43 - The Black Dahlia

As far as I'm concerned, the unsung hero of this movie was Mia Kirshner. I really admired her portrayal of Elizabeth Short.

42 - Ice Age: The Meltdown

Possums Rule!

If the penguins in Madagascar had the penguins, Ice Age (2) has the possums. Like the first one, a great script complemented the excellent animation and effects.

41 - The Descent

Shoot me now. I ain't goin' down that cave! Hahahha! It was really good I have to say. While it may have been a suspense-horror, it also exposed a lot about what such an extreme event brings out in people. I had memories of first blood with John Rambo pushing through the cave, using fire to find an air vent :) Once the creatures were exposed, the strength of the story moved to the characters and I think that attributed to the success of this film. Still. I ain't goin' in that friggin' cave. Go ahead, shoot me.

40 - Prime Suspect (ep. 1 & 2)

Don't you just hate it when you enter a room knowing everyone pretty much hates you? Such is the predicament of DCI Jane Tennison as a lone female lead investigator during a male-dominant time of law enforcement.

While Helen Mirren's character is as tough as nails, Prime Suspect doesn't hide the human side of her momentary bouts of weakness or confusion. But alas, she is always able to regroup and move forward. Just watch Helen's eyes and see how easily she switches from despair to tenacity.

It wouldn't surprise me if a lot of today's shows in criminology took notes from this series.

39 - Little Miss Sunshine

Just when you think the concept of a movie about a dysfunctional family had been truly exhausted, along comes Little Miss Sunshine! The characters are very interesting and well played to the point that everyone's got their own shining moments and no single person holds all the best lines.

Great moments include Abigail's reception to news of the Little Miss Sunshine contest, Steve Carrell's blunt comments, Toni Collette's dining table management, Alan Arkin's advice - both serious or otherwise, Paul Dano's breakdown, Greg Kinnear's ongoing "steps" philosophy, and the finale (of course).

I wasn't kidding when I told you all these characters shined very bright!

38 - Tales of the City (ep. 1 & 2)

Tales of the City
(episodes 1 & 2)

Woohoo! What a way to start 2007 than to watch the city I left behind....sorry, I just got back from San Francisco, you know!

Olympia Dukakis will always be Rose Castorini from Moonstruck in my eyes. But alas, she will now be Anna Madrigal as well :). It's very easy to see her as the "mother" of this story, but I would like to think that she's the "grandmother". The one person who can spoil you, be your confidant, and give you advice that only an elder can. In a way, it's weird that this found me, given that I'm in a new city myself (as Laura Linney did here as Mary Ann). Who knows what tales I'll run into :).

2006 year marker

To mark the end of the year (and 37 films), I present "Le Honor Roll", a collection of stories that I really applaud and give 2 hands raised way up :). Overall, it was a great mix of free spirits (independently produced and later commercially picked-up) such as The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and Thank You for Smoking, true independents that include Dead Man, Little Fish, Croupier, and The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, and finally one powerful classic: A Clockwork Orange.

Le Honor Roll :)

1. Dead Man
2. The Matador
3. The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
4. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
5. Thank You for Smoking
6. Little Fish
7. Croupier
8. A Clockwork Orange

37 - The OH in Ohio

Parker Posey is just plain hilarious :). She always delivers, doesn't matter if its a bit part, cameo, or lead (like in this one). What I expected to be flat out comedy actually turned out to be a really warm story about finding your way. Danny DeVito comes through with both comedy and sensibility (yeah, it can happen ;) ) the same way he did in Living Out Loud.

Oh, and Heather Graham has a bit part (no, not as RollerGirl, but not too far from that industry :) ).

36 - Over the Hedge

Stelllaaaaa!!!! Hahaha I love that Brando yell by the cat. The formula is quite routine...selfish rebel hooks up with good folk, grows a conscience, and redeems himself...but it still rings true and the delivery was still funny and heartwarming.

Plus, William Shatner is gold :).

35 - Cars

At first I was skeptical of how Pixar could pull off a cartoon using cars as characters. It sounded like an old idea...or maybe because I've been pre-programmed with Chevron cartoon commercials. But it is a Pixar film and I was willing to at least check it out. The more I watched the film, the more I grew attached to it and by the end of the film I was sold.

If you were ever immortalized as a vehicle, what would you be?

34 - Little Athens

Little Athens was a really interesting look at the life a young generation in a small town. The fact that this all happens in a small town is what probably gives this story its flavor. The cast is an interesting mix of familiar faces.....Eric Szmada (CSI), Jorge Garcia (Lost), DJ Qualls (Road Trip), and Rachel Miner.

