At SIFF Cinema it has been Film NOIR CITY: Lust and Larceny week, and I saw four more top notch black and white features from the 40's and 50's. Monday featured a film written by Tod Browning who made the horror classic FREAKS in the 30's. INSIDE JOB (1946) is definitely a "B" movie, but very fast paced and entertaining, about a young couple who try to rob a department store and become chased by police and the dapper mobster who was trying to do it himself. There's some tragedy by the end, and as is typical of many noir films, there is no happy ending. The second feature was of much higher quality--HUMAN DESIRE (1954) with a first rate cast including Glenn Ford, Gloria Grahame, Broderick Crawford and the great director Fritz Lang. It felt like I was watching THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE, but this is based on Emile Zola's novel "La Bete Humaine," and the characters weren't quite so driven and evil. The cast made this moody melodrama engrossingly watchable.
Tuesday night featured RED LIGHT (1949) but I don't know why that was the title. When a priest comes home from the war and is murdered in a revenge killing, his brother (stone faced George Raft) seeks some revenge of his own. The film has lots of religious symbolism (a missing Bible has the key to the killer's identity) and many various refrains of the song "Ave Maria" are used on the soundtrack, and there are several really funny moments: watch for the blind soldier, and the irony of the final shot. The co-feature was WALK A CROOKED MILE (1948), done in a semi-documentary style showing how the FBI tries to track down culprits who are stealing atomic plant secrets for the Communists. The film was rather talky and plodding for me, but interesting for Raymond Burr's menacing Lenin look-alike character and the sophisticated (for it's time) gadgetry (like car phones, spy devices, miniature cameras, code busting equipment, etc.) All in all, a most entertaining series of FILM NOIR.
Several weeks ago I forgot to write about a film I saw on DVD which I think is deserving of some positive attention. Director Ang Lee, the Oscar winner for BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, made a modest little film this past fall which was dismissed by critics and audiences, mostly for the criticism that there was "no Woodstock music" in it. The film was called TAKING WOODSTOCK, and is "inspired" by a true story about a family who inadvertently played a pivotal role in bringing the Woodstock music festival to White Lake, New York in 1969. The focus of the film is on the family, played by Demetri Martin as the college educated son who is trying to help his folks out of debt, Henry Goodman as the hard working father, and an amazing Imelda Staunton (see VERA DRAKE) as the stubborn mother who doesn't understand the significance of any of the "hippie" culture that descends on the town, but is mighty impressed with the financial windfall. There are wonderful turns by Eugene Levy as the farmer whose land the festival is being held on, and Liev Schreiber as an "alternative " security agent helping out....in a dress. The film is very warm, heartfelt and funny, and very much in the likable way Ang Lee creates his characters---humaine. So many scenes are created to look just like the iconic photos of the Woodstock festival--and the set design and clothing and hair styles are right on. It's NOT the music that matters in this film---it's the people and their story. It is a very GOOD film.
The OSCAR show is on Monday March 7th---just a little over one week away, so for all you procrastinators, my predictions are pretty similar as other film folks......Jeff Bridges seems long overdue for CRAZY HEART, a film I didn't care that much for except for Bridges (see earlier blog), Sandra Bullock seems likely for a career thank you for BLINDSIDE (but I'd prefer the amazingly endearing Julia Childs of Meryl Streep to win for JULIE and JULIA), and the supporting roles seem to be well deserved locks---the powerful Mo'Nique (for the amazing PRECIOUS) and the insidious Christopher Waltz for the entertaining and dynamic INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS. UP seems destined for Best Animated Feature and music score, but I would not be sad to see FANTASTIC MR FOX or CORALINE win either. Director Kathryn Bigelow seems a good choice for THE HURT LOCKER (and it helps that she was once married to her competition James Cameron who won for TITANIC and is up again for directing the technical wonder AVATAR.) I think AVATAR will be limited to some technical awards. UP IN THE AIR seems a likely winner for best Adapted Screenplay. Not so sure for Best Original Screenplay--I'd love to see SERIOUS MAN or INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS win but the money is on HURT LOCKER.
Now, for me the surprise may come in the Best Picture category, what with 10 nominees and the winner must have the majority of first place ballots--different from past years when just the majority of votes for 1st place were counted. Academy members must now indicate their 1st choice, 2nd choice, 3rd choice and 4th choice films. If no film gets the majority of 1st choice, then the lowest voted 1st choice film is thrown out and the vote counted again, and so on. I'd love to see A SERIOUS MAN or PRECIOUS or even INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS win. The odds-makers seem to suggest AVATAR (the biggest hit) or HURT LOCKER (which relatively few people have seen) will win the big award, but I think there may be a surprise here.
