The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

And the Oscar goes to...whoops, have I spoken too soon? The Curious Case of Benjamin Button should come as no suprise that it is one of the best movies of 2008. Though it is a polar opposite of the 22 page short story, the 167 minute movie is satistfying. The movie is depressing and is themed with death, therefore many maybe uncomfortable with it.

Benjamin Button is truly a curious case. Played by Brad Pitt, he was born "under unusual circumstances" with the body of an 80 year old. Left on the doorstep of Queenie (Taraji P. Huston), the owner of a retirement home, he is adopted and is raised by her. Even more strange, he is becoming younger as people grow older. At the retirement home, he meets Daisy (Cate Blanchett), the love of his life. The movie chronicles his life adventures.

The movie is butt numbing to say the least. Though it may be well measured in time, it is 167 minutes and it does feel that way. Some parts of the movie aren't really all that necessary. I'm scared to know how long the director's cut is if one exists!

David Fincher's direction is amazing. Some shots are absolutely gorgeous such as the one in which he watches the sunrise with his biological father. Others are not including the war sequence which is filmed very well. Whether or not the movie's length is his fault or not we will never know, but he is forgiven.

Benjamin Button should see shiny statuettes in its future. Though the movie does seem to drag on a bit, it is well worth it. Taraji P. Huston, David Fincher, and the picture itself should be getting awards come February. The movie will captivate all viewers and the end will leave them in tears. As we see Benjamin age (or quite the opposite), we are him and we feel the pain he must be going through.

Eyes Without a Face (1960)

Eyes Without a Face is in French and subtitled in English. It is also called Les Yeux Sans Visage or The Horror Chamber of Dr. Faustus.

Eyes Without a Face is an odd cult classic. The movie is eerie and distubring and at the same time, amusing to watch. There is great direction and some really good special effects for its time. This little known chiller is surely an eye opener.

The strange story may sound slightly cliche, but that is only now. It is about Christiane, a sweet girl whose face has been horribly disfigured in a car accident and is now forced to wear a creepy mask. Her father, the person responsible for the accident, has concocted a plan with a nurse to give her a new face. The only way to do this is to graft the skin of other women onto hers. The events that follow are not easy to watch.

As I have previously mentioned, the effects in the movie are quite good. The one time we do see Christiane's face without the mask is shocking because it does look quite real. Also, the scene where the doctor cuts off a girl's face looks realistic. It is creepy how often the film feels real.

Unfortunately, the film is not known by very many, but it is a member of the Criterion Collection, therefore it gets the treatment it deserves on DVD. The stark black and white imagery is surreal and beautiful. Many may be scared away from the film by its subject matter, but one shouldn't. It probably may come off as hokey, but to me it is a creepy, very real movie.

Taxi Driver (1976)

One of Martin Scorcese's earliest is also one of his best. Taxi Driver remains a classic because it tells a timeless disturbing story and manages to get into the viewer's mind. Sad and honest, Taxi Driver delivers a great tale of mental deterioration and New York City. Early performances galore in this film.

Robert De Niro stars as Travis Bickle, a Vietnam veteran who returned home recently. He finds himself unable to sleep and, as a result, applies for a job as a cabby. He gets the job working for 6 PM-6 AM. What he sees disturbs him including a teenage prostitute who is beautifully played by Jodie Foster in her debut performance.

If it weren't for the acting, Taxi Driver could have been a film that people had forgot over the 32 years that it has been out. Albert Brooks is perfect as Tom and Cybil Sheperd is Betsy in a really early performance. As I have mentioned before, Jodie Foster does the part of Iris justice in fact so much that she was nominated for an Oscar for it. Harvey Keitel as Iris' pimp is amazing. Last, but surely not least, Robert De Niro is fantastic as the mentally insane Travis.

It is the violence in this film that causes us to remember it. Towards the end, a character's fingers get blown off by a gun. These days, this is nothing, but for the 70's this was really graphic. Still, the scenes with violence are disturbing, but not nearly as much as the used to be. A splatter of blood on a wall is no longer a taboo, it simply is very ordinary.

