Have I lost my way?

Now, as many of you know, I have been working on my Top Hundred of the Decade list, upped from the conventional ten. Now, to do this, I will have to complete my viewing of the serious 2009 releases. As of this writing, I still have not seen the following 2009 films:

INVICTUS, AVATAR, NINE, UP IN THE AIR, IT'S COMPLICATED, PRECIOUS, AN EDUCATION, THE ROAD, TRUCKER, SOMERS TOWN, THE ROAD, THE WHITE RIBBON, HUMPDAY, THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX, BIG FAN, DEPARTURES, THE WHITE RIBBON, THE BURNING PLAIN, BRONSON, REVANCHE, SHALL WE KISS?, THE DAMNED UNITED, 35 SHOTS OF RUM, A SINGLE MAN, THE BAD LIEUTENANT: PORT OF CALL NEW ORLEANS, BROKEN EMBRACES, CRAZY HEART, FISH TANK, LEAVES OF GRASS, ME AND ORSON WELLES, MY SON MY SON WHAT HAVE YE DONE, SUMMER HOURS, THAT EVENING SUN, THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS, THE LAST STATION, THE LOVELY BONES, THE MESSENGER, THE YOUNG VICTORIA.

Now, will I see all of these? If I did my list at the end of the month, it would be impossible, and as critical reception comes out, many of these could move off of my list.

However, this is not all that needs to be done. I am a young man, so I was not up to snuff on arty and serious films for much of the decade. Because of this, I have spent the last few months trying to catch up with the help of the Oscars, Cannes, Sundance, Netflix suggestions, and some of the readers' suggestions. Initially, I was going to be finished viewing all these found films by the end of December, but a drop in viewership and a continuing addition of movies has made it likely I would not see them all until the end of January.

Initially, this seemed like it would not be a problem, and would in fact allow me time to see more 2009 releases. However, I have found myself becoming averse to theaters. When I drive considerable distances to view films like THE READER, a film I had no real interest in, I have to remind myself that this is a hobby and not a job. So what is one to do?

I am likely going to step back a bit from theater going, and focusing instead on DVD's. This will delay my Top Hundred list, obviously, but as a result this blog should become much more interesting. I have plans, and I am not ready to reveal them yet, but I hope you like them.

DVD week in review, November 29-December 5

I finally got back on track this week. Let's keep this train a-moving.

1. ALL THE REAL GIRLS: This film is a pure beauty, from the cinematography, to the pacing, to the music, to the performances. Paul Schneider and Zooey Deschanel, before fame had struck them, are sympathetic simpletons whose love for one another brings both smiles and the clenching of teeth of this jaded reviewer. However, something goes amiss in the final act. Perhaps it was too long, but the whole thing feels like it falls apart with the weight of the brilliant first two acts on top of it. I cannot explain it, but it runs out of steam. 4/5.

2. THE CORPORATION: This 2004 documentary went after corporations in the wake of the Enron and Tyco corporate scandals, among others, but it gains a renewed focus with the knowledge of the greed that helped to bring down the global economy. The film is fast-paced enough to keep the proceedings from being dragged down by the nature of the topic, and it touches on so many topics that have had entire documentaries dedicated to it (private ownership of third-world water supplies for one). This is how they should be done. 5/5.

3. MULHOLLAND DRIVE: I truly do not understand how respected film critics can put this in their Top Ten of the decade. Are we really so ill as a culture that we must promote an incoherent ramble as some sort of masterpiece? David Lynch has a pilot rejected, cobbles together a makeshift ending, and the world misreads it as some sort of masterpiece because of his directorial history. The cowboy, Billy Ray Cyrus, dog feces, monsters behind coffee shops, lesbianism for the sake of lesbianism. All completely pointless, although you can be told otherwise. 1/5.

4. TIME OF THE WOLF: Maybe the Haneke overload of late did something to me, but I could not have been less interested in what happened. After an introduction that starts with a bang, Isabelle Huppert plays a mother who wanders post-apocalyptic France, looking for food and shelter with her two children. The film stays engaging for a considerable amount of time, but Haneke keeps us at such a distance from these characters that we soon stop caring about what happens to them. I appreciate nihilism and a stark revelation of the true nature of mankind, but at least give me something to root for. 3/5.

