Vulture has a list of their 50 most anticipated films for the Fall. Meanwhile, indieWire has a list of their 30 most anticipated films. Can you tell it's about to be September? Here are the ones I'm also looking forward to (all descriptions by Vulture and indieWire; starred items are on both lists):
*Drive: We've seen it. We loved it. We're obsessed with the soundtrack. Nicolas Winding Refn's brutal, luscious Ryan Gosling neo-noir is Vulture's most anticipated movie of the fall, just because we can't wait to see it again. Just don't watch the too-revealing trailers, OK?
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo: David Fincher follows up The Social Network with this English-language adaptation of the runaway best-seller, starring Daniel Craig and relative newcomer Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander. Sure, the book was a big deal on its own, but what's not to love about the idea of Fincher handed a blockbuster budget to make a hard-R mystery thriller?
The Muppets: The Muppet brand faded away over the last decade or so, but who better to bring it back than a reverent Jason Segel, who also co-wrote the songs? At the very least, this has to outgross The Smurfs, or else we just don't know what to do with you, America.
*A Dangerous Method: David Cronenberg directs a kinky period drama starring Michael Fassbender, Viggo Mortensen, Keira Knightley, and Vincent Cassel. Our only concern is that this might be too amazing. Well, that and the fact that the movie might cause us to unexpectedly lust after Carl Jung (Fassbender) and Sigmund Freud (Mortensen). What would our shrink say?
The Ides of March: We’d be eager to see a political thriller directed by George Clooney and co-starring Ryan Gosling — who is having quite the fall (see #1) —if we knew nothing else about it, but this one is based on the critically acclaimed play Farragut North, in turn loosely based on Howard Dean’s 2004 campaign, which means it’s sure to have the x-factor so many wannabe prestige films are missing: a good script.
*Martha Marcy May Marlene: The Sundance hit that turned Elizabeth Olsen from the twin’s little sister into an it girl in her own right, is an eerie, complexly layered film (remember the poster?) about a young woman readjusting to life after being in a cult. Though not similar plot-wise, it could be this year’s Winter’s Bone, which is to say raw, powerful, star-making, and co-starring John Hawkes.
*50/50: Seth Rogen makes another cancer dramedy, though this one could be a crowd-pleaser where Funny People was not. Joseph Gordon Levitt's cueball cancer patient is the selling point here, but we're also kind of excited to see Anna Kendrick in something again.
*Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy: This veddy, veddy British espionage thriller is being tipped for Oscar glory, and pundits are already buzzing about Gary Oldman's lead performance. Still, even if it's simply a well-made John le Carre adaptation, what's to be mad about?
*Take Shelter: Michael Shannon is simply staggering in this Sundance drama about an ordinary family man driven to the brink by apocalyptic visions. The Best Actor field is going to be crowded this year, but can they please make some room for him?
J. Edgar: Leonardo DiCaprio gets good results from going period, and Clint Eastwood's decade-spanning drama about the man who founded the FBI has a juicy gay subplot that finds J. Edgar Hoover grappling with — then kissing — his right-hand man Clyde Tolson (played by Social Network breakout Armie Hammer). Let's hope they pull off the ambitious old-age makeup, since so many scenes feature Hoover and Tolson in their sixties and beyond.
*The Artist: The Weinsteins picked up this Cannes hit, a black-and-white, silent tribute to the Golden Age of Hollywood. Could this be this year's heartwarming Oscar contender, in the vein of The King's Speech? At the very least, expect major accolades for French actor Jean Dujardin, who plays the dashing, Errol Flynn-like lead.
Moneyball: The movie most likely to scratch your Social Network itch is another Aaron Sorkin screenplay that turns wonky, data crunching subjects into quip-spewing heroes. This one’s based on Michael Lewis’s Moneyball and stars a pre-slimmed down Jonah Hill and Brad Pitt as Billy Bean, the manager of the Oakland Athletics, who, with limited funds and a new perspective on how to measure a player’s quality put together a winning team. Predicted dialogue: “Batting average isn’t cool. You know what’s cool? VORP.”
*The Skin I Live In: Antonio Banderas finally reteams with the director who launched his career, Pedro Almodovar. This creepy drama, which casts Banderas as a plastic surgeon with a beautiful woman held captive in the basement, may give the actor another career jolt.
*In the Land of Blood and Honey: We’d be intrigued by Angelina Jolie’s directorial debut just because it’s Angelina Jolie’s directorial debut (and original screenplay), but early word on the Bosnian-set love story is that it’s better than just a vanity project. Is there nothing she can’t do? We’ll find out.
*Warrior: Two brothers face off in this season’s take on families who use their fists, professionally speaking. In a “twist” this movie’s tortured, dueling brothers (Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton) are mixed martial artists, not boxers. Warrior is as straightforward as can be, but it works like gangbusters, anchored by a charismatic, career-amping turn from Hardy.
*Like Crazy: Anton Yelchin and up-and-comer Felicity Jones toppling as star-crossed, long-distance lovers in this mumblecore romance, which was well-received at Sundance. And yep, that's the suddenly white-hot Jennifer Lawrence popping up briefly to make this relationship a tricky love triangle.
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol: For sheer tentpole thrills, let's hope this fourth installment can deliver with Pixar genius Brad Bird at the helm of his live-action debut. Adding Jeremy Renner and Josh Holloway to the M:I team is a pretty good start.
*Coriolanus: Ralph Fiennes makes his directorial debut on this Shakespeare adaptation, but we've heard the real action comes from Vanessa Redgrave, who's a surefire Oscar contender as his mother. Plus, we're Jessica Chastain completists around here, so we feel obligated to go and support what may be her hundredth movie role of the year.
*Carnage: Roman Polanski’s first film since he was released from house arrest is an adaptation of Yasmina Reza's Tony-winning play God of Carnage. It co-stars Jodie Foster (whose affection for wildly misbehaving men seems to know no bounds), Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz, and John C. Reilly as two sets of Brooklyn parents who face off, increasingly inappropriately, over an altercation between their sons. There will be projectile vomiting.
*The Rum Diary: Johnny Depp basically reprises his role as Hunter S. Thompson in this adaptation of Thompson’s zany novel set in Puerto Rico, and co-starring Amber Heard. Results seem appropriately, and enticingly, gonzo.
Weekend: Over the course of its titular timeframe, this SXSW favorite follows Russell (Tom Cullen) and Glen (Chris New), two men who extend their blurry and drunken one-night stand into 48 hours to remember. Russell is a pragmatic and semi-closeted lifeguard; Glen is a stubborn intellectual who “doesn’t do boyfriends.” Tender, talky and intensely sexy, the film could reductively be described as a sort of gay “Before Sunrise.” Which is meant a compliment. The star-crossed romance in “Weekend” is perfectly executed by director Haigh, who lets the film quietly creep up on the viewer as a powerful new entry into the queer cinema lexicon.
Pariah: Rounding out the quartet of acclaimed Sundance dramas coming out this fall, “Pariah” marks the directorial debut of Dee Rees. The film stars newcomer Adepero Oduye as a 17-year-old Brooklyn high school student coming to terms with her sexuality. While comparisons to “Precious” are all but assured (African-American femalecentric narratives to win raves out of Sundance aren’t exactly commonplace), “Pariah” is an entirely different entity, in large part because it avoids being as precious as “Precious.” Offering a fresh take on the coming out narrative, it provides an all-too-rare look at the triple-edged sword of repression that comes with being female, African-American and gay.
Sleeping Beauty: Australian novelist-turned-filmmaker Julia Leigh rose many eyebrows when she made it into Cannes’ official competition on her feature film debut. Starring Emily Browning as a high end prostitute who is sedated while wealthy men have their way with her, the film rose even more when it actually debuted. Endorsed by Australian cinema icon Jane Campion, “Beauty” marks a director to watch in Leigh. While it is sure to scare off filmgoers uncomfortable with its content, Eric Kohn’s Cannes review suggests it well worth the ride for anyone that can handle it.
Albert Nobbs: A major passion project for actress Glenn Close, “Albert Nobbs” portrays an Englishwoman (Close) who disguises herself as a man and works as a butler to survive in male-dominated 19th century Ireland. Close first played the titular character in a 1982 stage production and has fought to have the play turned into a film ever since (she also co-wrote the screenplay and produced). Joined by an admirable supporting cast in Mia Wasikowska, Aaron Johnson, Brendan Gleeson and Jonathan Rhys Meyers, the film could bring Close back into the Oscar mix for the first time since 1988, when she ended a streak that saw her nab five nominations in seven years (but no wins).
Tyrannosaur: The first feature entirely written and directed by actor Paddy Considine, “Tyrannosaur” stars Peter Mullan, Olivia Colman and Eddie Marsan. Mullan stars as a troubled man whose life gets a chance of redemption appears in the form of Hannah (Olivia Colman), a Christian charity shop worker. Eric Kohn writes in his Sundance review: “The discomfiting story of a middle-aged drunkard overcoming his booze-fueled woes, Considine announces his directorial vision with a morbid character piece sustained by two remarkably intense performances.” He speaks of course of Mullan and Colman, who have received widespread acclaim for their work.
Maybe also W.E. - lets see the reviews coming out of Venice. I'm also waiting to hear about Butter, The Lady. Take this Waltz, 388 Arletta Avenue, The Deep Blue Sea, Afghan Luke, The Hunter, and Shame.
Showing posts with label lists. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lists. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Another day, another list
Literary this time!
The 10 books you should have read in high school. I have heard, and have absolutely nothing with which to back this up, that one silver lining to e-readers is that the fact that classics are free has meant an uptick in people reading them.
One interesting thing about this list is that only one, The Great Gatsby, was ever taught in any of the schools I went to, and Lord of the Flies was taught at my brother's elementary school (I borrowed his copy and read it). I've read most of these, but nearly all as a teenager or 20-something trying to catch up on classics that I had "missed" in my personal curriculum.
The 10 books you should have read in high school. I have heard, and have absolutely nothing with which to back this up, that one silver lining to e-readers is that the fact that classics are free has meant an uptick in people reading them.
One interesting thing about this list is that only one, The Great Gatsby, was ever taught in any of the schools I went to, and Lord of the Flies was taught at my brother's elementary school (I borrowed his copy and read it). I've read most of these, but nearly all as a teenager or 20-something trying to catch up on classics that I had "missed" in my personal curriculum.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
The So-Called Spielberg Curriculum
I don't believe this list comes from Steven Spielberg, but hey. I've never met a list I didn't like. Or, rather, a list I didn't throw up here, because let's be honest - I FREQUENTLY disagree with lists.
Honestly, this list reads like someone with a TCM subscription and a thing for Al Pacino. There are a couple on here I've never even heard of. Hmmm....
And aside from the whole "to be a director, you should watch lots of movies to learn your craft" approach that one writer suggests as an explanation for the list, I can't imagine that anyone would describe these 200 movies as required knowledge. Either for the history of cinema, pop culture, or movie making techniques. Still, it does reinforce some of those classics I really need to get around to seeing... (cough*Taxi Driver*cough).
So... the 'Spielberg' Curriculum:
12 Angry Men
2001 (ugh.)
400 Blows
8 1/2
Adam's Rib
Alfie
Al Capone
All About Eve
All That Jazz
American In Paris
And Justice For All
Annie Hall
Apartment, The
Apocalypse Now
All/Presidents Men
Baby Doll
Bang/Drum Slowly
Barefoot In/Park
Battleship Potemkin
Belle De Jour
Best Years/Lives
Big Sleep, The
Bicycle Thief
Big Chill, The (Really? I mean, it's good...)
Birds, The (No.)
Body Heat
Bonnie & Clyde
Breakfast/Tiffany's (ugh.)
Breathless
Bridge/River Kwai
Brief Encounter
Bringing Up Baby
Bullitt (*sigh* I really need to see the whole thing.)
Butch/Sundance
Cape Fear
Casablanca (Ugh.)
Celebration, The
Champ, The (Seriously? I have heard nothing good about this film.)
Charade
Chase, The
Children/Paradise
Chinatown
Citizen Kane
Clockwork Orange
Close Encounters (There's no way Spielberg would add this to a list of his own devising.)
Come Back/Sheba
Cool Hand Luke
Conversation, The (I didn't realize this was directed by Francis Ford Coppola)
Day/Earth/Still
Days/Wine & Roses
Deer Hunter, The
Dog Day Afternoon
Double Indemnity (not a fan. There are better noirs.)
Doctor Zhivago
East of Eden
Exorcist,The
Face In The Crowd
Five Easy Pieces
Fly, The
French Connection
French Conn. 2 (Really?)
From Here/Eternity
Fugitive Kind, The
Gaslight
General, The
Gntlmn’s Agrmnt
Giant
Gone With/Wind
Grand Illusion
Great Escape, The (Love love love)
Godfather, The
Godfatherr II, The
Godfather III, The
Graduate, The
Grapes Of Wrath
Great Santini, The
Guess Who's…
Guns Of Navaronne
Heiress, The
High Noon
Hud
Hunter, The
Hustler, The
His Girl Friday
Holiday
I Confess
Immigrant, The
In A Lonely Place
In/Heat Of/Night
Indiscretion/Wife
It Happened/Night
It's A Wonderful Life
Jdgmnt/Nuremberg
Julius Caesar
Kramer Vs. Kramer
Last Detail, The
Last Picture Show
Last Tango In Paris
Lawrence Of Arabia
Little Foxes, The
Lolita
Lonelyhearts
Long Day's Journey
Long Hot Summer
Lost In America
Lost Weekend
Love Story (Seriously?)
