“Someone has to die...”

Like in real life, deaths are a given in movies. Even if it’s one of those comedies where the death is extraneous – and off-screen, it’s still there. Some distant relative dies so the hero can inherit some important piece of land, or whatnot. Death scenes are a different thing; it’s sometimes difficult to show the act of death without seeming too heavy-handed. And then, sometimes it’s difficult to make that heavy-handedness work for your film. Most often we think of cinematic deaths in relation to tragic deaths of the main characters. Here’s an Introduction to my course in Cinematic Death; Death 101, if you will.

              

Spoilers ahead, naturally.

           

Death 1.1: The Ridiculous

(Key Contributors: Brad Pitt, Ethan and Joel Coen)

(Secondary Parties: George Clooney)

It’s probably wrong to think of death as a funny thing, but that’s essentially what the Coen’s are begging us to do. I will champion the atypical brilliance that is Burn After Reading until my dying day, it comprises one bit of crazy after another and though the death in question refers to the death of the film’s best character there’s no way to ignore the hilarity found in Chad’s death midway through the film.

Death 1.2: The Beautiful

(Key Contributors: Franco Zeffreli, Olivia Hussey, Leonardo Whiting)

People are not particularly beautiful in death, but Shakespeare’s not exactly working on logistics in Romeo & Juliet and neither is Zeffrelli for that matter. Suicide is painful, and unfortunate and tragic – but is there any way to deny the beauty in that shot? Olivia Hussey and Leonardo Whiting are kind of brilliant in that way – best casting in a Shakespearean adaptation.

Death 1.3: The Depressing

(Key Contributors: Anthony Minghella, Kristin Scott Thomas)

(Secondary Parties: Ralph Fiennes, Gabriel Yared)

There a number of deaths in The English Patient, but there’s something especially important about the expiration of Katherine Clifton. It’s probably a puzzle in itself to decide where the actual “death” begins. In a film of highly quotable characters, Katherine probably wins if only because her closing monologue in the cave is so lovely. What makes the death so much more depressing is the reality that it could have been avoided had it not been for something as inane as racism. That scene with Almasay carrying her out of the cave (aided by Yared’s score) is just perfect.

Death 1.4: The Gruesome

(Key Contributors: Matt Damon, Anthony Minghella)

(Secondary Parties): Jack Davenport, Gabriel Yared)

It was pure happenstance having two Minghella films turn up here (though my love for him is true). The odd thing about the death in question here is that it depends on the person dying but the person perpetrating it. Damon is so brilliant as Ripley here and that chilling closing to the film is disturbing, and gruesome not so much because of Peter dying but because Tom is so distraught by it. Of course, Jack Davenport with his self-effacing Peter is important as is Gabriel Yared’s brilliant score (I like to think of the 90s version of Alexandre Desplat).

Death 1.5: The Sanguine

(Key Contributors: Tim Burton, Albert Finney)

(Secondary Parties: Billy Crudup, Jessica Lange, Helena Bonham Carter, Danny DeVito et al)

It’s weird thinking of any death as positive, but that’s just one of the weirdly great things about Big Fish – one of those odd films which manages to be better than its novel. Finney is so excellent here, and his death brings a sort of peace to the film. He’s managed to get his story off his chest and the moment is so much more profound because finally the father and son can stand on common ground and when the entire cast shows up for that moment at the lake at the end it’s just brilliant.

       

Which of these deaths strike you as most memorable? What would appear on your own list?

Decade in Review, Revisited: 25 Tear Jerking Scenes (Part One)

I got the inspiration for this post months ago from here. I promised to followup since then, and then the meme made me remember how much I cry at movies. I can’t remember the last time I cried in real life (I’m an emotional cripple), but I’m happy to share pain vicariously with fictional characters. It would be too much to trudge through all the films I’ve seen, I’ll stick to the last decade. Today, bottom fifteen in alphabetical order. Next time, the top ten.

