Movies Spotlight – 2016 Movies – May 2016

So what have I seen so far in 2016? The answer is not much, really. Most of my movie-watching time has been spent on the endless catching up on the classics of the past (and revisiting my favorites). There is seemingly an infinite amount of films from the past I am curious to see. Also, my desire to go to the movies has waned a bit. Watching most things at home is just as pleasurable, basically because it is easy. (Here is a link to all my reviews for reference).

But what have I seen – well… twelve films. That is it. Let me just go through them quickly: Loved Captain America: Civil War. We do not get too many massive blockbusters that have characters and story arcs that resonate emotionally while also keeping the promise of fun and entertainment. The airport fight scene is wonderfully joyous. Suddenly, I am just as interested in the new Spider-Man and Black Panther films as I am Thor 3 and Guardians of the Galaxy 2. Marvel, once again, hit homeruns with their casting for these new characters. Deadpool is a riot. Ryan Reynolds does the best work of his career. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is disappointing (big surprise). Zack Snyder has so much visual talent; he just struggles with story and character. He really needs to bring on people to help him craft and structure his future DC films. I am, however, interested to see what Ben Affleck does with his solo Batman film.

The Jungle Book was far better than I would have ever imagined it could be. I even enjoyed its use of 3D. Disney’s other early release, Zootopia was also surprisingly good. I thought it was there “B” animiated project for 2016, with Moana being their “A”; but, Zootopia is funny, sweet and has a good message for children. It is a very good family film.

My favorite indie film so far this year is The Witch, Robert Eggers’s period horror film. It is a beautifully made and acted film that is scary and hits all the right aesthetic beats. I doubt there will be a better horror film this year. Anya Taylor-Joy is a star in the making. I also really enjoyed Hush on Netflix. It is a great horror/thriller from Mike Flanagan (who also made Oculus). 10 Cloverfield Lane was a fun thriller highlighted by Mary Elizabeth Winstead. Making something work when in most takes place in one room is very tough. Midnight Special, from Jeff Nichols, is also a thematically interesting sci-fi drama. Very strong performances from his cast.

All the Way, which just debuted on HBO, is a good period drama about LBJ’s first year as President of the United States following President Kennedy’s assassination. Wonderful performances from Anthony Mackie and Bryan Cranston. Hail, Caesar! the new quirky comedy from the Coen Brothers is good, but probably one of their weaker efforts. It reminds me of A Serious Man (which I liked a lot more). And finally, Ricky Gervais’s new comedy on Netflix Special Correspondents is probably his worst project to date. Even his biggest fans can skip it.

There three films I missed in theaters earlier this year that I am very much looking forward to seeing at home. First, Sing Street, the new musical from John Carney about a young boy who forms a band to impress a girl in 1980s Ireland. I loved Once and also enjoyed Begin Again (more the second time I saw it). Second, Everybody Wants Some, the seemingly thematic follow-up to Dazed and Confused from Richard Linklater. The film looks like a fun, cool hangout which a bunch a guys playing college baseball. And third, Green Room, the new horror/thriller from Jeremy Saulnier (who also made the intense Blue Ruin). Saulnier, along with Mike Flanagan, Adam Wingard and Ti West, has really rejuvenated the American indie horror film.

