Movie Review: Up (2009)

As is becoming a fun annual tradition, I ran right out to see the newest effort from Pixar on opening weekend. I actively avoided previews, instead just trusting that Pixar would come up with another film that would almost certainly range from being watchable at worst (think Cars) to fantastic at best (Finding Nemo is only the greatest animated film of all time). This is really quite a phenomenon…it’s easy to imagine going out to see every movie put out by an actor (Ed Norton) or a director (Coens), but a production company? It would sound kind of silly to say, “Oh hey, Miramax has a movie coming out, we have to see that.” Pixar has earned it, though, with such a consistently great track record…and they came through once again with Up. In a pretty big way, I’d say. I place this one in the upper half of the Pixar catalog, and Pete Docter has definitely topped his last directorial effort, Monsters, Inc.

My Top 50 Movies: 2009 Edition

The top of this list will look a lot like last year’s edition. Once you get down to the halfway point though, a lot changes…some movies didn’t make last year’s list due to gross oversights on my part, some were movies I viewed for the first time since then. Three movies that hit theaters  last year made the list, and I’ll say this up front…sorry, but The Dark Knight managed to come up a couple of spots short. 13 of the 50 movies are new to the list, for varying reasons.

The most precipitous drops came courtesy of What About Bob and The Sixth Sense; both were in the top 25 on last year’s list, and fell all the way out of the top 50 this year. Sadly, I was hit with discoveries in the past year that both movies have hit their shelf life and are no longer holding up to repeat viewings. Still good movies, but they’re scoring most of their points by being sentimental favorites of their time, rather than currently great movies that hold up today. The same can be said for The Rock, which dropped from #33 to #68 on my extended list. I’ll only bother to comment on the top 50, but will leave the whole top 100 list out there for a reference of other movies I hold in high regard.

The biggest jumps on the list belong to Harvey and The Remains of the Day, both movies I watched again during the last year and found myself loving more than ever. For a third or fourth viewing of a movie to convince you to like it that much better…well, I think it’s safe to say that those movies are going to stick around on my list for a while.

1. The Godfather (1972)

Previously ranked at #1

Most underappreciated performance: Robert Duvall. I know he gets credit for the performance, got an Oscar nomination as well, but it’s primarily Brando and Pacino that get the talk, and Duvall was really the straw that stirred the drink as the sleazy but likable lawyer for the Corleone family. Note that I just took the easy way out and argued for the most underappreciated performance; don’t even put me through the torture of naming the all-around best performance in this one.

2. The Godfather Part II (1974)

Previously ranked at #2

Best scene: so many to choose from, but I have to go with Michael and Fredo in the boathouse. Michael coldly telling his brother that he’s nothing to him now made for an amazing moment. I instantly feel bad for not mentioning like 10 other scenes at this point though, so let’s move on.

3. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Previously ranked at #3

Most emotional moment: again, insanely difficult to choose just one, but Brooks’ final scene takes the cake for me. From the amazing perspective you get from “I saw an automobile once when I was a kid,” to the very sympathetic “not for an old crook like me”…Lloyd Bridges really puts his stamp on this movie.

4. Pulp Fiction (1994)

Previously ranked at #6

As a film snob, I rarely want to give that much credit to movies that don’t intellectually stimulate you…but Quentin Tarantino is great enough to break that wall down for me. You sit for two hours, you learn nothing, and you have a great time. I can’t feel that way about a movie with a bunch of stupid car chases, but Tarantino’s flicks are just amazingly entertaining, and Pulp Fiction is his opus. The dark comedic script here is just brilliant, and I’ve never seen better work out of Samuel L. Jackson or John Travolta.

5. Meet Joe Black (1998 )

Previously ranked at #5

I’ve praised this film ad nauseum already, have devoted a past blog entry to undoubtedly my favorite scene in it (when Joe visits old Jamaican woman in the hospital), but let me put in a word for Thomas Newman’s brilliant score for the film. I don’t know if I can place it at the level of his work for The Shawshank Redemption, but it’s in the same ballpark. The emotional high points in this movie, and there are many, wouldn’t pack nearly as much punch without the greatness of Thomas Newman.

6. As Good as It Gets (1997)

Previously ranked at #4

Best non-funny sequence in the movie: “I tell you, buddy…I’d be the luckiest guy alive if that did it for me.” Any weirdo can fall for a pretty woman who brings him food, but for the obsessive compulsive xenophobe that started the movie to be offering shelter to his former gay neighbor in a time of need, that was really the pinnacle of Melvin Udall’s character transformation. The romance in this movie is unbelievable enough that I just can’t get that invested in it; it’s the comic genius and the character arcs of Melvin and Simon that really make this one of my favorite movies of all time.

