SXSW 2010 - Day Four

Need to catch up?

SXSW 2010 - Day One
SXSW 2010 - Day Two
SXSW 2010 - Day Three

Been a while, hasn't it? Some would probably give up on doing a series of blogs on a month old film festival, but not me. I stick to what I say I'm going to do and flippin' do it. The only reason this wasn't done sooner is because I was trying to complete a screenplay for a competition called "Script Frenzy." Now that I've heard some rather good news, I've become a little distracted in the creative front of my life. I'm trying to focus on something a little more important than the screenplay I started. Plus, I was writing what I considered to be a pretty good idea that probably needed a bigger budget for a lower budget. Some things might have been a little compromised. I'll revisit it someday. Now, onto the fest.

Day four was my first true full day of movies. At this point, I should have just changed my mailing address to the Alamo Drafthouse because I was living there for the rest of the week. I saw some great full lengths and a lot of shorts (which is going to be a pain for me to write about).
I apologize now for how short these reviews are going to be. Obviously, long reviews take more time and I want to try and get these blogs done quickly.

The Films

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SOME DAYS ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS

Official site!

This is a simple piece, but one that seemed to speak to me the loudest. There's three main story lines being told throughout the film, none of which are incredibly complex. However, seeing the lives these people long to have or that they want to give to others really shows a complexity.

My favorite storyline concerned Eli, played excellently by the lead singer of The Shins James Mercer, who longed for the day where he didn't have to work a shitty job with an asshole boss. What can I say, I related greatly. He spends most of his free time with his step grandfather. They seem to be best friends and his grandfather has a car which he needs to use quite often. Hearing the grandfather talking about love and how he outlived those he was married to gives this film a power unlike any other I saw at the fest. You get invested into these characters and they say these profound, yet simple, epiphanies and it just astounds you.

It's amazing to me how the simplest person can have the greatest grasp on life while everyone else is trying to make it all so complex and this film represents that idea quite well. This being Matt McCormick's first feature is a true achievement. It's just a beautiful little flick that I'd love to add to my movie collection. Lets hope they get a distribution deal soon!

I give the film a 9 out of 10.

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Narrative Shorts 1

There were eight shorts in this category and I will only be highlighting the ones I loved.

BIKINI LIGHTERS

It's amazing to me how many times a coming of age story can be told, but in various different ways. In this short, a boy is becoming aware of his sexuality because of some lighters that display women in bikinis. He also notices a teenage girl making out with her boyfriend. This, of course, comes back to bite him in the arse. Great little flick here.

PANCAKE BREAKFAST


My absolute favorite short from the festival. It has my sensibilities and it's amazingly funny. It's about a guy who jokes around with his girlfriend about sleeping with her best friend who happens to be a dude. He begins to worry when his girlfriend starts to play along over a pancake breakfast. Great, great short!

SNAPSHOTS


Seven love stories that were gorgeously shot in New York. This is what New York, I Love You should have been. Though, the lack of any homosexual love kind of dampers it for me (if you're going to have seven different stories, you really couldn't find room for ONE gay love story?).

GIRLS NAMED PINKY


Oh, what a twist! This is a great little short with a hell of a twist.

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Narrative Shorts 2

Again, I'm only going to highlight the ones I absolutely loved.

HAVE YOU SEEN MY HAIR?


Trippy short right here. It all takes place from the point of view of someone who has lost their hair. It was originally going to be a commercial for a hairstylist in New York, but evolved into something so much more. You need to see it to believe it.

BLACK OPS ARABESQUE

Hilarious! When you're backed into a corner by men with guns wanting the little girl you have sworn to protect, what are you going to do? Dance, of course!

THE BIG FIDDLE

A complex, intertwining film that glued my eyes to the screen till the shocking end. There's so much going on that it's hard to explain. So, just try to search this film out!

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STRANGE POWERS


Official site!

I'm not going to lie to you; I have never heard of The Magnetic Fields until I saw this documentary. I had unknowingly heard some of their songs before, but I would have never been able to tell you that they performed them. I am glad I saw this film merely for the fact that I now know who they are and how great they are.

This documentary focuses primarily on Stephin Merritt, lead singer, song writer, and general performer of awesomeness for The Magnetic Fields. He's such a layered artist and though it might seem hard for many to relate to him because of his hard outer shell, he's actually pretty easy to care about as a subject. He just wants to make the music he wants to make and fuck all the naysayers. He wants to love who he wants to love without being judged. He is Stephin Merritt and if you don't like it, get the fuck out. That's his attitude and I loved it. I want to be his best friend, honestly.

This is a well made doc that showed me the greatness of a band I might have missed if I hadn't taken the chance to see it (and it wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for Earthling being filled up).

I give the film an 8 out of 10.

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ALL MY FRIENDS ARE FUNERAL SINGERS


Official site!

Here is a film I was looking forward to greatly and was the first disappointment I experienced at the fest. It tells the story (I use the word story loosely) of a psychic who is forced to live with various ghosts who have yet to cross over to the after life. This film was made primarily to showcase the songs of a band Califone, who play three of the ghosts who are featured often. The coolest part about this screening was the fact that Califone actually played live as the movie screened behind them. They were awesome. Unfortunately, the movie did not live up to the experience for me.

