The Oscar Completist

038. August

2012-02-02T09:12:00.000-08:00

038. (02 Feb) August (2011, Eldar Rapaport) 55

Despite an obviously low budget, August is incredibly stylish. Eldar Rapaport clearly understands how to photograph his subjects. His film exists almost out of time, feeling more like a '40s romance than a contemporary gay film. Consider how he photogrpahs his leads smoking; the habit hasn't looked this sexy since Tom Ford's A Single Man.

Rapaport has an obvious asset in Adrian Gonzalez. The guy could scarcely be more photogenic and he plainly understands how to act to the camera in a way the other actors don't fully grasp. Murray Bartlett isn't a liability, and he and Gonzalez have an interesting dynamic together. When they kiss in the final reel, it feels as though this is the moment the film's been building to all along.

Daniel Dugan is problematic. As he's at the center of the love triangle between two better-looking, more interesting men, the whole premise regularly feels inexplicable. Only Rapaport's ability to create and sustain sexual tension keeps Dugan from weighing the film down entirely.

Rapaport is hardly a genius, but he has a grasp on the medium that makes him an exciting emerging gay director. I'm concerned his influence, as shown by his color palette and the Spanish-infused score, is too heavily based on Almodovar. He also has clear difficulties constructing a timeline. Middling editing does no favors for the film's pace; character relationships and the course of events are ill-defined. Nevertheless, Rapaport is one to watch.

037. Chillerama

2012-01-31T21:57:00.000-08:00

037. (31 Jan) Chillerama (2011, Adam Green, Joe Lynch, Adam Rifkin & Tim Sullivan) 52

Imbalanced in the way most anthology films are, Chillerama actually leans more toward good than most. "The Diary of Anne Frankenstein" is the clear standout, so ridiculously clever and edgy it's delightful it even exists. "I Was a Teenage Werebear" is homoerotic and a cute jab at '60s beach movie musicals and '50s rebel films. Its aim is a bit too broad to totally work. "Wadzilla" is noteworthy just for being so outrageously stupid it's impossible not to enjoy.

036. Kisses for My President

2012-01-29T13:01:00.000-08:00

036. (29 Jan) Kisses for My President (1964, Curtis Bernhardt) 35

Rather than focusing on the novelty or intrigue of a female president, Kisses for My President instead is mostly interested in emasculating Fred MacMurray as the "first lady." He's irritating and unsupportive, confessing that he only let his wife run for president because he never thought she'd win. His subplots are totally undercooked like an old flame offering him a job with him realizing much too late it's because his wife is the president. His kids are extremely petulant.

With Polly Bergen playing the only remotely likable character, it makes for an often torturous comedy even if the pacing is rather brisk. In the end, she resigns due to pregnancy. Yikes.

There are some fun costumes like a lavish fur coat and hat and a foreign uniform covered in medals. It's a so-so Costume Design nominee.

035. Mister Buddwing

2012-01-29T10:16:00.001-08:00

035. (29 Jan) Mister Buddwing (1966, Delbert Mann) 37

Sort of mesmerizingly dopey, Mister Buddwing is laden with flashbacks as an amnesiac slowly recalls his life. James Garner has an almost impossible time making an amnesiac's confusion relatable. Handsome though he may be, his limitations further emphasize how nonsensical the script is. The film's title, for instance, comes from Garner wandering around the streets of Manhattan where he sees a beer truck and airplane in the sky; he pieces that together to name himself "Buddwing."

The drawn-out, silly plot is made bearable by a strong supporting cast. Angela Lansbury, Katharine Ross, Suzanne Pleshette, and Jean Simmons all take turns helping Garner. Each upstages him. Nichelle Nichols makes an impression in a bit part.

The Art Direction nomination is only for a handful of interiors, none of them especially intricate. It's mostly the inside of apartments and a couple restaurants. The Costume Design nomination is hilarious. Helen Rose is credited with the nod, but is listed in the credits as only designing Jean Simmons' gowns. That means she was cited for two shiny dresses.

034. Jane Eyre

2012-01-29T01:43:00.000-08:00

034. (29 Jan) Jane Eyre (2011, Carey Fukunaga) 54

How Mia Wasikowska continues to get work in period films baffles me. Her posture is positively awful and her unladylike behavior makes her stick out like a sore thumb. Michael Fassbender similarly seems out of sorts since he's too handsome for the role.

Fassbender proves to be Fukunaga's greatest asset by making this remarkably sexy. The book was, after all, a romance and there are touches of that here that seem almost lurid. A particular favorite comes when Jane wakes Rochester when his room's on fire. His nightgown has a slit running up his leg and her eyes linger on it. It's a delightfully erotic touch.

This Jane Eyre sits in a heavy shadow for me, having seen Susanna White's 2006 television adaptation not long ago. White was blessed with Ruth Wilson, a far greater talent than Wasikowska, and her tone and aesthetic made for a far more engaging adaptation. The last hour of this film, in particular, feels completely rushed. Fukunaga's original cut was a half-hour longer and I imagine that's a more complete, better paced movie.

Dowdy though they may be, I like the costumes here. Jane Eyre's drab color palette is wonderfully historically accurate, but also capably illustrates the class divide. A white wedding dress is the only major misstep. Dario Marianelli's score is evocative, but minor work from him.

033. Kung Fu Panda 2

2012-01-28T22:41:00.000-08:00

033. (28 Jan) Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011, Jennifer Yuh) 28

The first Kung Fu Panda looked cheap and ugly, so it's irritating that this is more of the same. The gags here are outright awful; there's not a genuinely funny joke in the film's runtime. The voice cast is among the most underwhelming in animation's history.

The plot unfolds terribly. Action sequences become anticlimactic because of the poorness with which their handled. The characters are at the top of a collapsing tower, for instance, and somehow manage to easily slide off a building's roof below after falling more than a dozen stories. That's stupid, but what's far more objection is how the film's final moments set up another sequel.

032. Bridesmaids

2012-01-27T11:38:00.000-08:00

032. (26 Jan) /Bridesmaids/ (2011, Paul Feig) 59

Watching Bridesmaids back knowing its screenplay is Oscar-nominated makes it apparent just how weak the writing is. Exposition and transitions could scarcely be clumsier. The film is funny regardless and there's some genuinely good dialogue in the scenes between Wiig and O'Dowd, but it's a bizarre Oscar nominee when they usually look toward strongly structured comedies like In Bruges. The McCarthy nomination is less objectionable than I initially thought, though it is indefensible.

031. Margin Call

2012-01-26T00:04:00.000-08:00

031. (25 Jan) Margin Call (2011, J.C. Chandor) 41

Despite the fact the characters work in a financial firm, they're constantly asking one another to dumb things down. It's just bad writing that Kevin Spacey's character has been in his position for 34 years, but has no idea how to read a projection. While it makes sense that this is just a terrible narrative device to make the financial crisis digestible for a mainstream audience, it's rather insulting.

So much time is spent clumsily, broadly indicting greed that there's no time to develop characters or give them arcs. Only Kevin Spacey's character comes close; he's burdened with a dying dog, a hilarious metaphor for his failing company. Chandor's attempts at stylizing his film, usually with off-center framing, occasionally distract from his scripting issues.

030. Rio

2012-01-24T20:34:00.000-08:00

030. (24 Jan) Rio (2011, Carlos Saldanha) 47

Considering how well-animated Rio is, it's astonishing the concept is so awful. It's almost entirely reliant on visuals since the plot merely has an awkward parrot lost in Rio. His misadventures are a lame excuse for one action sequence followed by another. Bad musical numbers and awful voice actors are plentiful. (Who on earth cast Jesse Eisenberg and Anne Hathaway as the leads?) Jemaine Clement tries to liven things up as the villain, but there's no discernible motivation for a villain in this film so he's just misplaced. At least there's a nice sequence featuring air gliders. The Oscar-nominated "Real in Rio" opening number is also pleasant, if forgettable.

029. Redwoods

2012-01-23T20:08:00.000-08:00

029. (23 Jan) Redwoods (2009, David Lewis) 53

There's some amazing sexual tension early on in Redwoods. It dissipates as the film progressively turns into a romance novel. A devoted partner and father finding love with a charming stranger isn't much conceptually, but Lewis at least creates plausible characters and relationships. That his main character is an accountant with abs is a bit of a stretch, but it's something that comes with the territory in this genre. The bitter, tragic twist in the end rings a little false considering the sentimental first hour.

