My Favorite Films (Part 2)

Please refer to http://goo.gl/Oe7tO5, which explains the criteria for this series and don't forget to check out Kyle's blog at www.enterthemovies.blogspot.com for his lists, too!

6.  As Good As It Gets

Year: 1997
Director: James L. Brooks

Very few movies are as funny and heartwarming, in equal measure, as As Good As It Gets. It strikes the perfect balance between acerbic, sarcastic wit and emotional moments that tug on your heartstrings. Director/writer/producer James L. Brooks has a history of creating these kinds of films, like Academy Award winner Terms of Endearment or Broadcast News, and all three are very good examples of what great writing and great acting can do. Brooks is not a very talented visual director - his films, and As Good As It Gets is no exception, are not especially interesting to look at and he doesn't employ any tricks to enhance his shots. If the characters aren't interesting or if the performances fall flat, a film from Brooks will not be worth much. Luckily, that's not the case here. All of the characters, including the tiniest supporting parts, in As Good As It Gets are well written and fully developed. The cast, headlined by my all-time favorite actor Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt, are superb. Nicholson and Hunt each deservedly won Academy Awards and Greg Kinnear, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Shirley Knight have never been better. Nicholson's Melvin Udall is one of my absolute favorite characters and he has some of the best quotes I've had the joy to hear.

7. Bad Santa

Year: 2003
Director: Terry Zwigoff

Bad Santa is a hilarious, crude, vile, mean spirited, and politically incorrect film. And I love it! Billy Bob Thornton has proven time and time again how very talented he is, but this may be his most impressive performance. He embodies his mall Santa/con man with such an edge and dry wit that he's impossible to forget. I saw Bad Santa for the first time in the theater in 2003 and have watched it nearly every year since - it's become a December tradition for my wife and I. It's a testament to the film's great writing, direction, and performances that it never fails to entertain me, even after a dozen or so viewings. Very few films have that magic. In addition to Thornton, the rest of the cast is wonderful, as well. Lauren Graham is funny and sexy. Tony Cox is great. John Ritter (in his final film role) and Bernie Mac are perfect. The real standout of the supporting cast, however, is young Brett Kelly. He turned in quite possibly the funniest performance I've ever seen from a child actor. His deadpan delivery and persona were the perfect compliment to Thornton's over the top performance. Bad Santa is the kind of comedy where I still laugh so hard that I cry, even after all this time. I can't think of a better compliment for a film.

8. Cast Away

Year: 2000
Director: Robert Zemeckis

One of my favorite movie going experiences was watching Cast Away in the theater - I can still remember which theater and which auditorium, plus the general seating location. I had wanted to see it, but didn't really expect much from the film. I was completely blown away by the story, by the lead performance, by the direction, by the score, by the visuals, by everything. To this day, I think that Tom Hanks' work in Cast Away is the single greatest performance I've ever seen. It takes a certain kind of actor to carry a film like this, a film where a large chunk (nearly an hour) of screen time is spent alone and with very little dialogue. Hanks does the job marvelously, showcasing not only a drastic physical transformation but an emotional one, as well. Robert Zemeckis is a hit or miss director for me, but there's no doubt about it - Cast Away is a hit. It's funny, sad, tense, scary, and inspiring. The 140 minute run time flies by and, at the end, I wanted even more. Cast Away has earned a place in not only my Top 50 favorite films, but in my Top 5.

9. Chicago

Year: 2002
Director: Rob Marshall

Musicals generally aren't my "thing". I can only think of two that I love, Hairspray (2007) and Chicago. The latter is an absolute powerhouse of a film. It features great performances, wonderful musical numbers and choreography, and a fun story. The main cast (Renee Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Richard Gere) have never been better and the supporting cast (notably John C. Reilly, Queen Latifah, and Christine Baranski) are exemplary, creating fully realized characters in a small amount of time. Reilly, especially, is fantastic. His "Mr. Cellophane" song and dance is so entertaining, but also kind of heartbreaking.  All the musical numbers are exceptionally well done and catchy, to the point that I'm often humming or singing them for days after watching the film. Rob Marshall hasn't made anything I've wanted to see since Chicago, but that's alright by me. Very few people could direct a film like this and have it turn out to be such a amazing piece of work, a musical that I love and consider one of my favorite films ever.

10. Chinatown

Year: 1974
Director: Roman Polanski

Chinatown is often heralded as having one of the best written screenplays of all-time. I can't argue against that claim. The plot, characters, and dialogue are practically flawless. It builds tension and suspense, but also manages to be funny and thought provoking. I also think it should be held up as one of the greatest films, period. There's not an aspect of the film that doesn't work. Roman Polanski is one of my favorite filmmakers and this is his best film. The acting, especially from Jack Nicholson, making his second of five appearances on this list, and Faye Dunaway is top notch. John Huston, the legendary film director, turns in a menacing and nuanced performance as Nicholson's foil and Dunaway's father. The cinematography, score, editing, and production design are all award worthy. The film is set in Los Angeles in the 1930's and it seems as if it were actually filmed then, too. Everything from the set dressing to the wardrobe to the period specific vehicles are just perfect. Every time I watch Chinatown I love it a little bit more and it sits comfortably in my all-time Top 10 now.

