Hometown Writers Movie Picks.
The Golden Globes are quickly approaching, ten more days to be exact. I always love this season when I try to squeeze in as many of the nominated films as possible, although my intake of twizzlers and popcorn and is a bit overboard right now, I am trying to get a handle on it.
Although not all nominated for "Best Performance by an Actor," Clint O'Connor of the Plain Dealer wrote a great run down on what HIS favorite top 10 movies of 2009. I think it was a great article and I couldn't resist passing it along!
Top 10 movies of 2009: Frequent fliers, troubled teens, blue aliens, political screams. By Clint O'Connor, The Plain Dealer
The 3-D revolution raged in 2009, evolving from visual gimmick to movie staple.
"Up," "Monsters vs. Aliens," "My Bloody Valentine," and "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" burst through screens to slap us in the face with brighter, sharper digital images. My brain is still processing those little white floaty things fluttering around Pandora in James Cameron's 3-D "Avatar."
Cameron waited years for the technology to catch up to his vision, and it was worth it.
Michael Bay should have waited for a good script to catch up with to his robots in "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen." The drab "Transformers" sequel did score in the green dimension, however, topping the box office with more than $402 million. It needed to make a bundle, because it cost about $200 million to produce.
Conversely, Oren Peli made the scary "Paranormal Activity" for a paltry $15,000. It has pocketed $107 million at last count.
Despite the putrid economy, the Cleveland International Film Festival set glowing attendance records, proving Clevelanders love their movies. Especially if they're dark, weird, and foreign. Cleveland's Capitol Theatre, shuttered for 24 years, reopened as a sparkling three-theater digital palace. A victory for community partnerships and the West Side.
Sandra Bullock wins performer of the year honors for knocking out three films: "The Proposal," "All About Steve," and "The Blind Side." The latter is still going strong in theaters. Bullock expertly plays real-life force-of-nature Leigh Anne Tuohy, the Memphis woman who took in a homeless teenager in crisis and helped set his life on a strong course. A worthy deed in any dimension.
1. "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire," directed by Lee Daniels. Brutal, harsh, harrowing. Daniels' documentary-like style lent the story of an abused teenaged girl a realism that gets inside your heart and stays there. Gabourey Sidibe's stunning performance as Precious was backed by unforgettable turns from Mo'Nique, Mariah Carey and Paula Patton.
2. "In the Loop," directed by Armando Iannucci. Savvy, sharp-edged political satire about a verbal gaffe that sends Middle East policy spinning. Iannucci's quick, two-camera shooting technique lent his fast-talking cast a comic immediacy that juiced the laugh-out-loud moments.
3. "Fantastic Mr. Fox," directed by Wes Anderson. The most painstaking process -- stop-motion animation -- was the perfect format for presenting Roald Dahl's children's story. Anderson's best film, with nifty voice work from George Clooney and Meryl Streep.
4. "Up in the Air," directed by Jason Reitman. Refreshingly smart and funny (and highly relevant in our downsizing cooperate-controlled world). George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, and Anna Kendrick have a ball with their roles. And so do we.
5. "Avatar," directed by James Cameron. It's not a movie, it's an experience. Cameron creates an entire world complete with its own language and culture, and lifts the medium of film to a new technological level.
6. "Me and Orson Welles," directed by Richard Linklater. One of the best and least appreciated American directors, Linklater spins a marvelously entertaining tale of Welles (Christian McKay) and his blustery brilliance at the Mercury Theatre in 1937.
7. "Inglourious Basterds," directed by Quentin Tarantino. Brad Pitt shines in this elaborate Jewish-revenge fantasy about the Nazis and World War II. Pitt's speech recruiting potential killers is a classic Tarantino talkie torrent.
8. "The Hangover," directed by Todd Philips. Somehow Philips and screenwriters Jon Lucas and Scott Moore managed to take the most overdone premise (a wild bachelor party in Las Vegas) and make a fresh and funny film.
9. "The Hurt Locker," directed by Kathryn Bigelow. The non-stop intensity of a bomb squad in Iraq is highlighted by Jeremy Renner's gutsy performance as Staff Sgt. Will James. When an officer asks what's the best way to dismantle bombs, James responds, "The way you don't die, sir."
10. "A Serious Man," directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. The care and detail devoted to even the most minor of characters sets the Coens apart yet again as they investigate the meaning of life in Minnesota, circa 1967.
