Best of 2008

My 'Best of...' list is based on movies I have seen this year, not on movies released this year. So some of these were rentals of old movies. I have included links to the films I reviewed. Feel free to disagree, or recommend something that I may have missed seeing.

First Tier
Elling
Chris and Don: A Love Story
Man on Wire
In Bruges
Juno
The Counterfeiters
Slumdog Millionaire

Second Tier
The Visitor
A Thousand Years of Good Prayers
Snowcake
Frozen River
The Dark Knight
Exiled
The Brick
Caramel


Worst Movie
Hands down, this goes to The Happening.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

I have been putting off seeing this movie since its theatrical release. The story of Jean-Dominique Bauby, a former editor of Elle magazine, who has a massive stroke and becomes "locked-in". He is completely paralyzed and has only the ability to control one eye. He and his speech therapist develop a (brutally tedious) mechanism for communication through blinking. This I knew before seeing the movie, and it completely doused my interest. A movie about a paralyzed guy who tries to write a book by blinking. I could not envision any possible way for this to be engaging.

The film is nominated for Best Director Academy and wins the Best Director Golden Globe last year (2008) and it is a well deserved award. Director Julian Schnabel finds a way to visually make this a first-person telling of Bauby's autobiography. The voice over of Bauby's thoughts (although no one else can hear) is pure genius and the behind-the-eyelid camera work eases the viewer into the reality of what Bauby is experiencing. The colors are striking, both inside and outside the hospital which provides a strange juxtapositon of beauty and hope with the depressing. This seems to be exactly the internal struggle Bauby was having as he alternately relied on his imagination and memory (the butterfly) to balance his living in the present (inside the diving bell, sinking to the bottom of the lake). A good mixture of triumph, hope, sorrow, frustration and the human spirit. Well worth the price of admission.
4-stars

The Times of Harvey Milk

Having just seen Milk, it was nice to follow with the documentary version. The Times of Harvey Milk was made in 1984, just 6 years after the assassination, and a couple months after Dan White was released from jail for the double murder of Milk and Moscone. No new revelations in this version, but it is good to confirm some ideas from the more recent rendition. I am always a bit hesitant about absorbing information from "historical fiction" movies. I hate that my only real ideas about some serious history comes from a medium that allows/encourages/requires creative license. So the documentary at least makes me feel better about what I now "know" about Harvey Milk and the development of the gay civil rights movement. I am a bit amazed at how new civil rights issues are for gay/lesbians. This discussion in a public/political forum started in my lifetime. Perhaps this says more about how old I am getting, but in the big timeline, it is still a new discourse for our country. And re-reading that last section, I wonder if one can be "a bit amazed"? Is "amazed" too big of a word/idea to be paired with "a bit"? I am surprised that San Francisco became the center of gay culture only in the last 30 years. My incorrect perception was that San Francisco had always had this character. I am discouraged by the inability for people to truly debate a difficult topic. The Milk/Briggs debate was an excellent example of stating presupposed belief without the willingness/ability to even consider a different point of view. I am reminded that stereotyping almost always leads to misunderstanding.
4-stars

Supercop

Sometimes you just need to see a Jackie Chan Kung Fu movie dubbed in English. Supercop (released in the US in 1992) was an excellent way to fulfill my need. Jackie Chan is the Hong Kong detective charged with going undercover in China to infiltrate a drug ring. Michelle Yeoh is his Chinese counterpart (his sister undercover) and together they use their martial arts skills to gain the trust of the bad guys and then eventually caputure them. Nothing surprising in the plot, but well executed, cheesy humor and just fantastic english translation for the voice over. Lots of "Get him" and "Quick, come this way!". Perfect late night, vacation viewing.
3-stars

Bon Cop, Bad Cop

This buddy cop movie is set in Canada with the odd-ball pairing coming from an English speaking detective from Toronto getting partnered with a French speaking detective from Quebec. Even while this utilized many of the predictable buddy-cop elements, and builds on the Canadian stereotype by making the serial killer motivated by a hockey team, I still found it enjoyable. The two detectives have pretty good chemistry, alternating between french and english language, and transitioning from an initial territorialism to an "all-we've-got-is-each-other" partnership. A good sunday afternoon surprise.
3-stars

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Knowing the premise going in (Benjamin ages backwards), I was very curious to see the mechanics of how a person could do this. I was actually pretty impressed with the treatment of being born old and growing younger... until the teenage years, that is. At the end of Benjamin's life, he reverts to an infant, which requires me to suspend too much rationality. While the line of how much disbelief can be suspended varies from film to film, in this case I was able to believe a wrinkly infant born with arthritis and cataracts, but not the shrinking of a full grown human back into an infant. Other than this novelty (upon which the entire film is based), everything else drags. This should be expected for something that clocks in at 2 hours 40 minutes. The point of the movie is made early: Don't take anything in life for granted because everything changes quickly. And then we have that hammered in to us for the remaining hours. The story is not engaging enough, the characters not deep enough, the story arc not mysterious enough to keep the viewer engaged. Perhaps this would be a good rental if (and that is an important if) you are in love with Brad Pitt or like to see movies featuring the makeup artists. Otherwise, there is much better fare available this season.
2-stars

Death at a Funeral

Very rarely do I not finish a movie. This is one case where it happened. This British flick is centered around the funeral of a father and all the guests that attend. There are the requisite revelations about the fathers past which shake up the family and wacky funeral attenders for comic relief. Somehow it just seems blase. The characters were working through their bits like it was a job. Nothing really original, and no-one was engaging. The only thing going for this movie is that my friend Amy said she really liked it. So maybe I need to give it another chance (or at least a complete first chance and finish watching to the end). But until then...
1-star

Wendy and Lucy

Open with a grainy train-yard scene and at least the genre of movie is set. This is not a flashy comic book hero or action film with crisp, clean lines. This is "real life". Wendy is on her way from Indiana to Alaska, in search of something better. She is stuck in a stereotypical Oregon town, where the mill has closed down and there are no jobs. And here she is faced with the decisions about what she is able to accomplish as an individual in this world. And it is here that I wonder what qualifies as a good movie. Clearly it is not just entertainment value. Good movies often provide another point of view, are informative, encourage solidarity, etc. without being entertaining at all.

The film did hit one chord exactly right. The sense of helplessness when particular situations are put upon you. You can't argue with the face of the problem even though you know you are right. In this case, Wendy encounters several of these cases. Watching Lucy as she is driven away from the grocery store, exchanging looks with the store owner when they both know the clerk is a prick, asking "Are you sure?" of the mechanic. Sometimes the bureaucracy wins, and the clerk is just a face dispensing justice without any power. This inability (or unwillingness) to rage against the injustice of bureaucracy places a sense of hopelessness over the film, (and Wendy embodies this sense) and ultimately pushes Wendy and Lucy down to the borderline for me.

