War Horse Podcast

I finally see all 9 Best Picture nominees with a viewing of War Horse.  Listen as my friend Erik and me as we discuss Spielberg's historical drama!

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Nominations Podcast

The nominations came, and there were definitely some small and big surprises.

For the categories I predicted (not including Best Picture, with its confusing new rules), I went 30/35, or 86%.  Last year I got 87%, so I'm consistent at least.  Listen below for my thoughts!  Or, find us on itunes!

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Final Oscar Predictions

Oscar nomination morning is tomorrow (kind of like Christmas for me....) so it's time to do my final predictions.

This year is trickier than most, I think.  There are a few categories that feel really unsettled.   I'll list what I predict in order of likelihood.  We'll see how I do!

Picture

The Artist
The Descendants
The Help
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball

Possibilities
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
The Tree of Life
War Horse
Bridesmaids
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

This is obviously the hardest to predict as, due to some sort of complex new rules, there will be anywhere between 5-10 nominees.  I'm going with 6 for now, although I almost went with 7 and put in Dragon Tattoo.

Actor

George Clooney, The Descendants
Brad Pitt, Moneyball
Jean DuJardin, The Artist
Michael Fassbender, Shame
Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Possibilities
Leonardo DiCaprio, J. Edgar
Michael Shannon, Take Shelter
Damian Bechir, A Better Life

The top 4 I'm predicting have shown up the most often on the precursors.  The Top 3 are surefire, the last 2 I'm not so sure.  Is Shame too explicit? Will they really nominate Leo for a movie nobody loved?  Will the Brits in the Academy nominate Oldman?  Will Shannon surprise, as he did for Revolutionary Road a few years ago?  Perhaps against my better judgment, I'm betting against Leo in a Eastwood biopic and instead going with Gary Oldman for the last spot.  We shall see.

Actress

Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Viola Davis, The Help
Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn
Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
Tilda Swinton, We Need to Talk About Kevin

Possibilities
Rooney Mara, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Charlize Theron, Young Adult
Elizabeth Olsen, Martha Marcy May Marlene
Kirsten Dunst, Melancholia
Kristen Wiig, Bridesmaids

The 5 I'm predicting are kind of the consensus list.  In a really strong year for Best Actress contenders, I'm wondering if we won't see a surprise.  I won't be too surprised if Mara shows up since she is getting lots of buzz.  I will be thrilled if Theron or Olsen somehow makes it in.

Supporting Actor

Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Albert Brooks, Drive
Nick Nolte, Warrior

Possibilities
Corey Stoll, Midnight in Paris
Brad Pitt, The Tree of Life
Patton Oswalt, Young Adult
Ben Kingsley, Hugo
Viggo Mortenson, A Dangerous Method

As with Best Actress, I'm playing it safe and going with the consensus list.  I feel like someone unexpected might make it through though.  I'm most hoping for Stoll (an amazing Ernest Hemingway) or Pitt (giving him 2 nominations).

Supporting Actress

Octavia Spencer, The Help
Berenice Bejo, The Artist
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs

Possibilites
Shailene Woodley, The Descendants
Carey Mulligan, Shame
Vanessa Redgrave, Coriolanus

This seems very much like a 6-person race.  I think either McTeer or Woodley is out.  I'm guessing Woodley gets left out.

Director

Michel Hazanivicus, The Artist
Martin Scorsese, Hugo
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
Alexander Payne, The Descendants
Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life

Possibilities
David Fincher, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Tate Taylor, The Help
Nicolas Winding Refn, Drive
Asghar Fahadi, A Separation

Even though I'm not predicting The Tree of Life (my favorite of the year) for a Best Picture nomination, I still think Malick will make it through here.  I'm hoping that at least the director's branch will see what a true directorial vision The Tree of Life was.  Wishful thinking perhaps, but my fingers are crossed.

Original Screenplay

Midnight in Paris
The Artist
Bridesmaids
50/50
A Separation

Possibilities
Win Win
Young Adult
Margin Call

Adapted Screenplay

The Descendants
Moneyball
The Help
Hugo
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Possibilites
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
The Ides of March

Golden Globes Live Blog

Overall thoughts...... not an overly exciting show, but it certainly helped to clarify the Oscar race.  It looks like George Clooney, Christopher Plummer, and Octavia Spencer are ahead in the race for Oscar.  I think Actress is still a nice 3-way race between Streep, Michelle Williams, and Viola Davis (who just won the Broadcast Film Critics Award).

Also, Ricky Gervais was a bit much even for me.  Let's get someone else next year.

Thanks for following!!

10:55

Motion Picture Drama.... The Descendants.  Meh.  More thoughts on this movie here.

11/14.

10:48

Actor in a Drama....George Clooney in The Descendants.  I really don't want this performance to win the Oscar.  I found The Descendants pretty disappointing and was hoping Brad Pitt could come through here.  Ah well.

10/13, my percentage is dropping.

10:40

Best Picture Comedy/Musical... The Artist, of course.  And UGGIE the dog comes on stage!!  Have you all seen The Artist yet?  It's certainly the crowd-pleaser of the year.  10/12

10:35

Actress in a Drama.... Meryl Streep in The Iron Lady.  So gracious in her speech.  I love Meryl but I was hoping Viola would win this one.  I certainly had my problems with The Help, but Viola added so much to that movie.  Didn't predict another one, so 9/11.

10:25

Actor Comedy/Musical.... Jean DuJardin in the Artist.  I've heard he's just been learning some English to work the awards circuit.  Quite impressive I think.  Also love the silent bit!  9/10 so far.

10:17

TV Comedy.... Modern Family!  I'm certainly glad Glee didn't win, because I think it's jumped the shark about 20 times over.  I really like Modern Family, but why no nominations for 30 Rock or Parks and Recreation??

Also, the translation bit is funny, but a little rehearsed, like they were too sure they would win.

10:13

Best Director.... Martin Scorsese for Hugo.  Not my absolute favorite of the nominated movies, but you can tell it was such a labor of love for Scorsese.  I love how much he loves movies.

Doing well on my predictions!  8/9.

10:02

Cecil B. DeMille Honorary award to Morgan Freeman.  What are your favorite performances?  I like Shawshank, Glory, and Unforgiven.  Damn it if I didn't tear up watching those Shawshank clips.

9:47

Supporting Actress... Octavia Spencer in The Help.  While not my favorite performance in The Help (I was hoping Jessica Chastain would win this), I'm glad for her.  This was a competitive category, so this may just set her on the path to Oscar.

7/8 on my predictions.

9:44

Actor in a Comedy.... Matt LeBlanc in Episodes.  This just reminds me that I wasted a lot of hours in my life watching friends.

9:36

Actress in a TV Drama... Claire Danes in Homeland.  Angela Chase (from My So-Called Life) will always hold a place in my heart.

9:32

Foreign Film.... A Separation.  I've only heard remarkable things about this movie.  I cannot wait to see it.

6/7 so far.

9:24

Supporting Actress/TV.... Jessica Lange, American Horror Story.  Have not seen this, but I know that it also stars Connie Britten from Friday Night Lights.  Her portrayal of Tami Taylor over 5 seasons of FNL was truly a work of beauty.  Watch them all if you haven't.

