The article talks about how the writer had said something they regretted to a friend and then found indirect advice from Stellan Skarsgård's character in The Avengers. In short, yes, I agree. Films are for more than just escapism and entertainment. You can find advice in them like the writer of the article did or relate to a character. This is why I don't feel so guilty for watching so many films. They teach me something I learn from them whether it's a life lesson or an example of a great plot twist for a future screen play.
So here it is, my second annual films of the year post. I hope to do this next year no matter where I end up.
24 Hour Party People (2002)
Watched: 09 October
Director: Michael Winterbottom
Cast: Steve Coogan, John Simm
Synopsis: In 1976, Tony Wilson sets up Factory Records and brings Manchester's music into the world.
On this list because: it showcases my favorite music. I was aware of Joy Division and New Order and Happy Mondays but I had no idea what they were all about and how important all three of them were/are. The clubs, the music, the people; everything was in the right place at the right time. It's one of those time periods where I'd love to go back and experience for myself: The Factory, The Hacienda, Joy Divison's first show as Joy Division. It's sleezy and not to mention is has an incredible soundtrack. One of my favorite moments in the film is when Coogan as Tony Wilson is walking through The Hacienda and says, "This is it, the birth of rave culture" in a wonderful northern English accent. "Even the white man starts dancing." He points out that people are applauding "the medium". Not the producer or the musician but the D.J. This marks the beginning of today.
Blue Velvet (1986)
Watched: 25 February
Director: David Lynch
Cast: Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rossellini, Dennis Hopper, Laura Dern
Synopsis: After finding a severed ear in a field, a young man soon discovers a sinister underworld lying just beneath his idyllic suburban home town.
On this list because: of the wackiness, the acting and the fact that Isabella Rossellini wears my favorite fabric ever. This was the first film from David Lynch that I watched. I watched it in bed on a cold February day on YouTube. I thought it was so creepy and odd and I couldn't take my eyes off of it. I don't think I blinked throughout the whole thing. It's typical David Lynch and it's one of those films that everyone has seen but no one has seen. It's one of those movies where when you list your favorites, you always forget this one but then remember to put it high up on your list later.
Bridesmaids (2011)
Watched: 13 May
Director: Paul Feig
Cast: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Matt Lucas, Chris O'Dowd
Synopsis: Competition between the maid of honor and a bridesmaid threatens to upend the life of an out-of-work pastry chef.
On this list because: I've seen it more than 10 times and it's still hilarious every time. The writing is so golden. I'm so glad that Bridesmaids got as much award season acknowledges that it did. I'm a huge Kristen Wiig fan from Saturday Night Live so to enjoy her work and humor for over an hour was joyous. There are so many brilliant comedic moments in this and almost every scene has a memorable quote in it.
Control (2007)
Watched: 02 October
Director: Anton Corbijn
Cast: Sam Riley, Samantha Morton,
Synopsis: A profile of Ian Curtis, the enigmatic singer of Joy Division whose personal, professional and romantic troubles led him to commit suicide at age 23.
On this list because: of Anton Corbijn. I admire him so much as a fan of photography, film and music and I think that he is just brilliant for making his first feature film about the disrupted lead singer of Joy Division. The beautiful black and white dreariness made me think that that was how Ian saw the world. It's dramatic and moving and Sam Riley is incredible in this. For his first film and Anton's first, I am very pleased with how beautiful this turned out.
Depeche Mode: The Dark Progression (2009)
Watched: 08 January
Director: N/A
Cast: Dave Gahan, Martin Gore, Alan Wilder, Andrew Fletcher, Daniel Miller
Synopsis: This documentary film traces the almost surreal development of Depeche Mode with New Romanticism at the dawn of their career through their ever growing styles.
On this list because: I love Depeche Mode and this documentary offered more than just a biography of the band. I believe there are two or three Depeche Mode documentaries out there including this one. But only "The Dark Progression" touches on something other than how the band got started, who the members where from this time to this time. This documentary shows how DM outgrew their "teeny bop" persona to a more serious, sexual and dark image. It was refreshing to see a more detailed look at how they bloomed into a very gloomy sounding electronic band. Also, all of the band members who partook in this dark progression are interviewed and featured which gives this film some more credibility. It's always better to talk to the actual band members than to go around asking people what they observed over the years.
