Unlike last time, I’ll just stick to what I saw or have seen.
Jan
Smokin’ Aces (4/10)
Well, this was an acceptable waste of two hours. The new caper flick with all the Guy Ritchie cliché freeze frames and the endless countdown of character’s who’s fates become intertwined. I think my favorite part was when Ben Afflect died … but, hey, that’s just me. Oh, and “a straight-to-DVD prequel has been announced” according to wikipedia, so … there’s something.
Feb
Hannibal Rising (4/10) – This was, for all intents and purposes, the same movie as “Batman Begins” … except that Batman was fighting crime and not a psychotic cannible. It gave you some idea of how a person like Lector could have developed and sometimes even made you like him all the more. Much like the TV show “Dexter,” it portrays the killer as hero. I liked the film, though it was immediately forgetable. It further suffers from being the 4th (or 5th depending on how pedandic you are) in the Lector series of films.
Ghost Rider (3/10) – Nicolas Cage … Earth to Nicolas Cage … Where are you? Why are you making these big budget turds that seem to endlessly revolve around Los Vegas? Are you stuck in some Elvis time warp? Do you owe money to the mob?
This is a film about an Evil Kenvil type stunt man who becomes a flaming skull with a whip. I would say more, but there really isn’t more to say …
The Number 23 (3/10) – Well, certainly not the worst film of the year. Jim Carrey is very hard to take this seriously and the entire premise tends to hang on one of those trendy “White Noise” ideas (evil numerology), but it was worth a rent. I didn’t hate it and I definitely saw worse movies this year.
March
Black Snake Moan (7/10)
Well, everybody online was freaking out about this and from the poster you can clearly see why. Despite its obvious homage to blacksploitation of the 1970s and still touching interratial nerves everywhere, this film is actually about self-respect and one stranger helping another. It was, in short, much better than anyone expected … including me.
Zodiac (10/10)
Having just spent the weekend with the Director’s Cut DVD and seeing this movie for about the 5th time, I’m going out on a limb to say this is easily the greatest crime/thriller and historical film ever made. With the staggering attention to detail, the unsolved Zodiac killer story unfolds in front of us without all the hoopla of the usual psycho killer qu'est-ce que c'est bloodfest. In fact, all the killings take place within the first 40 minutes of the the almost 3 hour film. As they say in the commentaries, its best to use real facts because, like it or not, truth is stranger than fiction … and you’ll never hear Donovan the same way again.
300 (5/10) – It is hard to describe how I feel about this movie. Gay comes to mind. Cartoonishly gay. (Sarah Silverman famously said “Its called 300 because that’s how gay it was on a scale of 1 to 10”). It wasn’t until South Park parodied it did I realize how truly bizarre it was to lavish so much money and attention to, for all intents and purposes, a true reconstruction of a comic book (not actual history). It is a visual effects film. The plot, the characters, the truth, the legend … all backseat to some CGI Frank Miller masterbation. Worth seeing.
Shooter (6/10) – I don’t remember this ever being in the theaters, but rented it. Not a bad, if somewhat clichéd film.
Blades of Glory (2/10) – I did remember laughing once in this film, although I can’t for the life of me remember why. Will Ferrell is continuing his streak of great ideas not carried out to their logical conclusion and simply going for the obvious kick in the balls humor that we can all see coming for miles away. There isn’t anything clever here, even in the lowest of low-brow comedy senses. Its just pure not funny.
April
Grindhouse – I can’t rate Grindhouse because I didn’t see the true double feature. I’ve seen the two films, but without all the fake trailers they don’t seem as interesting or credible. The truth is their release as individual films on dvd is probably one of the dumbest moves ever made by a studio. I love Kurt Russell and his performance as Stuntman Mike in “Death Proof” might be my acting pick of the year.
The Hoax (8/10) – If you know anything about Howard Hughes or have seen Orsen Welles’ “F for Fake” then you probably knew this story a bit. Clifford Irving faked an autobiogaphry about recluse Howard Hughes in the 1970s and was famously exposed as a fraud. Richard Gere is actually one of my least favorite actors ever, but he delivers the goods as Irving here, I have to admit.
Disturbia (3/10) – Surprisingly watchable for such a cliché ridden flick.
Fracture (5/10) – Get’s the award for “Film that was most likely developed for Michael Douglas” of the year. Basically, rich old guy kills cheating wife … and almost gets away with it.
