A new year has arrived. One of my (many) goals is to be more serious about film as a step towards making it more than just a hobby. To that end, I plan on documenting the films I watch this year. Enjoy.

#9 - Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008)
Director: Kurt Kuenne

I knew very little about this film before watching it.  I had heard that it was good and I read the brief Netflix description, that’s it.  Now I know that this is the best way to walk into this film - with as little pre-existing information as possible.  That being said, I’m not going to talk much about the story.

I didn’t click with some of the way this story was told.  The editing was very aggressive and at times it irritated me.  But regardless, I was with the story 100%.  I was astounded at the emotional honesty of the filmmaker.  His passion made me feel a part of the story.  I don’t know that I’ve ever cried as a result of a film the way I did while watching Dear Zachary.  I sobbed in that special kind of way that gives you a headache and stuffy nose afterwards.  I couldn’t believe what was happening on the screen.  I strongly recommend watching this film, but prepare for it to wreck you.

A new year has arrived. One of my (many) goals is to be more serious about film as a step towards making it more than just a hobby. To that end, I plan on documenting the films I watch this year. Enjoy.

#8 - The Cove (2009)
Director: Louie Psihoyos

The Cove is one of the many films that I hoped to see at SIFF but didn’t make it to.  I had read nothing but good things about it from many people whose opinions I greatly respect.  Here’s the thing - I’m not really an “animal person” and, as a result, I am often not affected by issues concerning animals that other people seem to really care about.  I usually assume that movies involving animals aren’t going to impact me the way they do other people.  In this case, I was proven quite wrong.

The Cove impacted me in a big way.  It got me, despite my abnormally cold heart when it comes to animals.  The difference was the excellent filmmaking.  The Cove didn’t assume that I cared about dolphins.  It didn’t rely upon me having a soft spot for water-bound creatures in order to tell it’s story.  The storytelling was so good that I was quickly sucked into what was happening.  I was excited by the creation of the story and the way the footage was being aggressively taken.

The end of this film left me in tears.  After all the tension-building, the final release was painful to watch with it’s unnerving sense of calm.  I can’t imagine the emotional impact that this film would have if I did have the soft spot for animals that I am so mysteriously missing.

A new year has arrived. One of my (many) goals is to be more serious about film as a step towards making it more than just a hobby. To that end, I plan on documenting the films I watch this year. Enjoy.

#7 - Revolutionary Road (2008)
Director: Sam Mendes

Some spoilers included.  Really, more hints at spoilers.

The ending of this film was spoiled for me by the Chuck Lorre Production Notes at the end of an episode of Big Bang Theory.  Granted, there was a spoiler warning, but I kept reading, so it’s really my own fault.  I’m not sure that “spoiled” is the appropriate word to use, however, because of the negative connotations.  I don’t know that knowing the ending had a negative impact on my viewing of the show.  Knowing what was coming made it all the more tragic, in my opinion.

What struck me while watching this film is the way a woman’s body and mind can be at war with each other.  Even more, the way that your body can destroy everything it is that you want.  In 2010, this is preventable with up to 99.9% accuracy.  But even this can require smart decision-making in the midst of moments that are not known for their cognitive clarity.

I was somewhat distracted by the casting of this film.  I thought that both Kate and Leo did an excellent job, but I spent the first half of the film focused on how excited I was to see Jack and Rose together again.  What I enjoyed about the storytelling is that we had a good view of both Frank and April’s arcs.  I saw and felt the transition that he made and the way he was enticed by the traditional version of success.  Simultaneously, I saw and felt April, her desire to be free, and her disbelief when she became aware of the discrepancy between what she thought her relationship contained and what it actually contained.

I was initially jolted by the quick transition from Frank and April meeting to the depths of their relational despair, but once I realized the part of their story that we were focusing on, I bought in and stayed with it to the end.  I’m not sure that I’d recommend this film to everyone, but it perfectly matched my melancholy mood this weekend and I really enjoyed it.

A new year has arrived. One of my (many) goals is to be more serious about film as a step towards making it more than just a hobby. To that end, I plan on documenting the films I watch this year. Enjoy.

