Delayed Review: Hallam Foe

Pictured: Jamie Bell and Sophia Myles

In the summer of 2007 I somehow came across this movie through imdb most likely, and after watching the trailer and reading up on it I became absolutely desperate to see it. I’m not even entirely sure why, perhaps it was the killer soundtrack or the fact that it was set in Edinburgh, where I was taking a vacation later that summer, or I have some deep psychological issue that makes me attracted to films about voyeurs. I never did get to see it in theaters as it never made a wide enough release in the US, and I arrived in Edinburgh the day AFTER its premiere at the Edinburgh Film Festival. However thanks to Netflix, I have finally been able to fulfill this small but lingering goal.

The film centers around 17-year-old Hallam Foe (Jamie Bell) who continues to struggle over the recent death of his mother, whom he adored. Hallam is convinced that she was murdered by his new step-mother Verity (Claire Forlani) but his father (Ciaran Hinds) is blinded by the power his new wife holds over him. After a strange sexual encounter with Verity, Hallam retreats to Edinburgh where he meets and spies on Kate Breck (Sophia Myles) a dead ringer for his late mother, with whom he begins a very bizarre, however oddly endearing, relationship.

Watching it I was reminded very much of the stories of Ian McEwan, in many of which is a character that is deeply disturbed yet very sympathetic and touching. There were several moments of emotion where I stepped back and realized, wow, I can’t believe I feel this strongly for a kid with this bad of an Oedipal complex not to mention the woman who seems perfectly content feeding this fantasy.

Bell and Myles are tender and complicated, and in one scene somehow manage to make a rather lewd build-up to lovemaking seem like the most adorable thing in the world (they exchange various slang words for their own private parts). The soundtrack is perfection (at least for alternative rock fans, particularly Scottish alternative rock fans) and the story as a whole is genuinely feel-good, even though at times you force yourself to question what makes it so enjoyable.

Golden Globes Roundup

So tonight was the 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards. And like they have been for the last several years, they were a boozy mess of surprise victories for better or for worse. For some reason people are still considering this as the precursor to the Oscars in terms of predictions, but, last year’s Slumdog victory aside, they have been wildly inconsistent. And I have a feeling this year will find discrepancies as well. Instead of just a little recap like I did for the Critics Choice Awards, I’m going to do this award by award, at least, the important ones.

Best Supporting Actress – Mo’Nique
Not surprising at all. Still giving the same exact speech, I hope she has something new to say at the Oscars.

Best Supporting Actor – Christoph Waltz
Also not surprising. Even less surprising is how much deeper I fall in love with him every time I see him.

Best TV Actor – Musical or Comedy – Alec Baldwin
Again, no surprise. As long as this show is on the air he is going to win this award.

Best TV Actress – Musical or Comedy – Toni Collette
I don’t watch The United States of Tara, but I know she won the Emmy for this so, that’s pretty awesome.

Best TV Actor – Drama – Michael C. Hall
I also don’t watch Dexter, which I know is a mistake on my part, but, I’m actually glad he won this. I really was pulling for Jon Hamm, but, I’m not upset.

Best TV Actress – Drama – Juliana Margulies
I hear good things about The Good Wife so I’m not surprised she won. I’m sad January Jones lost again, but, I can understand them not wanting to reward a woman who can only really play one role.

Best TV Show – Musical or Comedy – GLEE
WHOA. I was shocked that this won. SHOCKED. I really thought it was going to be Modern Family. As much as I love Glee, I really don’t know how to feel about this. It’s still finding its footing in terms of what it’s trying to be and I don’t know that it really deserved to be rewarded so early in its run.

Best TV Show – Drama – Mad Men
Yeah. It couldn’t not be.

Best Screenplay – Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner for “Up in the Air”
Kind of annoyed. I really wanted it to be Quentin Tarantino, even though he has proven himself to be a colossal egomaniac. I mean, the man pumped his fists when his name was called for the Best Director nominees.
Best Actor – Musical or Comedy – Robert Downey Jr.
WHAT? SERIOUSLY? I did not see Sherlock Holmes but, I was stunned that he beat Daniel Day Lewis and Joseph Gordon Levitt. He made an amazing speech though. Hilarious.