In any case, my favorite (likely non) winners besides the previously mentioned, which you should see, are A SINGLE MAN and THE LAST STATION and INVICTUS.
PLEASE SEE my earlier report on the TOP FILMS OF 2009 in early FEBRUARY for more great movie-going options.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Saturday, February 20, 2010
The Last Station, Valentine's Day, Film Noir
Christopher Plummer and Helen Mirren are both nominated for acting Oscars playing Russian writer Tolstoy and his wife just before his death, but much credit must go to James McAvoy (ATONEMENT) through whose eyes the story unfolds. He is a young innocent who becomes Tolstoy's last secretary, but he also becomes a pawn in the political maneuverings over Tolstoy's estate and writings. THE LAST STATION chronicles the tension between the married couple--he wants the "people" to have his written work and money made from it---she wants the profits to stay in the family. It seemed to me an odd disagreement, with such persuasion coming from politicos outside the family, but having McAvoy trying to remain (somewhat unsuccessfully) neutral gives the film some heart. Mirren is fun to watch--she gives each scene her all, and Plummer has the more subtle role--but still very effective. This is not a great epic type film, but more personal, and fans of the actors (which also include Paul Giamatti) will find the film very satisfying.
VALENTINE'S DAY started off making me wince, as Ashton Kuscher wakes to present his girlfriend a wedding ring on this special "romantic" day, and as the nearly 2 dozen other characters are introduced I thought to myself, OH NO this is going to be treacly. Because there are so many characters, you never have a chance to invest much empathy in anyone in particular, and soon the plotting just moves you onto the next relationship and the next and so on. It is good that the writers of this mishmash at least present some cynical and unsuccessful trysts so as not to poison us with sweetness. By the end we are mildly entertained because some secrets have been revealed, some relationships have failed and several twists have given us a laugh or a sigh of relief. The large and mostly talented cast including Julia Roberts, Shirley MacLaine, Bradley Cooper, Jessica Alba, Jamie Foxx, Kathy Bates, et al, win us over in spite of our resistance to such schmaltz.
Watched a second time on DVD, last summers big hit THE HANGOVER remains a clever, wickedly funny adult comedy about three men who wake up after a Las Vegas bachelor party and can't remember a thing about the night before, and must become detectives to find the answer to several riddles: Where is the groom???? Why does the dentist have a tooth missing???? How did a tiger get into their bathroom??? What is a baby doing in the closet????
Why is a stripper wearing the dentist's antique wedding ring???? Well, the answers to these and other questions provide plenty of laughs.
SIFF Cinema features a yearly week of fantastic Film Noir on the big screen, and as usual these films are mostly rarely seen and not yet available on DVD. First up was PITFALL (1948) with suburbanite Dick Powell casually falling into an affair with struggling model Lizabeth Scott, which ends up threatening his marriage to the stalwart Jane Wyatt and his boring life, because two other men-- one deranged and the other incarcerated, also want Ms Scott. The second film on the program (all double-billed!) was LARCENY (1948) with John Payne and Dan Duryea as con men intent on cheating a war widow out of money directed to building a home for wayward boys. The best thing about the film is the young and very voluptuous Shelley Winters who plays the bombshell "girlfriend" to both con men--she throws out the one line zingers with zesty gusto and a playful sexuality that is rarely seen these days.
The next day I watched CRY DANGER (1951), again with Dick Powell, as a man just released from prison for a robbery he didn't commit, so he tries to find out who indeed has the missing money (100g's--a grand amount in those days...) and he's helped (!?!) by the wife (Rhonda Fleming) of his best friend still serving time. Best of the four was THE MOB (1951) with a hard boiled Broderick Crawford as an undercover cop on the trail of the boss of some waterfront racketeers. All four films were written by scripter William Bowers, who has a way with the double-entendre and witty comebacks, and all feature the typical film noir style--crisp black and white photography, shadowy locations and foreboding, hard edged down on luck characters, and themes of lust, larceny and murder. Hopefully with these films being restored so well, they will soon be available on DVD and/or appear soon on TCM.
