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Top 25 Films of the Decade

Top 25 Films of the Decade

I didn’t even try a top 100 list.  Frankly, it’s too hard to rank a film at 62 as being better than the film at 63, but not as good as the film at 61.  It’s hard for a top 50 list, so I gave up after shuffling titles around.  A list of 25 is more manageable.  The big problem to note is that 2009 isn’t over, and there’s an excellent chance I’m missing some key titles.  I haven’t see “Avatar”, “Up in the Air”, “The Messenger”, “Invictus”, “Nine”, “The Road”, “The Girlfriend Experience”, “Moon”, “Precious”, “A Prophet”, “Antichrist”, or “The White Ribbon”.  And those are only the titles on my radar; there’s always stuff I miss at first glance. 

I have to admit that it’s hard to rank best without some subjective reaction.  For example, even though I would give “Brokeback Mountain” the Best Picture Oscar for 2005, I actually have a stronger attachment to another film that year, and give it a higher placement here.  This list really is more personal favorites than the “best”.  The top 3 are actually among my all time favorite films.

Writing up something for each title was a daunting task.  So I have supplemented my little blurbs I use for movie reviews on Facebook Movies, though there will be an occasional extra detail here or there.

Honorable Mentions (in alphabetical order):

The Dark Knight (2008)

Christian Bale and director Christopher Nolan used "Batman Begins" to give the hero a personality and character, but this film elevates the comic book genre and works as successful crime film/tragedy. Heath Ledger's Joker is truly a villain for the ages. I don't know how a sequel could improve upon this film; I'm content to keep watching this one and enjoying it, because it does hold up.

A History of Violence (2005)

This is a film that doesn't hide the toll violence takes, but it is not to glorify it. Kudos to director David Cronenberg and star Viggo Mortensen.  The most powerful scene for me is the final dinner table scene with the family.

I Heart Huckabees (2004)

This "existential comedy" is a wonderful movie, filled with clever moments and witty dialogue and observations about life and its meaning. Really, it's just fun.

In the Loop (2009)

If America promises to come back and let the UK run things, can they teach Hollywood how to make good comedies like this? So funny and so spot on about politics and media. "Within your 'purview'? Where do you think you are, some fucking regency costume drama? This is a government department, not some fucking Jane fucking Austen novel! "

Minority Report (2002)

Tom Cruise and director Steven Spielberg are a solid paring. Enjoyed the hell of this film, even with its "happy" ending.   Between this and “Munich”, Spielberg had a decent decade.  The less said about that Indiana Jones sequel, the better.

And now, the top 25 of the 2000s…

25. Gosford Park (2001)

Director Robert Altman meshes his ensemble cast and overlapping dialogue standards with the British parlor mystery to great effect. The servants are often more interesting than their masters.

24. Adaptation. (2002)

Wonderful! Prefer this to director Spike Jonze’s "Being John Malkovich", if only because of the biting satire of scriptwriting conventions.  Nicolas Cage almost makes up for all those horrible action films he does with this movie.  And Meryl Streep and Chris Cooper (who won an Oscar) were unbelievable here.

23. Brokeback Mountain (2005)

A wonderful and simple film. Acting by Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal and the scenery as filmed by director Ang Lee (who also directed the excellent “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” this decade) are perfect.  This is a very compelling story.

22. 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days (2007)

Getting an abortion when it’s legal can be rough.  When it’s illegal, it’s even worse.  The pain and victimization that occurs to the two women in this film is shocking and unsettling.  But it’s a worthwhile journey to take.

21. Once (2007)

This is one of those rare times where the talent in front of (and behind) the camera were not known to me before becoming aware of it.  It’s rare that a film can come along and catch you by surprise, but this film does it.  Shot on a shoestring budget in 17 days, it is a modern day musical.  A street musician, known only as Guy (Glen Hansard), attracts the attention of a passerby Girl (Marketa Irglova).  She is drawn by his music, as she is a musician herself.  Their brief meeting evolves into a friendship and working relationship, as she helps him making a demo record.  Their personal lives indicate potential obstacles to the two’s deep affection for one another becoming something more permanent.  Director John Carney deserves acknowledgement for allowing his performers, real life musicians without any acting training, to remain the focus, free of any stylistic flourishes.  It is a musical in the sense that the two leads make beautiful music together that we, as the audience, get to enjoy.  The characters do not express love or compassion in a way that most films would have its characters do.  Their music conveys the emotions that are there, that we, as the audience, begin to feel as we hope for the best for the two.  I loved the music so much that I actually sampled it and picked up the soundtrack a full month before I even saw the movie!  I never saw this film coming until it was already out and being celebrated.  It’s a wonderful thing to be surprised.

20. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

The first (and best) of director Peter Jackson's adaptation of author J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy trilogy. The true adventure and wonder of this world and the characters that inhabit it are captured perfectly. Too bad ill-timed humor and personal flourishes hurt the other films (EDIT: I rewatched all three last summer, and the second and third films aren’t as jarring for me, but I still prefer Fellowship).

19. No Country for Old Men (2007)

The Coen Brothers already have assured their legacy in film, with a range of classics, from “Raising Arizona” to “Miller’s Crossing”, from “Fargo” to “The Big Lebowski”.  Here, they depart from all they have embraced and put forth as their identity to create a vivid adaptation of author Cormac McCarthy’s modern day western.  I say western, in the sense, that there is a showdown brewing between Moss, a man with a lot to lose and little chance of success (Josh Brolin) and Chigurh, a force of destruction that seems unstoppable and chills the bone (Javier Bardem).  This film is as much the story of the cat-and-mouse-game between these two as it is the story of Ed Tom Bell, a sheriff (Tommy Lee Jones) who comes to accept that he is obsolete and ineffective in a country he no longer recognizes.  The film is a banner example of what a thriller should be as it ratchets up the tension with Moss struggling to stay ahead of Chigurh.  However, any attempt to deliver on the expectation of a showdown where good will obviously persevere is shattered, in a series of moments that McCarthy deserves credit for, but the Coens have to be revered for effectively translating so well on the big screen.  This may infuriate some, but it’s the only way the film could end and be true to its title and overarching themes.  Not exactly a feel-good film, but definitely a classic that the Coens will be remembered for.

18. Punch Drunk Love (2002)

This is an interesting departure, for both Adam Sandler and director Paul Thomas Anderson (he makes my list twice, and he only has two films this decade).  The visuals and sound design are overwhelming at times, but that’s the point.  The road to true love and self satisfaction can be rough, especially when you have over A LOT of sisters that make fun of you and a mattress salesman/con artist (Philip Seymour Hoffman at his slimiest) trying to rip you off.  If you’re not intrigued now, I can’t help you.  What a lovely film. 

17. Before Sunset (2004)

"Before Sunrise" was an engaging film for its day (released in 1995). This film actually improved on the original premise by giving these two potential soulmates (played by Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy) one more encounter. Real-time conversations unfold naturally and the chemistry is undeniable.

16. United 93 (2006)

I avoided this when it was originally released, partly because I was convinced by the "too soon" arguments, who screamed exploitation at such a film (and "World Trade Center", the other 9/11 film).  However, once "United 93" was released, most critics shut up and gave well deserved praise.  It is a real-time account of the events on United Airlines Flight 93, one of the four planes hijacked on 9/11 that crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania when passengers foiled the terrorists.  The film also gives a disorienting portrayal of the confusion and pandemonium that erupted among air traffic controllers and the military, who struggled to comprehend the events as they were unfolding, amidst panic and misinformation.  Many of the actual air traffic personnel play themselves, adding a level of authenticity that director Paul Greengrass ("The Bourne Supremacy" and "The Bourne Ultimatum") must be commended for.  However, it is the largely unrecognizable cast who give life to the passengers, flight crew, and highjackers who provide the brunt of the tension, right up until the final moments, who no one was privy to but the actual people aboard the doomed flight.  Greengrass gives us speculative fiction in chronicling the passengers' determination to overtake the cockpit, which is not over Hollywoodized as "American heroes", but simply the desperate acts of people with everything to lose.  It feels like a documentary and is too close to reality for many people.  But it's a film that deserves to be seen, both as a fine example of moviemaking, and a tribute to lives lost.