My biggest problem is how it seems that the film has no real focus. We have parts of a story with the psychic, random interviews with a select few ghosts, and then long and drawn out musical sequences with the band Califone. It doesn't mesh and it left me feeling really unsatisfied. I mean, it could have worked, but no one told them certain parts of the whole was just stupid. I'm all for artistic expression, but this is one piece of art I just can't appreciate. It's choppy, sloppy, and all over the place. The music, however, and the experience I had with the band playing live was great. Watching the film without Califone would have been truly terrible.

I give the film a 4 out of 10.

And day four is wrapped!

SXSW 2010 - Day Three

Not caught up on days one and two?

SXSW 2010 - Day One
SXSW 2010 - Day Two

Day three was the first day I had the opportunity to see multiple movies and was also the last full day Ami could attend with me, sadly. It was a bright, sunny, 70 degree weather day. A perfect day to spend in a dark theater.

Towards the middle of the day, the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar started to get busier and we were forced to miss one of the movies we were waiting for. So, we didn't see as many as I would have liked, but we still saw a good amount.

The Films

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THE MYTH OF THE AMERICAN SLEEPOVER

Official site!

This was one of the films I was looking forward to seeing the most originally. I saw the trailer about a week before SXSW and it looked really good. The film itself was good for the first half. After that...not so much.

This is a film where the filmmakers got amateurs for the lead roles. Where most filmmakers either know how to make the amateurs believable or know how to elevate some other areas of the film to make up for the lack of actual actors (see Soderbergh's Bubble or Van Sant's Elephant), the director behind this piece couldn't make it work in his favor. After about half way through the film, the "acting" started to grate on me. I can only stand so much of the lead boy's blank stares as he's searching for the girl of his dreams, or the indie girl's coy head turn and smile, and so on before it began to wear on me.

My biggest problem with this movie is the storyline involving the Scott character, creepily searching out these twins who are much younger than him and who he heard had a crush on him when he was a senior and they were freshmen in high school (he is now in college). I absolutely HATED this storyline. HATED it. Brett Jacobsen is an incredibly annoying actor (at least in this) and I would groan whenever he would come on screen. His storyline is just...pathetic, creepy, and pointless. I really, really, really hated it. Guh.

Besides some other leaps of logic that seem to escape these kids (okay, so you got nailed with an egg on your chest and you walked all the way home to wash your shirt with a wet wash rag and not just change it? Really?) there are some points I liked. Most of it involved the indie girl who I referenced above (sorry, I can't find her name/character on IMDB). Her story really engaged me at times, but again her acting started to wear on me. So, even she lost me after a point.

It had potential, but lazy filmmaking hurt the film overall. Ami liked it though, so I wouldn't say skip it completely. If it interests you, check it out! I do wish there was an option to skip that twin storyline altogether, though.

I give the film a 6 out of 10.

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ANIMATED SHORTS

Seeing that there were twelve shorts in whole, I'm only going to highlight my absolute favorites.

THE ORANGE


More info!

A short about an almighty orange and its life on Earth. The animation was so simple, but the story so grandiose. What if God was in an orange on Earth? That's essentially the story and it works very well. Quite funny to boot.

BYGONE BEHEMOTH


More info!

A claymation about an out of work movie monster. Think Godzilla if Godzilla was an old struggling actor. It's very poignant and quite sad. The filmmakers put a lot of emotion into this short. It tugged at the heart strings pretty hard. Damn you, CGI! Why must you put all these practical effects monsters out of business?

THE COW WHO WANTED TO BE A BURGER


More info!

Hilarious! The crude animation and use of trumpet to give the cows voices works brilliantly. Seeing this little calf working out to try and become a hamburger is pure gold.

THE ART OF DROWNING

More info!

A rotoscoped short about a man drowning and how he's not seeing his life flash before his eyes much like everyone says he should. The voiceover raps philosophic while we see these beautiful animations animated over live actors. It's a wondrous little piece that worked well for me.

ONE SQUARE MILE OF EARTH


More info!

I love animals that talk and act like people (hence coming up with Fox and Bear). So, my love for this short is pretty self explanatory. Two guys playing all the characters makes it even better. It's just funny, funny stuff.

DOWN TO THE BONE


More info!

Absurd, grotesque, and hilarious. Need I say more?

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JIMMY TUPPER VS. THE GOATMAN OF BOWIE


Official site!

This was my first midnight screening at SXSW and luckily I got into everyone I tried to get into. This one really set the bar high, though. It's a found footage movie in the vein of The Blair Witch Project or Cloverfield, but where those films feel a bit fabricated, this film actually did not.

This tells the story of Jimmy Tupper, the friend no one really likes and who everyone's confused as to why he's there. He drinks too much, smokes too much, and just generally annoys his friends. One night, Jimmy passes out because of too much drinking and won't wake up. So, his friends decide to teach him a lesson and dump his passed out body in the middle of the woods. The next day, they go searching for Jimmy to find him angry as all hell and screaming about being dragged through the woods by the Goatman of Bowie (a real urban legend apparently). Of course, no one believes him. So, Jimmy sets up camp with a camera to prove everyone wrong.