M Fritz Lang Peter Lorre
Magnif. Ambersons
Magnificent Seven
Man/Shot Liberty…
Manchurian Cand.
Marathon Man
Marty
Mean Streets
Men, The
Metropolis
Midnight Cowboy
Miracle/Morgan's…
Misfits, The
Mississippi Burning
Missouri Breaks
Modern Romance
Modern Times
Mr. Smith Goes To…
Mutiny/Bounty
My Fair Lady
Nashville (I'd like to point out that whoever put this list together listed Jeff Goldblum as one of the primary actors... despite having no lines. Good job, listmaker.)
National Velvet
Network
North By Northwest
Notorious
No Way To Treat…
Odd Couple, The
On the Waterfront
One/Cuckoo's Nest
One-Eyed Jacks
Ordinary People
Panic/Needle Park
Papillion
Party, The
Parallax View
Patton
Pawnbroker, The
Philadelphia Story
Public Enemy, The
Psycho
Quiet Man, The
Raging Bull
Rain People, The
Raintree County
Ramblin' Rose
Real Life
Rear Window
Rebel W/out Cause
Red River
Reflections in a…
Requiem for a…
Rosemary's Baby (ugh.)
Runaway Train
Safety Last (I think?)
Sand Pebbles
Saturday Night Fever
Sayonara
Scarecrow
Scarface
Scent Of A Woman
Searchers, The
Serpico
Seven Samurai
Seventh Seal
Signal 7
Singin' In the Rain
Smiles of a…
Soldier In The Rain
Some Like It Hot
Sound Of Music (ugh. Ugh ugh.)
Splendor/Grass
Stagecoach
Star Is Born
Star Wars
Streetcar/Desire
Suddenly Last…
Sullivan's Travels
Sunset Boulevard
Sweet Bird of Youth
Taxi Driver
Teahouse of the…
Tender Mercies
Third Man, The
Three Days/Condor
To Kill/Mockingbird
Tootsie
Tree Grows in…
Trip To Bountiful, A
Two Rode Together
Verdict, The
Vertigo
Viva Zapata
Wait Until Dark
West Side Story
White Christmas
Who's Afraid…
Wild One, The
Wild River
Young Lions, The
Honestly, this list reads like someone with a TCM subscription and a thing for Al Pacino. There are a couple on here I've never even heard of. Hmmm....
And aside from the whole "to be a director, you should watch lots of movies to learn your craft" approach that one writer suggests as an explanation for the list, I can't imagine that anyone would describe these 200 movies as required knowledge. Either for the history of cinema, pop culture, or movie making techniques. Still, it does reinforce some of those classics I really need to get around to seeing... (cough*Taxi Driver*cough).
So... the 'Spielberg' Curriculum:
12 Angry Men
2001 (ugh.)
400 Blows
8 1/2
Adam's Rib
Alfie
Al Capone
All About Eve
All That Jazz
American In Paris
And Justice For All
Annie Hall
Apartment, The
Apocalypse Now
All/Presidents Men
Baby Doll
Bang/Drum Slowly
Barefoot In/Park
Battleship Potemkin
Belle De Jour
Best Years/Lives
Big Sleep, The
Bicycle Thief
Big Chill, The (Really? I mean, it's good...)
Birds, The (No.)
Body Heat
Bonnie & Clyde
Breakfast/Tiffany's (ugh.)
Breathless
Bridge/River Kwai
Brief Encounter
Bringing Up Baby
Bullitt (*sigh* I really need to see the whole thing.)
Butch/Sundance
Cape Fear
Casablanca (Ugh.)
Celebration, The
Champ, The (Seriously? I have heard nothing good about this film.)
Charade
Chase, The
Children/Paradise
Chinatown
Citizen Kane
Clockwork Orange
Close Encounters (There's no way Spielberg would add this to a list of his own devising.)
Come Back/Sheba
Cool Hand Luke
Conversation, The (I didn't realize this was directed by Francis Ford Coppola)
Day/Earth/Still
Days/Wine & Roses
Deer Hunter, The
Dog Day Afternoon
Double Indemnity (not a fan. There are better noirs.)
Doctor Zhivago
East of Eden
Exorcist,The
Face In The Crowd
Five Easy Pieces
Fly, The
French Connection
French Conn. 2 (Really?)
From Here/Eternity
Fugitive Kind, The
Gaslight
General, The
Gntlmn’s Agrmnt
Giant
Gone With/Wind
Grand Illusion
Great Escape, The (Love love love)
Godfather, The
Godfatherr II, The
Godfather III, The
Graduate, The
Grapes Of Wrath
Great Santini, The
Guess Who's…
Guns Of Navaronne
Heiress, The
High Noon
Hud
Hunter, The
Hustler, The
His Girl Friday
Holiday
I Confess
Immigrant, The
In A Lonely Place
In/Heat Of/Night
Indiscretion/Wife
It Happened/Night
It's A Wonderful Life
Jdgmnt/Nuremberg
Julius Caesar
Kramer Vs. Kramer
Last Detail, The
Last Picture Show
Last Tango In Paris
Lawrence Of Arabia
Little Foxes, The
Lolita
Lonelyhearts
Long Day's Journey
Long Hot Summer
Lost In America
Lost Weekend
Love Story (Seriously?)
M Fritz Lang Peter Lorre
Magnif. Ambersons
Magnificent Seven
Man/Shot Liberty…
Manchurian Cand.
Marathon Man
Marty
Mean Streets
Men, The
Metropolis
Midnight Cowboy
Miracle/Morgan's…
Misfits, The
Mississippi Burning
Missouri Breaks
Modern Romance
Modern Times
Mr. Smith Goes To…
Mutiny/Bounty
My Fair Lady
Nashville (I'd like to point out that whoever put this list together listed Jeff Goldblum as one of the primary actors... despite having no lines. Good job, listmaker.)
National Velvet
Network
North By Northwest
Notorious
No Way To Treat…
Odd Couple, The
On the Waterfront
One/Cuckoo's Nest
One-Eyed Jacks
Ordinary People
Panic/Needle Park
Papillion
Party, The
Parallax View
Patton
Pawnbroker, The
Philadelphia Story
Public Enemy, The
Psycho
Quiet Man, The
Raging Bull
Rain People, The
Raintree County
Ramblin' Rose
Real Life
Rear Window
Rebel W/out Cause
Red River
Reflections in a…
Requiem for a…
Rosemary's Baby (ugh.)
Runaway Train
Safety Last (I think?)
Sand Pebbles
Saturday Night Fever
Sayonara
Scarecrow
Scarface
Scent Of A Woman
Searchers, The
Serpico
Seven Samurai
Seventh Seal
Signal 7
Singin' In the Rain
Smiles of a…
Soldier In The Rain
Some Like It Hot
Sound Of Music (ugh. Ugh ugh.)
Splendor/Grass
Stagecoach
Star Is Born
Star Wars
Streetcar/Desire
Suddenly Last…
Sullivan's Travels
Sunset Boulevard
Sweet Bird of Youth
Taxi Driver
Teahouse of the…
Tender Mercies
Third Man, The
Three Days/Condor
To Kill/Mockingbird
Tootsie
Tree Grows in…
Trip To Bountiful, A
Two Rode Together
Verdict, The
Vertigo
Viva Zapata
Wait Until Dark
West Side Story
White Christmas
Who's Afraid…
Wild One, The
Wild River
Young Lions, The
Sunday, June 26, 2011
The half-way point
indieWire has a round-up of indie films released/premeired in the first half of the year. While I'll try to get around to a write up of my 6-month standings soon, here are some movies to be watching for either in theaters or on DVD:
Top English-Language Films of 2011
1. Sound of my voice, directed by Zal Batmanglij (Sundance 2011)
criticWIRE average: A- (10.0 out of 13)
2. Martha Marcy May Marlene, directed by Sean Durkin (Sundance 2011)
criticWIRE average: A- (9.64 out of 13) [Ed: Cannot WAIT for these top 2. Although I'm surprised Sound of my Voice is in the Top 10 and Another Earth isn't....]
3. Weekend, directed by Andrew Haigh (SXSW 2011)
criticWIRE average: B+ (9.43 out of 13)
4. Pariah, directed by Dee Rees (Sundance 2011)
criticWIRE average: B+ (9.27 out of 13)
5. Cold Weather, directed by Aaron Katz (SXSW 2010/Theatrical Release 2011)
criticWIRE average: B+ (9.43 out of 13)
6. Like Crazy, directed by Drake Doremus (Sundance 2011)
criticWIRE average: B+ (9.14 out of 13)
7. Meek’s Cutoff, directed by Kelly Reichardt (Venice 2010/Theatrical Release 2011)
criticWIRE average: B+ (9.08 out of 13) [Ed: I've seen this one. It's good, although you have to appreciate languid films to enjoy it.]
8. Terri, directed by Azazel Jacobs (Sundance 2011)
criticWIRE average: B+ (8.81 out of 13)
9. Submarine, directed by Richard Ayoade (Toronto 2010/Theatrical Release 2011)
criticWIRE average: B+ (8.79 out of 13) [Ed: This one is very cute and has a fantastic cast.]
10. Take Shelter, directed by Jeff Nichols (Sundance 2011)
criticWIRE average: B+ (8.71 out of 13)
*sigh* So many Sundance films I'm dying to see...
Top Foreign Language Films of 2011
1. To Die Like a Man, directed by João Pedro Rodrigues (Cannes 2010/Theatrical Release 2011)
criticWIRE average: A- (10.17 out of 13)
2. Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Cannes 2010/Theatrical Release 2011)
criticWIRE average: A- (9.74 out of 13) [Ed: ARGH. NEED TO SEE THIS!]
3. Le Quattro volte, directed by Michelangelo Frammartino (Cannes 2010/Theatrical Release 2011)
criticWIRE average: A- (9.50 out of 13) [Ed: This is awesome. GOATS!!!!]
3. Circumstance, directed by Maryam Keshavarz (Sundance 2011)
criticWIRE average: A- (9.50 out of 13) [Ed: This is incredibly brilliant. Highly, highly recommended.]
5. The Kid With a Bike, directed by Jean Pierre and Luc Dardenne (Cannes 2011)
criticWIRE average: B+ (9.08 out of 13)
6. Le Havre, directed by Aki Kaurismaki (Cannes 2011)
criticWIRE average: B+ (9.07 out of 13)
7. Certified Copy, directed by Abbas Kiarostami (Cannes 2010/Theatrical Release 2011)
criticWIRE average: B+ (9.02 out of 13)
8. I Saw the Devil, directed by Kim Jee-woon (Toronto 2010/Theatrical Release 2011)
criticWIRE average: B+ (9.00 out of 13)
9. Tuesday After Christmas, directed by Radu Muntean (Cannes 2010/Theatrical Release 2011)
criticWIRE average: B+ (8.95 out of 13)
10. Incendies, directed by Denis Villeneuve (Venice 2010/Theatrical Release 2011)
criticWIRE average: B+ (8.90 out of 13) [Ah yes, the one I had a ticket for and missed... I should see this.]
Top Documentaries of 2011
1. The Interrupters, directed by Steve James (Sundance 2011)
criticWIRE average: A- (10.20 out of 13)
2. How to Die in Oregon, directed by Peter D. Richardson (Sundance 2011)
criticWIRE average: A- (10.00 out of 13)
2. The Black Power Mixtape 1967–1975, directed by Göran Hugo Olsson (Sundance 2011)
criticWIRE average: A- (10.00 out of 13)
4. We Were Here, directed by David Weissman (Sundance 2011)
criticWIRE average: A- (9.88 out of 13)
5. Hell and Back Again, directed by Danfung Dennis (Sundance 2011)
criticWIRE average: A- (9.75 out of 13)
6. The Arbor, directed by Clio Barnard (Tribeca 2010/Theatrical Release 2011)
criticWIRE average: A- (9.73 out of 13)
7. Bill Cunningham New York, directed by Richard Press (New Directors New Films 2010/Theatrical Release 2011)
criticWIRE average: A- (9.63 out of 13)
8. Nostalgia for the Light, directed by Patricio Guzman (Cannes 2010/Theatrical Release 2011)
criticWIRE average: A- (9.58 out of 13) [Ed: Ugh. Not my cup of tea.]
9. Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop, directed by Rodman Flender (SXSW 2011)
criticWIRE average: A- (9.57 out of 13)
10. Project Nim, directed by James Marsh (Sundance 2011)
criticWIRE average: A- (9.52 out of 13)
Ummmm.... How is Cave of Forgotten Dreams not in the Top 10? IT HAS ALBINO ALLIGATORS.
Top English-Language Films of 2011
1. Sound of my voice, directed by Zal Batmanglij (Sundance 2011)
criticWIRE average: A- (10.0 out of 13)
2. Martha Marcy May Marlene, directed by Sean Durkin (Sundance 2011)
criticWIRE average: A- (9.64 out of 13) [Ed: Cannot WAIT for these top 2. Although I'm surprised Sound of my Voice is in the Top 10 and Another Earth isn't....]
3. Weekend, directed by Andrew Haigh (SXSW 2011)
criticWIRE average: B+ (9.43 out of 13)
4. Pariah, directed by Dee Rees (Sundance 2011)
criticWIRE average: B+ (9.27 out of 13)
5. Cold Weather, directed by Aaron Katz (SXSW 2010/Theatrical Release 2011)
criticWIRE average: B+ (9.43 out of 13)
6. Like Crazy, directed by Drake Doremus (Sundance 2011)
criticWIRE average: B+ (9.14 out of 13)
7. Meek’s Cutoff, directed by Kelly Reichardt (Venice 2010/Theatrical Release 2011)
criticWIRE average: B+ (9.08 out of 13) [Ed: I've seen this one. It's good, although you have to appreciate languid films to enjoy it.]
