Since you cannot comment on this page, click on the blue heading link and comment on the original post.
I saw 80+ 2011 films that included all the Oscar Best Picture Nominees as well as basically anything I found intriguing or had overwhelmingly positive reviews. Below I will rank my Top 10 Films of 2011 and supply links to my thoughts on them. These ten films are what I believe deserved the Oscar Nominations.
(I expand beyond 10 when a film isn’t Oscar eligible)
* denotes not being Oscar eligible
1. Take Shelter
3. Hugo
4. Moneyball
*5. Rubber
6. Rise of the Planet of the Apes
7. Warrior
*8. Incendies
9. Submarine
11. 50/50
*12. Even the Rain
13. Phil Ochs: There But For Fortune
Best Achievements in Directing of 2011
I saw 80+ 2011 films that included all the Oscar Best Picture Nominees as well as basically anything I found intriguing or had overwhelmingly positive reviews. Below I will rank my Top 5 Achievements in Directing of 2011 and supply links to my thoughts on the films they are from. These five Directors are who I believe deserved the Oscar Nominations.
(I expand beyond 5 when a film isn’t Oscar eligible)
* denotes not being Oscar eligible
1. Jeff Nichols - Take Shelter
2. Martin Scorsese - Hugo
*3. Quentin Dupieux - Rubber
4. Tomas Alfredson - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
5. Richard Ayoade - Submarine
6. Bennett Miller - Moneyball
Best Original Screenplays of 2011
I saw 80+ 2011 films that included all the Oscar Best Picture Nominees as well as basically anything I found intriguing or had overwhelmingly positive reviews. Below I will rank my Top 5 Original Screenplays of 2011 and supply links to my thoughts on the films they are from. These five screenplays are what I believe deserved the Oscar Nominations.
(I expand beyond 5 when a film isn’t Oscar eligible)
* denotes not being Oscar eligible
1. Jeff Nichols - Take Shelter
2. Will Reiser - 50/50
*3. Paul Laverty - Even the Rain
4. Woody Allen - Midnight in Paris
*5. Quientin Dupieux - Rubber
6. Thomas McCarthy - Win Win
7. Jonathan Raymond - Meek’s Cutoff
Best Lead Actor Performances of 2011
I saw 80+ 2011 films that included all the Oscar Best Picture Nominees as well as basically anything I found intriguing or had overwhelmingly positive reviews. Below I will rank my Top 5 Lead Actor Performances of 2011 and supply links to my thoughts on the films they are from. These five performances are what I believe deserved the Oscar Nominations.
1. Michael Shannon - Take Shelter
2. Demian Bichir - A Better Life
3. Brad Pitt - Moneyball
4. Tom Hardy - Warrior
5. Gary Oldman - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Best Lead Actress Performances of 2011
I saw 80+ 2011 films that included all the Oscar Best Picture Nominees as well as basically anything I found intriguing or had overwhelmingly positive reviews. Below I will rank my Top 5 Lead Actress Performances of 2011 and supply links to my thoughts on the films they are from. These five performances are what I believe deserved the Oscar Nominations.
(I expand beyond 5 when a film isn’t Oscar eligible)
* denotes not being Oscar eligible
*1. Lubna Azabal - Incendies
2. Michelle Williams - Meek’s Cutoff
3. Viola Davis - The Help
4. Elizabeth Olsen - Martha Marcy May Marlene
5. Saoirse Ronan - Hanna
6. Michelle Williams - My Week With Marilyn
Best Supporting Actor Performances of 2011
I saw 80+ 2011 films that included all the Oscar Best Picture Nominees as well as basically anything I found intriguing or had overwhelmingly positive reviews. Below I will rank my Top 5 Supporting Actor Performances of 2011 and supply links to my thoughts on the films they are from. These five performances are what I believe deserved the Oscar Nominations.
(I expand beyond 5 when a film isn’t Oscar eligible)
* denotes not being Oscar eligible
1. Nick Nolte - Warrior
2. Brad Pitt - The Tree of Life
*3. Stephen Spinella - Rubber
4. John C. Reilly - Cedar Rapids
5. Phillip Seymour Hoffman - Moneyball
6. Kenneth Branagh - My Week With Marilyn
Best Supporting Actress Performances of 2011
I saw 80+ 2011 films that included all the Oscar Best Picture Nominees as well as basically anything I found intriguing or had overwhelmingly positive reviews. Below I will rank my Top 5 Supporting Actress Performances of 2011 and supply links to my thoughts on the films they are from. These five performances are what I believe deserved the Oscar Nominations.
1. Jessica Chastain - Take Shelter
2. Charlotte Gainsbourg - Melancholia
3. Berenice Bejo - The Artist
4. Shailene Woodley - The Descendants
5. Octavia Spencer - The Help
My 10 Most Anticipated Film Releases of 2012
When the year comes near an end and I start looking at the film release schedule for the beginning of the year to come, it’s hard not to get depressed. There’s tons of seemingly uninspired crap films on their way, but I decided to dig a little and try and find some of the interesting stuff that the 2012 year in film may bring. I found some stuff to get me excited. Below I will list the ten films (in alphabetical order) I am most looking forward to that are tentatively scheduled to release in 2012. In many cases there is very little information, so these choices often come down to things as simple as who is directing, who is starring, or if the short (generic, unofficial) synopsis sounds intriguing. I guarantee there are many really interesting films coming in 2012 that I have no knowledge of that will end up being favorites of mine, but here are the ones that have somehow come to my attention and I can’t wait to view.
Cloud Atlas
Directed and Screenplay by Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachowski and Lana Wachowski, Starring Jim Sturgess, Tom Hanks, Hugo Weaving, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent and Hugh Grant
Short Synopsis- Six stories set in a different time and place become intricately related to each other.
Why- I recently read the fascinating, mostly fulfilling novel that the film is based on. I’m excited to see how and what they do with these stories. The scope of the novel was massive and it seems almost unfilmable, so I am excited to see if they can pull it off. The directing duties were split two ways, with Tykwer filming half and the Wachowski’s filming the rest. Taking on this novel is hugely ambitious.
Worry- As much as I admired and often enjoyed the book, it didn’t completely pay off for me. I only have half-hearted faith in the Wachowski’s (I dug THE MATRIX, but their last film being SPEED RACER is worrying) The book’s unique structure is unlikely to be followed for the film.
ETA- October 2012
The Dark Knight Rises
Directed by Christopher Nolan, Screenplay by Christopher Nolan and Jonathan Nolan, Starring Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Morgan Freeman and Gary Oldman
Short Synopsis- Eight years after the events of The Dark Knight, the terrorist leader Bane arrives in Gotham City, pushing it and its police force to their limits, forcing its former hero Batman to resurface after taking the fall for Harvey Dent’s crimes.
Why- I will always be interested in what Christopher Nolan offers up and I feel he is coming off his best two films in The Dark Knight and Inception. Nolan is working at the top of his game and has again assembled a great cast including Tom Hardy, a favorite of mine as the villain, Bane. I am a Batman fan as well.
