Holiday Wish List

Just like Ben Lee's folk-pop music, this flick is quirky and adorable.

Though it was marketed as an inane buddy action comedy, In Bruges is anything but. It's incredibly funny throughout for sure, but the actual plot is a hardcore morality tale, with dashes of romance and action added for good measure. Though rife with symbolism, the script is never overtly aggressive or pretentious, instead weaving its principles delicately into the jokes and setting. The humour is sarcastic, edgy, and offensive, but all in a very intelligent way -- like Borat, which has a similar sense of humour, rookie writer/director Martin McDonagh's script was nominated for an Oscar. It's also one of the most quotable movies of 2008. Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell are a perfect match as hit man colleagues, and their banter is similar to that of Neil Simon's The Odd Couple.

It's incredibly sad that my three favourite films of 2008 made less money at the box office in their entire runs, combined, than "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" did in its opening weekend.



It's also sad that it has taken Richard Jenkins over thirty years and fifty-three film roles (plus another twenty-six gigs on television) to land a lead role. Then again, it's not surprising. His craft is so subtle, he can disappear entirely within a character. He's a recognizable face, but tough to pinpoint. I've seen him in five films in the last five years, and I didn't even realize it.



With The Visitor, he has finally met his match. As lonely professor Walter Vale, Jenkins tells a thousand words without saying anything at all. He barely has any dialogue in the first several scenes of the movie, and yet we understand him.



Upon his reluctant arrival to New York for a conference, he finds an immigrant couple living in his seldom-used apartment. He reconsiders after evicting them and invites them to stay until they can make other arrangements. A few days later, they have dinner together and Walter joins the couple for a night out. He is fascinated by them, after years of being bored of everything. He quickly warms up to Tarek, who offers him drumming lessons. His girlfriend Zainab is slower to accept him, but she tolerates him and is thankful he is keeping a roof over her head.



After a misunderstanding in the subway, Tarek is arrested. Walter doesn't realize the seriousness of this until Zainab tells him that they are illegal, and Tarek is swiftly put in the hands of immigration. Walter offers to help, visiting the detention centre and hiring a lawyer for the couple to fight against deportation. When Tarek's mother arrives from Michigan, alarmed that she hasn't heard from her son in a week, Walter lets her stay with him as well.



Considering the subject matter, the tone of the film is generally light, and fun to watch. Particular funny is Walter's interaction with work colleagues, students, and his piano teacher. The humour is always understated. Likewise, the more dramatic scenes never come off as preachy. Such a story could have come with a heavy overtone in a post-9/11 world, but, thankfully, writer-director Tom McCarthy puts his political agenda aside and simply lets his actors tell the story.



All four leads are extraordinary talents, far more worthy of attention than most of today's movie stars. But it's of course Richard Jenkins who steals the show, and finally he has earned himself an Oscar nomination. He's up against tough competition this year, particularly with Sean Penn's timely gay-rights politician and Mickey Rourke's much-touted comeback performance. It's all well and good that Mickey is back in the game and proving that he's still got it, but hasn't Jenkins paid his dues as well? Just something for the Academy to consider.

Wendy is a young woman with almost nothing to her name. She has a 20-year-old car, about $500 cash, and her beloved dog, Lucy, with her as she heads from her home in the Midwest to a lucrative job market in Alaska. On the way, she gets stuck in Portland, Oregon, with car trouble, and then Lucy goes missing. And that is the entire plot of this unassuming but extraordinary little film.

With no showy scenes and very little dialogue, Michelle Williams tells the audience everything with her eyes in a gut-wrenching performance. We know nothing about her past or her future, and the isolation she experiences as she lives from day to day is something we experience with her.

Though this is clearly Williams' movie, as she appears in every scene, she shares a few heartening moments with a handful of supporting players. Especially good are Will Patton as the mechanic fixing Wendy's car, and Wally Dalton as a local security guard. To give any more details would spoil the simplicity of their scenes together. Lucy the dog also figures well into the story. There are never any cheesy Hollywood dog moments, and the friendship Wendy and Lucy have is portrayed as if they rely on each other more than anything.

Director Kelly Reichardt keeps things just as low-key visually, shooting on 16mm film without any artificial lighting or effects. There isn't even any music, apart from Wendy's occasional humming.

At only eighty minutes, and appearing on only forty screens at its widest release, the film seems to have come and gone with little fanfare, which is a shame because this is easily one of the best films of the year, and Williams certainly deserved some Oscar recognition over some of this year's other nominees. Do yourself a favour and be sure to check it out on DVD.

