5) Pete Docter & Bob Peterson's Up
Up is a magnificent achievement in 3D animation. It almost transcends what is considered a conventional animated feature, something that is only targeted to children. Up appeals to adults as much as children. I don't know how much children can relate to one of the main themes of the film, aging and loss. The fear of getting older and feeling like you have nothing to show for it except an empty house and a dead wife. Life is rejuvenated through the eyes of the protagonist, Carl Fredrickson, played wonderfully by Ed Asner. Up is a revelation and a true mark in animation.
4) Lone Scherfig's An Education
An Education is a very charming film. I dare anyone to watch this film and not smile and smirk your way through it. This is all based on the performances of the entire cast. From Alfred Molina, who plays a rather strict but loving father to Peter Sarsgaard, playing a very charming and hypnotic sophisticated pursuer of Jenny, played by Carey Mulligan, the pursued. Mulligan is a breathe of fresh air. So beautiful and smart, it's hard not to see why anyone wouldn't want to take her off to see the world. The subtlety of the dialogue comes from the novelist and music critic, Nick Hornby. With An Education, he show that he can make the transition from the book to the screen, so smoothly he still retains everything that makes him a very special writer.
3) Olivier Assayas' Summer Hours (L'heure d'été)
Summer Hours is an exceptional film about family, loss and memories. The story is of three siblings, played by Jeremie Renier, Juliette Binoche and Charles Berling, coming to terms with the loss of their mother and what exactly to do with her house in the French Countryside. This film tells its story through the objects in this house. Through their connections to these objects, their memories and a sense of nostalgia over powers them. Olivier Assayas plays this film so delicately, in lesser hands it would be too melodramatic but rather it comes off has heartfelt and realistic. This is a special sort of film that plays with the subtleties of life. I can easily see this film joining The Criterion Collection. I wonder if I can somehow influence that. ;)
2) Rian Johnson's The Brothers Bloom
This film is pretty much everything I personally look for in a movie. It's daring, exciting and wonderful to watch. Rian Johnson follows up his 2005 cult hit, Brick, with a film about two con artist brothers played by Mark Ruffalo and Adian Brody. It's half Wes Anderson, half Paul Thomas Anderson and all Rian Johnson. He is an exciting voice in cinema today and warrants all the attention that comes with it. Full of wacky characters like Penelope, played by Rachel Weiss, a well to do shut in who "collects" hobbies and Bang-Bang, played by the very funny Rinko Kikuchi, a tight-lipped Japanese explosive artist. The Brothers Bloom is one to watch for an cinema lover!
1) Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds
I breakdown the work of Quentin Tarantino into two distinct eras, The Classic (Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown) and The New (Kill Bill, Death Proof and Inglourious Basterds). Now, The Classics films are the ones that are set in reality. When we watch these films, we automatically think of Los Angeles, where they are set. These films are grounded in our reality which is why these films have a certain grit to them, that The New era just doesn't have. The New film are the ones that are completely set in a Tarantino reality. These films take place in Japan or Nazi occupied France but somehow they feel a little bit off. They belong in a world where Tarantino is The Fuckin' Master, I will say that again, The Fuckin' Master!
With that being said, I am not a fan of The New era of Quentin Tarantino. I missed the grit and grim of his former films. So when I first saw the trailer for Inglourious Basterds, I wasn't excited as I would've or should've been. Not impressed with Kill Bill Volume 2 or Death Proof, I was not looking forward to spending the time in his reality anymore. Sure these films are fun, but with Quentin Tarantino, I look for a little bit more. These films felt like someone was copying Tarantino rather than being Tarantino.
Much to my surprise when I found myself waiting in line to see Inglourious Basterds on its opening day. I found a seat at the Cobble Hill Cinema and waited for the lights to dim and the trailers to start. When the movie started with the title card, "Once Upon A Time In Nazi Occupied France...", I had a feeling this wasn't going to be a film that lacked the characteristics of The New era films. I sat there for the complete 2 and a half hour plus running time and was captivated, like I've never seen moving images projected on a screen before. The film flirted with the expectations of the audience scene after scene. He wasn't going to give you anything more than you needed to build upon. The film effortlessly went from language to language with such ease, as if Tarantino invented these words and sounds himself. The climax of the film leaves the audience reeling in their seats, applauding with joy then made to feel guilty after realizing what Tarantino has accomplished. This is his masterpiece and one that will be talked about for many, many years to come.
Honorable Mention:
Kathryn Bigelow's The Hurt Locker
James Cameron's Avatar
Spike Jonze's Where The Wild Things Are
Neill Blomkamp's District 9
J.J. Abrams' Star Trek
Mark Neveldine & Brian Taylor's Crank: High Voltage
0 comments:
Post a Comment