9:22

Best Screenplay.... Midnight in Paris.  5/6.  Woody NEVER comes to awards shows.  He didn't even show up to the Oscars when he won Best Picture in '77 for Annie Hall.

9:13

Animated Film.... The Adventures of Tintin.  I've only seen Rango of the nominees, and I was not a big fan.

4/5

9:10

Supporting Actor in TV... Peter Dinklage in Game of Thrones.  Another I'm looking forward to catching up with on DVD.  Also, do you think other little people are mad that Dinklage gets every single role written for them??

9:02

Erection joke from Seth Rogen. Classic.

Actress in Comedy/Musical..... course Michelle Williams for the "hysterically funny" My Week With Marilyn.  The joke is that they only qualified it in Comedy/Musical (an easier category for Michelle to win) by having a couple musical numbers in it.  3/4 on my predictions.

8:59

Actor in a Drama.... Idris Elba!! I haven't seen the show Luther, but I will ALWAYS be excited when an alum from The Wire wins something.  And he was up against McNulty.  Go Stringer!

8:50

Best Score... The Artist.  How could it not win?  Without dialogue, it had so much work to do. 2/2

Best Song... Masterpiece from W.E.  This movie was directed by Madonna and looks really bad.  The Globes really love their stars... I missed this one, so 2/3.  Also, why does Madonna always slip in and out of a British accent?

8:36

Actor TV Drama.... Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) in Boss.  I know nothing about this show.  I am in the midst of watching Breaking Bad Season 2, and Bryan Cranston is awesome. He should have won.

TV Series Drama.... Homeland.  I've heard great things but I am cableless and it's on Showtime.  Guess I'll wait for Netflix.

8:21

TV Movie/Miniseries.... Downton Abbey of course because it is so crazy good and addicting.  Watch Season 1 if you haven't-it's on Netflix Watch Now.  I can't wait to catch up with Season 2.

Actress Miniseries/Movie... Katie Winslet in Mildred Pierce of course.  She's probably my favorite modern actress.  And looking good tonight.

8:15

TV Comedy Actress.... Laura Dern in Enlightened.  Haven't seen this show but heard it's good and am really glad that Zooey Deschanel didn't win.  I was hoping for a Tina Fey or Amy Poehler speech, though.

8:10

Supporting Actor... Christopher Plummer in Beginners!  A great performance if you haven't seen the movie yet.  I expect he'll be repeating this at the Oscars. 1/1 on predictions.

8:06

Wow, Ricky Gervais is trying to outdo his off-color remarks from last year.  The Jodie Foster and Justin Bieber remarks especially.... yikes.

7:46

OK, the fashion portion of the show is definitely not my strong suit.  Nevertheless, I have to say that Charlize Theron, Tina Fey, Viola Davis, and Emma Stone were looking great.  And I love Amy Poehler, but her dress is terrible.  Also, I find Zooey Deschanel and think she acts like she is 16. She said she painted her nails with tuxedos so that they were her date..... ugh.

7:00

I'll be liveblogging tonight for the Golden Globes, which have become the awards seasons second-biggest night.  They are important for a couple of reasons.  They give us a sense of momentum in the race, and, if winners give really great acceptance speeches, it can definitely help them on their road to Oscars.... So Below is my blog.  Newest posts will be on top!

Before the red carpet even starts, here are some predictions for the movie categories!

Picture-Drama (The Descendants, The Help, Hugo, The Ides of March, Moneyball, War Horse)
Will Win: The Descendants
Runner Up: The Help
Should Win: Moneyball

Tough call.  I think it could go The Descendants, The Help, or Hugo.

Actor-Drama (George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael Fassbender, Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt)
Will Win: Brad Pitt (Moneyball)
Alternate: George Clooney (The Descendants)
Should Win: Michael Fassbender (Shame)

This is definitely Clooney vs. Pitt, and I really hope Pitt pulls it out.  He was so terrific in Moneyball, and I think Clooney has given better performances before.

Actress-Drama (Glenn Close, Viola Davis, Rooney Mara, Meryl Streep, Tilda Swinton)
Will Win: Viola Davis (The Help)
Alternate: Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady)
Should Win: Viola Davis.  Actually the only one I've seen, but she deserves it.

A real horse race between Davis and Streep, as I expect it might be throughout the rest of the season.

Picture-Comedy/Musical (50/50, The Artist, Bridesmaids, Midnight in Paris, My Week with Marilyn)
Will Win: The Artist
Alternate: Midnight in Paris
Should Win: The Artist

Nothing much to say.  The Artist will definitely win here.  Last year this category was kind of a dumping ground, but this year a lot of really good movies showed up.

Actor-Comedy/Musical (Jean DuJardin, Brendan Gleeson, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ryan Gosling, Owen Wilson)
Will Win: Jean DuJardin (The Artist)
Alternate: Joseph Gordon-Levitt (50/50)
Should Win: Jean DuJardin (The Artist)

The Comedy/Musical acting awards are very locked up.

Actress-Comedy/Musical (Jodie Foster, Charlize Theron, Kristen Wiig, Michelle Williams, Kate Winslet)
Will Win: Michelle Williams (My Week With Marilyn)
Alternate: Kristen Wiig (Bridesmaids)
Should Win: Charlize Theron (Young Adult0

Another lock.

Supporting Actor (Kenneth Branagh, Albert Brooks, Jonah Hill, Viggo Mortenson, Christopher Plummer)
Will Win: Christopher Plummer (Beginners)
Alternate: Kenneth Branagh (My Week With Marilyn)
Should Win: Christopher Plummer (Beginners)

Supporting Actress (Berenice Bejo, Jessica Chastain, Janet McTerr, Octavia Spencer, Shailene Woodley)
Will Win: Octavia Spencer (The Help)
Alternate: Berenice Bejo (The Artist)
Should Win: Jessica Chastain (The Help)

A little up in the air category.  Hard to pick between Spencer and Bejo, and I even think Chastain has a chance.  Look for whoever wins here to get major Oscar momentum.

Director (Woody Allen, George Clooney, Michel Hazanivicus, Alexander Payne, Martin Scorsese)
Will Win: Martin Scorsese (Hugo)
Alternate: Michel Hazanivicus (The Artist)
Should Win: Michel Hazanivicus (The Artist)

If Hazanivicus wins, The Artist is on a major role.  The Globes tends to love star directors though, so my money is on Scorsese.

Other quick predicitions:
Foreign Film: A Separation
Screenplay: Midnight in Paris
Original Song: The Living Proof (The Help)
Score: The Artist
Animated: The Adventures of Tintin

Review Round-Up: The Artist, Hugo, Shame, Young Adult....

Now is the time of year when studios release “Oscar” movies,  movies I missed in theaters come out on DVD, and I get a nice little break from work.  Needelss to say, I’ve recently seen a few 2011 releases.  Here are some thoughts on them.

