Number Nine

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Director: David Fincher

Starring: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett




The Curious Case of Benjamin Button has gone back and forth on my top ten list for the last few days. The problem was, it was not as in your face intense as some of the other movies, in neither acting nor plot. It is a much more subtle film in all respects. This is not to say it isn’t an amazing piece of cinema, though.

If you don’t know already, the film concerns the life of a man stricken with a disorder that causes him to age backwards. He is born with the ailments usually associated with the elderly and grows younger and younger until he finally becomes an infant in his old age. The concept of his disorder takes a back seat, however, to the love story that is at the core of the film. Raised in a nursing home, Benjamin falls in love as a young boy with the granddaughter of a resident. We follow them as they find and lose each other over the course of time, finally meeting “in the middle” when their ages balance out in their forties.

First of all, I don’t think you can see this movie and not be impressed by the makeup. Almost every character in the movie is shown at more than one era in their life, and there isn’t a moment where you don’t believe they are actually decades older than when you last saw them. The story is slow, and action is lacking, but that is to be expected and fits the type of movie this is trying to be quite well. All in all, it has a very Forrest Gump meets Big Fish feel. The colors are all golden and quiet, and the editing gives the whole picture a soft feel.

The performances reflect this sensation you get while watching the movie. Brad Pitt is astounding not because he has emotional and intense scenes, but because he plays a character at every stage in his life. Through his mannerisms and facial expression, he imbues the younger Benjamin with child-like wonder that is truly believable. His slow discovery of the world plays out successfully due in large part to Pitt’s performance. Cate Blanchett is a wonder to behold as well, although her acting somehow manages to be even more subtle. All of this subtlety makes it hard to place this film. Other performances of the year were much more riveting and intense, and thus are more memorable, but I can’t completely abandon this film because it is an excellent character study of a boy growing up under fantastic circumstances.

In the end, it is the amazing makeup effects combined with the lead performances that set The Curious Case of Benjamin Button squarely at number nine.

THE TOP TEN

For the next few weeks leading up to the announcement of the 2008 film that will be awarded the Davie for Best Picture, I will be counting down the top ten films of the year.  Every few days I will post another in depth review, until we reach awards night on February 22nd.  

Before we get into the meat of this, let me say that I am judging these films based on... 

1) How good they were as films, including the directing, acting, writing, cinematography, and score etc.

2) How much I enjoyed them.  For example, while The Reader is nominated in many categories at the major award shows this year, I simply did not enjoy it that much, and thus it did not make the cut for my top ten films of 2008.  This list is based mostly on what films were my favorites, not necessarily always on how good they were as films.  Keep that in mind.

Now then, on to the reviews, beginning with number 10.

The tenth best movie of the year is...........

IN BRUGES

Written and Directed by: Martin McDonagh

Starring: Colin Farrel, Brendan Gleeson, and Ralph Fiennes

In Bruges is a movie of stark contrasts. Everything from the setting, to the characters, to the dialogue between them echoes a recurring theme of contrast. In addition, the audience should have a strongly contrasting reaction to the film. On the one hand, it’s a witty shoot ‘em up that is slightly reminiscent of Guy Ritchie’s English gangster catalog. On the other hand, it is a powerful and emotional study of guilt, penance, morality, and friendship.

In the film, two hit men are sent to a small Belgium town called Bruges where they await their next orders while sightseeing. They are Ray, played by Farrel, and Ken, played by Gleeson. Ray is new to this game of killing for money, having botched his first job in such a horrific manner that he is still an emotional wreck. He is portrayed as somewhat of a spoiled child, and at times during the movie he scuffs his feet and pouts. Much of his dialogue, especially early on, is made up of primarily whining. Ken, on the other hand, is a laid back professional with a love for history who is determined to enjoy himself in Bruges despite Ray’s misgivings. When the orders finally come in from boss Harry, played fiendishly well by Ralph Fiennes, the story picks up pace and many dark secrets are revealed.