Well, there's part two of this ten part series. Have you seen all of them? If not, get watching! Do you like any of these films? Hate any of them? Let me know, please!

Coming up next week: My Top 10 Lead Actor Performances.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2

 

 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2

 

Directed by Francis Lawrence

I know I'm not in the target demographic for the Hunger Game series, but I rather enjoyed the first two installments. The original film set up an interesting world and introduced some compelling characters. The second, Catching Fire, was a very good action film with some great set pieces. Then came the adaptation of the final book, Mockingjay. In an effort to squeeze every dollar possible out of the audience, it was made into two films. Last year, the lukewarm Part 1 was released and I drowsed through it. This year, Part 2 gave me more of the same problems, but actually managed to be worse.

I haven't read the book series (though I did start the first one and I can't imagine ever going back to it to give it a second try) so I'm not sure how Mockingjay is handled in print. Judging by the finished product, there was not nearly enough content to actually justify two films.

I don't think a recap of the film series is necessary. If you're a film fan, even just a casual moviegoer, you're probably somewhat familiar with the basic plot. If not, you're probably not interested in a review of the fourth film.

The allure of the first two films were the actual Hunger Games competitions. They were exciting and tense and even somewhat brutal. By the time Mockinjay rolls around, the games are done and we're left with poorly handled political intrigue. I say 'poorly handled' because I was left not caring one way or the other about the outcome of any of the plot points or the characters' fates. I was just too bored. The writing in any of these films isn't enough to carry them - I enjoyed the first two for the characters (and performances to a degree) and the action - and it especially falters in Part 1 and Part 2.

Even the actors seem bored. The cast is filled with some usually talented and engaging performers. People like Jennifer Lawrence, Woody Harrelson, Donald Sutherland, Julianne Moore, Elizabeth Banks, Jeffrey Wright, Jena Malone, Stanley Tucci, and the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman. In Mockingjay Part 2 they are either given so little to do (like Harrelson, Wright, Banks, and Tucci) or just turn in subpar performances (Lawrence and Moore). Sutherland is okay in his role as the villainous President Snow, but the character is pretty cliched and predictable. 

Hoffman died during filming and you can tell the filmmakers scrambled to cobble together something afterwards - what they managed looked very out of place and amateurish to me. It reminded me of The Simpsons episode where Milhouse plays Fall Out Boy in the Radioactive Man movie and the producers attempt to use digital effects to complete the film after Milhouse runs away. Obviously, it's not anywhere near that bad in Part 2, but some shots did stand out to me. It's a shame that this will be the last film appearance for Hoffman. He was one of the best and most engaging actors of his generation and his talents will be sorely missed.

There's quite a bit of action in Part 2, but it's all filmed with shaky cam running behind or alongside the characters, which makes everything hard to follow. This further removed me from the film. I get that some directors and viewers like shaky cam, but I can't for the life of me understand why. It has two main effects on me: 1) it makes it so I have difficulty following the action and 2) it constantly reminds me that I'm watching a movie, so I'm taken out of the experience. A great film sucks you in and makes you forget that you're watching something. Shaky cam does the exact opposite. Combined with the fact that I didn't actually care what happened to any of the characters, this added up to a film I couldn't stay interested in. Like during Part 1, I occasionally dosed off, though never for more than a minute or so.

Looking at Francis Lawrence's filmography, it seems like he might have just gotten lucky with Catching Fire. Nothing else suggests he'd be capable of creating a visually interesting or character driven film. He went from directing terrible music videos (for Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, and Will Smith) to Constantine, I am Legend, and Water for Elephants before snagging the Hunger Games series. I'd be surprised if he books any more high profile films, but stranger things have happened. 

SPOILERS AHEAD!

The final moments of the film especially bothered me. The writers and filmmakers took this strong, independent female character who fought through all this adversity and turned her into nothing more than a stereotypical girl who only really cares about finding a man and settling down. I realize this is how the books were probably written, so I should really blame the author, but the filmmakers had a chance to change things and chose not to. They are just as much to blame.

SPOILERS CONCLUDED!

I cannot recommend spending your time or money on Mockingjay Part 2 to anyone, not even people who have seen the rest of the series. If you liked the rest, you'll probably like this one, I guess. If you're like me and Part 1 disappointed you, stay away. Maybe watch it at home when it's released, if you're a completest and just have to see how the story wraps up.

For anyone new to the series (why are you reading reviews like this?), I'd suggest not even starting it. Overall, the four films average out to nothing more than slightly above average and there are too many much better films out there to be seen. 

Panic Room

Panic Room 

Directed by David Fincher

 

I recently watched an analysis on the career of David Fincher, one of my favorite directors, and it put me in the mood to rewatch a lot of his films. It had been a while since I'd seen Panic Room, so I decided to start with that one. 

Panic Room is often considered to be a lesser work by the talented Fincher, but I think that's very unfair. I've always really liked the film, ever since I saw it in the theater during its release in 2002, but after watching it again, I think it may be one of Fincher's best - and a nearly perfect film. 