15. There Will Be Blood (2007)

If Javier Bardem in “No Country for Old Men” is a force of nature, then Daniel Day Lewis in “There Will Be Blood” is the force of nature.  His Daniel Plainview is forever unsatisfied, at least until the final moment of the film, seeking more land, more oil, more wealth, and leaving in his wake those most dear to him.  I’ve heard the “Citizen Kane” comparisons, and I welcome them.  Director Paul Thomas Anderson already has my undivided attention for creating two of my favorite films of the 1990s, actually two of my favorite films ever (“Boogie Nights” and “Magnolia”).  Here, Anderson visits a California of 100 years ago, showing the forces of capitalism and religion aligning themselves for conflict.  Plainview’s quest for more puts him on a collision course with Paul Dano’s Eli Sunday, a preacher/healer whose evangelical fervor is unwelcome and suspect.  While Dano is good, Day-Lewis is his character through and through.  This guy is truly a talent that other actors lament they will never be able to become.  His brief moments of compassion and tenderness are contrasted harshly with scenes of terror and violence.  This is a dark film, a comedic film, an unforgettable film.

14. Children of Men (2006)

I like dystopian films, not because I'm a glutton for suffering, but because what little hope appears is all the more important.  "Children of Men" is both downbeat and uplifting, though far more of the former.  In 2027, in a chaotic world in which humans can no longer procreate, a former activist agrees to help transport a miraculously pregnant woman to meet up with people who can protect her and her child, whose birth may help scientists save the future of humankind, which is rotting from within, amid police action, sectarian violence, and immigration crackdowns.  Clive Owen sells what little character development he is given before being thrusted into the role of Theo, the reluctant hero who must guide the pregnant, scared Kee (played by the wonderful Claire-Hope Ashitey) through the hell that Britain has become.  Julianne Moore and Michael Caine also do wonderful work in their brief screentime, but it the world that director Alfonso Cuaron ("Y Tu Mama Tambien", "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban") has created that is the star of the film.  The totalitarian government, immigration camps, and urban decay is something to fear as a future that is all too possible for humanity; if we lost the ability to have children, I think our world would go mad (it may get there regardless).  The film provides no clear answers by the end, which may be both frustrating and appropriate.

13. Mulholland Dr. (2001)

Don't even ask what is really happening in this film. What's real and what's a dream? Director David Lynch (“Blue Velvet”, “Twin Peaks”) doesn't answer the question, but he gives his audience plenty to consider.

12. Unbreakable (2000)

I liked that when I went to see this, I had no idea that it was approaching comic books superheroes with a real world approach. It really challenged the genre in a different way than “The Dark Knight” but since it was ignored upon release, its impact was muted.  It's a novel approach that probably limits the appeal of the film, but even non-geeks should find things to like here. And the ending is really the only way this film could have concluded.

11. Zodiac (2007)

Director David Fincher already created a serial killer film classic in 1995 with “Se7en”.  Derivative serial killer films are aplenty, all failing to live up to Fincher’s standard.  This film, on the other hand, is not a traditional serial killer thriller.  But it is a classic.  The opening sequences recreate the early murders of the Zodiac killer, who terrorized San Francisco in the late 1960s and early 1970s.  But before the film runs the risk of being like every other serial killer film that shows the crimes, the Zodiac becomes a peripheral character, as the film turns its attention to documenting the efforts of the police and media to identify the killer and stop him.  History tells us, however, that the Zodiac has never been captured.  The film becomes so engaged with the details, false starts, and dead ends that the audience shares the frustrations and fatigue of the investigators, who are never able to find the killer.  The actors here deserve special acknowledgement, many of them playing underdeveloped characters in service to the narrative.  Jake Gyllenhaal plays a cartoonist at the San Francisco Chronicle who becomes obsessed with the case, pouring over the details long after the police have given up the search.  Robert Downey Jr. is great as a reporter, displaying a hint of mania in his performance.  And Mark Ruffalo and Anthony Edwards as the two detectives heading the investigation are ample for their roles.  Again, the characters, the setting, all are in service of the story.  This is how a procedural is done, involving the audience in the exhaustive investigative process that occurred and was, in the end, unsuccessful.  This film, however, is very much a success.