What struck me most about the film is the fluctuating feelings I had while watching it. One minute I’d be grinning at the foul mouthed, accented arguments between Ray and Ken, and the next minute I’d be horrified speechless by a scene of violence so fraught with meaning and emotion that I had to pause the film for a second and consider what I had just seen. As I said earlier, contrast is a recurring theme in the film. Ray and Ken are an odd couple, one likable and polite, the other childish and abrasive. The titular setting, a small medieval hamlet built on a thriving tourism industry, sits in stark contrast to a plot usually seen taking place in a larger city. The plot itself is a wicked combination of criminal comedy and disturbingly dark morality tale that pulls the audience in so many directions that one person’s reactions at the close of the film may differ with each viewing.

Farrel and Gleeson give an emotion-packed performance, and their chemistry is charming to behold. They have fun with the roles. Farrel especially impressed me with his portrayal of a man wracked with guilt who tries to drown his sorrows in drugs and alcohol, and even romance, while at the same time attempting to mask his emotions with irascible wit and a tough guy attitude. Gleeson is respectable in the back and forth dialogue and downright touching when the pacing slows and he is allowed to hold the scene captive. Ralph Fiennes is scary and humorous, but somehow almost endearing despite being the “villain” of the story. Even Peter Dinklage gives a nice performance as a drug addicted dwarf actor with whom Ray becomes oddly obsessed.

All in all, this film impressed me. It raised the bar for this type of film. For Colin Farrel’s performance and the movie’s stunning combination of humor, emotion, and darkness, In Bruges is awarded tenth best movie of the year.

Check back soon to see which film made number 9!

And the Nominees are...

Well folks, looks like the nominations are slowly rolling in.  I only have a partial list so far, as the Davie Academy (picture me in sweatpants watching movies on my computer) has yet to view some of the top contenders.  For now, here are the current nominations for some of the awards.  Many, many more will come as we approach the final decision.

Best Picture

Doubt

Revolutionary Road

Slumdog Millionaire

Choke


Body of Lies


The Curious Case of Benjamin Button


Gran Torino


The Wrestler


In Bruges


The Visitor

Actor in a Leading Role
Mickey Rourke for The Wrestler
Sam Rockwell for Choke
Clint Eastwood for Gran Torino
Colin Ferrel for In Bruges
Leonardo DiCaprio for Revolutionary Road
Richard Jenkins for The Visitor

Actor in a Supporting Role
Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight
Robert Downey Jr. for Charlie Bartlett
Brad Pitt for Burn After Reading
Aaron Eckhart for The Dark Knight

Phillip Seymour Hoffman for Doubt

Actress in a Lead Role
Sally Hawkins for Happy Go Lucky
Meryl Streep for Doubt
Kate Winslet for Revolutionary Road
Nicole Kidman for Australia

Angelina Jolie for The Changeling

Actress in a Supporting Role
Ellen Page for Smart People
Marissa Tomei for The Wrestler
Amy Adams for Doubt.
Hiam Abbass for The Visitor

Kelly Macdonald for Choke

Visual Effects and Makeup
Tropic Thunder
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Iron Man

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Cinematography

Slumdog Millionaire

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Wrestler

Revolutionary Road

The Dark Knight

Screenwriting
In Bruges
Choke
The Wrestler
Gran Torino
Wall-E

Doubt

Revolutionary Road

Happy Go Lucky

Directing

Slumdog Millionaire

The Wrestler

Choke

Revolutionary Road

Gran Torino

Best Animated Feature

Wall-E

Bolt

Horton Hears a Who

Kung Fu Panda

Best Animated Short

Oktapodi

Presto

Lavatory (Love Story)

The DAVIES have arrived!!!

It's that time of year again, a time for reflecting on all that has gone on in the past year.  First off, let's look at the year in music.  Here are my picks for the best albums released in 2008, as well as some awards of my own choosing.

The Davey for . . .

Best vocals:  Murder By Death - Red of Tooth and Claw

Best breakdowns:  Once Nothing - First Came the Law

Catchiest pop songs:  MGMT - "Electric Feel"

Most brutal metal album:  With Blood Comes Cleansing - Horror

Most creative album:  Showbread - Anorexia/Nervosa

Best album to drive to on a summer's day:  TIE Once Nothing - First Came the Law and MGMT - Oracular Spectacular

Most overrated album:  Underoath - Lost in the Sound of Separation

Most underrated album:  P.O.D. - When Angels and Serpents Dance

Best club/dance/party music:  TIE Neon Neon - Stainless Style and Family force 5 - Dance or Die

And now, for the 

TOP TEN ALBUMS of 2008!