Next (3/10) – Again, what is going on with Nic Cage? This psuedo Phillip K Dick style “I can see two minutes into the future” (actually it says it is based on his short story “The Golden Man” and it shows … in a “Paycheck” way, not in a “Blade Runner” way) movie really makes no sense whatsoever … and will only lead you to hate other movies remotely like it.
May
Spider-man 3 – (5/10)
Way too much going on at this point in the spiderman universe and I really don’t care. I never quite caught spidermania and think the second one was the best, but this 3rd one seems to merely pull out all the tricks from one and two. Nothing new here, move along.
28 Weeks Later – (7/10) A very entertaining one time flick. I’ll probably watch this in five years and think, “Hey, I don’t remember any of this” and that’s why it is pretty good. I’m not much for horror flicks, but doomsday scenerios are always fun, especially the end of the world kind. Add to that Robert Carlyle and you have a pretty good reason to watch. This is the sequal to “28 Days Later” not “28 Days” … if you make that mistake, you will be disapointed.
Pirates of the Carribean: At World’s End – (6/10)
Well, it is a big story, but gone are those little character moments from the first film replaced by a bloated fantasy story shot so from the hip that the writers literally made it up as they went along.
Or you could believe this insane quote from director Gore Verbinski, "I felt it important that the third film was the end of an era — like in a postmodern western where the railroad comes and the gunfighter is extinct. It seemed that we had an opportunity to take a look at a world where the legitimate has become corrupt and there is no place for honest thieves in that society, so you have darker issues and a little melancholy. The myths are dying. That seemed a great theme with which to complete the trilogy."
Depp is great, but Bloom is, to use one reviewers description “Human Nyquil.”
June
Knocked Up (2/10) – Sorry folks, but I really hated this film. Not funny in any way whatsoever. Pathetic, in fact. From the makers of 40 Year Old Virgin … but it’s clearly missing something …. Oh, I know … the guy who was funny.
Ocean’s Thirteen (7/10) – Oddly enough, considering how much I resist these star-studded nightmares, I enjoyed this movie a lot. It could be the addition of Pacino who’s always great at the stunned lunatic role he’s been playing to perfection for years. It worked, don’t ask me why.
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (6/10)
Apart from being a huge apology for the disasterous first FF film and the epic miscasting of … the entire cast, the addition of the Silver Surfer does give an additional edge to the FF that was missing before, but it is still flagging. In fact, how did this sequal get a greenlight in the first place?
June
Evan Almighty (4/10) – Yeah, one good joke in it (the Login’s and Massina gag that no one will get) the rest is just a really expensive bible comedy and an even lamer sequal.
Sicko (8/10) – Although I don’t like Michael Moore’s in your face style, he is right about this and watching this rather restrained film will make you open your eyes about the coorporate stranglehold on our medical system (as well as our entire way of life.) Sure, this doesn’t pack quite the news wallop that Ferenheit 9-11 did (something the Drudge’s and Limbaugh’s of the world rejoiced in), but then again, Bush was reelected after that film … so maybe something that seeps in slowly is really the way to go, eh?
July
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (6/10)
Oh, magical wondermental Harry Potter, I do declare Hogwarts is a magical place. I even saw the 3-d ending and found it somewhat a dreary trudge. The magic has worn off. So sorry.
Cashback (8/10) – I loved this film. Sentimental teen comedy about a young man who finds he can’t sleep and can even stop time after a breakup. Starring a lot of people in the British film and TV.
Sunshine (9/10)
A second candidate for movie of the year, though it falls short in several areas. The main problem is you really need to see this film on a huge motion picture screen to get the full vibe. It has all the regalness of 2001, but does fall short of the plot mark. Its scientific short-hand (or bits cut from the film) have annoyed fans of serious sci-fi and the movie is pretty predictable from a plot basis … but it is worth seeing someone do science fiction for real.
Rescue Dawn (7/10) – Glad to see Werner Herzog doing real films again (that Lock Ness thing was so lame) and he’s got a real actor in the form of Christian Bale. A fighter pilot shot down in the early days of the Vietnam, is taken prisoner, forced to eat magots, escapes, watches his buddy get chopped up … hard to say it was enjoyable, but it was good.