VALENTINE'S DAY started off making me wince, as Ashton Kuscher wakes to present his girlfriend a wedding ring on this special "romantic" day, and as the nearly 2 dozen other characters are introduced I thought to myself, OH NO this is going to be treacly. Because there are so many characters, you never have a chance to invest much empathy in anyone in particular, and soon the plotting just moves you onto the next relationship and the next and so on. It is good that the writers of this mishmash at least present some cynical and unsuccessful trysts so as not to poison us with sweetness. By the end we are mildly entertained because some secrets have been revealed, some relationships have failed and several twists have given us a laugh or a sigh of relief. The large and mostly talented cast including Julia Roberts, Shirley MacLaine, Bradley Cooper, Jessica Alba, Jamie Foxx, Kathy Bates, et al, win us over in spite of our resistance to such schmaltz.
Watched a second time on DVD, last summers big hit THE HANGOVER remains a clever, wickedly funny adult comedy about three men who wake up after a Las Vegas bachelor party and can't remember a thing about the night before, and must become detectives to find the answer to several riddles: Where is the groom???? Why does the dentist have a tooth missing???? How did a tiger get into their bathroom??? What is a baby doing in the closet????
Why is a stripper wearing the dentist's antique wedding ring???? Well, the answers to these and other questions provide plenty of laughs.
SIFF Cinema features a yearly week of fantastic Film Noir on the big screen, and as usual these films are mostly rarely seen and not yet available on DVD. First up was PITFALL (1948) with suburbanite Dick Powell casually falling into an affair with struggling model Lizabeth Scott, which ends up threatening his marriage to the stalwart Jane Wyatt and his boring life, because two other men-- one deranged and the other incarcerated, also want Ms Scott. The second film on the program (all double-billed!) was LARCENY (1948) with John Payne and Dan Duryea as con men intent on cheating a war widow out of money directed to building a home for wayward boys. The best thing about the film is the young and very voluptuous Shelley Winters who plays the bombshell "girlfriend" to both con men--she throws out the one line zingers with zesty gusto and a playful sexuality that is rarely seen these days.
The next day I watched CRY DANGER (1951), again with Dick Powell, as a man just released from prison for a robbery he didn't commit, so he tries to find out who indeed has the missing money (100g's--a grand amount in those days...) and he's helped (!?!) by the wife (Rhonda Fleming) of his best friend still serving time. Best of the four was THE MOB (1951) with a hard boiled Broderick Crawford as an undercover cop on the trail of the boss of some waterfront racketeers. All four films were written by scripter William Bowers, who has a way with the double-entendre and witty comebacks, and all feature the typical film noir style--crisp black and white photography, shadowy locations and foreboding, hard edged down on luck characters, and themes of lust, larceny and murder. Hopefully with these films being restored so well, they will soon be available on DVD and/or appear soon on TCM.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
North Face and Edge of Darkness
Spent so much time and space on my last blog on the TOP FILM 2010 list that I neglected to mention a superior and spectacular adventure film now showing at Seattle's Egyptian Theatre--it is a German film called NORTH FACE, set just before the start of World War II when Hitler was gearing up his publicity of German superiority by sponsoring an Eiger mountain climbing expedition led by Nazi (so he thinks) climbers. The politics is soon put on the back burner, however, as the expedition is endangered by nationalistic competition (from France and Austria and others), bad weather and injuries during the climb, and soon the film becomes not a race to the top, but a matter of survival for all concerned, and the film builds a lot of tension and irony by cutting to a fancy hotel at the bottom of the mountain where various rich patrons can indulge in luxury while the half dozen climbers struggle for their lives. This is straight forward, almost old-fashioned film-making--leaving fast editing and fancy camera moves behind and focusing on the horror of the mountain climbing experience. The film delivers the goods.
Also opening last week is a fine, solid police story, based on a British five hour mini-series, called EDGE OF DARKNESS and starring Mel Gibson. Whatever you may think about Gibson's political and social gaffes in the past, he certainly knows how to pick interesting and provocative film projects (see APOCOLYPTO and PASSION OF CHRIST as two recent examples.) This film starts with his beloved daughter being shot down while the two stand together on the front porch, and immediately his fellow officers assume the gunman was after cop Gibson as revenge for some past arrest. But soon it becomes clear that his daughter was caught up in a corrupt swirl of corporate evil-doing, and the "can of worms" that he opens spreads far and high up. What I liked about the film was its unsensational approach to political corruption and film making style--it moves engrossingly along without feeling a need to glamorize the more lurid aspects of the story or the violence. Think Helen Mirren's series PRIME SUSPECT, or any number of British TV series as a model for the restraint this story portrays.