Thanks Clint!!!! I agree on many of your pics...I still have a few I want to see including Precious, Inglourious Basterds and Me and Orson Welles.
Although not all nominated for "Best Performance by an Actor," Clint O'Connor of the Plain Dealer wrote a great run down on what HIS favorite top 10 movies of 2009. I think it was a great article and I couldn't resist passing it along!
Top 10 movies of 2009: Frequent fliers, troubled teens, blue aliens, political screams. By Clint O'Connor, The Plain Dealer
The 3-D revolution raged in 2009, evolving from visual gimmick to movie staple.
"Up," "Monsters vs. Aliens," "My Bloody Valentine," and "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" burst through screens to slap us in the face with brighter, sharper digital images. My brain is still processing those little white floaty things fluttering around Pandora in James Cameron's 3-D "Avatar."
Cameron waited years for the technology to catch up to his vision, and it was worth it.
Michael Bay should have waited for a good script to catch up with to his robots in "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen." The drab "Transformers" sequel did score in the green dimension, however, topping the box office with more than $402 million. It needed to make a bundle, because it cost about $200 million to produce.
Conversely, Oren Peli made the scary "Paranormal Activity" for a paltry $15,000. It has pocketed $107 million at last count.
Despite the putrid economy, the Cleveland International Film Festival set glowing attendance records, proving Clevelanders love their movies. Especially if they're dark, weird, and foreign. Cleveland's Capitol Theatre, shuttered for 24 years, reopened as a sparkling three-theater digital palace. A victory for community partnerships and the West Side.
Sandra Bullock wins performer of the year honors for knocking out three films: "The Proposal," "All About Steve," and "The Blind Side." The latter is still going strong in theaters. Bullock expertly plays real-life force-of-nature Leigh Anne Tuohy, the Memphis woman who took in a homeless teenager in crisis and helped set his life on a strong course. A worthy deed in any dimension.
1. "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire," directed by Lee Daniels. Brutal, harsh, harrowing. Daniels' documentary-like style lent the story of an abused teenaged girl a realism that gets inside your heart and stays there. Gabourey Sidibe's stunning performance as Precious was backed by unforgettable turns from Mo'Nique, Mariah Carey and Paula Patton.
2. "In the Loop," directed by Armando Iannucci. Savvy, sharp-edged political satire about a verbal gaffe that sends Middle East policy spinning. Iannucci's quick, two-camera shooting technique lent his fast-talking cast a comic immediacy that juiced the laugh-out-loud moments.
3. "Fantastic Mr. Fox," directed by Wes Anderson. The most painstaking process -- stop-motion animation -- was the perfect format for presenting Roald Dahl's children's story. Anderson's best film, with nifty voice work from George Clooney and Meryl Streep.
4. "Up in the Air," directed by Jason Reitman. Refreshingly smart and funny (and highly relevant in our downsizing cooperate-controlled world). George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, and Anna Kendrick have a ball with their roles. And so do we.
5. "Avatar," directed by James Cameron. It's not a movie, it's an experience. Cameron creates an entire world complete with its own language and culture, and lifts the medium of film to a new technological level.
6. "Me and Orson Welles," directed by Richard Linklater. One of the best and least appreciated American directors, Linklater spins a marvelously entertaining tale of Welles (Christian McKay) and his blustery brilliance at the Mercury Theatre in 1937.
7. "Inglourious Basterds," directed by Quentin Tarantino. Brad Pitt shines in this elaborate Jewish-revenge fantasy about the Nazis and World War II. Pitt's speech recruiting potential killers is a classic Tarantino talkie torrent.
8. "The Hangover," directed by Todd Philips. Somehow Philips and screenwriters Jon Lucas and Scott Moore managed to take the most overdone premise (a wild bachelor party in Las Vegas) and make a fresh and funny film.
9. "The Hurt Locker," directed by Kathryn Bigelow. The non-stop intensity of a bomb squad in Iraq is highlighted by Jeremy Renner's gutsy performance as Staff Sgt. Will James. When an officer asks what's the best way to dismantle bombs, James responds, "The way you don't die, sir."
10. "A Serious Man," directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. The care and detail devoted to even the most minor of characters sets the Coens apart yet again as they investigate the meaning of life in Minnesota, circa 1967.
Thanks Clint!!!! I agree on many of your pics...I still have a few I want to see including Precious, Inglourious Basterds and Me and Orson Welles.
Labels: article, cleveland, movie, Plain Dealer, writer
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