Throughout, and in reflection afterward, I found myself feeling empty. Or perhaps longing. It is the same feeling I have on occasion when Annika is in an unknown location and I am waiting for her to come home, and she should be home now but isn't. Did something happen to her? All of the thoughts and emotions that flick across consciousness about what my life would be like without her. This is the same empty/longing feeling that was evoked during this movie. So, does that make it a good film? I don't like those feelings. And I don't necessarily feel like I need to feel solidarity with Wendy over her plight.

If you like feeling; and in particular feeling helpless, sad, alone and not-belonging, then you will love this movie. Otherwise, it may leave you empty, with a longing that you try to avoid. Either way it will stick with you.
3-stars

Milk

Harvey Milk is a gay man in the 70's in San Francisco running for a seat on the Board of Supervisors. This is essentially the same time that across the country (Florida, Kansas, Oregon) cities are repealing equal protection laws for gay and lesbian people. The acting is superb and the story is engaging. We know from the outset that Milk (along with Mayor Moscone) is shot, so it is a bit surprising that this doesn't just feel like a train wreck waiting to happen. There is a surprising amount of hope in the film (and I would guess in the actual events). It was about 2/3 of the way through before I realized, "Wait a minute, this guy dies...". Great filmmaking by Gus van Sant.

Perhaps the most tragic part of the entire tale is that 30 years later, we are basically in the same place. Annika did some research after Prop 8 passed (repealing gay marriage in California), wondering if it would be reasonable for us to get a divorce and then file for a Civil Union. This is really a bad idea. Something like 1000 benefits that married couples have are denied to those bound by civil union. Not the least of which is a civil union is a state code, and therefore not transferable across borders. Maybe it would take a large show of solidarity like that from married heterosexual couples to make the point and bring this into the light for how idiotic it is.

4-stars

Tsotsi

Sometimes a movie is good, and you just don't know why. Tsotsi is a South African thug living in the townships. He lost his mother to (presumably) AIDS and left home to live on his own. He has his own little gang who makes money by pulling off small time robberies and has enough of an independent streak to avoid going to work for the local "boss". He is hard, and getting harder. When he steals a car with a baby in it, everything changes. Perhaps what I liked about this film is the search for meaning and humanity when there is no role model for meaning or humanity. Tsotsi has no basis to even consider the existence of empathy or caring. And yet seems to find it within himself and within others. It is not easy, and it is not wrapped up in 93 minutes. But the glimpse of hope is worth it.
4-stars

Rachel Getting Married

One daughter gets out of rehab to immediately join her family for the older sister's wedding. If that is not the set up for family drama, I don't know what is. The portrayal of the love and hate felt simultaneously in family relationships is dead on in this film, with both sisters expressing the difficulty of being "the other sister". And while there is some reconciliation, some recognition of the difficulties in the others lives, we don't get a washed over happy ending where everybody is as happy as Cinderella. But we definitely get the impression that everybody truly loves the other.
An additionally important aspect of this film is found in the music. I love when a non-person becomes a character, and in this case the music is an important character. The diversity of musical styles was fabulous and really drove the celebration aspect of the wedding weekend, as well as highlighted the diversity of the people involved. The music seemed to be so diverse that diversity of the people and personalities involved in melding the two families paled in comparison. Adding this character of music to the mix allows the bride's familial relationships to be the focus of the film without getting lost in the significant difficulties of inter-family mergers. And at the same time, this character of music is front and center, and integral part of the film, so that we do not just ignore the other difficulties. We are told that the family merger is important, and the people involved are very different, but that is not the point of this particular story.
4-stars

Au revoir les enfants

Set in France, near the end of WWII, a school run by Carmelite monks provides the setting for this now 20 year old portrayal of the tension between ethics, nationalism, self preservation and self discovery. When a new boy arrives at school, the others simultaneously welcome him, isolate him, become cruel, share books, steal and learn what it is like to be different than the others. This is good filmmaking. In particular the tone set by the choice of colors (all drab greens, greys, blues, browns) fits exactly the "dreary north France during winter and war" that seems appropriate. It reminds me of how powerful a color pallete can be at generating mood, which was also done particularly well in The Lives of Others, and Far from Heaven more recently. Unfortunately, watching a particularly well made film from 20 years ago means that the same formula has been presented many times since then. The end result for this viewing is that today the material seems tired.
3-stars

The Transporter 3

How often is a three-quel any good? And how often is a summer movie released in the fall any good? Well in this case, at least once. The Transporter 3 is an excellent continuation of the Jason Statham series in which Statham gets to drive cars fast and beat people up with his hands, feet, and in amazingly his coat, shirt and tie. A satisfactory plot line, the requisite evil guy who comes up with the obligatory plot restraint (don't go too far from the car or you blow up) that was made very popular by Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock in Speed, and the creative (and almost believable) defy-all-odds escapes. And yet it all holds together. Comparing this film to Daniel Craig's Quantum of Solace, I would actually have to say that this is a better summer action movie. And while that may have to do with the inherent expectations that come with a Bond movie, I am going to stick with recommending this over the Bond film, if you have to chose only one.
3-stars

[Get on Soapbox #1] Someday, would someone please make a film in which a car goes over a cliff, crashes into the valley below, and does not explode in a fireball of destruction.[Step down off Soapbox #1]

[Get back up for Soapbox #2] Requisite evil guy actually delivers the line "You know, at heart I am really a pacifist" and follows with some explanation about how he tried to plan to avoid death but outside of his control, everybody just seemed to fight back. Let's clarify that a pacifist isn't someone who just tries to avoid violence unless someone fights back. A pacifist is someone who plans to avoid violence, and does avoid violence. Even when someone perpetrates violence against you, or in your general vicinity, or in a way that interferes with your desires, a pacifist so wholly abhors violence that they always seek an alternative action. Never is violence the only option. And we must not be so naive to suggest that there is always a happy ending to seeking alternatives to violence. Seeking peace and avoiding violence is often ugly (and often for the seeker and avoider). But it is always right. Just want to make sure that the general public does not confuse pacifism with avoidance of violence when it is convenient. [Step down from Soapbox #2]

Quantum of Solace

I must admit from the outset that I am not a Bond fanatic. I do like the Bond movies, and I have my favorite Bond (Sean Connery), but I can't name all the films, nor argue the merits of the various plot lines and villains. At the same time, there are two characteristics that are essential identifiers of a Bond movie. Cheeky humor and gadgets. It is these two areas that Quantum of Solace fails miserably. So much so, in fact, that this iteration does not even have Q. And Daniel Craig (so far) is a bit too serious for the cheeky humor. But this film fits solidly into the 'good action/adventure' category: Nice little plot, a few absurdities that need to be over looked, good chase scenes, a rescue or two, a friend "on the other side", a boss who believes in you in spite of all appearances. In fact, this film reminds me more of The Transporter series, or even a bit of District B-13 than it does of the classic Bond model. And that is actually OK with me. I don't want to be someone who is stuck in history, with an "If it is not like the first Bond movie I saw, then it isn't a Bond movie at all" attitude. But again, I am not a fanatic.
3-stars

