tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57839542871512053992024-03-12T23:22:19.367-04:00Flickersdocumenting my irrational obsession with moving imagesDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12951548184115824860noreply@blogger.comBlogger121125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783954287151205399.post-25462747088334880532012-04-30T12:15:00.000-04:002012-04-30T12:15:36.924-04:00So long, Blogger... Hello, Wordpress!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CK1lUGnBvAI/T565p8cGpCI/AAAAAAAABCw/AnFoXfFVp44/s1600/we-moved.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" oda="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CK1lUGnBvAI/T565p8cGpCI/AAAAAAAABCw/AnFoXfFVp44/s200/we-moved.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<strong>FLICKERS</strong> has officially moved. The new URL is: <a href="http://theflickersblog.com/">theflickersblog.com</a><br />
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Please stop what you're doing and head to the new page so you can perform one or more of the following tasks:<br />
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1) Adjust your RSS reader<br />
2) Resubscribe via Email<br />
3) Save bookmark<br />
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Also, please adjust your blogrolls so your visitors can pop if they are inclined to do so.<br />
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Thanks to everyone who assisted me with the move.<br />
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Hope to see you all there!Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12951548184115824860noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783954287151205399.post-75020551804195189602012-04-26T14:54:00.001-04:002012-04-26T15:34:07.063-04:00Movin' Out!After several Blogger-related headaches that resulted in many do-overs over the course of this blog's lifetime, <strong>Flickers</strong> is moving out. We've had enough!<br />
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I found a new home at Wordpress and also registered for my own domain. I cannot reveal the new URL just yet, you'll have to wait a few days. The new place is a mess. I have to tidy up; it needs a paint job, I need to fix a few broken links, make sure the transition went smoothly, etc. You understand, right?<br />
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So keep your eyes peeled for a new address and a new <strong>Flickers</strong>! I'm not sure how to automatically redirect the traffic from this site to the new one, but hopefully all of you will adjust your RSS feeds and email subscriptions once I'm ready to open shop.<br />
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If any of you have experience with moving blogs, please shoot me a line.<br />
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Thanks for your patience, gang. Back soon!Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12951548184115824860noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783954287151205399.post-2420006621430156812012-04-23T13:36:00.000-04:002012-04-23T13:36:25.146-04:00Best of the Year: 1988And then there were 10. <br />
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At this point in the "Best of the Year" series on Flickers, I'm down to 10 remaining years to be covered. Since I'm trying to limit these lists to once or twice a month, I hope to be done by this summer. One year left in the 80's, 4 in the 90's, and 4 in the 'aughts. Then to top it all off, I'll finally be ready to send out 2011. It's been a fun ride, and I appreciate everyone's comments. It's a great way to gauge the taste of my readers, in addition for them to get a read on what I'm all about. If you want to look back, check the new tabs at the top of the blog. These "Best of the Year" posts list all of my yearly round-ups. <br />
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You'll notice I don't do Top 10s. I hate limiting myself to 10 films. If I see 11 great films in a year, why should I have to leave one of them out? There's no point to it, really. And I like to list them alphabetically because I can't bear to say that title #4 is somehow better than title #5. Yes, some films <em>are</em> better than others, but if they are on these lists, then they are all great in my eyes and all worthy of my attention and yours. <br />
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And now, 1988. What a trip down memory lane. I was so young, so impressionable. Granted, some of this stuff wasn't seen by me until I was a little bit older (I was 11 when this year rolled around), but this is what I grew up with. Most of the titles on this list partially molded me into the film connoisseur that I am today. <br />
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So let's get to it, shall we?<br />
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<u><strong><em><span style="font-size: large;">My Picks</span></em></strong><strong><em><span style="font-size: large;"> of the Year</span></em></strong></u><br />
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">(listed alphabetically)</span></em><br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094721/">Beetlejuice</a></strong><br />
A highly rewatchable, imminently quotable Tim Burton masterpiece, this comedy/horror flick features great sets, a fantastic Michael Keaton, and awesome creatures. It's the quintessential Burton film because it masterfully combines all his great comedic and horrific imaginations into one wacky ride. Honestly, Burton hasn't since done anything remotely as memorable as this one.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094737/">Big</a></strong><br />
"I just wanna be big." How universal is this request? Just about every child wished he/she could be big, and Penny Marshall made one kid's dream come true with hilarious and touching results. Tom Hanks, in one of his best performances, is exactly what he's supposed to be -- a big, lonely kid. Robert Loggia, Elizabeth Perkins and Jared Rushton (as Billy) lend strong, sensitive support. How could one not love this movie?<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094898/">Coming to America</a></strong><br />
Eddie Murphy continued his hot 80's streak with this romantic farce that boasts some hilarious riffs on cross-cultural mating habits. Arsenio Hall garnered a lot of laughs as Murphy's best friend, and together, they are a comic duo sorely missed this day and age. Whenever this is on television - and it's frequently - I never change the channel. <br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095016/">Die Hard</a></strong><br />
Not only was this movie a trendsetter in Hollywood (i.e. "Die Hard on a Bus"), but it also gave us Bruce Willis, the unshowiest, most unpretentious movie star in the business. He is one of the most chameleonic film legends of our generation, and every few years, he amazingly reinvents himself. It all started with <strong><em>Die Hard</em></strong>, a rock 'em, sock 'em, violent, bloody thriller. Alan Rickman memorably plays Hans Gruber, one of the best villains in the history of cinema. "Welcome to the party," indeed.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095031/">Dirty Rotten Scoundrels</a></strong><br />
Steve Martin, in his funniest-ever performance, plays Freddy, a con man who falls for the lovely Glenne Headley. Unfortunately, he has to fight for her with fellow con man Lawrence, played with equal menace and humor by Michael Caine. The scenes with Martin in the wheelchair evoke tears of laughter during each uproarious viewing.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095119/">Everybody's All-American</a></strong><br />
Dennis Quaid is in top form in this sports/soap opera drama from the usually reliable director Taylor Hackford. Quaid is the young star quarterback who falls hard for Jessica Lange. Over the years, we watch their marriage grow, and then dissipate as he nears retirement. The story is epic in feel and scope, yet it's the intimacy of its characters that makes it so winning. <br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095159/">A Fish Called Wanda</a></strong><br />
“Sing it, Ken! Sing it!” How can you forget the image of Kevin Kline shouting impatiently at a stuttering Michael Palin, trying, <em>just trying</em>, to reveal the name of the airport? This is a dark, dark comedy; so ruthless, so sexy, and so cunning. Kline deserved his Oscar as Otto, an insufferable louse, and I particularly enjoyed a memorably bosomed Jamie Lee Curtis as the title role. In a year filled with many great comedies, this one produces the hardest, deepest laughs.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095174/">Frantic</a></strong><br />
Harrison Ford in a serious French thriller? Yes. And it works! Roman Polanski directed Ford in his riskiest project since <strong><em>Blade Runner</em></strong>, and they create a very moody, low-key mystery in which Ford, an American doctor visiting France with his wife, watches his life turn upside down as the Mrs. suddenly vanishes. The good doctor discovers his dark side as he so desperately looks for answers. A few months later, Ford smartly counters this performance with a much lighter role in what turns out to be my favorite film of this year.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095348/">I'm Gonna Git You Sucka</a> </strong><br />
“He started getting into drugs and stuff....and then he....he started wearing gold chains, Jack!” “Oh, God, No!” A hilarious blaxploitation satire from Keenan Ivory Wayans, this is a smart, dumb film. Not everything works here, but when things click, big laughs are produced. Wayans and his great cast of veterans of the genre do great work here, delivering tongue-firmly-planted-in-cheek dialogue from Wayans’ own script.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095705/">The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!</a></strong><br />
Lt. Frank Drebin could very easily be one of the funniest movie characters ever created. Embodied by Leslie Neilsen, his facial expressions, mannerisms, slow-burn reactions, and never-quit attitude encapsulate the tone for the Zucker brand of comedy. The pacing is a little off, as are all of the Zucker comedies, but the laughs and smiles here are still non-stop.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096018/">Running on Empty</a></strong><br />
The year's most riveting drama, by Sidney Lumet, features a career-topping performance by the late, great River Phoenix. Christine Lahti and Judd Hirsch are especially good too, as Phoenix's parents who have been on the run from the FBI since they bombed a lab during the war. When is it time to stop running? When is it time to let go? Powerful, engrossing stuff.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096061/">Scrooged</a></strong><br />
One of the more underappreciated films of the 80's. Bill Murray is perfectly cast as a modern day scrooge in Richard Donner's fairly faithful adaptation of <strong><em>A Christmas Carol</em></strong>. With Murray attached, it was expected to be riotously funny, but it's not. It's a pretty dark film, but it can also lift you right up; you'll be singing along with the cast and crew by the time the credits roll and long afterward. Come on. Put a little love in your heart, baby!<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096438/">Who Framed Roger Rabbit</a></strong><br />
Robert Zemeckis is a genius, and I don't care what anyone else says. His endless talent as a true filmmaker shines through as this "gimmick" turns into a cartoon/live-action dramedy with a big, big heart. Roger Rabbit is just as real and three-dimensional as Christopher Lloyd's live-action (or is he?) Judge Doom, Kathleen Turner’s sultry Jessica Rabbit (“I’m not bad. I was just drawn that way.”) and Bob Hoskins' gruff, lovable dick. Clever, seamless, ahead of its time and downright brilliant.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eGKtSBAm4XE/T5WA-Vl58bI/AAAAAAAABCQ/W7ErmvZDBPs/s1600/workinggirl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" oda="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eGKtSBAm4XE/T5WA-Vl58bI/AAAAAAAABCQ/W7ErmvZDBPs/s200/workinggirl.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096463/">Working Girl</a></strong><br />
Mike Nichols has fashioned a robust, quirky, feel-good rags-to-riches story that has Melanie Griffith delivering her career’s most memorable performance as a working girl climbing, not sleeping, her way to the top. Smart casting in Sigourney Weaver, sublime as her ruthless boss, Joan Cusack as her amusing best friend, Alec Baldwin as her scoundrel of a boyfriend and Harrison Ford, in a humorous, light-as-a-feather supporting role (although top-billed) as Griffith's love interest. Carly Simon's Oscar-winning song gives the film an extra kick, and upon each viewing, your mood just soars when Tess McGill finally gets her due. No movie in 1988 makes me feel as good as this one.<br />
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<strong><em><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Honorable Mentions</u></span></em></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095050/">Dominick and Eugene</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095188/">Funny Farm</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095243/">Gorillas in the Mist</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095519/">License to Drive</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095631/">Midnight Run</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095647/">Mississippi Burning</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095889/">Poltergeist 3</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095924/">Pulse</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095953/">Rain Man</a></strong>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12951548184115824860noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783954287151205399.post-76029686282193063832012-04-17T10:47:00.001-04:002012-04-17T11:39:19.705-04:00Musings Through Filtered Ears #8<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7Xb6AYw_yMo/TclBfgr8DDI/AAAAAAAAATU/XYcmGdpadTE/s1600/ears.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7Xb6AYw_yMo/TclBfgr8DDI/AAAAAAAAATU/XYcmGdpadTE/s200/ears.jpg" width="133" /></a>It's been a while since I've done one of these. For those new to the game, these are just random thoughts from an obsessive listmaker...<br />
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"Why did you run away? What did you feel you had to run from?"</div>
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"Doctor, my wife is seven months pregnant with a baby we didn't intend. My 15-year-old son has cerebral palsy. I am an extremely overqualified high school chemistry teacher. When I CAN work, I make $43,700 a year. I have watched all of my colleagues and friends surpass me in every way imaginable, and within 18 months, I will be dead. And you ask why I ran?"</div>
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<b><i>Breaking Bad</i></b> is one of the best shows I have ever had the pleasure of seeing.</div>
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So, I went to the movies for the second time in 2012. Ever since I had children, I never made much time to venture out to the theaters. Quite frankly, I don't miss it too much. I'm perfectly happy with my home viewing experiences (Netflix is in my bloodstream; I'm still beating myself for not buying stock in it when I first joined in 1999). But every now and then, an opportunity arises to grace my presence in a movie theater and I grab it. This weekend, I saw <strong><em>The Cabin in the Woods</em></strong>. I won't review it here, but suffice to say, I enjoyed it quite a bit. It was opening weekend, I was not spoiled, and I didn't let the deafening buzz kill the experience. Sure, I could have waited for DVD like I do with hundreds of other titles but there was something about this one that made me want to see it in a theater. I knew I needed to go in as blindly as I could. I'm glad I followed my gut. The film just kept unraveling its surprises while spinning in new and exciting directions. It felt so good not knowing what the hell was going to happen next. For a well-worn genre like horror, that's refreshing. Full credit goes to my <strong><em>Buffy</em></strong> heroes, Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon.<br />
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Giles would be proud.<br />
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I've been reading Entertainment Weekly since its inception many, many years ago. I'm a faithful subscriber. There are a handful of issues I look forward to every year, and The Summer Movie Preview is one of them. Summer films don't quite have that magic as they used to. I'm not sure if the quality of the films have deteriorated over the years or if I've become cynical in my old age of 35. Maybe it's a little bit of both. That said, when I see these movie preview issues in my mailbox, I get a little excited inside. The magazine is heavier than usual. Maybe a little glossier. I dig into the anticipation of what's to come in the hot, summer months ahead. As I've said earlier, I don't venture out to the movies as much as I used to, but for some hotly anticipated summer films, I'll make the trip. So after studying this issue closely, which films do I want to see the most?</div>
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In true cinephile tradition, here's a list. We all love lists, don't we?</div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">The Top <strike>Ten</strike> <strike>Nine</strike> Eight Films I Will Make Some Sort of Effort To See in Theaters in Summer 2012</span></strong></div>
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<b>(I couldn't get excited over 10 films.)</b><br />
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<b>8. Expendables 2</b><br />
All you have to do is say, "Stallone, Schwarzenegger and Willis do battle. And somehow, Van Damme is involved." Do I really need to know more? Even though the original was just so-so, these guys pump me up more so than those wimpy superheroes in spandex costumes.<br />
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<b>7. Brave</b><br />
I'm a little nervous about this one but I'm blindly trusting my faith in Pixar. The story and setting don't thrill me but it does look gorgeous. I'm not a hater of <b><i>Cars 2</i></b>, but it was a bit of a step down for the greatest animation studio in the history of the world. Time for them to step back up.<br />
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<b>6. The Bourne Legacy</b><br />
I wasn't initially a Bourne fan. The series got better as it went along, and <b><i>The Bourne Ultimatum</i></b> was actually one of my favorite films of '07. I'll miss Damon but Jeremy Renner and the rest of this pretty awesome ensemble looks right at home.<br />
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<b>5. Safety Not Guaranteed</b><br />
Not featured prominently in EW (they just had a one line summary, really.) But I had learned about this when it played in Sundance and the whole thing just jumped at me. It's a time travel comedy with Kristen Bell, Audrey Plaza, Mark Duplass and one of the dudes from <b><i>New Girl</i></b>. Count me in!<br />
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<b>4. Take This Waltz</b><br />
Michelle Williams is married to Seth Rogen (how cute is that pairing?). But she's tempted to cheat on him with some dreamy guy. Sarah Polley directs. I saw the trailer and I gotta say, I'm smitten. Looks like a heartfelt romance and Williams looks absolutely resplendent.<br />
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<b>3. Ted</b><br />
I have never seen anything with Seth McFarlane. I have not witnessed a single minute of <b><i>Family Guy</i></b>. But this trailer made me laugh. Hard. Mark Wahlberg is a gifted comedic actor.<br />
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<b>2. Prometheus</b><br />
Well, OK, it depends. If they PG-13 this sucker, I'm not all that interested in seeing it. This is an R-rated film series. Once you soften up the <b><i>Alien</i></b> franchise, you suck the life out of it. See also: <b><i>Die Hard 4</i></b>. So don't fuck it up again, 20th Century Fox! This has the potential to really scare the shit out of us.<br />
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And the number one movie I'm most looking forward to this summer is:<br />
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<b>1. Premium Rush</b><br />
The action thriller I'm most stoked about. Why? Mostly because it's from David Koepp, an extraordinarily gifted writer and director (check out his credits on IMDb). But also because Joseph Gordon-Levitt is our next Bruce Willis - a chameleonic action star with strong acting chops given the right material. And Michael Shannon is the villain! No monsters. No aliens. It's not a sequel or based on a comic series. It's an original old-fashioned old-school Hollywood thriller.<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">On the fence </span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">I will most likely be renting these flicks, unless word of mouth tells me that it's a helluva lot better (or worse!) than it looks. We'll see about that.</span></div>
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<b><i>The Amazing Spiderman</i></b>. Looks great! Awesome pedigree in front of and behind the camera. But isn't it too soon? Why do we need this? Feels so arbitrary.</div>
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<b><i>The Avengers</i></b>. The previous "spin-offs" were a mixed bag, but Joss Whedon directed this one. This alone makes me cautiously optimistic about it. Anything Whedon touches is worth a look.</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">People Like Us</i>. Sounds like a soap opera, but I really like this cast. I'd give it a shot. On Netflix.</div>
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<b><i>The Dark Knight Rises</i></b>. I know, why aren't I excited about this like the rest of the world? Because I'm just not in love with the Christian Bale/Christopher Nolan Batman series. I'd vote for Keaton over Bale, but that's a moot point, really. I'm just not a Batman kind of guy. Still, these are well-made films. I'll Netflix it.</div>
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<i><b>Men in Black 3</b>.</i> It could be absolutely terrible. But Brolin really nails his Tommy Lee Jones impersonation. Is that really enough to warrant a big screen trip? Probably not.</div>
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<b><i>To Rome With Love</i></b>. I like this cast, but I was never a big Woody Allen fan. Still, he's on a roll, and it's probably worth a look. </div>
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<i><b>Dictator</b>.</i> The man who gave me a 1000 laughs with <b><i>Borat</i></b> will always get a chance from me. Even if it doesn't look all that funny. Come to think of it, I think I'd rather just see a <b><i>Borat</i> </b>sequel. </div>
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<i><b>Rock of Ages</b>.</i> Again, great cast. Love the fact that Tom Cruise continues to take risks. The play is a smash hit on Broadway. So why does this look so cheesy?</div>
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<b><i>Seeking a Friend for the End of the World.</i> </b>A high concept Steve Carell vehicle. It's risky. But the trailer made it look somewhat charming enough for a Saturday night rental.</div>
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<b><i>Savages</i>.</b> Taylor Kitsch a.k.a. Tim Riggins needs to be in at least ONE good movie this year, right? And Oliver Stone hasn't made much of a splash in a long, long time. Not feeling the love, but I'm curious about it.</div>
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<b><i>Hope Springs</i></b>. Anything Meryl does is worth a look. She's our goddess of the cinema. And Carell (again) and Tommy Lee Jones (again) are in it too. Could be a sweet movie. Could be a piece of canned shit. Only time will tell.</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Magic Mike.</i> I run hot and cold with Soderbergh. I don't think he's as great as he once was. But it looks like an intriguing film, a small-scale human interest story. With Channing Tatum's abs.</div>
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<b><i>Total Recall</i></b> - They may be raping my childhood yet again, but Bryan Cranston is the villain! It all feels so unnecessary but I am oddly intrigued by it.</div>
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<b><i>Your Sister's Sister</i></b> - Emily Blunt and RoseMarie DeWitt play sisters. That's all I really need to know.</div>
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If I left something out, then that just means I'm not interested in it (ahem, <b><i>Dark Shadows</i></b>). But who knows? A lot can happen in the summertime!</div>
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Speaking of lists, my Best of 2011 is beginning to shape up. I typically release it in May or June, when I've just about dried up the well of 2011 releases. I should be on schedule this year. Still on tap: <b><i>Shame</i></b>, <b><i>Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol</i></b>, <b><i>A Separation</i></b>, <b><i>We Need to Talk About Kevin</i></b>, and about ten to fifteen others. All in due time! It has shaped up to be a pretty strong year.</div>
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</div>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12951548184115824860noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783954287151205399.post-30008197991922119572012-04-14T21:55:00.000-04:002012-04-14T21:55:28.513-04:00My Movie Year: 1994<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<em>This post was written as part of Fandango Groover's blogathon, <a href="http://wp.me/prVbF-2rb">My Movie Year</a>, which celebrates our favorite year in movies.</em><br />
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1994 was a very big year for me. Personally speaking, it was the year I met a girl who would later become my wife and mother of my children. I was 15 and high school graduation was two years away. It was a time of discovery. Of myself, my life, my loves, my passions. I already knew I had a fondness for movies, but after the slate of films that came out in 1994, my escalating attachment to the medium was unstoppable.<br />
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Among the highlights: <br />
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It was the year I fell in love with Paul Newman.<br />
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It was the year Sandra Bullock, Kate Winslet and Natalie Portman took the world by storm. <br />
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It was the year Quentin Tarantino left his indelible mark and took the entire motion picture industry by surprise.<br />
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It was the year that Tom Hanks became our generation's Cary Grant. <br />
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It was a year that saw Jim Carrey, Brad Pitt, Harrison Ford, Ben Kingsley and Morgan Freeman at the top of their game.<br />
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Independent filmmaking was thriving in Hollywood and they were a considerable force to be reckoned with. They started competing with the big blockbusters and garnered esteemed reputation. Roman Polanski and John Sayles made two very small, very well-regarded films and continued their steady rise as well-respected movie makers. I continue to admire their efforts today.<br />
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Jeff Daniels and Meg Ryan played against type and earned their best reviews to date. He, a serious and subtle performer, showed us that he has the chops to pull off obscene physical comedy. She, a box office heavyweight with a flair for fluffy rom-coms, showed considerable talent in soapy melodrama. They took risks this year and earned a newfound respect from me. I've been fans of their work ever since.<br />
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It was the year we said goodbye to Jessica Tandy with her last role.<br />
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It was the year we said hello, again, to John Travolta.<br />
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It was a year where we never looked at a box of chocolates, a bus coasting on the freeway, laxatives and a boat on the beach the same way again.<br />
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It was a year that was impossible to forget. In my <a href="http://flickerobsession.blogspot.com/2011/01/year-in-review-1994.html">Best of the Year post of 1994</a>, I had no less than 15 films that I gave my highest rating. 15 movies that I'm happy to call my favorites.<br />
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For the purpose of this blogathon, here are five of those films that truly define how remarkable this year is. These films transcended their respectful genres and became timeless classics. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YLxZE3kFJsQ/T3S2O0AOZOI/AAAAAAAAA70/nPEdQXe5ZXQ/s1600/forrest-gump.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dea="true" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YLxZE3kFJsQ/T3S2O0AOZOI/AAAAAAAAA70/nPEdQXe5ZXQ/s200/forrest-gump.jpg" width="132" /></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Forrest Gump</span></strong></div>
In my year-end round up, I wrote, "<em>On paper, the film sounds impossible to pull off, but everything works perfectly. The flashback structure, the blending of reality and fiction, the litany of memorable one-liners, the seamless and ground-breaking effects, the gorgeous set design …all of these elements collaborate together so well, one has to assume it's a miracle that this film even worked</em>." One of my favorite films of all-time, <strong><em>Forrest Gump</em></strong> is what I like to call a Top 5 contender. I can't think of a single negative thing to say about it.<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Pulp Fiction</span></strong><br />
I wrote, "<em>It is one of the most influential films of all time, an exercise of pure kinetic filmmaking, infused with crackling dialogue, a fractured, mind-blowing narrative structure, and career-defining performances by long-established actors." <strong>Pulp Fiction </strong></em>got me excited about filmmaking. Movies became more than just a place to escape to. Movies became art, a craft I eventually learned to study and appreciate.<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">The Shawshank Redemption</span></strong><br />
I wrote, "<em>There is a reason why this film remains at the top of IMDb's Best 250 films of all time. It's a universally embraced drama about hope and freedom." </em>In an age of cynicism and despair, <strong><em>The Shawshank Redemption</em></strong> is a ray of sunshine. One of the few films where my tears are actually tears of joy.<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Speed</span></strong><br />
I wrote, "<em>Wild, fast, and incredible to look at, Speed is the ultimate summer flick, the very best in the entire decade</em>." Action films don't get better than this. Visceral, thrilling, violent, funny. Amid all of the chaos, Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock emerged from the wreckage to became bona-fide movie stars. <br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Dumb & Dumber</span></strong><br />
I wrote, "<em>In the funniest film of the year, Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels made the most unlikely comic duo and succeeded with flying colors. There’s nothing quite better than a twisted comedy that still holds up after several years and repeated viewings." </em>Of course, comedy is subjective, but for my money, there are very few films funnier than this one. My appreciation for Jeff Daniels grew exponentially while my love for Jim Carrey swelled even more.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12951548184115824860noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783954287151205399.post-80967370252333941672012-04-12T15:52:00.002-04:002012-04-12T15:52:59.989-04:00Junior Film School: GhostbustersI want my kids to love films as much as I do. I mean,<em> really</em> love them. As a parent, I have the power to influence and educate them on the joys of movie-going. My childhood consists of great, fuzzy memories of <strong><em>The Goonies</em></strong>,<strong><em> Ferris Bueller's Day Off</em></strong>, and<strong><em> Back to the Future</em></strong>, among other countless staples of the 1980's. I thought I'd give my kids the chance to experience the same kind of euphoria that I did. And so that's how the idea of a "Junior Film School" came to mind.<br />
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Through my Junior Film School posts, I will chronicle my attempts to open up the minds of my young children. The best way to do this (for the time being) is to show them some of my favorite films from when I grew up. Note: My daughter Emma is almost 2 years old and a bit too young to be a part of this experiment but I hope to include her in future "classes" as she gets older. <br />
