What’s Good: April 09
So far 2009 has been pretty barren as far as new releases go. Paul Blart: Mall Cop and Taken have been the top grossers, Watchmen baffled uninitiated audiences and people seem to be digging to 3D. I haven’t been able to get to as many films as I’d like but of those I’ve seen in recent weeks here are a couple I think are worth checking out.
Hunger
Hunger chronicles the protests that took place in 1981 at the Maze prison in Britain as IRA prisoners attempted the gain political prisoner status. Amidst already horrendous conditions prisoners smear the cell walls with feces from floor to ceiling, refuse to bathe- resulting in forced cleaning sessions with a brillo-pad like broom – and, the films ultimate focus, stage a hunger strike led by Bobby Sands (Michale Fassbender). This is no Slumdog Millionaire.
Films that graphically depict extreme cruelty are nothing new, but I can’t remember ever seeing one that has prompted me to use the word beautiful. Director Steve McQueen (yes that’s his name and yes it’s a total coincidence) allows the events to play out with very little dialogue primarily relying on visual story-telling, bringing to mind the likes of Terence Malick, which is so assured for a first time director it’s scary. In one sequence a prison guard, knuckles freshly bloodied for reasons unknown, silently smokes a cigarette as snow gently falls around him. The scene lasts a good 3-4 minutes, does not elaborate, and is mesmerizing. This is suitable microcosm for the visually incongruous film that is filled with images that are simultaneously alluring and repulsive.
The sparsely scripted style is sustained throughout save for a sequence in the middle where Sands tells a visiting priest (Liam Cunningham) about his plans for the hunger strike. Acted with compelling restraint, the two debate his political and personal motivations over a 20-25 minute conversation that is, incredibly, largely captured in one take. Filmed in a mid shot from the side the men are harshly back-lit, emphasizing Sands swirling cigarette smoke and silhouetting them in a glowing blue outline. The scene is the only one in the film that features dialogue and feels more like an arresting one-act play. This is sharp contrast provides perspective to the rest of McQueen’s film where disturbing acts are witnessed but never talked about.
The final act follows Sands’ ultimate sacrifice which is frighteningly realized by Michael Fassbender’s inspired physical performance that goes beyond losing weight for a role. The disturbing scenes, which once again play out with little dialogue, see Sand’s body deteriorate all the way to the end. McQueen adds some haunting touches by interspersing unexplained visions of childhood memories or perhaps just hallucinations, that release Sands mind, and the audiences, from his tortured body.
It’s film you’re not likely to want to rush out and see again. But it is one you’ll definitely be hearing from when 2009 top ten lists start rolling out. After seeing this, Steve McQueen is now a huge flag on my radar, not to mention his magnetic and ferociously committed leading man.
Goodbye Solo
As you may remember my favorite film of 2008 was Wendy and Lucy, a film about a down on her luck Michelle Williams and her dog where nothing happens and your heart gets ripped out. The director of that film, Kelly Reichart, along with the director of Goodbye Solo Ramin Bahrani are starting to turn this minimalist style into something of a tiny movement which has annoyingly been dubbed, neo-neo realism. Don’t worry, this isn’t film snob fest 2009.
Solo (Souleymane Sy Savane) a jolly Senegalese cab driver in Winston-Salem North Carolina who you are literally in love with 3 seconds into the film engages William (Red West), a craggy hard-nosed southerner, and takes particular concern when he suspects William’s request to be driven to a cliff in the middle of nowhere is an attempt to end his life. William tolerates Solo’s aggressive, or perhaps oblivious, attempts to be his friend making it seem inevitable that the two are a pair of unlikely kindred spirits.
Though the premise is ripe for sentimentality Bahrani keeps the viewer off balance as things don’t fall into the places we expect them to. And as we, along with Solo, try to decipher what’s going on with the reclusive William the characters burrow deep under our skin. There is little dialogue and little need for it. An exchange of closeups towards the films end communicates more to the audience any words ever could.
