Sunday, February 22, 2009

AMC Best Picture Showcase Recap

Movie marathon worth enduring
By Kip Mooney
SCENE Editor

This year's crop of Best Picture nominees have made less money than any group in recent memory, but don't count 'em out: at least three of the five deserved their nominations, though I could easily think of four to fill the other slots (the ones not occupied by "Slumdog Millionaire," which, after three viewings, is still 2008's best film). That said, here are my mini-reviews and ratings of all five Best Picture nominees, based on my impressions following their screening at Saturday's showcase.

"Milk"
Starring Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, James Franco, Emile Hirsch, Diego Luna
Directed by Gus Van Sant
Yes, you can believe the hype. My biggest problem with biopics is that they're always too boring, and, despite great performances, never capture what made these figures so compelling. "Milk" defies all these expectations. Giving the film actual context, thanks to archival footage in the opening credits (showing the systematic abuse and discrimination of gays by police) and in its expository shots (showing the transition of the Castro District of San Francisco from its early days as a safe haven to a mecca for LGBT groups). The original script (from first-time screenwriter and Oscar winner Dustin Lance Black), deft editing, fascinating direction and mesmerizing performances from Penn (who won the Oscar) and Brolin (who received his first, long overdue nomination), make this a riveting history lesson come to life.
*****

"The Reader"
Starring David Kross, Kate Winslet, Ralph Fiennes, Lena Olin
Directed by Stephen Daldry
Every year, the Academy nominates an unbelievably self-important film that no one saw, taking the place of an artistic crowd-pleaser. Two years ago, that film was "Babel" (filling a slot that should have belonged to "Pan's Labyrinth"). This year, it's Stephen Daldry (who, for unknown reasons, has tied Martin Scorsese and Clint Eastwood for nominations this decade) adaptation of a German novel, filled with sex and Nazi guilt. Other than Kate Winslet's Oscar-winning performance (which wasn't all that remarkable--great work is expected from an actress who's been nominated six times at age 33; here, she's merely good) and an excellent score, the movie is just a nicely-shot PSA for literacy. And its inclusion as one of the year's five best movies becomes more appalling by the second.
**

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Starring Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Taraji P. Henson
Directed by David Fincher
Not quite as magical as when I first experienced it opening weekend, but it's still a technical marvel. Brad Pitt, upon second viewing, didn't do most of the heavy lifting of his performance; it was the F/X wizards who put his animated head on someone else's body. And even though it's a carbon copy of "Forrest Gump," it still manages to captivate, something nearly impossible in our ADD society. Fincher has made movies darker ("Se7en") and deeper ("Fight Club") and more fully realized ("Zodiac"), but none quite as dazzling as this.
****

"Slumdog Millionaire"
Starring Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Irrfan Khan
Directed by Danny Boyle
I called it the best film of 2008 back in November, and two viewings later, it still stands as a crowning achievement. An uplifting, well-crafted, truly original tale that never once hits a false note, never once feels repetitive, never once wastes a second of celluloid. The large cast is uniformly excellent, despite the fact that most lacked formal training. It all feels wholly authentic and organic, and a movie that earned its slew of Oscars and audience the old-fashioned way: by making a great film.
*****

"Frost/Nixon"
Starring Michael Sheen, Frank Langella, Kevin Bacon, Oliver Platt, Sam Rockwell
Directed by Ron Howard
What should have been a cinematic bore (it's really just two dudes talking the whole movie) becomes a nail-biter, with the audience on the edge of their seats for most of the film. Frank Langella gives no mere imitation here; he actually embodies the man. Played with a touch of sadness, we understand how desperately the disgraced ex-President wanted to be liked. He has a human side, yet the film never justifies his actions. And Michael Sheen (snubbed just two years ago as Tony Blair in "The Queen") gets the shaft again. His counterpoint David Frost is a brilliant foil for Tricky Dick, and gets under the skin of a man who staked his entire career on this series of interviews. Keep up the good work, everyone.
*****