Best Lead Actress 2015

05. Charlize Theron in Mad Max: Fury Road - The most bad ass, action packed movie of the year is secretly a big ol' feminist manifesto and Theron's turn as a tough as nails, empowered, kick ass slave is, maybe, the best thing she has ever done.

04. Alicia Vikander in The Danish Girl - This Transgender love story was supposed to be Eddie Redmayne's movie, but then Vikander went and showed him up with her sexy, understated turn as his supportive but confused wife.

03. Cate Blanchett in Carol - Blanchett has long been one of my absolute favorite actresses and she continues to prove why here. As a lesbian in a time when that sort of thing wasn't accepted, she shines as the sexy, frustrated Carol. It's not hard to believe a young shop girl would become enamored with her.

02. Rooney Mara in Carol - Mara's sweet natured shop girl who is so used to making everyone else happy that she doesn't even know how to make herself happy. Her delicate beauty (somehow so ferocious in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) only helps her impressive portrayal of innocence and eagerness and first love and heartbreak.

01. Saoirse Ronan in Brooklyn - Like her male counterpart on my Lead Actor list, so much of her performance is in her eyes and face. Ronan is nothing short of amazing as the young Irish girl who leaves home for a better opportunity. The home sickness, the struggle to belong, the heart ache and loneliness and eventual happiness are perfectly portrayed in every movement and moment.

Best Lead Actress 2013

Honorable Mention: Judi Dench for Philomena, Amy Adams for American Hustle

05. Julie Delpy for Before Midnight - It must be nice, as an actress, to have a role feel so lived in. For Julie Delpy, she has been creating Celine for over 20 years. She first played this role in Before Sunrise, and now she has even co-written both sequels. Celine is as much her creation as anything else. So, kudos to her for creating a character this go around that isn't exactly easy, or charming, or likable. Celine is a fiercely intelligent character who is far from a cookie cutter cliche female character. In fact, out of every female character in film this year, Celine might be the most realistic. And that's mostly because of Julie Delpy and her smart, fearless portrayal.

04. Emma Thompson in Saving Mr. Banks - As troublesome writer P.L. Travers, Emma Thompson absolutely kills it as the tough as nails children's writer. Her performance is utterly wonderful. She manages to make Travers dislikeable, but also sympathetic at the same time. This is the sort of role in which you can only imagine one person nailing the character and that person is Emma Thompson. No one else could have taken on this performance and played this character so well. She makes you laugh, cringe, cry and more. It's a layered, wonderful performance.

03. Greta Gerwig in Frances Ha - Frances Ha is one of my favorite movies of this past year, and a lot of that has to do with just how much I relate to Greta Gerwig and her portrayal of Frances as a lonely, quirky girl who just keeps getting beaten down by the world. Of course, Frances never gives up. Frances rolls with the punches. Sure, she'll go to Paris for a long weekend for virtually no reason. Sure, she'll embarrassingly work at a summer camp at the college she used to attend because she has no where else to live. And Gerwig plays this wonderful, lived in character with so much spark, so much charisma, so much childlike wonder, that you can't help falling completely under the spell of Frances Ha and Greta.

02. Sandra Bullock in Gravity - The problem with Gravity is the script and nothing else. There's basically no story, so the movie relies entirely on the technical achievements (which are amazing) and Sandra Bullock's starring performance. Sure, George Clooney is in the movie as well, but as Tina Fey said at last night's Golden Globes, he'd rather drift away into space than spend another minute with a woman his own age. So, we're left with Bullock and her tour de force performance as a woman quite literally lost in space, as a woman who is terrified beyond measure, but who remains a fighter down to the last moment, down to her core. And Bullock's performance is truly something special, something unforgettable.

01. Cate Blanchett in Blue Jasmine - There was a time when there was only one thing that mattered in the films of 2013 and that one thing was Cate Blanchett in Blue Jasmine. She's a snotty, rich New Yorker one instant and a semi-crazy down on her luck homeless woman the next. And Blanchett switches between every facet of Jasmine's being with an ease not very many others can accomplish. Her performance is one of the finest of the year, one of the finest in this history of Woody Allen's films. I often say that Elizabeth Taylor in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf is the single greatest performance in the history of film. Well, Blanchett in this film reminds me of that performance so very much. Cate Blanchett is perfect for this role and she'll likely deservedly win a second Oscar come March.

Blue Jasmine

Blue Jasmine is proof that after 40-some odd movies, Woody Allen has still got it. Blue Jasmine isn't his best film (like some people on Twitter will try to tell you), but that's not to say it isn't good in it's own right. One of the biggest criticisms I've heard of Allen is that a lot of his movies are very similar, but Blue Jasmine is not like any of his others movies that I've seen. I know I haven't seen them all, but I've seen most of them by now, and Blue Jasmine is it's own creation, pure and simple.

Blue Jasmine stars Cate Blanchett as Jeanette/Jasmine who starts the movie babbling incoherently to a woman on a plane as she travels to San Francisco to move in with her sister. We soon learn this is because her great life - a Park Avenue socialite with a rich Bernie Madoff like husband (Alec Baldwin) who vacations in the Hamptons - has fallen out from under her. She is broke and seeks refuge with her working class sister (Sally Hawkins), who she never wanted anything to do with until now. Jasmine tries to get her life together but she is sort of a spoiled brat and also sort of having a nervous breakdown. She wants to be an interior decorator and wants to go back to college, but she is forced to take a menial job at a dentists office. Meanwhile, she disapproves of her sister's new fiancee (Bobby Cavanale). We see Jasmine's new miserable life in San Francisco unfold as we see flashbacks of the perfect life she had. Of course, these are subjective issues. Did Jasmine really have such a great life with her crook husband and fake friends? And is her sister's life so bad? Sure, she has a small, crappy apartment, but she has a good man who loves her and two kids. Anyway, things start to look up for Jasmine when she meets a dashing diplomat (Peter Sarsgaard) who is looking for a woman just like Jasmine.