Best Actress – Musical or Comedy – Meryl Streep (Julie & Julia)
I can’t wait for the Oscars to give Meryl Streep a lifetime achievement award. That is going to be the longest speech in the history of award shows and I am going to love every minute of it. This woman is a goddess.

Best Actor – Drama – Jeff Bridges
Again, he just seems like a cool guy even though that movie strikes me as being The Wrestler with a musician.

Best Actress – Drama – Sandra Bullock
I am watching The Blind Side tomorrow. I need to understand what is happening.

Best Director – James Cameron
UGH. BULLSHIT. Honestly though, what was he “directing” in this film? Telling the actors when to jump and how to pretend they’re riding a giant pterodactyl? I really liked Avatar, but not for its directing.

Best Picture – Musical or Comedy – The Hangover
At this point I’m not that surprised this won. I still think its weird that it was nominated alongside Nine just in terms of moods and themes, but, whatever.

Best Picture – Drama – Avatar
Not at all surprising but slightly disappointing. In terms of spectacle, it’s astounding and I love every minute of it, but it is not well-rounded enough with writing and plot structure to be considered the best picture of the year.

So all in all, I am reminded once again that the Golden Globes are pretty ridiculous. Thank god for Ricky Gervais.

Critics Choice Awards Roundup

Well it has been quite an eventful evening for Hollywood as the 15th Annual Critics Choice Awards make their picks of the years best and brightest. Many people look to the Golden Globes as the big indicator for the Oscars, but in fact the CCAs have had a much better track record, especially in recent years, for predicting the Academy Awards. And that is part of what made some of tonight’s wins so damn exciting.

In terms of the show itself I personally enjoyed Kristen Chenoweth as host. Her opening bit spoofing Inglourious Basterds was great, as was the song that followed. The first award was for acting ensemble, which I actually didn’t realize was an award for them, I thought that was strictly a SAG thing, but whatever. It (not surprisingly) went to the cast of Inglourious Basterds, for whom the ever-lovely Diane Kruger was spokesperson. A great win to start off the show in my opinion.

Then came Supporting Actress and surprise surprise, Mo’Nique was victorious. I really am glad she is winning these awards. Her performance in that movie is too rigorous to be left empty-handed. It was so sweet to see how proud Lee Daniels was too and how much love that whole cast and crew have for each other.

Soon the award for Best Action movie went to Avatar, Best Comedy went to The Hangover, and Best Animated Feature went to Up. Frankly I’m always annoyed when they divide movies up based on genre. It’s a very MTV Movie Awards thing to do, if that makes any sense, it just strikes me as a big cop out. If it’s a great movie, nominate it for best picture, if not, don’t do it the disrespect of rewarding it within a particular label. That’s like saying “ ‘Avatar’ was great!...for an Action movie.” It’s just annoying. If it’s really a good movie, it will transcend the genre, which frankly I think Avatar did but…whatever.

Anyway. Christoph Waltz won Best Supporting Actor much to my delight. It’s really a problem how attractive I find him, even in the movie. I mean, physically, obviously I am not fawning over the Nazi-ness. But he’s just so damn likable. And he’s got kind of a rough-around-the-edges-Daniel-Craig appeal to him that I am a big fan of. His speech was very sweet and humble and adorable.

Adapted Screenplay went to Jason Reitman for Up in the Air, not surprising but kind of meh mainly because I really am not a fan. Original Screenplay went to Quentin Tarantino who made the most backhandedly arrogant speech I’ve ever heard. He dedicated the award to the actors, but then made it about the fact that he never worked with stupid actors because they couldn’t understand his dialogue, and he was grateful to have a group of people who could speak “my poetry.” Ew. And he looks like a goblin.