Critics didn't like it, but once in awhile they are wrong. The general concensus of this film is that it is too shallow, but personally, I think that was intentional. It was a shallow era. And despite all that has been written about Edie Sedgwick, I don't think we'll ever know what really made her tick. Same goes for Andy. The whole fascination about was how obscure he was.

What I can say about this movie is that, although shallow, it's brilliantly acted. Sienna Miller finally proves that she's more than a pretty face, a hot bod, a fashion statement, and a tabloid headline. She can act too. (But for God's sake don't watch her on talk shows -- in real life she's so dippy!) Pearce is an inspired Andy. Christian is miscast in a thankless role that seems to be in a different movie altogether. The sex scene is hot, but over-edited, like the rest of the movie.

Even with it's flaws, I loved this movie. I can't get enough of Andy and his Factory. If you're the same, give it a try, I'm sure you'll find something redeeming about it.

Sam, Dean, and Harry enter their hotel room in downtown Sydney. Three sailors on shore leave for the night before shipping off to Iraq in the morning, they each have a goal to accomplish. Sam is considering going AWOL after a horrifying incident on his last tour of duty. Dean is planning to meet up with his fiancée and her parents for dinner. And Harry just wants to drink, play cards, and get laid. After dumping their bags in the room and ordering some hookers to come back to later, they head out on the town. But the night doesn?t go as planned, and as the sailors get separated from each other, they come across a little more than they bargained for, and learn a lot about themselves along the way.

Now, there are good performances, and there are great performances. Then, every once in awhile, an actor comes along who is so natural, you forget he is playing a character in a movie, and you feel like you are watching someone's real life unfold before your eyes. These types of performances rarely come from Hollywood, as almost every recognizable star betrays whatever character they are playing at some point in every movie they play simply because their face is too familiar. But Matthew Newton is a rare talent. And if that isn't enough, he's also a gifted writer and director, and he manages to get equally authentic performances from his entire cast, making Three Blind Mice a perfect film.

Newton, along with Ewen Leslie and Toby Schmitz, are effortless in their ability to portray the sailors, each delivering a raw performance that you rarely see among young, overly-trained talent. These three Aussies look and feel genuine with every look and every line of dialogue. The smart script certainly helps, and perhaps the actors? longtime friendship does as well, as we really believe the sailors have a history and that they know each other better than they know themselves. I?m excited to see what each of them does next, and hope they have big futures. Even if they become recognizable stars, they each have the skill to deliver fresh and new performances for years to come.

If I took my writing more seriously, this is the kind of film I would aspire to make. A fantastic ensemble drama where relationships and careers collide, up to a shocking, ambiguous, but ultimately very satisfying conclusion. Great cast. I can't believe it's taken this long for me to see Glenn Close in a "serious" movie (101 Dalmations doesn't count). The younger players were equally impressive. I have no idea why I rented this (usually there's a reason, a particular actor or director most times), but this one just caught my eye. So glad it did!

Wow! Intense, I haven't sat through a movie and been so captivated in ages. Can't wait to see the American adaption, but there's no way it'll be as good as this.

A fun, if simple, thriller set on the legendary Transsiberian Railway. Great cast, definitely worth a rental.

I've always had a soft spot for Scandinavia and everything about it, including their films. Here, we have yet another brilliant entry, a quiet, slow-burning vampire film. Though not exactly killing at the box office like that "other" vampire flick, this one is making lots of noise on critics best-of lists, and rightfully so. The film is dark, literally. Set largely at night, the cinematographer uses a gorgeous washed-out colour palette with a blue overtone to create a creepy, but beautiful wintery landscape. It makes me want to visit this part of the world again (last time I was there, it was summer and it never got dark). The entire story revolves around two pre-teens, Oskar and Eli, neighbours who become close friends. Oskar even develops a little crush on Eli, but Eli is wary of returning the feelings, because of a little secret she has: she's a vampire. The acting is superb, especially for kids of this age. I can name several Oscar winners who can take a page from them for their incredible subtlety and chemistry with each other. The vampire scenes are sometimes gory, but never campy. It's funny and scary, but most of all, the tender love story between the leads is what makes this film worth watching again and again.

Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb! This one has tons of kitsch appeal. Possibly the greatest movie of the 60s, if not ever.

