Snooch to the Nooch!
Well, the summer has come to an end, and thanks to some well-timed screeners and an unusual amount of pre-release screenings at work, it was my most productive summer movie-wise to date. It was also a pretty great one, as I think you’ll be able to see for yourself. A few movies still haven’t been seen, but their absence wasn’t felt just yet. I hope you enjoy!
Viva La Resistance!
Brian Skutle
www.sonic-cinema.com
www.myspace.com/brianskutle
www.myspace.com/cinemanouveau
End-of Summer Best/Worst/Oscar-Worthy:
Best Film: “Up” (A+) and “(500) Days of Summer” (A+). It’s practically impossible for me to choose just one of these innovative and beautifully-crafted summer jewels. The first is Pixar’s latest critical and commercial darling- a moving tale of finding adventure in the most unexpected places that became their biggest hit since “Finding Nemo.” The second was a Sundance hit that turns the romantic comedy on its’ head as Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel, in the most appealing romantic pairing in years, take us on a poignant and painfully funny journey of how love went wrong. With the Academy adding five slots to the Best Picture category this year, both have a shot to do what hasn’t happened for either genre/medium in at least two decades- get nominated. Don’t count out Kathryn Bigelow’s military powerhouse “The Hurt Locker” or Sam Mendes’ beautifully screwed-up “Away We Go” in the expanded Oscar race, either.
Best Entertainment: “Star Trek” (A+); Admittedly, this one belongs to the two films above as well, but I’m looking to spread the wealth around this year. And as much as I loved “The Hangover,” was thrilled by “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” was scared out of my wits by “Drag Me to Hell,” and was challenged by the “Inglourious Basterds” and just plain enjoyed “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra,” J.J. Abrams tapped into my inner Trekkie and made the most thrilling space epic in quite a while with his voyage of the early years of the starship Enterprise. I can’t wait to see where he takes them next.
Worst Film: “The Final Destination” (F); How do you keep a dying horror franchise of life support? By using 3-D to have the blood, guts, and implements of terror break through the screen and go right in people’s faces. Maybe studying the masters of terror to make it seem like “death” wasn’t just a petty soultaker would’ve been a better way to keep people pinned to their seats.
Worst Disappointment:: You mean, besides how Michael Bay squandered fanboy good will on more of his idiotic brand of humor (see Skids and Mudflap, and my God those scenes with the mom at college) on the otherwise terrific “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”? Admittedly, there really wasn’t anything that broke my heart artistically this summer. That said, the lack of box-office love for Sam Raimi’s “Drag Me to Hell” (A+)- quite possibly the best horror film since “The Shining” and “The Exorcist”- was a sad state of affairs, almost dwarfed by the knowledge that indies gems like “Knuckle Draggers,” “Cut From Home,” and “Thicker Than Water: The Vampire Diaries- Part I”- which I was able to watch via filmmaker screeners- will probably not see even the barest of releases in a theatre near you. All three are among the year’s best films.
Biggest Laughs: “The Hangover” (A-); Now, I suppose I could pay lip service to the comic rebellion of “Bruno,” the family-friendly comedy of “Up” and “Ice Age,” and, well, that’s pretty much it from theatres (although low-budget screeners “Knuckle Draggers” and “Thicker Than Water” provided some bold and bruising laughs). But let’s face it, nothing came close to touching the rowdy and raunchy anarchy on display in Todd Philips’ Vegas bachelor party gone very awry. Hell, the bizarrely funny Zach Galifianakis alone as the brother-in-law to be is funnier than most movies are in their entirety.
Biggest/Best Surprise:: Admittedly, there weren’t a whole lot of “surprises” in store this summer. The stunning success of “The Hangover” was the biggest financial surprise, but quality wise, the only things that really come to mind were how McG made a worthy post-apocalyptic thriller out of “Terminator: Salvation” (A-) (it certainly makes up for “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle”), and- best of all personally- how Stephen Sommers made something silly and exciting out of the over-qualified-in-casting “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra” (B+). This could’ve been a disaster, but he held true to the spirit of the thing, and made it something over-the-top but a lot of fun.
Biggest Dud: “Year One” (B-)- Financially, it was actually the Will Farrell bomb “Land of the Lost,” but that movie is surreal and oddly enjoyable in a way few are capable. I much prefer the stunted “Year One,” which has its’ moments, but has too much talent in front of the camera (Jack Black, Michael Cera, David Cross, Paul Rudd, Hank Azaria, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Oliver Platt, Bill Hader) and behind it (Harold Ramis and Judd Apatow) to be this frustratingly uneven.