10. City of God (2002)

Director Fernando Meirelles (nominated for the Best Director Oscar in 2003, and rightfully so) creates an incredible portrait of children raised in crime and poverty in Rio de Janeiro, making this film a visceral experience.

9. 25^th Hour (2002)

Edward Norton gives a great performance in Spike Lee's portrait of a criminal's last hours of freedom and of post-9/11 New York.  The “F*** You” montage at the film’s midpoint and closing “what could have been” coda haunt you long after.

8. Wonder Boys (2000)

Michael Douglas is excellent in this film (he should have won the Oscar), as is Tobey Maguire and Robert Downey, Jr.  The book by Michael Chabon is even better.  Fading success, failing marriages, a dead dog, a stolen Marilyn Monroe jacket, and a penchant for pot can combine for good comedy and drama.  This is one of the more entertaining portrayals of college life.

7. Lost in Translation (2003)

This is an interesting departure for Bill Murray, about an unexpected friendship between two strangers in a strange land (sorry, Japanese people).  What did he whisper in her ear?  It doesn't matter.

6. Traffic (2000)

Director Steven Soderbergh's best film (though I still love “Out of Sight” and “sex, lies, and videotape”), another of the ensemble cast, multiple stories genre, but an excellent one still. All facets of the drug war in America are captured in fine performances by Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Benicio Del Toro. Soderbergh's coloring techniques for each storyline are appropriate.

5. In the Bedroom (2001)

A family is destroyed, with an act of violence so jarring and simple. From there, choices are made as the loss envelops those left behind. Masterful acting by all involved here, and a conclusion that settles nothing. Such is life.

4. Donnie Darko (2001)

A wonderful blend of teenage angst, scifi, and suburban comedy.  A film that gets better with repeated viewings.  There’s an explanation for what’s happening, but it’s almost more fun not knowing.

3. The New World (2005)

Director Terrence Malick (“The Thin Red Line”, “Days of Heaven”) always gets blasted for not pushing the plot forward or lingering too much.  However, this land is so beautiful, it's good to have the relaxed style.  And to be fair, he did tack on a romance between Pocahontas and John Smith to appeal to a wider audience (not really, this is not "Titanic"), so you can't fault him.  I recently saw the extended cut, and it's basically an even bigger canvas for his poetry to unfold.  I absolutely love it.

2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

A wonderful romantic comedy for people tired of the packaged bulls*** that usually gets made.  Visually compelling, this film covers all the ground of the relationship spectrum from first meeting to bad breakup (or actually, vice versa).  Kate Winslet should have won the Oscar for this; she’s that good.  And poor Jim Carrey never gets any respect.  He’s great here.

1.  Almost Famous (2000)

Writer/director Cameron Crowe has to be one of the luckiest teenagers ever.  He got to write for Rolling Stone, seeing some of the greatest bands to ever play.  This film captures the fan's love for music so well, with Patrick Fugit doing wonders as Crowe's film counterpart. This is a film that all lovers of music, but this era in particular, should just eat up. And Frances McDormand is a riot as Crowe's mother.  The cast is particularly strong, from Billy Crudup and Jason Lee to Kate Hudson and Philip Seymour Hoffman (“You are not cool”).  It may almost be ten years ago, but it's stood the test of time.  It's my favorite of the decade. 

 All right, that's it for now.  I'll be back in the New Year with my top 10 of 2009 and then there may be something special coming up in February instead of the regular Oscar picks.

Oscars 2009

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Best Films of 2008

2008 was not a great year for movies.  The fine work of the past few years easily overshadows the best efforts of this year, making my top ten list, in my estimation, weak in comparison.  Nevertheless, a few films offered surprises and enjoyment, with the potential for a lasting legacy. 

This list doesn’t have complete overlap with the Oscar nominations (announced last Thursday).  I found the best picture nominations to be a little lacking and obvious.  As with every year, hype and anticipation can overstate the staying power of a given film, raising expectations.  While “Frost/Nixon”, “Slumdog Millionaire”, and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” are all fine films, I question their worthiness as the five best films of the year.  Again, this is my personal judgment.  And I want to celebrate films for 2008, not tear down others’ opinions.

