155 - The Piano Teacher

Let me get this out of the way first.....Isabelle Huppert reminds me of Amy Madigan. It's that serious pout. Anyway, the film is a very interesting observation of a deprived or denied emotion.....and sadly, the consequences. Isabelle simplifies it in the interviews as an examination between love and seduction or loss of control, but I saw much more of its complexity on screen.

154 - Sunshine Cleaning

Depending on how your adolescent years went, there is a part of you that either wants to hang on or completely look away to what once was.... You continue to move on, but mostly in directions that probably were never in the "master plan". Amy Adams really projects a lot of that...evertime she's not smiling. Emily Blunt supports well...and her character is realistic. Adding Adam Arkin and Jason Spevack kinda looks formulaic, but they are more part of the background than anything.

153 - Julia

Tilda Swinton morphs from ice queen to drunk rat flawlessly :). The film drags a bit though, and I think there would have been more "efficient" ways to tell the story.

152 - Ashura

While this film has the usual elements of asian fantasy, it also comes with some very interesting segments such as the kabuki theater. I like the sense of humor and how the story incorporates the scribe (or screenwriter) and how he sees events unfold and will later depict the story for theater.

151 - Anamorph

It's Willem Dafoe's Davinci hairstyle, I guess :).....I like the unique concept of anamorphosis as used in the story. I wonder if this had been made a little darker (if say.....given to Jonathan Demme, Alfonso Cuaron, or.......David Lynch ;) ).

150 - Religilous

When you try to cross scientific fact with religion, you set yourself up for trouble. And that's pretty much how all of Bill's "victims" fall to his inquiry.....mostly to those who really take religion to its extreme. And if you're in that "extreme", this film will not make you happy. Otherwise, it's very informative and funny(!).

149 - The International

The scene above is where Eleanor Whitman (Naomi Watts) gets run over by an escaping suspect...which is one of those moments that made me pause a bit. I mean......usually the lead is able to jump out of the way....but here she actually gets run over (she's ok by the way). Anyway, I think there wasn't enough in the film to support Eleanor or Louis' (Clive Owen) reputations. While Tom Tykwer presented action well like he did before (Run Lola Run), I think there was a lack of depth in the story. A bonus is seeing much of the Autostadt (quite a treat) that was used for the bank's headquarters.

148 - The Wackness

Squires and Shapiro, that's a funny tandem especially when you see that it's Ben Kingsley and Josh Peck......oh, and my apologies, Sir Ben Kingsley. He really pulls it off, hits his spots, and just has the facial expressions and nuances to match. The story is in the neighborhood of Wonder Boys....where in place of the mentor and student you have the shrink and the patient. The dynamic between Squires and Shapiro are both funny and geniune.

147 - The Go Getter

The story had promise and it had a supporting cast that can really carry it with Zooey, Jena, Maura, and Bill (Duke).....but the film falls short. Lead Lou Taylor Pucci has the innocent face, but just does not seem to be able to bring the character needed for the story.

146 - Comedy Central Roast: Denis Leary

I do actually like Denis Leary's film and tv work more than his standup.....despite the opposite of which was a common punch line in the roast.....but this was comedy central so that shouldn't be a surprise. While some film choices I'm sure were more for fun, I think he was good in films like Ref and his supporting roles in Suicide Kings and Ice Age (as Diego)...and what more can be said about The Job and Rescue Me? This roast was funny and entertaining and being on DVD was uncensored and you get a lot of surprises.

145 - Waltz with Bashir

This may be beginning of an era where animation is used instead of live action to tell a story. At first it feels like the film was a rotoscope like A Scanner Darkly, but it isn't. It was wonderfully done and the story was very compelling.

144 - Hana

Ok ok let me put this out first that I primarily got this to feed my Rie Miyazawa hunger. The story is actually in the same path as her other film (The Twilight Samurai), that of a reluctant Samurai. This film offers a lot and you appreciate the supporting characters, the life in the row houses, and the people that inhabit them.