028. Bike Boy

2012-01-22T21:34:00.001-08:00

028. (22 Jan) Bike Boy (1967, Andy Warhol) 57

Some segments of this work brilliantly. The opening, for instance, is ten minutes of watching Joe Spencer shower while he often knowingly glances at the camera. Warhol truly understands how to photograph the male form without making this smut. The following segment, twenty minutes or so of men trying on clothes, is every bit as devious and delightful. But when the film takes a more talky, narrative approach, it's substantially less involving. Since that's well over an hour of the rest of the film, this feels like a missed opportunity where it might've been a masterpiece.

027. The Constant Nymph

2012-01-22T16:39:00.000-08:00

027. (22 Jan) The Constant Nymph (1943, Edmund Goulding) 56

The 26-year-old Joan Fontaine doesn't just rise to the challenge of playing a 14-year-old, she never makes you doubt the age for a second. Her performance is a ball of pure energy as she bounds up and down stairs and unconsciously throws her body about without a care. It's hard to imagine anyone accomplishing what Fontaine did in '43 on a physical level. Thanks to Fontaine, you also get every bit a sense of the kind of hopeless romanticism that comes with youth. Even with a charismatic presence like Charles Boyer sharing the screen, Fontaine's performance is so magnetic and thoughtful, it's impossible to focus on anyone else. It's a genuine star turn.

The film itself is a bit more jumbled. Goulding uses some amazing tracking shots, foreshadows like a pro, and makes the most of the film's melodramatic plot. But there's too much story to unravel over the runtime. It also doesn't help that the difference in age between Fontaine and Boyer's characters constitutes an illegal relationship.

026. Tucker and Dale vs. Evil

2012-01-22T10:51:00.000-08:00

026. (22 Jan) Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (2011, Eli Craig) 59

Tucker and Dale successfully turns the backwoods horror genre on its head. Making the seemingly innocent college kids into the psychopaths while the yokels must fend for their lives is a novelty in its own right, but having the kids uniformly die by accidental means is incredibly clever. It gives the film a high body count without anyone ever being at fault. The final twist is also relatively sharp.

025. Drew Peterson: Untouchable

2012-01-22T00:18:00.001-08:00

025. (21 Jan) Drew Peterson: Untouchable (2012, Mikael Salomon) 54

Salomon is something of an auteur when it comes to making ridiculously entertaining telefilms. He plays this Drew Peterson biopic as camp at every possible turn. I suppose there's nothing fun about domestic violence, but there's something inherently enjoyable watching Rob Lowe gets a bowl of cereal pelted at him. Lowe is deliciously sleazy in the role, maybe a little too goofy to be menacing. Because Lowe's interpretation is so charismatic and silly, he makes Peterson a weirdly relatable, even likable character.

024. Longhorns

2012-01-21T14:59:00.000-08:00

024. (21 Jan) Longhorns (2011, David Lewis) 48

Gay comedies are usually wretched, but this is a nice throwback to '80s sex comedies. Longhorns is a sort of delusional fantasy where heterosexual men are way more sexually flexible than in reality. But that gives this a bit of deviousness and it's sweet enough not to be offensively dopey. Kevin Held is the only member of the cast who's really photogenic, but the rest of the cast still have some sexual chemistry. Derek Efrain Villanueva could've stood to be recast.

023. The Innkeepers

2012-01-21T13:07:00.000-08:00

023. (15 Jan) The Innkeepers (2012, Ti West) 62

022. The Robber Bride

2012-01-15T11:42:00.000-08:00

022. (15 Jan) The Robber Bride (2007, David Evans) 30

One of the most convoluted murder mysteries ever, what makes Robber Bride even stupider is its certitude that having a female killer is such a novelty. The plot twists here are outrageously dumb. Even Mary-Louise Parker, who got an Emmy nod, can't do a thing to elevate such a silly script. She manages to flesh out a rather odd character, but her tell-tale mannerisms do her no favors here.

021. The Hazing

2012-01-14T23:10:00.000-08:00

021. (14 Jan) The Hazing (1977, Douglas Curtis) 35

One of those falsely marketed horror movies, The Hazing is more of an uncomfortably extended gag. A young man is led to believe his friend died and, forced to help cover it up, in the film's finale he learns it's all a joke. That mean-spiritedness doesn't particularly bother me, but it does overextend the film. There is at least a redeeming scenario where the hazed college students have to run through the woods for close to ten minutes in jockstraps.

020. My Hustler

2012-01-14T14:40:00.001-08:00

020. (14 Jan) My Hustler (1965, Andy Warhol) 81

Sexually blunt, bleak, and desperate, My Hustler feels refreshingly honest and ahead of its time. The first of two outstanding takes set up a peculiar bet where an old queen bets his female neighbor and a swarthy passerby that they can't seduce his hustler. The second, better composed and more atmospheric shot, has the passerby and hustler in the bathroom as they shower, shave, and chat. The smooth attempts to win the bet are tinged with sadness; these are clearly people longing for love who think this hustler could be the one. In the end, all the characters make their shameless attempts to woo him and none seems to win out. Though it's plainly improvised and the first shot seems a bit jumbled, this is too much of an experience to be denied.

019. Wake Wood

2012-01-14T01:29:00.000-08:00

019. (14 Jan) Wake Wood (2011, David Keating) 26

This incredibly awful rehash of Pet Sematary lacks atmosphere, suspense, or the slightest thrill. Only the scenes where the parents bond with their newly reborn dead daughter are close to competent, giving a sense of how irrational grief can be. Once it's clear she's evil, the film's ineptitude is almost overwhelming. I could count off two dozen better killer kid movies than this without giving it much thought. That Wake Wood made so many end-of-year lists for horror fans is truly disturbing.

018. The Task

2012-01-13T21:02:00.001-08:00

018. (13 Jan) The Task (2011, Alex Orwell) 55

Having just watched 7 Nights of Darkness, which is essentially the failed version of this film, it's entirely possible I'm overrating The Task. This slick, brisk, exciting fake reality show offers such fun twists and turns, along with stupid stock characters who are easy to root for. Its polished look is particularly unexpected since most After Dark films are totally unimpressive.

017. The Dead

2012-01-13T15:13:00.000-08:00

017. (13 Jan) The Dead (2011, Howard J. Ford & Jonathan Ford) 26

In an era where even Romero is struggling to make a good traditional zombie movie, the Ford brothers don't do anything to revitalize the genre. There's at least a novelty in setting something like this in foreign territory; by putting an American soldier on the African continent there's a nice sense of discomfort. But for the most part, this is amazingly dull.

The Fords seem to be aiming for intense realism, sketching a post-apocalyptic world drowning in hopelessness and exhaustion. The conveyance always feels partially formed. It's somewhat questionable that this inherently African story is told through the eyes of a white outsider, made worse by the portrayal by Rob Freeman. He has an iota of screen presence, but can't act. He's a major reason why this feels endless and tedious.

016. The Thing

2012-01-13T14:58:00.001-08:00

016. (13 Jan) The Thing (2011, Matthijs van Heijningen Jr.) 61

This The Thing is briskly paced and believable as a prequel to John Carpenter's film. Development of the franchise's mythology like the underground spaceship attempting to take off is something of a mistake. The mysteriousness of the first film is certainly part of its charm, so making such a bold choice to demystify the creature's origins should work better. Still, this is sufficiently creepy. It just makes you appreciate Carpenter's version more.

015. Panic Button

2012-01-12T01:41:00.000-08:00

015. (12 Jan) Panic Button (2011, Chris Crow) 53

A number of twists and turns make Panic Button well worthwhile. Serving as a cautionary tale against sharing too much on social networking, its confined setting and cynical revenge plot make it more than scary enough. Unnerving though this may be, the film ultimately comes to a dark, somber conclusion for the characters. Rather than ending at that low point, it has an outright stupid ending that takes the film two steps back.