One of the only negative things I can say about Blue Jasmine is that none of the characters are especially likable. It's sort of hard to become involved in a movie where the most likable character is played by Andrew Dice Clay (I'm not even kidding). Are we supposed to feel bad for Jasmine, as we watch her life unravel? Are we supposed to care about her as she further breaks down and starts talking to herself in public? Are we supposed to laugh at her because she sort of got what she deserved? Are we supposed to want a happy ending for her? I'm not even sure Woody knows what to do with his main character, because the movie sort of abruptly ends and we don't know what became of this bumbling, lost woman. Still, I can't think of a better ending, so, until that time comes, I can't complain too much about Woody's ending.

The truth is, Woody Allen is a master story teller. He has a man who has made many movies - a few of them bad, some of them mediocre, but many of them GREAT - and he knows a thing or two by now about weaving an interesting and dynamic story full of flawed characters. Sure, these characters might not be likable, but his dialogue is so rich and their lives feel so lived in that it is always, always, a pleasure to enter a world created by Woody Allen.

Of course, I can't review this movie without talking about the force of nature that is Cate Blanchett in this lead role. She is singular perfection and a complete tour de force. She throws everything into this role and it is a joy to watch (even when it's sort of, you know, not). The supporting performances are all great too, from Sally Hawkins to Peter Sarsgaard, from Alec Baldwin to, yes, even Andrew Dice Clay. But it's Great Cate that everyone will and should be talking about. If she doesn't win an Oscar for this completely all encompassing, fearless performance than there is something majorly wrong. I know we haven't even begun to see the prestigious movies yet, but I have a hard time believing anyone is going to give a performance better than Blanchett is Blue Jasmine this year.

Grade: B+

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Up front notice - I am not a Lord of the Rings fan. In fact, I only saw about half of the first movie. I attempted to watch it, but I work a lot of hours so I fell asleep and only saw about half of it. My level of interest in those movies was almost entirely because sexiest man alive Viggo Mortensen was in them. So, you can gauge my excitement for watching The Hobbit accordingly.

It seems to me, and again, I know little to nothing about these movies, that all of these films are more or less the same. A bunch of dwarves or elves or hobbits or whatever walk and talk for a while. Then they fight some equally strange creature. Then they walk and talk for a while. Then they fight some other strange creature. Then they walk and talk a little more. I think if you've seen one then you have seen them all. Maybe I'm being a bit blaise about the whole thing, but I just don't understand the appeal.

That being said, I didn't entirely hate The Hobbit. The story is more or less what I described above with the added plot of Gandalf (Ian McKellan) recruiting Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) to accompany him and a bunch of dwarves on a journey to a mountain. Years before, a dragon came and took over the dwarf kingdom and now they must slay the dragon and reclaim their kingdom. Along the way, they fight orks and goblins, chill with Cate Blanchett (THE ONLY WOMAN IN THE ENTIRE MOVIE!!!!!!) for a hot minute and have a game of riddles with Gollum (Andy Serkis) which, I'll even admit, was great.

The first 45 minutes or so consists entirely of a group of dwarves and hobbits eating dinner and singing and being generally annoying. After that, I was ready to put this movie on my Worst of the Year list. However, it gets better. Despite the repetitive nature of the plot, there were some generally enjoyable moments. For instance, there was a very well choreographed fight scene with a lot of goblins that is pretty awesome. Also, the scene with Gollum was hands down my favorite part of the entire movie. Gollum is endlessly fascinating and I wish the movie had more of him.

Overall, however, The Hobbit just isn't for me. I understand it's appeal and to each his own and all of that, but I am not one for fantastical voyagaes. All I kept thinking about during the movie was what a bad wizard Gandalf must be. If he was a good wizard, I feel like he could just cast a spell to generally avoid trouble. Then they could move effortlessly to the mountain, slay the dragon and reclaim the kingdom. Bam, there is your 90 minute Hobbit movie, Hollywood. But I guess it's not about the destination, it's about the journey. And, that's fine, but it's also not my cup of tea.

Also, more Cate Blanchett, please!

Grade: C-

Hanna

I probably couldn't have been more excited about seeing Hanna. I thought the trailer looked bad ass and exciting and action packed and fun! Plus, it's directed by Joe Wright, the guy behind the superb and wonderful Atonement (and, also, the completely underwhelming The Soloist, so, really, I should have known). I wasn't in any way let down by the performances or the direction, however, the movie as a whole was a bit disappointing.

Hanna is the story of a young girl (Saoirse Ronan, more bad ass than all of the Sucker Punch girls combined) who is raised by her father (Eric Bana) in the middle of nowhere. He has trained her since childhood to fight, hunt, and survive. The two hide out in a tiny log cabin in the arctic forest, in hiding from a shady government official named Marissa (Cate Blanchett). Once Hanna is ready, all she has to do is press a button and Marissa's goons will come and find her. Daddy disappears after they promise to meet in Berlin and Hanna is captured. After she kills a Marissa clone and escapes, Hanna must run for her life from a bunch of men trying to kill her, make peace with the truths she learns about her past, learn about all the things her daddy never taught her about (like boys and electricity), and ultimately have it out with Marissa in the big climax.

Let's talk positives first: the direction from Joe Wright is georgeous, as always. The opening shot especially is impressive. Although Wright has indeed made a dull movie, he has never made an ugly movie. Although this is an action movie, Wright takes his time and delivers some beautiful moments throughout the film. Then there is the frenetic, awesome soundtrack courtesy of The Chemical Brothers which will surely infect your brain and stay in your head for hours afterwards. And finally, the performances are just top notch. Bana is fine as Hanna's ex-government official father although he doesn't really have the biggest role here. Blanchett is just perfect as the red headed, ruthless villianous who can sweet talk you and then shot you in the head. She is extraordinary, like she always is. However, it's Ronan that is the revelation here. She was exceptional in Atonement but this movie proves that she is going to be a big star someday soon. If she continues to pick great roles, she may just grow up to be her generation's version of Meryl Streep, since she's surely got the chops for it. She is adorable and vulnerable as a little girl who is learning about the world around her - electricity, swimming pools, boys, showers. But she is also a bad ass action star. She fights, beats up boys and makes it all so much more realistic than that awful Sucker Punch movie. And she doesn't even have to wear a little school girls outfit to look damn cool kicking so much ass. She's sort of like Natalie Portman's Mathilda from The Professional meets a baby version of Uma Thurman's The Bride from Kill Bill. She's just sensational and impressive and gives the first truly great performance of the year.