My wife Toni and I spent 5 days in Winthrop this past week (she likes to go skiing on/over her birthday) and there is no TV reception where we stay (or cell phone or Internet service either) so our only option for entertainment other than skiing, sleeping, reading and eating is to watch DVD's. It was an odd selection this week.....
First up was a 3-pack of older melodramas that I received for my birthday 2 weeks ago. We'd never seen PEYTON PLACE, or read it or even seen the TV series w/Mia Farrow that played for several years in the 1960's, but as soon as the feature started, I certainly remembered the theme music. The 1957 film based on the novel by Grace Metalious had been well received by the public, receiving an impressive nine Oscar nominations (although it did not win in any category--this being the year of BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI,) and it was clearly the spectacular cinematography and vivid color and excellent print that grabbed my attention first. The cast included five Oscar nominees: Lana Turner, Diane Varsi, Hope Lange, Russ Tamblyn, and Arthur Kennedy. The film also received best picture, director, screenplay and cinematography nominations. Still, seen today, the film remains most effective if viewed in an historical prospective. Themes included abortion, incest, rape and premarital sex, and at the time must have been quite shocking. Viewed with today's sensibilities, it is rather....dully predictable and quaint. I have a feeling, however, that this film set the stage for the progressive themes that were to abound in the 1960's. Toni found it too dull and slow, I found it interesting and tastefully progressive for it's time.
Of course, we had to see the follow up film in this pack---RETURN TO PEYTON PLACE (1962) which is basically the same characters (but with different actors) with the same themes regurgitated all over again. It was interesting to see the early film of Carol Lynley, Luciana Paluzzi, and Tuesday Weld, and Jeff Chandler and Eleanor Parker and Mary Astor rounded out the less than stellar cast. Fortunately, this version was a bit campier than the original, with Mary Astor as a town elder with a giant "stick up her back" as the most fun to watch.
It took me nearly 30 minutes of watching LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN (1945) with Gene Tierney, Jeanne Crain, Cornel Wilde, and Vincent Price to remember that I'd seen this film only a year and a half ago. It is not a bad film, per say, but it makes me rather uncomfortable to watch a character who is obviously mentally neurotic (psychotic?) (and no one seems to notice!!!) that I must have put it out of my head. Suddenly I remembered one of the most powerfully sickening scenes ever put in a film noir---the purposeful drowning of the lovable handicapped brother of Cornel Wilde by his new wife Gene Tierney, who watches his painful death with detached emotion. Her evil intentions even reach out from her grave(--see also the recently blogged film BLACK WIDOW.) I won't forget this film again.
We also watched SAMURAI 1: MUSASHI MIYAMOTO (1954) which is the first of three sequels also called SAMURAI 2 and 3, and it won the Best Foreign Film Oscar that year. The film moved slowly for me, and I found the action scenes too chaotic to follow, and some of the characters I got mixed up with other characters, and I was not too engaged. Perhaps the next two will be more interesting.
Our favorite film DVD of the week was a French fluff piece starring Catherine Deneuve and Yves Montand called LE SAUVAGE (1975) which is billed as a madcap romantic comedy, and for once this is a good and accurate description. In an effort to escape her abusive Italian fiance, Deneuve enlists the help of the mysterious Montand, ending up on his private island with gangster, government officials and others all in pursuit of her. The film has some great laughs, some very exotic location scenery, and a strong plot, along with the beautiful and talented and at times topless Catherine Deneuve and the handsome Montand. This was a delightful and wacky surprise.
Finally, we watched, again, the newly rebooted version of STAR TREK (2009) which I should probably stick in my top 20 for 2009. I'd forgotten how much energy, creativity and fun it was to watch the STAR TREK legend being reborn for a new generation. The actors playing the old characters from TV (and the "older" STAR TREK films of the 80's and 90's) are delightfully introduced and spot on. I couldn't find a bathroom break during this screening, we were so involved with the characters and story. It's a blast, in spite of a few plot coincidences, and well worth seeing on a big screen or even on TV.
Update to last weeks TOP FILMS of 2009: The impressive British film called BRONSON has just been released on DVD, and if you don't mind some "in your face violence", it is a very entertaining "truth is stranger than fiction" story. (The style reminded me at times of Stanley Kubrick's A CLOCKWORK ORANGE complete with some cartoonish violence and bizarre humor).