Wall-E

Any two movie day is a good day and today the latest from Pixar finally made it to my DVD player. I was mostly interested in watching this as the final installment of this years "Apocalyptic Trilogy", along with I am Legend and The Happening. While there is definitely truth to the idea that high expectations for a movie lead to an inevitable let down, I don't think only high expectations where the problem here. This animated feature got lots of press this summer, but even then I wasn't really interested. Perhaps that is why it slipped to my "watch later" list. But while watching, Annika commented that it seemed like the entire movie was made with one purpose in mind... to create a theme for a ride to be built around at Disneyland. For me, it comes down to the simple fact that the plot devices didn't work. I was not engaged by the "characters" or the "love story" or (as can often be the case with animation) the visuals.
2-stars

The only redeeming factor is that it fills out the "Apocalyptic Trilogy". So lets talk about that...
In the three summer movies (I am Legend, The Happening and Wall-E) we have three different views of how humanity will be screwed over in the future. Respectively, in all of our technological prowess and efforts to cure all ills we create a deadly virus which wipes out humanity, we piss off nature who then creates a deadly pathogen that wipes out humanity, and humans vacate Earth to allow the clean-up robots to fix our mess for us. While the whole zombie creature thing of I am Legend is too far fetched to be believable, the idea of "accidentally" creating a devastating pathogen while trying to do good is probably too close to reality. This is why most of Europe avoids GMO's as they preach the precautionary principle. Something about American arrogance must go along with creating the cure that is really the illness and then being genuinely surprised that this could happen. The same can be said about Wall-E in that the cure is to seek independence by "just vacating the earth", leading to an extreme consumerist society which is ultimately dependent. One wonders what is needed (and I hope the answer isn't war) to move a society or culture's values in a significant way. What are the factors that contribute, who contributes them and what is any individuals role?

Slumdog Millionaire

There is nothing like a week off of work to get back into the swing of cinema. This week begins with a nice little film from India. Actually, while it is filmed on location in India, it is not really from India. Instead, it sets up as a pretty mainstream Danny Boyle (Sunshine and Millions) piece. But Slumdog Millionaire is a very enjoyable film (in spite of the occasional disturbing murder which definitely warrants the R-rating) that I would categorize as a romantic drama. The film centers on a Indian boy (Jamal) who grew up in poverty with his brother. He has somehow gotten on to "Who Wants to be a Millionaire", and each question he is given is connected to some experience he has had in his past. With each question comes a flashback and a deepening understanding of Jamal, his brother and his motivations. Brilliant colors juxtaposed with drab urban India make for a visually stimulating (and appealing) experience. The protagonists are likable while the antagonists fill their role nicely. Overall, this plays out like a classic fairy tale based on class stereotypes and struggles, with love and family to pull everything together. And while that may not sound like a ringing endorsement, in this case it all works.
4-stars

The Family Stone

Part two of this pairing is The Family Stone. Let's see, the whole family is coming home for Christmas with one brother bringing the girlfriend. The other brother falls for her and the original brother falls for the original girlfriends sister, who is called in for emotional support. Again, and I quote (myself) - "Finding a relationship when one doesn't expect it, and in the place that one is not seeking it, but finding ultimately that it is the perfect relationship that can't be let go." Also a romantic comedy, with just a touch more comedy. But the romance in this film originates in the fact that the whole family comes home for Christmas. What is more romantic (i.e. characterized by idealism, or idealizing a particular person or situation) than a family of five kids returning every year with their own families for several days at the 'ol homestead. For some, this is as (or more) appealing than the romantic relationship of meeting the perfect mate. Makes me wonder what other kinds of romance people hold dear...
3-stars

Part One: And then she found me

And then she found me

Do films always come in themes, or does watching any two films together cause one to see similarities. In And then She found Me, I am not sure who "She" is, or who finds whom. Perhaps that is the intent. Helen Hunt is in the middle of a divorce, a search for children and a search for real relationship. She is not sure where to search and grabs on to the first thing that comes her way, tosses them away (the first thing you see can't ever be the right thing... right?), and then grows up to grab on again. Finding a relationship when one doesn't expect it, and in the place that one is not seeking it, but finding ultimately that it is the perfect relationship that can't be let go. This effort goes solidly in the "Romantic comedy - but light on the comedy" category. Not bad, but I only saw it last night and already had to pause to think about who was actually in the film. Cute, but not something that will stick with me.
3-stars

See Part Two: The Family Stone

The Happening

Episode Two of "The Apocalyptic Trilogy". I was surprised to notice the similarities between Episode One and Episode Two. Episode One (I am Legend) stars former teen rapper Fresh Prince in a drama about how a mutated virus becomes a hemotoxin that kills everyone in the Northeast. Episode Two (The Happening) stars former teen rapper Marky Mark in a drama about how plants evolved to emit neurotoxins which kill everyone in the Northeast.
This M. Night Shyamalan film is definitely a message film. There are too many people, and eventually nature will rise up and take action. Darwinian population control. An interesting idea, I will admit. I can even imagine the paragraph treatment that was shopped to the studios. Unfortunately, there is nothing interesting or engaging beyond the idea. No real suspense. No real characters. Wahlberg doesn't even come close to pulling off the sincere, dramatic leading man. The entire film is shouting "Listen to my message". I knew the message going in, and no value was added along the way.
1-star

I'll wait until I see Episode Three of the trilogy (Wall-E) before offering any thoughts on the trilogy as a whole.

David, Newton and Ingrid

It really is amazing how much "culture" takes place around me. Thursday night, we went to El Rey in West Hollywood with, at most, 150 other people to see David Ford open for Newton Faulkner open for Ingrid Michaelson. Ford and Faulkner are both Brits.

Ford's set was standard. Four songs including Go to Hell and It's a Shame, utilize all the powers of sampling and reverb that he could muster. Based on crowd response, they didn't know who this guy was, and based on Ingrid's set, his style would not be appreciated. While I like his music, I probably don't need to see him again until he has something new.

Newton Faulkner was new to me. And his set rocked. His guitar playing included both left and right hand picking and using his very live amplification on the sound board as a full range percussion set. I am sure that had I listened to his album, I would have assumed it was a singer/songwriter along with his band. But this solo act is pretty amazing live. And while his original pieces were good, they were a bit "mumbly" and hard to understand. On the other hand, his cover of Dead of Alive's You Spin Me Round was hilarious. And this was only topped by his (must I repeat solo) performance of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody. Absolutely brilliant.