5. GOOD BYE, LENIN!: Daniel Bruhl gives a marvelous performance as a son trying to re-create East Berlin before the fall of the Wall, in order to keep his sick mother from overreacting and falling back into a coma. The film presents a different light than what we have always seen, with East Germans celebrating wildly on that fateful night. The mother is a commited National Socialist, and Bruhl's character must do everything he can to maintain the illusion. It is a sweetly funny little film. 4/5.

6. THE DREAMERS: I might change my mind about this fluid piece of cinema as time goes on, but as it stands now, Bertolucci's erotic journey into the lives of three young adults during the 1968 student riots is a flawed yet alluring masterpiece. After the silliness of women wearing bras during sex in films like KNOCKED UP, it is refreshing to see a realistic portrayal of sexuality, even if the people involved in said sexuality are not exactly the most likely pairing. The film ends abruptly, and while it makes sense in context, I did not want to leave these people so soon. 4/5.

This week I will be viewing VERA DRAKE, THE AVIATOR, DOGVILLE, I HEART HUCKABEES, THE COVE, and SOMERS TOWN. However, all of these are tentative, as it is finals week at my university. I have no interest in INVICTUS, so it will take an expansion of either AN EDUCATION or THE ROAD to get me to the cinema this weekend. I will likely do another Top Ten of the Tens, and maybe even the Oscar column I was supposed to do last week.

The Ten of the Tens: Directors.

At the end of this month, the 00's, or the noughts as some have called it, will come to an end. We have already seen countless Best of the Decade lists (mine will come shortly) and a lot of discussions on what the decade means. I have decided to look ahead, though, and see who we will be talking about as the 10's come to a close. This week, I will look at ten directors that I think will shine, with actors and actresses to come in the following weeks.

Without further ado, here they are, in no particular order.

1. JASON REITMAN
RECENT FILMS: THANK YOU FOR SMOKING, JUNO, UP IN THE AIR
Is there any bigger rising star than Reitman? One year after his fantastic debut, he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Director. Now, Reitman's film is riding the waves of acclaim, recently winning the Best Film award from the National Board of Review. With PRECIOUS seeming to fade in the light of some Academy members, Reitman could be hoisting the major awards come March of the next decade.

UPCOMING: LABOR DAY will be released in 2011, while Reitman works on his new production company.

2. RAMIN BAHRANI
RECENT FILMS: MAN PUSH CART, CHOP SHOP, GOODBYE SOLO
When Roger Ebert calls you the "new great American director", you know you are in for good things. Bahrani's painful tales of Americans on the edge of society have won many festival awards, including recognition at the prestigious Cannes and Venice film festivals. Bahrani's films, done on a shoe-string budget, have not achieved box office success yet, but they continue to be cinephile delights on DVD and Blu-Ray.
UPCOMING: Bahrani's first documentary short, PLASTIC BAG, has been playing the festival circuit. Beyond that, nothing has been announced, but Bahrani works so quickly that something else should come out by 2011.

3. FATIH AKIN
RECENT FILMS: HEAD-ON, THE EDGE OF HEAVEN

When he is not getting arrested for protesting former President Bush, Fatih Akin has become a very prolific director, winning the Best Screenplay award at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival for the wonderful THE EDGE OF HEAVEN. Akin's films, often dealing with his own isolation as a Turkish German, have fluctuated in quality, but he is very clearly a capable director with a knack for the pull of raw emotion.
UPCOMING: SOUL KITCHEN has been released in Europe, and it should have a stateside release sometime in 2010.

4. CHRISTOPHER NOLAN
RECENT FILMS: MEMENTO, BATMAN BEGINS, THE DARK KNIGHT

Nolan is certainly in an enviable position. When he isn't changing the rules of the super hero genre, he is making films on his own terms with his newfound financial and critical security. While BATMAN BEGINS was merely a well-done super hero film, THE DARK KNIGHT changed the genre, mixing political parallels with philosophy while working with Ledger to make the most memorable character of the 00's.
UPCOMING: Everyone is looking forward to INCEPTION, due out next year. Beyond that, a third Batman movie will make another billion dollars.