I think some of the criticisms of Panic Room may stem from the fact that it's a relatively simple film: a recently divorced woman (Meg, played by Jodie Foster) and her pre-teen daughter (Sarah, played by Kirsten Stewart) move into a new home, an extravagant three floor Manhattan brownstone with a secured "panic room" off of the master bedroom. The real estate agent explains to Meg how the room operates and how "you can never be too safe these days". On their first night there, a trio of men (Forest Whitaker, Jared Leto, and Dwight Yoakam) break in and intend to rob them. Fincher, by way of his technical expertise and ability to direct his talented cast, manages to elevate the film quite a bit. 

The film starts out with a staple of Fincher's films, an interesting opening credits sequence. While not at the level of Se7en or Fight Club, the credits for Panic Room are first rate. Thanks to the score and title design, Fincher is able to evoke the feeling of a Hitchcock-like thriller and sets up what is going to be an intense and exhilarating film. I'd even go as far to say, this is the exact type of film Hitchcock himself would have made if he were making films in the 21st century. Like the best thrillers, the backstory and set up is handled well and very quickly - within ten minutes or so, we have all the pertinent information we need about Meg's separation, Sarah's medical condition, the layout of the house, and the previous owner's family squabbles. 

As Meg and Sarah go to sleep on that first night, the three men break into the home and Meg retreats to the panic room with Sarah in tow. It's soon revealed that the men want something that is in the panic room itself and the film is at full tilt speed very quickly, and it barely lets up at all during its 112 minute running time. 

Meg and Sarah are fully realized, believable, and strong female characters. Foster, who replaced Nicole Kidman early in production, gives one of her very best performances as the terrified and angry mother who would do anything to protect her child. Stewart, best known now for not being able to fully close her mouth and the Twilight franchise, showed a lot of promise as a youngster. Sarah is, at times, brash and defiant, but then also scared and childlike. Stewart is able to handle both sides of the character with ease. Their chemistry together is palpable - you really believe they're mother and daughter. 

The three intruders - Burnham (Whitaker), Junior (Leto), and Raoul (Yoakam) - also work well together. Each one is a bit of an arch type - the mild mannered Burnham, the spoiled hothead Junior, and the sadistic wildcard Raoul - but are all so interesting and well acted that it hardly matters we've seen these types of characters many times before. Fincher introduces us to this trio with a marvelous "floating" camera trick - digitally stitched together in post production - that goes through the whole house in seemingly one take, following them from one door to the next as they attempt to gain access. The shot is so masterfully done, it's really a sight to behold. 

I mentioned the score for the opening credits, but it's really wonderful throughout. It helps build and maintain the tension all through the film, up until the breathtaking finale, where everything comes to a head. Considering I've seen Panic Room at least four or five times and know exactly what's going to happen, you wouldn't think I'd be tense and on edge while watching it, but I was. There are several moments where I caught myself actually holding my breath, due to my excitement and fear. 

Generally, I don't care for the use of slow motion in films, but Fincher uses it in a couple of key sequences to add to the tension and dread, and he does so with his usual technical brilliance. These moments are heart racing affairs, where I found myself wishing things would speed back up just so I could see the outcome that much sooner.

Considering how suspenseful and tense the film is, it might be a bit of surprise to hear there are some great moments of comedy, as well. Most of these instances come from Leto and Yoakam's performances, but Foster manages to add a couple of her own, too. It's a perfect mix, so that you don't get overwhelmed by the darkness and the dread. 

My only complaint in regards to Panic Room, is that some of the character's backstories (especially Burnham's) are handled in such a stiff and obvious manner. I'm not sure how else this important information could have been delivered, but I'm sure there had to be a better way.

Overall, this is a tiny nitpick, though, and in the end Fincher has managed to create one of the very best thrillers I've ever seen. I can't recommend it enough.

My Favorite Directors

Film directors are often compared to Army generals, in that they control and coordinate a group of people to accomplish a singular goal. The best directors, in my opinion, are those who can elevate the material with which they are working and put their own personal spin on each project.

In conjunction with Kyle at www.EnterTheMovies.com, I'm happy to present my Top 10 Favorite Directors. Please make sure to check out his list, too, and let us know who you agree with more!

1. Joel and Ethan Coen

The Coen brothers are by far my favorite filmmakers, and they do so much more than direct. In addition to directing, they have also written, produced, and edited almost all of their films. Because they are so heavily involved with the main aspects of filmmaking, their films all have a distinct feel and sound to them - it's very easy to tell if you're watching a Coen brothers film, almost from the start, but at the same time, their films are very diverse. They are just as skilled at making screwball comedies (The Hudsucker Proxy, Raising Arizona, O Brother, Where Art Thou?) or film noirs (The Man Who Wasn't There, Blood Simple, The Big Lebowski) or westerns (True Grit) or thrillers (No Country for Old Men) or dark comedies (Fargo, Burn After Reading). Their genius shines through, no matter what style of film they set out to make. They are the only directors (of a sizable filmography) where I own all of their films and even their worst (The Ladykillers) is still entertaining and worth watching several times. Their newest film, Hail Caesar!, is set to come out in February and I'm fully expecting it to be one of the best of the year.  