014. 7 Nights of Darkness

2012-01-11T22:36:00.001-08:00

014. (11 Jan) 7 Nights of Darkness (2011, Allen Kellogg) 42

Though there are certainly moments that unnerve here, that tension can't make up for bad casting, a lousy aesthetic, and entirely too much screaming. Even with my penchant for this found footage horror genre, I was more irritated than anything else by 7 Nights of Darkness. Poor planning and some blatant plagiarizing of The Ring hold this back.

013. Sand Sharks

2012-01-11T20:39:00.000-08:00

013. (11 Jan) Sand Sharks (2011, Mark Atkins) 25

I guess I got spoiled by Swamp Shark earlier in the year, which actually had solid scares and moved briskly. Sand Sharks is far sloppier. Borrowing the Jaws plot heavily and perhaps taking a page from some Piranha 3D scenes, there's not much originality here besides the wacky premise. There are moments of levity here, like the constant set-ups where characters get eaten. With a body count this high, it's hard to be too bothered by this mess.

012. The Iron Lady

2012-01-11T20:28:00.000-08:00

012. (10 Jan) /The Iron Lady/ (2011, Phyllida Lloyd) 46

Considerably dumber on the second go-around, it's at least easier to appreciate how very much Meryl does to better The Iron Lady. There's so little done to both establish Thatcher as a person and political figure. Even the decisive idea of having Thatcher hallucinate her dead husband is absolutely dreadful. At least I can give Oscars to Streep and the makeup.

011. We Need to Talk About Kevin

2012-01-09T21:49:00.000-08:00

011. (07 Jan) /We Need to Talk About Kevin/ (2011, Lynne Ramsey) 74

010. The Asphyx

2012-01-07T00:15:00.000-08:00

010. (07 Jan) The Asphyx (1973, Peter Newbrook) 62

This overlong, but richly imagined period horror film may still be too staunchly British to work as much of a genre film. The asphyx itself is not even mildly spooky, just sort of odd and shrill. It is at least something special as an exceptionally strange costume drama, but there's little here that doesn't feel like a very stuffy stage play about immortality. The cinematography is flat and while the visual effects are fun, they're unremarkable. The explosive ending rules.

009. The Haunted

2012-01-06T22:56:00.003-08:00

009. (06 Jan) The Haunted (1991, Robert Mandel) 56

A haunted house telefilm in the vein of Poltergeist, there's enough atmosphere and weirdness in The Haunted to make it noteworthy. Add to that a very sincere and somehow Golden Globe-nominated performance by Sally Kirkland and you've got a pretty noteworthy TV horror movie. The scares here are relatively tame, but they're still unsettling. There's also some humor in how the family complains about media coverage about their haunting, despite the fact they contacted the press and later wrote a book chronicling their experiences.

008. Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

2012-01-06T21:11:00.003-08:00

008. (05 Jan) /Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close/ (2011, Stephen Daldry)* 82

On a second viewing, I can truly appreciate what powerful filmmaking this is. The emotional weight Daldry lends to both simple scenes, like Thomas Horn's scenes opposite Jeffrey Wright and Viola Davis, and the powerhouse ones like Horn's with Bullock. It's a rarity when fine acting, focused direction, and technical achievement combine like this. Chris Menges' cinematography and Alexandre Desplat's score are especially wonderful.

The film itself is repeatedly an outright devastating experience. I can scarcely recall being more moved by situational sadness or finely drawn connections between characters. Daldry continues to be the most accomplished of emotion-driven directors working today.

007. Bullhead

2012-01-06T21:03:00.004-08:00

007. (04 Jan) Bullhead (2011, Michael R. Roskam) 53

European crime thrillers are often similarly convoluted and overly complicated in structure. Bullhead has difficulty laying out its main mafia plot. Much better is a series of flashbacks about a young boy whose testicles are smashed by a bully. As a thirty-something year old man, he's compensated by taking an abundance of steroids and becoming a muscleman. Matthias Schoenaerts' tough guy dopiness and impressive physicality give that commentary on masculinity a good deal of credibility. He makes this much more worthwhile than it would otherwise be.

006. Jose & Pilar

2012-01-04T12:41:00.003-08:00

006. (03 Jan) Jose & Pilar (2011, Miguel Goncalves Mendes) 52

A pretty cute portrait of Jose Saramago and his wife, this often plays like a sort of dry narrative feature rather than a documentary. There's some weird humor throughout and scenes that feel almost scripted, which gives a sense of what characters they are. For every moment where Jose and Pilar's work ethic and intelligence is demonstrated, you get something equally dumb. The worst is when Jose meets Fernando Meirelles at a screening of Blindness and cries at the beauty of the film. I saw Blindness. It may me want to cry, but not because it's good.

005. Contagion

2012-01-02T23:57:00.004-08:00

005. (02 Jan) Contagion (2011, Steven Soderbergh) 53

Clinical for the most part, Contagion occasionally lets itself turn mawkish for no good reason. Marion Cotillard's subplot where she's held captive until a vaccine is delivered the compound she's at is especially dumb. The film occasionally allows itself a naivete despite seeming otherwise hard-edged. Jude Law is the standout here. Gwyneth Paltrow would've been if she hadn't ingested that guano.

004. Killer Hair

2012-01-02T00:38:00.003-08:00

004. (01 Jan) Killer Hair (2009, Jerry Ciccoritti) 15

Who knew a murder mystery could be quite this dull? Lame attempts at humor, an immense amount of plot, and twists that are totally unsatisfying, Killer Hair promises to be fun between its title, premise, and wackiness, but it never follows through. At least Victor Webster is easy on the eyes.

003. She's Too Young

2012-01-01T22:42:00.003-08:00

003. (01 Jan) She's Too Young (2004, Tom McLoughlin) 39

Marcia Gay Harden's performance is amazingly sincere, sort of lending credibility to some scenes that are far beneath her. For instance, she awkwardly crashes a high school party full of sex, booze, and drugs in search of her daughter. There's certainly hilarity in the deadly serious way with which teen sex and syphilis are treated, demonized in a way more typical of 1980's after school specials. The weird conclusions that are drawn here -- that both overbearing and lax parenting make teenage daughters trampy -- make this particularly objectionable. But Harden gives a few scenes a tinge of poignancy.

002. Sex, Lies & Obsession

2012-01-01T14:56:00.003-08:00

002. (01 Jan) Sex, Lies & Obsession (2001, Douglas Barr) 36

Essentially what Shame would be if Michael Fassbender was married in it, Sex, Lies & Obsession is actually more thoughtful than that film. Here Harry Hamlin's sex addiction gets some analysis, even if it's reduced to silly daddy issues and having a sex drive is totally discouraged. There are some very fun moments here like when Hamlin has to take a polygraph to prove to his wife he's not picking up hookers and looking at internet pornography.

001. Reckless Behavior: Caught on Tape

2012-01-01T14:00:00.004-08:00

001. (01 Jan) Reckless Behavior: Caught on Tape (2007, Donald Wrye) 26

What better way to ring in the new year than with a Lifetime movie this amazing. The theme of Reckless Behavior is essentially that the pervasiveness of internet pornography degrades all women and no one is safe from its dangers. That broad, bizarre concept takes a backseat to some hilarious subplots. Appearing in a pornographic tape leads to the heroine getting a stalker, who vanishes as quickly and improbably as he appears, her father's business suffers before it's nearly burned to the ground. The lack of logic, bad acting, and bizarre plotting are all rather awe-inspiring.

2012 Screening Log

2012-01-01T13:59:00.004-08:00

Adam Waldowski's 2012 Screening Log

Theatrical viewing="*"; Repeat viewing="//"

Films numbered "sXX" are short films (shorter than 40 minutes)

Listed years of Oscar-nominated films are when it was nominated.

