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movies filterDecember 29 My Top Ten Movies Of 2008
2008, the year of death, decay and the wisdom of the beautiful loser. The year movie stars examined their own mortality and fading beauty via their on-screen personas (Brad Pitt, Mickey Rourke and Clint Eastwood, who managed to be as cute as Sarah Silverman while delivering his racial humor -- I'm still wondering if that was his point -- and I'm still fond of his weirdly toned movie.) The year Heath left us and Mickey came back and Robert Downey Jr. became a superhero. The year that actually made me examine the deeper implications of Quiet Riot's "Bang Your Head" (real and appropiate title, "Mental Health"). Here's my top ten movies of 2008: Starting with... The Wrestler
I never gave up on Mickey Rourke -- ever. One of my favorite actors, the mysterious, seductive American exotic with that whispery voice that was at once sexy and conspiratorial, the actor who always leans into his conversation, as if you were the only person in the world, never left my viewing. He's an odd guy, a tortured soul, but one of the screen's most exceptional players, an actor who can funnel his uniquely soulful strangeness into any part -- even opposite the Marlboro Man (not kidding) and especially in underrated movies like the surrealistic Double Team or the sublime Bullet (a movie everyone must see -- junkie Rourke drowning his inner city blues to the swooning sounds of Barry White is not to be missed). And let’s not forget his bravura performances in The Rainmaker, Animal Factory and The Pledge in which (in his only scene) he gives us the most soul crushing moment of the entire picture. Sure, he’s back, but he was still great. His first born again splash was Sin City, the good Frank Miller movie that gave the actor terrific reviews. But we couldn't really see him. After all, this is the same beauty who at one point was deemed the next Brando (with Diner, The Pope of Greenwich Village, Rumble Fish and Barfly), so I yearned to watch that face again, no matter how much older and odder it may appear these days.
Enter Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler. And there’s that face again! Nothing can take away inner charisma, and The Wrestler proves it. Rourke is the picture, and though there are many scenes I could discuss -- there's one that remains my favorite -- one that's so overwhelmingly touching, so disarming, you're a little amazed by how hard it hits you -- and it doesn't occur in the wrestling ring. It's a sequence showing Mickey Rourke's washed-up, stuck-in-the-'80s wrestler, Randy "The Ram" Robinson working at a supermarket deli. He hides his bleached-blond lion's pride underneath a plastic cap while doling out pasta mixes and specific slices for the purpose most of us can understand: to keep a roof over his head. But it's not simply the sadness of Randy's past glory submerged in a soul-crushing job that moves us -- it's because he's actually good at it and, even better, so sly and charming and entertaining to his customers, that you see both the innumerable possibilities for a man who chose bloody smack downs, self-inflected razor cuts and the fearsome folding-chair treatment as his life's work, and exactly why he was so great at it. And bless him for it. It's the kind of sacrifice that makes Rourke's character (and real-life persona) deserve every ounce of our love, even if he considers himself a "broken-down piece of meat." But then every moment in Aronofsky's raggedly beautiful, extraordinarily wistful, perfectly nuanced and wonderfully acted picture lifts itself above easy sentimentality and tired fallen champ axioms. This is partially for the director's gritty artistry and genuine soulfulness -- never once do we feel like he's mocking wrestling or Rourke's Randy, or rendering either as a pitiful joke. But it's mostly because of Rourke's naked, heart-wrenching, art-imitating-life performance. This is blood, sweat and tears (quite literally) on a whole other inspired level. I don’t take the Oscars too seriously, but I swear, if he doesn't get nominated for The Wrestler, I'll ... I don't know ... take a cue from the movie, crank up "Sweet Child O' Mine" and start crying. Read my entire list here. --posted by Kim December 25 Merry Christmas With Seven Screwy Santas
I've always loved Santa Claus, but not only for the supposed gift giving and seasonal sweetness (which is wonderful of course.) No, I love Santa, in part for frequently appearing so...disturbed. Santa Claus is just inherently creepy. Any guy who knows when you’ve been sleeping, when you’ve been awake and when you’ve been bad or good is going to create a little tension in your life. And though one usually thinks of Santa as that jolly old fat man in a red suit riding a sleigh stuffed with presents, in world history, he’s quite a bit darker. For instance in Austria, Santa used to partner up with a devil figure named Krampus who would beat the naughty kids with switches. Santa and Satan? (Come to think of it, that would make for a really good movie -- Krampus sounds scary or...really pretentious).
