"THE HURT LOCKER" is finally available on DVD and Blu-Ray. Now is your chance to see the movie I have been raving about for months. I guarantee I will not shut up about it until every single one of you has seen it! Rent it! Netflix it! Buy it!

And if you've already seen it once, see it again! The film only improves with subsequent viewings. I recently gave the film a second viewing and it went up a few notches in my book. The problems I had with the character of Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) disappeared and the film's psychological complexities became even more clear. This one's a true winner folks!

The Top Ten Best Films of 2009 (Pt. 2 of 2)

1. “Where the Wild Things Are”




Moving, melancholic, and emotionally truthful, “Where the Wild Things Are” is the best film of 2009 and an instant classic. Capturing the highs and lows of childhood, Spike Jonze taps into an unshakable emotional truth that cannot be faked. Every frame of this film is marked with intense feeling and creative passion. Hats off to Jonze and co-screenwriter Dave Eggers for lengthening Maurice Sendak’s original story, while retaining the book’s simplicity. And while the film’s plot is simplistic, the emotions in the movie are complex, messy, and unflinchingly honest. Jonze has undoubtedly created true masterpiece. But, more importantly, he has created a film that means a lot to me. I will forever cherish this wonderful piece of personal filmmaking.






2. “The Hurt Locker”




A phenomenal mix of adrenaline-pumping action and believable, engaging characters, “The Hurt Locker,” Kathryn Bigelow’s Iraq War epic, is a triumphant directorial achievement. Bigelow, who directed cult classic “Point Break,” delivers an unbearably tense and devastatingly realistic picture, depicting the horrors of war without slapping on any explicitly stated political messages. Bigelow, working off a fantastic script by Mark Boal, merely shows the day-to-day life of three bomb tech soldiers. Orchestrating several superb action sequences, Bigelow not only rattles your nerves, but also engages your emotions through her sharp character focus. Bigelow also understands the geography of her sequences. In many supposed “war epics,” the action is so incoherent that the audience has no clue what the heck is going on. This is not the case in “The Hurt Locker.” Bigelow understands the immediacy of her action sequences and perfectly frames them to ensure the audience knows exactly what is going on. Thus, the film drips with intensity. This intense suspense, created by a seamless combination of action and character, makes “The Hurt Locker” proof of Kathryn Bigelow’s immense talent.





3. “Inglourious Basterds”



Filled with memorable characters and set pieces, Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds,” a film that defies any conventional genre description, works on several different levels. Whether viewed as a Jewish revenge fantasy, or a treatise on the persuasive power of cinema, Quentin Tarantino’s self-proclaimed masterpiece is the most unique film of the year. Boosted by meticulously crafted dialogue and excellent music choices, the film boasts several memorable sequences. From Hans Landa’s interrogation of the French milkman to Shoshanna preparing for her revenge to the tune of David Bowie’s “Cat People,” hardly a scene falls flat. The film also contains several great performances. Christoph Waltz perfectly embodies Hans Landa’s devilish charisma and malicious cleverness. Melanie Laurent captures Shoshanna’s anger and vulnerability with great subtlety. And Diane Kruger amps up Bridget von Hammersmark’s movie star persona, while still capturing the humanity of the character. But, of course, none of these performances would be praise-worthy if Tarantino had not crafted such interesting, layered characters. To conclude, “Inglourious Basterds” stands out as one of 2009’s greatest films from a truly original, insanely gifted, auteur.

4. “Duplicity”


Tony Gilroy’s “Duplicity,” a quick witted spy movie, delights with clever dialogue and suspenseful set pieces. Starring Julia Roberts and Clive Owen as two love-struck corporate spies, the film oozes with charm. While the film’s primary concern is the couple’s spy romance, it also cleverly pokes fun at the competitive nature of the corporate world. In the best opening credits sequence of the year, two corporate CEOs, played with cutting satire by Paul Giamatti and Tom Wilkinson, duke it out at an airplane tarmac. But, this is just one of many great sequences in “Duplicity,” all of which feature a fantastic original score from compose James Newton Howard. Smartly edited and superbly lit, “Duplicity” zips along with comic precision and cinematic pizzazz. Pure filmic fun!







5. “A Serious Man”


An impeccably crafted morality tale, “A Serious Man,” the latest from the great American directors Joel and Ethan Coen (“Fargo,” “No Country for Old Men”), entertains its audience with its deliciously dark humor, while simultaneously confounding them with its deep, often open-ended, themes. However, it is the film’s interpretative thematic queries that make it so fascinating. The film follows Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg), a Jewish Physics professor, as his life spins out of control. His wife (Sari Lennick) leaves him for his patronizing colleague (Fred Melaned). His daughter is saving up money for a nose job. An unhappy physics student bribes him for a better grade. And his hillbilly neighbors are encroaching on his property line. All of these problems, ranging from trivial to tragic, make Larry question God’s presence in his life. Seeking answers to his run of bad luck, Larry just wants to know what it all means. By the end of the movie, audiences may be asking themselves the same question. This is not a bad thing. Interpretation and ambiguity, when used correctly, deepens and enriches film. The Coens always challenge their audiences with daring, original work, and “A Serious Man” is no exception.

