{The following is brought to you by Countrywide Beatnik Hard Liquor: “Drink to forget.”}

Greetings one and all. In these troubled times [drink] we turn to the movies, to the TV, to the Interwebs and hope to borrow surcease of sorrow. I saw 277 feature length films last year [7 non-fiction, 9 animated, only 6 foreign (sorry, dad)]. And since no one asked me, here is what I think of the Oscar nominations and the best movies of 2008.

This year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (and most other Awards shows) have nominated five films that most haven’t seen and (mostly) aren’t all that spectacular (this is called “drawing the audience in with controversy”). Is the Academy out of touch? To quote my friend Keith Powell: “Who cares?” Well said, sir.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a masterpiece of digital technology but in terms of story, interest, and pathos, it is less-than. I felt no connection to the characters and no interest in their stories. On a side note, I am not a fan of the story-within-a-story device of a character telling the story of their life during the movie (Forrest Gump). It doesn’t add anything to the story, and in this film’s case it actually took away from my enjoyment.

Frost/Nixon is a very enjoyable and tense thriller. It is also an example of how to adapt a work from stage to screen. Ron Howard does what may be the best work of his career and uses the camera to aid the characters. Instead of “opening up” the play he closes in and lets us really get up in these characters’ faces, one thing a play cannot do.

I did not enjoy Milk as much as I was hoping to. Top shelf acting from the whole ensemble and the parallels between California then and now are startling. However, it didn’t grab hold of me as most Gus Van Sant films do. It didn’t challenge me as much as I was expecting. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed it but it hardly blew me away.

I did not enjoy The Reader. I found it pedantic, didactic, and other snooty words. Kate Winslet is good, of course (she always is), but the rest of the cast in uninspired and I wasn’t at all sure what I was supposed to take from it if anything. On a side note, Winslet should not be up for Lead Actress but rather Supporting Actress since her character is very much a supporting role in the story.

Slumdog Millionaire is the best of group by far. Danny Boyle’s direction is top-notch and I’m glad he’s finally getting the recognition he deserves. The acting is quite good as well. The story didn’t blow me away and I think we’ve all seen this movie before. But the more I think about this film, the more I like it.

“Patrick, what were your favorite movies of the year?” Good question, plebeian reader. In alphabetical order, here are the ten best movies I saw this year.

The Bank Job
(Roger Donaldson) Set in the 70’s, Martine (Saffron Burrows) offers Terry (Jason Statham) a lead on a foolproof bank hit on London’s Baker Street. But Terry and his crew don’t realize the boxes also contain a treasure trove of dirty secrets - secrets that will thrust them into a deadly web of corruption and illicit scandal. Based on a true story.  This is a masterful heist film. Donaldson manipulates us and his characters with true excellence. He also handles the very complicated story with true talent. You trust him from the start, so although you may be lost for a moment, you never feel out to sea. Statham gives his best performance since Snatch.

Burn After Reading (Joel Coen & Ethan Coen) A disk containing the memoirs of a CIA agent (John Malkovich) ends up in the hands of two unscrupulous gym employees (Frances McDormand & Brad Pitt) who attempt to sell it.  This movie devided a lot of critics and friends of mine alike. As a self-confessed Coen Brothers lover, I must admit I’m biased. But, c’mon, how can you watch this film and not have a great time. A great cast (including the always wonderful J K Simmons) take you through this insane world with glee. No one does chaos like the Coens, no one does stupidy like the Coens, and no one makes you laugh quite like the Coens. If you liked The Big Lebowski, you’ll like Burn After Reading (the opposite is also true).

The Dark Knight
(Christopher Nolan) Batman (Christian Bale), Lt Gordon (Gary Oldman), and D.A. Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) deal with the chaos unleashed by an anarchist mastermind known only as The Joker (Heath Ledger).  Okay. So, I assume that you’ve either seen it or aren’t going to see it (or have young kids and will see it later). Many have said to me they found it long, many have said to me they liked the first one better, to them I have all said the same thing: I have seen this movie three times and would go again if you asked. Nolan, Bale, Oldman, Eckhart, and Ledger blend in a compelling and fascinating way. It’s not the best movie ever, it’s not the best movie I’ve seen this year, but it is amazing to watch (and I think better than Batman Begins). Ledger deserves the Oscar he’s going to win. There I said it.

