Each part of a film is important – I suppose. I don’t like to look at any particular part is most important, though most would say if it doesn’t start of well all bets are off. Still, it’s important to have a good beginning because sometimes it is nice to catch the audience off guard with a piercing start or some provocative mystery or sometimes just something fun to pique the interest. The thing with some films, I’m not sure what constitutes the beginning. Take Beauty & the Beast. I suppose the “beginning” is the prologue but if I had to decide I’d the say the beginning is everything up to the end of the song “Belle”. We’re a good ten minutes in, but it’s only then that the film really starts. So my “beginnings” my not be accurate, but bear with me.
Off the top of my head I’d credit Revolutionary Road with having my favourite beginning of 2008. The first meeting of our protagonists which is so different from what they become…
Now on to 2009…(click on the links for reviews where available)
#10: I Can Do Bad All By Myself: "Rock Steady"
Taraji is lip-syncing, but the ferocity of it as she gives us every movement with all of the attitude she can muster – and that’s very much, mind you. It’s a shame, the film doesn’t deserve her, but Perry knows to direct his musical numbers and the opening sizzles.
#9: Three Blind Mice: "Fun & Games"
Incongruous and strangely funny. Newton has perfect delivery and just listening to he and Schmitz bicker is hilarious. The writing is a strongpoint and the beginning is bitingly excellent.
#8: Antichrist: "Sex in the Shower"
I don’t love Von Trier and sometimes I think he just f***s with me for the fun of it. The scene is beautiful to look at, but sometimes I wonder what the point of the nudity is. What does it add? Damned if I know, but it’s still beautiful.
#7: An Education: "Credits"
What is the beginning? When I think about the beginning of this film I remember the credits. No film has hade more funs with just rolling credits than this in a while and just the snippets of the schooling (some of which are vaguely familiar from my school days, minus the all girl parts of course ;) handled well.
#6: Inglourious Basterds: "Somewhere in France..."
It’s another film I’m not sure where the beginning ends, I don’t think it’s fair to consider the entire chapter 1 as the beginning but even if we excise Landa this scene is so excellent only rivalled by Chapter 4. This is the reason I can’t love Basterds as much. Tarantino tantalises with the excellence in those two scenes and then gets gratuitous in others.
#5: Nine: "Roll Call"
This reminds me of Basterds since I take the beginning all the way to the end of the Overture. Few things are as lovely as that overture; Nicole Kidman’s silhouette is just sooooo beautiful. What an entrance and as the ladies enter regardless of how you feel about what comes after you can’t deny it’s just lovely.
Is it wrong that I feel as if the film goes downhill from here? I still like it fine, but the beginning is just so good.
#3: Up: "Montage"
Up gives you in its beginning what could have made a beautiful movie in its own…and it goes waaaaaaay downhill afterwards. But I won’t grudge it too much, and the beginning is excellent.
#2: The Fantastic Mr. Fox: "On the Job"
It opens so candidly and hearing Streep and Clooney banter is just hilarious. Sure Streep outshines him, but who doesn’t? She does the best reading of the “I’m pregnant” line. How I wish this was a liveaction film…
#1: Duplicity: "Do I Know You?"
Not a single film can match the beauty of this opening. Julia and Clive sizzle together and when you give her ammunition she lets loose with it. It’s a perfect setup to keep us guessing, and boy does it work. Pure magic.
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