The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994) 4/5

Morals are a choice, and he'll decide his own when he's good and bloody well ready. 

I'm not really sure why it took me so long to see this one, but I sure I am glad I finally did. The guy from Memento and Agent Smith from "The Matrix" are drag queens who recruit Senator Valorum from "The Phantom Menace" (who just happens to be a transvestite) to travel across Australia in a giant RV nicknamed "Priscilla". If that sentence doesn't get you fired up, then I don't know what will (or maybe you're just not me...). What was absolutely beautiful about this film is that it doesn't play the "drag" for jokes like "To Wong Foo" or "Some Like it Hot". Don't get me wrong, the movie is quite hilarious, but not at the expense of its subjects. It humanizes the three men in a way that wouldn't be possible without transporting the viewer on the trip every step of the way; good times and bad, emotional times and scary.

 In a time where 1.3 million people can cast a vote condemning a group of people based upon their sexual preference, it's pretty cool to check out an 18-year-old film from the other side of the world that is, sadly, still quite a bit ahead of its time here in our home state.

Shame (2011) 3/5

We're not bad people. We just come from a bad place.

 Human sexuality is extremely fragile. So much so that it is rare to find adults (especially in the United States) that don't have some form of sexual hangup. This could be due to bad experiences in the past, unhealthy relationships, or just plain old ignorance. This film deals with the shame that coincides with sexual addiction (which, when it comes down to it, just about every male, and many females, have experienced on some level). Michael Fassbender was absolutely amazing as the movie's tortured subject, and the prodding direction provides a haunting and personal connection as he falls deeper into his pit of despair.

3 (2011) 4/5

Farewell to a deterministic understanding of biology.

A simple boy meets girl, girl meets different boy, boy meets same different boy story directed by the absolutely masterful Tom Tykwer. Just in case you didn't follow that synopsis, this is about a loving couple who both begin affairs with the same man unbeknownst to everyone involved. It is a love story that challenges your views about what healthy relationships, sexuality, and love. The film is in German (as are Tykwer's other masterpieces "Run Lola Run" and "The Princess and the Warrior"), but this is what is great about foreign film (and why you shouldn't limit them from your movie choices). A movie like this could NEVER get greenlit by an American production company. A word of warning though, just as the movie is very free with its definitions of human biological relationships, it is also free with its depictions of such. You should probably be pretty open minded before trying this one out.

Young Adult (2011) 3/5

Guys like me are born loving women like you. 

Thank You for Smoking, Juno, Up in the Air. I guess it was a little too much to expect that streak to continue. All of the same ingredients were there for a solid Jason Reitman movie, even a Diablo Cody screenplay (writer of Juno), except for one - a likable protagonist. It is nearly impossible to conjure up much sympathy for Charlize Theron's prom queen-turned-depressive divorcee writer. Patton Oswalt nearly pulls off this feat with his down-on-his-luck geek who befriends the young lady, but even his outstanding performance left at best a character who could blame her horrible actions on mental illness.

Ralph McQuarrie 1929-2012

George Lucas may have had the vision, John Williams may have moved you to emotion, but Ralph McQuarrie made it real. From lightsabers, to Han Solo, to Darth Vader, to Wookies, it all started with this man's brushstroke. Gone, but never, ever forgotten.

2012 Oscar Ballot!

A little disappointed with the movies I missed this year; especially "Hugo", which just happens to come out on dvd in 2 days. Still, I saw most of the movies (except for that pesky Best Actress category) so here is my oscar ballot ranked from best to worst including only the movies I have seen. I'm also including my prediction, and who I felt should have been nominated. Here goes:

Best Picture
"The Tree of Life"
"The Help"
"War Horse"
"The Descendants"
"Midnight in Paris"
"Moneyball"
"The Artist"
"Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"

Prediction: The Artist
Shoulda been here: Beginners

Best Actor
Demian Bichir, "A Better Life"
Brad Pitt, "Moneyball"
George Clooney, "The Descendants"
Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"

Prediction: Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"
Shoulda been here: Rhys Ifans, "Anonymous"

Best Actress
Viola Davis, "The Help"

Prediction: Viola Davis, "The Help"
Shoulda been here: Mia Wasikowska, "Jane Eyre"

Best Supporting Actor
Nick Nolte, "Warrior"
Christopher Plummer, "Beginners"
Jonah Hill, "Moneyball"
Max Von Sydow, "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"

Prediction: Christopher Plummer, "Beginners"
Shoulda been here: Andy Serkis, "Rise of the Planet of the Apes"

Best Supporting Actress
Jessica Chastain, "The Help"
Octavia Spencer, "The Help"
Berenice Bejo, "The Artist"
Melissa McCarthy, "Bridesmaids"

Prediction: Octavia Spencer, "The Help"
Shoulda been here: Jessica Chastain, "The Tree of Life"

Best Director
Terrence Malick, "The Tree of Life"
Alexander Payne, "The Descendants"
Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"
Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"