8. Terri, directed by Azazel Jacobs (Sundance 2011)
criticWIRE average: B+ (8.81 out of 13)
9. Submarine, directed by Richard Ayoade (Toronto 2010/Theatrical Release 2011)
criticWIRE average: B+ (8.79 out of 13) [Ed: This one is very cute and has a fantastic cast.]
10. Take Shelter, directed by Jeff Nichols (Sundance 2011)
criticWIRE average: B+ (8.71 out of 13)
*sigh* So many Sundance films I'm dying to see...
Top Foreign Language Films of 2011
1. To Die Like a Man, directed by João Pedro Rodrigues (Cannes 2010/Theatrical Release 2011)
criticWIRE average: A- (10.17 out of 13)
2. Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Cannes 2010/Theatrical Release 2011)
criticWIRE average: A- (9.74 out of 13) [Ed: ARGH. NEED TO SEE THIS!]
3. Le Quattro volte, directed by Michelangelo Frammartino (Cannes 2010/Theatrical Release 2011)
criticWIRE average: A- (9.50 out of 13) [Ed: This is awesome. GOATS!!!!]
3. Circumstance, directed by Maryam Keshavarz (Sundance 2011)
criticWIRE average: A- (9.50 out of 13) [Ed: This is incredibly brilliant. Highly, highly recommended.]
5. The Kid With a Bike, directed by Jean Pierre and Luc Dardenne (Cannes 2011)
criticWIRE average: B+ (9.08 out of 13)
6. Le Havre, directed by Aki Kaurismaki (Cannes 2011)
criticWIRE average: B+ (9.07 out of 13)
7. Certified Copy, directed by Abbas Kiarostami (Cannes 2010/Theatrical Release 2011)
criticWIRE average: B+ (9.02 out of 13)
8. I Saw the Devil, directed by Kim Jee-woon (Toronto 2010/Theatrical Release 2011)
criticWIRE average: B+ (9.00 out of 13)
9. Tuesday After Christmas, directed by Radu Muntean (Cannes 2010/Theatrical Release 2011)
criticWIRE average: B+ (8.95 out of 13)
10. Incendies, directed by Denis Villeneuve (Venice 2010/Theatrical Release 2011)
criticWIRE average: B+ (8.90 out of 13) [Ah yes, the one I had a ticket for and missed... I should see this.]
Top Documentaries of 2011
1. The Interrupters, directed by Steve James (Sundance 2011)
criticWIRE average: A- (10.20 out of 13)
2. How to Die in Oregon, directed by Peter D. Richardson (Sundance 2011)
criticWIRE average: A- (10.00 out of 13)
2. The Black Power Mixtape 1967–1975, directed by Göran Hugo Olsson (Sundance 2011)
criticWIRE average: A- (10.00 out of 13)
4. We Were Here, directed by David Weissman (Sundance 2011)
criticWIRE average: A- (9.88 out of 13)
5. Hell and Back Again, directed by Danfung Dennis (Sundance 2011)
criticWIRE average: A- (9.75 out of 13)
6. The Arbor, directed by Clio Barnard (Tribeca 2010/Theatrical Release 2011)
criticWIRE average: A- (9.73 out of 13)
7. Bill Cunningham New York, directed by Richard Press (New Directors New Films 2010/Theatrical Release 2011)
criticWIRE average: A- (9.63 out of 13)
8. Nostalgia for the Light, directed by Patricio Guzman (Cannes 2010/Theatrical Release 2011)
criticWIRE average: A- (9.58 out of 13) [Ed: Ugh. Not my cup of tea.]
9. Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop, directed by Rodman Flender (SXSW 2011)
criticWIRE average: A- (9.57 out of 13)
10. Project Nim, directed by James Marsh (Sundance 2011)
criticWIRE average: A- (9.52 out of 13)
Ummmm.... How is Cave of Forgotten Dreams not in the Top 10? IT HAS ALBINO ALLIGATORS.
Monday, May 23, 2011
The 100% Fresh List
From an email meme: supposedly all the films on Rotten Tomatoes with a 100% Fresh Rating. (Bolded I've seen)
11:14
12 Angry Men
A Hard Day's Night
A Shot in the Dark
Aliens
All About Eve
All the President's Men
American Radical: The Trials of Norman Finkelstein
Anatomy of a Murder
Batman: Under the Red Hood
Before Sunrise
Bob Roberts
Boy
Bride of Frankenstein
Broken Blossoms
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Chinatown
Citizen Kane
City Lights
Coal Miner's Daughter
Comfort and Joy
Cool Hand Luke
Das Boot (I've seen parts...)
Days of Wine and Roses
Dr. Strangelove
Fat City
Frankenstein
Gasland
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
Ikiru
Jaws
King Kong
La Belle Noiseuse
Last Train Home
Le Samourai
Lenny
Lord of the Flies
M
Mad Max 2 (I think? There are a few of these I feel like I watched with my parents when I was young, but I don't really remember the details clearly...)
Man on Wire
Marwencol (Yay! Marwencol!!)
Mary Poppins
Melvin and Howard
Modern Times
Murder on the Orient Express
My Life as a Dog
North by Northwest
On the Waterfront
Rashōmon (ugh.)
Rear Window
Rebecca (again - think I watched this with my mother... I tend to confuse Rebecca and Jane Eyre though...)
Rio Bravo
Road to Rio
Roger & Me
Rogue
Room at the Top
San Francisco (wow. Seriously?)
Sátántangó
Say Anything...
Scarface: The Shame of the Nation
Seven Faces of Dr. Lao
Seven Samurai
Shadow of a Doubt
Sherlock, Jr.
Shoot to Kill
Singin' in the Rain
Sons of the Desert
Soy Cuba
Stagecoach
Stalker
Suspicion
Sweet Smell of Success
That's Entertainment!
The 400 Blows
The Adventures of Robin Hood
The African Queen
The Band Wagon
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
The Endless Summer
The Evil Dead (that's fabulous)
The Godfather
The Gold Rush
The Grapes of Wrath
The Heiress
The Hidden Fortress
The Invisible Man
The Kid
The Killer
The King and I
The Last Picture Show
The Lion King
The Maltese Falcon
The Mark of Zorro
The Miracle Worker
The Misfits
The Odd Couple
The Red Balloon
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
The Terminator
The Third Man
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
The Wrong Trousers (wait - Wallace and Gromit? Really? I guess that makes sense...)
Them!
Thoroughly Modern Millie
Three Colors: Blue
Tokyo Story
Toy Story 1 & 2
War and Peace
Waste Land
Witness for the Prosecution
Woodstock
I like this list. It's an interesting mix of classics, populist, and critically beloved. And it has a great mix of old (Sherlock Jr., etc.) and new (Man on Wire, Marwencol). [Actually - great representation from modern documentaries.]
While I'd only argue for a couple of the ones that I've seen to make any "best 100" type list, it is kind of fun to have a list with both Them! and Woodstock together... or the Adventures of Robin Hood and the Evil Dead.
Plus it has a bunch that have been in the top 25 of my Netflix queue for donkey years (Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, All About Eve, Witness for the Prosecution...) Really have to get around to those....
11:14
12 Angry Men
A Hard Day's Night
A Shot in the Dark
Aliens
All About Eve
All the President's Men
American Radical: The Trials of Norman Finkelstein
Anatomy of a Murder
Batman: Under the Red Hood
Before Sunrise
Bob Roberts
Boy
Bride of Frankenstein
Broken Blossoms
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Chinatown
Citizen Kane
City Lights
Coal Miner's Daughter
Comfort and Joy
Cool Hand Luke
Das Boot (I've seen parts...)
Days of Wine and Roses
Dr. Strangelove
Fat City
Frankenstein
Gasland
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
Ikiru
Jaws
King Kong
La Belle Noiseuse
Last Train Home
Le Samourai
Lenny
Lord of the Flies
M
Mad Max 2 (I think? There are a few of these I feel like I watched with my parents when I was young, but I don't really remember the details clearly...)
Man on Wire
Marwencol (Yay! Marwencol!!)
Mary Poppins
Melvin and Howard
Modern Times
Murder on the Orient Express
My Life as a Dog
North by Northwest
On the Waterfront
Rashōmon (ugh.)
Rear Window
Rebecca (again - think I watched this with my mother... I tend to confuse Rebecca and Jane Eyre though...)
Rio Bravo
Road to Rio
Roger & Me
Rogue
Room at the Top
San Francisco (wow. Seriously?)
Sátántangó
Say Anything...
Scarface: The Shame of the Nation
Seven Faces of Dr. Lao
Seven Samurai
Shadow of a Doubt
Sherlock, Jr.
Shoot to Kill
Singin' in the Rain
Sons of the Desert
Soy Cuba
Stagecoach
Stalker
Suspicion
Sweet Smell of Success
That's Entertainment!
The 400 Blows
The Adventures of Robin Hood
The African Queen
The Band Wagon
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
The Endless Summer
The Evil Dead (that's fabulous)
The Godfather
The Gold Rush
The Grapes of Wrath
The Heiress
The Hidden Fortress
The Invisible Man
The Kid
The Killer
The King and I
The Last Picture Show
The Lion King
The Maltese Falcon
The Mark of Zorro
The Miracle Worker
The Misfits
The Odd Couple
The Red Balloon
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
The Terminator
The Third Man
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
The Wrong Trousers (wait - Wallace and Gromit? Really? I guess that makes sense...)
Them!
Thoroughly Modern Millie
Three Colors: Blue
Tokyo Story
Toy Story 1 & 2
War and Peace
Waste Land
Witness for the Prosecution
Woodstock
I like this list. It's an interesting mix of classics, populist, and critically beloved. And it has a great mix of old (Sherlock Jr., etc.) and new (Man on Wire, Marwencol). [Actually - great representation from modern documentaries.]
While I'd only argue for a couple of the ones that I've seen to make any "best 100" type list, it is kind of fun to have a list with both Them! and Woodstock together... or the Adventures of Robin Hood and the Evil Dead.
Plus it has a bunch that have been in the top 25 of my Netflix queue for donkey years (Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, All About Eve, Witness for the Prosecution...) Really have to get around to those....
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Top 20 of 2010
Right, I usually try to get this up the first week in January, but... I was busy, dammit!
Notable Omissions that I have yet to see: The Town, Red Riding 1983 (I... don't ask), I Am Love, A Prophet, 127 Hours, Get Low, Ghost Writer, Buried, Red, the American, Monsters, Machete, Rabbit Hole, Another Year, The Way Back. I can't see everything. At some point I have to go watch Metropolis. There are only so many hours in a week!
So, with that in mind, here are my top 20 of 2010 (with links to earlier references/reviews on the blog included, and if you can see it now):
1. Winter's Bone. (On DVD) Just hands down the most brilliant film I've seen this year. An Ozarks-set noir with fantastic performances all around.
2. Red Riding: 1974. (On DVD) Part of a trilogy of films loosely based around the Yorkshire Ripper and police corruption in the area. This first film deals with a young reporter and one of the victim's mothers. Andrew Garfield was excellent in the Social Network and Never Let Me Go, but he is at his absolute best here.
3. Inception. (On DVD) I think you may have heard of this one.
4. Black Swan. (In theaters) I can't believe I never got around to writing this one up, but I really loved it. It's high art horror. And ballet lends itself particularly well to horror.
5. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. (On DVD) Like any fan of the books, I could point out one or two niggling details that I would have done differently, but the fact of the matter is that they took a massive, widely-adored book and did it justice. Noomi Rapace knocks it out of the park as Lisbeth.
6. Fish Tank. (2009/2010 release, but I saw it in January, so I'm adding it here. Not yet on DVD.) I haven't been able to get this film out of my head all year. It is so striking, so original that it seared itself onto my brain. Katie Jarvis gives an incendiary performance as a teen that tries to live beyond her projects housing and Michael Fassbender is riveting as her mother's new boyfriend who begins to befriend her.
7. The Social Network. (On DVD) I think I'd like to see this one again. I feel like it may grow on me. I didn't quite fall in love with it, I won't re-watch it the way I will Inception, but it's so excellent on so many levels and I have found myself thinking about it a lot. Yes, even apart from the awards race.
8. The Fighter. (In theaters) What could have been a rote underdog sports tale is elevated by terrific characterization and filming style. This and True Grit were the two most pleasant surprises for me at the movies this year.
9. True Grit. (In theaters) If No Country for Old Men was the Coens' serious western, this one puts the genre squarely in their sly, darkly-comic oeuvre.
10. Red Riding: 1980. (On DVD) This one hasn't stuck with me the way 1974 did, but it is also incredibly well done and anchored with a remarkable performance by Paddy Considine.
11. Perrier's Bounty. (On DVD) Is this a great film? No. Did I find it wildly entertaining and enjoyable? Yes. Crazy Irish mob film with a great cast.
12. Cell 211. (Not yet on DVD) A fantastic Spanish prison drama. Does not go anywhere you expect it to.
13. Red, White and Blue. (Not yet on DVD) As I wrote before; "Really good, and really disturbing. I suppose it would be called a horror film, but it isn't supernatural in any way. It's flawed people in bad situations doing nasty things to each other. It's far more character-driven than most horror films and it's really well done."
14. Predators. (On DVD) The best summer action flick of 2010. Did everything it set out to do and was a lot of fun.
15. The Killer Inside Me. (On DVD) Casey Affleck as a murderous small town southern sheriff. Much in the same vein as American Psycho or Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.