The filmmaker, Andrew Bowser, said that there are sections of the film where he only did one take and when he got back to watch the footage, the mini-DV fucked up and screwed up the audio. Any other director would go back and shoot it again, but seeing that he wanted this "found footage" to feel as real as possible, he left it in and it actually works! It was hilarious because it's this scene where Jimmy Tupper (also played by Andrew Bowser) is cursing his friends and his shitty life with a heartfelt monologue and all you hear is every other word as he paces around his campsite. It was really funny. Also, there's a part of the film at a graduation as if Jimmy's using a tape someone already used before. It was great and worked quite well.

What really won me over was the climax and the ending in general. It's just so Goddamn great, man. I don't want to ruin any of it for you in case this does get its deserved proper distribution. Just know that it's awesome and that it calls for a great sequel.

I give the film a 10 out of 10.

And with that, day three is wrapped!

SXSW 2010 - Day Two

For my experiences from my first day at SXSW, click this link:

SXSW 2010 - Day One

My second day of South By was just as short as the first. I had an audition earlier in the afternoon and couldn't make it to any of the films because of that (totally worth it, I hope). I was, however, extremely excited for this day at SXSW because of one particular film: Cyrus.

I have been a huge fan of the Duplass brothers since my friend Kyle Cates and I happened to watch a movie from the library called The Puffy Chair by pure chance on one particular movie night in Erikson hall on campus. It was a such a simple film, such a beautiful little film, such an inspiring film that really blew me away. They did so much with so little! I went on to write The Station because of that inspiration (wish I had a finished product to show everyone...) and have been trying to think of ideas that can be as easily made as that flick ever since.

The Duplass' inspired a movement called "mumblecore" which is, essentially, films that are shot with low grade equipment, with little money, and are mostly improvised by the actors. This movement has exploded over the past few years and has given voices to some great filmmakers who were probably unable to make their films prior to said movement.

I don't want to get too far into the Duplass bros. and their work seeing that I want to write a blog specifically highlighting that in one of my filmmaker blogs (coming soon...). What we're here to discuss is their latest and greatest (which is also their first studio film), Cyrus!

The Films

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CYRUS


Now, before I get into the film itself, let me get into the happenings before the film. I came to the Paramount (where most of the big films premiered at the festival) with the mindset that we were just not going to get in. I saw what happened with Kick Ass and I didn't want to get my hopes up at all. Ami and I met up with Bayless who was already in line in front of the Paramount for Micmacs. As much as I would have liked to have seen that film, I was much more concerned with Cyrus which was my most anticipated film of the festival. Seriously. I was more excited for this film than even Kick Ass.

So, as everyone entered the theater for Jeunet's latest, Ami and I shuffled to the front of the line to wait for Cyrus...three hours before the film would actually start. Hooray.As we waited, Ami and I met a new friend named Kathe and we relished in our love for Ain't It Cool News and their free screenings. As we chatted, we noticed the lines were getting longer. The crowds were getting bigger. My hopes were getting smaller.

As the clock ticked closer to showtime and the people who had just witnessed Micmacs (have heard mixed things on that one. Still want to see it though) exited the theater, the volunteers for SXSW started to roll out the red carpet. I did not know who to expect. I was just crossing my fingers for the Duplass brothers, but what I got was so much more. Not only were the Duplass brothers there, but John C. Riley, Jonah Hill, and even Edward Norton, who wasn't even in the movie, walked the carpet towards the theater as my geekiness started to swell up. I wanted to see this movie so bad and wanted to hear them talk about this movie so bad. I was ready to kill a badge holder to get in.


Rumors started to spread about the lines wrapping around the building. I was going to be extremely upset if I didn't get into this film and passed up the opportunity to see Micmacs. As my spirit got crushed more and more by people worrying and press getting into the theater and this, that, and the other, a glimmer of hope appeared. One of the volunteers for the film must have heard us worrying because she assured us that we would get in. "Oh, no worries," she said. "This theater holds 1,200 people."

I looked her in the face and I said, "I swear to God, if you're lying to me..." She told me she wasn't and sure enough, we were soon walking in to the Paramount! Glory be to the highest!

After a quick introduction to the film by the Duplass brothers (SQUEE!), the film started.


Cyrus is my favorite film from SXSW. The Duplass brothers have taken a concept probably seen in countless movies, television shows, books, and various other forms of entertainment and have made it their own. Everything feels so real. The relationships are believable (yes, even Riley and Marisa Tomei). These characters feel like real people. The documentary filmmaking only helps in that it makes us feel like flies on the wall as we witness these incredibly awkward, extremely hilarious, and amazingly realistic scenes unfold.

The Duplass bros. aren't known for their complex story lines. I mean, lets be honest, their films prior to and including Cyrus aren't wholly original. What sets them apart is the acting and the actors they get involved with their film. Their films are so simple, but these actors bring so much to the table and make them enjoyable. Mark Duplass did that for Puffy Chair, Greta Gerwig did that for Baghead, and now Jonah, John, and Marisa are doing that for Cyrus. I would also say that the Duplass' films have great dialogue, but seeing how so much of their movies are improvised, it's hard to give credit to them alone. I can, however, give them credit for being so bold and allowing the actors to make something so completely organic.