  

In Theaters

The Artist

The Artist is a silent, black-and-white, French movie that is the crowd-pleaser of the year and probably the frontrunner for Best Picture.  I was thoroughly charmed by The Artist.   The story is about movie star George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) who spirals down with the advent of “talkies,” and the young ingénue Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo), who finds her own star on the rise.  These two actors, prominent in their native France, could not be more well-suited to their roles.  Director Michel Havanicus stages the movie with limited dialogue cards, and the two stars have to portray so much with their faces and bodies.  They echo the greats of the past while at the same time feeling completely fresh.

 For a lover of film such as myself, The Artist has numerous points of reference that play not as steals but rather as loving echoes to great films of the past.  The story has clear hints of A Star is Born, Singin’ in the Rain, and Sunset Boulevard, while stylistic elements remind viewers of Citizen Kane, The Thin Man series (the adorable dog!!), and Fred and Ginger movies.  With all of this nostalgic look back, is there a message for us now?  I’m not quite sure, and I don’t quite think it has the depth of Far From Heaven (2002), where director Todd Haynes used the style of 1950s melodrama to both portray and comment upon that time period and our own.   A lark it may be, but it’s a delightful trip for movie buffs and casual viewers alike.

Grade: A-

Hugo

Hugo is another movie that looks backward at silent film.  It’s not giving too much away to say that this story of  a young orphan in a Paris train station eventually expands to include a celebration of the advent of film.  Hugo comes to us from director Martin Scorsese, but this is certainly not the Mean Streets of gangsters, boxers, or taxi drivers.  Scorsese and his collaborators have created a movie that has to be one of the most gorgeously designed movies I’ve seen.  The train station is intricately detailed, the costumes are colorful and distinctive, and all of Paris feels pulled out of a storybook (as it was adapted from the wonderful young adult book The Adventures of Hugo Cabret). 

Hugo consists, more or less, or two halves.  One half shows us Hugo’s life in the train station, his meeting of a young friend, and his obsession with an “automaton” of his dead father’s.  The second half shifts our focus onto “Papa George,” an elderly man who runs a toy shop in the train station.  As the movie develops, the two stories intersect in ways that I won’t fully reveal here.  I think the movie is strongest in its first half hour or so, as we are brought into this gorgeous world, and in its second half, and the emotional heft of the film hits the viewer.   For what is a family movie, it feels a little overlong, and I think Scorsese could have cut about 15 minutes and made a tighter, stronger movie.  It’s a labor of love for Scorsese and, like The Artist, sure to be a hit for those who are emotional about the movies.

Grade: B+

Shame

Care to take a turn away from the nostalgia and sweetness of The Artist and Hugo?  Shame is most decidedly a movie about the way some people live now, trapped in money and gratification over relationships.  Michael Fassbender gives what I think is the performance of the year in this movie about a sex addict.  This movie, somewhat infamous for its NC-17 rating, is both fairly explicit and decidedly unsexy. 

Michael is a character who treats his whole life as an opportunity for sexual escape, and director Steve McQueen (no, not the 1970s star) does an excellent job of consuming us in his head as the movie opens.  The somewhat minimalist plot is primarily about Michael’s relationship with his sister Sissy, played by Carey Mulligan, a similarly troubled person who comes to visit him.  Fassbender and Mulligan are absolutely fearless and riveting in their roles as damaged siblings.  I was also impressed by Nicole Beharie who plays a co-worker of Brandon’s who tries to have a normal romantic relationship with him.  The plot of this movie is not so different from addiction movies you’ve seen before, but what sets it apart is the supreme directorial control over the movie.  McQueen films scenes in long takes that immerse you in the experience, cause discomfort, and allow for reflection.  Easy to watch it’s not, but I think it’s one of the best movies of the year.

Grade: A

Young Adult

I was decidedly not a fan of screenwriter Diablo Cody’s annoying contrived Juno, so I went into this movie with low-to-moderate expectations.  I’m happy to say that it was easily one of the most pleasant surprises of the year.

Charlize Theron plays Mavis, a young-adult fiction ghostwriter who returns to her small Minnesota town to try to win back her high school boyfriend, who happens to be married with a  child.  Mavis does some truly terrible things in this movie, and I know her character turns some people off of the movie.  I couldn’t get enough of Charlize Theron’s brilliant performance.  She makes Mavis both hilarious and pathetic.  I also credit Diablo Cody with writing a script that doesn’t go for the easy notes or the tidy ending.  She pushes Mavis’ actions to their logical conclusion. 

Grade: A

On DVD

A Better Life

Mexican actor Demian Bechir recently received a surprise Screen Actors Guild nomianation for this movie, and he is excellent.  He plays an illegal-immigrant gardener in L.A. who is struggling to make a better living for his teenage son, who is also being tempeted by the gang life.  If the story sounds a bit familiar, it’s because it feels that way as you are watching it too.  While Bechir was very strong in the lead role, the whole movie felt overly familiar, like a TV-movie I’ve seen before.

Grade: C+

Crazy, Stupid, Love

In a landscape of romantic comedies which I usually avoid at all costs, this movie came as a pleasant surprise.   I can’t remember the last rom-com I saw where I didn’t anticipate every plot twist, and this time I didn’t.  The movie takes it’s time looking at it’s central 4 characters, played by Steve Carrell, Julianne Moore, Ryan Gosling, and Emma Stone.  With a cast like that, we expect some great acting moments, and the foursome delivered.  I especially liked the interactions between Ryan Gosling, as a young lothario, and Emma Stone, as a more reserved young lawyer. These two actors are obviously two stars on the rise, and it is fun to watch them together.  I was less impressed at the subplot involving Carrell and Moore’s teenage son and the babysitter, and the movie doesn’t entirely steer clear of clichés.  All in all, though, a fun, light movie with some really good performances.

Grade: B

Margin Call

Sporting a prominent cast that includes Kevin Spacey, Jeremy Irons, and Demi Moore, this is a fictional movie detailing the fall of a Lehman Brotherseque financial firm.  I liked the way the movie is tightly focused and takes place all in several hours.  It gives viewers a good sense of what is might have felt like when everything fell apart.  I appreciated it more on an intellectual level, however, than an emotional one.  This movie has been winning a lot of best first director prizes, rather surprisingly , over Martha Marcy May Marlene, and I don’t quite see the enthusiasm.

 Grade: B

Meek’s Cutoff

The third feature from director Kelly Reichart, who made Wendy and Lucy and Old Joy.  This movie travels far back in time to look at pioneers traversing the arid terrain through Oregon.  I loved the way this movie deconstructs the whole Western genre.  There are fights here, but they are over hushed campfires and not done on horseback.  There is “Cowboy-Indian” drama, but it is mysterious and fraught with anxiety rather than moral certitude.  Michelle Williams has the lead role as the most independent of the travelers, and Bruce Greenwood is ominous as the unhinged Meek, who is leading the group.  It’s sense of foreboding and ambivalence is a little unsettling to watch, but this is a movie that has stayed with me.   


Grade: B+

Podcast: Melancholia

I'm back with my third podcast (joined once again by my wife Emily) to discuss Lars Von Trier's Melancholia.

