The Lookout

Date: August 22
Location: Clifton Living Room

Along with Zodiac and Breach, this makes three smart, adult character-driven winners released in the first three months of the year (traditional dumping ground for low-expectation crap). Unfortunately, the timing probably means none of these films will be recognized come Oscar season. Writer and first-time director Scott Frank (who penned such classics as Get Shorty and Out of Sight) has delivered an award-worthy script and crafted a film that works as both a low-key heist thriller and a poignant character piece. The acting is wonderful across the board, including a haunting turn by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and scene-stealing work by Jeff Daniels (who really should be in every movie). Kudos to Mom for recalling British actor Matthew Goode from his work in Match Point — he's unrecognizable here as the sympathetically sinister antagonist. I had minor problems with some convenient turns at the climax, but nothing that would keep me from recommending this as one of the year's best films so far.

Fall 2007 Preview

So we're more than seven months into the year, and I've seen 21 films. That's a little less than three per month — not a bad average, but off the pace of one-per-week that I like as a yearly average. But it is the fall and winter that generally deliver the must-see films, and lots of them, so I should be able to hit my target by Oscar time.

Before looking at the films to come, I'll mention some films from earlier this year that I have in my NetFlix queue and hope to see soon on DVD (in order of preference): Once, Away From Her, Talk to Me, Grindhouse, Black Book, Waitress, La Vie en Rose, The Ten, The Hoax, Diggers, 2 Days in Paris, Disturbia, Curse of the Golden Flower, Bug, Smokin' Aces. So many movies, so little time.

Now, on to the fall. I'm basing this write-up on the films profiled in the Entertainment Weekly Fall Preview issue (#949/950). It's possible some of these titles might move to next year or titles not listed here might emerge.

SEPTEMBER

Movie I most want to see: The Kingdom. I've been hearing great things about this for awhile now. I love the cast (Chris Cooper, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman) and I was really impressed with Peter Berg's work on Friday Night Lights.

Most intriguing: Eastern Promises. David Cronenberg back in A History of Violence territory with Viggo Mortensen and Naomi Watts starring. Yeah, I think I'm interested.

Also of interest: 3:10 to Yuma (Russell Crowe and Christian Bale in a brooding hunk-off); The Brave One (didn't realize Neil Jordan helmed this Jodie Foster revenge flick); Lust, Caution (hard to go wrong with Ang Lee); Shoot 'Em Up (Clive Owen and Paul Giamatti slumming in a stylish, well, shoot 'em up).

Movies I'm wary of: Across the Universe (Julie Taymor certainly has a talent for visuals, but I get the feeling her Beatles-cover-album-on-film will be a big mess. On the other hand, it could be brilliant.); In the Valley of Elah (Looks like Oscar bait, but I ain't taking it... once bitten by Paul Haggis, twice shy).

OCTOBER

Movie I most want to see: The Darjeeling Limited. The latest from Wes Anderson... need I say more? OK, I'll say a little more. I'm thrilled to see Jason Schwartzman back in a Wes movie — he was so good in Rushmore. Bill Murray deserved his Oscar buzz for that film but Schwartzman should have been right there with him. I was very annoyed by the critical reaction to The Life Aquatic, a beautiful, bizarre, touching film that was roundly trashed for being too "quirky" for its own good. I love Owen Wilson's quote about Darjeeling: "Sometimes people focus on the eccentric stuff in Wes' films and the other stuff gets lost, that there's real emotion in his work. It's definitely there in this one." Well, I'm definitely there, too.

Most intriguing: Elizabeth: The Golden Age. Talk about the most unlikely sequel. But it makes a lot of sense, considering how rich a character this is. Love the trailer, and I'm happy to watch Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush and Clive Owen chew up the scenery.

Also of interest: The Heartbreak Kid (two words... Michelle Monaghan); Gone Baby Gone (two words... Michelle Monaghan; plus, I like Ben Affleck and it would be nice to see his directorial debut work); Michael Clayton (I love me some George Clooney, and I like the description of this as a throwback to the adult dramas of the 70s); Grace is Gone (I'd like to see John Cusack get some credit for his underrated acting); Things We Lost in the Fire (Halle Berry back in Oscar form with Benicio del Toro in tow).

Movies I'm wary of: Dan in Real Life (I love Carrell, but this looks like a bit of a Little Miss Sunshine wannabe); Lars and the Real Girl (Ryan Gosling in a comedy? About a man in love with a mannequin? Could be a disaster, or a classic); Reservation Road (looks a lot like a rewrite of 21 Grams, but I do love Mark Ruffalo and Joaquin Phoenix).

NOVEMBER

Movie I most want to see: No Country For Old Men. Another film by one (two) of my "hotties," as Dana calls them. The Coen Brothers got rave reviews at Cannes for this dark adaptation of the Cormac McCarthy novel. Along with Darjeeling, the movie I'm most looking forward to this year.