Also opening last week is a fine, solid police story, based on a British five hour mini-series, called EDGE OF DARKNESS and starring Mel Gibson. Whatever you may think about Gibson's political and social gaffes in the past, he certainly knows how to pick interesting and provocative film projects (see APOCOLYPTO and PASSION OF CHRIST as two recent examples.) This film starts with his beloved daughter being shot down while the two stand together on the front porch, and immediately his fellow officers assume the gunman was after cop Gibson as revenge for some past arrest. But soon it becomes clear that his daughter was caught up in a corrupt swirl of corporate evil-doing, and the "can of worms" that he opens spreads far and high up. What I liked about the film was its unsensational approach to political corruption and film making style--it moves engrossingly along without feeling a need to glamorize the more lurid aspects of the story or the violence. Think Helen Mirren's series PRIME SUSPECT, or any number of British TV series as a model for the restraint this story portrays.
My wife Toni and I spent 5 days in Winthrop this past week (she likes to go skiing on/over her birthday) and there is no TV reception where we stay (or cell phone or Internet service either) so our only option for entertainment other than skiing, sleeping, reading and eating is to watch DVD's. It was an odd selection this week.....
First up was a 3-pack of older melodramas that I received for my birthday 2 weeks ago. We'd never seen PEYTON PLACE, or read it or even seen the TV series w/Mia Farrow that played for several years in the 1960's, but as soon as the feature started, I certainly remembered the theme music. The 1957 film based on the novel by Grace Metalious had been well received by the public, receiving an impressive nine Oscar nominations (although it did not win in any category--this being the year of BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI,) and it was clearly the spectacular cinematography and vivid color and excellent print that grabbed my attention first. The cast included five Oscar nominees: Lana Turner, Diane Varsi, Hope Lange, Russ Tamblyn, and Arthur Kennedy. The film also received best picture, director, screenplay and cinematography nominations. Still, seen today, the film remains most effective if viewed in an historical prospective. Themes included abortion, incest, rape and premarital sex, and at the time must have been quite shocking. Viewed with today's sensibilities, it is rather....dully predictable and quaint. I have a feeling, however, that this film set the stage for the progressive themes that were to abound in the 1960's. Toni found it too dull and slow, I found it interesting and tastefully progressive for it's time.
Of course, we had to see the follow up film in this pack---RETURN TO PEYTON PLACE (1962) which is basically the same characters (but with different actors) with the same themes regurgitated all over again. It was interesting to see the early film of Carol Lynley, Luciana Paluzzi, and Tuesday Weld, and Jeff Chandler and Eleanor Parker and Mary Astor rounded out the less than stellar cast. Fortunately, this version was a bit campier than the original, with Mary Astor as a town elder with a giant "stick up her back" as the most fun to watch.
It took me nearly 30 minutes of watching LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN (1945) with Gene Tierney, Jeanne Crain, Cornel Wilde, and Vincent Price to remember that I'd seen this film only a year and a half ago. It is not a bad film, per say, but it makes me rather uncomfortable to watch a character who is obviously mentally neurotic (psychotic?) (and no one seems to notice!!!) that I must have put it out of my head. Suddenly I remembered one of the most powerfully sickening scenes ever put in a film noir---the purposeful drowning of the lovable handicapped brother of Cornel Wilde by his new wife Gene Tierney, who watches his painful death with detached emotion. Her evil intentions even reach out from her grave(--see also the recently blogged film BLACK WIDOW.) I won't forget this film again.
We also watched SAMURAI 1: MUSASHI MIYAMOTO (1954) which is the first of three sequels also called SAMURAI 2 and 3, and it won the Best Foreign Film Oscar that year. The film moved slowly for me, and I found the action scenes too chaotic to follow, and some of the characters I got mixed up with other characters, and I was not too engaged. Perhaps the next two will be more interesting.
Our favorite film DVD of the week was a French fluff piece starring Catherine Deneuve and Yves Montand called LE SAUVAGE (1975) which is billed as a madcap romantic comedy, and for once this is a good and accurate description. In an effort to escape her abusive Italian fiance, Deneuve enlists the help of the mysterious Montand, ending up on his private island with gangster, government officials and others all in pursuit of her. The film has some great laughs, some very exotic location scenery, and a strong plot, along with the beautiful and talented and at times topless Catherine Deneuve and the handsome Montand. This was a delightful and wacky surprise.
Finally, we watched, again, the newly rebooted version of STAR TREK (2009) which I should probably stick in my top 20 for 2009. I'd forgotten how much energy, creativity and fun it was to watch the STAR TREK legend being reborn for a new generation. The actors playing the old characters from TV (and the "older" STAR TREK films of the 80's and 90's) are delightfully introduced and spot on. I couldn't find a bathroom break during this screening, we were so involved with the characters and story. It's a blast, in spite of a few plot coincidences, and well worth seeing on a big screen or even on TV.