#6 - Bedtime Stories (2008)
Director: Adam Shankman

I’d seen bits and pieces of this movie on cable, but last night I watched the whole thing for the first time.  I didn’t realize until the end credits that it was directed by Adam Shankman.  I really enjoy him on So You Think You Can Dance.  Other than my secret love for 17 Again (which he produced), I haven’t been a big fan of much of his other work.

Bedtime Stories left me feeling sorry for Adam Sandler and Guy Pearce. It seems to be exactly this kind of film that Sandler’s George Simmons character laments making in Funny People.  Russell Brand had moments of humor, but not enough to make this film worth sitting through.  It’s just downright boring.  And ridiculous.  And really not worth the hour and a half of my life that I spent watching it.

A new year has arrived. One of my (many) goals is to be more serious about film as a step towards making it more than just a hobby. To that end, I plan on documenting the films I watch this year. Enjoy.

#5 - Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Director: Quentin Tarantino

I love this film. It was my favorite of 2009 and I’m holding out hope for Best Picture. This was my third viewing and the first time at home.  I was ready to see it again and wanted to show it to my mother.

I still love this film. Upon repeat viewings, it has lost some of the edge that was created by the building tension towards an unknown result.  The dialogue still leaves me breathless and the direction and use of color is thrilling.

I anticipate that Inglourious Basterds will be one of those films that I watch over and over, regardless of what happens at the Oscars this year… (Though I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed.)

A new year has arrived. One of my (many) goals is to be more serious about film as a step towards making it more than just a hobby. To that end, I plan on documenting the films I watch this year. Enjoy.

#4 - Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009)
Director: Phil Lord & Chris Miller

When my mother comes to town, I try and introduce her to films that I think she’ll enjoy that are outside her typical range.  This trip, I was still jazzed about my recent viewing of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs so I rented it and made her watch it with me.  It still made me laugh out loud and I still hold great appreciation for the film’s ability to simultaneously entertain adults and children. On this viewing, I understood more of Steve’s dialogue and the word games it contained.

My mom laughed.  I laughed.  It held up on my second viewing and continued to be quite thoroughly entertaining.

A new year has arrived. One of my (many) goals is to be more serious about film as a step towards making it more than just a hobby. To that end, I plan on documenting the films I watch this year. Enjoy.

#3 - Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
Director: Wes Anderson

The trailer for Fantastic Mr. Fox didn’t hook me.  I didn’t like the animation and bits of the story that were presented didn’t seem interesting.  After listening to the /Filmcast review of this film I wanted to give it a try, so I met my movie-going buddy at the Bear Tooth walked in ready to have my trailer-based opinion changed.

After watching Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, I wanted to see it again and show it to a friend or family member.  I don’t know that I’ll watch Fantastic Mr. Fox again, but I sure did enjoy it.  Early on, I had a thought that this was Oceans 11 for kids.  This thought was echoed in a conversation I heard while leaving the theatre.  Not only did both films benefit from the presence of Clooney, they both were light-hearted caper films that include heartfelt moments of genuine relationships.

One of the many stand-outs in this film was the voice work.  It was so engaging.  I had heard on the /Filmcast that the actors were in the sound studio together, which could explain the ease with which the characters seemed to converse.
I particularly enjoyed Jason Schwartzman, and not just because of my preexisting crush.

If Where the Wild Things Are is a film for adults and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is a film that works on simultaneous levels for both children and adults, Fantastic Mr. Fox is in between the two. It is full of fun and goofy antics that worked well for the kids in the audience. At the same time, however, there are moments of dialogue clearly aimed at those with an age in the double-digits - portraying some pretty harsh bullying and frank marital negotiations.