Worry- Catwoman. Catwoman helped to drag down Burton’s otherwise enjoyable BATMAN RETURNS and I worry the character and Hathaway in the role could help do the same here.
ETA- July 2012
Dark Shadows
Directed by Tim Burton, Screenplay by Seth Grahame-Smith, Starring Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Eva Green, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jackie Earle Haley and Michelle Pfeiffer
Short Synopsis- A gothic-horror tale centering on the life of vampire Barnabas Collins and his run-ins with various monsters, witches, werewolves and ghosts. Based on the cult TV series.
Why- I remain a big Burton/Depp fan. Others have jumped the ship, but besides ALICE IN WONDERLAND, I still enjoy all of their collaborations, with ED WOOD being one of my all-time favorite films. I’ll take Depp working with Burton all day over him making another PIRATES movie. A kool cast has been assembled and this is material that Burton should be able to have fun with.
Worry- ALICE IN WONDERLAND put a scare into me. After making what I believe to be an amazing and ballsy film in SWEENEY TODD (A hard R rated musical!), Burton put out what seemed a lazy effort in his worst film in along time, ALICE IN WONDERLAND. (Only PLANET OF THE APES is worse) Also, screenwriter Seth Grahame-Smith is a complete wildcard as this is his first film.
ETA- May 2012
Gangster Squad
Directed by Ruben Fleischer, Screenplay by Paul Lieberman, Starring Ryan Gosling, Sean Penn, Emma Stone, Josh Brolin, Giovanni Ribisi and Nick Nolte
Short Synopsis- A chronicle of the LAPD’s fight to keep East Coast Mafia types out of Los Angeles in the 1940s and 50s.
Why- The cast looks great with Gosling, Penn and Nolte being favorites of mine. The time period and synopsis has me picturing something along the lines of LA CONFIDENTIAL.
Worry- Having Ruben Fleischer on board as the director scares me. He only has two films to his name, ZOMBIELAND, which was mildly enjoyable and 30 MINUTES OR LESS, which was painfully bad.
ETA- October 2012
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Directed by Peter Jackson, Screenplay by Peter Jackson, Guillermo del Toro, Fran Walsh and Phillipa Boyens, Starring Martin Freeman, Ian McKellan, Andy Serkis, Benedict Cumberbatch, Elijah Wood and Stephen Fry
Short Synopsis- Bilbo Baggins, a Hobbit, journeys to the Lonely Mountain accompanied by a group of dwarves to reclaim a treasure taken from them by the dragon Smaug.
Why- I adore the LORD OF THE RINGS films, THE HOBBIT book and most things Middle Earth. I can be a sucker for a sweeping epic and am happy Peter Jackson is back on board to helm it.
Worry- By making it two films, will the story be stretched thin? Will Jackson feel the need to jam a bunch of unnecessary characters from the other RINGS films into THE HOBBIT for their cameos?
ETA- December 2012
The Master
Directed and Screenplay by Paul Thomas Anderson, Starring Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams and Laura Dern
Short Synopsis- A 1950s-set drama centered on the relationship between a charismatic intellectual known as “the Master” whose faith-based organization begins to catch on in America, and a young drifter who becomes his right-hand man.
Why- Paul Thomas Anderson is one of the absolute best and most uncompromising writer/directors working. Phillip Seymour Hoffman is as good an actor as there is working today, so teaming him up with PTA, adding in Amy Adams, Joaquin Phoenix and telling a story that reportedly touches on the rise of Scientology means I’m counting the days until it’s released! This is the closest thing to a surefire masterpiece as 2012 can offer.
Worry- PTA has made one very indulgent film I didn’t care too much for, MAGNOLIA, but it was still fascinating, so I’m not worried.
ETA- Late 2012
Moonrise Kingdom
Directed by Wes Anderson, Screenplay by Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola, Starring Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward, Bill Murray, Ed Norton, Bruce Willis and Frances McDormand
Short Synopsis- A pair of lovers flee their New England town, which causes a local search party to fan out and find them.
Why- The appeal here is simple: Wes Anderson wrote and directed it and the cast supporting the two kid leads is fantastic, including Ed Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, Bruce Willis, Harvey Keitel and Jason Schwartzman.
Worry- The fact that the films leads are unknown kid actors and the synopsis as a whole doesn’t excite me, but I’ve never disliked a Wes Anderson film.
ETA- May 2012
Seven Psychopaths
Directed and Screenplay by Martin McDonagh, Starring Colin Farrell, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Christopher Walken, Olga Kurylenko and Abbie Cornish
Short Synopsis- A screenwriter gets caught up in his pal’s dog-kidnapping plot.
Why- Here again the appeal is the cast and writer/director. 2008’s IN BRUGES was one of my favorite films of the year and writer/director Martin McDonagh’s first feature film. The cast for SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS includes some acting favorites of mine, Sam Rockwell, Woody Harrelson and Tom Waits as well as the always entertaining Christopher Walken and sometimes entertaining Colin Farrell (he was great in IN BRUGES) The premise seems ripe for offbeat comedy.
Worry- The sample size on McDonagh is tiny and Colin Farrell as a lead has often not delivered.
ETA- No Idea
Wettest County
Directed by John Hillcoat, Screenplay by Nick Cave, Starring Tom Hardy, Jessica Chastain, Shia LaBeouf, Gary Oldman, Mia Wasikowska and Guy Pearce
Short Synopsis- Set in the Depression-era Franklin County, Virginia, a bootlegging gang is threatened by authorities who want a cut of their profits.
Why- Director John Hillcoat and screenwriter/musician Nick Cave’s last two collaborations, the gritty Austrailian western, THE PROPOSITION and the grim post-apocalyptic survival story, THE ROAD really worked for me, so this film excites me. The subject matter is appealing and again the cast looks special with Hardy, Oldman and Pearce being a big draw. I like what I’ve seen from Wasikowska and Chastain as well.
Worry- I have a tiny worry about the film being dumped in March instead of the prime “Oscar” months, but THE ROAD got the same treatment and delivered. The big worry and true “X” factor is Shia LaBeouf. I’m of the belief the guy has SOME talent, but he has made some garbage movies and there was huge on set friction between him and Hardy, which led to a fight and now Hardy taking shots at him in interviews. I just hope Shia doesn’t ruin what could be an awesome film.
ETA- April 2012
Wrong
Directed and Screenplay by Quentin Dupieux, Starring Jack Plotnick, Eric Judor, William Fichtner, Alexis Dziena and Steve Little
Short Synopsis- Dolph searches for his lost dog, but through encounters with a nympho pizza-delivery girl, a jogging neighbor seeking the absolute, and a mysterious righter of wrongs, he may eventually lose his mind… and his identity.
Why- Director, writer and electronic musician etc Quentin Dupieux aka Mr. Oizo made one of the oddest, funniest, cleverest and overall most enjoyable films of 2011, RUBBER. It came out of nowhere and really made an impression on me, so I am ready for whatever crazy shit he will bring us next.