Most intriguing: American Gangster. I'm so there. Denzel Washington playing another charismatic bad guy, with Russell Crowe in pursuit. This looks really, really good.

Also of interest: Bee Movie (Seinfeld humor from the mouth of an insect... should be lots of fun); Fred Claus (Vince Vaughn doing his Vince Vaughn thing... talk about hotties!); Love in the Time of Cholera (wonderful book finally being adapted for the screen); Lions For Lambs (Cruise and Streep going toe-to-toe); Margot at the Wedding (Noah Baumbach's follow-up to the great Squid and the Whale, which seems to mine similar territory); The Kite Runner (everyone loves the book... maybe another Namesake?); Enchanted (looks like a ton of fun, and I think I'm on the verge of a major crush on Amy Adams).

Movies I'm wary of: Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (I like the cast, but is it anything more than a Willy Wonka ripoff?); I'm Not There (bunch of different people — including Cate Blanchett — playing Bob Dylan at various points in his life and career... just weird enough to work?).

DECEMBER

Movie I most want to see: There Will Be Blood. Another hottie, Paul Thomas Anderson, delivering his first film in 5 years, and teaming up with Daniel Day Lewis, who is always so frighteningly good. I don't know much at all about this, but Anderson is a marvelous talent.

Most intriguing: The Golden Compass. I absolutely adore these books, and the cast they've assembled is dead-on. I'm a little worried by Nicole Kidman's comment that the film isn't at all anti-Catholic, because the blasting of organized religion is one of the series' strongest themes. But I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

Also of interest: Atonement (Joe Wright and Keira Knightley hit one out of the park with Pride and Prejudice — can they do it again with this great Ian McEwan book?); Leatherheads (George Clooney and Jim Krazinski — say no more); I Am Legend (Will Smith is always worth watching, and I'm intrigued by his comments about the dramatic elements of this movie); National Treasure: Book of Secrets (fun); Walk Hard (I laughed my ass off at the trailer... but probably a rental); Charlie Wilson's War (tempted to put this in the 'wary' category because Sorkin and politics can be an icky mix, but I trust Mike Nichols — not to mention Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman — to keep it real); The Great Debaters (could be the next Akeelah and the Bee); The Savages (trailer looked promising way back when) .

Movies I'm wary of: Sweeney Todd (Tim Burton might make a better art director than film director, but I'm curious to see Johnny Depp in a musical); The Bucket List (if Rob Reiner can return to the form of his first 7-8 films, this could be wonderful; if he stays in the rut he's been in since, it could be horrible).

Summer 2007: A retrospective

Update: As Amy points out in the comments section, I forgot to mention Hairspray in this write-up. So I actually saw 10 films this summer. And I would include Hairspray among the best of them. John Travolta and Nikki Blonsky deserve particular praise for their exuberant and touching performances as the Turnblad mother and daughter.

On May 8, I posted this entry listing the films I planned to see over the summer. I wound up seeing 9 of the 11 films mentioned (plus Spider-Man 3, which I saw right before making the list), eschewing Rush Hour 3 because it just looked bad and deciding Stardust could wait for video.

Five of the ten films were the third in a series. One was the fourth. One was the fifth. Not surprisingly, my favorite summer films were the others — the original screenplays. And while all of those sequels made a lot of money, most of them weren't very well-received by critics. I'd love to think Hollywood will learn a lesson and bankroll more original ideas, but alas, I'm sure we'll be looking at Shrek Comes Fourth or some such nonsense a year from now.

The big winner of the summer, and the year so far, is Ratatouille. This film clicks on every level — extraordinary visuals, a score that better win the Oscar, winning performances and an elegant screenplay. It's one of the best things Pixar has ever done, and that's saying a lot.

When I compile my favorite scenes of the year, no fewer than three from this film will make the list — Remy's ascent from the sewers to the roof of a building overlooking Paris, his first time in Gusteau's kitchen where he is nearly discovered a half-dozen times but can't bring himself to leave without perfecting the soup and Anton Ego's flashback upon tasting the title dish plus his subsequent review.

The other star of summer was Knocked Up — as consistently funny a movie as I've seen in a decade. This movie is so chock full of hilarious performances it almost seems unfair to the rest of Hollywood. The work of Ryan Seacrest, Kristen Wiig, Alan Tudyk, Ken Jeong and Craig Robinson alone could make for a decent comedy, and that leaves out the two leads and six main supporting characters, every one of whom is priceless.

Those are the two films I know will make my year-end top ten list, probably even top five depending on what fall brings.

Of the rest, I most enjoyed The Bourne Ultimatum, which sewed up that excellent franchise with another brainy, balls-to-the-wall adrenaline-feuled installment. And Superbad, younger brother of Knocked Up, capped the summer off with some big laughs and a real sweet streak.