After this, Ingrid Michaelson as the headliner was a bit dull. She has a clear voice and easy stage presence. Clearly she has her shtick together as a performer and the stage banter was light and fun. But it still felt tired. She was performing her stuff, threw in a couple brand new songs (and seemed genuinely pleased/surprised when completed) and didn't really seem to be having fun. The end of the tour perhaps? Perhaps I am overly harsh, since nothing could be as bad as the Jacob Dylan we saw earlier this year (Ingrid clearly knew the audience existed). Or perhaps I was just tired and not really her target audience. Overall, this was a fun evening at El Rey, and another example of the things you can do in LA without really trying.

I am Legend

This borders on the type of movie that I do not see. Too much jump out and scare you monster stuff for my liking. But beyond the few moments where I jumped out of my seat this was pretty good. Will Smith is able to carry this movie with ease as very nearly the only character. And while movies that disturb you are not necessarily bad, I was disappointed that Smith had to lose absolutely everything. Must the depravity of man be complete for this to have made its point. Must there be absolutely no hope? Must the end result of human "ingenuity" be destruction? While we try to end on a positive note with the discovery of the colony, the arrow of this film does aim directly for the heart of the ethical challenges that humanity will face this century. And if the film maker is more prophet than entertainer, our choices will be destructive. The "hopeful" ending does not wash away the pessimistic vision of the future offered up, and does not wash away the hopelessness experienced by Smith throughout. The subtext wins out in this story, and while completely unbelievable, is perhaps just a bit too believable to allow me to walk away happy.
3-stars

A Thousand Years of Good Prayers

This is a fine story of the difficult relationship between father and daughter, between the one living in a new culture and the one still holding on to the old, between the one hoping to redeem themselves through the lives of others and the one who is the supposed redeemer. Set in beautiful Spokane in the fall, Yilan and her father work out the day-to-day routine of living together. Neither is really comfortable. The Chinese formality of language (respect and deference first) comes across strong in their relationship and one senses that if the language was English, different things could be said. This gives some insight into the English language and culture, how we treat parents and elders and how the individual rights/needs supercede the family/relationship. In the end, the relationships are simultaneously true, funny and depressing. Father and daughter learn a little bit about each other, probably more than they ever expected to know, and yet neither is completely satisfied in the relationship, nor completely able to feel understood. And in the end, this is probably more realistic that we like to admit.
4-stars

Ghosttown

Occasionally, a few days get strung together with a bit of entertainment variety. Nothing I did this weekend was unique, but all together, it was a good combination...

Friday started with movie Ghosttown, featuring Ricky Gervais and Tea Leoni. Gervais plays an excellent bumbler, stumbling over words in an awkward fashion that makes you want to cringe at times. It is awkward and yet somehow endearing. Hugh Grant had this same ability in Four Weddings and a Funeral and Sense and Sensibility. The premise of Ghosttown is familiar, with some event allowing a living person to see ghosts and needing to figure out how to reverse the curse. Gervais plays a dour, introverted dentist who happens to be quite witty and charming when he is around people. Ok, so no one said a movie had to make sense. In the process of trying to help out some ghosts, he finds that what really holds a ghost is not the dead persons unfinished business, but the living holding on. So we all learn a life lesson, chuckle a little bit, and [spoiler alert] the dentist gets the girl in the end [end spoiler]. But if you couldn't see that coming, you probably are seeing Ghosttown as your first movie ... ever.
3-stars

Saturday if finished reading Brisingr. This 3rd book in the Inheritance Trilogy turned out to actually be an announcement that the trilogy is a ... quadrilogy? So my main beef with this series is that I now have to wait 2 more years to hear the end of the story. Otherwise, I am enjoying the series. It introduces several ideas that are worth thinking about. I like that Eragon struggles with battle, and the ethics of killing. I like that the elves are the "humanists", embracing logic and rationality over religion and supernatural, while still being the strongest wielders of magic. How they integrate these disparate worldviews is curious. I like the idea of a true name, and the idea that a true name can be changed if one changes themselves fundamentally. This suggests that change is possible. I find it curious that suddenly in this volume, the dragons have names for things in "dragon speak". For example, hard-bone-breaking-ground refers to the ground if a flying dragon were to fall. This dragon speak is a new style. I find it curious that dragons rely on magic to fly. Overall, I am easily entertained by books like these and while impatient, will read the 4th book when it is finally written, and will reserve judgetment on the whole series until then. But for this volume...
4-stars

Saturday Evening led me to the Greek Theater to see Iron & Wine and Swell Season. First of all, while both of these names sound like musical groups, really they are musical people. Iron & Wine is really Sam Beam. And he is really good. I like his music, and I like his stage presence. While it was only a short set, it was really very good. And sitting in the last row at the Greek didn't diminish the evening at all. We even got to see a Racoon family walk by behind us. Swell Season on the other hand is really Glen Hansard, made famous by the movie Once. While Hansard has a couple of good songs, once you have heard those, you seem to have heard them all. Start soft, build to a strong middle (often with an expansive yelling portion) and end soft. All but one of his songs tonight followed this pattern. So I would definitely see Beam in concert again, but don't need Hansard.
3-stars

Snowcake

Occasionally you just want to see a particular actor, no matter what they are in. In this case, it was Alan Rickman. From the description, Snowcake sounded like it was going to be the Canadian version of Rainman. And a few of the characters from Slings & Arrows did show up, perhaps just to insure the Canadian pedigree. Rickman is a sad soul traveling to Winnipeg when he picks up a joung hitchhiker. After a car accident which kills his passenger, he goes to visit her mom (Sigourney Weaver) and discovers that she is "high functioning autistic" living in a quintessential small town. Quintessential, meaning that everyone knows everyone, and your sense of privacy must include the idea that you have none. The bulk of this story is the development of the Rickman/Weaver relationship, along with Rickman battling the demons from his own past. While it is a bit slow, a bit predictable, and a bit sappy, I liked the care shown for people. I liked the realistic portrayal of how some peoples "care" is just annoying. And most of all, I liked the scene involving Comic Book Scrabble. What a brilliant concept. Scrabble with the ability to make up words that could be found in a comic book. The only requirement is that you can use the word in a comic book sentence.
4-stars

Grand Slam StorySlam

The Moth is at it again. This time we went to the Grand Slam held at King King, where winners from the past 10 months of StorySlam all compete against each other with a new theme - Crossing the Line. Perhaps this theme begs for storytellers to go to the lowest common denominator. Perhaps I was tired. Several of these stories ended up feeling cheap and manipulative. Tell a story of masturbation, or bi-sexual trysts, or lesbian sex. Of course those cross the line, and the titillation factor gets a rise out of the audience. But they were not necessarily well told stories. In contrast, my personal favorite was the story of two kissing cousins observed at a wedding. It also could be considered cheap and manipulative, but the story teller was charismatic, and the story was told not for shock value, but as an OMG - I can't believe what I am seeing, people watching bonanza. So as obvious as it sounds, good story telling is only partly in the text, and largly in the delivery.
3-stars