Taxi Driver is a memorable classic. The mental deterioration theme has been revisited in many films, but this is probably the most memorable case of it. Like many Scorcese films, when Taxi Driver gets into your head, it doesn't come out easily. The great ensemble cast and score by Bernard Herrman are superb. Martin Scorcese really makes the phrase "You talkin' ta me?" a memorable one.

Sin City (2005)

Before Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino teamed up for Grindhouse, they made Sin City. The adaptation of Frank Miller, the other director of this, is faithful and fun. The film is bloody and beautiful. It is hard not to be seduced by the red blood and black and white.

The film revolves around three stories of violence in Basin City, a city overrun by crime. There's Marv (Mickey Rourke), a man whose girlfriend was murdered while he was sleeping and is constantly searching for her killer. Then there is Dwight. Dwight (Clive Owen) is a man who is having an affair with a woman, played by Brittany Murphy, whose boyfriend's name is Jackie Boy (Benicio Del Toro). Jackie Boy and Dwight are determined to kill each other. The final story is Nancy Callahan (Jessica Alba), a stripper whose life is once again in danger. Luckily, Hartigan (Bruce Willis), an aging police officer, steps in to save her. Other cast members include Josh Harnett, Alexis Bledel, Rosario Dawson, and Carla Gugino.

Sin City is a cool update on film noir. The old genre is looked at through comic book eyes and taken to the screen in black and white. Blood appears in red (there's a lot of it in this flick) and yellow is seen on the ugly villain The Yellow Bastard. The fact that it is black and white makes the blood even more effective because one can really see it in contrast to the background. It's the graphic, bloody sequences that make this movie memorable.

People are now used to Frank Miller's films, but when this came out it was his first. Either you love it or you hate, but I really love it. Tomorrow marks the release of The Spirit, which I look forward to seeing, but it looks all too similar to this. Intelligent and gory, the seductive color makes Robert Rodriguez's film memorable and thrilling.

More Memorable Movie Moments

1. Sex and the City: The Movie: Mr. Big and Carrie finally get married-It only took 6 seasons and a two and half hour movie for it to happen, but they finally tied the knot. Women were left breathless and men said "Thank god", but even a man can't deny that the movie had its moments.

2. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull: Indy gets the Crystal Skull-Though the movie may have been criticized for the ultraweird ending, I actually liked it. The series had never ventured into the supernatural, but I thought it was cool when they did. Indy's trip to Area 51 was worth my ten dollars.

3. Vicky Cristina Barcelona: Maria Elena goes crazy-The scene where Maria Elena nearly shoots Vicky and Juan Antonio is both memorable and funny. Penelope Cruz's most memorable role in a long time proved well worth my money as well.

Notable Movies of 2008

Here they all are (in alphabetical order):
Australia
The Bank Job
Blindness
Burn After Reading
Changeling
Cloverfield
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Doubt
Frost/Nixon
Gran Torino
Happy Go Lucky
In Bruges
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Iron Man
Let the Right One In
Man on Wire
Milk
Pineapple Express
Quarantine
Rachel Getting Married
The Reader
Revolutionary Road
Sex and the City: The Movie
Shoot 'Em Up
Slumdog Millionaire
Synecdoche, New York
Transsiberian
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
The Visitor
WALL-E
Waltz With Bashir
Wanted
The Wrestler

The Best Movie Moments of 2008

As the year comes to a close, we look back on the best movie moments of 2008
1. The Dark Knight: The armored car chase/the pencil trick- You can't pick just one scene from The Dark Knight. The armored car chase is so good because of the amazing effects and some pretty good acting from Heath Ledger. The pencil trick is my favorite part. Why? The Joker says "Let me do a magic trick. I will make this pencil disappear." Then he shoves some guy's head down and sticks it into his eye.

2. WALL-E: The silent first half hour-Daring and cool, the silent first half hour spins new animation on the old genre of the silent movies. It basically says "Look how far we have come in the movie business". Pixar, as per usual, amazes me. In fact, even if it is the worst Pixar film, it is the worst of the best.