Prediction: Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"
Shoulda been here: Steven Spielberg, "War Horse"

Best Original Screenplay
Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"
JC Chandor, "Margin Call"
Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"
Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, "Bridesmaids"

Prediction: Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"
Shoulda been here: Mike Mills, "Beginners"

Best Adapted Screenplay
Alexander Payne, Nat Faxton, Jim Rash, "The Descendants"
Aaron Sorkin, Steven Zaillian, "Moneyball"
George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon, "The Ides of March"

Prediction: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxton, Jim Rash, "The Descendants"

Best Animated Feature
"Kung Fu Panda 2"
"Puss in Boots"
"Rango"

Prediction: Rango
Shoulda been here: Rio

Original Score
"The Adventures of Tintin," John Williams
"The Artist," Ludovic Bource
"War Horse," John Williams

Prediction: "The Artist", Ludovic Bource
Shoulda been here: "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo", Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross

Best Original Song
"Man or Muppet," The Muppets; Music and Lyric by Bret McKenzie
"Real in Rio," Rio; Music by Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown, Lyric by Siedah Garrett

Prediction: Man or Muppet
Shoulda been here: Life's a Happy Song, The Muppets

Best Achievement in Art Direction
"Midnight in Paris"
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
"War Horse"
"The Artist"

Prediction: Hugo
Shoulda been here: Bellflower

Best Achievement in Cinematography
"The Tree of Life"
"War Horse"
"The Artist"

Prediction: The Tree of Life
Shoulda been here: Bellflower

Best Achievement in Costume Design
"Jane Eyre"
"Anonymous"
"The Artist"

Prediction: Hugo
Shoulda been here: Drive

Best Achievement in Film Editing
"The Artist"
"Moneyball"
"The Descendants"

Prediction: The Artist
Shoulda been here: Midnight in Paris

Best Achievement in Makeup
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"

Prediction: The Iron Lady
Shoulda been here: Warrior

Best Achievement in Sound Editing
"Drive"
"War Horse"
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon"

Prediction: Hugo
Shoulda been here: The Tree of Life


Best Achievement in Sound Mixing
"War Horse"
"Moneyball"
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon"

Prediction: Hugo
Shoulda been here: The Tree of Life

Best Achievement in Visual Effects
"Rise of the Planet of the Apes"
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
"Real Steel"
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon"

Prediction: Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Shoulda been here: The Tree of Life

So another year down. For the first time since 1984 the Best Picture winner will have also won the same award at the Independent Spirit Awards. Too bad its the worst Spirit winner in the history of the award... Don't get me wrong it is not a bad movie, it's just not a great movie...

2011 Top Ten

Ugh. It took until March 21st to finally have seen enough 2011 movies to feel confident in my top 10 for the year. I've linked to my blog entry if I already talked about a film. For the record, I have seen 59 movies released during 2011. 10 presented here, 21 that probably were pretty close to making this list, 22 good, solid films, 3 pretty bad films, and 3 abysmally awful excuses for film making. Here they are the best films of last year.

10. Bellflower
Check my my blog entry:
Here

9. 50/50
Heartbreaking and hilariously honest look at love, loss, and love all the while battling against the impervious immortality that one feels when they are in their 20s. Also, Seth Rogen should've gotten some supporting actor mentions for this movie. He pulls off a role that is a very delicate balance between annoying and adorable.

8. Take Shelter
A harrowing look at mental illness and the love that can hold any family together.

7. Jane Eyre
I blame Charlotte Bronte for this one. I never new her story was so freakin' awesome until I saw this adaptation. You couldn't come up with a better title Ms. Bronte? Really? Jane Eyre... so bland. If it had been named "The Passionate Feminista", I would have checked it out long ago.

6. Warrior
Blog entry here

5. Beginners
Ewan McGregor's bad luck in love is only made worse by his father's good luck in his new found freedom of living as a gay man, finding a young boyfriend, and laughing death in the face. It doesn't hurt that his father is played by Christopher Plummer in the role of his career.

4. War Horse
Most underrated movie of the year, and Spielberg's best since in the past decade. Check out my review here.

3. Crazy Stupid Love
Ryan Gosling owned this year. Award-worthy performances in this, "Drive", and "The Ides of March". He certainly has completely shed his "the guy from the Notebook" persona. Read all about it here

2. The Help
The Artist may have won all of the awards, but this is what most people will remember as the best film from 2011. A moving story that actually is able to transcend its own content is quite rare. This isn't a movie about journalism, race relations, housekeeping, or even love. This is a movie about how you treat your fellow man in all aspects of life.

1. The Tree of Life
Do you like poetry? Do you like beautiful moving images? Do you desire to tackle the biggest question in the history of mankind? Are you ready to completely give in to the best movie about faith of all time? If so, you should give it a spin. If not, it's okay, Malick's masterpiece will be there when you're ready for it. Read about my first take on it here.