Drive (2011)
Watched: 04 February
Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
Cast: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Christina Hendricks, Bryan Cranston
Synopsis: A mysterious Hollywood stuntman, mechanic and stunt driver lands himself in trouble when he helps out his neighbor.
On this list because: of how glossy and glamorous everything seems to be. It's set in Los Angeles and there's always something so wonderfully sleezy and trashy about that city. It's my hometown and I have a natural attraction to it so when I saw Drive and how cool everything looked I was instantly brought back to that strip mall, driving down Sepulveda Boulevard on a random week night under the street lights kind of mood. The opening scene with Kavinsky's Nightcall blaring and giving off major 80s vibes as Gosling's character (of whom is always referred to as "the driver") cruises through L.A. is a moment in itself. And we get the first view of that now famous scorpion quilted jacket. Not to mention this scene in which we see The Driver's true talent first hand.
Hick (2011)
Watched: 06 July
Director: Derick Martini
Cast: Chloë Moretz, Eddie Redmayne, Blake Lively
Synopsis: A Nebraskan teen gets more than she bargained for when she sets out for the bright lights of Las Vegas.
On this list because: of how sucked into the plot I got. I love Chloë Moretz; I think she's the coolest 15 year old ever. I certainly wasn't as cool as Chloë when I was her age. What I really loved about this movie is how shocking each actor was. Eddie Redmayne ditched his English heartthrob persona for a Texan cowboy with a limp, Blake Lively did the same changing out her Upper East Side clothing and hair for a Southern Belle with a fiery red mane and Chloë, well, she gave one of her best performances as a runaway teen. The carefree attitude of her character makes me want to do the same: set out for the big city and run into some amazing and not so amazing people along the way and get into some crazy adventures.
Good Will Hunting (1997)
Watched: 01 February
Director: Gus Van Sant
Cast: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Robbin Williams, Minnie Driver
Synopsis: Will Hunting, a janitor at MIT, has a gift for mathematics but needs help from a psychologist to find his direction in life.
On this list because: I was so surprised at how good it was. I watched this film after a few friends told me I had to. I was making fun of Ben Affleck or Matt Damon, one of the two when one of my friends said that I needed to see Good Will Hunting if I hadn't already. I was apprehensive as to whether or not it would be good and whether or not I'd be able to sit through it to tell them the next day that I saw it. I was so shocked at how much I liked it. I think I cried at the end when Ben Affleck's character goes to Will Hunting's house to pick him up to go to work and Will doesn't come out which let's Affleck's character know that Will has moved on with his life. And I'm now convinced that the scene where Robin Williams gives his monologue to Matt Damon is one of the best scenes of all time. Thanks guys for making me watch it.
In Bruges (2008)
Watched: 25 January
Director: Martin McDonagh
Cast: Collin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Clémence Poésy, Ralph Fiennes
Synopsis: Guilt-stricken after a job gone wrong, hitman Ray and his partner await orders from their ruthless boss in Bruges, Belgium, the last place in the world Ray wants to be.
On this list because: of the dark humor and brilliant progression of the plot. I had no idea what this film was about but I had heard of it prior to watching it because it got a bunch of Oscar nods back in 2008 or 2009. I thought the film would be a lot more serious but it really isn't. Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson have great chemistry on screen and Farrell is constantly busting out hilarious one liners. Ralph Fiennes also does a great job of making a trek all the way out to "fuckin' Bruges" to kill Farrell's character funny. I felt very bad for laughing at the comedic parts during because in escense, In Bruges is really, really quite sad.
Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011)
Watched: 02 February
Director: Sean Durkin
Cast: Elizabeth Olsen, Hugh Dancy, John Hawkes
Synopsis: Haunted by painful memories and increasing paranoia, a damaged woman struggles to re-assimilate with her family after fleeing an abusive cult.