The most interesting part of this film, for me, is the way Wes Anderson-isms were interpreted by the audience and the levels at which they worked. I went to see Fantastic Mr. Fox with my most film-savvy friend. Over the course of the film, moments occurred where we were the only adults laughing along with the kids.  Other times, we were the only two people laughing at all. The vast majority of these moments occurred during a scene of physical comedy or bizarre exclamation by a character that typify Wes Anderson films. Sometimes these moments, which were hilarious to see in a new medium, totally worked for the kids in the audience - it was a silly moment that had them all laughing. Other times, however, it didn’t produce that reaction from the kids (primarily during dialogue-heavy scenes) and the people that were left laughing were those of us who were thoroughly enjoying watching Wes Anderson work his magic in the quirky way only he does.

Drive to Girdwood 01/23/10

A new year has arrived. One of my (many) goals is to be more serious about film as a step towards making it more than just a hobby. To that end, I plan on documenting the films I watch this year. Enjoy.

#2 - Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009)
Director: Phil Lord & Chris Miller

I’d heard wonderful things about this film. One of my dearest friends loved it. One of my favorite film bloggers recently watched it for the first time and loved it as well. When I saw it was coming to the Bear Tooth (my local independent second-run theatre), I knew I couldn’t pass it up. This was one of the films that have been released in 3D that I didn’t care whether I saw it in 3D or not. 3D is quite fun, but for those of us who wear glasses and don’t own contacts, the glasses are such a pain that it can negate the fun of the screen popping out at me.

I knew that Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs was supposed to be a fun kids movie.  What I didn’t know is that it’s a hilarious spoof of sci-fi action movies that has more laugh-out-loud moments than most. My theatre experience demonstrated how this film really is for all ages. I heard just as many instances of a kids excitedly repeating lines as parents chuckling at pop-culture, film, or technology-related references.

The characters were fun and lovable. The film managed to have a male protagonist yet also communicate a strong pro-science message to girls. There is a villain, but nothing too scary for the young ones. The portrayal of gluttony reminded me of Wall-E at times. The best part, however, was that I laughed from start to finish.

A new year has arrived. One of my (many) goals is to be more serious about film as a step towards making it more than just a hobby. To that end, I plan on documenting the films I watch this year. Enjoy.

#1 - Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
Director: Spike Jonze

Today was my second viewing of Where the Wild Things Are. The first time I saw this film was within the first two weeks of it’s release. This screening was one of my more uncomfortable theatre-going experiences. I went with my sister-in-law to a packed theatre in a multiplex full of families with children.  She and I were the only people laughing at many points in the film. The children around us were obviously bored. I loved the film. I found it a touching view of the inner-workings of a child’s mind. I enjoyed the use of the varied personalities of the monsters on the island as a metaphor for the many characters in Max’s real life.

My viewing of Where the Wild Things Are today was at the Bear Tooth, an excellent second-run theatre here in Anchorage. Once again, much of the audience was families with children and, once again, many of the children were bored. It has been said on many websites and I couldn’t agree more - this is a movieabout children not for children. This time, however, I wasn’t the only one laughing. Several other adults found the dry humor in this film just as funny as I did.

The second time through, this film was just as touching. I laughed and cried as I watched Max navigate his own monsters and his feelings towards the people in his life. I can’t wait for the commentary track on the DVD. I hope it provides some insight into the ways the filmmakers intended to create parallels between Max’s experiences on the island and his family experiences.

The one disappointment I experienced this viewing was a line of dialogue in the first few minutes in the film that clarifies why Max’s father left the family. I didn’t catch this line the first time and believed the film was ambiguous on this point. I interpreted the character of The Bull as indicating that Max’s father has died. The second viewing made me realize that it is stated quite clearly that Max’s parents have divorced. While it is still a powerful absence in Max’s life and underlies much of his interpersonal experiences with the monsters on the island, I would have preferred if I could have kept my own interpretation of Max’s father’s absence.

In summary, I love this movie - it is easily in my top ten of 2009. Where the Wild Things Are is hilarious in a way that very few people in both audiences I’ve seen it with have outwardly acknowledged. I am very much looking forward to watching this film in the privacy of my home where I can laugh hysterically at lines such as “Hey Richard” and not feel embarrassed for being the loudest (or only) one laughing.

My definition of Christmas in Seattle