The Simpsons Movie (7/10) – I suppose the main problem with the Simpsons movie is that about 23 minutes into it you can’t help but think “Man, when is this episode going to end?” Unlike the South Park movie, the Simpsons simply waited far too long to get around to their cinematic debut. In fact, I can’t remember much about it … a glass dome and Homer on a motorcycle … that’s about it. I laughed, I cried, I paused it frequently …
August
The Bourne Ultimatum (9/10) – Another kick ass Jason Bourne movie, though a little … blue. Its all about color grading, I guess. What works in this Bourne film is that it fills in the little gaps of logic from the second film instead of attempting to just continually string along the concept linearly. Yes, there is the annoying amnesia gimmick and the sad attempt to force a romance into the storyline with the Julia Styles running character, but all in all, this is just another good action spy flick. No one kicks ass with a book like Bourne.
Ball of Fury (3/10) – Barely funny, but funny enough. Basically, if you put James Hong in a film it will be funny …
September
3:10 to Yuma (7/10) – Well, it wasn’t great. It wasn’t terrible either. My main concern with the film is that … frankly, I don’t know why anyone is doing anything. The motivations are all over the board. Wha … why? Who? Good to see the wester crop back up, but since the western is essentially an American artform, it also would have been nice if the two stars were also American. Just a thought.
Shoot ‘Em Up (2/10) – A very tedious film that has very few redeeming characteristics. We’ve seen it all before …
Eastern Promises (6/10) – Frankly, this type of movie really makes me uncomfortable. First, yes, it is good, but it is kind of obscure … Russian mofia and teen slave trading … Not your first choice for a fun night at the flicks. Viggo is … well, always going to be Aragorn from Lord of the Rings, no matter how hard he tries … and he’s trying pretty hard in this one.
Resident Evil: Exctinction (5/10) – for the this genre jumping series, the final “Mad Max” chapter is much better than the “Kirk Fights the Gorn” middle chapter.
October
Michael Clayton (7/10) – An excellent political legal thriller that will confuse the easily confused. The first part of the film is disjointed, but any viewer will know that you’ll get your explanations by the end. While I did like this a lot, it left me with a bit of a hollow feeling … like it didn’t mean much. And, maybe it doesn’t. Movies about lawyers … there has to be a better way to live.
Elizabeth: the Golden Age (6/10) – A sequel to Elizabeth, Cate Blanchett once again does a powerhouse turn as the Virgin Queen … sadly, as it is history, much of the history has been botched in order to create a better “movie” story … while failing to do just that. Let’s face it, why make an historical film if you don’t want to tell the real story?
Control (7/10) – Joy Division singer Ian Curtis is memorialized (again) in this grainy b/w flick that probably captures the feeling of Manchester in the late 70s. The main problem with the film is simple – there is not going to be a good ending. However, still a good movie.
Saw 4 (6/10) – Yes, I will watch the Saw movies. I like the idea behind them. Horror movies don’t scare or shock me. Even the fake violence is getting to the point where I’m more interested in how they faked it than actually getting me to gross out. Still, I didn’t see this in the theater.
November
No Country for Old Men (10/10) – while not my favorite of the year, certainly the odds on favorite for the oscar. The Coen Bros. once again defy expectations and linear story telling to give the audience a meditation on psychosis and violence. Like “Zodiac,” this movie is about modern evil. While Zodiac was probably the birth of the modern killer and modern terror, this film is the ultimate extension of that senseless brutality. Ironically, the most modern movie about modern violence is set in very isolated parts of Texas as if evil has finally extended its finger deep into the world we know today. In the end, this might be a bigger film than “Fargo” in the Coen’s lexicon.
I’m Not There (8/10)
Frankly, this movie is really hard to describe. I just know I love it. It is a biography of the “mythological” Bob Dylan in which he is played by no less than six different actors … and actresses. Cate Blanchett is pretty mystifying as the late 60s incarnation, the electric prophet, the Judas of folk. There is nothing weirder than watching Cate do Dylan doing “Ballad of the Thin Man.” But, even with that, I still have to say Richard Gere (what’s going on this year with him) as the mythological retired gunfighter version of Dylan that bookends the piece really took me to a strange place. Is or was Dylan ever really There?
December
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (7/10) – Normally I’d pass on a musical, even one as weird as this, but the combo of Tim Burton and Johnny Depp made that impossible. Admittedly there were bits that I found annoying, but it was just twisted enough to keep me entertained.
The Bucket List (6/10) – Pretty much what you would expect, which isn’t to say it is a bad film … merely a by-the-numbers film about a couple of guys who are going to die trying to do everything they always wanted to do.
