Martin's Movie Review: October 2013

Sunday, October 27, 2013

The Year in Review- 2004

It was the year Clint Eastwood got Hilary Swank ready for a fight while DiCaprio took flight with Scorsese. Mel Gibson got crucified, Jamie Foxx was blind and Alexander Payne taught us about wine. Spiderman and Shrek owned the summer box office while the artsy crowd got caught up with Jesse and Celine. Here are the ten best films in order for 2004.

1. "Million Dollar Baby"(2004)
Clint Eastwood staked his claim as possibly the biggest living legend in Hollywood with the staggering one-two punch of "Mystic River" and the greatest boxing movie this side of "Rocky" and "Raging Bull". The sheer quality of the man's recent directorial output is enough to put him in rarified air, even if you erased his sizeable contributions in the previous three decades. He guided Hilary Swank to her second Best Actress Oscar(the first was for "Boys Don't Cry"), as she infused her role as unlikely pugilist Maggie Fitzgerald with believable strength and a disarming sensitivity. Morgan Freeman reached his artistic peak as Clint's crusty, gym-dwelling sidekick before he began to seemingly lend his dignified presence to any and every project put in front of him. The gut-wrenching third act, which I won't spoil for those uneducated readers that still haven't seen it(shame on you), overcame mild controversy to knock out some stiff competition at the Academy Awards for the coveted Best Picture and Director(Eastwood) trophies.

2. "The Aviator"(2004)
There's no question that Leonardo DiCaprio has benefitted immensely from his union with the incomparable Martin Scorsese, as he set out to permanently silence naysayers and make his limiting pin-up boy reputation a distant memory in the minds of moviegoers. The titanic hunk spread his acting wings as Howard Hughes, in this briskly-paced biopic that covers the aviation pioneer's life from the late 1920s to 1947. Hughes became one of the wealthiest men in the world during this period, and his brief glory included forays into movie-making and relationships with various starlets, before crippling bouts with OCD led to a reclusive and painful descent. Cate Blanchett won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar and confirmed her standing as a fantastic female performer by channeling another one, Hughes' most celebrated conquest, Katharine Hepburn.

3. "The Passion of the Christ"(2004)
Nine years after his Oscar-winning triumph "Braveheart", Mel Gibson stepped back behind the camera for the ultimate umm, passion project, and the results were impossible to predict. It turned out that the martyred exploits of William Wallace were merely a warm-up, as the intensely-personal "Christ" came to represent a seismic shift in the public's perception of Gibson. The handsome and popular star of countless hits in the '80s and '90s morphed into a provocative figure, unafraid to enthusiastically discuss his faith- a topic that most celebs wisely shy away from. You don't have to share his beliefs(or condone any drunken rants) to recognize that this is an extraordinary piece of film-making. A graphically-violent depiction of the last twelve hours in the life of Jesus(a committed Jim Caveziel) told in a dead Aramaic language? Christian zealots weren't the only ones swarming the theater, but only mad Mel could tell you if the $370 million domestic box office was worth the chilly blowback.

4. "Spider-Man 2"(2004) This spectacular sequel is not only a high point for the Spidey series but the entire overstuffed genre as well. It seems to be a rule that the second film in a superhero franchise is often the best, as the filmmakers are more confident in the knowledge that the public has embraced the characters and world they established the first time around(see "Superman II" and "Batman Returns"). Director Sam Raimi continues to get his inspiration from 1960s comics as Peter Parker realizes the heavy toll that crime-fighting has taken on his personal life. Can he have a relationship with Mary Jane(Kirsten Dunst) AND stop the destructive Doc Ock(Alfred Molina)? From Tobey Maguire's affecting angst to Alvin Sargent's tight script to a show-stopping elevated train sequence, this remains the "Spider-Man" movie to beat.

5. "Sideways"(2004)
21st century cinema is definitely a better place thanks to the intelligence, insights and unique storytelling abilities of writer-director Alexander Payne. This bittersweet trip through California's wine country was the moment that most of us realized that we had a singular new talent on our hands. Payne's decision to cast non-stars in the lead roles was a bold move in retrospect- Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church weren't exactly marquee names, but that didn't matter one bit. They're both wonderful as middle-aged best pals with wildly dissimilar approaches to life and love, and their alternately funny and moving odyssey is certain to get better with age.