So, while the direction, performances and music is all great, I can't say the same for the movie. There are portions of the movie that are damn good. In fact, these specific moments are so, so, so very good that it sort of makes the rest of the movie seem that much worse. For every exciting action scene or intense conversation, there is a damn boring drawn out portion of the film that is just plain unnecessary. The movie is less than two hours long but it feels like it takes forever, so I guess, chalk that up to bad editing. For every moment threatening to overflow with suspense, there are just as many, if not more, moments that I was bored out of my mind. There is also a lot of really weird imagery and moments throw in the mix, but for what? None of it served a purpose. This isn't some quirky indie film! It's a mainstream action movie. I appreciate the artistry that Wright offers but it really doesn't have a place here. Then there's the violence, or rather, lack there of. I know why studios want to make PG13 rated movies, believe me I do (better box office!), but I couldn't help but look at some of the moments in this movie and think about how amazing and cool they could have been if the movie would have had an R rating. I'm not all about glorifying violence, but if you are trying to make a super cool movie about a teenage assasin, then you should just go for it, you know? Wright is an amazing director, but I couldn't help but think this would have been a better movie in Tarantino's hands.

Grade: C+

Top Ten List: Best Supporting Actress of the Decade

Disclaimer: I've agonized for weeks about these lists. I know I forgot an actor or a movie. But I'm done thinking about it so that's that.

Best Supporting Actress of the Decade

10. Holly Hunter in Thirteen (2003) - Hunter is always superb but she's never been better than the caring mother of a wild teenager in Thirteen. She loves her daugther but doesn't recognize she's spiraling out of control. Her performance is sweet and tender but also painful to watch. It's a powerhouse performance which easily shows up an impressive turn by Evan Rachel Wood as said daughter.

09. Michelle Williams in Brokeback Mountain (2005) - Williams was the one ray of hope on Dawson's Creek. You always just knew she didn't really belong on such a cheesy (at least in its later years) show. She was always destined for greatness and her performance in Brokeback Mountain proves it. Maybe it was her electrifying chemistry with then boyfriend Heath Ledger. Maybe it was just the perfect role for her. But her performance as Alma, the long suffering, vulnerable housewife who discovers something she can't quite understand.

08. Natalie Portman in Closer (2004) - Portman plays the paradoxes of Alice so easily. Alice appears to be wide eyed and innocent... but she is a stripper. Alice is seemingly the most emotionally honest character in the film... yet she turns out to be the biggest liar of all. She's never been better and her best scenes are those where she goes head to head with Clive Owen. The one scene that always sticks out is that brilliantly directed and acted scene at the strip club where Portman and Owen are just the essence of acting perfection.

07. Penelope Cruz in Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) - Prior to this film, I wasn't such a big fan of Cruz's. Her acting always lacked a lot for me. I had heard she was a much better actress in her native tongue though I never liked her enough to even seek out a Spanish film of hers. Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona changed all that. Cruz is a firecracker, exploding on to the screen and taking no prisoners. She has steamy chemistry with Javier Bardem (...and Scarlett Johansson). She's sassy and spunky and hilarious and terrifying and just riveting to watch.

06. Amy Adams in Junebug (2005) - When you think "Amy Adams," you think adorable. And that's because she is - especially in Junebug - but she's so much more than that as well. Her performance as Ashley is so layered and textured. She's charming and witty, heartwarming and optimistic. Best of all, she's sincere and you can feel her honesty in every scene. It's why her performance isn't so much a scene-stealer as a scene-enhancer. She just makes this movie so much better than it would have been without her.

05. Mo' Nique in Precious (2009) - I am all about Mo' Nique this year. The comedian has been written off as not being able to act. Well, guess what? She can and she's a powerhouse. As the cruel, emotionally and physically abusing mother of an overweight illiterate teen, she owns this movie. Even without that final scene - where she breaks down in a social worker's office - her performance was amazing enough. But add that one scene where you actually begin to understand this monster and you've got a performance more than worthy of praise for years to come.

04. Frances McDormand in Almost Famous (2000) - As an over-protective and borderline over-bearing mother, McDormand brings laughs... and a whole lotta heart to her role in Cameron Crowe's rock star film. She means well and only wants to protect her shy and awkward son William as he embarks as a journalist on tour with a band. Her scenes where she connects with the bands lead guitarist are some of her best. As is her line reading of, "Rock stars have kidnapped my son!"

03. Kate Hudson in Almost Famous (2000) - Almost Famous is the single reason I haven't given up on Hudson yet. She's been biding her time with romantic comedies but I know she's got it in her to deliver at least one more knockout performance like she did in Almost Famous. As the perennial groupie Penny Lane, Hudson is the essence of free spirited sweetness. She's got tension filled chemistry with Billy Crudup and a sweet sort of childlike chemistry with Patrick Fugit. When she finally overdoses at the end, it's almost a pleasure to watch the way she crumbles and falls apart. And kudos for that "What kind of beer?" line reading. Beauty and optimism through tears. Hudson has never been - maybe will never be - better.

02. Marcia Gay Harden in Mystic River (2003) - When you're in a movie with a ton of big name actors and on particular guy (Sean Penn) who is giving the performance of his career (up until that point, anyway), it's kind of hard to get noticed. Not if you're my dear, sweet, amazing Marcia. In the film she plays the wife of Tim Robbins character. She's sweet-natured and trusting. She's simply outstanding as the loving wife who has to struggle with the biggest moral dilemma faced by any of the characters. She's brilliant and amazing and that's just one of the reasons why she's my very favorite actress ever! (FYI - Her performance in The Dead Girl just missed out on the top ten list!).

01. Cate Blanchett in I'm Not There (2007) - The short version: She plays Bob Dylan!!! The long version: Not many female actresses would have the balls to play Bob Dylan. Not many could pull it off. Okay, I can't think of anyone else who could have pulled it off. Only Blanchett in all of her nose-twitching, eye-rubbing brilliance. She's subdued and mellow but quick to lash out with sharp wit. Her section of the bizarre but wonderful film is the most straight forward and so she has to be the most like the actual Bob Dylan. She doesn't just mimic him, she becomes him (and looks shockingly like him) in a strange way that's so effective since the character is being played by a woman. Blanchett is simply amazing as she continues to build a resume of quirky, powerhouse performances that not many other actresses could even come close to.

