I don't know. The love triangle that develops here is uninteresting and the film insists on endless slow motions in place of it's few "action" sequences. Then it goes into a whole Romeo and Juliet-esque sequence in which Bella must run to save Edward from killing himself as if there is any kind of depth to this love story (which there is not). Everything just moves so quick which I guess is the result of trying to cram as much of the book as possible. The film ends with a cliffhanger but I honesty don't know if I have the care to continue on with this "saga" any further. |
| 246 |  |
BRIDE
WARS Kate Hudson's trademark genre is bad movies so she has a certain comfort level here and her chemistry is good with the far more talented Anne Hathaway - who does bring some charm or sympathy to the film. Otherwise this is annoyingly bad and predictable all the way to the point where it sets up a potential sequel. |
| 247 |  |
THE
UNBORN Michael Bay's production company strikes again with another awful horror film. To his credit at least this time it wasn't a remake of a previous film but that is about all The Unborn has going for it. Perhaps in an attempt for Bay to introduce us the next Megan Fox, The Unborn is nearly 90 minutes of skinny Odette Yustman seeing ghosts in her underwear. The rest is filled with the standard "creepy" noise and music video techniques that have been overused in countless psychological ghost or horror films. |
| 248 |  |
ALIENS
IN THE ATTIC I usually tend to enjoy most family adventure/fantasy films on some level so I was surprised by how un-entertained I was watching Aliens in the Attic - a film I have no interest in ever seeing again. The problem is the film lacks any sort of imagination. Even films geared solely for kids should have a sense of intelligence and imagination. Aliens in the Attic does not and as such it is an uninspiring and immediately forgettable experience for all ages. |
| 249 |  |
I
LOVE YOU BETH COOPER Hayden Panettiere is cute and seems to have a kind spirit (see her activist attempts to save the slaughtering of dolphins in the excellent documentary from this year - The Cove). However none of that is evident here mostly because her character, like the rest in this unfunny High School "comedy", are completely unlikable and annoying to watch. Chris Columbus has a history with one of the masters of stereotypical High School comedies (John Hughes) yet this film shows no evidence of Hughes compassion, insight or humor. |