3. Wanted-The "goodbye" bullet/the train crash-Again, in Wanted there are way too many cool scenes to pick just one. Aside from the fact that Morgan Freeman utters the lines "Shoot this motherfucker!", the "goodbye" bullet scene is awesome because Angelina Jolie curves a bullet in a circle, killing five men and eventually taking herself as well. The train crash is just another cool rush of adrenaline.

4. Cloverfield-The monster throws the Statue of Liberty's head into a New York street-There isn't really much to say about the scene other than the fact that it is really memorable. Not often do PG-13 movies make such a lasting impression, but this one is a fun, new twist on the genre of the monster movie.

5. Iron Man-Iron Man takes flight-Seeing as Iron Man was such a surprise hit, it seems necessary to include it on the list. When he first lifts off from the ground, it is just so cool. This year was the year in intelligent superhero movies and this was just the beginning to this new genre.

Runners Up:
Australia-Darwin gets bombed
The Bank Job-The events after the bank is robbed
Pineapple Express-The ultraviolent ending

[REC] (2007) and Quarantine (2008)

REC is in Spanish with English subtitles. It also goes under the titles [REC] and REC. Unfortunately, it is unavailable on DVD in America. There is a possibility it will be released the same day as Quarantine on DVD. Quarantine is in English.

Although foreign films are the craze these days, it seems that one of the best never saw America. REC is a superb, chilling horror movie that should be more widely released. It did finally come to America in the form of Quarantine, a faithful remake. Both are good, but I like REC slightly more.

REC and Quarantine follow the same plot. Angela Vidal (Jenifer Carpenter in America) is a reporter who spends the night with a group of firefighters and her camerman. Soon enough, they get a call about an old woman screaming in an apartment. When they get there, the old woman attacks one of the firefighters. Even worse, the old woman is a contagious zombie.

It is the little things that make REC better than Quarantine. It may just be that REC was made first making it feel more fresh. Just imagine somebody trying to remake The Blair Witch Project. It would be a good remake, but it just wouldn't be the same. Also the end, which even lacks clarity in REC, needs more explaining in Quarantine. Though this may be true, props go to Quarantine for make Angela less annoying.

The shaky cam effect is what really makes these films work. It makes both films feel very real and much more creepy. The scene towards the end in both versions where Angela and the cameraman are in the penthouse and the attic door pops open and a little body pops out is so much scarier with shakiness. Also, the effect just seems to make sense with the films.

REC and Quarantine are both good. Quarantine gained a lot of interest in America, but it really owes its success to REC. It is unfortunate that REC was never released in America because it is one of my favorite horror movies. It is also one of the few that still scares me.

P.S.-REC is available on YouTube. Shh, don't tell!

Lost Highway (1997)

Lost Highway is the usual from David Lynch. Saying that something the usual from Lynch is quite ironic considering each of his films is obscure and strange in its own way. This one has a tone similar to that of Mulholland Dr., odd and erotic. The film is a fun romp in confusion and sexuality.

Well, before the movie gets a little too hard to figure out, it is about a jazz saxophonist (Bill Pullman) who is named Fred and is happily married to Renee (Patricia Arquette). One day, an unknown man comes to his door and tells him "Dick Laurent is dead" and following this he goes to a nightclub with Renee and meets the Mystery Man who tells him he is currently at his house (typical Lynchian story). Unfortunately, soon after, Renee is murdered, but Fred is framed for it. He then goes to jail and remakes his life into himself as a mechanic.

Lynch, as usual, shines in his direction. The one thing that I still remember from this film is the many scenes spent in cars. They are always sped up in a way that looks really cool. Also, the sex scenes, among anything else, are very interesting. The use of light and dark during them is pretty sophisticated and pleasing to the eye.

If you thought Mulholland Dr. was confusing, then you obviously haven't seen Lost Highway. I still can't really figure out what happened, but from what I understand, it's pretty amazing. Just check IMDB's boards on this film. People constantly bounce theories off each other, each more weird than the next. People have even found connections to Twin Peaks!

Lynch's films are always great and this one is a little known classic of his. Finally, this year it was released to DVD so it's worth a look. Though one shouldn't expect this to be Lynch's best, it's pretty damn good. Erotic and suspensful, Lost Highway is entertaining and definitely puzzling, even years later.

