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Bob's Movie Report for 2009

2/6/2010

1 Comment

 
—THE BEST (in order of preference)

The Hurt Locker—Rather than take sides on the Iraq issue, Kathryn Bigelow’s great film simply puts you in the place of an American demolition expert who is charged with defusing bombs, whether they are hidden in a car or strapped to a suicide martyr. The result is a look at the tension of battle and the effect of that tension takes us places we’ve never been in a movie. Oscar choice for best picture and best director.

Up in the Air--In this timely, mini-masterpiece Jason Reitman gives us a look at the issues of loneliness versus community in the era of corporate downsizing. The film is witty, sophisticated, thoughtful and deeply poignant. George Clooney’s performance is virtually perfect.

Inglourious Basterds--There is plenty of the quirky Tarantino shock-ism at work here, but the best parts of the film grow out of his gifts as a director (the tension in the farm house interrogation and in the basement café meeting are superbly framed and spectacularly tense). Oscar choice: Christoph Waltz, male supporting actor.

A Single Man—Colin Firth is brilliant as a college professor  who thinks his world has ended when his lover and their two dogs are killed in a car crash  and he slowly, methodically plans to end it all himself. In his debut as a film director, Tom Ford shows a remarkable feel for creating his own cinematic universe—a dream-like adventure that moves at a deliberate pace in which nothing is rushed. Stylish in every way. Oscar choice: Colin Firth, best actor.

An Education-- This is a deceptively complex film about youthful awakening that changes directions frequently but never at the risk of mood or believability.  Oscar choice: Carey Mulligan, best actress.

 

THE NEXT BEST:

A Woman in Berlin--The film is set in Berlin in 1945 just after Soviet Union troops arrive and the soldiers’ treatment of women is so savage that you may wince even though you know the women believed in a Nazi regime that killed millions at home and abroad. The story is filled with conflicting questions of honor, surrender, duty, expedience and sacrifice. 

District 9-- Yes, yes, there are lots of socio-political messages at work here (from corporate madness to human intolerance) and there may be a few times in the nearly 2-hour film when things seem a touch sluggish, but there’s no denying this is a sci-fi classic that will be a favorite of revival house audiences for years to come.

Baader Meinhof Complex” --“The Baader Meinhof Complex” deals with a complex subject—politically-minded terrorism—without forcing a particular point of view on the audience.

 

--ALSO RECOMMENDED

(500) Days of Summer

It Might Get Loud

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans

Two Lovers

Duplicity

Everlasting Memories

The Maid

The Damned United

Summer Hours

The Hangover

The Informant

Up

Away We Go

(Untitled)

A Serious Man

Crazy Heart (excellent performance by Jeff Bridges)

 

RECOMMENDED WITH RESERVATIONS (no particular order)

Youth Revolt

Avatar

Michael Jackson’s This Is It

Public Enemies

The Headless Woman

Whatever Works

The Girl from Monaco

Extract

Funny People

Broken Embraces

Sherlock Holmes

 

CAUTION FLAG

Bright Star

Lorna’s Silence

State of Play

Julie & Julia

Star Trek

The Proposal

Everybody’s Fine

The Taking of Pelham 1, 2, 3

The International

Invictus

Taken

 

AVOID

The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard

Drag Me to Hell

Surrogates

Bruno

Hotel for Dogs

The Invention of Lying
1 Comment
Laurie Anderson Dunn
3/1/2010 01:06:36 am

I just finished your book and was left feeling both inspired with a touch of melancholy. Such a wonderful read - all about my favorite artists. I used to work at Tower Records in LA, and still buy CDs. My kids listen to Beatles, Bruce, Dylan and lately it's been show tunes - Sound of Music and Mary Poppins. No American Idol for my 9 and 7 year-old while I can still have control over the channel. As for me, I live in Detroit now and need to both fight and embrace technology. And I need to listen to some early Elvis and some Johnny Cash today. P.S. I used to send you laser discs when I worked at Pioneer - thanks for the reviews. I still have those too...

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    Robert Hilburn

         I was pop music critic and pop music editor of the Los Angeles Times from 1970 through 2005, and am writing books.  A memoir, "Corn Flakes with John Lennon" was published last fall.  The paperback is due in October.  I am now working on a biography.
    Photo by Jeff Amlotte, copyright 2009.

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