Each entry has the potential to be a  spoiler-ish entry, if you haven’t seen it don’t read.
           
Atonement: Tete a tete, En Francais (Guilty Party: Romola Garai)

Briony’s adeptness in what she refers to as “school French” never fails to elicit an eye roll from me. Nonetheless, Atonement I’m already a big fan of Romola here and she’s responsible for one of Atonement’s most moving scenes. The conversation with the soldier seems odd at first, and perhaps it still is, but it works simply because Romola puts so much effort into it. Her eyes are always at work, and though it could be a bit too on the nose it’s still a brilliant moment of poignancy.
          
Avatar: Graces Dies (Guilty Party: James Cameron and Sigourney Weaver)
Call it what you will, but cold would be a dubious accusation to mete out to Avatar. The death of Grace is the most poignant. Maybe it’s because it’s Sigourney, the film’s strongest “actor”…maybe it’s just the realisation of the scope of the destruction that has occurred. Either way, her death is the film’s most moving moment (more than the burning of the tree) and a definite tearjerker.

Away From Her: “Forsaken” (Guilty Party: Julie Christie)
I’m still not certain on how I feel about Away From Her. It seems so manipulative at times, and then starkly honest at others. Either way, I like Julie Christie in it. The moment in the film that always causes me to tear up is the ending. What will happen with Fiona and Grant? Has she really regained lucidity? Alzheimer’s is just a thoroughly depressing disease throughout and Christie just makes it all the more sad.

Babel: Confession (Guilty Party:Boubker Ait El Caid)
Babel had a number of poignant moments, but the most moving came from the arc’s that’s usually most forgotten. The plot point of the two brother’s inadvertent foray into crime fails to hit home at times, but the climax makes it worth it. Boubker Ait El Caid’s confession is brilliant (for a child actor and for an adult) and yes, the words are overly precise. But it doesn’t matter. It’s too distressing for me to care.

Big Fish: The Funeral (Guilty Party: Tim Burton)
Burton gets called out for being too irreverent. Pity those detractors didn’t see Big Fish, one of the decade’s strongest films. The moment where Billy Crudup lifts his father into the water surrounded by all the “characters” we’ve met is the film’s most brilliant scene and it’s oh, so moving. It’s a tribute to parents and it goes to show that Tim Burton really can do anything, perhaps not as prolific as some, but in his own way – still excellent.

Bright Star: Crying (Guilty Party: Abbie Cornish)
It’s Abbie’s strongest moment, which is odd considering that her Fanny is built on keeping her emotions in check. We know John will die, she knows John will die and yet… It’s one of those rare bouts of crying on screen that’s realistic. Even as she says lines like “I can’t breathe” there’s no doubt that she really can’t breathe. It’s the sort of blunt sadness Jane Campion isn’t averse to showing and Abbie rises to the occasion, brilliantly. More of this.

Cold Mountain: Death (Guilty Party: Nicole Kidman)
Although I’d hardly attribute Nicole’s talents to solely being a good reactor, her brilliance in Cold Mountain (yes, brilliance) comprises her stellar ability to the more overt acting of her cast members and make her Ada Munroe work. She has already reacted to a death earlier in the film (her father), but of course it’s Inman’s death that’s the emotional juggernaut. I do think Jude Law is rather good here, but this moment is all Nicole.

Finding Neverland: The Performance (Guilty Party: Kate Winslet)
I have a soft spot for Finding Neverland and though it gets too saccharine at times I’m willing to cut it some slack, particularly in the final moments of Kate’s performance. “Peter Pan” has always been a distressing tale in its own right, and juxtaposed with the eventual death of Sylvia it only becomes more so.