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A few months ago, I had decided that my son Ryan (who is now 4 and a half) is ready to watch some real films. He's not quite oblivious to the fine art of movies. He's head over heels with <strong><em>Cars</em></strong> and the <strong><em>Toy Story</em></strong> films. I knew I steered him right starting him off with some classic Pixar films. Eventually, I'll show him the rest of the Pixar canon (he has enjoyed <strong><em>Finding Nemo</em></strong> and <strong><em>WALL-E</em></strong>, but doesn't cling onto them as he does with Buzz and Woody), but I'm anxious to open him up to live action films. <br />
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For this inaugural session, the first attempt to shake Ryan out of the cartoon craze of Buzz, Lightning McQueen, Mickey Mouse and Thomas the Tank Engine is with the great 1984 comedy, <strong><em>Ghostbusters</em></strong>. Was this a wise first choice? My wife was very much against my idea of introducing this movie to him at such a young, impressionable age. I told her that he needed to branch out of his comfort zone a little bit. <strong><em>Ghostbusters</em></strong> has no violence, no extreme language or nudity. As far as I recalled, it's not a scary movie by any means. <br />
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One thing I should note. My son cried during a <strong><em>Curious George</em></strong> episode when one character was yelling at George for being a bad monkey. He cried during <strong><em>The Incredibles</em></strong> whenever that nasty villain, Syndrome, turned up. To say that he's a sensitive child is an understatement. Showing him <strong><em>Ghostbusters</em></strong> was my feeble attempt to toughen him up a bit.<br />
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Now, when my son is nervous about something, he talks. <em>A lot</em>. From the moment the librarian was spooked to when Stay Puft exploded, Ryan never stopped talking. We had a running commentary for the entire length of the film. Most of his statements ended with a question mark. In the opening library scenes, for example:<br />
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"Where did the sticky stuff come from?"<br />
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"Is that lady a ghost?"<br />
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"Why did that old lady scream?"<br />
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"Did the books fall down from the ghost?"<br />
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"Why did she <em>scream</em>, daddy?"<br />
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I knew I was in for a challenge when he was a little shaken up by the screaming librarian. When the three Ghostbusters (Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis) were scared off by the very same ghost a few moments later, he began covering his eyes. </div>
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But to my surprise, he did not cry during these opening scenes. He talked, covered his eyes, talked some more, but never cried. And I'm happy to say that the rest of the film followed suit. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WEZ8FeqRm5o/T4ceWp1fCqI/AAAAAAAAA-s/1KO50aB4W8A/s1600/ghostbusters1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" qda="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WEZ8FeqRm5o/T4ceWp1fCqI/AAAAAAAAA-s/1KO50aB4W8A/s320/ghostbusters1.jpg" width="320" /></a>And when I say he talked, I mean, <em>he talked</em>. He talked about the eggs on the counter. He talked about the nice lady being grabbed by the bad doggie. He hated those doggies. "They are mean and ugly, and did bad things." But he loved Slimer! He was a little sad when Slimer went into the trap. He liked Stay Puft, but for some reason he kept referring him as "the snowman." He was confused by the whole Gozer/crossing the streams scenario. (Try explaining why Gozer wanted to destroy humankind to a four-year-old. Ditto as to why crossing the streams was "very, very bad.") </div>
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He also didn't understand why "the bearded man" (Walter Peck, played by the slimy William Atherton) wanted to shut down the system that eventually unleashed all of the ghosts.<br />
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<strong>Me</strong>: "Because he was ignorant. He didn't fully understand the damage he would create by shutting it down."<br />
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<strong>Ryan</strong>: "So... the man with the beard didn't know he was going to let Slimer out?"<br />
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When the film ended, I was relieved. I was proud of the kid. He didn't break down crying or run away or become emotionally scarred from the film. He survived the first class!<br />
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That is, until that night when it was time to go to bed. He just wouldn't fall asleep. He was thinking about the ghosts. <br />
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"I like Slimer and the snow man, but I didn't like the screaming ghost and the mean doggies." He just kept repeating that sentence over and over. My wife had a "told you so" look on her face and made me talk him down.<br />
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Same thing happened the next night.<br />
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And the next night.<br />
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And the next.<br />
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It's been a week since we watched <strong><em>Ghostbusters</em></strong> and the topic of scary ghosts comes up every night before bedtime. But I stand by decision to show him the movie. To my defense, he still hasn't cried about it. He talks it out as if he was a patient, and I was his shrink.<br />
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The way I look at it is this: When it's time for bed, or even when we're outside playing ball, the images come back to his head. When we're not watching movies, he's still thinking and talking about movies.<br />
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So... mission accomplished!<br />
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<em>If anyone has suggestions for age-appropriate classics I can show him for future "lessons," feel free to comment below.</em>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12951548184115824860noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783954287151205399.post-37238684756890368752012-04-02T09:50:00.000-04:002012-04-03T09:04:39.822-04:00Quick Takes: March HighlightsMarch was a mostly great month of movie viewing for me. I certainly didn't break any records with the amount of films rented, but I was impressed with some of the high quality entertainment I consumed. On top of these films, I'm still plowing through the earlier seasons of <strong><em>Breaking Bad</em></strong> which has become an instant favorite. I'm not rushing because I want to savor the show for as long as I can. Why must good things always come to an end? <br />
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I started with the cheesefest that is the latest <strong><em>Twilight</em></strong> film, but then things got a little bumpy after that.<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1324999/">The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part One (2011)</a></span></strong><br />
<strong>Dir. Bill Condon</strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pZYnrfv9PRY/T3MjrBcpLqI/AAAAAAAAA68/o21JsH87uqY/s1600/Twilight-Breaking-Dawn-Part-1-Movie-Poster1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" dea="true" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pZYnrfv9PRY/T3MjrBcpLqI/AAAAAAAAA68/o21JsH87uqY/s200/Twilight-Breaking-Dawn-Part-1-Movie-Poster1.jpg" width="134" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">3/5</span></strong></td></tr>
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Every year when a new <strong><em>Twilight</em></strong> film comes out on DVD, my wife and I have a tradition. We put the kids to bed, get cozy, dim the lights, pop in the DVD and provide a running commentary on the absurdity and ridiculousness of this mega-popular series. That is the main source of entertainment from these otherwise mind-numbing, incredulously vacuous films. We were sorely disappointed with the previous installment; <strong><em>Eclipse</em></strong> was so boring, we could barely mine any laughs out of it. I am happy to report that <strong><em>Breaking Dawn Part One</em></strong> is a return to form. From Taylor Lautner's cardboard emotions ("I'm so lonely, I will barely take my shirt off in this movie.") to Bella's father's constipated look ("My daughter's marrying a freak. I need to act sad and happy at the same time.") to the ineptitude of the vampires (oh, shit, unprotected sex with a human = not good!) to the mumbling nonsense from the werewolves (the pact is broken! We must attack! Ok, we will wait. No, attack now! Wait, not yet!). Lots of really juicy stuff here. It's impossible to take it all so seriously (as they do in the film), but <strong><em>Breaking Dawn Part One</em></strong> made our night pretty damned entertaining. <br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0970179/">Hugo (2011)</a></span></strong></div>
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<strong>Dir. Martin Scorsese</strong></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Mjhhy-QO2H4/T3Mjw84uBfI/AAAAAAAAA7E/_6WosdGsl4E/s1600/hugo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" dea="true" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Mjhhy-QO2H4/T3Mjw84uBfI/AAAAAAAAA7E/_6WosdGsl4E/s200/hugo.jpg" width="135" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>3/5</strong></span></td></tr>
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It took awhile for me to get into this one. For the first 45 minutes or so, I was shifting uncomfortably in my seat as I watched some rather uninspiring story about a kid living in a train station who fights with Ben Kingsley over an all-important journal and runs from a determined guard, played by a miscast Sasha Baron Cohen. But then something interesting happened. Kingsley's backstory blew the doors open to the real story of <strong><em>Hugo</em></strong>. For me, it's not about the boy or the book or the robot. It's about film appreciation and preservation. When Kingsley's past was uncovered, I was engrossed by his life as a creative filmmaker. Melies knew how magical the movies can be. He was a true artist, a class act magician whose camera was his most valuable tool. This was the best part about <strong><em>Hugo</em></strong>. It's just too bad it took almost an hour to get there. </div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1291584/">Warrior (2011)</a></span></strong><strong></strong></div>
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<strong>Dir. Gavin O'Connor</strong></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VKVd1iWaZmI/T3Mj3DOWJeI/AAAAAAAAA7M/j41M8MXYLrs/s1600/warrior.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" dea="true" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VKVd1iWaZmI/T3Mj3DOWJeI/AAAAAAAAA7M/j41M8MXYLrs/s200/warrior.jpg" width="140" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">4.5/5</span></strong></td></tr>
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Now this is what <strong><em>The Fighter</em></strong> should've done! <strong><em>Warrior</em></strong> got <em>under my skin</em>. Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton, both very good here, play estranged brothers who are equally skilled in mixed martial arts. For their own reasons, they both join competitive fighting after several years of being away from the game. Oscar nominee Nick Nolte, as good as I've seen him in years, gives a searing performance as their father who does his damnedest to get them to forgive him for some questionable actions from the past. The lengthy running time flew by, the fighting scenes were cringe-worthy, and the dark, underlying family drama all helped make <strong><em>Warrior</em></strong> one of the best films of 2011.</div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1675192/">Take Shelter (2011)</a></span></strong><br />
<strong>Dir. Jeff Nichols</strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AeC5g5oJ748/T3r0VTsUoyI/AAAAAAAAA-U/zr2BWWCviBU/s1600/Take-Shelter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" dea="true" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AeC5g5oJ748/T3r0VTsUoyI/AAAAAAAAA-U/zr2BWWCviBU/s200/Take-Shelter.jpg" width="136" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">4.5/5</span></strong></td></tr>
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Michael Shannon plays Curtis, a blue collar family man who is saddled with a severe case of paranoid schizophrenia. He slowly begins to experience frightening hallucinations that feel all too real for him. But Curtis is a man of pride. He won't admit to anyone that he has a problem, which causes friction in his marriage and his work life. What I really appreciate about <strong><em>Take Shelter</em></strong> was how down to earth it is. Each character behaves rationally, their emotions are impeccably on target. Director Jeff Nichols shows remarkable skill showcasing human behavior in such extreme and unsettling times. It helps that his lead is played by the very enigmatic Shannon, while Jessica Chastain is equally stunning as his headstrong wife. A fantastic film in many ways.<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1441326/">Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011)</a></span></strong></div>
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<strong>Dir. Sean Durkin</strong></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PzFurX2DuWQ/T3XS9sJjODI/AAAAAAAAA9s/UIxG0KXxS7E/s1600/Martha-marcy-may-marlene-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" dea="true" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PzFurX2DuWQ/T3XS9sJjODI/AAAAAAAAA9s/UIxG0KXxS7E/s200/Martha-marcy-may-marlene-poster.jpg" width="137" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">4/5</span></strong></td></tr>
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"Hi Martha. You look like a Marcy May." Creepy cult leader Patrick, played with low-key seductiveness by the great John Hawkes, lures girls onto his farm and domesticates them. They become wives, mothers, cooks, maids, you name it. As if that were not strange enough, these girls are forbidden to eavesdrop on another conversation. They cannot eat meals before Patrick and his "sons." When they answer the phone, the girls must always refer to themselves as Marlene. Director Sean Durkin, in an assured debut, begs you to ask questions. He intentionally sidesteps any easy answers. This isn't a stylish thriller but a subdued one, a rare thinking person's mood piece that has an eerie stillness to it. <strong><em>Martha Marcy May Marlene</em></strong> is a distinctive piece of work, effectively entering your mind and staying put for a long, long time. </div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1787660/">Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey (2011)</a></span></strong><br />
<strong>Dir. Constance Marks</strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0aShvVQ9tNM/T3XTCjG_TcI/AAAAAAAAA90/A6wtP68XsIU/s1600/Being-Elmo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" dea="true" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0aShvVQ9tNM/T3XTCjG_TcI/AAAAAAAAA90/A6wtP68XsIU/s200/Being-Elmo.jpg" width="141" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">4/5</span></strong></td></tr>
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A pleasant surprise. Part of me was expecting to spend 90 minutes learning all about Elmo, that ridiculously popular puppet who took over a portion of Sesame Street and every child's toy closet several years ago. My kids love Elmo but most parents like myself can only handle him in small doses (if at all). But <strong><em>Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey</em></strong> is really about the journey of Elmo's creator, Kevin Clash, whose fondness for puppetry at a very young age marked the way of a very illustrious career in children's entertainment. It's an inspiring, heartfelt story about a kid who had a talent and a dream. Clash is a charming, gracious and humble individual and his life story is a joy to watch. Some people just deserve their good fortune.<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1204342/">The Muppets (2011)</a></span></strong><br />
<strong>Dir. Jay Bobin</strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BMUs4Vm37JM/T3XTH5KENjI/AAAAAAAAA98/_-xMTWLGXS0/s1600/Muppets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" dea="true" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BMUs4Vm37JM/T3XTH5KENjI/AAAAAAAAA98/_-xMTWLGXS0/s200/Muppets.jpg" width="134" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">3/5</span></strong></td></tr>
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This was unintentional, viewing two puppet-themed films over the course of one weekend. Incidentally, <strong><em>Being Elmo</em></strong> enhanced my appreciation of all things puppetry, and thereby allowing me to enjoy <strong><em>The Muppets</em></strong>, a sweet, diverting family comedy jam-packed with cameos, witty one-liners, and a silly story setting up a major comeback for our beloved muppets gang. The film predictably ambles along, though none of the set pieces or songs really stick out. With the talented Jason Segel involved behind the scenes and in front, I was expecting the humor to be sharper and more polished. While I wouldn't call it memorable, <strong><em>The Muppets</em></strong> is still pleasant enough for the whole family.<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1527186/">Melancholia (2011)</a></span></strong><br />
<strong>Dir. Lars von Trier</strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-grhnYg0HQ9A/T3XTNTDcJwI/AAAAAAAAA-E/uu222ZmVjJQ/s1600/MelancholiaPoster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" dea="true" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-grhnYg0HQ9A/T3XTNTDcJwI/AAAAAAAAA-E/uu222ZmVjJQ/s200/MelancholiaPoster.jpg" width="134" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">2.5/5</span></strong></td></tr>
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I found a lot of correlations between this film and <b><i>Take Shelter</i></b>. For one, both films deal with a mentally disturbed protagonist and their families who attempt to keep them grounded. Then there's the fantastical force that is mother nature and how it metaphorically stands for the turmoil in their psychologically ravaged minds. But the problem I had with <strong><em>Melancholia</em></strong> is that it is so relentlessly, tirelessly downbeat. Everyone is so bitter, angry, and defeatist. Unlike in <strong><em>Take Shelter</em></strong>, the characters in <strong><em>Melancholia</em></strong> acted in ways that made very little sense. They were inconsistent: I don't believe Justine's husband would abandon her. I don't believe that Kiefer Sutherland's John would do what he did in the final act. And I get that Dunst is playing a depressed woman but her actions and emotions towards her sister felt very erratic. The wedding arc was insufferable; the characters populating the party were nearly impossible to penetrate. Things opened up in the second half and the film finally showed some promise. But some questionable character moments kept me detached from the film, despite some stunning visuals and an overall sense of impending dread. For a far more absorbing drama about a dysfunctional family during a wedding, <strong><em>Rachel Getting Married</em></strong> is the one that shook me to my core. (Spoiler alert: no planets collided during that one.)<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1692486/">Carnage (2011)</a></span></strong><br />
<strong>Dir. Roman Polanski</strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_MVPpPaYPUI/T3mpwGQSPrI/AAAAAAAAA-M/DEDq08ga66I/s1600/carnage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" dea="true" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_MVPpPaYPUI/T3mpwGQSPrI/AAAAAAAAA-M/DEDq08ga66I/s200/carnage.jpg" width="134" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">3/5</span></strong></td></tr>
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Roman Polanski is no stranger to filming stage plays. He did exactly the same thing to <strong><em>Carnage</em></strong> as he did to 1994's underrated white-knuckle thriller <strong><em>Death and the Maiden</em></strong>: he took a conversational story set in "one-room," littered it with stellar actors, and took no liberties with the setting. Polanski could have broken down that "fourth wall" and turned these plays into cinematic works, but he knew that the tension and drama are inside those crackling bits of dialogue. <strong><em>Carnage</em></strong>, though engaging and mercifully short at 80 minutes, fails to captivate and titillate. Jodie Foster was tonally way off; I've never seen her more out of place in a film as I do here. John C. Reilly and Kate Winslet are fine; they felt more at home here in roles better suited for their skill set. But Christoph Waltz nailed it here, so good as an overworked and exasperated husband who buries himself in his work. <strong><em>Carnage</em></strong> is flawed, thin, and at times awfully shallow, but those stinging words do sometimes hit home.<br />
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</div>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12951548184115824860noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783954287151205399.post-80360012885587434012012-03-13T14:31:00.001-04:002012-03-13T14:31:58.611-04:00Best of the Year: 1992<span style="font-size: large;"><strong><em><u>My Picks of the Year</u></em></strong></span> <br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>(in alphabetical order)</em></span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GPoMFpfPa9Q/T19jY495vEI/AAAAAAAAA4M/KX0lVTqOC5g/s1600/deathbecomesher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GPoMFpfPa9Q/T19jY495vEI/AAAAAAAAA4M/KX0lVTqOC5g/s200/deathbecomesher.jpg" width="158" /></a></div>
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104070/">Death Becomes Her</a></strong><br />
Filmmaking genius Robert Zemeckis crafted this dark comedy about two feuding best friends (Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn) and the loser who came between them (Bruce Willis, brilliantly cast). The story takes a few awkward turns, but still, the film looks great, the effects are generous and ingenious, and the high wattage cast is terrific fun to watch. Zemeckis pulls it off once and again.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6kv5udKcfP8/T19jdJr3X0I/AAAAAAAAA4U/lHpiL3nWlrw/s1600/a-few-good-men-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6kv5udKcfP8/T19jdJr3X0I/AAAAAAAAA4U/lHpiL3nWlrw/s200/a-few-good-men-2.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104257/">A Few Good Men</a></strong><br />
A lean, scenery-chewer of a courtroom drama. Nicholson and Cruise, an imaginative pairing if there ever was one, create vivid characters who square off spectacularly in the memorable final scenes. The supporting cast of pros, including Bacon, Pollak, Sutherland, Moore, and the late, great Walsh, help alleviate the tension and guide us through Aaron Sorkin's tightly polished screenplay. This is a fantastic movie, are we clear?<br />
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1147094903" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Mu-iua_kCh8/T19jg1lpZ2I/AAAAAAAAA4c/eqv39-O3VfA/s200/glengarry-glen-ross.jpeg" width="128" /></a></div>
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104348/">Glengarry Glen Ross</a></strong><br />
Who knew dialogue could be so powerful? David Mamet wrote this blistering, sobering account about the dog-eat-dog world of insurance salesmen. It may not sound thrilling as an idea, but this film has more chills, suspense and excitement than any Hollywood blockbuster. The script may be remarkable, but it is the actors that make this one compulsively watchable. Lemmon, Spacey, Harris, Pacino, Arkin, Baldwin and Pryce. That's a lineup every director dreams of and James Foley lets them work their magic in every scene. Anyone who appreciates the power of the written word and the nuance of an actor's delivery must seek out this film. A masterpiece of the highest order.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lVj_Bc9Ar5A/T19jloCqBrI/AAAAAAAAA4k/k-ZrNOYWON4/s1600/hoffa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lVj_Bc9Ar5A/T19jloCqBrI/AAAAAAAAA4k/k-ZrNOYWON4/s200/hoffa.jpg" width="134" /></a></div>
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104427/">Hoffa</a></strong><br />
Jack Nicholson doesn't usually do biopics. Every character he portrays is his own (he even made the Joker look like an original creation). Well, now, he took a popular political figure and made Jimmy Hoffa his own; his performance is exciting and moving. Danny DeVito, an amazing director with great visual style, shows his usual panache behind the camera and in front of it -- and he's not afraid to tell us who Hoffa was and how he disappeared. It's a thrilling picture, masterfully executed.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UlchFqBT1y4/T19jxIZOQmI/AAAAAAAAA4s/8YgrN6mBRpA/s1600/jennifer-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UlchFqBT1y4/T19jxIZOQmI/AAAAAAAAA4s/8YgrN6mBRpA/s200/jennifer-8.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104549/">Jennifer 8</a></strong><br />
Andy Garcia, the king of smoldering sexy actors, stars here as a cop who falls in love with a potential next victim of a twisted serial killer. Uma Thurman is the frightened blind woman, and John Malkovich, crackling here, is the investigator who fingers Garcia as a likely suspect.<strong><em> Jennifer 8</em></strong> is a moody, well-scripted, tight thriller, enormously entertaining.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104695/">Leap of Faith </a></strong><br />
Steve Martin is a force to be reckoned with in this sweet, old-fashioned comedy-drama about a small town racked with problems. Martin is the evangelist who sweeps in, praises the Lord Almighty, pretends God is listening, and tells everyone that all is going to be OK. There's no question that Martin is conning everyone, but also, there's no doubt he's making everyone feel alive again. <em><strong>Leap of Faith</strong></em> is by no means a great film and it doesn't have a very original storyline, but it's got spunk, is highly engaging and features a rousing performance by one of the funniest men alive.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102443/">A Midnight Clear</a></strong><br />
A genuine indie discovery. This is a quietly powerful war drama in which a few soldiers, German and American, share a bond on Christmas during WWII, before both sides are forced to fight one another to the death. Keith Gordon directed an awesome young cast, which includes Peter Berg, Kevin Dillon, Gary Sinise, John C. McGinley, Ethan Hawke, and Frank Whaley. It's truly a unique situation, and this war film stands out among others because it effectively captures the fear and confusion of battle. Beautifully done!<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105017/">Noises Off!</a></strong><br />
This could very well be one of the funniest films of all time. There are more laughs in this film than in the entire Zucker/Abrams/Zucker amalgam, and this one's got a surefire cast and a great cynical undertone. Michael Caine leads the pack as an exhausted director who can't seem to get his wacky cast together in time for their nonsensical play's opening performance. The late John Ritter, in one of his best roles, appears alongside Christopher Reeve, Julie Hagerty, Mark Linn-Baker, and Carol Burnett, forming a witty, delightful, rambunctious ensemble.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105046/">Of Mice and Men</a></strong><br />
My first discovery of the brilliant acting skills of John Malkovich. I saw this film as we were reading the famous novel by John Steinbeck for class in high school, and I absolutely fell in love with it. Malkovich is Lenny, and Sinise is his cousin. The relationship is not unlike that of Raymond Babbitt and his brother from <strong><em>Rain Man</em></strong>; their bond is strong and true, despite one of their mental handicaps. It's a quiet, lovely masterpiece.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105211/">Radio Flyer</a></strong><br />
Richard Donner, one of the better directors of the 80's and early 90's, created a shamefully underrated fantasy about two brothers who find a magical way to escape their abusive father. Some couldn't see it as a children's film, some couldn't see it as an adult drama, but for those who are looking for a little bit of both will find that this is a very strong, sensitively acted piece of work. Elijah Wood (the best child actor of his time), Joseph Mazzello, Lorraine Bracco, and Tom Hanks make a beautiful ensemble, and it's a crying shame the movie got blasted the way it did. It deserves so much more.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105226/">Red Rock West</a></strong><br />
Film noir is back, thanks to John Dahl and his superb craftsmanship. Nicolas Cage, in fine form, is a drifter who gets caught in a nasty mess as he swings by a small town in the middle of the desert. After a case of mistaken identity, things go severely wrong and the twists pile up. The cast is awesome, from Lara Flynn Boyle (before she got flaky) to Dennis Hopper to the late, great J.T. Walsh. Cool shit.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105435/">Sneakers</a></strong><br />
The only thing wrong with this film is the pacing - it feels overlong. But what would I cut from this supremely clever film? I wouldn't want to take any screen time away from the amazing cast, especially from Sidney Poitier (adding much class), River Phoenix (a touch of edginess), Dan Aykroyd (heavy doses of humor), Mary McDonnell (some sexiness), David Strathairn (sophisticated wit), Ben Kingsley (just the right amount of menace) and Robert Redford (the truly dashing anchor). The script is hysterical as it is wild. I'd say leave it as it is and savor every nifty minute of it.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong><em><u>Honorable Mentions</u></em></strong></span><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103772/">Basic Instinct</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104231/">Far and Away</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104412/">Hero</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104694/">A League of Their Own</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104815/">El Mariachi</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104850/">Memoirs of an Invisible Man</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104952/">My Cousin Vinny</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105165/">Prelude to a Kiss</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105217/">Raising Cain</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105488/">Strictly Ballroom</a></strong>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12951548184115824860noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783954287151205399.post-52724868620885114252012-03-06T15:43:00.000-05:002012-03-06T15:43:38.043-05:00Gone But Not Forgotten: Quantum Leap (1989-1994)<em>"Gone But Not Forgotten" is a series in which I reminisce about great television shows that are... yes... gone but not forgotten. Previous entries include <strong><a href="http://flickerobsession.blogspot.com/2011/01/gone-but-not-forgotten-buffy-vampire.html">Buffy the Vampire Slayer</a></strong> and <strong><a href="http://flickerobsession.blogspot.com/2011/03/gone-but-not-forgotten-sports-night.html">Sports Night</a></strong>.</em><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>"Theorizing that one can time travel within his own lifetime, Dr. Sam Beckett stepped into the Quantum Leap accelerator... and vanished!"</em></strong></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iPrButzV0D0/T1YhT_FVULI/AAAAAAAAA3s/Vc_PJ16Klbg/s1600/quantumleap1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iPrButzV0D0/T1YhT_FVULI/AAAAAAAAA3s/Vc_PJ16Klbg/s1600/quantumleap1.jpg" uda="true" /></a></div>Every week for five seasons from 1989-1993, we heard that voiceover precede each episode of <strong><em>Quantum Leap</em></strong>, an ambitious and engaging sci-fi drama about a scientist who "leaps" from life to life, temporarily taking the places of other people. The concept is brilliant, giving the writers ample opportunities to, naming a few, provide social commentary for different time periods and locales, explore the fish-out-of-water concept in numerous ways, and give Scott Bakula an acting exercise any performer would dream of.<br />