2. Stanley Kubrick

If you read this blog regularly, you've probably noticed that I really like Stanley Kubrick. His films have appeared on several of my lists already and I'm sure they'll continue to show up on future lists. I've only recently really "gotten into" his films, but they have made a strong impact on me over the last two years or so. Before that point, I had seen several of his works (most notably Dr. Strangelove and The Shining), but I hadn't seen seen the majority of them. Like the Coens, Stanley Kubrick was a master at changing genres and often produced a classic in each genre he chose to tackle. He handled everything from satire to science fiction to drama to war to film noir to epics with relative ease.  One of the things I love most of Kubrick's films are how deep and layered they are, for the most part. They all benefit from multiple viewings and several have worked their way into my Top 100, Top 50, and even Top 10 after revisiting them. Shortly before dying in 1999, Kubrick delivered his final film - Eyes Wide Shut - which is quite the achievement to go out on. Even though he can't give me any more films, he's left so many great ones that they'll occupy me for ages.  I now own all of Kubrick's feature films, with the exception of his debut, Fear and Desire.

3. David Fincher

David Fincher got his start directing music videos in the 1980's and 90's for some of pop music's biggest stars - Madonna, Paula Abdul, Rick Springfield, Aerosmith, and even Michael Jackson. His debut feature film (Alien 3) is the only one that I haven't seen or own, but he's been on a nearly flawless winning streak since then, starting with Se7en in 1995. Fincher has a knack for creating atmospheric, moody films with interesting characters caught up in extraordinary circumstances. Some people find his work cold, a complaint often attached to Kubrick, as well, but that has never been the case for me. Fincher's best films (Se7en, Zodiac, and The Social Network) are all technical masterpieces, but also engaging and emotional. 2014's Gone Girl was one of my favorites of the whole year and I have high hopes that whatever his next project is, it won't disappoint.

4. Paul Thomas Anderson

Paul Thomas Anderson is the most recent addition to this list. I'd long been a fan of the films of his that I had seen, but up until a couple of months ago, that only included about half of his filmography. After I got around to watching Magnolia, The Master, and Inherent Vice, I was convinced - this was a man who definitely belonged among my favorite directors. PTA (as he's widely known) not only directs, but writes and produces his films, so he's heavily involved in creating these works of art. Almost all of PTA's films include drama, comedy, and action, so there's a little bit of something for everyone. With only seven feature films, he's got one of the shortest resumes on this list, but all seven of those films are quite good and some of them are flat out masterpieces. I only own four of his films, but will definitely purchase the rest at some point in the future as they're all worthy of multiple viewings.

5. Wes Anderson

Wes Anderson (no relation to PTA) has a style all his own and it's impossible to mistake one of his films as being directed by anyone else. This style (sometimes referred to as "literary geek chic") rubs a lot of people the wrong way, but I think it's impressive. Anderson makes fun, but often times sad, comedies set in their own distinct universe and populated with eccentric, vibrant characters. One particular strength of his is production design. The sets on a Wes Anderson film are so detailed that you could go through one of his films on slow motion and zoom into the backgrounds and be amazed. Everything in the shot is designed in such a way to enhance the feeling of being real and lived-in. Like the Coens and PTA, Anderson does much more than direct. He also writes and produces most of his films and has a gift for getting career best performances out of his casts. I have seen and enjoyed all eight of his features and own all of them except for Moonrise Kingdom, which is one of his weaker efforts, but still better than most films.

6. Quentin Tarantino 

Quentin Tarantino, as a person, isn't someone I'd want to hang out with for very long, I don't think. He's hyper and manic and doesn't seem to think before talking. None of those traits, though, seem to hurt him as a director or writer. He's managed to make some of the best films of the last 20 years and he helped propel "independent" films into the mainstream with his first two features, Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction. An oft repeated criticism of Tarantino is that he "pays homage to" (or directly steals from) too many older films, but this has never especially bothered me, maybe because I haven't seen the (mostly obscure) films that helped inspire him. Tarantino has a way with writing characters and dialogue that is all his own and this is his strongest attribute. He's created some truly unforgettable characters, ranging from Mr. Pink to Jules Winnfield to The Bride to Colonel Hans Landa to Calvin Candie. These characters are etched into my memory, thanks to Tarantino's writing and the wonderful performances that he coaxes out of his talented casts. Tarantino's one downfall is his casting himself in several of his films. He's a poor actor and those films would be better served with someone more talented in his roles. I've seen and own all of his eight films and am eagerly awaiting his next feature, this December's The Hateful Eight.