5. DUNCAN JONES
RECENT FILMS: MOON
MOON was one of the most successful summer indies in some time, which comes as a surprise given Jones' status as the son of a famous entertainer. He conjured up his vast memory of science-fiction classics to create one of the more original genre films of the decade. Given the financial and critical success of the film, as well as his famous father, the sky will be the limit for Jones.
UPCOMING: Wikipedia lists ESCAPE FROM THE DEEP, MUTE, and SOURCE CODE as upcoming projects. Jones will be a busy man, indeed.

6. J.J. ABRAMS
RECENT FILMS: MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III, STAR TREK
Between re-launching one of the most storied brands in television history to producing some of the biggest blockbusters of the decade, Mr. Abrams has been on a good ride lately. Abrams has not only changed film, but he has been tremendously popular in the television arena. Abrams has been a breath of fresh air, bringing a sense of fun and wonder back to the summer blockbuster long after I thought Michael Bay had ruined the entire ordeal.
UPCOMING: He has a Hunter Scott project in the mix, as well as a STAR TREK sequel, as well as a myriad of production credits.

7. JOEL AND ETHAN COEN
RECENT FILMS: NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, BURN AFTER READING, A SERIOUS MAN
I tried to only focus on somewhat newer directors, but with the rebirth the Coen Brothers have gone through late in this decade, how can I resist? After bad movies starring Tom Hanks and George Clooney, the brothers took a few years off and came back with NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, winning them the Academy Award they have been deprived of for so long. This year they will likely find their film nominated for Best Picture again.
UPCOMING: They are supposed to re-make the Western film TRUE GRIT, with Jeff Bridges in talks to play a leading character.

8. CHARLIE KAUFMAN
RECENT FILMS: SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK

After so many great screenplays, Kaufman made his directorial debut in 2008 with a film that left me so aghast that I could not find my vehicle upon exiting the theater. Unfortunately, critics and movie fans did not see it this way, and it failed in both regards. However, Kaufman is still one of the most talented writers in the industry, so he should return in a big way, with perhaps a smaller budget.
UPCOMING: Nothing announced yet, but it better happen soon.

9. SOFIA COPPOLA
RECENT FILMS: LOST IN TRANSLATION, MARIE ANTOINETTE
How did Coppola go from the amazing emotional beauty of LOST IN TRANSLATION to the clusterfuck of MARIE ANTOINETTE? These are questions that need to be answered. I imagine that the tremendous success Coppola got for her second major motion picture may have given her a big head, so now that it has been several years since the train wreck, she is going to get back on track and wow us again.
UPCOMING: SOMEWHERE has completed filming and should be released early next year.

10. SARAH POLLEY
RECENT FILMS: AWAY FROM HER

Polley has been an indie queen as an actress for some time, but out of nowhere she made a touching portrayal of the effects of Alzheimer's on a loving couple. The critical industry responded favorably, giving Polley an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. Even at the young age of twenty-nine, Polley showed a real grasp of human emotion, and her presence in future dramatic films will only be a good thing.
UPCOMING: As of right now, Polley only has announced acting credits.

DVD week in review, November 21-28

Well, I am back on my usual schedule, and I feel renewed in my stretch run for the Top Hundred of the Decade.

1. THIRST: Park chan-wook can always be counted on for interesting characters and bizarre moments of violence, but beyond the style, I struggle to find any substance. A South Korean priest volunteers for an experiment and ends up a vampire who struggles not to kill. Park regular Song Kang-ho is spectacular, but the film is too long and occasionally too in love with it's premise, but the concept is fascinating enough and the gore and violence keeps your attention. Luckily, the ending is able to pull together the overall muddy piece, even if it is a bit too depressing for my taste. 3/5.

2. STAR TREK: Nothing interested me less this summer than sitting through a two-hour J.J. Abrams adaptation of a television series I never cared for in the first place, but with it's renewed Oscar talk, I felt the need to visit it. No film has surprised me more in 2009. Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto are very alluring in their updated versions of Captain Kirk and Spock, respectively. The film has such a sense of carefree fun that it remains an irresistable piece of cinema. At the moment it is the finest film of the year, and who could have seen that coming? 5/5.

3. ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE YOU KNOW: These types of films have been made so many times that it is miraculous that any bit of originality can be pulled out of them, but Miranda July manages to succeed. July also stars as the main character, a struggling artist who falls in love with a shoe salesman played by John Hawkes, who complements her perfectly. The ensemble cast, including five neglected children, all play believably enough, but unfortunately the film comes to a bit of a crash at the end. It is as if the film is incomplete. 3/5.

4. JUNEBUG: I couldn't watch it anymore. It embodied everything wrong with American cinema. 0/5.

5. THE STATION AGENT: Thomas McCarthy strikes again, capturing the essence of loneliness and isolation without the cheap sentiment that so many others would have exploited. A dwarf inherits an abandoned train depot and slowly becomes friends with the local populace, including an artist who's lost her son and a snack truck operator struggling with his ill father. The film is so heartfelt because every character exists within the real world, unlike so many other stories of the handicapped. One of the decade's few perfect films. 5/5.

6. THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES: The decade's other film about the famous left-wing revolutionary, we follow young Che as he takes a break from medical school to tour South America with his friend Alberto, and he is transformed by the suffering he sees throughout the continent. This film is decidedly more romantic than Soderbergh's magnum opus, and it comes with it's benefits and flaws. The film is more easily penetrating, but it does not leave any of the haunting imagery that CHE did. In many ways, it is a stereotypical American road film. 3/5.

This week I will be viewing THE CORPORATION, ALL THE REAL GIRLS, MULHOLLAND DRIVE, THE AVIATOR, DOGVILLE, and VERA DRAKE. While EVERYBODY'S FINE and BROTHERS have some Oscar buzz, it would take a great review or three to get me to go. I will be looking out, like I have for weeks, of expansions of AN EDUCATION, PRECIOUS, and THE ROAD. I will also write another Oscar article unless the idea of it bothers me too much.

The Fantastic Mr. Fox.

THE FANTASTIC MR. FOX
DIRECTED BY: WES ANDERSON
WRITTEN BY: NOAH BAUMBACH

Wes Anderson is probably the first filmmaker I seriously followed. I happened upon THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS in my family's weekly movie-and-video-game rental, and although my mother found the entire thing detestable, I was hooked. I tracked back and fell in love with RUSHMORE, and I have been on the train since then. While I think his later efforts have not reached the heights of his two masterpieces, there is much more to Anderson's films than his critics acknowledge. I had my reservations about this one, but who knew that Roald Dahl was the perfect complement to Anderson?

Mr. Fox (George Clooney), wife Felicity Fox (Meryl Streep), and son Ash (Jason Schwartzman) live a regular existence until Mr. Fox gets the urge to leave his job as a newspaper columnist and begins to steal chickens from farms again. Aided by the opossum Kylie (Wallace Wolodarsky), they begin to rob the large farms of Boggis, Bunce, and Bean. At the same time, Ash's cousin Kristofferson (Eric Chase Anderson) comes to stay with the family, and begins to excel in areas the insecure Ash cannot, culminating with Mr. Fox taking him on an ill-advised night of robbery.

George Clooney is the type of likeable, smooth guy that Mr. Fox needs to be for the film. His exploits put a smile on your face and you cannot help but root for his success. It is by no means an acting triumph; the character's emotions are fairly grounded, as most stoic characters seem to be. Oppositer Mr. Fox is the fantastic Meryl Streep as the put-upon wife, trying to put up with his antics and still raise a functional family. It is nice to see Streep rebound strongly this year after the cartoonish buffoonery of DOUBT.

I have never thought much of Schwartman as an actor, but he is brilliant as the weak son. It was such a cute, loveable performance, and one can see the image of the short, unintimidating Schwartzman embodying this role. In a perfect world, Ash would have his own sequel. The most surprising, however, is the strong performances of Wolodarsky and Anderson's brother Eric, two occasional actors in his films. Of course, no review can skip the fun of Bill Murray as Badger, the lawyer who warns Mr. Fox but inevitably gets pulled into his scheme. Bill Murray should be in every film of consequence.