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The premise is simple. Dr. Sam Beckett (Bakula, nominated for four Emmys for this role and winner of one Golden Globe) has created a time machine in the present day. After jumping into the accelerator before it was ready, he finds himself "trapped in the past, facing mirror images that are not his own." In order to leap out of their lives, he must alter their history to better their future. And in each leap, Sam hopes that his next one will be the leap home.<br />
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Dean Stockwell plays Al, a fellow scientist from the present day who "follows" Sam as he jumps from one life to the next. Al appears in the form of a hologram and is able to provide details to Sam that allows him to achieve his goal. To speak in <strong><em>Lost</em></strong> terms, Al is Sam's constant. Without Al, Sam would be completely disillusioned to his new surroundings.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qF8Lt7iLQTo/T1YhiQ2WxxI/AAAAAAAAA30/T54-ZqI-gWo/s1600/QuantumLeap3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qF8Lt7iLQTo/T1YhiQ2WxxI/AAAAAAAAA30/T54-ZqI-gWo/s320/QuantumLeap3.jpg" uda="true" width="320" /></a></div><strong><em>Quantum Leap</em></strong> is a serialized drama, which means that every week Sam leaps into a different character and has a new goal to achieve. Some memorable leaps include: a criminal who holds a mother and daughter hostage; a chimp (yes, a chimp) who heads to outer space; a female rape victim; a co-pilot of an air taxi flying through the Bermuda Triangle; a washed-out baseball player; a Ku-Klux-Klan member; a young man with Down Syndrome (twice!); a traveling magician and so much more. But if I'm going to narrow it down to a select few over the course of five memorable seasons, these are the episodes/arcs that truly define how amazing this series used to be.<br />
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<strong><em>--"The Leap Home"</em></strong> (2 parts) - Season 3 Premiere<br />
"I'd give anything to have what you have, Sam." That's what Al says when Sam realizes that he can save the lives of complete strangers but not his own family. In "<strong><em>The Leap Home Part One</em></strong>," he leaps into his own self at age 16 in 1969 and is finally at home again. He wants to prevent his father from dying of a heart attack and keep his brother from going to Vietnam and getting killed. But Al tells him the only reason he is there is to win a basketball game and Sam has tremendous difficulty accepting that.<br />
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What a moving, heartfelt hour of <strong><em>Quantum Leap</em></strong>. Watching Sam long for his family is heartbreaking. It was an innocent time and who wouldn't kill for a chance to rewind life back to that era and change things for the better?<br />
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In "<strong><em>The Leap Home Part Two</em></strong>," Sam leaps into a buddy from his brother's unit in Vietnam and ends up saving his life anyway. In a thrilling twist, he discovers Al as a POW in 1970. Sam wanted to free him but hologram Al refused. He got repatriated in 5 years anyway and wouldn't change a thing. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dDgLKHb-XPA/T1YhycjxX-I/AAAAAAAAA38/EzXbglQQyGQ/s1600/QuantumLeap2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dDgLKHb-XPA/T1YhycjxX-I/AAAAAAAAA38/EzXbglQQyGQ/s320/QuantumLeap2.jpg" uda="true" width="251" /></a></div><strong><em>--"Shock Theater"</em></strong> - Season 3 Finale<br />
The other bookend to this remarkable season was this finale in which Sam leapt into a mental patient who was administered shock treatment. This fries Sam's brain which not only weakens his connection with Al, but also causes Sam to act like some of the previous people he leapt into. This was an acting powerhouse from Scott Bakula who had to portray so many different personas for the entire hour. Really nerve-wracking drama. The tail-end of the hour has Sam leaping out of the hospital and switching places with Al in 1945. What a cliffhanger! Imagine enduring an entire summer waiting to see what happened next. It was the summer I turned 14, and I remember vividly being obsessed with this damn show. September couldn't have come any sooner.<br />
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<strong><em>--"The Leap Back"</em></strong> - Season 4 Premiere<br />
When the show came back that September, it was as fun and rewarding as I had anticipated. The writers infused a lot of humor in this episode where Sam - finally! - got to enjoy life back at the home base in the present day. He reunited with his wife and was perfectly at ease commanding the "computer" that he designed in the first place. Sam certainly enjoyed the experience of being the hologram to Al's confused, dismayed leaper status. "Revenge is mine, saith the hologram!," Sam shouts with glee. Nice to see <strong><em>Quantum Leap</em></strong> take a break from the heavy stuff.<br />
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<strong><em>--"A Leap for Lisa"</em></strong> - Season 4 Finale<br />
It seems the show worked best for me when the stakes were high, which happened at the beginning and end of the last three seasons. In the case of this surprising finale, Sam leaps into Al in 1957 when he was a young ensign. He tweaks history for the worse and Al is sentenced to death. The result is Sam having a new hologram to help him achieve his goal. It's safe to assume it all worked out in the end. The show is best when it toys with the elements of time and alters history as we know it. This theme continues masterfully with the next season's premiere.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jUxE_6aQOkc/T1Yh-ApRAaI/AAAAAAAAA4E/LkKmD0W-_a0/s1600/QuantumLeap4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jUxE_6aQOkc/T1Yh-ApRAaI/AAAAAAAAA4E/LkKmD0W-_a0/s320/QuantumLeap4.jpg" uda="true" width="320" /></a></div><strong><em>--"Lee Harvey Oswald"</em></strong> - Season 5 Premiere<br />
Probably Sam's most high-profile leap of the series and definitely one of the most compelling episodes the show ever produced. In another acting showcase for Bakula, Sam leaps in and out of Lee Harvey Oswald over the course of 5 years prior to the Kennedy assassination. This episode aired a year after Oliver Stone's<strong><em> JFK</em></strong> as a counter-argument for some widely-circulated conspiracy theories. <strong><em>Quantum Leap</em></strong>'s creator and writer, Donald P. Bellasario, actually served in the Marine Corp with Oswald and is convinced that he acted alone in Kennedy's assassination. This episode, in which Sam retained some of Oswald's personality and was unable to control his actions (a first for the show), was a way for Bellasario to show that Oswald killed Kennedy alone because of his long-held political beliefs. Sam couldn't prevent Oswald from killing JFK, but the episode ended with the revelation that he had indeed saved the life of Jackie O. It was a tremendously satisfying conclusion to an exceptionally well-written, much-acclaimed episode.<br />
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<strong><em>--"Mirror Image"</em></strong> - Series Finale<br />
Oh, how this finale made me so mad. <strong><em>"Mirror Image,"</em></strong> a fun, twisty hour of time-travel goodness, was originally intended as a season finale. NBC opted at the last minute to cancel the show, leaving Bellasario with little choice but to wrap up the series with a cue card essentially stating that Sam "never returned home." Seriously? I felt we were owed so much more than that. There had been talk for many, many years about a follow-up TV movie, but it never happened. One of the worst things a series finale could do was not provide any sense of satisfying closure, and that's what happened with <strong><em>Quantum Leap</em></strong>. Having said that, I look back on this hour and realize how enjoyable it is. In a way, <strong><em>"Mirror Image"</em></strong> is a fitting end to the series because it featured a collection of popular personalities that we were familiar with from over the years. In the end, though, Sam did what he felt was right. He had the opportunity to go home, but he had to break some rules and fix Al's marriage. I suppose it was the least Sam could do after all Al had done for him. But when that fateful, frustrating cue card came up at the very end, I slapped my forehead. <br />
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Oh boy, indeed.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12951548184115824860noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783954287151205399.post-37611930286948201932012-03-03T14:13:00.001-05:002012-03-03T14:13:55.127-05:00Quick Takes: February Highlights<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Wow, February was a very mixed bag for me when it came to movies. Two great films, one very good one, a couple of decent titles and a handful of crappy ones. My Netflix queue is loaded with potentially great titles from 2011 I haven't seen yet (<b><i>Hugo, Descendants, Melancholia</i></b>, etc) so I have a long way to go before I'm stuck with the earlier 2012 releases. I'm hoping March will be a more consistently great month. </div>
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As for TV, I had to put <b><i>Mad Men</i></b> on hold. Halfway through season one, I couldn't get myself into it. <i>I just don't care. </i>What am I missing? So, while I shelve that title for the time being, I'm jumping into <b><i>Breaking Bad</i></b>, and after 3 episodes so far, I'm absolutely loving it. Wow! What a creative, funny, off-the-wall drama! I can't wait to write about it for next month's highlights.</div>
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Now, the good, bad and ugly of February, in order of viewing. I started the month off with last week's Best Picture winner, <b><i>The Artist</i></b>.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nOLLwwaPb04/T1JifSEzjmI/AAAAAAAAA2U/Ghak4ODcf14/s1600/The+Artist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nOLLwwaPb04/T1JifSEzjmI/AAAAAAAAA2U/Ghak4ODcf14/s320/The+Artist.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
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<b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1655442/">The Artist (2011)</a></b></div>
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<b>Dir. Michel Hazanavicius</b></div>
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George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) was a handsome and popular movie star during the silent film era. He loved being the center of attention and America clearly adored him. That is, of course, until talking pictures were invented. Valentin's career and personal life began spiraling downward at breakneck speeds and there were only two things in his life that kept him afloat: his loyal, affectionate dog and the actress he once discovered and loved (Berenice Bejo, a wonderful face). <b><i>The Artist</i></b> is pure fluff. Sure, it's sweet and charming, but there is no weight to it. It was nearly impossible to take it seriously or feel any deep emotion for these characters. I hate to use the word "overrated" here but for me <b><i>The Artist </i></b>was only seen as a pleasant diversion, a peaceful distraction from the loud pomp and circumstance of Hollywood today. Recommended viewing, but with reservations.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-65lA0IPild8/T1Jijtk25HI/AAAAAAAAA2c/aPbXqDQFXBI/s1600/fastfive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-65lA0IPild8/T1Jijtk25HI/AAAAAAAAA2c/aPbXqDQFXBI/s320/fastfive.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
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<b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1596343/">Fast Five (2011)</a></b></div>
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<b>Dir. Justin Lin</b></div>
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Finally! A sequel worthy of the fun and fresh 2001 actioner <b><i>The Fast and the Furious</i></b>. <b><i>Fast Five</i></b> picks up where we left off from the previous installment and smartly eschews the tired racing formula by making this one an out-and-out heist thriller. It's ridiculous and way over the top, but bringing Diesel and Walker back together again, in addition to new supporting performers (Dwayne Johnson, Joaquin De Almeida) and the good former ones (Ludacris, Tyrese Gibson) make these proceedings lively and entertaining. The previous sequels always left a sour taste in my mouth; <b><i>Fast Five</i></b> has me pumped for number 6. <br />
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<b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1637706/">Our Idiot Brother (2011)</a></b></div>
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<b>Dir. Jesse Peretz</b></div>
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What a bummer. You have no idea how much I wanted to like <b><i>Our Idiot Brother</i></b>. This cast is responsible for making me laugh and smile for many, many years. I can't blame them, really. The script was stale, even a little bit phony. Love, love, love Paul Rudd, but who is this guy he's playing? He's clueless and bighearted, I get it, but I just couldn't connect with him. Faring much worse, though, were his insufferable, selfish, bratty sisters, played by otherwise wonderful and brilliant actresses (Elizabeth Banks, Emily Mortimer, Zooey Deschanel). I got a few chuckles out of the film, but most of time I was wishing to watch the very same cast in a completely different movie.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-paL0XA-0RSM/T1Jis2CoXoI/AAAAAAAAA2s/y2FLQv7Muqo/s1600/paranormal3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-paL0XA-0RSM/T1Jis2CoXoI/AAAAAAAAA2s/y2FLQv7Muqo/s320/paranormal3.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1778304/">Paranormal Activity 3 (2011)</a></b></div>
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<b>Dir. Ariel Shulman and Henry Joost</b></div>
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Anticipation is everything. That's what makes these <b><i>Paranormal Activity</i></b> movies work for me. What lurks at the top of the stairs? What's hiding behind the closet door? If you let it, the anticipation of finding out the answers puts you in a state of high anxiety. These films are hugely successful - budgeting at $5 million, they rake in $100+ million - because they tap into that fear of the unexpected. I'm not one for torture porn (<b><i>Saw, Hostel</i></b>) or bloody horror films, so this type of "scary movie" where the villain cannot be seen is my cup of tea. Continuing the unraveling mystery of Katie and Kristi, <b><i>Paranormal Activity 3 </i></b>jumps back to 1988, when the "entity" began terrorizing the sisters. Joost and Shulman, directors of last year's favorite of mine, <b><i>Catfish</i></b>, helm this with a freshness that is typically unheard of for a sequel of a horror franchise. Impressively, this series has a lot of juice.<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1621444/">Bill Cunningham New York (2011)</a></b></div>
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<b>Dir. Richard Press</b></div>
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"He who seeks beauty shall find it." Anyone who has ever read Sunday's New York Times has seen Bill Cunningham's work. Well-known in fashion circles, Cunningham is a man who is never without a camera. He doesn't care who you are; he just wants to capture your clothes. He loves when everyday people walk the street wearing something that makes them happy, whether it be a funny hat, or colorful scarf, or shoes to die for. He believes that clothes define a person and he captures that persons essence better than anyone out there. Bill Cunningham is 80 years old, bikes around Manhattan every day, and takes pictures. He lives a simple life. He takes joy in the little things. His work is his life. How can you not smile when you think of him? <br />
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<b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1622979/">Final Destination 5 (2011)</a></b></div>
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<b>Dir. Steven Quale</b></div>
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I knew my luck would run out. After enjoying two good sequels this month (see above), this one had to shit all over everything. As you may know, I loved the first <b><i>Final Destination</i></b>; it's one of my favorites of 2000 and, in my opinion, it's among the best in the horror genre, period. <b><i>Final Destination 2</i></b> was a huge drop but I still enjoyed it. That opening car crash scene shook me to my core. Number 3 was forgettable on all levels and I skipped number 4. So why I did bother with this one? Well, the buzz was pretty strong and I was nostalgic for some old-fashioned fate-driven gory death scenes. I should have left well enough alone. <b><i>FD5</i></b> was a bore; only the LASIK scene caused me to peek through my fingers. And I'll admit, I got a nice buzz from that final twist, which I didn't see coming at all. Other than that, time to put this series to bed once and for all.<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1465522/">Tucker and Dale Vs Evil (2011)</a></b></div>
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<b>Dir. Eli Craig</b></div>
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<b><i>Tucker and Dale Vs Evil </i></b>is a surprisingly funny horror comedy that held up its inspired premise longer than I thought it would. I was expecting to grow tired of seeing a group of asshole college kids accidentally killing themselves, but it was actually a perverse pleasure to watch. It's certainly no genre-buster or game-changer, but a diverting, sometimes charming off-the-wall little horror flick. The highlight is the well-matched Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine as two clueless knuckleheads who are in way over their heads. <br />
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<b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0780504/">Drive (2011)</a></b></div>
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<b>Dir. Nicolas Winding Refn</b></div>
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Driver (Ryan Gosling) immerses himself in the world of cars every waking minute of his life. When he's not a getaway driver for robbers, he's a car stuntman in action films and works in a buddy's garage fixing up autos. It's a fairly simple life until he gets emotionally involved with a cute neighbor (Carey Mulligan) and her troubled husband. <b><i>Drive</i></b> is a fantastic piece of pulpy cinema, peppered with a very strong cast, doses of extreme bursts of violence and situations that leave you filled with dread. I'm always amazed how much charisma and talent Gosling has as an actor; the man continues to surprise and delight. Albert Brooks received high acclaim for his role as a ruthless mobster and it's a wonderful change of pace for the dryly funny comic. However, I thought Bryan Cranston as the garage owner was just as strong, if not better. Ron Perlman has some great fun in a high-wire performance as an overly sensitive gangster. Refn is a fresh filmmaker, infusing a unique style in <b><i>Drive</i></b> that reminds me of some edgy films of the 70's.<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1554091/">A Better Life (2011)</a></b></div>
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<b>Dir. Chris Weitz</b></div>
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Demian Bichir scored a surprising Best Actor nomination for his remarkable, deeply felt performance as Carlos, a hard-working gardener who dreams of a better life for him and his wayward son. The story is nothing new and breaks no new ground. But the performances are real and grounded, making <b><i>A Better Life</i></b> a compelling and authentic human interest drama. The plight of illegal immigrants is a polarizing issue in America and this film gets deep inside one fractured family's struggle to survive, making it impossible for the viewer not to care.<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1306980/">50/50 (2011)</a></b></div>
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<b>Dir. Jonathan Levine</b></div>
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I'm a big, big fan of Joseph Gordon-Levitt, have been since <b><i>3rd Rock From the Sun</i></b>. I mean, how can you not like him? This kid has more talent than any other star his age. Watch <b><i>Mysterious Skin</i></b>, then his opening monologue of SNL from last year, and then enjoy <b><i>50/50</i></b>, in which Gordon-Levitt tackles a new kind of leading role. He delivers a emotionally resonant performance as young, active twenty-something who discovers he has cancer. Will Reiser's phenomenal script (which is based on his life) mires some real, hearty laughs out of devastating truths. <b><i>50/50</i></b> is not a pick-me-up but it's certainly not a downer, either. It's one of the more life-affirming films I've seen in recent years.<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1606389/">The Vow (2012)</a></b></div>
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<b>Dir. Michael Sucsy</b></div>
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I was away on vacation on a tropical island and needed a night out on the town. Needless to say, the movie selection was sparse down there. At a ridiculously awesome price of $3.50 per ticket (cheap dates rule!), my wife and I took a chance with <b><i>The Vow</i></b>, a romantic sudser about a woman (Rachel McAdams) who loses her memory in a car accident while her husband (Channing Tatum) tries to meticulously pick up the pieces of their now-shattered marriage. How did Nicholas Sparks not write this film already? There's nothing in <b><i>The Vow</i></b> that hasn't been done to death already; you can beat for beat predict the events that occur from the first act to the last. McAdams tries her best and makes the film somewhat watchable, but Channing Tatum may be better suited in an action genre. He's not very big on that whole emoting thing. The subplots involving Sam Neill, Jessica Lange and Scott Speedman are laughable, mechanical and completely ripped off from the Nicholas Sparks playbook of cliches, even though I still can't get over the fact that Sparks never wrote this. Hate to say it, but <i style="font-weight: bold;">The Vow</i> is barely even worth the cheap seats.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12951548184115824860noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783954287151205399.post-59935051431197297792012-02-16T17:24:00.000-05:002012-04-12T15:01:13.377-04:00My Ballot for Oscar 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's that glorious time of the year. The Super Bowl of Movies. We celebrate the year that was, a remarkable time we all had at the movies in 2011.<br />
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I have no stake in the Oscars. I don't get upset when people lose or are snubbed. I don't rally around the block screaming, "HE WON!"<br />
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Because, really, <em>none of this stuff matters</em>. It doesn't matter who wins, who loses, what she's wearing or who he's with. All of this will be forgotten a few weeks from now. I can't tell you how many times I have to stop and wonder, "Hey, who won Best Actor last year?" What matters is that good movies are celebrated and appreciated. It's not easy making a movie that entertains the hell out of people. So when it happens, a party is in order. <br />
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It's all in good fun.<br />
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Now, if anyone has money riding on this year's Oscars, I've got a sure thing for you. BET AGAINST ME! I'm notoriously sucky at correctly picking the Oscar winners. So, do what you will with that. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jMhg_kBk3cg/TzqXIbwuECI/AAAAAAAAA1k/3LMNg8tXdYE/s1600/the-artist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jMhg_kBk3cg/TzqXIbwuECI/AAAAAAAAA1k/3LMNg8tXdYE/s200/the-artist.jpg" width="200" yda="true" /></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Best Picture</span></strong></div>
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<i>The Artist</i></div>
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<i>The Descendants</i></div>
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<i>The Help</i></div>
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<i>Midnight In Paris</i></div>
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<i>Moneyball</i></div>
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<i>Hugo</i></div>
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<i>The Tree Of Life</i></div>
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<i>Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close</i></div>
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<i>War Horse</i></div>
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<strong>SHOULD WIN</strong>: Of all of these films listed, my favorite of the bunch is <strong><em>Moneyball</em></strong>. But is it worthy of Best Picture? I love it, but not quite that much. In varying degrees, <strong><em>The Help</em></strong>, <strong><em>Midnight in Paris</em></strong>, <strong><em>The Tree of Life</em></strong> and <strong><em>The Artist</em></strong> are all rather enjoyable motion pictures. The rest are currently unseen by me. My heart simply does not belong to any one of these this year. </div>
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<strong>WILL WIN</strong>: <strong><em>The Artist</em></strong> is the frontrunner. Can't really argue with that.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WVMfDWNl6Nk/TzqXcuTQ5MI/AAAAAAAAA1s/ABChYksN5OQ/s1600/michael_hazanavicius.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WVMfDWNl6Nk/TzqXcuTQ5MI/AAAAAAAAA1s/ABChYksN5OQ/s200/michael_hazanavicius.jpg" width="165" yda="true" /></a><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="273" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="346"><span style="font-size: large;">Best Director</span> </strong></span> </div>
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<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="270" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Martin Scorsese - <strong>Hugo</strong></i></span></div>
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<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="270" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Terrence Malick - <strong>Tree Of Life</strong></i></span></div>
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<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="270" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Woody Allen - <strong>Midnight In Paris</strong></i></span></div>
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<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="270" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Alexander Payne - <strong>The Descendants</strong></i></span></div>
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<i>Michel Hazanavicius - <strong>The Artist</strong></i></div>
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<strong>SHOULD WIN</strong>: I think this one should go to Malick, because his <strong><em>Tree of Life</em></strong>, while a confounding, perplexing picture, is one of stunning ambition. He had the balls to make a movie like that and have it turn out to be as good as it is. Although, having not seen <strong><em>The Descendants</em></strong> and <strong><em>Hugo</em></strong>, and being big admirers of both directors, I hate saying they don't deserve to win.</div>
<strong>WILL WIN</strong>: Hazanavicius will win this one. No one has made a hit silent film since the 1920's. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-91DisZ-ufd0/TzqXsnxX3-I/AAAAAAAAA10/Qac8MQ78IjM/s1600/jean_dujardin_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="138" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-91DisZ-ufd0/TzqXsnxX3-I/AAAAAAAAA10/Qac8MQ78IjM/s200/jean_dujardin_1.jpg" width="200" yda="true" /></a><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="267" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Best Actor</span> </strong></span></div>
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<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="264" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>George Clooney - <strong>The Descendants</strong></i></span></div>
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="264" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Gary Oldman - <strong>Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy</strong></i></span></div>
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<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="264" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Brad Pitt - <strong>Moneyball</strong></i></span></div>
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<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="264" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Jean Dujardin - <strong>The Artist</strong></i></span></div>
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<i>Demián Bichir - <strong>A Better Life</strong></i> </div>
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<strong>SHOULD WIN</strong>: This is a tough one. Really good actors and performances in this category. I'm thrilled for Oldman, but this isn't his movie or year. It's Pitt's best work in a long, long time. Dujardin is a pleasant surprise. Bichir is soulful and exquisite. I'm a big, big fan of Clooney's, and will watch him in anything. Though I can't judge this performance specifically, I am kind of hoping he wins.</div>
<strong>WILL WIN</strong>: It's a toss up between Clooney and Dujardin, and I think Dujardin will be the surprise winner.<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bxosBLxMJts/TzqX1zdg4oI/AAAAAAAAA18/rOxAtiUEGog/s1600/Meryl_Streep_image-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bxosBLxMJts/TzqX1zdg4oI/AAAAAAAAA18/rOxAtiUEGog/s200/Meryl_Streep_image-1.jpg" width="198" yda="true" /></a><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="261" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="356"><span style="font-size: large;">Best Actress</span> </strong></span> </div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">
<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="258" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Glenn Close - <strong>Albert Nobbs</strong></i></span></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">
<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="258" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Meryl Streep - <strong>The Iron Lady</strong></i></span></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">
<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="258" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Viola Davis - <strong>The Help</strong></i></span></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">
<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="258" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Rooney Mara - <strong>The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo</strong></i></span></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">
<i>Michelle Williams - <strong>My Week With Marilyn</strong></i></div>
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<strong>SHOULD WIN</strong>: I haven't seen <strong><em>Dragon Tattoo</em></strong> or Rooney Mara in anything, except for that brief role in <strong><em>The Social Network</em></strong>. I don't think she has a chance here. But I absolutely adore each of the other actresses on this ballot, even if I've only seen <strong><em>The Help</em></strong>. I'll be pleasantly happy with either of them.<br />
<strong>WILL WIN</strong>: For a while, Viola Davis was a front runner. But I'm feeling buzzy about an upset for Meryl Streep in what will be her first win in 29 years. It's time to give her another one!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VWXj585zZGM/TzqX-2umv2I/AAAAAAAAA2E/jiuET2-7UBU/s1600/christopher-plummer_240.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VWXj585zZGM/TzqX-2umv2I/AAAAAAAAA2E/jiuET2-7UBU/s200/christopher-plummer_240.jpg" width="150" yda="true" /></a><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="255" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="361"><span style="font-size: large;">Best Supporting Actor</span> </strong></span> </div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">
<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="252" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Kenneth Branagh - <strong>My Week With Marilyn</strong></i></span></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">
<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="252" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Jonah Hill - <strong>Moneyball</strong></i></span></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">