One of the best thrillers in ages. Although I have enjoyed Fincher's past work (Seven, Fight Club), I wouldn't call myself a fan. I guess his reputation precedes him. But you can't deny that his work is incredibly strong, as well as entertaining. Here he presents another serial killer flick, though this one is based on a true, still unsolved mystery. The details of the case are bizarre, and have led several of it's followers to obsessive madness. Great performances from the entire cast here. The period is captured beautifully, with authentic set pieces and props throughout. If you didn't know better, you'd think this was actually filmed in the 70s. It's long, but the time flies by with all the twists being thrown at you. Watch it in the dark for full effect!

A gorgeous, subtle little film with a deceptively simple story, but with great ambition and ideas about growing up, first love, deception, and loss of innocence. Post-war, pre-Swinging-60's England is captured beautifully by Danish director Lone Scherfig, and she manages to get great performances from her cast. That's no biggie for the always perfect Peter Sarsgaard, but the real revelation here is newcomer Carey Mulligan as young Jenny. I'll be shocked if I don't hear her name called out on that cold January morning when they announce the Oscar nominees.

More laughs than thrills today thanks to the horribly outdated details with airport security and cheesy special effects, but the general story still holds up well and is probably better than your average modern blockbuster thriller. The action is slow to start and there are tons of characters and subplots, but once you figure it all out, it's a lot of fun and has way more depth than anything you've seen recently.

Stylish and so much fun!

Perhaps the first indie romance ever to garner a sequel, this is an incredibly satisfying conclusion to Before Sunrise. Nine years after meeting on a train and spending a night walking the streets of Vienna together, Jesse and Celine meet up again in Paris and discover the chemistry is still there. Once again avoiding the typical pitfalls of romantic movies, this instead is completely believable, while still having a perfect ending that sort of hints at, but doesn't fully answer the "will they or won't they?" questions.

The awkwardness of the characters seemed a tad overdone at times, but their extreme quirkiness is a valid excuse for it. Charming little film!

Hilarious! One of the best Aussie movies I've seen in a long time.

One of the best classic dramas out there. No frills in the looks department, set in one room, shot in black and white, with everyone wearing the same style shirt and tie, but the intensity of the interactions between the twelve unnamed characters is a thrill to watch! See it on stage if you ever get the chance as well.

It has drawn a lot of comparisons to Adaptation, one of my favourite films, but this one is even better. Ferrell proves he really can act, plus great performances all around. And this film is much more accessible to the masses than anything by Kaufmann, but still very smart.

One of the best films I've seen in a long time and defiintely the best foreign film I've seen in ages. Those Danes know how to do it! Great melodrama that could very easily have become a sappy ridiculous mess in the wrong hands, but it plays well with some fantastic actors. And the natural lighting and complete lack of special effects is quite refreshing compared to shiny Hollywood flicks these days.

A classic study on the age-old human nature of competition, set in the world of retro video gamers. Appealing to geeks, nerds, and dorks alike, as well as anyone who thinks they are too good for such titles.

The flick follows two real-life examples of "good" and "evil." Representing the good is underdog nice guy Steve Wiebe, a family man from Seattle who decided to try breaking the Donkey Kong record one day after he was laid off from work and needed something to do. On the opposite side of the ring is defending champion Billy Mitchell, the proud, arrogant, and hypocritical slimeball salesman from Florida who should be named champion of pouts and scowls instead of this stupid game. His facial expressions are worthy of daytime soap operas, and I guarantee you will want to shave his head just because he covets his own hair.

As we cheer for Steve and boo and hiss at Billy, we learn a lot more about the game of Kong than we ever really wanted to know, but it's pure entertainment the whole way. A cast of supporting characters, including Billy's overexcitable protege, a "professional" video game referee, and Steve's supportive and loving family (his daughter has the single best line in the movie) make you wonder if this world is real. Then you remember you're watching a documentary and are frightened to realize that it is.

This doc, along with many other greats from the year, scandalously didn't make the shortlist for the Oscars, but the doc category has always been a little slanted by some really wacky rules, so don't be discouraged when the Academy doesn't consider this one of the five best docs of the year. This is WAY better than anything Michael Moore could ever make.

The title is very appropriate, but at the same time misleading. The film is entirely made up of five intercut vignettes, following seperate couples through exactly what you think. But it is also a smart, sophisticated comedy about the dynamics within these different kinds of relationships, and while you laugh, you will realize that you also completely relate to these characters' situations, both the good and the bad.

It doesn't shy away from showing you everything -- the film looks just slightly less sleazy than soft core porn, but it does well with casting actors who are not only confident and great performers, but also "normal" looking. Nothing too big, fake, or plastic here, everyone has normal, healthy proportions.

Extra credit goes out to the writers both male, one who also acts (the other directed), who created five strong female roles, and did not treat them just like scenery like so many modern Hollywood movies do. This has potential to become a classic for the generation.