What was your life like when you were 18?

33 - A Clockwork Orange

Are we really products of society? This was probably the foremost question on my mind while I watched this film. The time cannot be placed for this story. It falls somewhere between the past and the future, and absolutely not the present...very clever atmosphere that Stanley Kubrick created.

He turns everything around, and in full circle in some cases...the effect of Beethoven's ninth, the twisted mind of the criminal and then becoming a victim, and the victim suddenly turning to evil, an inmate somewhat cured and then turned back.

When it seemed like it didn't make sense, it actually did...and when appears to make sense, it really doesn't as much...its really amazing how stimulating Kubrick has made this experience.

32 - Croupier

Clive Owen has shown a lot of potential in action, but in Croupier (which is actually an older film; pre-fame) we see him engaged in a character study. Following the thought process and story was engaging and Mike Hodges did a great job mixing narration and normal storytelling.

With all the insight into casinos and gambling, this would make a great companion to Rounders.

31 - Casa De Los Babys

The list of cast members was heavy: Maggie Gyllenhaal, Lili Taylor, Marcia Gay Harden, Darryl Hannah, mary Steenburgen, and you can't help but think that the scenes were probably extended to give everyone time to be in their element...and that may have worked against this film. The real heroes of this film, I have to admit, are everyone (and everything) meant to support it: the mexican cast, the location, scenes of Mexican life.

John Sayles told the story of Lone Star really well and maybe I was expecting the same approach. Still, this film exposes a lot of prejudiced views that are not always caught on film and is worth watching, if only to be witness to such realities.

30 - Morvern Callar

I remember seeing bits of this when it was running on cable and was always drawn to how it gives you this drunken feeling. Samantha Morton's eyes can be really terrifying. When she stares at you, you will do her bidding ;). The texture of the film reminds me of Breaking the Waves and, like Emily Watson, Samantha delivers this continuously spaced out personality that may appear lost but is resilient and able to survive.

29 - Crimson Rivers 2: Angels of the Apocalypse

Why, of course I had to see the sequel :). The structure of the story is patterned after the original...two cops working on separate cases and then crossing somewhere in the middle. The Nazi past is again the source of the mystery. This movie features Christopher Lee! I was impressed to see him speak german and french...but I also was hoping he'd give his signature dracula scare :).

28 - Crimson Rivers

Ever since Leon, I've always considered anything Jean Reno does as gold...even when he played those bit parts in Mission Impossible, Godzilla, and Ronin. In Crimson Rivers, he plays the lead role and this time I watch him in his natural stage: a french movie.

The story, a murder mystery tied to a long running nazi conspiracy, was really interesting. It's a curious, though sad, echo from human history that still stains us to this day. Vincent Cassel plays the cocky cop...and put up against the stubborn cop (Reno), becomes a tame protege.

27 - I love your work

I'm still midway into watching this movie as I type this...I'm still trying to keep myself interested. I can see that the director is trying to craft a movie and actors at best trying to stay in their element. But there's something missing and I just can't get a beat on it.

Franka has always had this hidden power...like a solid left hook. In one scene, in a fit of rage arguing with Giovanni Ribisi, she walks and flashes a camera crew. I'd like to think that wasn't in the script and that was just Franka being Franka (boom).

Should I keep watching?
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......
....
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26 - Down in the Valley

I was not too thrilled to see Tobe (October) fall too fast for Harlan...but I guess that does happen in life sometimes. The relationship she shares with her brother, Lonnie, is a typical one...that of the younger, quiet one in the shadow of the older, more sociable and rebellious sister. Where Tobe's character is confused, Lonnie's is more passive and innocent. David Morse's character fills in as a father trying to be a parent. Ed Norton pulls another psychological personality (like he did in Primal Fear) as someone who believes he's a cowboy...and maybe he's supposed to represent a few lost demeanors and realities.

Although the movie revolves around Ed Norton's character, I wish there was more depth in the other, more accessible characters that David Morse, Rory Culkin, and Evan Rachel Wood portrayed. I think it would have blended well with Ed Norton's lost world. Evan and Rory delivered their roles really well, and I believe they could have given more.

25 - Bad Santa

"I'm on my f***ing break!"

Hey...yeah...you gotta give Santa a break sometimes :). I think Billy Bob enjoyed making this movie. It's as if Billy and Tony Cox were released in to the wild and they just flat out started ambushing all the local wildlife. I couldn't find a lot of substance in the relationship with Lauren Graham (other than the fetish) but that would have been a nice subplot to give more depth.

In one of John Ritter's last performances, I saw him reprising his character from Sling Blade...god bless you, John.