Anderson's script, co-written by Noah Baumbach, expands significantly on Dahl's book, adding in many of the characters and creating an entirely new ending. The two worked together on THE LIFE AQUATIC, and they manage to avoid the pitfalls of that film (it would be nice to see Owen Wilson write again, though). The animation, which I was initially worried about, is painstakingly meticulous and wonderful. There is something so charming about seeing this rudimentary figures talking with the voices of A-List actors coming out of them, and it pained me to see children fidgeting at how old-fashioned it all was.

This is a Wes Anderson film in every sense of the word: dry humor, retro music, parental issues, sentimentality. Much like WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, I have a hard time believing that a child who has been raised on TRANSFORMERS and CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 3D can appreciate actual characterization and a lack of computer digitization. Indeed, many of the theater patrons were of the older variety, likely Anderson worshippers themselves. Those that dislike Anderson are not going to be converted, so I must recommend against it for those in that camp, but it is a fun romp for the others.

BEST SCENE: In science class, Kristofferson has gotten the attention of Ash's female lab partner. While he tries to order her to get him tools for their chemistry experiment, she cannot look away from his cousin. At the same time, Kristofferson is being frustrated by the town jock, who blows up their experiment. Frustrated, Ash asks if she is still his lab partner, and when she exclaims that she still is, he coldly says "No, you're disloyal". This kind of jab is present in every Anderson film, but it is so surreal hearing Max Fisher say it as a talking fox.

VERDICT: 5 STARS OUT OF 5.

Coco Before Chanel.

COCO BEFORE CHANEL
WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY: ANNE FONTAINE

I try my hardest to enter a cinema with a blank slate. I typically go early in the day, often arriving early to clear my head. However, I must confess to entering the theater with certain emotional baggage. A recent flame had become distant, and as a result, I had her on my mind during portions of the film. It did not help that one of the actresses in the film happened to look like her, nor did the subject matter of love and loss. Alas, I will seek to provide an objective review, as hard as it may be.

Gabrielle Chanel (Audrey Tautou) is a burlesque dancer and tailor's assistant in the small town of Saumur in France. One night, she catches the eye of rich military officer Étienne (Benoît Poelvoorde) who successfully courts her and brings her to his Parisian mansion. Ignored by Étienne and his constant streams of houseguests, she begins to tinker with designing clothing, and she begins to dress in a more manly fashion than the pomp and circumstances in French society at the time. Things begin to change when she meets Arthur (Alessandro Nivola), who she falls passionately for.

Audrey Tautou is not always on top, but when she is there are few better. Tautou goes from sexy to witty to empathetic in the course of the film, and she is a marvel throughout. Of course, the most important detail is her uncanny resemblence to the late Gabrielle Chanel, although I cannot profess enough knowledge of her personalities or mannerisms (unlike Meryl Streep's role in JULIE AND JULIA) in order to judge her on that front. While she is on the screen, it is often difficult to tear yourself away as she chews scenery like the best of them.

Poelvoorde is seemingly plain at first as the drunken louse, but as I think about the more role as time goes on, it is the type that could have been overdone in so many ways that it is a miracle that he avoids the pitfalls that could easily be fallen into. He straddles the line between a charming benefactor and villainous drunkard, and as an alcoholic I can appreciate the dichotomy. Nivola, on the other hand, is given little to do than be a prop for Tautou; however, Nivola plays the prop exceptionally well.

Fontaine's screenplay is fairly by the number, with the most interesting choice being the decision to focus exclusively on Chanel's early life. At the conclusion of the film, we are given a quick text epilogue, but nothing beyond that. The direction is of the same vanilla token, although she does manage to create a brooding sense of loss in a particularly emotional scene at the end of the film. Without giving away too much of the ending, there is a potentially grisly scene that, instead of showing the carnage directly, we are only given the silhouette of the carnage.