Best Actress of the Decade Tournament

Top 2

Meryl Streep vs. Cate Blanchett
Quantity: Blanchett's 24 films puts her out to an early lead over Streep's 16. Round - Blanchett.
Quality: In situations like this, I think it should come down to their single best performances of the decade. Here, that would be Blanchett's I'm Not There performance vs. Streep in The Devil Wears Prada. Round - Blanchett.
Oscar Nominations: Streep has been nominated three times for Adaptation, The Devil Wears Prada and Doubt. Blanchett won for The Aviator and was nominated three additional times for Notes on a Scandal, I'm Not There and Elizabeth: The Golden Age. Round - Blanchett.
Shared Screen: They have not shared the screen.
Extra Curriculars: Streep was amazing in Angels in America. Round - Streep.
Winner = Blanchett.

So, there you have it. Cate Blanchett joins Sean Penn as the Best Actress and Actor of the Decade.
Every Wednesday in December, I'll have a Top Ten of the Decade List featuring Best Actress / Actor / Supporting and Film categories. Also, I'll be catching up on movie reviews some day this week.

Top Ten List - Best Actress 2008

Honorable Mention - Johanna Day in August: Osage County - Not a film performance, but a riveting, intensely controlled (and some time delightfully out of control) stage performance. If August was a movie (which apparently it's going to be) and Day was in it (which hopefully she will be), she would be at the top of this list, for sure. She's in charge now, for sure.

10. Angelina Jolie in Changeling - We all know I'm not the biggest Angelina fan. Still, you can't deny talent and her performance, although often one note, is still extremely powerful at times. That one specific scene (you know, the one in all the previews, "I want MY son back") is even more intense once you see the context of it - she's yelling this at a 10 year old boy.

09. Cate Blanchett in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Cate has never looked more beautiful. And I am in the corner with people who think Cate can do no wrong. It's true here, as she makes a very flawed, very narcisstic and stubborn character so loveable. Benjamin Button falls in love with her and so do we.

08. Keira Knightley in The Duchess - Although the movie itself is highly flawed, the performances are nearly flawless. Ralph Fiennes just missed my Best Supporting Actor list for his skeevy Duke (and for his hilarious turn in the wonderful In Bruges), but Kiera makes the list for her witty, charming role as the lonely Duchess - forced to choose between love and her family.

07. Summer Bishil in Towelhead - An extremely interesting and well done performance for someone so young! She's truly impressive as a young actress dealing with very, very heavy subject matter. She pulls it off with grace, innocence and beauty.

06. Rebecca Hall in Vicky Cristina Barcelona - Cruz may be getting all the buzz (and she is more than deserving) but Hall is spectacularly funny as well. She plays a cynical spitfire, about to marry a man she doesn't necessarily love while discovering her sexuality with a sexy artist.

05. Naomi Watts in Funny Games - Throughout the entire second half of the film, Watts is in a constant state of duress. Crying, screaming, desperately clinging to some kind of hope while nearly giving up on everything. Her performance is intensely moving.

04. Kate Winslet in Revolutionary Road - Winslet's April is a dreamer, for sure. She dreams of a better life with her husband but she's surely not a happy character. There's all those intense screaming matches with DiCaprio. Then there's sexy love scenes. And, of course, my very favorite scene. DiCaprio has just confessed that he's cheated on her. She is very unemotional about the whole thing. He's screaming at her, asking her why, to which she responds, very quietly, very calmly with a slight smile, "Fuck who'd you like, dear." Perfect line reading.

03. Anne Hathaway in Rachel Getting Married - Maybe the most revelatory performance of the year. I never liked Anne Hathaway, sure. I also never necessarily thought she was a good actress. But her performance as Kym here is so alive and so unlike anything she's ever done. It's impressive and welcomed.

02. Meryl Streep in Doubt - Doubt may be about the wonderful script and the great source material. Sure, there's Hoffman and Adams and Davis, but make no mistake - this is all about Meryl. As it should be. Her stubborn, hard headed, wickedly funny take on the nun is perfection.

01. Michelle Williams in Wendy and Lucy - Wendy and Lucy is a movie where not much happens. It's a movie without a lot of dialogue. It's a movie where, for much of the movie, Williams' Wendy is walking around a small unknown town searching for her dog. With very little to work with, Williams has given her best performance to date. Her quietly effective work will break your heart. There's been little as moving this year as the final ten minutes in this movie - and that's thanks to Michelle!

Oscar contenders arrive - Men who age backwards, nuns and political activists, oh my!

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Benjamin Button is maybe the most fascinating man you'll ever meet. Born with a warped face and amidst doctors warnings that he wouldn't live very long, his birth father abandoned him on the back steps of an old person home where the loving and caring Queenie (Taraji P. Henson) found and raised him as her own. As Benjamin (Brad Pitt) beat the odds and grew up, he may have looked like the other old men in the house but he sure didn't act like them. As his life progressed, he became younger and younger, living a full and amazing life. He left home to join a tugboat captain (Jared Harris, stealing scenes as usual) and eventually join a war. He met the alluring Brit Elizabeth (Tilda Swinton) and a host of other interesting characters. But it was the lovely Daisy (Cate Blanchett) who was the love of his life. While she aged normally, he aged backwards - could their love ever really work out? Based on the line "youth is wasted on the young," the film is a moving and emotionally harrowing journey through the life of one man. David Fincher directs the hell out of this film which has a great script and great performances. For as slow as it moves in the first half, the emotional aspect is kicked into high gear in the second half and it becomes a near masterpiece. There are so many moments of brilliance that it makes up for it's uneven beginning. Brad Pitt is the star but it's more about his journey than his acting. The acting stand outs, for me, came from a trio of fabulous women - Swinton who is all toughness and sophistication, Henson who is the heart and soul of the film and knocks it out of the park (let's start the Oscar campaign now!) and Blanchett who takes Daisy's vain, self centered nature and turns it into something that actually works. There is no one more beautiful than Blanchett as she dances in the fog. Overall, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a beautiful journey well worth the time.
Grade: A-