"Precious" Review

“Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire,” an emotionally charged drama from director-producer Lee Daniels (“Monster’s Ball”) oozes with passion. The film tackles several (perhaps, too many) social issues with courage and unflinching detail.

In 1987 Harlem, Claireece “Precious” Jones (newcomer Gabby Sidibe), a black, overweight, illiterate, sixteen-year old girl, struggles with her abusive mother, Mary (played brilliantly by comedian Mo’Nique), attempts to salvage her education at an alternative school, and gives birth to her second child by her sexually abusive father.

Just reading the plot synopsis, one can tell that “Precious” is a heavy, even depressing, film. However, the film does not wallow in its pain and suffering. Director Daniels adds several comic moments to prevent the film from devolving into complete misery. He also includes a few fantasy sequences in which Precious escapes into a world of fashion shows, movie premieres, and gospel concerts. In many ways, these fantasy sequences provide an “escape” for the audience as well.

But the meat of the film takes place in a cold, harsh reality. Precious’ mother Mary, living off welfare checks, crucifies her child’s self-esteem with verbal and physical abuse. When Mary does not like the food Precious prepares for her, she forces Precious to eat it. When Precious attempts to talk back to her vicious mother, Mary smacks her with a frying pan. Several critics have described her as a “monster,” and while this description seems apt, it completely ignores Mary’s psychological problems, which actress Mo’nique magnificently highlights in the film’s climactic scenes.

The acting ensemble in “Precious” is universally solid. Daniels coaxes wonderful performances out of entertainers like Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz, and the aforementioned Mo’Nique – a comedian never known for her dramatic acting chops. Paula Patton is also quite good as Precious’ sympathetic teacher at the alternative school. But the real stand-out is Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe as Precious. Sidibe’s Precious keeps a hardened face for the majority of the film, but the audience can see the hurt hidden beneath her stoic expressions. And when Precious finally break down, Sidibe handles it deftly, without devolving into over-the-top theatrics. By the film’s uplifting closing scene, the audience sees the strength in Precious as she hoists her child over her shoulder and walks bravely, head lifted proudly, through the streets of Harlem. The emotional impact of these scenes is a testament to Sidibe’s fine acting skills.

While the acting in “Precious” is top-notch, the film’s editing is convoluted and confusing. Many times, the film jumps from scene to scene without much rhythm or coherence, and at other times, scenes just “end” abruptly. Part of the problem may be the film’s unfocused narrative. Daniels and company do not seem to have a clear vision. The film shifts its focus too often, and, at times, it feels like Daniels is trying to accomplish too much by tackling several social issues at one time. Daniels even adds several stylistic flourishes. While some of these stylistic choices work (his music choices are superb), others feel obnoxious and mar the film’s emotional content.

But something about the film’s lack of restraint is good. The film may have lost some of its impact if Daniels had not incorporated so many personal touches. Even if some of his artistic choices are garish, they come from the heart. Daniels shows great passion and personal voice in his direction. While his direction makes “Precious” flawed, it also makes the film a genuinely moving experience.

B+

Have you seen "Precious?" If so, leave your thoughts in the comments.

"A Serious Man" Review

“A Serious Man,” a dark comedy from directors Joel and Ethan Coen (“Fargo,” “The Big Lebowski,” “No Country for Old Men”), follows Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg), a Jewish physics professor, as his life spirals out of control once his wife (Sari Lennick) divorces him. And as Larry tries to save his relationship with his wife, life bombards him with even more problems. Soon, Larry starts questioning whether God is punishing him.

While the plot of “A Serious Man” sounds simplistic, the ideas behind the film are not. The film tackles the complexities of religion head-on. Larry, like many religious people, wonders why so many bad things happen to him, when he is trying desperately to be a serious, religious man. When he visits several rabbis for counsel, they do not seem able to give him a definite answer. Through Larry’s situation, the Coens seem to be suggesting that one cannot fully understand the method to God’s madness. According to the Coens, life does not have one definite meaning.

Likewise, “A Serious Man” does not have one definite meaning. Part of what makes the film so rich is how open it is to interpretation. The deliberately ambiguous ending begs the audience to ponder the film's meaning. Thus, the discussion that the film fosters can be almost as rewarding as the film itself.