Movies You Shouldn't See: Superhero Movie (2008)

Don't ask how, but this didn't go direct to DVD. Yes, Superhero Movie is another one of those movies--those stupid parody ones. Disaster Movie and Superhero Movie in the same year. A tragedy. I'm crying on the inside as to what Hollywood has become.

If you actually care, you can read the summary here. Rick Riker (Drake Bell) is a student who is bit by a radioactive dragonfly on a school trip. When he discovers he has the ability to fly, things suddenly change and he begins to realize he can have his love interest, Jill, the girl next door.

Though a movie spoofing superhero movies seems like it would be funny, it is quite the opposite. Risque humor and comic violence don't make everything funny, people! Believe me, this has good intentions, but it doesn't quite make the cut. The best of its kind recently (which isn't saying much) does not even squeeze a chuckle out of me.

Well, you were probably wondering how I came across this rubbish. So, I was on a plane to Europe, but I was having trouble sleeping. I didn't want to watch something that demanded very much attention so I selected this. It did the trick. I fell back asleep after 20 minutes. I later finished the film (What? There was nothing better do!) and was rather disappointed.

Superhero Movie will be laughed at for how bad it is eventually. It tries to be funny but clearly fails, epically. Nobody ever said you had to step past Scary Movie, but the producers did and continue to. Why? Well, to be honest, nobody knows. These aren't even bringing money. Somebody needs to make a movie called Movie Movie already!

Wanted (2008)

Timur Bekmambetov delivers another amazing film, but this time it is American. Wanted symbolizes what all American action movies should: intelligent and quick. The film is a dizzying mix of stunning visuals and violence. Add in a dash of a great story and your on the roller coaster ride of Wanted.

Wanted is about Wesley Gibson (James McAvoy), a nobody who finds out that his father was one of the most powerful assassins ever and was recently muredered. Soon, Wesley finds himself in the arms of the Fraternity, a one thousand year old assassin crew that his father was a part of. There he meets the seductive Fox (Angelina Jolie) and the master of the group Sloan (Morgan Freeman). This assassin crew isn't regular. They curve bullets and react faster than anybody else!

Bekmambetov comes to America after doing two amazing Russian films, Night Watch and Day Watch, and it seems that he has brought his skill with him. In the opening scene, Wesley's father is seen getting shot in the head. Contrary to what any other director would do, the bullet comes out of the head and is traced back a few miles to where it was shot from. The quick cuts and intense nature help to excite (and even slightly nauseate!) the viewer.

Though the acting may not be so hot, there are some scenes that are just absolutely jawdropping. Though I would love to reveal the final scene, I'll hold myself back. The first sequence is amazing, but even more amazing is the scene where Fox takes Wesley for the ride of his life, driving over cars and shooting out the windows of the car. Also, the training montages are so corny that they are just amazing.

Wanted is just a straight shot of adrenaline released from the screen to your body. It is everything Crank wished it could be all whisked into a quick two hours. The film is exhilirating and fun. Although it may not be very faithful to the video game, I think viewers will enjoy the ride. Wanted is a stunning, whambam action movie that is probably the best of its genre for this year.

Titanic (1997)

As Revolutionary Road marks the second time Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet plat a couple, I felt this was necessary. Titanic is not only the ship of dreams, it is also the movie of every filmmaker's dreams. The movie is the most grossing movie in the world ever and it will remain that way for a while. It won a record breaking amount of Academy Awards, but it isn't even on IMDB's top 250. Kind of ironic isn't it?

If you don't already know, Titanic is the story of Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio), a poor Irish boy, and Rose (Kate Winslet), a rich British girl. The two begin an illicit romance aboard the ship. Unfortunately, the Titanic hits an iceberg. Well, that sucks.

The famous scene where the ship sinks is still amazing. As we watch the characters in peril, attempting to get into lifeboats, and literally falling off the ship, the audience remains in awe. The special effects are shockingly realistic. They don't even look as if they were done on a computer!

The acting in this is excellent. Kate Winslet, who may have been criticized for being too fat, is perfect as she exposes herself to Leonardo DiCaprio for the famous drawing scene. The even more famous "flying" scene is one to go down in history. Possibly one of the most sexy movie couples, they remain in my heart.