Now, what am I most excited to see for the rest of 2016? Let me start with the blockbusters. Rogue One, the new Star Wars one-off from Gareth Edwards (who also made Monsters and Godzilla), looks fantastic. I really enjoyed The Force Awakens, but it is still somewhat bogged down in being an origin story for its new characters and paying so much fan service (I think Episode VIII is going to be much stronger). Rogue One may fall into the same trappings, having to introduce us to a bunch of new characters and hopefully it will not fall back on characters we do know (like Darth Vader, Han Solo and so on) too much (or at all), but it looks like a great action thriller. Ben Mendelsohn as the villain is going to be incredible; he very well might be our best character actor right now. I love the Harry Potter films; they are among my very favorite adventure genre films. That said, I was out on Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them for most of its preproduction. I just was not into the casting choices and I feel like it is generally a mistake to go back in time (because, ultimately we know what happens in the end, which reduces the stakes – I mean, how bad can the events of this new series be if we have never heard about them once during Harry Potter?). But the latest trailer has me all the way back in. It looks good. Doctor Strange has a phenomenal cast, but the teaser trailer did not grab me at all. In fact, the Inception-like elements of it felt like a big letdown, lazy. I hope it turns out well in the end. I imagine D23 will give us a new, and hopefully better, trailer. Suicide Squad has had a few great trailers and Margot Robbie looks brilliant as Harley Quinn. Will DC and Warner Bros. get this one right? Matt Damon and Paul Greengrass are both back for Jason Bourne the Bourne sequel that no one knew they wanted until they saw the teaser. I hope Alicia Vikander has more to do they talk at monitors though.

Disney has some great animated films upcoming too (and their remake of Pete’s Dragon, which is totally random. I grew up with that film on a VHS my mom made recording Marry Poppins and Pete’s Dragon off the TV, but I never thought anyone saw it as essential or a major Disney project. Disney is also remaking Mary Poppins incidentally). Their Walt Disney Animation Studio release is Hawaii-set Moana, from Ron Clements and John Musker (who also directed/wrote The Great Mouse Detective, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Hercules). The voice cast features Hawaii’s own Auli’I Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson. Their Pixar release is Finding Dory, which is both awesome and disappointing. Awesome because everyone like Finding Nemo and the same creative team is making this sequel. Disappointing because I think we all want Pixar to focus on original projects like last year’s fantastic Inside Out (although, their “B” film The Good Dinosaur was poor by Pixar standards).

Hollywood has a few very good looking films as well this Fall/Winter. Passengers sounds amazing on paper. A sci-fi film from Morten Tyldum (who also made Headhunters and The Imitation Game) starring Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt (who will hopefully have the best chemistry of all, as they are maybe our two most likable stars right now). It is about a man who prematurely wakes up from cryogenic sleep, years too early, during space travel. Instead of facing his life alone, he decides to wake up another passenger. I like everything about this film. I hope it is great. Robert Zemekis is back with a new film, which is generally a good thing, a very good thing. Allied stars Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard and is about spies during WWII (I am 100% in). The Girl on the Train looks like a potentially superb thriller (even if Tate Taylor is doing his best David Fincher impression). This also has a great cast, highlighted by Emily Blunt and Rebecca Ferguson. Out right now is Shane Black’s The Nice Guys. I am a big fan of Black’s films (as a writer: Lethal Weapon and The Last Boyscout; as writer/director: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Iron Man 3 and now The Nice Guys). He really just makes the same film over and over, but I am not tired of it yet. His LA detective stories, his plots that are really about something else, his great dialog, and his very funny humor.

The best films from 2016, however, seem to be the prestige indies coming this Fall/Winter. The Light Between Oceans, the new drama from Derek Cianfrance starring Alicia Vikander, Michael Fassbender and Rachel Weisz, feels like the way-too-early frontrunner for best film of 2016. The trailer showcases the heartbreaking drama and incredible performances of the film. Ang Lee’s new drama, Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, very much looks to take its place as a definitive narrative on the Iraq/Afghanistan War and the soldiers who come home from the horror faced over there. Sundance favorite The Birth of a Nation (I assume very specifically titled as a comment on the D.W. Griffith film) should make a big awards season impact. Nate Parker, who writes, directs and stars in the film, seems to have emerged as 2016’s brightest new talent. J.A. Bayona’s family film A Monster Calls also promises to be aesthetically and thematically just right (like a better version of Steven Spielberg’s summer release The BFG), feeling akin to Pan’s Labyrinth.