Update to last weeks TOP FILMS of 2009: The impressive British film called BRONSON has just been released on DVD, and if you don't mind some "in your face violence", it is a very entertaining "truth is stranger than fiction" story. (The style reminded me at times of Stanley Kubrick's A CLOCKWORK ORANGE complete with some cartoonish violence and bizarre humor).
Saturday, February 6, 2010
TOP FILMS OF 2009--updated 3/1/10
1. PRECIOUS--Nothing this year cut so deep, had so much raw tension and intensity, and yet became, in a strange way, a feel good movie. Six Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Director, Actress, Supporting Actress and Screenplay.*Please see my earlier PRECIOUS blog for more comments.*
2. A SERIOUS MAN--Takes Jewish angst to new and hilariously "everyman" heights. Now nominated for Best Picture and Screenplay Oscars. *See earlier A SERIOUS MAN blog for more comments.*
3. CHERRY BLOSSOMS--A smash hit during the 2008 Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) session where it won best picture, this German/Japanese film by director Doris Dorrie played a short run earlier this year in Seattle. An aging couple with preoccupied adult children scattered around the world decide to visit them all with the final destination being Tokyo where their furthest flung son now lives. Of course, things don't go according to an ideal plan, but this moving film shows us how even in disappointment and tragedy and loneliness, life has many pleasures to offer us. A beautiful celebration of life.
4. SUMMER HOURS, a French film about the emotional and intellectual impact of executing the estate of a loved one.
5. DEPARTURES, a Japanese film about a young man who becomes a preparer of dead bodies, much to his shame and ultimate satisfaction in helping the living appreciate life--the preceding three films very happy and sad at the same time--watch these with a box of Kleenex handy. Please see March 1 blog for more info on SUMMER HOURS and DEPARTURES.
6. THE COVE--One of the best documentaries shown at the SIFF this year, this film plays like a very intense, very serious MISSION IMPOSSIBLE episode, but with a very powerful political agenda. A diverse group of skin-divers, camera men, advocates and politicos attempt to expose the wasteful and cruel slaughter of innocent dolphins in THE COVE in Japan--a world wide scandal being suppressed by the Japanese government with the cooperation of other nations. A very empowering film, and hopefully now that it has a well deserved Oscar nomination for best Documentary Film, this issue will receive greater world wide attention.
7. INGLORIOUS BASTERDS--Filled with many fine intense scenes that keep building to something--you don't know what is going to happen, or how it is going to happen, but the dread and suspense keep coming, and keep you riveted, and satisfy you, finally, with horrible violence or a shocking moment or a big laugh. Director/writer Quentin Tarintino's best film yet. This totally creative "anti-Nazi fantasy film" has been nominated for 8 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Director, Supporting Actor and Original Screenplay.
8. UP--Creative, delightful and emotionally textured 3-D (although non-3-D is just as good) animated film from Disney and Pixar, this lovely, wacky gem has been nominated for 5 Oscars including Best Picture and Best Animated Picture, Screenplay, and for the likable musical score.
9. THE HANGOVER--Crude, lewd, and very funny, this adult comedy has the best laughs of the year, along with a wacky plot that unfolds like a murder mystery: What exactly, did happened last night?--with each revelation weirder than the last. What!!!!--no Oscar Nominations??!!???
10. A SINGLE MAN--Now nominated for Best Actor (Colin Firth), a moving and thoughtful "day in the life of" film with a lot of style and intrigue. *Please see my recent earlier blog of A SINGLE MAN for more info.*
11. BRIGHT STAR--A sensitive, subtle story of the unrealised and tragic love affair between poet John Keats and a neighbor woman, beautifully acted and filmed.
12. INVICTUS--Nominated for Best Actor (Morgan Freeman) and Best Supporting Actor (Matt Damon), this is an engrossing "based on true events" story by director Clint Eastwood. *See earlier blog of INVICTUS for more info.*
13. AVATAR--An unofficial remake of DANCES WITH WOLVES, except now set on another planet and featuring blue creatures instead of the Red man. The film impresses with thoughtful and wondrous special effects, and excellent technical achievements. Nominated for 9 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and 7 technical nominations. *See earlier AVATAR blog for more comments.*
14. BRONSON--Played at SIFF this year, but yet to open in Seattle, this is a stylish, actor driven, fascinating film based on a real life habitual criminal in Great Britain who has spent most of his adult life behind bars for various violent crimes including murder. Lead actor Tom Hardy is stunning. Watch for this film to play (probably briefly) this year.