However, at the end of the film, the only question on my mind was why the film was made. While the film may have extra appeal to those interested in "Coco" Chanel, the film seems to be more of an exercise in style than in anything substantive and memorable. In a year's time, I will remember nothing of this film outside of the aforementioned scene and parts of Tautou's performance, and for that reason, it just narrowly escapes the type of acclaim a more high-minded film would achieve.

BEST SCENE: During a party, a drunk Étienne boasts about Chanel's singing ability and coaxes her into singing for the crowd. Chanel very quietly protests, but he is too drunk to notice. She begins to sing the "Coco" song without the usual flair she used in her earlier days, struggling to maintain her embarassmant and rage at being singled out and ridiculed. Slowly, her voice fades out as the drunken guests begin singing loudly and off-key. She begins to slouch away from the pianist, and off to sulk in the darkness in the arms of Arthur.

VERDICT: 3 STARS OUT OF 5.

A Serious Man.

A SERIOUS MAN
WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY: JOEL AND ETHAN COEN

Hype is a funny thing sometimes. In my earlier years, the anticipation I had for a film usually paid itself off (THERE WILL BE BLOOD, CHILDREN OF MEN), but now, my anticipations seem to hinder the overall experience (WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, WHATEVER WORKS). I had been looking forward to this film for some considerable time, and while it was full of Coenesque black humor and nihilistic fortitude, the entire thing does not live up to the sort of ebullient praise that so many esteemed critics have given it.

Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg) is an unassuming physics professor in 1960's Minnesota. His wife Judith (Sari Lennick) wants to divorce him to marry Sy Ableman (Fred Melamed), while his brother Arthur (Richard Kind) bums around on the family couch and scribbles insanely in a journal dedicated to mathematics. Meanwhile, Larry's quest to attain tenure is in jeopardy thanks to mysterious letters being sent to the dean and the extortion by a South Korean exchange student. Larry seeks the help of three rabbi's to make sense of his life and continue to be a serious man.

Michael Stuhlbarg gives one of the greatest performances of the year, full of muted outrage and full-blown emotional meltdowns. Stuhlbarg has to react to a variety of disasters, and he finds the perfect pitch. Never does he act out of turn to the events, nor does he ever insufficiently react to the people and perplexities around him. The few scenes without Stuhlbarg are carried by Larry's son Danny (Aaron Wolff), who gives us a glimpse into the type of upbringing Larry himself was likely a victim of, from inattentive parents to daily fear of bullying.

Richard Kind has always been great, but he finally gets a chance to expand beyond the small screen he has since conquered. It would be hard to find someone better to play a socially awkward loser than Kind, but the character is much deeper, oscillating between his addictions and his mathematical genius. Lennick hits the notes as the obnoxious wife, while Melamed is given a chance to light up every scene he is in as a paternalistic villain who refuses to understand how his actions are ruining the lives of those around him.

The screenplay is fine enough, hitting the correct dialogue notes and never going too deep in the absurd (well, never beyond the standards for absurdity the Coen brothers have set for themselves over the years). The directing is up to their usual par as well, so the flaw in the film comes from an overall absence of meaning. Despite the attempts of critics to paint the film as a type of Jewish identity film, the film is much closer to the type of silliness of BURN AFTER READING than the philosophical musings of NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN.

It is still a funny enough film, however, and those who have enjoyed the past work of Joel and Ethan Coen will find this film to be right up their alley. However, it is simply not the transcendent experience that it has been painted as. It has been more than a week since I saw the film, and it has taken me close to an hour to finish this review, with so few scenes still ringing in my head. Part of me thinks that I may be too non-religious or too young to appreciate the Jewish themes, but I guess I will know as time goes on.

BEST SCENE: Larry takes Arthur to a lake that borders Canada and sends him off in a canoe with supplies and cash. Larry and Arthur have an emotional goodbye, and Larry gives Arthur's canoe a pushoff into the lake. Moving as slow as molasses, Arthur turns back to look at Larry and shouts goodbyes at him, waving like a child. Suddenly, a shot rings out and Arthur's body falls into the water. Larry scans the neighbor to see his bizarre neighbor and his son in hunting conditions, and he instructs his son to kill the other Jew. Larry wakes up, terrified.