But speaking of movies (and what else would I be speaking of?), cinema well understands not only the goodwill and joy that the holiday’s can bring but also the anxiety and terror. Bob Clark's brilliant sorority house slasher/masterpiece Black Christmas, a movie I've written about numerous times, put me in a morbid mood, so I thought I'd look at the darker side of Christmas via, who better? Santa Claus himself. Be them drunks, sociopaths or green Grinches, here’s my seven screwy (and in the case of Popeye Doyle) sexy Santas.
Billy Bob Thornton in Bad Santa (2003) I know this comparison is rote but...is Terry Zwigoff’s Bad Santa the Citizen Kane of Santa movies? I think so. It's certainly more the true re-make of How the Grinch Stole Christmas than Ron Howard's horrid attempt. The story of a thieving, drunken, lecherous, cantankerous, no good son of a bitch (etc. and so on) Department Store Santa is one of the most subversive Christmas movies ever made and also, surprisingly, one of the most touching. Billy Bob Thornton carves out a role that is now iconic -- stumbling through the movie with such assured misanthropy that at a certain point, you’re actually impressed.
And if any of you have felt cranky during Christmastime, you can relate. As for me, I might not get busy in a dressing room with an extra large lady (so great), but I understand the nastiness. And yet, crude humor aside, Bad Santa truly does examine the real meaning of the spirit of Christmas with a foul mouthed message that’s strangely powerful. Robert Brian Wilson in Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984) Thank God for outraged mothers -- if not for their, uh, valiant (and successful) efforts to ban Silent Night, Deadly Night from movie theaters, we might have forgotten this 80’s slasher milestone. Because the controversy (and poster of Santa coming down the chimney with an axe) is honestly the only thing that makes this film at all memorable. That and the unusually good looking Robert Brian Wilson (who looks like he’s pissed he didn’t get that Calvin Klein contract) as a sociopathic Santa. The filmmakers had something with the story -- that of a little boy who, after witnessing the brutal killing of his parents by a homicidal, rapist Santa Claus, grows into a murderous department store St. Nick -- but they botch up their premise with horrid technique, zero tension and un-clever sleaze. Still, the film remains required viewing (you’ve got to see it once) for both the anti-Christmas classic crowd and those sanctimonious mother’s who banned it in the first place. And you know at least half of them rented it eventually....and liked it. Read my entire list here. And Merry Christmas! --posted by Kim December 16 MSN's Top Ten Movies Of 2008Welcome to the second annual MSN Movies' Top 10 films poll. We are continuing our, ahem, long tradition of presenting 10 view points from 10 critics that add up to some sort of hodgepodge representing the best movies of 2008. The method is simple: 10 critics vote for their 10 favorite films. Films are assigned points based on their ranking -- and ta-da: What develops is a list that no one is happy about but sure causes much heated debate -- at least among ourselves and hopefully with you as well. I have no doubt that this year, you'll have plenty to say. See, it was a weird year at the movies. As in, outside of a few splendid titles, Hollywood stunk up the joint. Why? Remember that writers' strike? Turned out to not be good for anyone, movie-goers included. Instead, to find great movies, you had to look outside of Hollywood offering and span the globe or duck into art-house theaters. And because of this, the voting in this year's poll was all over the place. Forty-four films received votes, but only two films were voted as No. 1 (compare that to last year, when "No Country for Old Men" steamrolled the competition, earning six No. 1 votes). This year's voting was much tighter (forcing us to do more math. We hate math.), and the titles selected are more obscure. How obscure? Four of the top 5 are foreign-language films, whereas the fifth is a small, independently produced film that, nonetheless, will probably loom large come Oscar time. Last year, studios dominated our top 10. This year, they only produced three of our top titles. So, what I'm trying to say is this: You may not have seen (hell, you may not have heard of) some of the titles on our list ... and some won't open for several weeks. But do yourself a favor and seek them out. Many are calling 2008 a horrible year for movies (especially because 2007 was one of the best year's in recent memory). However, there were many great titles, if you looked in the right places. We hope these essays explain why these films are fantastic and thereby encourage you to discover them. At the end of the gallery list, we've included links to either send us an e-mail with your own list of top films or sound off on our message boards. Ultimately, we hope this list inspires you to check out these terrific films. Here's the list... --posted by Kim
December 14 Whatever Happened To Hockey's Hanson Brothers?