James Cameron's three hour long epic will weave its way into anyone's heart. Trust me, in the finale, your whole tissue box will be empty by the end of it. Famous and unforgettable, Titanic is the best modern classic I know of.

For a funny parody, go to angryalien.com for a thirty second animated version of it...starring bunnies.

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

I probably shouldn't even tell you to watch this because you've already seen it, but nevertheless, The Wizard of Oz is a timeless classic. Victor Fleming's beautiful, strange film is easily one of the most iconic films ever. Audiences for years have loved and it still is loved nearly 70 years after it originally came out.

The magical story focuses on Dorothy (Judy Garland), a girl who lives with her canine friend Toto, her aunt, and uncle in a small house in Kansas. Soon, a twister touches down devouring their house and Dorothy into Oz, a faraway land that is in Technicolor! Unfortunately, Dorothy's house manages to land on the Witch of the West causing her sister, the Wicked Witch of the West, to get mad and be determined to get her. With the help of nice witch, a lion, a tin man, and a scarecrow, she and her dog embark on a magical journey through Oz.

The special effects in this movie are amazing for its time and not even bad now. The scene in which Glinda floats down in a bubble must have left audience in awe at the time. Even the little things like the switch from black and white to Technicolor still amaze audiences.

Although it is constantly redone and added on to (Wicked, the semi-prequel to it), audiences still return to L. Frank Baum's classic novel and Fleming's famous movie. This is the one the audiences will remember years and years from now. It's a wonder it didn't win best picture in 1940. Well, OK, it was up against Gone With the Wind.

Little Children (2006)

Todd Fields' moving adaptation of Tom Perotta's book of the same title is disturbing and at times darkly humorous. A great cast and direction brings the book to life and raises so many emotions. Often hard to watch, the film explores suburbia. It could almost be relative of American Beauty!

Little Children is about four people whose lives are interwoven in strange ways. Kathy (Jennifer Connelly) a hard working mother who is married to Brad (Patrick Wilson), a stay at home dad who is a failed law student. While Kathy is gone, Sarah (Kate Winslet) plays a mother figure and begins an affair with Brad. While all this going on, a sex offender moves to the neighborhood causing chaos.

Kate Winslet's performance is excellent. A few years ago, Entertainment Weekly published an issue saying that if they ruled Hollywood, Winslet would be their queen. Now, I would have to agree. It seems that Winslet can't act badly after this, Titanic, Revolutionary Road, and The Reader. People constantly criticize her for looking ugly and fat, but she is very attractive in her signature red bathing suit in this.

Though this may have made Entertainment Weekly's list of the sexiest movies ever, it really is not quite all that sexy. Though it is erotically potent, some scenes are more disturbing than actually fun to watch. Kate Winslet and Patrick Wilson may make a great and attractive couple, the scenes with the sex offender are difficult to view.

Little Children is one of the best films of 2006. I, who grew up in suburbia, deeply understood the metaphors and emotions made here and was deeply disturbed by them. A touching, titillating film will surely weave it's way into your heart. Todd Fields' masterpiece is sometimes fun and at other times extremely sad.

Trailer Park

I'll grade some upcoming movies for you by the looks of their trailer.
Che: Although Steven Soderbergh and Benicio Del Toro as Che Guevara looks promising, the movie looks a bit long for me. It also seems like it could be a bit boring. Still, its worth a look. B-

Friday the 13th: It could go either way, but it looks promising to me. Though it is not a faithful remake at all, I trust that it will be a good update on the series. If they make a sequel to it, they might as well movie into Saturday already. B+

While She Was Out: Well, it seems a bit intelligent, but way more violent than it is intelligent. And remember kids, violence is never the way to solve your problems, isn't that right Kim Basinger? C+

Chadni Chowk to China: It's the kind of movie that is either really smart or really bad. I'm going with really bad. An A for effort, but a C- in the end.

Golden Globe Nominations/Predictions: TV

BEST TELEVISION SERIES-DRAMA
Who Should Win: True Blood. An unlikely candidate, but a show that you can really sink your teeth into. Haha, get it?