16. Never Let Me Go. (Not yet on DVD) An achingly beautiful portrait of three friends who grow up at a strange boarding school for special children and the paths they take.
17. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest. (On DVD 1/25/11) The trilogy wraps up with Lisbeth and Mikael fighting to keep Lisbeth out of jail and trying to return her rights to her. Incredibly satisfying.
18. Blue Valentine. (In theaters) Well done, if depressing look at the dissolution of a marriage.
19. The King's Speech. (In theaters) A sports film about a speech impediment, or Masterpiece theater for the awards race. Also, it turns out that Nazis are bad.
20. The Crazies. (On DVD) A surprisingly effective horror film about a zombie-esque plague in a small town. Also a good argument for why remakes are not always a bad idea.
The best of the rest: Ondine (On DVD - Irish fairytale), Red Hill (On DVD 1/25/11 - Aussie Western/Revenge thriller), Kick Ass (On DVD - what it says), Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (Not yet on DVD - horror comedy), Animal Kingdom (On DVD 1/18/11 - Aussie crime drama), Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (On DVD - ode to video games, hipster love, and amazing visuals), I Love You Phillip Morris (Not yet on DVD - gay prison dramedy), Marwencol (Not yet on DVD - fascinating documentary about the artist Mark Hogancamp), Salt (On DVD 1/18/11 - spy thriller), Bunny and the Bull (Not yet on DVD - surreal British road trip), Let Me In (On DVD 2/1/11 - vampire tale/coming of age film. But scary>sparkly.)
Notable Omissions that I have yet to see: The Town, Red Riding 1983 (I... don't ask), I Am Love, A Prophet, 127 Hours, Get Low, Ghost Writer, Buried, Red, the American, Monsters, Machete, Rabbit Hole, Another Year, The Way Back. I can't see everything. At some point I have to go watch Metropolis. There are only so many hours in a week!
So, with that in mind, here are my top 20 of 2010 (with links to earlier references/reviews on the blog included, and if you can see it now):
1. Winter's Bone. (On DVD) Just hands down the most brilliant film I've seen this year. An Ozarks-set noir with fantastic performances all around.
2. Red Riding: 1974. (On DVD) Part of a trilogy of films loosely based around the Yorkshire Ripper and police corruption in the area. This first film deals with a young reporter and one of the victim's mothers. Andrew Garfield was excellent in the Social Network and Never Let Me Go, but he is at his absolute best here.
3. Inception. (On DVD) I think you may have heard of this one.
4. Black Swan. (In theaters) I can't believe I never got around to writing this one up, but I really loved it. It's high art horror. And ballet lends itself particularly well to horror.
5. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. (On DVD) Like any fan of the books, I could point out one or two niggling details that I would have done differently, but the fact of the matter is that they took a massive, widely-adored book and did it justice. Noomi Rapace knocks it out of the park as Lisbeth.
6. Fish Tank. (2009/2010 release, but I saw it in January, so I'm adding it here. Not yet on DVD.) I haven't been able to get this film out of my head all year. It is so striking, so original that it seared itself onto my brain. Katie Jarvis gives an incendiary performance as a teen that tries to live beyond her projects housing and Michael Fassbender is riveting as her mother's new boyfriend who begins to befriend her.
7. The Social Network. (On DVD) I think I'd like to see this one again. I feel like it may grow on me. I didn't quite fall in love with it, I won't re-watch it the way I will Inception, but it's so excellent on so many levels and I have found myself thinking about it a lot. Yes, even apart from the awards race.
8. The Fighter. (In theaters) What could have been a rote underdog sports tale is elevated by terrific characterization and filming style. This and True Grit were the two most pleasant surprises for me at the movies this year.
9. True Grit. (In theaters) If No Country for Old Men was the Coens' serious western, this one puts the genre squarely in their sly, darkly-comic oeuvre.
10. Red Riding: 1980. (On DVD) This one hasn't stuck with me the way 1974 did, but it is also incredibly well done and anchored with a remarkable performance by Paddy Considine.
11. Perrier's Bounty. (On DVD) Is this a great film? No. Did I find it wildly entertaining and enjoyable? Yes. Crazy Irish mob film with a great cast.
12. Cell 211. (Not yet on DVD) A fantastic Spanish prison drama. Does not go anywhere you expect it to.
13. Red, White and Blue. (Not yet on DVD) As I wrote before; "Really good, and really disturbing. I suppose it would be called a horror film, but it isn't supernatural in any way. It's flawed people in bad situations doing nasty things to each other. It's far more character-driven than most horror films and it's really well done."
14. Predators. (On DVD) The best summer action flick of 2010. Did everything it set out to do and was a lot of fun.
15. The Killer Inside Me. (On DVD) Casey Affleck as a murderous small town southern sheriff. Much in the same vein as American Psycho or Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.
16. Never Let Me Go. (Not yet on DVD) An achingly beautiful portrait of three friends who grow up at a strange boarding school for special children and the paths they take.
17. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest. (On DVD 1/25/11) The trilogy wraps up with Lisbeth and Mikael fighting to keep Lisbeth out of jail and trying to return her rights to her. Incredibly satisfying.
18. Blue Valentine. (In theaters) Well done, if depressing look at the dissolution of a marriage.
19. The King's Speech. (In theaters) A sports film about a speech impediment, or Masterpiece theater for the awards race. Also, it turns out that Nazis are bad.
20. The Crazies. (On DVD) A surprisingly effective horror film about a zombie-esque plague in a small town. Also a good argument for why remakes are not always a bad idea.
The best of the rest: Ondine (On DVD - Irish fairytale), Red Hill (On DVD 1/25/11 - Aussie Western/Revenge thriller), Kick Ass (On DVD - what it says), Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (Not yet on DVD - horror comedy), Animal Kingdom (On DVD 1/18/11 - Aussie crime drama), Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (On DVD - ode to video games, hipster love, and amazing visuals), I Love You Phillip Morris (Not yet on DVD - gay prison dramedy), Marwencol (Not yet on DVD - fascinating documentary about the artist Mark Hogancamp), Salt (On DVD 1/18/11 - spy thriller), Bunny and the Bull (Not yet on DVD - surreal British road trip), Let Me In (On DVD 2/1/11 - vampire tale/coming of age film. But scary>sparkly.)
Thursday, January 13, 2011
So much to see...
True Grit and Blue Valentine... True Grit and Blue Valentine....
Till then, enjoy this list of EW's 25 films to see before Oscar night (with helpful comments of availability included (bold are the ones I've seen):
The Social Network - on DVD Jan 11
The King's Speech
Inception - now on DVD
The Fighter
Toy Story 3 - now on DVD
True Grit
Black Swan
The Kids Are All Right - now on DVD
127 Hours
Winter's Bone - now on DVD
The Town - now on DVD
Rabbit Hole - goes wide Jan 14
Another Year - goes wide sometime in January
Get Low - DVD Feb 22
How to Train Your Dragon - now on DVD
Blue Valentine - goes wide sometime in January
Biutiful - goes wide Jan 28
Animal Kingdom - on DVD Jan 18
Waiting for Superman - on DVD in Feb
Alice in Wonderland - now on DVD
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - now on DVD
Inside Job - goes wide Jan 28
The Illusionist - goes wide Jan 14
Tangled
Burlesque
On an unrelated note, just as I was mourning what could have been with Nick Stahl's career, this news came through the wires: Nick Stahl Cast in Locke & Key. Yay! Back on the small screen and joining my most anticipated new show!
Till then, enjoy this list of EW's 25 films to see before Oscar night (with helpful comments of availability included (bold are the ones I've seen):
The Social Network - on DVD Jan 11
The King's Speech
Inception - now on DVD
The Fighter
Toy Story 3 - now on DVD
True Grit
Black Swan
The Kids Are All Right - now on DVD
127 Hours
Winter's Bone - now on DVD
The Town - now on DVD
Rabbit Hole - goes wide Jan 14
Another Year - goes wide sometime in January
Get Low - DVD Feb 22
How to Train Your Dragon - now on DVD
Blue Valentine - goes wide sometime in January
Biutiful - goes wide Jan 28
Animal Kingdom - on DVD Jan 18
Waiting for Superman - on DVD in Feb
Alice in Wonderland - now on DVD
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - now on DVD
Inside Job - goes wide Jan 28
The Illusionist - goes wide Jan 14
Tangled
Burlesque
On an unrelated note, just as I was mourning what could have been with Nick Stahl's career, this news came through the wires: Nick Stahl Cast in Locke & Key. Yay! Back on the small screen and joining my most anticipated new show!
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Happy Christmas!
3 things:
1 - I never listened to the "official" world cup anthem, Waka waka, because a) I wasn't sure why Shakira was singing the anthem for the first African cup and b) it's called waka waka. BUT! I just found out that it is technically Shakira ft. Freshlyground. I saw Freshlyground play at Kirstenbosch my first month living in Cape Town. They are amazing. Waka waka is a ridiculous song, but I highly recommend checking out some of freshlyground's other songs.
2 - TIFF has put out a list of their 100 Essential Films. Check it out. (I only have 74 more to see!)
The best year end list
Now that my life has settled (for the moment - thank you vacation!), I've been hyperactively scanning the year-end nominations and awards. I'm not going to bother to post and comment on most individual kudos here (it's mostly been a clean sweep for the Social Network, with one or two bones thrown to Black Swan and Winter's Bone). However, each year there is one list I eagerly anticipate; the Alliance of Women Film Journalists, because they have the best categories - even if they don't necessarily help predict the eventual nominees or winners.
Before I repost the nominations, it did also make me think of one other thing. Let's say the best picture nominees for this year shake out in some combination of these 15 films: Social Network, Black Swan, Winter's Bone, Kids are All Right, King's Speech, Blue Valentine, 127 Hours, Fighter, Another Year, Inception, Toy Story 3, True Grit, the Town, Rabbit Hole, Ghost Writer. (Quick digression; whatever happened to The Way Back?).
Of those 15 films, 6 are led by actress performances (Black Swan, Winter's Bone, Kids are All Right, Rabbit Hole, Another Year, Blue Valentine). And True Grit and the Fighter are both there in large part due to supporting actress performances.
Compare that to last year. Three films with a lead actress (An Education, the Blind Side and Push) and one with supporting actresses (Up in the Air). (I'm not including Avatar in that second category, because Zoe Saldana was not what got it a best picture nomination).
Go back further: 2009 - 1 lead, 2007 - 2 leads, 2006 - 1 lead, maybe 2 supporting, 2005 - 0 leads, 1 supporting, 2004 - 2 leads, 1 supporting, 2003 - 1 lead, 2002 - 2 leads, 2001 - 1 lead, 3 supporting, 2000 - 3 leads.
What I'm saying is; this has been a surprisingly good year for actresses.
Onto the AWFJ list. I'm including a few of their bigger nominations, and all the fun ones:
Listed by category and in alphabetical order, the nominees are:
Best Film:
•Black Swan
•Inception
•The King’s Speech
•The Social Network
•Winter’s Bone
Best Actress:
•Annette Bening - The Kids Are All Right
•Nicole Kidman - Rabbit Hole
•Jennifer Lawrence - Winter’s Bone
•Lesley Manville - Another Year
•Natalie Portman - Black Swan
•Michelle Williams - Blue Valentine
Best Actress in a Supporting Role:
•Amy Adams - The Fighter
•Helena Bonham-Carter - The King’s Speech
•Melissa Leo - The Fighter
•Hailee Steinfeld - True Grit
•Jacki Weaver - Animal Kingdom
Best Ensemble Cast:
•The Fighter
•The Kids Are All Right
•The King’s Speech
•The Social Network
•Winter’s Bone
[Ed. note - The Fighter, Social Network and Winter's Bone are all great ensembles. I keep going back and forth with each one. The Fighter is most likely to see all the supporting cast eventually recognized, Winter's Bone boils down to three unforgettable performances (hopefully 2 will be recognized), with several excellent smaller parts, and Social Network has 3 great supporting parts, only 1 or 2 of which will be recognized. I think with that shake out, I go for Winter's Bone. Then again, I just saw the ensemble list for King's Speech (which I haven't seen yet), and it has some of my all time FAVORITE British (and Aussie) actors in it. Derek Jacobi! Guy Pearce! Timothy Spalls! ANTHONY ANDREWS - WHEN DID YOU COME OUT OF RETIREMENT?!? So I guess what I'm saying is, my opinion could change. Again. Some more. ]
Most Beautiful Film:
•Black Swan
•I Am Love
•Inception
•Never Let Me Go
•True Grit
[Ed. note - I love this category. We should so, so include this at the Oscars. I also love the inclusion of Never Let Me Go here.]
Best Cinematography:
•Black Swan - Matthew Libatique
•Inception - Wally Pfister
•The Social Network - Jeff Cronenweth
•True Grit - Roger Deakins
•Winter’s Bone - Michael McDonough
[Ed note - of course Roger Deakins did True Grit. One more reason to go see it. I think this is a great group. I'd like to see Wally Pfister win something - he's been so good for so long. And every year, cinematography awards make me sad that there are practically no women in the field.]
Best Film Music Or Score:
•127 Hours - A.R. Rahman
•Black Swan - Clint Mansell
•Inception - Hans Zimmer
•The Social Network - Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
•True Grit - Carter Burwell
[Ed. note - awww.... where's Daft Punk? I'll pick Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross in the meantime.]