15. UP IN THE AIR--Nominated for 6 Oscars included Best Picture, Director, Actor, Supporting Actress X2 and Best Screenplay. *See previous UP IN THE AIR blog for more comments.*
16. EVERY LITTLE STEP--A suspenseful and entertaining documentary about the recent casting experience for a new Broadway version of A CHORUS LINE. It plays like an adult version of AMERICAN IDOL with drama, tears, twists, music and dancing.
17. DISTRICT 9--A sensational and lurid science-fiction film with many blood splattered moments, laughs, thrills and haunting themes including racism, prejudice, discrimination and political abuse. Nominated for 4 Academy Awards, including Best Picture(!?!), Adapted Screenplay and Best Visual Effects.
18. AN EDUCATION--Now nominated for 3 Oscars, including Best Picture, Screenplay and Actress (Carey Mullingan). *See previous AN EDUCATION blog for more comments.*
19. 500 DAYS OF SUMMER--A wacky, funny, quirky romantic comedy, it's a lot of fun to watch.
20. THE FANTASTIC MR. FOX--Now nominated for 2 Oscars--Best Animated Feature Film, and best Original Score. *See previous THE FANTASTIC MR. FOX blog for more comments.*
21. CORALINE--Based on a twisted Neil Gaimen "children's novel," this also makes for clever and witty adult entertainment. Nominated for 1 Oscar--Best Animated Feature Film.
22. MOON--A low budget wonder, this deceptively simple science-fiction film has one set (a moon digging operation) and one actor (a very good Sam Rockwell) but manages to cast a haunting and disturbing spell when a second character appears
23. HURT LOCKER--There's excruciating tension created by strong direction and acting, but where's the plot and the point? Nominated for 9 Oscars including Best Picture, Actor and Director.
24. --32.--ADVENTURELAND, AWAY WE GO, YOUNG VICTORIA, NICK AND NORA'S INFINITE PLAY LIST, I LOVE YOU MAN, TAKING WOODSTOCK, IN THE LOOP, STAR TREK, LITTLE ASHES.
Also loved Oscar nominated Jeff Bridges in CRAZY HEART, the Oscar Nominated set direction and costumes in SHERLOCK HOLMES and NINE, Oscar nominee for Animated Feature The PRINCESS and the FROG, the docu Oscar nominated FOOD INC and possibly more TBA.
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worst films.......Lovely Bones, Observe and Report, Bride Wars, Cold Souls and G-Force.
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2. A SERIOUS MAN--Takes Jewish angst to new and hilariously "everyman" heights. Now nominated for Best Picture and Screenplay Oscars. *See earlier A SERIOUS MAN blog for more comments.*
3. CHERRY BLOSSOMS--A smash hit during the 2008 Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) session where it won best picture, this German/Japanese film by director Doris Dorrie played a short run earlier this year in Seattle. An aging couple with preoccupied adult children scattered around the world decide to visit them all with the final destination being Tokyo where their furthest flung son now lives. Of course, things don't go according to an ideal plan, but this moving film shows us how even in disappointment and tragedy and loneliness, life has many pleasures to offer us. A beautiful celebration of life.
4. SUMMER HOURS, a French film about the emotional and intellectual impact of executing the estate of a loved one.
5. DEPARTURES, a Japanese film about a young man who becomes a preparer of dead bodies, much to his shame and ultimate satisfaction in helping the living appreciate life--the preceding three films very happy and sad at the same time--watch these with a box of Kleenex handy. Please see March 1 blog for more info on SUMMER HOURS and DEPARTURES.
6. THE COVE--One of the best documentaries shown at the SIFF this year, this film plays like a very intense, very serious MISSION IMPOSSIBLE episode, but with a very powerful political agenda. A diverse group of skin-divers, camera men, advocates and politicos attempt to expose the wasteful and cruel slaughter of innocent dolphins in THE COVE in Japan--a world wide scandal being suppressed by the Japanese government with the cooperation of other nations. A very empowering film, and hopefully now that it has a well deserved Oscar nomination for best Documentary Film, this issue will receive greater world wide attention.