7. Martin Scorsese

Martin Scorsese is a living legend of cinema and one of my favorite people to listen to talk about film - his knowledge and passion is second to none. When it comes to his films, he has made some of the most popular and critically acclaimed of the last 40+ years. Films like Taxi Driver. Raging Bull. Goodfellas. The Departed. While some misinformed people might say he's only capable of making films about gangsters or criminals, that's simply not the case. Scorsese is actually quite the diverse filmmaker and has shown time and again that he's capable of making pretty much any type of film that he wants. Since he is so prolific (23 feature films, plus several full length documentaries), there are a bunch of his films, especially the early ones, that I've yet to see. I recently bought Who's That Knocking, Mean Streets, Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, and After Hours, but haven't gotten a chance to watch any of them yet. Knowing Scorsese, they won't disappoint.

8. Alexander Payne 

 

 

Like most of the directors on this list, Alexander Payne is also a writer and has a very distinct style to his films. His six feature films are all drama/comedy hybrids (or "dramadies" as they're sometimes called), are all populated with very realistic, believable characters, and are mostly set in the Mid-West. Given these facts, you'd think that Payne's films would get repetitive or boring, but that's never been the case for me. From his start with Citizen Ruth, a film that I just saw for the first time this summer, he has shown that he has immense skill in creating these stories. Payne is also adept at getting great performances out of his casts, whether they be huge stars (like Jack Nicholson or George Clooney), veteran character actors (like Paul Giamatti or Bruce Dern) or young up-and-comers (like Reese Witherspoon). For each of these examples, Payne's films mark some of their best work, which is really saying something considering the talent level represented. One odd tidbit about Payne - he helped write the screenplays (or at least early versions of them) for Jurassic Park III and I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, two films that are absolutely nothing like any of his other works. 

9. Steven Spielberg 

Steven Spielberg is probably the most widely known film director of all time. If you ask a regular person who isn't particularly into films, they would probably still know his name and a few of his more popular movies. Spielberg is responsible for some of the biggest hits in the last 40 years, including Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, ET: The Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan, and Minority Report. He has inspired a generation of people to make their own films and his influence will live on long after he's gone. Spielberg has more films on my Top 100 (six) than any other director, so why is he ranked at #9 on this list? Frankly, for every great film of his there is one that I do not like or have no interest in seeing. He has directed 29 feature films, so there's bound to be some duds, but he seems to have an usually high percentage for me. I haven't seen five of his last six films and I don't think he's made a great film since 2002, but he has made about ten very good or better films in his career, and that's an impressive feat. As a side note, I loved his cameo in Austin Powers in Goldmember and how he brandished his Academy Award as a way to silence Austin's criticisms. 

10. Roman Polanski 

Roman Polanski is another prolific director who I still need to see a lot of his work. What I have seen (besides the dreadful The Ninth Gate) has impressed me, though, so I didn't hesitate much when putting him on my list. Polanski has made some of my very favorite films, including Chinatown, Rosemary's Baby, The Pianist, and The Ghost Writer. He has a visual flair and penchant for creating mesmerizing works in a wide range of different genres and across many decades. I'm excited to see several of his earlier works, such as Knife in the Water, Repulsion, and The Tenant. Polanski himself has gone through so much in his life (escaping Nazi Germany as a child, his pregnant wife getting murdered by the Manson family, the rape charge that sent him into exile in France) that I'm sure someone will make a film based on his life at some point. Odds are, whoever is chosen to direct that film won't be as talented as their subject matter. 

There's my list! Is your favorite director included? Do you hate any of my choices? I'd love to hear from you, so please let me know in the comments section. 

Coming up next Friday: My Favorite Films (Part 2).

My Favorite Films (Part 1)

Please refer to http://goo.gl/Oe7tO5, which explains the criteria for this series and don't forget to check out Kyle's blog at www.enterthemovies.blogspot.com for his lists, too!

1. (500) Days of Summer

Year: 2009
Director: Marc Webb

The film starts out with the following disclaimer:

The following is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons living 

or dead is purely coincidental. Especially you Jenny Beckman. Bitch.

From it's first moments, (500) Days of Summer had me hooked. With a line like that, you can tell what kind of humor you're in store for. In short, my kind of humor. This film is an unromantic romantic comedy where Boy meets Girl, Boy falls in love with Girl, but Girl doesn't fall in love with Boy. This is very traumatic for the Boy ("Tom"), played wonderfully by Joseph Gordon Levitt, one of his generation's best performers, and seemingly only inconvenient for the Girl (the titular "Summer"), played with an aloof and spacey air by Zooey Deschanel. (500) Days of Summer is told out of chronological order with title cards indicating which day the next scene is from - like "Day 313" or "Day 25". This technique allows the film to jump all around, from when Tom and Summer are just meeting to when they're passionate about each other, to when their relationship is dissolving, and back again. It gives you the sensation of falling in and out of love at random and it works wonderfully, in my opinion. There's a lot of laughs, but also a lot of heart, in (500) Days of Summer, and I think it strikes a perfect balance between the two.