<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="252" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Nick Nolte - <strong>Warrior</strong></i></span></div>
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<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="252" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Max Von Sydow - <strong>Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close</strong></i></span></div>
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<i>Christopher Plummer - <strong>Beginners</strong></i></div>
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<strong>SHOULD WIN: </strong>I really liked Hill in <strong><em>Moneyball</em></strong>, but I didn't think he was worthy of a nomination. Love Branagh, Nolte and Sydow, but didn't see their work here yet. <strong><em>Beginners</em></strong> was one of my favorite films of 2011, and Plummer was nothing short of extraordinary. <br />
<strong>WILL WIN</strong>: Plummer will get what he deserves: a career-capping Oscar statuette.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6cuhkln_SQs/TzqYFx0A0uI/AAAAAAAAA2M/yhd-aZ4zfmw/s1600/Octavia_Spencer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6cuhkln_SQs/TzqYFx0A0uI/AAAAAAAAA2M/yhd-aZ4zfmw/s200/Octavia_Spencer.jpg" width="153" yda="true" /></a><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="249" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="366"><span style="font-size: large;">Best Supporting Actress</span> </strong></span> </div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">
<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="246" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Jessica Chastain - <strong>The Help</strong></i></span></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">
<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="246" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Octavia Spencer - <strong>The Help</strong></i></span></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">
<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="246" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Janet McTeer - <strong>Albert Nobbs</strong></i></span></div>
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<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="246" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Melissa McCarthy - <strong>Bridesmaids</strong></i></span></div>
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<i>Berenice Bejo - <strong>The Artist</strong></i></div>
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<strong>SHOULD WIN</strong>: McTeer is the odd one of the bunch. Loved her in <strong><em>Tumbleweeds </em></strong>10 years ago, haven't heard from her since! And I haven't seen <strong><em>Albert Nobbs</em></strong> yet. But I have seen and enjoyed <strong><em>The Help</em></strong>, <strong><em>Bridesmaids</em></strong> and <strong><em>The Artist</em></strong>, and these women are remarkable here. I have a deeper connection with McCarthy because I've seen her on <strong><em>Gilmore Girls</em></strong> for six seasons and absolutely adore her. But I think the nomination is the prize for her. Chastain had an amazing year, but <strong><em>The Help</em></strong> was not her best role. Spencer is a favorite here and deservedly so, but personally speaking, I thought the best thing about <strong><em>The Artist</em></strong> was Bejo. Her face is striking and gorgeous, and she played the ingenue part so very well. I think she deserves the win here. </div>
<strong>WILL WIN</strong>: Octavia Spencer may very well be the sole winner for <strong><em>The Help</em></strong> on Oscar night...<br />
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<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="243" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="371"><span style="font-size: large;">Best Original Screenplay</span> </strong></span></div>
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<strong><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="240" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>The Artist</i></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="240" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Bridesmaids</i></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="240" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Margin Call</i></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="240" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Midnight In Paris</i></span></strong></div>
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<strong><i>A Separation</i></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<strong>SHOULD WIN: </strong>I'm thrilled for the nomination for <strong><em>Margin Call</em></strong>. It's one of my favorite films of the year and one of the biggest surprises of this year's Oscar nominees. I'm also happy to see <strong><em>Bridesmaids</em></strong> nominated. It's not the funniest film of the year (that honor goes to <strong><em>The Trip</em></strong>) but it's nice to see a hard-R comedy get some love.</div>
<strong>WILL WIN</strong>: Woody Allen's charming, well-received <strong><em>Midnight in Paris</em></strong> will get its sole win here.<br />
<strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="376"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></strong><br />
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<strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="376"><span style="font-size: large;">Best Adapted Screenplay</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="233" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>The Descendants</i></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="233" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Hugo</i></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="233" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Ides Of March</i></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="233" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Moneyball</i></span></strong></div>
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<strong><i>Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy</i></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<strong>SHOULD WIN</strong>: I love Alexander Payne, and he is very well-respected in the industry. But <strong><em>The Descendants</em></strong> seems to be losing traction with audiences. And the scripts for <strong><em>Hugo</em></strong>, <strong><em>Ides of March</em></strong> and <strong><em>Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy</em></strong> are not exactly what's making them so well-recieved.</div>
<strong>WILL WIN</strong>: <strong><em>Moneyball </em></strong>is popping out here, and will get its sole win of the night. Sorkin's streak is currently unstoppable.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="230" style="font-size: large; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="387">Best Animated Feature Film </strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="230" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="384" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>A Cat In Paris</i></span></strong></span></div>
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<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="230" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="384" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Chico & Rita</i></span></strong></span></div>
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<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="230" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="384" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Kung Fu Panda 2</i></span></strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="230" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="384" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Puss In Boots</i></span></strong></span></div>
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<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="230" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong><i>Rango</i></strong></span></div>
<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="230" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>SHOULD WIN</strong>: I've only seen <strong><em>Rango</em></strong>, and liked it quite a bit. It's a fresh, funny and spirited comedy. I have no opinion on the others.</span><br />
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<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="230" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>WILL WIN</strong>: <strong><em>Rango</em></strong> appears to be the front-runner</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="230" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="381" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="392"><span style="font-size: large;">Best Foreign Film</span> </strong></span></span></div>
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<strong><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="227" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Bullhead</i></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="227" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Monsieur Lahzar</i></span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="227" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>A Separation</i></span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="227" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Footnoote</i></span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><i>In Darkness</i></strong></div>
<strong>SHOULD WIN</strong>: No opinion, haven't seen any of these.<br />
<strong>WILL WIN</strong>: <strong><em>A Separation</em></strong> is well-loved worldwide. It's a clear cut winner.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="224" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="397"><span style="font-size: large;">Best Cinematography</span> </strong></span></div>
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<strong><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="221" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>The Artist</i></span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="221" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo</i></span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="221" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Hugo</i></span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="221" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Tree Of Life</i></span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><i>War Horse</i></strong></div>
<strong>SHOULD WIN</strong>: The best looking movie of the year is <strong><em>The Tree of Life</em></strong>. There is no competition.<br />
<strong>WILL WIN</strong>: <strong><em>The Tree of Life</em></strong><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="218" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="402"><span style="font-size: large;">Best Art Direction</span> </strong></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="215" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong><i>The Artist</i></strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="215" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong><i>Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2</i></strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="215" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong><i>Hugo</i></strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="215" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong><i>War Horse</i></strong></span></div>
<strong>SHOULD WIN</strong>: The Academy usually rewards extravagance here, and while I haven't seen <strong><em>Hugo</em></strong>, that one looks like a clincher for this award. That being said, I always thought all of the<strong><em> Harry Potter</em></strong> movies were designed beautifully and the finale was no exception. I'm rooting for <strong><em>Potter</em></strong>.<br />
<strong>WILL WIN</strong>: Most likely, <strong><em>Hugo</em></strong><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="212" style="font-size: large; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="406">Best Costume Design</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="209" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Anonymous</span></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="209" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Hugo</span></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="209" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Jane Eyre</span></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>W.E.</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>The Artist</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>SHOULD WIN</b>: I'm not going to pretend I know anything about costumes. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>WILL WIN</b>: I'm going to take a stab and guess that <b><i>Hugo</i></b> will walk away with this one</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="206" style="font-size: large; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="411">Best Editing</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="203" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The Artist</span></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="203" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The Descendants</span></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="203" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo</span></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="203" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Hugo </span></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="203" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Moneyball</span></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>SHOULD WIN</b>: For a movie about statistics and baseball, <b><i>Moneyball </i></b>moved at a furious pace and didn't seem to waste a shot. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>WILL WIN</b>: Usually the Best Picture winner walks away with the editing award. So, I'm picking <b><i>The Artist</i></b>.</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="200" style="font-size: large; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="416">Best Makeup</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>Albert Nobbs</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2</i></b></div>
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<b><i>The Iron Lady</i></b></div>
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<b>SHOULD WIN</b>: Our favorite muggles looked pretty convincing as 30-something-year-old parents, didn't they? I thought so. </div>
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<b>WILL WIN</b>: Meryl Streep will win an Oscar for playing Margaret Thatcher and so will her makeup artist for making Streep look just like her.</div>
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<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="194" style="font-size: large; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="419">Best Original Score</strong></span></div>
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<b><i><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="191" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The Adventures Of Tintin</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="191" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The Artist</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="191" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Hugo</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="191" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i>War Horse</i></b></div>
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<b>SHOULD WIN</b>: The only sound we hear in <b><i>The Artist</i></b> is the score. That's a huge undertaking and a big part of what makes the film so #winning.</div>
<b>WILL WIN</b>: <b><i>The Artist</i></b><br />
<span itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="189"><br /></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="189"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Best Original Song</span></strong></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><i>Man Or Muppet (The Muppets)</i></b></span></div>
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<i><b>Real In Rio (Rio)</b></i></div>
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<b>SHOULD WIN</b>: No opinion here.</div>
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<b>WILL WIN</b>: Due to popularity, I'm going with the Muppets.</div>
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<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="184" style="font-size: large; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="426">Best Sound Editing</strong></span></div>
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<b><i><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="181" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Drive</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="181" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Girl With The Dragon Tattoo</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="181" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Hugo</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="181" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Transformers 3</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i>War Horse</i></b></div>
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<b>SHOULD WIN</b>: Like much of America, I'm not well-versed in the area of sound editing and mixing. So, I really have no opinion.</div>
<b>WILL WIN</b>: Let's give it to <b><i>Hugo</i></b>.<br />
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<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="178" style="font-size: large; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="431">Best Sound Mixing</strong></span></div>
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<b><i>Girl With The Dragon Tattoo</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>Hugo</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Moneyball</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>Transformers 3</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>War Horse</i></b></div>
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<b>SHOULD WIN</b>: See above.</div>
<b>WILL WIN</b>: <b><i>Hugo</i></b> again.<br />
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<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="172" style="font-size: large; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="437">Best Visual Effects</strong></span></div>
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<b><i>Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>Hugo</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Real Steel</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Transformers 3</i></b></div>
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<b>SHOULD WIN</b>: I would love to see <b><i>Rise of the Planet of the Apes</i></b> take the trophy here for its amazing use of motion capture. But I'm not sure if it's "big" enough for the Academy.</div>
<b>WILL WIN</b>: I think <b><i>Hugo</i></b> will continue its sweep of technical awards here. The 3D supposedly is pretty amazing.<br />
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<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="166" style="font-size: large; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="443">Best Documentary (Feature)</strong></span></div>
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<b><i><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="163" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Hell And Back Again</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="163" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">If A Tree Falls</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="163" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Paradise Lost 3</span></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="163" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Pina</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i>Undefeated</i></b></div>
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<b>SHOULD WIN</b>: No opinion, haven't seen any of these yet.</div>
<b>WILL WIN</b>: Despite positive rumblings about <b><i>Hell and Back Again</i></b>, I have heard even more amazing things about <b><i>Pina</i></b>, so that's the winner. Plus, it's from Wim Wenders!<br />
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<strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="158"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Best Documentary (Short) </span></strong></div>
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<b><i>The Barber of Birmingham</i></b></div>
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<b><i>God Is the Bigger Elvis </i></b></div>
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<b><i>Incident in New Baghdad </i></b></div>
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<b><i>Saving Face</i></b></div>
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<b><i>The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom</i></b></div>
<b>SHOULD WIN</b>: No opinion<br />
<b>WILL WIN</b>: <b><i>God is the Bigger Elvis</i></b>, based on the title alone. Yes, that's grounds for winning.<br />
<strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="150"><br /></strong><br />
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<strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="150"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="150"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Best Short Film (Animated)</span></strong></span></strong></div>
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<strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="150"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><i>Dimanche/Sunday</i></b></span></strong></div>
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<strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="150"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><i>The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore</i></b></span></strong></div>
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<strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="150"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><i>La Luna</i></b></span></strong></div>
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<strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="150"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><i>A Morning Stroll</i></b></span></strong></div>
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<strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="150"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><i>Wild Life</i></b></span></strong></div>
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<strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="150"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>SHOULD WIN</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">: No opinion</span></strong></div>
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<strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="150"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>WILL WIN</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">: Hands down, without a doubt, it's clearly </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><i>A Morning Stroll</i></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">. Have you ever seen anything so pleasant? </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">(That's my bullshit meter going in overdrive, by the way).</span></strong></div>
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<span class="maintext" itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="141" style="font-size: large; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="449">Best Short Film (Live Action) </strong></span></div>
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<b><i>Pentecost</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Raju</i></b></div>
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<b><i>The Shore</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Time Freak</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Tuba Atlantic</i></b></div>
<b>SHOULD WIN</b>: No opinion<br />
<b>WILL WIN</b>: <b><i>Time Freak</i></b>. But only because it describes me very, very well. Well, the freak part, anyway.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12951548184115824860noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783954287151205399.post-49425770722652809402012-02-08T13:18:00.000-05:002012-02-08T13:18:57.916-05:00Best of the Year: 2000<strong><em><u><span style="font-size: large;">My Picks of the Year</span></u></em></strong><br />
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">(in alphabetical order)</span></em><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0FaDG9h0lbY/TzK3rS3ELPI/AAAAAAAAAzk/otWwPn0IONo/s1600/almost_famous.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" sda="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0FaDG9h0lbY/TzK3rS3ELPI/AAAAAAAAAzk/otWwPn0IONo/s200/almost_famous.jpg" width="134" /></a></div>
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0181875/">Almost Famous</a></strong><br />
<strong><em>Almost Famous</em></strong> is a nostalgic road journey that hits all of the right notes. Patrick Fugit plays William Miller, a young lover of music who immerses himself in the industry of indulgence and free-spiritedness. Fugit generates a genuine sweetness and blends in nicely with the rest of the strong, prolific cast that includes Philip Seymour Hoffman, Kate Hudson, Billy Crudup and Jason Lee. Frances McDormand is the best supporting actress of this year (combined with her other great role in <em><strong>Wonder Boys</strong></em>); never have I seen an actress so flawlessly capture a mother's tough love. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qnJq4uQMCtY/TzK3zECbTQI/AAAAAAAAAzs/iAMD4tb55LA/s1600/cast-away.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" sda="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qnJq4uQMCtY/TzK3zECbTQI/AAAAAAAAAzs/iAMD4tb55LA/s200/cast-away.jpg" width="143" /></a></div>
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0162222/">Cast Away</a></strong><br />
Tom Hanks and Robert Zemeckis’ second collaborative effort is a graceful, thoughtful film, a meditative, psychological journey into the mind of a man who is stripped of everything he ever owned. Broken down into three consistently amazing sequences, this film excels in the finale, where Hanks appears at the crossroads of life, a place where the future remains uncertain. Loaded with beautiful imagery, extraordinary acting (is there anyone alive better than Hanks?), and understated dialogue, <strong><em>Cast Away</em></strong> is one of Zemeckis’ best films.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QuPbgJ7FIys/TzK35Mjy-EI/AAAAAAAAAz0/zRMefLTeamM/s1600/chuckandbuck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" sda="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QuPbgJ7FIys/TzK35Mjy-EI/AAAAAAAAAz0/zRMefLTeamM/s200/chuckandbuck.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0200530/">Chuck & Buck</a></strong><br />
What starts out as a creepy, spider-tingling obsession flick turns into something of a revelation: a sweet, thoroughly moving drama about a man and his dark shadow. It was a stroke of genius to cast lesser-known actors (Lupe Ontiveros, Mike White and the Weitz brothers are natural born actors; the screen loves them). <strong><em>Chuck & Buck</em></strong> is a very daring film that so easily could have been appalling and dangerous. But it fell into the right hands and it’s a film that can be universally embraced.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o6oj3C_k9ss/TzK39xIj23I/AAAAAAAAAz8/u8qyv0d7Kqw/s1600/crouchingtiger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" sda="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o6oj3C_k9ss/TzK39xIj23I/AAAAAAAAAz8/u8qyv0d7Kqw/s200/crouchingtiger.jpg" width="134" /></a></div>
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0190332/">Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon </a></strong><br />
Greatness usually comes in quiet and surprising ways for me, but this one is an exception. Ang Lee’s masterpiece comes forward in a fabulously extravagant way, stridently and assuredly entertaining the viewer with the best of tongue-in-cheek humor, exquisite romance, and mind-blowing action sequences. What makes this one, without a doubt, the most graceful action film I have ever seen, is the emotional resonance that vibrates throughout its entire backbone. This film cares about its characters as well as its audience, and that’s the balancing act found impossible by today’s standards in Hollywood. <strong><em>Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon</em></strong> so gallantly recycles the best of movie-making and makes it fresh.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8QBOdq9jTVU/TzK4BvR18PI/AAAAAAAAA0E/FMuGTj9HeFw/s1600/finaldestination.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" sda="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8QBOdq9jTVU/TzK4BvR18PI/AAAAAAAAA0E/FMuGTj9HeFw/s200/finaldestination.jpg" width="146" /></a></div>
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0195714/">Final Destination </a></strong><br />
A genuinely clever and way-above-par teenage horror flick, one without a man with a left hook, razor-sharp fingers, or a Munch mask. Fate truly is the nastiest villain of them all. It doesn't get scarier than facing an unknown, unstoppable life force. <strong><em>Final Destination</em></strong> left me laughing and cringing all at once, and that last shot had me gleefully walking out of the theater.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GyJyhN6T2cc/TzK4I_m4LuI/AAAAAAAAA0M/KiQY5sN1rC8/s1600/frequency.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" sda="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GyJyhN6T2cc/TzK4I_m4LuI/AAAAAAAAA0M/KiQY5sN1rC8/s200/frequency.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0186151/">Frequency</a></strong><br />
This is a corny, melodramatic time-travel thriller about a son in the present day who communicates with his father... in 1969. And yet, I loved it anyway. This great story, terrifically involving and twisty, is filmed with stylish camera work and undeniable charm by its two leads, the inimitable Dennis Quaid (looking good as always) and the fine Jim Caviezel. <strong><em>Frequency </em></strong>stuck with me for awhile, not only because of its nifty premise, but also of its sheer sweet ol’American spirit.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Et327wK8M1w/TzK4Q3cItLI/AAAAAAAAA0U/VrYVZfsiAfM/s1600/drunken_master_2_poster_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" sda="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Et327wK8M1w/TzK4Q3cItLI/AAAAAAAAA0U/VrYVZfsiAfM/s200/drunken_master_2_poster_02.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111512/">The Legend of Drunken Master</a></strong><br />
Without a doubt, this is Jackie Chan’s best picture, one of the most fun, daring, thrilling action pictures I have ever seen. Chan’s facial expressions and comedic delivery have seriously never been better, and do I have to mention his stunt work? Usually, for this kind of picture, the plot is contrived and mechanical, and the characters are one-note and difficult to tell apart. What makes <strong><em>The Legend of Drunken Master</em></strong> really work is the clarity of the characters and story; from the get-go, we understand who’s who and what’s going on. The supporting cast is brilliantly refined and comedically gifted. This is a masterpiece of its genre.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZgCuAfk3Ttg/TzK4VnCGbhI/AAAAAAAAA0c/DWyuODEdvWA/s1600/lovebasketball.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" sda="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZgCuAfk3Ttg/TzK4VnCGbhI/AAAAAAAAA0c/DWyuODEdvWA/s200/lovebasketball.jpg" width="138" /></a></div>
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0199725/">Love & Basketball</a></strong> <br />
Put together a love story in a sports setting, a predominantly African-American cast, and no big game in the finale -- what do you get? <strong><em>Love & Basketball</em></strong>, a truly tender, fresh, emotional tale that treats all characters (and the audience) with respect and dignity. Omar Epps and Sanaa Lathan (a star in the making) are exquisite as childhood friends-turned-lovers, with Alfre Woodard and Debbi Morgan standing out in a great, accomplished cast. Chalk this one up as a sleeper hit.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x45JkQgjAr4/TzK4awXbiRI/AAAAAAAAA0k/Wu6OZHm4Jxg/s1600/nursebetty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" sda="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x45JkQgjAr4/TzK4awXbiRI/AAAAAAAAA0k/Wu6OZHm4Jxg/s200/nursebetty.jpg" width="134" /></a></div>
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0171580/">Nurse Betty</a></strong><br />