Best Non-English-Language Film:
•Applause - Martin Zandvliet, Denmark
•Biutiful - Alejandro González Iñárritu, Mexico/Spain
•Girl With The Dragon Tattoo - Niels Arden Oplev, Denmark
•I Am Love - Luca Guadagnino, Italy
•Mother - Joon-ho Bong, South Korea
•Un Prophet - Jacques Audiard, France/Italy
[Ed. note - no Uncle Boonmee? Also - I really fell down on my foreign film watching this year. I need to get on some of these. Also also - I'm glad lots of people are including A Prophet in their lists, but it screws with predictions, since it was nominated for the Oscar last year.]
EDA FEMALE FOCUS AWARDS
Best Woman Director:
•Andrea Arnold - Fish Tank
•Lisa Cholodenko - The Kids Are All Right
•Sofia Coppola - Somewhere
•Debra Granik - Winter’s Bone
•Nicole Holofcener - Please Give
[Ed. note - Fish Tank!!! Or Winter's Bone.]
Best Woman Screenwriter:
•Andrea Arnold - Fish Tank
•Lisa Cholodenko - The Kids Are All Right
•Sofia Coppola - Somewhere
•Debra Granik - Winter’s Bone
•Nicole Holofcener - Please Give
•Laeta Kalogridis - Shutter Island
Best Female Action Star:
•Angelina Jolie - Salt
•Helen Mirren - Red
•Chloe Moretz - Kick-Ass
•Noomi Rapace - Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
•Hailee Steinfeld - Ture Grit
[Ed. note - Love the category. Noomi Rapace ftw.]
Best Animated Female:
•Astrid - How To Train Your Dragon
•Barbie - Toy Story 3
•Jessie - Toy Story 3
•Margo, Edith and Agnes - Despicable Me
•Mother Gothel - Tangled
•Rapunzel - Tangled
Best Breakthrough Performance:
•Lena Dunham - Tiny Furniture
•Jennifer Lawrence - Winter’s Bone
•Chloe Moretz - Kick-Ass
•Noomi Rapace - Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
•Hailee Steinfeld - True Grit
[Ed. note - WOW. What a tough category! Lena broke into Hollywood, which is a big deal. But Noomi and Jennifer came closest to breaking into mainstream American success. Since Jennifer is up for best actress, I'll pick Noomi here.]
Women’s Image Award
•Annette Bening - The Kids Are All Right
•Sally Hawkins - Made In Dagenham
•Helen Mirren - Red
•Noomi Rapace - Girl With The Dragon Tatoo
•Hailee Steinfeld - True Grit
Perseverance Award:
•Cher
•Lisa Cholodenko
•Melissa Leo
•Joan Rivers
•Winona Ryder
[Ed. note - CHER. Cher cher cher cher cher. Obviously. And it makes me a little sad to see Winona on this list.]
Actress Defying Age and Ageism:
•Annette Bening
•Patricia Clarkson
•Melissa Leo
•Helen Mirren
•Julianne Moore
Sexist Pig Award:
•Michael Bay
•Mel Gibson
•Michael Patrick King
•Michael Winterbottom
•Mark Zuckerberg (the character in The Social Network)
[Ed. note - Snort.]
This Year’s Outstanding Achievement By A Woman In The Film Industry:
•Lisa Cholodenko for The Kids Are All Right
•Lena Dunham for Tiny Furniture
•Debra Granik for Winter’s Bone
•Tanya Hamilton for Night Catches Us
•Helen Mirren for opening five movies in the US
[Ed. note - I hope I have that much energy at 74.]
Lifetime Achievement Award:
•Annette Bening
•Ruby Dee
•Claire Denis
•Helen Mirren
•Julie Taymor
AWFJ Award For Humanitarian Activism:
•Sandra Bullock
•Angelina Jolie
•Sean Penn
•Oprah Winfrey
EDA SPECIAL MENTION AWARDS
AWFJ Hall Of Shame Award:
•Jackass 3D
•Jonah Hex
•Mel Gibson
•Sex and The City 2, Michael Patrick King, Sarah Jessica Parker, cast and crew
•Valentine’s Day and Garry Marshall
[Ed. note - Sex and the City! No, Valentine's Day!]
Actress Most in Need Of A New Agent:
•Jennifer Aniston
•Halle Berry
•Katherine Heigl
•Sarah Jessica Parker
•Reese Witherspoon
[Ed. note - is Jennifer Aniston ever not included in this category? Also, allow Katherine Heigl to strangle herself on her own bad decisions, realize Sarah Jessica Parker has pretty much nothing left, and give this one to Reese Witherspoon - the one with the greatest potential of a continuing career.]
Movie You Wanted To Love But Just Couldn‘t:
•Black Swan
•Conviction
•For Colored Girls
•Inception
•The Social Network
•Waiting For Superman
[Ed. note - wait, how can you include Black Swan, Inception, and Social Network when they are up for Best Picture? Doesn't that mean you love them? I could see For Colored Girls easily in this category, but obviously for me, it's Conviction, hands down. *sigh*]
Unforgettable Moment Award: [ED. NOTE: SPOILERS!!!!!]
•127 Hours - Aron Ralston (James Franco) cuts off his arm.
•Black Swan - Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) sprouts black wings and final dance performance.
•Inception - Paris folds in on itself
•The Kids Are All Right - Nic (Annette Bening) finds out that Jules (Julianne Moore) is cheating.
•Winter’s Bone - Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence) cuts off her dead father’s hands with a chain saw.
[Ed. note - I'm going to go with Black Swan on this one. That performance was indelible.]
Best Depiction Of Nudity, Sexuality, or Seduction:
•Black Swan
•Blue Valentine
•I Am Love
•The Kids Are All Right
[Ed. note - not having seen it yet, I'm going to guess Blue Valentine wins this one.]
Sequel That Shouldn’t Have Been Made Award:
•Iron Man 2
•Little Fockers
•Sex and The City 2
•TRON: Legacy
•Wall Street 2
[Ed. note - Well, Iron Man 2 wins the "Sequel That Should Have Been Better" award and TRON wins "Sequel That Shouldn't Have Been A Sequel". I'd say Sex and the City wins, with Little Fockers in hot pursuit.]
The Remake That Shouldn’t Have Been Made Award:
•A-Team
•Clash of the Titans
•Death At a Funeral
•Let Me In
•Robin Hood
ROBIN HOOD! ROBIN HOOD! ROBIN HOOD! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD! (scroll down for Cleolinda's rant.)
Cultural Crossover Award:
•Four Lions
•Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
•The Kids Are All Right
•Mother
•Waste Land
Bravest Performance Award:
•Annette Bening and Julianne Moore in The Kids Are All Right
•James Franco in 127 Hours
•Chloe Moretz in Kick-Ass
•Natalie Portman in Black Swan
•Paprika Steen in Applause
Most Egregious Age Difference Between The Leading Man and The Love Interest Award:
•Barney’s Version - Paul Giamatti and Rosamund Pike (12 years)
•Company Men - Tommy Lee Jones and Maria Bello (21 years)
•Machete - Danny Trejo and Jessica Alba (37 years)
•Solitary Man - Michael Douglas and Imogen Poots (45 years)
•You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger - Anthony Hopkins and Lucy Punch (40 years)
Before I repost the nominations, it did also make me think of one other thing. Let's say the best picture nominees for this year shake out in some combination of these 15 films: Social Network, Black Swan, Winter's Bone, Kids are All Right, King's Speech, Blue Valentine, 127 Hours, Fighter, Another Year, Inception, Toy Story 3, True Grit, the Town, Rabbit Hole, Ghost Writer. (Quick digression; whatever happened to The Way Back?).
Of those 15 films, 6 are led by actress performances (Black Swan, Winter's Bone, Kids are All Right, Rabbit Hole, Another Year, Blue Valentine). And True Grit and the Fighter are both there in large part due to supporting actress performances.
Compare that to last year. Three films with a lead actress (An Education, the Blind Side and Push) and one with supporting actresses (Up in the Air). (I'm not including Avatar in that second category, because Zoe Saldana was not what got it a best picture nomination).
Go back further: 2009 - 1 lead, 2007 - 2 leads, 2006 - 1 lead, maybe 2 supporting, 2005 - 0 leads, 1 supporting, 2004 - 2 leads, 1 supporting, 2003 - 1 lead, 2002 - 2 leads, 2001 - 1 lead, 3 supporting, 2000 - 3 leads.
What I'm saying is; this has been a surprisingly good year for actresses.
Onto the AWFJ list. I'm including a few of their bigger nominations, and all the fun ones:
Listed by category and in alphabetical order, the nominees are:
Best Film:
•Black Swan
•Inception
•The King’s Speech
•The Social Network
•Winter’s Bone
Best Actress:
•Annette Bening - The Kids Are All Right
•Nicole Kidman - Rabbit Hole
•Jennifer Lawrence - Winter’s Bone
•Lesley Manville - Another Year
•Natalie Portman - Black Swan
•Michelle Williams - Blue Valentine
Best Actress in a Supporting Role:
•Amy Adams - The Fighter
•Helena Bonham-Carter - The King’s Speech
•Melissa Leo - The Fighter
•Hailee Steinfeld - True Grit
•Jacki Weaver - Animal Kingdom
Best Ensemble Cast:
•The Fighter
•The Kids Are All Right
•The King’s Speech
•The Social Network
•Winter’s Bone
[Ed. note - The Fighter, Social Network and Winter's Bone are all great ensembles. I keep going back and forth with each one. The Fighter is most likely to see all the supporting cast eventually recognized, Winter's Bone boils down to three unforgettable performances (hopefully 2 will be recognized), with several excellent smaller parts, and Social Network has 3 great supporting parts, only 1 or 2 of which will be recognized. I think with that shake out, I go for Winter's Bone. Then again, I just saw the ensemble list for King's Speech (which I haven't seen yet), and it has some of my all time FAVORITE British (and Aussie) actors in it. Derek Jacobi! Guy Pearce! Timothy Spalls! ANTHONY ANDREWS - WHEN DID YOU COME OUT OF RETIREMENT?!? So I guess what I'm saying is, my opinion could change. Again. Some more. ]
Most Beautiful Film:
•Black Swan
•I Am Love
•Inception
•Never Let Me Go
•True Grit
[Ed. note - I love this category. We should so, so include this at the Oscars. I also love the inclusion of Never Let Me Go here.]
Best Cinematography:
•Black Swan - Matthew Libatique
•Inception - Wally Pfister
•The Social Network - Jeff Cronenweth
•True Grit - Roger Deakins
•Winter’s Bone - Michael McDonough
[Ed note - of course Roger Deakins did True Grit. One more reason to go see it. I think this is a great group. I'd like to see Wally Pfister win something - he's been so good for so long. And every year, cinematography awards make me sad that there are practically no women in the field.]
Best Film Music Or Score:
•127 Hours - A.R. Rahman
•Black Swan - Clint Mansell
•Inception - Hans Zimmer
•The Social Network - Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
•True Grit - Carter Burwell
[Ed. note - awww.... where's Daft Punk? I'll pick Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross in the meantime.]
Best Non-English-Language Film:
•Applause - Martin Zandvliet, Denmark
•Biutiful - Alejandro González Iñárritu, Mexico/Spain
•Girl With The Dragon Tattoo - Niels Arden Oplev, Denmark
•I Am Love - Luca Guadagnino, Italy
•Mother - Joon-ho Bong, South Korea
•Un Prophet - Jacques Audiard, France/Italy
[Ed. note - no Uncle Boonmee? Also - I really fell down on my foreign film watching this year. I need to get on some of these. Also also - I'm glad lots of people are including A Prophet in their lists, but it screws with predictions, since it was nominated for the Oscar last year.]
EDA FEMALE FOCUS AWARDS
Best Woman Director:
•Andrea Arnold - Fish Tank
•Lisa Cholodenko - The Kids Are All Right
•Sofia Coppola - Somewhere
•Debra Granik - Winter’s Bone
•Nicole Holofcener - Please Give
[Ed. note - Fish Tank!!! Or Winter's Bone.]
Best Woman Screenwriter:
•Andrea Arnold - Fish Tank
•Lisa Cholodenko - The Kids Are All Right
•Sofia Coppola - Somewhere
•Debra Granik - Winter’s Bone
•Nicole Holofcener - Please Give
•Laeta Kalogridis - Shutter Island
Best Female Action Star:
•Angelina Jolie - Salt
•Helen Mirren - Red
•Chloe Moretz - Kick-Ass
•Noomi Rapace - Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
•Hailee Steinfeld - Ture Grit
[Ed. note - Love the category. Noomi Rapace ftw.]
Best Animated Female:
•Astrid - How To Train Your Dragon
•Barbie - Toy Story 3
•Jessie - Toy Story 3
•Margo, Edith and Agnes - Despicable Me
•Mother Gothel - Tangled
•Rapunzel - Tangled
Best Breakthrough Performance:
•Lena Dunham - Tiny Furniture
•Jennifer Lawrence - Winter’s Bone
•Chloe Moretz - Kick-Ass
•Noomi Rapace - Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
•Hailee Steinfeld - True Grit
[Ed. note - WOW. What a tough category! Lena broke into Hollywood, which is a big deal. But Noomi and Jennifer came closest to breaking into mainstream American success. Since Jennifer is up for best actress, I'll pick Noomi here.]
Women’s Image Award
•Annette Bening - The Kids Are All Right
•Sally Hawkins - Made In Dagenham
•Helen Mirren - Red
•Noomi Rapace - Girl With The Dragon Tatoo
•Hailee Steinfeld - True Grit
Perseverance Award:
•Cher
•Lisa Cholodenko
•Melissa Leo
•Joan Rivers
•Winona Ryder
[Ed. note - CHER. Cher cher cher cher cher. Obviously. And it makes me a little sad to see Winona on this list.]