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The Descendants and The Muppets

The Descendants

There are few modern directors who I admire and enjoy as much as Alexander Payne. Before The Descendants, he only made 4 movies, but they add to quite a considerable achievement. After warming up with the very funny satire Citizen Ruth (1996), Payne perfected his comic timing in Election (1999), one of the best movies of one of the best years in modern cinema. He then added more humanity and heartbreak in About Schmidt (2002), and created another winner with the almost-great comedy-drama Sideways (2004).

After a 7 year hiatus, he's back with The Descendants, which is picking up great reviews and a lot of Oscar buzz. I'm sorry to say that it is, while definitely worth seeing, my least favorite of his films.

I came away from The Descendants thinking it was very enjoyable but also feeling let down that it was not more terrific. It's a comedy-drama (definitely leaning more towards the drama) about Matt King (George Clooney), a wealthy lawyer in Hawaii whose wife is in a coma. He then finds out she had been having an affair and, accompanied by his two daughters, vows to find this man.

There are so many great things about The Descendants that I'm still trying to figure out why I didn't like it more. As he did with Omaha in his first 3 movies, and with Santa Barbara in Sideways, Payne does a great job of providing an authentic setting with the Hawaii of this movie. It's beautiful, yes, but also a little odd and rough around the edges. It feels like a place where people really live. The cast is also uniformly excellent. Clooney is as good as ever, and the supporting performances are strong. Shailene Woodley is believeable and prickly as Clooney's troubled teenage daughter. My personal favorite was Judy Greer, who shows a lot of depth and emotion in just a couple key scenes.

So why didn't I like it more? To me, it seemed to be milking the sentiment a little too heavily, and I didn't feel like we quite got inside the characters enough to become fully invested. It's not giving too much away to say that Matt's wife is in a coma throughout the movie. What was she like? How did she act? We get clues, but don't really know. And yet she is a key part of most of the emotional scenes. I also felt like the subplot, about selling a piece of land in Hawaii, didn't quite connect enough to the main story or have enough emotional heft on its own.

All of this is not to say skip the movie. By all means see it. Alexander Payne is a talented director and there are many things to like about this movie. It just didn't meet by admittedly sky-high expectations.

Grade: B-

The Muppets

If there's a movie from the past few years where I smiled more, I don't know what it is. My wife, friend, and I saw this movie at 7:30 on a Friday night. The theater was probably about about 80% folks in their 20s and 30s. Are we a tad nostalgic?

The Muppets completely plays on the nostalgia of its older audience members. The concept of the movie is that the Muppets are now washed up (except for Ms. Piggy, now a Vogue editor), and have to come back together to save their old theater. Yes, the old "let's put on a show" plot, which the movie acknowledges with a gigantic wink.

The human friends of this movie are Jason Segal and Amy Adams. They are so wide-eyed, wholesome, fun, and game, that they fit right in with the Muppets. There is also an endearing new Muppet, Walter, who is the brother to Jason Segal's character.

It's hard to remember all the parts that made me smile and laugh, but they were plentiful. The movie struck just the right tone between sentiment, corny humor, and modern in-jokes. If you love the classic Muppet movies, you will definitely need to see this. It perhaps has a few too many plot points that don't get tied up as well as they should, but that's a small quibble for such an enjoyable movie.

Grade: B+

Podcast: Martha Marcy May Marlene

After a successful first podcast, we're back with another! This time I'm joined by my wife Emily to discuss the fascinating Martha Marcy May Marlene. Have a listen!

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2011 Catch-Up: Beginners, Harry Potter, The Help, Drive, Jane Eyre, Moneyball

My movie reviews have been woefully lacking as of late, but I have seen several 2011 movies and wanted to give my opinions.  Here are 6 movies I've recently seen,  all extremely different, and I think worth seeing in their own way.

Beginners

Beginners is a low-key, whimsical movie about loss and love among a depressed man (Ewan McGregor), his new love interest (Melanie Laurent), and his recently out-of-the-closet father (Christopher Plummer).  I saw this back in July, enjoyed it, and yet it's a bit hard for me to write about now.  Perhaps that's not the best sign.  The movie switches back and forth between  present, recent past, and distant past. The flashbacks are definitely the more interesting part of the movie.  As much as I like Melanie Laurent (she was the second best part of Inglorious Basterds), the love story is significantly less interesting than the family story.  Worth seeing though, and it's looking like Christopher Plummer may be a very strong contender for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination.

Grade: B-

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II

I'm a HP fan, but not a superfan.  I've read all of the books exactly once and seen all of the movies exactly once.  I don't freak out if the movies are not exactly like the books-I actually don't think that is a filmmaker's job at at all.  So now that the series is over, how did the do wrapping it up?

While the movies tend to blend together a bit, the final movie went out with a pretty good bang.  It was certainly an improvement over the belabored whining of the characters in the Deathly Hallows Part I.  It ties up the loose ends, and even gives us a peek into the future.  There is definitely something missing, though.  Harry Potter is fun because of the humor and childlike wonder at the magic.  The Deathly Hallows is extremely dark, and I couldn't help but miss some of the whimsical fun from the earlier movies.  And yet, who can resist the great British cast doing their best in the final installment?  Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, Maggie Smith, and Alan Rickman?  Yes please.  It was a great series of books, and on the whole pretty fun movies as well.

Grade: B

The Help

An old-fashioned tearjerker made from a hugely successful novel, there are many ways this movie could have failed, and yet it remains highly watchable and engaging, for two main reasons:  Author Kathryn Stockett, who wrote a really entertaining story, and the amazing cast of actresses who bring the characters to life.  Where to start?  Viola Davis gives her all, which is a hell of a lot, in the key role of Aibileen, the role which should be the focus of the movie.  Emma Stone is also really charming in the role of Skeeter which (unfortunately) is the focus of the movie.  My other favorite performance is probably by the best breakout actress of the year, Jessica Chastain, as Celia Foote.  Did I mention Octavia Spencer, Sissy Spacek, or Bryce Dallas Howard?  All could be viewed as over the top, yes, but mostly in the right ways for a shoot for the rafters tearjerker.   Allison Janney, who I usually love, is the only actress who didn't quite convince me.  Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be a strong directorial vision behind these women.  The movie was given to a novice director, and he seems a little overly tied to the book, bringing in every subplot as he translates his frend's book.

So the movie is entertaining and I definitely shed a tear, but what of its much-discussed racial subtext?  It's had a lot of criticism (and defense) for its take on the civil rights movement.  I don't have a problem with a white woman deciding to tell a story set in this time.  I think she felt called to do so, and there is obvious heart and passion in her work.  My main issue with the movie is its portrayal of Southern racism.  The movie purports to show the terrible treatment of Southern maids, yet its criticism falls almost entirely on Hilly, who is shown as a racist bully with a small cadre of followers.  The rest of the characters are either kind to the maids (Skeeter, Celia, Hilly's mother), or eventually change their hearts (Skeeter's mother).  At a time of intense hatred, division, and violence in the South, this seems to be a little naive.  Instead of showing segregation as a symptom and relic of slavery and a racist past, it almost seems more like a way for a few meanies to show their hatred.  As much as I love Emma Stone, Skeeter also seems a little too good to be true.  Isn't she a little obviously a stand-in for the author herself?  Is she a believable Southern girl of 1963?  Not quite to me.