There are also a number of films that do not yet have trailer that sound potentially great. James Ponsoldt (director of Smashed, The Spectacular Now and The End of the Tour) has a new sci-fi drama due out starring Emma Watson and Tom Hanks. Martin Scorsese has long been working on a period drama called Silence about priests in Japan. It stars Andrew Garfield, Liam Neeson and Adam Driver. Terry George (director of Hotel Rwanda) is finally making a new film, the drama The Promise with Christian Bale and Oscar Isaac. Denis Villeneuve (director of Incendies, Prisoners and Sicario) has a new drama called Story of Your Life with Amy Adams. Damien Chazelle (director of Whiplash) returns with a musical called La La Land, starring Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone and J.K. Simmons. Jeff Nichols (releasing another film this year) just won a ton of acclaim at Cannes for his new romance drama Loving. And, Kenneth Lonergan’s new drama Manchester by the Sea was also a darling of Sundance, many naming Casey Affleck’s performance as an awards season must.

Much like last year, the blockbuster season/summer releases feel a little disappointing and all the best stuff will come out in the Fall/Winter – even the best blockbusters still to come do not come out until November (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them) and December (Rogue One).

Iron Man 3 (2013) – Review

Review: Iron Man 3 is a different sort of Marvel film. It is about Tony Stark dealing with the world in the wake of the events of The Avengers and the toll it is taking on him personally. He cannot sleep. He is obsessed with what the next threat could be. He wants to be the old Tony Stark, but something within him has changed. He may no longer be up to the challenge of protecting the things he cares about (like Pepper Potts). Yet, he must face his latest villain, The Mandarin (a terrorist who is setting off bombs across America) because he still feels that it is his duty. Thus, more so than before, he may fail.

From the beginning moments of Iron Man 3, it is clear that the Marvel Universe has shifted.  Throughout Phase One, the Marvel films were light and fun (for the most part), but Iron Man 3 begins with Tony Stark (via voiceover narration) regretfully owning up to his mistakes. No longer is he the arrogant selfish showoff, but a man who has clearly seen his world view shaken to the extent that he has doubts about who he is going forward. Something has definitely changed in him. The bravado and wit are still there, but now they mask his self-doubt.

Writer-director Shane Black has created a superhero event film that does indeed have the required prerequisite big action scenes and villain who is evil and powerful enough to call to arms a superhero to defeat him, but all that is secondary to his main focus: Tony Stark’s own internal struggle. This is a personal character story, which means that Black has Stark out of the Iron Man armor for most of the film. There are already three films in which Iron Man defeats his adversaries in the suit. Now, it is time to see Stark truly address his own issues. And yet, the fact that the film is a superhero blockbuster does demand villains. Black uses his villains more as foils for Stark’s own deficiencies to by reflected, rather than fully fleshed out characters with origin stories and tons of character development – again, this is a personal narrative about Stark, the rest is secondary to the story Black wants to tell.

Stark not being in the suit is in a way refreshing, and it gives the audience the ability to connect with the character on a deeper level. He is much more vulnerable when he is not Iron Man and the action feels much more immediate because Stark could actually be killed at any moment (or at least that illusion is enhanced). Being stripped of his armor also allows Stark to fully lose everything. He has two passions (or loves) in his life: Pepper and his suits of armor. Black takes both away. The audience sees Stark at his lowest point, which makes his inevitable rebirth all the more satisfying.

However, some will take issue with these narrative choices as well. There is still a lot of action involving the Iron Man suit, but much more with Stark out of it, which changes the tone of the series considerably. The first two films are mostly driven by big action set pieces in which Iron Man battles stuff in his suit – there are lots of explosions and heavy metal music; it is a lot of fun. This film is character driven. The action, while still big and exciting, is narratively secondary. It could be greatly reduced and the film’s overall narrative would not be hurt, in a sense the action scenes do not matter.

