(Login screensect) Forum Owner Posted Jan 5, 2007 4:11 AM
These were the flicks that floated my boat this year. In chronological order, to the best of my recollection:
A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE - Masterful "art-house" take on the action/revenge genre from Cronenberg. So many mystified faces when I was leaving the cinema after seeing this; I guess none of them had ever seen a D.C. film before.
THE SQUID AND THE WHALE - I was so surprised by how moving and authentic I found this. I never thought I'd rate anything by anyone who had anything to do with the detestable "Life Aquatic".
HIDDEN - This was quite simply the most exciting and disturbing exploration of the nature of cinema i saw all year.
THREE BURIALS OF MELQUAIDES ESTRADA - This is the film that "All The Pretty Horses" should have been; totally channelling Cormac McCarthy's sensibilities. Also put me in the mind of a redemptive riff on "Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia", and with touches of "The Border".
KENNY - Impossible not to be won over by this obviou8s labour of love. The whole enterprise would have failed if the title character didn't work; fortunately, his long-suffering graciousness is completely infectious. Ronald Jacobsen was robbed at the AFI awards for his turn as Kenny's curmudgeonly father - but maybe he'll win an Oscar.
THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY - Jesus. This was fucking intense. Horrifying, brutal, and subtle and beautiful and complex.
TRISTRAM SHANDY - Winterbottom & Coogan do a bit of post-modern one-upmanship on themselves, managing to be even more seamlessy layered and witty than 24 Hour Party People. But Rob Brydon stole the film for me, with his "proper" love for Gillian Anderson. I could relate.
CHILDREN OF MEN - I think I sat on the edge of my seat for this entire film, mouth agape. A close contender for film of the DECADE for me. Utterly vivid, with the highest dramatic stakes imaginable, with some unforgettable images, bravura staging and completely invisible special effects work. Even its overt biblicality worked like a dream.
THE PRESTIGE - God. Chris Nolan's most ambitious and impressive film to date. There's a very subtle and disturbing subtext (or several) lurking beneath the high-gloss exterior of this film which, given it's theme, is just perfect.
A SCANNER DARKLY - The PKD adaptation the world has been waiting for. Faithful, funny and ultimately extremely moving - I shed a tear at the final dedication (partly because I was so astonished it was included in the film!). Linklater is The Man.