9/10

7. The Usual Suspects (1995)

Previously ranked at #8

Best supporting character: Todd Hockney. Kevin Spacey carries this show with his narration from the police department, and is certainly the biggest reason that this movie is as great as it is…but amongst a cast full of hugely entertaining supporting characters, I want to tip my cap to Kevin Pollak’s Todd Hockney as the most entertaining of the bunch. “You think you brought enough guys?” As someone who loves apathetic and cynical humor, it should be no surprise that I love that character.

8. A Few Good Men (1992)

Previously ranked at #7

Kind of funny to see Kevin Pollak showing up twice in my top 10. Granted, he’s a supporting character in both, but both performances are very enjoyable. “I strenuously object? Is that how it works?” Beyond Pollak though, it’s worth mentioning that this is easily the best thing Tom Cruise ever did. Rain Man and Jerry Maguire are fine movies, but neither comes close to this film. Best courtroom movie of all time, though not without some competition in that department from…

9. Primal Fear (1996)

Previously ranked at #9

Leonardo DiCaprio walked away from the part of Aaron Stampler, which nearly caused Richard Gere to walk away too, and the movie nearly didn’t get made. Instead, they found some totally unknown kid named Edward Norton to play the part, and the entire film industry became better for years to come because of it. Who the heck knows if Norton would’ve ever caught his break otherwise? Gere, who is likable but limited, is just perfect in this role. He exudes a natural arrogance that portrays Martin Vail perfectly. His reactions in the final scene are probably the best acting moments I’ve seen from him.

10. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

Previously ranked at #11

I decided to jump The Two Towers over The Return of the King as my favorite installment of the Lord of the Rings series. Ultimately, picking a favorite between the two is a fairly meaningless exercise right now, since both will most definitely have spots in my top 50 for years to come. Best heart-wrenching moment: “I hate you.” Smeagol to Gollum, with an expression of utter despair, voiced perfectly by Andy Serkis. It’s hard not to have that moment tug on your heartstrings.

11. Rounders (1998 )

Previously ranked at #14

Gretchen Mol has done quite a bit of acting since Rounders, and whenever I run across her I can’t get her portrayal from this movie out of my head…and it’s a very negative association. As Jo, the overbearing girlfriend of Mike McD, she is absolutely insufferable, and almost seems like she’s in there as a cautionary tale to single men everywhere to remain single. Was she intended to be that awful of a character? I’m not so sure, but she’s truly vile in this movie. My guess is that it’s intentional, since the audience was clearly supposed to root for Mike to throw off the shackles and go back to being himself; his conversation with his law mentor played by Martin Landau made that pretty clear.  By the way, Matt Damon does a decent job in this flick, but with a supporting cast that includes Edward Norton, John Malkovich and John Turturro, there’s no way Damon can possibly make a claim to being anything better than the fourth best actor in this movie.

12. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

Previously ranked at #10

I absolutely love the film, but for what it’s worth…it does bother me that Gollum’s demise is treated as anything less than the final act of a tragic life story. Yes, he was a conniving little beast during this movie, but he was also battling demons far greater than he could possibly ever slay. Once we saw the goodness underneath his surface in the Two Towers, it just feels like treating his death like the demise of any other villain is the wrong directorial choice. I admittedly haven’t read the book though, so maybe my gripe would be with Tolkien more than Jackson. Again though, let the high ranking speak for itself, the film is brilliant.

13. Rear Window (1954)

Previously ranked at #18

Films were a lot tamer before 1970…given that fact, I’m still blown away by Hitchcock’s ability to outright scare me as I watch this movie. It still puts me on edge to see Grace Kelly head on into Raymond Burr’s apartment against the wishes of the immobile Jimmy Stewart. You’re put right behind the eyes of Stewart’s L.B. Jeffries, and the effect is just gripping.

14. 12 Angry Men (1957)

Previously ranked at #17

Best character by miles: Juror #4, as played by E.G. Marshall. In a room full of jurors clouded by stupidity, emotion and agenda (and make no mistake, Henry Fonda’s character was HUGELY agenda-driven), Juror #4 was truly just interested in seeking the truth. Of all the holdouts who continue to insist that the defendant is guilty, he’s the one with integrity. I’d like to think I’d approach the same type of case and situation the same way in his seat.

15. American History X (1998 )

Previously ranked at #13

The original cut of this movie was apparently supposed to have Derek Vinyard shaving his head again, which would’ve made the movie much more of a statement about the vicious circle that racism is stuck in, rather than being what it was, a tragic story of redemption fallen short. I’m not sure which one would’ve been the better choice artistically, but I can see the argument for both sides. My favorite scene in this movie has to be the dinner table scene; it’s amazing how convincing Norton is as Vinyard arguing for the complete and total innocence of the LAPD in the Rodney King case.

16. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

Previously ranked at #20

The same great characters and elements of the rest of the series are present here, and as a result this movie is nearly at the same level of greatness. I think the reason I leave it a bit short of the other two is its failure to evoke emotion to the same extent that the next two installments did. I felt a lot more connected to the characters in the other two, and when Boromir and (seemingly) Gandalf meet their ends in this one, I sort of shrug. Also, where the Two Towers leaves off on a creepy “to be continued” note that’s something of a cliffhanger, Fellowship leaves you with a feeling of “okay, our three hours are up, we’ll see you later for part two.” Anyway, that’s how I split hairs here, amongst the Lord of the Rings series. It’s still pure greatness at work.

17. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)

Previously ranked at #12

Westerns, while not a genre I dislike, are nothing I usually go out of my way to watch. This is a western you could get me to watch almost anytime, though. Clint Eastwood’s turn as the Man With No Name is hugely entertaining. It’s an endless stream of great quotes, a story you can’t effectively guess out in advance, and an amazing climax amongst the three characters from the movie’s title. I’ll be surprised if I ever see a better western.

18. Legends of the Fall (1994)

Previously ranked at #16

I get chills just thinking of Alfred Ludlow (Aidan Quinn) showing up in the nick of time to gun down the officer who is about to kill his brother. Throughout the movie, Alfred is a character that deserves better…from his father, from his brother, from the woman he loves…but nothing is more satisfying than watching the family reconcile mere seconds before it’s too late.

19. There Will Be Blood (2007)

Previously unranked

Name me a better performance than Daniel Day-Lewis’ turn as Daniel Plainview, and I’ll be inclined to argue with you. I grudgingly concede that Jack Nicholson’s fine work is an eccentric guy playing an eccentric character (not really doing as much “acting“ as some), but seeing Day-Lewis in his extremely soft-spoken manner outside of character, you know very well that he’s (thankfully) not playing anything close to himself in this role.  I have a few performances in my mind that rival this one, but only a few.

20. Gladiator (2000)

Previously ranked at #25

Let’s just say that I much prefer to think of Joaquin Phoenix as he was in this movie, rather than how he was on the David Letterman show. This is one of those great films that immediately compels me to think of the brilliant musical score; Hans Zimmer, who may not be at Thomas Newman’s level but has still put together a great career in composing movie scores, really did his finest work here. And of course I can’t talk about Gladiator without again quoting, “I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.”  That line might win the award for “most worthy of inspiring a mancrush.”

21. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

Previously ranked at #30

Any number of movies can put a lump in my throat by tragically killing off a character, or having a terribly sad event take place…few can inspire emotion out of me that’s borne from a more positive place, but It’s a Wonderful Life certainly accomplishes that point. You put yourself in George Bailey’s shoes, you experience the desperate downward spiral that he experiences, and while you may not have ever had a run of luck THAT bad…you can identify. When Bedford Falls comes running over to save George in his time of need, it reminds you that if you’ve lived your life as a decent and noble person, you really have no idea how much of an impact you’ve really managed to have. It’s a great message from the absolutely definitive Christmas movie.

22. Casablanca (1942)

Previously ranked at #32

Best quote: “Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world…she walks into mine.” You feel Rick Blaine’s pain; seeing Ilsa Lund just set him back to square one. Just one of the excellent poignant moments from probably the best love story ever produced.

23. Harvey (1950)

Previously ranked at #49

All cynics (like myself) should sit and watch this movie occasionally. I know that we all run into shiny happy people from day to day, but few can melt you the way Jimmy Stewart’s Elwood P. Dowd can. Four pre-1960 movies made it into my top 25…and it’s no surprise to me that three of them star Stewart.

24. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Previously ranked at #31

Great subtle moment: when faced with the suggestion that the escaped Hannibal Lecter might come after her, a flustered Clarice Starling brushes off that suggestion by saying, “He would consider that rude.” She’s completely right, and it speaks volumes about the intricate character that Anthony Hopkins plays.

25. Glory (1989)

Previously ranked at #35

Best performance: Denzel Washington. The likes of Matthew Broderick and Morgan Freeman are great in this movie, but it’s Denzel who really jumps off the screen as a superstar in a way I haven’t completely seen him do since. He’s generally good, sometimes he’s really good…but as Private Trip, he’s outstanding. Note: it should come as no surprise that my favorite war film contains minimal action. 

26. The Remains of the Day (1993)

Previously ranked at #47

I raved last year about the efforts of Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson, and deservedly so, but I feel like I should give an honorable mention to the other plot of the story, the backdrop of the happenings in Europe that led into World War II. Christopher Reeve’s character giving a toast “to the professionals” is one of the great moments of the movie, a scene that I can watch time and again. 

