My Top 10 Films of 2008

I totally have to qualify this by saying that when I started thinking about all of the 2008 movies I saw, I realized that I only saw about 20 and that there were a ton of movies that I wanted to see, but haven't gotten to yet. So, take this list with a grain of salt or a grain of grain if you don't like salt. It will probably change once I see more 2008 films, but all of these I at least enjoyed a lot. Please feel free to tell me which great films I missed out on. Seriously. I want to know.

My Top 10 Favorite New Movies of 2008 by me

10. Cassandra's Dream
I know what you're thinking...Colin Ferrell, really!? Yeah, he doesn't make this film aweful and for that it deserves a Top 10 appointment. Plus, Woody Allen paid me $50 to have it on here...

9. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
A small qualifier to start out with again, I'm a fan-boy of defunct show Arrested Development and have, thus, been dealing with a non-sexual crush on Michael Cera. He was really funny in the movie and I probably would have liked it even more if I was 18.....and not watching it with my mom...

8. Get Smart
Well, I wasn't around for the original show, but this film was as enjoyable as Hollywood re-makes can be I suppose. Steve Carrell was surprisingly funny and the movie bested my expectations by a long shot. Plus, it had Bill Murray in it, which means that it is better than 98% of the movies made last year.

7. The Foot Fist Way
Now, I wasn't blown away by this movie as much as Will Ferrell and all of those Hollywood folks, but to be fair, if I was Will Ferrell and had made as many mediocre comedies as he has, then I would get pretty excited about this movie too. It does have some genuinely funny moments, and for the fact that it gave Danny McBride a well-deserved leading man role, I am a fan.

6. Forgetting Sarah Marshall
This is another entry from the Apatow clan, and I'm not a fan of everything they've done. BUT, this movie was actually pretty funny, and I have to admit I'm a sucker for movies when the total loser guy gives the proverbial finger to the pretty girl and then runs to the loving arms of the other pretty girl. And the Dracula puppet musical....classic.

5. Son of Rambow
This one came from across the pond and is one of those heartwearming movies that make you feel good all over. While it wasn't perfect, it was actually really well done, and I did actually feel good all over.

4. Role Models
Believe it or not, this movie was actually pretty good! I try to stay pretty far away from anything Sean William Scott does, but this movie is a hilarious vehicle for one of the most under-rated actors in H-wood, Paul Rudd. He totally carries this movie, and it definitely gets bonus points for the epic battle scene in the end.

3. Vicky Cristina Barcelona
This is the best film that Woody Allen put out this year. It is actually one of the better ones he's done in a long time. The casting was perfect and Penelope Cruz is a fireball in this movie and totally takes the movie over when her character is introduced. The cinematography was beautiful and the script was different for Woody, but incredible none-the-less. I think it deserves bonus points for the weird narration, and for introducing me to the talented Rebecca Hall.

2. Snow Angels
This one probably wins the award for saddest movie I can ever remember seeing. It is also in the running for one of the most beautiful movies I've seen. David Gordon Green is a master at what he does, and this is proof.

1. The Dark Knight
OK. No big surprise here, but let's be honest, this movie was really, really great. No matter how many movies I would have watched this year, I still think this one would be at the top. It was Hollywood at its best. It was artful, intense, action-packed, and chock-full of grandeur. Too bad they don't churn movies like this out all the time instead of the standard fare.

Netflix Nebulous: Volume 5

And for today we have a trio of flicks that couldn't be more different. They were all good'uns, yet all tackle very different themes and approaches. One is a heady dissection of our culture's obsession with celebrities, one is a humorous look at a bachelor's misadventures in love, and the other is a harrowing tale of small-town life gone awry.

The first is another Woody Allen film and it is called Celebrity (1998). Here Woody enlists the help of one of his most star-studded casts with Kenneth Branagh in the leading role. Branagh is known for his work successfully adapting Shakespearean plays and here he channels Allen to a "T" and plays a neurotic and nebbish journalist who runs away from his wife and chases after his fantasies to find the identity he's been hoping was lurking inside him. The movie tackles a lot of our hang-ups and notions about celebrities and fame. It is very fun at times, and at times it is a lucid call-out of our inane posturing when it comes to famous people. A very worthwhile entry into the Allen portfolio.