Films that I especially enjoyed, but don’t make the final cut, include “Burn After Reading”, “Changeling”, “Iron Man”, “Pineapple Express”, “Religulous”, “Shine a Light”, “Tropic Thunder”, “Towelhead”, and “Vicky Christina Barcelona”.

Note that I have not seen “Synecdoche, New York”, “Frozen River”, “Let the Right One In”, “Waltz with Bashir”, “Wendy and Lucy” and “The Class”, so the list, as it is, is always open for revision.

10. Revolutionary Road

Was marriage in the 1950s a life sentence of unrewarding work, stifled dreams and mediocrity?  “Revolutionary Road” dissects the marriage of Frank and April Wheeler, capturing the brutal disagreements that plague their union, in which two people can know each other frailties and shortcomings, and use them as ammunition.  Leonardo DiCaprio as Frank is spot-on in portraying a closet conformist, craving the approval and envy of his peers, all the while voicing a desire to be a big shot.  Kate Winslet as April strives for a life that is unique, devoid of the standards and expectations of society.  Casting the star-crossed lovers of “Titanic” in this film provides an undercurrent for the audience to tap into, though it’s really tangential; there’s plenty here for the film to stand on its own.  Suburban dissatisfaction is a topic that isn’t that new to literature or film, but this particular story, drawn from Richard Yates’ timely novel, is a forerunner for many of those examples that come to mind, especially director Sam Mendes’ own “American Beauty”.  While Yates allowed readers to examine the inner thoughts and doubts of the characters, the actors are given that responsibility of conveying that unspoken turmoil.  And they do it well.  How tragic is it that the one person who speaks his mind is a mentally disturbed individual (Michael Shannon) who is easily dismissed?  His brief scenes punctuate the hopelessness that has gripped Frank and April’s suburban existence.

9. WALL-E

Pixar has been at the forefront of animation since 1995 with “Toy Story”, but “WALL-E” is an achievement in and of itself.  The title character is a garbage compactor, cleaning up the waste left behind on an abandoned Earth in a future several centuries from now, one trash cube at a time.  His fascination with the random items of human existence that we take for granted is delightful, evoking curiosity and wonderment too often dormant.  His attraction to EVE, a robotic probe sent from the far reaches of space, is a courtship like none other.  The first half hour of “WALL-E” plays out like a silent film, giving it an added poignancy that recalls Charlie Chaplin, ever the physical comedian and romantic.  As the story propels WALL-E into an unfamiliar setting, the audience is a given a glimpse of humanity’s future, which works as satire, without becoming preachy.  “WALL-E” is an accomplishment for film, and effectively closes the debate over whether animation can stand toe-to-toe with live action movies.  In case there were a few hold-outs who actually believed that…

8. The Wrestler

Two decades ago, Randy "The Ram" Robinson was headlining Madison Square Garden, a professional wrestler with the world in his hand; today he's living in a trailer park and working in a supermarket.  On weekends he participates in small-time bouts staged in gyms and American Legion halls.  Mickey Rourke, an actor with plenty of personal baggage, brings it all to this character, a has-been longing for past glory.  His body is put through hell in his matches, with razor blades, staple guns, barbed wire, and glass panes all used to give the bloodthirsty audience their money’s worth.  The matches themselves are only a small portion of the film; its strength comes from Randy’s efforts to establish a relationship with his estranged daughter (Evan Rachel Wood).  His other emotional tie is to an aging stripper (Marisa Tomei) who understands all too well the shelf life that a physical persona has.  Director Darren Aronofsky (“Requiem for a Dream”) recalls the best works of Italian neorealism, devoid of editorial flourishes or elaborate scenery.  It’s a character piece about a man who can’t let go of his former life, who dulls the pain of his broken life by acting out a simplified, uncomplicated script on the wrestling mat. 