Doubt - There is a particular scene at the end of the film between Meryl Streep and Phillip Seymour Hoffman that just proves these two are arguably the two best working actors today. I didn't think anyone was going to make it out of that scene alive. Streep is the stubborn and stern Sister Alyisous who begins to think that Father Flynn (Hoffman) had an inappropriate relationship with the only black student at the school. Stripped down to just four main characters - Amy Adams as the naive and sweet (and I think the key to making your final decision about Flynn's innocence or guilt) Sister James and Viola Davis who has one powerful scene as the boy's mother - the film is very character driven with intense dialogue and a great, well written story. John Patrick Shanley is indeed a fantastic writer. I'm not convinced he is a great director, however. He's making a character/dialogue driven film but spent much of the first act using strange camera angles to tell a very simple story. His choices at times were very distracting from the effectiveness of the script. The performances, however, make up for it. Every one is making a huge deal about Viola Davis and I admit she was quite good. However, and maybe it's because I've been hearing for so long about how amazing she is, I didn't think she was quite as riveting as everyone else. Instead, in the supporting actress character, I felt Adams' more subdued and understated work was far more impressive. Then there's Streep and Hoffman and, like I said, they were pheneomenal in every way.
Grade: B+

Milk - There may be a more touching, gripping, emotional, politcally timely, perfect film released this year... but I haven't seen it. Milk is everything a movie should be. Directed by the fantastic Gus Van Sant (he has directed two of the best this year - Milk and Paranoid Park), Milk tells the true story of Harvey Milk (Sean Penn), the first gay man elected to public office in the late 1970s in San Francisco. It follows his long journey to the top - where he ran for office numerous times, losing over and over again before finally winning and fighting for gay rights, human rights before being shot down by a disgruntled co-worker, Dan White (Josh Brolin). Milk surrounded himself with a group of young, empassioned followers who helped rally the gay community, including Cleve Jones (a fantastic Emile Hirsch), Anne Kronenberg (Alison Pill, the spitfire) and two boyfriends including the long suffering Scott (James Franco) and the needy and smothering Jack (Diego Luna). The script is face paced and well written. Van Sant sticks to straight directing, for the most part. However, there are a few of his little artsy moments thrown in there and it adds to the film, for sure. Whether he's directing art films or more mainstream work, Van Sant is one of the most daring and interesting directors working today. Of course, the cast is amazing. If all is right in the world (which, of course, it's not) the men of Milk could all but over run the Supporting Actor category. Franco, Brolin and especially Hirsch are all fantastic. But, of course, this is Penn's show and he embodies Harvey Milk like you wouldn't believe. Known for his moody and intense work, it's refreshing and lovely to see him play someone a little more carefree and emotionally open. His performance is Oscar worthy, for sure and I'd love to see him win a second Oscar. The best thing about Milk, however, is how very timely it is. With the recent passing of Prop 8 (which is much like the Proposition 6 that Harvey fights so tirelessly against in the film), it's clear to see that after thirty odd years, Harvey's fight is still not over. This movie should be a rally cry, a call to people to come together and stand up for gay rights, civil rights, human rights.
Grade: A+

Indiana Jones, The Strangers + June Movie Preview

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - Or as I like to call it, Indiana Jones and the Hotness of Shia. Seriously, the only reason I even went to see this movie was because of Shia. My dad said, "Hey wanna go see Indiana Jones?" and I said, "Sure, but I never saw any of the other ones." He said, "That's okay but maybe you should watch them first." And I said, "Yeah, but Shia isn't in them." And Shia was possibly the only good thing about the movie. Well, Shia and Cate Blanchett who I have totally fallen completely in love with since I'm Not There. Maybe I just wasn't completely prepared for how absolutely ridiculous the movie would be (spoiler alert - it's about aliens... really). Or maybe there was just too much CGI craziness. I mean, I'm sure there was a plot in there SOMEWHERE. By the end, it became way too much like National Treasure 2 but with a way hotter supporting cast. I've heard fans of the original series actually really liked it so I guess maybe it's a decent movie. I just didn't like it that much. Except Shia. And Cate and her crazy accent.
Grade: C-


The Strangers - As far as thrillers go, this movie isn't entirely bad. It has some very eerie scenes and at times it's actually quite intense. Other times, however, it's completely cliched and the ending is just so atrocious that it more or less ruins the movie. Overall though the movie starts out pretty well. The acting by Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman is efficient. The strangers are creepy enough. All of the terror is unexplained (which is scarier, right?). There are plot holes galore and inconsistencies that are glaringly obvious. Still, it's a horror movie, right? I mean, half the fun is shaking our head when a character runs in the wrong direction. The movie is intense but it is also shallow. It leaves one distraught and unsatisfied. Overall, the movie is at times intense but mostly lackluster. It's anti-climactic (that ending is just awful!) and at times even boring. Mostly it just makes me really want to see Funny Games even more than I already do. The Stranger is most likely just a mainstream version of that, which I'm sure (hoping) is way better and edgier.
Grade: C-

June Movie Preview...
June 6
Kung Fu Panda - Light and fluffy entertainment. Maybe kids will like.
You Don't Mess with the Zohan - Looks like it might just be the worst movie of the year. I'm sure my dad will want to see it so I just might have to go see it. That way I'll have something for my Worst Of... list.

June 13
The Happening - M. Night Shayadfasldjfaslman endlessly disappoints me (although I am the one person who loved The Village). This is his first R-rated movie. Zooey is in it. Still, I'm just not sure about it.
The Incredible Hulk - I guess we are pretending the first one just didn't exist, right? I can live with that. Edward Norton is in it and I love him but... I can't buy him as a super hero. Like, at all. Plus, the Hulk has already been done. Move on. I mean, I guess it can't be any worse, right?

June 20
Get Smart - My love for Steve Carrell may outweigh my hatred for Anne Hathaway. MAY.
The Love Guru - Oh wait. This might be the worst movie of the year. Justin Timberlake can strut around in a speedo all he wants. This movie still looks totally terrible.