Who Will Win: In Treatment. Cable is all the rage and this will just add to the string of awards HBO has gotten.

BEST TELEVISION SERIES-COMEDY
Who Should Win: Weeds. A strange year, but a really fun ride into Mexico and the border.

Who Will Win: 30 Rock. It is a favorite for awards, don't you think?

BEST ACTOR-DRAMA
Who Should Win: Hugh Laurie. It's about time he won something!

Who Will Win: Michael C. Hall. He's great as Dexter and still sends chills down my back watching the opening credits.

BEST ACTRESS-DRAMA
Who Should/Will Win: Kyra Sedgwick. The Closer is a great show and awards seem to be magnetically attracted to her.

BEST ACTOR-COMEDY
Who Should/Will Win: Steve Carrell. He is so good at oddball humor, it is hard to not give him this award.

BEST ACTRESS-COMEDY
Who Should/Will Win: Tina Fey. Can you say the best year in television for somebody yet? And if you haven't heard "I can see Russia from my house" yet, you've been living under a rock.

Golden Globe Nominations/Predictions

I'm not going to give you the nominations, but here's some predictions:
BEST PICTURE-DRAMA
Who Should Win: Slumdog Millionaire. Danny Boyle's will win some awards, but favoritism for other films will leave it in the dust. Unfortuantely, this great movie may be snubbed, even if it is gaining popularity.

Who Will Win: It's a tough call, but The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. A great cast and an odd story will surely win people over. Though I have not seen it yet, I'm going to say it could win it all.

BEST PICTURE-MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Who Should Win: Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Although the Academy is usually a sucker for Woody Allen movies, this one is different. Great acting and a great movie, but not the favorite here.

Who Will Win: Burn After Reading. Coen Brothers + comedy + great cast=many awards.

BEST ACTOR-DRAMA
Who Should Win: Mickey Rourke. Needless to say, Mickey Rourke is the best actor of the year. Nuff said.

Who Will Win: Mickey Rourke.

BEST ACTOR-MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Who Should Win: James Franco...but it's for Pineapple Express. What are the chances of that winning an award? Slim to none.

Who Will Win: It's a tossup. None of them really jump out at me.

BEST ACTRESS-DRAMA
Who Should Win: Anne Hathaway. One of the most talked about performances of the year is sure to win.

Who Will Win: Anne Hathaway.

BEST ACTRESS-MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Who Should Win: Sally Hawkins. Although Happy Go Lucky won't win best picture for comedy, this is a likely candidate.

Who Will Win: Again, it's a tossup.

BEST DIRECTOR
Who Should Win: Danny Boyle. Again, Slumdog Millionaire may not have enough popularity to take it home.

Who Will Win: David Fincher. I'm pretty sure they will sucker in for his weepy/beautiful imagery.

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Who Should and Will Win: Heath Ledger. First off, he's dead which could work for or against him. Second, his performance was amazing. Third, to the other nominees: "Why so serious?"

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Who Should and Will Win: Penelope Cruz. As a psycotic ex-girlfriend, she really works magic. Not to mention she has been a favorite from the start.

Next post is TV.

L.A. Film Critics Awards/N.Y. Critics Circle Winners!

Let's start out with L.A. Film Critics. WALL-E didn't win best animation (that was taken by Waltz With Bashir), but it took best picture in a strange turn of events. The runner up was The Dark Knight. The best actor award was given to Sean Penn for Milk and Heath Ledger was given the supporting actor award. Sally Hawkins unexpectedly took home the award for best actress in Happy Go Lucky and Penelope Cruz won best supporting actress for Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Danny Boyle won for best director in Slumdog Millionaire.

Meanwhile, at N.Y. Critics Circle-WALL-E did not win for best picture, but for best animated picture. Milk took home that award along with one for Sean Penn and one for Josh Brolin. Happy Go Lucky took home two unexpected awards, best actress, and best director. Penelope Cruz won for supporting actress.

What does this mean for the Oscars? Well, this means that Australia, which was though to be nominated, has no shot at all. Penelope Cruz and Sean Penn will win awards without a doubt. Hmmm, without a Doubt? Yeah, Doubt is not going to get anything. Sally Hawkins may just win best actress! [insert clever Britishism here]. It's a toss up for best director. Does WALL-E have a shot? Well, we'll just see.