Gosford Park: “Don’t cry, they’ll hear.” (Guilty Parties: Helen Mirren and Eileen Atkins)
I think, at the end of the day Gosford Park is a comedy, but that doesn’t stop Helen from eliciting a few tears. We don’t expect to get so caught up in the revelations of paternity and such, and Helen “perfect servant” Mirren’s confession doesn’t seem that emotional. Of course, she’s putting on a mask. Her stilted entry into the room, and then Eileen’s quiet line reading is just so painful (yet brilliant) to watch.

I’ve Loved You So Long: Confession (Guilty Party: Kristin Scott Thomas)
I’ve Loved You So Long is, in its way, as emotionally manipulative as many. Kristin makes me forget about that. It’s all leading up to inevitable revelation and though it’s just a trifle odd it doesn’t make it any less sad. 2008 was not as poor a film year as many think, a number of gems were just unjustly ignored.

Little Miss Sunshine: A Hug (Guilty Party: Paul Dano)

I still marvel at Paul Dano’s brilliance in Little Miss Sunshine. The scene in question is probably my favourite scene of the film. Dwayne has just had his freak-out with his parents and leaves the bus angrily to sit on the road. Olive comes up behind and gives him a hug that’s so unexpected, and yet do realistic. It’s just one of the many reasons Little Miss Sunshine is as good as we think it is.

A Mighty Heart: Crying (Guilty Party: Angelina Jolie)
Hopefully this will go down as one of the forgotten gems of the last decade. Like Abbie’s moment this is important for the crying, though it’s more a scream than a cry. From the moment Marianne learns of her husband’s death we anticipate waterworks, but the way the waterworks come is so unexpected, almost as if we’re watching something we shouldn’t be privy to. Angelina is so bloody brilliant here.

Mona Lisa Smile: Bicycles (Guilty Party: Kristin Dunst)

Who hasn’t been touched by a teacher in their lives? Mona Lisa Smile has its problems (the cast, though, isn’t one of them). The ending of the film sees the student cast riding bicycles as Julia Roberts’ bohemian teacher departs in the car. It’s Kristin Dunst who steals the moment though. She was the toughest student to win over and her frantic refusal to stop riding (you’re on a bicycle, damn it) is post ridiculous and sad. Letting go just isn’t that simple.

Mystic River: Parade (Guilty Parade: Marcia Gay Harden)

I will forever tout Mystic River as Clint Eastwood’s (lone) masterpiece. Evocative, provocative and poignant. The thing is, I’m never inclined to get teary eyed through out the machination of the main three (even Sean’s bloodcurdling scream or Tim’s moving “confession”). It's as if I’m seeing it, but not feeling it…until the end. When Marcia walks frantically through the street at that dismal parade it’s as if all the drama finally reaches it’s peak and we realise how morose the lives of these people are. And Marcia does it all without uttering a single word. brilliant? I think so too.

You Can Count On Me: Ending (Guilty Parties: Laura Linney and Mark Ruffalo)

I mentioned my allegiance to this sibling pairing a few days ago. It’s the only ending that would have worked for You Can Count On Me, but it doesn’t make Terry’s departure any less sad. What’s the lesson we learned? Sometimes it’s easier to love from afar? I don’t know. Who does? The departure is real though, it works and Laura and Mark delivering brilliant performances is a significant part of that.

   

Have you shed a tear for any of these scenes?
           
(Care to wager which ten films make my top ten? Hints: a quasi stranger in a kitchen, a sexless goodbye in a bedroom, running through the streets, end credits, return of a “ghost”, death of a warrior, voiceover, revelation of truths, montage of characters, a lover’s promise, death of a star. Those are the clues…)

Decade in Review: The Best

I think I can say I've done my duty in recapping the decade. I've done a number of entries dedicated to the decade in review. I'm sure there's some miscellaneous category, but if it comes to me I'll let you know. I think it's time for me to stop looking back before I turn into a pillar of salt, and I suppose that the logical conclusion is to sum it up with the best films of the decade. But, you know me - always atypical, so I'm not recapping film quality, but acting quality. What were the films this past decade with the best ensembles? It's a question that always triggers me thoughts (I did the same for the nineties). So with no explanations I list the 30 best film ensembles of the decade -with a few runners up. Let me remind you, this is not a list of the best films. It's a list of the ensembles that I think were best - the most collectively good performances, the best chemistry among actors, the most talented....