Actress Defying Age and Ageism:
•Annette Bening
•Patricia Clarkson
•Melissa Leo
•Helen Mirren
•Julianne Moore
Sexist Pig Award:
•Michael Bay
•Mel Gibson
•Michael Patrick King
•Michael Winterbottom
•Mark Zuckerberg (the character in The Social Network)
[Ed. note - Snort.]
This Year’s Outstanding Achievement By A Woman In The Film Industry:
•Lisa Cholodenko for The Kids Are All Right
•Lena Dunham for Tiny Furniture
•Debra Granik for Winter’s Bone
•Tanya Hamilton for Night Catches Us
•Helen Mirren for opening five movies in the US
[Ed. note - I hope I have that much energy at 74.]
Lifetime Achievement Award:
•Annette Bening
•Ruby Dee
•Claire Denis
•Helen Mirren
•Julie Taymor
AWFJ Award For Humanitarian Activism:
•Sandra Bullock
•Angelina Jolie
•Sean Penn
•Oprah Winfrey
EDA SPECIAL MENTION AWARDS
AWFJ Hall Of Shame Award:
•Jackass 3D
•Jonah Hex
•Mel Gibson
•Sex and The City 2, Michael Patrick King, Sarah Jessica Parker, cast and crew
•Valentine’s Day and Garry Marshall
[Ed. note - Sex and the City! No, Valentine's Day!]
Actress Most in Need Of A New Agent:
•Jennifer Aniston
•Halle Berry
•Katherine Heigl
•Sarah Jessica Parker
•Reese Witherspoon
[Ed. note - is Jennifer Aniston ever not included in this category? Also, allow Katherine Heigl to strangle herself on her own bad decisions, realize Sarah Jessica Parker has pretty much nothing left, and give this one to Reese Witherspoon - the one with the greatest potential of a continuing career.]
Movie You Wanted To Love But Just Couldn‘t:
•Black Swan
•Conviction
•For Colored Girls
•Inception
•The Social Network
•Waiting For Superman
[Ed. note - wait, how can you include Black Swan, Inception, and Social Network when they are up for Best Picture? Doesn't that mean you love them? I could see For Colored Girls easily in this category, but obviously for me, it's Conviction, hands down. *sigh*]
Unforgettable Moment Award: [ED. NOTE: SPOILERS!!!!!]
•127 Hours - Aron Ralston (James Franco) cuts off his arm.
•Black Swan - Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) sprouts black wings and final dance performance.
•Inception - Paris folds in on itself
•The Kids Are All Right - Nic (Annette Bening) finds out that Jules (Julianne Moore) is cheating.
•Winter’s Bone - Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence) cuts off her dead father’s hands with a chain saw.
[Ed. note - I'm going to go with Black Swan on this one. That performance was indelible.]
Best Depiction Of Nudity, Sexuality, or Seduction:
•Black Swan
•Blue Valentine
•I Am Love
•The Kids Are All Right
[Ed. note - not having seen it yet, I'm going to guess Blue Valentine wins this one.]
Sequel That Shouldn’t Have Been Made Award:
•Iron Man 2
•Little Fockers
•Sex and The City 2
•TRON: Legacy
•Wall Street 2
[Ed. note - Well, Iron Man 2 wins the "Sequel That Should Have Been Better" award and TRON wins "Sequel That Shouldn't Have Been A Sequel". I'd say Sex and the City wins, with Little Fockers in hot pursuit.]
The Remake That Shouldn’t Have Been Made Award:
•A-Team
•Clash of the Titans
•Death At a Funeral
•Let Me In
•Robin Hood
ROBIN HOOD! ROBIN HOOD! ROBIN HOOD! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD! (scroll down for Cleolinda's rant.)
Cultural Crossover Award:
•Four Lions
•Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
•The Kids Are All Right
•Mother
•Waste Land
Bravest Performance Award:
•Annette Bening and Julianne Moore in The Kids Are All Right
•James Franco in 127 Hours
•Chloe Moretz in Kick-Ass
•Natalie Portman in Black Swan
•Paprika Steen in Applause
Most Egregious Age Difference Between The Leading Man and The Love Interest Award:
•Barney’s Version - Paul Giamatti and Rosamund Pike (12 years)
•Company Men - Tommy Lee Jones and Maria Bello (21 years)
•Machete - Danny Trejo and Jessica Alba (37 years)
•Solitary Man - Michael Douglas and Imogen Poots (45 years)
•You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger - Anthony Hopkins and Lucy Punch (40 years)
Friday, December 24, 2010
December means list time!
Probably my favorite year-end list; The AV Club's Best Films of 2010. Not only is it an interesting list, but be sure to check out page 2, which compiles the individual ballots, complete with categories like the next 5 (with descriptions), overrated, and guilty pleasure.
60 Women Who Define the Year of the Actress.
The 10 Most Overrated Movies of 2010. I completely agree with Shutter Island, Toy Story 3 (those "For Your Consideration" ads are unbelievably nauseating), and I've heard it is true for the Kids Are All Right. Hey, though, I liked Kick Ass! And I still plan on seeing Monsters and 127 Hours.
Poorly Reviewed Films that Deserve Another Chance. Well, I want to see Agora...
Christmas Gifts for Movie Lovers, Bechdel-Style. *sigh* It shouldn't be this hard to come up with 14 films.
The Alternative Awards: Supporting Actresses. I actually really like the Juliette Lewis suggestion. She makes an indelible impact with very little screen time.
Unmerriest Christmas Moments.
Not a list, but interesting in the midst of the awards race, Do the Oscars Have a Double Standard on Horror?
The Alternative Awards: Screenplays. Yay Fish Tank!
What Happens when Americans Travel Overseas... In the Movies?
The Film Society of Lincoln Center's top 50. Fun fact! I've seen 8. Gah. And the unreleased list is just cruel.
Weirdest Holiday art.
The indieWire Critic's Poll, which compiles 125 film critic and blogger opinions. (I've seen 12 of the top 50 here - yay Marwencol!). I also love that Michael Fassbender came in third for supporting performance behind John Hawkes (yay!) and Christian Bale.
The Ten Best Films of 2010, in quiz form!
The 35 Funniest Quotes of 2010.
25 best performances that won't win oscars. Here's to Jim Carrey (I Love You, Philip Morris), Dale Dickey (Winter's Bone), Katie Jarvis (Fish Tank), and Brendan Gleeson (Perrier's Bounty)!
The best movies about theater.
The Weekend Warrior's Top 25. Lots of great picks, and some fun cheating.
The NYT's 3: Manohla Dargis, A. O. Scott, and Stephen Holden.
And John Water's list.
15 TRON Easter Eggs.
The 10 best Scrooges. Um. This writer is on crack.
The Best Geek Outs of 2010. Wow. All of these, except for Fringe and the video games.
The best theater. *sigh* This is when I miss living in New York.
The best TV character deaths. (spoilers. Obvs.)
8 of the Naughtiest TV Characters of the year. Love the top 2.
This is not a list, but I really liked it: 3 Minutes on 3 Brothers. Oh, and here is King George IV actually speaking, pre-therapy.
60 Women Who Define the Year of the Actress.
The 10 Most Overrated Movies of 2010. I completely agree with Shutter Island, Toy Story 3 (those "For Your Consideration" ads are unbelievably nauseating), and I've heard it is true for the Kids Are All Right. Hey, though, I liked Kick Ass! And I still plan on seeing Monsters and 127 Hours.
Poorly Reviewed Films that Deserve Another Chance. Well, I want to see Agora...
Christmas Gifts for Movie Lovers, Bechdel-Style. *sigh* It shouldn't be this hard to come up with 14 films.
The Alternative Awards: Supporting Actresses. I actually really like the Juliette Lewis suggestion. She makes an indelible impact with very little screen time.
Unmerriest Christmas Moments.
Not a list, but interesting in the midst of the awards race, Do the Oscars Have a Double Standard on Horror?
The Alternative Awards: Screenplays. Yay Fish Tank!
What Happens when Americans Travel Overseas... In the Movies?
The Film Society of Lincoln Center's top 50. Fun fact! I've seen 8. Gah. And the unreleased list is just cruel.
Weirdest Holiday art.
The indieWire Critic's Poll, which compiles 125 film critic and blogger opinions. (I've seen 12 of the top 50 here - yay Marwencol!). I also love that Michael Fassbender came in third for supporting performance behind John Hawkes (yay!) and Christian Bale.
The Ten Best Films of 2010, in quiz form!
The 35 Funniest Quotes of 2010.
25 best performances that won't win oscars. Here's to Jim Carrey (I Love You, Philip Morris), Dale Dickey (Winter's Bone), Katie Jarvis (Fish Tank), and Brendan Gleeson (Perrier's Bounty)!
The best movies about theater.
The Weekend Warrior's Top 25. Lots of great picks, and some fun cheating.
The NYT's 3: Manohla Dargis, A. O. Scott, and Stephen Holden.
And John Water's list.
15 TRON Easter Eggs.
The 10 best Scrooges. Um. This writer is on crack.
The Best Geek Outs of 2010. Wow. All of these, except for Fringe and the video games.
The best theater. *sigh* This is when I miss living in New York.
The best TV character deaths. (spoilers. Obvs.)
8 of the Naughtiest TV Characters of the year. Love the top 2.
This is not a list, but I really liked it: 3 Minutes on 3 Brothers. Oh, and here is King George IV actually speaking, pre-therapy.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
New list!