27. Fargo (1996)

Previously unranked

Not sure how this one wasn’t on last year’s list; after another recent viewing of it (and of the movie sitting at #28), I’ve decided that this is my favorite work from the Coen Brothers. Frances McDormand was a very deserving Oscar winner for this one; as one of the great supporting actresses in Hollywood for a long time, it’s nice to see her get some spotlight. 

28. No Country For Old Men (2007)

Previously ranked at #24

Best scene: “How much have you ever lost in a coin toss?” We had already seen Anton Chigurh kill some people brutally at this point, so we knew what he was capable of…the way he toyed with the old man in the gas station was amazing. Both a really intense scene and a darkly humorous one, that was just the type of classic stuff that I’ve come to expect from the Coens.

29. A Beautiful Mind (2001)

Previously ranked at #22

Line that stuck with me the most: “McCarthy is an idiot. Unfortunately that doesn’t make him wrong.” Parcher, played by Ed Harris, gains instant intellectual credibility with me when he says that…only a sophisticated person can simultaneously dismiss and validate someone that effectively in 10 words. Anyway, that’s not really relevant to the plot. For Russell Crowe to run the gamut from The Insider to Gladiator to this movie in the course of three years, to seamlessly transition himself to three totally different characters and be Oscar-worthy in each (though he only won for one of them) was incredibly impressive. Most actors won’t accomplish in their careers what Crowe did in three years, and I doubt we’ve seen our last brilliant performance from him.

30. Groundhog Day (1993)

Previously ranked at #21

Where I did drop What About Bob way down the list, Groundhog Day doesn’t have a dated feel to it at all. Comedy has a hard time in general holding up over the test of time, a much harder time than drama does, but Groundhog Day easily holds up as one of the best comedies of the 90’s. My list would feel lacking if it didn’t have at least one appearance by Bill Murray.

31. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

Previously unranked

This is where things start to get tricky. I’ve only seen Benjamin Button once;  I really liked it as I watched it, it grew on me more in the days that followed, and I can’t wait to watch it when it comes out on Blu-ray. With that said, it’s really hard to rank a movie on a list like this after only seeing it once; I hope it holds up as well over time as I think it will. Brad Pitt , Cate Blanchett  and Taraji P. Henson are just outstanding in this one, and I’ll vouch for it as David Fincher’s finest directorial work.

32. The Shining (1980)

Previously ranked at #28

This one is a safe bet to stay on the list for the foreseeable future; if it doesn’t feel too dated to be great now, awful late 70’s colors and all, it never really will. While I know that One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Next, Chinatown and some other movies from the previous decade got a lot of credit from the critics, this was the first truly great Nicholson film in my opinion.

33. Braveheart (1995)

Previously ranked at #19

I have a hard time knowing where to rank this one. I feel like I was previously placing it higher than my honest feelings for it due to peer pressure.  With that said, this is a great movie and certainly Mel Gibson’s best work by miles.

8/10

34. Doubt (2008)

Previously unranked

I can’t think of this movie without immediately thinking the words “acting clinic.” Unbelievable jobs by Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Viola Davis. The confrontations between Streep and Hoffman were amazing to watch. One of the scenes that really sticks with me is the sermon given by the priest regarding gossip. The analogy, and the imagery used by the director, are stellar in this scene.

35. The 25th Hour (2002)

Previously ranked at #29

More Edward Norton, more Philip Seymour Hoffman. I’m not usually a Spike Lee fan, and some of his choices in this one didn’t necessarily work for me either (the convicted drug dealer is a bit too sympathetic of a character for my tastes), but this is a great movie regardless. Aside from the primary character profile, I think this is a very blunt, honest and unique work that bears quite a few repeat viewings.

36. Mother (1996)

Previously ranked at #27

Albert Brooks has a lot of really good movies on his resume, but it’s his chemistry with Debbie Reynolds that really pushes this one into the realm of greatness and makes it his best work. Hilarious and relatable enough for me to watch time and time again.

37. Swingers (1996)

Previously unranked

One of the most endlessly quotable movies to ever exist, period. Vince Vaughn has had himself a great career since this time, but I think he’s always going to be Trent in my eyes. While the greatness of the movie largely rests on Vaughn’s shoulders, it’s the cringe-worthy scene with Jon Favreau calling the girl’s answering machine repeatedly that immediately comes to mind when I think of this movie; awkward humor at its finest. Huge oversight from last year’s list, I can’t believe I forgot to put it on there.