All in all, The Help is a very entertaining movie, gives some juicy roles to some great actresses, and does have points to make about the past.  Unfortunately, it's afraid to look that past squarely in its face.

Grade: B

Drive

Perhaps the most opposite movie to The Help.  Drive is a movie about a loner (Ryan Gosling) who makes his living as a Hollywood stunt driver.  He also makes an illegal living as a driver for those carrying out nocturnal heists.  Then, he gets involved with his neighbor (an excellent Carey Mulligan), her young son, and eventually, her ex-con husband.  That's when things start to go very wrong for him.

For the first half of Drive, I was transfixed.  Gosling is awesome in the taciturn role, further cementing his perch as the best young actor currently working.  European Nicolas Winding Refn shoots and imbibes the movie with such a sense of obvious cool, it's spellbinding.  It's also not a movie afraid to take its time setting up its story.  Then comes the second half, where I was still transfixed, but also a little repulsed.  That's because the movie gets brutally violent and doesn't really let up.  After a while, I wondered at the point.  The violence reminded me a bit of David Cronenberg's A History of Violence, yet that movie seemed to have more of a philosophical outlook that Drive lacks.  Drive seems to be using the violence more for artistic affect.  Cinephiles should definitely see this movie for its masterful acting, directing, and mood, but I would have preferred if this hugely talented director had a little more intellectual depth.

Grade: B+

Jane Eyre

Did we need another version of Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte's classic gothic romance that has been filmed umpteen times?  Perhaps not, but when you have a talented director and a great central pair, it still proves a highly engaging tale including such irresistible elements as a lost orphan, a crazy woman in the attic, a proto-feminist heroine, and repressed love.

The young Mia Wasikowska (so good in The Kids Are Alright) again proves her talent in the central role.  She is the right age and the right temperament for Jane, and she's not afraid to play the repressed emotions close to the chest.  Michael Fassbender is every bit her equal as Rochester.  A couple of minor quibbles with the movie.  It skips quickly over Jane's younger days, which are important for story development.  It also doesn't really re-imagine the story in any especially new way.  Nevertheless, worth seeing for a good story well told and well acted.

Grade: B

Moneyball

Does a movie about statistics sounds exciting?  Moneyball is a baseball movie that doesn't fixate on talented players, but rather on the statistical amalgamations of the team as a whole.  And it does a riveting job at tying you up in this world, where Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) throws out conventional wisdom and ties his team to the statistical theories of young economist Peter Brand (a surprisingly subdued Jonah Hill).

The movie kind of tells two stories.  One is the actual baseball season, the use of statistics, and how the characters react to this.  The other is the personal story of Billy, who was himself drafted into Major Leagues and turning out as a major disappointment.  Brad Pitt is terrific in the role, and I expect he'll be getting an Oscar nomination for this.  Jonah Hill is also great in his quietly funny role.  The movie also has quite a bit of heart, even if it seems a little strange to root for the guys who look at players in terms of numbers rather than as human beings.

It's a movie about change, risks, choices, and payoffs, and it's very very good.

Grade: A-

Cate Blanchett in the Flesh

A few weeks ago, I had the joy of seeing a true movie star, and one of my favorite actresses, live an on stage: Cate Blanchett. Besides being a fairly prolific actress, she also is the co-director (with her husband) of the Sydney Theater Company, which brought their production of Chekhov's Uncle Vanya here to DC's Kennedy Center. It was, quite simply, astonishing. I love Chekhov, and this is my favorite of his plays. The whole cast was also incredible. Besides Cate, the cast included Hugo Weaving (from The Matrix and various other creepy roles) and, in a small role, Jacki Weaver, who was nominated for a Supporting Actress Oscar in last year's Animal Kingdom.

But I'll focus on Cate. From the moment she walks out, it's clear she is a true star. She plays Yelena, a ravishing beauty who charms several of the men in the play, and she certainly fits the part. Watching her on stage, she had a certain charisma that I've only seen in a few actors. She has such a deep sense of her character's motivation that every gesture and inflection she made felt exactly right. And, I'll admit it, I'm still a bit starstruck. I've seen a few recognizable stars in person, and to me it's like a little magic from the screen coming to real life.

So, in honor of Cate, here are my 5 favorite film performances by her.

1.) Elizabeth (1998). While she made a couple movies before this, this was certainly her breakout role. And how. As Queen Elizabeth, the then 29-year-old Blanchett commanded the screen in a turn where she was truly transformed to young woman in love to powerful queen. I thought Gwyneth Paltrow was wonderful in Shakespeare in Love, but I'll still say Blanchett was robbed in losing out on the Oscar. I've avoided the sequel (Elizabeth: The Golden Age), which I heard was overwrought, perhaps so that I can cherish this performance.

2.) The Aviator (2004). One of my favorite actresses playing one of my other favorite actresses (Katharine Hepburn). Yes, please. The Aviator was an engaging and beautifully made movie, but Blanchett's performance was so good that you missed it when she was out of the movie for long streches.

3.) I'm Not There (2007). In Todd Haynes' artsy, fascinating fantasia on the life and persona of Bob Dylan, Blanchett plays "Jude" (but really, Bob Dylan). Dylan as female is perhaps the most eye-catching of the 6 portrayals of Dylan, but also the most riveting.

4.) The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999). Blanchett had a small role in this movie, but is was memorable. As a socialite who falls in love with the murderous Ripley (Matt Damon), Blanchett brings a  mix of sophistication and vulnerability to her scenes.

5.) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008). I liked, but didn't love, this movie. That said, for a movie that was showered with Oscar nominations, I was surprised that Blanchett was passed over for a nomination. She brought a lot of humanity to a film that sometimes didn't know how to find a consistent tone between whimsy and realism.

The Tree of Life + The Complete Terrence Malick

The Tree of Life has easily been the most polarizing movie of 2011. The movie received the Palme D'Or (the top prize) at Cannes,comes from a legendary director, and stars Bard Pitt and Sean Pitt. Even so, theaters across the nation have reported a 5% walkout rate, something I definitely saw at my screening. So what gives?

Well, The core of The Tree of Life is a stream of consciousness narrative of a young boy growing up in mid-20th Century Texas, living his childhood through two very different parents, a domineering father (Brad Pitt), and a beatific mother (newcomer Jessica Chastain). This is the main narrative and takes up at least 2/3 of the movie. The other part includes Biblical quotations, the origin of the universe, evolution, dinosaurs, and (perhaps) the afterlife. Suffice to say that this is not a traditional summer movie. So, is it a masterpiece or an overly ambitious, philosophical bore?

You can put me firmly in the masterpiece corner. I'm a big fan of Terrence Malick (see below), and I've definitely anticipated this movie for a while. It's a bit hard to even talk about this movie, so I'll start with the core of the movie and work my way out. I don't think I've ever seen a portrait of childhood (especially of boyhood) portrayed so accurately, beautifully, and painfully on screen. As we see Jack enter the world, discover nature and his family, and, eventually, struggle with his own demons, the story is told through moments both momentous and mundane. Isn't that how life is remembered? Brad Pitt is absolutely wonderful as the stern father, a character that is easy to both understand and vilify. The visuals, too, are absolutely stunning. Malick creates such a mood of reflection that I was almost oblivious to how much time had passed. I was content to spend time in Jack's life and watch glimpses as he grew up.