85-100 **** Masterpiece
70-84 ****
60-69 ***1/2
50-59 ***
40-49 **1/2
30-39 **
20-29 *1/2
0-19 *

001. (01 Jan) Reckless Behavior: Caught on Tape (2007, Donald Wrye) 26
002. (01 Jan) Sex, Lies & Obsession (2001, Douglas Barr) 36
003. (01 Jan) She's Too Young (2004, Tom McLoughlin) 39
004. (01 Jan) Killer Hair (2009, Jerry Ciccoritti) 15
005. (02 Jan) Contagion (2011, Steven Soderbergh) 53
006. (03 Jan) Jose & Pilar (2011, Miguel Goncalves Mendes) 52
007. (04 Jan) Bullhead (2011, Michael R. Roskam) 53
008. (05 Jan) /Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close/ (2011, Stephen Daldry)* 82
009. (06 Jan) The Haunted (1991, Robert Mandel) 56
010. (07 Jan) The Asphyx (1973, Peter Newbrook) 62
011. (07 Jan) /We Need to Talk About Kevin/ (2011, Lynne Ramsey) 74
012. (10 Jan) /The Iron Lady/ (2011, Phyllida Lloyd) 46
013. (11 Jan) Sand Sharks (2011, Mark Atkins) 25
014. (11 Jan) 7 Nights of Darkness (2011, Allen Kellogg) 42
015. (12 Jan) Panic Button (2011, Chris Crow) 53
s01. (12 Jan) Dimanche (2011, Patrick Doyon) 24
016. (13 Jan) The Thing (2011, Matthijs van Heijningen Jr.) 61
017. (13 Jan) The Dead (2011, Howard J. Ford & Jonathan Ford) 26
018. (13 Jan) The Task (2011, Alex Orwell) 55
019. (14 Jan) Wake Wood (2011, David Keating) 26
020. (14 Jan) My Hustler (1965, Andy Warhol) 81
021. (14 Jan) The Hazing (1977, Douglas Curtis) 35
022. (15 Jan) The Robber Bride (2007, David Evans) 30
023. (15 Jan) The Innkeepers (2012, Ti West) 62
024. (21 Jan) Longhorns (2011, David Lewis) 48
025. (21 Jan) Drew Peterson: Untouchable (2012, Mikael Salomon) 54
026. (22 Jan) Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (2011, Eli Craig) 59
027. (22 Jan) The Constant Nymph (1943, Edmund Goulding) 56
028. (22 Jan) Bike Boy (1967, Andy Warhol) 57
029. (23 Jan) Redwoods (2009, David Lewis) 53
030. (24 Jan) Rio (2011, Carlos Saldanha) 47
031. (25 Jan) Margin Call (2011, J.C. Chandor) 41
032. (26 Jan) /Bridesmaids/ (2011, Paul Feig) 59
033. (28 Jan) Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011, Jennifer Yuh) 28
034. (29 Jan) Jane Eyre (2011, Carey Fukunaga) 54
035. (29 Jan) Mister Buddwing (1966, Delbert Mann) 37
036. (29 Jan) Kisses for My President (1964, Curtis Bernhardt) 35
037. (31 Jan) Chillerama (2011, Adam Green, Joe Lynch, Adam Rifkin & Tim Sullivan) 52

503. Flirting with Forty

2011-12-31T01:15:00.003-08:00

503. (31 Dec) Flirting with Forty (2008, Mikael Saloman) 51

Flirting with Forty is slightly better than most Lifetime movie romances, not that I'm any great expert on the genre, but there's something rather fiendishly delightful in the tongue-in-cheek nature of the script. For those who expect plot twists, the supporting characters serve as red herrings or mouthpieces for that audience. After Heather Locklear hooks up with Robert Buckley, 13 years her junior and lacking any motivation to find her romantically appealing, one of her friends insinuates he'll become her stalker before eventually murdering her. This suggests that the film is self-aware even if it's still like a vapid romance novel for the most part. Saloman, who did spectacular work as the cinematographer on The Abyss, continues to prove himself one of TV's most stylish directors even if he's limited in how well he works with actors.

502. The Loving Story

2011-12-29T23:42:00.003-08:00

502. (29 Dec) The Loving Story (2011, Nancy Buirski) 36

Better suited for an episode of American Experience than theatrical release, it's irritating that The Loving Story is on the Oscar documentary shortlist alongside so many films that make bold choices and give so much more profundity to the human stories they tell. There's no a word said here that couldn't be gathered from a Wikipedia article on the Loving case. For someone familiar with the case and its historical implication, there's absolutely nothing new brought to the table. The talking heads with the Lovings' daughter and their former lawyers offer no context.

Above all, the footage that was selected to accompany the sound bites and archival interviews is outright dull. The very few choices Buirski does make, like showing the Lovings sitting together on their porch smiling back in the 1960s while the tapes of the Supreme Court arguments are played, are just baffling. Even if this were some hour-long TV documentary, I don't think it would be accomplished in any sense.

501. Project Nim

2011-12-29T22:52:00.003-08:00

501. (29 Dec) Project Nim (2011, James Marsh) 56

Marsh exploits the novelty of Nim's story as much as possible. The human drama that surrounds him is more interesting, to be sure, and Marsh at least wisely emphasizes that whenever possible. He clearly asks some of the right questions to give a sense of the complicated nature of the relationships between the participants on the project. Marsh is big on talking heads and has to rely on recreations to accompany the interviews, which makes for some silly moments.

500. We Were Here

2011-12-28T19:42:00.002-08:00

500. (28 Dec) We Were Here (2011, David Weissman) 68

A potent retelling of what Common Threads already explained so expertly in 1989, We Were Here lets those who survived the AIDS crisis in San Francisco tell their story with more proportion. There's a real sense of the fear they felt not only in not knowing what the initial disease was, but its seemingly untreatable nature. That wistfulness and sorrow is palpable and it's only the power behind these talking head interviews that makes the film something special. Stylistically and narratively, it's unremarkable, but the stories Weissman lets unfold make this captivating nevertheless.

499. Undefeated

2011-12-28T02:18:00.002-08:00

499. (28 Dec) Undefeated (2011, Daniel Lindsay & T.J. Martin) 67

One of those documentaries where the material just falls right into the laps of the filmmakers, Undefeated wouldn't work nearly as well if the football team profiled here hadn't had the season they had. It makes these boys' and their coach's story so much more moving to see them buck the odds. The documentarians are present for some profound moments, the most moving of which is when an injured player is rewarded for patiently sitting out the season with a donor fully paying for his college education. We witness in real time his taking in the information. Tears roll freely not jut here, but in multiple moments that pack almost as much of a punch. It's serendipitous that the film comes together like it does, but the directors made an excellent choice in who they profiled in the first place.

498. Puss in Boots

2011-12-27T23:35:00.003-08:00

498. (25 Dec) /Puss in Boots/ (2011, Chris Miller) 60

So the only 2011 releases I've done rewatches of were The Tree of Life and this. Interesting priorities on my part.

497. Pina

2011-12-23T23:06:00.004-08:00

497. (21 Dec) Pina (2011, Wim Wenders)* 55

Considering earlier this year I saw Dead Dreams of Monochrome Men, arguably the best filmed dance performance of all time, it's pretty hilarious hearing people who are so fired up about Pina. This is actually rather jumbled, only occasionally entrancing. The Paul Taylor documentary Dancemaker that got an Oscar nod years back does a substantially better job illuminating who the choreographer was and where their inspirations stemmed from. Pina sort of pales in comparison, offering a brief glimpse of her life and work, that relies too heavily on the 3D gimmick.

496. The Hour

2011-12-20T11:10:00.003-08:00

496. (20 Oct) The Hour (2011, Harry Bradbeer, Coky Giedroyc & Jamie Payne) 67

Nicely mixing period elements with that or a thriller and newsroom drama, The Hour benefits mostly from its brief timeline and brisk pacing. Never plodding, the only time the miniseries gets bogged down is when it ventures too much into a mystery subplot that takes too long to unravel. There's otherwise an emphasis on the incredibly chemistry between the three leads. Ben Whishaw handily steals the show, but Romola Garai and the dashing Dominic West hold their own. Garai and West's romantic plot is often close to irresistible.

495. A Dangerous Method

2011-12-18T00:25:00.004-08:00

495. (17 Dec) /A Dangerous Method/ (2011, David Cronenberg)* 75

On this rewatch, I'm more impressed than ever by the beautiful structuring of Christopher Hampton's script. There's also such astonishing nuance in the men's performances that balance Knightley's histrionics.