The Baxter is a smart romantic comedy from Michael Showalter who is one of the dudes responsible for the summer camp send up Wet Hot American Summer. This tracks a baxter (a nice guy who always gets rained on) and his search for Mrs. Baxter. He, like any guy, gets caught up in the instant beauty of a very pretty Elizabeth Banks, and doesn't realize that Michelle Williams's character is fawning all over him and would be perfect for him. It sounds kind of schlocky, but if you are a fan of Showalters sleepy dramatic comedy, then you will probably drool all over the couch, and that's gross. But seriously, the movie is really funny. I watched it twice in a row.




The eerily gorgeous Shotgun Stories is the first entry (hopefully of many) by the up-and-comer Jeff Nichols who just happens to be the brother of Lucero frontman Ben Nichols (who does the soundtrack). This is a tale of deep seeded hate and loyalty bred out of rural Arkansas soil. This is a tale of step-brothers who couldn't be less like family and their vigor in making it stay that way. This was one of the most destructively beautiful films I've seen in a while and Nichols seems to be one of those guys falling in line with the Terrance Malik crew, which shouldn't come as a surprise seeing as how David Gordon Green produced it. The acting is superb and pitch-perfect as is the story. The way Nichols captures the mood and the restlessness of his characters is breathtaking. This is one of the better films I've seen in quite a while.



Ratings:

Celebrity- B+
The Baxter- B
Shotgun Stories- A

A Skeptics Guide to Woody Allen

I am no fool (most of the time). I am completely aware that Woody Allen is not for everyone. There could be much said about his shortcomings on and off the screen. At times, even bringing up his name elicits strong resentment and condemnation from people who don't agree with his personal life, most notably his relationship with Mia Farrow's adopted daughter Soon-Yi Previn. Some people plain just don't like him, and there are a couple of films that give them some good material to work with. Here's a few that I believe would qualify as a skeptics ammunition:


#5- Melinda and Melinda (2004)- This interesting double take on a woman falling apart showcases the differences/similarities between a comedy and a tragedy. This has all the right ingredients to make it a successful movie (big names like Will Ferrell and Amanda Peet, an intriguining intellectual storyline, etc) but it lacked something big-time...the presence of Woody Allen. This was one of the first films in a while that didn't have Woody playing a significant role and it suffered greatly for it.
Rating: C





#4- A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy (1982)- Don't get me wrong, this isn't an aweful movie, it's just not that great either. If there's one thing that can happen when an artist is so prolific is that the end up churning out some misses in between the big hits (see Charles Bukowski and Ryan Adams). It suffers from being completely unessential.
Rating: C








#3- September (1987)- As always, there are those who would praise this Chekovian drama of Woody's, but for some reason I think it was just kind of tedious and dim-witted. It features two of Woody's leading ladies with Mia Farrow and Dianne Wiest, but even they fail to bring this sob-fest above any real lucidity.
Rating: C-








#2- Hollywood Ending (2002)- There was a period of time when it seemed that all hope was lost for Mr. Allen. He had a habit of putting out half-hearted slop like this ensemble piece. It's pretty sad when a movies only redeeming quality is the fact that it featured Kelly Kapowski from Saved By the Bell. Not worth watching...
Rating: D+








#1- The Curse of the Jade Scorpion (2001)- Notice how 3 of these films happened within 3 years of each other? This film might not actually be the worst of all of Woody's films, but the simple fact that it still stands to be his most expensive film ever and the fact that it features Dan Akroyd and still isn't entertaining leaves it being the biggest offender. I'd like to personally thank Woody for the fact that he stopped making movies this boring.
Rating: D+

A Dabbler's Guide to Woody Allen

There are so many great films in Woody Allen's catalogue that it is difficult to just give you five at a time. Here are five more films that dig a little deeper into his off-beat humor, that feature a little bit more of how his brain works, and a few dramas that amp up the stakes. This does not mean, in any way, that any films not mentioned yet are lesser-Woody Allen films. I just haven't gotten to them yet, but I will. Please enjoy these if you have the time, and if you watch them and hate them, then let me know that too. I'm always interested to see other people's reactions to them.



1. Sleeper (1973)- This is one of Woody's earlier movies and was a part of his comedic career which was slapstick and didn't have any of the high-brow elitism that turns a lot of people away from his later work. Sleeper is a movie about a health-food store owner who is cryogenically frozen and then revived in the future to help start a revolution. He narrowly escapes and accidentally enlists the company of a poet played by Diane Keaton and most of the movie is about his bumbling adventure in the futuristic world. This is comedy at its finest and simplest.