And onto the other parts of the movie (and a slight spoiler alert, I suppose). After a brief introduction the family, we follow the creation of the universe, evolution, and a conflicted dinosaur making a moral choice. Malick is ambitious, and this section of the movie (where many walkouts occur) resembles more a narrator-less nature show rather than a conventional movie. I was transfixed and mesmerized by the visuals and by thinking about its connection to the main story. The ending, where some characters are reunited, including the adult Jack (played by Sean Penn), is also visually beautiful, but I'm a little more conflicted as to its potency. I didn't dislike it, but I would definitely say it's on a slightly lower level than the rest of the movie.

To put it simply, I was blown away by The Tree of Life, although I understand it's not for all tastes. Lacking a driving narrative (beyond remembered moments), it's more of a movie to watch and let yourself be carried away in the visuals and philosophical questions it raises. I think it's one of the most important American movies in a long time.

Grade: A

The Complete Terrence Malick

Terrence Malick is a legendarily elusive and painstaking director. He came onto the scene in 1973 with Badlands and has only made 5 features.

If there's an image I associate with Malick, it's of insects on a blade of grass. It's very possible that every single one of his movies contain this image. Malick is interested in human stories, but also how they fit into the larger fold. He's also a filmmaker intimately concerned with the spiritual realm. Days of Heaven contains Biblical elements of judgment, The Thin Red Line seems to be almost a Buddhist war movie, and The Tree of Life has a hefty dose of Christian theology on sin, goodness, and evil. Malick views his characters, as small (migrant farmworkers in Days of Heaven) or large (Pocahantas and John Smith in The New World) as they are, as elements in a grander scheme.

Malick also has voiceover narration in each one of his movies, an element that allows us to think philosophically while admiring the stunning visuals of each of his movies. Here's my rankings of his output.

1. The New World (2005). I didn't see this movie until last year, and I was absolutely blown away. Malick tells the story of the Jamestown settlement and the meeting of John Smith and Pochahontas. What I love about this movie is its sense of discovery and newness, even while acknowledging the pain and death involved in this exploration and meeting. The spirit of nature suffuses the film, and I think this may have one of my favorite endings of all time.

Grade: A



2. The Tree of Life (2011). See above!

Grade: A

Dad's Gone
The Tree of Life at MOVIECLIPS.com

3. Badlands (1973). Perhaps the least typical of Malick's films. I see this movie as the anti-Bonnie and Clyde. It's about a young sociopath, played by Martin Sheen, who seduces a young girl (Sissy Spacek), kills her father, and embarks on a killing spree. These lovers on the lam aren't at all noble, they're just sad and confused and possibly mentally ill. Sissy Spacek gives a spectacularly weird performance, and Malick makes great use of discordant narration to create an unsettling and fascinating movie.

Grade: A-



4. Days of Heaven (1978). I recently watched this movie a second time, and it really grew on me. It's the story of migrant workers (one played by a young Richard Gere) who travel to Texas and try to con a wealthy farmer. It also includes interesting narration by a young girl which comments and deepens the action. A relatively simple story, told in short takes and minimal dialogue, that allows for thoughtful reflection on fate and life's choices.

Grade: A-



5. The Thin Red Line (1998). While the only one of Malick's films to earn a Best Picture nomination (although I'm keeping my fingers crossed for The Tree of Life), for me this is Malick's least successful film. It's the antithesis to a traditional war film, filled with almost no great sacrifice or reward. Soldiers fight and reflect. Some die, some live. The visuals in this movie are amazing and I love the idea of turning the war movie on its head. Unfortunately, the meditations and philosophy got a little repetitive and overlong and there are also so many famous actors in small roles in this movie that it almost becomes distracting from the story. Nonetheless, this is definitely a worthwhile and ambitious film.

Grade: B

Midnight in Paris and An Appraisal of Woody Allen

Midnight in Paris

I'm a pretty huge Woody Allen fan. Few moments in movies give me such a sense of pleasure as that basic white on black title sequence, usually paired with a lovely bit of classic American music. Yes, Woody repeats himself quite a bit, but when he's good, he's such a perceptive chronicler of relationships and human failings and when he's not THAT good, I still enjoy the signature rhythms and humor.

Which brings me to Midnight in Paris, his new film which opened this year's Cannes film festival. The main star of Midnight in Paris is certainly the city of Paris, or at least an idealized dream version of it shared by any appreciator of artists. This movie is a love letter to that city. Owen Wilson plays Gil (or really, you know, Woody), a neurotic writer who is engaged to marry a spoiled woman (Rachel McAdams) with horrible conservative parents. Through a magical occurrence, Gil is transported back to the Paris of the 20s, where he interacts with the Fitzgeralds, Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, Dali, and many others.

Midnight in Paris is a very charming film, if not quite in the top tier of Allen films. The sections set in the past are wonderful. The actors did a great job of portraying historical characters- I especially liked Corey Stoll as Hemingway, Alison Pil as Zelda Fitzgerald, and Adrien Brody as Dali. The modern day scenes were fun, but also a little too familiar. McAdams' character is so obviously wrong for Gil, the movie loses some tension it could have had. This movie does have an incredibly charming ending. It's predictable, yes, but in that way that makes it the best way the movie could have ended. I also think Owen Wilson might be the best surrogate Allen character we've seen in a long time. With the London of Match Point, Vicky Christina Barcelona, and now Midnight in Paris, I think Woody has found a lot of magic in Europe.

Grade: B+

Trailer #1

Midnight in Paris

— MOVIECLIPS.com

Ranking Woody's Films

By my count, I've seen 26 Woody Allen films, some several times and some only once and long ago. Here's my personal rankings (with thoughts on the top 10), with the caveat that it's been awhile since I've seen some of them.

1. Annie Hall (1977). Simply one of my favorite movies ever. I don't think there's a better or funnier movie about love found and lost. Just about every scene is classic.

2. The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985). A heartfelt love letter to the movies. I love the elements of fantasy and sadness that Allen brings.

3. Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989). The best of "serious" Woody, although there are funny parts too. Bleak and powerful.

4. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986). Another film that is just about perfect. So many engaging characters and so much to say about relationships.

5. Husbands and Wives (1992). The movie released after the Woody scandal. It's definitely interesting viewing (especially Woody's character's almost affair with a college student), and also bitterly funny and biting. Judy Davis gives an amazing performance.

6. Sleeper (1973). My favorite of the early pure comedies. A futuristic satire that's fall on the floor funny.

7. Vicky Christina Barcelona (2008). While Penelope Cruz (justly) got a lot of attention for her fiery role, I also feel this movie was a tad underrated. Breezy, sexy, and funny.

8. Another Woman (1988). Quite serious and very good. It's about a woman eavesdropping on a psychiatrist's sessions, and it's riveting.