Beautiful Girls

Watched Beautiful Girls again last night. What a classic movie. Maybe only because it hits so close to home. This is a tale of coming home, and finding that everything you remember is exactly how you remember it. And finding that while you don't feel any older or different, going home shows exactly how different you have become. Sometimes it takes that going-home experience to shake us out of our funk. And in this case, having one of the old-timers come back home and wrestle with his identity is enough for the locals to realize that they too need to keep moving on. All this and a stirring rendition of Neil Diamonds Sweet Caroline. What could be better
4-stars

Just finished reading Eragon and Eldest. A great start to a trilogy that I can now finish with the recent release of Brisingr. Dwarves, Elves, Dragons and Magic are always a good combination in my book. But as I was reading this rendition, there is some really good, rational articulation of Just War theory as Eragon completes his training. It got me to thinking, what would a fantasy novel look like based on non-violence and pacifism. Is it possible to develop conflict and resolution in a story arc in a fantasy series without war. Is it possible to show the conflict between good and evil, and resolve that conflict without resorting to death? Or is that just one long, boring dialogue that no one would read.
In any event, what makes the first two books of this trilogy appealing? Brom (the mystery and intrigue about who this man is), Arya-Eragon (will they be able to love), the werecat's prophecy (it was not fulfilled at the first encounter of the Menoa tree), the constant images of a dragon walking, Eragon's potential (scrying from his dreams?), Eragon's future (leaving forever - how can this in any way lead to a satisfying ending), rational elves and mystic dwarves. So for now (until the third book is read)
4-stars

Priscilla, Jakob and Willie

On our way out of the Santa Barbara Bowl a couple of weeks ago (having just enjoyed Ben Harper performing one of the best renditions of Burn One Down ever), we noticed Jakob Dylan listed on the ticket booth marquee. Well, actually, it listed Willie Nelson with special guest Jakob Dylan. So we overpaid for last minute tickets and went back for a show of one of our favorite musicians. We arrived in Santa Barbara early enough to enjoy a meal at a local vegetarian restaurant. I knew that it would be a great evening when a couple of women walked in and sat in the booth across from us. One of these women, had she been a man, would have been David Bowie. The other, had she been a man, Gerard Depardieu. I did not even know that David and Gerard were friends, and here they were (or at least their female dopelgangers) enjoying a meal across from us. We departed for the Bowl a bit early and surprise!, Priscilla Ahn is on stage. Apparently she was opening for Dylan who was opening for Willie. So our being scalped for seats was eased by the fact that we got three concerts in one.
Priscilla Ahn - I love her voice. She only sang about 3 songs, just her and her bass player (and her kazoo). But she definitely has stage presence, and interacts with the audience. This is what I like about a live performance. The artist spends some time adding value to the experience. Talk to me, joke with me, tell me something about the music or your life that I don't know. Or even something that I do know because I am a fanatic, but didn't get on the CD. All this Priscilla has.
Jakob Dylan - Great music and great lyrics. But I knew that before arriving. Dylan seems to loathe the audience. It is a necessary evil which allows him to be the artist he is. This set was about 45 minutes, with songs strung together like an album. No audience interaction, no "live performance value added". So while he is still one of my favorite singer-songwriters, and has one of the most distinctive voices around, he could take some live show lessons from someone. I probably don't need to see him live again for awhile.
Willie Nelson - This man is pure musician. His 2 hour set played like a medley, with song after song strung together without a break. At one point, I thought he was going to try to sing every song he knew, which is substantial for this icon. His vocal range is astounding and while I am the first to admit my own musical ignorance, I was impressed with his musicianship on the guitar. Had I been a Willie fanatic, this would have been an amazing set. As it was, I was entertained and enjoyed the music this man produced.
4-stars

Fresh Starts

I attended my very first story slam tonight. It was quite fabulous I must say. This story slam is sponsored by themoth.org and apparently is big in New York. Here in L.A. they do one once per month. It is kind of like a directed open mike, with each person (max 10 per night) given five minutes to tell a story based on a pre-determined theme. This months theme was Fresh Starts. There was not a bad story amongst the ten. Some were hilarious (the Texas kid telling about wanting to "push over" a meter maid trying to boot his car), some sappy (mom telling the story of not having an abortion, while her 6 month old kid in the sling continually tries to grab the mike), some soul searching (a conversation with God about why He picks on their family), some improbable (a lost journal in Spain returned to its owner in L.A. three years later) and nearly all had a New York connection. Rarely do I travel in circles of artists and writers. But aside from the two kids from Texas, the other eight all confessed to living in New York and moving to L.A. to get their fresh start. As one storyteller stated, "Shit happens there, and then you move here to write about it". Every one laughed a knowing laugh. One storyteller confesses to living in Pasadena. Every one laughed the knowing laugh. One tells of living in North-North-North Hollywood. Every one laughed the knowing laugh. There is definately an "in" and an "out" crowd, and I just liked being in the room with the "in" crowd, feeling the angst of the semi-employed writer looking for a big break. Or any break at all. Not a bad story told tonight. Next months theme is Names. Maybe I will prepare something.
5-stars

Frozen River

Some movies are pure entertainment, requiring the suspension of belief. Others are real, often depressingly so. Frozen River is clearly in the camp of reality, but only dabbles in depressingly real. A glimpse into the poverty of the northeast, into the attitudes whites and native americans have towards each other, into the struggles of a teenage kid who isn't sure about whether he should or should not love his reject dad, and into the daily drama of life are all offered up in a matter of fact, this-is-how-life-is portrayal. Mom needs money for the double-wide she has been promising the kids (dad stole it and gambled it away) and in an effort to support her family, enters the world of human smuggling. I enjoyed the characters showing how hard it is to get by, to do something a little special for each other. I enjoyed that the decisions made were not always about me, or about my family, but instead often showed care for others. In a small way, it begins to break down stereotypes.
4-stars

Longtime Companion

Filmed in 1990, Longtime Companion is what I would call a "historical drama", telling the story of the discovery and development of AIDS in the gay community of New York throughout the 80's. For the first 15 minutes of the film, I wasn't sure if I was watching a satire, or a comedy, or a drama. The script hits all the right points to highlight the stereotypes of the 80's. But over the course of the film, the members of the ensemble begin to contract "the gay cancer", and each of the group deals with their friends and themselves in different ways. The mood portrayed is one of confusion, fear and disbelief all mixed in with care for each other, determination and love. We are not dragged into blame or the depraved world of drugs and sex, but stay in the lofty realm of humanity. Learning to mourn our friends, laugh over their lives, and continue to live ourselves are all themes that make this a good film. And the excellent conclusion (in the living our lives category) includes an absolutely fantastic cover of YMCA by a baroque trio that I only wish would have been shown in its entirety.
4-Stars

X-Files: The Pilot

I had never seen an x-files episode until tonight. I got loaned the first disc of season one, with a charge to "Watch it and Like it". I was promised real science. Well, Sculley did get her undergraduate degree in physics, so there was some hope that she would be the rational one in pursuit of truth. I hoped that this would be an example of two people, one chasing the paranormal and one chasing rationality. And of course I hoped that rationality would win. Alas, at least in The Pilot, my hopes are not realized. It only took about 20 minutes for Sculley to go over to the dark side and become a believer because of a bright light and two mosquito bites. Of course, I will give it a few more episodes, but if I had only ever watched The Pilot, I would suggest that it jumped the shark at that 20 minute mark. I have a sense that the real story is the internal struggle of Sculley to hold on to her rationality in the face of ever present "unexplained phenomena". An excellent series, in my mind, would be if these episodes were all very clever and yet ended with a very clever rational explanation for the mystery. Like I said, of course I will give it a few more episodes.