494. The Turin Horse

2011-12-18T00:15:00.002-08:00

494. (17 Dec) The Turin Horse (2011, Bela Tarr)* 46

As much as I may admire the relentlessness of Tarr's style and tone, this exhausting experience is such an extreme exercise in miserablism it approaches self-parody. As it seems Tarr fundamentally lacks a sense of humor or any joy for life, it's clear there's no irony in his final shot being of his mopey characters staring forlornly at potatoes on the table. His impressive tracking shots are more distracting than anything else, giving the film a bizarrely structured feel despite the obnoxious length of each single shot. The blocking is so meticulous there's no organic quality to how these planned shots appear. Since Tarr's also lacking an editorial eye, this makes for the longest two and a half hours that should be spent in a theater this year.

493. A Separation

2011-12-13T22:07:00.005-08:00

493. (13 Dec) A Separation (2011, Asghar Farhadi) 47

A Separation is strident and full of judgmental characters whose toxicity prevents the film from having the compelling, even-handed narrative it hopes to have. Considering how much manufactured outrage and deck-stacking there is at work, it's almost surreal the film lacks any genuine emotional quality. While we've seen some astonishingly preposterous plots in 2011 releases, this one suggests some sort of low-key character study before becoming an exhausting legal drama. Anytime something dramatic happens, it's in a flurry of shrill shouting. While some of the events in the last half of the film come close to being involving, this always plays like a so-so stage play.

492. The Tree of Life

2011-12-13T20:25:00.002-08:00

491. (11 Dec) /The Tree of Life/ (2011, Terrence Malick)* 94

491. The Adventures of Tintin

2011-12-13T20:22:00.004-08:00

491. (11 Dec) The Adventures of Tintin (2011, Steven Spielberg)* 56

Only an action sequence set in the air, playfully utilizing zero gravity, is of particular note in Tintin. The rest all run together, which is a major issues since the film consists almost exclusively of dopey action sequences. The film's core mystery is barely interesting and the voice acting constantly borders on dull. It's always baffling to see these unremarkable animated films since they require so much money and time to make. If a fraction of that time and effort went toward solid scripting, Tintin might be a noteworthy entry in Spielberg's filmography. The John Williams score is slightly better than his monstrous work War Horse.

490. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

2011-12-13T00:05:00.003-08:00

490. (08 Dec) The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011, David Fincher)* 76

489. Bill Cunningham New York

2011-12-08T16:30:00.002-08:00

489. (08 Dec) Bill Cunningham New York (2011, Richard Press) 55

Following the renowned New York Times photographer who looks for fashion on the streets rather on the runway, it's fascinating watching Cunningham work. What works best is when director Richard Press delves into his subject's person life, getting him to candidly confess things like that he's never had a romantic relationship. His passion for clothes is palpable, but Press has the good sense to go beneath the surface.

488. Hell and Back Again

2011-12-08T13:50:00.004-08:00

488. (08 Dec) Hell and Back Again (2011, Danfung Dennis) 44

Hell and Back Again plays like a real-life version of The Hurt Locker to the point where it seems Danfung Dennis was directly inspired by Kathryn Bigelow's movie. It makes this rather surreal as we watch a soldier struggling to adjust to life after war. There are no real moments of poignancy here. I've seen similar war documentaries that were far more moving or insightful. Only some disturbing battle footage where soldiers are killed has impact.

487. Buck

2011-12-07T23:43:00.004-08:00

487. (07 Dec) Buck (2011, Cindy Meehl) 60

This incredibly moving profile of horse whisperer Buck Brannaman has surprising weight behind it. Despite Buck's calm demeanor and folksy charm, he overcame years of child abuse to become one of the world's foremost horse trainers. When others talk about his hardship, they get genuinely emotional and it's remarkable how he's touched people by taking the opposite approach to life than his violent father did. Director Cindy Meehl treats the subject with sensitivity, but not sentimentality. She lets the handling of a particularly violent horse one owner seeks assistance play out for a long time, letting us see his patience and kindness toward an animal that bit a chunk out of one of his employees' head.

486. Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

2011-12-07T23:22:00.001-08:00

486. (07 Dec) Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011, Stephen Daldry)* 82

485. If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front

2011-12-07T00:49:00.005-08:00

485. (07 Dec) If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front (2011, Marshall Curry) 41

If a Tree Falls follows Daniel McGowan, a member of the group of extreme environmentalists who destroyed property like lumber mills and slaughterhouses to raise awareness for their causes. The film takes a sympathetic approach toward the organization whose practices have been described as terrorism. McGowan acts a mouthpiece for the idea that eco-terrorism, because it's about destroying property and not killing people, is not a form of terrorism at all. It prevents Curry from tackling hard questions, even illustrating with images events he personally feels constitute terrorism like 9/11 and the Oklahoma City bombing. The narrative, as a result, is ultimately nowhere near as illuminating as his Street Fight.

484. Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory

2011-12-06T22:38:00.004-08:00

484. (06 Dec) Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory (2011, Joe Berlinger & Bruce Sinofsky) 71

Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory is potent documentary filmmaking about the grave injustice that led to the West Memphis 3's 18-year imprisonment. Without having seen the first two films, it's hard for me to know what about this is a rehash. But with my lack of familiarity regarding the case, I'm at once completely engaged by the movement to prove their innocence and impressed that Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky's films had the power to help lead to the West Memphis 3's release. Though this is not the most accomplished documentary filmmaking, it's nevertheless a testament to the power of the medium. The extraordinarily moving epilogue alone is enough to warrant an Oscar nomination.

483. Beginners

2011-12-06T20:55:00.003-08:00

483. (04 Dec) Beginners (2011, Mike Mills) 66

The structure of Beginners gets a little too cutesy at times, but it's also rather dreamlike. Dramatic events are exaggerated, as are the romantic ones, as if remembered too tragically or fondly. That makes it easy to invest yourself in the film even if there's some deck-stacking in play. Anything with an adorable, subtitled dog is obviously aiming to crowd please. But I was nevertheless drawn in by Ewan McGregor and Melanie Laurent's adorable romance. Christopher Plummer's performance is warm and well-crafted. He's a deserving Oscar frontrunner considering this year's Supporting Actor category will otherwise look abysmal.

482. Melancholia

2011-12-02T15:42:00.003-08:00

482. (28 Nov) Melancholia (2011, Lars von Trier)* 58

481. The Muppets

2011-11-30T15:31:00.001-08:00

481. (28 Nov) The Muppets (2011, James Bobin)* 67

480. Breaking Dawn: Part 1

2011-11-28T00:12:00.005-08:00

480. (26 Nov) Breaking Dawn: Part 1 (2011, Bill Condon)* 42

Certainly one of the funniest films of the year, it's almost astonishing that Breaking Dawn can take itself as seriously as it does. There are telepathic wolves, blood smoothies, and the least subtle abortion debate in cinematic history. All of them make this outrageously campy and too fun for words, but it's almost astonishing that something as dreary and dreadful as this film series has such a massive and devoted fanbase.

Strangest of all is how utterly devoid of romance it is despite starting with an endless wedding which leads into the wackiest honeymoon ever. Stewart and Pattinson lack more chemistry together than ever. When she loses her virginity, it's a comic scene on a grand scale. Then the next day they uncomfortably discuss how it was the greatest sex imaginable, but only after it's revealed Stewart was severely bruised in the process. Seriously. How are teenage girls allowed to obsess over this? Don't they have parents?

479. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

2011-11-26T17:17:00.003-08:00

479. (26 Nov) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011, David Yates) 55

Considering how lame the final installment of J.K. Rowling's book series was, it was inevitable the film would be troubled. By splitting it in two parts, it amplifies how unremarkable the plotting is. For the sake of the runtime, the story is rushed on the scale that derailed Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Consider the opening bank heist and the recovery of the Ravenclaw diadem. They're relatively unexciting and bizarrely episodic events considering the film only takes place over the course of a few days. It's not particularly thrilling when a conveniently placed dragon saves your ass or a minor character like Luna Lovegood solves a key mystery like the Ravenclaw horcrux.

Once the battle at Hogwart's begins, the film is crushingly brainless. The challenges that were overcome in Prisoner of Azkaban and Goblet of Fire were because of the cleverness and intellect of the characters. Now they're not even smart enough to think up a spell to stop the fire in the room of requirement or they lamely chase after a snake trying to stab it with a dragon tooth. At some point, the film is simply neither fun nor involving. It simply feels like work watching David Yates resolve a decade-long film series that had towering moments years ago.