Worry- This film could be ANYTHING, which is exciting, but potentially scary.
ETA- No Idea
My Top 5 Films of 2011’s First Half
2011 is halfway over, so I have decided to compile a list of my Top 5 2011 US releases to date. The first half of the year is always the weak half, with usually only a few gems to go along with the high quality foreign films that spill over from the previous years Oscars race. Due to most of the interesting films being scheduled to release in the prime Oscar slots in late fall, I have only seen twenty films so far. I’d expect that number to triple or quadruple by the time I compile my year end lists. Of the twenty I have seen, there were a number of very good ones, enough to allow me to compile a list of films I feel strongly for. I don’t know if any of these five will make my year end Top 10 or if the order will change, but they are some pretty damn good films.
Click the title in order to read my extensive thoughts on each of these films.
#1. Even the Rain
#2. Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives
#3. Phil Ochs: There But For Fortune
#4. The Tree of Life
#5. Win Win
Since there has been a lull in interesting theatrical releases, below I will list and go into five of my many many pet peeves in films. Being a bit neurotic, there are oftentimes little things in films that make me cringe, or at least bother me and hurt my enjoyment, things that often may go unnoticed or be shrugged off by others. So, here are some of the common things in films that drive me nuts.
Stylized Violence-
In general I am not a huge fan of action movies or big action set-pieces, but as with any type or style of film, if it is done well, I will likely enjoy it. (There are many “Action” movies I DO enjoy) I’m not sure if anything annoys me more than really flashy stylized fighting. I’m talking about the slo-mo, rotating camera, completely unbelievable stuff. The stuff that has to be presented the way it is because no one is even close to capable of pulling off the moves. Or you could just call it every film Zack Snyder has ever directed. It seems that in the last 12 years since THE MATRIX released, everyone has been ripping it’s style off and almost always making worse films in doing so. (I liked THE MATRIX) I find the use of this technique the most bothersome if it is used in an otherwise somewhat realistic film. A good example of cringe inducing stylized fighting is in THE WATCHMEN. It wasn’t an entirely realistic film, but the character of Rorschach was “real”. He wasn’t some martial arts master, but instead a very tough, gritty, and tenacious little fuck, yet Snyder decided he needed a long unrealistic ultra slo-mo karate fight scene. Blah! I knew right then that the film would blow.
Mixing Old White People with Stereotypical Hip-Hop Culture for Humor Purposes-
This is something I have done a really good job or avoiding over the years, but still come across here and there. Essentially what annoys me is when an old white guy or woman ends up wearing stereotypical “gangster” type clothing (baggy clothes, gold chains, gold teeth, etc) and they either rap, flash “gang signs” or speak in stereotypical slang for humor purposes. This seems to be something that a TON of writers think is funny, but almost never is and is usually embarrassing and offensive instead. Good older comedians seem to end up falling into this trap often, like Steve Martin in BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE.(pictured above) A Film like DOWN TO EARTH, with Chris Rock seems to be based almost completely on the idea that people will find it funny for Chris Rock’s words to be coming out of an Old White Businessman’s mouth. Another bad/good example is the 90 year old woman in THE WEDDING SINGER performing “Rapper’s Delight”. This stuff needs to stop!
YouTube Clips in Serious Documentaries-
I adore a thought provoking or really eye-opening Documentary, which of late there have been many. What I cannot stand is when the filmmaker feels the need to lighten things up, or give the audience a break from what may be distressing subject matter and throw in some “zany” YouTube video clip to make you laugh. I think a lot of these guys have seen the success that Michael Moore has had in getting his messages across and his films seen by mixing in some humor with his information, but most of his humor comes from who he is. I know Alex Gibney specifically throws this stuff into his films or equally awful, he chooses “ironic” songs that when put in the film out of context are supposed to be funny in the way they connect to the material. When I am watching a Documentary about Jack Abramoff illegally screwing people over and making crooked politicians rich in CASINO JACK AND THE UNITED STATES OF MONEY, I do not need to see clips from 1980’s Dolph Lundgren films. I don’t need a laugh, I need information, but even worse it isn’t funny anyways. I think when dealing with serious subject matter, the best Docs are the ones bursting with information and insight, while not wasting it’s time on all the “cutesy” diversions.
Annoying Story Framing Devices-
This has to do with choosing annoying ways in which to frame your story, often having to do with someone old telling the story, while reflecting back on their life. There are many examples of these types of framing devices that work well, but I rarely think it is the best option. The recent prime example that really grated at me was THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON. In that film you had a very old, Cate Blanchett lying on her deathbed during Hurricane Katrina, telling the story of her and Benjamin’s lives. (pictured above) I thought shoehorning Katrina in was a bad choice, but beyond that, the biggest problem was having to hear this breathy, muffled, unpleasant voice of the dying Blanchett. The character is struggling to even speak and it is just awful to listen to. For a film that wanted some emotional investment in it’s audience, it failed, because these scenes were comically horrid and took me out of the story every time.
Profound Statements Instantly Sobering a Drunk or High Person-
My complaint here has to do with all the situations in films where a character is really drunk or high and completely out of control, making awful, often life altering decisions and someone close to them says something profound, often a speech, that really cuts to the heart of the drunk character and he or she seems to immediately sober. It is as if harsh and true words were some sort of antidote for drugs and alcohol, but anyone who has dealt with a wildly intoxicated person knows otherwise.
In this post I will rank what I believe to be the Top 10 Films released in 2010. I viewed 70ish films from 2010, including all the Best Picture nominees and usually the things I thought had potential to be good or had a lot of positive things being written about them. This list expands beyond 10 because there are films on it that are worthy, but are not eligible for the Oscars due to being 2009 Foreign Oscar submissions, but not getting their US release until 2010. In those cases I have placed an * next to them and expanded my list so that the list would reflect what I believe deserve the 10 Oscar nominations for Best Picture. I thought it was a fantastically deep year in film.
Click the film title to link to my thoughts on the film.
TOP 10 (12) FILMS OF 2010
1. 127 Hours
2. Inception
3. A Prophet*
4. The Fighter
9. Inside Job
10. Toy Story 3
11. Exit Through the Gift Shop
Best Directors and Writers of 2010
In this post I will list and rank what I believe to be the Top 5 Directing and Top 5 Writing achievements from films released in 2010. I viewed 70ish films from 2010, including all the Best Picture nominees and usually the things I thought had potential to be good or had a lot of positive things being written about them. Both of these lists expand beyond 5 because there are films on them that are worthy, but are not eligible for the Oscars due to being 2009 Foreign Oscar submissions, but not getting their US release until 2010. In those cases I have placed an * next to them and expanded my list so that the list would reflect what I believe deserve the Oscar nominations. For Writing, I combined Original Screenplays and Adapted Screenplays. Adapted Screenplays will have a # after the title.
Click the film title to link to my thoughts on the film.
