Wednesday, February 2, 2011
New Address for my blog
To all my faithful followers , I wish to apologize for the lack of recent posts here. My movie blog is now at a new domain. I am now at housesmovies.com . I have imported all the blogs previously posted here to the new site, and I updated them all with pictures and graphics. I hope to post more regularly in 2011, and I value your comments, suggestions and criticisms.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Favorite Movies of 2010
We are a week into 2011, so I'd best write of my favorite 2010 movies before starting on the new releases. I went to the movie theater about 30 times last year, mostly with free passes to preview screenings. I also made it a point of seeing “Alice in Wonderland” and “Avatar” in digital 3D in the theater. There were a lot of new releases in 2010 that I didn't get to see in the cinema; and I will have to wait until they are released on DVD before I can comment on them. There are several which made other peoples top ten lists, including: “Black Swan”, “True Grit”, “The King's Speech”,"Another Year”, “Inside Job” and “Marwencol”. Some of the 300-plus DVDs I watched in 2010, may have screened in 2009 and been on others' Best of 2009 lists, but I view most movies at home on DVD. It would be nice to get out for more big screen experiences.
My favorite for 2010 was “The White Ribbon” by Michael Haneke. This drama takes place in a small village in the north of Germany in the year before the outbreak of World War I in 1914. The movie is exquisitely shot, every frame was perfect. The movie is 2 ½ hours long and shot, appropriately, in black and white. Haneke said that the movie is about the roots of evil. He believes “that the environment of extreme, punitive and sexually repressive protestantism of the period laid the foundations for Fascism and Nazism”. The movie certainly opens a window onto a time that most of us know very little about, and I felt that it helped me understand that era better. The world of the young people in the movie was certainly black-and-white, compared to the fast paced, multi option, high tech present day.
Number 2 and 3 on my list of favorites are “Kisses” and “Fish Tank”. These are both from the UK and feature teens and preteens living in depressing working class or welfare neighbourhoods and trying to find happiness and some hope for the future in their lives. Both movies are very well crafted, with beautiful cinematography, expert direction and impressive and moving performances from their young and previously unknown actors. I reviewed both of these flicks last year in this blog.
“Winter's Bone” is a very good film. It is set in the impoverished Ozarks backcountry, and has Ree, a 17 year old girl trying to hold the family together. Her mother is withdrawn and depressed and her father has disappeared. Stills and bootlegging have been replaced by crystal meth labs. Her father has put their home up as collateral for his bail, and she needs to find him before his drug trial, a week away. No one will help her;they all have their own skeletons in the closet. It is a nasty community of dirt poor folk, who tell her in no uncertain terms to go away and keep out of their lives. Jennifer Lawrence as Ree, puts in a powerful performance. This is a gritty and sometimes depressing story; very well done, but not for everyone.
“Kick-Ass” was about as much fun as you can find in a movie. It had a great pace and was just darned entertaining. Let the kid in you loose to enjoy this one. The same holds true for “Despicable Me”.It was not just the best work of animation I saw last year; but it kept a smile or a grin on my face right through the closing credits. Watch it with your nieces and nephews. “Alice In Wonderland” was also a delight. Johnny Depp was terrific, as always, and the movie was enchanting. You must see it in the cinema in 3D.
“The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” from director Terry Gilliam was one of my favorite viewings last year. This fantasy was totally enchanting, and had fine acting from Christopher Plummer, Lily Cole, Johnny Depp and Colin Farrell; and of course Heath Ledger. Tragically this is the last we will see from Heath. Make sure to watch the special features on the DVD, and hear the glowing tributes to Heath from his fellow cast members. The movie is at times dark and at times funny; but it is all tinged with sadness at the loss of Heath Ledger.
“The Social Network” was definitely one of the best movies of 2010. David Fincher makes very good movies and Jesse Eisenberg gives an Oscar worthy performance. I saw him in several other movies last year, (“Holy Rollers”, “Zombieland”, “Solitary Man” and “The Living Wake”), and he has been so busy because he is very talented. The Social Network was not only very informative about the genesis of one of the biggest phenomenons and success stories in recent history; but was also well paced and entertaining.
Michael Caine did a wonderful job in “Is Anybody There?”, as a grumpy old codger who moves into a small family run old folks home in 1980's seaside England. There he meets a 10 year old who is obsessed with ghosts and the after-life. This movie may be hard to find, but the reward for your search is truly delightful.