7. Snow Angels

“Some will fall.  Some will fly.”  This is one of the best taglines for a movie I’ve ever seen.  “Snow Angels” is a daring mixture of drama and humor, hopelessness and hope.  The opening sequence of a high school marching band having its practice on a cold winter day gives the film a grounding of an all-too-familiar community.  The relational woes of adults and teens is at the foreground of the film.  Arthur (Michael Angarano), forced to deal with his father moving out, finds joy in a budding romance with a transfer student (Olivia Thirlby).  This story, one of the most authentic and sweet teen romances I’ve seen on film, represents the promise and potential of a future, while adults drift apart and collide, with disastrous results.  The central adult couple is a separated husband and wife played by Sam Rockwell and Kate Beckinsale.  Rockwell gives a solid performance as a well-meaning screw-up, a born again recovering alcoholic, who is equal parts pathetic and dangerous.  Beckinsale is fine in her role, showing some acting talent that has been underused in the past.  Their dynamic is fraught with tension, particularly over the care of their daughter.  Director David Gordon Green (“All the Real Girls”, “Pineapple Express”) balances the dour and hopefulness very well.  While the separated couple is an inevitable disaster, the teenagers represent the beginning of something truly special.

6. The Reader

The term “Oscar bait” is used in a pejorative manner to attack films that detractors say were made solely for the purpose of winning awards.  “The Reader” has been targeted by such critics, attacking it for being a coldly calculated, miserable Holocaust drama.  Those critics are wrong.  It is a well-acted, beautifully filmed story that does not travel obvious ground when dealing with such a difficult subject.  The tragedy itself is really not the focus of the film at all; it is about the difficulty of connection and understanding past generations.  Newcomer David Kross portrays a naïve 15-year-old in 1958 Germany who has a love affair with an older woman, played by Kate Winslet (the second of two great performances this year).  She is a distant figure, save for their physical relationship and when he reads various books aloud to her.  The tryst ends suddenly when Winslet vanishes; when Kross encounters her many years later, he learns about her role in the war, and is devastated by his conflicting feelings of love and disgust.  These flashbacks are interspersed with scenes set in 1995 Berlin, with Kross’ character, now played by Ralph Fiennes, an older man haunted by that first, complicated love.  There’s so much subtext for the audience to consider, it would be a disservice of me to comment further.  Be certain of this: it’s not just a Holocaust movie.

5. The Visitor

A great performance can be enough to make a film rise above its limited trappings and become memorable.  This film is a perfect example.  Character actor Richard Jenkins (the dead patriarch of TV’s “Six Feet Under”) plays Walter Vale, a middle-aged professor leading an uneventful and solitary life, full of repetition and lacking any enthusiasm.  He travels to New York to present a paper he has little interest in, and is shocked to find two illegal immigrants living in his East Village apartment.  After learning that the two have been scammed into thinking they were living in the apartment legally, they leave.  But Vale, knowing that they have nowhere else to go, invites them to stay with him until they can figure out what to do.  This simple set-up allows this man (and the audience) to learn about the lives and experiences of two people he would have never met otherwise.  The male Syrian immigrant, Tarek, is open and friendly, giving Walter a lesson in African drumming after he expresses an interest in the unfamiliar instrument.  An old white guy playing an African drum in a jam session in Central Park is a wonderful moment for Vale.  This movie is partly a story of illegal immigrants and their struggles, but it is moreover a story about connection, how extending a hand in friendship can bring out what would otherwise remain dormant.

4. Doubt

Power struggles in a Catholic grade school seem like material rife for dramatic potential.  In 1964, the reforms of Vatican II were opening up the religion to reach out to its adherents (masses no longer only in Latin!).  This conflict of old and new is personified in the conflict between the progressive Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and the old guard principal Sister Aloysius (Meryl Streep).  When the inexperienced Sister James (Amy Adams) notes that the sole African-American student at the school is summoned by Father Flynn to meet in private, the public concern the priest has shown to the boy takes on a sinister appearance for Sisters James and Aloysius.  Directed by John Patrick Shanley from his award winning play, the film is not about possible sexual abuse only; it is a story of doubt upending a world of certainty.  While Aloysius is certain Flynn is guilty, James is more apt to believe they are mistaken in their suspicions.  This stand-off, and the entry of the boy’s mother and harsh reality of the world beyond the school, elevate this film into a larger conflict, with no definitive answers given.  Two viewers of the film could take away different conclusions about what happened.  That is the point.