Then there was this weird “let’s cleverly find a way to breeze through the awards we don’t care about” bit and of that rapid-fire montage the only things I really cared about were Broken Embraces winning Best Foreign Film, Up winning Best Score, and Avatar winning all the technical awards that they just this year added to their repertoire for the sake of giving them to Avatar. Which I am okay with, although there is a part of me that is still at times more impressed with the CGI work in District 9.

And then effing history was made. Samuel L. Jackson stepped out to announce Best Director. When he opened the envelope, even he stopped in hesitation before announcing the music to my ears, “Kathryn Bigelow.” HELL. YES. I know it’s only the first round of Awards season, but it doesn’t even matter. Whatever directing award Bigelow wins from here on out, she will be the first woman to win it. So let’s hope this was just the first step in a long victorious journey. The best was when they showed James Cameron’s miffed but accepting face at the sight of his ex-wife (looking AMAZING for 58!?) strut past him and his current (and 5th) wife. Her speech was good but not TOO good, she's saving up for the Oscars no doubt. And I loved how later in the show Chenoweth like, went out of her way to say basically "Hey, the first female director just won. This is kind of a big deal."

Best Actor went to Jeff Bridges for Crazy Heart. I really want to hang out with that guy, he seems like a really cool person. Then came Best Actress, and all hell broke loose. A TIE! Between Meryl Streep for Julie and Julia and none other than SANRDA BULLOCK for the Blind Side. I was a non-believer, but now that even the critics are saying she is that good, I am going to watch the Blind Side (but on my comp. I still refuse to pay money for it.). Regardless, she does seem like a very genuine person and I respect that. And move over Adam Lambert, there’s a new impromptu-stage-kiss for us to be all abuzz about thanks to Meryl Streep and Sandra Bullock.

And finally, in one of the most faith-reaffirming decisions of the night, Best Picture went to none other than The Hurt Locker. Well done Critics. Well done. See, this is why I stressed on my top 10 lists that they were of my FAVORITE, not what I felt was the best. Yes, Basterds and Avatar were my favorites of the year, in that they bore a replay value for me above the other films, but I definitely believe that as an overall movie, The Hurt Locker was hands down the best film of the year.

"You don't know what it's like to die alive." : Next to Normal.

Pictured (from left to right): Aaron Tveit, Alice Ripley, J. Robert Spencer

Prior to entering the theater, I was given fair warning that I would not get through Next to Normal without a fair share of tear-shedding. I took that statement in stride but with a grain of salt as I knew very little about the show and what I knew seemed upsetting but not necessarily devastating. However, by the end of the first act, I was a weeping mess.

Next to Normal is one of the rare musicals that reminds you that the term “musical” doesn’t have to mean flashy song and dance numbers with glitzy production and glitter. There is no dancing in this show and the characters are dressed in everyday garb at all times. Indeed, it is less of a musical than it is a play with some of the dialogue sung.

It is a drama strongly in the vein of Arthur Miller in that it is about one member of one family who has one big problem that leaves its impact on every other member of the household. Diana, the matriarch of the Goodman family, has suffered from bipolar disorder for the last 16 years. Her husband Dan spends his days trying to stabilize his wife within the home as various doctors prescribe all sorts of medication. Her daughter, Natalie, struggles to find her own identity living with a mother who blatantly places favoritism on Natalie’s older brother, Gabe.

Overall the performances are strong and emotionally relentless. Alice Ripley, who won the Tony Award for Best Actress, is the life force of the show, presenting Diana’s disorder as something to understand and sympathize with rather than just pity. However, vocally speaking, Ripley’s annunciation of certain words was unconventional to the point of being distracting. While it did not exactly remove me from the moment, it certainly stood out in terms of the show’s overall aesthetic experience.

The character who earned the greatest sympathy from me was disgruntled daughter Natalie, played by Jennifer Damiano, who is clearly the heaviest victim of Diana’s disease. Hers struck me as the most interestingly evolving arc of the story, and the eventual parallels between her actions and those of Diana is troubling but fascinating, a testament to the expert writing of Brian Yorkey.

