Film of the Month: Source Code (2011)
Directed by Duncan Jones.
Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, and Vera Farmiga.
So far in this blog, I've only written a true review of one movie. That movie is Source Code. It's my favorite film of the year so far and I fully expect it to make my top ten of the year at the least. I really could go on and on again about how much I loved it, but since I actually reviewed it, I'll just link it to you to save us both some time. Don't miss Source Code, folks.
Honorable Mentions:
Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
Directed by Arthur Penn.
Starring Warren Beatty, Faye Dunaway, and Gene Hackman.
Bonnie and Clyde are probably the most famous of all the criminals from the 1930s, and the excitement of that story translates wonderfully to the silver screen. Dunaway and Beatty have... let's call it a unique chemistry between them, and it was exciting for me when the two Genes (Hackman and Wilder) showed up unexpectedly.
Four Lions (2010)
Directed by Christopher Morris.
Starring Rizwan Ahmed, Arsher Ali, Nigel Lindsay, and Kayvan Novak.
A film about a group of Muslim terrorists who want to be suicide bombers could very easily have turned into one of the most offensive movies of all time. In spite of this, Four Lions somehow manages to not only be tasteful, but also hilarious and one of the top ten movies of 2010. Don't think that Lions goes out of its way to be unoffensive, though; I think one of the best parts of the film is that the filmmakers were ballsy enough to actually go for the jokes that they did.
M (1931)
Directed by Fritz Lang.
Starring Peter Lorre, Gustaf Grundgens, and Ellen Widmann.
Today, when people talk about M, they usually bring it up because of its many firsts. It was one of the first movies about a serial killer. It was also the first to use a leitmotif, which in this case was the killer whistling. Mostly because of M, whistling in horror or thriller films has now become synonymous with the bad guy. However, M should also be remembered because it is a great film.
Rabbit Hole (2010)
Directed by John Cameron Mitchell.
Starring Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart.
Rabbit Hole is a hard film to watch. It's about a married couple trying to get over the death of their son. The film comes across as very realistic which only intensifies the over depressing tone. Having said that, Rabbit Hole is still one of the better films of 2010 and well worth a watch if you enjoy those types of movies.
Waltz with Bashir (2008)
Directed by Ari Folman.
Before Waltz with Bashir, I'd never seen an animated documentary before. Hell, I'd never even heard of an animated documentary. This format works perfectly for the type of story Folman is telling, though. It's about the 1982 Lebanese Massacre, and the animation is supposed to work as a type of defense mechanism against the terrible things that happened there. This style is gorgeous to watch and the thematic inspiration behind it lead to one hell of a climax.
Worst of the Month:
Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003)
Directed by Robert Rodriguez.
Starring Antonio Banderas, Johnny Depp, Salma Hayek, and Mickey Rourke.
Once Upon a Time in Mexico was one of the biggest letdowns movie-wise I've experienced this year. I loved the first two films in this loose trilogy (El Mariachi and Desperado), and I am, for the most part, a big fan of Rodriguez (Planet Terror, Sin City). I couldn't even get through all of Mexico, though. It was idiotic. Every word spoken in the film was a one-liner and the characters made no sense in relation to Desperado. I understand that it was just supposed to be a fun movie, but I don't have fun with a movie unless it's good, too. Sorry.
Other (Good) Films from April:
The Asphalt Jungle (1950)
Choke (2008)
Dr. No (1962)
Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
High Noon (1952)
In the Heat of the Night (1967)
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Lenny (1974)
Mars Attacks! (1996)
Midnight Cowboy (1969)
Mission Impossible (1996)
Persona (1967)
The Third Man (1949)
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