Man on Wire

As my last official film seen in the Summer 2008 series, Man on Wire was a great choice. This documentary tells the story of the must-be-half-crazy french tight rope walker Philippe and his passion to rig a wire between the two World Trade Center towers and walk across. This film is intense, dramatic, and comedic all at the same time. The footage of several high-wire crossings leading up to the finale, as well as all the preparation is fantastic. At times I was breathless and gripping my seat, incredulous at the nerve of this man. Because it is a film which is able to interview and interact with the actual players, it reminded me a lot of In the Shadow of the Moon in terms of documentary quality and effect. One of the best films in this summers viewing list.
5-stars

And since this particular blog was started in the middle of "Summer 2008", here is a complete listing for the record books. Forty-one, for those who don't want to count. And in true summer style, only two 5-star efforts, both of which where documentaries pretty far out of the main stream (note: even though Mostly Martha rates 5-stars, its stars were originally earned in 2001).

Prince Caspian - 2
The Forbidden Kingdom - 3
Reprise - 4
Ironman - 4
Sweet Land - 3
Superbad - 2
Sex and the City - 3
Speed Racer - 4
National Treasure, The book of secrets - 3
Focus - 3
The Fall - 4
The Air I Breathe - 1
Kung Fu Panda - 3
Crank - 2
The Incredible Hulk - 3
American Gangster - 4
Promotion - 4
Hitman - 2
Get Smart - 3
Mongol - 4
Mostly Martha - 5
Elizabeth - 3
The Golden Compass - 3
Exiled - 4
Wanted - 3
Shoot Em Up - 3
Hancock - 4
Persepolis - 4
Chris and Don: A Love Story - 5
Innocent Voices - 4
Batman Begins - 4
Raising Victor Vargas - 3
The Dark Knight - 4
War - 2
Caramel - 4
The Wizard of Oz (with Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon soundtrack) - 3
The Great Debaters - 3
Out to Sea - 3
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels - 2
Bottle Shock - 4
Man on Wire - 5

Bottle Shock

I really like Alan Rickman and Freddy Rodriguez, so it is no surprise that I liked this movie. Rodriguez does an excellent portrayal of Gustavo, the overlooked genius of a hispanic viticulturist who suffers in anonymity in the mainly white world of vineyard ownership. Come to think of it, this is the same role he played in Six Feet Under except as a mortician. So overlooked is Gustavo that he must make a couple of speeches to get his point across. I guess I don't mind speeches if I agree with them, but a truly excellent film would have made the point without the speech. I also am enthralled with the many overviews of vineyards. I like the order, the rows, the dust, the dirt, the fruit. Perhaps it reminds me of the rows and rows of corn that I just left in Guatemala, and couldn't get enough of. These long shots were beautifully filmed and pretty much made the film. And Alan Rickman, of course. "You don't like me because you think I am an arse. I'm not, I just British". It doesn't get any better than this. Overall, to really like this film, you need to either really like wine, or have a piece of farmer in you. Since the latter is true for me...
4-stars

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels

Maybe I was distracted, but I don't think Guy Ritchie quite has it. The heist and double-double-cross play out of this London underworld drama was clever. But even though I was also watching the olympics and futzing around on facebook, it seemed a bit pedantic. This film is trying to do what Slevin did do. The gritty style and nifty ending just said "I am trying really hard to be clever". Overall, a good movie to watch in the background, but nothing more.
2-stars

The Sea Inside

The Sea Inside is the story of a quadriplegic man who is fighting in the courts for his right to die. Throughout the story, he is an inspiration and a support to many people, but still does not find that worth while enough to want to live. The most poignant point of the film is when the main character is "let down" yet again by someone promising to kill him and ends up crying out "Why do I want to die?". He never doubts his desire, but truly questions why his lot in life is different than others who are even worse off than him. Makes one think a bit about why we actually do love life and how we are all really very different.
3-stars

The Great Debaters

At best, this movie helped to remind me what idiots people can be. It wasn't really about debating, since the debates were really just a chance to stand on a soap box or tell a personal story. But the reminder of the Jim Crow south, and how that fed our culture to this day was good. I am reminded of Crash as a portrayal of our more recent attempts to wrestle with racism.
3-stars

War

I guess I have officially seen too many assassin/martial arts movies. I am a moderate fan (i.e. not a fanatic) of the genre, but with this Jason Statham/Jet Li contribution, I have reached the point where I actually expect a contribution. This movie did not offer anything new, or particularly interesting. So while I watched the entire movie, I must give it
2-stars

The Wizard of Oz

Yes, this is actually the first time I have sat down and watched the entire film. And this time with a twist. Instead of listening to the audio track, my friend Joel discovered that listening to Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon soundtrack synced to begin on the third roar of the MGM lion and a second time through on the third roar of the cowardly lion provides a unique movie watching experience. I would say that this experience was Art (intentional capital A), and while enjoyable, would probably have been much better if everyone watching had been smoking something.
3-stars

Caramel

This is a nice little film set in Beirut. While the city wasn't a character like it is in some movies, it reminded me a bit of the Morgan Freeman film 10 Items or Less, in which LA plays only a bit part, but gives the film big part of the "look and feel". Caramel portrays four friends working in a Salon, each with their relationship problems. Now that I think about it, is this the Lebanese version of Sex in the City? This has a much better portrayal of the actual difficulties involved in relationships, including aspects of finding them, keeping them, keeping them too long, wanting to get rid of them, being selfish, being selfless, the value of commitment, etc.
4-stars