I realize there are probably multiple reasons why Sean Avery was kicked off the Dallas Stars and yes, his comments regarding ex girlfriend Elisha Cuthbert ("sloppy seconds") were on the far side of classy but...come on. All of these people need to sit down and watch the hockey classic "Slap Shot" for a little foul mouthed reflection. From Puck Daddy: "Falling on his sword in front of his teammates and attempting to convince them that, like Michael Richards and Mel Gibson before him, the issues that motivated his detrimental behavior had been medicinally addressed. "The problem, however, was that the Stars made it publically and perfectly clear they weren't going to listen. Mike Modano, who is the Dallas Stars, said Avery had tarnished the franchise. Coach Dave Tippett, whom Avery directly insulted by calling his 'sloppy seconds' press conference, told the media that 'I find it hard to believe that Sean could come back in that dressing room and we could find that continuity again.' "The bridges still smoldering, Dallas management made it official today that Avery would not return to the team; although they'll still pay him and continue to support his therapy. " Two words -- Jack Robinson. "Slap Shot" fans know what I'm talking about. --posted by Kim December 13 'Defiance' Interviews
Watch my interview with Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber and Jamie Bell for their upcoming picture, "Defiance." --posted by Kim December 10 Samuel L. Jackson On A.A. in L.A.Samuel L. Jackson rules:
"Hollywood actor Samuel L. Jackson refuses to seek counselling for his ongoing struggle with drink and drugs - because the therapy groups near his home in Los Angeles are 'just too weird'.
"The 'Pulp Fiction' star battled an addiction to booze and illegal substances before a stint in rehab in 1990 forced him to get clean. And although Jackson has been sober for 18 years, he would ideally like to continue therapy to help steer him away from temptation - but Jackson has a strong dislike of the Alcoholics Anonymous meetings in LA.
"He says, 'It's just too weird. You hear guys saying stuff like, 'I've been hitting the red wine too heavy and I need to stop, but I want to keep smoking reefer (cannabis) and doing cocaine.'
"'In New York, rehab is for real. You sit next to guys who were IV users, guys who stole s**t, guys who sold their bodies. In Los Angeles you're sitting next to a guy who wants to go easy on the fine wine. Man, that's a symptom of something right there.'"
Yes, what's wrong is a pathological need for attention, waaaay too much therapy, a chance to network and the refusal to give up their beloved cocaine. Hey, early morning shoots are a pain the a** right? Thank you Mr. Jackson.