Directors
1. Christopher Nolan - Inception
2. Martin Scorsese - Shutter Island
3. Juan Jose Campanella - The Secret in Their Eyes *
4. David O. Russell - The Fighter
5. Derek Cianfrance - Blue Valentine
6. Jacques Audiard - A Prophet *
7. Danny Boyle - 127 Hours
Writers
1. Christopher Nolan - Inception
2. Juan Jose Campanella & Eduardo Sacheri - The Secret in Their Eyes *#
3. Alex Garland - Never Let Me Go #
4. Jacques Audiard & Thomas Bidegain - A Prophet
5. Aaron Sorkin - The Social Network #
6. Michael Arndt - Toy Story 3 #
7. Debra Granik & Anne Rosellini - Winter’s Bone #
Best Acting Performances of 2010
In this post I will list and rank what I believe to be the Top 5 Lead and Supporting Acting performances for both actors and actresses from films released in 2010. I viewed 70ish films from 2010, including all the Best Picture nominees and usually the things I thought had potential to be good or had a lot of positive things being written about them. Some of these lists may expand beyond 5 because there are performances in films that are worthy, but are not eligible for the Oscars due to being in 2009 Foreign Oscar submissions, but not getting their US release until 2010. In those cases I have placed an * next to them and expanded my list so that the list would reflect what I believe deserve the Oscar nominations.
Click the film title to link to my thoughts on the film.
Best Actor
1. James Franco - 127 Hours
2. Leonardo DiCaprio - Shutter Island
3. Ryan Gosling - Blue Valentine
4. Tahar Rahim - A Prophet *
5. Colin Firth - The King’s Speech
6. Jesse Eisenberg - The Social Network
Best Actress
1. Carey Mulligan - Never Let Me Go
2. Jennifer Lawrence - Winter’s Bone
3. Annette Bening - The Kids are All Right
4. Michelle Williams - Blue Valentine
5. Natalie Portman - Black Swan
Best Supporting Actor
1. Christian Bale - The Fighter
2. Sam Rockwell - Conviction
3. John Ortiz - Jack Goes Boating
4. Mark Ruffalo - The Kids are All Right
5. Ben Mendelsohn - Animal Kingdom
Best Supporting Actress
1. Melissa Leo -The Fighter
2. Chloe Moretz - Kick-Ass
3. Amy Adams - The Fighter
4. Juliette Lewis - Conviction
5. Kristin Scott Thomas - Nowhere Boy
Best Documentary and Animated Films of 2010
In this post I will list and rank what I believe to be the Top 5 Documentaries and Top 3 Animated Films I viewed that were released in 2010. These lists reflect what I believe deserved the Oscar nominations.
Click the film title to link to my thoughts on the film.
Documentaries
1. Inside Job
3. GasLand
Animated Films
1. Toy Story 3
Ten Most Anticipated Film Releases of 2011
Below I will list the ten films (in random order) I am most looking forward to that are tentatively scheduled to release in 2011, give the reasons why and any worries I have about the film. In many cases there is very little information, so these choices often come down to things as simple as who is directing, who is starring, or if the short (generic, unofficial) synopsis sounds intriguing. I guarantee there are many really interesting films coming in 2011 that I have no knowledge of that will end up being favorites of mine, but here are the ones that have somehow come to my attention and I can not wait to view.
Hugo Cabret
Directed by Martin Scorsese, Screenplay by John Logan, Starring Chloe Moretz, Jude Law, Sacha Baron Cohen, Emily Mortimer, Christopher Lee, and Ben Kingsley
Short Synopsis- Set in 1930s Paris, an orphan who lives in the walls of a train station is wrapped up in a mystery involving his late father and an automaton
Why? Anytime Martin Scorsese makes a film it is likely to be my most anticipated for that year. This is Scorsese’s attempt to show the validity of 3D as he films the whole thing with 3D cameras. Chloe Moretz has already shown me she is very capable of carrying a film.
Worry- I don’t want it be a kids film and hope it isn’t just a technical masterpiece, but rather a great film.
J Edgar
Directed by Clint Eastwood, Screenplay by Dustin Lance Black, Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Charlize Theron, Armie Hammer and Judi Dench
Short Synopsis- Biopic on FBI director J. Edgar Hoover, focusing on his scandalous career and controversial private life as a homosexual and rumored cross dresser
Why? J Edgar Hoover should be a fascinating man to explore. DiCaprio in a biopic is really exciting, as I found his portrayal of Howard Hughes to be sublime. Dustin Lance Black also wrote the wonderful “Milk”.
Worry- Will it get released this year? Eastwood films always underwhelm me, even when the subject matter is appealing. I worry that Eastwood’s minimalist (lazy?) directing style may be a shock for DiCaprio and may not allow him to give the performance he is capable of.
The Rum Diary
Directed by Bruce Robinson, Screenplay by Bruce Robinson, Starring Johnny Depp, Amber Heard, Aaron Eckhart, Giovanni Ribisi and Richard Jenkins
Short Synopsis- Paul Kemp is a freelance journalist who finds himself at a critical turning point in his life while writing for a run-down newspaper in the Caribbean
Why? I am excited for any adaptation from a Hunter S. Thompson work, even if it is a weaker work, like “Rum Dairy”. I adore Hunter, loved the adaptation of “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” and liked what became “Where the Buffalo Roam”. I am a big Depp fan as well and this was a passion project of his. I’m excited to hear people’s reaction to this mostly plotless “story”.
Worry- It has been sitting on the shelf waiting for release for a very long time. I hope that the reason it is sitting there is because they do not know how to market it, rather than it being an awful film.
The Ides of March
Directed by George Clooney, Screenplay by George Clooney and Grant Heslov, Starring Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Paul Giamatti, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood
Short Synopsis- An idealistic staffer for a newbie presidential candidate gets a crash course on dirty politics during his stint on the campaign trail
Why? While I find Clooney the actor to be overrated, he makes very good choices when directing. (“Good Night and Good Luck” “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind”) Any cast with Hoffman and Giamatti is pretty exciting, while getting into the ugly nuts and bolts of politics should be maddening, but entertaining.
Worry- I’ve never seen what others have in Ryan Gosling. (I haven’t seen “Blue Valentine” yet)
The Tree of Life
Directed by Terrence Malick, Screenplay by Terrence Malick, Starring Brad Pitt, Sean Penn and Jessica Chastain
Short Synopsis- The story centers around a family with three boys in the 1950s. The eldest son witnesses the loss of innocence
Why? This has been unbelievably hyped for a long time, due to it’s release being pushed back so many times and the great secrecy that Malick works under. I like Penn, think Pitt makes interesting film choices and think the film has a chance to be a really beautiful epic. (or not) Dinosaurs!
Worry- It is so over-hyped that it is almost impossible for it not to be a bit of a letdown.
Moneyball
Directed by Bennett Miller, Screenplay by Aaron Sorkin and Steve Zaillian, Starring Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Robin Wright, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and Chris Pratt
Short Synopsis- The story of Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane successful attempt to put together a baseball club on a budget, by employing computer-generated analysis to draft his players
Why? I really liked Bennett Miller’s last film Capote. I am a big baseball fan. I am really intrigued as to how this source material will be turned into a dramatic film not just aimed at big baseball fans.