38. Office Space (1999)

Previously ranked at #40

Right on the heels of Swingers in the “most quotable” category is this piece of comic genius from Mike Judge. Ron Livingston is great in the lead, but I want to give some love to Diedrich Bader, who plays the main character’s neighbor Lawrence. Basically every single thing that Lawrence says in the movie is hilarious, and him shouting “don’t worry man, I won’t tell no one neither!” through the wall, causing panic from Mike Bolton, is maybe the funniest exchange of the whole show.

39. North by Northwest (1959)

Previously unranked

Cary Grant is one of the great actors of the golden age of Hollywood, and I’ll happily vouch for this movie as my favorite Grant movie. It reminds me of James Bond, except that it was done first and done better than any Bond I’ve seen. Eva Marie Saint plays the role of hot Hitchcock blonde to perfection here, she honestly jumps off the screen just as well as Grace Kelly does in Rear Window. This is one I watched for the first time (and a couple of times more) after my last top 50 list.

40. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)

Previously unranked

Gregory Peck’s Atticus Finch is one of the best and richest characters in movie history. A bit idealistic? Sure. I still think we could take a cue from him, though. This movie successfully hits on a lot of solid themes, adapts Harper Lee’s classic book faithfully, and is another one of the all-time classics from the black & white era.

41. Finding Nemo (2003)

Previously unranked

Truly epic. Revolutionized animated features. I can’t say enough good things about this movie. Hilarious at some points, emotional at others…Albert Brooks does a great job as Nemo’s father, and even Ellen Degeneres manages to be funny in this one. Pixar is always at least good, often great, but I won’t hold my breath for them to top this one.

42. Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

Previously unranked

Al Pacino (and John Cazale, who unfortunately didn’t live much longer) served notice in this film that The Godfather was only the beginning. Endlessly referenced and ripped off in future films and television, this was Sidney Lumet’s finest film in nearly 20 years, and is second only to 12 Angry Men in a great career.

43. Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Previously unranked

It was later topped by Pulp Fiction, but Tarantino’s first big work went a long way toward putting him forward as one of the great directors of the last couple of decades and one of the most unique in movie history. All of the actors in the movie do a great job (Harvey Keitel, Michael Madsen, Tim Roth), but I think this might be Steve Buscemi’s best performance amongst a long line of great supporting roles. I really feel like he’s the straw that stirs the drink in this movie.

44. The Notebook (2004)

Previously ranked at #37

One of the things I really appreciate about this movie is the way it avoids the typical movie cliché of turning one of the parties of a love triangle into a terrible villain, in order to in some way justify adultery happening on the side. Rather than oversimplifying things that way, Allie’s fiancé is a sympathetic character. In fact, by movie’s end, every character is pretty sympathetic…some good things happen, some bad things happen, but reality is unfettered by convention. Okay, so you have to suspend belief a bit at the end, but I don’t mind; I still think the movie ends very well.

45. Léon (1994)

Previously unranked

For a movie that would appear on the surface to be little more than a mindless action flick, Léon is a surprisingly good movie, deep and rich in character development and containing a gripping plot. While I will highly recommend this movie, please don’t waste your time with The Professional, the American version that is a lot closer to the “mindless action flick” description due to its insistence on editing out anything that might cause controversy with an American audience that takes sexual repression to silly levels.

46. Gran Torino (2008 )

Previously unranked

Criminally ignored by the Academy, Clint Eastwood’s tale of rugged individualism and redemption is one of the finest of his career. I have to guess that its conservative undertones displeased the Academy, since this flick wasn’t as “progressive” as the inferior Million Dollar Baby. Too bad they couldn’t find it in them to pay tribute to Eastwood in his allegedly final on-screen role; it deserved it on merit alone.

47. The Cable Guy (1996)

Previously ranked at #36

Despite the fact that it didn’t retain such a high spot on the list, this is still a comedy I hold in high regard. I don’t like Jim Carrey as much as a lot of people do, but to me this is his funniest and best, and holds up as a good movie over time (as opposed to, say, Ace Ventura, which it embarrasses me to admit that I ever liked back when I was in middle school). I consider Ben Stiller’s directorial work in this one to be as big of a feather in his cap as some of his best comedic acting jobs.

48. Cinderella Man (2005)

Previously ranked at #41

It really bothers me that this one went so largely unwatched. Between this one and A Beautiful Mind…just tell me that Russell Crowe and Ron Howard are collaborating, and I’ll line up to see it without knowing what the plot or genre is. Not just a great job by those two, though…Paul Giamatti is a show-stealer here. I’ve never liked him more than I did in this one.