--posted by Kim
Best And Worst Careers Of 2008
Maybe 2007 left us spoiled. With future classics like "Zodiac," "No Country for Old Men" and "There Will Be Blood" gracing our screens, 2008, so far, feels a little less ... significant. But that was on first glimpse; now that we've dug in and really looked back through the entire year, we can safely say (and the year's not over yet) that 2008 has been interesting, unexpected -- especially when it comes to performers. Comedians who are usually funny, like Mike Myers and Will Ferrell, were outshined by actors who are usually brooding, like James Franco, care of his brilliant comedic turn in "Pineapple Express." Actors who used to open movies large, like Meg Ryan or Nicolas Cage, were blown away by the box office power that is ... Robert Downey Jr. (Yes!) Meryl Streep sang ABBA songs, Anne Hathaway played a drug addict, Josh Brolin aped George W. Bush and Harvey Milk assassin Dan White, Tom Cruise wore a fat suit and M. Night Shyamalan made one of the funniest movies of the year (OK, unintentionally, but still). With this in mind, we're looking at the best and worst careers of 2008 -- a weird year, a year not filled with classics, but one we might remember more than we know. Best! Robert Downey Jr.: For me, Robert Downey Jr. was back in 2006, thanks to his wry and kookily soulful performance in Shane Black's vastly underrated "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang." But no one saw that movie (big hint: Rent it). But there's no denying that 2008 has been the year, the comeback for this sometimes brilliant, always unique, scene-stealing talent. This is the year he became a full-fledged movie star. Years back, when he suffered on the brink of chemical destruction, when he was falling asleep on strangers' couches, when he was serving jail time, one might have never imagined such a thing. But in an inspirational turnaround, Downey soared, not only with the box office smash "Iron Man," a movie that's grossed more than half a billion dollars, but with his daring performance (in blackface!) in "Tropic Thunder," a movie he stole from the likes of Ben Stiller and Jack Black. And he's now officially on a roll. Next up, "The Soloist" with Jamie Foxx (directed by Joe Wright, who handled "Atonement") and the role of a certain famed detective in a picture Guy Ritchie better not botch: "Sherlock Holmes." But no worries: With Downey in the lead, there's no way the picture can't be interesting. Damn, the guy really is some kind of superhero. WORST! Meg Ryan: Ah, I feel terrible putting adorable, mop-topped Meg Ryan in the worst category. For one, Hollywood is unkind to aging actresses, especially if they excel at playing the constantly frustrated cutie-pie (Helen Mirren roles will not be coming their way). And for two, Miss Ryan probably thought starring in the remake of George Cukor's 1939 classic "The Women" was just the ticket to her possible Michelle Pfeiffer-like, I'm-still-here splash. But alas, the movie was a dud, even when Ryan surrounded herself with actresses who've handled themselves quite well past their 40s (Annette Bening, Bette Midler, Candice Bergen, Carrie Fisher and Cloris Leachman). I'm not sure what could restore Ryan's career (a sequel to "When Harry Met Sally," only darker and directed by Neil LaBute?), but she needs to reassess her projects. Or nab a hit TV show. Help her, Candice Bergen. Read my entire list including Danny McBride and Mickey Rourke (god bless him!) here. --posted by Kim December 05 The Famous Monster Has Left The Building, Forest J Ackerman: 1916-2008 A huge part of Hollywood has left us. He lived long and famously but he will be forever missed:
"92-year-old science-fiction fan Forest J. Ackerman - founder of Famous Monsters of Filmland- died last night, just before midnight. Ackerman became famous as the world’s number one fan of sci-fi, fantasy, and horror films; at a time when the genre was considered beneath contempt by the mainstream media, he started the very first magazine devoted to the genre, Famous Monsters, which became famous for offering a cornucopia of rare and amazing still photographs, usually captioned with Ackerman’s infamous bad puns (e.g., a shot of a robot being repaired in FUTURE WORLD was accompanied by this bon mot: 'First a Clockwork Orange. Now a Clockwork Lemon,' a joke so weak that Ackerman felt the need to explain that the robot kept malfunctioning). Fortunately, the silliness became part of the magazine’s charm, and eager monsters kids were thrilled to have a publication that filled with interviews and articles about everything from Dracula to Godzilla."
Read more here. And Rest in Peace Mr. Ackerman. You made this town a better place, you cared about its history, and you inspired others to realize why your kind of passion is so important in this often, all too shallow, of-the-now industry.