What a surprising little comedy! At every turn, with every twist, Neil LaBute manages to stray from the conventional and aim for something new. Renee Zellweger, justly earning the Golden Globe for her role as Betty Sizemore, is a breath of fresh air as an innocent, naive housewife who goes a little too far in her obsession for a soap opera character (played with finesse by Greg Kinnear). The terrific Allison Janney, Chris Rock, acerbic as ever, the never tiresome Pruitt Taylor Vince, the always wacky Crispin Glover, and the forever brilliant Morgan Freeman all play characters who, in one way or another, are after Betty. And of course, it is Betty who is after our hearts.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h03iJHLyptQ/TzK4fL5B8JI/AAAAAAAAA0s/W-xI9QLlepM/s1600/requiem.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" sda="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h03iJHLyptQ/TzK4fL5B8JI/AAAAAAAAA0s/W-xI9QLlepM/s200/requiem.jpg" width="138" /></a></div>
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0180093/">Requiem for a Dream</a></strong><br />
It doesn't happen often. I'll sit through a film in a movie theater that will make me forget about everything going on in my life. Not once will I check my watch or be distracted by audience members or take a bathroom trip. <strong><em>Requiem for a Dream</em></strong> took me in for 100 minutes, deep into its psyche, and spitted me out very shaken and very disturbed. It’s a harrowing experience, an absorbing trip into four minds spiralling out of control. Ellen Burstyn truly gets into her character, and creates a realistic, sympathetic addict. It’s an amazing performance. The rest of the cast more than hold their own in lesser developed stories, but combined, as a whole, this group of lost souls captures the true essence of helplessness. A masterpiece in sound, cinematography and editing.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sKhhc5jqGMo/TzK4jeHtv-I/AAAAAAAAA00/YcSfD71kqQ4/s1600/springforward.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" sda="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sKhhc5jqGMo/TzK4jeHtv-I/AAAAAAAAA00/YcSfD71kqQ4/s200/springforward.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0156096/">Spring Forward</a></strong><br />
A very interesting experiment. In just seven scenes, for 100 minutes, we watch Ned Beatty and Liev Schrieber build a friendship in the span of one year. This conversational piece is a beautiful exercise in acting, and both stars embody these characters quite realistically. A very quiet film, like watching nature bloom and seasons change (hence the title), <strong><em>Spring Forward</em></strong> has surprising resonance.<br />
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<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0202641/"><strong>Two Family House</strong></a><br />
There is so little that is wrong with this film. It’s nearly perfect. The biggest heart of any movie I’ve seen in years, <strong><em>Two Family House</em></strong> is the story of an Italian-American working class husband, circa 1958, whose dreams have been put down by his old-fashioned but well-meaning wife. When he meets a lonely pregnant woman, the man begins to see that his dreams can still be attainable without losing his dignity. Michael Rispoli delivers a career performance as Buddy Visaro, a singer extraordinaire and future bar owner. It’s a rich, beautiful portrait, one that will be impossible to forget. This kind of picture is precisely the reason I went to school to study movies.<br />
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<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0217869/"><strong>Unbreakable</strong></a><br />
A perfectly moody comic book adventure that contains elements of serious drama and flights of fantasy. Bruce Willis adds more class to his resume as David Dunn, a seriously disturbed husband and father. The pacing is just right, and the absorbing story unfolds beautifully. I thought the final twist played out too jarringly, but the idea of it resonates strongly and makes <strong><em>Unbreakable</em></strong> as solid and wondrous as they come.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0185014/">Wonder Boys</a></strong><br />
Quite possibly my favorite film of the year. Steve Kloves’s script deserves all kudos for his creation of refreshing dialogue, memorable characters, and a terrifically rambling story of an aging professor who finds himself at a crossroads in life. As he makes his life-altering decisions on one fateful weekend, all sorts of colorful, yet realistic, individuals attribute to his journey, including his daffy book editor (Robert Downey, Jr), his depressed but brilliant student (Tobey Maguire), his intelligent live-in admirer (Katie Holmes), and his married, yet loyal, girlfriend (Frances McDormand). Every actor who embodies these characters each deserve rich acclaim, and Michael Douglas, as our irascible, lovable hero, takes the top prize.<br />
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<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0203230/"><strong>You Can Count on Me</strong></a><br />
This is a quiet, truly sincere drama about domestic strife in a small town in upstate New York. Laura Linney deserves Oscar notice as a single mother who tries to juggle an outcast brother (a wonderful find in Mark Ruffalo), a precocious son (another Culkin, no less), and a prickly boss (a smartly cast Matthew Broderick). Nicely paced, sharply written, and beautifully acted, this one makes you appreciate the important people in your life.<br />
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<strong><em><u><span style="font-size: large;">Honorable Mention</span></u></em></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0163978/">The Beach</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0204946/">Bring it On</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0209958/">The Cell</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0160127/">Charlie’s Angels</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0218094/">Cheaters</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0195685/">Erin Brockovich</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0203019/">Men of Honor</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0190590/">O Brother, Where Art Thou?</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0187393/">The Patriot</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0184858/">Reindeer Games</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0186566/">Space Cowboys</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0170691/">Tigerland</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0220100/">Time Code</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0203166/">Together</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0141926/">U-571</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0138946/">The Yards</a></strong>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12951548184115824860noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783954287151205399.post-66893886785234579702012-02-03T16:23:00.000-05:002012-02-03T16:23:24.760-05:00Quick Takes: January HighlightsAnother fantastic month in entertainment. I've seen far less movies than what I'm used to, but I'll take quality over quantity anytime. One of the reasons I'm not seeing so many films lately is because watching a TV series from scratch can be very time consuming. Last month, I watched the first two seasons of <strong><em>Damages</em></strong>, this month it's <strong><em>Parks and Recreation</em></strong>. I plan to devote some of February catching up to <strong><em>Mad Men</em></strong>. I've always been an advocate for good television. Some TV shows are just far more emotionally rewarding than most films I see all year. <br />
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To that end, here's the best of what January had to offer for me, arranged in order of viewing.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1615147/">Margin Call (2011)</a></strong></div>
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<strong>Dir. J.C. Chandor</strong></div>
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In the best film I've ever seen about Wall Street, writer/director J.C. Chandor exudes confidence and remarkable restraint with his debut passion project, <strong><em>Margin Call</em></strong>. There isn't a single false note in this film, which takes place over a tumultuous 24-hour period in which a "big bank" agonizes over a crucial decision on the eve of the biggest financial crisis of our generation. Everyone at the corporation is affected, from the rookie risk assessment analyst who uncovers the error that would cost innocent people millions of dollars, to the middle managers who assesses every move as a power play, and to the cocksure CEO who weighs the balance of his company's fortune with the experience and skill of a fighter pilot. Wall Street and finances and balance sheets have never been this suspenseful. And what a cast! Kevin Spacey is the best I've seen him in years, while Paul Bettany, Demi Moore, Simon Baker and Zachary Quinto deliver performances they ought to be proud of. It's <strong><em>Glengarry Glen Ross</em></strong> with hedge funds and portfolios. A high compliment if there ever was one.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1687281/">Terri (2011)</a></strong></div>
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<strong>Dir. Azazel Jacobs</strong></div>
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Azazel Jacobs directed this sensitive drama about a lonely teen (Jacob Wysocki, an assured debut) who suddenly finds himself in the company of three very different people. The first is his school principal, played with such low-key brilliance by John C. Reilly. Sometimes I feel like Reilly phones it in during crappy movies, but when he has strong material to work with, the guy can hit it out of the park. Reilly sees Terri as a good-hearted kid who could use some guidance. At the same time, Terri befriends a fellow outcast named Chad and forges a connection with the pretty Heather Miles. <strong><em>Terri </em></strong>is a sweet film. Worth seeing not for its somewhat predictable story, but the performances by the two leads.</div>
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1266020/">Parks and Recreation (2009)</a></strong></div>
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<strong>Seasons 1-4</strong></div>
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<strong>Created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur</strong></div>
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<strong><em>Parks and Recreation</em></strong> is an utter surprise and delight. When I started the first season last month, I was underwhelmed. The cast wasn't jelling. Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) was a loopy ditz who was too cartoonish to be realistic. The writers seemed to be trying too hard to be "quirky." Then something amazing happened. In season two, the agenda of the writers became clearer. They made Leslie smarter. The cast had better things to do with each other. <strong><em>Parks and Recreation</em></strong> became a show about the characters and their inherent goodness. This is the least cynical comedy I have seen in a long, long time. Behind all of that sarcasm is a deeply connected group of people who clearly adore one another. There is so much heart in this show and watching Leslie and the cast evolve season after season gave me immense pleasure. <br />
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I love the additions of Adam Scott (Ben) and Rob Lowe (Chris) -- they add so much delirium and obsessive-compulsive humor to the show. I love how Jerry Gergich gets so much abuse. I love the pairing of Andy Dwyer and April Ludgate, he with the abundance of optimism and she of the deadpan sarcasm. I love that Tom Haverford dreams big. I love that Ron Fucking Swanson is terrified of his ex-wives but takes no bullshit from anyone else. And most especially, I love Leslie Knope and her incredible passion for what she does. She doesn't do anything halfheartedly. <strong><em>Modern Family</em></strong> may have more laughs per minute, but <strong><em>Parks and Recreation</em></strong> has depth and soul. It's a strong character-driven sitcom and that is as rare and special as a tiny horse named Lil' Sebastian.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1632708/">Friends with Benefits (2011)</a></strong></div>
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<strong>Dir. Will Gluck</strong></div>
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Will Gluck, talented director of <strong><em>Easy A</em></strong>, scores again with another comedy that succeeds because of its likable cast, sharp script and fast-paced direction. <strong><em>Friends with Benefits</em></strong> is a very funny and raunchy rom-com that may be predictable (I don't need to outline the plot, do I?) and has its fair share of cliches, but Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis are so well-matched and charming that they made this film so easy to swallow. I'm as weary of romantic comedies with generic titles as much as the next guy, but I was pleasantly surprised by this one. It clicked for me. <br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1124035/">The Ides of March (2011)</a></strong></div>
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<strong>Dir. George Clooney</strong></div>
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Anything George Clooney is involved with always gets my attention. I greatly respect him as an actor, a director and all around celebrity. <em><strong>The Ides of March</strong></em> is a terrific directorial effort. It's a taut, layered thriller about a shady presidential candidate (Clooney) whose dark secret affects the lives of those on his campaign, including Ryan Gosling and Philip Seymour Hoffman as his top aides, and Evan Rachel Wood as an assistant who gets too involved. I really wish Clooney chose to dig deeper here; the film only scratches the surface of the big fallout. I wanted Clooney to get nastier. I wanted more melodrama after the credits rolled. Subsequently, the film focused only on the inner turmoil of Gosling's character and, frankly, that's just enough to make <strong><em>The Ides of March</em></strong> an absorbing film, well worth a look. It just could have been so much more.<br />
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<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1226753/"><strong>The Debt (2011)</strong></a></div>
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<strong>Dir. John Madden </strong></div>
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It took me a long time to get into this one. The first hour only periodically grabbed my interest as the film kept weaving its fractured narrative back and forth in time. The characters began to take shape during some pivotal capture sequences halfway into the film. That's when <strong><em>The Debt</em></strong> became an interesting drama about guilt, secrets and forbidden love. The cast is aces all around but the standout is the luminous Jessica Chastain as the younger Rachel Singer (later played Helen Mirren). Chastain's rising star has been the subject of many discussions this year, but despite her very good work in <strong><em>The Tree of Life</em></strong> and <strong><em>The Help</em></strong>, it's her performance in this film that really struck a nerve for me. <br />
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<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1210166/"><strong>Moneyball (2011)</strong></a></div>
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<strong>Dir. Bennett Miller</strong></div>
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Aaron Sorkin is pretty amazing. He takes topics that I don't always find particularly exciting and not only makes them interesting but also romanticizes them to a certain extent. He took us inside sports broadcasting (<strong><em>Sports Night</em></strong>), politics (<strong><em>American President</em></strong>, <strong><em>West Wing</em></strong>), Facebook (<strong><em>The Social Network</em></strong>) and now the messy, unpredictable nature of baseball. <strong><em>Moneyball</em></strong>, as written by Sorkin and expert screenwriter Steven Zaillian, is a thrilling account of a persistent general manager (Brad Pitt, deserving his Oscar nod) who works with a statistical geek (Jonah Hill, nicely underplayed) and attempts to think outside the box when managing his raggedy team. I particularly enjoyed Philip Seymour Hoffman as disgruntled, frustrated Coach Art Howe. I'm not a baseball fan by any means, but <strong><em>Moneyball</em></strong> entertained the hell out of me.<br />
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<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0433035/"><strong>Real Steel (2011)</strong></a></div>
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<strong>Dir. Shawn Levy</strong></div>
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Well, damn if I ended up with a little lump in my throat. Who knew I'd fall for a movie that is manipulative, cliched and hobbled together from 80's classics? There are many groan-inducing moments in <strong><em>Real Steel</em></strong>, but when it's put together by an appealing cast that includes Hugh Jackman, Evangeline Lilly ("Freckles!"), and impressive newcomer Dakota Goyo, I could not resist its charms. Equal parts <strong><em>Rocky</em></strong>, <strong><em>Over the Top</em></strong>, and <strong><em>Short Circuit </em></strong>(!), <strong><em>Real Steel</em></strong> is hardly original. But it's a helluva lot more entertaining than it ought to be. I don't know how Shawn Levy did it. He took a bad movie and made it more than watchable. In fact, he made it (almost) great.<br />
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<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1479388/"><strong>The High Cost of Living (2011)</strong></a></div>
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<strong>Dir. Deborah Chow</strong></div>
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I miss Zach Braff. I wish he would do more films, or even head back to TV. He was always a pleasure to watch on <strong><em>Scrubs</em></strong>, and I'm a big fan of his work in <strong><em>Garden State</em></strong> and <strong><em>The Last Kiss</em></strong>. His sense of humor is relatable and always present, even when he's working with heavy material. <strong><em>The High Cost of Living</em></strong> is his darkest film yet, and Braff completely pulls off his role as a drug runner who makes the life-altering mistake of hitting a pregnant woman (Isabelle Blais, remarkable) while driving under the influence. The film is a low-budget Canadian import and will barely make a blip in Braff's career. It's not without its flaws and is a bit slow-going, but if you're a fan of Braff's and wish the dude would work more, this is worth a look.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12951548184115824860noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783954287151205399.post-36289651700748780302012-01-26T12:20:00.000-05:002012-01-31T09:35:56.476-05:00Best of the Year: 1986<strong><em><u><span style="font-size: large;">My Picks of the Year</span></u></em></strong><br />
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">(in alphabetical order)</span></em><br />
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<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090605/"><strong>Aliens</strong></a><br />
As much as I loved Ridley Scott's masterful 1979 space thriller <strong><em>Alien</em></strong>, it was refreshing and cathartic to witness James Cameron's thrill ride of a sequel. <strong><em>Aliens</em></strong> takes place 57 years after the events of the first film. Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), the sole survivor of the alien attacks on the Nostromo, awakens from her half-century hypersleep to discover that the planet has been colonized by the very company she worked for. Ripley heads back to the planet with a group of tough space marines to uncover the truth about what happened to her crew, only to relive her old nightmare as she witnesses the aliens terrorize everyone all over again. <strong><em>Aliens</em></strong> is a remarkable achievement on many levels. It's also one of the most frightening films I have ever seen.<br />
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<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090728/"><strong>Big Trouble in Little China</strong></a><br />
Kurt Russell reteams with his frequent collaborator John Carpenter (<strong><em>Escape from NY</em></strong>, <strong><em>The Thing</em></strong>, <strong><em>Elvis</em></strong>) with the hilariously goofball adventure-comedy, <strong><em>Big Trouble in Little China</em></strong>. Russell is Jack Burton, a trucker and a real man's man who gets caught up in a truly bizarre plot involving kidnapping girls with green eyes, a 1000-year-old magician who seeks mortality, and a supernatural war underneath Chinatown. Russell is a blast, displaying his versatility as an action star who can most certainly bring on the funny. This is easily my favorite from the legendary Mr. Carpenter.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZJ0OvcYkF9U/TyGKDlF26aI/AAAAAAAAAsM/uc_qTRIVzAI/s1600/ferrisbueller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZJ0OvcYkF9U/TyGKDlF26aI/AAAAAAAAAsM/uc_qTRIVzAI/s200/ferrisbueller.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091042/">Ferris Bueller's Day Off</a></strong><br />
One of the most immensely likable films of the 80's, <strong><em>Ferris Bueller's Day Off</em></strong> is about a charming free spirit who skips school to embark on a trip with his best buddy Cameron (Alan Ruck) and girlfriend Sloane (Mia Sara). Why? Well, because he can. Ferris Bueller gets away with <em>everything</em>, much to the chagrin of his sister (Jennifer Grey, so good here) and Principal Rooney (Jeffrey Jones, natch). <strong><em>Ferris Bueller's Day Off</em></strong> made Matthew Broderick a star and it's so easy to see why. "Are you suggesting that I'm not who I say I am?"<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091557/">The Mosquito Coast</a></strong><br />
In <strong><em>The Mosquito Coast</em></strong>, you will see Harrison Ford's most underrated performance. He plays Allie Fox, a driven inventor whose contempt for western civilization compels him to move his family to Central America to begin anew. Peter Weir, who directed Ford in <strong><em>Witness </em></strong>in the previous year, films this drama with startling authenticity. River Phoenix (who would go on to play young Indiana Jones three years later), in a terrific performance, plays his son who resists his family's sudden move. The story is a bit out there (he builds an ice machine in the middle of the jungle, for cryin' out loud) but the acting showcases between Ford, Phoenix, Helen Mirren and Martha Plimpton make <strong><em>The Mosquito Coast</em></strong> a thrilling, insightful experience. Also noted as Ford's own personal favorite.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092005/">Stand By Me</a></strong><br />
Nostalgia is a powerful thing. In adapting Stephen King's popular short story, Rob Reiner nails the tone of <strong><em>Stand By Me</em></strong>, a tale of innocence lost when a quartet of young teens discover a body near the railroad tracks. River Phoenix (yet again), Wil Wheaton, Jerry O'Connell and Corey Feldman are perfectly cast as boys who become men. Adding a touch of class is Richard Dreyfuss narrating the film as a man who looks back with fondness and sorrow.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092086/">Three Amigos!</a></strong><br />
"Would you say I have a plethora of piñatas?" In <strong><em>Three Amigos!</em></strong>, one of the funniest movies of the decade, Lucky Day (Steve Martin), Dusty Bottoms (Chevy Chase) and Ned Nederlander (Martin Short) are a band of unemployed silent film actors who travel to Mexico in the hopes of scoring a gig. When they discover a cruel gang terrorizing a small village, the actors need to put their bravery to the test. John Landis directs this endlessly quotable ("Are gringos falling from the sky?" "Yes, El Guapo!") and sweet natured comedy that I still hope, to this day, gets a bona-fide sequel. "Sew very old one, sew like the wind!"<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong><em><u>Honorable Mention</u></em></strong></span><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097050/">The Adventures of Milo and Otis</a></strong>; <strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090660/">Armed and Dangerous</a></strong>; <strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090670/">At Close Range</a></strong>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090830/"><strong>Children of a Lesser God</strong></a>; <strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090863/">The Color of Money</a></strong>; <strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090555/">Crocodile Dundee</a></strong>; <strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091051/">A Fine Mess</a></strong>; <strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091059/">Flight of the Navigator</a></strong>; <strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091217/">Hoosiers</a></strong>; <strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091306/">Jumpin’ Jack Flash</a></strong>; <strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091445/">Lucas</a></strong>; <strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091860/">River's Edge</a></strong>; <strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092099/">Top Gun</a></strong>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12951548184115824860noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783954287151205399.post-56193992912728162962012-01-03T11:09:00.002-05:002012-01-31T16:05:20.814-05:00Quick Takes: December '11 HighlightsA very slow month in movie watching, but hey, there wasn't a turkey in the bunch. I spent a lot of time catching up with <em><strong>Damages</strong></em>, <em><strong>Parks and Recreation</strong></em> (more on that next month) and, well, getting through life. Movies just simply took a backseat this month.<br />
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</span></u></em></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HQCGb8ggzk0/TwdtQzwROKI/AAAAAAAAApg/Ik90Y5FTl3I/s1600/beginners.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" rea="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HQCGb8ggzk0/TwdtQzwROKI/AAAAAAAAApg/Ik90Y5FTl3I/s320/beginners.jpg" width="206" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1532503/">Beginners (2011)</a></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong>Dir. Mike Mills</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aW09s7t3-fs/TyRJ5IcXpgI/AAAAAAAAAtU/xh_yFGoECdw/s1600/five.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aW09s7t3-fs/TyRJ5IcXpgI/AAAAAAAAAtU/xh_yFGoECdw/s1600/five.png" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Top honors for the month of December goes to <strong><em>Beginners</em></strong>, an exquisite romantic drama about a guy coming to grips with his father's death while navigating the blossoming relationship with a new lover. I loved this film. Ewan McGregor, sublime as ever, is Oliver, who meets Anna (Melanie Laurent, delightful) shortly after his ailing, recently-out-and-proud father passes away. Christopher Plummer, who deserves an Oscar for his work here, graces his character with a quiet dignity. It all sounds so dreadfully serious, but the film is funny, subversive and utterly charming. Writer/director Mike Mills has a knack for filmmaking -- the story flows effortlessly back and forth between Hal's coming out of the closet and bonding with his son, with Oliver's hesitance to commit to Anna. <strong><em>Beginners</em></strong> is easily one of the year's best.</div><strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OgtyScNqnyE/Twdta6dNmqI/AAAAAAAAApo/lZOO6ML6oIA/s1600/sherlock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" rea="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OgtyScNqnyE/Twdta6dNmqI/AAAAAAAAApo/lZOO6ML6oIA/s320/sherlock.jpg" width="217" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1475582/">Sherlock (2010)</a></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong>Creators: Mark Gatiss, Steven Moffat</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gZ6ElrCAgVg/TyRJ90iRzDI/AAAAAAAAAtc/TF_0-ON7fQs/s1600/fourandahalf.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gZ6ElrCAgVg/TyRJ90iRzDI/AAAAAAAAAtc/TF_0-ON7fQs/s1600/fourandahalf.png" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">When the BBC aired its first season of <strong><em>Sherlock</em></strong> last year, the reviews were phenomenal. I was intrigued by it, and was pleased to find it streaming on Netflix. It is a modern-day retelling of the classic literary giant and not only did the filmmakers respect the original source but they made it fresher than it has ever been. Holmes and Watson are perfectly cast. I had never seen Benedict Cumberbatch before this, but one thing is definite -- he is a star. What a great screen presence! I look forward to seeing him in more things. And as Watson, Martin Freeman is surprisingly good. I know him only from the original <strong><em>Office </em></strong>and it was nice to see him in a completely different type of role. (Wait til we see him step into the role of Bilbo Baggins in the new <strong><em>Hobbit</em></strong> film next year.). The stories are engaging, the writing sharp, and the cinematography is smashingly gorgeous. I cannot wait for season 2.</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-muTJnz0bL6s/Twdthk8dUHI/AAAAAAAAApw/JAX2SfT4YyM/s1600/crazystupidlove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" rea="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-muTJnz0bL6s/Twdthk8dUHI/AAAAAAAAApw/JAX2SfT4YyM/s320/crazystupidlove.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1570728/">Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011)</a></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong>Dir. Glenn Ficarra, John Requa</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gNzB3GCWa_Y/TyRKC6IMLUI/AAAAAAAAAtk/JtY8sjTZu-s/s1600/four.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gNzB3GCWa_Y/TyRKC6IMLUI/AAAAAAAAAtk/JtY8sjTZu-s/s1600/four.png" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">For some reason, I don't think <strong><em>Crazy, Stupid, Love</em></strong> should have worked at all. The setup is something straight out of a sitcom - timid family man attempts the dating scene after leaving his wife, while his young son pines for the family babysitter - and writer Dan Fogelman's previous writing credits include <strong><em>Fred Claus</em></strong> and <strong><em>Bolt</em></strong>. So imagine my surprise to learn that this movie is much, much better than it really ought to be. Why does it work so well? Because the film doesn't resort to cheap laughs and because the characters are real and complex. <strong><em>Crazy, Stupid, Love</em></strong> is full of heart and warmth; by the time the final act rolled around, there was tremendous feeling and emotion because we believed in these people. We believed Steve Carell loved his wife. We believed Ryan Gosling finally met his match. We wanted everyone to work things out. We cared. And isn't that how to make a good movie? Make your audience care.</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hQ87W1cMFmQ/Twdtokvg-XI/AAAAAAAAAp4/ot_32k0scLw/s1600/thehelp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" rea="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hQ87W1cMFmQ/Twdtokvg-XI/AAAAAAAAAp4/ot_32k0scLw/s320/thehelp.jpg" width="223" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1454029/">The Help (2011)</a></strong><strong></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong>Dir. Tate Taylor</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gNzB3GCWa_Y/TyRKC6IMLUI/AAAAAAAAAtk/JtY8sjTZu-s/s1600/four.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gNzB3GCWa_Y/TyRKC6IMLUI/AAAAAAAAAtk/JtY8sjTZu-s/s1600/four.png" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong><em>The Help</em></strong> is an immensely popular novel which was successfully adapted to an equally popular and respected motion picture. I never read the novel, but I know many who have and gave this film their stamps of approval. As a newcomer to the material, I was immersed in this tale of racism in the south between hard-working maids and their ignorant white employers. There are no surprises here; it's even a little predictable. But the cast and writing are so strong that the film has no problems selling the emotional impact of its story. More impressive is that <strong><em>The Help</em></strong> was helmed by a newcomer; Tate Taylor has brought care and deftness to a story many people have embraced.</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yTZGuDukRBU/TwdtuQskkJI/AAAAAAAAAqA/2jSEtq2hPz0/s1600/weekend.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" rea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yTZGuDukRBU/TwdtuQskkJI/AAAAAAAAAqA/2jSEtq2hPz0/s320/weekend.jpg" width="244" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1714210/">Weekend (2011)</a></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong>Dir. Andrew Haigh</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gNzB3GCWa_Y/TyRKC6IMLUI/AAAAAAAAAtk/JtY8sjTZu-s/s1600/four.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gNzB3GCWa_Y/TyRKC6IMLUI/AAAAAAAAAtk/JtY8sjTZu-s/s1600/four.png" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">If Richard Linklater were to remake <strong><em>Before Sunrise</em></strong> for the gay crowd, it would look a lot like <strong><em>Weekend</em></strong>, a beautiful film about two young loners who meet, debate, screw, and fall in love over the course of a single weekend in England. It's sexy, artful and intelligent; writer/director Andrew Haigh successfully nailed that feeling of meeting someone who riles you up, shakes you to your core and fills you with desire and want. Tom Cullen and Chris New are natural and exquisite.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-roA_kZEH76U/TwdtzwJlz9I/AAAAAAAAAqI/HYXgzs0iofU/s1600/damages.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" rea="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-roA_kZEH76U/TwdtzwJlz9I/AAAAAAAAAqI/HYXgzs0iofU/s320/damages.jpg" width="227" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0914387/">Damages (2007)</a></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong>Creators: Glenn Kessler, Todd A. Kessler, Daniel Zelman</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gNzB3GCWa_Y/TyRKC6IMLUI/AAAAAAAAAtk/JtY8sjTZu-s/s1600/four.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gNzB3GCWa_Y/TyRKC6IMLUI/AAAAAAAAAtk/JtY8sjTZu-s/s1600/four.png" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Don't fuck with Patty Hewes. That's what I've learned when watching the first two seasons of <strong><em>Damages</em></strong>, an electrifying series from Glenn Kessler, Todd A. Kessler and Daniel Zelman. Patty Hewes, as played with icy perfection by Glenn Close, is a high powered attorney with a very limited conscience. She'll do whatever it takes to get her clients the big payoff. Ellen Parsons (Rose Byrne) is caught in her tangled web of deceit as she joins her law firm. It's a twisty series filled with fantastic scenery-chewing performers, such as Emmy-winner Zeljko Ivanek, Ted Danson, and William Hurt, among others. I've enjoyed the first two seasons tremendously, but I'm taking a break before I resume seasons 3 and 4. All of those twists have given me whiplash.<br />