3. Rachel Getting Married

I didn’t think Anne Hathaway had it in her.  Her performance as prodigal daughter Kym, on a weekend pass from drug rehab for her sister’s wedding, has so many facets that you can both find yourself emphasizing with her, and finding her “woe is me” shenanigans off-putting.  “Rachel Getting Married” doesn’t take sides; it simply allows the family dynamics to unfold, with inevitable clashes between the two independent, strong-willed sisters.  Holding her own against Hathaway is Rosemarie DeWitt as the bride-to-be, resentful of Kym upstaging her.  Her skeptical attitude towards her sister is not uncalled for, as we learn the tragic history of the fractured family.  Bill Irwin is also exceptional as the father trying to keep a positive demeanor and support both his daughters.  Director Jonathan Demme (“The Silence of the Lambs”, “Philadelphia”) brings an easy, freeflowing style to the proceedings, from rehearsal dinner to reception, chronicling the shifting dynamics of the wedding party as their familial bonds struggle to win out over past judgments.  By film’s end, you’ll feel like you’re a guest at the wedding.

2. Milk

In 1977, Harvey Milk became the first openly gay man elected to public office in the United States.  Director Gus Van Sant (“Good Will Hunting”) begins his chronicle of Milk’s life, introducing the audience to a middle-aged closeted-gay man unsatisfied with his common existence and wanting change.  Milk’s entry into the political arena, running to join San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors, is at the forefront of a movement to bring about equal rights, regardless of sexual orientation.  This struggle is given a personal stake with Sean Penn’s show-stopping performance as Harvey Milk.  Harvey Milk may be an openly gay man in the public eye, but Penn does not overplay anything.  He creates an intriguing, flawed, funny, and passionate human being, period.  The supporting cast is top-notch, especially the performances of Emile Hirsch, James Franco, and Josh Brolin.  Brolin as Dan White, a fellow member of the Board of Supervisors, is a balancing act, an antagonist for Milk and the audience, with unexplored depths that ultimately consume him and bring about the tragic conclusion of the film.  Even amid the heartbreaking finale, the tide has begun.  “Milk” is about the life of one man, and a movement and cause greater than that man. 

1. The Dark Knight 

That’s right, a comic book movie.  Director Christopher Nolan (“Memento”, “The Prestige”) already gave us a great introduction to the Caped Crusader in “Batman Begins”, but “The Dark Knight” is another animal entirely.  An ambitious crime epic with scope and complexity, this is one of the handful of big budget blockbusters that has transcended its pop culture origins to become an accomplished film in its own right.  Gotham City is no longer an otherworldy locale, but a familiar metropolis with political and criminal factions in constant battle with one another.  Christian Bale is versatile as both Bruce Wayne and Batman, who works alongside Lt. Jim Gordon (a dependable performance from Gary Oldman) and District Attorney Harvey Dent (the charismatic Aaron Eckhart) to bring down organized crime.  The presence of a masked vigilante has escalated the struggle, however, inviting a more volatile force of destruction.  Heath Ledger brings the psycho in clown makeup to life in his fearless immersion into the role of the Joker, a monster who is motivated not by greed but by a thirst for chaos and moral ambiguity.  Twists and turns propel the narrative forward, with the forces of good fighting to out-manuever an agent of anarchy who only wishes “to watch the world burn”.  The film strikes a delicate balance between action and drama, as the characters are forced to consider the complicated balance of good and evil, and the burdens shared by those who are fighting the good fight.  “The Dark Knight” has raised the bar and ensured its place in film history.

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Something to look forward to...

   So I have pretty much neglected this blog over the past year, but with my field exams soon to become a distant memory, I decided to revitalize a tradition.  I've done this little game the last two years.  It's pretty simple.  Look at the pictures from upcoming movies that have a lot of awards buzz (usually well founded, though there's probably some that are all hype; last year I got burned by "Reservation Road"). 

Truth be told, I'm a little underwhelmed about this coming movie season.  Other than "Revolutionary Road", there's nothing here that I'm extremely excited about.  Really, the best film I have seen this year so far has been "The Dark Knight".  And that's saying something about how good it was, and how bad other films have been.  I also really liked "Snow Angels" and "Towelhead", though both are pretty bleak.