7. INGLORIOUS BASTERDS--Filled with many fine intense scenes that keep building to something--you don't know what is going to happen, or how it is going to happen, but the dread and suspense keep coming, and keep you riveted, and satisfy you, finally, with horrible violence or a shocking moment or a big laugh. Director/writer Quentin Tarintino's best film yet. This totally creative "anti-Nazi fantasy film" has been nominated for 8 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Director, Supporting Actor and Original Screenplay.
8. UP--Creative, delightful and emotionally textured 3-D (although non-3-D is just as good) animated film from Disney and Pixar, this lovely, wacky gem has been nominated for 5 Oscars including Best Picture and Best Animated Picture, Screenplay, and for the likable musical score.
9. THE HANGOVER--Crude, lewd, and very funny, this adult comedy has the best laughs of the year, along with a wacky plot that unfolds like a murder mystery: What exactly, did happened last night?--with each revelation weirder than the last. What!!!!--no Oscar Nominations??!!???
10. A SINGLE MAN--Now nominated for Best Actor (Colin Firth), a moving and thoughtful "day in the life of" film with a lot of style and intrigue. *Please see my recent earlier blog of A SINGLE MAN for more info.*
11. BRIGHT STAR--A sensitive, subtle story of the unrealised and tragic love affair between poet John Keats and a neighbor woman, beautifully acted and filmed.
12. INVICTUS--Nominated for Best Actor (Morgan Freeman) and Best Supporting Actor (Matt Damon), this is an engrossing "based on true events" story by director Clint Eastwood. *See earlier blog of INVICTUS for more info.*
13. AVATAR--An unofficial remake of DANCES WITH WOLVES, except now set on another planet and featuring blue creatures instead of the Red man. The film impresses with thoughtful and wondrous special effects, and excellent technical achievements. Nominated for 9 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and 7 technical nominations. *See earlier AVATAR blog for more comments.*
14. BRONSON--Played at SIFF this year, but yet to open in Seattle, this is a stylish, actor driven, fascinating film based on a real life habitual criminal in Great Britain who has spent most of his adult life behind bars for various violent crimes including murder. Lead actor Tom Hardy is stunning. Watch for this film to play (probably briefly) this year.
15. UP IN THE AIR--Nominated for 6 Oscars included Best Picture, Director, Actor, Supporting Actress X2 and Best Screenplay. *See previous UP IN THE AIR blog for more comments.*
16. EVERY LITTLE STEP--A suspenseful and entertaining documentary about the recent casting experience for a new Broadway version of A CHORUS LINE. It plays like an adult version of AMERICAN IDOL with drama, tears, twists, music and dancing.
17. DISTRICT 9--A sensational and lurid science-fiction film with many blood splattered moments, laughs, thrills and haunting themes including racism, prejudice, discrimination and political abuse. Nominated for 4 Academy Awards, including Best Picture(!?!), Adapted Screenplay and Best Visual Effects.
18. AN EDUCATION--Now nominated for 3 Oscars, including Best Picture, Screenplay and Actress (Carey Mullingan). *See previous AN EDUCATION blog for more comments.*
19. 500 DAYS OF SUMMER--A wacky, funny, quirky romantic comedy, it's a lot of fun to watch.
20. THE FANTASTIC MR. FOX--Now nominated for 2 Oscars--Best Animated Feature Film, and best Original Score. *See previous THE FANTASTIC MR. FOX blog for more comments.*
21. CORALINE--Based on a twisted Neil Gaimen "children's novel," this also makes for clever and witty adult entertainment. Nominated for 1 Oscar--Best Animated Feature Film.
22. MOON--A low budget wonder, this deceptively simple science-fiction film has one set (a moon digging operation) and one actor (a very good Sam Rockwell) but manages to cast a haunting and disturbing spell when a second character appears
23. HURT LOCKER--There's excruciating tension created by strong direction and acting, but where's the plot and the point? Nominated for 9 Oscars including Best Picture, Actor and Director.
24. --32.--ADVENTURELAND, AWAY WE GO, YOUNG VICTORIA, NICK AND NORA'S INFINITE PLAY LIST, I LOVE YOU MAN, TAKING WOODSTOCK, IN THE LOOP, STAR TREK, LITTLE ASHES.
Also loved Oscar nominated Jeff Bridges in CRAZY HEART, the Oscar Nominated set direction and costumes in SHERLOCK HOLMES and NINE, Oscar nominee for Animated Feature The PRINCESS and the FROG, the docu Oscar nominated FOOD INC and possibly more TBA.
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worst films.......Lovely Bones, Observe and Report, Bride Wars, Cold Souls and G-Force.
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