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? :)

94 - Heaven

I don't think there was enough in the film to support the bond between the characters Cate Blanchett and Giovanni Ribisi portrayed. Perhaps there could have been more that happened prior to her escape...and all the events after didn't seem to blend into the premise. 'Loved the shaved head Cate supported for the latter part of the film, though... :)

93 - La Vie En Rose

Just simply outstanding. I now understand why everyone has pretty much given an automatic award nomination for Marion Cotillard. Both she and Olivier Dahan deserve a lot of credit for creating such a powerful film about Edith Piaf.

I have to say that after watching this film, I was a bit of an emotional wreck and......just simply devastated. It really felt like Edith Piaf was carrying a cross throughout her life.

92 - Waitress

In a way, I'm really glad that Adrienne Shelley was able to complete this film before her death. The film was a personal statement and beautifully written with so many great messages.

I personally enjoyed Andy Griffith's character. His echoing message was at the heart of the story: start fresh.

91 - Eastern Promises

Ah yes, what better way to start the year than watch Viggo Mortensen fight two angry brothers in a bath house with nothing more than the tattoos on his skin :). He certainly did his homework and was a very believable Russian character. Armin Mueller-Stahl may be too tame for his role, but it didn't take away anything from the film.

2007 year marker

53 movies...that's the stat for 07.....about a 15% or so increase from last year.

This year also marked somewhat a beginning of obsessive stalking of director work...most notably Jim Jarmusch. I saw five of his films as recorded here (Stranger than Paradise, Down by Law, Permanent Vacation, Night on Earth, and Mystery Train), but I've also been watching on-and-off of netflix movies by Akira Kurosawa, Stanley Kubrick, and films based on Philip K. Dick's work, with A Scanner Darkly being a personal favorite (besides Blade Runner, of course).

As I was weeding through the films and trimming the list, there were individual performances that really stood out and worthy of praise:

• Mia Kirshner in her role as Elizabeth Short in The Black Dahlia
  
• Daniel Craig for playing a more agent-worthy portrayal in Casino Royale
  
• Michael Caine's hippee as can be in Children of Men (pull my finger :))

This year's "classic" honor belongs to Dr. Strangelove. Like all of Stanley Kubrick's movies, it is timeless and so masterfully done that you can watch it repeatedly without degradation.

Le Honor Roll :)

1. Breach
2. Black Snake Moan
3. A Scanner Darkly
4. Fast Food Nation
5. Little Miss Sunshine
6. Red Road
7. Dr Strangelove
8. Stranger than Paradise
9. Down by Law
10. Permanent Vacation
11. Night on Earth
12. Mystery Train

90 - Salvador

It certainly did feel like Salvador was the first attempt for Oliver Stone before Platoon, but it certainly has its merits. For one, James Woods maintains the persistent, manipulative, and foul-mouthed character that he easily brings to a lot of his characters. John Savage also makes a more courageous turn as a seasoned war photographer (and Bob Capa fan :) ).

While I am pleased to see the Canon F-1 on the cover, I have to admit that Nikon was the dominant gear at the time. John Savage even uses a rangefinder (a Leica most likely) in quite a number of scenes. I'm not sure what he meant when he said his 120 was busted...I didn't see him carrying a Rolleiflex or something....anyway ;)

89 - Mystery Train

I remember Jim mentioning in one of his documentaries how he watches foreign movies with no subtitles and from there be able to discover how good the film has been made. That was the case for how I watched the first segment of Mystery Train. Just watch the facial expressions of Masatoshi Nagase and Youki Kudoh and you can't miss the emotion or context of what they were saying, despite the language barrier. In it's own weird way, it felt like watching R2D2 and C-3PO :)

It's great to have the gang back.....with Tom Waits on the radio, Nicoletta Braschi (from Down by Law), and John Lurie's background music. It was great to watch Steve Buscemi as well....anything he does with the Coen Brothers and Jim Jarmusch just can't go wrong.

88 - Night on Earth

Back on the Jim Jarmusch track :)

Wonderful slices of life....and truly are slices of stories and it doesn't really matter where it starts. Jim is just able to keep you watching and if you watch the extras, you appreciate how he creates his films on instinct. Choosing a taxi cab as a setting, this might have been a pre-cursor to those HBO taxicab confessions series.

Winona Ryder, Gena Rowlands, Giancarlo Esposito

I loved the episodes by Giancarlo Esposito, Armin Mueller Stahl, and of course, Roberto Benigni! I enjoyed Jim describing working with Roberto as being so easy you just have to point a camera at his face and let him do his thing :)

And Isaach De Bankolé!......I really didn't recoginze him until Jim mentions him in the extras (he was the ice cream man in Ghost Dog!)

The extras include audio clips of Jim responding to email Q&As....another welcome treat.

One last thing about Roberto......I don't think I'll look at pumpkins and sheep the same way again :)

87 - Paris, je t'aime

With a cast that included Steve Buscemi, Natalie Portman, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Juliette Binoche, Willem Dafoe, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Emily Mortimer, I definitley wanted to try this "buffet" :)

With a string of 20 stories though.....it did feel a little exhausting....even though the whole thing altogether lasted as much as a regular movie. I guess if you think about it....if you watch something from Inarritu (Amores Perros, Babel) or Soderbergh (Traffic), you get really focused on anywhere from 4 to 5 stories or plots......how about 20? Even though it was just a sequence of one after another, the format is probably what I wasn't used to......but hey, I aint complanin' :)

The common thread is the location of Paris, but this collection of stories really explores anything and everything about affection.