On this list because: of how disturbed I was afterwards. The film had a bunch of horror elements in it without being an actual "horror film". To see Elizabeth Olsen's character slowly lose her mind after being in a cult over the summer was so interesting to see. I felt like at any time she was going to shatter. Not to mention the extreme tension between her sister and her brother-in-law while staying at their lake house after escaping the cult. The couple couldn't figure out what was wrong with Martha as she wouldn't speak hardly ever. It was one of those movies where you read the plot and don't think of it as scary but when you watch it, you're left frozen and paranoid yourself.
Midnight In Paris (2011)
Watched: 02 January
Director: Woody Allen
Cast: Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard, Tom Hiddleston, Kathy Bates
Synopsis: A family travel to the French capital for business. The party includes a young engaged couple who are forced to confront their differing views of a perfect life.
On this list because: of the setting, the time period(s) and Owen Wilson's character. I remember first watching the trailers for this film and thinking it was another Woody Allen film showcasing the love of a city and a few people but then when I watched it finally, I was mistaken. This film combines everything I love into one movie: romance, some time travel, nostalgia, one of my favorite cities, fashion, culture, my favorite actors and one of my favorite time periods. When Owen Wilson's character finally has his "walk through the light" and figures out what he really wants in his life has to be one of my favorite movie moments. It resonated so greatly with me.
Moon (2009)
Watched: 30 September
Director: Duncan Jones
Cast: Sam Rockwell, Kevin Spacey
Synopsis: Astronaut Sam Bell has a quintessentially personal encounter toward the end of his three-year stint on the Moon, where he, working alongside his computer, GERTY, sends back to Earth parcels of a resource that has helped diminish our planet's power problems.
On this list because: of the twist! I won't give it away but it's one hell of a twist. Number one, the trailer does an amazing job of not giving away the plot. I had this film on my list for about a year and a half and watched the trailer before watching the movie and was so shocked to learn what was actually going on. It's a beautiful surprise when movie trailers actually do their job of not giving the plot away. I also loved Sam Rockwell in this. He basically carries the whole film himself running around a spaceship for almost two hours. I think that this film directed by David Bowie's son Duncan Jones is extremely underrated. Probably one of the best sci-fi films I've seen so far.
My Week With Marilyn (2011)
Watched: 13 August
Director: Simon Curtis
Cast: Michelle Williams, Eddie Redmayne, Keneth Branagh, Dame Judi Dench, Toby Jones, Emma Watson
Synopsis: Colin Clark, an employee of Sir Laurence Olivier's, documents the tense interaction between Olivier and Marilyn Monroe during production of The Prince and the Showgirl.
On this list because: of how shocked I was with Michelle William's portrayal as Marilyn Monroe. I never cared for Michelle Williams all that much. I felt sad when I saw that Heath Ledger had died and I knew they'd been together but that was about it. I never payed too much attention to her. But then I saw this film and was so happy with how well she played Miss Monroe. The wonderful ditzyness and playful sexy and demure attitude that Marilyn was always known for probably came easy to Michelle but to balance it out with what people never saw was a challenge. I never knew how insecure and sensitive and fragile she was and it actually made me love Marilyn herself more.
Savage Grace (2007)
Watched: 02 July
Director: Tom Kalin
Cast: Julianne Moore, Eddie Redmayne, Hugh Dancy
Synopsis: A dramatization of the shocking Barbara Daly Baekeland murder case, which happened in a posh London flat on Friday 17 November 1972. The bloody crime caused a stir on both sides of the Atlantic and remains one of the most memorable American Tragedies.
On this list because: of how weird it got. The film started out a bit odd: a mother and her son are a little too close to each other but then as the film goes on and the two characters grow older, things get a little weirder. I was not familiar with the true story that this is based on so I was really disturbed by the ending and honestly didn't see it coming. I loved it though; the ending and the movie itself stuck with me for a few days afterward and when a film does that, I know it's a good one. I'm a sucker for Julianne Moore, I think she's a total babe and the fact that Eddie Redmayne played her son was so perfect in my eyes. They're both slightly ginger with freckles and aside from their character's creepy emotions towards each other, I loved seeing Moore and Redmayne together.