People worried that Jonah Hill is playing the same character he supposedly plays in every movie, do not fret. This is Jonah being straight. Sure, the guy's fucking hilarious throughout, but when drama is called for, the kid does it well. Hell, everyone does great. No one is off in the slightest in this flick. My only regret is that Mark Duplass didn't have a part. I love that guy.

Overall, this film is hilarious and fun. It's awkward as all get out, but it's also very enjoyable. I cannot wait to see what the Duplass' do next (something being produced by Jason Reitman I hear).

I give the film a perfect 10 out of 10.

After the film, we were graced with one of the worst Q&As I've been a part of this side of The Boy In the Striped Pajamas premiere in Indianapolis. Jonah Hill even jokingly called some guy an asshole for his awkward question he asked ("Did you sign onto the project because you knew Marisa Tomei would be wrapping her legs around you?"). I was just embarrassed for everyone asking questions and it made me miss my midnight screening of Monsters (luckily I got another chance...).

Overall, though, a great night. On to day three!

SXSW 2010 - Day One

So, South By Southwest has ended. Friends have come and gone. I've finally gotten the chance to have a good night of sleep and time to reflect. Seeing I didn't really have the opportunity to write about my experiences while I was actually experiencing SXSW and that I'm not a paid writer who would make time for such a thing when sleep sounded so much better, I've decided to write a series of blogs that sum up each day and what I saw. This will all be focusing on the film side of things seeing as I didn't experience the music side at all save for the free She and Him concert on the last Saturday.

This is my first TRUE film festival experience. Sure, I've been to the Heartland Film Festival and the Indianapolis International Film Festival, but I only went to a few of the films on the schedules when those were in town. At SXSW, I was at the festival pretty much all day from the beginning to end. Also, I experienced this festival with a film pass. A film pass is basically a step below a badge in that pass holders get seated after all the badges in line are in the theater. It was at times a smart purchase, but at other times an aggravating one.

I'm going to try and keep all my thoughts limited. I don't want each and every blog to be too bloated. If I feel a love for a film or feel a particular part of the festival needs more attention, I will give it that. However, I don't want it to feel like a chore to read each blog. Thus, I'm going to keep them as brief as possible. I hope you enjoy!

The Films
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KICK ASS


...is a film I didn't get in to. However, I did wait in line for two hours to try. I will say that even though we didn't get in, it was a great way to see how the festival worked. Being submerged into the atmosphere by waiting in line for possibly the most anticipated film of the festival was really great. I got to see Christopher "McLovin" Mintz-Plasse and I had an overwhelming since of excitement being able to stand where I was, thinking about the week ahead.

One good thing that came from standing in line was seeing Nimrod Antal, director of Predators. I had worked on Predators for a day, but never got the chance to meet Mr. Antal. Thankfully, my friend Nathan Bayless had and Nimrod told us that he'd try to get us in to the Predators sneak peek that was happening that evening. We were cautiously ecstatic, to say the least.

I will say that it really aggravated me that evening when I hopped on Twitter to read tweets from various online critics that I follow who were bragging about seeing Kick Ass for a second time. How fair is that? Why not give us other people a chance to experience it, douches? Oh well. It'll be out in a few weeks anyhow.

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PREDATORS


After not getting in to Kick Ass, the wife (exhausted from the previous week) decided to head home and Mr. Bayless and myself meandered around Austin for a bit. Seeing how we were burned on the Kick Ass screening, we didn't know if we wanted to wait in line again for The White Stripes doc, but we did for a bit. That is until Bayless got a hold of Nimrod...who got us in to the sneak peek.

So, we rushed from the Paramount over to the Ritz on 6th street, told the people we were on the list, and were ushered into the theater as I laughed in the faces of the badge holders who had been there since noon (not really. I'm not a complete ass. I know that feeling too well to laugh in their faces).

What we saw were two trailers (one of which is online now) and a scene from the film where Larry Fishbourne (I will always call him Larry ever since I saw him credited as such in the Nightmare on Elm Street sequel Dream Warriors) decloaks in full Predator armor and surprises our heroes. The trailers gave me chills along with reluctant hope. I know Nimrod and Rodriguez really want to make this film something special, but I am still trying to keep my expectations low. The clip was pretty good. Some of the acting was questionable, but clips out of context (and without complete effects) are always a little off. It will be cool to see it fully realized in the complete film in July.

Then we got a Q&A from Nimrod and Robert, got to see the animatronic head from the original Predator (who is making a come back in this new film), and got some nice goodies to take home including a SXSW exclusive poster signed by Robert Rodriguez (which you can see above).

In short, twas nice!

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Even though I didn't get to experience the films I wanted to on opening night of the SXSW film festival, it was truly great to go to what I got to go to and being immersed into the experience head first. It was a hell of a start to a hell of a week.

My Oscar Reflections

Another year's Academy Awards have come and gone and I haven't been this happy with the winners since the 79th awards show three years ago (way to go Marty!). Sure, Sandra Bullock got her predicted and undeserved Oscar, but for some reason I am okay with that now. It might be the fact that I had all ready come to terms with the inevitable or it might just be that the ending of her speech really won me over. Whatever the case, this is the first year in a while where I was pleased with most of the Academy's choices.