49. Psycho (1960)

Previously ranked at #50

Like with Rear Window, it seems incredibly revolutionary that Alfred Hitchcock was able to flat-out scare you 50 years ago in a day and age when he had to do it almost entirely with psychology, and very little of it relied on blood, gore or violence. Psycho is genuine edge-of-your-seat stuff, powered by a killer performance by Anthony Perkins.

50. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Previously unranked

I liked this flick back in the day, but I had largely dismissed it as just another “entertaining” action flick from the 80’s. I had wrongly placed it in the same category of worthlessness in my mind with the Back to the Future series. When I rewatched it this past year, I was shown how wrong I was…this movie, as well as The Last Crusade, are both absolutely great time capsules from a decade that was largely short on greatness from the silver screen. Harrison Ford has done a lot of good work…but I think Indiana Jones is his greatest character, and Ford fits the bill nicely.

On the outside looking in…

51. Miller’s Crossing (1990)

52. Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)

53. The Reader (2008 )

54. Iron Man (2008 )

55. The  Dark Knight (2008 )

56. The Sixth Sense (1999)

57. What About Bob? (1991)

58. Goodfellas (1990)

59. The Green Mile (1999)

60. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

61. Zoolander (2001)

62. Toy Story 2 (1999)

63. The Godfather Part III (1990)

64. Fight Club (1999)

65. Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

66. The Big Lebowski (1998 )

67. Best in Show (2000)

68. The Rock (1996)

69. Taxi Driver (1976)

70. Juno (2007)

71. The Matrix (1999)

72. Kill Bill, Vol. 1 (2003)

73. Kill Bill, Vol. 2 (2004)

74. Keeping the Faith (2000)

75. Austin Powers (1997) 

76. Arlington Road (1999)

77. Dumb & Dumber (1994)

78. The Family Man (2000)

79. The Untouchables (1987)

80. Amelie (2001)

81. Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)

82. Casino (1995)

83. Notting Hill (1999)

84. Sling Blade (1996)

85. Meet the Parents (2000)

86. Chicago (2002)

87. Analyze This (1999)

88. The Lives of Others (2006)

89. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)

90. Broadcast News (1987)

91. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008 )

92. Red Dragon (2002)

93. The Whole Nine Yards (2000)

94. In Good Company (2004)

95. Waiting for Guffman (1996)

96. There’s Something About Mary (1998 )

97. Father of the Bride (1991)

98. The Contender (2000)

99. Forrest Gump (1994)

100. For Love of the Game (1999)

The most precipitous drops came courtesy of What About Bob and The Sixth Sense; both were in the top 25 on last year’s list, and fell all the way out of the top 50 this year. Sadly, I was hit with discoveries in the past year that both movies have hit their shelf life and are no longer holding up to repeat viewings. Still good movies, but they’re scoring most of their points by being sentimental favorites of their time, rather than currently great movies that hold up today. The same can be said for The Rock, which dropped from #33 to #68 on my extended list. I’ll only bother to comment on the top 50, but will leave the whole top 100 list out there for a reference of other movies I hold in high regard.

The biggest jumps on the list belong to Harvey and The Remains of the Day, both movies I watched again during the last year and found myself loving more than ever. For a third or fourth viewing of a movie to convince you to like it that much better…well, I think it’s safe to say that those movies are going to stick around on my list for a while.

1. The Godfather (1972)

Oscars were boring.

I usually don’t watch the Oscars from beginning to end, I generally just check in once in a while to see who’s winning the big awards…but, having seen most of the nominees this year, I tuned in for most of the show. I was bored stiff.

I just don’t see what Slumdog Millionaire did to justify this whole parade of awards. Milk did well for itself also, and I wasn’t any great fan of that film either. Although I think Penelope Cruz did a really fine job in Vicky Cristina Barcelona (enjoyable movie by the way), I do wish that Taraji Henson or Viola Davis or Amy Adams had taken down the Best Supporting Actress award, just because I hated seeing The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Doubt both shut out from getting any major awards. Great movies. I can’t really argue with any of the acting award recipients, though.

Hugh Jackman is likable, but he was a boring host. I can’t think of many segments that were particularly entertaining, except for maybe the Steve Martin/Tina Fey presentation early on. I did enjoy those two.

I’ll probably go back to just checking in on who won after the fact next year.

2009 Oscar Picks

Best Picture

Nominees:
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Milk
Frost/Nixon
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

Should win: I’m not as big of a fan of Slumdog Millionaire as the rest of the world seems to be. It’s a fine movie, but I just didn’t see greatness in it. I’m much more inclined toward Benjamin Button, a moving drama with great performances all around. My second choice would be The Reader.

Movie Review: Gran Torino (2009)

Clint Eastwood is back as…you guessed it…a crass and mean old man with a heart two sizes too small. He’s basically playing the role of Clint Eastwood in every movie, but luckily that’s a character that we haven’t stopped enjoying after all these years.