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</span></u></em></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Sd3ikEPGo-s/Twdt7szt1uI/AAAAAAAAAqQ/Q2kdVpwssKE/s1600/treeoflife.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" rea="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Sd3ikEPGo-s/Twdt7szt1uI/AAAAAAAAAqQ/Q2kdVpwssKE/s320/treeoflife.jpg" width="228" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0478304/">The Tree of Life (2011)</a></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong>Dir. Terrence Malick</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W3bG0MAMpjo/TyRKaxZFFrI/AAAAAAAAAts/YpQE1lSGbPo/s1600/threeandahalf.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W3bG0MAMpjo/TyRKaxZFFrI/AAAAAAAAAts/YpQE1lSGbPo/s1600/threeandahalf.png" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong><em>The Tree of Life</em></strong> is a confounding, perplexing film. It is Art, with a capital A, a tone poem filled with such stunning clarity and beauty. There is a lot to admire about this film: the boldness of the presentation of Malick's vision, for one, is unparalleled. Many thought he was being pretentious (and they may be right) but he certainly is not lazy or lacking in creativity. Like all art, <strong><em>The Tree of Life</em></strong> is subjective. As a father of two young children, I found many of the scenes involving Pitt and his sons to be touching and pleasantly bathed in warm, sometimes bittersweet, nostalgia. What did nothing for me, though, was the overuse of the whispering narration, which had very little context to what was displayed on the screen. And despite being overly long at 150 minutes, I wouldn't dream of asking Malick to cut out any of the stunning visuals (as excessive as they may be). I prefer more narrative coherence to my films so it was difficult for me to love <strong><em>The Tree of Life</em></strong>. But I experienced it. And I'm damned glad I did. </div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k2ZUl3TQ6RA/TwduARAXQSI/AAAAAAAAAqY/nOinLpW540o/s1600/midnight_in_paris.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" rea="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k2ZUl3TQ6RA/TwduARAXQSI/AAAAAAAAAqY/nOinLpW540o/s320/midnight_in_paris.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1605783/">Midnight in Paris (2011)</a></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong>Dir. Woody Allen</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W3bG0MAMpjo/TyRKaxZFFrI/AAAAAAAAAts/YpQE1lSGbPo/s1600/threeandahalf.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W3bG0MAMpjo/TyRKaxZFFrI/AAAAAAAAAts/YpQE1lSGbPo/s1600/threeandahalf.png" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Woody Allen continues to impress. I'm not a big fan of his; I don't consider his 70's and 80's classics to be favorites of mine. I still think <strong><em>Match Point</em></strong> is his best film, and I thoroughly enjoyed <strong><em>Vicky Cristina Barcelona</em></strong>. I was quite taken with <strong><em>Midnight in Paris</em></strong>, his latest venture with Owen Wilson as an Allen-esque screenwriter who falls in love with the city of Paris. First off, Owen is perfectly cast; it's the best work he's ever done and he really captures Woody's spirit more than any other actor I've seen. The scenes from the 1920's are radiant and so effortlessly charming. I'm not a history or literature buff so much of the references went over my head, but I found myself enjoying Wilson's interactions with these famous characters. The story is predictable and Rachel McAdams doesn't quite add much to her poorly written character. But <strong><em>Midnight in Paris</em></strong> continues Allen's robust late-stage career performance. He is as sharp as he's ever been.</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9VX-nkpwTQQ/TwduGtj_7MI/AAAAAAAAAqg/zSKujsxS180/s1600/middle-men.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" rea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9VX-nkpwTQQ/TwduGtj_7MI/AAAAAAAAAqg/zSKujsxS180/s320/middle-men.jpg" width="215" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1251757/">Middle Men (2009)</a></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong>Dir. George Gallo</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W3bG0MAMpjo/TyRKaxZFFrI/AAAAAAAAAts/YpQE1lSGbPo/s1600/threeandahalf.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W3bG0MAMpjo/TyRKaxZFFrI/AAAAAAAAAts/YpQE1lSGbPo/s1600/threeandahalf.png" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong><em>Middle Men</em></strong> is the "inspired by true events" story of a smooth-talking business man (Luke Wilson) who teams up with a pair of computer geniuses (Gabriel Macht and Giovanni Ribisi) to create a groundbreaking and lucrative business involving internet porn. Even if only a<em> little</em> bit of this story is true, it's quite an impressive tale. George Gallo (who helmed the unjustly underrated <strong><em>29th Street</em></strong> many years ago) is mostly successful in keeping this jam-packed film moving along quickly. Wilson is excellent, easily one of his best performances. Good to see Kevin Pollak, James Caan and Jacinda Barrett stand out in a strong ensemble. <strong><em>Middle Men</em></strong> is a gem of a film, well worth a look.</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ANO5d_Er_QQ/TwduNOxKIJI/AAAAAAAAAqo/xiFY-l3A2s0/s1600/horriblebosses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" rea="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ANO5d_Er_QQ/TwduNOxKIJI/AAAAAAAAAqo/xiFY-l3A2s0/s320/horriblebosses.jpg" width="220" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1499658/">Horrible Bosses (2011)</a></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong>Dir. Seth Gordon</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g9bqvtB4hHs/TyRKmZG5sLI/AAAAAAAAAt0/wz5J5bmfSRk/s1600/three.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g9bqvtB4hHs/TyRKmZG5sLI/AAAAAAAAAt0/wz5J5bmfSRk/s1600/three.png" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong><em>Horrible Bosses</em></strong> takes the <strong><em>Strangers on a Train</em></strong> premise and spins it on its axis. Pals Jason Bateman, Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis conspire to kill each other's bosses, played respectively by Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Aniston and Colin Farrell. <strong><em>Horrible Bosses</em></strong>, in many ways, could have been so much better. The cast is aces - they deliver big laughs when the material allows them to. But unfortunately, it's not often enough. Screen talent isn't enough to make me love this film. These characters find themselves in extremely dangerous situations and act as if it's all a game. There was no sense of realism; it was very difficult to care about anyone here. But despite that major weakness, this film has fast-paced direction by Seth Gordon (whose phenomenal '07 doc <strong><em>The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters</em></strong> is one of my favorite docs in the last ten years). One thing to note: Aniston is sexy and daring; it's the best thing she's done since Rachel Green.</div>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12951548184115824860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783954287151205399.post-64469321695140996582011-12-23T09:21:00.001-05:002012-01-03T09:01:30.480-05:00TV Report Card: Fall/Winter 2011<br />
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Way, way too much television this season. I've made many attempts to cut back over the years, but failed miserably by having 12 (!) rotating shows during this season. Why so much? Truthfully, I've been trying to fill the void that was left by <strong><em>Lost</em></strong> two years ago. Despite only running in the spring, that show consumed me all year long. There was enough meat and potatoes in <strong><em>Lost</em></strong> that left me full and satisfied all year round. But while this fall had strong shows, none of them came close to being as satisfying as that island drama. Some came out as big winners, though. In order of preference, it's time to grade my shows from this fall/early winter season so far.<br />
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The most viscerally exciting by far is <strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1520211/">The Walking Dead</a></em></strong>. Many critics and fans complained that this show "talks too much;" that for a show about zombies, there seems to be very little zombie action. Well, I completely disagree. The writers did a bang up job tightening the screws and allowing us to get to know our characters. Arriving at Hershel's farm was a fantastic creative decision. Who are these people we watch every week and what makes them tick? Sure, there are still some weak spots (other than missing her daughter, we still know nothing about Carol and we haven't seen T-Dog do much of anything since he infected his arm), but the good stuff far outweighs the bad. Daryl, Glenn, Dale, Andrea - they all got some juicy arcs and added much-needed layers to their previously underwritten characters. In the meantime, Rick, Shane and Lori's series-long story strands came to a thrilling twist when she announced her pregnancy and came clean to Rick about Shane. <br />
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The newbies are rather interesting as well. Hershel is a good, conflicted character; he is a man with several shades of gray. I really enjoyed Scott Wilson's portrayal here. It's certainly understandable why he wanted everyone out of there. And should they all move on, I would love to see Maggie stick around with us. Lauren Cohan radiates a warm screen presence. And how about that midseason finale? The phenomenal last act was a terrific culmination of all of this season's story strands. And that final twist was just perfect. Now that I know more about these people, I can't wait to see what happens to them. February cannot come any sooner. <strong>Season so far: 5/5. Series to date: 4.5/5</strong>.<br />
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Last year's best show is still just as good this season. <strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1416765/">Parenthood</a></em></strong> is in season 3 and everyone involved has found their groove. Early in the run, showrunner Jason Katims would try to force some characters into stories that didn't quite fit right, but now everything flows naturally. Putting Peter Krause and Dax Shepard together to create The Luncheonette is one example of bringing out the best of both actors. The chemistry between the two brothers is palpable and sincere. Shepard's character has shown the most growth in the series so far and he's a pleasure to watch. Also really liking the material they are giving Julia and Joel. They are just good people trying to do right by everyone. And someone please give Lauren Graham an Emmy already! One suggestion for Katims: more stories for Mae Whitman, Sarah Ramos, Miles Heizer and Max Burkholder. As I've mentioned <a href="http://flickerobsession.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Kids%20on%20Parenthood">in this post</a> last year, these are some of the best teen actors I've seen on TV since <em><strong>My So-Called Life</strong></em>. <strong>Season so far: 5/5. Series to date: 4.5/5</strong><br />
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And speaking of <strong><em>My So-Called Life</em></strong>, Claire Danes is something of a revelation, isn't she? I always knew she was a terrific actress but last year's <strong><em>Temple Grandin</em></strong> showed me how <em>great</em> she can really be. Now add Carrie Matheson to her impressive roster of great achievements. She's breathtaking in <em><strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1796960/">Homeland</a></strong></em>, which is by far the best new show of the season. It started out as an interesting cat-and-mouse thriller and soon escalated into something excruciatingly tense. This is smart storytelling. The creators of <strong><em>24</em></strong> wisely took their talents to cable television where their characters were allowed to breathe and plots could unfold in more organic ways. Damian Lewis's Brody kept us on our toes all season long and his performance in the finale should have him locked for a Best Actor trophy at next year's Emmys. Also, I can't forget to mention Mandy Patinkin's beautifully restrained performance as Carrie's mentor Saul - he could very well be the soul of the show. <strong><em>Homeland</em></strong> is not perfect, but for pulling off a complicated premise during its debut season, it is a confident, assured thriller and fantastic television. <strong>This season: 4.5/5</strong><br />
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There's only one show on TV these days that is guaranteed to make me laugh every week and that is <strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1442437/">Modern Family</a></em></strong>. Though it's not quite as pitch perfect as its first two seasons, this third go-around proves that creator/producer Steve Levitan and Christopher Lloyd know precisely what they are doing. Each member of this cast is a brilliant performer and most of them don't even need a line of dialogue to make us laugh. My only caveat: it's season 3 and none of these characters have evolved yet. I think in order to achieve long-term success, we need to see growth and evolution to the Pritchett/Dunphy clans. I'm afraid we're going to be seeing many of the same plots recycled over and over again. Let's hope they manage to keep things fresh, and so far, so good. <strong>Season so far: 4.5/5. Series to date: 5/5</strong><br />
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<strong><em>Modern Family</em></strong> should take notes on how to evolve a sitcom and encourage growth. <strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460649/">How I Met Your Mother</a></em></strong>, a once lengen-<em>waitforit</em>-dary sitcom currently in its 7th season, lost its way a bit in recent years but I'm happy to say the show is experiencing a wonderful resurgance. Lily's pregnancy, Barney's newfound desire for commitment and Robin's courtship with her therapist are all providing rich storylines. Something about this season feels fresh and invigorating. Could it be that the writers have stopped force-feeding us clues about the "mother" of the title? It's so nice to see Ted just being Ted. Also, the writers are really on top of their game giving us episodes like <em>The Ducky Tie</em>, which gave us a whole new dimension of <em>The Slap Bet</em>, and <em>Tick, Tick, Tick</em>, which hilariously featured Ted and Marshall stoned at a concert. Comedy gold. <strong>Season so far: 4.5/5. Series to date: 4/5</strong><br />
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<strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0413573/">Grey's Anatomy</a></em></strong> is also on fire this year. My wife and I made a decision to save this season's first half until the holidays so we can knock them all out during rerun season. Maybe that unbroken viewing pattern helped make this season one of their best and most enjoyable in many years. Webber is ousted as chief, Hunt has taken over, Derek is blacklisted from the FDA and estranged from his wife, and Meredith is trying out motherhood. It's refreshing to see these four characters in new roles this year. All of the other stories flowed nicely, and we saw some fine guest turns from Debbie Allen, Alfre Woodard and Scott Foley. Like <strong><em>HIMYM</em></strong>, after many years on the air, there's still life in this show yet! <strong>Season so far: 4/5. Series to date: 3.5/5</strong><br />
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See, Ryan Murphy screwed up. Before premiering <strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1844624/">American Horror Story</a></em></strong>, he should have mentioned that it was going to be a seasonal anthology series. Each season would be self-contained with its own story, cast, theme, etc. Had I known this, I wouldn't have been spending a lot of time wondering <em>where is this show going</em>? It's a haunted house story, period. There's nothing else to it! It was a frustrating experience as the plot kept going in circles (dead people show up, scare the Harmons, disappear, and come back again later), and I just couldn't get excited about a show that had no driving storyline. But having said that, the show did have its moments of high camp and good twists. The show really took off during the last three episodes where the Harmons were killed off one by one and became latter-day Beetlejuices. It wasn't until it was all over when I realized what Murphy was up to. Hindsight can be a bitch, but hey, I think I dug it. <strong>This season: 3/5</strong><br />
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The final season of <strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0410975/">Desperate Housewives</a></em></strong> is shaping up to be neither their best season nor their worst. This is actually a slightly above average season featuring some strong arcs and performances (the murder coverup actually works because it keeps our girls together), cleverly bringing back the themes of season one. What brought Mary Alice to suicide? Isolation. The strength of her friendship with the girls wasn't strong enough to keep her going. Will Bree suffer from the same fate? Nothing earth-shattering here, but hey, a lot of laundry gets folded in our house during <strong><em>Desperate Housewives</em></strong>. And folding laundry has never been so enjoyable. <strong>Season so far: 3/5. Series to date: 3/5</strong><br />
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My wife and I tried out two sitcoms with varying degrees of success. <strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1826940/">New Girl</a></em></strong> is the best of the two, despite being too cutesy at times. I think Zooey Deschanel is adorable but her character is too cartoonish to really be able to relate to her. Her three male roommates, however, ground her to reality and, as an ensemble, these four young adults entering their 30's actually gel nicely together. <strong><em>New Girl</em></strong> is inconsistent and has lots of work to do, but I believe time will serve these folks well. Consider me charmed, if only for the time being. <strong>Season so far: 3/5</strong><br />
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<strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1741256/">Suburgatory</a></em></strong> is less successful. I love Jeremy Sisto and the actress who plays his daughter, Jane Levy. They have a beautiful rapport with one another and their scenes together bring a smile to my face. However, the rest of the cast is insufferable. Everyone is a cartoon; shrill, overacted, buffoonish cartoons. I always ask - why do Tessa and George always hang out with them? Maybe in season two they will move back to Manhattan with an all new supporting cast. Hey, one can always dream. <strong>Season so far: 2.5/5</strong><br />
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Is Ryan Murphy deliberately assassinating his characters on <strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1327801/">Glee</a></em></strong>? It seems everyone is making heinous, selfish decisions that don't seem to gel with the characters we've come to love from season 1. Quinn scheming to destroy Shelby in order to get her baby back is as false and manipulative as the idea of Puck shacking up with her. This whole storyline is one of the worst ideas the writers ever had. And Rachel costing Kurt the election by rigging the votes? She's not that dumb. And is she really that selfish that she will embarrass her good-natured boyfriend Finn because he couldn't afford any of the items on her Christmas list? <em>And isn't she Jewish?</em> The outing of Santana was nowhere nearly as emotional as Kurt's, because the writers made her character so insufferable. How can we possibly care about anything she does or say when she does nothing but hurl empty insults to everyone in her sight? And don't get me started with Sue. She continues to bring the show down every week. Like Santana, she's just a mouthful of one-liners. No wonder Chris Colfer gets all of the awards recognition -- Kurt Hummel is the only character that feels remotely real.<br />
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So what did I like on <strong><em>Glee</em></strong> this year? Giving Mercedes an edge worked wonders for her character (her Effie rendition was phenomenal); Mike Chang got some much-needed depth with a story involving his parents; the first time Kurt/Blaine and Finn/Rachel have sex was actually thoughtfully written and refreshingly honest; and any screen time devoted to Coach Beiste and Burt Hummel is always a good thing, regardless of the dumb stories they are involved in. Oh, <strong><em>Glee</em></strong>. You're a mess. You piss me off so many times but yet I can't look away. I'm sticking with you.... for now. <strong>Season so far: 2.5/5. Series to date: 3.5/5</strong><br />
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Oh, how the mighty have fallen. This season of <strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0773262/">Dexter</a></em></strong> was all sorts of clumsy and inept. The religion angle was an inspiring choice of direction for the writers to pursue but the execution was completely ham-handed and lacking in dramatic tension. Introducing Brother Sam (played very well by Mos Def) as a spiritual voice was promising to start with but ended so abruptly and without consequence for Dexter (or the viewer). Colin Hanks was a bore and was entirely unconvincing as this season's Big Bad (I've never seen a respected actor like Edward James Olmos do so little; he brought nothing to the table). The staff at Miami Metro are as clueless and inept as they've ever been. The only redeeming thing about <strong><em>Dexter</em></strong> this season was Debra Morgan, played superbly by Jennifer Carpenter. She got promoted, broke up with Quinn and handled some very tough challenges. Debra grew as a character and her metamorphosis was absorbing and fun to watch. So how will this finale's new twist play out next year? I'll tune in to watch, of course, but my expectations are very, very low. Perhaps now there's no where else to go but up? <strong>This season: 2/5 Series to date: 3.5/5</strong>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12951548184115824860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783954287151205399.post-24652569832850223562011-12-01T09:40:00.001-05:002011-12-01T13:53:17.424-05:00Quick Takes: November '11 Wrap Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<em><strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1399103/">Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon (2011)</a></strong></em> wasn't exactly a strong start to the month of November. But at least I got the worst of it done with right off the bat. What a loud, garish mess. It's sad because I'm a huge fan of the original <em><strong>Transformers</strong></em>, a funny, ridiculously entertaining action blockbuster. The second film was a big step down but it wasn't terrible. It was enjoyable up to a point. But TF3? Unwatchable. All of the heart, charm and spectacle of the original is completely gone. I'm surprised I made it all the way through without turning it off. Oh, the torture of being a completist! 1/5<br />
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<em><strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1284575/">Bad Teacher (2011)</a></strong></em> was a disappointment considering how much I love this cast. I think Cameron Diaz is a remarkable talent but she doesn't have a good track record of choosing strong material. Justin Timberlake, a movie star in the making, took a step backwards by playing this role of a dorky substitute teacher too broadly. Only the terribly underused Jason Segel shines brightly here. But he wasn't enough to save this middling, sporadically humorous comedy from Jake Kasden. 2/5<br />
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<strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1864288/">Conan O'Brien Can't Stop (2011)</a></em></strong> doesn't have much depth nor did I walk away feeling any differently about the whole late night mess. While O'Brien appears very likable on stage, he is actually a deeply sarcastic man which often makes for uncomfortable viewing. It's a bummer that we learn nothing of what makes him tick, really; we only know that he is pissed because his dream job was taken from him prematurely. In the grand scheme of things, these problems are minuscule (O'Brien walked away with millions to retire early) so it's hard to feel really badly for him. 2.5/5<br />
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The hype machine can be a vicious thing. When you wait to see a popular movie after it has had some time in the spotlight, you risk the chance of clouding your judgment. When I saw <strong><em>Little Miss Sunshine</em></strong> a few months after it came out, I was worried - it couldn't <em>possibly</em> be that good. Well, I was wrong and it ended up being one of my favorite films that year. Was <strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1478338/">Bridesmaids (2011)</a></em></strong> just as lucky? Not quite. I'm afraid it falls in the same camp as <strong><em>The Hangover</em></strong>. It's a funny film with standout performances and memorable set pieces. But is it a great film? Is it a classic? I'm afraid not. Melissa McCarthy is wonderful as Meg, and she deserves all of the praise she has gotten this year (she will always be Lorelai's BFF in my eyes). I do have to say, though, that I'm totally digging Kristen Wiig's career trajectory this year. She's our next Tina Fey. She anchors <strong><em>Bridesmaids</em></strong> with skill and verve. 3.5/5<br />
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The next two films came out of nowhere and shocked the hell out of me. I wouldn't be surprised if either landed on my Best of the Year list. First, <strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0993842/">Hanna (2011)</a></em></strong>, the third film from Joe Wright, whose <strong><em>Atonement</em></strong> was not a film I was crazy for (<em><strong>The Soloist</strong></em> is unseen by me). But Wright is a gifted filmmaker and <strong><em>Hanna</em></strong> is a fantastic showcase for his talents. It's a kick-ass action thriller that features Saoirse Ronan in a performance that should guarantee her a Hollywood career for life. Eric Bana is a former spy who trains her daughter to become an assassin in order to avenge her mother's death. <strong><em>Hanna</em></strong> is a film of many themes - family, honor, revenge - and it's also a film of technical brilliance. Fused with a hypnotic score from The Chemical Brothers, <strong><em>Hanna</em></strong> has impressive scenes with long takes, gorgeous frame work and stunning photography. 4.5/5<br />
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Then I saw another great film immediately afterwards, a movie I had zero expectations for. After experiencing the pleasure of <strong><em>Hanna</em></strong>, I embarked on <strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1740047/">The Trip (2011)</a></em></strong>, a British road comedy that also features some terrific scenery and inventive editing. But that's where the similarities end. <strong><em>The Trip</em></strong> is actually a 3-hour BBC miniseries pared down to a 100-minute film for America and the result is an oddly affectionate look at two friends who share a common bond of films, food and culture. Assembled by the ever-so-versatile filmmaker Michael Winterbottom, <strong><em>The Trip</em></strong> is a fantastic showcase for two very funny men: Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon. Most of their exchanges are improvised, but there is a caustic, biting wit that underscores their lively and often hilarious conversations. Their dueling Michael Caine impersonations are among the funniest bits of material I've heard all year. "But she's only 16 years old! You were supposed to blow the bloody doors down!" 4.5/5<br />
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<strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0458339/">Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)</a></em></strong> had a lot going for it during its first hour. I was really digging the Indiana Jones vibe and that period detail so meticulously crafted by director Joe Johnston. Chris Evans is a charming lead and the relationship between him and scientist Stanley Tucci was brief but warm-hearted. But unfortunately the plot kicked into autopilot midway into the film and all elements of surprise and sure-footed pacing went right out the window. It's too bad. I liked <strong><em>Captain America</em></strong> enough to recommend it but disappointed that it failed to live up to its potential. 3/5<br />
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<strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0873886/">Red State (2011)</a></em></strong> also suffered a similar fate, though it is a more successful picture. The first half of Kevin Smith's electrifying career departure is a tense thriller about a couple of oversexed teenage boys and their ill-fated quest for nookie. What follows is an unpredictable, though wildly uneven, potboiler that is anchored (and saved) by a terrific, commanding performance by John Goodman. The villains - notably Michael Parks and Melissa Leo - were too one-note to stick with me and the post-shoot out scenes were somewhat anticlimactic. <strong><em>Red State</em></strong> is a little bit of a mess, but it's a very entertaining one and marks a promising rebirth of a director in need of a change. 3.5/5<br />
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My sole big screen outing in November: <strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1268799/">A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas (2011)</a></em></strong>. I'm not a fan of 3D; I find the practice distracting and it takes me out of the story. 3D turns movies into amusement park rides, and that's not what I love about this medium. That said, I got a few good laughs out of this movie - some at the expense of the 3D format. The use of 3D here is effective and doesn't feel like a cheap studio ploy to rake in more bucks. The film itself does not compare to the original classic (yes, I said it; it's a <em>classic</em>), but I'd say it's on par with <strong><em>Guantanamo Bay</em></strong>. And once again, Neil Patrick Harris all but steals the show. 3/5<br />