Rating: B+

2. Love and Death (1975)- No matter what anyone says, this is one of the greatest of Mr. Allen's films. It is basically 82 minutes of Woody's thoughts on (you guessed it!) love and death. Word on the street is that this film is Woody's favorite and it's not a big surprise why. This is the beginning of his super heady forays into the films where he injects his films with his intellectual neurosis. Some people are turned off by this, but I think it makes the films some of the most interesting ones ever made.

Rating: A-

3. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)- This Oscar-winning drama is undoubtedly one of the best sibling films ever made. Period. The films follows three sisters and their inner-circles and the complications that arise when their lives take very different trajectories. The film has a perfect cast and showcases two of Woody's favorite leading ladies (Mia Farrow and Dianne Wiest). It is also, most likely, the best performance Woody ever turned in as the hypochondriacal ex-husband of Carrie Fischer's character. The film also stars the ever-classic Max Von Sydow and Barbara Hershey with ovation-worthy performances.

Rating: A

4. Mighty Aphrodite (1995)- I've sold a lot of my DVD collection over the past couple years, but I can't seem to part with this beauty of a film. Mighty Aphrodite features a star-turning role for Mira Sorvino as Linda Ash the “working girl” and mother of Woody Allen's adopted child. The real magic, I think, of this movie is the way that Woody works in the story of Oedipus and his use of the chorus from the classic play “Oedipus the King” by Sophocles to comment and showcase the tragic elements of this incredibly funny and heart-warming movie. This is one of Woody's most enjoyable films, in my opinion, and the scene where he and Helena Bonham Carter (as his ethically questionable wife) are trying to come up with a baby name is classic Woody Allen!

Rating: A-

5. Match Point (2005)- This is another one of the late-career efforts that features Scarlett Johannson and is set in the gorgeous city of London. The story, however, is not so gorgeous as it takes his typically hilarious crime-solver films and explores the dark side with a chilling authenticity. I will not beat around the bush here, I did not really enjoy this film like a lot of his others because of the Hitchcock-ian eeriness that takes center stage, but it is an incredible film in terms of bringing Woody back to the front line of making great films and digging into his cerebellum and coming out with something that marries his wonderful, nebbish sensibilities and the characteristics of his favorite classics.

Rating: B+

Netflix Nebulous: Vol. 2

Once again, I am here with three more movies, this time each one has significant allusions and themes based in other works of art/film.

The first film is called Strange Brew and I've been meaning to see it for a long time because I've heard that this 1983 movie starring Rick Moranis (Honey, I Shrunk the Kids) and Dave Thomas (Stripes) is a modern, comedic take on the Shakespearean drama Hamlet. I am one who has a profound affection for the Bard's work and it can often be enjoyable when modern writer's get there hands on his concepts (see: Scotland, PA and Titus); this can also yield very different results (see: O and the 1999 version of A Midsummer's Night's Dream). Strange Brew is based on the comedic characters that Moranis and Thomas made famous in Canada called Bob and Doug McKenzie who are a beer-guzzling team that stayed popular for over 20 years north of the US border. The movie is about these two brothers who hatch a scheme to score some free booze and end up in the middle of a vicious and deadly power-struggle between a beer-company heiress and her murderous uncle. The results are ridiculous and pretty funny and make for a good Saturday afternoon movie. Rick Moranis is one of the most underrated comedians out there and he is hysterical as this blundering idiot who hash an unmatched intake capacity (you'll see what I mean...). This is part Escanaba in Da Moonlight and part Logan's Run-esque kitsch.


The next flick I watched and am reviewing is here do to the suggestion from a good friend. I have been accused before of being an elitist and not liking "mainstream" movies (which is totally not true), but I am always up for suggestions of movies I might like. This film that was introduced to me is an Australian romantic comedy featuring Rhys Ifans who you might know as the rowdy and lewd-t-shirt-wearing roommate from Notting Hill. This movie, like any, definitely has its hits and misses, but is overall a very fun, enjoyable movie with a fairly ridiculous storyline that is about crack-pot enough to be creative. The story revolves around a construction worker named Danny who lives for his chance to go on holiday with his live-in long-term girlfriend. After said girlfriend cancels their upcoming holiday trip to have lunch with a new, secret friend, Danny is forced to spend a week at home with nothing but his restlessness and spontaneity in tow. Eventually at a barbie with all of their friends, Danny fulfills a fantasy of his by tying an enormous amount of gigantic balloons to his deckchair (we now understand the title!) and floats into the air and out of sight. Due to a storm he floats into, Danny is hurled into the arms/tree of a shy woman who helps him realize the importance of caring about people and surrounding yourself with people who care about you. At first, the town's people have a fascination with the two which is reminscent of the all-powerful collective narration in Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily". Then Danny becomes a local hero and teaches the people as much as they teach him. All the while, the entire country of Australia is inspired by Danny's fate-al flight to start doing things they've always wanted to do. All in all, it's a cute movie about learning that life is much more than work and our day-to-day routine. It's not quite life without a whole lot of connection.