THE SHOW ITSELF

Is it just me or did this show kind of suck? I love Neil Patrick Harris, but his opening musical number wasn't funny...at all. And don't get me started on Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin. Their jokes fell flat faster than COP OUT at the box office (ZING!!!). What happened to the golden days of award show hosts with people like Billy Crystal? His opening parodies of movies always killed. I remember the year TITANIC was nominated and Crystal was super imposed into various scenes of the film. I was rolling on the floor with laughter! I don't think there has been a show that has made me laugh that much since. The only host who really came close for me was Jon Stewart and maybe Chris Rock.

The problem with Martin and Baldwin was...I don't really know. It should have worked. I really like Steve Martin as long as he's not trying to fill the shoes of Peter Sellers and Baldwin gets a lot of laughs from me on 30 Rock. What happened? Perhaps they played it too safe? Probably. Plus, there weren't nearly enough sketches for them to stretch their comedic wings. I enjoy breaks in the awards with funny sketches here and there. They were completely absent this year save for the musical number at the beginning which I all ready stated bombed big.

On the subject of breaks from the awards, when did they decide not to perform the nominated original songs? I always enjoyed that! I really wanted to hear "The Weary Kind" live! Damn you, Academy!

Add some interpretive dance into the show where dancers were breaking dancing to THE HURT LOCKER score and doing the robot to the UP score and you'll find it kind of sucked overall. Step it up, Academy!

Finally, you have the tribute to horror films toward the middle of the ceremony. It was great watching all my favorite horror films and monsters presented through a clip show wonderfully during the Academy Awards, but why did they have to have those TWILIGHT fucks present it? And why was a clip from one of those films included in the tribute? TWILIGHT isn't horror, people. It's a tween romance. There's nothing horrific to be seen (save for maybe the acting or effects). God, that was a huge misstep.

One thing they certainly got right was the tribute to John Hughes. That was beautiful and moving. I also liked Ben Stiller as a Na'vi, though I would have liked to have seen what Sacha Baron Cohen came up with that they cut because of inappropriateness.

THE AWARDS

Like I said above, the awards given were pretty spot on, if a little expected and predictable. There always seems to be a year where the Academy awards the filmmakers who they are expected to award and then years in between where they kind of surprise everyone. It's really all about politics I suppose. This year was definitely a year where they gave it to the expected winners and, honestly, this is one of the few times that might be okay with me.

THE HURT LOCKER was the big winner and deservedly so. While if I had any true choice in the matter Tarantino's INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS would have swept the thing, I was just fine with Bigelow's film doing it.

A lot of hate has surfaced against THE HURT LOCKER after the final award was given (quite clumsily and haphazardly by Tom Hanks. Still irritated by that), which is probably to be expected, but I don't get it. People are claiming it's an unrealistic portrayal of modern warfare or something and that it's overrated. Well, what true narrative film presents its subject, real world or not, completely realistically? RAY told the story of Ray Charles' life from birth to death. However, the filmmakers fabricated parts to make the film more entertaining. Like Ray's flashback and visions of his brother. How do they know he even had those in such detail? It's for entertainment. You want realism? Watch a documentary.

I'm getting off topic. Give the best actress award to Gabourey Sidibe and that's really the only change I would make.

WHAT THE ACADEMY AWARDS MEAN TO ME

Every year I watch the Oscars with a twinkle in my eye. I know it's predictable, I know it's pretty corporate, I know it's all about celebrity status and fashion, but damn it, I can't help but dream about being there one day. Ever since I was a young lad I fantasized of receiving one of those golden bald men. I would practice my various speeches in front of my bathroom mirror during commercials and just gaze in wonder at the show itself. Seeing how excited recipients like Roberto Benigni and Cuba Gooding Jr. got when they were approaching the stage and giving their speeches, I couldn't help but see myself reacting in the same fashion.

It doesn't truly matter who wins or who loses in the end (well, at least at this point in my life). What does matter is the fact that I'm at home watching avidly, cheering or screaming in anger loudly, and dreaming a little dream of being a nominee. That'll be the day, friend. That'll be the day.

Overall, a good year for movies, but the programmers need to bring back some of the magic that was lost this year.

Ronald Short's Top 20 Movies of 2009

I know I know. It's February and I'm just now getting around to putting up my best movies of 2009 list. You try moving to a new state without a job and see if you can see afford seeing an ass ton of movies that are released in January! Try it! I dare ya!

I feel like I have to give this "warning" every time I write a list like this, but these are my choices for best films from 2009. These are my opinions I'm putting out there for the world to see. There are some popular choices on here, but also some off the wall stuff. Then, there's the films I'm surprised I haven't seen on many other lists.

Last year I got made fun of for having SPEED RACER on my list. What can I say? That movie is boss. So, remember: THIS IS MY LIST, BITCH! Back off.

And here...we...GO!

20. THE BROTHERS BLOOM


I'm not sure why this film isn't getting more recognition. It's a fun, euro-styled con movie with a great twisty ending. The writing is a blast and you can tell the actors are just having a hell of a time. In my opinion, this is a great follow-up to BRICK.

19. BAD LIEUTENANT: PORT OF CALL: NEW ORLEANS


Look at those two madmen up there! Who ever thought the crazy over-the-top antics of Nic Cage could ever mix well with the just pure insanity of Werner Herzog? The man of many awful haircuts meets the man who got shot in the gut during an interview and didn't even notice. The man who dressed in a bear suit and punched a woman in THE WICKER MAN meets the man who had a gun to his head, was forced to speak French in order to not get shot, and regretted speaking the French vowing to never to do it again. You can imagine what kind of movie they made and it's pure cocaine for the movie goer. A fun time through a hell of a trip.