Most of the film’s actors are non-professional, as is often the norm with these types of films, and there is rarely a false note. West has some film roles to his credit but is perhaps best remembered as a buddy of Elvis. Here, his William is at once sympathetic and contemptuous as he quietly simmers with regret. But it is Souleymane Sy Savane as Solo who serves as the heart beat of the film. His defiant optimism is so contagious that it turns a somber premise into a story that induces far more grins than frowns.
Interlaced with a quiet beauty, whether it be a swaying tree branch or the bags under William’s eyes, Bahrani has made a film that, while cinematically minimal, is emotionally massive.
For those of you looking for a more commerical good time at the mulitplex (no judgements here) check out Monsters vs Aliens. Make sure you see it in IMAX 3D, I know it’s $17 but the visuals are quite impressive. You could also can’t go wrong with Paul Rudd in I Love you, Man. Not quite as strong as Knocked Up or even last fall’s Role Models but even an average entry from these guys is always a good time. And if none of that sounds good to you, don’t worry. Summer begins with Wolverine in only a few weeks, (I’m both serious and joking).
Brief, But Brilliant
I’ve been meaning to catch the Oscar nominated shorts since IFC started screening them in back 2005 and I finally got around to it this past Thursday. They’re split into two presentations, live-action and animated. I went with the animated out of pure convenience. The program consisted of the 5 nominated shorts and 5 acclaimed shorts, I’m assuming the latter 5 are to bump up the running time to get you your moneys worth.
Short films are a grossly under appreciated medium. I think the internet may be the tool to remedy that but for now they toil mainly in film festival purgatory, largely unavailable to the general public. On the rare occasion that I happen to check some out I’m constantly amazed at the clout a good short can have. 2006’s “Paris, je t’aime,” a collection of shorts from various directors centered on the iconic city, was one of the more memorable films I’ve seen in the last few years, even though I saw it on a plane. Alexander Payne’s (director of “Election”, “About Schmidt” and “Sideways”) final piece “14th arrondissement” is particularly wonderful.
Still, my short film viewing leaves much to be desired and my most recent encoutner with them has confirmed that. My appreciation for the medium was renewed once again by several of the great shorts featured in this program. And some of them are online.
I’ve actually seen this before, it was randomly featured in front of “Encounters at the End of the World” (another great film). John and Karen wasn’t nominated for an Oscar (add it to the long list of snubs) but it is an absolute delight. At only 3 minutes, it’s the shortest masterpiece I’ve ever seen. Any plot explanation will dull the brilliance, just go and see your yourselves.
Another mini-gem that comes in a minute shorter than John and Karen. It’s basically a CGI chase sequence featuring some octopi and it’s quite a ride. Perhaps more impressive is how well it compares to the Pixar juggernaut, as it’s operating in territory usually dominated by them. Fast and fun, check it.
At 12 minutes this had a bigger emotional impact on me than most films. I’m not much of a crier, I could count on one hand the films that made the theatre a little dusty in 2008, but for some reason this one got to me. With a beautiful animation style reminiscent of the old Winnie the Pooh drawings and a mystifying concept “Cubes” was quite a revelation for me. Unfortunately the link is to a 30 second clip that will only whet your appetite. But keep it in mind. The shorts should be released on DVD soon. Queue it up.
Those were my favorite 3 but the whole program was definitely time and money well spent. I’m hoping catch up with the live action and report on those soon. But I really encourage everyone to go out and see this stuff. I guarantee it will be a unqiue and satisfying trip to the cinema. Plus you’ll have a real leg up in your Oscar pool.
5 Oscar Movies That Rock
It’s a hassle to go to the movies. It’s expensive, ($12.50 in NYC!) inconvenient, (in many cases the living room couch is a much better option) and annoying (you call that a whisper?) Side note: an advantage of movie-going in NYC is whenever someone talks they are met with the vocal equivalent of being drawn and quartered by a surly lot of senior citizens.