I'm still a bit behind on things. In the meantime, enjoy The Moving Arts Film Journal's 100 Greatest Movies of All Time: (bold, I've seen)
#1. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968, Kubrick)
#2. Citizen Kane (1941, Welles)
#3. The Godfather (1972, Coppola)
#4. Andrei Rublev (1966, Tarkovsky)
#5. The Rules of the Game (1939, Renoir)
#6. Casablanca (1942, Curtiz)
#7. Vertigo (1958, Hitchcock)
#8. La Dolce Vita (1960, Fellini)
#9. Seven Samurai (1954, Kurosawa)
#10. The Godfather Pt. II (1974, Coppola)
#11. The Third Man (1949, Reed)
#12. The Wizard of Oz (1939, Fleming)
#13. Dr. Strangelove (1964, Kubrick)
#14. Goodfellas (1990, Scorsese)
#15. Aguirre: The Wrath of God (1972, Herzog)
#16. 8½ (1963, Fellini)
#17. Singin’ In The Rain (1952, Donen, Kelly)
#18. Raging Bull (1980, Scorsese)
#19. Lawrence of Arabia (1962, Lean)
#20. Solaris (1972, Tarkovsky)
#21. The Night of the Hunter (1955, Laughton)
#22. On the Waterfront (1954, Kazan)
#23. Intolerance (1916, Griffith)
#24. L’Atalante (1934, Vigo)
#25. Apocalypse Now (1979, Coppola)
#26. Birth of a Nation (1915, Griffith)
#27. Battleship Potemkin (1925, Eisenstein)
#28. Taxi Driver (1976, Scorsese)
#29. Chinatown (1974, Polanski)
#30. Rashomon (1950, Kurosawa)
#31. The Searchers (1956, Ford)
#32. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (1966, Leone)
#33. Yojimbo (1961, Kurosawa)
#34. Nights of Cabiria (1957, Fellini)
#35. The Curse of the Cat People (1944, Fritsch, Wise)
#36. Annie Hall (1977, Allen)
#37. Tokyo Story (1953, Ozu)
#38. M (1931, Lang)
#39. Brief Encounter (1945, Lean)
#40. Rear Window (1954, Hitchcock)
#41. Barry Lyndon (1975, Kubrick)
#42. Ikiru (1952, Kirosawa)
#43. A Clockwork Orange (1971, Kubrick)
#44. Metropolis (1927, Lang)
#45. City Lights (1931, Chaplin)
#46. Bashu, The Little Stranger (1986, Beizai)
#47. A Streetcar Named Desire (1951, Kazan)
#48. Badlands (1973, Malick)
#49. The Asphalt Jungle (1950, Huston)
#50. Pather Panchali (Ray, 1955)
#51. Touch of Evil (1958, Welles, Keller)
#52. The 400 Blows (1959, Truffaut)
#53. The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928, Dreyer)
#54. King Kong (1933, Shoedsack, Cooper)
#55. Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927, Murnau)
#56. L’Avventura (1960, Antonioni)
#57. The Empire Strikes Back (1980, Kirshner)
#58. The Apartment (1960, Wilder)
#59. The General (1927, Keaton, Bruckman)
#60. Pierrot le Fou (1965, Godard)
#61. The Seventh Seal (1957, Bergman)
#62. Talk to Her (2002, Almodóvar)
#63. McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971, Altman)
#64. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962, Ford)
#65. Do the Right Thing (1989, Lee)
#66. Pulp Fiction (1994, Tarantino)
#67. Ugetsu (1953, Mizoguchi)
#68. Manhattan (1979, Allen)
#69. Star Wars (1977, Lucas)
#70. F for Fake (1973, Welles)
#71. Blue Velvet (1986, Lynch)
#72. The Leopard (1963, Visconti)
#73. Modern Times (1936, Chaplin)
#74. Sweet Smell of Success (1957, Mackendrick)
#75. Yi Yi (2000, Yang)
#76. Grand Illusion (1937, Renoir)
#77. Out of the Past (1947, Tourneur)
#78. Mulholland Dr. (2001, Lynch)
#79. Wild Strawberries (1957, Bergman)
#80. Synecdoche, New York (2008, Kaufman)
#81. Psycho (1960, Hitchcock)
#82. Nayakan (1987, Ratnam)
#83. Wings of Desire (1987, Wenders)
#84. The Big Sleep (1946, Hawks)
#85. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004, Gondry)
#86. Ulysses’ Gaze (1995, Angelopoulos)
#87. Notorious (1946, Hitchcock)
#88. Nashville (1975, Altman)
#89. Days of Heaven (1978, Mallick)
#90. The Maltese Falcon (1941, Huston)
#91. The Bicycle Thief (1948, de Sica)
#92. A Touch of Zen (1971, Hu)
#93. Fargo (1996, Coen, Coen)
#94. Breathless (1960, Godard)
#95. Children of Paradise (1945, Carné)
#96. The Wind Will Carry Us (1999, Kiarostami)
#97. Rio Bravo (1959, Hawks)
#98. Jaws (1975, Spielberg)
#99. There Will Be Blood (2007, P.T. Anderson)
#100. Japón (2002, Carlos Reygadas)
#1. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968, Kubrick)
#2. Citizen Kane (1941, Welles)
#3. The Godfather (1972, Coppola)
#4. Andrei Rublev (1966, Tarkovsky)
#5. The Rules of the Game (1939, Renoir)
#6. Casablanca (1942, Curtiz)
#7. Vertigo (1958, Hitchcock)
#8. La Dolce Vita (1960, Fellini)
#9. Seven Samurai (1954, Kurosawa)
#10. The Godfather Pt. II (1974, Coppola)
#11. The Third Man (1949, Reed)
#12. The Wizard of Oz (1939, Fleming)
#13. Dr. Strangelove (1964, Kubrick)
#14. Goodfellas (1990, Scorsese)
#15. Aguirre: The Wrath of God (1972, Herzog)
#16. 8½ (1963, Fellini)
#17. Singin’ In The Rain (1952, Donen, Kelly)
#18. Raging Bull (1980, Scorsese)
#19. Lawrence of Arabia (1962, Lean)
#20. Solaris (1972, Tarkovsky)
#21. The Night of the Hunter (1955, Laughton)
#22. On the Waterfront (1954, Kazan)
#23. Intolerance (1916, Griffith)
#24. L’Atalante (1934, Vigo)
#25. Apocalypse Now (1979, Coppola)
#26. Birth of a Nation (1915, Griffith)
#27. Battleship Potemkin (1925, Eisenstein)
#28. Taxi Driver (1976, Scorsese)
#29. Chinatown (1974, Polanski)
#30. Rashomon (1950, Kurosawa)
#31. The Searchers (1956, Ford)
#32. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (1966, Leone)
#33. Yojimbo (1961, Kurosawa)
#34. Nights of Cabiria (1957, Fellini)
#35. The Curse of the Cat People (1944, Fritsch, Wise)
#36. Annie Hall (1977, Allen)
#37. Tokyo Story (1953, Ozu)
#38. M (1931, Lang)
#39. Brief Encounter (1945, Lean)
#40. Rear Window (1954, Hitchcock)
#41. Barry Lyndon (1975, Kubrick)
#42. Ikiru (1952, Kirosawa)
#43. A Clockwork Orange (1971, Kubrick)
#44. Metropolis (1927, Lang)
#45. City Lights (1931, Chaplin)
#46. Bashu, The Little Stranger (1986, Beizai)
#47. A Streetcar Named Desire (1951, Kazan)
#48. Badlands (1973, Malick)
#49. The Asphalt Jungle (1950, Huston)
#50. Pather Panchali (Ray, 1955)
#51. Touch of Evil (1958, Welles, Keller)
#52. The 400 Blows (1959, Truffaut)
#53. The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928, Dreyer)
#54. King Kong (1933, Shoedsack, Cooper)
#55. Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927, Murnau)
#56. L’Avventura (1960, Antonioni)
#57. The Empire Strikes Back (1980, Kirshner)
#58. The Apartment (1960, Wilder)
#59. The General (1927, Keaton, Bruckman)
#60. Pierrot le Fou (1965, Godard)
#61. The Seventh Seal (1957, Bergman)
#62. Talk to Her (2002, Almodóvar)
#63. McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971, Altman)
#64. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962, Ford)
#65. Do the Right Thing (1989, Lee)
#66. Pulp Fiction (1994, Tarantino)
#67. Ugetsu (1953, Mizoguchi)
#68. Manhattan (1979, Allen)
#69. Star Wars (1977, Lucas)
#70. F for Fake (1973, Welles)
#71. Blue Velvet (1986, Lynch)
#72. The Leopard (1963, Visconti)
#73. Modern Times (1936, Chaplin)
#74. Sweet Smell of Success (1957, Mackendrick)
#75. Yi Yi (2000, Yang)
#76. Grand Illusion (1937, Renoir)
#77. Out of the Past (1947, Tourneur)
#78. Mulholland Dr. (2001, Lynch)
#79. Wild Strawberries (1957, Bergman)
#80. Synecdoche, New York (2008, Kaufman)
#81. Psycho (1960, Hitchcock)
#82. Nayakan (1987, Ratnam)
#83. Wings of Desire (1987, Wenders)
#84. The Big Sleep (1946, Hawks)
#85. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004, Gondry)
#86. Ulysses’ Gaze (1995, Angelopoulos)
#87. Notorious (1946, Hitchcock)
#88. Nashville (1975, Altman)
#89. Days of Heaven (1978, Mallick)
#90. The Maltese Falcon (1941, Huston)
#91. The Bicycle Thief (1948, de Sica)
#92. A Touch of Zen (1971, Hu)
#93. Fargo (1996, Coen, Coen)
#94. Breathless (1960, Godard)
#95. Children of Paradise (1945, Carné)
#96. The Wind Will Carry Us (1999, Kiarostami)
#97. Rio Bravo (1959, Hawks)
#98. Jaws (1975, Spielberg)
#99. There Will Be Blood (2007, P.T. Anderson)
#100. Japón (2002, Carlos Reygadas)
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Sight and Sound's Films of 2010
The Mubi blog has a list up from Sight & Sound magazine of the round up of critical votes for best films of the year. List below, bolded I have seen, italicized I want to see:
1.The Social Network
2.Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives
3.Another Year
4.Carlos
5.The Arbor (Wow - don't think I've heard of this one)
6= I Am Love
Winter’s Bone
8=The Autobiography of Nicolae Ceausescu
Film Socialisme
Nostalgia for the Light
Poetry
A Prophet
13= Certified Copy
Meek’s Cutoff
15= Dogtooth
Enter the Void
Mysteries of Lisbon (maybe - I can't tell if I'd love it or be bored to tears)
Of Gods and Men
19=Aurora (Don't know this one either)
Exit Through the Gift Shop
Four Times
The Ghost Writer
Over Your Cities Grass Will Grow
Lists like these always spring to mind when people say there are "no good movies anymore". (My parents say that a lot). There are so many good movies out there. You just have to seek them out. They are rarely the big hollywood productions that get 99% of the marketing (Inception aside). The only reason that I know most of the films on this list is from reading news, reviews and buzz coming out of the festival circuit (particularly the foreign circuit for several of these).
1.The Social Network
2.Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives
3.Another Year
4.Carlos
5.The Arbor (Wow - don't think I've heard of this one)
6= I Am Love
Winter’s Bone
8=The Autobiography of Nicolae Ceausescu
Film Socialisme
Nostalgia for the Light
Poetry
A Prophet
13= Certified Copy
Meek’s Cutoff
15= Dogtooth
Enter the Void
Mysteries of Lisbon (maybe - I can't tell if I'd love it or be bored to tears)
Of Gods and Men
19=Aurora (Don't know this one either)
Exit Through the Gift Shop
Four Times
The Ghost Writer
Over Your Cities Grass Will Grow
Lists like these always spring to mind when people say there are "no good movies anymore". (My parents say that a lot). There are so many good movies out there. You just have to seek them out. They are rarely the big hollywood productions that get 99% of the marketing (Inception aside). The only reason that I know most of the films on this list is from reading news, reviews and buzz coming out of the festival circuit (particularly the foreign circuit for several of these).
Saturday, September 11, 2010
The top 30 independent films of the last 30 years
IFTA Picks the top 30 Independent Films of the Last 30 Years I'm shocked some of these are considered independent films.
The 80s: I've seen: Blue Velvet and Dances With Wolves. Have yet to see: Amadeus, Das Boot (The Boat), Gandhi, My Left Foot, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Platoon, sex, lies, and videotape, The Terminator, The Killing Fields, The Last Emperor, and The Toxic Avenger.
The 90s: Seen: Braveheart, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Fargo, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Life Is Beautiful, Reservoir Dogs, The Silence of the Lambs, The Usual Suspects, Good Will Hunting (ugh), and Trainspotting. Have yet to see: Pulp Fiction, Basic Instinct, and Where the Day Takes You (never heard of that one.)
The 00s: Seen: Brokeback Mountain, Crash (ugh), The Hurt Locker, Inglourious Basterds, Juno, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (how is that independent?), Monster, Slumdog Millionaire, and Memento. Have yet to see: Million Dollar Baby, The Pianist, Bowling for Columbine, and Twilight. Wait... WHAT?!? One of these things is not like the others...
The 80s: I've seen: Blue Velvet and Dances With Wolves. Have yet to see: Amadeus, Das Boot (The Boat), Gandhi, My Left Foot, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Platoon, sex, lies, and videotape, The Terminator, The Killing Fields, The Last Emperor, and The Toxic Avenger.
The 90s: Seen: Braveheart, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Fargo, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Life Is Beautiful, Reservoir Dogs, The Silence of the Lambs, The Usual Suspects, Good Will Hunting (ugh), and Trainspotting. Have yet to see: Pulp Fiction, Basic Instinct, and Where the Day Takes You (never heard of that one.)
The 00s: Seen: Brokeback Mountain, Crash (ugh), The Hurt Locker, Inglourious Basterds, Juno, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (how is that independent?), Monster, Slumdog Millionaire, and Memento. Have yet to see: Million Dollar Baby, The Pianist, Bowling for Columbine, and Twilight. Wait... WHAT?!? One of these things is not like the others...
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
First half of 2010
Finally (finally) caught Blue Velvet at the Brattle the other night. FABULOUS. I loved it.
And hey! We're halfway through 2010 already! So I thought I'd go ahead and rank the films I've seen thus far...
Winter's Bone (hey! Guess what? This is playing RIGHT NOW. You can go see it RIGHT NOW.)
Red Riding: 1974
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Fish Tank (2009/2010 release, but I saw it in January, so I'm adding it here)
Red Riding: 1980
Perrier's Bounty
Cell 211
Red, White and Blue
The Killer Inside Me
The Crazies
All of the above are really fantastic and well worth checking out. Hmmm.... been sort of a violent year thus far. And no - I haven't seen Red Riding 1983 yet....
The following films you may enjoy, depending on your mood and preferences:
Kick Ass
Iron Man 2
I Love You Phillip Morris
Marwencol
Micmacs
Alice in Wonderland
Tiny Furniture
How to Train Your Dragon (in 2-D. I'm fairly certain this would be higher in 3-D, but I was on a plane.)
Anne Perry: Interiors
October Country
Shutter Island
Down Terrace
The Extra Man
Cracks
Non-2010 releases (because apparently I don't watch movies on netflix anymore):
Awesome:
Lars and the Real Girl
Hunger
Bronson
Blue Velvet
Worth checking out:
There Will Be Blood
Quantum of Solace
Hangover
Terminator 3
Ummmm - not so much:
Withnail & I
Rashomon
Nine
Most anticipated for the next 6 months? Ondine, I am Love, Red Riding 1983, The Girl who Played with Fire and Kicked the Hornet's Nest, Inception, Salt, Animal Kingdom, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, happythankyoumoreplease, Centurion, Never Let Me Go, Conviction (JUST GIVE SAM ROCKWELL AN OSCAR), Harry Potter, The Fighter. Some others, too, without release dates, which may get pushed to 2011.
And of course some that will depend on reviews, like Red.
Speaking of mid year reports, here is one from IndieWire.
Also - the next two months at the Brattle are fab. A Cabaret mini-rep, a bunch of noir, the restored Metropolis and a bunch of the best of the oughts - which includes a TON of films I really should have seen by now and haven't (Wendy & Lucy, The Lives of Others, 4 Months 3 Weeks and 2 Days.) PLUS!! A double feature of Zodiac and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang - how fabulous is that?!
And hey! We're halfway through 2010 already! So I thought I'd go ahead and rank the films I've seen thus far...
Winter's Bone (hey! Guess what? This is playing RIGHT NOW. You can go see it RIGHT NOW.)
Red Riding: 1974
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Fish Tank (2009/2010 release, but I saw it in January, so I'm adding it here)
Red Riding: 1980
Perrier's Bounty
Cell 211
Red, White and Blue
The Killer Inside Me
The Crazies
All of the above are really fantastic and well worth checking out. Hmmm.... been sort of a violent year thus far. And no - I haven't seen Red Riding 1983 yet....
The following films you may enjoy, depending on your mood and preferences:
Kick Ass
Iron Man 2
I Love You Phillip Morris
Marwencol
Micmacs
Alice in Wonderland
Tiny Furniture
How to Train Your Dragon (in 2-D. I'm fairly certain this would be higher in 3-D, but I was on a plane.)