Not developing strong villains in terms of them being full characters also seems to diminish the stakes of the action scenes. The Mandarin is evil and has a grand evil plan in a very generic 1980s Euro-villain sort of way. Black does give his villains some backstory and motivation, but mostly they just serve as plot points along Stark’s journey – because, again, this is a character piece focused wholly on Stark. Thus, while Stark defeating The Mandarin does not feel as satisfying as it maybe should, Stark growing as a person is much more gratifying on a character level for the audience, as Black has done great work creating a deeper connection between Stark and the audience (deeper than just: Iron Man is cool and Tony is funny). The audience cares about whether or not Stark finds himself, not just about whether or not he blows stuff up with his armor suit. Maybe that should not be the goal of a blockbuster film, but it makes for a much more engaging and interesting film overall (than the past two). Black also includes a fantastic twist in the film, which works incredibly well as a satire (to say more would encourage many spoilers). 

Black also puts his mark all over the film. To some extent, it very much feels like his first directorial film Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (but with a lot more action). Stark engages the audience and brings them into the narrative with his voiceover narration (that seems to mirror Harry Lockhart’s in tone and style). Black also does a brilliant job with Stark’s wit. This is probably the cleverest and deviously funny of the Iron Man films. The best moments in the film are those in which Stark is just engaged in banter (I particularly liked the scene in which he tries to intimidate two minions that are standing guard while he is held captive). And like many of Black’s films, this is set at Christmas.

Black’s Iron Man 3 ushers in a new era for Marvel produced films, one that is more character driven and personal. The success of this film, however, somewhat depends on the viewer’s expectations. Do they want an Iron Man or a Tony Stark film? After Iron Man and Iron Man 2, it seems like it is about time for a Tony Stark film, and Black has done a fantastic job with the character.

Technical, aesthetics & acting achievements: Shane Black’s ability to write dialogue is brilliantly on display in Iron Man 3. He is also adept at action too, but as mentioned in the review above the best moments of this film are those in which Stark is engaged in character moments and banter. The Kiss Kiss Bang Bang vibe is also undeniable (for those who have seen it), as this film has a similar style in which the narrator tells a story about how he got himself into a big mess, but how it all worked out in the end and how he grew as a person as a result of the journey. Stark also resembles Harry and to a greater extent another Black protagonist Martin Riggs (from Lethal Weapon, which Black wrote) in that he is psychologically about to crack – a man on the edge (so to speak). Plus, this has a bit of a mystery undertone to it as well. Personally, it is my favorite of the Iron Man films and the second best of the Marvel films so far (behind The Avengers), setting the stage of Phase Two to be quite a bit better than Phase One (which aside from The Avengers was filled with entertaining but mediocre films).

Brian Tyler’s score has a good theme (which is important for superhero movies), but more so than it being particularly memorable it accompanies the dramatic tone of the film well. Black also uses his found-music soundtrack effectively to set the mood (for example: the scene in which Stark is trying his new armor for the first time). John Toll’s cinematography is very strong throughout the film. Visually, Toll and Black seem to want a slightly grittier look than the very clean and glossy style of the earlier films to fit Iron Man 3’s tone (which is darker, as the narrative focuses on Stark essentially losing everything and having to rebuild himself from scratch). Toll’s photography, however, still excels at providing wonderfully grand and heroic images of Stark and Iron Man, during the action sequences. Bill Brzeski’s production design also very much fits the tone as he seems to play with the juxtaposition of the grandeur of Stark’s old persona and the current broken state that he finds himself him (which is also mirrored in the costume and set design). The Mandarin visually has the opposite narrative arc to Stark, starting at the bottom, broken and rising to power (arrogant and self-obsessed), which works well in contrast. It allows to audience to visually see that these men are opposing forces.