June 27
Wall-E - Now, I am not a fan of kid movies. But, this looks unbelievably adorable that even I may have to see it.
Wanted - James McAvoy and his gorgeous blue eyes in a movie? Yes, please. James McAvoy and his gorgeous blue eyes in a superhero movie? Hell, yes! James McAvoy and his gorgeous blue eyes in a superhero movie co-starring Morgan Freeman? This is pretty much the only June movie I really, really, really want to see!


P.S. My review of Indiana Jones and the Hotness of Shia just might be the only review of Indiana Jones ever in the history of the world that doesn't even mention Harrison Ford.

Mini Reviews

I know I've been slacking lately - watching tons of movies and not updating about them. It won't happen anymore - promise. As for now, I'm going to right a bunch of small reviews just to get caught up...


Semi-Pro - The best thing about this movie is, for sure, the preview for Sex and the City that shows before the movie starts. Other than that, Semi-Pro is sort of a big, unfunny mess. Will Ferrell will keep on keeping on, for sure but I think he needs to stop with the sports movies. Any remotely funny part is in the trailer and Will Arnett can't even save this floundering mess. It's not a bad movie, per se, just boring and trite and unfunny. So far, I've only given one grade out that wasn't in the D family (at least my year end Worst List will have a lot of contenders).
Grade: D

10,000 B.C. - Seriously. I don't know what else there is to say about how bland and terrible the films of 2008 have been so far (with the exception of Cloverfield which wasn't even THAT good). I just hope things turn around with the release of Stop Loss later this year. Anyway, this movie is mild and boring where is should be bold and wild. It is plagued by weak dialouge and even weaker characters. Even the special effects are inconsistent at best. The only positive thing I can say about this movie is that Camilla Belle is perfectly cast. I've always thought her beauty is other worldly. She is of a different time and age but she deserves better surroundings than this.
Grade: F


Romance and Cigarettes - With a great cast that includes Susan Sarandon, Kate Winslet, Steve Buscemi, Christopher Walken and more, it's hard to imagine where this movie went oh-so-wrong. There are times when the movie is really funny and great (pretty much any time Winslet is on the screen) but other than that it's messy and often times ridiculous. Now, I love a ridiculous movie as much as the next person but this is so far past ridiculous into the realm of silly that it just can't be seen as good.
Grade: D


Silk - Starring Michael Pitt and Kiera Knightley (my god, are they not the most beautiful couple on the planet!? It was really like a battle of who has the better cheek-bones at times here), this movie takes place in the 1800's and centers on the silk industry (duh). It's long, it's boring, it's about romance and deciet and all that great stuff. Still, I found it at least slightly entertaining. The end was a great little twist. It was often too much of the same exact thing over and over again but Pitt and Knightley are engaging and the movie isn't bad so much as it is boring.
Grade: C


Things We Lost in the Fire - The thing that elevates this movie from below average to slightly better than average is Benicio Del Toro and his perfect portrayal of a heroin addict. He is always better than good and at times just perfect. I would have liked this movie even more if it was just about him. I could care less about Halle Berry, someone who is absolutely beautiful, but, let's face it kids, not a great actress. The fact that she has an Oscar and Kate Winslet doesn't makes me want to scream sometimes. But, enough about that. The movie is mostly anti-climactic and poorly written. Again, it's not necessarily bad. If you are a Del Toro fan than you should see it.
Grade: C+


The Gift - I saw this Sam Raimi directed movie years and years ago but didn't remember much about it. As I watched it, I did realize that I remembered how it ended (or else, the 'twist' is so absolutely obvious that a 3 year old could figure it out) but I still think it's an expertly done mystery thriller with a superb cast. It's got Cate Blanchett, Giovanni Ribisi, Keanu Reeves, Hilary Swank, J.K. Simmons, Gary Cole, Greg Kinnear and more. Ribisi really acts the hell out of this movie. He's easily the stand out. No one really does creepy yet oddly sexy quite the way he does. However, I was mostly really surprised by Reeves who is usually so wooden it's hard to find him enjoyable but he was strong here. Of course, Cate was Cate - beautiful, amazing, perfect in every way.
Grade: B+


Finally, let's talk about Gus Van Sant...
I officially take back all of the mean things I said about him after Finding Forrester. I also completely take back all the mean things I said about his upcoming Paranoid Park. He is officially one of my favorite directors working today after recently watching his 'Death Trilogy.' [Spoilers maybe... I mean... if you don't want to know that people die in the following movies.] A few years ago, I watched a movie called Last Days. It was loosely based on Kurt Cobain and starred Michael Pitt. I wasn't sure what to make of it at the time. Part of me absolutely loved how it meandered about and was more concerned with long takes of nature than actual story telling. Part of me wanted to call it a modern day masterpiece. Another part of me, however, wanted to know why I just wasted two hours of my life on this movie that could have been told in 10 minutes. But, Gus Van Sant isn't really interested in story, per se. He's more interested in all the beauty that is everywhere around us in this ugly world. The beauty is even more significant when being paralelled with such bleak concepts as suicide, murder and mass shootings. And, after watching the Death Trilogy individually and then together (thanks to movie night!), I can say I appreciate it more than ever. Maybe it's my current state of mind. I don't know. But Gerry, Elephant and Last Days are outstanding movies by themselves but together... they are just perfection. Elephant was easily my favorite of the three but all three are exceptional and worth watching either by themselves or together. I mean, if you have the patience for it. I've changed my grades since seeing the three of them together (something I don't like to do but I've made an exception here).
Elephant - A
Gerry - A-
Last Days - B+

Best of 2007 - Top 10 Best Performances

Javier Bardem in No Country For Old Men
I'm doing this list in alphabetical order to be fair. However, if I was going to start with the best performance of the year, Bardem would still be first. [Granted I haven't had the chance to see Daniel Day-Lewis in There Will Be Blood.] Bardem gives a truly deliciously evil performance. He is a pleasure to watch. Every time he enters the scene, you are excited and sort of terrified to see what he'll do next. From the opening scene right up until his last, he's just simply perfect.