“Tony Manero” is a crime drama from Chile. The movie is set in 1978, at the height of Pinochet's reign of terror. The lead character is obsessed with 'Tony Manero', the disco dancing character portrayed by John Travolta in “Saturday Night Fever”. He watches the movie endlessly in the theater and memorizes the dialogue and practices the dance steps. He dresses as Tony Manero and hopes to win a local TV look-a-like contest. The twist is that he is actually a very sick and violent psychotic. His sickness mirrors the disturbing and unsettling atmosphere in the streets of Santiago. Unexpected and very brutal violence occur from out-of-the-blue. It paints a very grim portrait of a psychopath, and is certainly not for everyone. (I loved it !) Another similarly interesting movie is “The Killer Inside Me”. It stars Casey Affleck as a mild-mannered sheriff's deputy in a 1940's Oklahoma oil town. Beneath his the facade of a gentleman lies a sadistic, violent disturbed man. The bodies pile up ; the violence is brutal; the sex is sometimes nasty and the planned revenge gets messy. This will be a difficult movie for most women to watch. My favorite movie about a psychopath is “Nothing To Lose” from the Netherlands in 2008. The movie has very little on-screen violence; it is quite subtle and is brilliantly filmed and acted.
Britain produced two excellent crime TV mini series which were released on DVD this past year. “The Red Riding” trilogy follows a journalist and the police over a period of years as they try to solve a series of child murders by the Yorkshire Ripper. It deals with corruption in the police ranks and their ties to organized crime. The 3 DVDs are approximately 90 minutes each. “The Take” is also a 3 episode TV mini-series. This series focuses on a crime lord and his family and associates. This is very well done and I recommend it highly; be prepared for violence far beyond that shown on television in North America.
“A Prophet” is also a violent crime drama that is very well done. This one comes from France. It is top notch for the genre. Also from France comes “Mesrine:Killer Instinct” and “Mesrine:Public Enemy Number One”. These two films tell the story of the legendary French gangster Jacques Mesrine. He was responsible for many robberies, kidnappings and murders through the 1960's and 70's until his death at the hands of the police in Paris in 1979. Vincent Cassel does a fine job in the lead role.
My favorite music release this past year was “The T.A.M.I. Show”. This long awaited DVD is of a 1964 TV show of a concert in Santa Monica with a slew of stars including: Chuck Berry, Jan and Dean, the Beach Boys, Jerry and the Pacemakers, the Rolling Stones, James Brown, the Supremes and Marvin Gaye. We'll have fun,fun,fun........
My favorite 'black comedy' was “Terribly Happy” from Denmark. It is not strictly a comedy but more of a 'noir' with much black humour. Hollywood is remaking it. Best you watch the original before they screw it up.
My favorite piece of cinema viewing was a 20 minute short called “Eve”. It was written and directed by Natalie Portman, and starred Lauren Bacall and Ben Gazzara. This romantic comedy pulls no punches. Ben Gazzara is there, post-cancer and post-stroke with his speech clearly affected. Laurens character goes on a date with this 'hot catch', at home at the end of the story she sits at her bedroom mirror and unabashedly removes her makeup. I thought this was one of the most daring, poignant and moving moments that I have experienced in movies. Lauren Bacall in her glory in her senior years, and Ben in the naked spotlight of his declining years. Wow; such courage.
My favorite for 2010 was “The White Ribbon” by Michael Haneke. This drama takes place in a small village in the north of Germany in the year before the outbreak of World War I in 1914. The movie is exquisitely shot, every frame was perfect. The movie is 2 ½ hours long and shot, appropriately, in black and white. Haneke said that the movie is about the roots of evil. He believes “that the environment of extreme, punitive and sexually repressive protestantism of the period laid the foundations for Fascism and Nazism”. The movie certainly opens a window onto a time that most of us know very little about, and I felt that it helped me understand that era better. The world of the young people in the movie was certainly black-and-white, compared to the fast paced, multi option, high tech present day.
Number 2 and 3 on my list of favorites are “Kisses” and “Fish Tank”. These are both from the UK and feature teens and preteens living in depressing working class or welfare neighbourhoods and trying to find happiness and some hope for the future in their lives. Both movies are very well crafted, with beautiful cinematography, expert direction and impressive and moving performances from their young and previously unknown actors. I reviewed both of these flicks last year in this blog.
“Winter's Bone” is a very good film. It is set in the impoverished Ozarks backcountry, and has Ree, a 17 year old girl trying to hold the family together. Her mother is withdrawn and depressed and her father has disappeared. Stills and bootlegging have been replaced by crystal meth labs. Her father has put their home up as collateral for his bail, and she needs to find him before his drug trial, a week away. No one will help her;they all have their own skeletons in the closet. It is a nasty community of dirt poor folk, who tell her in no uncertain terms to go away and keep out of their lives. Jennifer Lawrence as Ree, puts in a powerful performance. This is a gritty and sometimes depressing story; very well done, but not for everyone.