As Iron Man 3 is a character piece, the performances are paramount to its success, much more so than in the past two films. The whole narrative hinges on Robert Downey Jr.’s performance essentially. He is fantastic. All of his past performances of Stark have been good too, but he is more or less playing the same character the whole time. He does not change. With this film, Stark undergoes a massive and clear transformation, which Downey Jr. plays wonderfully. He is at his best when he is tearing off one-liners at rapid pace, but more vitally he is excellent in the dramatic moments too. The audience has always liked Stark, been amused by him, and cheered for him, but here Downey Jr. goes deeper and enables them to feel pity when he makes mistakes and ultimately admiration when he picks himself back up a new man. More than ever before, the audience has a stake in the outcome and cares about Stark. Black’s narrative is partially to thank for this, but Downey Jr.’s performance is what makes the film. The supporting cast is also good. James Badge Dale does not have a lot of dialog, but he has a great presence which amplifies what is really nothing more than a henchman role. Ben Kingsley is marvelous in the film. He is clearly having a ton of fun with his character, which translates well for the audience (i.e. they are having a lot of fun with him too). Rebecca Hall is maybe underutilized, but her good work in the early moments of the films pays off well later. Guy Pearce is a great character actor and here again he does a good job creating something out of thinly written character. Don Cheadle and Gwyneth Paltrow are also good in support. They bolster Stark, but are also removed so that Stark can find his way alone.

Summary & score: In many ways Iron Man 3 is more a Shane Black film than it is a Marvel film, but that works greatly to its benefit, as this is the best and most personal of the series to date. 8/10 

At the Movies – May 2013 – Part 3: Most Anticipated Films

Must-See of the Month:

Iron Man 3 (Shane Black) – Action Adventure – May 3

Plot Summary: The Mandarin, a formidable terrorist, targets Tony Stark and tears his world apart. Now, Stark must rebuild and seek retribution. Filmmakers: Writer-director Shane Black is an awesome choice to helm the first film in Marvel’s Avengers Phase Two (he also consulted on the first Iron Man film during the scripting process). Black has a decent writing resume when it comes to action, highlighted by his first project: Lethal Weapon. However, what probably has many people excited to see him writing and directing Iron Man 3 (his second feature directing) is his directorial debut Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (which also stars Robert Downey Jr.) – a brilliant, funny crime mystery. Black is working with composer Brian Tyler (also scoring this month’s Now You See Me), wonderful cinematographer John Toll (The Thin Red Line), and production designer Bill Brzeski (The Hangover Part II). Cast: In addition to Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Paul Bettany, Don Cheadle, and Jon Favreau return. Rebecca Hall, Guy Pearce, Ben Kingsley, William Sadler, and James Badge Dale join the Marvel universe. Expectations: Along with Man of Steel and Star Trek Into Darkness, Iron Man 3 is among the three most anticipated blockbusters of the summer (and very likely these three will be the best as well). It looks superb and will be the best of the series so far (and maybe the best of the entire Marvel Studios filmography to date, as The Avengers set the bar a little higher for Phase Two). And again, Shane Black helm the project is a big reason – plus the cast is fantastic. Trailer: Here. Review: Here.

Worth Checking Out:

Star Trek Into Darkness (J.J. Abrams) – Action Sci-Fi – May 17

Plot Summary: After Star Fleet is grievously attacked from within, Captain Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise engage in a foolhardy mission to bring the man responsible to justice. Filmmakers: Director J.J. Abrams revived the franchise for general moviegoers by making a fast-paced and fun sci-fi action film in Star Trek. And, to date, he has consistently directed very entertaining films that also aspire to a higher level of quality than generally found in their genres (yes, I am a big fan and advocate for both Mission: Impossible III and Super 8). He is working with the same group that collaborated on Star Trek, including: composer Michael Giacchino, cinematographer Daniel Mindel, and production designer Scott Chambliss. Cast: Returning cast members include: Chris Pine, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Zachary Quinto, Simon Pegg, Anton Yelchin, John Cho, and Bruce Greenwood, while Peter Weller, Alice Eve, and Benedict Cumberbatch join the cast. Expectations: Star Trek Into Darkness looks fantastic, and is there anyone not completely sold on Benedict Cumberbatch as a great villain? Between this and Iron Man 3, it is tough to decide which will be better and bigger (though, I think Iron Man 3 might take both categories). While Abrams is next off to revitalize Star Wars with Episode VII, I hope he comes back to finish his Star Trek Trilogy – and to that topic: while I am happy to have a great filmmaker in Abrams attached to Star Wars, I hope he does something different stylistically. As a fan of both franchises, I would like to have them at least feel and look different cinematically. Trailer: Here. Review: Here.