Movie Review: Doubt (2008)

Hadn’t been to the theater in months, now I go twice in one week. Since Doubt is down to only four showtimes in Bellingham, I knew I needed to catch it pretty soon if I was going to get to it before the wait for DVD. Thankfully, for the second time in four days, I walked out of the theater fully satisfied that I watched one of the best films of the year.

Movie Review: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

I was skeptical about The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. The premise of the man aging in reverse seemed too silly to take seriously, the previews looked just okay, the whole thing just seemed like a contrived contender for Oscar nominations (I didn’t actually realize until looking around just now that it was based on a book written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, author of The Great Gatsby). However, when it got a bunch of Golden Globe nominations (which surely means Oscar nominations are to come), and I saw a high rating on IMDb, I knew I was going to have to see it at some point. I’m glad I did.

Movie Review: Burn After Reading (2008)

Thanks to the generosity of my brother, who helps run a movie theater in Anacortes, I was able to watch a pre-screening of Burn After Reading tonight. Granted, that only meant I saw it about 18 hours before anyone else could, but it’s still fun to drive down to do it sometimes…you get a relatively empty theater, with the only other people around being whatever theater employees feel like showing up also. Since the idiocy of theater-goers is certainly a drawback to seeing films in the theater, especially early in their run when screenings are inevitably more crowded, this atmosphere is strongly preferred.

My brother wasn’t keen on watching this movie at all, and I couldn’t entirely fail to see why. The previews were odd, weak, not really intriguing…if the Coen Brothers’ name hadn’t been attached to the movie, I sure wouldn’t have run out to see it right away. Still, Coen almost always means quality, and with a solid cast like this (Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Frances McDormand, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton), I inevitably had to see this. So, was my relatively blind faith in the Coens misplaced?

Movie Review: The Dark Knight (2008)

I wasn’t the huge raving fan of Batman Begins that many were. It was a fine movie, a watchable movie within a superhero sub-genre that I don’t care all that much about in general…but I didn’t think it stood out as a movie I’d watch over and over again. Still, it was good and I knew that I’d see The Dark Knight as soon as it came out, particularly given the hype behind it and some very promising theatrical trailers.

While again I think the general public is going to like the movie a bit better than I did, it certainly met my personal expectations, and I enjoyed it.

My 10 favorite film endings.

The end of a film is crucial; to be a truly great movie, you have to finish well. Whether it’s the natural conclusion of a brilliant story, an emotional climax or a twist that greatly affects everything you’ve watched up to that point, a director needs to leave a good taste in the viewers’ mouths to achieve greatness. The landscape-altering twist is a huge gamble, and can come off as entirely stupid a lot of the time…but when it’s done well, few other things can give a movie-watcher a bigger rush.

Upon combing through and sorting my yet-to-be-released top 100 movies list, here are my 10 favorite film endings (obviously plenty of spoilers).

Honorable mentions: Braveheart and The Green Mile
Both of these films had places in my top 10 endings list, but after careful deliberation eventually got bumped out. Both great movies with very memorable endings, though.

10. The Notebook (2004)

Movie Review: Requiem for a Dream (2000)

**spoilers throughout**

It’s hard to know how to rate or assess Requiem for a Dream. My initial assessment is that it could be the single most depressing film I’ve seen in my life…but believe me, that’s not really a knock. Director Darren Aronofsky wasn’t exactly shooting for puppy dogs and rainbows. What he set out to do with this film, he did it brilliantly…but it was very hard to watch.

In short, the movie is about four people’s lives spiraling out of control and being completely ruined by drug addiction. Is there more to it? Not really. There isn’t really a twist, there isn’t really a turnaround…nobody picks themselves up by the bootstraps and kicks their habit. They start taking drugs, their life gets worse. They keep taking drugs, their life gets worse. Their drug intake keeps increasing, and they all hit bottom. The end, roll credits. That’s just a simple plot synopsis, though…the final product brings a lot to the table.

“We lonely here mostly too”: the best scene of Meet Joe Black.

Originally I set out to write a blog entry talking up Meet Joe Black, which I really think is one of the most criminally underrated films ever created. Unfortunately, if you’re one of the many people who thinks of this three hour masterpiece as “boring,” I doubt I’m going to be able to change your mind.

Instead, I want to write about my favorite scene in the movie, the powerful hospital scene between Joe Black (Brad Pitt) and the Jamaican lady who is terminally ill and knows that Joe is the angel of death.