Golden Globe nominations tomorrow!

The Dark Knight (2008)

This post was inevitable. My personal favorite of 2008 is this and it sure is one of my all time favorites as well. When I was on vacation, I asked somebody what they though of it and they told me "It's better than Gone With the Wind". It might actually just be. The Dark Knight is one to go down in movie for 1) being the second most grossing film of all time and 2) for being what all movies should be.

Among The Dark Knight's many plotlines, it is about Gotham, Batman's (Christian Bale) city which now looks down on him. Once he was the superhero, but now nobody really wants him anymore. Even worse, the Joker (Heath Ledger's final role) invades Gotham and causes chaos. Also, Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), a sketchy official, gets elected as mayor. And you wonder why the film is 152 minutes!

I'm sorry, but it is absolutely necessary to devote this whole paragraph to Heath Ledger. He doesn't play the Joker, he is the Joker. Not to mention a stunning makeup job, his performance completely blows me away. Usually I wouldn't say this for this kind of movie, but Heath Ledger WILL win the Oscar. May he rest in peace.

I'll just highlight some of my favorite scenes. The first and best is the pencil trick scene in which the Joker stabs a pencil into a mobster's eye. The scene is so well done and spawned the quote of the year: "Why so serious?". The second is the scene towards the end with two ferries. I won't reveal what happens. My third favorite is the first scene which involves a bank robbery. All the mobsters end up shooting each other in a very sinister plan from the Joker. How clever!

Christopher Nolan has never directed better since Memento (a future post). No has ever acted as well as Heath Ledger. Only one movie has grossed more than this domestically. Only this movie holds my attention for two and a half hours. Among many other things, The Dark Knight is one of the best films ever. Hands down, this is my third favorite movie ever and I'm not even a comic book fan.

American Beauty (1999)

There's too much to say about this movie, but right here, I'll say it in three words: It is amazing. Sam Mendes' American Beauty is cinematic perfection. The acting is excellent and the story is very unusual and enjoyable. Lisa Schwarzbaum of Entertainment Weekly named this the worst best picture winner, but I would have to disagree. I'd say its one of the best.

American Beauty is a strange, but very beautiful story. It is the story of Lester Burnham, in an award winning performance by Kevin Spacey, whose life is about to crack at any minute. He is married to a wife he doesn't love anymore (Anette Bening) and has a daughter (Thora Birch). At one of his daughter's cheerleading sessions, he meets her friend (Mena Suvari) and falls in love with her. Here begins Lester's midlife crisis.

What isn't there to say about the acting? Even the young lead actors, including Wes Bentley in one of his first major movies, give strong performances. Only one actor walked away with an award, but I guess the award for best picture will suffice.

Along with this, the direction and writing are also perfect. Alan Ball, who has also written Six Feet Under and recently True Blood, delivers quick, witty dialogue. Sam Mendes uses some pretty standard directing techniques and makes them interesting using color.

Although the plot of the movie may be strange, that should not hold you back from the movie. Yes, if you were interested, Mena Suvari does show her breasts. Now will you watch the movie? I thought so. This should be viewed by everyone, why?, because it is one of the best movies...ever.

The Day of the Locust (1975)

The epically long little known 70's classic still disturbs me. The Day of the Locust is a great movie not because of 2 hours of it, but for the last 20 minutes. Nothing much happens in two hours, but the whole movie gets made up for in the end. The final sequence is haunting and well done.

Based off Nathaniel West's popular classic, The Day of the Locust is the story of three people trying to make it in Hollywood. Harry (Burgess Meredith) is young writer who falls in love with the up and coming star Faye (Karen Black). Harry isn't the only person vying for Faye's love. A millionaire with the name Homer Simpson (I know, I know) is also. Homer is brilliantly played by Donald Sutherland in a very early role.

There isn't much to say about this except for the ending. (SPOILERS) After Faye decides to stay with Harry, Homer goes crazy and stomps on a little boy at one of Faye's premieres. The crowd sees this happen and they go crazy. Eventually, Los Angeles completely burns down. (END SPOILERS) The ending is disturbing and never gets old. For anyone who is interested, the ending is available on YouTube, although I'm not quite sure why you would be.