Anyway, guess which film the picture is from.  Show you are a movie geek, even about movies you haven't seen.  Cheaters will have to ask for help or use outside resources, but should feel shame.  I tried to pick pictures that clearly showed the actors.  Anyway, enjoy.

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Currently Listening Shine a Light: Original Soundtrack By The Rolling Stones see related

Listen to the music... (PART I: THE ROLLING STONES)

I am still breathing, for those who rely on the pulse of Xanga as a sign of life.  I could have written any number of small posts about an assortment of topics, personal or trivial (maybe both), but other things have preoccupied me.  But I did have an idea for a series of posts I wanted to develop. 

I really love music.  I have my favorites who are unquestionably legends (Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, Elvis Costello, Van Morrison, Sam Cooke, Jackson Browne, Warren Zevon).  I have my contemporary tastes, some more popular than others (Wilco, Bright Eyes, Rilo Kiley, Weezer, Ben Folds, Barenaked Ladies).  I even have some guilty pleasures (*cough* Dashboard Confessional *cough*). 

I have decided to shine a spotlight on one particular artist with each post, discussing some of my favorite songs.  Not necessarily the most popular or well-known (though there is overlap).  Songs that have stuck with me for personal reasons.  If you are game to follow along, hopefully you can gain some appreciation or awareness for some great music that may have flown under your radar.

THE ROLLING STONES is one of those seminal act that really need no  help with increasing awareness.  I would have considered myself a cursory fan, with a few albums in my collection, and couple of key songs.  But after seeing Mick Jagger and Keith Richards putting all grandfathers to shame with their stage presence in the concert film Shine a Light, I was hooked.

"Under My Thumb"

Under my thumb, the squirmin' dog who's just had her day

Under my thumb, a girl who has just changed her ways

Like most songs, it sounds great even though the subject matter is not uplifting.  Role reversal in a relationship, for who's doing the pushing, and who's under the thumb.  A guy celebrating that he has the upper hand; it's the small victories, really.  Not really, but the song is memorable.

"Moonlight Mile"

I am just living to be lying by your side

But I'm just about a moonlight mile on down the road

The closing track to probably my favorite Stones album, Sticky Fingers, I discovered the song via a forgettable film of the same name, that did have memorable music.  There's a lot of fan discussion that a "moonlight mile" is a reference to a line of cocaine, but despite that un-romantic imagery, the song's somber tone of separation from a loved one ends with a hopeful note that distance can be closed: There I go now coming home now baby.

"100 Years Ago"

Went out walkin' through the wood the other day

And the world was a carpet laid before me

The buds were bursting and the air smelled sweet and strange

And it seemed about a hundred years ago

This is one of my favorite songs, period.  An obscure Stones song with some rather obvious imagery, but the concept works for me.  It has fond memories infused with nostalgia, and builds to a memorable cresendo in its closing minutes. 

"Shine a Light"

Saw you stretched out in room ten-o-nine

With a smile on your face,And a tear in your eye

Couldn't see to get a line on you, My sweet honey love

This song was written in reference to Brian Jones prior to his death, but it could just as easily be applied to anyone who's hitting rock bottom.  The chorus extols the Lord to "shine a light" and make "every song you sing your favorite tune".  That's about as hopeful as it can get for someone who's past the point of no return.

"Loving Cup"

I feel so humble with you tonight, Just sitting in front of the fire

See your face dancing in the flame, Feel your mouth kissing me again

What a beautiful buzz, what a beautiful buzz

One of the great love ballads.  Mick Jagger performed this with Jack White of the White Stripes in the Shine a Light concert film, and made it even better.  The idea of looking for a "little drink" from a "loving cup", and falling down drunk may not seem particularly romantic, but it works beautifully here.  I think a buzz or drunken feeling is the perfect metaphor here.

"Tumbling Dice"

Honey, got no money, I'm all sixes and sevens and nines.

Say now, baby, I'm the lone crap shooter, playin' the field ev'ry night.

Comparing a man navigating many women to gambling may not be original, but you'd be hard pressed to find a better song that does it.  Again, the live performance in Shine a Light will make it a favorite song for you too.