All of this can make catching up with all the Oscar films a daunting mountain to climb. Especially if you wait until after the nominations to start watching. While some people feel the need to catch up with all of the nominated films so they can avoid the mortifying conversation exit line “I haven’t seen it yet” (or am I the only one mortified in that situation?), others just want to see some good movies. And as we all know, an nomination does not a good film make (Crash). So the question is do you want to see every movie nominated for an Oscar (better queue up Kung Fu Panda!), or just the good ones?
If your answer is the latter here are 5 films, currently in the running for an Oscar, that really deserve to be. Not to say that the Frost/Nixon’s out there aren’t enjoyable, but they are also very rent-able.
Milk Milk, Milk, Milk! Gus Vant Sant’s film about Harvey Milk, the first gay elected official in US history is a biopic of sorts, dealing with the period of Harvey’s life leading up to his election and time in office. There is no reason for not seeing this. Right now it’s playing in a couple hundred theatres so there’s probably a screening somewhat nearby. Especially if you don’t know this incredible story, “Milk” is required viewing. Sean Penn is, and I don’t say this lightly because he usually rubs me the wrong way , fan-freaking-tastic as Harvey Milk. There’s not a hint of the heavy handedness that I think plagues some of his other work (great Sean, you can emote, yay), Harvey Milk is portrayed as the joyful, charismatic, inspiring man that he was. I never thought I’d say this, but in this movie, I just wanted to jump through the screen and give Sean Penn a big hug.
Rachael Getting Married Anne Hathaway is up for best actress and rightfully so. Jonathan Demme (back from his obscure documentary sabbatical) crafts a perfectly pitched familial turf war. With a not too jerky hand held camera it has an almost improvised feeling but it is anything but. Screenwriter Jenny Lumet (daughter of Sidney) deftly develops her characters, even the minor ones, without drawing too much attention to them. The group scenes when the narrative seems to disappear are where the film really shines. By the end I felt like I was watching two dear friends getting married and I felt all the emotions that go along with that. Anne Hathaway as the family time bomb is ruthless, Rosemarie Dewitt in the title role nails the very difficult-to-play overlooked sister and Bill Irwin as the doting father caught in the middle is, for lack of a more dynamic phrase, just great. See it!
Waltz With Bashir– Up against some tough competition in the foreign film category, namely Palme d’Or winner “The Class” (look for my review in the coming days), this animated-doc/memoir by Ari Folman would have nothing to be ashamed of in defeat. With a combination of cell, flash and digital animation, Mr. Folman explores the hazy memories (and nightmares) from his experiences as a young Israeli soldier in the first Lebanon war. Flipping between talking (animated) heads and artful recreations we follow him as he pieces together his past. This device is the perfect way to tell his story, removing the viewer with more surreal images that evoke rather provoke. Only at the end does Mr. Folman drive the horror of the events home leaving us with the chilling reality of what haunts him.
Frozen River– I’ve championed this already, but it warrants repeating. Courtney Hunt comes out of nowhere with her unclassifiable film about a mom having a really really bad week. Melissa Leo as Ray Eddy gives a ferocious performance, from the films opening moments, a closeup, she gives you everything you need to know. Taking place near a Mohawk reservation on New York’s border with Quebec, a series of unfortunate events leads to Ray ‘s befriending of a teenage Mohawk (a very good Misty Upham) and smuggling illegal immigrants across the border which is, you guessed it, a frozen river. Set in a frigid version of John Ford’s America beautifully captured by Cinematographer Reed Morano, what starts out as an indie drama about single mom soon becomes into a taught thriller. Great entertainment.
The Docs:
Encounters at the End of the World, Man on Wire, Trouble the Water
Even though we’ve seen an increase in the number of documentaries being released, thanks to Michael Moore’s demonstration of their box office potential, they remain among the most underrated films year in and year out. The documentary category is so stacked this year and I’ve only seen three of the five, two of which were in my top 10. I’ve already written about “Encounters,” Werner Herzog’s existential nature film about Antarctica, and “Man on Wire” (the front-runner), a heist thriller recounting the man who tightrope-walked between the twin towers. Both fantastic.