6. "Hotel Rwanda"(2004)
Don Cheadle's brave hotelier saves the lives of a thousand African refugees during a 1994 genocide that went curiously underreported despite the loss of a million lives and the presence of 24 hour news channels(I guess OJ Simpson was more interesting). The power of film turned our attention to those tragic three months in a devastating drama that earned comparisons to "Schindler's List". If director Terry George wasn't virtually unknown, "Rwanda" might have seen similar treatment during awards season(that media-made Eastwood vs. Scorsese narrative was too tempting). The world turned a blind eye to these atrocities, and I'm not proud of the fact that I barely knew it happened. You shouldn't be, either.

7. "Ray"(2004)
The emergence of Jamie Foxx as a legitimate acting talent may have been the most pleasant surprise of 2004. The same year that he was more than a match for a villainous Tom Cruise in "Collateral", Foxx was the total embodiment of the legendary Ray Charles, making the Best Actor Oscar race something of a no-brainer(sorry, Leo). His transformative mannerisms allow viewers to fully accept him in the role of the blind, piano-playing pioneer before he even embarks on his soul music career in the 1950s. Director Taylor Hackford follows the standard biopic formula with lengthy detours into drug abuse and womanizing, but the central performance is more than enough to keep the film(and the audience) humming along.

8. "Before Sunset"(2004)
Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy did something remarkable when they reunited nine years after their refreshing yet largely forgotten 1995 romance "Before Sunrise". They talked. And talked. Then they talked some more. Richard Linklater's bittersweet stroll through Paris struck a nerve with hopeless romantics, and such dazzling wordplay is the real special effect in today's marketplace. Like all good sequels do, it made the original even better, and the critical groundswell meant we got to meet up with Jesse and Celine for a third time in 2013's "Before Midnight". One of modern cinema's greatest couples was officially born.

9. "Kill Bill: Volume II"(2004)
The Bride was back in the arguably superior second half of Quentin Tarantino's epic comeback/revenge flick. We really have to give credit to QT for bringing his kung-fu wet dreams to life in such memorable fashion, because this whole thing could have so easily gone the other way. We're not usually comfortable with the idea of a female creating this much carnage, but the audience's willing acceptance is a huge testament to the strength of the Tarantino brand, as Uma finally gets around to killing Michael Madsen, Daryl Hannah, and the elusive title character himself, the late David Carradine.

10(tie). "Shrek 2"(2004)
The public may be all Shreked out, but in 2004 we just couldn't get enough of this swamp-dwelling green ogre and his Scottish accent. DreamWorks Animation's greatest asset became a box office juggernaut that summer, ultimately becoming the third highest grossing film of the decade(behind "Avatar" and "The Dark Knight"). His pop culture-peppered trip to Far, Far Away may not be as timeless as the 2001 original, but there's still some big laughs in this $150 million sequel(wow), thanks to the awesome vocals of Mike Meyers and Eddie Murphy and returning director Andrew Adamson. Oh, and the scene-stealing Puss in Boots, perfectly voiced by Antonio Banderas, making a spin-off inevitable. A third installment promptly arrived, with much less creative energy, in 2007.

10(tie). "Finding Neverland"(2004)
A post-"Pirates" Johnny Depp took a break from swashbuckling to make a brief return to the kind of quiet, unassuming characterizations that endeared him to the masses in the first place, before the pull of blockbuster booty proved too difficult to resist. Depp is London playwright J.M. Barrie whose platonic relationship with a single mother(the always lovely Kate Winslet) and her five boys, inspired the creation of his classic "Peter Pan" in 1903. You're likely to be just as caught up in the whimsy as young Freddie Highmore, who was also a bright spot in Depp's next project "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory".

Honorable Mentions- "Miracle"(2004) Kurt Russell coaches the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team. "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"(2004) Jim Carrey can't get over Kate Winslet. "Man on Fire"(2004) Denzel Washington defends Dakota Fanning. "Mean Girls"(2004) This Tina Fey-scripted comedy was Lindsay Lohan's. "The Machinist"(2004) Christian Bale is committed to his craft. "Hellboy"(2004) Guillermo del Toro comes to our attention. "Troy"(2004) Brad Pitt is Achilles in Wolfgang Petersen's historical epic. "13 Going on 30"(2004) Jennifer Garner is a charmer in this comic fantasy. "Napoleon Dynamite"(2004) Cult comedy about the misadventures of a high school nerd. "Van Helsing"(2004) Hugh Jackman is a CGI vampire hunter. "The Day After Tomorrow"(2004) We have a weather emergency with Roland Emmerich. "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban"(2004) Did Alfonso Cuaron direct the best one? "The Terminal"(2004) Steven Spielberg leaves Tom Hanks stranded at the airport. "The Notebook"(2004) Every chick in the world fell for this one. "King Arthur"(2004) Antoine Fuqua directs the Disney version of the Dark Ages. "I, Robot"(2004) Will Smith + sci-fi= $$$.