9. Match Point (2005). This murder story, almost free of comedy, is reminiscent of Hitchcock and a total departure for Woody.

10. Manhattan (1979). Many people's favorite Allen movie, but I've never loved it quite as much. Still, a love letter to Allen's city with gorgeous cinematography and great performances,even if Mariel Hemingway's 17-year-old love interest induces a little queasiness with Allen's later history.

And the rest.....

11. Bullets Over Broadway (1994)

12. Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993)

13. Midnight in Paris (2010)

14. Love and Death (1975)

15. Small Time Crooks (2000)

16. Everyone Says I Love You (1996)

17. Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (1972)

18. Bananas (1971)

19. Sweet and Lowdown (1999)

20. Interiors (1978)

21. Radio Days (1987)

22. Broadway Danny Rose (1984)

23. Mighty Aphrodite (1995)

24. You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (2009)

25. Deconstructing Harry (1997)

26. September (1987)

The Complete Tom McCarthy

Movies: The Station Agent (2003), The Visitor (2008), Win Win (2011)

Oscar Nominations: None for directing, 1 for co-writing Up (2010)

Continuing my look at the complete works of some directors, I'm now looking at a relatively new writer-director who's made a nice mark from just 3 movies-Tom McCarthy. My first instinct was to write that McCarthy directs naturalistic and realistic movies. Then I realized that his plots concern a dwarf who lives in an abandoned railroad depot, a wealthy man who ends up rooming with two illegal immigrants squatting in his luxury apartment, and a lawyer who ends up as a caretaker for the grandson of a man he swindled. On second thought, McCarthy makes movies with sitcom-like situations. He rarely shoots them like sitcoms, though, instead finding a quiet rhythm that carries the situations to their logical conclusions and takes the audience along all the way.

All three of his movies have charming performances by all the lead performers. I actually can't think of a weak acting link in any of his movies. It's important that the actors are good, because his movies are so much about relationships among the characters. I also like how he strives to look at the goodness in humanity, in many ways a polar opposite to Darren Aronofsky, who I last wrote about. In all of his movies, a person (or people) are gradually opened up by the interactions of those around them. He's especially interested in friendships that cross artificial boundaries of nation, race, age, and (in The Station Agent) size. If you're looking for a movie that will make you believe a little more in humanity without feeling manipulated, I'd recommend any of McCarthy's 3 movies.

Bonus Points: McCarthy is also an actor, must prominently playing the shady reporter Templeton on the fifth season of The Wire, the greatest TV series ever (no arguments please).

Here's how I would rank his movies:

1.) TheVisitor: The most serious of McCarthy's movies, and also the most moving. It's about an emotionally closed-off economist whose life becomes intertwined with two illegal immigrants who squat in his apartment. Richard Jenkins, an excellent longtime character actor, earned an Oscar nomination in his lead role. As wonderful as Jenkins is, he is matched moment for moment by the great Palesitian actress Hiam Abbass, who enters the movie as the mother of the young immigrant. (Slight spoiler alert) The movie doesn't end happily. There's a fair amount of anger in it, yet you are still left appreciating the connections that have been made.

Grade: A-

2.) The Station Agent: I just watched this movie again, and it really is a charming film. It takes a little while to warm up and hook the audience, but once it does it's wonderful to watch the characters interact. Peter Dinklage is an antisocial midget, Patricia Clarkson a grieving mother, and Bobby Canavale a food vendor displaced from New York. They all converge in a small New Jersey town and form a motley sort of family. Quiet, simple, funny, and very sweet.

Grade: B+

3.) Win Win: Win Win is currently out in theaters, and I think it might be McCarthy's most crowd-pleasing movie. That said, I think it's the only one of his movies where, at times, the contrivances get a little thick. As usual, though, the actors shine. Paul Giamatti and Amy Ryan are wonderful as the central couple. My favorites, though, are young actor Alex Shaffer who manages to be hilarious without ever overplaying his high school athlete character, and Bobby Canavale (also great in The Station Agent), who is absolutely hilarious as a divorced man reliving his youth through coaching high school wrestling. It's also topped off with his signature amounts of heart and humor.

Grade: B

Eminem
Win Win at MOVIECLIPS.com

The Complete Darren Aronofsky

It's been two very quiet (OK, silent) months on the blog. To any faithful readers, I apologize for my absence. I always slow down quite a bit after Oscar season, and this has been a particularly busy time in other areas of my life.

Never fear though, I'm back with a new feature called "The Complete Directors" where I'll look at the films of directors who I've seen all (or nearly all) of their work. While I certainly have my favorite film actors and actresses, I tend to be more loyal and interested in a director's output. While even the best actors often make poor choices, many great directors hold at least some interest no matter the movie.

I'm starting with Darren Aronofsky, one of the most fascinating and singular directors working today. In each feature, I hope to give an overview of the director's work. After this, I'll do a ranking of their movies with some brief thoughts and clips of each one.

The Complete Darren Aronofsky

Movies: 5. Pi (1998), Requiem for a Dream (2000), The Fountain (2006), The Wrestler (2008), Black Swan (2010).

Oscar Nominations: 1 (Black Swan)

Darren Aronofksy is not interested in making you feel good. Exhilarated, yes. Riveted, yes. Disgusted, at times. While his limited output includes hyper-realism, psychological horror, and romantic fantasy, all his films share a view of the world which looks head-on at pain and suffering.

One common element in Aronofsky's films is that of manipulation of the body. It starts as early as Pi, where the lead becomes obsessed with a math sequence and begins digging into the flesh of his head. In Requiem, the seductiveness of drugs is portrayed in his fast-cut sequences, and then later the ravages are just as clearly seen. In The Wrestler and Black Swan, two very different athletes/artists are willing to manipulate their body for obsession, addiction, and personal acclaim. The juxtaposition of these two films is fascinating. While told in completely different styles, their stories (and even their haunting closing scenes) mirror one another in a sort of mirror-image meditation on warped masculinity and femininity.

Aronofsky is also a master at directing actors and forcing them to dig into pain in their performances. Think of Ellen Burstyn in Requiem for a Dream, Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler, and Natalie Portman in Black Swan. Each of these are among the most painful of modern performances and personal bests for each actor, and I get the sense Aronofsky works his actors hard. While his actors are astounding, there is always room for Aronofksy's flourishes behind the camera. He works relatively rarely (every few years) and seems passionate about what he makes. I can't wait to see what he comes up with next.

Here's how I rank his movies:

1.) Requiem for a Dream: Most anyone who has seen this movie will tell you it's one of the most sad and painful movies they've ever seen. Why then, have I seen it 3 times? And why could I watch it again right now? As a film lover, I'm so thrilled by directors who can connect us so deeply to the emotions of their characters that the pain can sometimes become transcendent. Requiem for a Dream, about 4 drug addicts, is just about perfect. It sucks you in, connects you to the characters, and breaks your heart. You'll remember the haunting score forever.

Grade: A

Here's a clip

2.) Black Swan. I just rewatched this movie, and even if the surprises are lost the second time, it still holds up as a whacked-0ut, thrilling piece of moviemaking. There is literally not a moment wasted in this film. The mishmash between reality and fantasy (and who's to say which part is which?) is simultaneously fun, scary, and disturbing. In my opinion, the best movie of 2010.