143 - Tigrero

I follow Jim Jarmusch as much as I can and watching him with one of his influences (Sam Fuller) was a treat to witness. Jim came with Sam to revisit the location in Brazil for Tigrero, a film that never saw the light of day because the studio couldn't get it insured. There's a lot to be learned in the discussions between Jim and Sam. One discussion that sticks for me is Jim asking Sam about shooting on location and where Sam talks about what you don't plan for that you might see when you're on location. Happy accidents. Priceless.

142 - Fishing with John

"fishiiiinnng......with John...." is the hypnotic opening track from each of John Lurie's episodes. It's a neat collection of what I'd consider vacation videos with friends...not your usual friends of course, as they include Tom Waits, Jim Jarmusch, Willem Dafoe, Matt Dillon, and Dennis Hopper. The casual talk is fun to listen to and using a "National Geographic"-like narrator (Rob Webb) makes it even more amusing (and funny).

141 - Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Initially, I thought my attention would have been following Cristina. But Vicky was a bit more interesting and I think its because of the conflict she had to go through. Woody Allen has written dialogue that is very smart and fun to follow. His use of the narrator here actually helps fill in a lot in the story.

140 - Wendy and Lucy

There wasn't a lot said about what triggered this journey or what life was before, but I think the little clues in conversations tell a lot about what she's been through and who she is. I particularly liked that Michelle Williams didnt portray this character as an obnoxious rat driven to succeed (or something like that anyway) that would have been the trap that some actors have taken before. She plays Wendy realistically as a troubled, yet balanced person. That there was nothing extraordinary in this story is what makes it work.

139 - Body of Lies

It's somewhat like Spy Game (Redford & Pitt).....though this time with Crowe and DiCaprio. One performance that stands out though is Mark Strong, who portrayed Hani Salaam. Quite a cool character.

138 - Tony Takitani

Memories of Tomoe (Rie Miyazawa) has lead me to this film. There is something in her eyes that had the same special quality she had in Twilight Samurai. Maybe its a reflection of being lost and helpless. Issei Ogata (Tony) was equally as impressive. Murakami's story was truly introspective. Social beings lean on a support group to cope. When one is the opposite, what happens to him?

137 - Doubt

Just listening to how Philip Seymour Hoffman's Father Flynn delivers his sermons reminds me how messages can never come through to people unless they are brought down by someone who can articulate them well. The "Gossip" sermon was particularly entertaining. Meryl Streep was great, but in this movie Amy Adams, Viola Davis, Philip Seymour Hoffman shined much brighter.

136 - The Reader

Stephen Daldry and the cast did a magnificent job keeping afloat the underlying emotions in this film. Once you realize that you're seeking past the obvious stimuli such as eroticism and wartime historical references, you know someone has found a way to keep you in pain....or guilt....or hope.

All the pieces blend in very well. Every memory, side story, or detail. They all have meaning. Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes were perfect for this project. Both have such great skill with their physical actions and facial expressions.

135 - Let the Right One In

I admire filmmakers who are able to approach a common theme and find another way to express it. Let The Right One In is one such film taken out of the vampire genre. Stripping the concept to its bare blood-thirsty, light-sensitive core and projecting it through the eyes of two young chracters gave this film a depth that I hardly want to consider this a horror film at all.

134 - Synedoche, New York

The roster made me really want to see this film: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Hope Davis, Michelle Williams, and Samantha Morton....actors who by themselves would merit consideration to see a film as far as I'm concerned.....but all them together?.....that will always be a gamble.

Sometimes we try to find a parellel that can help us understand something in our lives. And sometimes we do actually discover what we really were looking at and find relief. But most of the time, I think we either get distracted or, in this film's case, continue to be lost, and at worst, be consumed by it.

2008 Marker

It just wouldn't be right to have entered 2009 this far without looking back to 2008.

28 movies in 2008. It looks like a drop, but only because it does not count the Battlestar Galactica series discs in between. Of the 2008 films, notable notes:

The Hunger - sometimes you just have to have more of em...so with Ellen Page, after Juno (and for me, after Hard Candy, really) the hunger was to see her again in The Tracey Fragments and An American Crime. Same goes for Cate Blanchett in Charlotte Gray and I'm Not There, Catalina Sandino Moreno in Maria Full of Grace and The Hottest State, and Paul Dano in Little Miss Sunshine and There Will Be Blood.