2. 12 Angry Men 

Year: 1957
Director: Sidney Lumet

12 Angry Men has been one of my favorites since I first watched it during a high school speech class. We were shown the film to demonstrate how effective persuasive speaking is done. Henry Fonda's character, known simply as "Juror #8 for almost the entire film, might be the most persuasive speaker in the history of cinema. It's up to him to convince the other eleven jurors that the young man on trial for murder might not have actually committed the crime. Since they're all ready to immediately find him guilty without even discussing the case, he has his work cut out for him. The film is peppered with classic character actors who all deliver career best performances, but the two main draws, for me, are Fonda and Lee J. Cobb, as the cantankerous "Juror #3". They go toe-to-toe and back-and-forth like a couple of veteran boxers and it's just a sight to behold. They play off of each other brilliantly, as do all the cast members. Even though 12 Angry Men is almost entirely set inside the small juror's room, the film never seems small or inconsequential - in fact, since there's a young man's life hanging in the balance, the it feels exactly the opposite. 12 Angry Men is a monumental achievement in film making - a black and white film that managed to capture the attention of a classroom full of 16 year old for 90 minutes and at least one of them for the next seventeen years.

3. Almost Famous

Year: 2000
Director: Cameron Crowe

Whereas 12 Angry Men grabbed me from the first viewing and has never let me go, Almost Famous is a film that I liked when I first saw it, but have grown to love over the years after multiple viewings - especially the director's cut available on DVD titled Untitled. If you like the film and have only seen the theatrical version, do yourself a favor and checkout Untitled - it is well worth your time. There are so many things to love about Almost Famous, but I guess the music would be up towards the top of my list. Cameron Crowe is obsessed with music - often times, he puts together the soundtrack to his films before even writing the script - and his passion comes through to the viewer. Not only are the songs on the soundtrack excellent, but the songs played by the band in the film are great, too. Right up there with the music are the wonderful performances from the whole cast, but especially Patrick Fugit, Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand, Jason Lee, and Philip Seymour Hoffman. These talented actors take Crowe's words and create layered, passionate characters, characters who seem like real people. It's a simple story, but it's extremely well told. There's an energy to Almost Famous that propels it from scene to scene until the two or two and a half hours (depending on which version you watch) has flown by.

4. American Splendor

Year: 2003
Director: Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini

I don't think I've ever seen a movie quite like American Splendor. It's the story of Harvey Pekar, a depressed file room clerk who gained some celebrity in the 1980's as a writer of the titular comic book series. American Splendor is not your typical biography, though. It's told in three very distinct fashions - first as a regular film with Paul Giamatti (one of my very favorite actors) as Harvey, then with the real Harvey in a documentary setting, and finally as a moving comic book, with the illustrations come to life. All three of these formats are interwoven to create a dazzling film that shows the struggle of a "regular" guy trying to capture the American dream. Harvey is often times his own worst enemy, but he is also a terrific character - in every sense of the world. Giamatti has given some of the finest performances in the last twenty years and his work here is among his best work. Hope Davis and Judah Friedlander also turn in great performances as Harvey's wife and best friend, respectively. American Splendor is a very funny, but also an emotionally honest and touching, film. If you haven't seen it, I hope you go out and rent it soon.

5. Apollo 13

Year: 1995
Director: Ron Howard

There are few films that can retain their sense of tension from viewing to viewing like Apollo 13 can. I know the astronauts are going to make it home, but that doesn't stop me from sitting on the edge of my seat and holding my breath during parts of this film. That's a testament to Ron Howard's level of skill as a director. He's a man who has directed just as many bad films as good ones in my opinion, but when he's good, he's really good.  Apollo 13 is a drama, but also an adventure film. It's a period piece and a bio-pic, in a way, too. There are moments of comedy and of heartbreaking emotion. It makes me cry in at least two parts, every time I watch it. It combines all of these different genres into one perfect film. At the center of that perfection is the talented cast. In the 90's, Tom Hanks was on a roll. He had won the Academy Award for both Philadelphia and Forrest Gump, but I thought he was just as deserving (if not more so) as Jim Lovell in Apollo 13. He's joined by Kevin Bacon (never better than he is here), Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise, and Ed Harris, who is another one of my favorites and completely nails his role of NASA flight coordinator Gene Kranz. The film essentially shifts back and forth between three settings: from the space shuttle to NASA and then to the Lovell's home in Texas, where his wife and family anxiously watch the news footage of the damaged shuttle's experience in space. All three sections are wonderfully done and add up to one of my favorite films of all-time. 

Well, there's part one of this ten part series. I hope to have inspired at least one person to check out one of these films and I hope to read some comments down below. Do you like any of these films? Hate any of them? Let me know, please!

Coming up next week: My Top 10 Favorite Directors.

Upcoming Series of Lists

In a partnership with Kyle at http://enterthemovies.blogspot.com/, I'm going to do a series of lists over the next 20 weeks. Half of these lists will be our 50 Favorite Films, divided into ten parts. In between each part, we'll each do a different list (like Favorite Animated Films or Favorite Lead Acting Performance). Kyle has substantially different tastes in films compared to me, so I hope our different lists can spur some discussions and/or debates. Please join in on the comments section to voice your opinion on any one of these lists.

Coming up first on Friday (with a new list published every Friday thereafter), is part one of My Favorite Films.