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After some heavy hitting new releases, I plowed through a few older titles I had been meaning to see for some time now. The first, a documentary I'd been hearing raves about: <strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1152758/">Dear Zachary: A Letter To A Son About His Father (2008)</a></em></strong>. What a heartbreaker. Director Kurt Kuenne pieces together a video diary about a young man named Andrew Bagby who was senselessly killed by his mentally unstable girlfriend. The video diary was intended to be a keepsake for Andrew's newborn son, Zachary, who would learn that his father was a decent man who was well loved by many. The film takes a tragic turn midway and Kuenne keenly observes how fragile life can be. The real stars of <strong><em>Dear Zachary</em></strong> are Andrew's tirelessly devoted parents, David and Kate. They are two people we could use more of in this world. 4/5<br />
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The next film is yet another doc from the same year, but it could have been made anytime in the last 5 years and very little would have changed.<strong><em> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0963807/">I.O.U.S.A. (2008)</a></em></strong> matter-of-factly spells out our nations problems with debt. This is dry stuff; the filmmakers don't really attempt to liven things up with human-interest anecdotes, which I wish they did. It's still an informative must-see, if only educate yourself on how our country got to where we are financially and where we are headed. It's not pretty, folks. We're in deep shit. Our kids and grand kids will be paying for these problems and that notion is kind of depressing. 3/5<br />
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Michael Keaton really needs to make more films. I rather adored his quirky little comedy, <strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0425055/">Game 6 (2005)</a></em></strong>, which is the first screenplay from renowned novelist and playwright Dom DeLillo. Keaton is a playwright on the cusp of a career crossroads - his next play will either end his career or catapult him into greatness, the result hinging from the response of a much-feared critic (a well cast Robert Downey, Jr). You can tell DeLillo is a very accomplished writer of dialogue. The words spoken in this film are thoughtful and at times philosophical. The characters - especially Keaton, Griffin Dunne as an old writer pal fallen through times, and Harris Yulin as an esteemed actor losing his grip on his craft - are intelligent and deeply wounded. How the film is tied to one of baseball's biggest upsets is cleverly done. 4/5<br />
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My November viewings winded down with a pair of family films over the Thanksgiving weekend. <strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1449283/">Winnie the Pooh (2011)</a></em></strong> is a delightful, droll film for the entire family. It's really quite a pleasure to see a modern day toon that doesn't assault your senses with juvenile humor, fast-cutting action and by-the-numbers storytelling. <strong><em>Winnie the Pooh</em></strong> is simple, pure and has a certain intelligence that is deeply rewarding for adult audiences. A great family film is one that speaks to <em>all</em> ages and this is surely one of them. 4/5<br />
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And finally, Pixar breaks its amazing streak of unparalleled perfection with <strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1216475/">Cars 2 (2011)</a></em></strong>, an enjoyable though underwhelming sequel to one of Disney's most lucrative franchises. When I see animated films from Fox or Warner Brothers, even Dreamworks, they always appear to be loud and goofy, attempting to attract an audience full of kids with A.D.D. Pixar films tend to have a gentler spirit, taking their time to tell a story and not contstantly resorting to cheap, instant laughs. <strong><em>Cars 2</em></strong> seems to be Pixar's attempt to go "mainstream" and it's disconcerting to see them stumble a little bit. The main problem is that Mater isn't a compelling character to anchor a film. He's a hilarious sidekick, but doesn't have enough depth to drive an entire film. (I know, it's a cartoon character of a tow truck, I shouldn't be using the word "depth" here). And the plot is rather dense for a children's film; how many 6-year-olds will really get these references? These problems aside, <strong><em>Cars 2</em></strong> looks impeccable. Pixar's attention to detail remains unparalleled. For me, an adult viewer with a love for spy films, I got a kick out of hearing Michael Caine's voice and seeing some clever movie references. Not a dud by any means, but <strong><em>Cars 2</em></strong> is unusual step down for an industry giant. 3/5Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12951548184115824860noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783954287151205399.post-11383265177565794782011-11-22T10:16:00.001-05:002011-11-23T12:00:09.765-05:00The 5 Best: Time Travel FilmsTime travel. Time warp. Time shift. Whether we are dealing with flying DeLoreans, naked cyborgs, or simply a cranky weatherman waking up on the same day over and over again, I love stories that play with time. Time travel -- or whatever you may call it -- has many rules but clearly what makes this genre click for me is that every action results in consequences whether in a separate plane of existence or your very own. It's the paradox of time travel that makes it so special. It's not necessarily the time "traveling" that makes my brain explode with delight, but the <em>manipulation</em> of time. This field is wide open, but that's only because I don't limit the genre to science-fiction. I have a lot of favorites and many of them <em>almost </em>made the top 5.<br />
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First off, Audrey Niffenegger wrote a remarkable novel called <strong><em>The Time Traveler's Wife</em></strong> in 2004. It's the story of a librarian with a gene that causes him to involuntarily travel through time. It's one of my favorite novels of the last decade, but the 2010 film version unfortunately doesn't quite do it justice. I still loved it, though - the scene where Eric Bana sees his kid for the first time always gives me chills. It's a beautiful, brain busting story, well worth experiencing on the page and, to a somewhat lesser extent, the screen.<br />
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<strong><em>Groundhog Day</em></strong> is a cult classic, the story of a jaded, cynical man who relives the same day over and over again. No one plays jaded and cynical better than Bill Murray. Some may argue that <strong><em>Groundhog Day</em></strong> doesn't fit in this time travel genre, but I say it does. Though the film is not very explicit about how it's done, wouldn't you say he is traveling through some kind of time portal during his sleep? I thought so! <br />
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Another romantic comedy that is similarly more of a fantasy than actual sci-fi is Francis Ford Coppola's <strong><em>Peggy Sue Got Married</em></strong>, in which Kathleen Turner faints at her high school reunion and wakes up twenty five years earlier during her senior year. She sees this as a chance to rewrite her past and make better choices that will affect her future. But can she avoid making the same mistakes? Can the future really be rewritten? The ultimate time travel questions! What an infectiously sweet film. <br />
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Veering into sci-fi territory, I rather loved Peter Hyams cheeky thriller <strong><em>Timecop</em></strong>, in which Jean-Claude Van Damme plays a cop who travels back in time to prevent a corrupt politician from becoming President. Great early 90's action with Van Damme in his prime. <br />
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Speaking of European musclemen, you cannot go wrong with Arnold Schwarzenegger as a cyborg sent from the future to kill Kyle Reese in <strong><em>The Terminator</em></strong>. He's an unstoppable force of destruction in James Cameron's innovative action blockbuster. The fantastic, groundbreaking sequel goes even further, reversing the role for Schwarzenegger, who stops at nothing to protect Reese's son, John Connor. <strong><em>Terminator 2: Judgment Day</em></strong> is arguably one of the best films mentioned in this post, but it's more of an action thriller than a "time travel" movie. Even though there are elements of time manipulation in this series, I just don't think of the <em>Terminator</em> films as leaders in this genre, despite being so damned good. Well, except for <strong><em>Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines</em></strong>. That one doesn't belong on any "5 Best" list.<br />
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<strong><em>Frequency</em></strong>, one of my favorite films of 2000, almost made the cut. It probably would have made number 6 if I broke a few rules. A father and son connect via radio 30 years apart and the son uses the opportunity to warn dad of his impending death. The crisis is averted but sets forth another series of tragic events. This is what I love about time travel films - cause and effect. Change the past and screw up the future. It's beautifully done.<br />
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Though on a lesser scale, I still can't forget to mention these solid efforts: <strong><em>Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure</em></strong> (<strong><em>Bogus Journey</em></strong> was, well, bogus), the riotously funny <strong><em>Hot Tub Time Machine</em></strong>, the quirky <strong><em>Time Bandits</em></strong>, the surprisingly good <strong><em>The Lake House</em></strong>, Denzel Washington's action-packed <strong><em>Deja Vu</em></strong> and the corny 80's cult classic, <strong><em>My Science Project</em></strong>. Those are all good films, especially if you're a fan of the genre.<br />
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But for time travel enthusiasts such as myself, below are the five best.<br />
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<strong><em>The Back to the Future Trilogy (<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088763/">1985</a>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096874/">1989</a>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099088/">1990</a>)</em></strong></div>
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The flux capacitor. 88 MPH. 1.21 Gigawatts. A flying DeLorean. These words are synonymous to the indisputable champions of time travel films. This trilogy contains some of my favorite movie moments of all time. Most people would leave out Parts 2 or 3 but I embraced them all almost equally. In the first, and arguably best, of the three, Marty McFly travels back to 1955 and works to correct a hiccup in his lifeline caused by his own untimely arrival. This is actually the closest to a perfect movie I have seen in my lifetime. Everything works here. This commingling of science-fiction and comedy is as harmonious and delicate as anything to come out of this genre, let alone any genre. Part 2 plays it more broadly, much to the dismay of critics and fans, but I totally dug it. It was silly and convoluted and makes absolutely no apologies for it. In fact, each entry has its own tone and I respect Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale for setting out to make three very different stories that are connected by these lovable characters. Part 3 is fabulously entertaining, especially the first half hour which features McFly back in 1955 alongside the other 1985 version of McFly. Brilliant! These movies make my brain swell with utter delight.</div>
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<strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0246578/">Donnie Darko (2001)</a></em></strong><br />
I knew very little about <strong><em>Donnie Darko</em></strong> when I first saw it and I'm glad. Everything about this intoxicating drama was fresh and brand new. What kind of movie<em> is</em> this? It's the story of a disaffected teen (a magnificent star making turn by Jake Gyllenhaal) who miraculously escapes death only to embark on an odd friendship with a 6 foot tall man in a bunny suit named Frank. Frank tells Donnie that the world will end in 28 days and for most of the film Donnie struggles to piece together the puzzle surrounding his near-death experience and impending doom. <strong><em>Donnie Darko</em></strong> plays with time so beautifully and with great complexity that the viewer is forced to see the film multiple times in order to comprehend its bigger picture. In addition to this sci-fi bent, the film is also a wonderful study about isolation and adolescent angst.<br />
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<strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0208196/">Happy Accidents (2000)</a></em></strong><br />
The antithesis of <strong><em>Donnie Darko</em></strong>, <strong><em>Happy Accidents</em></strong> is a genuine New York love story about an unlikely couple who fall in love. It just so happens that he's a time traveler from the year 2470. It's <strong><em>Annie Hall</em></strong> with a twist! Marisa Tomei is just utterly delightful as a neurotic woman who tries to fix the men she dates and she always fails. When Vincent D'Onofrio shows up and spills the beans about where he's from, she hangs on to him. Is he real or crazy? Brad Anderson directs this warm, sweetly funny and deeply satisfying dramedy that works on almost every level. That it features some nifty ideas on time travel is whipped cream atop of this decadent morsel of delight.<br />
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<strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0945513/">Source Code (2011)</a></em></strong><br />
Seems like Jake Gyllenhaal cannot get enough of time travel. Sorry, I mean <em>time remembrance</em>, as <strong><em>Source Code</em></strong> likes to refer to it. This is the most recent entry in the time jumping canon of greats, and it's not only one of the best films of 2011, but also one of the trippiest, most engaging action films I've seen in a long, long time. Gyllenhaal is a soldier who embarks on a top secret government-funded project where he is catapulted to a precise moment in time before a major crime occurs. Within this extremely brief window, he must uncover information about the killer and learn if he has other targets. Of course, he fails repeatedly but inches closer to discovering the truth in every jump. Can he prevent the crime from happening if he stops the killer? Writer/director Duncan Jones raises that question and provides a cadre of satisfying, mind-blowing ideas. <strong><em>Source Code</em></strong> moves at a frenetic, breathless pace without sacrificing humor and a surprising amount of depth and humility.<br />
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<strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114746/">12 Monkeys (1995)</a></em></strong><br />
Terry Gilliam has made some oddball films in his day, and <strong><em>12 Monkeys</em></strong> is actually one of his more accessible ones. That doesn't mean it's a simple, easygoing affair. Far from it! Bruce Willis (an actor I can never tire of) plays a convict from 2035 who volunteers to head back in time to 1996 to uncover information about a virus that inevitably wipes out 99% of the population. But alas, he ends up in 1990 instead (didn't McFly have the same problem? Damn those faulty flux capacitors!) and ends up being committed. Will he get out in time to save the future? It's not a simple film by any means, but it is Gilliam's most engaging film. It's all here -- the paradoxes of time travel, future consequences of past actions, and a tricky timeline in which millions of lives can be changed by a single action of course correction.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12951548184115824860noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783954287151205399.post-64128748721574218382011-11-18T10:29:00.001-05:002012-02-02T11:54:24.347-05:00Quick Takes: Paul, Scream 4, Win Win, Meek's Cutoff<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LB3fUtXCmJg/TyawjCIZFMI/AAAAAAAAAvE/nU3ORi7PbBI/s320/paul.jpg" width="214" /></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1092026/"><strong>Paul (2011)</strong></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Dir. Greg Mottola</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jGjNljH-8JM/TyawXINtStI/AAAAAAAAAu8/Vt38VyqNG8w/s1600/four.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jGjNljH-8JM/TyawXINtStI/AAAAAAAAAu8/Vt38VyqNG8w/s1600/four.png" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Put simply, <strong><em>Paul </em></strong>delighted the hell out of me. I was certainly not expecting the film to be this funny, warm and goofy. After the wildly successful comedies <strong><em>Shaun of the Dead</em></strong> and <strong><em>Hot Fuzz</em></strong>, Nick Frost and Simon Pegg are back and as endearing as ever. They are science fiction nerds who attend San Diego's Comic Con - their geek heaven - and embark on a road trip they will not soon forget. Seth Rogen voices the alien they run into, and Kristen Wiig, Jason Bateman, Blythe Danner and Sigourney Weaver add class and humor to this entertaining little adventure. A wonderful time with a superb cast.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iqo-HENYCbA/TyaybWgMZaI/AAAAAAAAAvU/LDbaMv6w4ak/s1600/scream4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iqo-HENYCbA/TyaybWgMZaI/AAAAAAAAAvU/LDbaMv6w4ak/s320/scream4.jpg" width="220" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1262416/"><strong>Scream 4 (2011)</strong></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Dir. Wes Craven</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QNwizDFVrZI/Tyaxqb4-y2I/AAAAAAAAAvM/unVXxajopxA/s1600/twoandahalf.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QNwizDFVrZI/Tyaxqb4-y2I/AAAAAAAAAvM/unVXxajopxA/s1600/twoandahalf.png" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;">I admit it. I was a little stoked when I heard that Wes Craven was on board with writer Kevin Williamson for another sequel to the ailing <strong><em>Scream</em></strong> franchise. The surviving members of the previous films - Courtney Cox, David Arquette and Neve Campbell - were all back, too. Even after the disappointment that was <strong><em>Scream 3</em></strong> (I barely remember a single damn thing about that film), I had relatively high hopes for <strong><em>Scream 4</em></strong>. I felt there was still juice left in the ol' <strong><em>Scream</em></strong> machine. Well, my hopes were somewhat dashed. It is definitely an improvement from the previous installment - there was plenty of humor throughout and I was pretty surprised by the killer's reveal. I do wish <strong><em>Scream 4</em></strong> ended sooner, though. There is a scene in the kitchen (where the killer lies on the floor with the victims) that would have served as a terrific, edgy finale. But alas... the film took the safe, boring route and left a pretty sour taste in my mouth. I can't recommend it - it doesn't touch the original and its fantastic first sequel - but you can do much worse.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--NRKk0OuF4w/Tya2GxAqBgI/AAAAAAAAAvk/BDxtqrA-uNk/s1600/winwin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--NRKk0OuF4w/Tya2GxAqBgI/AAAAAAAAAvk/BDxtqrA-uNk/s1600/winwin.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1606392/">Win Win (2011)</a></strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Dir. Tom McCarthy</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-STJ-1OW0e4s/Tya13cVrRYI/AAAAAAAAAvc/TSELqPZ-DBc/s1600/fourandahalf.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-STJ-1OW0e4s/Tya13cVrRYI/AAAAAAAAAvc/TSELqPZ-DBc/s1600/fourandahalf.png" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Writer/director Tom McCarthy is three for three. His latest dramedy, <strong><em>Win Win</em></strong>, starring Paul Giamatti, is his most accomplished film thus far. I have enjoyed <strong><em>The Station Agent</em></strong> and <strong><em>The Visitor</em></strong> tremendously but <strong><em>Win Win</em></strong> digs deeper. There isn't a trace of cynicism in McCarthy's films and this is refreshing. He has such affection for his characters, especially in <strong><em>Win Win</em></strong>. Giamatti is a high school wrestling coach struggling with life's basic pressures, and when a disaffected teen enters his life, things start to look up. Giamatti is supported by the delightful Amy Ryan as his wife, Bobby Cannavale (fantastic here) as his overeager best friend, Jeffrey Tambor as the assistant coach, and newcomer Alex Shaffer, who nails his scenes as a conflicted kid with a troubled past. My buddy Pete goes further into the film <a href="http://flickerobsession.blogspot.com/2011/03/quick-takes-win-win.html">here</a>, but we're in agreement: <strong><em>Win Win</em></strong> is a terrific achievement.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NO7UeG4_dCE/Tya2i6sVOZI/AAAAAAAAAv0/Oo13LLB4eGE/s1600/meekscutoff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NO7UeG4_dCE/Tya2i6sVOZI/AAAAAAAAAv0/Oo13LLB4eGE/s320/meekscutoff.jpg" width="217" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1518812/">Meek's Cutoff (2011)</a></strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Dir. Kelly Reichardt</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ssMEdMei104/Tya2W0uuYvI/AAAAAAAAAvs/D14McK_FZVc/s1600/three.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ssMEdMei104/Tya2W0uuYvI/AAAAAAAAAvs/D14McK_FZVc/s1600/three.png" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;">As a fan of Kelly Reichardt's previous film, <strong><em>Wendy and Lucy</em></strong>, I was greatly anticipating <strong><em>Meek's Cutoff</em></strong>, her western about a trio of families who embark on a dangerous journey across the midwest. This film didn't move me nearly as much as her earlier film, but I appreciated what Reichardt was trying to achieve. She nailed her themes of isolation and perseverance in <strong><em>Meek's Cutoff</em></strong>. We witness the mundane and arduous tasks of surviving such a difficult journey. Who knew lowering wagons down a steep hill would generate such suspense? There's also a magnificent scene in which Emily (Michelle Williams, in top form as usual) comes into contact with a native American and runs to warn the rest of her crew. Watching her methodically load a shotgun is one showcase of the film's extraordinary attention to detail. <strong><em>Meek's Cutoff</em></strong> is very slowly paced, perhaps too minimalist for most casual viewers. It's certainly a little too low key for my own tastes, but I admired what Reichardt has accomplished here.</div>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12951548184115824860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783954287151205399.post-67777418640109921242011-10-28T17:09:00.000-04:002011-10-28T17:09:16.753-04:00Best of the Year: 2001<span style="font-size: large;"><strong><em><u>My Picks of the Year</u></em></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>(in alphabetical order)</em></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wcWYEeHKOsU/TqsSuAFyByI/AAAAAAAAAh8/pYoXZmGii_8/s1600/amelie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" ida="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wcWYEeHKOsU/TqsSuAFyByI/AAAAAAAAAh8/pYoXZmGii_8/s200/amelie.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0211915/">Amelie</a></strong><br />
This gloriously busy and surprisingly intimate French romance works thanks to the star-making turn by Audrey Tautou. She is a cinematic delight, a beautiful, unforgettable face. Jean-Pierre Jeunet is a masterful visionary; not unlike the Zucker brothers in the <em>Airplane!</em> days, he knows how to keep the frames busy. Virtually every shot is a treasure, and the story, while slight, is certainly a charmer.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LJ8g4vTPagY/TqsSx8TCgAI/AAAAAAAAAiE/fXeBBuS3fB4/s1600/donniedarko.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" ida="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LJ8g4vTPagY/TqsSx8TCgAI/AAAAAAAAAiE/fXeBBuS3fB4/s200/donniedarko.jpg" width="129" /></a></div>
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0246578/">Donnie Darko</a></strong><br />
This is one kinky, twisted little movie, and I mean that in the most refreshing way. <em>Donnie Darko</em> cannot fit into one genre; it contains elements of teenage angst, time travel, sexual perversity, domestic horror, and mental illness – sometimes all in one scene. Jake Gyllenhaal, a discovery if there was one, is highly effective as a passive-aggressive high school student who tries to make sense of his fate. The story is extremely unconventional – the script does not spoon-feed the audience – therefore creating a very unique, challenging film, filled with surprises and rewards.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0208196/">Happy Accidents</a></strong><br />
I’m a sucker for time travel movies, the kind of mindbenders that deal with the past and alters the future, distorting the line of reality. <em>Back to the Future</em> trilogy was the best of the kind, of course. This one is disguised as an old-fashioned New York love story. Marisa Tomei shines brightly as a neurotic single woman sick of dating freaks. In comes Vincent D’Onofrio, who charms and woos Tomei out of her freak streak…until he reveals that he is a time traveler from the year 2430. Writer-director Brad Anderson assembled a brilliant script, loaded with mind-opening ideas and unabashed romanticism. Whether or not you’re a science-fiction fan, you’ll find D’Onofrio and his tales charming, convincing and extremely delightful.<br />
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<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0247425/"><strong>In the Bedroom</strong> </a><br />
Powerful and elegiac, ranking up there with <em>The Sweet Hereafter</em> and <em>The Ice Storm</em>, <em>In the Bedroom</em> is a drama of a family marred by a horrific tragedy. Sissy Spacek, Tom Wilkenson and Marisa Tomei are equally devastating as a trio of loved ones who lost aspiring architect Nick Stahl. My favorite scene: Wilkenson and Spacek are verbally duking it out with one another (Wilkenson whispers, “You’re bitter, Ruth,” reverberating quite loudly), only to be interrupted by a little girl selling chocolates. It is a priceless scene in a wrenching film.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XwdYjPrvFeA/TqsS88PDiTI/AAAAAAAAAic/Iqmdh-dDSrg/s1600/joyride.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" ida="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XwdYjPrvFeA/TqsS88PDiTI/AAAAAAAAAic/Iqmdh-dDSrg/s200/joyride.jpg" width="134" /></a></div>
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0206314/">Joy Ride</a> </strong><br />
One of the most goose-bumpiest thrillers in recent years, <em>Joy Ride</em> is a delicious nail-biter so well-crafted by master of contemporary noir director, John Dahl. Paul Walker and Leelee Sobieski do just fine as teenagers in peril chased by a menacing truck driver, but it’s Steve Zahn who all but steals the show as Walker’s jailbait brother. He delivers the laughs, as expected, but when he’s scared, we’re scared with him. Even better -- we’re terrified.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120737/">Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring</a></strong><br />
It’s the most visual, ambitious, adventurous film of the year. It is literally a great sprawling novel come to life, and it was done so confidently that is not only inspiring but it reminds us all just precisely why we love the movies so much. Great special effects aside, it proves to us that story comes first in all elements of moviemaking. The characters come alive through the course of the adventure, and in the superb extended version on DVD, they are fleshed out and as multi-dimensional as they come. Two more magnificent episodes followed, creating one of the greatest trilogies of all time.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0198781/">Monsters, Inc</a></strong> <br />
A truly exciting and adorable children’s film brought to life by lively colorful animation, charming voice performances by Billy Crystal and John Goodman, and energetic camera work and effects by Pixar. The final chase scene is as rousing as anything I've seen all year. This one ranks among the best of all works from Pixar.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0203009/">Moulin Rouge</a> </strong><br />
<em>Moulin Rouge</em> is neither a film nor a movie -- it’s an experience. Baz Luhrmann dazzles us by juggling a simple, old-fashioned love story (the reason it is cliched is because it works), wall-to-wall contemporary pop songs, a historical setting, breathless cutting and hyperkinetic camera work -- and delivers a boldly original party mix. Take his exuberantly euphoric <em>Strictly Ballroom</em> and mesh it with his wacky, heart-thumping romance, <em>William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet</em>, and you’ll get an idea of what he’s capable of. Nicole Kidman has seriously never been better, but it’s Ewan McGregor who will floor you. An absolute blast.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0166924/">Mulholland Drive</a></strong><br />
Confounding, yes, but this David Lynch masterpiece is an absorbing and fascinating piece of work. Every scene works on its own as a short film, and astonishingly enough, they are aesthetically and emotionally clear and beautiful. As a whole, does it matter? It’s actually pretty easy to follow all the way up to the final reel. Even then, it’s an eerie juxtaposition of images, sounds and feelings. And, hey, if it looks like a dream, and it sounds like a dream, then….<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0240772/">Ocean’s Eleven </a></strong><br />
Ultra-hip and incredibly smooth, this Steven Soderbergh caper is a rousing good time. Not only do all of the stars do brilliantly by looking hot and exuding charm, but the story is fun to follow and Soderbergh’s camera is a thrill to behold. One of the final shots in the film -- with the fountain in the background and the silhouettes of our Rat Pack walking away -- is pure cinematic pornography.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0237572/">The Pledge</a></strong><br />
Jack Nicholson is really one of our greats. He delivers one of his all-time best performances as Jerry Black, a retired cop who thinks his last case on the job closed too easily. The story, refreshingly, is not about the ongoing murder mystery of the little girl in the red dress. This is a film about Jerry Black, a man who simply cannot let go. Sean Penn surehandedly directs this meandering, almost lyrical, drama that is peppered by a cast of greats, old and new. The standout is Aaron Eckhart, who provides an original spin to the cliched character of a cocky, arrogant, younger partner. <em>The Pledge</em> also featured a finale that kept me guessing, though I should have known that what happened was completely inevitable.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0278736/">Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures</a> </strong><br />
This stunning documentary is among the best of its kind; a thorough, revealing perspective on one of the most reclusive movie artists of our time. And that’s what so refreshing – Kubrick isn’t exactly a recluse; he’s a methodical, loving man with a deep appreciation for life, his family and film. His brother-in-law, Jan Harlan, made <em>A Life in Pictures</em> and with his inside look at the real Kubrick, the public can view this and admire not only the films but also the individual.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0259711/">Vanilla Sky</a></strong><br />