Cate Blanchett in I'm Not There
Again, I'm doing this alphabetically. Still, Cate would be second. She disappears into the character of Jude Quinn (Bob Dylan) and all the ticks and stutters. It's actually almost a little creepy to see this gorgeous Australian woman become a man and make it look so effortless. I'm not one of those people who are in love with everything Blanchett does. But I am in love with this performance.

Josh Brolin in No Country For Old Men
If Javier Bardem didn't steal this movie in every single way imaginable, you would definitely leave the theater talking about how great Brolin is. Brolin is essentially carrying the bulk of the film on his shoulders and he's more than up for the challenge. This year he's finally been given roles that let his talent shine through.

Julie Christie in Away From Her
Is it wrong to say that Christie's performance is just unforgettable? It's been months and months and everything about her performance is still burned firmly into my mind. Christie gives a performance even better than her Oscar winning role in Afterglow. She has the vibrancy of a young woman and is sexier than most women half her age. Her performance is perfect and I, for one, will be very disappointed if she loses the Oscar.

Emile Hirsch in Into the Wild
Hirsch's career is one I've been following for a while now. Watch films like Imaginary Heroes and The Mudge Boy and you'll see what a great actor he really is. Still, Into the Wild is the sort of movie that lets his real talent come out in full force. Hirsch has charm to spare and uses tha to help build this supertramp character who doesn't think he needs human contact for happiness. Plus, his final moments on screen are guaranteed to break your heart.

Tommy Lee Jones in No Country For Old Men and In the Valley of Elah
Jones is doing better work this year, at the age of 50-something, than ever before. His performances this year were both spot-on. His performance in In the Valley of Elah would fall to number three on this list if it was from very best to still great. What kills me most? He's not even getting a lot of attention for these great roles! Sure, he's not used a lot in No Country For Old Men and he's showed up a bit by Bardem who has the flashier role. But there's something to be said about restraint and reserve. There's something to say about being the strong, silent type. Jones is just doing better work now than ever before.

James McAvoy in Atonement
There's a lot of great women in this film but McAvoy steals the show. His performance is really a masterclass in the act of subtlety. He makes sure Robbie keeps his basic goodness and never resorts to histronics. There is a particular scene between Robbie and Briony as a teenager, that is just perfection.

Viggo Mortensen in Eastern Promises
I just have to respect and admire anyone who has the guts to film a scene that includes a naked knife fight. I mean, come on. He manages to make Nikolai both enigmatic and mesmerizing. He is seemingly rough and tough and yet we are somehow drawn to the goodness in him even as we are not quite sure we should be. It's a skillful and understated performance that quietly but effectively blows you away.

Ellen Page in Juno
I think it's safe to say this: Ellen Page is the best actress under 25 working today. First there was her acting masterclass of a performance in Hard Candy. Now with Juno she even bests that. She does something I think Diablo Cody should be grateful for: makes her highly / overly WRITTEN dialogue just flow and come off the page beautifully (which must have been a DIFFICULT challenge). Thanks to Page's perfection of a performance, it becomes almost impossible to not love this movie and especially the main character.

Michael Shannon in Bug
This movie is definitely not for everyone. Still, months and months later, it's Shannon's intense work that sticks so firmly in my mind. He takes this outlandish performance and is really just fearless. His chemistry with Ashley Judd (who slipped to number 11 on this list) is so intense that these two actors carry this film. Shannon, especially, is perfect and draws you in to this strange, psychological little story.

I Am Legend, I'm Not There, Once

I Am Legend - First off, I have to admit my love for Will Smith. When the end of the world is coming, I trust Will Smith and only Will Smith to save the world. Not only is he my favorite heroic actor, with I Am Legend, he proves that he can carry an entire film on his own. This is not something many actors can do. Tom Hanks can do it (Castaway). I'm sure there might be a few (very few) others but Will Smith definitly can. His Robert Neville is someone we want to cheer for. Smith brings his acting A-game to a movie that requires a lot of emotion in order to captivate the audience. That is what I loved most about this movie. Sure, it was thrilling and intense. That's a definite. But it was also emotionally heartbreaking. (Seriously, try not to cry during a particular scene involving Neville and his beloved dog). Smith plays Neville, the seemingly sole survivor of the world, living in New York City, after a virus created by man that was originally created to cure cancer does unspeakable damage instead. Smith, alone in a new world with his dog, mannequins and random deer, dedicates his life to finding a cure for the virus... and talking to said mannequins (the scene with 'Fred' is particularly wonderful... as is the scene with the dark haired beauty at the video store. Ha.). The special effects are great - especially the endless shots of a destroyed New York City, a Times Sqaure populated by lions, streets of deserted cars, bridges blown in half. The movie isn't necessarily scary, but it is intense at some points, especially the first encounter in the darkened warehouse (or whatever). So, the first half of I Am Legend is quite spectacular. It sets a tone, it has great cinematography, it has a great performance from Smith. Then Neville meets a fellow survivor. And it kind of goes downhill from there for me. I really just didn't like the last 20 minutes (especially the very end) at all. I'm sure some people might... but not me. Overall, it's a solid movie with a lot of thrills and, surprisingly, a lot of heart.