The Dark Knight

Batman asks the questions about the difference between good and evil in Batman Begins. With The Dark Knight the conversation continues, but with a real villain for comparison. Without a doubt, comparing Batman and The Joker leads to a long list of similarities, and the film is designed exactly with this juxtaposition in mind. For me, perhaps the most interesting question is about method. Who exactly is the terrorist? Clearly The Joker holds hostages, kills people, and demands change. But Batman also uses the terrorist tactic of inciting fear. He regularly uses darkness and illusion to purport himself bigger/stronger/faster than a single man. His symbol shines off the clouds solely as a reminder of his presence. Constant fear is the linchpin of terrorism. But Batman's terrorism is for the greater good. Lucious Fox says it perfectly (albeit in a different context) when he states "This is too much power for one man". The question is, if a terrorist is fighting for the greater good, is he still a terrorist? Batman is constantly called a vigilante by the authorities, and they all promise to reign him in. But they (and we) look the other way until the "greater good" is accomplished, until the "evil" is wiped out. And in this case, perhaps there is no "other perspective". Perhaps everyone agrees that The Joker is the evil one and must be stopped. We don't even attempt to look for the humanity, the story behind The Joker. But in the real world, there is always another perspective. Do Palestinian dissidents use terrorist tactics for the greater good? Do Israeli settlers use terrorist tactics for the greater good? Does the U.S. military use terrorist tactics for the greater good? Which greater good is THE GREATER GOOD? What would a comic book hero look like who used non-violent active resistance to evil as a tactic? Obviously wouldn't sell anything in this graphic novel age of blood and death. So we continue to ask questions, and wait for the next installment, when we chase the terrorist Batman all over Gotham. Perhaps the chasers will somehow find the folly of their vengeance seeking. Perhaps Batman will see that terrorist tactics, even if for the greater good, are always an inspiration for those with alternative goals.
4-stars

Raising Victor Vargas

Victor Vargas is a young (15ish) 1st generation immigrant from the D.R. living in a big city. He goes about trying to improve his image by trying to hook up with the prettiest girl at the local city pool. This movie is all about fronting for your friends, honesty when it is allowed, the complete awkwardness of teenage romance (enough to make you cringe), generational misunderstanding, single parenthood, urban living, and finding what is important to you. While it was a bit slow at times, I am not sure that this wasn't intentional on the part of the director. Life is slow at times.
3-stars

The Road Home

The experience of attending a 20th High School Reunion, not the film. I drove through the town of Dallas Oregon, where I grew up, just to get a feel for things. While I was told later that the town has nearly doubled in size since I left (pop. 8,000 in the late 80's to around 15,000 now), most things hadn't changed. A Walmart had been built, but at the same time the Hong Kong chinese restaurant, the Arctic Circle and Dairy Queen were still around. The Taco Time cactus was still up, although the restaurant was a little local mexican place instead of the chain. And I was reminded just how many churches there are in this small little town. Literally one on every corner. My old house was still the same color and the little pine tree I planted in the side yard was about 100 feet tall. Still very much a small town.

I attended two gatherings of my class mates over two days. Many of them still live in the local area, raising their families in the local schools. But I was surprised at how much "modern fear" had reached this small town. When I grew up, we rode our bikes all over town, and even in elementary school, regularly rode the couple miles to and from school each day. My friends lamented that "proper parenting standards/culture" did not allow this practice anymore, even in Dallas. I had kind of hoped that this fear, at least, was relegated to urban America.

Upon first walking in to the first event, I had a small moment of panic. I did not recognize any of these people. Even when I looked at their name tags, I could not put the face with the name. This was going to be a long weekend. However, after a couple hours, the neural pathways were re-opening and I couldn't understand how I could be so blind. Now granted, this was not a 100% effective exercise. I knew going in that others would remember things that I did not, and I actually looked forward to refreshing my memory and supplementing by personal story with the memories of others. What I did not expect was to completely not remember whole individuals. Even after the weekend, and even after looking at names, and at faces, and at old yearbook photos, I still do not remember some of those in my graduating class. Did I really spend four years of my life with these people, at least in passing? Apparently not in my head.

The final analysis? With only a few hours to spend, divided among 60 or so people, there really was not time to get to the meat. We spent time laughing over a few memories, asking "where are you now?", "do you have a family?" and "how do you like it?". We lamented not seeing each other more often (especially those like me who live far away) and promised to stay in touch. But I also realize that this part of my history is exactly that ... my history. These people are not my present and I guess I can't really expect to have that "good friend, let me really know you" conversation for a couple hours once a decade. Overall, I enjoyed the laughs, picked up a few more memories, and look forward to the next one.

And BTW, I read another book ... The Shack
This was an interesting allegory, similar in style to the Perelandra of C.S. Lewis Space Trilogy, or even his Screwtape Letters. A guy goes to a shack and spends a weekend with the Trinity. While I found a lot of it formulaic, one interesting piece was his description of Jesus being fully human as a "minute-by-minute choice to limit oneself to the human experience". Kind of AA like, in a way. One does not have to have a plan for an entire life, or commit to never drinking ever again in life, but only a plan for now, or commit to not drinking now. Perhaps my existential nature is surfacing again, but it seems a call to living more in the present, and less in the past or future.

Next up: Wall-E and The Dark Knight ... I hope.

Old School

Old School is the current theme, and only coincidentally because of the Will Ferrell film of that title. Annika and I took the train to Oregon (Old School transportation) for my 20th year High School Reunion (Old School nostalgia) and the 29 hour trip just happened to allow me to read a Tobias Wolff novel titled... yep, Old School.
All three of these (transportation, reunion and novel) seem to be relating. The novel is set in a boys prep school of up-state New York, with an emphasis on literature that screams stereotypical east coast privilege. Robert Frost, Ayn Rand and Ernest Hemingway figure prominently for Wolff's protagonist and reading as I passed Salinas, Gilroy and Martinez in N. California added to the flavor of the trip. And, since I don't know literature like the Old School boys, I mostly channeled Steinbeck's East of Eden while looking out the window. The acres of lettuce rolling past, interrupted by the occassional warehouse or barn, each individually stylized by corrugated tin patches and brilliantly colored graffiti. In this consistent scenery we get a little bit of Frosts' love of (insistence on?) form and structure as the only thing that gives meaining to an unchanging world. We see Hemingway's vulnerability as each town fails to dress up its station beyonds its means. And we see, perhaps, the inevitable result of Rand's narcisssism as the local mini-storage of each town passes by, the local altar of "getting for me what I want, all else be damned".
And at this point, I can only be curious about the nostalgia. Stay tuned...

Flawless

Let's just say it wasn't. For a heist movie, it wasn't even a very clever heist, but I did watch the whole thing. So that forces me to give it
3-stars

Batman Begins

My friend Aaron is so jazzed for The Dark Knight that he already has his reserved seat at the Arclight on opening night. He reminded me how this story was really about the nature of good and evil, the question of whether one could be defined without the other, and the journey of finding where one fits within its spectrum. While I will probably wait until week two to see the latest installment, I thought I would at least get myself ready for this new adventure by re-watching Batman Begins, looking specifically for these themes.

To start, let me just identify the similar plot attempt between Batman Begins and Wanted. Both have thousand year old secret societies (the League of Shadows and the Weavers Guild) who have self identified as the "keepers of balance" in civilization. Apparently, these societies have decided that God made the wrong promise when he told Noah he would no longer destroy the world even if evil was rampant. So they have taken it upon themselves. At least in Batman, the players take ownership for their decisions, and don't transfer power to a "Loom of Fate". The two societies also hang desperately on to power and ideals when things don't quite go right (e.g. the Loom names its leaders or Thomas Wayne's methods actually begin to work).