Worry- Is there a story here?
A Dangerous Method
Directed by David Cronenberg, Play by Christopher Hampton, Starring Viggo Mortenson, Keira Knightley, Michael Fassbender and Vincent Cassel
Short Synopsis- A look at how the intense relationship between Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud gives birth to psychoanalysis
Why? I am relatively inexperienced with Cronenberg mostly due to me not loving what I have seen, but Viggo playing Freud is enough here. I expect this to be a very different film than the Cronenberg films I have seen.
Worry- Cronenberg has yet to win me over.
Source Code
Directed by Duncan Jones, Screenplay by Ben Ripley, Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Fermiga and Jeffrey Wright
Short Synopsis- An action thriller centered on a soldier who wakes up in the body of an unknown man and discovers he’s part of a mission to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train
Why? Jones’ “Moon” was my favorite film of 2009. I am excited to see what Jones can do not being on a shoestring budget.
Worry- Jones didn’t write this like he did “Moon”. The trailer makes the film look interesting in some ways, but pretty conventional in others. I just want this to make money so he can make his own films.
At Swim-Two-Birds
Directed by Brendan Gleeson, Screenplay by Brendan Gleeson, Starring Cillian Murphey, Michael Fassbender, Colin Farrell and Jonathan Rhys Meyers
Short Synopsis- A playwright’s life begins to mingle with the fictional characters he has created
Why? “In Bruges” leaves me with good feelings toward Gleeson and Farrell. Just reading the synopsis of the book this is adapted from makes me want to read it. I think it could be a very different type of film.
Worry- Will it be made in time?Gleeson is a first time director. If this material is done in the wrong way it seems like the type of thing that could become a bit of a joke.
This Must Be the Place
Directed by Paolo Sorrentino, Screenplay by Umberto Contarello and Paolo Sorrentino, Starring Sean Penn, Frances McDormand and Harry Dean Stanton
Short Synopsis- A bored, retired rock star sets out to find his father’s executioner, an ex-Nazi war criminal who is a refugee in the U.S.
Why? I Like Penn, McDormand, and a Lynch favorite, Stanton. The pictures of Penn for this film are ridiculous and the synopsis sounds promising.
Worry- I have no experience with the director. I hope Penn doesn’t go “Mystic River” on us by going WAY over-the-top with what appears to be an absurd character.
A special mention to HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2, which would have made this list if I didn’t already know that I don’t particularly love the ending, nonetheless, I am excited for it.
This is my list, in alphabetical order, of the Ten active Directors whose future films I most want to view, regardless of subject matter. These are Directors whose past work has entertained and/or intrigued me enough that they can basically do as they please and I will run to the theater to see it. Many of these Directors have a very original and distinct look and feel to their films. This was a hard list to compile, as there are many more Directors who fit into this category for me, but here is the final list of Ten! OK, there are really 11. I wrote up the list of 10 and noticed I forgot about one. I couldn’t take anyone off, so it is 11! Deal with it!
Paul Thomas Anderson
Favorite Film: Punch-Drunk Love
I was a little late to the PTA bandwagon, since I am not one of those who LOVED or even liked “Magnolia”, but I am a fan now. The uncomfortable feeling he is able to force on the audience while watching “Punch-Drunk Love” is like nothing I have ever experienced while watching a film. He takes his time (4 films in 13 years) and writes all his own films, which really makes the films his own. He has a great group of actors, including Phillip Seymour Hoffman, who he has worked with since the beginning. He is only 40 and really has some unbelievable potential.
Darren Aronofsky
Favorite Film: The Fountain
I became an Aronofsky fan right in the beginning, with “Pi”. I think “The Fountain” is a masterpiece and unlike anything I have seen in a long time. He is completely uncompromising as a director. I think he is at his best when writing his own material, as he did his first three films. I have fears that he will not always be able to find the money to make the films he wants, since he isn’t a commercial director at all, and he will end up either having to direct other people’s less interesting scripts, as he has since “The Fountain” flopped, or not make anything. At 41, he also has tons of potential if he can keep getting funded.
Tim Burton
Favorite Film: Ed Wood
I love Tim Burton and have since I can remember. He has a whole filmography full of films I adore. His visual style is unlike anyone else in cinema. He has a great partner in Depp, who is willing to try anything. He is at the point in which he has made studios so much money that he can do as he pleases. I really hope he uses this position that very few others have ever been in, to make interesting films he really wants to make that studios usually wouldn’t go for. At 52 years old, I think we still have a lot of Burton left to see. I have a feeling that the older he gets, the weirder the shit may get, which is great!
Shane Carruth
Favorite Film: Primer
It took me a while to find it, but Shane’s only film, which he also wrote, ”Primer” blew me away. The producton values are unbelievably low. The acting is pretty awful, but the IDEA shows through it all. It is such a thrilling, intelligent film. Shane Carruth is 38 years old and is working on what sounds like a crazy script. I have major doubts he is going to get the money to make it, but I really want to see if he has more great stuff in him, or if he is the next Richard Kelly and flames out after one film.
Joel & Ethan Coen
Favorite Film: No Country for Old Men
The first Coen film I loved was “Fargo”. These guys will no doubt be on all the “Best Director’s of All-Time” lists in the future. They have almost 30 years worth of very high quality work, filled with what people would now call “Coen” characters. No one writes characters like the Coen’s. I am a very big fan and believe they continue to get better. They write all their own films and waste no time between films. Even at ages 55 and 52, I expect the onslaught of great Coen films (4 in the last 4 years) to continue for a good while.
Terry Gilliam
Favorite Film: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
“Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” was the first Gilliam film I fell in love with. I have done the same with more since. Terry Gilliam is a visionary, a very stubborn visionary. You know a Gilliam film without a doubt when you see one. He, like Burton is an illustrator, which shows in his work. He has only made 11 films in 35 years, due to his infamous battles with narrow-minded studio executives that could only be rivaled by Orson Welles own battles with suits. His career has been severely crippled by studio’s branding him as a madman who will go over budget and not compromise. When he is allowed to make his film, the way he wants, it is a beautiful thing. At 69 years old, he doesn’t have a ton of time left to direct, and with the major trouble in getting films financed and distributed lately, I fear us viewers will miss out on some great things that only a Gilliam film can give us.
Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Favorite Film: Delicatessen
I was a very late addition to the Jeunet fan club, but watched his films chronologically. I loved “Delicatessen”, for its dark humor and overall offbeat feel and just went from there. This is another director whose films have special touches only he would add. He is whimsical and very dark at times, in the same way as a Gilliam or a Burton. He is able to get very big budgets for a French director, making French films. He took his stab at American Film, “Alien Resurrection” and now is back where he is more comfortable; making the films he wants to in French. He writes all his own films. He didn’t make his first film until he was 38 and is 57 now, but I expect much more from Mr. Jeunet.