10. Becoming the Archetype - Dichotomy

Back to the old way of doing things and I love it.

9. The Showdown - Back Breaker

Never headbanged so hard in my life.

8. Cold War Kids - Loyalty To Loyalty

I keep putting these guys on and just grooving at night.

7. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular

Catchiest songs ever.  When you hear a song and you are SURE it was a classic you've been hearing your whole life, you know the album is a winner.

6. Once Nothing - First Came the Law

Nothing beats stanky-ass southern hardcore with completely awesome breakdowns.

5. Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs

Never cease to amaze me.  This band is the musical equivalent of a cultured college town or a stroll through Chicago.  Plus the singer is totally doing Zooey Deschanel.  Lucky bastard.

4. Advent - Remove the Earth

Imagine a steamroller covered in spikes racing towards you doing 65.  Yeah.

3. The Black Keys - Attack and Release

Masterful rock and roll that is all summer cruisin' and kick-ass gangster flick.

2. Murder By Death - Red of Tooth and Claw

Johnny Cash vocals through the roof and dirty western twang.  What's not to love?

1. La Dispute - Somewhere at the Bottom of the River Between Vega and Altair

Imagine everything that is good about every style of rock, from indie to pop to metal to spoken word to classical to everything in between.  Now imagine you can hear it all compressed on one disc.  This is it.

I just peed a little...

Apparently, Chuck Palahniuk will be putting out a nonfiction book on the craft of writing in spring of 2010.  I NEED this.

MORE Recipes From a Guy Who Can't Cook!

Dave's Patented Peppery Paster Tacos

Ingredients:

1lb ground beef

diced green pepper

diced tomatoes

diced onion

diced garlic

black pepper

chili powder

cayenne pepper

shredded cheese

crushed tortilla chips

Directions:

Brown the meat in a skillet on medium heat.  Add the cayenne pepper, chili powder, and black pepper to the meat and stir it in.  Then add the diced garlic, tomatoes, peppers, and onions.  Stir them around for a bit to let the meat absorb the flavors.  Add the shredded cheese and crushed tortilla chips.  Stir the concoction until the cheese is melted throughout.  Put the stuff into tortillas or use as a chip dip.  Delicious!

New series for a new year!

Introducing...

RECIPES FROM A GUY WHO CAN'T COOK!

I can't cook.  At least not well.  But in a fumbling sort of way I've come across stuff I've created that I enjoy eating and think that other people in my same predicament (large loser without a girlfriend or cooking talent) will enjoy as well.  First off, here's what I had for supper tonight!

The Super Sloppy Spicy Sandwich

One pound ground beef.

Onions.

Peppers.

Shredded Cheese (whichever kind you like)

Chili Powder.

Cayenne Pepper.

Mrs. Dash Original Blend.

Barbecue Sauce (I used 'Thick and Spicy').

Wheat bread.

Note:  There are now specific amounts to add, just whatever you think will taste good.  So everything is 'to taste' I guess you'd say.

Directions (if you can call them that)

Okay so basically I threw the meat in the skillet and cooked it up until it was mostly brown.  While I did this I added the various spices listed above.  When the meat was very close to being done, I tossed in a bunch of chopped onions, the cheese, the peppers, and the barbecue sauce.  I finished cooking it, letting the onions get a little brown and the cheese completely melt into the meat.  Then I put it on some toast bread and topped it with horseradish mustard and regular yellow mustard.  It was very tasty and spicy.  

The Healthy Homemade Smoothie

Large bag of frozen fruit of any variety (I used the basic mixed fruit variety)

Club Soda

Milk

Vanilla extract.

Directions

Basically, just throw all of the ingredients into a blender.  First the fruit, which should fill about 3/4 of the blender.  Then the milk which should fill to about halfway.  The club soda comes next, filling up the rest of the blender.  Add a splash of the vanilla extract, then blend it until it is a consistency you desire.  If you don't feel like being as healthy as I do, add some sugar.  You can also add juice instead of the milk to add some flavor.  It's not a super tasty treat, but it's healthy and refreshing.  And it goes well with the barbecue sandwiches!