While the film is cerebral and philosophical, “A Serious Man,” like many films by the Coen Brothers, is also quite funny. While not all of the humor works and some of it may be lost on a non-Jewish audience, several scenes rank among some of the funniest of the year. From a pair of racist neighbors to a silent rabbi, the film features several quirky, often hilarious, characters. However, one truly stands out. Sy Ableman (Fred Melamed), one of Larry’s fellow professors at the university, condescendingly consoles Larry to great comedic effect. Melamed easily gives the funniest performance in the film.

The film’s other performances are also quite good. Stuhlbarg embodies Larry with such sincerity that it is almost impossible not to sympathize with the character. Aaron Wolff also fares well as Danny Gopnik, Larry’s son. However, Richard Kind, who plays Larry’s brother Arthur, is far too over-the-top. It may not be entirely Kind’s fault, because the character feels a tad underwritten, but Kind does not help the situation by devolving into shouting instead of deepening his character.

While “A Serious Man” does not rank among the Coens’ best work, it is still undeniably strong, both stylistically and thematically. For directors with over a twenty year filmography, they continually challenge themselves to produce fresh, unique films. With the Coens still working, there is proof that creativity remains strong in modern cinema.

B+

Have you seen "A Serious Man?" If so, leave your thoughts in the comments below. Remember, you don't need a Blogger account to comment. You can use the "Name/URL" option or remain Anonymous.

"Where the Wild Things Are" Review

Shockingly honest, emotionally satisfying, and beautifully realized, “Where the Wild Things Are,” Spike Jonze’s adaption of the children’s story by Maurice Sendak, is a cinematic gem that conveys both the fragility and joy of childhood through truthful, sometimes heart-breaking, images. In short, through these images, Jonze (who also directed the equally great “Being John Malkovich”) has arguably made one of the best films about childhood emotion.

The film, brought to the screen delicately by Jonze and fellow screenwriter Dave Eggers, follows Max (played by newcomer Max Records), a lonesome young boy, as he yearns for the attention of his older sister and his caring, yet stressed, mother (Catherine Keener). Upset by this lack of attention, Max runs away from and home and into his imagination. There, on an island, he meets the Wild Things, a group of big, animal-like creatures. Not long after they meet Max, the Wild Things declare him their king. Finally feeling appreciated and loved, Max lets out a kingly battle cry, “Let the wild rumpus start!”

One could almost describe the film as a “wild rumpus” of sorts. Once Max enters the land of the Wild Things, the film becomes infused with the liveliness of a child’s imagination as it bounces from one scene to the next, somehow managing to avoid feeling unfocused or scatter-brained. Of course, the Wild Things segments would not have worked so well if it was not for the film’s opening scenes. These scenes, marvelously acted by Records and Keener, say more about child-parent relationships without words than most movies do with words. Because Max does not understand how to deal with his frustration towards his mother, nor does he fully understand where his mother is coming from, he, like many children, has to delve into his imagination to sort out his problems and come to an understanding about the meaning of love, the pain that comes with growing up, and the harshness, but also the benefits, of change.

It is through the Wild Things that Max is able to sort out his feelings. The Wild Things represent the exaggerated emotions inside of himself and the other people in his life. Through his imagination, Max is able to see certain events from his real life play out among the Wild Things. This gives him a new perspective that leads to the film’s touching climactic scenes – one which takes place in his imagination and one which takes place at home with his mother.

In fact, there is hardly a scene in “Where the Wild Things Are” that does not pierce the emotions. Nearly every frame feels intensely personal. And every frame is also beautiful. Cinematographer Lance Acord outdoes himself in probing both the light and dark landscapes in Max’s fantastical world. In fact, all of the film’s technical elements add something significant to the film to make it more effective. The film’s score, a collaboration between musician Karen O. and composer Carter Burwell, really captures the film’s melancholic, almost wistful, mood.

However, perhaps the film’s greatest technical achievement is an aspect that one hardly notices – the Wild Things themselves. Jonze and company made a wise move in not making the creatures computer generated. In fact, making them computer generated would have killed the film’s charm and originality. CGI has become the easy route nowadays, and while some computer effects can be brilliant and long-lasting, others look lazy and almost laughable a few years down the road. By making the Wild Things puppets with computer generated faces, Jonze was able to capture the emotion on the creatures’ faces without robbing them of their beautiful simplicity.

To conclude, “Where the Wild Things Are” clearly comes from a director with a unique and precise vision. Mr. Jonze has outdone himself in creating an emotional film about childhood that never rings false. Nearly every aspect of his film feels organic, as if it all came bursting forth from a place deep within him. This kind of emotional truth is hard to come by, and very few directors have the talent to convey it so purely on the screen. Thankfully, Mr. Jonze is one of them.

A

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