We agreed on one ground rule before beginning our process - only one film per director. We both thought it would allow our list to be more varied and interesting. If not for this rule, my list would be dominated by the likes of Joel and Ethan Coen, Stanley Kubrick, David Fincher, and Steven Spielberg.

My lists will be in alphabetical order (but still numbered) because I find it almost impossible to differentiate from my #8 to my #12 to my #20, etc. I could give you a top four in order, but after that it all depends on my mood and what I've watched lately.  

This should be a fun series to write and I hope everyone enjoys reading them, too!

Favorite Opening Credit Sequences

The opening credits are often the first thing you see when watching a film. Other times they come after an introductory scene of some kind. Some films use elaborate title designs or mix the credits in with an interesting scene and these are the ones I most appreciate. I've chosen my ten favorites to share with you today. These are presented in alphabetical order as to make it easier on myself!


1. Back to the Future

Once the titles begin, with the promising notice of "Steven Spielberg Presents" no less, you begin to hear the ticking of a clock. As the credits progress, more and more clocks are added to the mix and it's obvious that "time" is going to play an important role in this film. The camera pans around, showing all these clocks and revealing little bits of details about the characters (like the history of Doc Brown's family) and the plot (like the newscast about the missing plutonium).  Marty McFly is introduced and you learn an awful lot about his character in only a couple of minutes. This entire scene is just so well done. The film is often heralded as one of the best from the 1980's and while I don't necessarily agree with that, it sure does start out wonderfully.


2. Catch Me If You Can

This sequence is relatively simple compared to some on my list, but it's simplicity is one of the reasons why I love it. As a catchy, little jazz melody composed by the iconic John Williams plays, pretty much the entire film is shown via animated characters. There's Frank Abagnale dressed as a pilot fleeing from FBI agent Carl Hanratty. Now Frank's disguised as a doctor, but Carl's still hot on his heels. And so on. All the while, the music and the animation align perfectly with the 1960's setting of the film. The score gives off a great "cat and mouse" vibe and now that I've listened to it again, it's stuck in my head. I'll be hearing it for days - the perfect compliment to any composer.


3. Dawn of the Dead (2004)

 

The wonderful remake of the George Romero classic from 1978 starts with an interesting opening, but the credits are when the film really takes off. This scene sets up the world we're about to inhabit - a world dealing with an outbreak of blood thirsty zombies - and does so in such an enjoyable manner. A news conference gives us vital information about the zombies, all while cutting back and forth to grisly images of the monsters chewing and clawing. Then the larger than life voice of Johnny Cash kicks in, singing one of his last great original songs - "The Man Comes Around". Cash's voice has been described as "the voice of God" and it fits stunningly well in this context. The song is layered over clips of carnage and people fleeing, as well as other news footage further detailing the situation going on. By the time the song ends, we know full well what we're in for and it's scary and gory and violent. And I love it.


4. Juno 

Juno is a film that gets a lot of hate by some people (mostly on the internet, in my experience) but I've loved it since my first viewing in the theater. The opening credits do a good job of conveying the tone of the film - funny, sweet, and a little hipstery - and do so in a really creative way. We follow the lead character, Juno, as she walks through her town, with an upbeat and folksy tune playing. The footage has been run through some sort of software and transformed into a moving comic book or sorts. I love the music and the look of the "animation". It's just a neat sequence all together.


5. L.A. Confidential

 
Right away, you're greeted with the trumpeting horns of Johnny Mercer's 1940's hit "Accentuate the Positive". The music sets the tone and then the voice over narration (from the great Danny DeVito, playing the slick tabloid writer Sid Hudgens) starts up. Sid tells us all about the beauty of Los Angeles, but also about the dark side the City of Angels has to offer. He provides important backstory on the state of organized crime in L.A. and delivers one of my favorite lines from the film, his tabloid's motto:  "Remember dear readers, you heard it here first. Off the record... on the QT... and very Hush-Hush."


6. Lord of War

Lord of War is the only film on this list that I don't really like, but the opening credits can't be denied. With Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth" playing in the background, you are taken through the life of a bullet, from the factory to the guerrilla soldiers loading their guns in war torn Africa. This entire sequence is shown from the point of view of the bullet, which is quite interesting. Also of note is the sound design. Every little jostle or rumbling or impact is rendered very well and it helps immerse you in the experience. Our little bullet friend is finally loaded into a gun and fired - seemingly at a child. The screen cuts to black as the bullet makes impact with the teen boy's forehead. It's a really stunning sequence, all told.


7. Se7en

Quite possibly my absolute favorite opening credit sequence, and one of my favorite films of all-time, Se7en does so much in just a couple of minutes. You're introduced to the maniacal serial killer - only ever known as John Doe - as he shaves off his fingerprints, develops pictures, and fills notebook after notebook with tiny, delusional print. The music is Trent Reznor's "Closer" and it fits nicely alongside the eerie, disturbing images. Even the lettering of the titles themselves is brilliant - choppy, scrawled print that goes in and out of focus, like a person losing their mind. The entire thing really gives you a look inside the mind of a mad man.  Masterfully done.