Next to Normal is the next step up from Spring Awakening in terms of so-called “rock” musicals. However, this is not so much a “rock” musical as it is a musical in which the music itself accurately reflects the emotions of the piece as a whole. None of the songs are concerned with sounding pretty, they are orchestrated around the character and what he or she is feeling. And in my mind, that is how music was intended to be written.

Top 10 favorite films of the Decade.

Same rules as the last list apply here. This isn't my perception of the "best of the decade" just my personal favorites.



10. JEUX D’ENFANTS (2004)
Directed by YANN SAMUELL

There’s nothing terribly revolutionary about this film, but I just love it. Marion Cotillard and Guillaume Canet are incredibly endearing together and it’s just one of those movies that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside. I can watch this over and over again without getting tired of it, in fact, I’ve done that several times. Cleverly written with an overarching sense of whimsy to the whole thing, Jeux D’Enfants is a real pleasure to watch.


9. THE FALL (2006)
Directed by TARSEM SINGH

Perhaps the most visually stunning film I have ever seen. The real key to the experience is realizing that none of the landscapes or settings are created with CGI. Every stunningly beautiful location is a real place and not enhanced by technology at all. It’s no wonder it took 4 years to make. Tarsem is a true artist and uses the elements of cinematography wisely and powerfully. It captures you from the beautiful opening black and white sequence up until the very end.


8. ATONEMENT (2007)
Directed by JOE WRIGHT

Joe Wright is one of my favorite directors and this is a truly great movie. Wonderful performances and stylistic choices that accurately reflect the film’s three acts. It’s one of those films where every frame can be dissected as a statement about the entire movie and that to me is a feat. What Ian McEwan did with literary elements, Joe Wright does with cinematic ones, the mark of a gifted director very skilled at adapting novels into films.


7. ART SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL (2006)
Directed by TERRY ZWIGOFF

Much like Jeux D’Enfants, this is just a movie that I love for no other reason than the fact that it’s enjoyable. Maybe it’s because I know examples of several of the people who are featured in this film (ie. pretentious art students) or because it has the most random actors in it (John Malcovich? Jim Broadbent? Angelica Houston??) or maybe it’s because it’s just downright awesome.


6. LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE (2006)
Directed by JONATHAN DAYTON and VALERIE FARIS

Tragically, every remotely clever indie comedy since this came out has been referred to as “this year’s Little Miss Sunshine,” but nobody seems to realize that no, it is not. There has not been an indie comedy, hell, any kind of comedy, that has really garnered worthy comparison to this gem. Great performances and excellent writing, this is indeed the film every comedic writer has been trying to duplicate, but none have been successful.


5. ONCE (2007)
Directed by JOHN CARNEY

This is a pretty magical movie. It’s a love story involving relatively minimal love, and is more about the power of friendship than romance. Talk about movies that make you feel warm and fuzzy. Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova are not only gifted musicians, but as this proves, very gifted actors. I don’t think there was a single person in the audience at the 2008 Academy Awards that wasn’t cheering when they won Best Original Song. You can’t help but fall in love with this film.


4. PRIDE & PREJUDICE (2005)
Directed by JOE WRIGHT

Yes yes I have two Joe Wright films on this list, but I can’t help the fact that he makes films I adore. This is one of my favorite movies of all time. It’s just so soothing and relaxing to watch, and was an incredible debut for Wright and a career-changing performance from Keira Knightley. I would have hated this book if I didn’t have this movie playing in my head as I read it.


3. MOULIN ROUGE! (2001)
Directed by BAZ LUHRMANN

This movie was pretty revolutionary for me. It turned up the volume in a way I had never seen a film do, and I loved every single minute of it. There is just something undeniably exhilarating about this film. It’s one that I watch and then wait a very long time before watching again, and every time I love it more. Luhrmann is a visionary, no doubt about it, and Moulin Rouge! is a quintessential example of that.


2. SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (2008)
Directed by DANNY BOYLE

I don’t think there has been a film in recent years that has emotionally resonated with me the way this film did. I have never so desperately rooted for a hero as I did Jamal Malik. I’m glad I got to see this in theaters prior to the crazy hype, so I saw it relatively expectation-free. This is the kind of movie that reminds you of why you love movies in the first place, and the ability they have to transport an audience.


1. THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING (2003)
Directed by PETER JACKSON

For me, the Lord of the Rings movies sort of go beyond movies. They’re a genre in and of themselves. Yes we have Avatar ushering in a new way of filmmaking, but it was a method that originates in these films with the creation of creatures like Gollum. There are some movies that are not so much films as they are experiences, and this is probably the best example of that idea. It is overwhelming in scope and exists on a level that neither Avatar nor its successors will be able to achieve. As far as I’m concerned, this is the Star Wars of my generation.

Top 10 favorite films of 2009.

Let me preface this by saying this is not my interpretation of the BEST films of 2009, but a list of my FAVORITE films of 2009. This is based on my experience and reaction while watching the film, not necessarily the quality of the film itself.


10. WATCHMEN
Directed by ZACK SNYDER

Opinions on this film were pretty much split down the middle between people who had read the book and people who hadn’t, save for Roger Ebert’s glowing review with no knowledge of the book whatsoever. Having read Alan Moore’s masterpiece a few times, I loved this film. It captured the novel to a t, and overall I was extremely impressed. Somehow I managed to see this 5 times in theaters and never got tired of it.


9. UP
Directed by PETE DOCTOR and BOB PETERSON

Pixar really understands how to make animated movies for both children and adults. I was weeping within the first 15 minutes of Up and the last. With a story as sweetly endearing as Wall-E, if not more so, I gladly allowed myself to get pulled through this film by my heartstrings. I laughed, I cried, I cheered, all in all, a great treat.


8. ADVENTURELAND
Directed by GREG MOTTOLA

I was actually very surprised by how much I enjoyed this film. It was marketed as a laugh-out-loud comedy by the guy who made “Superbad” but it turned out to be a very tender and heartfelt coming-of-age story marked by some real genuine laughs. Jesse Eisenberg is essentially a more talented Michael Cera, and his awkwardness fueled how utterly relatable the entire film was.


7. PRECIOUS
Directed by LEE DANIELS

Probably the most powerful film of the year. I can’t really say I “enjoyed” it per se, but I recognize its importance and was deeply moved by its message and performances. That said, cinematographically it left quite a bit to be desired, which is why I did not place it higher on this list.


6. DISTRICT 9
Directed by NEILL BLOMKAMP

One of the year’s most pleasant surprises. I think a lot of people, myself included, expected this to be little more than a big-explosion sci-fi flick. Little did I know, I was walking into an extremely intelligent, superbly crafted allegory for apartheid. Thanks to well-designed aliens, the audience was able to relate to the creatures and truly sympathize with them, indeed, I teared up several times.


5. BRIGHT STAR
Directed by JANE CAMPION

One of the most tragically under-recognized films of the year. The story of John Keats and Fanny Brawne is one of history’s most beautiful and poignant, and I cannot imagine a more perfect rendering of it than this film. Abbie Cornish is radiant, and Ben Whishaw is the personification of Keats’ poetry. The dialogue is written with utmost delicacy, and the art direction is entrancing. Gorgeous.


4. THE HURT LOCKER
Directed by KATHRYN BIGELOW

Finally, an Iraq war film that does not preach or take a side on any level. It is simply a close-up examination of a day in the life of one of the military’s most high-risk professions: bomb diffusing. Through a captivating performance by Jeremy Renner and expert direction from Kathryn Bigelow, we learn that some men are born soldiers. Some men find a dirt road in the middle of Baghdad more homey than a local grocery store.


3. BROKEN EMBRACES (LOS ABRAZOS ROTOS)
Directed by PEDRO ALMODOVAR

Almodovar is one of if not my favorite film director, and this is a fine example of why. He is an expert in storytelling and manages to weave some of the most complex melodramas without an ounce of it getting lost in itself. Penelope Cruz is, in the words of Roger Ebert “a life force.” Broken Embraces is one of the most captivating and richly told narratives of film this year.