This is a sweet political thriller that is much more than a crazy plot with the actors simply being used as pawns to get through all the twists and turns. Indeed, there is a LOT of plot here, I still haven't wrapped my head around all of it, but the characters are what make it so much fun. Russell Crowe is fantastic in the lead, adding lots of nuance to what could have been a dull reporter getting to the bottom of a story. Rachel McAdams and Helen Mirren are great as his eager and cynical colleagues. Ben Affleck proves once again that he's not just the punchline of a joke, and Jason Bateman ROCKS, almost stealing the show with his small role, playing against type as a sleazy PR guy. Among all the action and drama, there is plenty of biting humour to spice it all up. Definitely a highlight for 2009.

If Hugh Jackman had made this only a few years later with a Hollywood studio, it probably would have been one of the bigger romantic comedy hits of the year. The script is adorable. If not perfect, it's definitely better than the average entry from the genre. High concept, well-written characters. Jackman is rugged and charming, a perfect combination, and the rest of the Aussie cast is equally good. Definitely worth seeking out if you can.

A sweet and simple film that plays like a love letter to Canada. Though cancer plays a small role, the real story is a young man's personal journey across the country on his motorcycle.



The subject matter is held fairly lightly, and there is plenty of humour thrown in among a few more serious moments. Joshua Jackson proves to be an enormously appealing actor and delivers a subtle and fresh performance as Ben. I hope this is the beginning of a lot more lead roles on the big screen for him. I know he spends a lot of time on TV, but he's too good to be wasted there.



Not sure if it would play well internationally, but the many distinctly Canadian icons are fun to look at and might even make you want to hit the road as soon as you leave the theatre.

I was in Cairo earlier this year, and I can say first-hand that it is probably one of the craziest cities in the world. Easily the craziest that I've ever been to, and I've been quite a few places.

Here, Patricia Clarkson plays Juliette, a woman who arrives in Egypt to meet her husband for a long-delayed and much-deserved vacation. But Mark, a UN ambassador, is held up in Gaza, and nobody knows how long it will take for him to get to Cairo to meet her. So she is picked up at the airport by Tareq, an old friend of Mark's, and he gets her safely to her hotel.

When Juliette starts to go crazy from staying indoors -- Mark warned her not to wander the streets on her own, as it's not safe for women -- she takes up Tareq's offer to show her the city. Slowly, they build an unlikely friendship, and perhaps even love, but neither one is prepared or willing to act on it.

Without so much as a kiss, we witness a beautiful affair, captured perfectly by Clarkson and Alexander Siddig, who plays Tareq. Both performerances are richly nuanced and subtle, and very little dialogue is needed for the actors to get their emotions across. It's the smiles, the stolen glaces, the innocent touches, and completely silent scenes that speak volumes.

The third character here, the city of Cairo, is captured authentically. While I was left unimpressed after leaving Egypt -- it took me over a month to shake off the food poising / virus I picked up there -- it only takes this tiny Canadian film a few frames to find the beauty among the chaos. We see the main highlights of course, the pyramids, the mighty Nile, and the camels. But we also get to see the smaller details, like Juliette sharing a shisha pipe with Tareq, trying an exotic tea, wandering a busy bazaar, and being stared at and followed by packs of strange men. The culture shock is at first too much for Juliette, but as time passes and Mark remains absent, she gets used to the city, even growing to like it.

We know from the start that Juliette and Tareq's romance isn't meant to be, and that even their friendship is a fleeting one, but for the time that we are with them, we get incredibly attached, and it's as sad as it is a relief when Mark finally shows up.

This is a brilliant little film that says so much in the simplest ways, and it *almost* makes me want to give Egypt a second chance myself. Almost. If I ever do go back, I want my own Tareq there with me.

Total guilty pleasure.

The first half was beautiful. The second half was depressing.

After reading Steve Martin's memoir, I really appreciate this film. I didn't really "get it" when I saw it a few years ago, but there's a lot more to take in on second viewing. The romance with Jason Schwartzman is just the right amount of quirky. Maybe it goes a little over the top, but the fact that it's only part of a bigger story balances it out. The contrasting romance with Steve Martin is more sophisticated, and both are romantic in their own odd ways. The cinematography, by Peter Suschitzky, who collaborates regularly with David Cronenberg, is gorgeous, lighting Los Angeles in rich shades of green and red and making the city actually look beautiful and peaceful. I very rarely have the urge to read books that inspire the movies I see, but I'd definitely like to read Steve Martin's novel now.