          

Runners Up (alpha): The Constant Gardener, Closer, Dreamgirls, Erin Brockovich, In the Bedroom, In the Loop, King Kong, The Messenger, The Reader, Sweeney Todd

Tier Five

 

                      

Tier Four

  

           

Tier Three

 

             

Tier Two

 

Tier One

The Greatest Ensemble of the Decade

                                              

I'd expect that fans of certains films are foaming at the mouth, so do your worst and tell me where I went wrong. What's missing from the list, what should be missing...what are your thoughts on the top choice?

2003: Breaking It Down

So I’m done with 2003. That was easy. Wasn’t it? I’ve seen 89 films that were officially released [American] in 2003. Of course it's my luck that the year I see a bunch of films many of them were horrible, so in ascending order here is the lot.

F: #89-#76

What a year, fifteen films failed. Here they are.

Kangaroo Jack, Scary Movie 3, The Lizzie McGuire Movie, Boat Trip, Duplex, Haunted Mansion, Daredevil, What A Girl Wants, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Bad Boys 2, Stuck On You, Cradle to the Grave, Love Don’t Cost a Thing, Anger Management, Johnny English

Each left something a bad taste in my mouth and I don't care to see any again. They're in ascending order, but I found Anger Management especially horrible since Marisa Tomei tried so hard. But that film was just terrible.

       

D: #74-#70

Offensively bad, but it could have been worse

American Wedding, My Boss’ Daughter, Daddy Day Care, Honey

             

D+: #69-#59

They’re not very good, you probably should avoid them…but there are moments…

Gothika, Malibu’s Most Wanted, Girl With A Pearl Earring, Legally Blonde 2, How to Lose A Guy in Ten Days, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Just Married, View From the Top, Uptown Girls, Agent Cody Banks, Biker Boyz

   

C-: #58-#51

Guilty, but not so pleasurable. They’re not all bad though.

Fighting Temptations, Underworld, Terminator 3, Holes, Hulk, Tears of the Sun, Matrix Revolutions, Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star

        

C: #50-#40

Hmmm. Passable.

Old School, Charlie’s Angel: Full Throttle, I Capture the Castle, Whale Rider, Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas, Once Upon A Time in Mexico, Brother Bear, Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Cradle of Life, Head of State, Cheaper By the Dozen, Intolerable Cruelty

           

C+: #39-#33

Guilty pleasures…or good in parts but sometimes disappointing

Bend It Like Beckham, Cat in the Hat, Under the Tuscan Sun, Freddy vs. Jason, Beyond Borders, The Italian Job, Bruce Almighty

        

B-: #32-#18

Some are good, some are fine, some are odd…but they’re all good. ish.

School of Rock, Monster, How to Deal, The Human Stain, X Men 2, Freaky Friday, Matrix Reloaded, Bringing Down the House, The Cooler, In America, Calendar Girls, Missing, Master & Commander, House of Sand & Fog, Pieces of April

          

B: #17-#12

They’re good. Really good.

Down With Love, Mona Lisa Smile, Kill Bill, Love Actually, Seabiscuit, 21 Grams

         

The Top Eleven

#11 – Lost in Translation [B+]

As I said, I don’t think I got it as much as the mass. Sure I liked it, and sure Scarlett and Bill were wonderful together. It was a nice little film, and in that realm it was successful. One of the best things about it was that it wasn’t self conscious. Coppola did well.

              

#10 – Le Divorce [B+]

I will never understand the hate for this. It currently holds 37% on Rotten Tomatoes which bewilders. It’s light but not a bauble and it features a great cast. Sure it’s not as socially aware as we would assume, but I think it knows that. It’s blessed comedy for Christ’s sake!