2. AN EDUCATION
Directed by LONE SHERFIG

I think of all the films this year, An Education spoke to me on the most personal level. I can absolutely relate to Jenny’s plight, as most young women can I believe. I recall in an interview Carey Mulligan saying that after a screening, many parents were saying they wanted their daughters to see it, and it is no mystery why. It is one of those rare films where every element clicks perfectly, making a truly enjoyable moviegoing experience.

1. (TIE)


INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
Directed by QUENTIN TARANTINO


AVATAR
Directed by JAMES CAMERON


I selected these two as a tie for #1 because I loved them both equally, though for polar opposite reasons. Basterds I love because it brings new life to that classic style of Hollywood filmmaking, a nice homage to the past. Avatar I love because it represents the future of filmmaking, and is ushering in an entirely new way of approaching the process. Both are colossal epics, and both are supremely captivating. Basterds has the upper hand on the writing, but Avatar is a visual feast that keeps your jaw dropped from start to finish.


Stay tuned for my top 10 films and top 5 TV shows of the decade.

Tattered Photographs. Broken Embraces.

Pictured: Penelope Cruz and Lluis Homar


It can now be established as fact that when Penelope Cruz and Pedro Almodovar make a movie together, magic. happens. Ever since he bumped her up to leading lady status in Volver, for which she received her well-deserved first Oscar nomination, she has gotten a steady stream of quality English-language roles including those in Elegy and of course Vicky Cristina Barcelona, for which the Academy showed her love. But Broken Embraces reaffirms that when speaking in her native tongue, especially under the masterful eye of Almodovar, Cruz is at her absolute best.

This is an Almodovar film for Almodovar fans, and I soaked up every minute of it. The biggest treat was realizing that Girls and Suitcases, a film within the film starring Penelope Cruz’s character, is in fact none other than the classic Almodovar film Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. In fact, some actresses from the original film appear again, for example, Rossy de Palma who originally played Marisa, in this takes on the role of Lucia, who was originally played by Julieta Serrano. It also fulfilled a cinematic fantasy of mine, and evidently Almodovar’s, to see Cruz in the role helmed by his first muse Carmen Maura.

Obsessive Almodovar fangirl moment aside, Broken Embraces is one of his best yet. In the last few years he has truly matured the content of his films and is creating characters both engaging and relatable. While they aren’t the every-women of Volver, they are still experiencing emotional turmoil that anyone can understand. Like most of his films, Broken Embraces is nearly impossible to summarize, but here’s my best shot. A blind writer, Harry Caine (Lluis Homar), reflects on his former life as filmmaker Mateo Blanco and his tumultuous relationship with the bewitching Magdelena (Penelope Cruz). Magdelena stars in Mateo’s ultimately final film while sharing not only his bed, but that of much older business mogul Ernesto (Jose Luis Gomez). When Ernesto learns of his mistress’s love affair, he is driven mad with jealousy and soon begins a revenge plot that leaves its impact on every character’s life.

Cruz is ravishing as ever. In what may be her most nuanced performance, which is an odd thing to say considering how over-the-top Lena is as a character, a small twitch of the face says it all. For example, after a bout of lovemaking with Ernesto (and vomiting immediately thereafter out of disgust, poor thing) Lena returns from the bathroom to see his lifeless body on the bed. Assuming him dead, she lights a cigarette, and ever so slightly shrugs in resignation. However, that shrug speaks volumes and allows the audience to understand exactly how she feels.

With strong performances from Almodovar’s latest team of actors (including a particularly moving turn from Blanca Portillo as Mateo’s longtime agent and admirer) Broken Embraces draws you in its melodramatic grip and holds as tight as it can until the very last impeccably constructed frame. Almodovar proves once again that he is a maestro of all elements of cinema, from a deep and complex narrative that never once gets muddled to mis-en-scene that makes a painting out of every frame. Easily one of my favorites of the year.

"I am in the place the eye does not see." : Avatar.