The visual effects are still quite good, though the aging in the epilogue is a decided failure. I imagine they'll be the franchise's final Oscar nomination. An Art Direction nod would be inexplicable since there are practically no new sets throughout. Touting it for Best Picture or asking for a Rickman nomination is outlandish.

478. War Horse

2011-11-24T19:47:00.005-08:00

478. (24 Nov) War Horse (2011, Steven Spielberg)* 44

In its first act, it seems War Horse is trying to look and feel like a '40s countryside drama in the vein of Lassie Come Home. There are obligatory elements like an animal that can't be kept and a farm that's at risk of being lost. But where a '40s film like The Yearling would've matched glossiness with emotional impact, War Horse is more tonally akin to a '70s Disney feature. It slides in utterly surreal comic relief like a goose that nips at people's heels while it should be fleshing out characters.

The fundamental failing of the film -- aside from the plot being so incidental and uninteresting -- is that it never allows us to forge relationships with the characters. The horse is the only constant in the film. People come and go from his life. Tom Hiddleston has the most thankless role of all as an English officer who dies before we get even the faintest hint of his backstory. Spielberg's inability to contextualize the death of a significant supporting character at the start of a war is disturbing, and he does it at least a couple more times throughout the course of the film.

The only series of scenes not centered around the horse is where Jeremy Irvine, who trained has an unhealthy attachment to him, is his brief stint in the war where he sees a little bit of combat before being blinded by gas. Neither he nor any other human in the film gains insight into the hardship of war. The very final shot has the horse staring off into the sunset after returning home. It's a totally bizarre closing shot, as the lessons of war's cruelty have all been learned by the horse and not the humans. That might be impactful if this was an animated film where the horse can talk and pontificate, but there are enormous battle sequences and lives lost. It's a bit too serious to not articulate any big themes.

The inevitable conclusion where the boy and his horse are reunited is unabashedly contrived and manipulative. Oscar voters are sure to weep at the silly moment, but I was too exhausted from the preceding and present ridiculousness to care.

The cast is, not surprisingly, totally wasted. No one comes close to making an impression except Emily Watson. She's acting in a more serious, involving movie than everybody else.

The crafts are almost shockingly unremarkable. The cinematography is lacking as the film is supposed to have scope, but there's no memorable imagery to be found. John Williams' score is perhaps his most pounding and dreadful. He emphasizes every little aciton and movement, determined to turn this dull film into something exciting through sheer will. It will likely dominate the craft awards at the Oscars, but I've seen Spielberg do these exact same battles on a grander, more effective scale.

477. Puss in Boots

2011-11-24T19:46:00.000-08:00

477. (23 Nov) Puss in Boots (2011, Chris Miller) 60

Wisely distancing itself from the Shrek franchise from which it spun off, Puss in Boots never even considers mentioning pop culture humor. There's a timelessness to its humor as a result, making it astonishingly fun and lighthearted. The aesthetic is impressive, utilizing some complicated and wonderfully animated tracking shots. I do, however, admittedly have a penchant for movies with cats.

476. Drive

2011-11-23T14:59:00.005-08:00

476. (23 Nov) Drive (2011, Nicolas Winding Refn) 44

Stylized to a fault, Drive uses pensive, wordless shots and a pounding score in lieu of character or plot development. That would be fine if Winding Refn were a more accomplished director, but it's all style, no substance. He really doesn't have much to work with in the always vacant Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan. Their romantic chemistry is simply not there. The delightful Christina Hendricks is totally wasted to give screentime to an ineffective Albert Brooks, who has some inexplicable Oscar buzz for a do-nothing role. I'm really not sure what the hipsters see in this one; is Gosling's jacket that cool?

475. Albert Nobbs

2011-11-23T01:26:00.005-08:00

475. (23 Nov) Albert Nobbs (2011, Rodrigo Garcia) 51

Not since Barbra Streisand in Yentl has there been a less convincing actress masquerading as a man than Glenn Close. Janet McTeer very slightly completes the illusion better. There are emotionally effective moments in Albert Nobbs, all of them due to Close letting some emotion break through an otherwise stoic character. She won't win the Oscar and shouldn't, but it's a performance that has its share of nuance and success.

Mia Wasikowska is in dreadful form and former model Aaron Johnson is completely inappropriate casting for a 19th century period piece since his shirt comes off. Their romantic subplot is a major inconvenience to the film. For the most part, it's a competent enough film about the miserably high price of repression. In the hands of Ang Lee, it might have been noteworthy.

474. W.E.

2011-11-22T22:18:00.002-08:00

474. (22 Nov) W.E. (2011, Madonna)* 63

Only the confidence in Madonna's direction and the tightness with which the film's two plots are intercut make this a defensible film. It's vapid, to be sure, suggesting it will defend Wallis Simpson from a feminist perspective. It does, but only through dialogue, never through an actual depiction that humanizes the woman. Andrea Riseborough, to her credit, fleshes out Simpson in a warm, witty performance. Meanwhile, Abbie Cornish is playing a woman of the 21st century who only cares about idealized love and getting pregnant. Yikes.

Nevertheless, W.E. is delightfully romantic, melodramatic, and charming. Abel Korzeniowski's score secures him as the most exciting composer working in cinema today. Arianne Phillips' costumes are sublime.

473. The Strange Love of Martha Ivers

2011-11-21T01:24:00.003-08:00

473. (21 Nov) The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946, Lewis Milestone) 58

The Strange Love of Martha Ivers has an amazing prologue where an entitled young woman murders Judith Anderson, her wicked aunt, after she canes her kitten to death. The film then moves forward twenty years into the future and the only thing that's working in the film's favor at that point is the young woman is now Barbara Stanwyck. Kirk Douglas is totally miscast as her alcoholic husband and Van Heflin doesn't hold a candle to her either as her childhood sweetheart. There are some fun noir elements, particularly in the melodramatic finale, but a rushed romance between Heflin and Lizabeth Scott is a hindrance.

472. A Dangerous Method

2011-11-20T21:40:00.004-08:00

472. (20 Nov) A Dangerous Method (2011, David Cronenberg)* 73

I'm regularly drawn to costume dramas with elements that make them feel completely contemporary, so by the time Michael Fassbender's spanking Keira Knightley in her bedroom I was bowled over. Cronenberg fearlessly confronts Carl Jung, Sigmund Freud, and Sabina Spielrein as individuals. Though all helped popularize psychology, it's fascinating to see how they ignore their own professional ethics or hide behind self-diagnosis for the sake of convenience. Only Freud comes off at all well, and his rigidness certainly doesn't make him sympathetic.

It's a compelling narrative and it would be a mistake if Christopher Hampton's script didn't make it into this year's Oscar discussion. Kiera Knightley's explosive, selfless performance is a standout, but I appreciate seeing Viggo Mortensen and Michael Fassbender in such sublimely understated roles.

471. Winnie the Pooh

2011-11-20T21:35:00.003-08:00

471. (20 Nov) Winnie the Pooh (2011, Stephen J. Anderson & Don Hall) 53

I had assumed I'd feel nostalgic about this Winnie the Pooh, but it's slight to the point of being inconsequential. Only one or two genuinely cute gags, one of which follows the end credits, keeps this from being instantly forgettable. I very clearly recall the first time I saw Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day, but entire sequences would fly by in this film and I'd barely be able to recall how a minor plot point was just resolved. Nevertheless, with this year's dreadful crop of Animated Feature contenders I'd readily take this pleasantry over almost anything else that's eligible.

470. Midnight in Paris

2011-11-20T14:43:00.003-08:00

470. (20 Nov) Midnight in Paris (2011, Woody Allen) 54

There's clumsiness in both the film's key plot device and the way famous individuals who populated 1920's Paris are introduced. Though warmth and charm carry a handful of scenes, it's burdened by inobservant observances like no time period recognizing its own significance. Owen Wilson's character wants to take his chances with an entrancing young woman in the past rather than his clearly dreadful fiancee in the present; that sort of deck-stacking prevents the film from feeling romantic or insightful. There are also some smug moments like Wilson pitching a scenario to Luis Buñuel.

