10 New Film Reviews

We recently reviewed these 10 films at both 1000 DVDs to See and 1000 Great Films

The Memory Loss Tapes (2008) - terrific documentary
Close-up (1990) - touching but propaganda
In Bruges (2008) - inventive, entertaining killer thriller
John Adams (2008) - historical epic tv mini-series, 13 Emmys
Man On Wire (2008) - well-crafted, not so suspenseful, see the cover
Milk (2008) - excellent mythic history of politician Harvey Milk
Ugetsu (1953) Japan, bw - spooky Japanese medieval war fable
Kinamind (2005) Denmark - touching immigrant romance story
Shallow Grave (1994) - fun, twisty suspense from Danny Boyle
Mrs. Miniver (1942) bw - Wyler's classic war story of England, winner of Best Picture; it's pro-war tone is a good bookend for the anti-war best picture The Best Years of Our Lives, released 4 years later.

Caution ahead! Films to avoid:
Doubt - much ado about nothing, good acting but not much else; Meryl Streep is a freaky minion of Satan, a self-righteous wrath of god dispenser that is too medieval for public safety - I say "burn the witch", that'll put the fear of god in her!
The Exterminating Angel - Bunuel's farce about a bunch of Mexican aristocrats who come to a dinner party and can't seem to leave; it becomes claustrophobic and maddening over time - just burn the house down already!
Targets - early Peter Bogdanovich psycho film about a man with a bunch of weapons and ammo who starts shooting people on an L.A. freeway; Boris Karloff is the only attraction here!
You and Me and Dupree - terrible comedy with a wasted cast

The Wrestler Wins Best Picture at the Indy Spirit Awards

The Wrestler won the big awards at tonight's Indy Spirit awards, picture and actor for Mickey O'Rourke.

The main awards:

Picture: The Wrestler (dir. by Daniel Aranofsky)
Director: Tom McCarthy (The Visitor)
Lead Actor: Mickey O'Rourke (The Wrestler)
Lead Actress: Melissa Leo (Frozen River)
Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz (Vicky Christina Barcelona)
Supporting Actor: James Franco (Milk)
Screenplay: Woody Allen (Vicky Christina Barcelona)
First Screenplay: Dustin Lance Black (Milk)
Documentary: James Marsh for Man on Wire

Here's the story:
2009 Independent Awards

Slumdog Millionaire wins Critics Choice Award

Director Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire won the Critic's Choice award as Best Picture, Boyle won director and the film won five awards overall at Thursday nights Critic's Choics awards for 2008 films.

Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
Best Director: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Best Action Picture: The Dark Knight
Best Comedy Picture: Tropic Thunder
Best Animated Picture: Wall-E
Best Actor: Sean Penn, Milk
Best Actress: (tie) Meryl Streep, Doubt; Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Supp. Actor: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Supp. Actress: Kate Winslet, The Reader
Best Documentary: Man on Wire
Best Foreign Film: Waltz with Bashir - this animated film about Palestine took four years to complete and the director had three kids while working on it!
Best TV Movie: John Adams - before presenting this award, Sarah Silverman said "because we all know the best films are being made for tv"

Here's a link to all nominations and winners:
2009 Critics Choice Awards

Note: When Dustin Hoffman went to announce Best Picture, he first said "it's a three-way tie!" -- then "Just kidding...."

Heath Ledger may become the second posthumous Oscar winner for acting, after Peter Finch (Network - "I'm mad a hell!") Here is his first award; personally, I prefer Jack Nicholson, the Joker was a joker, remember, not a morbid sadistic psycho; Ledger was better in Brokeback Mountain, imo, even though that's my least favorite Larry McMurtry (Last Picture Show, Terms of Endearment, Lonesome Dove, Comanche Moon) screenplay.