Waiting on 4 Stars January 12, 2010

2009 has closed and I have seen most of the films that I want to see, and almost all of the films I need to see. Being in South Korea has delayed this process a bit, but it has occurred nevertheless.

One thing that I have noticed is that I am still waiting for at least one amazing release for 2009. I don’t think it is too much to ask for just one. Sure, there have been plenty of good films, but they have all lacked that little extra zzingh to make them great. It also doesn’t help that we had a phenomenal and a good year before (2007 had The Savages, Zodiac, No Country for Old Men, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, There Will Be Blood–2008 had WALL-E, Revolutionary Road, Slumdog Millionaire, and In Bruges. All of these are great films).

At least from the list of serious award contenders, let me give a short round-up:

The Hurt Locker: 3.5/4 – Great, but lacking an emotional core.
Avatar: 3.5/4 – Superb entertainment, but a bit too predictable.
Invictus: 3/4 – Means well, but seriously? Yawn.
Up in the Air: 3.5/4 – Good, and Anna Kendrick deserves praise, but lacking the aforementioned zzingh.
Precious: 2/4 – Don’t get me started. This uses every gimmick in the book, is painful to watch, and ends up exactly how you expect.
A Serious Man: 3.5/4 – Love the Coens. This is good, but not their best. They will never best Fargo.
Fantastic Mr. Fox: 3.5/4 – Entertaining. A good flick. Nothing spectacular.
An Education: 3.5/4 – Carey Mulligan deserves every award there is, but the film doesn’t deliver on all the levels it promises.
The Cove: 3.5/4 – Great, and more than anything, important, but a bit lackluster in the middle.
Inglourious Basterds: 3.5/4 – It would be nice if the Basterds were actually in this disorganized movie.
District 9: 3.5/4 – Yet again: Good, but with a predictable outcome and message. I want something unexpected!
500 Days of Summer: 3/4 – Give me a break. Starts good, has some good scenes, but ultimately corny.
Up: 3/4 – Has its moments but hardly up to Pixar quality. Barely places above ‘Cars’.
Star Trek: 3/4 – How is this a serious awards contender? Popcorn flick.
The Hangover: 3.5/4 – Great comedy, but still has a few problems.
Julie & Julia: 3/4 – Meryl is good, but not a good movie at all.
Coraline: 3.5/4 – Very enjoyable.

I realize my comment became more bitter as I got to writing. Oh well.

With all of this said, if I had to pick the best films of the bunch, it would be ‘An Education’, ‘The Hurt Locker’, and ‘Avatar’. I can support any of those three for the win. But is it asking too much to be wowed? I should think not.

Great Movie Scenes of the Decade January 2, 2010

Year-end lists are tough, so naturally decade-end lists are tougher. Instead of a list of my top films for the decade, I’ve compiled notes on 50 51 of my favorite movie scenes from 2000-2009. Please keep in mind a few things:

A) Most of these movies have many great scenes. I simply picked ones that are either my personal favorite or ones I feel encompass the film as a whole in the best way a mere one scene can.
B) I mean the scene in which these events take place, not just the small moment I write about. The leading up to (through foreshadowing), right before, and right after are to be considered as well.
C) These are not my top 50 films of the decade. Do not take this list as such. If I made such a list, I’m sure somewhere between 50-80% of the list would be the same, but that’s a topic for some other time.
D) These are in no particular order, other than the first, which may very well be my favorite.

If you have seen these films, I hope you will enjoy remembering these moments as much as I do. If you have not, I urge you to take the time to do so. There is much to be felt.

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Graysmith looking Arthur Leigh Allen in the eye at the end of ‘Zodiac’

When Jack gives “directions” to some tourists to the “Louvre” in ‘2 Days in Paris’

Battle of Carthage recreation in the Coliseum in ‘Gladiator’

Jake Sully flying through the Floating Mountains on Pandora in ‘Avatar’

Cady meeting the Plastics in ‘Mean Girls’

Climax of ‘Oldboy’ in Woo-jin’s penthouse

The gathering of the crew in ‘Ocean’s 11’

WALL-E playing in space with EVE using the fire extinguisher in ‘WALL-E’