VERDICT: 4 STARS OUT OF 5.

DVD week in review, November 15-21

Sorry about being late, but my productivity this week will impress you, I hope.

1. INFERNAL AFFAIRS: The original twist on cops versus robbers that led to the American remake THE DEPARTED. It is a bit interesting to note the subtle differences between the two films (Vera Farmiga's dual role as lover and psychiatrist consists of two different people, the lack of the Anthony Anderson character) as well as the different ending, which is much more satisfying than the rather silly proceedings in the American version. It suffers from some lower production values, but it makes up for it with a solid cast and storytelling. 4/5.

2. THE LIMITS OF CONTROL: Jim Jarmusch is an asshole. How else can you explain a director with as much talent as he has (BROKEN FLOWERS) concocting this pointless exercise in style? A stoic hitman prepares to attack his target and meets a variety of interesting characters, from a woman who is constantly naked to Tilda Swinton pretending to be sexy. Bill Murray's small role at the end of the film is a delight, but by that point the faux-artistic sensibilities of the film had exhausted me beyond caring. 1/5.

This week I will be watching STAR TREK, THIRST, ME YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW, and TIME OF THE WOLF. My reviews of A SERIOUS MAN and COCO BEFORE CHANEL will be up tonight or tomorrow. I will definitely be seeing THE FANTASTIC MR. FOX, and depending on how things go, I may get out to go see AN EDUCATION, PRECIOUS, and THE ROAD. Lastly, there is a chance that I will finish my Top Ten of 2005, but that might be next week.

DVD week in review, November 1-14

I missed an entire week of films, so here we go.

1. THE BEST OF YOUTH: A beautiful six-hour mini-series about the lives of an Italian family. Nicola, the smart and collected brother, and Matteo, the brash and reckless brother, weave in and out of each other's lives, as well as from families to lovers. The epic length allows the characters to develop into full-fleshed human beings, and the ending resonates so much more powerfully as a result. While I pain through weaker two hour films, I enjoyed every minute of this tale. 2005's best film. 5/5.

2. FOOD, INC.: Perhaps 2009's most terrifying horror film, this documentary examines the radical changes to the way our food is processed and grown. In discussing the availability of tomatoes in a grocery store all year-round, he describes the monstrosity as an idea of a tomato, having been so altered by chemicals as to not qualify. The final nail in the coffin is the scenes of a poor family having to go for McDonald's because their subsidized meat is cheaper than fruits and vegetables in a grocery store. 4/5.

3. BALLAST: I waited so long for this film for my 2008 Top Ten list, but I could not wait any longer and went ahead. While it excels, it would not have made the list. The film is about the lives of three poor Mississippi family members and their individual attempts to cope with the suicide of a husband, brother, and father. The film deals with violence in such a frank and matter-of-fact way that it reminds you of the reality of the lives of people that rarely grace the movie screen. However, a silly denouement hurts the entire enterprise. 4/5.

3. PARADISE NOW: Two Palestinian friends decides to become suicide bombers against Israel, and we follow their preparation and execution of the plan. The film does not over-indulge in the politics of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and instead focuses on the personal pressure that the two friends feel inside of them as they cope with their decisions and try to explain their methods to their loved ones. A masterful ending caps the intensity. 5/5.

4. MARIA FULL OF GRACE: An account of a young girl's experience as a drug mule from Colombia attempting to make her way into the United States. Catalina Sandino Moreno is fantastic in the title role, having to react to the gruesome circumstances and events that occur around her in her new line of work. While some of the imagery will stay with me for some time, the ending devolves into a type of cliché that we see too often in films of this magnitude. My only hope is that Rae Kasey does not come to my home and murder me for saying that. 4/5.

This week I will be viewing INTERNAL AFFAIRS, THE BEAT THAT MY HEART SKIPPED, KINGS AND QUEEN, THE LIMITS OF CONTROL, and VERA DRAKE. I will be viewing PRECIOUS when it expands this weekend, as well as anything else that happens to come to town as well. I will also be posting my review of A SERIOUS MAN soon, as well.

Obligatory Oscar Post, Part II

Well, here we go.