Pictured: Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana

To the critics who are saying that the film Avatar suffers from a predictable plot, I ask you, was there a single person on the face of the earth who could not predict the ending of Titanic? The plot of that film is entirely unoriginal and follows the romantic epic formula to a precise t, but we love it just the same because in terms of scope, it was something we had never seen before. The same can be said of Avatar, which has a visual impact more closely resembling the premiere of Star Wars than it does Titanic, James Cameron’s last big-budget blockbuster.

The plot takes place in the year 2154 and centers around ex-marine Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), a paraplegic who is called upon to take the place of his recently deceased scientist brother Tom in a government operation based on the distant moon Pandora, at the core of which lies an extremely valuable mineral not found on Earth. In order to gain access to the mineral stores, a team of researchers helmed by Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver) adopts “Avatars” or hybrids of human DNA and that of the native population, the Na’vi, that are neurologically linked to the human that is controlling them.

Jake finds himself among these and soon is welcomed into the nearby native tribe, the Omatacaya, where he quickly realizes that he feels more at home in this alien jungle than in the human world. His loyalties become even more blurred when he falls in love with the Na’Vi warrior princess Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) to whom he bonds himself for life. The rest is an action-packed fight for survival coupled with the existential crisis of Jake trying to figure out where he truly belongs. Yes, it is hackneyed, but the hero’s journey is a tale few ever really get tired of seeing.

Visually, Avatar is what it is purported to be: the next step in CGI animation. Every facial expression, sound, and body movement made by one of the giant blue Na’Vi was performed by the actor, and indeed, many are championing Saldana for an acting consideration as despite the graphics, that genuinely is her performance. I certainly support that cause. It is truly unbelievable what Cameron has achieved here. Think Lord of the Rings, except instead of scouting New Zealand for locations, they simply create the desired landscape with computers. The effects used on the actors to create the graceful blue creatures are very similar to those used on Andy Serkis, but the look is much sharper and far more life-like.

Avatar is massively entertaining and genuinely well-acted (better than Titanic, if I may be so bold to say), and is without a doubt going to revolutionize the way films are made from here on out. The plot is not terribly original, but that clearly is not the point. We learn to love the environment of Pandora and its inhabitants just as much as Jake does, and indeed, I continue to find myself wishing it were a real place.

"Life is better with company." : Up in the Air.

Pictured: Anna Kendrick and George Clooney

Up in the Air, the new film from Juno director Jason Reitman, has received astounding critical praise. It is at the very top of most critics’ top lists of the year, and is a shoo-in for a Best Picture Oscar nom, many predict a win. To those people, I say, “huh?” I liked this film, it was enjoyable, but by no means is it like nothing we've seen before, as so many are purporting it to be. I suppose I should have expected this considering the outrageous overrating of Juno, which was cute at best, but I really am stumped by how hyped this film has gotten.

The story is of Ryan (Clooney), a loner among loners. His career of firing employees of other companies forces him to constantly disengage himself emotionally, and this trait has trickled into every aspect of his life. With the help of his female counterpart Alex (Vera Farmiga) and newcomer to the bizz Natalie (Anna Kendrick), Ryan learns the importance of human interaction and allows himself to see the flaws in his life view and adjust his philosophy accordingly.

The acting is great, but Clooney is outshone by his female costars. Vera Farmiga, who impressed audiences with her work in films like The Departed and The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, is poised and worldly, the type of gal other gals go to for advice. Anna Kendrick, who has been slowly gaining momentum with films like Rocket Science and more recently the Twilight franchise, is a show-stopping scene-stealer as the young new viper to whom Clooney must show the ropes. Her performance was for me, the highlight of the film. She breathes spirited life into a story intent on reminding us of our own mortality.

Clooney is charming as always, but, like the ladies of Nine, is simply reusing old material and passing it off as fresh, in this case thanks to a well-constructed script as opposed to flashy musical numbers. My biggest compliment (aside from Kendrick’s performance) goes to the wonderful soundtrack which features some great little-known folk artists. However, I really don’t have much more to say. I didn’t hate it by any means, it was a good film, but alas, as far as I can tell, this emperor is naked.