Duncan Jones
Favorite Film: Moon
Duncan Jones has only made one film. That film was “Moon”, which he wrote and was my favorite film of 2009. He was able to make such a beautiful film and spend next to nothing to do it, by being creative. He has struck up a strong friendship with Sam Rockwell and they have a ton of big ideas for future films. He is 39 now and if he can make some money with his next studio film, which he did not write, he should be in a position to start putting his big Sci-Fi ideas on screen and I cannot wait.
Charlie Kaufman
Favorite Film: Synecdoche, New York
Charlie Kaufman is an interesting addition to this list. He has directed only one film, “Synecdoche, New York”, which I did not really like. He is on this list because he is a one of a kind screenwriter, with a head full of ideas no one but Charlie Kaufman could think of. He is completely unafraid of an audience not being able to follow his films. He isn’t commercial and everything he does is very high-concept. While I did not enjoy “Synechdoche, New York” and do not know if he will ever get the chance to make his own film again, if he does I will be there. He is 51 years old and I expect at least a few more Kaufman films to blow our minds.
Christopher Nolan
Favorite Film: Inception
Christopher Nolan is a man with big ideas, who is now in the position to make any film he wants at any price. The first Nolan film I went for was “Memento”. I have enjoyed everything the guy has ever made. He has written all his films, with the exception of “Insomnia”. His films are all smart, usually challenging, and look great. He now is able to get top talent for everything he does and has a chance to become a Great director, with mainstream success, which very few achieve. At 40 years old and the position he has put himself in with the box-office successes, we can expect some films in his future like nothing we have ever seen.
Martin Scorsese
Favorite Film: Taxi Driver
The first Marty film I loved was “Goodfellas”. I believe “Taxi Driver” to be the best film I have ever seen and Marty to be the best director I have ever seen. He is a very stylish and technically unbelievable director. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of film. He has formed Director/Actor partnerships that have really benefited himself and the actors involved. At 68 years old, Marty does have some films left in him. Because he wants his films to be seen, he works within the studio system, which sadly doesn’t even give Martin Fucking Scorsese carte blanche. He still struggles to make the films HE wants to make. Everything he makes is great, but I really hope Marty gets to make the passion projects he has been waiting so long to make, before his time directing is over.
King Marty! Ranking Martin Scorsese’s Filmography.
To me, Martin Scorsese is the KING. I believe him to be the best filmmaker I have ever seen the work of. He has made some of the greatest films of all-time and helped bring some of the greatest performances out of his actors. His films have an energy no one has been able to duplicate. He has been very prolific, with twenty one feature films as well as ten documentaries. (Another example of Coke paying off for an artist!) He has an encyclopedic knowledge of film that is unparallelled. His absolute love of film is always evident. He has dedicated his whole life to film and we are all the more lucky for it. While I wish he were able to just go make exactly the films he wishes to, he like so many others has had to work within the Hollywood system. He has had his “dream projects” sidetracked because studios want something else. He has had to make films like “Cape Fear” or “The Departed” for the studio, in order for them to allow him to make the deeply personal films he wants. In the end, when looking at Marty’s body of work, I believe it to be on a level all it’s own. I will continue to eagerly anticipate everything he sends to our theaters, because at age 67, Marty is still operating at a very very high level. Below I will rank Martin Scorsese’s complete feature film (no Documentaries) filmography, starting with the bad (yes, he like all the others has made some bad) and working my way to the best! (Yes, this will mostly be a lovefest.) This list is very fluid and subject to change in my head as early as five seconds after posting.
NOT GOOD
#21. Boxcar Bertha- This is an example of Marty having to make a crappy, cheap, insubstantial, exploitation film for the often shit-peddling Producer Harvey Corman. There was no money or time to shoot this thing and by looking at the finished product it shows. The story is weak and the acting is weak. Luckily this was just a very early stepping stone onto much better things.
#20. The Age of Innocence- While Marty claims it to be his best film, the subject matter of this film was of zero interest to me. It was a well-acted, pretty good looking period piece starring Daniel Day-Lewis that felt like a marathon. It would be good if you are a fan of long camera shots of extravagant late 19th century New York food.
#19. Who’s That Knocking At My Door- This was Scorsese’s first film and you could see some major glimpses of what would become his style. His use of music, themes of guilt, and lack of tight plot were all on display, but I think it just falls short after having already seen his later work. Without having seen basically his whole life’s work before this film, my feelings may have been different. I think the acting was pretty weak, and there just wasn’t enough there in the story to support a full length film.
#18. New York, New York- I found this to be a difficult watch. For some reason Liza Minnelli drove me crazy and I thought it was the least interesting De Niro character in a Scorsese film. The musical aspect of the film was a big turn off to me as well. He made a film unlike anything else being made in the 70’s, but I think it was a big miss.
DECENT
#17. Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore- The film has a very good performance by Ellen Burstyn in the lead, which earned her an Oscar. While funny at times, I found the story to be only marginally interesting and I don’t think Kris Kristofferson brought much to his major role.
#16. The Color of Money- This film is kind of fun. It is fun to watch Tom Cruise be a moron and Paul Newman scowl his way to an Oscar. It is interesting to see Scorsese really pull out all his camera tricks during pathetic pool scenes. While I wish Marty had spent his time making something more worthwhile, this film is VERY 80’s and a pretty funny watch because of it.
#15. Kundun- I believe this was a “passion project” for Marty. It is a pretty interesting look at the new Dalai Lama from 1937-1959, but even with its 134 minute running time, it tried to cover too much in too little time and didn’t become the film it probably could have been. It was a big Box-Office flop as you would imagine a film about the Dalai Lama would be.
GOOD STUFF
#14. After Hours- While kind of a throwaway to me in ways, this was a ridiculous, chaotic, and often funny look at a one man’s bad-luck night in New York City. This is relentlessly bizarre This film is pretty entertaining, but lacks a real lasting appeal to me. There is also the inherent humor that comes with it being a very 80’s film again to me. I think it is kind of a forgotten Scorsese film.
#13. Cape Fear- De Niro is really intense and good in this film as the ex-convict Madman Max Cady. He earned a Best Actor Oscar Nomination for his role. This is an entertaining film, but it plays too over the top for me to call it a really good Scorsese film. It is a film De Niro was more excited to make than Marty was.
#12. Gangs of New York- This was another or Marty’s “passion projects”. I believe this to be the last film before DiCaprio really developed into a great actor. Sadly, in this film he and Cameron Diaz are way over-matched by Daniel Day-Lewis in his Oscar Nominated role as Bill The Butcher. Because the Butcher is such a dynamic character, I found myself wishing he were on screen throughout the scenes in which he wasn’t. This is an epic that is quite good, but is missing a few components that could have made it great.
#11. Bringing Out The Dead- This a very underrated Scorsese film. Nicolas Cage is at his best here and has his craziness at a high, but perfect level. This is a pretty crazy film, that to me feels a bit like a welcome re-visitation to the world of “Taxi Driver”. John Goodman and Tom Sizemore are great in their supporting roles as well. It is a little odd how much I like this film, without really caring that much for the main plot. The characters, visuals, and atmosphere are great and make up for the so-so plot.