469. The Descendants

2011-11-20T00:21:00.006-08:00

469. (19 Nov) The Descendants (2011, Alexander Payne)* 44

There are ample opportunities for poignancy in The Descendants, but whenever the film comes close to making an emotional impact it turns into a sitcom. Take for instance a key scene near the film's end where Judy Greer tearfully forgives the comatose woman who tried to steal her husband; at first it's a touching, powerful moment, but before you know it she's somehow playing the scene for laughs. Such jarring, inappropriate moments mar a film that could've been uncomfortable, but relatable in the way Payne's Election and About Schmidt were.

I cannot imagine Payne could've scripted something more amateurish. From the Screenwriting 101 voice-over that introduces the flick to an awful comic relief character named Sid who serves no purpose at all except to offer cheap laughs, it's hard to believe Payne ever wrote Election. To his credit, he gets a very solid performance out of Shailene Woodley. She gives the film whatever humanity it has.

George Clooney is doing what he always does, coasting along and failing whenever presented with a challenge. He has to do some physical comedy when following the man he knows had an affair with his wife. Waddling behind a bush, it's a wonder why anybody lets this man approach acting physically at all. He can't do sight gags to save his life and he sabotages the scene.

A couple veteran performers, Robert Forster and Beau Bridges, are trotted out for no good reason. Both have completely thankless roles. Bridges, for instance, has to be a sounding board during a climactic moment where Clooney makes a major decision that doesn't really impact the plot very much in any direction. The film attempts to balance the two plots of a cheating, comatose wife and a major land deal. They're clumsily connected for convenience's sake, but it's almost astonishing just how little the latter plot matters at all.

By the end, all these characters want to do is eat ice cream and watch March of the Penguins. Sounds decidedly more fun and thought-provoking than a screening of The Descendants.

468. Immortals

2011-11-20T00:20:00.003-08:00

468. (20 Nov) Immortals (2011, Tarsem Singh)* 43

This is the movie the Clash of the Titans remake would've been if it was at all fun. Apparently all it takes me for me to overrate a mindless popcorn movie is a shirtless Henry Cavill and Stephen Dorff. No surprise.

467. Beyond

2011-11-20T00:19:00.001-08:00

467. (18 Nov) Beyond (2011, Pernilla August)* 42

466. The Iron Lady

2011-11-20T00:18:00.002-08:00

466. (17 Nov) The Iron Lady (2011, Phyllida Lloyd)* 59

A biopic on the opposite spectrum from this year's J. Edgar, The Iron Lady asks no hard questions about Margaret Thatcher. It's oddly reverential and even more strangely structured. A too-large chunk of the film has a senile, elderly Thatcher hallucinating her dead husband. It leads to all kinds of clumsy flashbacks and does little to illuminate who Thatcher was.

Essentially, the film is a Cliff's Notes version of her life and career. The only reason why it succeeds at all is because of a dazzling star turn by Meryl Streep. She often carries entire movies, but she's usually assisted by a large ensemble. That's not the case here. She carries the whole thing on her own, transforming totally into Thatcher. Whatever insight is gained into the woman is brought by Streep. Her performance is warm, witty, and has a definite edge. She camps it up appropriately considering the humor found in the script. It's a testament to just what kind of miracles she can work.

465. Hot Millions

2011-11-15T20:02:00.003-08:00

465. (15 Nov) Hot Millions (1968, Eric Till) 55

There are sweet moments to be had in Hot Millions and the embezzlement plot is one of the most clever I've seen in any caper comedy. As nice and relaxed as the film may be, it still lacks a plausible romance between Peter Ustinov and Maggie Smith. The plot is overly complicated to the point where it's not very fun. A subplot about Bob Newhart's obsession with Smith is particularly creepy. This is obviously a '68 release since zoom lenses are still a novelty; they're used to death.

464. Montevideo: Taste of a Dream

2011-11-14T22:47:00.001-08:00

464. (14 Nov) Montevideo: Taste of a Dream (2011, Dragan Bjelogrlic)* 48

463. My Week with Marilyn

2011-11-13T23:15:00.005-08:00

463. (13 Nov) My Week with Marilyn (2011, Simon Curtis)* 56

While Kenneth Branagh and Julia Ormond are completely unbelievable as Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh, Michelle Williams immediately convinces us she's inhabiting the role of Marilyn Monroe. She gets everything right, particularly Marilyn's deer in the headlights look. Singing her own songs and recreating some iconic moments, it's easy to see how she got into the Best Actress discussion early on.

The film itself isn't much to speak of. Joyce Carol Oates' novel Blonde would've been better to adapt since this offers only so much insight and ultimately is just a tired celebrity encounter story. But for what it is, it's an enjoyable look into a bygone era of filmmaking. Oddly enough, the film never feels cinematic. All those comparisons to TV movies are apt. Eddie Redmayne and Judi Dench also offer worthwhile performances.

462. Happy Feet Two

2011-11-13T12:34:00.003-08:00

462. (13 Nov) Happy Feet Two (2011, George Miller)* 43

Brittany Murphy dodged a bullet on this one. The musical score is like watching one of the shriller episodes of Glee where all the tunes are sung by penguins. A low point comes when original lyrics accompany Puccini to explain how "awesome" Elijah Wood's Mumble is. The film's whole penguin-driven plot is totally dull, though it tries to be action-packed. Fortunately, there's a hilarious subplot with Brad Pitt and Matt Damon as krill trying to advance their unambitious species.

461. J. Edgar

2011-11-12T23:15:00.003-08:00

461. (12 Nov) J. Edgar (2011, Clint Eastwood)* 67

One of the more competent biopics of the last decade, Eastwood and Dustin Lance Black find a balance between intimate personal moments with J. Edgar Hoover while confronting his more questionable professional decisions. While most biopics flatter their subject, this is a truly bold take on the man.

Leonardo DiCaprio solidifies his frontrunner status for Best Actor. His accent may be unconvincing, but he brings an impressive physicality to the role. Armie Hammer overshadows him at times, but it's built into the film. Eastwood makes an awesome decision to light Hammer rapturously when we first meet him, suggesting how charismatic and irresistible he was to Hoover. Meanwhile, DiCaprio's eyes are always lit so they look like black marbles.

The film is structured competently and engaging. This is an ambitious undertaking. While it doesn't stack up to Eastwood's better works, it's getting an unfair reputation.

460. We Need to Talk About Kevin

2011-11-12T22:52:00.005-08:00

460. (10 Nov) We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011, Lynne Ramsay)* 76

It's a compliment to say this is one of the most upsetting movies I've seen in quite some time. Though Ramsay missteps with some heavy-handed visual metaphors and initially questionable structuring, her film's intensity makes up for any shortcomings. She doesn't make a cartoonish evil child movie, but something far more demented and real. It's extraordinarily uncomfortable watching the punishment delivered to Tilda Swinton's Eva throughout the film, but Swinton makes the most of that discomfort, elevating every scene and turning out one of the performances of the year. Ezra Miller's older Kevin has gotten acclaim, but the actors who portray him as a younger child are far better.

459. Shame

2011-11-08T22:18:00.003-08:00

459. (08 Nov) Shame (2011, Steve McQueen)* 53

McQueen's promising Hunger seems to have been a fluke. None of the bright insight of that film is here. Instead, we're given a moralizing, ridiculously vague film that uses stylizing to compensate for its lack of content. While Michael Fassbender does far more with an undercooked script than most could, even he bends and breaks under ridiculous scenes like one where he stands and the rain and weeps. There are moments of perfection here, however. One of the best scenes of the year has Fassbender on a first date. It's a single take in a restaurant that could scarcely be more charming or real. Too bad the film is ruined with awfulness like Carey Mulligan singing "New York, New York" or surviving a suicide attempt.