Jan
Smokin’ Aces (4/10)
Well, this was an acceptable waste of two hours. The new caper flick with all the Guy Ritchie cliché freeze frames and the endless countdown of character’s who’s fates become intertwined. I think my favorite part was when Ben Afflect died … but, hey, that’s just me. Oh, and “a straight-to-DVD prequel has been announced” according to wikipedia, so … there’s something.
Feb
Hannibal Rising (4/10) – This was, for all intents and purposes, the same movie as “Batman Begins” … except that Batman was fighting crime and not a psychotic cannible. It gave you some idea of how a person like Lector could have developed and sometimes even made you like him all the more. Much like the TV show “Dexter,” it portrays the killer as hero. I liked the film, though it was immediately forgetable. It further suffers from being the 4th (or 5th depending on how pedandic you are) in the Lector series of films.
Ghost Rider (3/10) – Nicolas Cage … Earth to Nicolas Cage … Where are you? Why are you making these big budget turds that seem to endlessly revolve around Los Vegas? Are you stuck in some Elvis time warp? Do you owe money to the mob?
This is a film about an Evil Kenvil type stunt man who becomes a flaming skull with a whip. I would say more, but there really isn’t more to say …
The Number 23 (3/10) – Well, certainly not the worst film of the year. Jim Carrey is very hard to take this seriously and the entire premise tends to hang on one of those trendy “White Noise” ideas (evil numerology), but it was worth a rent. I didn’t hate it and I definitely saw worse movies this year.
March
Black Snake Moan (7/10)
Well, everybody online was freaking out about this and from the poster you can clearly see why. Despite its obvious homage to blacksploitation of the 1970s and still touching interratial nerves everywhere, this film is actually about self-respect and one stranger helping another. It was, in short, much better than anyone expected … including me.
Zodiac (10/10)
Having just spent the weekend with the Director’s Cut DVD and seeing this movie for about the 5th time, I’m going out on a limb to say this is easily the greatest crime/thriller and historical film ever made. With the staggering attention to detail, the unsolved Zodiac killer story unfolds in front of us without all the hoopla of the usual psycho killer qu'est-ce que c'est bloodfest. In fact, all the killings take place within the first 40 minutes of the the almost 3 hour film. As they say in the commentaries, its best to use real facts because, like it or not, truth is stranger than fiction … and you’ll never hear Donovan the same way again.
300 (5/10) – It is hard to describe how I feel about this movie. Gay comes to mind. Cartoonishly gay. (Sarah Silverman famously said “Its called 300 because that’s how gay it was on a scale of 1 to 10”). It wasn’t until South Park parodied it did I realize how truly bizarre it was to lavish so much money and attention to, for all intents and purposes, a true reconstruction of a comic book (not actual history). It is a visual effects film. The plot, the characters, the truth, the legend … all backseat to some CGI Frank Miller masterbation. Worth seeing.
Shooter (6/10) – I don’t remember this ever being in the theaters, but rented it. Not a bad, if somewhat clichéd film.
Blades of Glory (2/10) – I did remember laughing once in this film, although I can’t for the life of me remember why. Will Ferrell is continuing his streak of great ideas not carried out to their logical conclusion and simply going for the obvious kick in the balls humor that we can all see coming for miles away. There isn’t anything clever here, even in the lowest of low-brow comedy senses. Its just pure not funny.
April
Grindhouse – I can’t rate Grindhouse because I didn’t see the true double feature. I’ve seen the two films, but without all the fake trailers they don’t seem as interesting or credible. The truth is their release as individual films on dvd is probably one of the dumbest moves ever made by a studio. I love Kurt Russell and his performance as Stuntman Mike in “Death Proof” might be my acting pick of the year.
The Hoax (8/10) – If you know anything about Howard Hughes or have seen Orsen Welles’ “F for Fake” then you probably knew this story a bit. Clifford Irving faked an autobiogaphry about recluse Howard Hughes in the 1970s and was famously exposed as a fraud. Richard Gere is actually one of my least favorite actors ever, but he delivers the goods as Irving here, I have to admit.
Disturbia (3/10) – Surprisingly watchable for such a cliché ridden flick.
Fracture (5/10) – Get’s the award for “Film that was most likely developed for Michael Douglas” of the year. Basically, rich old guy kills cheating wife … and almost gets away with it.