Our final film for today is a fairly new entry in the Woody Allen catalog called Cassandra's Dream which is a classic moral play from a man who has, in recent years, ventured a little more into the darker side of film. Cassandra's Dream stars the duo of Ewan MacGregor and Colin Farrell (the latter I can barely stomach) and is a great example of Woody trading in New York and it's jazzy coolness for London and it's classical opulence. The style of this film is very much an homage to classics by Kieslovski and Bergman like The Decalogue and Scenes from a Marraige respectively. This is not a film for those with a weak stomach as this moral conundrum is gritty and effective. Some publications have blasted the film for bad acting and unrealistic characters, which isn't off-base, but I don't think that it makes this particular one bad. The situations the characters find themselves in are far-fetched, to be sure, but are completely necessary for a moral struggle of this magnitude. Woody raises tough questions about life, privilege, dreams, and most of all family and the answers are not always easy to digest, mostly because Allen has a deft touch when it comes to asking questions without actually ever giving the answers. It is not an enjoyable film to watch, but it most certainly was good.


Strange Brew: B-
Danny Deckchair: B
Cassandra's Dream: B+

Agree? Disagree? Questions? Comments? Complaints?

The Beginners Guide to Woody Allen

There has been much dialogue about the validity of Woody Allen's contributions to the world of film. There has also been quite a bit of rhetoric about Woody Allen's troubles off-screen and his possible lack of moral judgment. This blog is not one for questioning moral judgment so we'll concentrate on the former. I believe, with all of my opinionated vigor that Woody Allen belongs on the extremely short-list of Great American Auteurs. I'm not talking about a list that includes Romero, Spielberg, and Geoge Lucas, but we're talking more about the likes of Orson Welles, Martin Scorcese and maybe Robert Altman on a good day. I also fully expect Wes Anderson to be added to this list if he keeps his creative juices flowing for a few more films at least. That being said, Woody Allen has, more or less, made a movie every single year since 1967 when he bought the rights to a Japanese spy drama and over-dubbed it with a wonderfully ridiculous story line about a stolen egg-salad recipe. This movie What's Up, Tiger Lilly? was the start of a long and celebrated career for Allen as he would hone his aesthetic, break it, then return to it and perfect it again and again.

Woody Allen is best known for his movies featuring a revolving and ever-changing cast of characters who all interact with a nebbish and neurotic self-aware Jewish man in New York played by none other than Woody Allen himself. Another character that was prominent in almost all of his movies until recently is the city of New York and often, more specifically, Central Park. The city has a life all of its own it seems and there is no doubt that Woody Allen is in love with the city of New York and this culminated in his love-letter to the city in the film Manhattan. It could easily be argued that almost every one of his films is a love letter to the city because he infuses it with so much beauty and he captures it with his romanticizing eye.

It is well known that almost any actor and actress in Hollywood would beat down the walls of heaven and hell to be cast in one of his movies. It seems that playing in a Woody Allen movie gives the right amount of publicity with a heaping dose of artistic merit. There is no doubt that there are some not-enjoyable Woody Allen movies, but more often than not, his movies rarely disappoint if you are one who follows and enjoys the aesthetic that he is so well-known for. In the artistic world, there is certainly a school of thought that believes an artist should stick to a key aesthetic and explore it and mine it for its full potential. Woody Allen has certainly done that and even recently has broadened his aesthetic to mirror, yet expand what he previously was known for. Instead of characterizing the city of New York he moved his personification across the Atlantic to London. His love for the city seems no-less than it did in New York which is a testament, I think, to his artisan-ship. Another aspect, which I haven't touched on yet, is that he often focused on a single female actress and featured her in several films, elevating her to an off-beat heroine who, in Woody's eyes seemed to be Beauty herself. The classic Woody starlets are include Diane Keaton, Mia Farrow and Dianne Wiess but these leading ladies have been updated in Woody's frequent use and featuring of the lovely Scarlett Johannson (personally my favorites are Mia Farrow and Diane Keaton).