Grade: A

Passerby
Black Swan at MOVIECLIPS.com

3.) The Wrestler. This movie has so much pain in it, both physically and emotionally. Mickey Rourke's character of Randy "The Ram" is a washed-up wrestler trying to make it, and the movie, unusually realistic for Aronofksy, follows his life with documentary-like precision.

Grade: A-

4.) The Fountain. A movie I've only seen once and definitely need to see again. It's actually 3 stories at once, one set in the 16th Century, one in the present day, and one in the distant future. All 3 stories star the wonderful Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz (Aronofksy's ex-wife) and have a lush but painful romanticism. I'm not quite sure I can tell you what it all means, but it's really fascinating filmmaking.

Grade: A-

5.) Pi. I just saw this movie, and I'm glad I did as it gives a lot of insight into Aronofsky's early ideas. This one really seems like a film-school movie, in both good ways and bad. It's done with a lot of style and it tells an original story, completely focusing on the thoughts and actions of a mathematical genius who may be going crazy. There's some less-than-stellar acting, and I'm not sure all the ideas are fully formed, but it's really interesting to watch as Aronofksy's first film. I was especially interested in the echoes of other films, particularly the creepy subway ride which reappears in Black Swan and the drug-taking sequences which are echoed in Requiem for a Dream.

Grade: B-

A clip

That's all for my first installment of "The Complete...." Coming soon-Wes Anderson, Paul Thomas Anderson. I'll also take suggestions!

Top 10 of 2010

After a week's respite from the flury of Oscary blogging, I'm back with my year-end roundup of movies released (or considered for Oscars) in 2010. I saw a whole lot of 2010 movies this year, 49 , and I'm ready to make the tough decisions to come up with a top 10 list.

The Best Movies of 2010

Runners-Up:

The Fighter: What could have been a rather traditional uplifting sports film becomes something much quirkier and more interesting thanks to the great cast and the direction by David O. Russell.

Greenberg: Director Noah Baumbach makes dark and uncomfortably funny movies about prickly characters, and I think Greenberg is his best yet. Ben Affleck is a good fit for the title role, but the real revelation is Greta Gerwig, providing a nice entry point for the audience and a truly original character.

The King's Speech: Despite its Best Picture win, it didn't quite make my top 10. It is a charming and entertaining film about friendship with great performances.

127 Hours: Probably my number 11. A desperate and grotesque situation filmed as a full-throated affirmation of living.

The Town: Proof that, every once in a while, Hollywood can still make an entertaining genre film. A great cast and great energy provide a really entertaining time at the movies.

And now to my 10......

10. In a Better World: This Danish film just won the Best Foreign Film Oscar. It's a subtle and involving movie about children, adults, revenge, and forgiveness. Seek it out when it comes to theaters in April.

I Hit Him Back
In a Better World at MOVIECLIPS.com

9. Exit Through the Gift Shop: There were several documentaries I enjoyed this year, but none as much as this movie which takes you deep, deep into the world of underground street artists. You might not know what you're watching for a while, but just go with it and enjoy the ride. (It's on Netflix Watch Now!)

Trailer #1
Exit Through the Gift Shop at MOVIECLIPS.com

8. Please Give: Director Nicole Holofcener is kind of like a feminine version of Woody Allen with a stronger moral code. Please Give is a very funny movie about two interacting families tussling over how to be good and prime real estate. The cast is terrific.

Happy Birthday
Please Give at MOVIECLIPS.com

7. Another Year: Another treasure from British realist director Mike Leigh. A beautiful, funny, and heartbreaking film about what makes a good life and the mysteries of fate. Ruth Sheen and Jim Broadbent shine as a happily married couple, and Lesley Manville is astonishing as their friend Mary.

A Big Secret
Another Year at MOVIECLIPS.com

6. The Social Network: This pulsing, tense, involving, extremely well-made film might be seen, thematically, as this generation's Citizen Kane. Why isn't it higher on my list, then, especially since it's widely considered the masterpiece of the year? I think it dropped off just a tad in its last third. I also reserve the right to bump it up on my much-anticipated second viewing.

Guys That Row Crew
The Social Network at MOVIECLIPS.com

5. The Kids Are All Right: A pitch-perfect family comedy with just the right amount of humor and heart. Was there a better cast this year? I think not. Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, and Mia Wasikowska all shine.

Drop Out
The Kids Are All Right at MOVIECLIPS.com

4. Blue Valentine: A movie cataloging both the beginning and end of a romantic relationship might sound simple, but in the naturalistic hands of director Derek Cianfrance it becomes simply astonishing. Ryan Gosling (give him an Oscar!) and Michelle Williams touch your soul in their portrayal of a couple on the rocks.

Tell Me or I'm Jumping Off This Bridge
Blue Valentine at MOVIECLIPS.com

3. Winter's Bone: So original and so brilliant. This movie is so many things: an indie character study; a classic detective story; a mythical journey. Whatever the viewer sees it as, they won't forget Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence), one of the most unique and brave heroines to come along in a long while.

The Same Blood
Winter's Bone at MOVIECLIPS.com

2. Toy Story 3: This was so so close to my top spot. A perfect end to a classic trilogy. Fast-paced, funny, poignant, and reminiscent of so many classic Hollywood films. I can't think of another film who's ending has touched me as deeply.

Tea Party
Toy Story 3 at MOVIECLIPS.com

1. Black Swan: I saw this movie opening night to a packed house, and it was an electrifying experience. Director Darren Aronofsky has thrown all he has into this movie, and it totally worked for me. The film references, the performances, the campiness, the horror, and the metaphor. I was riveted every second.

The Fitting
Black Swan at MOVIECLIPS.com

As an end, here's a quick list of what I've seen by its letter grade. A few of the grades have changed (both up and down) on second viewings or rethinkings. I would highly recommend any movie ranked B+ or higher on this list, and especially the 11 in the A/A- range. While I've seen a lot, I'm still looking forward to watching Carlos (a French film that won a bunch of awards), Fish Tank (a British indie), and several documentaries. This is where I see things now:

A

Black Swan, Blue Valentine, The Kids Are All Right, Toy Story 3, Winter's Bone

A-

Another Year, Exit Through the Gift Shop, In a Better World, 127 Hours, Please Give, The Social Network

B+

Cairo Time, Catfish, Dogtooth, The Fighter, Greenberg, Incendies, Inception, The King's Speech, Prodigal Sons, Restrepo, The Town, True Grit

B

Animal Kingdom, City Island, Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer, Easy A, Fair Game, I Am Love, Rabbit Hole

B-

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Mother, Mother and Child, Soul Kitchen, The Tillman Story, Waiting for Superman

C+

Biutiful, Cyrus, Everyone Else, The Ghost Writer, The Girl Who Played with Fire, How to Train Your Dragon, Outside the Law, Shutter Island, You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger

C

Babies, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, Vincere

D

Date Night (Hey, I watched it on a plane.....no judging)

Here's to a (hopefully) great 2011!