"Garden State"(2004) Zach Braff briefly looked like the next Woody Allen. "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy"(2004) Will Ferrell's funniest movie? "The Clearing"(2004) Willem Dafoe kidnaps and kills Robert Redford. "Supersize Me"(2004) McDonald's is bad for you. "Fahrenheit 9/11"(2004) George W. Bush was bad for you. "The Bourne Supremacy"(2004) Paul Greengrass makes Matt Damon an action icon. "The Manchurian Candidate"(2004) Denzel and Jonathan Demme remake the '62 Frank Sinatra flick. "Collateral"(2004) Tom Cruise is a stone-cold hitman for Michael Mann. "Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement"(2004) Garry Marshall and Anne Hathaway give Disney a hit sequel.

"Melinda and Melinda"(2004) Is life a comedy or a tragedy? "Shark Tale"(2004) DreamWorks Animation goes underwater. "Vera Drake"(2004) does illegal abortions in 1950 London. "The Door in the Floor"(2004) Jeff Bridges and Kim Basinger as an aging depressed couple. "Friday Night Lights"(2004) Billy Bob Thornton and Texas high school football. "The Incredibles"(2004) Pixar presents a family of superheroes. "Alfie"(2004) Jude Law as a womanizing Brit. "Tupac: Resurrection"(2004) This doc recalls the tumultous life of the rap legend. "Kinsey"(2004) Sex education with Liam Neeson. "National Treasure"(2004) Nic Cage's last stand as a viable leading man. "The Polar Express"(2004) Robert Zemeckis and Tom Hanks pioneer motion-capture technology. "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason"(2004) I liked it as much as the first one. "Closer"(2004) Julia Roberts, Jude Law, and Natalie Portman in Mike Nichols' brutal relationship drama. "Splanglish"(2004) Adam Sandler gets(semi) serious with James L. Brooks. "The Woodsman"(2004) Kevin Bacon is a recovering pedophile. "Meet the Fockers"(2004) Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller are joined by Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand in this huge hit sequel. "The Assassination of Richard Nixon"(2004) Sean Penn lights up this little-seen 1974-set indie as psycho salesman Samuel Byck. "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events"(2004) Jim Carrey is Count Olaf.

Saturday, October 26, 2013

The Year in Review- 2003

It was the year a pair of dark dramas stood tall out a sea of sunny escapism. Frodo took his final bow, Pixar maintained their animated brilliance, and Captain Jack made Johnny Depp the most popular man on Earth. Tobey Maguire played a jockey, Bill Murray spent time in Tokyo, and Quentin Tarantino made a comeback. Here are the ten best films in order for 2003.

1. "Mystic River"(2003)
Just when you thought a 72 year old Clint Eastwood was ready to ride off into the cinematic sunset, he stepped behind the camera for this devastating drama. A never-more-intense Sean Penn picked up his first Best Actor Oscar as a volatile ex-con dealing with the senseless murder of his 19 year daughter(Emmy Rossum). This sudden, shocking event is the catalyst that brings buried emotions and psychological damage to light among his circle of family and friends in Charlestown, Boston. Penn leads a terrific cast that includes Best Supporting Actor winner Tim Robbins, Kevin Bacon, Laurence Fishburne, Laura Linney, and Marcia Gay Harden. With a great script adapted by Brian Helgeland("L.A. Confidential") from Dennis Lehane's 2001 novel, they all assist Eastwood in creating a moody masterpiece that he can put proudly next to his previous benchmark "Unforgiven".

2. "Monster"(2003)
Charlize Theron traded her leading lady looks for the role of a lifetime in this chilling fact-based indie drama. The word 'transformation' is overused, but it certainly applies here- she's unrecognizable underneath a 30 pound weight gain, prosthetic teeth, and ugly clothes/make-up as a homeless prostitute-turned-serial killer. Aileen Wuornos was given the death penalty in Florida after gunning down six potential customers in 1990. An all-around tragedy, Theron fearlessly tackled this condemned woman's unspeakably sad life to turn in one of the best performances I've ever seen. Christina Ricci deserves to share in the praise as her lonely lesbian lover, and it's through their heartbreaking union that writer-director Patty Jenkins humanizes a character that would have been all too easy to demonize.