Iguanas, break dancing souls, Nic Cage threatening the lives of old women in a nursing home, and drugs galore. This is truly a great time at the cinemas. It's actually a legitimately good flick with a crazy ass lead and a crazy ass director behind the lens.

18. CRAZY HEART


A movie that has shown the world how truly awesome Jeff Bridges can be (though, I've known that for a long time. He deserved his first Oscar nom for the Dude, lets be honest). Unlike other movies in this genre, this film is more about the moments in this performer's life rather than a story where every scene influences the next. Sure, there's a solid beginning, middle, and end, but this is more about these happy/sad moments this guy, who is struggling like crazy, is having. He comes to terms with problems from his past and tries to create a new life for himself. It's a happier version of THE WRESTLER and it works really well.

17. FUNNY PEOPLE


A lot of people were hating on Apatow for the last half of this movie. In my opinion, the movie wouldn't have been nearly as good without that last half. It's what makes us realize what kind of people George Simmons, Ira Wright, and Laura really are. They act on impulses that they might not necessarily think through. Be it pursuing the one that got away, getting intimate with your long lost love, or just trying to further your comedy career, we are watching them learn from their mistakes and grow. Not to mention, this movie is just fucking hilarious. Kudos to Apatow for trying to do something different and I hope to see more of this in the future.

16. PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE


A complete 360 from FUNNY PEOPLE, PRECIOUS is a dark dramatic piece that isn't afraid to show you how it is. People still live like this and it's extremely sad. This girl was born into this situation and didn't choose the life that's forced onto her. Thankfully, now that she's older, she's fighting to get out. Much like any drama, this film relies heavily on its performances. Thankfully, it never feels like acting and the whole cast is phenomenal, making this dark ride through Precious' life real and heartbreaking.

15. UP

I could be lazy and just re-post what I wrote about this (and the others) on my "Best of Summer" list, but I won't.

I hereby dub 2009 the year of the intelligent kids movie! With this film and many others following, filmmakers have proven they are willing to make movies that don't talk down to kids and that aren't filled with poop and fart jokes. UP is a very emotional film for me, one that I have trouble sitting through, especially that opening! If you've ever been in love, this film will make you shed a tear at least. The emotion the Pixar team put into this film is just amazing. They keep surprising me by making animated characters that are capable of giving a wider range of emotions than big name celebrities. Keep it up Pixar and I'm sure you'll be seeing TOY STORY 3 in a couple of my lists next year.

14. UP IN THE AIR

People have claimed that George Clooney is merely playing George Clooney in this movie. Let's be clear, he is George Clooney. No matter what character he plays, he will always be George Clooney in the end. Unlike some actors out there, George really can't hide that fact. You will always know it's him. However, I think this is the best George Clooney performance to date. You are transported into his world, see life through his eyes, and then see him begin to change. He starts to open up to someone and embraces the changes he has been experiencing. Of course, nothing ever goes as planned. Clooney and Reitman are pure gold with this film.

13. MOON


First, let me state that I hate the fact that when I searched "MOON movie poster" in Google I was bombarded with images for THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON. Disgusting. Second, I hate how a movie like this will never get the recognition a piece of shit like NEW MOON gets. This is a rockin' Kubrick-inspired science fiction flick. Just because it wasn't on the fifteen story high IMAX screen in 3D doesn't mean it isn't worth your time. This is a sci-fi piece with an excellent story, well written dialogue, practical effects, and an Oscar worthy performance, no matter how ignored Rockwell was by the Academy. I can't wait to see what David Bowie's seed does next.

12. BIG FAN


I called this film "surprisingly surprising" in my original review after I saw it and I stick by that sentiment. I knew it was going to be a good film seeing how much praise Patton Oswalt was getting for his performance and how Robert Siegel, the man who wrote THE WRESTLER, had written and directed it. However, I didn't realize how good of a film it was going to be. This film goes to some dark places, but thankfully it doesn't go over the edge like Travis Bickle in TAXI DRIVER. That wouldn't have worked for this. It has a nice middle ground that works so well and made it an unpredictable experience.

11. WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

The next "intelligent kids movie" on my list is a real doosie. This is one I haven't really seen on many other critics' lists and I can't figure out why. Sure, it's a lot darker than a lot of kids movies out there, but that's what makes it so great! It isn't afraid to take the different emotions of childhood head on with a realism you'd swear was written by a kid. However, it was Spike Jonze who created this world.

I recently had a discussion with a friend about how depressed this movie made me. He found it surprising that a movie with Muppets bouncing around a forest could depress me. And when you boil the film down to those bare aesthetics, then sure. I'd be surprised that I got depressed by it, too. But this film isn't about that. It's about a child lost in his emotions and his imagination. He doesn't understand what he's going through and these "Muppets" represent those parts of his life he's still trying to get a grasp on. I find it incredible that Spike Jonze and his team were able to make me feel the way I felt while watching. That's proof of a real filmmaker right there: Being able to make me remember and relive moments of my childhood through giant puppets. It's an incredible experience, one that no adult needs to fear their kids experiencing.