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: I really don't have anything new to do with my current predicted nominees, THE WHITE RIBBON, A PROPHET, SAMSON AND DELILAH, BAARIA, and AJAMI. I have seen China's FOREVER ENTHRALLED start to pop up everywhere, and since I hate the way BAARIA is spelled, I am going to arbitrarily make that change. I will, however, say that A PROPHET will win, just so people can mock me for being wrong.

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: I just saw FOOD, INC. today, and I stand by it's nomination, along with my other four: TYSON, THE COVE, CAPITALISM: A LOVE STORY, and ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL. I predicted a win for THE COVE before, and still do, with Michael Moore's latest seeming to have fallen out of favor with the public a bit.

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM: To my understanding, thanks to Rae Kasey and others, there will indeed be five nominees this year. My initial predictions, UP, PONYO, THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG, CORALINE, and CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS all stand, although with the smears against Wes Anderson starting to fade, THE FANTASTIC MR. FOX could be in play if it does well. I am not ready to move it yet, though.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: With Fox Searchlight getting ready to roll out the CRAZY HEART express, I think that maybe (500) DAYS OF SUMMER will not get the support it needs to stay afloat. However, I have nothing better to put for now. THE HURT LOCKER and A SERIOUS MAN still have the buzz they need to keep going, and INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS seems to be getting more acclaim from certain quarters as well. I am not an UP believer, but everyone else is and it is too strong for me to change it.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: UP IN THE AIR, AN EDUCATION, and PRECIOUS are still flying high, so no change with those three. AMELIA is done, however, so I will be replacing it with THE LOVELY BONES, matching it with the other unseen film, NINE. However, if CRAZY HEART turns out to be more than just a vehicle for Jeff Bridges, then it will likely find it's way into the mix.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Really, the only lock her is Mo'Nique in PRECIOUS, will all of the other nominees waiting to lose to her. Buzz has building for Julianne Moore in A SINGLE MAN, so someone has to go. I am going to keep both Penélope Cruz and Judi Dench in NINE, as well as Anna Kendrick in UP IN THE AIR. Sorry, Susan Sarandon, but aren't you going to get a bazillion dollars from AVATAR?

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: It would seem my hopes for Richard Kind in A SERIOUS MAN are a bit useless, so he is going to have to go. Christoph Waltz for INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS and Alfred Molina in AN EDUCATION seem to still be locks, and Matt Damon's chances for INVICTUS are still going good. Stanley Tucci in THE LOVELY BONES will stay for now, and I will throw in Molina's comrade Peter Sarsgaard for the work in the same film.

BEST ACTRESS: Meryl Streep, Gabourey Sidibe, and Carey Mulligan will not be leaving anyone's list. From now until March, it is a toss-up on who will win. Sidibe replaces Hilary Swank in AMELIA, which everyone knows is done. I would not be surprised if they split the major precursors. Beyond that, it gets tougher. I still feel good with Marion Cotillard in NINE, and I will stick with Abbie Cornish in BRIGHT STAR even though everyone and their sister has abandoned her.

BEST ACTOR: George Clooney, Morgan Freeman, and Daniel-Day Lewis are the trifecta for the men. The big news of the moment is that Jeff Bridges is going to come out in a big way with CRAZY HEART, so he will make this list as well. After that, it is a toss-up between Colin Firth in A SINGLE MAN and Matt Damon in THE INFORMANT!, which has not kept up the acclaim needed to stay alive. Firth gets it.

BEST DIRECTOR: Until someone says otherwise, Clint Eastwood, Lee Daniels, Jason Reitman, Kathryn Bigelow, and Lone Scherfig stay here.

BEST PICTURE: AN EDUCATION, A SERIOUS MAN, INVICTUS, NINE, PRECIOUS, UP IN THE AIR, UP, and THE HURT LOCKER seem to have locked down the first eight spots. What comes after that? AMELIA and THE HANGOVER were my choices, but both are definitely done now. I am going to get my hopes up that both BRIGHT STAR and INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS will sneak in, with AVATAR, CRAZY HEART, and A SINGLE MAN all looming in the shadows.

Ta-da.