--posted by Kim Don't Forget The First Half Of 2008 If you're struggling through your top ten list for 2008, there are a lot of sites who got to them early, mapping out their best films halfway through the year. Yeah, halfway, which means most of these movies are not very good. Seriously, "Cloverfield?" Do we remember? Now we do.
Here's a sample via Cinematical:
"July 1 means that the year is officially half-over (figured that out all by myself), so I figure it might be fun to pick back over the past six months and offer a list of my very favorite flicks of the year. I've long since given up trying to differentiate between "the best films of the year" and "my favorite films of the year," but seeing as they'd both originate in the same brain, I figure they're pretty much the same thing. Some of my choices will be obvious, but (hopefully) some won't. And get this: Some of 'em are horror movies. (A film must have received a North American theatrical release prior to 7/1 in order to qualify.)
"January -- Not many choices, really, but I'm an enthusiastic supporter of both 'Cloverfield' and 'Teeth.' I also enjoyed 'Cassandra's Dream' a bit more than most folks seem to, but it's hardly among Woody Allen's best movies. Beyond that, January was as lame as ever. (Thanks for nothing: 'One Missed Call,' 'First Sunday,' 'Mad Money,' 'Rambo,' 'Untraceable', and the execrable 'Meet the Spartans.')
"February -- Things certainly started getting a little better around groundhog time. I found 'In Bruges' to be a stunningly unexpected treat; 'The Spiderwick Chronicles' a very fun cross between 'Potter' and 'Gremlins;' 'Diary of the Dead' a very welcome departure from zombie lord George Romero; 'The Signal' a mico-budget mini-masterpiece, and 'Semi-Pro' to be very funny and entirely forgettable. Special mention to the (surprise hit, but critically underrated) 'Vantage Point,' which really deserves a second look. (Stinkers: 'The Eye,' 'Strange Wilderness,' and 'Jumper'.)"t
Read all of the months listed through June 2008. And remember "In Bruges" -- it still remains one of the best movies of the year.
--posted by Kim December 01 Christmas Puts A Stake In Vampires
Looks like teen vampires could not contend with the contentious glamour of family (dysfunctional family) over Thanksgiving holiday. Reese and Vince topped the box office with "Four Christmases" (yes, we're all on a first name basis here). "Thanksgiving weekend movie crowds gobbled up the Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn holiday comedy 'Four Christmases,' which debuted at No. 1 with $31.7 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.
"The Warner Bros. release, featuring Witherspoon and Vaughn as a couple suffering through four separate family holiday gatherings, raised its total to $46.7 million since opening Wednesday to get a head start on the long weekend. "In terms of revenue, it was Hollywood's second-biggest Thanksgiving period ever. The top 12 movies took in $223.7 million from Wednesday to Sunday, trailing only the $232.2 million haul over Thanksgiving in 2000."
Here's the top five movies over the weekend: 1. "Four Christmases," $31.7 million. 2. "Bolt," $26.6 million. 3. "Twilight," $26.4 million. 4. "Quantum of Solace," $19.5 million. 5. "Australia," $14.8 million. --posted by Kim Bad-Ass Brits
Picture, if you will, Hugh Grant in high pursuit, spraying rounds of bullets out of a fast-moving car. You can't? All right, how about Hugh Grant clad in a bat suit gliding over Gotham, taking on the unpredictable carnage of the Joker? No, not possible? OK, how about Hugh Grant screaming, "This is Sparta!" to a group of overzealous Greek soldiers? Not working for you? No? Maybe times have officially changed.
Not that we're trying to be hard on Mr. Grant. The immensely popular actor and box office attraction of the 1990s is still doing well, still funny, still relevant. But he's just not made from the same cloth as cinema's current crop of U.K. studs, actors who can deliver a mean Shakespearean monologue while punching the lights out of some sorry sucker. Daniel Craig, the blond Bond of "Quantum of Solace," perfectly showcases these qualities -- a classically trained actor and badass action hero.