10. THE HURT LOCKER

I feel like I've been writing about this film a lot, and with good reason. This film is topping a hell of a lot of critics' lists from 2009 which is proof enough on why it deserves this praise. It's not my number one film of 2009, but that doesn't mean that it's not a damn good film. Kathryn Bigelow shows that her ovaries are bigger than most male filmmakers' balls out there by giving us one of the best modern war films to date. War has evolved into an idea where there's no longer mass amounts of people running at each other in an open field/desert with guns blazing. War is now bombs being hidden in the middle of cities, near embassies, at military bases, and so on. War is now about surprise attacks and never knowing who the enemy is. This movie shows you what war boils down to today and Bigelow does a hell of a job presenting it.

9. AWAY WE GO

I truly adore this little indie gem that has been over looked by most, if not all, critics last year. And seeing how situations in this film have recently become real conversations in my life, it has begun to mean more to me. I love these two characters dearly and I long for them to find a place where they're both happy. Taking these little adventures with them to see the possible places they may raise a child just made this an incredibly enjoyable experience.

8. DRAG ME TO HELL

Some people have called this film a study on an eating disorder or anti-feminist. I call this film a hell of a time at the movies. Sam Raimi back in his comfort zone blowing me away with a horror comedy only he can do. If only there was a Bruce Campbell cameo. That would have been the cherry on top of the cake. This was the best horror film I saw last year. It's just a blast.

7. STAR TREK

JJ Abrams did what most people rebooting a franchise couldn't do: Made it fit into the original cannon! This was my favorite summer blockbuster last year. This is a science fiction film with a pretty well written story, good dialogue, great acting from the cast, and, lens flare haters be damned, great cinematography. However, because JJ didn't pay off the academy, he didn't get nominated for mostly anything. What a shame.

6. A TOWN CALLED PANIC

No matter how silly this film gets, I still consider it as one of the "intelligent kids films" from last year. Some might argue that, because of some of the language towards the end and the fact that the dialogue is in subtitles, that this may not be a kids movie. To that I say fuck you! This is a kids movie. There's like one or two curse words at the end and this could be a great time for your kid to learn how to read! This movie had me rolling in the aisles at the Drafthouse and the crude animation gives it a charm unmatched by most. It's pure happiness on celluloid. Horse is possibly my favorite character from an animated film last year.

5. THE HANGOVER

The best comedy of 09 hands down. I have watched this movie at least 5 times now and I laugh just as loud as I did the first time I saw it. The chemistry between the leads is remarkable and their comic timing is impeccable. The one downside is Galifianakis no longer being a secret amongst the people who were fans long before this movie was released. The upside is more movies with Galifianakis in them! I'm pumped for the sequel, not going to lie.

4. DISTRICT 9

Another well written science fiction piece with believable dialogue, fantastic acting, awesome special effects, and brilliant direction that, thankfully, got nominated for a best picture Oscar (you see a running theme in my sci-fi movie reviews on this list?). This is the only science fiction film in the nominations that I feel actually deserved the nom. Neill Blomkamp provides social commentary without making it obvious or forced. He knows how to mix science fiction with a political message without being preachy. Some filmmakers getting a little old and senile could learn from a film like this.

3. FANTASTIC MR. FOX

This is the last "intelligent kids movie" on the list and is, obviously, my personal favorite. It was a little disheartening to hear rumors of Wes Anderson's lack of visits to this set, but after seeing the film and it feeling exactly how each and every film of Anderson's felt before it proved to me he was more involved than some wanted to let on. This film screams Wes Anderson. There's no way he wasn't highly involved with this thing. This thing is just a special piece of work to me. From the voice acting, to the looks and aesthetics, to the funny moments and the way the characters say "cuss" in place of an actual cuss word, it is all just a magical experience I can't wait to share with my kids someday.

2. (500) DAYS OF SUMMER

I have been told by a few people that they thought this film reminded them of scripts I have written. First, I usually respond with the fact that there's not nearly enough "fucks" for it to be like my scripts. Then, I start to see similarities, especially to my script MIX TAPE. Perhaps that's why I like it so much? Is that egotistical? I don't mean it to be. I just mean that this is the type of film I'd really like to make someday and that I enjoy. I love Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel so much and they're awesome here. This story is a realistic representation of the ups and downs of a relationship and I can't wait to see what Marc Webb does with the SPIDER-MAN reboot. Yeah, I said it.

1. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS


If you ready my Oscar hopefuls list last week, you already saw this coming. And really, I've written about this film enough. If you want to know why this is my favorite movie of the year, watch it. You'll see.

Other picks that didn't quite make it in no particular order:
CORALINE, OBSERVE AND REPORT, TAKEN, I LOVE YOU, MAN, SUNSHINE CLEANING, THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT, ADVENTURELAND, SHALL WE KISS?, BRUNO, BEST WORST MOVIE, WATCHMEN, WORLD'S GREATEST DAD, THE ROAD, SHERLOCK HOLMES, HUMPDAY, ANTICHRIST, HOUSE OF THE DEVIL, A SERIOUS MAN, PARANORMAL ACTIVITY, TRICK R' TREAT, WHIP IT, JENNIFER'S BODY, THE INFORMANT, ZOMBIELAND, TAKING WOODSTOCK, IN THE LOOP

I hope you enjoyed the list! What were your favorite movies that might not have made my list?