“Trouble the Water,” a criminally under-seen film, is one I have not mentioned thus far. A first hand account of hurricane Katrina, Kimberly Roberts and her husband Scott Roberts stayed through the storm capturing the waters rising around them with a video camera. Upon seeing the footage, filmmakers Carl Deal and Tia Lessin followed them through the aftermath as they, like so many others, tried to put their lives back together. In this age of political documentaries “Trouble the Water” side steps some of the usual conventions by resisting pointing fingers and keeps the focus on Kimberly and Scott. Kimberly, being an aspiring rapper, really makes the movie sing (literally and metaphorically). She is a force of such raw energy and perseverance that this devastating story in the end is brimming with life.
There you go, only 20 days left! Get to it!
Recommendation: The Andromeda Strain (1971)
This 70s paranoia film is a riveting procedural that pulls no punches. I caught up with it yesterday. It’s the story of a US bio war fare experiment gone wrong and the 4 scientists trying to get to the bottom of it before the world end. Based on a novel by the late Michael Crichton, it never gives into sentimentality, or even hints at it. The first and last 15 minutes feel like a thriller and the middle 105 are like a documentary about medicine. It may sound dense or hard to follow but it’s not. The tone is set in a 20 minute sequence which details the exhaustive sterilizing procedure the lead characters must go through before tackling the task at hand. Though it sounds mind numbing it is miraculously engrossing. Subtlety, you get to know the characters and their tendencies without being dictated to as the film follows the protocols of these technicians as the try to isolate and identify their adversary. It’s just like any other political thriller just instead of a corrupt government organization it’s a disease. With the highest of stakes (end of the world) each new tiny scrap of information is a major advance in the plot. Played by mostly unknown actors, for me anyway, this film is a blast. Recommended for any thinking sci-fi fans out there.
On a side note, it was directed by Robert Wise who should be more recognized for the films he directed. Sound of Music, West Side Story, The (non-Keanu Reeves) Day the Earth Stood Still, The Haunting (which I haven’t seen but I will now), plus he was the editor of Citizen Kane. We need to pay attention, this man has made a great contribution to American cinema.
Check this one out.
Nominations: What will be and what should be
The Oscar nominations will be announced tomorrow morning, and while I often profess my disdain for the event I am begrudgingly fascinated by it. Here are my predictions for what will be nominated, followed by what my picks would be for each category.
Best Picture:
What will be:
Slumdog Millionaire (This year’s Juno, probably will win)
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Wasn’t quite what everyone hoped, but pretty close)
The Dark Knight (The failure of other big films to make a splash, Doubt, Revolutionary road, has opened the door for Batman)
Frost/Nixon (Doesn’t have a chance to win but carries a heavy pedigree)
Milk (This is the one I’ll be rooting for, I’m kinda worried the Wrestler may overtake it)
What should be:
I like to consider this category as it originally was called, Best Production. Best picutre is way too subjective. Wendy and Lucy was my favorite film of the year, but for very personal reasons. On the other hand, even tough it wasn’t in my top 10, in terms of excellence in filmmaking The Dark Knight was exceedingly impressive.