If they gave out Oscars by season, my Summer Awards would look like this:

Best Picture: Ratatouille
Best Director: Brad Bird - Ratatouille
Best Actress: Katherine Heigl - Knocked Up
Best Actor: Matt Damon - The Bourne Ultimatum
Best Supporting Actor: Paul Rudd - Knocked Up
Best Supporting Actress: Leslie Mann - Knocked Up
Best Original Screenplay: Ratatouille
Best Adapted Screenplay: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Next up... the Fall Preview.

Superbad

Date: August 18
Location: AMC Sunset Place

This is a tough one for me to review and rank. I came out mildly disappointed based on the absolute raves I'd been reading, but at the same time I really loved many parts of the film and I laughed my ass off throughout. Michael Cera is absolute gold, and I'm planning to dive into the Arrested Development DVDs ASAP just to enjoy more of his brilliant comic timing. Jonah Hill plays the more obnoxious character, but he has moments of weakness that resonate. The subplot with McLovin and the crazed cops distracts from what is so hilarious and real between the main characters, but it works most of the time as pure comedy. Overall, I think the film suffers in comparison to Knocked Up, which was consistently funnier and didn't have some of the over-the-top elements that feel forced here. And it is not in the same realm as Dazed and Confused, a true classic that is only now gaining the reputation it deserves. I've seen Superbad compared to Dazed, as well as Fast Times at Ridgemont High and the best of John Hughes. I think that last comparison is the most apt -- Superbad reminds me of a blend of Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Sixteen Candles. And that's nothing to sneeze at. There's an underlying sweet sadness in this film (not to mention a fair bit of homoeroticism) in how it deals with the special friendships between young men, especially young men who are high school outsiders. That's where it succeeds the most, and it's that theme as well as some great belly-laughs, that push it up my list despite the dampening effect of too-high expectations.

The Host

Date: Monday, August 13
Location: Clifton Living Room

I'm not sure what exactly to make of this movie. It's very well-made, with shots and situations worthy of Jaws, to which it's been compared. It also has a lot of screwball humor and political satire that works only about half the time. And the ending, while "brave" in the way it upends the expectations of movies like this, left me very cold. But I'm glad I saw it, and I suspect director Joon-ho Bong will be a talent to watch for some time.

Underdog

Date: August 8
Location: Muvico Boynton Beach

I told Sophia we'd see a movie because we're both home during the day the next couple weeks. She chose this one (I was pulling for a Ratatouille repeat). The 12% Tomato ranking was not encouraging, but it was just fine. Jason Lee was charming as the eponymous canine and Peter Dinklage was great as the mad scientist. I wish he'd get more work, and in height-agnostic roles like this one. The best news... Sophia and I plan to see Ratatouille next week.

The Bourne Ultimatum

Date: August 3
Location: Boynton Muvico Premiere

Salty watched the kids and we paid $2 extra per ticket to watch Jason Bourne in the "Premiere" theater, meaning we got free popcorn, a 21-and-over crowd and assigned seats. I can't stress enough the beauty of the assigned seats, exactly where we wanted them in a brand-new, huge theater. We walked in 10 minutes before the movie with no worries. This is the way to go. And the movie was awesome. I'm so glad we watched the first two Bourne films this week in preparation for the third, because there are a lot of tie-ins here that would have been harder to catch. In particular, there's a chronological overlap that's just brilliantly conceived and executed. I hope this is the last film in the series -- in its own way, this is as finely realized a trilogy as the Lord of the Rings or Star Wars films, and miles better than the Matrix and Pirates series. A minor quibble... the handheld cam is occasionally too much, as it is in Greengrass' other films. But overall his direction is a huge asset, lending an immediacy and intense realism that sets these films apart from other action hero fare.

Hairspray

Date: July 28
Location: AMC Sunset Place

Amy's plug for Talk to Me went unheeded not because we don't value her opinion but because it wasn't playing anywhere near South Miami. Hairspray was a great time, with excellent songs and a teriffic cast. Travolta was particularly effective as Edna Turnblatt. Like most musicals, it probably won't stick with me long after the first viewing, but I sure did enjoy myself in the theater. And I have to admit a salacious interest in Amanda Bynes' character.

Breach

Date: July 24
Location: Clifton Living Room

Another great-looking film for the big-screen TV -- I loved the use of D.C. locations. There's no way this film (or Zodiac, for that matter) should have been released in the first few months of the year. Had it come out in November, Chris Cooper would be a shoo-in for a Best Actor nomination and the film's writing and direction would be in the running as well. It's exceptionally smart, exciting and poignant and all the more interesting for being based on such recent history.

Live Free or Die Hard

Date: July 15
Location: AMC Sunset Place

We used the free Harry Potter passes to see the latest John McClane adventure. It was as fun and as absurd as the rest of the Die Hard sequels. Willis' advancing age gave this installment a charming quality, especially as they played up the old vs. new fighting styles and his technological cluelessness. The early gunfights and car chases were the most effective; McClane leaping onto the wing of a jet fighter... less so. I really enjoyed Justin Long as the sidekick. Most of all, it made me want to rewatch the classic first film.