In Batman Begins, the questions of the difference between good and evil are prominent. At different times, the ideas proposed are that 'compassion' is the difference, the 'willingness to stand between', 'protection of the innocent', and 'justice is not only revenge'. On this last, I take issue with the 'only', since it suggests that a portion of justice is revenge. And we at least are setting up the debate about tactics. Does flying around in the night and instilling fear constitute good? Even if the fear instilled is in "bad people"?

I can only hope that Batman struggles with these issues in The Dark Knight and truly finds another way. What would happen if Bruce Wayne would try the tactics of his father, instead of those taught by the League of Shadows? More discussion after the next installment.
4-stars

Innocent Voices

There are movies that one wants to see, and there are movies one should see. Innocent Voices is the latter. The story of a young boy in El Salvador during the long fight between the government and the guerrillas. The film demonstrates the probably all too common juxtaposition of childhood playfulness and fun and the complete loss of innocence of children in a war. Both the government soldiers and guerrillas were recruiting child soldiers and for the central character, 12 year old Chava, loss of innocence culminated with the decision about whether to shoot his neighborhood friend. It baffles me how children survive in these situations, and even more, how adults can continue to perpetrate the atrocities of war. A particularly chilling scene of the execution of "guerrilla children" shows how completely inhuman we can be. I wanted one of the children to stand up and face his captor. To humanize this violence and change the course of war with a gaze into the face of a child. I wanted a happy ending.
4-stars

Chris and Don: A love story

This is a fabulous love story. One of the best I have seen on film... ever. A well made documentary of the life that author Chris Isherwood and artist Don Bachardy shared in Southern California from the late 40's through the 80's. With Bachardy narrating the story of his relationship, one sees how two people can be truly soul mates, truly living for each other, truly not selfish.
5-stars

Persepolis

When a movie is based on a book, one generally expects the movie to be different. A different medium, the inability to effectively create a third person narrative, etc. results in a different tone, plot alterations, a shifted focus. However, when a graphic novel is made into an animated movie, it turns out that the movie and the book can be exactly the same. Such is the case with Persepolis. And both the graphic novel and the movie are excellent descriptions of the life of a young girl growing up in revolutionary Tehran. And while in book form, this biographical story could have been effectively told as a graphic novel or in prose, the film version would not have held up in live action. The biographical nature of the story actually required the animation to hold my attention. Putting this story together with Reading Lolita in Tehran gives a good picture of life in Iran.
4-stars

Hancock

Brilliant. I realize now that I was just sitting, watching and enjoying the movie, with no thought about what might be coming next. My attention was held, even though in hindsight, I should have noticed that the fairly predictable plot would not sustain a 90 minute movie. Only to find that the fairly predictable plot was not so predictable. It had all the right touches, right opportunities to laugh, grimace and enjoy. Clearly the best summer movie of 2008.
Hancock (4-stars)

In hindsight, I need to downgrade The Promotion to 4-stars. This happens sometimes. As I was thinking about that movie (which I really enjoyed by the way) it didn't hang around in my head. It doesn't satisfy the "I would own it" criteria required for a 5-star movie. In the same way, let me use this opportunity to remind our friendly readers about Elling. This movie was originally rated 4-stars, but after about a month, I upgraded it to 5-stars. I still laugh once in awhile when I remember certain scenes in that movie. The birthday gift exchange in particular, showing the true nature of friendship. Knowing exactly what would make a friend extremely happy, and making sure that they got that.
The Promotion (4-stars)
Elling (5-stars)

Shoot Em Up

It is good that I saw this in the heels of Wanted. There were probably 100 people shot in Shoot Em Up and only about two were graphic, CG shots. This is what I was looking for in Wanted. So it goes. Otherwise, this was a decent summer flick. It was so sensational in its plot lines that it did not even try to take itself seriously. An excellent example of nodding to the silliness that you are producing, and enjoying the ride. For example, putting a 2 day old baby in a bullet proof jacket, when that baby has already been carried through a glass window (after jumping off a building) and survived a car chase while laying on the front passenger floor shows the level that this movie is going for. And perhaps indicating just how wide my 3-star range is...
3-stars

Wanted

I can suspend disbelief as well as the next person. Possibly even better than the average movie-goer. So the fact that a millennium old clan of assassins has been taking its orders from the statistical fluctuations in a loom doesn't really bother me. I was curious about how often the loom produced gibberish with its binary code, and perhaps that I was thinking about this curiosity during the movie says something about the movie. And I was a bit surprised that the loom in the birthplace of the Fraternity didn't start spitting out contradictory kill orders leading to a metaphysical showdown to determine which loom was the true harbinger of fate. But otherwise, the story held together enough for me. The one holdback was the gratuitous slo-mo kill sequence. This movie would have held together just as well, and perhaps would even give a more pleasant overall experience, without seeing grey matter slowy splat the walls. Don't get me wrong. In the right context, there is definitely room in moviedom for slo-mo grey matter splatter (see 300) and in some cases it adds to the overall effect that a director is trying to achieve. For me, in this case, it was just distracting.
3 - stars

So it begins

I know, everyone else already has a movie review blog. I don't care. This is a way for me to keep track of what I have seen and to get ideas from others for things that are actually worth seeing. Of course, I will continue to see things that are not worth seeing as well.

As for my rating scale, I stick with a standard 5 star scale, with a general breakdown of:

5-stars: Loved it, will watch it again, and will probably own it
4-stars: Really liked it
3-stars: Anywhere between OK and Good. These are decent movies worth seeing.
2-stars: Didn't like it - but I did watch the entire thing
1-star: I didn't finish it

Notice that 3-stars is a very broad range of movies.


I won't review them all here, but as a start, here is the list of Summer 08 Movie Fest so far:
Prince Caspian - 2
The Forbidden Kingdom - 3
Reprise - 4
Ironman - 4
Sweet Land - 3
Superbad - 2
Sex and the City - 3
Speed Racer - 4
National Treasure, The book of secrets - 3
Focus - 3
The Fall - 4
The Air I Breathe - 1
Kung Fu Panda - 3
Crank - 2
The Incredible Hulk - 3
American Ganster - 4
Promotion - 5
Hitman - 2
Get Smart - 3
Mongol - 4
Mostly Martha - 5
Elizabeth - 3
The Golden Compass - 3
Exiled - 4

Exiled is a self proclaimed mixture of spaghetti western (think The Good, the Bad and the Ugly) and Hong Kong hitmen and it hits that nail on the head. Very clear "western" elements stick out because of the Hong Kong context and made it strangely appealing. I had the same reactions as I did to The Brick because of its mixture of style and context (film noir and high school angst) that don't usually come in the same package.