3. "The Lord Of The Rings: The Return of the King"(2003)
Peter Jackson's epic-in-every-sense-of-the-word trilogy had a lock on the title of most beloved 21st century film saga, until the Marvel Cinematic Universe came to collect all of our expendable incomes. The third installment is a grand, glorious achievement at three hours and 21 minutes, and won all eleven of the Academy Awards for which it was nominated. Best Picture had never been presented to a fantasy film or a sequel that isn't "The Godfather Part II" before March 2004. The LOTR team took the stage at the Kodak theater for every one of this supposedly final chapter's false endings. Yes, Jackson turned "The Hobbit" into a divisive prequel trilogy, but for three years this country was united and emotionally invested in Frodo's perilous journey to Mount Doom and J.R.R. Tolkien's fifty-year old text. That's incredible.

4. "Finding Nemo"(2003) The fifth film released by Pixar Studios was the summer of '03's must-see, surpassing "The Lion King" as the highest-grossing cartoon feature. Record-setting DVD sales would ultimately lead to John Lasseter's ambitious company fully integrating with Disney. An underwater setting was an ideal showcase for some truly stunning animation, as the capabilities of writer-director Andrew Stanton and his Emeryville, California crew seemingly grew by leaps and bounds since they first changed the game in 1995. Albert Brooks and Ellen DeGeneres are both delightful on a journey from the Great Barrier Reef to Sydney, Australia, upholding the tradition of colorful characters being every bit as important as visual splendor. Ellen's memory loss would make her the lead in "Finding Dory", an even larger success in 2016.

5. 'Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl"(2003) A funny thing happened to Johnny Depp in 2003. The moody hunk, who never cared much for conventional stardom or mainstream acceptance, became a huge box office draw. It was an ironic fate considering the idiosyncratic and little-seen projects that populate the first half of his filmography. Who knew that drunken pirate Captain Jack Sparrow would become the '00s answer to Indiana Jones? Certainly not me. Perhaps, even more surprisingly, crtics were just as enamored with Depp's oddball antihero as summertime audiences(he landed a Best Actor nod). But a greedy Disney couldn't resist turning Gore Verbinski's crowd-pleasing swashbuckler into a bloated LOTR-style affair in four sequels that Johnny's tipsy charm barely kept afloat.

6. "Lost in Translation"(2003)
There's a reason Bill Murray is the most respected member of the vast SNL alumni. Writer-director Sofia Coppola's celebrated sophomore effort represented a shift for the legendarily sardonic comic who would only lend his talents to distinguished filmmakers in serious projects from this moment forth("Garfield" voice work and "Ghostbusters" revivals aside) in response to his unexpected Best Actor nomination. A wonderfully weathered Bill turns nonchalance into an art form as a washed-up American actor in Tokyo that finds a kindred spirit in a neglected young newlywed(Scarlett Johansson in her breakout role). Coppola has a keen eye on the gorgeous locales and unique culture that surrounds this unlikely pair whose interactions are subtle, surprising, and decidedly un-Hollywood-like.

7. "Seabiscuit"(2003)
It may be difficult for millennials to believe that a horse could become a media sensation and the number one newsmaker of the year. Well, that's precisely what happened in 1938. The racing exploits of this undersized and overlooked thoroughbred that lifted spirits during the Great Depression got a handsome big screen treatment that was probably long overdue. Tobey Maguire parlayed his "Spider-Man" popularity into the role of Seabiscuit's down-and-out jockey, while Jeff Bridges and Chris Cooper provide classy support. This is, simply put, a great story that easily translated into a wholly agreeable film that's ideal for family viewing.

8. "School of Rock"(2003)
Jack Black's best movie(not that there's a lot of competition for that title) is undoubtedly director Richard Linklater's thoroughly charming, near-classic musical comedy. Black's energy is so infectious as a wannabe rocker posing as a music teacher, that one could be forgiven for thinking he had a lucrative career as an unconventional leading man ahead of him. It has to be noted that none of Black's subsequent vehicles go down nearly as well, but if nothing else, his admirers will always have one of the most satisfying comedic offerings of the 2000s to sing about.