458. Terraferma

2011-11-07T21:40:00.001-08:00

458. (07 Nov) Terraferma (2011, Emanuele Crialese)* 32

457. The Artist

2011-11-06T23:09:00.003-08:00

457. (06 Nov) The Artist (2011, Michel Hazanavicius)* 48

The first thirty minutes of The Artist are lighter than air, suggesting a rather promising comedy. Then the film turns dramatic and whatever momentum was being gained is lost. A charming series of takes where Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo's flirting interrupts filming on a movie they're making gives way to suicide attempts and house fires and all sort of melodramatic nonsense. The movie simply ceases to be any fun and, considering it's sustaining on the gimmick of being silent, that makes the last three-fourths of the film quite a chore. There are amusing moments along the way, mostly involving an adorable dog. It's one of the frothiest, dopiest movies I've seen in quite some time. I guess that certifies it as a Best Picture contender.

456. Rampart

2011-11-05T23:59:00.004-07:00

456. (05 Nov) Rampart (2011, Oren Moverman)* 36

Moverman's The Messenger had moments of promise, but this is just dreadful. He's rapidly devolving as a director and writer, letting every little quirk get the better of him. There are ridiculous subplots, like one involving Harrelson's ex-wives, that derail the film for long stretches of time. There are countless throwaway scenes and Moverman's style is outright bad in many places. There's occasionally a solid scene, like one where Sigourney Weaver calls Harrelson's character out. But such moments are few. Harrelson's Oscar buzz is unnecessary.

455. Hugo

2011-11-05T23:56:00.004-07:00

455. (05 Nov) Hugo (2011, Martin Scorsese)* 57

There are moments of fun and whimsy here that suggest Scorsese doing a kid's movie was not a total misfire. But the film itself can be deadly dull, making it unsuitable for younger viewers. It's also hard to believe they'd enjoy the last act's ode to Georges Melies. Broad supporting characters and their distracting subplots really derail the film. (A train in a dream within a dream literally derails around the same point the film itself does.) When an obligatory chase scene takes place late in the film, it's clear this has outstayed its welcome. Nevertheless, the crafts are lovely and Ben Kingsley is quite good.

454. Coriolanus

2011-11-05T23:54:00.003-07:00

454. (02 Nov) Coriolanus (2011, Ralph Fiennes)* 62

The film's finest moments all involve Vanessa Redgrave. Her big speech late in the film is a master class in acting that all but assures her a seventh Oscar nod. She works brilliantly with Ralph Fiennes, who brings an extraordinary intensity to the role and turns Shakespeare's play into an action film. It's an updating in the vein of Loncraine's Richard III, only not as good.

453. Young Adult

2011-11-05T23:52:00.002-07:00

453. (01 Nov) Young Adult (2011, Jason Reitman)* 59

452. Paranormal Activity 3

2011-10-29T22:26:00.002-07:00

452. (29 Oct) Paranormal Activity 3 (2011, Henry Joost & Ariel Schulman)* 60

The couple of fakes scares in Paranormal Activity 3 suggest its willingness to take itself less seriously than the last two films. But when you're making a horror movie about a powerful demon, I'm not sure that that's the best direction to go in. This film feels less cohesive than the last two. Its strengths are how it riffs on some horror movie conventions, giving us a very fun scene with a spooked babysitter and adding a coven of witches to the mix. The film certainly has atmosphere, but I didn't experience the sense of dread the first film instilled in me. The finale is particularly silly.

451. Beauty

2011-10-29T22:09:00.003-07:00

451. (29 Oct) Beauty (2011, Oliver Hermanus)* 77

This brilliant meditation on the consuming, devastating nature of obsession is what Visconti's Death in Venice wishes it was. From the breathtaking, seductive opening shot, it is clear we're being treated to something special. Hermanus immediately attaches us to the young, alluring Christian, whom the older, married François is entranced by. Quiet scenes where François seems to simply be lost in thought suggest how much his mind is wrapped around Christian. Painfully real, impossibly uncomfortable scenes play out where we see just how strong his desire is, leading to a shocking rape that somehow seems inevitable.

Frank about its sexual content and the disturbing main character, Hermanus has an incredible knack for giving his shots a true point of view. Much of the film is from François' perspective as he follows Christian or cruises others. It's certainly one of the best photographed films of the year, especially when you consider the intricacy of the long shots, but Hermanus seems to know always where the camera needs to be. His film's sexy, but sick tone is rather intoxicating.

Though it seems like Hermanus is entering uncomfortably homophobic territory where gay men are portrayed as secretive, volatile stalkers, he caps the film off with a truly perfect final scene. In a restaurant alone, François is staking out his next object of affection. He sets his sight on a handsome young man sitting alone who is later joined by his boyfriend. They self-consciously kiss, giving a sense that even their intimacy is guarded. But François, set to pay off Christian so he can absolve himself of any guilt over his actions, has a remarkable, but subtle aha moment. Many of Beauty's mostly wordless scenes are just about as brilliant.

450. Where Do We Go Now?

2011-10-29T22:05:00.003-07:00

450. (29 Oct) Where Do We Go Now? (2011, Nadine Labaki)* 43

Outrageously stupid broad comedy and totally out of place song and dance numbers derail Where Do We Go Now? The only thing is really has going for it is an undercooked romance, which is totally unresolved by the film's end. These films about how Christians and Muslims should get along are quickly becoming a dime a dozen.

449. In Darkness

2011-10-29T21:52:00.002-07:00

449. (28 Oct) In Darkness (2011, Agnieszka Holland)* 74

A few scenes into In Darkness and it seems like this is as typical as WWII fare comes. Then the story shifts to Jews who survived in the sewers of Lvov for fourteen months. Once underground, the film takes on an intensity and relentless quality that is totally unexpected. Harrowing events and obstacles bombard us, giving a really clear sense of how these people clearly defied the odds.

What really distinguishes the film is its moral complexity. Leopold, the Pole who initially helps the Jews for monetary gain, slowly begins to see the humanity of people he stereotyped. His wife, played by the charming Kinga Preis, gets him to see that Jews are hardly different from Poles, but she initially does not feel helping these strangers is worth the risk to her family. By letting us invest so much in the human drama, Agnieszka Holland makes this an emotional journey rather than a by the numbers historical one.

448. The Blair Witch Project

2011-10-26T23:02:00.004-07:00

448. (26 Oct) /The Blair Witch Project/ (1999, Daniel Myrick & Eduardo Sánchez) 78

As imitated as it may be, no film has yet to recapture lightning in a bottle like The Blair Witch Project did. It builds in intensity with such focus, it's almost absurd how drawn into these characters' misadventure we become. A repeat viewing really gives you a sense of how well the timeline is drawn. The long days are just journeys into disquieting evenings where the sun will set too soon. Each time night falls, your heart is in your throat. There's such a leanness to it all that the film could go on for a full fifteen or twenty minutes longer and only add more scares.

447. The Thing

2011-10-26T21:08:00.004-07:00

447. (23 Oct) /The Thing/ (1982, John Carpenter) 63

Carpenter's The Thing is better than I gave it credit. It builds remarkably well, heightening tension for several superb scenes like Russell testing everyone's blood to see who is an alien. Though there are countless fades to black throughout, which keeps this from feeling as taut and unnerving as it ought to, there's no denying that the gory, action-driven sequences suggest just what a gifted genre filmmaker Carpenter is.

446. Games

2011-10-22T16:10:00.003-07:00

446. (22 Oct) Games (1967, Curtis Harrington) 62

This relatively suspenseful thriller makes the mistake of needing to throw one last twist into the mix. When it's genuinely supernatural, it's at its spookiest. The film actually opens itself up to plot holes by making our villains strictly human ones.

While James Caan and Katharine Ross are pitting themselves against a ghost and their intuitive house guest, a very eerie Simone Signoret, this is a roller coaster. Watching an upper class couple turn into calculating, cold-blooded killers is at once uncomfortable and exhilarating. Add to the mix director Harrington's affection for pop art and you've got one very unique chiller.

445. Eegah

2011-10-22T16:09:00.002-07:00

445. (22 Oct) Eegah (1962, Arch Hall Sr.) 3

444. Attack of the the Eye Creatures

2011-10-22T13:30:00.002-07:00

444. (22 Oct) Attack of the the Eye Creatures (1965, Larry Buchanan) 6

The title is not a typo. This movie is just that awesome.

443. Earth vs. the Spider

2011-10-22T13:29:00.001-07:00

443. (21 Oct) Earth vs. the Spider (1958, Bert I. Gordon) 13