Happy-Go-Lucky
(Mike Leigh) A look at a few chapters in the life of Poppy (Sally Hawkins), a cheery, colorful, North London schoolteacher whose optimism tends to exasperate those around her.  Most movies are not what you’d call realistic. Some movies claim to be realistic but are really just boring as hell. But every now and again a movie like Happy-Go-Lucky comes out and really “holds the mirror up to life” in a genuine way.  And if you’re lucky, it’s half as good as this movie is.  Mike Leigh’s “kitchen sink realism” has been evidenced in films like Vera Drake and Naked but not since his 1999 film Topsy-Turvy has it been so compelling and startling. Nothing really happens in Happy-Go-Lucky, there are no major revelations, deceptions, betrayals, etc. The characters go about their lives much as you imagine they would in “real” life. But they (the characters) are so complete and so compelling that the experience is magical. What’s best is this movie really is for everyone. I highly recommended to anyone and everyone. It’ll just make you feel good.

In Bruges
(Martin McDonagh) Hold up in the Belgium town of Bruges after a difficult job, two hit men (Colin Farrell & Brendan Gleeson) begin to differ on their views of life and death as they become used to local customs.  I loved, loved, loved this movie. McDonagh crafts an interesting morality fable about the wages of sin and theories of hell. Beautifully shot in the simultaneously bleak and beautiful Bruges, this is one for the books. Farrell & Gleeson are as good as Travolta & Jackson as philosophical hitmen (though McDonagh’s hitmen are probably more realistic). Ralph Feinnes is masterful as their gang leader. I can’t say enough good things about In Bruges.

Rachel Getting Married
(Jonathan Demme) A young woman who has been in and out from rehab for the past 10 years (Anne Hathaway) returns home for her sister’s wedding.   There have been many hand-held, shot-on-video, family dramas over the last several years. And while some have been better than others (Pieces of April is quite nice), none of them comes anywhere near the beauty or sophistication of Rachel Getting Married. Jonathan Demme and Jenny Lumet (daughter of Sidney) find a perfect harmony as director and writer respectively that is reminiscent of Juno’s Jason Reitman and Diablo Coby (or Network’s Sidney Lumet and Paddy Chafesky). The acting is first rate (especially Bill Irwin as the father of the bride) and the sheer simplicity of the storyline make you feel like this is really unfolding before your eyes. Excellent, excellent stuff.

Slumdog Millionaire
(Danny Boyle) A Mumbai teen who grew up in the slums (Dev Patel), becomes a contestant on the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and is arrested under suspicion of cheating. While being interrogated, events from his life history are shown which explain why he knows the answers.  Again, really good.

The Visitor
(Thomas McCarthy) A college professor (Richard Jenkins) travels to New York City to attend a conference and finds a young couple living in his apartment.  Thomas McCarthy’s first film, The Station Agent, was a heartbreaking study of people out of step with the world finding their own family. The Visitor is about a man who has removed himself from the world finding his way back in. Both are brilliant. Jenkins gives what will surely be the performance of his career. One which should be studied for its subtlety and intricacy. And I ask you (after you’ve seen it) who is “the visitor?”

WALL·E
(Andrew Stanton) In the distant future, a small waste collecting robot inadvertently embarks on a journey that will ultimately decide the fate of mankind.  I don’t think it is an overstatement to say that WALL·E might be the most beautiful animated movie ever made. Pixar used 7 time Academy Award nominated cinematographer Roger Deakins to consult on shot design and the results are amazing. On top of all of that, WALL·E is one of the best characters Pixar has ever presented. Is the message heavy-handed? I don’t care, it’s great stuff.

The Wrestler (Darren Aronofsky) Drama centered on retired professional wrestler Randy “The Ram” Robinson (Mickey Rourke) as he makes his way through the independent circuit, trying to get back in the game for one final showdown with his former rival.  It’s a hard movie to watch and it isn’t for everyone but it is (in my opinion) the best movie of the year. Aronofsky (Pi, Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain) strips all the frills away from filmmaking and presents a barebones and heartbreaking story. Rourke is electric as is Marisa Tomei as an over-the-hill stripper and Evan Rachel Wood as Randy’s estranged daughter. Heartbreakingly wonderful.

Other very good movies I saw this year and would recommend are: Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Get Smart, Gran Torino, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, Iron Man, John Adams, My Boy Jack, Rambo, Redbelt, and Tropic Thunder.

“But, Patrick, who do you think is going to win at the Oscars this year?” Calm down now, I’m getting there.

I did manage to see all of the domestic, feature length, fiction films nominated for Oscars this year but I found the effort more taxing than normal. Just not as many exciting films out there.