Next (3/10) – Again, what is going on with Nic Cage? This psuedo Phillip K Dick style “I can see two minutes into the future” (actually it says it is based on his short story “The Golden Man” and it shows … in a “Paycheck” way, not in a “Blade Runner” way) movie really makes no sense whatsoever … and will only lead you to hate other movies remotely like it.
May
Spider-man 3 – (5/10)
Way too much going on at this point in the spiderman universe and I really don’t care. I never quite caught spidermania and think the second one was the best, but this 3rd one seems to merely pull out all the tricks from one and two. Nothing new here, move along.
28 Weeks Later – (7/10) A very entertaining one time flick. I’ll probably watch this in five years and think, “Hey, I don’t remember any of this” and that’s why it is pretty good. I’m not much for horror flicks, but doomsday scenerios are always fun, especially the end of the world kind. Add to that Robert Carlyle and you have a pretty good reason to watch. This is the sequal to “28 Days Later” not “28 Days” … if you make that mistake, you will be disapointed.
Pirates of the Carribean: At World’s End – (6/10)
Well, it is a big story, but gone are those little character moments from the first film replaced by a bloated fantasy story shot so from the hip that the writers literally made it up as they went along.
Or you could believe this insane quote from director Gore Verbinski, "I felt it important that the third film was the end of an era — like in a postmodern western where the railroad comes and the gunfighter is extinct. It seemed that we had an opportunity to take a look at a world where the legitimate has become corrupt and there is no place for honest thieves in that society, so you have darker issues and a little melancholy. The myths are dying. That seemed a great theme with which to complete the trilogy."
Depp is great, but Bloom is, to use one reviewers description “Human Nyquil.”
June
Knocked Up (2/10) – Sorry folks, but I really hated this film. Not funny in any way whatsoever. Pathetic, in fact. From the makers of 40 Year Old Virgin … but it’s clearly missing something …. Oh, I know … the guy who was funny.
Ocean’s Thirteen (7/10) – Oddly enough, considering how much I resist these star-studded nightmares, I enjoyed this movie a lot. It could be the addition of Pacino who’s always great at the stunned lunatic role he’s been playing to perfection for years. It worked, don’t ask me why.
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (6/10)
Apart from being a huge apology for the disasterous first FF film and the epic miscasting of … the entire cast, the addition of the Silver Surfer does give an additional edge to the FF that was missing before, but it is still flagging. In fact, how did this sequal get a greenlight in the first place?
June
Evan Almighty (4/10) – Yeah, one good joke in it (the Login’s and Massina gag that no one will get) the rest is just a really expensive bible comedy and an even lamer sequal.
Sicko (8/10) – Although I don’t like Michael Moore’s in your face style, he is right about this and watching this rather restrained film will make you open your eyes about the coorporate stranglehold on our medical system (as well as our entire way of life.) Sure, this doesn’t pack quite the news wallop that Ferenheit 9-11 did (something the Drudge’s and Limbaugh’s of the world rejoiced in), but then again, Bush was reelected after that film … so maybe something that seeps in slowly is really the way to go, eh?
July
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (6/10)
Oh, magical wondermental Harry Potter, I do declare Hogwarts is a magical place. I even saw the 3-d ending and found it somewhat a dreary trudge. The magic has worn off. So sorry.
Cashback (8/10) – I loved this film. Sentimental teen comedy about a young man who finds he can’t sleep and can even stop time after a breakup. Starring a lot of people in the British film and TV.
Sunshine (9/10)
A second candidate for movie of the year, though it falls short in several areas. The main problem is you really need to see this film on a huge motion picture screen to get the full vibe. It has all the regalness of 2001, but does fall short of the plot mark. Its scientific short-hand (or bits cut from the film) have annoyed fans of serious sci-fi and the movie is pretty predictable from a plot basis … but it is worth seeing someone do science fiction for real.
Rescue Dawn (7/10) – Glad to see Werner Herzog doing real films again (that Lock Ness thing was so lame) and he’s got a real actor in the form of Christian Bale. A fighter pilot shot down in the early days of the Vietnam, is taken prisoner, forced to eat magots, escapes, watches his buddy get chopped up … hard to say it was enjoyable, but it was good.