8. The Shining 

The Shining opens with a helicopter aerial shot of a lake and mountains. The mountains are reflected off of the lake, so you see two of everything. This is an important theme of the film - the dual nature of things - so right off the bat, the layering of this brilliant film already begins. The eerie music that accompanies the entire scene helps fit the mood as well. I'm not sure if I could name a creepier song than "Day of Wrath", which was once used in Catholic funerals as the Mass of the Dead. The way the camera closes in and follows the car driving the windy mountain road is also disturbing. It's like something is chasing the poor family in the car. Another weird aspect of this sequence is that the credit titles roll backwards, in a way I've never seen before. Everything about the sequence is either creepy or off putting or downright disturbing. It's truly a work of art from one of cinema's greatest artists, Stanley Kubrick.


9. Toy Story 

From a horror classic, we move on to one of the greatest family films ever, Toy Story. The film that launched Pixar studios into the stratosphere starts out very simply, with a young boy playing with his toys. In less than 90 seconds, the filmmakers are able to introduce us to Andy, show off his wonderful imagination, and detail his strong bond with Woody, the beloved sheriff and Andy's favorite toy. Randy Newman's now iconic song, "You've Got a Friend in Me" is simply marvelous and works perfectly with the scene - no accident there, he wrote it specifically for the film. If you're an adult watching this scene, you're instantly transported back to your childhood, and that's a magical thing to do.


10. Watchmen

I've never read the graphic novel of Watchmen, but I've been told that the opening credits of the film do an excellent job covering a lot of the backstory that otherwise would have been difficult to fit in elsewhere. With Bob Dylan's classic "The Times They Are a Changing" kicking in immediately, we're treated to a plethora of different scenes - shot in a dreamy, faux documentary style - showing the earlier incarnations of the Watchmen group, it's surviving members, and the alternate reality version of America in 1985 where the film is set. I was managing a movie theater in 2008 when Watchmen was released and I'd sneak into the auditorium to watch this scene repeatedly. I bet I've seen it at least ten times and it always impresses me.


Well, there you have it - my Top 10 Favorite Opening Credit Sequences. Did I miss any of your favorites? I'd love to read any comments that you might have.

Housebound

Housebound

Directed by Gerard Johnstone

 

The horror-comedy genre has been around for quite some time and gained prominence in the 1980's with such hits as Gremlins, Evil Dead II, and The Night of the Creeps, to name just a few. In recent years, there has been a steady stream of them, with the resurgence seemingly kicked off by Shaun of the Dead and followed by Dead Snow, Zombieland, and Cabin in the Woods. The problem with the genre, for me at least, is these films are simply comedies with horror elements. They're never scary or suspenseful or tense in any way. Some of them are excellent comedies, but none of them get the horror part right. 

The first film I've seen that is actually legitimately scary and funny, often in the same scene, is Housebound, the 2014 New Zealand offering from writer-director-editor Gerard Johnstone. The film played at all sorts of different festivals and even got a very limited release in the US, but I had never heard of it until I was scrolling through the available titles on Netflix. I'm happy I gave it a shot, because I was very pleasantly surprised. 

At the start of the film, Kylie (a drugged out petty criminal, played by Morgana O'Reilly) attempts to break into an ATM and is caught. Since she has been through numerous treatment facilities with no positive results, the judge orders her to serve eight months of house arrest - to be spent at her mother's home with the hope that some family time and stability will correct her course in life. The look on Kylie's face as this sentence is handed down tells you she would rather spend the time in prison and it doesn't take long to find out why. 

Kylie's mother, Miriam (played by Rima te Wiata) is a non-stop chatterer who believes her house is haunted and who, you can imagine, has been an embarrassment to Kylie for her entire life. Once locked into her ankle bracelet, Kylie lazes around the house, doing nothing but acting out against her mother and stepfather and watching television. It isn't long, however, before Kylie starts experiencing things in the house that cannot be explained in any rational way and this is where the horror kicks in. 

Housebound managed to scare me in two different ways, from the overused "jump scare" tactic to the much more satisfying "it's so creepy and suspenseful" way. If it was just a parade of jump scares, I probably wouldn't be recommending this film to anyone. That's an easy way to scare someone, but I find it very lazy and most films that solely rely on jump scares are ones I rarely find the desire to revisit. By combining the two, Housebound is much more effective.

For a small time, independent feature from a relatively inexperienced filmmaker, Housebound is a striking achievement. The acting is not Academy Award winning level or anything, but it's solid, especially from O'Reilly and te Wiata, and certainly better than most horror films. The pace is excellent - the film never seemed to go too long in between scary or funny moments - and the 107 minutes flew by. The production design, cinematography, and editing - areas where a lot of independent films really lag behind - are solid, as well. The writing is what really makes Housebound work, though. Johnstone was able to create realistic characters the audience cares about and place them in alternately horrific and hilarious situations. 

The film builds to a genuinely laugh-out-loud and gory climax which was intensely satisfying. What more can anyone ask for in a horror comedy?

I'm hoping I influence at least a few people to check out this under the radar gem. I think they'll be thoroughly entertained. 

I know I was.