Frozen River
The Edge of Heaven
Milk
The Dark Knight
Encounters at the End of the World
Best Director:
Who will be:
Danny Boyle- Slumdog Millionaire (Not his best film, but he deserves a nod)
David Fincher- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Holding that massive production together without losing his way is award worthy)
Christopher Nolan- The Dark Knight (Same as above)
Gus Vant Sant- Milk (So glad he directed this)
Darren Aronofsky- The Wrestler (Same as Danny Boyle)
Who should be:
Kelly Reichart- Wendy and Lucy (Amazing)
Fatih Akin- The Edge of Heaven (Same as above)
David Fincher- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Werner Herzog- Encounter at the End of the World (I would watch Werner Herzog make toast)
Cristian Mungiu- 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (There is obviously a confident directorial hand in this incredible film, see it at your own risk)
Best Actor:
Who will be:
Mickey Rourke- The Wrestler (I wish people weren’t calling this the best performance ever so I could enjoy it more)
Frank Langella- Frost/Nixon (I wish people were giving him more credit so I could stop feeling bad for him)
Sean Penn- Milk (Best of his career)
Clint Eastwood- Gran Torino (The movie isn’t good at all, but he really is fantastic, plus, he’s Clint)
Leonardo Dicaprio- Revolutionary Road (I think Leo will ride Kate’s wake to a nom, just so the Academy can say “Well he’s been nominated so many times,” and give him the Oscar for something he doesn’t deserve in the future)
Who should be:
Sean Penn- Milk
Richard Jenkins- The Visitor (I think he’ll just miss out, I hope he doesn’t, if you haven’t seen this yet, do)
Mickey Rourke- The Wrestler (Yeah, yeah)
Phillip Seymour Hoffman- Synecdoche, NY (Has many great performances to choose from, this gets lost in the crowd)
Benicio Del Toro- Che (If the movie were more accessible it would’ve gotten a largr release and Benicio would’ve gotten the nod)
Best Actress:
Who will be:
Anne Hathaway- Rachael getting Married (Breakout!)
Meryl Streep- Doubt (I wish I could say this was about politics but she really is a blast in this film.)
Sally Hawkins- Happy Go Lucky (I was lukewarm, no doubt she’s great, I may have to give it another chance)
Kate Winslet- Revolutionary Road (Not the best performance she’s ever given but I can’t argue with nominating Kate Winslet.)
Michelle Williams- Wendy and Lucy (I’m crossing my fingers)
Who should be:
Melissa Leo- Frozen River (No Golden Globe nom is her downfall, I would love to see her nominated, but if she is it will be at Michelle Williams’ expense)
Michelle Williams- Wendy and Lucy
Anne Hathaway- Rachael Getting Married
Rosemarie Dewitt- Rachael Getting Married (She’s being listed as a supporting role, I disagree, plus there are too many good female supporting performance this year)
Meryl Streep- Doubt
Best Supporting Actor:
Who will be:
Not my 5 picks but if this was the list I wouldn’t complain.
Josh Brolin- Milk
Heath Ledger- The Dark Knight
Robert Downey Jr.- Tropic Thunder
Michael Shannon- Revolutionary Road
Phillip Seymour Hoffman- Doubt
Who should be:
Javier Bardiem- Vicky Christina Barcelona (What a role he’s on)
Josh Brolin- Milk (Where did he come from? 2 years ago no one had heard of him)
James Franco- Pineapple Express (May get nominated for Milk, congrats for breaking out of the Spider-man slog James!)
Heath Ledger- The Dark Knight (Leaving the theatre, all I could think was that we won’t get a full life of his performances.)
Haaz Sleiman- The Visitor (I don’t know if this is a good performance or a case of hypnotizing charisma)
Best Supporting Actress:
Who will be:
Kate Winslet- The Reader (Need I say more?)
Penelope Cruz- Vicky Christina Barcelona (I think she’s got a good shot at winning if Winslet’s votes are split between 2 categories)
Viola Davis- Doubt (It’s one scene but she knocks it out of the park)
Taraji P. Henson- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (One of the emotional rocks in a film that, while excellent on many fronts, sometimes lacks humanity)
Marisa Tomei- The Wrestler (Never count out Marisa Tomei, the recipient of a one of the greatest head-scratchers in Oscar history.