Anne Perry: Interiors
October Country
Shutter Island
Down Terrace
The Extra Man
Cracks
Non-2010 releases (because apparently I don't watch movies on netflix anymore):
Awesome:
Lars and the Real Girl
Hunger
Bronson
Blue Velvet
Worth checking out:
There Will Be Blood
Quantum of Solace
Hangover
Terminator 3
Ummmm - not so much:
Withnail & I
Rashomon
Nine
Most anticipated for the next 6 months? Ondine, I am Love, Red Riding 1983, The Girl who Played with Fire and Kicked the Hornet's Nest, Inception, Salt, Animal Kingdom, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, happythankyoumoreplease, Centurion, Never Let Me Go, Conviction (JUST GIVE SAM ROCKWELL AN OSCAR), Harry Potter, The Fighter. Some others, too, without release dates, which may get pushed to 2011.
And of course some that will depend on reviews, like Red.
Speaking of mid year reports, here is one from IndieWire.
Also - the next two months at the Brattle are fab. A Cabaret mini-rep, a bunch of noir, the restored Metropolis and a bunch of the best of the oughts - which includes a TON of films I really should have seen by now and haven't (Wendy & Lucy, The Lives of Others, 4 Months 3 Weeks and 2 Days.) PLUS!! A double feature of Zodiac and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang - how fabulous is that?!
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Top 100 of the 2000s
In list form, sans descriptions:
Top 20:
20-40:
40-60:
28 Days Later (2003)
Best in Show (2000)
The Bourne Identity (2002)
Brothers (2009)
The Brothers Bloom (2009)
Casino Royale (2006)
District 9 (2009)
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
Finding Nemo (2003)
Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)
Lars and the Real Girl (2007)
Let the Right One In (2008)
Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
The Magdalene Sisters (2003)
The Motorcycle Diaries (2004)
Pride and Prejudice (2005)
The Royal Tennenbaums (2001)
Secretary (2002)
Waltz with Bashir (2008)
Watchmen (2009)
60-80:
Across the Universe (2007)
Batman Begins (2005)
Brick (2006)
The Damned United (2009)
I heart Huckabees (2004)
In theLoop (2009)
King Kong (2005)
Lost in Translation (2003)
The Prestige (2006)
Shattered Glass (2003)
Snow Angels (2008)
Sunshine (2007)
Sweeney Todd (2007)
Thirteen (2003)
Whale Rider (2003)
Winged Migration (2003)
Y Tu Mama Tambien (2002)
80- 100:
A Mighty Heart (2007)
Catch Me if You Can (2002)
Cloverfield (2008)
The Fountain (2006)
House of Flying Daggers (2004)
Howl’s Moving Castle (2005)
I'm Not There (2007)
Inside Man (2006)
Japanese Story (2003)
Kingdom of Heaven (2006)
Kinsey (2004)
Marie Antoinette (2006)
Monster (2003)
Mulholland Drive (2001)
Perfume: the story of a murderer (2006)
The Queen (2006)
Stardust (2007)
Wet Hot American Summer (2001)
X2 (2003)
Young Adam (2003)
Honorable mentions:
Wristcutters: A Love Story
Igby Goes Down
Kiss kiss bang bang
The Lookout
Grindhouse
Wanted
Sin City
Kill Bill
Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India
Saw too late to make the list, but otherwise would be on there:
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
A Single Man
Fish Tank
Top 20:
Adaptation (2002)
Almost Famous (2000)
American Psycho (2000)
Angels in
The Assassination of Jesse James (2007)
Bright Star (2009)
Children of Men (2006)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
The Fall (2008)
The Hurt Locker (2009)
In the Bedroom (2001)
LotR (2001, 2002, 2003)
Moulin Rouge (2001)
Pan’s Labyrinth (2007)
V for Vendetta (2005)
The Wind that Shakes the Barley (2007)
Zodiac (2007)
20-40:
Atonement (2007)
The Constant Gardener (2005)
Departed (2006)
The Escapist (2008)
Frost/Nixon (2008)
Good Night and Good Luck (2005)
Hard Candy (2006)
The Hours (2002)
In
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Last King of
Memento (2001)
Milk (2008)
Moon (2009)
No Country for Old Men (2007)
Painted Veil (2006)
Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
The Triplets of
40-60:
28 Days Later (2003)
Best in Show (2000)
The Bourne Identity (2002)
Brothers (2009)
The Brothers Bloom (2009)
Casino Royale (2006)
District 9 (2009)
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
Finding Nemo (2003)
Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)
Lars and the Real Girl (2007)
Let the Right One In (2008)
Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
The Magdalene Sisters (2003)
The Motorcycle Diaries (2004)
Pride and Prejudice (2005)
The Royal Tennenbaums (2001)
Secretary (2002)
Waltz with Bashir (2008)
Watchmen (2009)
60-80:
Across the Universe (2007)
Batman Begins (2005)
Brick (2006)
The Damned United (2009)
I heart Huckabees (2004)
In the
King Kong (2005)
Lost in Translation (2003)
The Prestige (2006)
Shattered Glass (2003)
Snow Angels (2008)
Sunshine (2007)
Sweeney Todd (2007)
Thirteen (2003)
Whale Rider (2003)
Winged Migration (2003)
Y Tu Mama Tambien (2002)
80- 100:
A Mighty Heart (2007)
Catch Me if You Can (2002)
Cloverfield (2008)
The Fountain (2006)
House of Flying Daggers (2004)
Howl’s Moving Castle (2005)
I'm Not There (2007)
Inside Man (2006)
Japanese Story (2003)
Kingdom of Heaven (2006)
Kinsey (2004)
Marie Antoinette (2006)
Monster (2003)
Mulholland Drive (2001)
Perfume: the story of a murderer (2006)
The Queen (2006)
Stardust (2007)
Wet Hot American Summer (2001)
X2 (2003)
Young Adam (2003)
Honorable mentions:
Wristcutters: A Love Story
Igby Goes Down
Kiss kiss bang bang
The Lookout
Grindhouse
Wanted
Sin City
Kill Bill
Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India
Saw too late to make the list, but otherwise would be on there:
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
A Single Man
Fish Tank
The Top 100 - part 6
Adaptation (2002) What might have originally been a movie about The Orchid Thief becomes a meditation on adaptation, screenwriting and movies. Hilarious, touching, and thought-provoking.
Almost Famous (2000) One of the most heart-felt coming-of-age stories ever committed to celluloid – in part because it was loosely based on Cameron Crowe’s own experiences. It also captures the fervor and spirit of rock disciples. Ah, to be kidnapped by rock stars.
American Psycho (2000) A tour-de-force performance film. It is darkly hysterical and its take on vacuous consumerism is brilliant. The glossy sheen of the art direction keeps perfectly with the movies themes.
Angels in America
Assassination of Jesse James (2007) Stunning cinematography, and a mournful, wistful take on the Western genre. One of the best acting ensembles of the decade.
Bright Star (2009) Jane Campion returns to film with this gorgeous, lush presentation of the love story between Fanny Brawne and her neighbor John Keats, who died at the age of 25. Moody and dreamy, it unfolds like a Keats poem.
Children of Men (2006) An amazing picture of a dystopian future, where humans have stopped being able to reproduce. Fantastic performances, a remarkable eye for detail, and some of the most astounding camera work around form one of the most overlooked films of the decade.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) Charlie Kaufman, the most brilliant screenwriter around, tops himself in an incredibly crazy, poignant take on relationships.
The Fall (2008) The most beautiful film of the decade. Hands down. It was filmed in 28 countries over 4 years and contains no computer imagery, even though that’s hard to believe on a first viewing. An injured stunt man tells stories to a little girl in a hospital and we follow her imagination.
Gosford Park (2001) My favorite Altman. A spin on upstairs/downstairs and the weekend party murder mystery, featuring a stunning assemblage of actors.
Hurt Locker (2009) The best word I can think of to describe this film is immersive. Tense, surprisingly funny, with incredible acting from every person who shows up on screen (hey, was that Guy Pearce? And Ralph Fiennes? And Evangeline Lily?) At heart though, it is an incredible portrait of a soldier who thrives in the dangers of war. Completely brilliant.
In the Bedroom (2001) God, I love this movie. I remember when it was the tiny film that somehow was included in the Best Picture race alongside behemoths like Fellowship of the Ring and Moulin Rouge. At the time, I had zero idea what it was about, although I guessed there was some marital tension between Tom Wilkinson and Sissy Spacek, given the fact that she broke a plate in the ads. I know now that this had to be one of the hardest films ever to market (and not because it wasn’t completely radiant and with marvelous acting from a remarkable cast). Rather, it’s impossible to describe the plot without spoiling the film for new viewers. Suffice to say, the acting is first rate. Go see it based on that knowledge alone.
Lord of the Rings (2001, 2002, 2003) What? They’re basically one big film… A story this epic couldn’t be told in less than six hours. Every detail of each of these films was perfectly realized. Never has another world been so wholly created.
Moulin Rouge (2001) Heart-breaking, lush, and with dazzling visuals, Baz Luhrmann updates musicals. The frenetic editing and eye-popping visuals fuse with an aching story of forbidden love for one of the great modern romances.
The New World (2005) A dreamy, impressionistic take on the colonization of America
Pan’s Labyrinth (2007) A young girl escapes the brutality of the Spanish civil war in a fantasy quest. The makeup and effects are terrific, and the story heart-wrenching.
V for Vendetta (2005) As my mother put it, you can’t watch this film and not want to jump up and storm the Bastille afterwards. One of the best graphic novel adaptations ever done, the film drew upon the political paranoia of the Bush years and channeled it into a rousing action film with tremendous performances all around.
The Wind that Shakes the Barley (2007) A deserving Palme D’Or winner, it paints a devastating portrait of the moral ambiguity of war – in this case, the war of Irish Independence. Brilliant through and through.
Zodiac (2007) Never has a police procedural felt so real. The movie works through the dead-end leads, the slog of phone tips, and the obsession of the trackers and never once loses the urgency of tracking down one of the most notorious serial killers of all time.
The Top 100 - part 5
(Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4)
Second Tier – the “Oh my god that was good” group
Good Night and Good Luck (2005) The complement to Frost/Nixon for crusading journalists taking on politicians. Good Night and Good Luck has a jazzier, more retro feel and an equally strong cast. The cool vibe manages to soften the civics lesson and the realization of the harsh disconnect between journalism then and news today.
Last King ofScotland
Second Tier – the “Oh my god that was good” group
Atonement (2007) What starts out as a beautiful period romance - and, really, that would have been enough to get it on this list; it's incredibly fabulous just as a period romance - becomes a meditation on narrative, jealousy and, obviously, atonement. And yes, the camera work in the scene at Dunkirk is some of the best that has ever been done.
The Constant Gardener (2005) A political and ideological thriller, which sets a British government worker on the path to understand his wife’s murder at any cost.
The Departed (2006) Scorsese takes the undercover cop thriller to epic, Shakespearean levels. Packed with brilliant performances.
Escapist (2008) It has never been released in the
Frost/Nixon (2008) Chronicling a pivotal moment in American politics, Frank Langella and Michael Sheen deliver powerhouse performances as the titular figures. Backed up by a fantastic supporting cast, the film becomes a fantastic mental thriller, despite already knowing the outcome.
Good Night and Good Luck (2005) The complement to Frost/Nixon for crusading journalists taking on politicians. Good Night and Good Luck has a jazzier, more retro feel and an equally strong cast. The cool vibe manages to soften the civics lesson and the realization of the harsh disconnect between journalism then and news today.
Hard Candy (2006)What starts out as a middle-aged man picking up a teen at a coffee shop quickly becomes something else entirely. A twisty and provocative thriller that could easily have turned into pulpy exploitation were it not for the fantastic turns by Ellen Page and Patrick Wilson, who anchor the film with their struggle.
The Hours (2002) My go-to example of when the movie is better than the book, and the book won the Pulitzer. Where Mrs. Dalloway chronicles it’s heroine’s life through the course of one day, the Hours examines three. Powerhouse acting all around, topped by Nicole Kidman who deservedly won the Oscar – her scenes with Stephen Dillane, who plays Leonard Woolfe are riveting.
In Bruges (2008) My favorite playwright’s first film. Martin McDonough writes pitch-black humor, and In Bruges is no exception. And in between the whip-smart dialogue and madcap shoot-outs are some fantastic character portraits.
Inglourious Basterds (2009) Each of the chapters could be an award-winning short film. So many films today take quick edits to the extreme of also having quick scenes. While Tarantino doesn’t employ particularly long takes, he does allow long scenes to play out, slowly building the tension of each interrogation. Yes, it is also a satisfying revenge fantasy and an ode to the power of cinema, but it is the drama of these small contests of will that remain freshest months later.
Last King of
Memento (2001) Ingeniously plays with narrative structure, and still manages to be an engrossing mystery.
Milk (2008) I could not believe that Sean Penn pulled this off. Mr. Dour morphs completely into the sunny, outgoing personality of Harvey Milk. Great supporting work as well. A stirring overview of the gay rights struggle.
Moon (2009) I love, love, love this film. It’s best to go into this film knowing little of the plot. Basically, it concerns astronaut Sam Bell, who has 2 weeks to go on his 3-year solitary mining shift on the moon. It has the year’s most incredible performance by Sam Rockwell, who is pretty much the only one on screen (Kevin Spacey voices the computer on the moon station).
No Country for Old Men (2007) A tale of fate in west
Painted Veil (2006) A desperately unhappy couple undertake a suicidal trip to the middle of a cholera epidemic in a remote region of
Slumdog Millionaire (2008) Yes, audiences swelled to this feel-good story of underdog triumph in part because it was released during a depression. But it is still a fantastic love story, a wonderful portrait of
Triplets
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