The Sparrow - Edith Piaf's life story through La Vie En Rose really brought a lot of attention to Marion Cotillard and I really admired her performance in the film. It felt rewarding to see her win the Oscar for the part.

Grace is Gone - It was a great turn for John Cusack to show he does have range.

The Jodie Factor - when Jodie Foster gets pushed in the corner, she turns into a banshee...its pretty much what surprises you when entering The Brave One with low expectations. Never underestimate someone whose good friend happens to be a guy named Hannibal.

Le Honor Roll

1. Tropic Thunder
2. My Blueberry Nights
3. Hard Eight
4. An American Crime
5. The Tracey Fragments
6. Charlotte Gray
7. Grace is Gone
8. I'm Not There
9. The Savages
10. There Will Be Blood
11. The Brave One
12. Sweeney Todd
13. Michael Clayton
14. Gone Baby Gone
15. Maria Full of Grace
16. King of California
17. La Vie En Rose
18. Waitress
    

Now back to 2009!...............

132 -133 - Zack and Miri Make a Porno

Going through the deleted scenes, it's amazing how much good stuff was cut. Like all Kevin Smith movies, it's not for everyone. If you love his films, you'll enjoy the dialogue and the familiar cast members (Mewes!). I enjoyed his casting of Katie Morgan and Traci Lords.....both of which I have to admit I recognize :).....loved Traci's bubble scene ;)

132 - Battlestar Galactica Season 3 Disc 4

131 - Melvin Goes to Dinner

131 Melvin Goes to Dinner - I really didn't see it coming but after watching so many Progressive Insurance commercials I found myself getting really fond of Flo (a.k.a. Stephanie Courtney) and so I just had to see if she's done work outside of these commercials and sure enough I found this one. It's a really good independent film that follows a group of.....well friends and acquaintances in their conversations at a restaurant. It was also a pleasant surprise to see some guest actors making appearances, like Melora Walters, Maura Tierney, and David Cross.

128,129,130 - Battlestar Galactica Discs 1,2,3

127 Burn After Reading

That punch John Malkovich inflicted on Brad Pitt was as crisp as the one Tommy Lee Jones smacked on Will Smith (in MIB 2) and was the personal highlight for me. It's quite a cast with John and Brad, plus Frances McDormand, George Clooney, Tilda Swinton, Richard Jenkins, and JK Simmons! And the Coens are probably one of the few who could assemble these folks and make them portray these middle-aged clowns in a story that can never be serious because there's a stupid turn at every corner and you just find yourself shaking your head in laughter.

125 - 126 Tropic Thunder

126 - Tropic Thunder

It's pretty much already the talk of the town that Robert Downey Jr.'s character was the best with this crew. It movie was probably too stocked with names (Black, Stiller, Nolte) but it still came out ok. Oh.....and Tom Cruise's Len Grossman.......nah I still have displeasure watching him.

125 - Battlestar Galactica 2.5 Disc 3

124 - My Blueberry Nights

Wong Kar Wai's movies deal a lot with introspection and My Blueberry Nights follows the same path. Have you ever turned away or displaced yourself from a situation, only to find your way back in its shadow in some other form? These things are usually meant to show us who we are, but sometimes it is simply to ask us to look again. Does it mean you should turn back? Perhaps its a question of perspective...instinct...or just simply time. Norah Jones was an unusual but great pick for the role and pairing her with Jude Law works. Natalie Portman showed a lot of confidence with dialogue (and accent), but I somehow feel this character was still amiss for her. It was a wonderful surprise to see Chan Marshall (in pic above).

121 - 123 Hard Eight

123 - Hard Eight
Hard Eight is a well-crafted film by Paul Thomas Anderson and had that very calculated amount of mystery and dialogue that keeps you glued to the screen. The desire to figure out Philip Baker Hall's intentions or hope to see John C. Reilly and Gwyneth Paltrow's characters redeem themselves was intoxicating. Throwing in Sam Jackson and Philip Seymour Hoffman for spice was a great touch as well.....and Philip Baker Hall's last acts remind me of Terrence Stamp's monk revenge in The Limey.