            

#9 – Something’s Gotta Give [B+]

Sometimes it gets a little too full of itself, but it’s Nancy Meyers. It’s more than Keaton’s great performance. It’s a nice film altogether.

              

#8 – Peter Pan [B+]

Underrated. I really can’t say much more than that. This one really makes me tear up, and I hate the Peter Pan story. One depressing thing.

             

#7 – Phone Booth [B+]

It turns into this very pervasive character study with a solid performance from Farrell. It’s a good film, and worthy of a look.

            

#6 – Finding Nemo [B+]

Didn’t love it like a diehard, but it’s my favourite Pixar by a mile. Ellen D. steals the show of course, but all things considered it’s great.

          

#5 – Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl [B+]

As I said in my review, it’s a perfect crowd-pleaser. I hope that it’ll redeem itself with the next instalment, though I will miss Knightley and Bloom.

             

#4 – Cold Mountain [A-]

Unfairly maligned, in my opinion. It’s a beautiful piece from Minghella. Kidman, Law and Zellweger are the driving forces and they’re good…but it’s little performances from Kathy Bakers haunting portrayal to Donald Sutherland’s cameo of sorts along with Natalie Portman and Jenna Malone taking a few lines and making them resonate and of course Phillip Seymour Hoffman – the perfect ally. Add that to those technical achievements, and you’ve got a good film.

                 

#3 – Mystic River [A]

Eastwood can’t get any better for me. It’s a solid ensemble and each performance is outstanding. The script is subtle and so is the direction [surprisingly]. It’s just good.

         

#2 – Big Fish [A]

I have to review this sooner or later. So I’ll save it all for then. I like it much. That’s obvious.

              

#1 – The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King [A+]

I’m a fanboy. I have the novels, I’ve got the DVD. I can quote the script. I’m not going to lie, maybe I’m prejudiced. But how could you not vote for this?

                      

So. There you have it. What topped your list? Which of top 11 shocked you? Is Le Divorce crap? Do those 15 films deserve Fs? What do you think?

2003: Written & Directed By…

Adapted Screenplay

Big Fish

Cold Mountain

Le Divorce

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Mystic River

Alt. Peter Pan, House of Sand & Fog, Freaky Friday

Big Fish was horribly snubbed by the Academy and every other major precursor in the big categories. It was an intelligent and poignant film and much of that depended on its screenplay. Easily the best of the lot for me, Mystic River and Cold Mountain battle it out for the runner up spot with the former just edging out in front.

          

Original Screenplay

Love Actually

Lost in Translation

Down With Love

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

Something’s Gotta Give

Alt. Phone Booth, Finding Nemo, 21 Grams, Kill Bill

I never really went all out for Lost in Translation; it made me feel like I did with Sideways in 2004 – as if I was missing something. Down With Love had one of the silliest but self-aware script and it was second only to Something’s Gotta Give. I don't know, it's not that smart. But it hits me.

        

The Directors

Tier Two

Sofia Coppola, Lost in Translation
P. J. Hogan, Peter Pan

Alejandro Gonzalev Inarritu, 21 Grams

Joel Schumacher, Phone Booth

Andrew Stanton, Finding Nemo

I almost had James Ivory here, but I switched to Hogan who did good work with his underrated piece. Inarritu almost made my top 5 with his good work in 21 Grams and Schumacher did good with the bluntness of Phone Booth.           
            

The Nominees

Tim Burton, Big Fish

Clint Eastwood, Mystic River

 Peter Jackson, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Anthony Minghella, Cold Mountain

Gore Verbinski, The Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black

An easy five, but it's easy to rank them. If I had to I'd throw out one I'd throw out Verbinski first. Not because he's bad, but because they're all good. Eastwood's Mystic River is my favourite of his, but he'd go next. The picture is good, his direction is not the driving force. Neither is Minghella's Cold Mountain - his screenplay is the beacon there. So it's down to Burton and Jackson and it's actually really tough. I'd say Burton just for the maturity of the piece, but I'd be lying. Jackson it is.