VERY GOOD
#10. Casino- To this date, I believe this to be De Niro’s last great acting job. He and Joe Pesci are fantastic. This is subject matter Marty had already dealt with many times, but is done really well. This film looks and feels exactly like a Scorsese film. The one huge drawback to me was the ungodly annoying character Sharon Stone got her Oscar Nomination for playing. She was painful to watch.
SPECIAL
#9. The Last Temptation of Christ- This was an obviously controversial film, that was boycotted and picketed heavily for it’s portrayal as Jesus Christ as imperfect. It is also extremely interesting, thought provoking subject matter. Willem Dafoe is pretty special as Jesus, while other actors range from ok to good. David Bowie plays Pontius Pilate! This was a Scorsese “passion project” that took forever to finally get made, but I’m very happy it did. There are a few cheesy effects, but this film, which earned Marty a Best Director Oscar Nomination is pretty special.
#8. The Departed- While this being a mob film is right up Scorsese’s alley, I think the implementation of a tight plot makes this film very different than almost anything he has done before. This is a really well acted, tense, stylish film. DiCaprio is great in here playing the type of character no one would have dreamed he could ever play during his “Titanic” time. This was one of the few Best Picture Oscar winners I have agreed with. This is also the film Marty FINALLY got his Best Director Oscar win for.
#7. Raging Bull- This Best Picture Oscar Nominated film is by most considered to be Scorsese’s Masterpiece, with The American Film Institute naming it the 4th best film of all-time. De Niro’s Oscar winning portrayal as Boxer Jake La Motta is also considered by many to be the greatest performance of all time. Marty also got a Best Director Oscar Nomination. I cannot argue with any of the acclaim this receives, as it is a great film. The physical transformations De Niro made for this film are unbelievable and some of the scenes between Pesci and De Niro are some of the best Scorsese has ever filmed.
#6. Shutter Island- This was a critically pounded film that I believe is much, much better than many people think. I am interested to see if time changes the view people have of this film. This is Marty making a really suspenseful, paranoid, mystery/noir genre film. The cinematography is masterful. DiCaprio gives an amazing, tense performance. I think this film has a very high rewatchability value to it, in which you get different things out of it on second and third viewing.
#5. Mean Streets- This is the film that put Martin Scorsese on the map. In his third feature film, Marty shows you what a Scorsese film looks and sounds like and it is great. There are great performances by Keitel and De Niro, as well as great camera work and musical choices. I really love this film as you can see the beginning of what would be an amazing career. This was Marty’s first great film.
#4. The King of Comedy- This is a severely overlooked Scorsese gem. De Niro is amazing, playing a character very different from anything he had before or has again. I Love Rupert Pupkin! Marty believes this to be the best performance of De Niro’s career. The film really pushes some buttons and makes the viewer feel uncomfortable and embarrassed, while watching Rupert try to get close to fame any way he can. Hell, even Sandra Bernhard and Jerry Lewis are good in this. This is a Special film.
#3. The Aviator- This garnered Best Picture, Best Director for Marty, and Best Actor for Leo nominations as well as winning five Oscars including one for Cate Blanchette. I believe this to be DiCaprio’s career best performance and the point in which he became a great actor. It took a second viewing five years later for me to fall in love with this film, but I did. The intense character study of an endlessly fascinating man coupled with all the stuff involving Howard Hughes obsession with making films really did it for me. I also loved seeing all the old Hollywood glitzy nonsense. This film is filled with great acting and is beautiful to look at.
PERFECTION
#2. Goodfellas- This is a Masterpiece without question. (How the FUCK did it lose to “Dances With Wolves”) This goes side by side with “The Godfather” as the best mafia film ever made. De Niro, Pesci (who won an Oscar), Bracco, and even Liotta as well as pretty much everyone else is great in this. It has a plot, but it is loose and you really just glide along with fascinating characters in a fascinating world. This film has some of the most iconic scenes of all-time (I’m funny how? I mean, funny like I’m a clown?) including the legendary tracking shot leading you through the restaurant. This is one of the best film ever made.
#1. Taxi Driver- Taxi Driver is the best film I have ever seen. It is a character study at it’s best. Robert De Niro is perfect as Travis Bickle. I always have a hard time explaining why this is such a great film, but it is completely engrossing to try and get inside Travis Bickle’s lonely, confused, possibly deranged mind. The scenes where you just slowly take in ugly New York City along with Travis and his boiling disgust are wonderful. The scenes with Travis and Betsy (Cybil Shepherd) are really uncomfortable to watch in a good way. This was the beginning of a good writing relationship between Paul Schrader and Marty. De Niro and Jodie Foster both received Oscar Nominations as did the film for Best Picture, which it lost to ROCKY?????? Good God, who voted on that one??
5 Films that Made Me Cry (or come damn close)
I do not cry much during films for several reasons. One reason being that I tend to not go see too many films who set out to make the viewer cry. Another reason being that I, like most will fight hard not to cry at the theater. That being said I am somewhat prone to tearing up and often the tears weren’t earned. Below I will briefly discuss 5 films I distinctly remember either crying during or coming damn close.
Big Fish- This is a Film I absolutely love and see in some ways as Burton stepping outside his comfort zone and in others seems right in his wheelhouse. Many didn’t get what they wanted from it as a Burton film, but for me it is one of his best. I cry or come close every time I see this film. The tears are because of a touching ending between father and son played by Albert Finney and Billy Crudup. There is some sadness mixed in because of the impending death, but the tears are really having to do with the son finally getting what his father is all about and the moments they share at the end.
Finding Neverland- This film was something I wasn’t so sure I would like, but saw in the theater because of it’s Best Picture nomination in 2005. I really enjoy this film and believe while his character was a bit of an eccentric for the time and place, Depp’s performance is pretty tame and very good. It isn’t the zany performance many have come to expect from the man. I also cry or come close every time I see this film. The tears and emotion in this film again are brought about mostly by a touching ending with a little sadness because of an impending death. The scene is the children performing “Peter Pan” for their dying mother in her home, which is wonderfully done with the mixture of real and fantasy.
Milk- This was a story I didn’t know and wanted to learn. I expected to like this and it is damn good. It was my second favorite film of 2008. While I thought Sean Penn’s Oscar for Mystic River was laughable (ungodly overacting), his Oscar for “Milk” was a no-brainer to me. I have sadly only seen this once at this point, but the tears were close to flowing when I did see it. After spending two hours getting to know Harvey Milk and seeing the special person he was the tears were brought on by sadness after his death. It was made clear in the beginning of the film that Harvey would die, but that did not lessen the impact or emotion when Harvey did die later in the film, which demonstrates how much I as a viewer grew to care for the man.
Everybody’s Fine-I saw this strictly because it had De Niro and Rockwell in it even though it didn’t look promising. De Niro’s performance was low-key and quite good, but this was basically a Lifetime movie with some A-list actors and a theatrical release. The near tears in this film came with a death near the end and were barely earned. The film really tries to push the emotional buttons of the viewer without really giving you enough time to get to know and care about the characters. I nearly cried because I was invested enough in De Niro’s character, but am not sure I should have been or if others would be. In retrospect it felt like a cheap, emotionally exploitative Lifetime movie.