Who should be:
Kate Winslet- The Reader
Penelope Cruz- Vicky Christina Barcelona (she and Javier Bardiem should win the sexy couple award of the decade)
Taraji P. Henson- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Viktoria Winge- Reprise (A highlight of this great little seen gem)
Hiam Abbass- The Visitor (Lovely)
Best Original Screenplay-
Who will be-
Racheal Getting Married- Jenny Lumet (Family dramas are always good for screenplay and acting awards, plus it’s really good)
Vicky Christina Barcelona- Woody Allen (Woody!)
Milk- Dustin Lance Black (Another strength of this great film)
The Wrestler- Robert D. Seigel (Riding the coattails)
Martin McDonagh- In Bruges (My dark horse pick)
Who should be:
The Edge of Heaven- Fatih Akin (Won best screenplay at Cannes, this fantastic script should be the only one nominated)
Frozen River- Courtney Hunt (Successfully blends genres to become impossible to categorize)
4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days- Cristian Mungiu (The writing is as strong as the direction)
Synecdoche, NY- Charlie Kaufman (If anyone could understand it, it would probably win)
Rachael Getting Married- Jenny Lumet
Best Adapted Screenplay-
Who will be-
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button- Eric Roth (Utilizes the Forrest Gump formula he created to perfection)
Frost/Nixon- Peter Morgan (Stage adaptations are always good bets in the adaptation categories, coming from an already recognized foundation)
Doubt- John Patrick Shanley (See Above)
The Dark Knight- Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan, David S. Goyer (Turning a comic book movie into a gritty crime drama while still delivering the summer movie goods is an impressive feat.)
Slumdog Millionaire- Simon Beaufoy (Aside from a slightly a preposterous love story the clever structure is the films strength)
Who should be-
Let the Right One In- John Ajvide Lindqvist (an even gutsier genre blend than Frozen River, if this a had slightly higher profile release it would not be ignored)
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button- Eric Roth
Che- Peter Buchman, Benjamin A. van der Veen (Didn’t play it safe in the face of a daunting task)
The Dark Knight- Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan, David S. Goyer
Only 4 picks for me this year.
The Rest:
Benjamin Button and the Dark Knight will battle it out in the technical categories.
Wall E will overtake Waltz with Bashir for Best Animated film.
Man on Wire will win in a great year for documentaries.
Best Cinematography:
I’m always baffled by the picks in this category so I’m not even going to attempt a prediction. But here’s what I would vote for.
The Fall- Colin Watkinson
Wendy and Lucy- Sam Levy
Paranoid Park- Christopher Doyle, Rain Li
Reprise- Jakob Ihre
Encounters at the End of the World- Peter Zeitlinger
The Photoplay Talkies:
Some specific feats in film this year I’d like to acknowledge.
Special award for outstanding ensemble:
The Edge of Heaven:
Nurgül Yesilçay
Baki Davrak
Tuncel Kurtiz
Hanna Schygulla
Patrycia Ziolkowska
Nursel Köse
I wanted to name them all in the various acting categories but then they would make up 6 of my 10 supporting actor picks. This is a true ensemble, all the performances were so dependent on one another. No one stands out. They’re all fantastic. Certain to be ignored by the academy, I present them with this invisible Photoplay Talkie and my unending respect. Try to contain your joy.
Special Award for outstanding female ensemble:
The girls in Synedoche, NY.
Catherine Keener- (also for Hamelt 2 where she basically play the same role)
Samantha Morton- (Is there aything she can’t do?)
Jennifer Jason Leigh- (Quietly building a strong resume over the last few years)
Michele Williams- (What a year for her)
People always say there are never any good roles women, hence there’s a dearth of strong female peformances. Well here are 4, in one film.
Special award for unique innovative brilliance: Waltz With Bashir (An animated quasi-documentary, coming-of-age, war film. Devastating and fascinating from start to finish)
2008 Top 10
Michelle Williams in "Wendy and Lucy"
I made my first top 10 list a few years ago in 2006 with “Children of Men” in the top spot. While the rest of the list is kinda embarrassing (Little Miss Sunshine at #3?!), having that list of 10 films is the perfect antidote for those days when it feels like a cinematic apocalypse is upon you (Wild Hogs made $168 mil at the box office).