The Simpsons Movie (7/10) – I suppose the main problem with the Simpsons movie is that about 23 minutes into it you can’t help but think “Man, when is this episode going to end?” Unlike the South Park movie, the Simpsons simply waited far too long to get around to their cinematic debut. In fact, I can’t remember much about it … a glass dome and Homer on a motorcycle … that’s about it. I laughed, I cried, I paused it frequently …
August
The Bourne Ultimatum (9/10) – Another kick ass Jason Bourne movie, though a little … blue. Its all about color grading, I guess. What works in this Bourne film is that it fills in the little gaps of logic from the second film instead of attempting to just continually string along the concept linearly. Yes, there is the annoying amnesia gimmick and the sad attempt to force a romance into the storyline with the Julia Styles running character, but all in all, this is just another good action spy flick. No one kicks ass with a book like Bourne.
Ball of Fury (3/10) – Barely funny, but funny enough. Basically, if you put James Hong in a film it will be funny …
September
3:10 to Yuma (7/10) – Well, it wasn’t great. It wasn’t terrible either. My main concern with the film is that … frankly, I don’t know why anyone is doing anything. The motivations are all over the board. Wha … why? Who? Good to see the wester crop back up, but since the western is essentially an American artform, it also would have been nice if the two stars were also American. Just a thought.
Shoot ‘Em Up (2/10) – A very tedious film that has very few redeeming characteristics. We’ve seen it all before …
Eastern Promises (6/10) – Frankly, this type of movie really makes me uncomfortable. First, yes, it is good, but it is kind of obscure … Russian mofia and teen slave trading … Not your first choice for a fun night at the flicks. Viggo is … well, always going to be Aragorn from Lord of the Rings, no matter how hard he tries … and he’s trying pretty hard in this one.
Resident Evil: Exctinction (5/10) – for the this genre jumping series, the final “Mad Max” chapter is much better than the “Kirk Fights the Gorn” middle chapter.
October
Michael Clayton (7/10) – An excellent political legal thriller that will confuse the easily confused. The first part of the film is disjointed, but any viewer will know that you’ll get your explanations by the end. While I did like this a lot, it left me with a bit of a hollow feeling … like it didn’t mean much. And, maybe it doesn’t. Movies about lawyers … there has to be a better way to live.
Elizabeth: the Golden Age (6/10) – A sequel to Elizabeth, Cate Blanchett once again does a powerhouse turn as the Virgin Queen … sadly, as it is history, much of the history has been botched in order to create a better “movie” story … while failing to do just that. Let’s face it, why make an historical film if you don’t want to tell the real story?
Control (7/10) – Joy Division singer Ian Curtis is memorialized (again) in this grainy b/w flick that probably captures the feeling of Manchester in the late 70s. The main problem with the film is simple – there is not going to be a good ending. However, still a good movie.
Saw 4 (6/10) – Yes, I will watch the Saw movies. I like the idea behind them. Horror movies don’t scare or shock me. Even the fake violence is getting to the point where I’m more interested in how they faked it than actually getting me to gross out. Still, I didn’t see this in the theater.
November
No Country for Old Men (10/10) – while not my favorite of the year, certainly the odds on favorite for the oscar. The Coen Bros. once again defy expectations and linear story telling to give the audience a meditation on psychosis and violence. Like “Zodiac,” this movie is about modern evil. While Zodiac was probably the birth of the modern killer and modern terror, this film is the ultimate extension of that senseless brutality. Ironically, the most modern movie about modern violence is set in very isolated parts of Texas as if evil has finally extended its finger deep into the world we know today. In the end, this might be a bigger film than “Fargo” in the Coen’s lexicon.
I’m Not There (8/10)
Frankly, this movie is really hard to describe. I just know I love it. It is a biography of the “mythological” Bob Dylan in which he is played by no less than six different actors … and actresses. Cate Blanchett is pretty mystifying as the late 60s incarnation, the electric prophet, the Judas of folk. There is nothing weirder than watching Cate do Dylan doing “Ballad of the Thin Man.” But, even with that, I still have to say Richard Gere (what’s going on this year with him) as the mythological retired gunfighter version of Dylan that bookends the piece really took me to a strange place. Is or was Dylan ever really There?
December
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (7/10) – Normally I’d pass on a musical, even one as weird as this, but the combo of Tim Burton and Johnny Depp made that impossible. Admittedly there were bits that I found annoying, but it was just twisted enough to keep me entertained.
The Bucket List (6/10) – Pretty much what you would expect, which isn’t to say it is a bad film … merely a by-the-numbers film about a couple of guys who are going to die trying to do everything they always wanted to do.