Moon-I expected to like this film based on Rockwell and it being directed by Bowie’s son Duncan Jones, but it really blew me away and was my favorite film of 2009. The film was sadly overlooked for major U.S. film awards because the distribution company have no money for a campaign or to even send screeners out for voters to watch. The near crying emotional part of this film was for me one single scene of Sam Rockwell’s character talking to his daughter on earth and finally understanding the situation. It is unbelievable to be the way the film made me feel that much for a clone.
Best (and worst) of Burton. Ranking Tim Burton’s Filmography.
It seems that Director Tim Burton has sort of become a punching bag for many in recent years. Those critical of him like to point to his “visuals first approach to filmmaking” which they believe leaves much plot to be desired. I find it sad and ironic that these are the same people who praised Burton for that “visual uniqueness” early in his career. Othersmock Burton for single-handedly keeping Hot Topic in business with his rabid gothic teenage following, but to me as much as I do not enjoy having to see his films in a theater full of high schoolers, I believe the Hollywood capital Burton has earned with some of his hugely profitable films and film merchandise has and will allow him to cash that capital in and make things that very few others could get made. Let us not forget just 3 years ago he was able to convince a major studio to pay for a horrifically bloody R rated musical involving cannibalism! Tim Burton remains one of my favorite directors and below are my rankings of his complete filmography. (Yes, I know “A Nightmare Before Christmas” is omitted. That film was Tim’s baby, but he didn’t have the patience of knowledge at the time to direct a stop-motion animated film. Henry Selick directed it.)
NOT GOOD
#14. Planet of the Apes- Directing action sequences is not a strength of Burtons. Casting Marky Mark Wahlberg as the hero of the film was a huge mistake. Although watchable “Planet of the Apes” was really something that should have been left alone and not remade.
#13. Alice in Wonderland- Burton’s biggest money making film suffers badly from him using massive amounts of CGI for the first time in his career. The large cast of oddball characters seem less interesting than usual in a Burton film. A boring action climax leaves a sour taste in my mouth .It is an OK film, but I wish he had spent those 2 years on something more interesting.
GOOD STUFF
#12. Mars Attacks!- For being based on a set of trading cards this is a funny and ridiculous film. It is Burton’s stab at a goofy 70’s alien invasion disaster film filled with celebrities. While not one of Burton’s best it is still very entertaining and should be seen.
#11. The Corpse Bride- This is Burton’s first time actually directing a stop-motion animated film. The story is stretched pretty thin and has a hard time filling the 77 minute running time. The animation is beautiful and the characters are great. While it does pale in comparison to “A Nightmare Before Christmas” this is still a film I enjoy.
#10. Sleepy Hollow- This film to be succeeds mostly because of its amazing look and atmosphere it creates as well as a really interesting performance by Depp as Ichabod Crane. The film leaves me wanting something a little more, but really is another pretty good Burton film.
#9. Batman- I think this film works as a Burton film more so than a Batman film. I like and dislike some of the casting choices, with Keaton a pretty good Batman, but Nicholson has kind of been put to shame with Heath Ledger’s recent Joker portrayal. Of course, again the film looks great and I love how claustrophobic Gotham City feels.
#8. Batman Returns- This is pretty comparable to Burton’s original Batman film, but Walken’s Max Shreck and DeVito’s Penguin as well as a decidedly darker mood make this a better film. Catwoman should not have been included and hurt the film.
VERY GOOD
#7. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory- I loved the psychedelic look of this film. Danny Elfman’s music was great and reminded me so much of his Oingo Boingo stuff. I seem to be in the minority, but I LOVE Depp’s portrayal of Willy Wonka. As much as I love Gene Wilder and his Wonka portrayal, Burton’s film is a substantially better film.
#6. Beetlejuice- This film is an example of a theme present in many Burton films, which is a great performance and Burton injecting mass amounts of imagination with little funding to do so. Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice is a thing of disgusting beauty and the things Burton does with the cheesy special effects are perfect. Relatively bland performances by Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis are all that keep this film from being truly special, instead its just damn good.
SPECIAL
#5. Edward Scissorhands- This is the film that put Johnny Depp on the road to stardom and I feel really showed the genius that Tim Burton is. The outcast Edward Scissorhands is the defining character of Burton’s career. The suburban world Burton creates is truly horrifying. This is a special film.
#4. Sweeney Todd- I would have never believed a musical could be this good. The performances were great across the board. It was somehow funny and gruesome at the same time. The violence and blood were over the top, but did not take you out of the story. Burton’s vision of London was perfect for this story. This shows in ways how Burton can move outside his comfort zone and Depp should have won an Oscar.
#3. Big Fish- This is easily the most emotional and touching thing Burton has ever made. It has a brighter look than the usual Burton film. It is somehow the most real and most fairy tale story he has ever told. This story about stories is the best story Burton has put to film.
#2. Peewee’s Big Adventure- Paul Reubens is a genius. Peewee Herman is an icon. This is a hilarious, crazy film that has a bit of a surprisingly sinister feel to some of it. Danny Elfman’s score is great. Large Marge’s scene in her semi truck is about as good as it gets. This is Burton’s first film and one of my favorite films ever made.
PERFECTION
#1. Ed Wood- This biopic of the infamous film director Edward D. Wood Jr. is perfection. The large cast of outcast characters are immensely entertaining. Martin Landau’s Oscar winning performance as Bela Lugosi is amazing. Depp’s performance is easily the best of his career and should have won him an Oscar as well. It’s impossible not to fall in love with the always enthusiastic, cross dressing Ed Wood. Even though it killed its box office hopes Burton was completely right to fight hard to keep this film in black and white. This is my second favorite film I have ever seen and a absolute MASTERPIECE.
#5 Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight”
#4 Darren Aronofsky’s “The Fountain”
#3 Duncan Jones’ “Moon”
#2 Joel and Ethan Coen’s “No Country For Old Men”
#1 David Fincher’s “Zodiac”
Obviously none of you will agree with this list, but you are WRONG!
After seeing 50 2009 films including all 10 Best Picture Oscar nominees and every other film that looked appealing to me, this is my Top 10 list in reverse order.
#10 Anvil! The Story of Anvil
#9 Avatar
#8 The Lovely Bones
#7 Star Trek
#6 The Road
#5 Coraline
#4 The Cove
#3 In the Loop
#2 Mary and Max
#1 Moon
These ratings were my feeling at the time and have not been revisited.
#1. The Dark Knight—————————9
#2. Milk————————————————-8
#3. In Bruges—————————————8
#4. Waltz With Bashir————————-8
#5. Wall-E———————————————7
These ratings were my feeling at the time and have not been revisited.
#5. The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters
#4. Ratatouille
#3. Sweeney Todd
#2. Zodiac
#1. No Country For Old Men