My Oscar Hopefuls

The Oscar nominations have been released for 2009 and this is the first time in a while where I was pretty happy with most of the Academy's choices overall. My biggest complaint would be the inclusion of THE BLIND SIDE and any of its cast and/or crew. This is the nomination where the Academy was trying to appeal to the mindless side of their audience.

Now, onto my hopefuls. These aren't my predictions for who will win, because God knows the last year I predicted most awards correctly was when LORD OF THE RING: RETURN OF THE KING was nominated. These are merely people/productions that I hope win. Also, I'm not going to get into all the technical awards, the short films (I haven't seen them), the documentaries (haven't seen them), or the foreign films (once again, not released for me to see).

You can find all the nominations at: http://oscar.go.com/nominations/nominees

Writing (Original Screenplay):


For me, this category is no contest. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS is Tarantino's best screenplay since PULP FICTION. The mixture of his signature dialogue, the way the story is told (classic Tarantino), how Hans Landa was realized, and that climax! Man, what a climax! It all adds up to my favorite original screenplay from 2009.

Writing (Adapted Screenplay):


My choice for this category would be UP IN THE AIR. I haven't read the novel, but I've read the comparisons and know of the changes Reitman made in his version of the story. I feel like he made the right choices for the cinematic retelling. I loved the "Can, sir?" reference to a certain storyline in the book, but I'm glad that's the only mention of it.

Visual Effects:


This category, in my opinion, is the only one AVATAR should be nominated for. The effects are breathtaking, especially in IMAX 3D, and they certainly have changed the game on how one works on an effects heavy picture.

Music (Original Song):


CRAZY HEART's "The Weary Kind" is such a beautiful song to me. Jeff Bridges does a hell of a job performing the thing and I like this a lot more than any of the other choices.

Music (Score):


I'm going to have to give this one to Hans Zimmer for his score on SHERLOCK HOLMES. If you didn't like the movie (I enjoyed it highly) you have to at least give kudos to Zimmer for capturing the spirit of Holmes through his music. It's a lot of fun.

Film Editing:


DISTRICT 9 deserves this one seeing how flawlessly the film goes from mockumentary to narrative with ease. You hardly notice the change while you're watching.

Directing:


This is going to be the year. I can feel it in my bones. We will finally have a female film director taking home the gold and I can't wait to see it happen! So, obviously, I'm pulling for Kathryn Bigelow and her film THE HURT LOCKER. She deserves it.

Cinematography:


Following my choice for Directing, I'm going to give this category to THE HURT LOCKER as well. The documentary style works tremendously, throwing the viewer into this tense experience that Jeremy Renner's character absolutely loves. You almost start to see why.

Animated Feature Film:


I was really hoping A TOWN CALLED PANIC would get nominated for this (does it being foreign disqualify it?), but I'm really hoping FANTASTIC MR. FOX will get this one. That's just a hell of a film that tends to be more for us hipster adults than kids. I loved UP, but Pixar already has a ton of gold statues and I feel it's one of their weaker films. CORALINE is amazing, but FOX beats it for best stop motion this year. It's old school and has a love for the subject matter that was unmatched.

Actress in a Supporting Role:

Mo'Nique is hands down the absolute best choice for this award. She put everything into her role in PRECIOUS and she deserves it. I actually really like Mo'Nique because of the image and message she gives to women. She has a great voice in the feminist movement and I really hope she pulls this off.

Actress in a Leading Role:


Sandra Bullock really puts her all into her role of Leigh Anne Tuohy as a white woman who must show a black kid how to live his life properly in white suburbia. Seeing the film makes me wish all black kids could have a white woman in their lives to show them how to live. This is why Bullock deserves it for THE BLIND SIDE.


All kidding aside, I really want Gabourey Sidibe to win this award. This is her first film and she shows herself to be a hell of force to be reckoned with. Seeing her in interviews and realizing how sweet of a person she is and then watching PRECIOUS and seeing the kind of character she portrays proves her incredible acting ability.

In reality, though, Sandra Bullock will probably win. It upsets me, but it's a harsh, idiotic world we live in sometimes and I have to come to terms with it now rather than be upset later.

Actor in a Supporting Role:


Christoph Waltz, no contest. Have you seen INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS? Then you know he deserves this sucker. No explanation needed.

Actor in a Leading Role:



This is the first award where I'm really torn. On one hand, you have the incredible Jeff Bridges giving his best performance since The Dude in CRAZY HEART. On the other hand, you have Jeremy Renner blowing everyone away with his role in THE HURT LOCKER. I'll be happy for either of them to win, but I'm secretly hoping Bridges will be the one taking it home.

Best Picture:


In my opinion, INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS was the best film of the year (spoiler alert for my top movies of 2009 list!). However, I would be happy if that film, THE HURT LOCKER, DISTRICT 9, or UP IN THE AIR pulled out with the win. They're all great films that deserve it.

There you have it. My hopefuls for the Oscars this year. Who knows who will actually grab the gold in each category, but I always have fun creating my list.

Who do you think/hope will win these awards?