Though the United Kingdom has boasted decades of angry young men and gritty, kitchen-sink cinema, the region seems to be producing scores of men you don't want to cross on a foggy night. Here are 10 of our favorites.
Starting with...
Jason Statham Read my entire list here.
--posted by Kim November 27 Happy Thanksgiving: Food On Film
Happy Thanksgiving! I choose to celebrate with some of my favorite food on film moments. Bon Appetit! Sugar High: "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory" (1971)
Best Restaurant Order: "Five Easy Pieces" (1970)
Prison Food: "Goodfellas" (1990)
Another Reason You Shouldn't Eat at the Olive Garden: "Big Night" (1996)
French Kiss: "Babette's Feast" (1987)
All You Ever Wanted to Know About Chicken but Were Afraid to Ask: "To Catch A Thief "(1955) Just As Good:
"Cool Hand Luke’s" Paul Newman eating fifty eggs in one hour. Catherine Deneuve's rabbit insanity in "Repulsion." The maple syrup moment in "To Kill A Mockingbird." Charlie Chaplin eating his shoe in "The Gold Rush." Mickey Rourke’s popcorn surprise in "Diner." The great rare steak stand-off in "Mommie Dearest." James Cagney shoving a grapefuit in Mae Clark's face in "Public Enemy."
Woody Allen and Diane Keaton attempting to cook lobster in "Annie Hall." Chianti, Fava Beans and liver from "The Silence of the Lambs." The drugged, demonic chocolate "mouse" served to Mia Farrow in "Rosemary’s Baby." Read more from my Greatest Food Moments piece at MSN. --posted by Kim November 21 Screaming Tweens Never Get OldSince there's no way in hell I'm going to actually get into a screening of a little movie called "Twilight" today, I'm choosing to watch these horrified screaming girls over and over and over again instead. These girls are taking this fan thing and not effing around. Yes, they are very expressive but...oddly awesome for it. Tell us how you really feel girls. (Thank you Best Week Ever)
--posted by Kim Roger Ebert: Man In The Mirror
This may be one of the greatest pieces Roger Ebert has ever written. Why this man has not penned an autobiography is beyond me, but his writing seems to get better the older and more wonderfully bemused he gets: "What does it feel like to resemble the Phantom of the Opera? You learn to live with it. I've never concerned myself overmuch about how I looked. I got a lot of practice at indifference during my years as the Michelin Man. "Yes, years before I acquired my present problems, I was not merely fat, but was universally known as 'the fat one,' to distinguish me from 'the thin one,' who was Gene Siskel, who was not all that thin, but try telling that to Gene: "'Spoken like the gifted Haystacks Calhoun tribute artist that you are.' "'He was loved by his fans as a charming country boy,' I observed." Read his entire essay which also (bonus!) includes a hilarious outtake from the old show during which Roger and Gene riff off each other Don Rickles style. What pros. And what good, cynical sports. --posted by Kim November 20 Brad Pitt On 'Oprah' Still Makes Me Uncomfortable I know he's handsome, rich, famous, talented and married to one of the world's most beautiful women, but why do I always feel a little sorry for Brad Pitt's appearances on "Oprah"? He's incredibly gracious, but you really get the sense he doesn't want to be there.
That being said, most people don't want to be sweating their day shift at Sizzler so my sympathy will fade in about two minutes.
Here's some of the highlights:
"Brad Pitt sat down with Oprah two weeks ago, and the episode...finally aired on Wednesday. On the show, which he did to promote the upcoming 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,' Pitt talked about how funny his kids are, imitating Shiloh screaming and Zahara holding dog poop, how his life has changed, kiddie slumber parties and what life is like as a father of six and so much more."
I know he's sporting the stash for "Inglorious Bastards" but unlike most (who call it a porn-stash) I like it. I hope he keeps it.
Read more and watch the interview here.
--posted by Kim
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