It’s hard to remain true to oneself when forming these lists. You are always going to be influenced by a film’s reputation regardless of what your personal reaction may have been, for example in 2005 someone started a rumor that “Crash” was a good movie and look how that turned out.
I try not to ask myself which films were the best but which ones excited me the most. The ones that, when I left the theatre, I didn’t want to listen to my ipod as I walked to the subway.
When it comes to # 1, I say to myself “what movie really knocked me on my ass this year?” In 2008 that would be “Wendy and Lucy.” Starring Michelle Williams and a dog, this 80 minute jewel pulverized me. Recounting the plot is pointless. Like the best films, the power of Wendy and Lucy is hard to quantify. There is a moment that I can’t let go of at the end (I won’t give it away) when Michelle Williams comes to a heartbreaking realization that I came to at the exact same moment she did. I lived that moment with her. Even now as I’m writing this I get choked up thinking about it. I don’t know how director Kelly Reichart did it, but it was unforgettable.
A lot of these movies are obscure. But they are great. Seek them out, queue them up, impress your friends. Enjoy!
1. Wendy and Lucy
An almost flawless (I say almost b/c I don’t want to call a film perfect) sliver of life that I need to see a second time to analyze, I haven’t recovered from the first.
2. The Edge of Heaven
Turkish-German director Faith Akin’s “Head On,” was one of favs of 2004, with “Edge” he shoots to the top of my “most-want-to-see-their-next-project” list. An emotional tale of converging storylines that astutely covers a huge range of social and political issues. But you won’t realize that until after its over.
3. Encounters at the End of the World
Werner Herzog ‘s truly mesmerizing doc about Antarctica somehow is an exploration of humanity in a place where there are no people. This film subverts all expectations of a doc about Antarctica. This is no march of the penguins.
4. Milk
A by-the-numbers telling of this story would still have probably made this list. The 1984 documentary “The Times of Harvey Milk” was one of my most emotional movie-watching experiences this year. But Sean Penn (in my opinion the best performance of his career) and Gus Van Sant elevate it past bio-pic standards.
5. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
Devastating abortion thriller from Romania. I remember the acting, art-direction, cinematography, script, and editing all being specifically remarkable. One those amazing films you don’t ever want to see again. Probably why it isn’t higher.
6. Frozen River
A single mom struggles to make ends meat and hold her family together. Think you’ve seen it? You haven’t. Simultaneously a character study and a thriller, this one’s a blast. Melissa Leo gives best female performance of the year.
7. Man on Wire
Doc about the dude who tight roped across the twin towers done in the style of a heist film. This is the surest bet of the year; no one will dislike this film. Another example of an already great story being “elevated” to even greater “heights.” Bad-pun unintended.
8. Rachel Getting Married
Done in a style I think was interesting 15 years ago and starring an actress I was apathetic towards at best, this movie and Anne Hathaway completely blindsided me. The ensemble is spot on, the fly-on-the-wall camera achieves vérité without being distracting and the story unfolds in deceptive and surprising ways. Bravo.
9. Let the Right One In
A Swedish, coming of age, vampire, love story. It’s really good, really. I generally don’t like horror films but there were moments in this that made me giggle out of fear. Plus it was great be able to recommend an alternate teen-vampire movie when “Twilight” came out.
10. Reprise
I rotated a few films through the 10th spot. Reprise is a debut feature from Danish filmmaker Joachim Trier that crackled with young creative energy. I left the theatre feeling electrified and motivated. A feeling I didn’t want to let go of.
Honorable Mention:
Waltz with Bashir
Synecdoche, NY
The Visitor
Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Slumdog Millionaire
Paranoid Park
Role Models
Vicky Christina Barcelona
My Winnipeg
Be Kind Rewind
The Dark Knight
Flight of the Red Balloon
Photoplay Talk 
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