Before Midnight (Richard Linklater) – Drama – May 24

Plot Summary: Nine years later (and eighteen since they met) Jesse and Celine are still talking, this time in Greece. Filmmakers: Writer-director Richard Linklater has done a good job going between Hollywood and indie films (though, I would argue his indie stuff is probably better). Before Sunrise and Before Sunset are probably his best films, so it only makes sense that he would finish the trilogy (my Linklater top five is as follows: Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, The School of Rock, Bernie, and Dazed and Confused). He is working with composer Graham Reynolds (who scored Bernie and A Scanner Darkly for Linklater), cinematographer Christos Voudouris, and art director Anna Georgiadou. Cast: Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy reprise their roles and are also co-write the film with Linklater (like they did with Before Sunset). Expectations: Before Midnight looks like it will be just as rich and engrossing as the first two in the series. This is a good change of pace from the big blockbusters that populate May (even if it is too a sequel) and is definitely worth checking out (and yes, go out and see Before Sunrise and Before Sunset if you have not yet seen them). The series has wonderful writing exploring relationships and philosophical questions with vigorous humanity, depth, and insight. Trailer: Here.

Top 25 Favorite Films of the Decade: 2000-2009 - Part 2, 20-16

This past decade has been awesome for movies with tons of really good big adventure films like Spider-Man, Batman, Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter. It also featured great genre films, highlighted by the emergence of wonderful new auteur directors and fantastic new stars. Here is the list of my personal favorite twenty-five films from the decade (not necessarily the best films critically speaking, just my favorites):

25-21; 20-16; 15-11; 10-6; 5-1

The Squid and the Whale

Rank: 20

Director: Noah Baumbach

Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Owen Kline, Jeff Daniels, Laura Linney, and Anna Paquin,  

Release Year: 2005

Genre: Dramedy

Summary: The film is about two brothers who have to deal with their parents’ divorce in Brooklyn in the 1980s. It is based on the childhood experiences of director Noah Baumbach.

Why It Made the List: Baumbach worked with Wes Anderson (who served as a producer on the film) and Anderson’s D.P. Bob Yeoman, giving the film a slight feel of an Anderson film – a little quirky with emotionally damaged pseudointellectual characters and dry humor. Baumbach’s dialogue is brilliant (he got a 2006 Oscar nod for Best writing). It has such wit and cracks me up every time. The performances that he garners are also fantastic (really giving Jesse Eisenberg his breakout role). Like many of the films on this list, The Squid and the Whale is great because of its characters and the emotional and comedic depth of the film.

Watch the Trailer: Here

Available on: DVD, Streaming and to Rent

Atonement

Rank: 19

Director: Joe Wright

Stars: James McAvoy, Keria Knightley, Saoirse Ronan, Romola Garai, and Vanessa Redgrave

Release Year: 2007

Genre: Romance

Summary: The film, which takes place before and during WWII, is about Brioney Tallis. As a thirteen-year-old, she sees something she does not understand and makes an accusation that forever changes the lives of her older sister, Cecilia, and a man who works for her family, Robbie Turner.

Why It Made the List: The cinematography and aesthetic style of the film are beautiful and fantastic. There is a long-take on the beach at Dunkirk that is among the best in cinema history. Wright also captures very good performances and creates such a moving love story in a film in which the two main characters hardly share any screen time. I also have to mention just how good Dario Marianelli’s score is (listen to this piece for example – sheer brilliance). Maybe the best thing to come out of this film is the emergence of Saoirse Ronan, who is utterly phenomenal in her supporting role (and she has since gone on to be wonderful in The Lovely Bones and Hanna). She is a great talent to watch.