9. "Kill Bill: Volume 1"(2003)
In 2003, moviegoers were missing Quentin Tarantino. The groundbreaking auteur took six long years off after the disappointing performance of "Jackie Brown" in '97, but the warm welcome given to his two-part martial arts saga confirmed that his mythical appeal was still firmly in place. Uma Thurman has QT to thank for kick-starting her movie career AND resuscitating it, because there aren't many more bad-ass female roles in the annals of cinema than Beatrix 'The Bride' Kiddo. You're not likely to forget her blood-splattering encounters with Viviva Fox, the Crazy 88s, or a kimono-clad Lucy Liu. Quentin's rabidly loyal fan-base consider him God's gift to cinema. Whether you agree or disagree, the multiplex is way more fun when he's around.

10(tie). "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World"(2003)
Depp wasn't the only A-lister to set sail in 2003. A post-"Gladiator" Russell Crowe remained in fine form as a high seas adventurer during the Napoleonic Wars thanks to director Peter Weir, who has a habit of presenting his superstar leading men in the best possible light. Weir spared viewers the requisite CGI to craft an old-fashioned epic that is more interested in character(like Paul Bettany's ship surgeon) than explosive action set pieces. His commitment to authenticity and rich period detail deserves acknowledgment even if the film falls short of being the 'classic' that everyone clearly intended to make.

10(tie). "Anything Else"(2003)
If there are any unenlightened youngsters out there in need of an accessible introduction to Woody Allen's wonderful world of relationship angst and pseudo-intellectualism, look no further than Jason Biggs and Christina Ricci in his unsung update of "Annie Hall". The mismatched pair bring a youthful energy to the NYC-set proceedings(it's another love letter to Allen's beleaguered hometown), with Ricci's flighty neurotic likely to leave you feeling better about being single. "Else" is the most enjoyable film released during Woody's relative dry spell(1996-2004). He had to steal, so he stole from the best.

Honorable Mentions- "Tears of the Sun"(2003) Bruce Willis is a Navy Seal in Nigeria. "The Matrix Reloaded"(2003) Keanu Reeves returns in the highest-grossing R-rated movie ever. "X2: X-Men United"(2003) Is Bryan Singer's sequel better than the first? "Down with Love"(2003) I'm down with Renee Zellweger. "Bruce Almighty"(2003) Jim Carrey is God. "Hulk"(2003) Ang Lee directs Eric Bana as the big, green guy. "Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas"(2003) DreamWorks animation with the voices of Brad Pitt and Michelle Pfeiffer.

"Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines"(2003) Arnold Schwarzenegger always said he'd be back. "Thirteen"(2003) Holly Hunter raises Evan Rachel Wood. "Girl with a Pearl Earring"(2003) is played by Scarlett Johansson in the 1665 Dutch Republic. "Freaky Friday"(2003) Jamis Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan in an amiable remake of the 1976 comedy. "Open Range"(2003) Kevin Costner is back in the saddle as director and star. "The Rundown"(2003) Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson runs around the jungle with Sean William Scott. "Matchstick Men"(2003) Nick Cage is a con man with OCD. "Veronica Guerin"(2003) Cate Blanchett is a doomed investigative reporter in Dublin. "Intolerable Cruelty"(2003) Catherine-Zeta Jones fascinates George Clooney. "Big Fish"(2003) Ewan McGregor stars in this Tim Burton fable. "The Matrix Revolutions"(2003) The Wachowskis make it a trilogy. "The Missing"(2003) Cate Blanchett and Tommy Lee Jones star in this Ron Howard Western. "Radio"(2003) Cuba Gooding Jr. goes full retard.

"Elf"(2003) Will Ferrell and Jon Favreau's holiday hit. "Love Actually"(2003) This Richard Curtis romcom has a large ensemble and a cult following. "21 Grams"(2003) Alejandro Inarritu's Greek tragedy boasts Sean Penn, Naomi Watts, and Benicio Del Toro. "Bad Santa"(2003) Billy Bob Thornton in the nastiest Christmas movie ever. "Timeline"(2003) Paul Walker and Gerard Butler go back in time for Richard Donner. "Runaway Jury"(2003) Gene Hackman vs. Dustin Hoffman. "Tupac: Resurrection"(2003) This doc recalls the tumultuous life of the rap legend. "Something's Gotta Give"(2003) Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson light up this Nancy Meyers romcom. "Mona Lisa Smile"(2003) Inspirational teacher drama with Julia Roberts. "The Last Samurai"(2003) Ed Zwick Oscar bait with a bearded Tom Cruise in Japan. "Cold Mountain"(2003) Anthony Minghella Oscar bait with Nicole Kidman, Jude Law, and Renee Zellweger. "House of Sand and Fog"(2003) Ben Kingsley and Jennifer Connelly were both nominated.