Most Gratuitous Cash-In: “Dance Flick” (D-)- Look, I know how strange this choice is, and the obvious answer would be the 3-D “The Final Destination,” but come on, another spoof flick from the Wayans clan? (And the B team no less.) About dissing flicks from “Fame” to “Step Up?” When the recent spoof genre “Scary Movie” built is sputtering and coughing up blood? It’s kind of sad, really.
Favorite Performances: Instead of trying to come up with something to write about each performance/character, I’m just gonna be running them down for you: Joseph Gordon-Levitt & Zooey Deschanel (“(500) Days of Summer”); Zach Galifianakis (“The Hangover”); Ed Asner & Bob Peterson (“Up”); Christoph Waltz, Melanie Laurent, Diane Kruger and Brad Pitt (“Inglourious Basterds”); Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Michael Gambon (“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”); Rachel Weisz & Rinko Kikuchi (“The Brothers Bloom”); John Krasinski & Maya Rudolph (“Away We Go”); Alison Lohman & Lorna Raver (“Drag Me to Hell”); Jeremy Renner (“The Hurt Locker”); Adam Sandler & Leslie Mann (“Funny People”); Johnny Depp (“Public Enemies”); Eric Bana & Simon Pegg (“Star Trek”).
Oscar-Worthy Mentions:
In a break from my usual practice, I’m just gonna go with the ones I’d most like to see nominated (and so far occupy slots in my own Oscar ballot) rather than listing everything.
Best Picture: “Up”; “(500) Days of Summer”; “Drag Me to Hell”; “Star Trek”; “Away We Go”; “The Hurt Locker”; “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”
Best Director: Marc Webb, “(500) Days of Summer”; Kathryn Bigelow, “The Hurt Locker”; Quentin Tarantino, “Inglourious Basterds”; Sam Raimi, “Drag Me to Hell”
Best Actor: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, “(500) Days of Summer”; Johnny Depp, “Public Enemies”; John Krasinski, “Away We Go”
Best Actress: Maya Rudolph, “Away We Go”; Zooey Deschanel, “(500) Days of Summer”
Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz, “Inglourious Basterds”; Zach Galifianakis, “The Hangover”; Billy Crudup, “Public Enemies”; Michael Gambon, “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”
Best Supporting Actress: Melanie Laurent, “Inglourious Basterds”; Leslie Mann, “Funny People”; Betty White, “The Proposal”; Rinko Kikuchi, “The Brothers Bloom”
Best Original Screenplay: “Up” (Pete Doctor, Bob Peterson); “(500) Days of Summer” (Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber); “Away We Go” (Dave Eggers, Vendela Vida)
Best Adapted Screenplay: “Star Trek” (Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman); “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” (Steve Kloves); “Public Enemies” (Ronan Bennett, Ann Biderman, Michael Mann)
Best Original Score: “Up” (Michael Giacchino); “Star Trek” (Michael Giacchino); “The Brothers Bloom” (Nathan Johnson)
Best Original Song: “Dove of Peace” from “Brüno” ()
Technical Oscars Run-Down: “The Brothers Bloom” (Best Art Direction); “District 9” (Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Editing, Best Cinematography); “Drag Me to Hell” (Best Sound Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Makeup); “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” (Best Film Editing, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design); “The Hurt Locker” (Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing); “Inglourious Basterds” (Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design); “Public Enemies” (Best Costume Design); “Star Trek” (Best Sound, Best Film Editing, Best Makeup); “Taking Woodstock” (Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design); “Up” (Best Sound)
Summer 2009: The Complete Moviewatching List:
The A’s: “Up” (A+); “(500) Days of Summer” (A+); “Drag Me to Hell” (A+); “Star Trek” (A+); “Away We Go” (A); “The Hurt Locker” (A); “Ponyo” (A); “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” (A); “Thicker Than Water: The Vampire Diaries- Part I” (A); “Knuckle Draggers” (A); “District 9” (A); “Public Enemies” (A); “The Hangover” (A-); “Cut From Home” (A-); “Inglourious Basterds” (A-); “The Brothers Bloom” (A-); “Taking Woodstock” (A-); “Terminator: Salvation” (A-); “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3” (A-); “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” (A-)
The B’s: “Funny People” (B+); “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra” (B+); “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” (B+); “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” (B+); “Adam” (B+); “Battle for Terra” (B+); “Angels & Demons” (B); “Rocks & Pebbles & Happiness” (B); “Rudo y Cursi” (B); “Land of the Lost” (B); “Whatever Works” (B); “Brüno” (B); “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past” (B); “The Ugly Truth” (B); “Year One” (B-)
The C’s: “The Proposal” (C+); “Shorts” (C); “Knock ‘Em Dead, Kid” (C-)
The D’s: “Imagine That” (D+); “Dance Flick” (D-)
The F’s: “The Final Destination” (F)