“Kick-Ass” was about as much fun as you can find in a movie. It had a great pace and was just darned entertaining. Let the kid in you loose to enjoy this one. The same holds true for “Despicable Me”.It was not just the best work of animation I saw last year; but it kept a smile or a grin on my face right through the closing credits. Watch it with your nieces and nephews. “Alice In Wonderland” was also a delight. Johnny Depp was terrific, as always, and the movie was enchanting. You must see it in the cinema in 3D.
“The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” from director Terry Gilliam was one of my favorite viewings last year. This fantasy was totally enchanting, and had fine acting from Christopher Plummer, Lily Cole, Johnny Depp and Colin Farrell; and of course Heath Ledger. Tragically this is the last we will see from Heath. Make sure to watch the special features on the DVD, and hear the glowing tributes to Heath from his fellow cast members. The movie is at times dark and at times funny; but it is all tinged with sadness at the loss of Heath Ledger.
“The Social Network” was definitely one of the best movies of 2010. David Fincher makes very good movies and Jesse Eisenberg gives an Oscar worthy performance. I saw him in several other movies last year, (“Holy Rollers”, “Zombieland”, “Solitary Man” and “The Living Wake”), and he has been so busy because he is very talented. The Social Network was not only very informative about the genesis of one of the biggest phenomenons and success stories in recent history; but was also well paced and entertaining.
Michael Caine did a wonderful job in “Is Anybody There?”, as a grumpy old codger who moves into a small family run old folks home in 1980's seaside England. There he meets a 10 year old who is obsessed with ghosts and the after-life. This movie may be hard to find, but the reward for your search is truly delightful.
“Tony Manero” is a crime drama from Chile. The movie is set in 1978, at the height of Pinochet's reign of terror. The lead character is obsessed with 'Tony Manero', the disco dancing character portrayed by John Travolta in “Saturday Night Fever”. He watches the movie endlessly in the theater and memorizes the dialogue and practices the dance steps. He dresses as Tony Manero and hopes to win a local TV look-a-like contest. The twist is that he is actually a very sick and violent psychotic. His sickness mirrors the disturbing and unsettling atmosphere in the streets of Santiago. Unexpected and very brutal violence occur from out-of-the-blue. It paints a very grim portrait of a psychopath, and is certainly not for everyone. (I loved it !) Another similarly interesting movie is “The Killer Inside Me”. It stars Casey Affleck as a mild-mannered sheriff's deputy in a 1940's Oklahoma oil town. Beneath his the facade of a gentleman lies a sadistic, violent disturbed man. The bodies pile up ; the violence is brutal; the sex is sometimes nasty and the planned revenge gets messy. This will be a difficult movie for most women to watch. My favorite movie about a psychopath is “Nothing To Lose” from the Netherlands in 2008. The movie has very little on-screen violence; it is quite subtle and is brilliantly filmed and acted.
Britain produced two excellent crime TV mini series which were released on DVD this past year. “The Red Riding” trilogy follows a journalist and the police over a period of years as they try to solve a series of child murders by the Yorkshire Ripper. It deals with corruption in the police ranks and their ties to organized crime. The 3 DVDs are approximately 90 minutes each. “The Take” is also a 3 episode TV mini-series. This series focuses on a crime lord and his family and associates. This is very well done and I recommend it highly; be prepared for violence far beyond that shown on television in North America.
“A Prophet” is also a violent crime drama that is very well done. This one comes from France. It is top notch for the genre. Also from France comes “Mesrine:Killer Instinct” and “Mesrine:Public Enemy Number One”. These two films tell the story of the legendary French gangster Jacques Mesrine. He was responsible for many robberies, kidnappings and murders through the 1960's and 70's until his death at the hands of the police in Paris in 1979. Vincent Cassel does a fine job in the lead role.
My favorite music release this past year was “The T.A.M.I. Show”. This long awaited DVD is of a 1964 TV show of a concert in Santa Monica with a slew of stars including: Chuck Berry, Jan and Dean, the Beach Boys, Jerry and the Pacemakers, the Rolling Stones, James Brown, the Supremes and Marvin Gaye. We'll have fun,fun,fun........
My favorite 'black comedy' was “Terribly Happy” from Denmark. It is not strictly a comedy but more of a 'noir' with much black humour. Hollywood is remaking it. Best you watch the original before they screw it up.
My favorite piece of cinema viewing was a 20 minute short called “Eve”. It was written and directed by Natalie Portman, and starred Lauren Bacall and Ben Gazzara. This romantic comedy pulls no punches. Ben Gazzara is there, post-cancer and post-stroke with his speech clearly affected. Laurens character goes on a date with this 'hot catch', at home at the end of the story she sits at her bedroom mirror and unabashedly removes her makeup. I thought this was one of the most daring, poignant and moving moments that I have experienced in movies. Lauren Bacall in her glory in her senior years, and Ben in the naked spotlight of his declining years. Wow; such courage.
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