              

So what are your thoughts on my choices?

2003: The Acting: …Then the Men

So now it's on to the men. I suppose my picks are just about as strange as the men, but I stand by choices especially in the Supporting Actor category that was royally f***ed up. Okay not quite, but still - just saying...

           
Supporting Actor
Tier Three
Kevin Bacon, Mystic River
Billy Crudup, Big Fish
Djimon Honsou, In America
Derek Luke, Pieces of April
Viggo Mortenson, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Okay Viggo had done his best work of the trilogy in the second installment, but they could have thrown him a bone. I can't be too pissed at Honsou's nomination, I like him,  but I really wasn't all that blown away. And what made Bacon's work in Mystic River so unimportant?

                        
Tier Two
Sean Astin, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Alec Baldwin, The Cooler
Ian McKellen, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Cold Mountain
Cillian Murphy, Girl With a Pearl Earring
I really was not heavy on Oscar buzz back in 2003, but I remember loads of people predicting Sean Astin. For the record I was not a fan of Sam, but damn he carried Frodo up the freakin' mountain and you can't even give him some love. Astin is really good here, depressing, but good. Cillian Murphy was one of the few things I could tolerate in Girl With a Pearl Earring, he is desperately in need of a good role. They could even have thrown a second nomination to Gandalf. Perhaps Hoffman wasn't any good in Cold Mountain. But then again, nah.                       
The Nominees
Billy Boyd, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Benicio Del Toro, 21 Grams

Albert Finney, Big Fish
David Hyde Pierce, Down With Love

Tim Robbins, Mystic River   

So two Oscar nominees are here, and three performances that were thoroughly overlooked. I guess my one and two would be Robbins and Del Toro [in that order], they were amazing – I’ve said it before. As I’ve said that Albert Finney, my third choice, was good. Boyd was always my favourite of the hobbits, and his Pippin in this third film was perfect. Of the hobbits, he did the most growing and it was a great performance. Hyde Pierce had amazing comedic timing in the under loved Down With Love.
             
The Actors
Tier Three
Anthony Hopkins, The Human Stain
Tommy Lee Jones, Missing
Tobey MaGuire, Seabiscuit
Ewan McGregor, Down With Love
Jack Nicholson, Something’s Gotta Give
I probably should rewatch The Human Stain. I don't remember it fondly, but I do remember it with some respect. . McGregor and Tommy Lee Jones are the best of this lot...Ewan just had a great year and yet he was ignored like nobody's business. Gah!
                    
Tier Two
Collin Farrell, Phone Booth
Russell Crow, Master & Commander
Ben Kingsley, House of Sand & Fog
William H. Macy, The Cooler
Sean Penn, 21 Grams
Am I crazy with the love for Farrell? It's so weird how Russell picked up almost no traction - they've really fallen out of love with him. Sean Penn is someone else who had quite a year. Luckily they rewarded him for Mystic River. Not that 21 Grams would have been undeserving, but it would have been way too predictable. Kingsley was good of course, hr just didn't make my top 5.

         
The Nominees
Johnny Depp, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of Black Pearl

Jude Law, Cold Mountain

Ewan McGregor, Big Fish 
Bill Murray, Lost in Translation

Sean Penn, Mystic River 

Well this is pretty easy. Sure Penn and Law battle it out and no one's a winner,because I'm a coward. Ewan gives his best performance that no one seems to care about in Big Fish, so do Depp and Murray actually but people take notice of them. Altogether, it was a very good year for the men - but damn them for not even taking a look at Ewan. Ugh. Fail.
            
So what are your thoughts? McGregor, Law, Penn, Penn. Or, Robbins, Del Toro, Finney?