Synth Britannia (2009)
Watched: 27 January
Director: Benjamin Whalley
Cast: Martin Gore, Gary Numan, Neil Tennant, Phil Oakey, Vince Clarke, Bernard Sumner
Synopsis: Following a generation of post-punk musicians who went to form successful electronic bands in the 70s and 80s and had a profound impact on present day music.
On this list because: it's a documentary featuring one of my favorite types of music. I love documentaries that showcase movements in time. I watched one about the development of house music and was just sucked into it. This one was so neat to watch because most of everyone who took place in the new wave scene in the early 1980s was interviewed and showcased. I loved how there were different sections during the film. The beginners (Kraftwerk, New Order, Depeche Mode, Human League) and the ending players (Pet Shop Boys, Gary Numan, Eurasure) were all focused on and flowed together so nicely. A must see if you're a music fan like me; especially of early electronic pioneers.
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Watched: 20 July
Director: Christopher Nolan
Cast: Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Synopsis: Eight years on, a new terrorist leader, Bane, overwhelms Gotham's finest, and the Dark Knight resurfaces to protect a city that has branded him an enemy.
On this list because: why wouldn't it be on this list? I've expressed my love for Christopher Nolan quite a few times here so I don't need to say it again. All I need to say is go see it. It's about three hours long but just go see it. I sat through the film (I went to the midnight showing in Los Angeles, too) with a stomach ache and was still smiling with glee through the whole film.
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo - United States (2011)
Watched: 31 March
Director: David Fincher
Cast: Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Robin Wright
Synopsis: Journalist Mikael Blomkvist is aided in his search for a woman who has been missing for forty years by Lisbeth Salander, a young computer hacker.
On this list because: of Lisbeth Salander. I've seen this film three times now and have read the book and have debated what it is that I love about this film and I've realized that it's Lisbeth Salander. Sure, the setting is incredible; I've got such a thing for Stockholm. And I love Swedish interior design. Everything so clean, white and minimalistic it takes my breath away. But Lisbeth takes the cake over Fincher's aesthetic. The character is so fragile but so tough at the same time. She's unbelievably relatable but not exactly someone you want to share your secrets and emotions to. I believe that Rooney Mara was robbed of her Academy Award by Meryl Streep for this role. For Mara to go through everything that she did mentally, emotionally and physically she deserved that award. I love Meryl but being raped on screen and piercing almost everything possible on your body is a lot for a role.
Thelma & Louise (1991)
Watched: 19 August
Director: Ridley Scott
Cast: Geena Davis, Susan Sarandon, Brad Pitt
Synopsis: An Arkansas waitress and a housewife shoot a rapist and take off in a '66 Thunderbird.
On this list because: of the bond between Thelma and Louise. They were always looking after each other no matter what happened between them. I absolutely love the idea of getting into crazy shenanigans with your best friend on a road trip. Maybe not as crazy as killing a man, but you get the idea. I also loved that it took place in my favorite part of the United States. I have such a soft spot for Utah, Arizona and New Mexico and even bits of Colorado. It's so surreal out there. Which fits into the film quite nice, actually. There's something magical about it all.
Twin Peaks (1990)
Watched: 21 March
Director: David Lynch
Cast: Kyle MacLachlan, James Marshall, Madchen Amick, Sherilyn Fenn
Synopsis: An idiosyncratic FBI Agent investigates the murder of a young woman in the even more idiosyncratic town of Twin Peaks.
On this list because: I don't know what this list would be without Twin Peaks included. I'm talking about the movie/pilot here, not the entire series itself. The movie throws you right into the town of Twin Peaks and right into the ongoing plot: who killed Laura Palmer? Not even a half an hour into the movie, I think, Laura Palmer's body washes up on shore and we are presented with what will consume most of our time and thoughts. The lonely Washington town, the saw mill, One Eyed Jack's, the Great Northern Lodge all become so iconic in your mind as you are running about the town with the famous Special Agent Dale Cooper. I started 2012 with Twin Peaks and I'm ending 2012 with Twin Peaks.
screencaps made by me via YouTube, synopsis' via IMDB