Grade: B-

I'm Not There - It's true: Cate Blanchett is EXTRAORDINARY. I'm not one of those 'Cate Blanchett is the best actress whoever lived in the history of the world. OMG Cate' people. But, even if you hate Blanchett (which seems a bit harsh), you can't deny she dominates this great artsy film. This film amazed me. It was a vision in black and white and color, drenched with Bob Dylan music. This movie is like a dream, lots of random scenes and random images that all are somehow cohesive in a way that is impossible to explain. Of course, there's so much publicity around the movie. Cate Blanchett is a female Bob Dylan! Marcus Carl Franklin is a 12 year old African American Bob Dylan! There's also Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Richard Gere and Ben Winshaw. All of these characters, these versions of Dylan's life and music, are like a kaleidoscopic dream where the pieces never quite meet. This movie is almost too brilliant. Will people who don't like Dylan even get it? Will they even care about it? It's possible that they won't. It's possible that this movie is too smart for the average viewer... but that's what I loved most about it - it makes you think. There wasn't a movie this year that was more unique, more stylish, more individulistic than I'm Not There. All of these actors and actresses playing Bob Dylan? Well, guess what. Dylan was exactly the mess of lies, grandeur, childishness, arrogance, rebelliousness and genius that is portrayed by one or all of these actors. Of course, when you have a movie that follows multiple storylines, it's usually the case that some of the stories are more interesting than the others. What would have made this movie more interesting? Well, they could have fleshed out the Richard Gere storyline, for starters. I walked away hating that part of the movie but I think if it was done better, it could have been great. Also, and I hate to say it because I absolutely love him, I could have completely done without Christian Bale. Franklin and Winshaw are stellar (Winshaw doesn't have a storyline, per se, but I love every single word that came out of his pretty mouth). I liked Heath Ledger in this movie. If you would have told me quite a few years ago that Ledger would have this kind of career right now, I would have laughed at you. Never would I have seen this coming after The Order. I thought his career was over. But he's coming one of the most surprisingly strong actors of his generation. He's doing great work lately. He has great chemistry with his artist love played very well by Charlotte Gainsbourg. The instant attraction is great and the eventual downfall is even better. Julianne Moore, Michelle Williams and David Cross show up to add a little support. But, really, this is Cate Blanchett's show. She melts into her eye-rubbing, nose-twitching, lip-conscious character that is only too quick to lash out on whoever is closest. So, best Bob Dylan? From best to worst: Blanchett, Winshaw, Ledger, Franklin, Bale, Gere. Still, even though it's not a perfect film for me, it's still visceral, enlightening, comedic, pensive, wild, tender. It's a film that is complex, like it's subject.

Grade: B+

Once - Let's vote this one: Most Likely to Make You Smile No Matter How Cynical and Full of Despair You Are. Let's also Vote Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova the Best Unconsummated Romance of the Year. This movie was really just honest and beautiful, spectacular and full of great, great, great music! It's a modern musical about a street musician (Hansard) who meets a pretty imigrant (Irglova). They form a friendship that could have been a romance at another time in their lives. They write songs together, they play music together, they rehearse, they record a great demo. It's simple and it's lovely. What more could you possibly want out of a movie? It doesn't disappoint in any way, shape or form. It's filmed beautifully (that scene near the end where they are frolicking at the beach is just the definition of beauty). This is a feel-good movie that is not mushy in any way. It has comedic moments that are realisitc and relatable. This is the way a musical should be - contemporary and not cheesy at all. It's not too sentimental. The movie was great. The music was great. I strongly suggest you check this movie out as soon as possible!

Grade: A

Little Children and Notes on a Scandal (DVD)

Little Children - Little Children is wonderful and intricate drama that focuses on suburban America and the lives of people who are completely unfulfilled. Unhappy marriages. Unsatisfied lives. There is nothing more depressing than living a boring life. Sarah (Kate Winslet) is a brilliant woman who somehow finds herself in a marriage with a dull man addicted to an internet fetish website. She busies herself with her daughter who she seems at times highly disinterested in. She spends her days psychoanalyzing the local Moms at the park and her nights walking with an older woman. That is until she meets Brad (Patrick Wilson) - or The Prom King, as the park Moms call him. He is equally unsatisfied with his life. While his wife is busy making documentary films, he spends his days with his son at parks and the pool. The two become friends first. They talk and chat while their children play at the park and the pool. Sarah becomes entranced with their innocent flirations. That is, until a stormy afternoon sends them indoors. Winslet and Wilson play their characters with an understated melancholy - unearthing their mutual attraction, not in a fit of passion but in the natural course of daily events. Simply stated, the fill each other's voids. As an underscore to all this sex and passion, there is Ronnie (a wonderful, terrific, amazing Jackie Earle Haley), a man recently released from prison after exposing himself to a child. His complex role, played with such a creepy sensitivity (if that makes sense) is the absolute best thing about the movie. There is a particularly memorable scene after a date with a woman he meets through a personal ad where he oh-so-quickly destroys a trust that had been building throughout the evening. Ronnie becomes the talk and the menace of the town. The Moms and Dads hate him and make it known that he is not welcome in their town. The only one on his side is his loving and sweet mom, May. As someone who read the book and loved it, I was expecting to hate the little changes I knew they would make... but I didn't. There was a lot of backstory, supporting characters and fleshing out of story lines that was missing but it's really impossible to include everything unless you want a seven hour movie. I found the narration was bothersome but I'll let it pass since I did enjoy the movie so much (but not quite as much as Todd Field's other masterpiece In the Bedroom). Haley is brilliant. Winslet and Wilson are wonderful. The script and the direction are top notch. This is not a brilliant or perfect film, but it does have moments of brilliance and perfection.

Grade: A-

Notes On A Scadal - The only thing that seperates Notes on a Scandal from a Lifetime movie is the fact that Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett star. That's not to say I didn't thoroughly enjoy it (I love Lifetime movies!). Dench plays Barbara, a "battle axe" high school teacher. She is fiercely intelligent and utterly unloved and alone. The new year brings Sheba (Blanchett), a beautiful young art teacher with a husband and two children. Barbara slowly works her way into Sheba's life only to learn that she is carrying on an affair with a 15 year old pupil. Instead of telling the powers that be at the school, Barbara uses this knowledge to become closer and closer to Sheba. Then, of course, the secret gets out (as most secrets do). On paper, it's a trite plot and is suitable only for Lifetime. But, when you add Judi Dench, Cate Blanchett and Patrick Marber's acidic script, the movie manages to become rather interesting and well done. Blanchett plays her teacher as a week character, caught up in her emotions and that is the perfect foil for Dench and her steely determination and ruthless pursuit for companionship. Another thing that keeps this from becoming a Lifetime movie is that it manages to steer clear of sensationalism to present present the sad inner lives of two women. The middle section of the film falls apart a bit at times - it's not nearly as gripping as the beginning and the conclusion (that wonderful dark humored ending), but Notes on a Scandal is still an engaging and emotionally intense film.

Grade: B+

Sidenote: I have begun watching the Horrorfest: 8 Movies To Die For (eventhough there are only 7... wtf?) films. I will save my reviews until I see all of them but I would just like to say that in the film Penny Dreadful, the keyword is Dreadful.