Watch the Trailer: Here

Available on: Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming and to Rent

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

Rank: 18

Director: Shane Black

Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Val Kilmer, Michael Monaghan, and Corbin Bernsen

Release Year: 2005

Genre: Action/Mystery

Summary: The film is about a smalltime criminal, Harry, who auditions for a Hollywood role to avoid being captured by the cops after committing a burglary. Once in Hollywood, Harry finds himself wrapped up in a murder mystery that is eerily similar to the noir hardboiled detective pulp he read as a kid.

Why It Made the List: Shane Black, the writer behind Lethal Weapon, created the best detective film of the decade with Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. It is very funny, as Black’s dialogue is hilarious (especially mixed with the superb performances from Downey Jr., Kilmer and Monaghan), has great characters and has an interesting and elaborate mystery at its heart. Plus, the film introduced the world the Michelle Monaghan and all her awesomeness, resurrected Robert Downey Jr.’s career in the eyes of critics and filmmakers (enabling him to win the role of Iron Man, which resurrected his career for studios and the average movie fan) and reminded us that Val Kilmer can still give an amazing performance (like he did in Tombstone). Every time I watch this movie (like many others on this list) I like it more and find it more engaging.

Watch the Trailer: Here

Available on: Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming and to Rent

The Pianist

Rank: 17

Director: Roman Polanski

Stars: Adrien Brody and Thomas Kretschmann

Release Year: 2002

Genre: Drama/War

Summary: The film tells the true life tale of a Polish Jewish musician, Wladyslaw Szpilman, who somehow survived the destruction of the Warsaw ghetto during WWII.

Why It Made the List: Roman Polanski is a wonderful auteur director and this is maybe his finest film (though, a strong argument can also be made for Chinatown). He used some of his family’s own experiences during the Holocaust in the making of the film. It won best actor, director and writing at the 2003 Oscars (but not best film, which to this day makes no sense). Adrien Brody is absolutely outstanding in the lead role (easily the best work he has done to date), giving one of the top five male performances of the decade (and since you are wondering, the other four are Bill Murray in Lost in Translation, Bruno Ganz in Downfall,  Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight, and Christoph Waltz in Inglourious Basterds). The film (like all Holocaust films) is very sad, but it is a tale of perseverance and has a beauty to it.

Watch the Trailer: Here

Available on: Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming and to Rent

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Rank: 16

Director: David Fincher

Stars: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Jared Harris, Tilda Swinton, and Taraji P. Henson

Release Year: 2008

Genre: Fantasy Drama

Summary: The film is about a curious boy named Benjamin Button – curious because he is born an old man and ages backwards as the years pass. The film focuses on his adventures and love affair with Daisy.

Why It Made the List: There are not too many films that capture the wonder that you felt watching the classics of your childhood as a kid and deliver that feeling to you as an adult viewer. This film just has that magical epic quality to it that (for me at least) evokes the nostalgic feelings of watching grand films for the first time as a kid in the 1980s (things like Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Princess Bride). You feel like you are watching a marvelous tale filled with enchanting and miraculous characters and adventures (but again for an adult audience). This is the epic of the decade (outside of the more direct fantasy adventure genre films like The Lord of the Rings trilogy). Plus, Fincher et al have created a film with astounding aesthetics (Claudio Miranda’s cinematography is among the very best work of the decade).

Watch the Trailer: Here

Available on: Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming and to Rent

Movie of the Week - Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

This week’s movie is Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005).

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a detective film about a two-bit criminal that mistakenly finds his way to Hollywood only to be mixed up in a 1940s noir detective story. The film is the directorial debut of Lethal Weapon mastermind Shane Black as well as being Robert Downey Jr.’s comeback film (critically at least) and Michele Monaghan’s breakout film. What makes it great is Black’s style, both visual, as he uses color and design surprisingly well, and thematically, the film deconstructs the detective structure while still being a detective story, and is darkly witty, fantastical and lots of fun, while playing off the myth of Hollywood a bit in the process. Val Kilmer gives one of his best performances in the film as well.

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang [Blu-ray/DVD]