It's a shame this classic isn't more popular. Never again will I feel the same around a crowd. The effect of the finale must have been even greater in the theater. The movie is bizzare and wild and not terribly amazing until the end. The acting and direction are superb, but its too bad nobody really knows about it anymore.

National Board of Review Winners!

So, the National Board of Review chose movies that they loved this year. The underdog movie of this year came out on top-Slumdog Millionaire. Unexpected and expected, this means Slumdog Millionaire may actually have a shot at an oscar.

David Fincher won for best director. No surprise here. I mean, c'mon, the guy has made Zodiac and Fight Club! Clint Eastwood won for best actor and NOT best director. How did that happen? Anne Hathaway expectedly won for best actress in Rachel Getting Married. Josh Brolin won for supporting actor in Milk. The two do not surprise me at all. Also, an obvious winner was Penelope Cruz for Vicky Cristina Barcelona. The ensemble cast award went to Doubt. Duh.

The best foreign film went to Mongol. It really didn't have very much competition. Wall-E obviously won for animated feature. Was there really any competition for these two categories?
Among other awards, Dev Patel rightly won for breakthrough performance.

The ten top films of the year were Burn After Reading, Changeling, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Defiance, The Dark Knight, Frost/Nixon, Gran Torino, Milk, Wall-E, and the Wrestler.

What does this mean for the Oscars? Frost/Nixon may not see any awards, but lots of nominations. After getting good to ok reviews, Doubt may not win best picture. Australia has no shot whatsoever. Slumdog Millionaire may just get nominated. Imagine that.

Movies You Shouldn't See: Norbit (2007)

"Have you ever made a really big mistake?" reads the poster. Yes, yes, I have--by watching this movie. If you allow yourself to judge a book by its cover, you would never waste your time with this. I saw it by accident on HBO, so don't misjudge me, but Norbit is really really really bad.

This complete trash is about a man who is engaged to a woman of monstrous proportions. The man is played by Eddie Murphy, and so is the woman, and another character. This I must commend the movie for along with the makeup. Then the man, Norbit, finally meets the woman of his dreams (Thandie Newton).

The biggest problem with Norbit is that it isn't funny at all. Although some people will insist that every comedy has one funny joke, this has just broken the pattern. I'm sorry, but I didn't even laugh once during the whole movie. I was nearly bored to tears.

Norbit is the worst film to ever be nominated for an Oscar. Yes, that's right it was nominated for an Oscar. Even though I criticize this, it did deservingly get nominated for the award for makeup. It's not easy to make Eddie Murphy look completely different three times. I have to say, the makeup is excellent.

Don't see Norbit and expect to laugh. It is complete rubbish and should not be viewed by anyone's eyes. This is one of the worst movies I know of. Stay away!

Cloverfield (2008)

Cloverfield mixes a new genre with an old one. The monster movie gets mixed with shaky camera effects a la The Blair Witch Project. How smart is that? Well, J.J. Abrams is possibly one of the smartest people in Hollywood right now so leave it to him to make this.

The plot is pretty cliche, but it still works. It is about a bunch of New York yuppies saying goodbye to a friend who is leaving for Japan at a surprise party. It is not long before a major explosion happens and the Statue of Liberty's head is thrown into their street. The yuppies race to get out of New York City before an unknown threat gets to them.

The film garnered tons of intrigue when it originally came out. It was originally realeased under the name 1-18-08 to lure movie goers in. The trailer steered clear of ever showing any clue of what the monster is. The film is still intriguing. The way Abrams inserts clues into "Lost", he also does with this. Watch carefully.

The shaky camera is something clever that completely works. Although it has become so gimmicky, it really is cool. Towards the end, the viewer discovers that the tape has been recorded over so we see the current action and previous things that happened. That is pretty smart, in my opinion.

Cloverfield is an odd, genuine and then again not so genuine monster movie. It is great to see that old movies are coming back to Hollywood--not in the form of a remake. There probably won't be another film like this for a while and it sure is a modern classic.