My Top 10 Animated Films

With the recent release of WALL-E, I’ve had my mind on doing this entry for a couple of weeks now. Even though I think that particular movie is overrated (pending a second viewing when it is released to Blu-ray), I love the Pixar catalog and am extremely thankful to them for not only revitalizing the genre of animated feature films, but taking it to a whole new level. Their catalog is a brilliant one, and I will continue to see each new release (Up is the next one, scheduled for May 2009) on opening weekend until they manage to convince me to do otherwise.

Pixar has released nine feature films, beginning with Toy Story in 1995, and five of those nine make appearances on my all-time top 10 animated features list…

Movie Review: WALL-E (2008)

I love Pixar. Toy Story was a solid start, with Toy Story 2 being even better. While I really enjoyed that pair of movies, they followed with the much weaker Monsters, Inc., which continues to be their weakest effort of all the films they’ve done. So, they didn’t really have the benefit of the doubt from me when they put out Finding Nemo, and for a long time I skipped it. As it turned out, once I eventually watched it on DVD, it became my favorite that they’ve done. After really good efforts with The Incredibles and Ratatouille, I basically became ready to watch anything they put out…which sort of makes them an animated Coen Brothers, I guess.

With the overall track record of Pixar, and director Andrew Stanton (who directed Nemo), I had high hopes for WALL-E. Unfortunately, they simply were not met. Not at all, really. While I’m not about to put it down at the Monsters, Inc. level, it was certainly below their established high standard.

Well, I made the Blu-ray plunge.

Last week, I ordered and received the Panasonic DMP-BD 30 Blu-ray player. I waited for the format war between Blu-ray and HD-DVD to subside before investing in either one, but upon HD-DVD’s recent death I became anxious to grab onto Blu-ray. I bought an HDMI-X cable as well; so far I hadn’t been utilizing the HDMI slot in my television, but upon researching I could see that it would go a long way toward seeing optimal performance out of these high-def discs. I figured I’d get some thoughts down for people who were interested in going the Blu-ray route also (and for existing owners, some thoughts on specific discs later in the post).

Although I don’t have much of a frame of reference to compare to, this Panasonic machine is making me happy so far. My television and speaker systems are both of the Panasonic brand as well, and the company seems to be solidifying itself as one of the industry leaders in most new technology. This player got high marks, and being perfectly happy with my TV set, I was happy to trust the consumer ratings on Panasonic’s venture into Blu-ray.

Movie Review: The Incredible Hulk (2008)

I can’t say that I bothered with Ang Lee’s version of The Incredible Hulk a few years back. The reviews were overwhelmingly negative and I never heard a single good thing about it…but when Edward Norton signed on to star in what basically amounts to a do-over, I knew I’d need to see it at the first possible chance. This was Norton’s first effort to be released since The Painted Veil hit theaters a couple of years ago. He’s proven to be quite incredible not only at acting, but at picking great scripts, so he doesn’t seem to star in quite as many movies as a lot of high profile actors. While I was more than a little bit surprised to see him sign on for a superhero flick, considering his propensity for deeper roles, I was more than happy to get on board to watch it.

Movie Review: Donnie Brasco (1997)

Al Pacino and Johnny Depp as the co-headliners of a movie…shouldn’t that have sold me immediately? I come out of this past weekend’s first-time viewing of Donnie Brasco wondering how the heck I let a decade go by before seeing this film. Based on a true story (probably a more genuine true story than most, as it was based on an autobiography of Donnie Brasco himself), this film tells the story of FBI agent Joseph Pistone (Depp), who infiltrates a mafia family for undercover work under the name of Donnie Brasco. He befriends Lefty Ruggiero (Pacino), a mid-level member of the family run by Sonny Black (Michael Madsen), and gets on the inside when Lefty vouches for him.

Movie Review: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)

After going out on such a high note with Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, putting out a fourth installment in the Indiana Jones series almost two full decades later was a risk to the legacy of a great 1980’s trilogy. While it doesn’t hold up to The Last Crusade, and certainly not up to Raiders of the Lost Ark, it’s better than The Temple of Doom, and stands up well as an entertaining summer blockbuster.

Movie Review: Miller’s Crossing (1990)

On the heels of No Country for Old Men, the most recent great movie by the Coen brothers (I also love The Big Lebowski, Fargo and O Brother Where Art Thou), I thought it’d be a good idea to delve into their archives a bit and watch some other stuff that I hadn’t bothered with when I didn’t know who they were. Happily, I can tell you that Miller’s Crossing is one gem that I’m very glad that I dug up.

Movie Review: Prince Caspian (2008)

I had read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe when I was young, so I had a decent clue about that story before watching the movie (which I enjoyed). For Prince Caspian, I was mostly a blank slate who didn’t know what to expect going in…but, just having gotten back from the theater, I’m ready to give it my full recommendation.