The world of Woody Allen can be a tough one to wade through. That's where I come in! I've literally watched almost every single one of his movies (with a few exceptions that I'm working on ridding) and I thought I would give you a list of a few films to start out with. This list contains a few films from various stages of Woody's career and should give you a fairly good idea of whether or not you are going to enjoy his catalog. If it isn't ridiculously obvious by now, I am a fan.


1. Annie Hall (1977)- This is, without much contention, the best entry in Woody's entire catalog. This won the Best Picture Oscar in '77. It is a nearly-perfect blend of romantic comedy, artistic musings, childhood and relationship satirization, and a celebration of self-loathing, but not in a off-putting kind of way. It's marvelous. One of my Top 10 favorite films of all time. Rating: A+

2. Scoop (2006)- This is a late-career entry from Mr. Allen. This is one of those films that substitutues New York for London and Mia Farrow/Diane Keaton for Scarlett Johansson. It is a pretty standard Woody-Allen-murder-mystery-movie (see: Manhattan Murder Mystery) that is elevated to new heights by the interaction between Woody and Scarlett and the often hilarious interaction between a deceased journalist and a few real world inhabitants. Rating : B+

3. The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)- This, I believe, is by-far one of the most underrated of Woody's entire catalog. This movie is sweet, creative in it's blurring of the lines between fiction and fact and features knock-out performances by Mia Farrow and, especially, a young Jeff Daniels. Rating: B+

4. Small Time Crooks (2000): This particular film came as the last breath of fresh air before a string of post-millennium Woody Allen films that failed to live up to his previous standard (see: Anything Else, Hollywood Ending, The Curse of the Jade Scorpion). This was a return to form for Allen after he had tried a very different, yet successful venture of The Sweet and Lowdown. It wouldn't get this good again until Scoop, 6 years later. Rating: B

5. Bananas (1971)- This is an early entry from this great auteur and it involves an underachieving New York gentleman who goes down to a Latin American country to help the rebellion in order to impress/get back at the girl who broke his heart. Madness and hilarity ensue and Allen is a master of reigning that in to help us see just how subtle his ridiculousness can really be. Rating: B+

Any questions?

The 5 Spot: John Cusack

The top 5 best John Cusack movies

#5: The Grifters- You can't go wrong with this con-man movie featuring the always lovely and wonderful Anjelica Huston. Rating: B

#4: Broadway Danny Rose- An interesting yet wonderful entry from the Woody Allen lexicon. I know you haven't seen it so check it out. It features Allen-favorite Dianne Wiest and a ruthless Chazz Palminteri. Rating: B

#3: Say Anything- Some people would consider this to be his best one, but they would be wrong. It's the third best one obviously. Although I still get choked up when I hear "In Your Eyes." Rating: B+

#2: High Fidelity- This is definitely the best movie Jack Black was ever in. It is the perfect movie for us music snobs and Nick Hornby has a way of turning unlovable people into very lovable, yet flawed humans. Rating: A-

AND THE NUMBER ONE JOHN CUSACK MOVIE IS...................................

#1 Better Off Dead- This is not only John Cusack's best movie, but probably one of the greatest romantic comedies of all time. That's right, I said it!! Come on! You've got Booger and all of that crazy food Lane's mom makes and his high-rolling little brother and the paperboy....it's a bonafide classic folks! I love it. I love it. I love it. Rating: A


Honorable Mention:

*Gross Pointe Blank- Most people would say this should be in the top 5 and they might be right, but this isn't their blog so....(sticking out tongue)

*The Ice Harvest- A more recent entry featuring Billy Bob Thorton. A chilling dark comedy...hahaha...I sleigh myself...hahahaha...ok, I'm done.

*Stand By Me- This would have been in the top 5 easy, but his part is super small so its not. Needless to say, this Stephen King-penned yarn is one of my faves.

*Being John Malkovich- Of course a lot of people will think that this Charlie Kaufman story should be in there as well. Well, at least we all agree that he's had a great career so far.

Also, he's got 4 different films in that are either filming, in production, or in post-production so let's hope he's got one up his sleeve that's better than the last few he's been in.