Some loved it. Most hated it. I really admired this remake of the brilliant, near-perfect Spanish thriller, <em>Open Your Eyes</em>. Tom Cruise bares his soul in his best performance since his days from <em>Born on the 4th of July</em> and <em>Rain Man</em>. Cameron Crowe’s spin on the story, which involves the fusion of pop culture music and images, alternate realities, and true romance, is a Hollywood remake done well. Even if it does slightly pale in comparison with Alejandro Amenabar’s vision, which is darker, ambiguous, and much sexier (Penelope in her own tongue is how Penelope should be), <em>Vanilla Sky</em> certainly stands on its own merits as an invigorating piece of work.<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><em><u>Honorable Mentions</u></em></span></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0268978/">A Beautiful Mind</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0271461/">Dinner With Friends</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0280778/">Iris</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0259393/">Lantana</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0264796/">Life as a House</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0209144/">Memento</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0285742/">Monster's Ball</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0203632/">The Princess and the Warrior</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120824/">The Shipping News</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0126029/">Shrek</a>; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0275719/">Tape</a></strong>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12951548184115824860noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783954287151205399.post-72370336421076952092011-09-28T16:27:00.002-04:002011-09-28T16:27:46.341-04:00Hidden Treasure: Leap of Faith<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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From the mid 80s through the most of the 90s, Steve Martin had an impressive range of career choices. Some were well-crafted crowd-pleasers (<strong><em>Parenthood</em></strong>, <strong><em>Father of the Bride</em></strong>), some critically acclaimed <strong><em>(LA Story</em></strong>, <strong><em>Roxanne</em></strong>), and some heavily dramatic fare (<strong><em>The Spanish Prisoner</em></strong>, <strong><em>Grand Canyon</em></strong>). There was one movie during that time period that doesn't fit in either of these categories and yet I think it features one of Martin's most interesting and underrated performances. In 1992's <strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104695/">Leap of Faith</a></em></strong>, Martin plays a traveling evangelist named Jonas Nightengale who, by a twist of fate (or was it?), lands in small-town Kansas where every resident is in need of a miracle. Yes, Lord, they need a miracle!<br />
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This is not a great film. It's uneven, has a weak third act, and undercooked storylines. But I cannot deny that <strong><em>Leap of Faith</em></strong> is survived - almost solely - by a dark, rousing performance by one of the funniest men alive. Martin has done plenty of drama before - most notably in 1991's superb <strong><em>Grand Canyon</em></strong> - but this one is different. Jonas Nightengale is at personal crossroads in life. He knows what he does for people. He puts on a good show, makes people laugh, maybe even makes them feel good about themselves. On the other hand, Nightengale is a fake, a fraud who capitalizes on the problems of everyday people and cashes in on them. But hey, he's not hurting anybody. He's just making a (dis)honest buck.<br />
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Martin is revelatory up on that stage. It's a serious performance; he's not playing it for laughs, though you can't help but grin at Martin's manic energy. These preachers are animated and passionate performers, and Martin nails it. Jonas Nightengale is a man on a mission. He is out to heal! He is out to put faith into these people's lives, to make them believe <em>it will all get better</em>. The Lord is looking out for you, but you gotta believe! You gotta believe in the Lord almighty!<br />
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I wish this performance lived in a better film. <strong><em>Leap of Faith</em></strong> is not at all bad; in fact, the film deeply engaging as we follow Nightengale and his crew perform their magic tricks. We watch as the spotters discreetly gather pertinent, personal information from the audience so Nightengale can pump it back at them. Debra Winger plays Jane, Nightengale's front woman, who sits behind computers and TV screens and orchestrates the great Jesus magic show. This is one well-oiled event; the townspeople walk away with hope in their hearts and Nightengale and his crew leave with cash in their pockets.<br />
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I liked the relationship between Winger and Martin. You sense they have a long history together and most likely a complex one. The rest of the supporting cast is one note, with half-baked subplots that go nowhere. Liam Neeson is the sheriff who is suspicious of the whole affair, but ends up falling for Jane. There is a huge chunk of story missing there; I have a sinking feeling many of their scenes were cut, most likely in favor of the story of Lolita Davidovich's tough waitress Marva and her crippled young brother Boyd, played by Lukas Haas. Nightingale falls for her, but Marva resists. She doesn't believe his phony act. This sets the wheels in motion for Nightengale's unraveling.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WvPbGDng49Q/ToIZpkUuFfI/AAAAAAAAAh0/mtt3_Ab9LMA/s1600/leapoffaith3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" kca="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WvPbGDng49Q/ToIZpkUuFfI/AAAAAAAAAh0/mtt3_Ab9LMA/s1600/leapoffaith3.jpg" /></a>In addition to those terrific actors, <strong><em>Leap of Faith</em></strong> also features too little of Philip Seymour Hoffman, M.C. Gainey and Meat Loaf as part of Nightengale's crew. I would have enjoyed a heavier focus on them, Jane and Nightengale, traveling from town to town, struggling with the ethics of what they do yet still enjoy making these people feel good. Now that I think of it, this could have made an interesting TV show.</div>
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Despite the myriad of problems, though,<strong><em> Leap of Faith</em></strong> is an entertaining film filled with strong ideas, a simple message, fantastic gospel music and an unforgettable tour-de-force performance by an actor who's hasn't been known for his "acting" in quite some time. Steve Martin has made a lot of great films over the years, but <strong><em>Leap of Faith</em></strong> is one of the precious few where he's not playing Steve Martin.<br />
<br />Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12951548184115824860noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783954287151205399.post-13387582612077745182011-09-26T09:55:00.000-04:002012-04-12T14:58:52.111-04:00TV Report Card: Summer 2011<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
Summer is over and so are the short summer runs of a few TV shows I enjoy watching. We said goodbye for good to two of them, one with some bittersweetness and the other none too soon.</div>
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I was really sad to learn that TNT was not picking up a third season of <strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1242441/">Men of a Certain Age</a></em></strong>. This past summer's run was every bit as funny, gentle and sweet as its debut season in 2009. The premise was simple yet rife with possibility. Three best friends (Ray Romano, Scott Bakula and Andre Braugher, perfectly cast and looking better than ever) lean on one another as they not-so-gently ease their way past their prime. Joe, Owen and Terry and their coworkers and loved ones will be terribly missed. Thanks for 22 beautiful episodes. <strong><em>Season 2</em></strong>: 4.5/5. <strong><em>Entire series</em></strong>: 4.5/5<br />
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<strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0381798/">Rescue Me</a></em></strong>, on the other hand, wore out its welcome many years ago. One tragedy after another for Tommy Gavin became too much to bear. His relationships with Sheila and ex-wife Janet became repetitive and utterly tiresome. I know Denis Leary is the star of the show (and its creator and main writer) but sometimes I wish he would spread the wealth on his co-stars more often. I grew weary of "<strong><em>The Tommy Gavin Show</em></strong>" around season 3 (I'm not sure what the last straw was: the death of his brother, his young son or his father). I stuck with it to the end because the show did have its endearingly entertaining moments, most notably in the firehouse with the guys. Their camaraderie was fresh and oftentimes brutally funny. <strong><em>Rescue Me</em></strong> used to be great (especially when it dealt with the effects of 9/11), but it lost its spark too soon. <strong><em>Season 7</em></strong>: 2.5/5. <strong><em>Entire series</em></strong>: 3/5.<br />
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I'm thrilled that FX is continuing its relationship with Louis C.K. and his increasingly brilliant and subversive comedy, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1492966/"><strong><em>Louie</em></strong></a>. This half-hour laugher just wrapped its second season and Louis C.K. is already hard at work for a third go-around next year. <strong><em>Louie</em></strong> is unlike anything else on television - the narrative is fractured, the humor alternates from dark to silly on a whim, and in this groundbreaking season, the emotions ran high as Louie dealt with close brushes with death, a deep longing for Pamela, and realizations on what is important in life. No "sitcom" that I know of dares to be as thoughtful and life-affirming as <strong><em>Louie</em></strong> does. <strong><em>Season 2</em></strong>: 5/5. <strong><em>Entire series to date</em></strong>: 4.5/5.<br />
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<strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1816993/">The Glee Project</a></em></strong> was a huge surprise. I had low hopes for this reality contest in which wannabe <strong><em>Glee </em></strong>fans audition and compete for a guest spot on Fox's mega-hit. I'm not a fan of reality programming; I used to dabble in an<strong><em> Idol</em></strong> here or a <strong><em>Survivor</em></strong> there, but my programming regimen is about 98% scripted. But I gave <strong><em>Glee Project</em></strong> a shot and I'm very thankful. It's easily the best reality program I've ever had the pleasure of following and it has enhanced my appreciation and enthusiasm for <strong><em>Glee</em></strong> itself. All of the judges of <strong><em>The Glee Project</em></strong> -- Ryan Murphy, Robert Ulrich, Zach Woodlee -- are major behind-the-scenes players on <strong><em>Glee</em></strong>, and they are insightful, thoughtful, and more importantly, hugely entertaining to watch. They really cared about these kids. And these contestants are nothing to sneeze at -- all four winners are talented, bright individuals who will fit right in the <strong><em>Glee</em></strong> universe. This first season of <strong><em>The Glee Project</em></strong> was filled with twists, surprises and suspense; in other words, it blew <strong><em>American Idol</em></strong> out of the water. <strong><em>Season 1</em></strong>: 4.5/5<br />
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The thing I learned as a loyal <strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0264235/">Curb Your Enthusiasm</a></em></strong> viewer is that I can't judge every episode the same way. Sometimes everything comes together perfectly: the plot, the pacing, the amount of laughs, everything. Most often, however, they do not. Sometimes I'll marvel how wonderfully structured the episode is but find it lacking in the laughs department. Sometimes I'll laugh all the way through, but plot-wise it just didn't gel.<br />
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This season saw two episodes that were just right: <em>Palestinian Chicken</em> (easily a top 3 episode of all-time) and <em>Mister Softee</em>. Those were classic, perfect <strong><em>Curb</em></strong>s. The other 8 episodes are a mixed bag but now that I think of it, I may have "laughed" more this season than I did during last season's popular <strong><em>Seinfeld</em></strong> arc. In a nutshell, after 8 seasons (!), it appears to me that Larry David and his band of cynical misfits are as good as they've ever been. <strong><em>Season 8</em></strong>: 4/5.<strong><em> Entire series to date</em></strong>: 4/5.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12951548184115824860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783954287151205399.post-77153118693905879832011-09-22T06:00:00.000-04:002012-01-03T09:04:17.248-05:00Quick Takes: Lightning Round EditionI've seen so many titles in the past several weeks and neither of them are compelling enough for me to write about at great length. They aren't all necessarily terrible; in fact, most of these are either surprisingly good or simply not-half-bad. So instead of doing the usual Quick Takes on them, I'll knock 'em out in lightning round fashion.<br />
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First, the attack of the one word movie titles! In an odd coincidence, many of the movies I've seen in the past month have one word titles. The best three of the bunch: <strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1598778/">Contagion (2011)</a></em></strong> is the new Steven Soderbergh thriller about a virus that wipes out millions of lives across the world. It's engaging and suspenseful (don't touch your face, dammit!), beautifully shot, and very well cast. It's like a more cerebral version of <strong><em>Outbreak</em></strong>. 3.5/5<br />
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I was loving <strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1192628/">Rango (2011)</a></em></strong> for a long time - it was dark, witty and utterly hilarious. But unfortunately, the problem with director Gore Verbinski is that he does not know when to stop. The film just kept piling on the story and action while I was growing restless in my seat. The film would have benefited greatly from a 30 minute trim. Other than that glaring flaw, it's adorable. 3.5/5<br />
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David Schwimmer directed <strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1529572/">Trust (2011)</a></em></strong>, a smart, potent drama about a 14-year-old girl who is raped by an online predator. Clive Owen and Catherine Keener are her parents. It's a hard film to watch, but it is a subtle, perceptive and thought-provoking film, well worth a look. 3.5/5<br />
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<strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1219289/">Limitless (2011)</a></em></strong> is a dumb movie about smart people. I like Bradley Cooper enough, but I don't think he has what it takes to be a leading man. I just haven't been blown away by him yet. It's engaging but instantly forgettable. 2.5/5<br />
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Also forgettable but surprisingly funny is <strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1334512/">Arthur (2011)</a></em></strong>, the unnecessary remake of the Dudley Moore classic. Forget the plot; the main attraction is Russell Brand. When he's the center of attention in public, I can't stand him. But when he's performing (whether in <strong><em>Forgetting Sarah Marshall</em></strong> or <strong><em>Get Him to the Greek</em></strong> or here), he is a treat to watch. It's one-note acting, I know, but strangely enough, I have yet to grow tired of Brand and his shtick. 3/5<br />
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I haven't enjoyed Matthew McConaghey in a movie since he first played a lawyer in 1993's <strong><em>A Time to Kill</em></strong>. His return to the courtroom in <strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1189340/">The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)</a></em></strong> isn't as memorable as that older film (I continue to quote Sam Jackson as often as possible: <em>"Yes, they deserve to die and I hope they burn in hell!"</em>), but <strong><em>The Lincoln Lawyer</em></strong> is a solid, reliable genre piece that peters out before its unsatisfying climax. 3/5<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J6jeqQ4wktM/TnjBocEfwBI/AAAAAAAAAhM/NKI1kcsFzgQ/s1600/the-perfect-host.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" rba="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J6jeqQ4wktM/TnjBocEfwBI/AAAAAAAAAhM/NKI1kcsFzgQ/s200/the-perfect-host.jpg" width="200" /></a>The only reason I rented <strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1334553/">The Perfect Host (2011)</a></em></strong> was to see David Hyde Pierce in a leading role in a thriller. It just seemed so against type. This is Niles Crane, for crying out loud! The film is interesting and has many surprises (the last act twist was nifty, despite huge gaps of plausibility), and Pierce looks like he's having fun with a crazy-ass role. Unfortunately, the film is paper thin. There's nothing here but smoke and mirrors. 2.5/5</div>
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I have grown tired of Kate Hudson long ago and watching her in <strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0491152/">Something Borrowed (2011)</a></em></strong> made me want to do unspeakable things. I didn't expect to like this movie, but I also didn't expect it to make me so angry. Who<em> are</em> these people? How does any self-respecting audience member relate to them? Every character seems to react to love in such bizarre and unnatural ways. For instance, when Rachel (Ginnifer Goodwin) tells Darcy (Hudson) at the end of the film that she misses her, I wanted to scream, "<em>Why</em>?!" What is it exactly about Darcy that she misses? None of these people deserve each other. I wanted to sic Sam Jackson on each and every one of them. 1/5<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aRdXzdqVVls/TnjBtx5CRZI/AAAAAAAAAhQ/NGjg2Ow-sZA/s1600/toobigtofail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" rba="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aRdXzdqVVls/TnjBtx5CRZI/AAAAAAAAAhQ/NGjg2Ow-sZA/s200/toobigtofail.jpg" width="134" /></a>As Mel Gibson picks up whatever is left of his show biz career, he delivers his best work in more than a decade with <strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1321860/">The Beaver (2011)</a></em></strong>, a risky, though somewhat successful directorial effort from his former <strong><em>Maverick</em></strong> co-star, Jodie Foster. Depression is a tricky subject to tackle but Gibson and Foster take it very seriously and the result is surprisingly moving. 3.5/5</div>
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<strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1742683/">Too Big To Fail (2011)</a></em></strong> managed to take a topic as dry as a hedge fund prospectus and make it entertaining. Curtis Hanson deftly handles this brisk, star-studded HBO affair that simplifies the infamous bank bailout of 2008. Everyone has a chance to shine, but William Hurt is a terrific standout as a weary, exhausted Hank Paulson. 3.5/5</div>
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And finally, I completed the second season of<strong><em> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0835434/">In Treatment (2009)</a>,</em></strong> the unconventional HBO series with Gabriel Byrne as psychiatrist Paul Weston listening to a series of patients on a weekly basis. It took almost 2 months for me get through all 45 episodes, and while it's a compelling and thoughtful series, season 2 wasn't as gripping as the first one. His most engrossing patient involved Oliver, a young boy struggling with his weight gain, being bullied, and handling the volatile split of his clueless parents. This arc allowed Byrne (the show's biggest asset who had too little to do this season) to step out of his strict regimen of maintaining a professional relationship with his clients and become an endearing father figure to Oliver. It culminates in a sweet, emotional finale. The show's third and final season should be on DVD soon and I look forward to losing myself in Paul Weston's conflicted world one last time. <strong><em>Season 2</em></strong>: 3.5/5. <strong><em>Entire series so far</em></strong>: 4/5Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12951548184115824860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783954287151205399.post-79384159685366348872011-09-19T13:41:00.001-04:002012-04-12T14:58:52.292-04:00Musings Through Filtered Ears #7<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<em>A series of random thoughts by a new Qwikster addict...</em><br />
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<strong>Evolution is necessary </strong><br />
When I got the mass email this morning from Reed Hastings, founder of Netflix, and saw that it was a big fat mea culpa and alerted us of major changes coming, I really thought it was spam. Hastings has been pretty smart in building his business since Netflix started back in the late 90s (I've been a very happy subscriber since the near beginning) and this announcement seemed not only sudden (especially after the recent price hike) but unusually risky. When I soon realized that this was real, that these changes are actually happening, my initial thought was: this man is driving this company into the ground. It just smelled fishy: the company's stock was tumbling, users were abandoning ship after the DVD/streaming price split, and customers were just pissed off. It just seemed like a cheap attempt to appease to the stock's shareholders and do away with the stagnant DVD business.<br />
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Since that email this morning, I had time to think about this new change coming up and I now feel the same the way I felt after this summer's price split: I can roll with it. Netflix, and the industry it is in, are both evolving, and the changes are more than the company can handle. Hastings is right - Netflix sucks at communicating. They seem to favor making changes without explaining motive (removing the friends feature, for one) or even elaborate how they are willing to make their customers happy. I mean, are they even listening to us? The "apology" in the email feels a bit empty, but bottom line: I do feel the actions taking place in the near future feels right.<br />
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The DVD part of Netflix is perfect, there's nothing to improve. I think it's more than fairly priced, the selection is unending, and the turnaround is nearly instantaneous. Like I said earlier, I've been a very happy customer for over 10 years, and I'm thinking I will be a happy customer when I log onto Qwikster every day. As long as they don't change too much in that aspect, I see nothing to complain about. It's a business decision. It really doesn't affect me as a customer except for the URL name on my browser, the logo on the envelope and the name on my credit card bill. All these changes are cosmetic.<br />
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The new Netflix, on the other hand, has a lot of work to do. Putting its entire focus on streaming is smart business. They need more - and better - content, though it has significantly improved since last year. The amount of TV shows available to stream is satisfactory - my son loves <strong><em>Dora the Explorer</em></strong>, <strong><em>Thomas and Friends</em></strong> and <strong><em>Sesame Street,</em></strong> and has a large selection of episodes to choose from. I'm working my way through <strong><em>Damages</em></strong> now and will catch up with <strong><em>Mad Men</em></strong> and <strong><em>Breaking Bad</em></strong> pretty soon. The movies, on the other hand, are a mixed bag. The older catalogue titles are far more impressive than their new releases, but that's why I still use the discs. I take advantage of the best of both worlds and there's a breadth of choices available for me.<br />
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The new Netflix also needs to focus on subtitling their streaming content across all platforms. They are providing more shows/movies with captions each day but I cannot yet access them through my Blu-ray player. <br />
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The amount of vitriol I'm reading on these changes is laughable but I understand that nobody likes changes. I can adapt to these minor cosmetic fixes while the business restructures itself to better serve their customers. Some people may not agree but the combined $25 a month I spend on 3 discs at a time and unlimited streaming is an absolute steal. Whatever I need to do in order to continue enjoying this great service(s), count me in.<br />
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<strong>Everyone is a winner</strong><br />
Some thoughts on last night's entertaining Primetime Emmy awards:<br />
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*Host Jane Lynch was hit-and-miss. She's not a stand up comedian and some of her jokes fell flat, but I did enjoy her opening act and a few quips here and there. Her best line: "A lot of people are curious why I'm a lesbian. Ladies and gentlemen, the cast of <strong><em>Entourage</em></strong>."<br />
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*Big, big yahoos on the two major wins for the dearly departed <strong><em>Friday Night Lights</em></strong>: best writing for creator Jason Katims and best actor Kyle Chandler. It is so great these guys are recognized and seeing this show go out on top. <br />
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*The early part of the Emmys really did turn into the <strong><em>Modern Family</em></strong> Awards Show. Well-deserved wins for writing, comedy series, and the delightful Dunphy folks, Ty Burell and Julie Bowen. <br />
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*I don't watch <strong><em>Justified</em></strong> or <strong><em>Mike & Molly</em></strong>, but I was thrilled for Margo Martindale and Melissa McCarthy. Martindale is an extraordinary character actress who has been in the business for years and I hear she's fantastic in <strong><em>Justified</em></strong>. I can't wait to catch up with it. And I've been in love with McCarthy since her days on <strong><em>Gilmore Girls</em></strong>. I haven't even seen <strong><em>Bridesmaids</em></strong> but I already know how adorable she is. <br />
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*The best comedy actress presentation was hilarious. These 6 women are equally gifted and well worthy of many awards, and it was so great to see them all take the stage.<br />
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*Charlie Sheen's kind words for his cast and crew of <strong><em>Two and a Half Men</em></strong> seemed unbelievably hammy. I don't think anyone believed a single word of it. I'm surprised Fox cut the <a href="http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/44572191/ns/today-entertainment/">Baldwin/News Corp joke</a> and still let Sheen take the stage. So much for good taste.<br />
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*What was Julianna Margulies wearing? And did anyone actually hear Julie Bowen and Kate Winslet accept their awards on the stage? I was too busy staring at their bare chests.<br />
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All in all: fun show, strong winners. I skipped the reality portion and zapped through the commercials and walks to the podium so the 3-hour Emmy telecast was a 90 minute breeze. Gotta love DVR's!Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12951548184115824860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783954287151205399.post-85718329434564798962011-09-16T13:17:00.000-04:002011-09-16T13:17:21.994-04:00In Defense Of: Radio Flyer<i>This is the third and last piece this week celebrating the works of Richard Donner. Click <a href="http://flickerobsession.blogspot.com/2011/09/greats-maverick.html">here</a> and <a href="http://flickerobsession.blogspot.com/2011/09/5-best-richard-donner.html">here</a> to view the other two posts.</i><br />
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<b><i>History is all in the mind of the teller</i></b>.</div>
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--older Mikey (Tom Hanks)</div>
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When I first saw 1992's <b><i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105211/">Radio Flyer</a></i></b> as a young teenager, i had a clear idea of what the film was about. A mother and her two young boys leave home in New Jersey to start a new life in California. Mom (Lorraine Bracco) meets a new man who calls himself The King, and marries him. The boys don't like The King, and he does bad things to Bobby (Joseph Mazzello). Bobby has nowhere else to turn, so with the help of his big brother Mikey (Elijah Wood), they create a flying machine out of a wagon, and Bobby flies away. He can finally be happy again. Bobby sends postcards to Mike from the countries he had visited. He was saved by his big brother. <br />
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Sure, I was a naive 12-year-old, but that's what I got out of it. I loved it. What kid doesn't dream of flying away?<br />
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Then I saw the film again as an adult many years later and I saw layers I had never seen before. The abuse was more extreme than I imagined. The themes of isolation were more prevelant. Throughout the film, there was a great sense of dread. There were more than a few subtle hints that Bobby didn't survive in the end.<br />
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I'm sure this has happened to everyone. You watch a movie during your childhood and then again later in life. Most often, it is like watching an entirely different movie altogether. What makes <b><i>Radio Flyer</i></b> so unique, however, is that my altered perspective did not change my opinion of the film in the slightest bit. My childlike interpretation of the movie still works, as does my mature, adult viewpoint. That's the secret. That's what makes <b><i>Radio Flyer</i></b> a special film. I love it now as much as I loved it then. There is just no wrong way to view this movie. <br />
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<b><i>Radio Flyer</i></b> was slaughtered by critics. It tanked in the box office. It's a blip in the careers of Wood, Mazzello, Bracco, John Heard, Tom Hanks, writer David Mickey Evans and director Richard Donner. It's a shame because it needs to be seen with an open perspective. A older kid can enjoy it without knowing too much about what really happened to Bobby. And an adult can appreciate the real beauty of the film: the magical bond between two brothers, strengthened during troubling times.<br />
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Roger Ebert, a professional critic whose opinion I greatly respect, is very close-minded about this one. He writes, "The movie is a real squirmarama of unasked and unanswered questions. Who is this movie made for?" He mirrored the thoughts of many others in that it is tonally confused. Is it a fantasy for kids? Or is it a drama about child abuse for adults? My answers: Yes and yes. <b><i>Radio Flyer</i></b> is a multifaceted film, a rare, thoughtful story that caters to two very different audiences. <br />
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There are a few interpretations of the film's final scenes and, frankly, any of them will work. If you are a young teen, maybe 11 or 12 (the film doesn't work for kids younger than that), Bobby did fly away. He escaped from the bad man in his life and started anew. <br />
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For older teens and adults, it's clear that the older Mike made up the ending. "History is all in the mind of the teller," he tells us. Bobby is no longer with us. Did he crash in the flyer, or was he beaten to death by The King? Well, let me ask you: does it matter? The truth is that Bobby tried to run away, he tried to escape, and he just couldn't. Bobby's death was inevitable. <br />
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This is dark, heavy stuff. It's all too common in this world. Children are abused and sometimes there's no one there to help them. The mother in this situation loved her two boys, but she either had no knowledge of what was happening or, more likely, she had no courage or strength to put a stop to it. His brother can only do so much, and it's clear that as he got older, he filled his mind with some fiction that made Bobby's life story easier to swallow. Mike wasn't ready to tell his kids the real truth. He wasn't ready to face the truth himself.<br />
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That's just my interpretation, and who's to say it's right or wrong? There's a theory floating around stating that Bobby is a figment of Mike's imagination. There is no Bobby. Mike was the one who got beaten up, built the machine to escape, and eventually became a pilot and learned to fly (which explains why the film opens and closes on an air field). It's sketchy, but I'll buy it. There are scenes and lines in the movie that can be interpreted as such.<br />
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Evans and Donner leave enough loose ends dangling to allow us to figure it out ourselves. It's a puzzle, but not necessarily a perplexing one. I'd say it's more like a comforting puzzle. <b><i>Radio Flyer</i></b> shows us just enough to give us the big picture.<br />
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And isn't that something special? Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12951548184115824860noreply@blogger.com9