121, 122 - Battlestar Galactica 2.0 Disc 2 & 3

119 - 120 - An American Crime

It's disturbing to watch this with the awareness that it was based on actual events or a case in the 60's. Cathy Keener plays the part well, but the story I think lacks depth in exposing more of what was behind that misdirection or insanity (or maybe I just don't fully understand the misguided ways religion has been used or what struggling single mothers really go through....). For those who've always though of Ellen Page as this waifishly annoying brat, this will give you something different to look at.....

(119 - Battlestar Galactica Season 2 Disc 1)

117 - 118 - The Hottest State

118 - The Hottest State - You'd probably agree that in some lost chapter in your life you've acted foolishly to the point that you can't fathom why you had acted that way. Well, that "chapter" is what happens in this story. The dialogue does appear to be all straight up and sometimes when you think a key message is about to come out, it doesn't. Still, the movie is a really good exploration of coming to terms with one's emotions and personality.

(117 - Battlestar Galactica Disc 5)

115 - 116 The Tracey Fragments

116 - The Tracey Fragments - I could have enjoyed this film had it been edited straight-up. The split screens or "fragmentation", usually 5 or more, was really distracting and exhausting to the eyes. Still, the story and characters and delivery of Ellen Page were compelling enough that I was able to finish it.

While a lot of films in the mainstream cover the effects of sexual abuse, this film focuses on other sociological factors and shows how these can easily lead a young soul astray.

115 - Battlestar Galactica Disc 4 ;)

114 - Charlotte Gray

I wonder if this movie helped make it an easy choice to cast Cate in The Good German. I really admire her ability to elegantly portray a loving and emotional feminine character that can easily and convincingly summon courage and toughness.

112 - 113 New Rose Hotel

113 - New Rose Hotel - I was dissapointed at how this film didn't have the same punch as Abel's King of New York. It felt like one long drunken binge and hangover all at once. I think Walken, Dafoe, and Argento could have done more given the right environment.

(112 - Battlestar Galactica Disc 3) :)

111 - Battlestar Galactica Disc 2

To help feed my BG craving, I got disc 2 (after watching a used disc 1). Like the first disc, it's good stuff. And Richard Hatch returns! (well......as an exiled radicalist) I really like the haunting and drum-heavy soundtrack.

110 - Boarding Gate

There is this fearless quality that just draws me to Asia Argento. That, and the pairing with Michael Madsen was quite odd. The film is a mix of that french eroticism and bits of asian reckless scenes (and not simply because the second half was in China). I wasn't that happy with it, honestly, but wasn't bored watching Asia crawl her way in and out of trouble.

109 - Grace is Gone

I could never have watched this film at your local theater. I was just tearing-up constantly with the outstanding performances by John Cusack and young Shelan O'Keefe. I was pleased to not see any initial scenes meant to show the love the family shared before their mother's deployment. When a daughter tells you she loves her mom very much, you don't ask her to prove it. This film has put to perspective what it is to grieve for loss. It will never be the same for anyone, but the time that needs to pass will always be long, numbing, and painful.

108 - I'm Not There

Trying to decipher Bob Dylan was probably an impossible task, but this was a good effort to try and give people somewhere to start (or not). Personally, I think this made me realize that he really didn't want to represent or be represented. Dylan bounced off ideas or expressed what was there...he couldn't care less what it meant or how it could be absorbed by the listener.

I enjoyed Michelle Williams' turn as Coco and Bruce Greenwood's Keenan Jones. David Cross as Allen Ginsberg though....that felt weird.

Not much to say about Cate (just bow your head and pay your respects!)

107 - The Savages

Tamara Jenkins said it best when she explained how she preferred to allow the dark comedy be viewed by the audience as an observer and not something that had to be rammed down one's throat. And the whole film really is presented from an observer's point of view. Just watching Philip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney bounce lines off of each other is very satisfying. And Philip Bosco's performance (as their father) was golden. I was hoping this film would remain true and not deliver this wonderful redemptive ending (that could potentially spoil it), but I was very pleased with Tamara's approach. It's not a sugar-coated one. It was genuine and in the hands of Laura and Phil, just cannot be delivered any better.