Best Motion Picture of the Year
WILL WIN: Slumdog Millionaire
SHOULD WIN: Slumdog Millionaire
SHOULD’VE BEEN NOMINATED: Happy-Go-Lucky, WALL·E, and The Wrestler should replace The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Milk, and The Reader.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
WILL WIN: Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
SHOULD WIN: Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
SHOULD’VE BEEN NOMINATED: Clint Eastwood, Gran Torino / Dev Patel, Slumdog Millionaire

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
WILL WIN: Kate Winslet, The Reader
SHOULD WIN: Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
SHOULD’VE BEEN NOMINATED: Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
WILL WIN: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
SHOULD WIN: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight [there, I said it again]
SHOULD’VE BEEN NOMINATED: Eddie Marsan, Happy-Go-Lucky / Ralph Fiennes, In Bruges

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
WILL WIN: Penélope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona [goin' out on a limb here]
SHOULD WIN: Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
SHOULD’VE BEEN NOMINATED: Evan Rachel Wood, The Wrestler

Best Achievement in Directing
WILL WIN: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
SHOULD WIN: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
SHOULD’VE BEEN NOMINATED: Darren Aronofsky, The Wrestler

Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
WILL WIN: Milk, Dustin Lance Black
SHOULD WIN: In Bruges, Martin McDonagh
SHOULD’VE BEEN NOMINATED: Rachel Getting Married, Jenny Lumet

Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
WILL WIN: Slumdog Millionaire, Simon Beaufoy
SHOULD WIN: Slumdog Millionaire, Simon Beaufoy

Best Achievement in Cinematography
WILL WIN: Slumdog Millionaire, Anthony Dod Mantle
SHOULD WIN: The Dark Knight, Wally Pfister
SHOULD’VE BEEN NOMINATED: The Wrestler, Maryse Alberti

Best Achievement in Editing
WILL WIN: Slumdog Millionaire, Chris Dickens
SHOULD WIN: Slumdog Millionaire, Chris Dickens
SHOULD’VE BEEN NOMINATED: The Wrestler, Andrew Weisblum

Best Achievement in Art Direction
WILL WIN: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Best Achievement in Costume Design
WILL WIN: The Duchess

Best Achievement in Makeup
WILL WIN: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Best Achievement in Music Written, Motion Pictures, Original Score
WILL WIN: Slumdog Millionaire, A R Rahman

Best Achievement in Music Written, Motion Pictures, Original Song
WILL WIN: WALL·E, “Down to Earth,” Peter Gabriel & Thomas Newman [I think the two Slumdog Millionaire songs will split.]

Best Achievement in Sound
WILL WIN: Slumdog Millionaire

Best Achievement in Sound Editing
WILL WIN: WALL·E

Best Achievement in Visual Effects
WILL WIN: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
WILL WIN: WALL·E

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
WILL WIN: Waltz with Bashir (Israel)

Best Documentary, Features
WILL WIN: Man on Wire [the one about the indomitable human spirit]

Best Documentary, Short Subjects
WILL WIN: The Witness from the Balcony of Room 306 [the Civil Rights one]

Best Short Film, Animated
WILL WIN: Presto [the Pixar one]

Best Short Film, Live Action
WILL WIN: Spielzeugland [the Holocaust one]

Below is a list of all the movies I saw this year and recommendations [+] or not [-]. Hugh Jackman’s hosting Sunday, how many times will they mention Australia?

Good night, everybody.

Fiction:
Appaloosa
Australia
Baby Mama
The Bank Job [+]
Body of Lies
Burn After Reading [+]
Cadillac Records
Cassandra’s Dream
Changeling
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight [+]
Defiance
Definitely, Maybe
Doubt
Eagle Eye [-]
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Four Christmases
Frost/Nixon [+]
Frozen River [+]
Get Smart [+]
Gran Torino [+]
Hancock [-]
The Happening [-]
Happy-Go-Lucky [+]
Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay [-]
Hellboy II: The Golden Army [+]
In Bruges [+]
In Search of a Midnight Kiss [+]
The Incredible Hulk
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull [-]
Iron Man [+]
John Adams [+]
Leatherheads [+]
Milk [+]
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
My Boy Jack [+]
Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist
Pineapple Express [-]
Quantum of Solace [+]
Rachel Getting Married [+]
Rambo [+]
The Reader
Recount
Redbelt [+]
Revolutionary Road
Righteous Kill [Uncle John movie of the year]
Semi-Pro
Slumdog Millionaire [+]
Traitor
Tropic Thunder [+]
21
27 Dresses
The Visitor [+]
W.
The Wrestler [+]
Zack and Miri Make a Porno

Animated:
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie
WALL·E [+]

Non-Fiction:
The Black List: Volume One
Public Enemies: The Golden Age of Gangster Film
Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired [+]

Tags: Unknown Penguin Podcast

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