106 - There Will Be Blood

Daniel Plainview is a cold-blooded bastard :)

Dillon Freasier, who portrayed H.W., could very well be a really great actor in the making....should he choose the profession....he clearly picked up from Daniel and presented a cold facade that can be quite scary if he ever stared at you. While he was under the shadow of his father's retched ways, I think we was merely an observer.....untainted.

Paul Dano was very good, as well, but I had to get used to him having all that dialogue, as the last time I saw him (or remember him clearly) was in Little Miss Sunshine.

105 - The Brave One

The role of Erica Bain required somebody who had a hard face and a masculine stance and I think Jodie Foster was a good choice. I was most caught by this scene where Erica returns to her radio show and after seconds of pause, transforms from this island of fear to rugged terrain. Her words of realization was a turning point in the story. Terrence Howard was another good choice. He's a tempered version of Denzel Washington (a better version, I think).

Now could someone please give Jodie her dog back.......

104 - Sweeney Todd

I rarely watch musicals and Ithink the last one I really liked was......All that Jazz? But with Tim Burton, Johnny Depp, Alan Rickman, and Helena Bonham Carter coming together for Sweeney Todd, I guess it was worth watching.....and I did like it. I was most impressed by Ed Sanders (who portrayed Toby). And to consider that none of the actors were really singers by trade, I think the whole cast did a great job.

103 - Margot at the Wedding

Riding on high with admiration for Noah Baumbach's "The Squid and the Whale", I watched Margot at the Wedding with somewhat of an expectation, even though this was a different film. Noah used more dialog this time, which I think must have been because he had Nicole Kidman and Jennifer Jason Leigh running the shop. Laura Linney and Jeff Daniels had more depth in their delivery with shorter dialog and silent queues. Nicole and Jennifer used more dialog and emotional expression to reach the same level.

Still, I think this film deserves credit for exploring dysfunctional relationships between siblings and all the nearby relationships it impacts. I don't think it was that much of a stretch for Jack Black. Ciaran Hinds was actually more refreshing to watch in a role that is low key compared to his previous characters.

102 - Into the Wild

"Wild" being the location here really isn't confined to the great outdoors (or great outdoors probably doesn't necessarily mean mountains and forests), but everywhere else, including cities, towns, and middle-of-nowhere's. I couldn't help but thinking that this film is really more about life as a floater more than this strong principle of non-materialism and nature love. Emile Hirsch did give the role a good shot, but I think he was overshadowed by the cinematography and Eddie Vedder (you could probably remove all the sound and just play the movie with Eddie's soundtrack and you'd still be able to appreciate this film).

Sean got a great supporting cast with Catherine Keener, Brian Dierker, Jena Malone, and Vince Vaughn. Kristen Stewart looked familiar but I couldn't really pin down where I've seen her before 'till I looked her up in IMDB and finally found that she was Jodie Foster's daughter in Panic Room (i knew those droopy eyes looked familiar :) ).

101 - Michael Clayton

I think either Tom Wilkinson or George Clooney could have received an Oscar for their performance in this movie. Tilda Swinton's performance was also great...but I somehow couldn't justify its Oscar-worthiness. Perhaps the judges wanted to award Tilda Swinton, the actress, and not necessarily Tilda Swinton of Michael Clayton....now that I can accept.

Marker - 100 films

A hundred films in three years. That sounds like a long time to reach such a milestone...and I thought I was spending too much time watching movies....but let me remind you, this is just for my Netflix account! Anyway......after a hundred films on Netflix.....my personal favorites.......

from 2006
03 Dead Man
04 The Matador
14The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
24 Little Fish
32 Croupier
33 A Clockwork Orange

from 2007
39 Little Miss Sunshine
63 Casino Royale
56 Fast Food Nation
60 A Scanner Darkly
67 Breach
68 Black Snake Moan
69 Dr. Strangelove
73 Pan's Labyrinth
81 Red Road
84 Down By Law
88 Night on Earth
89 Mystery Train

from 2008
91 Eastern Promises
92 Waitress
93 La Vie En Rose
95 King of California
97 Maria Full of Grace
98 Gone Baby Gone

Amen.

100 - Home of the Brave

This can't be my 100th entry. It's really sad that it is...anyway...
Here's the bottom line: I couldn't finish this film and thought it best to just mail it back right away so I can get the next one (hopefully Michael Clayton). And it's not that its awful. Maybe just bad timing that my life's been so busy I have such a short patience. Maybe.

But there just wasn't enough in the beginning to provide that base for all the different stories. There are some movies that leave a certain amount of assumptions for the audience to make and this one just felt like it wanted you to fill in too much of the blanks to render it without much emotional journey to discover. I don't know. Like I said, maybe its just me right now. I guess its also sad that this movie comes under the shadow of Black Hawk Down....maybe just bad timing.

99 - Goya's Ghosts

I think Stellan Skarsgard did a great job and I enjoyed watching him portray Francisco Goya. Even more interesting was how they showed the old process of print-press (of lineart?). I'm not sure what made them choose Randy Quaid and that really felt odd. Natalie Portman I think, despite an admirable performance in the first part (as Ines), was miscast. She does not deliver the same effect Scarlett Johansson had in Girl with a Pearl Earing (funny how they finally found their way together now in The Other Boleyn Girl...wonder who will have more of an effect over the other...)

Javier Bardem, of course, was equally enjoyable to watch as a man of the cloth...though I have to admit I was waiting for him to break character and utter "friend-o" :)

The movie though, fell off after the first act, and was not the same after that....

98 - Gone Baby Gone

I had some weird reservations by watching a film directed by Ben Affleck, probably because it's a quick turn to direct. That pretty much stopped once the film started. I think he's drawn quite well from directors he has worked with and has safely kept his venture towards what's close to his familiarity with Boston culture.

The score was beautiful and moving and I admire the strength of Michelle Monaghan's and Amy Ryan's characters. Even the supporting and background cast (who Ben recruited from the streets of Boston -- a brave and good move) looked very much believable. The loudest boom in this film, however, is the ambiguity of the underlying questions about children.

What would you have done?

97 - Maria Full of Grace

Trust. That's the first thought in my mind when I think about Catalina Sandino Moreno. There is this sense of calm and reassurance when you look at her face. The "immigrant story" has been such a successful approach in storytelling, but here I like how it takes on an uncommon face, what I would describe as accidental or incidental. Maria never really makes this firm determination to come to America as an absolute goal in her life. For her, it just happened to be part of the job being a "mule" from Colombia. Even the notion of staying for the sake of her unborn child came as a discovery from her friend's sister. I've really grown fond of her and was equally impressed by her performance in Fast Food Nation (and soon....The Hotest State....currently in my queue).

96 - Balls of Fury

Christopher Walken was really serious when he said he just simply loved the work and, pretty much like Michael Caine, is willing to try pretty much anything. This film is just another example of how much he means it :). The movie is funny, though I was rather disappointed to not find that much beyond all the clips and trailers that preceded this movie. I think this is the third film that I've seen with Maggie Q and have a feeling I'll be seeing her more. Terry Crews also makes an appearance!....really funny....though I fear for this career....looks like he's getting typecasted!...but then how could you not want that pulsating chest, strutting, and gigantic smile :)

95 - King of California

There is this scene where Evan Rachel Wood confronts Michael Douglas in her car and...in a moment of pause, surrenders, "I can't stop you, can I?"...and as the scene turns to Michael Douglas' face -- heavily bearded, wearing a hoodie like the unabomer, eyes beaming like he's on a quadruple dose of espresso, shakes in head in agreement. That, I think, is one of the key moments that summarize the father-daughter relationship that exists in the film.

There was a bit of a lull in the middle of the film during where I think they glossed over what could have been Michael douglas' character earning his daughter's interest in his quest. Sadly, a "music video" approach was used instead.

Nevertheless, the film did pick-up later on and I really admire how fresh it is to see a father-daughter adventure this time.

By the way, did you ever wonder how California got its name? :)